I’m currently away in Saskatoon conducting the 2024 Saskatchewan Senior Honour Band, but I wanted to reflect on a commission that premiered ten years ago today; one that is, quite probably, my wildest commission to date. It was on a warm summer day in 2013 that I was asked to come to meet up with a lady named Janice Arnason, who was had been my … Continue reading Morgun – Ten Years Later
It’s December 30th, 2023. It’s the day before my 40th birthday. I reflect on things quite a lot – sometimes for good, sometimes to my own detriment – and I find myself thinking back about my last decade, particularly the creative aspects of it. The teaching part was generally really great, but I’m not going to focus on that here. Let’s dig into the decade … Continue reading Four Zero (Looking Back)
Hey everyone, I hope your fall has been cruising along swimmingly. My two WASBE competition winners, “Prairie Sunset” (Level 2) and “Icelandic Folk Song Suite No. 2” (Level 4) are out in print this weekend! You can pick them up here: Prairie Sunset: https://www.wasbe.online/product/prairie-sunset-by-keneley-kristofferson-canada Icelandic Folk Song Suite No. 2: https://www.wasbe.online/product/icelandic-folk-song-suite-no-2-by-keneley-kristofferson-canada Continue reading Prairie Sunset and Icelandic Folk Song Suite No. 2 [IN PRINT!]
In my mind, it was so unlikely that I almost couldn’t believe it when the results were announced. When thinking about competitions, I often remind myself about American composer Eric Whitacre’s blog post about the topic. In short: You won’t win, but throwing your hat in the ring will have other creative, emotional, and professional benefits – but you won’t win. When I got an … Continue reading Winning the WASBE Competition
Hey team, Wow, I’m so happy that I can finally share this recording. This project has been some good months in the making and is really special to me. If you’re wondering why, check out this video below: This recording is done by the premiering ensemble, the Gimli High School Senior Concert Band with guests, directed by the incredible music educator, Rob Chrol. He’s the … Continue reading Black Bear
I am so excited to share that my oldest published piece of music, We Are Stars, is being transcribed for band and will get a premiere from the Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute Senior Symphonic Band, under the direction of Mr. Dan Austin. Dan has been a champion of my music for some time now, particularly Filum Vitae, my first published band piece. He’s shared performances … Continue reading “We Are Stars” for Band with GCVI
We never know where a piece is going to go when we begin its journey – and it’s always we. Sure, the composer writes it, but the commissioning path includes organizations, performers, venues, sometimes festivals or events; and yes, the composer too. Kayla Solomon and Danielle Guina, the performers of “The Stars of November” have been an inseparable part of the process. The piece was … Continue reading “The Stars of November” at ITG2023!
Wow, what a year… actually, it’s more like two years. I’ve been kind of neglecting my website duties (though, if you follow me on social media, I’ve still been pretty busy). That being said, I have a lot to share, but there’s something pretty special that I want to share today. In 2017, I had the incredible privilege to be selected by a consortium headed … Continue reading Transcendent Light – US Premiere!
Click here to purchase. Hi everybody, So, it’s been a big year. In the last eight months, my family grew by one and I took a one-year sabbatical from teaching to pursue a Master’s degree in Composition from Brandon University. I know, perhaps we could have timed that better but, as the old saying goes, “the right time is when it happens,” right? Anyway, I’ve … Continue reading NEW PIECE – “Colossus”
Today is the last day of my sabbatical. Who would’ve thought 150 days would blow by so quickly? It’s been a very productive five months, though, and I thought that I’d share some of my favourite events and projects from my sabbatical time. 1) Premiering Morgun with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra There is something very surreal about getting to work with some of the best musicians … Continue reading Sabbatical Roundup – Highlights
