Additional Information About the Artist May Be Found At

Neil Currie

Dr. Neil Currie is known as both a composer of classical music and a piano-vocalist specializing in jazz. Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1955, he performed for many years as piano-vocalist in the South Saskatchewan area. Following university studies, he first came to prominence as a composer in Australia in 1987, when his ORTIGAS AVENUE for chamber ensemble, written on the occasion of the 1986 Filipino revolution, was praised by Cory Aquino, president of the Philippines. The work subsequently gained many performances in Oceania and was performed in Britain and the United States.
Currie was appointed Composer-in-Residence in 1990 and 1991 with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and was commissioned to write a fanfare for the ASO brass and British organist Simon Preston. It was at the 1990 festival that he met London guitarist John Williams. Williams commissioned Currie to write a Concerto for guitar and small orchestra that was given its premiere by Williams and recorded with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in November of 1990.
In 1991, Currie wrote TUMBLING STRAIN, a concerto for trombonist Warwick Tyrrell that was recorded on ABC Classics with the ASO, conducted by Patrick Thomas. This concerto was notable for its evocation of the sounds of the Australian outback, particularly through the use of the trombone as didjerido.
Recordings followed, of TRICROCI by Guitar Quartet Guitar Trek (ABC Classics), of ORTIGAS AVENUE by Tall Poppies Ensemble (Tall Poppies), and STOPPING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING for tenor recorder, by Genevieve Lacey (MOVE Records).
Returning to Canada to complete his Doctorate at the UBC School of Music (Vancouver) in the mid 1990s, Currie was artist-in-residence at the Banff Centre of the Arts in 1997 before being appointed Composer-in-Residence with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra from 1998-2001. BALLADE was selected as the test piece for the 1998 International Brass Quintet competition in Narbonnes, France. RHAPSODY was performed by Allen Harrington at the World Saxophone Congress in Minneapolis in July, 2003. In 2004, SENTIMENT NUMBER 3 was given its premiere by the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of John Morris Russell.
Currie has taught in the Department of Music at The University of Saskatchewan since 1999, where he frequently collaborates as jazz pianist with Department Head and jazz trumpeter, Dean McNeill. In 2005, the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra is releasing a CD of Currie's orchestral music. Trombonist Alain Trudel performs TUMBLING STRAIN; Saxophonist Allen Harrington performs RHAPSODY for saxophone and orchestra. SYMPHONY (1999) and GLENSIDE (1999) complete the disk, which will be available in September of 2005.
As jazz musician and vocalist, Currie performed at the Adelaide (South Australia) Hilton Hotel from 1993-1995 before returning to Canada. He has appeared many times at the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, and toured for Showcase Saskatchewan. The Neil Currie Trio entertained on HollandAmerica Line cruise ships for six months in 2004.

Additional information about the artist may be found at