The Music Gallery welcomes Matthew Fava as our new Executive Director

Toronto, Ontario – The Board of Directors of the Music Gallery, Toronto’s Centre for Creative Music, is pleased to announce the selection of Matthew Fava as the organization’s Executive Director. Matthew succeeds David Dacks, who is leaving the position as of April 10 after 13 years of dedicated service to the Music Gallery.

Matthew is well known in Toronto’s creative music circles, bringing a wealth of aligned experience, knowledge, and commitment to the Music Gallery and its mission. He is a community-oriented arts administrator and musician with a background in non-profit, arts-based organizations.

Amongst his achievements, as Music Director and Program Manager at CHRY 105.5 FM campus-community radio, Matthew oversaw a variety of special programs, live performances, and remote broadcasts involving a range of artistic voices from across Toronto. He also served as Director of Ontario Region at the Canadian Music Centre where he actively reshaped the workshop and programming profile of the CMC to include more collaborative, multi-disciplinary, and inter-generational efforts in order to build meaningful creative and professional relationships among artists.

Matthew acted as a founding organizer of the Toronto Creative Music Lab which presented an annual international music-based workshop with an emphasis on peer-learning, less hierarchical models of composer-performer collaborations, and active engagement with anti-oppression training as a component of artistic virtuosity.

Matthew has served on the boards of The Music Gallery (2015-2018) and Contact Contemporary Music, he was a core organizer of the Intersection festival, and has performed actively in Toronto as an improviser and band-member (Moonwood, Stargoon).

Most recently, Matthew has served as Executive Director at the Tranzac, a multi-purpose performing arts venue, working alongside a staff team to facilitate residency activities as well as a variety of music, theatre, and other events.

In his Music Gallery role, Matthew will collaborate closely with Artistic Director Sanjeet Takhar to bring the Music Gallery’s invigorating creative vision to life.

Dave Darby, President of the Board of Directors, said “We are thrilled to have Matthew join us at this very exciting time for the Music Gallery. In support of Sanjeet’s fresh programming we will be reigniting our strategic plan this year and we look forward to Matthew’s presence and insight on this and everything we do.”

“The Music Gallery has been a fixture of my creative life and community for many years, and it is an honour to join such an impressive team,” says Fava. “Developing and delivering artist-driven programming have been central to my organizing, and I look forward to working alongside Sanjeet as the Music Gallery responds to and helps shape the creative life of this city.”

“I’m truly excited to have Matthew join our small but mighty team at the Music Gallery,” said Sanjeet. “He’s a beloved member of the community, a mover of mountains, and I believe that not only will I learn from him, but that the community at large will benefit from his glow.”

Matthew will be wrapping up various projects at the Tranzac in the weeks ahead, while also spending some time with David Dacks being oriented around the Music Gallery role. Matthew’s appointment is effective May 29.