Role

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Conductor  

 

Christine Duncan is a Canadian jazz and improvisational vocalist, composer, and educator. She was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1960, and grew up in a musical family. Her father was a jazz pianist, and her mother was a singer. Duncan started singing at a young age and was exposed to a variety of musical genres, including jazz, classical, and folk music. Duncan began her formal music education at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, where she studied classical voice. However, she soon became interested in jazz and improvisation and began studying with jazz vocalists such as Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton. She also studied with jazz pianist and composer, Paul Bley. In the 1980s, Duncan became involved in Toronto's jazz and improvisation scene, performing with local musicians and collaborating with artists from other disciplines, such as dance and theatre. She also began teaching jazz and improvisation at the Royal Conservatory of Music and other institutions. Duncan's unique vocal style, which combines jazz, improvisation, and extended vocal techniques, quickly gained recognition in the Canadian music scene. She became a sought-after performer and collaborator, working with musicians such as pianist Marilyn Lerner, saxophonist John Oswald, and guitarist Eugene Chadbourne. In 1992, Duncan formed the improvisational vocal ensemble, The Element Choir, which has become one of Canada's most innovative and acclaimed vocal groups. The choir, which includes both professional and amateur singers, performs improvised and composed music, often incorporating elements of theatre and movement. Duncan has also collaborated with a number of international musicians, including saxophonist Evan Parker, pianist Matthew Shipp, and percussionist Hamid Drake. She has performed at major festivals and venues around the world, including the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, the Berlin Jazz Festival, and the Blue Note in New York City. In addition to her performance career, Duncan is also a respected educator and mentor. She has taught at the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Creative Music Workshop in Woodstock, New York, and the School for Improvisational Music in New York City. She has also led workshops and masterclasses in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Duncan's contributions to the Canadian music scene have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 2004, she was awarded the Freddie Stone Award for Excellence in Jazz Education by the Toronto Musicians' Association. In 2010, she received the Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award from the Canada Council for the Arts, which recognizes outstanding achievement in the arts by mid-career artists. Duncan's discography includes several solo albums, as well as recordings with The Element Choir and other ensembles. Her most recent album, "The Sirens," was released in 2019 and features her improvisational vocal work with saxophonist Diane Roblin and percussionist Germaine Liu. In conclusion, Christine Duncan is a highly respected and innovative jazz and improvisational vocalist, composer, and educator. Her unique vocal style and collaborative approach to music-making have made her a major figure in the Canadian music scene and beyond. Her contributions to jazz education and mentorship have also had a significant impact on the development of young musicians.

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