PROJECTS:

Gamelan
Since 2005, I have been fixated, obsessed, and in all possible ways entranced by the sounds, rhythms and textures of Indonesian Gamelan. With the support of the Nova Scotia Culture Division, I have received training in the basics of Central Javanese gamelan from Barry Drummond (Boston, USA), and have been studying Sundanese gamelan degung with invaluable guidance from Simon Cook (London, UK).

In 2006, my partner Heidi and I imported a set of gamelan instruments, in order to gain more hands-on access to this beautiful music. In 2007, I recorded the CD Sekar Alit, which contains a selection of my own compositions for gamelan. In the spring of 2008, I had my first professional gamelan “gigs”, as a temporary member of Toronto’s Evergreen Club Gamelan, when they performed in Halifax at the Scotia Festival of Music.

In the fall of 2009, I began teaching an Introduction to Gamelan course at Acadia University, as well as leading the newly-formed Acadia Gamelan Ensemble, on the instruments of the Mindful Flower Gamelan (a Sundanese gamelan degung which is currently in residence at Acadia). In addition to our presentations of traditional Sundanese music, my ensemble premiered an exciting new work for gamelan and 6-voice choir by Nova Scotia composer Peter Togni in January 2010. If you'd like to see and hear more about Gamelan at Acadia (including a few YouTube performance clips), click here. Or here.

"Shorkmusic" on istockaudio
I have been contributing royalty-free musical clips and sound effects to istockaudio for the last year (with the username shork), and I must admit, I'm having a wonderful time! My portfolio is quite varied, mixing organic and electronic elements, and includes brassy fanfares, cinematic orchestral themes, jazz grooves, drum loops, medieval-influenced troubadour melodies, meditative drones, chillout underscores, and even the odd Bollywood-tinged dance number! Click here to visit my istock "Shork" portfolio.

Talambra
I formed this world-jazz quartet after a very successful one-off show in 2005. We have since performed at several regional festivals, including the Atlantic Jazz Festival, the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, and the Deep Roots Music Festival. Our saxophone wizard Dani Oore is away in Toronto studying further wizardry, so the full band is currently on hiatus. However, the Talambra Duo (featuring myself on Middle Eastern percussion and Bob Sutherby on flamenco guitar) is still booking gigs. Visit the Talambra website, or email me if you'd like to discuss booking the Duo.