BIOGRAPHY

Born in Philadelphia, Phynix grew up listening to his father practicing and playing the European classical piano repertoire five hours every day. When his father wasn’t playing he listened to the big band recordings of the thirties and forties that accompanied rainy evenings and weekend parties, sang along with his Mom as she played the songs of Stephen Foster at the piano, and marveled at the beauty of his Grandmother’s renditions of Ave Maria and other semi-classical songs. He crooned along with ‘old blue eyes’, drummed with the drums of west Africa, explored the ancient songs of China, boogied to the latest Rhythm & Blues hit and escaped all reality in the songs of Rogers and Hammerstein. The world was described by music.

While listening to everything he could find, he studied piano and then when his own voice was discovered switched to the serious study of the some of the world’s most magnificent songs and how to develop the voice to render them. Eventually he ended up at McGill University in Montreal majoring in vocal performance studying with Bernard Diamant and subsequently in New York City with Eleanor Steber of the Metropolitan Opera. He returned to Canada and began the journey of learning to weave all the music he heard within.

Turning to popular genres that enabled him to explore more of those musical influences in his life, he began composing and performing in many venues: coffee houses, concert halls, radio and television. He worked as a solo artist or with other wonderful musicians including jazz guitar legend, Lenny Breau, singer and actress Jackie Richardson and composer and jazz pianist Doug Riley. He has written for dance, movies and films. Phynix has found expression performing on guitars, keyboards and hand percussion during his career. In 1983 he began composing employing computer technology to augment and expand his palette of sound.

Exploring the integration of art forms, Phynix choreographs visual works of art and photography to his music in a video format. The resulting performance is captivating.

In a creative parallel universe Phynix has been writing music and acting for children for more than twenty five years. This has included, 'Sesame Street', PBS's 'Shining Time Station' and CBC's beloved show 'Mr, Dress-Up' among others. Partnering with The Toronto Board of Education, ParticipACTION and Symphony Pictures he created and co-produced “Energy Kids’ a video promoting healthy physical and creative movement for children . Currently his ‘Storytime with Phynix’ performances for the young and the young at heart combine original music, visual art, film and puppetry with the dramatic art of storytelling.

background art: a greatly enlarged repeating section of the painting 'Prayer' by Chard Chénier