News
Last Updated: January 11, 2012
LAUDE WOMEN'S ENSEMBLE COMMISSIONS NEW WORK FOR KATHAUMIXW.
The 30-voice women's ensemble Laude from Victoria BC, with financial assistance from the BC Arts Council, has commissioned a 5-minute work for SSAA choir to be premiered at the Kathaumixw International Choral Festival in Powell River BC in July 2012. Entitled Seulete Suy, the new piece is based on texts by the medieval poet Christine de Pizan. [posted 11.i.12]
SEA CANTATA REPEAT PERFORMANCE IN OCTOBER 2011.
The Sea Cantata, a 30-minute work for mixed-voice adult choir, children's choir and orchestra was performed again at the Peninsula ArtSea Festival in Sidney, BC on October 16th. [posted 22.x.11]
APPOINTMENT AS COMPOSER-IN-RESIDENCE.
Nicholas Fairbank has been appointed Composer-in-Residence at Grace Lutheran Church in Victoria for the year 2011-2012. [posted 22.x.11]
SEA CANTATA PREMIERE APRIL 2011.
In April 2011, Victoria's Viva Youth Choirs and the Via Choralis chamber choir combined to perform Nicholas Fairbank's Sea Cantata, a 30-minute work for mixed-voice adult choir, children's choir and orchestra. This was the first time the two organizations have joined forces for the performance of a major work. Also on the programme was Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, Op. 80, with piano soloist Jennifer Mitchell, and Jared Richardson's Winds of Kananaskis.
NEW PUBLICATIONS in 2010-2011.
The SATB choral work "The Silver Penny" has been published by Cypress Publishing in Vancouver.
The piano solo "Spider Dance" appears in Vol. 7 of the CNCM's Northern Lights Grade 7 Repertoire collection.
"Jazz Study No. 1" is being published this spring in MayFair Music's next Canadian Contemporary collection, Level 5.
"Psalm 126" (SAB + keyboard) was published this past summer by the RCCO.
HEXAPHONE PERFORMS RCCO COMMISSION IN JULY 2010.
On July 21, 2010, Victoria's HEXAPHONE vocal sextet performed the premiere of a new piece commissioned by the Royal Canadian College of Organists for Pipes around the Pacific, the international pipe organ festival held at the Victoria Conservatory of Music from July 18-22.
OKEOVER TRIO PERFORMED BY VANCOUVER JAZZ TRIO.
On November 13, 2009, Vancouver Pro Musica presented the Matheson/Roper/Mollerup Trio at the Vancouver Community College Auditorium (1155 East Broadway) as part of Vancouver Pro Musica's "Further East / Further West" concert series. This eclectic concert featured a number of new works by BC composers, including Okeover Trio by Nicholas Fairbank.
FAIRBANK GUEST COMPOSER DURING CANADA MUSIC WEEK 2009.
The Victoria Branch of the B.C. Registered Music Teachers Association invited Mr. Fairbank to be this year's guest composer at the Canada Music Week concert on November 21st. Students performed several of his works as well as compositions by other Canadian composers. In honour of Winifred Scott Wood, "Winifred's Waltz" for piano solo was commissioned by the Victoria Branch, and performed by the composer on two occasions during the week.
TWO ORGAN WORKS SELECTED FOR U.K. PERFORMANCE IN AUGUST 2009.
The Annual Festival of New Organ Music, held each year in London, selected two of Nicholas Fairbank's works to be performed at this past summer's festival. "Festival Fanfare," written especially for the event, opened the first concert of the festival at 12 noon on August 1st, performed by Martin Stacey at Marylebone Parish Church. Later that evening Steven Grahl performed "Kinesis" at the same venue. "Festival Fanfare" will be published in Canada by the RCCO.
LUTHERAN CHURCH COMMISSIONS GOSPEL SETTING FOR CENTENNIAL.
Grace Lutheran Church in Victoria commissioned a setting of Psalm 126 for SAB choir and piano "in gospel style" which was premiered during centennial celebrations on the Thanksgiving weekend in October, 2009.
NEW COMMISSION BY RCCO VICTORIA CENTRE PERFORMED APRIL 24TH
The Victoria Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists commissioned a setting of Psalm 150 for SATB choir and organ which was performed on Friday, April 24th at Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria. Performers were the Linden Singers under Dr. Garry Froese, with the composer at the organ.
CHANT DU MATIN SELECTED FOR PUBLICATION BY CNCM
The Canadian National Conservatory of Music has selected "Chant du Matin" for inclusion in their latest pedagogical collection Northern Lights Level 5A which was launched at Summer Sizzle, the annual Pedagogy Symposium in Palmerston, Ontario. The Gala Premiere Concert was held on July 12, 2009.
HEXAPHONE PERFORMANCE FEATURES FAIRBANK WORKS MARCH 14
The Canadian Music Centre in its series "New Music in New Places" sponsored a free concert of new Canadian works for 6 a capella voices at the Maritime Museum of B.C. on Saturday, March 14, 2009. The featured composer was Nicholas Fairbank, and the programme included the premieres of his "Heavenly Harmony" and "The Dredger" as well as works by Imant Raminsh, Rudolph Komorous and Toru Takamitsu.
MONTREAL PREMIERE OF NEW CHAMBER WORK IN OCTOBER, 2008
The Quatuor Molinari with Montreal pianist Richard Raymond performed the premiere of Quintette pour piano et cordes, commissioned by Danièle Letocha for the 80th birthday of Marc Renault, on October 4th, 2008, at the Salle Bon Pasteur, Montreal QC.