Michael J. Baker

Michael J. Baker was among Canada’s most energetic composers of music for dance, but has already established only a little bit of his music released commercially. He also held quite busy being a conductor for both film ratings and modern music. His main compositions consist of “In Paradisum,” created in 1982 however, not released on Compact disc until following the composer’s loss of life, “Skyling,” “Animated Pants,” and “Columbus.” He started his musical profession like a trumpet participant and was an associate from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra aswell as the Tommy Banking institutions big music group, both representing the main gigs for freelance players for the reason that freezing city. In 1971, Baker shifted east to Toronto and became mixed up in thriving contemporary dance community as an accompanist. He researched in NY using the composer and cellist Gwendolyn Watson, her multi-disciplinary leanings offering as an additional inspiration for following collaborations with different choreographers and shows using the Toronto Dance Theater, les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Country wide Ballet of Canada, and Montréal Danse. Baker continuing his research of tranquility, counterpoint, orchestration, and performing with Roman Toi in the Royal Conservatory of Music. Despite all of this teaching, Baker still referred to himself as mainly a self-taught composer. The task of American minimalists was an impact, but what is present of Baker’s focus on documenting indicates he previously evolved an individual vocabulary. In 1992, Baker teamed up with painter Dan Solomon and choreographer Costs James on the function entitled “Big Images.” The next calendar year he became creative movie director of ARRAYMUSIC, an ensemble which he also conducts. He in addition has served as creative movie director of Numus in Waterloo, Ontario, so that as conductor of Hemispheres in Toronto. He received many grants and honours in the Canada Council as well as the Ontario Arts Council.