Turning Point Ensemble Expands Creating Composers Program

By: Nov. 26, 2014
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For the past 8 years, Turning Point Ensemble (TPE) has been able to take their free Creating Composers music education program into schools across Metro Vancouver. Founder of this program, Jeremy Berkman is the new Director of Education and Community Outreach and is thrilled to announce the recent expansion of the program this year.

With the generous support of the BC Arts Council's Youth Engagement grant program, TPE is expanding their successful Creating Composers program with outreach across to more remote communities in the province. What's The Score! will take members of the Ensemble to Prince George and Terrace to work with young creative artists ages 13-18 to give them the skills to "be a composer". The workshops will not only focus on creative composition in general, but will a focus on orchestration by augmenting the Turning Point ensemble with members of the local musician community and the guidance of two of BC's most renowned composers for orchestral forces - Jeffrey Ryan and Rodney Sharman. The Prince George concert will take place on Dec. 7, 2014 at 2pm in Vanier Hall with Rodney Sharman, TPE mentor composer, and the Terrace concert will take place in April, 2015.

In Vancouver, the orchestration workshops are expanded to include nearly the entire Turning Point Ensemble collaborating with Vancouver Pro Musica to develop and present a program of new compositions as part of Pro Musica's annual Sonic Boom Festival that will be performed March 29, 2015.

The Creating Composers youth music education program returns to schools in Metro Vancouver in 2015. The ensemble members love taking part in this important program and are excited to welcome Mark Haney and Dorothy Chang as Mentor composers this year.

In a nutshell, TPE musicians and mentor composer help students develop creative ideas to write a composition in supportive learning environment that includes a dialogue with the artists, who will then interpret and perform the young composer's work. In addition, Remy Siu is Turning Point Ensemble's "Emerging Composer in Residence" assisting with the Creating Composers programs, as well as coordinating a competition for young composers that Turning Point Ensemble will be announcing later this fall.

Music is a universal language and students can develop confidence through self-expression, regardless of economic, language, or cultural barriers. Turning Point Ensemble provides the catalyst to spark the interest in music or the arts in general.

About Turning Point Ensemble: The Turning Point Ensemble is a dynamic group of some of Canada's most exceptional musicians. Turning Point Ensemble is a large chamber ensemble dedicated to increasing the understanding and appreciation of music composed during the past hundred years, linking the music of earlier times to the music of today through innovative programming and outstanding musicianship. With a commitment to Canadian music, the Ensemble also has an impressive repertoire of new commissioned work. http://turningpointensemble.ca/



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