Artists in Residence
The Don Wright Faculty of Music has two official Artists in Residence this year, New Orford String Quartet and TorQ Percussion Quartet. The Artists in Residence program is sponsored by the Dean's Office and Western University's Office of the Provost.
Photo: Dahlia KatzNew Orford String Quartet, Official Artists-in-Residence at Western University
From orchestral sectionals, to masterclasses, to composition workshops, open rehearsals and side-by-side performances, this residency provides current students with access to world-class artists as part of the curriculum.
Consisting of the concertmasters and principal cellist of the Montreal and Toronto Symphonies, the New Orford String Quartet (Jonathan Crow, violin; Andrew Wan, violin; Sharon Wei, viola; Brian Manker, cello) has seen astonishing success, giving annual concerts for national CBC broadcast and receiving unanimous critical acclaim, including two Opus Awards for Concert of the Year, and a 2017 JUNO Award for Canada’s top Chamber Music Recording. Recent seasons have featured return engagements in Chicago, Montreal and Toronto, as well as their New York City debut on Lincoln Center’s Great Performers series.
To view this year's programming, visit the Masterclasses and Residencies webpage.
TorQ Percussion Quartet, Official Artists in Residence at Western University
The Don Wright Faculty of Music welcomes TorQ Percussion Quartet as an Ensemble in Residence for 2024-25.
TorQ brings new vitality to percussion repertoire and performance. Richard Burrows, Adam Campbell, Jamie Drake and Daniel Morphy have given recital tours across Canada and the US. and performed at Ottawa Chamberfest, Open Ears Festival of Music and Sound, Indian River Festival, Stratford Summer Music, the Music Garden Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company concert series, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, and many others. They have also performed as a featured soloist with the Toronto Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Orchestra Symphonique de Montréal (for which they were recently awarded the Prix Opus from the Quebec Music Council), Stuttgart Chamber Choir, University of Toronto Wind Ensemble, Ontario Honour Band and University of Saskatchewan Wind Ensemble (WASBE 2015), amongst others.
TorQ is committed to developing and performing Canadian music, having premiered over 80 pieces (including three concertos) by composers such as Nicole Lizée, Christos Hatzis, Michael Oesterle and Dinuk Wijeratne, and each ensemble member also contributes compositions and arrangements. They have released four albums on their own label Bedoint Records (the most recent of which, Modulations featured TorQ commissions by Daniel Morphy, Christos Hatzis and and Peter Hatch) and their recording (with soloist Ben Reimer) of Lizée's Katana of Choice was nominated for a 2019 Juno for Classical Composition of the Year.
Strong advocates for musical education, TorQ has played school concerts for more than 130,000 students and given masterclasses and workshops at universities across North America.
To view this year's programming, visit the Masterclasses and Residencies webpage.
