Ron Korb
Encyclopedia
Ron Korb is a Canadian flautist
, composer
, songwriter, and record producer
, from Toronto
, Ontario, Canada. He is also known as Dragon Flute (Traditional Chinese: 龍笛) in China, Thunder Blessing (Traditional Chinese: 雷恩寇伯 ; pinyin
: lái-en-kò-búo) in Taiwan and Prince of Flutes (Japanese: fluto no kikoshi) in Japan
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.
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 200 flutes.(Instrument Info)
, Mychael Danna
, Renaissance (band)
, Jim McCarty
, Illusion (UK band)
, and the World Youth Day
recording for Pope John Paul. Ron's talents have been employed in many major film and television scores. He has played on many Gemini
, Genie
and Cannes Film Festival
award winning projects and even Academy Award nominated films by directors such as Ang Lee
, Atom Egoyan
, John Woo
, and Mira Nair
(for detailed list see IMDb, Internet Movie Database
). In Robert Lepage
's film Nô
Ron played the nohkan
on camera in the opening scene dressed in traditional kimono
.
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.
(Traditional Chinese:譚詠麟) achieved Double Platinum sales. Another song recorded by the "Godfather of Cantopop" Roman Tam
(Traditional 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.
and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
at the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington, D.C., the World Art Stage in Edinburgh, Arnhem Cathedral in Holland, The Glastonbury Festival
in England, Teatro Nacional de Panama, Heian Shrine in Kyoto
, Zhong Shan Hall in Taiwan
, The Shanghai International Music Festival, The Century Theatre in Beijing and Sun Yet Sen Memorial Hall in Guangzhou
, China. Also he represented Canada at Expo 2005
in Nagoya, Japan. In addition, he has been an opening act for Cesária Évora
and has toured in China and Canada with world music vocalist Dadawa
(Chinese: 朱哲琴, pinyin
: Zhu Zheqin)
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, songwriter, and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario, Canada. He is also known as Dragon Flute (Traditional Chinese: 龍笛) in China, Thunder Blessing (Traditional Chinese: 雷恩寇伯 ; pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: lái-en-kò-búo) in Taiwan and Prince of Flutes (Japanese: fluto no kikoshi) in Japan
Musical style
Korb is known for writing culturally diverse music and his mastery of a wide array of world musicWorld music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
wind instruments. His work spans a range of genres including Classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Latin, Asian, Celtic music
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
, and Middle Eastern. Many of his songs are program music
Program music
Program music or programme music is a type of art music that attempts to musically render an extra-musical narrative. The narrative itself might be offered to the audience in the form of program notes, inviting imaginative correlations with the 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.
Education
Ron Korb started on the recorderRecorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
in grade school and later joined an Irish fife and drum band in his teens. While attending the Royal Conservatory of Music
Royal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music is a music school and performance venue in Toronto, Canada. Other uses of the term include:*The Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain*The Royal Academy of Music, London, United Kingdom...
, he won several local music competitions. He attended York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
for a year to broaden his experience of playing jazz but later earned a scholarship to study classical flute at University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
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
Robert Aitken (composer)
Robert Morris Aitken, is a Canadian composer and flautist. He began his career as a teenager playing in a number of orchestras, notably becoming the youngest principal flautist in the history of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 1958 at the age if 19. In 1971 he abandoned ensemble performance...
in Shawnigan, Raymond Guiot in Domaine Forget
Domaine Forget
Domaine Forget is an international music festival as well as music and dance academy located near La Malbaie in the Charlevoix region of Quebec.-History:...
and Michel Debost
Michel debost
Michel Debost is a French flutist.Born in Paris, he is one of the well known flutists of the French school. He has studied under Gaston Crunelle and Marcel Moyse. Michel has won major international competitions. He was Principal Flute in the "Orchestre de Paris". He replaced Jean-Pierre Rampal as...
in Assisi, Italy. After graduating with honors from University, Korb discovered Chinese flutes
Chinese flutes
Chinese flutes come in various types. They includeTransverse Flutes:*Dizi...
(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
Gagaku
Gagaku is a type of Japanese classical music that has been performed at the Imperial Court in Kyoto for several centuries. It consists of three primary repertoires:#Native Shinto religious music and folk songs and dance, called kuniburi no utamai...
court music, the traditional shinobue
Shinobue
The shinobue is a Japanese transverse flute or fue that has a high-pitched sound. It is found in hayashi and nagauta ensembles, and plays important roles in noh and kabuki theatre music. It is heard in Shinto music such as kagura-den and in traditional Japanese folk songs...
and ryūteki
Ryuteki
The is a Japanese transverse fue made of bamboo. It is used in gagaku, the Shinto classical music associated with Japan's imperial court. The sound of the ryūteki is said to represent the dragons which ascend the skies between the heavenly lights and the people of the earth...
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 200 flutes.(Instrument Info)
Career
Ron Korb has released 30 solo albums in 20 countries on various record labels. He has also guested on recordings by many renowned artists such as Olivia Newton John, Liona BoydLiona Boyd
Liona Maria Carolynne Boyd, LLD, D.Mus, CM, O.Ont, is a Canadian classical guitarist, composer, songwriter and singer. Boyd was born in London, England on July 11, 1949, moved to Canada with her parents when she was eight years old and became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1975...
, Mychael Danna
Mychael Danna
Mychael Danna is a Canadian film composer.-Life and career:Mychael Danna is the brother of fellow composer Jeff Danna. He has been scoring films since his 1987 feature debut for Atom Egoyan's Family Viewing, a score which earned Danna the first of his thirteen Genie Award nominations. He has won...
, Renaissance (band)
Renaissance (band)
Renaissance are an English progressive rock band, most notable for their 1978 UK top 10 hit "Northern Lights" and progressive rock classics like "Carpet of the Sun", "Mother Russia" and "Ashes Are Burning".-Original incarnation :...
, Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
, Illusion (UK band)
Illusion (UK band)
Illusion were a British band formed in 1977. They released two albums, Out of the Mist and Illusion on Island Records. Their music was classically-inspired, sophisticated, and polished...
, and the World Youth Day
World Youth Day
World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Catholic Church event. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, the invitation to attend extends to all youth, regardless of religious convictions....
recording for Pope John Paul. Ron's talents have been employed in many major film and television scores. He has played on many Gemini
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
, Genie
Genie
Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
and Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
award winning projects and even Academy Award nominated films by directors such as Ang Lee
Ang Lee
Ang Lee is a Taiwanese film director. Lee has directed a diverse set of films such as Eat Drink Man Woman , Sense and Sensibility , Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , Hulk , and Brokeback Mountain , for which he won an Academy...
, Atom Egoyan
Atom Egoyan
Atom Egoyan, OC is a critically acclaimed Armenian-Canadian stage director and film director. Egoyan made his career breakthrough with Exotica...
, John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
, and Mira Nair
Mira Nair
Mira Nair is an Indian film director and producer based in New York. Her production company is Mirabai Films.She was educated at Delhi University and Harvard University. Her debut feature film, Salaam Bombay! , won the Golden Camera award at the Cannes Film Festival and also earned the nomination...
(for detailed list see IMDb, Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
). In Robert Lepage
Robert Lepage
Robert Lepage, is a playwright, actor, film director, and stage director from Québec City, Québec, and is one of Canada's most honoured theatre artists.- Life and work :...
's film Nô
Nô (film)
Nô is a 1998 film by director Robert Lepage. It was based on one segment in Lepage's play Seven Streams of the River Ota.The title is a pun which reflects the film's dramatic structure, linking the 1980 Quebec referendum to Japanese Nō theatre.-Plot:The film is set in 1970 at the height of the FLQ...
Ron played the nohkan
Nohkan
The is a high pitched, Japanese bamboo transverse flute or . It is commonly used in traditional Imperial Noh and Kabuki theatre. The nohkan flute was created by Kan'ami and his son Zeami in the 15th century, during the time when the two were transforming the Noh theatre forms Dengaku and...
on camera in the opening scene dressed in traditional kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
.
Ron has had many collaborations with longtime friend Donald Quan
Donald Quan
Donald Quan is a Canadian composer of film and world music, best known for writing the scores to television shows Relic Hunter and Mutant X.-Career:...
. In 1990 they released Tear of the Sun which charted No. 1 in the Canadian New Age Music
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
Top 40 and in 2001 they did the musical direction for Peter Gabriel's Tribute and Homage for Harbourfront Centre
Harbourfront Centre
Harbourfront Centre is a key cultural organization on Toronto, Ontario's waterfront, situated at 235 Queen's Quay West. Established as a crown corporation in 1972 by the federal government to create a waterfront park, it became a non-profit organization in 1991. Funding comes from corporate...
's "World Leaders". The musical talent they shared the stage with included Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Jane Siberry, Tia Carrere
Tia Carrere
Tia Carrere is an American actress, model, voice artist, and singer, perhaps most widely known for her role as Cassandra Wong in the feature films Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, Queen Tyr'ahnee in Duck Dodgers, and as Sydney Fox in the TV series Relic Hunter.-Early life:Carrere was born in...
, Arn Chorn-Pond
Arn Chorn-Pond
Arn Chorn-Pond is a human rights activist committed to preserving traditional Cambodian music.-Early life:Chorn-Pond was born in Cambodia in 1966 into a Battambang family of performers and musicians...
, Jeff Martin
Jeff Martin
Jeff Martin may refer to:*Jeff Martin , lead vocalist for the bands Surgical Steel and Racer X*Jeff Martin , guitarist/singer-songwriter and frontman for the Tea Party...
, Andy Stochansky
Andy Stochansky
Andy Stochansky is a songwriter living in Los Angeles who was once signed to RCA U.S. He first started out as one the most wanted drummers in the Canadian music scene. His popularity caught the attention of songstress Ani DiFranco. Living just south of the border in Buffalo, New York, she asked him...
and Lorraine Segato
Lorraine Segato
Lorraine Segato is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for and a principal songwriter of new wave and pop rock group Parachute Club, with which she continues to perform.- History :...
. That same year they penned the song for the Toronto Olympic Bid which was performed by the Toronto Symphony, Samba Squad
Samba Squad
Samba Squad is a Canadian World Music Fusion group. The Squad was formed in 1999 by percussionist Rick Shadrach Lazar. The band incorporates world rhythms performed on Brazilian Bateria drums and percussion. Their musical style combines Samba with other styles such as Salsa, Soca, Reggae and...
and Nathaniel Dett Chorale
Nathaniel Dett Chorale
The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is a Canadian choral group that specializes in Afrocentric music of all styles including classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues. Brainerd Blyden-Taylor formed the choral group in 1998....
in Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall
Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall located at 60 Simcoe Street in Toronto, Ontario. It is the home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Opened in 1982, its circular architectural design exhibits a sloping and curvilinear glass exterior. It was designed by Canadian...
.
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.
Composing
Other than writing the instrumental pieces for his albums he has also written songs for major Asian singers. His song for Alan TamAlan Tam
Wing Lun Alan Tam, MH is an award-winning Hong Kong Cantopop and English pop singer and actor. During the early 1980s he played a major role in developing the cantopop scene as he was known for singing romantic ballads with modern arrangements. As of 2008, he is still active in the music...
(Traditional Chinese:譚詠麟) achieved Double Platinum sales. Another song recorded by the "Godfather of Cantopop" Roman Tam
Roman Tam
Roman Tam, known by the stage name Lo Man , nickname Law Kee , was a renowned Hong Kong Cantopop singer. He is regarded as the "Godfather of Cantopop".-Career:...
(Traditional Chinese:羅文) won Best Original Composition at the RTHK awards (Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong is a public broadcasting organisation in Hong Kong that is operated as an independent department in the government under the Broadcasting Authority. RTHK operates seven radio channels, and produces television programmes that are then broadcast through local television...
), 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
Australian Music Examinations Board
The Australian Music Examinations Board is a privately funded corporation which assesses music, speech, and drama in Australia. The organisation had its beginnings at the Universities of Melbourne and Adelaide in 1887; the organisation now has a Federal Office in Melbourne, and offices in each...
Flute for Leisure syllabus. Ron has also composed music for film dance and theatre.
Touring
Ron Korb has performed in five continents including venues and events such as: Freer Gallery of ArtFreer Gallery of Art
The Freer Gallery of Art joins the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery to form the Smithsonian Institution's national museums of Asian art. The Freer contains art from East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Islamic world, the ancient Near East, and ancient Egypt, as well as a significant collection of...
and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery joins the Freer Gallery of Art to form the Smithsonian Institution's national museums of Asian art. The Sackler celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2012....
at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in Washington, D.C., the World Art Stage in Edinburgh, Arnhem Cathedral in Holland, The Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in England, Teatro Nacional de Panama, Heian Shrine in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, Zhong Shan Hall in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, The Shanghai International Music Festival, The Century Theatre in Beijing and Sun Yet Sen Memorial Hall in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, China. Also he represented Canada at Expo 2005
Expo 2005
Expo 2005 was the World's Fair held for 185 days between Friday, March 25 and Sunday, September 25, 2005, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of the city of Nagoya. It was a Specialized International Exhibition under the scheme of the 1972 protocol of the Convention relating to International Exhibitions...
in Nagoya, Japan. In addition, he has been an opening act for Cesária Évora
Cesária Évora
Cesária Évora is a Cape Verdean popular singer. Nicknamed the "barefoot diva" for performing without shoes, Évora is perhaps the best internationally known practitioner of "morna."-Early life:...
and has toured in China and Canada with world music vocalist Dadawa
Dadawa
Dadawa is the artist name of Zhu Zheqin , a singer/songwriter/indie producer, who is well-known for her vocalization. She was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Dadawa is sometimes referred as the "Chinese Enya" by fans...
(Chinese: 朱哲琴, pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Zhu Zheqin)
Selected discography
- 2009 Once Upon A Time (龍笛傳說)
- 2009 Dragon Heart(龍の心)
- 2008 Native Earth (聖靈大地)
- 2007 Ron Korb 龙笛-当代第一魔笛
- 2006 East West Road
- 2005 Rainforest Flute
- 2005 Seasons: Christmas Carols – with Donald Quan
- 2004 Ron Korb Live DVD
- 2004 Ron Korb Live CD
- 2004 Celtic Quest (重返祕世界)
- 2003 The World Of Ron Korb
- 2000 Celtic Heartland (心靈祕境)
- 1999 Mada Minu Tomo e
- 1999 Taming The Dragon (龍笛)
- 1995 Behind The Mask(東方戀)
- 1994 Flute Traveller
- 1993 Japanese Mysteries –with Hiroki Sakaguchi
- 1990 Tear Of The Sun – with Donald Quan
Awards and recognitions
- Andrew Kinghorn Scholarship (University of Toronto)
- Best Original Composition, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK)
- Grand Prize Winner, Canadian National ExhibitionCanadian National ExhibitionCanadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...