Toby Johnston-Stewart

Based in Victoria, Canada, composer Toby Johnston-Stewart creates concert music defined by its introspective depth and atmospheric resonance. Born in Switzerland and moving to Canada in 1989, he developed an early affinity for the power of sound to shape space, mood, and memory.

Under the long-term mentorship of Tim Janz at the Mount Royal University Conservatory of Music, Johnston-Stewart refined a unique compositional voice that fiercely prioritizes emotional immersion. His work is characterized by a continuous narrative, eschewing traditional structural divisions in favor of a seamless, organic evolution of texture that invites the listener into a meditative, transformative experience.

Moving fluidly between intimate gestures, suspended resonance, and expansive climaxes, his recent projects—including Cathedral After Dark—use acoustic space and live performance as integral parts of the musical expression, connecting listeners deeply to place and self.