Christine Duncan

Biography

A musical chameleon, Christine Duncan uses her voice as an instrument, in a wide range of diverse musical styles. She is involved in everything from jazz, R&B, gospel, improvised music, sound poetry, to new music, opera, and musique actuelle. She performs with many musical groups and projects, notably with Hugh Fraser's VEJI (Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation) since the mid 1990's, and Barnyard Drama with drummer/electronic artist Jean Martin, since 2002, and is part of the Barnyard Records family, the label run by Martin. She created and directs the Element Choir, an improvising choir in Toronto, active since 2007. Christine and the Element Choir have been performing with Inuit throat singer/experimental vocalist Tanya Tagaq since 2014, and she performs with Tagaq on voice and theremin as well. For the last few years, as a community engagement outreach, Christine has been touring, putting together and training volunteer, improvising choirs to perform in concerts, with Tagaq and her band, and with other musical ensembles, both in Canada, and internationally. Duncan and Tagaq have also been performing their piece Qiksaaktuq, (by Martin, Duncan and Tagaq) for the last couple of years, with symphony orchestras, in Canada and internationally. An active educator, Duncan has been teaching in the jazz programs at Humber College and the University of Toronto since 2003.