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Composer

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Baroque

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Keyboard

 

Sean Ferguson is a Canadian composer who was born on May 14, 1962, in Vancouver, British Columbia. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a singer. Ferguson began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the trumpet and guitar. He attended the University of British Columbia, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition in 1985. He then went on to earn a Master of Music degree in composition from the University of Toronto in 1987. Ferguson's early works were influenced by the minimalist and post-minimalist styles of composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass. His compositions often feature repetitive patterns and rhythms, as well as a focus on timbre and texture. One of his early works, "Piano Trio" (1985), was awarded the Canadian Music Centre's Young Composers' Competition. In the 1990s, Ferguson began to incorporate more traditional forms and structures into his compositions. He also began to explore the use of electronics and computer technology in his music. One of his most notable works from this period is "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" (1995), which was commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and features a solo piano part that is both virtuosic and lyrical. Ferguson's music has been performed by many leading orchestras and ensembles, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the Esprit Orchestra. He has also been commissioned by numerous organizations, including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Banff Centre for the Arts, and the Canadian Music Centre. In addition to his work as a composer, Ferguson is also a respected educator. He has taught at the University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, and the University of Montreal. He has also served as the Composer-in-Residence for the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Ferguson's compositions have received numerous awards and honors. In 1997, he was awarded the Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music for his work "String Quartet No. 2". In 2000, he was awarded the Jean A. Chalmers National Music Award for his contributions to Canadian music. He has also been nominated for several Juno Awards, including Best Classical Composition for his work "The Golden Triangle" (2003). Some of Ferguson's other notable works include "The Ice Age" (1992), a multimedia work that combines live performance with video and electronic sound; "The Golden Triangle" (2003), a work for orchestra that explores the relationship between sound and color; and "The Garden of Cosmic Speculation" (2005), a work for chamber ensemble that was inspired by the garden of the same name in Scotland. Ferguson's music is known for its innovative use of technology and its exploration of new sounds and textures. His compositions often challenge traditional notions of form and structure, while still maintaining a strong sense of musicality and emotional depth. He is considered one of Canada's leading contemporary composers and continues to be an important figure in the world of classical music.

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