Ron Korb | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Ronald Walter Korb |
Also known as | 龍笛,龙笛,Longdi, Dragon Flute,雷恩寇伯,Flute Shaman |
Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Genres | Classical Crossover, melodic world music, jazz, Latin, Asian music, Celtic music, New-age |
Occupations | Flautist, Composer |
Instruments | Flute |
Years active | 1988–present |
Labels | EMI (Hong Kong) |
Website | ronkorb |
Ron Korb is a Grammy-nominated Canadian flutist (flautist) and composer.
Korb is best known for writing culturally diverse music and his mastery of a wide array of world music wind instruments. His work spans a range of genres including Classical, Jazz, Latin, Asian, Celtic music, and Middle Eastern. Many of his songs are program music based on stories themes that form concept albums. The concepts often come from his exploration of his multi-cultural ancestry and extensive travel experience. [1]
Ron Korb started on the recorder in grade school and later joined an Irish fife and drum band in his teens. While attending the Royal Conservatory of Music, he won several local music competitions. He attended York University for a year to broaden his experience of playing jazz but later earned a scholarship to study classical flute at University of Toronto where he graduated with a degree in Music Performance. His primary teacher was Douglas Stewart but he also participated in master classes with Paula Robison, Robert Aitken in Shawnigan, Raymond Guiot in Domaine Forget and Michel Debost in Assisi, Italy. After graduating with honors from University, Korb discovered Chinese flutes (Chinese: 笛子, English:Dizi, [pinyin]: dÍ zÎ). The sound of the Asian bamboo flute intrigued him so much that he moved to Japan in the early '90s to study Japanese Gagaku court music, the traditional shinobue and ryūteki bamboo flutes with Akao Michiko. Since then he has travelled around the world collecting and studying indigenous flutes. He has a collection of more than 250 flutes.
Ron Korb has released more than 30 solo albums on various record labels. [2]
Ron has had many collaborations with longtime friend Donald Quan. In 1990 they released Tear of the Sun which charted No. 1 in the Canadian New Age Music Top 40 and in 2001 they did the musical direction for Peter Gabriel's Tribute and Homage for Harbourfront Centre's "World Leaders". The musical talent they shared the stage with included Peter Gabriel, Jane Siberry, Tia Carrere, Arn Chorn-Pond, Jeff Martin, Andy Stochansky and Lorraine Segato. That same year they penned the song for the Toronto Olympic Bid which was performed by the Toronto Symphony, Samba Squad and Nathaniel Dett Chorale in Roy Thomson Hall.
In 2004 Ron Korb Live was released which was filmed in Victoriaville Quebec, directed by Pierre and François Lamoureux and became the first independent artist in Canada to release a full-length DVD. [3]
Other than writing the instrumental pieces for his albums he has also written songs for major Asian singers. His song for Alan Tam (Chinese :譚詠麟) achieved Double Platinum sales. Another song recorded by the "Godfather of Cantopop" Roman Tam (Chinese :羅文) won Best Original Composition at the RTHK awards (Radio Television Hong Kong), Hong Kong's equivalent of the Grammys. In 2008 Ron was asked to put together a book of flute and piano pieces for classical flute exams for the Australian Music Examinations Board Flute for Leisure syllabus. Ron has also composed music for film dance and theatre. In 2012, Ron Korb's classical crossover album Europa (officially released in 2013, won the Global Music Awards, California, in 4 categories including: Award of Excellence-Album, Composition (St. Johann), Album Art/Graphics (Designer: Jade Yeh); Award of Merit: Acoustic Instrumental Solo Performance (St. Johann). [4] His composition, Beckett's Whisper, originally written for Irish flute, pennywhistle, violin, cello, Celtic harp, accordion, double bass and piano, was rearranged by Korb himself for the Canadian Flute Association for flute choir: Piccolo, 4 C Flutes (flute 4 requires low B foot), Alto flute, Bass flute, Contrabass flute. [5] Beckett's Whisper for flute choir was included in the 1st Canadian Flute Convention Closing Program as well as the opening concert of the 2014 National Flute Association (NFA) Convention in Chicago (played by Windy City Flute Orchestra, conducted by Kelly Via) [6]
The dizi, is a Chinese transverse flute. It is also sometimes known as the di or héngdi, and has varieties including Qudi, Bangdi, and Xindi. It is a major Chinese musical instrument that is widely used in many genres of Chinese folk music, Chinese opera, as well as the modern Chinese orchestra. The dizi is also a popular instrument among the Chinese people as it is simple to make and easy to carry.
Kitarō (喜多郎), born Masanori Takahashi, is a Japanese recording artist, composer, record producer, and arranger noted for his electronic-instrumental music, and is often associated with and regarded as one of the most prominent musical acts of new-age music. He won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for Thinking of You (1999), with a record 16 nominations in the same category. He received a Golden Globe Award for the original score to Heaven & Earth (1993).
Hiroshima is an American band formed in 1974 that incorporates Japanese instruments in its music. Hiroshima has sold over four million albums around the world.
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Wang Leehom, sometimes credited as Leehom Wang, is an American singer-songwriter, actor, producer, and film director. Formally trained at Eastman School of Music, Williams College and Berklee College of Music, his music is known for fusing hip-hop and R&B, with traditional Chinese music. Since his 1995 debut, Wang has released 25 albums, that have sold over 60 million copies. He is a four-time winner and 19-time nominee of the Golden Melody Awards, the "Grammys" of Chinese music. His sold-out concert at the 90,000 seat Beijing Bird's Nest on April 14, 2012 was the first solo pop concert to be held at the iconic venue. With over 72 million followers on social media, Wang is one of the most followed celebrities in China. In 2018, CNN dubbed him "King of Chinese Pop" and the LA Times called him "the biggest American star America has never heard of." Wang was listed as one of Goldsea's "The 100 Most Inspiring Asian Americans of All Time".
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Secret is the soundtrack album for the 2007 Taiwanese romance film, Secret, directed and co-written by Jay Chou and starring Chou, Gwei Lun-mei, Anthony Wong, and Alice Tzeng. The album was produced by Chou, released on 13 August 2007 by JVR Music and Sony Music Taiwan.
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Europa is Canadian flutist (flautist) and composer Ron Korb's 16th solo album, recorded in Glenn Gould Studio, Canterbury Music, and Kuhl Music, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The production was accomplished in the end of 2012 and the album's official release in 2013 by Humble Dragon Entertainment. The CD features the artist's inspiration in traveling Europa and visiting birthplaces of classical composers, such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The track St. Johann won awards of excellence in composition and awards of merit in acoustic instrument solo performance of Global Music Awards. The album also won best album and best album art/graphic of Global Music Awards. The track Beckett's Whisper was on the instrumental finalist in International Acoustic Music Awards.
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Asia Beauty is a 2015 studio album by Canadian flutist (flautist) and composer Ron Korb. The compositions are the culmination of Korb's experience of 13 years of travelling and performing in Asia.
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World Café is a 2018 studio album by Canadian flutist and composer Ron Korb. The compositions are mainly inspired by Korb's experience travelling to the countries in the Spanish speaking world such as Spain, Cuba, and the countries of South America.