Rita Menzies remembered as a pillar of Manitoba’s classical music community
Former MCO general manager and Agassiz Festival president leaves lasting legacy
The Manitoba arts community is mourning the loss of one of its most influential leaders. Rita Menzies, a longtime arts administrator whose work helped shape the province’s classical music scene for more than four decades, passed away on Thursday.
Best known for her transformative tenure as general manager of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra (MCO) and her two-decade leadership on the board of the Agassiz Chamber Music Festival, Menzies is being remembered as a visionary, a steadfast supporter of musicians, and a guiding force in the province’s cultural life.
“It is with deep sadness that we come to terms with the passing of our dear president, Rita Menzies,” said Paul Marleyn, artistic director of Agassiz Music. “Her values, her humour, ability, kindness, honesty, wisdom, and passion for life have been and will continue to be a great inspiration to so many of us.”
Menzies first joined the MCO in 1979, stepping into the role of general manager at a pivotal time for the orchestra. Over the next 24 years, she led the ensemble with clarity and conviction, building financial stability, expanding artistic programming, and increasing national recognition for the group. Under her stewardship, the MCO developed a reputation as one of Canada’s premier chamber orchestras, regularly broadcasting on CBC Radio and collaborating with world-renowned artists like pianist Marc-André Hamelin.
“Rita has the ideal qualities in a general manager,” said Elaine Margolis, then-president of the MCO board, in 2003. “She’s respected on a national level.”
When Menzies stepped down from her MCO post in 2003, she left behind a strong organization with a growing endowment and a balanced budget—no small feat in the world of arts management. Though her role may have shifted, her influence only deepened.
She turned her attention to the Agassiz Chamber Music Festival, where she first served as general manager and later became board president. Her affiliation with the festival spanned 20 years, during which time it grew into one of Winnipeg’s premier summer music events, drawing top-tier chamber musicians from across Canada and abroad.
“She has made important and lasting contributions to her professional fields and to her community for so many decades,” said Marleyn. “At Agassiz, we feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to work with her.”
Menzies also served on the Strategic Advisory Board for the Esprit Singers and was active in many other corners of Canada’s arts ecosystem. In every setting, she was known for her generosity, strategic acumen, and unwavering belief in the power of music to build community.
Her loss is deeply felt by colleagues, artists, and friends, not only in Winnipeg but across the country. And yet, the organizations she helped shape—and the lives she touched—remain as testaments to her enduring legacy.
Rita Menzies may be gone, but her spirit continues to resonate in every note played, every festival mounted, and every young musician given a stage.