CURRENT EVENTS (Updated July 10, 2008)
On Michael's birthday, March 13th, we released his latest CD on the Music from Treetop Lane label (our own label).
"With the exception of my Capriccio for Two Pianos, dedicated to the memory of my father,all the music on this CD was commissioned by those who wished to have me compose a musical memorial for loved ones.
In all cases, as the notes for each piece will explain, I tried to capture the "essence" of those being memorialized." Get Michael's new CD! To order please click here.
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Michael has recently been commissioned to write three works for solo piano by the North Shore Registered Music Teachers Association. The music has to be suitable for three levels: Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced. The music for the advanced students must include another instrument. The three commissioned pieces must be ready for distribution to the piano teachers by the end of this (2008) school year. As well, Michael will be giving workshops dealing with this newest piano music in the Fall of 2008. Michael, as the guest composer, will give a talk on Nov. 11, 2008, to the music teachers, parents and students. The pieces will be performed during Canada Music Week at the end of November.
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There will be a free concert at the Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver on Wednesday, April 2nd at 7 p.m. featuring the remarkable Japanese Concert Band (Komatsumeihou High School Brass Band) visiting here on an exchange program. Michael thinks very highly indeed of this group's skills and ability to entertain.. he will be performing on stage with them on the piano when they play his Chanson Joyeuse (aka The Village Square from Cinderella: Frozen in Time). For more information, please contact us.. there are no advance 'tickets' available - first come, first seated.
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On May 24th there will be a very special evening for fans of Michael's music. A local ballet school (Pro Arte) hold their annual recital at Kay Meek Theatre (West Vancouver) and this year all but one of the musical works choreographed by Ms. Astrid Sherman are by Michael including the premiere of his children's fantasy ballet. The other work is Les Sylphides. This will be a major event.
To make it even more amazing, live musicians from the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra will accompany the dancers under the baton of Maestro Ken Hsieh. Tickets will be available from the Kay Meek Theatre box office - if you wish us to notify you when they are released for sale, just let us put your name on a list.
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Michael has just completed his most recent work which is a Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano and also a version of the same work for Violin, Cello and Piano. This will probably be premiered in the Fall in West Vancouver --details will be posted on our concert list (below) when known.
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This fall will also see a local performance of The Flight of Aphrodite featuring Li-Ling Liao on violin with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra.
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There is a tentative date set for the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra's fall concert. Because Michael is their Composer in Residence, Maestro Ken Hsieh will be selecting work(s) by him for inclusion. As usual, we will post details as we get them.
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Audiences also respond extremely favorably to Canticle for an Angel, both the Violin/Piano original and the version with String Orchestra. The audience in Japan apparently loved the newest version last month which Michael adapted for Two Violins and Piano.
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We recently received the following from one of our most talented Canadian flute players, Susan Hoeppner:
"I just wanted to let you know that I'm performing your Concerto No.1 with string orch, Three Plus One for flute & string trio, and the Elegy with quartet at the Northern Lights Music Festival in Ajijic, Mexico Feb.16 - Mar 1 …
I performed your Three Plus One last year at the same festival, and the people loved it, so by popular demand.......!!"
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In April, at the Kiwanis Music Festival, young pianist Edward Hua is entering Michael's Four Piano Pieces (4th Piece). Michael will attend this event at Tom Lee Music.
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We are just selecting some of Michael's music as accompaniment to a very moving Prayer for Humanity written by one of Michael's ardent fans, Ms. Christine Burrage.
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Conductor Wayne Jeffrey is currently converting Michael's 'Remembrances' to play with his Kwantlen College Concert Band.
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As always, Michael (and Penny) don't seem to slow down.. Michael continues to write, perform, and give workshops. The most recent (workshop) was an interactive children's one at the West Vancouver Library where the children contributed paintings of what they 'saw' when they heard his music. What a lovely event that was.
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We would appreciate hearing about any known upcoming performances anywhere so that we can add them to our list - fans in those cities might want to attend.
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Here is a list of current works for concert band by Michael Conway Baker:
The Mountains for Concert Band
Upcoming Concerts and Events (as known):
Nov.10/07 8pm
Nov. 11/07 7pm
Nov. 25/07
Nov. 29/07
Jan 11&13/08
Jan 19/08
Feb.15/08
Feb.16/08
Feb.16 - Mar.1/08
Mar.14/08
Mar.19/08
Mar. 20/08 2pm-3pm
Apr. 2/08 7pm
Apr.12/08, 7.30 p.m.
Apr.13/08, 5.00 p.m.
May 24/08
June 7/08
June 8/08
June 20/08 noon
June 21/08
July 19/08
Sept. 6/08 8pm
Nov. 20/08 10:30am
This list will be updated as we hear about performances.
"Michael and Penny April 10th 2006"
On November 11th, Michael was inducted into the B.C. Entertainment
Hall of Fame. This means he has a star embedded on Granville Street
with his name on it and his photo on the Starwall in the Orpheum Theatre.
Chanson Joyeuse for Concert Band
Marche Mechanique
Fanfare for Expo 86
Fanfare for Brass and Timpani
Okanagan Spring
Fanfare and Chorale
Cantilena for Concert Band
Roman March
"Chanson Joyeuse for Band"
Unterlauchringen nr Waldshut
Germany
"Chanson Joyeuse for Band"
Herrischried, Rotmoos Halle
Germany
"Canticle for An Angel" and "Donna"
Li-Ling Liao, Violin
Canadian Cancer Society Benefit Concert
Vancouver, B.C.
"Roman March"
Kwantlen College Concert Band
Capilano College, North Vancouver
"Canticle for an Angel/orchestral version"
The Canada West Chamber Orchestra
Jan 11-Kwantlen University - Langley
Jan 13-City Hall - Abbotsford
"Flute Concerto #1"
Flute Concerto Competion
U of Waterloo
"Chanson Joyeuse"
Vancouver Island Symphony
Campbell River
"Chanson Joyeuse"
Vancouver Island Symphony
Nanaimo
"Concerto No.1 with String Orchestra,
Three Plus One for Flute & String Trio,
Elegy with Quartet "
Northern Lights Music Festival
Ajijic, Mexico
"Concerto for Clarinet"
Thirteen Strings/Jerome Summers
Ottawa
"Canticle for an Angel for Two Violins & Piano"
Agnes Hotel
Tokyo, Japan
Children's Workshop (free)
Interactive Music Appreciation
West Vancouver Library
"Chanson Joyeuse"
Centennial Theatre
North Vancouver
"Chanson Joyeuse for Band"
Reinach BL,Switzerland
"Chanson Joyeuse for Band"
Basel, Switzerland
Children's fantasy ballet
Ballet school (Pro Arte)
Kay Meek Theatre
West Vancouver
"The Flight of Aphrodite"
Richmond Orchestra
"Sinfonia for Strings"
Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra chamber music concert
Mt. Seymour United Church,
North Vancouver, BC
"Canticle for an Angel"
Vancouver Art Gallery
Richmond Alliance Church
Richmond, B.C.
Hamilton Place Great Hall
Studio Theatre Convention Centre
1 Summers Lane,
Hamilton, Ontario
"Capriccio for Two Pianos"
D.F. Cook Recital Hall
St. John's, Newfoundland
"Trio for Violin, Piano and Cello"
Premiere Silk Purse Gallery,
West Vancouver, B.C.
