Today, I’m doing something for the 14th time in my career…releasing a new album! You might think that with so many albums out there, it must be old hat. Au contraire, it’s always very exciting! From the time an album is conceived to the day you release it, it’s usually a very lengthy process. But […]
What an amazing 4 weeks it’s been in Banff! From Week 1’s physical intensity to Week 2 and 3’s beautiful and inspiring views, it’s culminated so nicely in this final week of intense composing…with just a bit more hiking thrown in there… Hike #8 – In Town You actually don’t have to leave the town […]
What an amazing 3 weeks it’s been for Lisa and I at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity…and I still have another week to go in my 4-week artist residency. Why am I here? Check out my Week 1 recap. In the meantime, here are the highlights of my hiking adventures these past 2 […]
I am happy to announce a new artivist project I will start composing very soon. It’s called Fractures, a song cycle about the harmful practice of fracking. Thanks to the generous support from the Ontario Arts Council, acclaimed soprano, Meredith Hall, has commissioned me to compose 13 songs for piano and voice that will make […]
Yes, I am presently in Banff! And as a Canadian musician, all I can say is FINALLY! It’s been my lifelong dream to come here and make music, and my dream has come true. I was actually supposed to be here August 2020 but the pandemic delayed it until now. The Banff Centre campus is […]
One the simple pleasures for me this summer has been to sit under trees in our neighbourhood park. Their shade coupled with the breeze off Lake Ontario has been truly refreshing, cleansing and therapeutic. I recently discovered that there’s a name for such a thing…forest bathing! Known as shinrin yoku, it’s an accepted part of […]
It being summer, Lisa and I felt compelled to make our berry torte this week. It tastes SO GOOD!! It’s just the right balance of tart and sweet. It’s got a nice thin crust made from dates and the top part is this amazing taste explosion of berries. We also like to sprinkle some coconut […]
Each morning, I take a walk along a remote gravel path surrounded by an endless lake, flowers, trees (some of which grow fruit), birds and various other furry creatures. You might think that I live in a rural area, but this park is actually in my home city (and busy metropolis) of Toronto. I’ve often […]
The actor, Ashton Kutcher, once said, “I’m continually trying to make choices that put me against my own comfort zone. As long as you’re uncomfortable, it means you’re growing.” This sentiment particularly resonates with me. I tend to strive on having everything exactly the way I want it. I’m very particular. I function best with […]
One of the wonderful initiatives in my Toronto community is the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market. From May to October, a good chunk of our vegetables come from Haley and Paddy and their Nourished Roots organic farm. Their stand at the market is brimming with the most colourful, nutritious, and yummy produce you can get. They’ve […]
1. Scoring. I just blinked and have realized that many of my compositions for acoustic instruments need their score (aka sheet music) to be updated. In the past, I have had a love-hate relationship in prepping the score and parts for my compositions. But I’m feeling excited about getting these revisions done. I’m proud of […]
Today is my final day teaching piano for this school year. That feels more poignant than past years as I have spent most of 20-21 only being able to see my students online. We all survived thanks to technology. But, also thanks to our collective enjoyment of music. I can’t remember a past time where […]
One of my favourite daily rituals is listening to music. These days, I’m using Spotify as my main source to listen and discover new music. I recently went out of my way to see how many of my own personal connections and music colleagues have their music on Spotify. I was surprised to see many […]
I look out the window and everything is quiet. Toronto remains in lockdown but it’s also a holiday…Good Friday. It’s also 1 week before the new album comes out. Something that started as a reaction to the pandemic and it’s become one of my most special musical and life experiences. Normally, such an experience would […]
