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Celebrated Composer and Champion of Canadian Music
TORONTO (October 2, 2026) — Canada’s music community mourns the passing of Victor Davies, C.M. (1939-2026), the celebrated composer, pianist and conductor whose imagination enriched Canadian culture and whose advocacy strengthened the rights of music creators. Across more than six decades, Davies brought Canadian music to audiences worldwide while helping build a stronger community for those who create it.
Born in Winnipeg, Davies studied at the University of Manitoba before earning a Bachelor of Music in composition from Indiana University in 1964. He later studied conducting with Pierre Boulez in Switzerland. He built relationships with Manitoba’s leading arts organizations, including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Manitoba Theatre Centre and Contemporary Dancers. He moved to Toronto in 1977, maintaining enduring connections to Manitoba.
Davies’ versatility carried him across opera, musical theatre, ballet, orchestral and chamber music, choral works, and music for children. His compositions reached listeners through performances, recordings, broadcasts and television internationally. He also wrote scores for productions associated with CBC, CTV, the National Film Board of Canada, PBS, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros.
His music resisted boundaries between the concert hall and popular culture. Melodic invention, rhythmic energy and colourful orchestration allowed classical forms, jazz and popular idioms to coexist in his work. From intimate chamber pieces to large theatrical productions, he sought a direct connection with listeners.
Among his best-known works is The Mennonite Piano Concerto, commissioned by Manitoba’s Fast Foundation and recorded by pianist Irmgard Baerg with the London Symphony Orchestra under Boris Brott. Drawing together different musical traditions, the concerto exemplified his ability to welcome broad audiences without sacrificing artistic ambition.
His catalogue also includes the oratorio Revelation, the opera Transit of Venus, commissioned by Manitoba Opera, and The Big Top, created for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. His screen work included The Nutcracker Prince and For the Moment, while his score for Honour Before Glory earned a Gemini Award. He also wrote music and lyrics for more than 600 songs for the children’s television series Let’s Go! and The Rockets.
Beyond composition, Davies devoted significant energy to organizations supporting Canadian music. He served as president of the Canadian League of Composers, on the board of the Canadian Music Centre, and as Vice-Chair of SOCAN. A longtime board member of both SOCAN and SOCAN Foundation, he combined artistic experience with a commitment to service, mentorship and his fellow creators.
In 2014, Davies was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for broadening the appeal of contemporary Canadian music and supporting composers’ legal rights. His citation described him as “a fierce supporter of Canada’s creative music community and one of our most beloved composers.” The University of Manitoba awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws in 2007.
Davies was predeceased by his wife and business partner, Lori Davies, who died in 2021. Her legacy is honoured through SOCAN Foundation’s Lori Davies Composition Award for Excellence in Dance, Opera or Music Theatre, established by family and friends to recognize outstanding mid-career composers.
He is survived by his daughters, Suzanne and Heather Davies; his grandchildren, Chelsea and Caleigh Davies-Kneis; and his sons-in-law, Martin Kneis and Gregory Rose.
To honour Victor Davies’ legacy and support the Victor Davies Award, family, friends and members of the music community are invited to contribute to SOCAN Foundation’s donor-advised fund at Charitable Impact. Donations can be made here.
Davies leaves a legacy that extends beyond his scores: a belief in music’s capacity to connect people, and in the responsibility to care for the people behind it. His music, mentorship and example will continue to resonate.