Kristine Bogyo, a professional cellist and founder of the Mooredale Youth Orchestra and concert series, has died at 60 of cancer in Toronto.

Her family revealed Sunday the musician passed away at a hospital on Friday after a 14-year battle with cancer.

Bogyo, who was born in Budapest, grew up in Montreal and then spent much of her life in Toronto. She started cello at age six and studied with Janos Starker in Indiana and Bernard Greenhouse in New York.

Bogyo eventually became a soloist who performed with many orchestras, including in Montreal, Kitchener-Waterloo as well as with the orchestra of the Canadian Opera Company. She also made recital and chamber music appearances across the U.S. and Canada.

The cellist is possibly best-known was the founder of the Mooredale Youth Orchestra in 1986. Through the program, dozens of musicians — ranging in age from six to 20 — were given the privilege of performing alongside professionals in the Mooredale Concert Series.

Bogyo was inspired to create the program for her sons, Julian, a violin player, and Rafael, who plays the cello. She wanted children to have a "congenial setting" to practice and perform.

"Music is invisible and transient, and meaningful especially if the performers can share the moment of creativity as it enfolds on stage," said Bogyo on the Mooredale website.

Many of the unknown talents featured in the concert series have gone on to win worldwide acclaim, including Martin Beaver, Erika Raum, James Sommerville, Stewart Goodyear, Isabel Bayrakdarian and Measha Brueggergosman.

The project garnered Bogyo a Governor General's Award in 2005.

She is survived by her husband, pianist Anton Kuerti, her sons and her two sisters.