Kathryn Knowles is a composer, cellist, and writer from Inverary, Ontario and currently based in Toronto, Ontario. Her musical works have been played in workshops by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the New Orford String Quartet, and the Penderecki String Quartet. Her work, Biarc, commissioned by the Accordion and Clarinet Duo, Joseph Petric and Martin Carpentier, will be premiered in December 2021.
Kathryn received honourable mention in the Writer’s Digest 89th Annual Writing Competition for her poem, Beyond the Black Horizon’s Crease, and her short story, Lester’s Bird Feeder. Her debut novel, The Relics of Illayan, the first novel in a fantasy trilogy, will be available in November 2021.
Kathryn is interested in multidisciplinary artistic exchange, and in exploring the creative process. She holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of International Business from Queen’s University, as well as a Master in Music Composition from the University of Toronto where she was awarded the Joseph Armand Bombardier Canadian Graduate Scholarship. During her time at U of T, Kathryn initiated and led the creation of an annual interdisciplinary conference to showcase artistic creation-based research known as the Multidisciplinary Creative Conference.
In addition to her work as a composer and writer, Kathryn is a Centre Director with Sistema Toronto, the Music Director of Music4Life String Orchestra, and the Founder of Mad Endeavour. Kathryn is a strong advocate for the accessibility and appreciation of music and art in today’s society and she values the constant pursuit and celebration of knowledge.
