Jørgen Lauritsen, composer

Based in Copenhagen Denmark, Jørgen works in the cross over genres between film music, Scandinavian lyrical tradition and a more jazz influenced tone. 

Jørgen’s background is an MA from Royal Danish Academy of Music as church organist and conductor (1990), an MA as jazz pianist from Rhythmic Music Conservatory (1992) and a composer’s degree with Bob Brookmeyer (1998), also from Rhythmic Music Conservatory. Studies in New York City with pianists Harold Danko and Seymour Bernstein (1991-92).

Extensive work as musical theater MD and arranger, mostly in Copenhagen Area. Hundreds of arrangements for symphony orchestras in Denmark, England and Europe. 

Orchestrating for other composers, mainly in Danish film industry but occasionally in Europe and a little bit in Los Angeles.

As a film composer, Jørgen has written and writes for feature films, documentary, TV and short films.

Jørgen Lauritsen´s concert works, range from choir works published by Edition Wilhelm Hansen / Wise Music Group, to chamber and solo works. 

Copenhagen Clouds will be the first concert performance in the USA of music composed by Jørgen, which he is thrilled with and honoured by.

For further information, please visit https://www.jorgenlauritsen.dk/

Geoffrey Stradling, composer

Composer, arranger, orchestrator, and pianist Geoff Stradling started piano lessons at age six. His mother
was his first teacher. By 13, he had gone through the piano instructors in his hometown, Bellingham, Washington, and began studying biweekly in Seattle at The Cornish School.

As a freshman in high school, Geoff created his first jazz big band and began writing music. As a sophomore in college, he entered a national composition contest sponsored by the National Association of Jazz Educators and won.


At age 20, Geoff moved to Europe, soaking in the European experience. Music, fine arts, language, food, wine, and history all seeped into his soul, becoming a part of his life and an important part of his music.


In 1984, he moved to Los Angeles, where he met and married his wife of 38 years, production designer and USC faculty member Mimi Gramatky. His work in Los Angeles has varied in style and medium: orchestrating and/or arranging for film and TV,
playing piano on pop and jazz albums, and serving as the music director of the Golden Globes awards since 2019.
Thomas Hooten and Joanne Pearce Martin of the Los Angeles Philharmonic gave the world premiere performance of his sonata for trumpet and piano, “Prix Fixe,” on April 11, 2021.
In April 2024, The StradBand, Geoff’s 18-piece jazz orchestra, for whom he arranges and composes,
released its premiere album, “Nimble Digits,” on Origin Records.

More info at: https://www.geoffstradling.com

Elizabeth Raum, composer

Elizabeth Raum enjoys a reputation of being one of Canada’s most accessible composers, writing for varied mediums and in remarkably diverse styles. She has established herself as one of Canada’s most eminent composers with commissions coming from such important performing groups as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, St. Lawrence String Quartet, Symphony Nova Scotia, the CalgaryPhilharmonic, the CBC and many others. Her works have been heard throughout North America, Europe, South America, China, Japan, and Russia. She has also written for film and video and has won numerous awards for the her scores in this
genre.

Her works include 6 operas, over 90 chamber pieces, 18 vocal works, choral works including an oratorio, several ballets, concerti and major orchestral works. Her music has been commercially recorded on over 40 CDs. She is included in the New Grove’s Dictionary of Music and  Musicians, the New Grove’s Dictionary of Opera, and the New Grove’s Dictionary of Women Composers as well as numerous other publications. Raum was the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra‘s composer in residence from 2019 – 2020 during which time she wrote several works including the arrangement of Searching for Sophia for clarinettist, Kaye
Royer.

More info: https://elizabethraum.com/

Deon Neilsen Price

Deon Nielsen Price (Degrees: Brigham Young University; University of Michigan; University of Southern California) is a commissioned and published ASCAP composer and author, award-winning pianist, recording artist, conductor, church musician, and veteran college lecturer. Dr. Price advocates for women in music and for living composers as a former president of The National Association of Composers, USA and of The International Alliance for Women in Music. 

In Carnegie Hall on January 24, 2025, “War Ends/Song Endures,” a tribute to the valiant spirit of Ukrainians, will be performed by flutist Lindsey Goodman and pianist Claire Longendyke. On January 31, at the Clark Center for Performing Arts in Arroyo Grande, California, Darryl Taylor, countertenor, Chika Inoue, saxophone, Mary Au, piano, and the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra, conducted by Music Director Brian Asher Alhadeff, will perform “Behind Barbed Wire,” Songs from To the Children of War, and “Kizuna” (Empathy) for the commemoration, Behind Barbed Wire: A Glimpse at Central Coast Japanese-American Life in World War II.

2024 releases include “War Ends/Song Endures” on In the Company of Music (Navona); song cycles Ludwig’s Letter to Eternal Beloved (Beethoven), Gallery (James Morehead), and To All Women Everywhere (Carol Lynn Pearson); and duos Three faces of Kim and Silver and Gold, performed by Darryl Taylor, countertenor, Phillip Harris, baritone, Amy Goymerac, soprano, Suzanne Duffy, flute, Douglas Masek, saxophone, and James Lent, Chesley Mok, Susan Azeret Davies, and Deon Price, piano, on Concert from Presidio Chapel (Cambria). Upcoming release: Oratorio CHRISTUS, recorded in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Visit: https://culvercrest.com

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Annette Johnson, composer

Annette Johnson, composer

Music has always been a fundamental part of Annette Johnson’s life. Born and raised in Albuquerque,
New Mexico, she grew up singing and playing the violin. Her early experience includes participating in the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program (AYS) from 2006 – 2017, and singing with the Santa Fe Opera in 2010 as the soprano spirit in The Magic Flute. Her passion for composing led to her original piece Soul of the Earth being performed by AYS in 2017 and again in 2024.


She graduated Summa cum Laude from Berklee College of Music in 2021 with her bachelor’s degree in film scoring. And for the past six years she has continued her education through her mentor, Emmy Award-winning composer Gavin Greenaway, known for writing the music for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot, and for conducting the soundtracks for over a hundred feature-length films.


Annette has since written music for short films such as Giraffe Family Read by Dr. Jane Goodall, Asking
for It by Christy Lee Hughes, the Roaring River documentary series by Tim Bass, and has also done
music prep work for projects such as Fast X. Additionally, she has released singles including Bottom of
the Universe, Rise to the Challenge, Remembering Dream, and Railway to Paradise. More of her work
can be found on her website at annettejohnsonmusic.com.
Annette is honored to have her piece, Age of Invention, performed by Kaye Royer and the Odin Quartet!

Massimo Guida, composer

Toronto-based Italian-Canadian composer, theorist, educator, and copyist Massimo Guida was born in Modena, Italy, in 1990, and has lived in Canada since 2008. He completed his doctoral studies in composition at the University of Toronto in 2019, under the supervision of Professor Christos Hatzis. Described by La Scena Musicale in 2012 as a composer who writes with “a particularly strong melodic inspiration,” Massimo seeks to combine his fondness for Italian melodic lyricism and storytelling with a contemporary musical language in his works. A multi-award-winning composer, in 2015 he won the Violet Archer Prize, for his song cycle Confessions (2014), as well as the Mississauga Festival Choir Competition for his choral work Infant Joy (2013), which was written for the birth of his nephew. Massimo’s compositions and arrangements have been performed and read in Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and the United States, by artists including the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, the Brantford Symphony Orchestra, the North York Concert Orchestra, The Music4Life Ensemble, Fawn Chamber Creative, Slow Rise Music, The Odin Quartet, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, the Interro Quartet, the Bedford Trio, the Mississauga Festival Choir, the Fujita–Ko Duo, the GamUT Contemporary Ensemble, the University of Toronto Brass Ensemble, organist James Devor, Juno nominee Lindsay Schoolcraft, and pianist Alexander Panizza. He served as the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra New Generation Affiliate Composer during the 2020–21 season, and also took part at the Orford Music Academy in 2020. One of his piano compositions, Fantasia Sopra Sei Temi di Puccini (2021), is featured on Panizza’s album Everything Waits for the Lilacs, in collaboration with the SPO, which was  released in March 2024. A keen supporter of contemporary music in Canada, Massimo also served on the board of the Canadian League of Composers as an Ontario councillor between 2020 and 2022, and is an associate composer with the Canadian Music Centre, as well as a Professional Member of the Canadian League of Composers.

(2024)
 

Zhiqi (Jimmy) Jin, composer

Jimmy Jin, born in 1996, is a composer, violinist, and music educator with a strong presence in both Canada and China. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Composition and working as a Theory Teaching Assistant at Western University, his work spans genres such as pop, contemporary, classical, folk, and jazz. Jimmy is passionate about composing for concert music, game soundtracks, and short film scores. Recently, he has focused on electroacoustic music, along with mixing and mastering. His diverse background reflects a deep passion for both traditional and modern musical forms, making him a versatile and innovative artist.
 (2024)

Maria Molinari Composer

Trained as a classical guitarist, Maria Molinari began her composing career writing concert music for soloists, chamber groups, ballet and orchestras until her love of film, storytelling & collaboration drew her to film scoring. A melodically driven composer, Maria’s love of film scores began with the tuneful, soaring themes of John Williams and the haunting harmonies of Thomas Newman. She cites among her strongest influences the music of Prokofiev, Debussy, Stravinsky, Arvo Pärt, Jerry Goldsmith and Dario Marianelli.

Maria recently composed the score for the bold critically acclaimed anthology film TO THE NEW GIRL. Based on playwright Samantha Macher’s celebrated female-driven stage production of the same name the award-winning film features an all-female creative team & cast. Her music can been heard in the score for the feature film END OF DAYS, INC. starring Mark O’Brien (CITY ON A HILL) and the theme for the forensic series MOTIVES & MURDERS: CRACKING THE CASE. She has provided additional music for the MARVEL COMICS based sci-fi syndicated series MUTANT X and the retro musical comedy series GETTING ALONG FAMOUSLY. Maria’s screen projects have enjoyed international broadcast as well as winning awards and playing at celebrated festivals including TRIBECA, VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL, BLOOD IN THE SNOW FESTIVAL and the CANADIAN FILM CENTRE WORLDWIDE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL. 

​Critically acclaimed violinist MOSHE HAMMER, the VICTORIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA and NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA dancer/choreographer Stephanie Hutchison have premiered Maria’s concert works. Her prizewinning setting of ‘Willow Song’ from Shakespeare’s OTELLO in the STRATFORD FESTIVAL OF CANADA’S Composition Competition for Young Composers; an arrangement of the song for symphony orchestra and soprano soloist was subsequently commissioned and premiered by the GUELPH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Maria’s virtuosic three movement violin and piano work TRE PEZZI PER VIOLINO E PIANOFORTE has been performed internationally; its exciting movement DANZA has been released by the piano and violin MATHIEU-CHUA DUO on the Centrediscs/Centredisques label.  Occasionally the film and concert music worlds collide as they did in a commission to compose original scores for the classic silent films THE PAWN SHOP (Charlie Chaplin) and MIGHTY LIKE A MOOSE (Charley Chase).  Performed live by the CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF MISSISSAUGA the scores were received enthusiastically at a live performance to screenings of the films at the MISSISSAUGA LIVING ARTS CENTRE.

Maria studied composition at the UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO with Alexander Rapoport, and film scoring at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES with iconic film composers ELMER BERNSTEIN, LEONARD ROSENMAN, DAVID RAKSIN & CHRISTOPER YOUNG.  

Maria is both a Canadian citizen and a citizen of the European Union.

Mitsuko Fernandes

Mitsuko Fernandes is a grade 11 student at the University of Toronto Schools. Despite a wide variety of interests, music is one of her main passions: she has played piano for over twelve years, and viola for six. She started composing from a young age, submitting early compositions to competitions just a few years after beginning piano. However, her love for composing was reignited in 9th grade after writing a song for a project in her music class. Her composition style is versatile, ranging from melancholy singer-songwriter to impressionist chamber music. She has played in multiple orchestras and chamber music ensembles, has held lead roles in multiple musicals, and is currently the lead singer of a band. She is currently studying piano with JUNO Award-winning pianist Angela Park and hopes to pursue music and composition in the future.

Leela Gilday, singer/songwriter

A passionate singer/songwriter and soulful performer, Leela Gilday has a voice that comes straight from the heart. Confessing her stories to her audiences with a gutsy voice and open stage presence, Gilday weaves her experiences as a northerner, a member of the Dene nation, and a traveler into a beautiful world that transports the
listener.


If you’re from the North, Leela’s music is home. If you’ve never been, it will take you there. Born and raised in the Northwest Territories, she writes about the people and the land that created her. The power in her voice conveys the depth of her feelings of love and life in a rugged environment and vibrant culture, as if it comes straight from
that earth. Leela’s family is from Délįne on the shore of Great Bear Lake and her rich vocals dance across the rhythmic beats of traditional Dene drumming as smoothly as a bass line onstage the largest venues in the country. And she has played them all. Leela has toured festivals and concert halls with her four-piece band through every province and territory in Canada. She has played in the United States, Greenland,
Australia, New Zealand and several countries in Europe. 

Her live shows are where she connects with fans who have followed her on a 20-year career and where new fans are born. She reaches into their hearts and feels the energy of every person in front of her as she guides them on a journey through song and experience. She believes music has an inexplicable effect on people. It is a place where she can share light and dark and the most vulnerable moments, with a clarity and genuine purpose that reassures her listeners through every word. She is a storyteller, and through this, reflects the world onto itself.Five years after her last album was released—five years of growth, healing and head-down work—Leela’s fifth album was released September 6 2019. It is more raw, more intimate and more Leela than anything you’ve heard from her before. Since then it has garnered a Canadian Folk Music