DCV 329 – Edward Top: A Storm is Blowing from Utopia

General  Edward Top was born in Ommen, the Netherlands, in 1972. Top has lived and worked in London, Bangkok, and Rotterdam. He now lives in Vancouver, Canada. Education Top studied composition and violin at the Rotterdam Conservatoire in The Netherlands.

What do Vivaldi, R. Murray Schafer, and Greta Thunberg have in common? They prompt us to listen to our environment and reflect on our role here on earth.

A unique concert evoking the Nordic lands with a daring amalgamation of a luminous and beloved work by Grieg, and an astonishing composition by Nielsen, framing original works including the astonishing Trumpet Concerto by Canadian composer John Estacio, interpreted here by one of the best trumpeters on the international scene and principal trumpet of the […]

DCV 452 Edward Top Most Beautiful Bird of Paradise Tokyo Sinfonietta and Yasuaki Itakura

DCV 462 Edward Top Clairvoyant Pacific Baroque Orchestra and Alexander Weimann

DCV 472 Edward Top Four San Diego New Music Ensemble

The Farewell Songs present an alternate history of true exchange between ancient Chinese instruments and the early-music practice of the European Baroque ensemble on the shores of Canada in 2024. In addition, a countertenor sings texts from Tang dynasty poets Mèng Hàorán and Wang Wei.

The Selected Chamber Music of Edward Top Works on the program include: The Stillpoint (1995) – for violin and vibraphone Sonata for Violin and Piano (2002) Fast Ghost (2017) for violin solo and a work for violin and piano by Edward’s student Sophia Myles Join us for an unforgettable evening of chamber music by Dutch […]

Commissioned by the Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra and conductor Chih-Sheng Chen, with financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts. The Grey Tree will receive its premiere on composer’s son’s birthday, April 7, as part of the 2024 Taipei Traditional Arts Festival 台北傳統藝術季, at Zhongshan Hall in Taipei, Taiwan.

Chamber works by Joey Roukens and Edward Top are on the program of the DoelenEnsemble at the Dag van de Componist (Dutch Day of the Composer).

DCV 558 Edward Top The Grey Tree Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra and Chih-Sheng Chen  

DCV 556 Edward Top Resonanties Joy Yeh and Rosanna Chiu  

"Creativity is an unconscious act of insanity, in a burst of which the truth is born. No matter how beautiful or disgusting it may seem to people far from madness, its value is beyond doubt, both for the author and for those able to sense its invisible beauty. After all, gratitude for endless trials and suffering brings joy and blissful emptiness… Being shocked by music is about pain turning into beauty and getting under your skin, taking away your breath; about everything stopping to move. I want to be scratched inside by sound and experience the fleeting, invisible beauty." - Maxim Shalygin

Celia Swart (1994, NL) is a new music composer, saxophone player and visual artist. Growing up playing saxophone and piano, she found her love for composing.

Education Michael has a degree in English Literature from the State University of New York. Despite having no formal music education, he has an active international career in several aspects of the music business.