The Arcady Ensemble is a Canadian musical ensemble based in
Brantford, Ontario
Brantford (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River (Ontario), Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by County of Brant, Brant County but is politically separate wi ...
founded in 1998 by composer and artistic director
Ronald Beckett
Ronald Beckett (born 1956) is a Canadian composer, conductor, choir director, and the founder/ Artistic director (music), artistic director of the Arcady Ensemble.
Early life and education
Beckett grew up in Simcoe, Ontario, and received his ...
. The organization serves as an arts training organization that combines professional singers and instrumentalists from
Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario (census population 2,796,367 in 2021) is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. It occupies most of the Ontario Peninsula, bounded by Lake Huron (includ ...
with emerging artists and youth in rehearsal and performance.
Its repertoire consists primarily of contemporary Canadian compositions by Ronald Beckett and emerging composers.
It holds performances entitled ''There’s a Song in the Air'' and ''Voices of Summer'' in Brantford each year.
The ensemble evolved from a group that performed historically informed concerts of
early music
Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750) or Ancient music (before 500 AD). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad Dates of classical ...
. Arcady Ensemble still gives at least two early music performances annually, including
Handel's Messiah at Lighthouse Festival Theatre in
Port Dover, Ontario.
The organization's roster includes some 150 Canadian musicians in total.
Training Programs
The Emerging Artist Program provides early professional experience and mentorship for singers, instrumentalists, composers, conductors, poets, and dancers at the beginning stages of their professional careers. Five to seven emerging artists are selected each season from a list of applicants. These performers are showcased as soloists in Arcady Ensemble performances throughout the year, receive artistic and career mentorship by professional musicians, and premiere new music written especially for them by Ronald Beckett.
The Arcady Youth Singers comprises young choristers ranging in age from 8 to 18, mostly from Brantford and
Brant County.
The Emerging Artist Composer Competition is an annual international competition for musicians who self identify as emerging composers.
The application deadline is January 30 each year and the winners are announced the following month.
Winning compositions in both International and Canadian categories are premiered by Arcady Ensemble each June.
Director
Ronald Beckett is the founder, Artistic Director, and Composer-in-Residence of the Arcady Ensemble. His compositions have been performed throughout Ontario, including fully staged performances of his opera trilogy: Ruth, John, and I Am... . Ronald Beckett's compositions include works for
orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...
, orchestra and chorus,
chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...
, pieces for organ and
piano
A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
, and some two hundred songs for soloists and youth chorus.
His works are featured in Arcady Ensemble's recorded albums, music publications, and performances throughout each season.
Ronald Beckett is a graduate of
McMaster University
McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood, Ontario, Ainslie Wood and Westdale, Ontario, Westd ...
in History and Theory, holds a Master of Music in Composition from the
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario (UWO; branded as Western University) is a Public university, public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thame ...
, and is an Associate of the
Royal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM; ), branded as The Royal Conservatory, is a non-profit music education institution and performance venue headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1886 by Edward Fisher (musician), Edwar ...
in Piano Performance.
He is a member of
SOCAN, the
Canadian Music Centre, and the
Canadian League of Composers.
Recordings
Arcady Ensemble has recorded five albums including three under the Crescendo label: A Baroque Messiah (1999), Welcome Yule! (2001), and the opera Ruth (2007); one album under Phoenix Records: A Beckett Miscellany (2002); and a holiday album for Ruby Productions: Peace on Earth (2000).
Music Publications
Arcady Ensemble has produced twelve music publications of music by Ronald Beckett: Volume 1: Songs and Arias (2008), Volume 2: Works for Organ (2008), Volume 3: Symphony No. 2 (2016), Volume 4: Songs and Song Cycles for High Voice (2020), Volume 5: These are Thy Glorious Works (2018), Volume 6: Woodwind Quintet (1986), Volume 7: An Offering of Songs (2011), Volume 8: Music for Strings and Voice, Volume 9: Christmas Music for Strings and Voice, Volume 10: Music for Strings and Voice Part II, Volume 11: Songs for all voices, Volume 12: Ruth.
References
{{reflist
External links
* www.arcady.ca
* www.ronaldbeckettmusic.com
Arcady Ensemble
Music organizations based in Canada
Music companies of Canada