Curriculum Vitae

Professional Experience

Apr 2011
Quatuor Bozzini Composers Kitchen
Montréal, Canada
Workshop and residency with the string quartet. Development and performance of new work.
Jan–Mar 2010
Judge
JUNO Awards, Classical Composition of the Year Category
Sep 2009–present
Consultant and Web Writer
San Francisco Contemporary Music Players
Developing and implementing strategies for audience building. Involving graduate students from San Francisco–area music departments in volunteer publicity activities for the ensemble. Writing interviews.
Jul 2009
Composition Fellow
Chamber Music Conference and Composers’ Forum of the East
Bennington VT, USA
By invitation. Duties include composing a work for amateur musicians and coaching the ensemble.
Feb 2009
orkest de ereprijs Young Composers Meeting
Apeldoorn, the Netherlands
Winner of the 2009 competition. Wrote a piece for the ensemble, participated in masterclasses.
2008
Artistic Director
Recycled 80s Live
Canada
Conceived and organized the creation of a concert-length, amplified piece for nightclubs based on quotations of ‘80s pop songs, including composition of the score, hiring of musicians, arranging for performances, and creating audio–video support materials.
Nov–Dec 2009
Banff Centre Fall Creative Music Residency
Banff, Canada
Sep–Dec 2007
Koninklijk Conservatorium Residency
the Hague, the Netherlands
Professional development residency and composition masterclasses with Martijn Padding.
Aug 2007
Domaine Forget Academy New Music Seminar
St-Irénée QC, Canada
Participated in masterclasses. Rehearsals and performance with the Nouvel ensemble moderne.
Feb 2007
Arditti Quartet Residency, UC San Diego Visiting Artist Program
San Diego, USA
Composed a piece for the Arditti Quartet. Rehearsals, recording, and masterclasses with the quartet.
2005–2007
Teaching Assistant
University of California, San Diego
Preparation: Three-month, intensive pedagogy seminar on teaching critical reading and writing to undergraduates.
Duties: Attending lectures and meetings with professors, creating lesson plans based on course reading, teaching classes, holding office hours, helping students develop research papers, and grading written assignments and exams.
Classes Taught: (Music) MUS1B Music Theory, MUS12 Intro to Opera, MUS4 Introduction to Western Music History, LTEN159 Popular Music of the ‘60s; (World Literature) MMW2 The Great Classical Traditions, MMW3 The Medieval Heritage.
2005–2006
Composer in Residence
Ensemble contemporain de Montréal Génération 2006
Montréal, Canada
Wrote a piece for the ensemble, gave a masterclass on my music at the École de musique Vincent d’Indy, rehearsals with student musicians, workshop and rehearsals with the ensemble, cross-Canada tour.
Aug 2005
Tapestry New Opera Works Composer–Librettist Laboratory
Toronto, Canada
Composition of four short opera scenes with four librettists, daily masterclasses and discussions, rehearsals with performers, performances.
Sep 2004–Jan 2005
University of Toronto Contemporary Opera Showcase Programme
Toronto, Canada
Only undergraduate student invited to participate. Wrote a chamber opera for U of T students, rehearsed with the singers and ensemble, held meetings with the music director.
Spring 2004
Artistic Director, Organizer
University of Toronto – Harvard Composition Exchange
Organized a student-run exchange between composition students at both universities. Curated a concert of student works.
Spring 2004
Artistic Director, Organizer
Curated a concert of new music for saxophone in Toronto. Responsible for finding performers, composing a new piece, making programming decisions for other repertoire, and publicizing the concert.
Summer 2002
Artistic Director, Organizer
Curated a concert of new music for student composers at the University of Alberta. Responsible for finding performers, composing a new piece, making programming decisions for other repertoire, and publicizing the concert.
1995–2007
Private music instructor in percussion, composition, music theory, and history.

Education

2005–2007
M.A. in Composition, University of California, San Diego
Composition study with Chinary Ung and Philippe Manoury.
2002–2005
B.Mus. in Composition, University of Toronto
(Additionally: Jazz Performance, 2002–2003)
Graduated with honours. Composition study with Chan Ka Nin, John Hawkins, and Alexander Rapoport; percussion study with Bob McLaren.
1999–2002
B.A. in Composition, University of Alberta
Composition study with Howard Bashaw; percussion study with Brian Jones. Transferred to the University of Toronto in 2002.
1998–2001
Music Diplomas in Composition and Jazz, Grant MacEwan College
Graduated with honours. Composition study with Gordon Nicholson; percussion study with Brian Thurgood.
May–Jun 2001
Composition and Folkloric Cuban Percussion Studies, Havana, Cuba
Composition: Guido López-Gavilán, Instituto Superior de Arte.
Batá drumming: Tony Urdaneto, Ballet Folklórico Nacional.
Rumba drumming: Raul González, Conjunto Clave y Guaguancó.

Awards

2011
  • Canada Council for the Arts, Commissioning Grant (Other Minds Festival, San Francisco)
2010
  • SOCAN Awards for Young Composers: Godfrey Ridout Award (Vocal Music), third prize
  • Canada Council for the Arts, Commissioning Grant (Tapestry New Opera)
  • ASCAP Foundation, Morton Gould Young Composer Awards, honorable mention
  • Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant
2009
  • Dilettante, International Digital Composer-in-Residence Competition (London, UK), finalist
  • SOCAN Awards for Young Composers: Godfrey Ridout Award (Vocal Music), first prize
  • Alberta Creative Development Initiative Grant
  • Canada Council for the Arts Commissioning Grant (Ensemble Resonance, Calgary)
  • Canada Council for the Arts, Travel Grant
2008
  • Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award
  • SOCAN Awards for Young Composers: Serge Garant Award (Chamber Music), third prize
  • Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Music Project Grant
2007
  • Culture no.3 selected by the ISCM Canadian Section as part of their submission to the 2008 ISCM World Music Days in Lithuania
  • Canada Council for the Arts, Commissioning Grant (Toca Loca, Toronto)
2006
  • Canada Council for the Arts, Grant to Professional Musicians
  • SOCAN Awards for Young Composers: Pierre Mercure Award (Solo or Duet), first prize
  • Canada Council for the Arts, Grant to Professional Musicians
  • UC San Diego, Travel Grant
2005
  • Neil D. Graham and William Erving Fairclough Graduating Scholarships (University of Toronto)
2004
  • SOCAN Awards for Young Composers:
Serge Garant Award (Chamber Music), second prize
Godfrey Ridout Award (Vocal Music), third prize
  • George Coutts and Gwendolyn Grant Academic Scholarships (University of Toronto)
2003
  • TrypTych Toronto Young Composers’ Competition, first prize
  • Monica Ryckman and Ben McPeek Academic Scholarships (University of Toronto)
2000
  • Jazz Band Most Valuable Member Award (Grant MacEwan College)
1999
  • Louise McKinney Scholarship and entrance scholarship (Grant MacEwan College)
  • Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Study Grant
1998
  • Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Study Grant

Languages

  • English – Mother tongue, completely fluent, principal language of study
  • French – Spoken at home since childhood, completely fluent, used for research and study
  • Spanish – Strong reading, writing, and oral fluency; used for research and study

Affiliations

  • Art Music Promotion (agency), represented by
  • Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)
  • Canadian Music Centre, Associate Composer
  • Canadian League of Composers
  • Canadian New Music Network
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