Flutist Nina Assimakopoulos recently posted three videos of the West Virginia Flute Ensemble performing my flute ensemble music. Great performances—check it out!

To release a commercial CD on Centrediscs (Toronto) entitled “In Sonorous Falling Tones”.

Read more…

The Charke / Cormier Duo has its own web domain!

Please visit us at: www.charkecormierduo.com

After Chaos, the Earth and Love came into being was recently premiered by the National Arts Centre orchestra, conducted by Alexander Shelly, and sponsored by Harvey and Louise Glatt. Two reviews/previews:

• JUNO-winning composer Derek Charke debuts NACO composition with a Big Bang

• Joshua Bell, renewed Southam Hall share star billing on buzz-filled evening

Eugene Cormier and I recorded three tracks today: Scarlatti Sonata in F major, K.151 arr. by Eugene Cormier, and the first two movements of my latest work, The Equation of Time.

Recently posted on YouTube: a rehearsal performance of Ade Suparman's composition, Marudah. Featuring Ade Suparman on kacapi, Ken Shorley on frame drum, and myself on bass flute. Recorded in July 2016 in Nova Scotia, Canada.

An introduction to After Chaos, the Earth and Love came into being, a work inspired by Plato and Hesiod and their philosophies on the creation of the universe. Commissioned by Harvey and Louise Glatt for the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Premiere October 6 & 7, 2016 National Arts Centre Orchestra, Alexander Shelly, Conductor.

I recently did a short Q&A with Classical Concerts NS. The website is an excellent resource for classical concerts around Halifax and the province! Take a look:

http://www.classicconcertsns.ca/2016/08/01/1187/

Anne Louise-Turgeon and Edward Turgeon perform the US premiere of Drift in Chicago on July 15.

July 15, 7:30 pm
Nichols Concert Hall
1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston

Links:

Duo Turgeon
Chicago Tribune Article
2016 Chicago Duo Piano Festival


Anne Louise-Turgeon and Edward Turgeon

A recording of Ex Tempore, for the Charke/Cormier Duo, has been posted on YouTube and Soundcloud. Recorded at Manning Memorial Chapel in Wolfville, NS on June 13, 2016.

A photo from our recording project, In Sonorous Falling Tones, produced by the Acadia New Music Society. Yesterday was our final recording of 'What do the Birds Think?'. In the photo (left to right): Simon Docking (piano), Gillian Smith (violin), Derek Charke (flute), Mark Hopkins (conductor), Eileen Walsh (clarinet), Mark Adam (percussion), Norman Adams (cello), and Naoko Tsujita (percussion). Also on the recording will be Susan Sayle (viola) and Max Kasper (double bass). John D.S. Adams of Stonehouse Sound is recording, mixing, and mastering the album. Photo by Liam Elliot.

Coming up soon! On Saturday, June 4, 8:00 pm, the Charke/Cormier Duo (Derek Charke, flutes, Eugene Cormier, guitar) will play a concert of contemporary repertoire at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, 97-101 Kaulbach Street, Lunenburg NS.

Facebook Event Page

The Acadia New Music Society is producing a CD with several of my works, including In Sonorous Falling Tones, What do the Birds Think?, WARNING! Gustnadoes Ahead, and Lachrymose. Recordings started this week in University Hall at Acadia University. Here's a cool photo from yesterday (May 3, 2016):

I recorded a solo flute improvisation this afternoon, just because… Enjoy!

I've posted three excerpts from the premiere performance of Earth Airs (Symphony no. 2) from January 26, 2016. Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Gary Kulesha, Conductor, and the choir, Horizon, Vic Pankratz, Artistic Director. Centennial Hall, Winnipeg, MB.

Excited to be performing with Land's End Ensemble on Friday April 8. Festival Hall 1210 - 10 Ave SE Calgary, AB at 8 pm. There's a preconcert chat at 7:15 pm.

Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lands-end-ensemble-tangled-tickets-6581799339?aff=erelexpmlt

Programme includes:

Derek Charke – Capricious Modes (world premiere)
Ana Sokolovic – Prelude and Toccata
Derek Charke – "WARNING! Gustandoes Ahead”
Derek Charke – Tangled in Plastic Currents 
Ana Sokolovic – Portrait parle
Ana Sokolovic – Cinq danses (Nos. IV & III)
Derek Charke – Disturbances of Circadian Rhythm
Full Company Improvisation

Derek Charke, flute & composer
Vince Ho, artistic director
John Lowry, violin
Susanne Ruberg-Gordon, piano
Beth Root Sandvoss, cello
Ana Sokolovic, composer
Marcin Swoboda, viola

Looking forward to performing at the ECMA Classical Music Showcase on April 16! For more information and tickets click here: http://ecma.com/festival/tickets. For the press release, click here.

Coming up very soon! The remarkable Duo Turgeon, pianists Anne Louise-Turgeon and Edward Turgeon, will premiere my new piano duet Drift on April 5 in Toronto. For more details visit Music Toronto's website.

I'm excited about this work, particularly because of the wonderful opportunity to work with these fabulous musicians, and also because I've wanted to create a work for two pianos for a very long time. The piece is in four movements: Slow, Fast, Still, and Drift. The overall concept is two-fold, first as an abstract concept to drift around a fixed position, and second as an artistic muse on lake effect snow.

The National Arts Centre Orchestra has announced their 2016/2017 season. After Chaos, the Earth and Love came into being, commissioned by Harvey and Louise Glatt, will receive its premiere on October 6 and 7, 2016 under the baton of Alexander Shelly. More information.

Cool video with one of my flute quintet works, by Canada's newest flute quintet, Charm of Finches! Check them out! https://www.facebook.com/ensemblecharmoffinches/

An older, and short (2 mins!) work called Four Short Works for Flute and Piano, is now available for free download.

A new website for the Charke/Cormier Duo is live! Check it out: http://www.eugenecormier.com/charke-cormier-duo/

In the Crystalline Vault of Heaven, for SATB Chorus, a cappella, is now available at the Canadian Music Centre.

This work is the third movement from my second symphony, Earth Airs.

Classical Music Showcase presented by Canadian Music Centre

Including:

Derek Charke
Dinuk Wijeratne
Jeff Reilly
Members of Symphony Nova Scotia
Saint John String Quartet and Martin Kutnowski
Tristan De Borba and Simon Docking

Individual tickets for the 2016 East Coast Music Awards Show at Centre 200 available online at http://ecma.com/festival/tickets. 

Complete information.

Wired and Wound, recorded by Tristan De Borba, alto saxophone, and Simon Docking, piano, and featured on our first Acadia New Music Society independent release "Live Wired!" directed by Mark Hopkins, has been nominated for Classical Composition of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards. Recording engineer was John D.S. Adams of Stonehouse Sound. Congratulations to the other nominees: Anthony Genge, Dinuk Wijeratne, Jérôme Blais, and Martin Kutnowski!

For Immediate Release
January 14, 2016

(Halifax, NS) NEW GUITAR/FLUTE DUO AT MUSIC ROOM

On Wednesday, February 17 at 7:00 p.m., the Charke/Cormier Duo (Derek Charke, flutes and Eugene Cormier, guitar) presents a varied recital including hits from Piazzolla, Handel, Ibert, Villa-Lobos, Vivadi, and the Halifax premiere of the Engine Continuum, a new work by Derek Charke. The monumental Histoire du Tango by Astor Piazzolla is arguably the most important work written for Guitar & Flute — a survey of the evolution of Argentine tango! Tickets are $20 and $10 for students at the door.
 
Derek Charke and Eugene Cormier started the Charke/Cormier Duo a year ago with a recital at the KC Irving Centre in Wolfville. Both performers are accomplished musicians who are on the teaching faculty at Acadia University’s School of Music. The Charke/Cormier Duo is actively searching for new performance opportunities, and plans to produce a debut CD in the near future. Various clips of previous performances are available on Eugene's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EugeneCormier
 
Derek Charke is a JUNO and ECMA award-winning composer and flutist. A professor of composition at Acadia University, he also co-directs the Acadia New Music Society and continues to perform regularly as a new music performer and improviser on the flute.
 
Eugene Cormier is in high demand as a performer, teacher & adjudicator. He teaches guitar at Acadia University, is on the executive for the Halifax Guitar Society, and is a musical editor for the Guitar Foundation of America's seminal journal “Soundboard."
 
Program to include:
 
And (2nd mvt. from Wired and Released) by Derek Charke
Entr’ Acte by Jacques Ibert
Distribuçào De Flôres by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Sonata in A Minor by Georg Friedric Handel
The Engine Continuum by Derek Charke
Histoire Du Tango by Astor Piazzolla
1. Bordel 1900
2. Café 1930
3. Nightclub 1960
4. Concert d’aujourd'hui
 
The concert will take place at The Music Room (6181 Lady Hammond Rd., Halifax, NS) on Wednesday, February 17, at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $20 ($10 students) at the door.

The Charke/Cormier Duo will be performing twice in February, on Wed. Feb. 17 at the Music Room in Halifax, and on Sat. Feb. 20 at the University of Moncton in New Brunswick. Click on the links for more information.