summary
Canadian composer jef chippewa is particularily interested in questions of cultural awareness and identity in regards to the composer’s responsibility in inheriting or appropriating cultural heritage. Understanding the impossibility of definitive articulation or comprehension of cultural identity does not justify conscious ignorance of any of its aspects. Nor does it excuse irresponsibility in cultural appropriation, and this applies equally to the appropriation of one’s “own” culture (cultural heritage) as to that of another culture or sub-culture (“external influences”).
His compositions have been performed in such concert series and festivals as EuCuE, Darmstadt, FUTURA and the ISCM World New Music Days by groups such as ensemble recherche and asamisimasa. His work can be heard on CD, notably on Cache 2000, a compilation of the top works in a competition organised by the Canadian Electroacoustic Community (CEC). He is currently completing work on a new composition commissioned by Berlin-based Trio Nexus, and is composing a new work commissioned by Berlin’s LUX:NM ensemble with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Since 2005, he is the Administrative co-Director of the Canadian Electroacoustic Community, Canada’s national association for electroacoustic music.
Events
Upcoming concerts
111103 — première of new work commissioned by LUX:NM with the support of the canada council for the arts | berlin
Seminars and other presentations (for info about venue and time, visit 
).
110321 — seminar: “new music notation” | montréal, CIRMMT, mcgill university
110321 — seminar: “music notation for musicologists ” | montréal, CIRMMT, mcgill university
110322 — seminar: “new music notation” | montréal, concordia university
110323 — paper: “miniature form in EA and new music” | montréal, concordia university
110329 — seminar: “new music notation” | chicago, northwestern university
110331 — seminar: “new music notation” | chicago, university of chicago
110402 — seminar: “new music notation” | winnipeg, university of manitoba
Recent events:
110323 — concordia university guest concert curator | montréal
110213 — sonic rain concert series | eugene OR USA
110120 — acousmain 13 guest concert curator | frankfurt
101121 — 3rd EMUFest (14–21 nov) | rome
101106 — seminar: “new music notation: problematics of representing electroacoustic sound” at CMMAS
101117–101203 composition residency at CMMAS
101106 — paper: “miniature form in EA and new music” at visiones sonoras
101104 — 6th festival visiones sonoras (3–6 nov) | morelia mexico, CMMAS
101101 — 12th MANTIS festival (29–31 oct) | manchester UK
Recognition (selection)
Commissions: LUX:NM, Trio Nexus, ensemble asamisimasa.
Residencies: The Banff Centre, Centro Mexicano para la Música y Artes Sonoras, Leighton Studios.
Performances: Ai-Maako (Santiago Chile), Darmstadt (Germany), Dias de Musica Electroacustica (Seia Portugal), EuCuE (Montréal), Futura (France), Inventionen (Berlin), ISCM 2006 (Stuttgart Germany), MANTIS (Manchester UK), Visiones Sonoras (Morelia Mexico).
Discography
chippewa’s music can be heard on PRESENCE II and Cache 2000, which features selected works from the CEC’s 1st Jeu de Temps / Times Play (JTTP) project. These discs are available through the Canadian Electroacoustic Community and empreintes DIGITALes.