Michael J. Baker (1949-2000)
composer and musician

Michael J. Baker was born in Edmonton and began his musical career as a trumpet player, playing with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Tommy Banks Band before moving to Toronto in 1971 where he became involved in the modern dance community as an accompanist. A growing interest in interdisciplinary work prompted a period of study in New York with composer/cellist Gwendolyn Watson. Returning from New York, he studied conducting with Roman Toi as well as harmony, counterpoint and orchestration at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Largely self-taught as a composer, his musical language developed out of an early interest in the pulse and process music of the American minimalists. He became one of Canada’s most active composers of music for dance, having collaborated with many of the nation’s major choreographers and dance organizations including the National Ballet of Canada, James Kudelka, Toronto Dance Theatre, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Dancemakers, Marie-Josée Chartier, Montréal Danse, Bill James, and Christopher House.

For Peggy Baker Dance Projects: Peggy commissioned Michael J. Baker to compose music for two works - La vie de bohème and Encoded Revision.

For more information, visit michaeljbaker.org