Introducing the WSO's New Composer-In-Residence, Harry Stafylakis!

The Canadian-American composer is in town for the Winnipeg New Music Festival and he stopped by Morning Light to chat with host Michael Wolch. Missed the interview? Watch here!

The New York Times calls Harry Stafylakis' music "dreamy yet rhythmic". His work has been performed by the American Composers Orchestra, Spokane Symphony, Stamford Symphony, Quatuor Bozzini, and the American Modern Ensemble, and has been featured at the New York Phil Biennial and Lake George Music Festival to mention a few.

His awards include four SOCAN Foundation Awards, the ASCAP Foundation's Leonard Bernstein Award, and the Charles Ives Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. And he is currently the 2015-2016 composer-in-residence of the McGill Chamber Orchestra.

And did we mention that Staylakis was also deeply into progressive metal until he branched on to other types of music in his early 20s?

"I'm absolutely thrilled to welcome Harry to the Winnipeg Symphony family," said Alexander Mickelthwate, the Music Director of the WSO. "We have a strong tradition of successful composers-in-residence, having built the internationally acclaimed Winnipeg New Music Festival. With Harry's background and success, we are poised to continue that tradition."

Stafylakis commented: "I'm genuinely excited to embark on this next phase of my musical journey with the WSO and its community. The opportunities and challenges offered by an orchestra of this caliber will allow me to see how far I can push myself as an artist, and to continue to advocate for contemporary music in Canada and abroad."

As composer-in-residence, Stafylakis will write a new work for the WSO each season, co-curate the internationally renowned Winnipeg New Music Festival, as well as support WSO education programs to introduce Manitoban youth to the creative process from a composer's perspective.

Stafylakis joins a prestigious list of WSO Composers-In-Residence: