The Art of Song Program Director is generously supported by Joy Levine and an anonymous donor.

Pianist Steven Philcox has quickly established himself as one of Canada’s finest collaborators and has performed with many renowned singers including Richard Margison, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Shannon Mercer, and Measha Brueggergosman. His performances consistently receive high praise and critical acclaim prompting Toronto’s The Globe and Mail to write “a superb piano partner…gorgeously accompanied.”

Mr. Philcox is the director of the Collaborative Piano Department in the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto, and the director of Toronto Summer Music’s Art of Song program. A graduate of the University of British Columbia, Mr. Philcox pursued his love of vocal literature for two summers at the Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, California. Subsequently, he went on to receive his Master of Music Degree in Vocal Accompanying from the Manhattan School of Music.

From 1999-2010, Philcox was a celebrated member of the music staff of the Canadian Opera Company where he served as répétiteur and assistant conductor on more than 35 productions and was the pianist of choice for baroque and classical continuo. In 2006, Philcox distinguished himself in an auspicious debut conducting the company’s final performance of Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte at the newly opened Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Other conducting credits with the company (as assistant conductor) include performances of Gounod’s Faust, Britten’s Albert Herring and Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia.

As a pedagogue, Philcox has given masterclasses throughout North America and is regularly invited to mentor young artists at many of Canada’s prestigious training programs. Recent highlights include Opera on the Avalon, Vancouver International Song Institute, University Of Texas, Austin, Canadian Opera Company Studio Ensemble, Stratford Summer Music Vocal Academy, and the Centre for Operatic Studies in Italy. Philcox has recorded for the Stone Records and Centrediscs labels.