Associate dean nominated for Juno, Classical Composition of the Year

January 27, 2015 —

Gordon Fitzell

Gordon Fitzell, Associate Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Music has been nominated for a 2015 Juno Award, Classical Composition of the Year category for his piece Magister Ludi.

Fitzell, a composer, performer and multimedia artist has worked with numerous outstanding ensembles including American sextet eighth blackbird, whose multiple Grammy-winning album strange imaginary animals features two of Fitzell’s works.

Fitzell’s work has been presented at major festivals around the world. In addition to concert music, he has presented multimedia installations in North America and Europe. He has received awards and acknowledgements for his compositions from various organizations including the SOCAN Foundation, CBC Radio, Vancouver New Music, the Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation, and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (USA).

As an associate professor in the Desautels Faculty of Music, Fitzell teaches composition and leads the eXperimental Improv Ensemble (XIE). He also serves as Artistic Co-Director of the Winnipeg new music organization GroundSwell.

Mike Latchislaw, U of M photographer in IST, is also nominated alongside fellow Winnipegger Roberta Hansen for Steve Bell’s 25th anniversary album, Pilgrimage, in the category for art director/designer/illustrator.

UM Today Staff

Call for Awards, Desautels Faculty of Music, faculty

Rhythm and Community: University of Manitoba Percussion Ensemble Takes Center Stage at “The Space Between”

Excitement is in the air as the University of Manitoba Percussion Ensemble prepares to showcase their talent at the upcoming conference “The Space Between,” hosted at Acadia University in beautiful Wolfville, NS. Invited by the Canadian Percussion Network, the ensemble will present their captivating session titled “Connecting the Threads: An Exploration in Community-Minded Rehearsal and Performance Processes.” This is not just an opportunity for performance; it’s a chance to dive deep into the essence of musical collaboration. Grouping the students in various quartets allows the students to explore a variety of musical, creative and leadership roles withing the traditional percussion quartet model.