Jan Urke

Jan Urke began his musical studies with respected Toronto Estonian piano teacher, Talvi Jaldre. He also spent five years studying the violin in the Toronto school system. Upon starting high school at North Toronto Collegiate, he decided to take up the double bass. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance. Further studies were taken at the Banff Centre for the Arts with Stuart Knussen.

Jan's career started by freelancing with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Ballet Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He moved to Edmonton in 1980, where he has been Principal Double Bass of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra to the present day. He has appeared as a soloist with the Edmonton Symphony and Pro Coro Canada and freelanced extensively in Edmonton.

Jan is Visiting Assistant Professor of Double Bass at the Music Department of the University of Alberta. He has also served as resource artist with the Banff Centre for the Arts.