KNOW YOUR MUSICIAN SERIES - 26

March - 13

 

Michael Conway Baker (born March 13, 1937 in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA) is a Canadian composer and music educator of American birth. He became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1970 and has resided more or less continuously in the Vancouver area since. After self-teaching basic music theory as a child, Baker moved to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1958 at which time he began formal piano studies. Subsequently, Baker studied music at the University of British Columbia where he was a pupil in music composition with teachers Jean Coulthard and Elliot Weisgarber. After graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1966, he eventually pursued graduate studies at Western Washington University where he earned a Masters of Music in 1972.

Baker has composed numerous scores for film, television and has over 150 concert works to his credit for which he has received many awards. Included in his awards are three Genie Awards (The Grey Fox1983 and John and the Missus 1987), one Juno Award for Classical Composition of the Year (Concerto For Piano and Chamber Orchestra, 1992) and an ACTRA Gemini Awards for best score for a TV Series (David Suzuki's A Planet for the Taking). He has composed for the National Ballet of Canada, Fanfare to Expo '86 in Vancouver, many feature films and TV series including several episodes of Road to Avonlea. In 1997, Baker was awarded the Order of British Columbia.