Ron Korb

Ron Korb is a Grammy-nominated Canadian flutist (flautist) and composer.

Ron Korb
Ron Korb Asia Tour press conference in Taipei
Background information
Birth nameRonald Walter Korb
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresClassical Crossover, melodic world music, jazz, Latin, Asian music, Celtic music, New-age
OccupationsFlautist, Composer
InstrumentsFlute
Years active1988–present
LabelsEMI (Hong Kong)
Websiteronkorb.com

Musical style

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]

Education

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.

Career

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]

Composing

Other than writing the instrumental pieces for his albums he has also written songs for major Asian singers. His song for Alan Tam (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. 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]

Discography
  • 2018 World Café
  • 2015 Asia Beauty[7][8]
  • 2013 Europa[9]
  • 2010 Oriental Angels vs Ron Korb DVD, China
  • 2009 Once Upon A Time (龍笛傳說), Taiwan
  • 2009 Dragon Heart(龍の心), Singapore
  • 2008 Native Earth (聖靈大地), Taiwan
  • 2007 Ron Korb 龙笛-当代第一魔笛, China
  • 2006 Our Native Land
  • 2006 East West Road, Singapore
  • 2005 Rainforest Flute-Ron Korb and Ken Davis, Australia
  • 2005 Seasons: Christmas Carols – with Donald Quan
  • 2005 Ron Korb Live (Singapore)
  • 2004 Ron Korb Live DVD
  • 2004 Ron Korb Live CD
  • 2004 Celtic Quest (重返祕世界), Taiwan
  • 2003 Romancing The Dragon-The Best of Ron Korb, Singapore
  • 2003 World Of Ron Korb
  • 2002 Taming The Dragon 龍笛, Taiwan
  • 2001 Behind the Mask東方戀, Taiwan
  • 2001 Celtic Heartland 心靈祕境, Taiwan[10]
  • 2000 Celtic Heartland
  • 2000 Celtic Quest
  • 2000 Rencontre en Provence, France
  • 1999 Tapestries-Titanic Odyssey
  • 1999 Mada Minu Tomo e, Japan
  • 1999 Taming The Dragon
  • 1998 Celtic Skye
  • 1998 Natural Friends (UK)
  • 1996 Tapestries-Celtic Dawn
  • 1995 Behind The Mask
  • 1994 Flute Traveller
  • 1993 Japanese Mysteries –with Hiroki Sakaguchi
  • 1990 Tear of the Sun – with Donald Quan

Awards and recognitions
  • Independent Music Award for Best Album – World Beat (World Café), 2018[11]
  • Nominee for 58th Grammy Award for Best New Age Album (Asia Beauty), 2016[12]
  • First Prize, Best Instrumental (Two Mountains from Asia Beauty), IAMA 2016[13]
  • Gold Medal Winner – Best of Show, Best Instrumental Album (Asia Beauty), The Global Music Awards 2015 [14]
  • Best World Album(Asia Beauty), Zone Music Award 2015 [15]
  • First Prize, Best World/Global Fusion Album (Asia Beauty), One World Music Awards 2015[16]
  • Best Instrumental Performance (Blue Bamboo from Album Asia Beauty), The Global Music Awards 2015[17]
  • Silver Medal Winners – Outstanding Achievement, Chinese Crossover World Music (House of the Five Beauties from Album Asia Beauty) and Album Art/Graphics (Asia Beauty), The Global Music Awards 2015[18]
  • Finalist in the open song category (Hanoi Café from Album Asia Beauty), International Acoustic Music Awards 2015[19]
  • Nominee on Best World Music, Toronto Independent Music Awards 2015[20]
  • Grand Prize Winner, Canadian National Exhibition
  • 2012 Beckett's Whisper (from Album Europa), Finalist, International Acoustic Music Awards[21]

References
  1. "Ron Korb, All About Jazz". Archived from the original on 25 November 2006.
  2. "Ron Korb discography".
  3. "Ron Korb Live DVD on IMDb".
  4. "Global Music Awards".
  5. "Flute World-Beckett's Whisper by Ron Korb".
  6. "Windy City Flute Orchestra Concert".
  7. "An Interview With Flutist Ron Korb and CD Review by Dr. Kathleen Joyce-Grendahl".
  8. "Ron Korb 'Asia Beauty' Interview by Rob Caldwell, Music to Eat".
  9. "CD Review Ron Korb-'Europa, The Whole Note".
  10. "CD Review Ron Korb-'Celtic Heartland',Taiwan Fun".
  11. "17th Independent Music Awards".
  12. "58th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees".
  13. "International Acoustic Awards".
  14. "Global Music Awards: Winners".
  15. "2015 Zone Music Award Winners".
  16. "OWMR Awards 2015".
  17. "GMA".
  18. "GMA".
  19. "IAMA Artist Page".
  20. "TIMA 2015 Nominees".
  21. "IAMA".
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