April 29. I am delighted to have been accepted to a residency this summer at the Centro Selva in the Amazonian tropical rain forest of eastern Peru. Will be brushing up on my Spanish for the next couple of months! June 27. Just under three weeks to go before my departure. I have one more…
Arctic Commission: ISBJØRN Performed in November 2013.
Thanks to a grant from the British Columbia Arts Council, the Via Choralis Performance Society commissioned Nicholas Fairbank to compose a major work for multiple choirs. Based on his experiences during an Arctic residency in Svalbard in the fall of 2012 (click here to read the blog), the performance involved the collaboration of five Victoria…
The first two performances of “Isbjørn!”
The first two performances of Isbjørn! happened on November 10th and 15th, 2013. Isbjørn! (the Norwegian word for “polar bear”) is the choral piece inspired by my trip with the Arctic Circle Expedition, an art and science residency in Svalbard, Norway, and commissioned by Via Choralis with financial assistance from the B.C. Arts Council. Five Victoria…
Civic Orchestra of Victoria performs Pacific Overture March 9th.
The Civic Orchestra of Victoria, invited Nicholas Fairbank to guest-conduct their spring 2013 concert. On the programme was his Pacific Overture (2006), as well as Bruch’s “Kol Nidrei”, Beethoven’s 8th Symphony, and the great Saint-Saens “Organ Symphony.” The performance took place in the Alix Goolden Hall on Saturday, March 9th at 2pm. [revised 2.viii.14]
The Arctic Circle Expedition 2012
ARCTIC JOURNAL, September – October, 2012. The Arctic Circle www.thearcticcircle.org is an expeditionary residency programme bringing together artists, scientists and innovators from around the world. For 3 weeks, from September 28th to October 15th, aboard an ice-class expeditionary sailing vessel (a 3-masted barquentine) I travelled with 25 other artists of all disciplines, architects, scientists and…
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, commissioned a 5-minute work for SSAA choir. The piece was premiered in Victoria in April, and will be performed again at the Kathaumixw International Choral Festival in Powell River BC in July 2012. Entitled Seulete Suy, the new piece…
Victoria Chamber Orchestra performs Suite For Strings February 17th
The Victoria Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Yarif Aloni, performed the Suite for String Orchestra (2001) in their Feb. 17th (2012) “Concert of Exceptional Works” at First Metropolitan Church, Victoria BC. [updated 21.v.12]
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 +…
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 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]