Music | Banff Centre

Music Programs

Musicians of all genres can enjoy space and focused time to concentrate on artistic development in the unrivalled natural beauty of the Canadian Rockies.

Jazz Conduction with Tyshawn Sorey, 2018. Photo by Jessica Wittman

A hub for artistic inspiration

Music programs at Banff Centre develop your talent alongside world class faculty, while providing time and space to push boundaries with support to realize your potential and hone your skills.

Focus on your artistic development, have the opportunity to perform and record, and receive artistic inspiration and career advice.

An update on our offerings

Some of our programs are on temporary pause as we rebuild our capacity to support artists to have fulfilling residency experiences with opportunities to experiment and perform on our stages. Banff Centre remains dedicated to supporting musicians and composers and we expect that these programs will return as funding and capacity allow.

If you wish to stay informed about upcoming programs and Banff Centre news, please subscribe to our newsletter.

Featured Programs
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Leighton Studio in the winter

January 09 - March 31, 2023

Independent Residencies in the Leighton Artists Studios - Winter 2023

Independent residencies in the Leighton Artists Studios offer you the ability to delve into your work as a solitary, self-directed retreat.

Application deadline: Nov 02, 2022

Music Related

Music Stories
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BISQC Classics Revisited

The archival team recently finished a major project of arranging and describing 15 years’ worth of early Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC) materials.

Sean McCann poses with guitar in front of a forest with a river.

Séan McCann, Singer-songwriter

Séan McCann played guitar in the iconic Canadian band, Great Big Sea for 20 years. but it wasn't until he did an artist's residency at...

Gryphon Trio

Canada’s extraordinary Gryphon Trio appointed Directors Designate of Classical Music Summer Programs at Banff Centre

Homecoming for Annalee Patipatanakoon, Roman Borys, and Jamie Parker who met at Banff Centre as summer music students in the 1980s, who will take the helm of Classical Music Summer Programs beginning...

How to Write a Perfectly Sad Song

Singer-songwriter Kim Richey writes lyrics that tug at the heartstrings—here's how you can, too.

This residency gave me a golden opportunity to focus fully on exploring music, as well as open my world to new possibilites, through the inspiration provided by peers and facutly staff alike. It has lit a fire in my heart, lifted my gaze up, and made me fell held and seen. Powerful and needed!

Myriam Parent, Banff Musicians in Residence: At Home, 2021

Contact Us

For questions about the department and what we offer, please contact:

Email: arts_info@banffcentre.ca
Phone: 403.762.6180

Partners

We recognize, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as “Minhrpa” (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “the waterfalls”) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play here, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place.

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