Speakers

Rory McLeod is a musician, arts executive, and concert designer whose work bridges the worlds of performance, community engagement, and social innovation. Guided by a belief in the power of music to create authentic human connections, Rory has built a career dedicated to making the performing arts more inclusive, accessible, and human-centered.

As Executive and Artistic Director of Xenia Concerts, Rory leads an organization now regarded as Canada’s leading resource for accessible concert design and presentation. Through collaboration with stakeholders with lived experience of disability and neurodivergence, Xenia Concerts presents over 30 inclusive, family-friendly performances and provides accessibility training to hundreds of arts and education professionals each year. Since 2021, Rory has guided the organization through a period of remarkable growth, expanding its audience reach fivefold while building lasting partnerships with Deaf, neurodivergent, and disabled artists, researchers, music presenting and training institutions, and disability service providers.

Under his leadership, the small but dedicated team at Xenia Concerts has been recognized as finalists for the Toronto Arts Foundation’s Arts for Youth Award in both 2024 and 2025. The organization now operates in three provinces and continues to advance a long-term vision of making Adaptive Concerts available across Canada through strategic partnerships and sector-wide influence.

A sought-after speaker and educator, Rory is frequently invited to share his expertise on concert accessibility, social entrepreneurship, music education, and collaborative leadership. He has appeared as a panelist, masterclass leader, and guest lecturer at institutions including the University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario, McGill University, the Music and Health Research Institute, and The Promise of Music: Global Summit on the Social Impact of Music, as well as with leading training programs such as the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Scotia Festival of Music, Toronto Summer Music, and the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Rory is also the Founder and Co-Director of Pocket Concerts, a social enterprise that presents intimate chamber music performances in unconventional venues throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

In collaboration with Dr. Erin Parkes in 2022, Rory co-developed the Xenia Concerts Artist Training Program, a first-of-its-kind professional development initiative that equips performers to design and present neuro- and ability-inclusive concerts. Having already trained over 100 professional and emerging artists, the Xenia Concerts team continues to mentor artists and arts organizations seeking to make accessibility an integral part of their creative and operational practices.

As an active violist, Rory performs with major orchestras and chamber music festivals across North America, including the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, Festival of the Sound, The Banff Centre, The Smithsonian Chamber Players, and the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance. His work across artistic, educational, and organizational contexts reflects a consistent goal: to strengthen the performing arts sector through inclusion, collaboration, and meaningful community engagement.