Canadian composer Howard Bashaw is originally from White Rock, B.C. A graduate of the University of British Columbia (DMA, 1989), he joined the Department of Music at the University of Alberta in 1993. Prior to this he taught at the University of British Columbia and the Université Canadienne en France. Working almost exclusively in the acoustic medium, Bashaw’s repertoire ranges from solo instruments to full orchestra. His musical language is perhaps best described as being broadly contemporary, and his scores exist in various conventional, aleatoric, graphic and hybrid formats. Forming a separate category, his signature works for solo piano are typically virtuosic and large in scope.
Bashaw has received commissions through the Canada Council for the Arts, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the CBC Radio Music Department. Premiering ensembles include: Vancouver New Music, New Music Concerts (Toronto), Société de musique contemporaine du Québec, The Hard Rubber Orchestra, The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, The NOw Age Orchestra, the Hammerhead Consort, Standing Wave Ensemble, Duo Majoya, Duo Kovalis, The Eastwest Quartet, The Augustana Choir, and The Continuum Ensemble (London, UK). Works for solo piano were premiered by: Roger Admiral, Winston Choi, Marc Couroux, Douglas Finch, Corey Hamm, Kyoko Hashimoto, Barbara Pritchard and Haley Simons. Other premiering or featured performers include: Trevor Brandenburg, Kathleen Corcoran, Niek de Groot, David Harding, Tatjana Kukoc, Catherine Lewis, Giorgio Magnanensi, Dennis Miller, Ken Read, Yan Sallafranque, Allen Stiles, William Street, Guillaume Tardif, Alain Trudel, Russell Whitehead and Cameron Wilson.
Compilation CD releases include: 15 for Piano (Centrediscs, 2015, Roger Admiral, piano), Hard Rubber, Hard Elastic (Arktos, 2008, various artists), Form Archimage (Arktos, 2004, various artists), and Bashaw (Arktos, 2000, various artists)..
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