Thomas Fitches with Paul Sanvidotti (Trumpet)

Thomas Fitches received his training in Oshawa, Toronto and Croydon, England, at the Royal School of Church Music.  His teachers have been George Rapley, Alan Reesor and Douglas Bodle.  From 1965 to 1973 he was the Assistant Organist at the Anglican Church of St. Simon the Apostle in Toronto.  During this time, he became familiar with the tonal aspect of pipe organ building.  He has voiced many instruments in the Toronto area (including St. James’ Cathedral) for Alan T. Jackson of Casavant Freres.

From 1973 to April 2015 Mr. Fitches was Organist and Director of Music at St. Clement’s Anglican Church, Toronto, where he retired after 42 years of service.

Mr. Fitches has performed on CBC radio, and was a guest artist in the Twilight Organ Series at Roy Thomson Hall. He has performed several times as soloist as well as with other instruments in the ORGANIX festivals.  He has also appeared as organ accompanist with the Elora Festival Singers and performed with them on their Naxos recording The Choral Music of R. Vaughan Williams.

Mr. Fitches is a past President of the Toronto Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and he is presently Choral Advisor and Conductor of the Chapel Choir at Massey College. 

In January 2015, Archbishop Colin Johnson presented Thomas with the Order of the Diocese of Toronto.  In May 2016, Trinity College, Toronto conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa on Thomas.   

Paul Sanvidotti is a freelance classical trumpeter in the Toronto area.  As a chamber musician, Paul has a regular and substantial schedule of trumpet and organ recitals throughout Ontario.  He is widely recognized for his work on period performance instruments, including natural baroque trumpet and tromba da tirarsi.  He is also sought after as an orchestral player of baroque instruments, soloing with such groups as Nota Bene, Guelph Chamber Players, Grand River Baroque, The Baroque Players of Hamilton, Te Deum and the Classical Music Consort.

Apart from early music performances over his career Paul has performed with many of the orchestras in Ontario, including Toronto Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, Windsor Symphony, Niagara Symphony, Toronto Philharmonia, the orchestra of Chorus Niagara, Talisker Players chamber ensemble, Canadian Sinfonietta, Toronto Sinfonietta and Brantford Symphony.  Soloist credits include the premiere of Andrew Ager’s “Divertimento for Trumpet” (2014).  His trumpet can also be heard on numerous recordings, as well as on radio, television and movie soundtracks.

Paul provides instruction on both baroque and modern instruments and maintains a studio of trumpet students at Upper Canada College.