Official Site: www.torqpercussion.ca

Left to Right:

• Daniel Morphy
• Adam Campbell
• Jamie Drake
• Richard Burrows

TorQ was formed in 2004 by four young, enthusiastic Toronto-area percussionists looking to add new energy to percussion repertoire and performance. As well as competing as the sole Canadian representative at the Luxembourg International Percussion Quartet Competition, TorQ has performed to much acclaim and standing ovations across Canada, including feature performances at MusicFest Canada Nationals, the Open Ears Contemporary Music Festival, the Four Seasons Centre for the Arts and with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra for the world premiere of David Gillingham’s Concertino for Four Percussion and Orchestra. TorQ’s repertoire ranges from sweetly lyrical mallet quartets to no-holds-barred, high energy percussive show pieces. In addition to performing classic percussion ensemble repertoire, TorQ is committed both to commissioning works from emerging Canadian composers, and to promoting music education in schools, though school concerts and clinics aimed at elementary and high school students.

Members Richard Burrows, Jamie Drake and Daniel Morphy all met while studying music at the University of Toronto with Russell Hartenberger, Beverley Johnston and John Rudolph, while Adam Campbell hails from PEI and studied under Ken Shorley and Mark Adam at Acadia University. The members of TorQ are each accomplished musicians in their own right; together they form an incredibly dynamic chamber group. Under the initial guidance of Robin Engelman (NEXUS), they have honed their craft to form an ensemble that is as exciting as it is musical.

TorQ solo concerts generally consist of a balance of new and established works for percussion quartet; each performance features at least one recent Canadian work. TorQ has commissioned works from composer Andrew Ager and from up-and-coming composers Jason Stanford and Michael Smith, as well as members within the ensemble. In Fall 2008 TorQ served as the in-class ensemble at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto for classes taught by renowned Canadian composer Christos Hatzis, which resulted in a concert of over 20 new Canadian works for percussion quartet, including a new version of "In the Fire of Conflict" by Hatzis. Other upcoming commissions in the works include a composition from American composer Darren Jones and a collaboration with the Hamilton Children's Choir and award-winning composer Eric Robertson.

Daniel Morphy, percussionist

Daniel Morphy graduated from the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Music (Performance) degree and is currently completing the Artist Diploma program at the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Daniel has received lessons from and participated in master classes by such respected and diverse percussionists as Bob Becker, Leigh Howard Stevens, Glen Velez, Michael Burritt, Don Liuzzi (Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra) and Tom Freer (Cleveland Orchestra). Daniel has spent summers studying at both Aspen and Tanglewood summer music programs with some of America's top orchestra percussionists. He has also been a member of the National Youth Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, and Ceremonial Guard Band on Parliament Hill. Daniel plays frequently as a professional musician around Toronto, and performs regularly in the percussion section of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Adam Campbell, percussionist

Adam Campbell completed his Bachelor of Music degree at Acadia University, studying with renowned percussionist and drummer Ken Shorley, and is currently completing his Masters degree at the University of Toronto with John Rudolph, Beverley Johnston and Russell Hartenberger. He has been a member of the National Concert Band and a percussionist for the Scotia Festival of Music, and has performed in Haliburton as part of R. Murray Schafer's production Princess of the Stars. He has also performed with Evelyn Glennie on stage and in master class. Adam joined TorQ in the fall of 2007, officially taking over the title of "The New Guy" from Jamie.

Jamie Drake, percussionist

Jamie Drake completed his Bachelor of Music degree at University of Toronto, and his Master of Music degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, with Jack Van Geem and David Herbert; he is now back at U of T studying for a Doctor of Musical Arts degree. He has also completed an A.R.C.T. in piano performance at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Jamie is a double winner of the U of T Concerto Competition, has performed Steve Reich's Drumming with Nexus (twice), been percussionist for the Scotia Festival of Music and has performed live-to-air on CBC Radio 2, including a prize-winning performance with the Hamilton Children's Choir. While in San Francisco he was active in the BluePrint New Music project, and commissioned and premiered works by noted Bay Area composers Elinor Armer and Darren Jones. Jamie is in demand as both a percussionist and drummer, and regularly performs professionally with symphony orchestras, world music ensembles, music theatre productions, big bands, and the experimental/jazz group Muskox.

Richard Burrows, percussionist

Richard Burrows received his Master's of Music in Performance Percussion from the University of Toronto and his Honours BMus degree in Performance Percussion with a minor in psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University. He is currently completing a concurrent M.A./Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of Toronto. Richard has studied and performed with NEXUS, Nebosja Jovan Zivkovic, and Michael Burritt, and has collaborated internationally with artists like Evelyn Glennie (Scotland) and Synergy (Australia). Richard has given master classes and performed throughout North America, Europe, Mexico, and Australia. He regularly plays with the Kitchener/Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra London, in the improv ensemble "Digital Prowess" and in a duet series through the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Richard is a past principal cast member with Scrap Arts Music, a high-energy percussion theatre sensation.