Victor Fournelle-Blain

Violinist and violist Victor Fournelle-Blain leads an active career as an orchestral musician, chamber player, soloist, and educator. After five years with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, he was appointed Principal Viola of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 2019. He also teaches viola at the University of Toronto.

Mr. Fournelle-Blain first studied violin at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal with Johanne Arel, then earned a master’s degree from the Yale School of Music under Ani Kavafian, before continuing his viola studies with André Roy at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music.

Winner of McGill University’s 2014 Golden Violin Award, the Prix d’Europe in 2012, and the second prize at the OSM Competition in 2010, he has appeared as soloist with several orchestras, including the Orchestre Métropolitain and the Drummondville Symphony Orchestra. As violinist of the Trio Grand-Duc, he performs regularly in chamber music alongside orchestral colleagues and distinguished guest artists such as Jean-Philippe Collard, Alexandre Tharaud, and Vadim Repin.

Victor Fournelle-Blain performs on a Carlo Tononi violin and a Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi viola, generously on loan from Canimex.