Barrie Sorensen is a saxophonist, jazz composer/arranger, clinician, and private educator based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
He is one of the most versatile and in-demand saxophonists on Canada's West Coast. In addition to leading his own jazz ensembles, he has performed and/or recorded with an impressive range of internationally acclaimed, nationally recognized, and regional artists, including:
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International pop superstars Katy Perry, Chris Martin (lead singer of Coldplay), and Sarah McLachlan;
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Internationally acclaimed Canadian artists including soprano Measha Brueggergosman, mezzo-soprano Jean Stilwell, and trumpet virtuoso Jens Lindemann;
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Renowned Canadian artists including Juno Award-winning bands Bedouin Soundclash, The Paperboys, and blues legend Dutch Mason, as well as Juno Award nominees Jets Overhead;
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Artists from Victoria and across Vancouver Island, including Frazey Ford, Attila Fias, Nick La Riviere and the Best Laid Plans, Louis Rudner's Fusion Throwdown, Damian Graham and the Best Guys in Town, Ashley Wey, David Santana, Ken Lavigne, Maureen Washington, Cristian De La Luna, Matt Stern, Edie Daponte, Diane Pancel, Heather Ferguson, the Vancouver Island Repertory Jazz Orchestra, The Bluesland Horn Band, the Pretzel Logic Orchestra, the Celestial Saxophone Orchestra, Cities, Anthems, Lelolai Collective, and Mostly Motown, among many others.
Originally from Prince Edward Island, Barrie began his career on Canada's East Coast, where he performed with the critically acclaimed Charlottetown Festival Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, and the Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra. He was also a two-time East Coast Music Award winner for Jazz Group of the Year as a member of the Jive Kings.
As a composer and arranger, Barrie has been commissioned by the CBC, educational institutions, community ensembles, and commercial artists to write for a wide variety of musical settings, including jazz ensembles, big bands, symphony pops concerts, and independent film. Many of his original compositions and arrangements have been broadcast extensively on CBC National Radio.
