Carlos Foggin
Affiliations
Graduate Student - PhD - Transdisciplinary Research
Faculty of Graduate Studies
Contact information
Background
Credentials
Fellow, Royal Canadian College of Organists, 2016
Associate, Royal Canadian College of Organists, 2013
Colleague, Royal Canadian College of Organists, 2008
Educational Background
M.Mus University of Calgary, 2026
B.Mus University of Calgary, 2016
Rozsa Executive Arts Leadership (REAL) University of Calgary - Haskayne School of Business, 2021
Rozsa Arts Management Program (RAMP) University of Calgary - Haskayne School of Business, 2019
Biography
Currently a PhD student in Transdisciplinary Research, under the supervision of Dr. Joy Palacios, I am a Calgary-based organist, pianist, conductor, and composer. He holds a Master of Music from the University of Calgary and is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists.
I am the Founder and Music Director Laureate of the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, which I led from its founding in 2016 to 2025, shaping its programming across orchestral, choral, chamber, and collaborative projects. My work as a conductor and artist is rooted in a broad musical practice that integrates performance, leadership, and composition across a range of genres and contexts.
As a composer, my works include Ave Maria (2012), Te Deum (2018), Regina Caeli (2025), and The Litany of St Joseph, composed in 2025 for the 400th anniversary of St. Joseph’s Patronage in Canada, The score and recording were subsequently presented to Pope Leo XIV. I continue to work across multiple musical disciplines in Calgary including opera and improvisation in jazz and classic styles, actively developing new artistic and performance initiatives.
Research
Areas of Research
My research investigates how Gregorian chant–based organ improvisation can be renewed as a living tradition within contemporary Roman Catholic worship. Drawing on archival research, interviews, ethnography, and my own practice as a liturgical organist, I explore how musical and ritual knowledge is transmitted through participation, mentorship, and performance. Using the Diocese of Calgary as a case study, my work examines the relationship between tradition and renewal while contributing to broader understandings of cultural heritage, religious practice, and embodied knowledge.
Participation in university strategic initiatives
Projects
The ‘Litany of St. Joseph’ project is a 13-movement oratorio that explores the life and virtues of St. Joseph through a series of musical meditations. Scored for 4 soloists, organ, orchestra, and choir, it blends traditional liturgical texts with contemporary musical language.
The work received its first performance on March 17, 2025, at Calgary's Jack Singer Concert Hall.
On October 7, 2026, the score and recording were presented to Monsigneur Marcos Pavan (Music director of the Sistine Chapel) by Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič. The score and recording were subsequently presented to Pope Leo XIV by Monsigneur Pavan.
Repeat performances in Canada (Calgary, Montreal & Ottawa) and the United States (Texas & Florida) are in the early planning stages.
Co-founder of the Calgary-based jazz ensemble. I oversee operations, production, and artistic collaboration, curating innovative performances that showcase both established and emerging vocalists and instrumentalists.
Founder and Music Director | 2016–2025
Led all artistic and administrative aspects of the organization, including repertoire selection, rehearsal and performance direction, and collaboration with guest soloists. Presented engaging orchestral programs across Alberta.
Music Director Laureate | 2025–present
Provides ongoing mentorship and advocacy in support of live classical music.
As the Founder and Artistic Director of the Marquis Chamber Orchestra, I lead a project-based ensemble established to deliver flexible, large-scale collaborative and interdisciplinary works. Our mission centers on bridging diverse artistic fields through high-caliber productions of opera, oratorios, ballet, and sacred music, providing a dynamic platform for complex regional projects that transcend traditional orchestral boundaries.
Awards
- Creativity Award in Connection, Community and Culture, University of Calgary – Faculty of Arts. 2026
- Music's Future Scholar, The Recording Industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund. 2025
- Classical Recording of the Year (Producer), YYC Music Awards. 2025
- Professional Artist of the Year, Airdrie Mayor's Night of the Arts. 2025
- Community Ensemble of the Year, YYC Music Awards. 2024
- Queen Elizabeth II - Platinum Jubilee Medal, 2022
- Alberta Emerging Artist Award, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. 2020
- Compelling Calgarian, Calgary Herald. 2019
In the News
- 2026 Arts Awards Recipients. University of Calgary Website. (2026)
- Concert & Premiere of Composition. Calgary Catholic Diocese Web Blog. (2025)
- Preview of St. Joseph Litany. Catholic News Network. (2025)
- YYC Music Awards 2024 Winners. YYC Music Awards Website. (2024)
- Alberta Emerging Artist Announcement. Youtube/Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards. (2020)
- Compelling Calgarian. Calgary Herald. (2020)
More Information
I am a full member of the Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO), Canada’s oldest national association of musicians. Founded in 1909, the RCCO is dedicated to promoting a vibrant community focused on the transformative power of organ music, supporting performers, educators, and composers across the country while preserving Canada's rich organ heritage.
- Vice-President, Calgary Centre (2026-)
- College of Examiners (2026-)
- Fellow (2016)
- Associate (2013)
- Colleague (2008)
In 2016, I founded the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra. In 2018, the organization became a registered charity. In 2019, the Orchestra took up residence in the Polaris Theatre. From 2016-2024, I worked as both the music director and executive director, growing the organization from a $40,000 budget in our inaugural season to over $300,000 in 2025.
During my 9-season tenure, the RMSO performed nearly 100 concerts in 18 venues across the province.
- Music Director Laureate (2025-)
- Music Director (2016-2025)
- Founder (2016)
As the Founder and Artistic Director of the Marquis Chamber Orchestra, I've been privileged to lead this project-based ensemble dedicated to flexible, large-scale collaborative and sacred masterworks. Under my direction, the orchestra and chorus performed the March 2025 world premiere of my own large-scale composition, The Litany of St. Joseph, at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
The orchestra also collaborates with opera companies and choral societies on a project basis.
- Founder & Music Director (2025-)
Within the university community, Foggin served as a volunteer with the School of Creative and Performing Arts Graduate Society (SCPAGS). During a period of programmatic restructuring of graduate degree programs between the School and the Faculty of Arts, the executive team actively advocated to ensure that graduate student concerns remained central to institutional decision-making. Additionally, they successfully secured grant funding to establish and brand a dedicated graduate student lounge within the SCPA.
- SCPA Graduate Society - Treasurer (2025-26)
- SCPA Graduate Society - Secretary (2024-25)
Are you the profile owner?
Login to edit.