Land's End Ensemble

JUNO-nominated Land’s End Ensemble is firmly established as one of Canada’s foremost contemporary ensembles, inviting curious audiences to reimagine the possibilities of the classical piano trio. Dedicated to presenting innovative works by today’s most compelling composers, the Ensemble has been praised by critics for their exceptional artistry.

Their most recent album, Mr. Tambourine Man, was released on Naxos Records in 2024 to critical acclaim. BBC Music Magazine described it as “wonderfully creepy, atmospheric, all vibrantly performed,” while Pizzicato hailed it as “very sonorous and intensely expressive… played with virtuosity by the Land’s End Ensemble.”

Creating a lasting legacy, the Ensemble has premiered and commissioned over 130 works by Canadian and Albertan composers. They have collaborated with composers worldwide, including John Corigliano, Allan Gordon Bell, Omar Daniel, Vincent Ho, Dorothy Chang, Alexina Louie, Jocelyn Morlock, Salina Fisher, and R. Murray Schafer. Their Centrediscs release Gravity and Grace earned both a JUNO Award and a Western Canadian Music Award in 2014 for Allan Gordon Bell’s “Field Notes,” composed for Land’s End and clarinetist James Campbell. Their discography also includes two Western Canadian Music Awards for Outstanding Classical Recording and multiple JUNO nominations for albums including Kickin’ It 2.0 and My Life in Widening Circles.

The Ensemble’s collaborators span a remarkable range of artists, including Dame Evelyn Glennie, Hans Graf, James Campbell, Joel Sachs, Barry Shiffman, François Houle, Laura Jayne Bowler, Laura Hynes, Karl Hirzer, Josh Jones, and Ben Reimer. Their projects encompass premieres, commissions, cabarets, theatrical productions, and multidisciplinary performances.

Since 2023, Land’s End Ensemble has been the Ensemble-in-Residence at the Mount Royal University Conservatory in Calgary, further strengthening their ties to education and the next generation of musicians.

Land’s End has appeared at many prominent Canadian festivals, including the University of Calgary’s Happening Festival of New Music and Media, Alberta Scene, Festival of the Sound, Ottawa Chamberfest, University of Toronto’s New Music Festival, and ISCM World Music Days in Vancouver. With a passion for championing Canadian music, the Ensemble continues to inspire audiences with their adventurous programming and artistic excellence.