Violinist Timothy Chooi receives University of Ottawa’s EDI Research Award

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The University of Ottawa’s (uOttawa) School of Music has given its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Research Award to associate professor of violin, Timothy Chooi.

The award was presented by the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, in recognition of his work to make classical music more accessible, relevant and community-focused.

Chooi leads the string programme at uOttawa, as well as oversees the School of Music’s public releations and contributes to the EDI Committee. Through his mentorship, he helps students pursue graduate studies and launch research projects rooted in identity and community engagement.

Chooi has spearheaded numerous projects that use music as a tool for storytelling, intercultural exchange and social connection. He founded the Vision Collective in 2018 while at the Juilliard School, an initiative that brought together musicians, especially refugees and immigrants, to share stories through music. The work earned the Robert Sherman Award for Music Education and Community Outreach.

He launched the digital series Folk Music Reimagined for Solo Violin during the pandemic, bringing folk traditions from East Asia and Canada to younger and culturally diverse audiences via Instagram and YouTube.

’It ultimately became a case study in how digital platforms can foster inclusion in times of disconnection,’ Chooi explained. ’These videos reached thousands of viewers and demonstrated how social media could serve as a research vehicle - bypassing traditional gatekeeping and creating direct access between performer and public.’

Chooi also aims to expand canonic repertoire by including works by historically excluded composers in his performances at Carnegie Hall and Verbier Festival.

Additionally, Chooi leads workshops and performances for youth who rarely experience live classical music in remote communities in Northern Quebec, the Northwest Territories and southern Chile.

’The performing arts, and classical music in particular, have often lagged behind other fields in implementing EDI principles in meaningful ways,’ said Chooi.

’As a violinist and professor, I explore how classical music - a traditionally Eurocentric field - can evolve into a participatory, inclusive space. My research is not only artistic but social. It seeks to connect people through performance, community engagement and cultural dialogue.’