![](https://sudburysymphony.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/francois_koh.jpg)
François Koh
Conductor
” A musician of utmost integrity and commitment and an exceptionally dedicated and inspired leader…” Ilya Poletaev, five International piano competition-winner, professor at McGill University.
Heinz Unger Conducting Award nominee François Koh majored in Orchestral Conducting in France and Canada, achieving a Master’s Degree from McGill University and a Doctorate Degree from the University of Toronto with a full scholarship. In 2022, Dr. Koh was one of the semi-finalists for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Resident Conductor Position. His conducting experience includes the Savaria Symphony Orchestra. and Filarmonica de Stat Târgu Mureş, Ensemble dal Niente, the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the McGill Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Orchestral de Dijon, and Ensemble Paramirabo. Dr. Koh has performed with distinguished soloists, including Jonathan Crow, Ilya Poletaev, Mark Fewer, Kyoko Hashimoto, Erika Raum, Jeremy Bell and Alexander Dunn.
From 2015 to 2022, Dr. Koh was the Music Director of the Georgian Bay Symphony. Under his direction, the GBS won the 2017 Vida Peene Award from the Ontario Arts Council for its artistic excellence and strong community relationships. The Ontario Arts Council recognized Dr. Koh’s contribution to the community and invited him to the 2022 Music Organizations: Operating assessment meeting as an advisor. He assessed seventy-seven grant applications from Ontario’s orchestras, choirs, and festival organizations.
Dr. Koh is also passionate about performing contemporary music, particularly promoting young Canadian composers and Francophone and Indigenous artists. His artistic goal is to strengthen the cultural fabric of communities by providing access to top-quality classical music.