DR. DRAW

At age nine, Eugene Draw was a child prodigy violinist studying at the Royal Conservatory of Music. By age thirteen, the young virtuoso left the structures of formal study and began busking in Toronto. Encouraged by the growing acclamation and the utter joy of performance, Eugene developed the confidence to incorporate earlier dance training into his onstage violin performance, easily mixing classical movement with pop locking break-dancing. A performer was born: at once theatrical and authentic, musical and visionary.

Influenced by Chopin, Pink Floyd, Charles Minges, Peter Gabriel and David Bowie, Eugene’s renditions of classical masterpieces as well as his original compositions defy singular classification. Is it “Beethoven with Beats” as one critic described Draw’s music or are the sounds more at home in a downtown lounge with a dry martini in hand?

Over the last few years, Canada’s hottest violinist has been invited to perform for Toronto Tourism at events in the US, worked across the country at events for The Canadian Olympic Committee, opened for Bette Midler in San Francisco, Seal in Hong Kong, for the Prime Minister of Singapore and in such far off places such as Dubai, New York, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur. He has become one of the most in-demand festival and event performers in North America playing small country fairs to large international festivals.

Whether opening for A-list acts like Cyndi Lauper at an open air festival in the U.S., creating near chaos at the Toronto Beaches Jazz Festival or playing luxury brand events like Chloé and Dom Pérignon; Dr. Draw inspires kudos wherever he plays. Lately, his reputation is growing eastward. Performances have included playing in Singapore and a spate of Louis Vuitton events in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and South Korea. Performing in such frenetic locales energizes the 28-year-old performer all over again allowing him to “creatively interact with cultures all across the world.” The result is a constantly evolving musical style that brings together the seemingly disparate elements of classical violin, jazz-rock fusion, folk and pop into a riveting masala that feeds the soul and invigorates audiences.