06/18/2026
🎺 2026 ARTIST HIGHLIGHT - Adrean Farrugia! 🎺
“A gifted pianist. His approach is an intelligent synthesis of styles”
- Harvey Pekar, author of American Splendor
Pianist and composer Adrean Farrugia began discovered music at an early age through his father Bruno’s drumming and his grandfather Ivan’s fiddle playing. By age 16 he recognized that he would dedicate his life to music. After extensive classical piano studies through the Royal Conservatory of Music, he discovered the magic of jazz improvisation in College. Since then he has become recognized as one of Canada’s most preeminent jazz pianists and composers, having shared the music he loves globally with audiences across Canada, the United States, London UK, Paris, Japan, Taiwan, Tel Aviv, Australia, Poland, The Netherlands, and Italy with artists including jazz legends Curtis Fuller, Ernie Watts, Sheila Jordan, Brad Goode, Adam Nussbaum, Bobby Watson, Cyrille Aimee, Joel Frahm, as well as prominent Canadian artists such as Jane Siberry, Molly Johnson, Jane Bunnett, Matt Dusk, Ernesto Cervini, Kelly Jefferson, Pat Labarbera, Roberto Occhipinti, The Worst Pop Band Ever and many others.
Adrean has played on more than 60 albums to date garnering 2 Juno Awards, 8 Juno Award nominations, a Mark Award for ‘Best Production Music Artist’ from the Production Music Association of America, ‘Pianist of the Year’ at the Hamilton Arts Awards, and a nomination for the Ontario Arts Council’s Louis Applebaum Composer’s Award.
Adrean currently leads his own projects including the trio project Eurostar, with French bassist Chris Jennings and drummer Patrick Goraguer, with a new album slated for release in the summer of 2025 on the German label Eden-River Records, as well as projects with his partner, vocalist Jessica Lalonde, as well as quartet and quintet engagements with various Toronto musicians.
Adrean Farrugia teaches at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Music and is endorsed by Shigeru Kawai Pianos.
