THE WORLD PREMIÈRE OF CHRISTINE DONKIN’S
PIECES OF FLAME
The Canterbury Trebles Women's Ensemble, founded in 2005, will celebrate their 15th anniversary (3 years late due to the pandemic!) with the world première of a new choral work by celebrated composer Christine Donkin.
Pieces of Flame
Pieces of Flame, a six-movement work for SSAA choir and string quartet, was composed by Christine Donkin. The Canterbury Trebles Women’s Ensemble commissioned the work to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the ensemble in 2020.The six movements of Pieces of Flame are Courage, Humility, Resilience, Forgiveness, Gratitude and Hope. The lyrics were derived from texts authored and contributed by the choristers. The power of the work comes from women: all that they are and all that they offer to the world.
The choir gratefully acknowledges the support of SOCAN and the City of Ottawa in funding the work and its first performance. The work is dedicated to the choir’s Founding Director, Robert Palmai.
Christine Donkin
Christine Donkin is an award-winning composer whose music appeals to a broad range of listeners and performers. Described by critics as “stunning”, “poignant”, and “astonishingly beautiful”, her work is promoted by several publishers and is performed all over the continent and beyond.
Christine enjoys composing music for a wide range of performers. While her compositions have been programmed at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall and the Moscow Conservatory, they are also frequently played at concerts featuring music students, community orchestras, and church choirs.
As one of Canada’s leading pedagogical composers, Christine is frequently called upon to work with music students and teachers as a guest speaker, clinician, and adjudicator. Over one hundred of her compositions, arrangements, and figured bass realizations appear in the Royal Conservatory of Music graded repertoire and studies books. With additional compositions included in the publications of Trinity College London and the Australian Music Examinations Board, Christine’s pedagogical music is quickly gaining international prominence.