I was thrilled and surprised to get the news that I was named Classical Composer of the Year at the 2025 Western Canadian Music Awards, for my work on Afghanistan: Requiem for a Generation. This piece was recorded live in concert by the Vancouver Symphony and a *lot* of guest artists, under the baton of (deeply missed) Bramwell Tovey, and released last year on the Canadian Music Centre’s Centrediscs label. Thanks to BreakoutWest for highlighting Canadian composers, and congrats to my fellow nominees.

As an oratorio, of course there are words! And these words come from my partner-in-Requiem-crime Suzanne Steele, who was Canada’s war poet in Afghanistan and had the bright idea to write a Requiem based on her experiences. Rather than set the traditional Latin Requiem Mass text, Suzanne wrote a series of original poems (in English, French, and Pashto), structuring the piece with the usual titles of the sections of the Requiem, but incorporating the Latin only sparingly in fragments to comment on or complement the story-telling. It’s easy to write the music when the words and images are as vivid and compelling as Suzanne’s poems. I’m so proud of this piece.

Thanks to everyone involved in this recording, onstage and off, and for the perseverance it took to get it out into the world. I love writing for singers, so a big shout-out to the phenomenal cast of soloists Zorana Sadiq, Rebecca Hass, Colin Ainsworth, and Brett Polegato, and to the UBC and Langley Fine Arts School choirs and their directors Graeme Langager and the late Jim Sparks. In the booth, the recording was produced by the amazing team (and ears) of Denise Ball and Don Harder.

Another shout-out to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and One Yellow Rabbit, who first commissioned and premiered the piece with the support of the Canada Council for tha Arts and DeBoni New Works (thanks, Walt and Irene!)

And finally, a massive shout-out to the VSO musicians—dear friends who have played so much of my music over the years, and made me a better composer along the way. The musicians are the heart and soul of an orchestra. They put themselves and their talent on the front line every time they walk out on stage, and more than anyone, they truly make an orchestra what it is. Have a listen to Afghanistan: Requiem for a Generation on your favourite streamer, and hear how fantastic they are.