The Sri Lankan-born composer, pianist, and conductor Dinuk Wijeratne has been described by the New York Times as “exuberantly creative” and by the Toronto Star as “an artist who reflects a positive vision of our cultural future.” His boundary-crossing work sees him equally at home in collaborations with symphony orchestras and string quartets, Tabla players and DJs, and takes him to international venues as poles apart as the Berlin Philharmonie and the North Sea Jazz Festival. As Symphony Nova Scotia’s Composer in Residence, Wijeratne will create brand-new orchestral works for Symphony Nova Scotia and other Canadian orchestras. He’ll also participate in Symphony Nova Scotia’s extensive education and outreach programs, providing support and leadership to local students, artists, and composers through collaborations, workshops, masterclasses, and performances. His appointment will complement Symphony Nova Scotia’s ongoing commitment to new music, and will help drive the orchestra’s goal of engaging Nova Scotians with locally created and performed music. Wijeratne has a long history with Symphony Nova Scotia. He was appointed as the orchestra’s Resident Conductor in 2005, shortly after his arrival in Canada, and has continued to conduct and compose for the orchestra ever since. Today, he is a fixture in Nova Scotia’s classical and world-music scene, and currently serves as Music Director of the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra.