MUSICIAN OF THE MONTH: TRISTAN DE BORBA

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We’re delighted to introduce November’s Musician of the Month – the highly talented Tristan De Borba!

As one of Canada’s preeminent classical saxophonists, Tristan De Borba is quickly gaining a reputation as an innovative and engaging musician, with a versatility and sensitive musicianship. Tristan has been engaged as a soloist, chamber musician, pedagogue and conductor across Canada. As a soloist, Tristan has performed with the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, and Acadia University Wind Ensembles and was recently featured as a guest artist at the 2014 Scotia Festival.

An active freelance musician, Tristan has performed with various ensembles throughout the maritimes including: Symphony Nova Scotia, Opera Nova Scotia, Scotia Winds and the Stadacona Band of the Royal Canadian Navy.

Tristan is also a member of the Brogue Saxophone Quartet. Atlantic Canada’s premier saxophone quarter, Brogue combines Classical, Jazz, Contemporary and World music styles in a fun and engaging show.

As a pedagogue, Tristan is on faculty at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia where he runs an ever-expanding saxophone class. He is also on faculty at the Maritime Conservatory of music in Halifax. Tristan has given masterclasses at Mount Allison University, the University of Toronto and the Atlantic band festival.

In addition to his work at Acadia and in Nova Scotia, Tristan is concurrently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Toronto in saxophone performance under the tutelage of Dr. Wallace Halladay.

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1.What is your idea of perfect happiness? I’m not sure I have an ideal or perfect happiness.  I take great joy in my day-to-day activities.  For instance, yesterday I began my day with a long run in the crisp autumn air of Wolfville, Nova Scotia.  Then followed some work on my dissertation research while sipping several cups of coffee. In the afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending a student concert at Acadia University.  My students sounded great!  I take immense pleasure in seeing (and hearing) my students progress and grow.  After a post-concert drink with friends, I settled back for an evening of intense practising followed by some teaching preparation.  That to me is a perfect day!  Tomorrow will be completely different but equally wonderful and perfectly happy.

2. Which living musician do you most admire and why? It is difficult for me to choose just one.  My musical mentors, saxophonists Dr. Wallace Halladay and Dr. Julia Nolan and conductors Martin Berinbaum and Dr. Gillian Mackey have been and continue to be so influential in my life in their continual pursuit of musical excellence.  A few years ago, Acadia University had the honour of hosting the Amstel Saxophone Quartet in concert from their home base of Amsterdam.  Seeing their level of technical mastery combined with such nuanced musicianship was a really inspiring experience.

3. What is something people would be surprised to know about you? I’m a big soccer fan!  I grew up watching and playing the sport and follow it intensely and religiously.  My love for the ‘beautiful game’ is a strong connection to my Portuguese heritage and also to my family.  Watching the ‘big game’ with dad was a fun bonding experience. Portugal winning the European Championship this past summer was pure euphoria and perhaps a more concise answer to the ‘perfect happiness’ question.

4. If you weren’t a musician, what would you like to do, all things being possible? I absolutely love teaching and performing music as a saxophonist and conductor and therefore would not trade it in for anything.  However, I sometimes fantasize about doing something completely different.  For instance, we’re located here in the Annapolis Valley, a beautifuly scenic land with many wonderful wineries. Perhaps owning and operating a winery in this idyllic setting would be a fun job!

5. Where would you most like to live? I was born and raised in Toronto and that city holds a special place in my heart.  I love the ‘hustle and bustle’ of the the big city, the endless arts and culture events and the delicious ethnic food on every street corner.  I have also lived in Vancouver and Halifax and now call Wolfville, Nova Scotia home.  I have loved every city and town that I have lived in but I’m really enjoying my time in Wolfville.  I enjoy the slower pace of small town living.  It is wonderful to go to the farmers market on the weekend, bump into friends, colleagues and students on Main St and go to the local pub and have the ‘cheers’ experience where everyone knows your name and your drink is at the bar before you order it.  These are simple but wonderful pleasures!

6. Which composer (dead or alive) would you most like to have dinner with and why? Another tough question!  Dinner with J.S. Bach would be great! The architecture in his music is pure perfection.  It would be wonderful to sit down with him and discuss the saxophone- I’m sure he would love an instrument with such expressive-voice like properties.  Or perhaps John Cage, he was such a maverick pioneer and a crucial figure in 20th century music.  Or perhaps dinner with both, now that would be something!

7. Do you have a favourite movie? Any James Bond film.  Even the bad ones such as “Tomorrow never Dies” are fun to watch.  And the great ones like “Casino Royale” and of coarse “Goldfinger” are awesome!

8. Tell us what you are looking forward to most this fall? This fall is an excitingly busy time of teaching and music making.  I’m really looking forward to my performance of Timothy Corlis’ In Paridisum for choir, tenor saxophone and piano with the Halifax Camerata Singers on November 5th, conducted by Jeff Joudrey.  This concert comes shortly after I conduct the Acadia Symphonic Band in our fall concert entitled- ‘Sheltering Sky’ on November 1st.  Then I spend the rest of the fall preparing for a busy winter performance schedule.  I’m currently preparing John Plant’s Faustus: A Sax-Opera, a large scale saxophone concerto which is having its Canadian premiere on February 10th with the Acadia Wind Ensemble conducted by Dr. Mark Hopkins.  Then follows a winter tour with the Brogue Saxophone Quartet and other fun musical adventures.

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You can keep up with Tristan through his website and through Brogue Saxophone Quartet’s site.