A lovely irony that More Rivers was premiered beside an ocean! But that did not diminish the specialness of the occasion, considering that it was Christina Petrowska Quilico doing the premiering and it was hosted by Sound Symposium in one of my favourite places on the planet, St. John’s, Newfoundland! Along with Christina’s performance, it […]
Archive | Concerts
RSS feed for this sectionPreparing Magnificent Roots
Categories: Concerts
What a pleasure to attend a rehearsal of my new composition, Magnificent Roots, by acclaimed chamber orchestra, Sinfonia Toronto. This is a work that Sinfonia Toronto commissioned in recognition of their 25th anniversary season. I’m looking forward to attending their world premiere performance at Meridian Hall Saturday night! When Nurhan Arman approached me to compose […]
Special People, Special Concert
Categories: Concerts
Hi Everyone, it’s Lisa here. Frank may be having fun in the Arctic but I was truly fortunate to be able to attend NUMUS‘ final concert of the season. NUMUS’ Artistic Director and brain injury survivor, Kathryn Ladano premiered Frank’s new composition, ‘Anatomy of the Recovering Brain’. This composition couldn’t have happened without a lot […]
Countdown to a Recovering Brain
Categories: Concerts, Making Music
One of the exciting projects I have been working on this year is a new large-scale composition focused on bringing awareness to the invisible health impacts and struggles of having a brain injury. I composed the piece for bass clarinetist, Kathryn Ladano, a brain injury survivor herself. All of our work will culminate in a […]
FRACTURES World Premiere
Categories: Concerts, Love, Making Music
People often ask me, what is it like to listen to your music being performed? Honestly, it’s always this wonderful out-of-body experience. This was the case x 10 as I sat with such a great audience to experience the magic of vocalist, Meredith Hall, and pianist, Brahm Goldhamer, presenting the world premiere of my large-scale […]
Album Release with Odin Quartet
Categories: Concerts, Making Music
We had a wonderful time at the Canadian Music Centre celebrating this week’s release of From Oblivion to Hope, my album collaboration with the amazing Odin Quartet! From Oblivion to Hope has a serious and pessimistic tone to start. But, as we go from piece to piece, the tone evolves to something more optimistic, ending […]
Anatomy of the Recovering Brain
Categories: Concerts, Making Music
I am pleased to announce that one of Canada’s foremost new music presenters, NUMUS, has commissioned me to compose an ambitious new work for bass clarinet, instrumental cameos, and fixed electronics called Anatomy of the Recovering Brain. Acclaimed bass clarinetist, my friend and collaborator, Kathryn Ladano, and I started conversations about this project 1.5 years […]
Memories of Self-Isolation Premiere
One day when I look back at my blessed life, the week I just spent in Vancouver will certainly be part of that reflection. My collaboration with Leslie Dala and the Vancouver Bach Choir on the premiere of my cantata, Memories of Self-Isolation, culminated on Saturday with a spectacular dress rehearsal and performance at St. […]
From Oblivion to Hope…the premiere!
Categories: Concerts, Making Music
The next phase in my extensive collaboration with the Odin Quartet was a smashing success! It was a pleasure to attend their Music Mondays concert where they presented the world premiere performance of Hope, a work Odin commissioned dedicated to the idea that our collective humanity still has much to feel optimism about, despite our […]
New Choir Commission
Categories: Concerts, Making Music
Very happy to announce that I have been commissioned by the Vancouver Bach Choir to compose a cantata for vocal soloists, chorus and chamber ensemble. This will be a sequel to Music for Self-Isolation. Called Memories of Self-Isolation, this new work will explore perspectives and challenges faced by a cross-section of society as a result […]
European Adventures in May
Very excited to share that Lisa and I will be in Europe this May! It’s been quite a while since we crossed “the pond” and we’re really looking forward to the sights, sounds, and experiences that await us. Here are the highlights of what we have to look forward to… The European premiere of my […]
Ultimate Composer Experience (a photo recap)
Categories: Concerts, Making Music, Music
This week was the world premiere and recording of my composition, The Thailand HRDs, commissioned by Protection International. Based off of the photo essay by Luke Duggleby entitled, For Those Who Died Trying. This collection of pics gives you a look at this amazing experience. UPDATE NOV 16, 2018 This project has culminated in the […]
BIG Happenings This Week
Categories: Concerts, Making Music
This week, there’s going to be an amazing flurry of musical activities in my life! It’s all based around the world premiere performance and recording sessions for my composition for string quartet, The Thailand HRDs. This week has been years in the making. It’s such a wonderful feeling to have it all build up to […]
The Problem with Classical Electronic Music
Categories: Concerts
One of the exciting reasons I enjoy being both a creator and connoisseur of modern classical music is that we live in a unique time where new music can be presented with live acoustic instruments accompanied by pre-recorded electronics that the instrumentalist plays along to – think of it like really artsy karaoke:)! This tradition […]
Music & Beyond Concerts in Pictures
Categories: Concerts, Performing
Last week I performed at the wonderful Music & Beyond Festival in Ottawa. The festival had a day to celebrate the environment and I opened it with a 10am concert putting the ‘Earth in the Light‘ and closed the day with a 10pm concert ‘Earth at Night‘ where I performed my always-fun-to-play-in-the-dark, 60-minute piano piece, […]