Christopher Norman
October 2015 Honorary Degree Recipient
Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)
Christopher Norman is one of the most celebrated flute players in the world and an influential figure in traditional folk music. As a musician, he has delighted audiences, critics and academics with his compositions and performances; brought lovers of the flute and traditional music together with his annual music festival; and created custom flutes for players across the globe.
Mr. Norman was born in Halifax and discovered a passion for traditional Maritime, Celtic and French Canadian musical styles at a young age. His compositions and albums demonstrate both his passion for traditional folk music and his ability to creatively fuse it with classical forms. His original work has been heard on National Public Radio, the CBC and the BBC, while his playing has graced several feature films, including the Academy Award-winning Titanic soundtrack. Mr. Norman has appeared on more than 40 albums and won numerous awards for his recorded work.
He is a renowned performer who plays regularly as a soloist, as part of a duo with violinist David Greenberg and with his own Chris Norman Ensemble. He has also toured with international groups such as The Baltimore Consort and Concerto Caledonia. Beyond the studio and the stage, Mr. Norman has earned acclaim as a maker of custom flutes and as director of the Boxwood Festival and Workshop, an annual celebration of traditional flute music held in Canada, New Zealand and the United States.
A 2012 recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for contribution to the arts in Canada, Mr. Norman has made a deep and broad-ranging impact in the global music community.