Calgary: The Canadian Music Centre: Prairie Region is pleased to announce that composer and performer Nic Bray (Manitoba) is the winner of the 2025 Emerging Composer Competition (ECC) for his piece, Spruce.
“Beams of sunlight gently twist between emerald needles, cascading across a calm but flowing creek near a shaded hammock as the overwhelming, yet calming beauty of the might spruce tree seeps from my consciousness into my subconscious”.
Nic Bray is a multifaceted musician whose talents span composition, orchestration, songwriting, and jazz saxophone performance. His music often bridges the gap between contemporary classical, jazz, and pop idioms, showcasing a versatile and innovative approach to composition. In 2023, Nic completed his bachelor’s degree in jazz performance at Brandon University and has since begun a master’s program in composition at the same institution. He also plans to begin his doctoral studies in the fall.
The ECC is a joint project of the Canadian Music Centre, Prairie Region, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO), and the Winnipeg New Music Festival (WNMF). Bray’s piece, Spruce, will be PREMIERED by the WSO at the 2025 edition of the WNMF. The adjudication was based on anonymous score submissions. The panel consisted of Kristin Flores (CMC Associate Composer), Daniel Raiskin (WSO Music Director and WNMF Artistic Director), and Haralabos [Harry] Stafylakis (WSO Composer-in-Residence & WNMF Co-Curator).
Find Nic’s social media here.