Dr. Edward Turgeon was born in Scarborough, Ontario, and enjoyed early instruction from his sister Christine, and George McElroy at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Later studies at the undergraduate level included at UofT with James Anagnoson and at Yale with Peter Frankl. After completing graduate studies, Turgeon landed academic appointments including Associate Professor at the HARID Conservatory; Director of Collaborative Arts, Director of Keyboard Studies and Associate Professor of Music at Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton, where he resided from 1994 until 2014. Turgeon currently serves as Professor and Chair of the Music Department at Algoma University, and Artistic Director of the Great Lakes International Summer Music Experience.  His students have gone on to complete masters and doctorate degrees. Many enjoy full-time music faculty positions in the USA and Canada.

    Turgeon won first prizes in major international competitions including the International Schubert Competition (Czech Republic, 1995) and Murray Dranoff International Two Piano Competition (Miami, 1997). He has performed more than 500 concerts with his wife Anne as member of the acclaimed “Duo Turgeon”. In 2018, he formed the Canadian Piano Quartet with Anne Turgeon, Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann. Turgeon’s numerous recordings can be heard on the Marquis, ClassXDiscs and Vanguard Classics labels. 

     Turgeon has performed at Carnegie Hall, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, Krakow Philharmony Hall, International Pianistenforum Germany, San Francisco International Music Festival, Chicago Duo Piano Festival, Music Toronto, Detroit Tuesday Musicale, Montreal International Duo Piano Festival, and throughout Russia, where Duo Turgeon’s four tours since 1999 have included various major Russian cities. Recently, Duo Turgeon’s recording “Latin American Journey” received a special citation from Instituto Piano Brasileiro. Through the duo’s consultation with the widow of Francisco Mignone, Maria Josephine Mignone, the Turgeons released first recordings of works for two pianos by this celebrated Brazilian composer. The Turgeon’s other recordings have received 5-star ratings from CBC, La Scena Musicale and Wholenote magazine. 

     As an adjudicator, Turgeon has served as adjudicator for competitive festivals in Ontario (Stratford, Windsor, London, Toronto, Markham, Elliot Lake, Ottawa), Manitoba, the provincial finals of Ontario Music Festival Association, Canadian Music Competition national finals, the Chicago Liszt 200 International Competition (Chicago), Premio Brasil International Competition (Miami), Isidor Bajic International Piano Competition (Serbia) and Murray Dranoff International Duo Piano Competition. Upcoming judging activity includes an invitation to serve on the jury panel for the International Piano Duo Competition in Bialystok, Poland. 

   Dr. Turgeon has been heard on classical music radio stations around the world, including CBC Radio, National Public Radio (“Performance Today”), BBC, Australian Broadcast Corporation, and the PBS television documentary “Two Pianos – One Passion”. Turgeon’s commitment to contemporary performance and research has led to world premiere performances of new works by Libby Larsen, John Corigliano, Aaron Copland and Juno award winning composer Derek Charke, who was commissioned by Duo Turgeon to compose “Drift”, a work inspired by Northern Ontario ruggedness and Algoma region weather phenomena. 

    Dr. Edward Turgeon has served as senior examiner for RCM’s College of Examiners since 1990. In his thirty-five years of service to the organization, he has enjoyed hearing more than 20,000 students across Canada and the United States.