Andrew Balfour (composer) facts for kids

Andrew Balfour is a talented Cree composer and conductor from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is known for leading the vocal group called Dead of Winter.

Andrew Balfour was nominated for a big award, the 2023 Juno Award, for his classical album Nagamo. He recorded this album with the Musica Intima vocal ensemble.

Andrew Balfour's Early Life

Andrew Balfour was born in 1967 in the Fisher River Cree Nation, which is north of Winnipeg. When he was very young, he was adopted by a family of Scottish background. This happened as part of the Sixties Scoop, a time when many Indigenous children were taken from their families and adopted by non-Indigenous families.

His adoptive father was a minister, and his mother was a violinist. They really encouraged Andrew's love for music. He started singing in choirs and playing the trombone.

Andrew later attended Brandon University. After a challenging period, he found his way back to music. He began singing in a choir with a group of friends. This group eventually grew into Camerata Nova, which is now known as Dead of Winter. Andrew Balfour is the Artistic Director of this group.

Andrew Balfour's Music Career

Andrew Balfour started the vocal group Dead of Winter in 1996. This was also when he began writing his own music. Since then, many famous groups have asked him to create music for them. These include the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

Andrew Balfour's Compositions

Here are some of the musical pieces Andrew Balfour has created:

• Take the Indian - This piece for a chamber choir was written in 2014.
• Empire Étrange: The Death of Louis Riel - This is a large musical story (an oratorio) from 2013.
• Notinikew: Going to War - He wrote this for a chamber choir in 2018.
• Nagamo - This piece for a chamber choir was created in 2022.