The original version of Tongues of Fire was commissioned by the Scotia Festival of Music for percussionists Evelyn Glennie and Beverley Johnston, with partial support from the Canada Council of the Arts. It was later arranged as a concerto for percussion and brass band by composer Kevin Lau in 2012 at the request of The Hannaford Silver Brass Band.
Born in Greece, educated in the United States and a Canadian citizen since 1985, composer Christos Hatzis (b.1953) is becoming widely known as a leading figure in contemporary classical music. His works are performed and broadcast throughout the world, and their frequent combination of a powerful spiritual foundation with an immediately accessible appeal has made a deep emotional impact upon audiences and performers alike.
