Peter McCoppin

Peter McCoppin is a Canadian conductor, organist, and broadcaster whose career spans four continents and more than three decades of orchestral leadership. McCoppin studied conducting with Erich Leinsdorf, Lovro von Matičič, and Hans Swarowsky, and taught conducting at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He is known for his work with orchestral-choral repertoire of the 19th century and has expressed a commitment to discovering, nurturing, and promoting Canadian talent, as well as performing contemporary Canadian music.

McCoppin's conducting career includes revitalizing orchestras and building community support. He is credited with leading the Vancouver Symphony out of bankruptcy, rebuilding public and corporate confidence, and restoring the orchestra to profitable operation. McCoppin served as music director of the Victoria Symphony, during which the orchestra was debt-free and played to one of the largest per capita audiences in Canada. He also served as music director of the Charlotte Symphony in North Carolina, becoming the first Canadian to hold a major conducting post in the United States. Throughout his tenure as a music director, McCoppin improved attendance, restored community support, and maintained financial stability, never having taken an orchestra through a deficit season.

As a guest conductor, McCoppin has led major orchestras in Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, Sydney, and Mexico City. He was invited to the Sydney Opera House to conduct and judge the finals of the Australian Young Performers' Competition and to conduct a production of "Carmina Burana" featuring 300 choral and orchestral performers. McCoppin produced and conducted a recording of operetta arias with American soprano Sherri Seiden and the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra. He conducted the premiere of Malcolm Forsyth's "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra," as well as premieres by Harold Weaver and Rosemary Silversteen with the Victoria Symphony.

Beyond conducting, McCoppin has developed a career as a broadcaster and communicator. He has hosted national, regional, and local radio programs for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and, for 15 years, hosted the "Classic Theatre" TV program for Knowledge Network in British Columbia. He holds the title of conductor laureate of the Victoria Symphony. As an orchestral conductor, his career is established internationally, and he is recognized for his ability to engage audiences through both music and public speaking from the concert stage.

McCoppin has also become an executive coach and keynote speaker. During his tenure as music director of the Charlotte Symphony, he was invited to coach the director of investor relations at Duke Energy Corporation in presentation skills, which led to further opportunities in executive coaching. His course, "Mastering the Art of Communication," is offered to both public and private sectors. McCoppin's leadership courses have been taken by more than 300 people in the Government of British Columbia and are in demand among groups and individuals across Canada. He draws on his experiences as a conductor, professor, music director, and researcher to address the intersection of artistry and organizational leadership.