Acclaimed in the Canadian Press as "one of Canada's true Renaissance men,” David Braid is a distinguished composer, improviser, and pianist. He is a ten-time nominee and four-time recipient of Canada’s highest music honour, the Juno Award. A SteinwayArtist, Braid serves as Composer-in-Residence forthe Sinfonia UK Collective.
He is also a Guest Artist at the Danish National Music Conservatory and an Affiliate Artist at the University of Liverpool’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Composition and Technology. Braid first emerged as an "Ace Jazz Pianist," according to The New York Observer, before transitioning into composing chamber music. His work is characterized by its narrative quality, vibrant colours, rhythmic complexity, spontaneity, and the integration of diverse musical languages, a result of over twenty years of international cross-cultural collaboration. He has performed extensively across the UK, Scandinavia, Russia, Central Asia, the Far East, Australia, Brazil, and Canada.
His ability to unite diverse musical languages is described as “enchanting” (The Age, Australia), “sophisticated” (The New York Observer), and “hauntingly beautiful” (The Globe & Mail). Braid's first instrumental chamber music album, FLOW, released under the Steinway & Sons label in collaboration with the Epoque Quartet (Prague), was praised bythe Los Angeles
Examiner as “an exceptional work... created with patience, love, and an understanding of the human condition, form, and structure.”
His first choral composition, “Corona Divinae Misericordiae,” was nominated for Classical Album of the Year in Canada. Additionally, his first film score won two Canadian Screen Awards for “Best Original Score” and “Best Original Song.”
Braid's brief foray into dramatic music includes arrangements and compositions for the Chet Baker-inspired biopic, Born to Be Blue, starring Ethan Hawke, which The Telegraph (UK) places as one of the top jazz films of all time. His jazz score received acclaim for its "contemporary patina without sacrificing period authenticity,” as noted by The Times (UK). He also received a Screen Award nomination for his orchestral score for the 2022 film Delia’s Gone, featuring Stephan James and Marisa Tomei.
In recognition of his exceptional contributions to music, David Braid received the prestigious Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award for Keyboard Artistry from the Ontario Foundation for the Arts. Throughout his career, he has distinguished himself as one of a few creative artists capable of engaging audiences in both classical and jazz communities. His chamber music compositions for notable ensembles resonate with diverse audiences, transcending traditional genre boundaries without compromising the integrity of classical music. Beyond his performances, Braid supports emerging musicians by leading innovative masterclasses designed to empower students by reinforcing their musical fundamentals and encouraging lifelong learning.
Mark DeJong
Holds degrees from the University of Calgary, (BMus) and jazz performance from Rutgers University (MMus).
Active as a performer and clinician throughout North America, Mark has numerous recording credits and appearances atfestivals across the country. He recently performed the music of Michael Breckerfeaturing multiple Grammy award-winning composer/pianist Gil Goldstein atthe Bella Concert Hall.
He is the co-leader ofYYC award-winning Redline Trio which plays weekly at Betty Lou's Library. Mark has recently recorded a new saxophone concerto with Canadian composer David Braid, and was recentlyfeatured as a soloistwith vocalist Sarah Slean performing the music ofJoni Mitchell with the Vancouver Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic and the Saskatoon Symphony. He has toured or performed with Laila Biali, the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, and Canada's iconic Shuffle Demons while on tour in Panama and Cuba. He appeared as a feature artist atthe World Expo in Shanghai, China, as well as the legendary Blue Note in NewYork.
PROGRAMME
Concerto No. 2 “Veluwe” (2024) forTenor
Saxophone and Small Orchestra
Mark DeJong, Tenor Sax
Three Imaginary Persian Dances (2023) - Brass
Quintet and Percussion
Sarah Dennison, trumpet
Gareth Jones, trumpet
Shellbie Chayeski, Horn
Charlie Reid, trombone
Omari Holaki, tuba
Kaiya Gazley, percussion
Vespers (2025) for Solo Sax.
Aidan Rigor, Alto Saxophone
Acherontia (2022) for Saxophone Quartet & Piano
Mark DeJong
Nic Luzzi
Aidan Rigor
Haley Spector
David Braid, piano
-Intermission -
-Intermission -
The Work Song (1998)
Alexander Gonzalez - piano
Karl Pflug - drummer
Emily Holowka - trumpet
Cody Kubik - tenor saxophone
Thomas Cook - tenortrombone
Theodore Arreza - double bass
Melodic Archetypes (2025)
Karl Pflug and Izy Montanez - percussion
Emily Holowka - trumpet
Cody Kubik - tenor saxophone
Anjie Corpus - saxophone
Thomas Cook - tenortrombone
Tom Gorman - bass/tenortrombone
Red Line Trio
Jeff Sulima, Drums
Mark DeJong, Saxophone
Stephen Shepard, Bass
Andre Wickenheiser, trumpet (guest)
Mount Royal University Conservatory and University of
Calgary, School of Creative and Performing Arts
Chamber Orchestra
Edmond Agopian, Conductor
VIOLIN 1
Josephine Wen^
Emily Fakeley
Daryna Friesen
Ana Gonzales
Aedan Lowry
Luca Todea
CELLO
Brenna Le May*
Mateo Barcan
Aaron Janse-Deng
Phoebe Xu
OBOE
Yuta Formella*
Melody Mcknight
HORN
Shellbie Chayeski*
Rachel Lock
VIOLIN 2
Sebastian Paternina Ortiz*
Sterling Davidson Center
Stephanie Huynh
Yehor Lukianchyk
Gabriela Nunez
VIOLA
Ethan Mung*
Hannele Agbunag
Sophie Ryskine
PatrickVu
BASS
Reiss Challoner*
Madeleine Ryan
Kristen Cousins
CLARINET
Nicolas Luzzi*
FLUTE
Gabrielle Marquis*
Bella Nguyen
Henry Kang BASSOON
Michael Hope* º
Michael Weaver
Federico Martino
Charlie Reid
Omari Holaki
Sydney Ball
^denotes Concertmaster
* denotes Principal
º denotes professional guest
Minsol Kim
Programme Notes
“Concerto No. 2 "Veluwe" (2024) was commissioned by Canadian saxophonist Mark DeJong in honour of his mother, Janny DeJong (née van 't Land). She was a Dutch immigrant to Canada who originated from Epe, in the Veluwe region of the Netherlands.
The concerto is performed as a continuous piece but is structurally divided into three distinct sections (or movements). The saxophone soloist becomes increasingly prominent as the work progresses. The music is delivered like a triptych, reflecting experiences from her early childhood, her immigration to Canada, and her life in Canada.
Certain textures in the orchestration are deliberately designed to evoke an organ-like timbre, a poignant reference to Janny DeJong's life as a church organist. The work's core three-note motif is derived directly from Mark DeJong's own jazz composition, also titled "Veluwe." The pitches of C, D, and Fsharp and theirvarious permutations form the basis forvirtually all the melodic themes throughout the concerto. The cadenzas are a distinctive feature: some are fully written and others are improvised, celebrating Mark DeJong's explorations in both classical and jazz saxophone.
Thanks are extended to CADA (Calgary Association for the Development ofthe Arts) and the DeJong Familyfortheir support in the creation ofthis piece.
“Three Imaginary Persian Dances” (2023) is a musical thought-experiment inspired by the possible Central Asian roots of Western Classical Music. The idea was sparked by a 2017 visit to the ancient music instrument museum at the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan. Observing the resemblance between ancient Uzbek instrument fingering, scales, and tetrachords and those in Western music, coupled with the recognition of an Uzbek folk melody as an early Church Chant, I found myself asking: Was Western musical "DNA" once traveling
along the Silk Road? My goal was to create a modern sonic expression of this profound historical connection, imagining a musical dialogue that spans centuries.
The work is structurally based on three melodies I transcribed while listening to Central Asian music, both on recording and on the street. By dressing these themes in the musical languages of Classical, Folk, and Jazz, I explore alternate realities of musical evolution, creating a piece that vividly portrays the historical intersection of cultures along this historic trade route, had it continued to the present day.
“Acherontia” (2022) is a vibrant instrumental setting of the original vocal work from David Braid’s song cycle, Dark Butterflies (2020), with text by Patricia O’Callaghan. The music is structurally tied to the rhythmic meters of classical Arabic poetry, specifically the intricate patterns found in the Mu'allaqat. This instrumental version preserves the pulse and flow of that poetry, translating its inherent meter and cadence into the interplay between the instruments, creating a unique and evocative rhythmic dialogue.
“The Work Song” (1998), which I wrote during my undergraduate degree, is set in 7/4 time, giving it an unusual rhythmic dance. It features a simple, bluesy, repetitive pentatonic theme that creates a chant-like feeling. Unusually, the piece incorporates two distinct bridges, demonstrating an early exploration of blending simple and complex materials within a longer structural form.
“Melodic Archetypes” (2025) is a confluence of folk melodies and rhythms, as well as experiences collected from Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan from 2017 to 2022. It merges ancient and contemporary music, combining improvisational freedom with compositional discipline to create music that is both intellectually rigorous and emotionally moving.
Students participating in this concert
APP- Academy and Advanced Performance Program
SCPA - School of Creative and Performing Arts, University of Calgary
Sarah Dennison, trumpet - MRU Conservatory Senior Academy and SCPA
Shellbie Chayeski, horn - MRU Conservatory Senior Academy and SCPA
Charlie Reid, trombone - MRU Conservatory, SeniorAcademy
Omari Holaki, tuba - SCPA
Kaiya Gazley, percussion - SCPA
Nicolas Luzzi, saxophone, clarinet - SCPA
Haley Spector, saxophone - SCPA
VIOLIN 1
Josephine Wen - MRU ConservatoryAPP
Emily Fakeley - MRU Conservatory SeniorAcademy
Daryna Friesen - MRU ConservatoryAPPand SCPA
Ana Gonzales - SCPA CYO
Aedan Lowry - MRU Conservatory CYO
Luca Todea - MRU ConservatoryAPP
VIOLIN 2
Sebastian Paternina Ortiz - SCPA
Sterling Davidson Center - SCPA
Stephanie Huynh - SCPA
Yehor Lukianchyk - MRU Conservatory CYO
Gabriela Nunez - SCPA
VIOLA
Ethan Mung - MRU ConservatoryAPP
Hannele Agbunag - MRU Conservatory CYO
Sophie Ryskine - MRU ConservatoryAPP
PatrickVu - MRU Conservatory CYO and APP
CELLO
Brenna Le May - MRU Conservatory and SCPA
Mateo Barcan - MRU ConservatoryAPPand CYO
Aaron Janse-Deng - MRU ConservatoryAPPand CYO
Phoebe Xu - MRU ConservatoryAPPand CYO
BASS
Reiss Challoner - MRU ConservatoryAPP
Madeleine Ryan - MRU Conservatory CYO
Kristen Cousins - MRU Conservatory CYO
FLUTE
Gabrielle Marquis - MRU ConservatoryAPPand SCPA
Bella Nguyen - MRU Conservatory SeniorAcademy and SCPA
OBOE
Yuta Formella - MRU Conservatory SeniorAcademy and CYO
CLARINET
Nicolas Luzzi - SCPA and APPAlumnus
Henry Kang - MRU Conservatory SeniorAcademy
BASSOON
Michael Weaver - MRU Conservatory CYO
HORN
Shellbie Chayeski - MRU Conservatory SeniorAcademy and SCPA
Rachel Lock - MRU Conservatory SeniorAcademy and SCPA
alumnus
TRUMPET
Federico Martino - MRU Conservatory CYO
TROMBONE
Charlie Reid - MRU Conservatory SeniorAcademy and CYO
TUBA
Omari Holaki MRU Conservatory CYO and SCPA
TIMPANI
Sydney Ball - MRU Conservatory CYO
BASS DRUM
Minsol Kim - MRU Conservatory Percussion Academy
Jazz Combo students (U of C School of Creative and Performing Arts)
Alexander Gonzalez - piano
Karl Pflug - drummer
Izy Montanez - drummer
Emily Holowka - trumpet
Cody Kubik - tenor saxophone
Anjie Corpus - saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, bari) orflute
Thomas Cook - trombone
Tom Gorman - bass trombone ortenortrombone
Theodore Arreza - double bass
Special Professional Guests
Gareth Jones, Faculty, University of Calgary School of Creative and Performing Arts
Edmond Agopian, Faculty, University of Calgary School of Creative and Performing Arts, and Music Director ofthe CalgaryYouth Orchestra
Red Line Trio
Mark DeJong, Saxophone
Jeff Sulima, Drums
Stephen Shepard, Bass
Andre Wickenheiser, trumpet (guest)
Melody McKnight, Principal Oboe, Red Deer Symphony Orchestra
Michael Hope, Bassoon, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
Mount Royal University Conservatory
Since 1911, Mount Royal University Conservatory has built a reputation as the mosttrusted provider of music classes and speech arts education in Calgary. More than a century later, we continue to be a leading force behind the introduction, development, exploration and mastery ofthe performing arts.
Today, the Mount Royal University Conservatory is a music and speech arts school, open to the public for every age at every stage. We are situated within the beautiful Mount Royal University campus in the Taylor Centre forthe Performing Arts building.
Upcoming Performances
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University of Calgary School of Creative and Performing Arts
Founded in 2013, the University of Calgary School of Creative and Performing Arts re-imagines artistryforthe 21st Century. As the only public degree-granting institution forthe performing arts in Calgary, the SCPA offers an expansive and innovative spectrum of training across the three disciplines of dance, drama, and music and interdisciplinary programming. Boasting a faculty of acclaimed artists and scholars, the SCPA celebrates its revered student alumni who occupy important positions across the arts sector and enrich the world with their creativity and imagination.
