January 22, 2009
CMC Welcomes New Associate Composers James Duff and Martin Kutnowski to the Atlantic Region
Atlantic

Jim Duff, a native of Newfoundland, Canada, holds a Diploma of Fine Arts from the University of Calgary, Alberta, a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts, and a Masters of Music from North Texas State University in Denton, Texas.

Jim has acted as instructor in trombone, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Band Arranging, North American Popular Music, and Instrumental Teaching Methods at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Other musical activities include conducting and adjudicating both locally and nationally, and clinics in arranging and concert / jazz band technique. He has served for many years as musical director, performer, composer / arranger, and sound consultant for many CBC radio and television series and specials, and has acted as leader of his own big band for concerts and numerous other occasions. For the past fifteen years, Jim has worked closely with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra as composer, arranger, and conductor for their annual Gala and Pops concerts.

He has received awards from MUSICNL, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Arts and Letters, and the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. Jim has been awarded commissions by the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, the Atlantic Arts Trio, the Memorial University String Quartet, Kenneth Knowles (associate professor / trombone, Memorial University of Newfoundland), the Avalon East District Honours Band, the Arnprior District High School Band (Ontario), the Henry Gordon Academy (Labrador), the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir, the Memorial University Concert Choir, Lady Cove, Cantus Vocum, the Quintessential Vocal Ensemble, Holy Heart of Mary High School Chamber Choir, IXM Divine Ryan’s Inc. (movie), Fortis Inc. (East of Canada), Canada Winter Games (opening ceremonies), The Newfoundland Government / CBC (Soiree ’99), Cabot 500th Anniversary, and CBC national radio (Sunrise Celebration). His compositions and/or arrangements have been performed by symphony orchestras and concert bands in both Canada and the United States, and several of his concert band compositions and arrangements have been published and distributed worldwide by Alfred Publishing Company and Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Martín Kutnowski is a composer and theorist. His music has firm roots in the tonal idiom, often mixing references to the musical past with folk materials of his native country, Argentina. His pieces, published by FJH, Billaudot, Ricordi, and Contrapunctus and ranging from solo instrument to orchestra, have been performed in major venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, Izumi Hall in Osaka, and Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. He has presented his research in music analysis and the scholarship of teaching and learning in Schenker Studies (forthcoming), Popular Music and Society, A composition as a problem, ex tempore, Across Cultures, About Campus, Teaching Perspectives, and Latin American Music Review. Currently the Director of the Fine Arts Program at Saint Thomas University in Fredericton, Kutnowski also taught at City University of New York, the Aspen Music Festival, and Conservatorio Manuel de Falla in Buenos Aires. More information can be obtained in www.contrapunctus.com.