Tuesday, March 1 & Wednesday, March 2, 8pm
Pre-concert talks at 7:15pm
Trinity St. Paul's Centre, 427 Bloor Street West, Toronto

There is a long tradition in Western music of drawing on other cultures for inspiration. What begins as a search for exoticism can end by opening new paths of understanding. We sample some of the resulting gems, with music based on first nations stories from Brazil, Madagascar, North Africa, Finland and Canada.

guest artists

Ilana Zarankin, soprano
Laura McAlpine, mezzo soprano
Andrew Moodie, reader

music

Harry Somers: Kuyas for soprano, flute and percussion. Text from narrations of the plains Cree. (audio sample)
John Beckwith: Tanu for soprano, flute and cello. Text from the culture of the Haida of southern Haida Gwaii.
Maurice Ravel: Chansons Madécasses for mezzo soprano, flute/piccolo, cello and piano. Poetry by Évariste-Désiré de Parny. (audio sample)
Heitor Villa-Lobos: Suite for voice and violin. Poetry by Mario de Andrade (central Brazil).
Maurice Jaubert: Chants sahariens for soprano, oboe, string quartet and tambourine. Text from folk poems of the Tuareg (northern Africa).
Jouko Linjama: Viisi Sámelaislaulau for soprano, flute/alto flute and piano. Text from stories of the Sámi (northern Finland). (audio sample)
Peter Sculthorpe: Island Dreaming for mezzo soprano and string quartet. Text from the peoples of the Torres Strait. (audio sample)

spoken word

Creation myths from indigenous peoples around the world.

programme notes