John Mark Sherlock

Living in Toronto and Santiago de Cuba, John Mark Sherlock studied composition at the University of Western Ontario with Jack Behrens, Arsenio Giron and David Myska. His works have been played by many of Canada’s finest performers and ensembles including Arraymusic, the Burdocks, Critical Band, The Ergo Ensemble, Eve Egoyan, Linda Catlin Smith, the NUMUS Ensemble featuring the Penderecki String Quartet, Richard Sacks , Stephen Clarke and Ensemble KORE. Also, he has written original music for dance or had works used for choreography by Marie-Josée Chartier, Heidi Strauss, Darryl Tracy, Allen Kaeja, Sylvain Émard, Gerry Trentham, Jessica Runge, Meagan O’Shea, Gillian Komarda and Shannon Cooney for Dancemakers. With composer eldritch Priest, he recently formed the ensemble, neither/nor. John has, at various times, received the kind support of the Toronto Arts Council, Laidlaw Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts , Ontario Arts Council and the Chalmers Foundation and thanks them all, sincerely.

Sherlock’s work is remarkable for it’s use of electric keyboards and organ dating form the ’60s and ’70s. He is very likely one of the first composers of experimental/modernist lineage to use extensively Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, Hohner Clavinet and Hammond organ, particularly in ensemble.