Toronto, February 27, 2023 – The Ontario Arts Foundation and Ontario Arts Council are pleased to announce that Debashis Sinha is this year’s recipient of the Louis Applebaum Composers Award. This year’s $15,000 award recognizes excellence for a body of work in the field of composition for media.
About Debashis Sinha
Driven by a deep commitment to the primacy of sound in creative expression, Debashis Sinha has created numerous audio-centered solo and collaborative projects across Canada and internationally. Sound design and composition credits include works for contemporary dance, video, film, and award-winning productions with many of Canada’s premiere stage companies, including longstanding artistic relationships with Peggy Baker Dance Projects, the Stratford Festival, Soulpepper Theatre Company, and others.
His speculative mythology-driven sound practice has led to live appearances at the Music Gallery, MUTEK Japan, NeurIPS, the Guelph Jazz Festival, the Banff Centre, ISEA, FILE Electronic Language International Festival, Haus der Kulturen der Welt and other exhibitions online and in gallery spaces, alongside recordings on Berlin’s Establishment Records imprint, Gusstaff and elsewhere.
Sinha is a committed educator, having taught at Canada’s National Theatre School, York University, University of Toronto, and other schools across Canada and internationally. His current research stream concentrates on sound production using machine learning and AI with an ear to uncovering new modes and methods of story creation and cultural transmission. He is currently an assistant professor attached to the School of Performance and Professional Music Program at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto.
Listen Here: Brahmaputra by Debashis Sinha (released December, 2022)
All programming, drums and percussion Debashis Sinha, Viola on Raameshwaram by Kathleen Kajioka, Electroacoustic Drehleier on Lonim by Ben Grossman, Vocals on Bhutapala by Sophia Grigoriadis and Jayne Brown, vocals on Niila by Sophia Grigoriadis, Vocals on Sins by Suba Sankaran
Jury Comments
The jury was unanimous in its choice, stating: “Deb is a strong original voice in composition for media. His innovative work includes a wide cultural palate. His non-linear alternative approach to media composition is unique in form and content. Deb is a true artist. He stands out.”
This year’s jury consisted of Deanna Choi (Toronto) composer, sound designer, solo violinist, educator, and 2020 Pauline McGibbon Award Laureate; Mychael Danna (Toronto) composer, and 2014 Louis Applebaum Composer Award Laureate; and Medhat Hanbali (Montreal, QC) composer.
About the Award
The Louis Applebaum Composers Fund was established at the Ontario Arts Foundation in 1998 by Louis Applebaum to recognize excellence in music composition. The award is made biennially in the following alternating genres: media; theatre, music theatre, dance or opera; jazz; and composition for young people.
The Ontario Arts Foundation manages the endowment that funds the award. The award winner is chosen through a nominating and adjudication process managed by the Ontario Arts Council.
Previous recipients include Eleanor Daley (2020), Hilario Durán (2018) and Alice Ping Yee Ho (2016). See the full list of previous recipients.
For more information, please contact:
Bruce Bennett, Executive Director
Ontario Arts Foundation
Tel: (416) 969-7413 bbennett@oafdn.ca
Established in 1991, the Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) is passionately committed to building long-term support for the arts in Ontario. In 2021-2022, the OAF paid over $4.4 million in endowment income and $300,000 in awards and scholarships.
For more than 55 years, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) has played a vital role in promoting and assisting the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of Ontarians. In 2021-2022 the Ontario Arts Council invested $56.4 million in 237 communities across Ontario through 2,665 grants to individual artists and 1,050 grants to organizations.
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