Returning home after an extended period away always seems to encourage a wide range of emotions.  The predominant happy feeling was a constant throughout the visit, especially in circumstances such as this spring where it was a significant opportunity to…

I have always been a traveller of sorts – at a younger age accompanied by my family all around the city, then province, eventually expanding the circle exponentially as my career eventually brought me to Europe and beyond. As a Canadian, these excursions – especially around the national circuit – have always been both intriguing and slightly daunting as the second largest country in the world has a lot to offer and plenty of terrain to cover.

It’s every musician’s potential nightmare: after dedicating countless hours to study, practice time, rehearsals, research, and every other imaginable form of preparation, it’s time to search for performance opportunities.  In some cases, a clearer path is forged for individuals who are able to successfully compete for an award, which is often padded with the reward of a generous concert schedule for a coming season or so.  In other instances, through general exposure, recommendation, or a promoter’s positive impressions after attending an artist’s live performance, there is also the possibility of receiving an invitation to perform at a particular venue or concert series.