Celebrating the Canadian League of Composers 75th Anniversary in 2026 with Dr. John Burge
Celebrating the Canadian League of Composers 75th Anniversary in 2026 with a Solo Piano Recital by Dr.
Celebrating the Canadian League of Composers 75th Anniversary in 2026 with a Solo Piano Recital by Dr. John Burge. In celebration of the Canadian League of Composers 75th Anniversary in 2026, composer and pianist, John Burge presents a solo piano recital of music composed by many of the CLC past presidents. Starting with music by founding President, John Weinzweig, the program proceeds chronologically to current president, Tyler Versluis. The concert opens with a musical land acknowledgement, "Wild Rose," composed by Indigenous-Canadian composer and CLC member, Beverley McKiver, and concludes with a rousing collective singing of O Canada. This all-Canadian concert promises to be an enriching historical, cultural and artistic experience. Dr. John Burge (b. 1961, Dryden, Ontario) grew up in Calgary and holds degrees in Composition and Theory from the University of Toronto (B.Mus. and M.Mus.) and the University of British Columbia (D.M.A.). After 38 years of teaching and administration at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, he retired in 2025 as a Professor Emeritus. Although his musical reputation is based largely on his compositions, he did obtain his Associate Diploma in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music while in high school and has continued to perform throughout his career. He has composed a large body of chamber and orchestral compositions but is particularly well known for his choral music. His composition, Angels' Voices, for choir and orchestra, received the 2006 Outstanding New Choral Composition Award from the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors and was performed in New York City's Carnegie Hall in 2005. The recording of his work, Flanders Fields Reflections, by Sinfonia Toronto on the Marquis Classics label, received the 2009 Juno Award for the Best Canadian Classical Composition. In addition to Sinfonia Toronto, Burge has been very fortunate to write new works on a regular basis for a number of other ensembles including the Kingston Symphony, the Thirteen Strings of Ottawa and the Hannaford Street Silver Band. Chamber music features prominently in John Burge's recent compositions with the premiere performances of his first string quartet by the Penderecki String Quartet and his first piano quartet by the Ensemble Made in Canada in 2012. A passionate advocate for Canadian music he was a member of the executive of the Canadian League of Composers from 1993-2007, serving as President from 1998-2006. He is currently a member of the SOCAN Foundation board of directors and Chair of the board for the Music at Port Milford Summer Music School and Chamber Music Festival.
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre
Friday, November 6, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. to Friday, November 6, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. (Calgary time)
Last checked: 2026-09-27T05:23:54.511Z