About

Musique Royale welcomes Conundrum Duo to perform the eagerly anticipated annual concert featured at Memory Lane Heritage Village, followed by an “Inspired By Music” dinner in the cookhouse across the way. Conundrum Duo features the vibrant and creative programming of flutist Jack Chen and harpist Ellen Gibling. Conundrum Duo is one of Nova Scotia’s most versatile ensembles, performing classical, folk, and popular genres, with a great passion for Canadian new music. Join Musique Royale at Memory Lane Heritage Village for their concert on Sunday September 15th at 5pm in the tiny and iconic Clam Harbour United Church.

About Conundrum Duo

Conundrum is the dynamic flute and harp duo of Jack Chen and Ellen Gibling, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A versatile and exploratory ensemble, Conundrum balances classic repertoire with challenging and innovative recent compositions, in particular new works by Canadians. The duo has expanded its horizons by collaborating many other artists, including Sue Sayle (viola), Janice Jackson (soprano), Shawn Mativetsky (tabla), Fifth Wind (woodwind quintet), and Susanne Chui (dance). In addition, the duo has performed with Musikon Concert Society, the Music Room Chamber Players, Inner Space Concerts, Wired! (Acadia New Music Ensemble), and in 2017 created its own multi-disciplinary children’s show: Deep Sea Conundrum.

Flutist Jack Chen has shared the stage with such diverse artists as Amy Grant, Bobby McFerrin, Jeanne Lamon and Sir James Galway. He has also appeared in PBS television music specials and toured with Tim Janis, Finnouala Gill, and EMI artists Giorgia Fumanti, Ryland Angel and “Siren.” He earned his degrees in flute and early music performance from Indiana University, and has studied with flutists Jeanne Baxtresser, William Bennet, Robert Dick, Patrick Gallois, Sarah Jackson, Bart Kuijken, Robert Langevin, Emmanuel Pahud, and jazz legend, David Baker. With a tremendous love for chamber music, Jack performs regularly with Conundrum Duo and Fifth Wind, a Halifax-based woodwind quintet.

In addition to performing and teaching, Jack is the Artistic Director of Inner Space Concerts (InnerSpaceConcerts.ca) and will be heard in recitals and concerts throughout the Maritimes during the 2024/2025 season. An instructor of Flute at Acadia University, Jack also gives regular masterclasses and clinics.

Harpist Ellen Gibling holds a BMus in classical Harp Performance from McGill University, and an MA in Irish Traditional Music Performance from the University of Limerick. As a classical musician, she has performed with Symphony Nova Scotia and has toured with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. In January 2024, Ellen premiered a harp concerto by Jeff Reilly with Symphony Nova Scotia. As an improvising and traditional harpist, she is a core member of ensembles New Hermitage, Many Worlds, Scions, Swift Return, and the Heavy Blinkers as well as playing regularly with The Bombadils, Charlie Wilson, Adrianna Ciccone, and the Creative Music Workshop. Ellen’s recent solo album The Bend in the Light (2022) has been described as “bold and beautiful” (Celtic Life International) and “enchanting” (Folk London). She is particularly drawn to interdisciplinary collaborations, and has enjoyed recent work with Mocean Dance, Rock Bottom Movement, and playwright Mary Fay Coady. Ellen has taught at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, Acadia University, the University of Limerick, the Huron Harp Festival, and the Canadian International Summer Harp Institute.

For more please visit: https://www.facebook.com/ConundrumDuo/