The Toronto Philharmonia Orchestra has appointed Shaun Pilot as their new executive director. Mr. Pilot has a 27-year background in arts presentation and production in Montreal, New York, Prague and Toronto.  In other TPO news, Dr. Milos Krajny has been elected president of the Board of Directors, succeeding William Jensen, who served in the role for the last three years.

The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) announced its 2009-2012 Board of Directors at their annual general meeting in Montreal on June 16, 2009.  The 18 member board  is comprised of nine composer and songwriter members and nine publisher members.  Heading the board as president is Earl Rosen, owner of publishing company De Sade Songs and the classical and jazz record label Marquis. Mr. Rosen has served on SOCAN’s board of directors for nine years, including three as president.  Other executive directors  include Gilles Valiquette as First Vice-Chair, Gary Furniss as Second Vice-Chair, Rosaire Archambault as Secretary, and Stan Meissner as Treasurer.

Recent provincial elections in Nova Scotia and British Columbia have resulted in a change of Ministers in key culture portfolios.  NDP Member of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly Percy Paris has been named Minister of Economic and Rural Development, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs and Minister responsible for Nova Scotia Business Inc.  In British Columbia, Kevin Krueger was appointed Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts on June 10.  He had served as Minister of Community Development since January 19, 2009 and as Minister of Small Business and Revenue and Minister Responsible for Regulatory Reform since June 23, 2008. Kevin previously was Minister of State for Mining.