DEREK CHARKE is a composer, flutist and professor of music at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada. His music is circling the globe thanks to commissions from the Kronos Quartet, the Katona Twins and the National Flute Association; performances by such luminary ensembles as the Group for Contemporary Music in New York City and the Xanthos Ensemble in Boston, and current commissions from ensembles such as the St. Lawrence String Quartet and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. His music has been heard in such diverse venues as Carnegie Hall, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Guggenheim Museum of Art, The Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, The Yukon Arts Centre and The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts.
Derek's music bridges a divide between a play of pure sound, he collects natural and environmental sounds, and the continuation of the western tradition, albeit with contemporary influences. His interest in the north and the environmental space around him play pivotal roles in many of his compositions. Ecological sound as an artistic statement on environmental issues has increasingly become the impetus for new works. In addition he is focused on furthering the sound words of instruments by using "extended" techniques and electronics (live processing and soundtracks) to extend sonic possibilities.
Please visit www.charke.com for more information.