Dr. John Rudolph

Biography

John Rudolph is firmly established as one of Canada’s leading percussionists. He was appointed Principal Percussion of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1997, serving in that capacity for 20 years. John formerly held the position of principal percussionist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and was a percussionist for the CBC Radio Orchestra as well as the Air Force Band in Washington, D.C. He has appeared as a soloist with symphony orchestras including Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, and the National Arts Centre. As a chamber musician, John has performed with Canada’s premiere percussion ensemble NEXUS, Amici Chamber Ensemble, Soundstreams, Masterpiece Music, and at the Vancouver Chamber Music Festival. He is a member of the Rudolph Family Players, alongside his wife, flutist Kathleen Rudolph, and their daughter, violist Theresa Rudolph. John has performed percussion sections with prestigious orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Kirov Orchestra. In addition to his work at the Faculty of Music, John is a faculty member of the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. He has given masterclasses at several universities and is a former Adjunct Professor of Percussion at the University of British Columbia. John received the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal in August 2012 in recognition of his service to Canada as a member of the faculty of the National Youth Orchestra. He studied privately with notable percussionists and has completed 28 marathons, including five Boston Marathons.

Research Interests