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Abigail Richardson was born in Oxford, England and moved to Canada as a child. Ironically, she was diagnosed completely and incurably deaf at the age of five. Upon moving to Canada, her hearing was fully intact within months. After growing up in Calgary and studying composition there, she received a Doctorate degree from the University of Toronto.
Her music has been commissioned and performed by major orchestras, broadcasters, presenters and music festivals, including the Festival Présences of Paris, where Radio France commissioned a work for the Quatuor Castagneri from her. Abigail won the first Karen Kieser Prize for Canadian music and the CMC Prairie Region award. Most significantly, she won a first at the prestigious International Rostrum of Composers, after which her music was broadcast in 35 countries.
Abigail’s opera, /Sanctuary Song, /was/ /mounted in 14 performances for enthusiastic audiences and critics as part of Toronto’s /Luminato/ festival. It recently won a Dora award for “Best New Opera”. She frequently collaborates with her husband, violinist Michael Schulte, who has played and conducted much of her work for national broadcast. She teaches at the Royal Conservatory, is co-artistic director of Chamber Music Hamilton, and co-director of the Composers' Orchestra (CCMW). Abigail has been affiliate composer with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 2006-2009.
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