Toronto-based multi-reedist Connor Moe is the 2019 winner of the Peter Appleyard Scholarship.
This annual scholarship honours the legacy of vibraphonist Peter Appleyard and his incredible contribution to Canadian music by providing a scholarship for a current undergraduate jazz student.
The award is offered to an outstanding instrumentalist chosen from nominations submitted by administrators from the four Toronto-area jazz programs (Humber College, Mohawk College, the University of Toronto and York University). In tribute to Appleyard’s outstanding musical abilities and unparalleled character, the nominees are selected based on being a team player with a positive attitude and a passionate, hard worker who possesses a high level of potential.
Brad Barker and Jaymz Bee presented the award to Connor Moe live on the air on Saturday, Aug. 24.
Moe began his musical journey with the piano in elementary school, but he quickly moved on to wind instruments and eventually chose to focus on the flute, saxophones and clarinet. While primarily a flute player, he has been working on saxophone and clarinet doubles while in school.
He is currently in his fourth year studying at York University, and has studied with esteemed Toronto musicians such as Tara Davidson, Sundar Viswanathan, Frank Falco, Kelly Jefferson, Kevin Turcotte and Roy Patterson.
Moe’s influences range from classic jazz musicians like Sonny Rollins, Lee Morgan and Miles Davis to artists like the Pixies, Feist and Nick Drake. He has a hard-bop and straight-ahead jazz influence, but is also interested in incorporating elements of rock, folk and punk into his music.
Moe currently plays with the Sam Ruttan Septet on tenor sax and flute, which plays compositions and arrangements by band members with influences like Brian Blade, Wayne Shorter and Bill Frisell. He leads the Connor Moe Trio, which plays arrangements of standard repertoire in the flute, bass and guitar format. He plays with the York University Jazz Orchestra as the first tenor chair and performs in his jazz workshop on flute.