Erik Ross composes for all media. His portfolio includes solo, chamber, vocal, and orchestral works, and he has written for productions of theatre, film and dance. He has written works for artists and ensembles such as the Aldeburgh Connection, Arpatambora, the Caliban quartet, the Esprit Orchestra, the Gryphon Trio, Tapestry New Opera, Toca Loca, Gabriel Radford and Sarah Jeffrey of the Toronto Symphony, Joseph Salvalaggio of the Memphis Symphony, the Lee/Bard Duo, the Lee-Villanueva Duo, saxophonist Wallace Halladay, percussionist Ryan Scott, soprano Carla Huhtanen and counter-tenor Scott Belluz. His compositions have also been performed by artists such as vocalists Tracy Smith Bessette, Norine Burgess, Matthew Leigh, Marion Newman, Giles Tomkins and Vilma Vitols, as well as Nancy Goodearl of the Houston Symphony, percussionist Graham Hargrove, pianist Gregory Oh, french hornist Joan Watson and the Talisker Players. He has had performances of his works in Canada, the United States, Mexico, England, Japan and Australia.
He holds a Doctor of Music degree from the University of Toronto, a Master of Music degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Calgary. He is an active educator, and has taught piano, theory and composition to individuals of all ages and ability levels. He also takes great enjoyment in performing contemporary piano repertoire, particularly that of his peers, and is active as an improvising pianist and keyboardist. He has received numerous awards, fellowships and scholarships, and has received commission and travel funding from the Canada Council, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council and the Laidlaw Foundation.
Dr. Ross’ Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra was premiered by Joseph Salvalaggio and the Memphis Symphony in January 2003, and was performed again at the 2004 International Double Reed Society Conference in Melbourne, Australia by Diana Doherty, under the direction of Nicholas Daniel. His first piano trio was premiered by the Gryphon Trio at the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, he wrote an operetta for Tapestry New Opera Works’ production at the 2002 Opera America Conference, and he wrote a marimba concerto for Ryan Scott and the Esprit Orchestra in 2006.
He recently completed an accordion and audio piece for Joseph Petric as well as an ensemble piece for Toca Loca’s P*P Project. Projects for this year include a large work for the Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan, an audio/chamber piece for Wallace Halladay and Ryan Scott, a vocal work for the Music Gallery’s production at the upcoming SoundaXis festival in Toronto, and a piece for the
Hannaford Street Silver Band.