Biography
Andrew Ascenzo
Cellist. Educator. Music and Artistic Director, Producer;
Andrew Ascenzo is redefining what it means to be a professional musician in the 21st Century.
Andrew is a founder and Executive Director of the Canadian Chamber Orchestra, a 14-piece conductor-less string orchestra known for their innovative and musician-led performances, featuring some of the finest musicians from across the country. As an orchestral and freelance cellist, he appears regularly with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Concert Orchestra, and with touring artists such as Lauryn Hill, Sigur Rós, and Bruce Cockburn. was a founding member of the award-winning Bedford Trio from 2016-2023, performing in Canada, the United States, and Europe.Since 2016, he has been the Artistic Director and Producer of Music in the Atrium, now in its 29th season, at Toronto's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
Andrew’s production and administrative work has included serving as the Artistic Producer of the Banff Centre’s Evolution Classical programs, as well a multi-media Producer for organizations including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, University of Toronto, University Health Network, Ottawa Chamberfest, and Leaf Music. Andrew was the Artistic Director and Producer of Music in the Atrium at Toronto's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre from 2016-2025. Andrew has worked extensively in musical theatre, and most recently appeared as Music Director of Eclipse Theatre Company’s original production ’Til Then.
In 2019, Andrew founded Pulse Music with music therapist Dr. SarahRose Black, a collaboration which explores the intersections between the performing arts and music therapy through storytelling and performance. Together, they have performed with the Canadian Opera Company, Xenia Concerts, the Gryphon Trio, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Public Library, Google Canada, Pocket Concerts, Concerts in Care, and the Room 217 Foundation.
Andrew is a applied music instructor and guest lecturer at the University of Toronto, where he was a graduate of the Doctor of Music Arts Program in 2020 and was the recipient of the Tecumseh Sherman Rogers Graduating Award, the highest honour awarded by the Faculty of Music. For more information visit andrewascenzo.com and find Andrew on all social media platforms @andrewascenzocellist.
March 2026 - please discard earlier biographies
First & last paragraph may be used as a shortened bio
