Kannan Bloor is a Canadian classical saxophonist and educator who transports listeners to the unique timbre of his instruments. An animated and expressive soloist, Kannan was the winner of the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition (2026) and the Winds Concerto Competition (2024). He was honoured to be the first ever saxophone Emerging Artist for the Edmonton Recital Society’s 2024-25 season, and curated a concert program featuring works transcribed for saxophone from other instruments including Cesar Frank’s Sonate pour Piano et Violon, and Camille Saint-Saëns’ Romance Op.36 for French horn.
As a member of duoKAN, Kannan and his duo partner Christina Kant were selected as finalists for the ninth edition of the Orford Music Award competition, and look forward to competing in the summer of 2026. Kannan founded duoKAN with harpist Christina Kant and together have been performing across Canada since 2022, promoting the unique qualities of this non-conventional instrument pairing. Together they have performed multiple outreach and benefit concerts in Toronto and Edmonton, as part of their previous project Coalescence; guided by the idea of “unlikely instruments that coalesce”. duoKAN’s benefit concerts have raised more than $10,000 in support of cancer research, refugee funds, and more, with the duo planning to continue fundraising efforts for various causes in the future. Currently in the works, their next project involves the existing classical tango repertoire, while introducing new classical compositions and transcriptions for harp and saxophone. The duo continues to challenge the expectations of their sound concept and is currently undergoing the commissioning of new works for the unique instrumentation.
Kannan performed Erwin Schulhoff’s Hot Sonate with the Faculty of Music Wind Ensemble led by Dr. Gillian Mackay; a performance earned from the University of Toronto Winds Concerto Competition (2024). Kannan also participates in shows as a member of various saxophone quartets, most notably the Nameless Quartet; honourable mention of the University of Toronto Winds Concerto Competition (2024). As a result, they had the opportunity to perform William Bolcom’s Concerto Grosso with the University of Toronto Wind Ensemble. In addition to performing educational outreach concerts at high schools in the GTA, the Nameless Quartet has participated in performances hosted by the University of Toronto, including the Oasis Concert Series (Toronto and Mississauga) and Musicfest Canada. Beyond his work as a soloist and chamber artist, Kannan shows versatility in his large ensemble work with experience as a member of the University of Toronto Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Saxophone Chamber Ensembles, and the Toronto Saxophone Collective. Previously, he was a private contractor for the Queen’s Own Rifles Band of the Canadian Armed Forces, assisting in performances in marching and static band settings. Kannan has performed as a substitute player in local ensembles, such as the Kindred Spirits Orchestra and Rouge River Winds Community Concert Band. Most recently, he performed as a member of the international travelling production; the “Evangelion Wind Symphony”, featuring pop, jazz, and classical film scores for an audience of over three-thousand in Toronto’s prestigious Meridian Hall.
As an educator, Kannan has been teaching as an intermittent instructor at the Newton’s Grove School campus – of which he is an alumnus – running masterclasses, individual lessons, and conducting the student wind bands. Having taught independently as a private woodwind teacher, many of his students have achieved entrance to both Canadian and international honour bands, participate in local wind ensembles, and some have continued to pursue a career in music. In his own pursuits, he has had the opportunity to work with world-class saxophonists such as Vincent David, Steven Banks, Dr. Nathan Nabb, Professor Masato Kumoi, Dr. John W. Sampen, and more. Kannan holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of Toronto, where he studied with distinguished Canadian classical saxophonist Dr. Wallace Halladay. He is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Saxophone Performance, continuing his studies with Dr. Halladay at the University of Toronto.
– July 2026 –
