Navigational view of South Foreland Point and the Kent Coast, 1840

I acquired copies of these drawings on a recent trip to the UK, during summer 2016. I worked with elements from the drawings, such as proportion of measured sections and elevation, as the basis for developing musical materials, such as structure, pacing, and range.

Navigational view of South Foreland Point and the Kent Coast, 1840

for clarinet, violin, cello & piano (2016)

Emilie Cecilia LeBel

Canadian composer Emilie Cecilia LeBel specializes in concert music composition, the creation of mixed works that employ digital technologies, and intermedia concert works.  Described as “writing music that reflects her intelligence and audaciousness” (Sir Andrew Davis); “restrained and beautifully coherent from beginning to end” (barczablog); and “impressively subtle and sensuous” (ConcertoNet), her work inhabits sonic worlds that are primarily concerned with textural landscapes, resonance, and variances in colour.

Emilie’s artistic practice has been recognized through several significant awards and appointments, including Affiliate Composer with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (2018-2022), Composer-in-Residence with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada (2015), TD SoundMakers Composer-In-Residence with Soundstreams Canada (2015-16), Land’s End Ensemble Composer Competition (2016), Toronto Arts Foundation Emerging Artist Award (2015), Canadian Music Centre Toronto Emerging Composer Award (2012), and the Canadian Federation of University Women Elizabeth Massey Award (2012). Her work has received support through the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, The Banff Centre, Canadian Music Centre, University of Toronto, University of Montana, and the SOCAN Foundation.

Emilie’s compositions have been performed/recorded across North and South America, Europe and the UK by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Mark Takeshi McGregor, Continuum Ensemble, Women on the Verge, Duo Nyans, Voices of the Pearl, Cecilia String Quartet, Plumes Ensemble, Quatuor Bozzini, Arditti Quartet, Land’s End Ensemble, Cheryl Duvall, Luciane Cardassi, National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Thin Edge New Music Collective, Onyx Trio, and junctQín keyboard collective, among others.

Since 2018 Emilie has been based in the Canadian Prairies on Treaty 6 Territory. Active as an educator and mentor, Emilie currently teaches at MacEwan University. Previously, she taught at the University of Montana (2015-2018), and was a sessional lecturer at McMaster University (2012-2015) and the University of Toronto Scarborough (2012-2014). She has served as a mentor composer for several early career artist programs, including Hatch (Continuum Ensemble Toronto), PIVOT (Canadian League of Composers), and ConneXions (Canadian New Music Network).

Emilie holds degrees in music composition from the University of Toronto (DMA) and York University (MA, BFA Hons), and in audio engineering and music production from the Harris Institute for the Arts (Dip. Hons).