I am very pleased to announce that thanks to the generous support of the SOCAN Foundation and anonymous benefactors, I have been commissioned by master trumpeter and McGill University Faculty member, Richard Stoelzel, to compose a suite of trumpet etudes. The title, ‘So Close AND So Far’, is a play on how the collection is […]
As 2021 comes to a close and we celebrate the holidays, I can’t help but reflect on how grateful I am for all the wonderful musical experiences that came my way this past year. When the pandemic started last year and projects were postponed or cancelled, I gave myself the goal to focus on working […]
I am very happy to announce that production is presently underway on a large-scale interdisciplinary, community-activated, art piece/installation featuring music, film and live performance. This piece, with the working title of MOMENTS (French for memories), is a collaboration between myself, video artist, Gunilla Josephson and Thin Edge New Music Collective. MOMENTS can be described as […]
I love Christmas! It’s in these weeks leading up to the holiday season that I start to look forward to it a lot. Because I have a small family, I usually spend the holidays very quietly. It’s usually a time for rest and reflection. It’s been a busy year, so it’s something that I will […]
What a blessed year it has been for my creative life! All 3 albums I released this year have a special place in my heart. But the 2nd of those releases, Music for Self-Isolation, has particularly captured the attention of the world which makes sense since it attempts to address the spirit of the pandemic […]
I’ve worked a lot over they years to improve my mental health especially when it comes to changing my mindset and that inner voice in my head. In a nutshell, it’s been all about not allowing negative thoughts to overwhelm the messaging in my mind and instead focussing on the positive, even when things are […]
…is that there are many millions of people across this planet who feel that the way they lead their present lives is void of any fulfillment. There’s a lot of other “big” things one can worry about (climate, COVID, etc.), but if you think about it, a lot of these other issues are not even […]
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 […]
