Education & Outreach

 

For the past 15 years, Turning Point Ensemble, with the generous support of our funders, has been able to take our Creating Composers music education program into schools across Metro Vancouver at no cost to participating individuals. During this time, the TPE Ensemble have been resident educational artists with “Orchestra North Summer Program” (Smithers), Prince George Symphony Orchestra (Prince George, BC), Pacific Northwest Music Festival (Terrace, BC), and in collaboration with Westbank First Nation (Westbank, BC), Langley Community Music School (Langley, BC) as well as with schools throughout Greater Vancouver.

 

 

Defining Voices

Seeking composers interested in learning more about writing new music for the combination of voice and instruments

Turning Point Ensemble is thrilled to announce Defining Voices, a multi-phase project that supports composers in developing new works for voice and chamber ensemble. The project includes mentorship with composer Edward Top and soprano Robyn Driedger-Klassen, workshops, and opportunities for public performance in TPE’s 2026–27 and 2027–28 concert seasons.

 

Phase 1: Workshops (Fall 2025)

Led by Robyn Driedger-Klassen and Edward Top, the workshops will focus on writing for the voice in combination with string, wind, and brass instruments. A small cohort of selected composers will have a chance to workshop material, with additional opportunities for auditors to attend.

A midi performance of the other sample is acceptable, but real performers are preferred. One piece must be for the combination of voice and one or more instruments (e.g., a Lied or chamber work featuring voice).

 

Phase 2: Composition & Performance (2026-2028)

Those composers selected to participate in the Fall 2025 workshops will be invited to apply to be selected to compose a new work for voice and ensemble (flute, clarinet, trumpet, and string quartet), with mentorship and reading sessions leading up to the premieres.

For more information or to apply, please contact Jeremy Berkman at jberkman66@gmail.com.

 

Turning Point Ensemble is grateful that Vancouver Opera has offered to host these workshops as a valued partner in this effort.

 

  

2024 Education program at Fleetwood Park Secondary

Turning Point Ensemble collaborated with the students and teachers at Fleetwood Park Secondary School in Surrey to produce the ensemble’s signature education program “Creating Composers”.

 

TPE engaged emerging professional composer, Jimuel Dave Dagta to help lead sessions leading to the creation of 5 graphic scores which TPE players recorded and inspired by which students in the Fleetwood Park Secondary dance program created choreographic interpretations. Turning Point Ensemble instrumentalists involved were AK Coope (Clarinet), Roxi Dykstra (Viola), Janelle Nadeau (Harp), and Jeremy Berkman (Trombone). The presentation for an audience of 60 students, parents, and friends took place on March 12, 2024 at Fleetwood Park Secondary School.

 

2024 Education Program

 

The recording session was captured by video/photographer Chris Randle with audio recording by Andrew Smith (Vancouver Live Sound).  Huge thanks to the student composers and Fleetwood Park Secondary teachers, Colleen Sheridan (music), Tiffany McLean (dance) and Veronica Lee (dance).

 

Have a look at the printed program.

UMBRELLA EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: CREATING COMPOSERS, NURTURING A LIFE-TIME OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION THROUGH MUSICAL COMPOSITION

The TPE Ensemble and a professional composer team up to create new works with student composers and young creative artists ages 13-18 to give them the skills to “be a composer”.

 

The workshops will not only focus on creative composition in general, but will a focus on orchestration by augmenting the Turning Point ensemble with members of the local musician community and the guidance of professional composers who are members of the Canadian Music Centre.

WHAT’S THE SCORE?

TPE members create new works along the lines developed in the Creating Composers program, but with young composers focusing on orchestration…often in this program starting with the orchestration of an existing composition, “creating a score”, and moving to orchestration of an original piece.

MUSIC CON-TEXT (with performances entitled Poetry ’N Pieces)

Enhancing the development of music composition skills with associated skills in creative writing, the cohort of students create works inspired by or inclusive of original poetry or other text sources with the guidance not only of professional composers, but also professional poets. For the past two years, the Turning Point Ensemble musicians, and students worked with composer Owen Underhill and Surrey Poet Laureate Renée Sarojini Saklikar.

MASTER CLASSES, READING SESSIONS, AND OPEN REHEARSALS

Turning Point facilitates visits by guest composers to local University music classes, and opens rehearsals to students to watch the process of creation and re-creation of music of our time.

Music is a universal language and students can develop confidence through self-expression, regardless of economic, language, or cultural barriers. Turning Point Ensemble provides the catalyst to spark the interest in music or the arts in general.