Owen Underhill

Upcoming Concerts:

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, 12:30 p.m.
University of Victoria, Phillip T. Young Recital Hall
Performance of “Cloud over Water”
Daniel Tones – solo vibraphone

Jan. 23, 2010, 7 p.m.
Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
My new work called “Imprint” will be premiered as part of the opening of new facilities at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC. “Imprint” is an interdisciplinary work created in collaboration with choreographer Henry Daniel. The version at the Museum of Anthropology also involves First Nations Kwakwaka’wakw leaders Robert Joseph and William Wasdan, seven musicians of the Turning Point Ensemble, and five dancers choreographed by Henry Daniel. In addition to music for the Turning Point Ensemble, I am creating a soundscape in the Kwakwala language based on recordings of Robert Joseph.

Jan. 27, 2010 8 p.m.
Turning Point Ensemble – IKONS project with George Lewis and Eric Metcalfe
Ikons is an installation involving music by George Lewis from New York and sculptures from Eric Metcalfe of Vancouver. Turning Point Ensemble is recording music of Lewis which will be used in the installation which runs from Jan. 27 – Feb. 28. There will be a live performance on the evening of Jan. 27. For more information, see: http://www.vancouver2010.com

Feb. 24, 2010 Turning Point Ensemble – Son of Chamber Symphony
Vancouver Playhouse Theatre
The second event of the Turning Point Ensemble season will take place on the evening of Feb. 24th. This is a concert not to be missed including performances of Arnold Schönberg’s Chamber Symphony, the Canadian premiere of a new virtuosic chamber symphony by John Adams titled Son of Chamber Symphony, and the premiere of Chamber Concerto by Vancouver composer John Oliver. This concert is part of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad. For more information, see: http://www.turningpointensemble.ca

Newly Released Discs:

I Remember
Brenda Fedoruk, flute and Sarah Fryer, mezzo-soprano

This disc includes my 2007 composition "Remember" for alto flute and mezzo-soprano. "Remember" was commissioned by Brenda Fedoruk for this recording. The poem I set is by Christina Rossetti. For information on recording, see http://www.fedoruk.ca/cd-info-sales.html
The disc is for sale at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/flyerfedoruk

Liquid
featuring clarinettist, François Houle

* Liquid - John Korsrud
* Schrift - Yannick Plamondon
* Concerto - François Houle
* Kya - Giacinto Scelsi

Liquid is an exciting new ATMA recording consisting of four substantial new works featuring the solo clarinet of François Houle and Vancouver’s Turning Point Ensemble under the direction of Owen Underhill. Three of the works are recent commissions by John Korsrud, Yannick Palmondon and Houle himself. The fourth is Giancinto Scelsi’s 1959 Kya. Liquid is inspired by the multi-dimensional and unique world of the solo clarinet as it merges and collides with that of a large chamber ensemble in ways that are unpredictable.

Upcoming Composition Projects:

BC Chinese Music Ensemble and Nu:BC Collective
I will be composing a work for an intercultural ensemble consisting of performers from the BC Chinese Music Ensemble and the Nu:BC Collective. This work is a commission funded by Arts Partners that will include a series of works composed for this 22-24 member ensemble. Chinese instruments will include zheng, pipa, erhu, dizi, sheng and percussion. The Nu:BC instrumentation will be comprised of a diverse chamber ensemble. This work is scheduled for workshop in December 2010, and performance in 2010/11.

Mark McGregor - flute
I am composing a flute solo for flutist Mark McGregor as part of his Seven Deadly Sins project. My piece will address Pride. Other composers involved in the project are Jocelyn Morlock, Daniel Biro, Gregory Lee Newsome, Benton Roark, Dorothy Chang, and James Maxwell. The premiere of this project is scheduled for November 2010.

IIIZ+
Jocelyn Clark has invited me to compose a piece for her group IIIZ+. IIIZ+ is an international ensemble consisting of kayagum (Korean 12 silk stringed zither played by Jocelyn Clark – USA), zheng (Chinese 21 stringed zither played by Yi-Chieh LAI - Taiwan) ,koto (Japanese 13 stringed zither played by Naoko Kikuchi –Japan), and changgu (Korean hourglass drum played by Il-Ryun Chung – Germany).