Tom Allen

Who is Tom Allen?

Tom Allen is a Canadian radio broadcaster, concert host, trombonist, and writer. He broadcasts on CBC Radio 2, where, for ten years, he hosted the acclaimed classical music program Music and Company until the station changed formats in September, 2008. He now hosts Shift, a national cross-genre afternoon show. From 2008 to 2009, he also hosted Radio 2 Morning, but left in November 2009 to concentrate on Shift after the latter show was expanded by one hour.

Tom Allen also serves as a concert host and consultant for symphony orchestras. He hosts of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's Afterworks series. He has hosted concerts for the Hamilton Philharmonic, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Symphony Nova Scotia. From 2006 to 2009, Tom hosted the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Unmasked series of concerts, working with conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Hans Graf and Peter Oundjian. Also in Detroit, he was Creative Consultant and co-creator of Eight Days in June, a short-lived but highly innovative festival of music and thought that was described by Mark Stryker in the Detroit Free Press as being "a chaotic success."

Tom has had three books published: Toe Rubber Blues, Rolling Home, and most recently The Gift of The Game.