Hard Rubber Orchestra
The Hard Rubber Orchestra is a jazz band led by composer and trumpeter John Korsrud in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1990, it has a shifting membership of 15-30 musicians. It is known for spotlighting work by contemporary composers and won the Alcan Performing Arts Award in 2004.
History
[edit]The Hard Rubber Orchestra was founded in 1990 by John Korsrud. It had instrumentation similar to a big band, but the music was "an unholy mashup of minimalism, free jazz, noise, and funk".[1]
In 1992, a non-profit "Hard Rubber Music Society" was created as a vehicle for funding the orchestra. It operates with a mix of private donations, city funding, and Canada Council grants.[2][3]
Notable commissions
[edit]The Hard Rubber Orchestra is characteristically open to new music. It has commissioned over 40 works from 30 contemporary jazz and classical composers.[4] Here are some highlights.
- John Korsrud, Giorgio Magnanensi, and Brad Turner contributed original compositions to the February 2005 multidisciplinary theatre piece, Enter/Exit.[5][6]
- Ice Age 2010, where the Hard Rubber Orchestra played pieces by Peter Hannan, Brad Turner, Tony Wilson, and Bill Runge, while dancers and ice skaters performed on a hockey rink, was part of the Cultural Olympiad festival which accompanied the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.[7]
- Linda Bouchard, and Scott Good (Vancouver Symphony Orchestra composer-in-residence), contributed compositions to the Hard Rubber Orchestra's 20th-anniversary concert on May 14, 2011.[1]
- Kenny Wheeler composed a 30-minute piece, which the orchestra premiered in Vancouver on October 19, 2013. The orchestra was joined by trumpeter Mike Herriott, singer Christine Duncan, and trombonist Hugh Fraser as conductor.[8]
- Darcy James Argue composed Tensile Curves, a 30-minute work funded by the Canada Council, which was premiered in Vancouver by the orchestra on 20 June 2014, in a joint concert with Argue's Secret Society.[9]
- Darcy James Argue later composed Ebonite, which the orchestra premiered in Vancouver on May 25, 2019.[10]
- At the same May 25, 2019 concert, the orchestra also premiered Source Code by Harry Stafylakis.[10]
- Marianne Trudel composed Nature Speaks: 8 Haikus, which the orchestra premiered in Vancouver on October 15, 2019.[11]
- John Hollenbeck composed two pieces, Sighs and Owt Shgis, which the orchestra premiered in Vancouver on May 27, 2023.[12]
Notable collaborations
[edit]- The orchestra was the on-camera backing band for the CBC special, Cantata for the King, which aired on 3 March 2005.[13] It was "a post modern musical celebrating the music and genius of the King of Rock and Roll", Elvis Presley. It featured punk artist Joe Keithley, soprano Robin Driedger-Klassen, and actor Kevin McNulty.
- On 9 May 2015, the orchestra featured composer Christine Jensen and her sister, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, at a concert launching the orchestra's album Crush, and celebrating its 25th anniversary.[14]
Awards
[edit]In 2004, the Hard Rubber Orchestra won the C$60,000 Alcan Performing Arts Award. This funded their February 2005 work, Enter/Exit, a multidisciplinary theatre piece featuring compositions by John Korsrud, Giorgio Magnanensi, and Brad Turner. Videographers HoneyBee Visuals, set designer Andreas Kahre, and director Kim Collier also contributed.[5]
Their album Cruel Yet Fair was a Juno Award nominee for Best Contemporary Jazz Album at the Juno Awards of 1999.[15]
Their album Iguana was a Juno Award nominee for Instrumental Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2023.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Varty, Alexander (8 November 2010). "Hard Rubber Orchestra celebrates 20 years with its greatest hits". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- ^ "Hard Rubber New Music Society". Hard Rubber Orchestra. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- ^ Andrews, Marke (27 June 2013). "Vancouver-based Hard Rubber Orchestra embraces tough challenges". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 2025-03-04. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ "Hard Rubber Orchestra". Hard Rubber Orchestra. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- ^ a b Smith, Janet (4 March 2004). "Prize Lets Rubber Stretch Out". The Georgia Straight. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- ^ Varty, Alexander (24 February 2005). "Hard Rubber Enters a Rave New World". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- ^ Varty, Alexander (17 March 2010). "The Hard Rubber Orchestra's Ice Age 2010 hits the rink with athletes". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- ^ Varty, Alexander (30 October 2013). "Hard Rubber Orchestra fetes composer Kenny Wheeler". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- ^ Varty, Alexander (11 June 2014). "Hard Rubber Orchestra changed Darcy James Argue's outlook". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Hard Rubber Orchestra with the New York Heavies". Hard Rubber Orchestra. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ "Hard Rubber Orchestra with Marianne Trudel". Vancouver Civic Theatres. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ Varty, Alexander (20 May 2023). "Composer and percussion master John Hollenbeck works Hard Rubber Orchestra's many colours in new commission". Stir. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
- ^ "Cantata for the King". IMDB. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
- ^ Varty, Alexander (11 May 2015). "John Korsrud's Hard Rubber Orchestra remains as uncategorizable as ever". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
- ^ "Past Nominees + Winners". Juno Awards. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
- ^ "Here are all the 2023 Juno nominees". CBC Music, January 31, 2023.
External links
[edit]- "Hard Rubber Orchestra". Hard Rubber Orchestra. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
- "Hard Rubber New Music Society". Hard Rubber Orchestra. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
- Couture, François. "Artist Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
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