ARTIST PROFILE
Guy Traficante
Twenty years ago, Guy Traficante relocated to Sault Ste. Marie
from Toronto through a grant from the Ontario Arts Council. He was
one of the first resident musicians at the Algoma Conservatory of
Music. As first violin of a resident string quartet, concertmaster
of the Sault Symphony, and instructor of violin at the Algoma Conservatory
and Algoma University, he worked to develop a first-rate string
division at Algoma. His previous experience – as an instructor
at McGill University as an assistant to the renowned violin pedagogue
Mauricio Fuks (concertmaster of the Montreal Chamber Orchestra),
as well as an extensive arts background during highschool at the
North Carolina School of the Arts – served as inspiration. 
Photo courtesy of
Algoma Conservatory of Music
In 1987, Guy moved into administration, becoming the Principal at Algoma Conservatory of Music. Through aggressive expansion of the resident artist program, the Conservatory has developed into one of the largest and finest music schools in Ontario, with nearly 1000 registrations today and over 30 teachers.
In addition to teaching, conducting, and his administrative duties, Guy Traficante was the founder (and continues to be the artistic director) of the Conservatory's Shingwauk Chamber Music Series – now regarded by many to be one of the finest music series in Ontario. Having just completed its 12th season, the prominent agent Andrew Kwan in Toronto has called it Canada's finest small chamber music series. Guy has also been active in assisting other arts organizations, having served on the Boards of the Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie, Algoma Music Camp, and the Kiwanis Music Festival.
Mr. Traficante is active with youth ensembles as conductor for three levels of the Sault Ste. Marie Youth Orchestra. Under his direction, the Senior Youth Orchestra enjoyed a recent trip to perform at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa as an invited orchestra of the National Youth Orchestra Festival.
Guy Traficante feels strongly that it is now time to develop a permanent music education facility to enable teachers and students of Sault Ste. Marie to function to the best of their abilities, helping to develop the incredible talent and love for the arts which is a strong part of our community.
With his oldest son, Andrew, off to University in England in September, Guy now foresees a bit of extra time to pursue a passion for kayaking on Lake Superior with his wife, Susan, and to complete the next phase of Conservatory expansion – a permanent facility at Algoma University.
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