Equally at home conducting symphonic and choral repertoire, Ivars Taurins is founding director of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, now in it’s 34th season. He was also founding member and principal violist of the Tafelmusik Orchestra for its first 23 years. Under his direction the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir has been widely praised for its clarity, nuance and brilliance.
Principal Baroque Conductor of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra from 2001-2011, Mr. Taurins also appears as a guest conductor with orchestras and choirs across Canada, including the Edmonton, Victoria, Kitchener-Waterloo, Winnipeg, and Windsor Symphonies, Calgary and Hamilton Philharmonics, Orchestra London, Symphony Nova Scotia, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Thirteen Strings (Ottawa), Vancouver Chamber Choir, Pro Coro Canada, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Winnipeg Singers, and the Elora Festival Orchestra and Singers.
Mr. Taurins was director of the 2012 National Youth Choir of Canada, and has directed provicila youth choirs and orchestras across the country.
His recordings with Tafelmusik (CBC Records, Tafelmusik Media), have all received JUNO nominations. His most recent recording is a JUNO Award-nominated live-performance recording of Handel’s Messiah (Tafelmusik Media). In 2011, he was nominated for a Gemini Award for his performance as George Frideric Handel in Sing-Along Messiah, filmed by 90th Parallel Productions for Bravo! Television, and released on DVD by Tafelmusik Media.
A passionate lecturer and teacher, Mr. Taurins teaches orchestral conducting and directs the Collegium Musicum at the University of Toronto. He is also on the faculty of the Glenn Gould School in Toronto. He has been a guest teacher/conductor at the universities across Canada. Mr. Taurins is director of the vocal/choral programme at the annual Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute.
Ivars Taurins will perform at Bach & Telemann on May 24, 2018. And Bach & Handel: Brandenburg II & Water Music on May 26, 2018.