John Mark Sherlock studied composition at the University of Western Ontario with Jack Behrens, Arsenio Girón and David Myska. His works have been played by many of Canada’s finest performers and ensembles including Arraymusic, the Burdocks, Critical Band, The Ergo Ensemble, Eve Egoyan, Linda Catlin Smith, the NUMUS Ensemble featuring the Penderecki String Quartet, Richard Sacks , Stephen Clarke and Ensemble KORE. Also, he has written original music for dance or had works used for choreography by Marie-Josée Chartier, Heidi Strauss, Darryl Tracy, Allen Kaeja, Sylvain Émard, Gerry Trentham, Jessica Runge, Meagan O’Shea and Shannon Cooney for Dancemakers. With composer eldritch Priest, he formed the ensemble, neither/nor. John has, at various times, received the kind support of the Toronto Arts Council, Laidlaw Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts , Ontario Arts Council and the Chalmers Foundation and thanks them all, sincerely.

Sherlock’s work is remarkable for it’s use of electro-mechanical keyboards dating from the ’60s and ’70s. He is very likely one of the first composers of his type of abstract aesthetic to use so extensively Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, Hohner Clavinet and Hammond organ, particularly in ensemble.