Biography

Stephen Runge has performed as piano soloist and collaborative artist throughout Canada, from Victoria to Halifax. In 2025, he joined the University of Manitoba as Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Music and Director of the School of Art. Previously, he was Professor of Piano at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, where he served as Head of the Department of Music for more than a decade. In recognition of his outstanding teaching, research, creative activities, and service, Mount Allison awarded him a Paul Paré Excellence Award in 2010, the J.E.A. Crake Award for excellence in teaching in the Faculty of Arts in 2014, and the Paul Paré Medal in 2020. Before joining the faculty at Mount Allison, Dr. Runge taught at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Praised for his sensitivity and versatility, as pianist Dr. Runge has been broadcast nationally on CBC Radio Two and La Chaîne Culturelle de Radio-Canada, receiving special recognition for his frequent performances of chamber music and art song. In recent years, he has appeared as soloist with the Regina Symphony Orchestra and the Mount Allison Chamber Orchestra. He has recorded all the major works for solo piano by Robert Schumann, an album of solo piano works from 1917, and a recital of English art song with countertenor Daniel Cabena.

Holding a Doctorate of Music in Piano Performance from l’Université de Montréal, Dr. Runge is in demand across Canada as teacher, adjudicator, and clinician. He has presented at conferences and given workshops on topics such as effective practice methods, performance practices for Baroque and Classical music, and the challenges of teaching popular music. Stephen came to national attention when he was awarded first prize in the piano category of the National Music Festival. Since then, he has been the recipient of several important awards, including prizes at the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition and the International Stepping Stone of the Canadian Music Competition.

Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Stephen Runge completed a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Victoria, where he was a student of the late Dr. Robin Wood. Under the direction of Marc Durand, he completed a Master of Music degree at l’Université de Montréal and an Artist Diploma at The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He also studied at the Banff Centre for the Arts with Julian Martin of the Juilliard School, and was a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Massachusetts. He is currently Vice-President of the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association and a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s College of Examiners.