CMFAA User Profile

Edmonton pianist Sylvia Shadick-Taylor is known for her diverse talents. She excels as a soloist, yet is equally comfortable as a chamber musician, accompanist and teacher.

As a soloist Sylvia has a strong interest in contemporary music. Premiering many Canadian and American works, she has performed in Canada and the United States, including her highly successful New York concert debut in 1997. In 2009 she was named an Ambassador of the Canadian Music Centre for her promotion of Canadian music.

Ms. Shadick-Taylor has also performed as a chamber musician with many ensembles. Recent performances include concerts in Canada, Thailand, Germany, France, Japan and performances at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in New York City with Hungarian/Canadian violinist Nándor Szederkényi (1998) and more recently with Canadian cellist Tanya Prochazka (2011). A popular accompanist, she adeptly spans opera classics to demanding contemporary concert repertoire, and her work can frequently be heard on CBC Radio.

A respected name in the musical community, Sylvia works as a private teacher, vocal coach, adjudicator and clinician, and has worked for the University of Alberta, Edmonton Opera, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Alberta College and Pro Coro Canada.

Sylvia recently released the CD Piano NorthWest, presenting solo piano music by the Winnipeg composer, William Pura and the CD Expressions, which features music for solo piano and harpsichord by western Canadian composers. Previous CDs include three CDs on the Arktos label: Caprice; Intimate Impressions (winner of the 2000 Alberta Recording Industry Award for Best Classical Artist); and At Your Service, which focuses on the art of accompanying. She can also be heard on several other CDs, including Northern Arch, soundland alberta and Lucidae.