Biography

What followed over the next few years were lessons much more valuable as I essentially worked as an apprentice in his musical workshop. I began with the “entry job” - copying out by hand the parts for his own compositions, helping Ron when the deadlines where fast approaching. Later, he would ask me to fill in some of the orchestration in simple passages here and there. As my experience grew I was asked what I thought of this or that part – a bass line here, a harmonic progression there – and I began to offer alternatives. So, step by step, my real musical education was built: working in an environment of creative pragmatism, focusing on what is best for a given group or time-line. Our relationship has since grown along this path, and now as colleagues we share with one another our works in progress for feedback and ideas. This is a mode of education that has largely disappeared over the centuries and that can't be had in the academy. While undergoing my apprenticeship I also continued my piano studies with Nada Engl, earning the performance A.R.C.T. from the Royal Conservatory of Music – my musical “credential”.

The first orchestral performances of my music were with the Mississauga Symphony under the leadership of John Barnum. He and his orchestras have been very generous with time and energy in the support of young composers. From there my musical activities have led to performances and commissions by a variety of orchestras in Southern Ontario: Stratford, Sarnia and Port Huron, Mississauga, Huronia (Barrie), Georgian Bay and Scarborough. I have also worked as an orchestrator on the soundtrack of the feature film Gooby which was released in 2009 in theatres across Canada and the United States. The soundtrack was recorded in Toronto by the Toronto Studio Orchestra, conducted by Ron Royer and Jerome Summers. Through this connection with Jerome, two of my pieces were performed by the Stratford Symphony last season, leading to their offer of the position of composer-in-residence for 2009-2010. I accepted.