Adrian Anantawan Keynote Speaker

  • “A rising star in classical music” (Globe and Mail)
  • Key proponent of the disabled arts
  • Co-founded the Virtual Chamber Music Initiative at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Centre

Adrian Anantawan's Biography

Adrian Anantawan began the violin at nine, and has since established himself as “a rising star in classical music” (Globe and Mail). He is a key proponent of the disabled arts, as he was born without a right hand. He is a national spokesperson for the War Amps of Canada, and the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Center.

Adrian has performed extensively in Canada as a soloist with the Orchestras of Toronto, Nova Scotia, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Montreal, Edmonton and Vancouver. He has also presented feature recitals at the Aspen Music Festival, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and the White House. His proudest moments have included performances for the late Christopher Reeve and Pope John Paul II. He has also represented Canada as a cultural ambassador in the 2006 Athens Olympics, and was a feature performer at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies. His 2010/2011 includes collaboration with violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter as part of a ten-city European tour, with performances in the United States and Canada.

In 2006, he was nominated for a Juno for his work on the children’s album, A Butterfly in Time (Marco Polo Records) and is a 2009 inductee into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame. Other honours include winning the Rosemary Kennedy International Competition and the CBC Galaxie Award. His documentary Adrian Anantawan: The Story Behind the Notes is currently being broadcast across the country by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

Active within his community, Adrian helped to create the Virtual Chamber Music Initiative at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Centre. The cross-collaborative project brings researchers, musicians, doctors and educators together to develop adaptive musical instruments capable of being played by young person with disabilities within a chamber music setting.

He is currently a faculty member of the National Arts Centre Young Artists Program, teaching in its pre-college division since 2008. Along with pianist Bryan Wagorn, he created the CODA Project, a program aimed at training young musicians (ages 12-18) to implement outreach presentations to the Ottawa community.

Read More

Videos of Adrian Anantawan

Adrian Anantawan: Violin's Human Emotion (2012)
Adrian Anantawan: Violin's Human Emotion (2012)
Interview and Performance at Skoll World Forum (2013)
Interview and Performance at Skoll World Forum (2013)

Check Adrian Anantawan's speaking fees and availability

    Sending your message…

    Please wait, this can take a moment

    Message sent…

    Close

    Please provide your details and we’ll get in touch as soon as possible.

    We can only respond to requests for professional speaking engagements. We are unable to respond to requests for autographs, shoutouts and personalized messages.

    View our related Speakers

    Mark Carleton-Smith header image
    Mark Carleton-Smith Speaker
    Exclusive
    Mark Carleton-Smith
    Head of the British Army
    Darnell Moore Speaker
    Exclusive
    Darnell Moore
    Director of Inclusion Strategy for Content & Marketing, Netflix
    stuart kirk
    Stuart Kirk Speaker
    Exclusive
    Stuart Kirk
    Former Global Head of Responsible Investments at HSBC
    Sara Sabry Speaker
    Exclusive
    Sara Sabry
    The First Egyptian Astronaut and first Arab woman in space
    David Livermore Speaker
    Exclusive
    David Livermore
    Thought leader in cultural intelligence (CQ) and global leadership
    Maxine Bédat Speaker
    Exclusive
    Maxine Bédat
    Director of New Standard Institute and Author of 'Unraveled'
    Dido Harding Speaker
    Exclusive
    Dido Harding
    CEO of the TalkTalk Group (2010-2017)
    Joann S. Lublin Speaker
    Exclusive
    Joann S. Lublin
    Former Management News Editor, The Wall Street Journal
    Kersti Kaljulaid header image
    Kersti Kaljulaid Speaker
    Exclusive
    Kersti Kaljulaid
    President of the Republic of Estonia between 2016-2021
    Mark Sedwill Speaker
    Exclusive
    Mark Sedwill
    National Security Adviser (2017-20)