Background
Gene Martynec was born in Canada. He developed an early interest in music, which later expanded into composition, production, and electronic sound experimentation.
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Gene Martynec
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also known as
Eugene Martynec
composer musician record producer
Eugene “Gene” Martynec is a Canadian composer, musician, and record producer known for his work in popular music, electronic composition, and electro-acoustic performance. He has been active in the Canadian music scene since the 1960s, contributing as a guitarist, producer, educator, and experimental music performer.
Education
Martynec studied electronic music, composition, and orchestration with Samuel Dolin at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto between 1970 and 1975. During this period, he received two scholarships supporting his studies in electronic music and composition.
Career
Gene Martynec began his professional music career in the mid-1960s, gaining early recognition as a guitarist with the Toronto-based group Bobby Kris & The Imperials in 1965. This period marked his entry into the Canadian popular music scene, where live performance and studio recording were central to professional development.
In 1967, Martynec left the group to co-found Kensington Market, collaborating with singer-songwriter Keith McKie and other musicians. The group became part of the evolving rock and pop landscape in Canada, reflecting the broader musical experimentation of the late 1960s.
During the 1970s, Martynec expanded his work into studio recording and collaboration with internationally recognized artists. He contributed as a multi-instrumentalist—playing acoustic guitar, bass, and synthesizer—on Lou Reed’s 1973 album Berlin, and was involved in vocal arrangement work. This period illustrates his transition from performer to a more versatile role encompassing arrangement and production.
Alongside performance, Martynec developed a career as a record producer, working with Canadian artists and contributing to commercially successful recordings. His production work reflects the broader responsibilities of music producers, including shaping sound, guiding recording sessions, and overseeing artistic direction in the studio.
Martynec also became active in music education, teaching subjects such as signal processing, digital audio principles, MIDI technology, studio production, and synthesis at institutions in Toronto. His teaching role placed him within the growing field of music technology education, which emerged alongside advances in digital recording and electronic music tools.
From the 1990s onward, Martynec increasingly focused on experimental and electro-acoustic music. His work explored improvisation, interactive performance systems, and the integration of technology into live music. He developed performances using alternative controllers and interactive software, reflecting broader trends in contemporary experimental music practice.
He released Silica in 1997, his first solo recording of composed and interactive electro-acoustic music. Subsequent projects, including The Barcelona Duets (2002) and Toronto Duets (2004), further explored collaborative and computer-assisted performance formats. The latter project was supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, indicating institutional recognition of his work in contemporary music.
Martynec has also been active as a curator and organizer within the experimental music community. From 2000 to 2004, he curated “Eugene’s Sunday Series” at Artword Theatre in Toronto, presenting new music and interdisciplinary art.
His international activity includes performances in China and Europe. Between 2004 and 2006, he worked in Beijing and Yunnan Province with experimental artists, participating in music and arts festivals. Later, while based in London from 2007 to 2010, he performed with improvisational ensembles including the London Improvisers Orchestra and other groups, reflecting his continued involvement in collaborative experimental music networks.
After returning to Toronto in 2010, Martynec contributed to the local improvisational music scene and helped organize the Toronto Improvisers Orchestra. He has continued performing with various ensembles and musicians, maintaining an active role in live improvised and electro-acoustic music.
Achievements
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Gene Martynec received the Juno Award for Producer of the Year in 1981 for his work on recordings by Bruce Cockburn and Rough Trade, recognizing his contribution to Canadian music production. He has also been awarded grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Toronto Arts Council in support of his work in music composition and experimental performance.
