Life In The Arts Is Difficult
American composer John Adams gives one of the best commencement speeches I’ve heard last year at Juilliard. At 8:00 I started getting emotional.
Bits Of Beauty
Discovered this work by Canadian composer Tobin Stokes over the holidays. Have a look. Have a listen. I strongly recommend you do.
“Prometheus” Returns To Montréal
Ensemble vocal à contrevoix will be performing my work “Prometheus” as part of their winter concert of Motets & Madrigals at 4pm this Sunday, December 18th. The concert will take place at l’Église Unie Saint-Jean and admission is free. If you’re in the Montreal area this Sunday, I highly recommend you check out this concert.
Here’s a clip of the choir in concert:
Here’s a clip of the last time “Prometheus” landed in Montréal:
A Christmas Reprise IX
Photo by Jesse Read
I am delighted to share the news that the Vancouver Cantata Singers will be performing my work “Jesu, As Thou Art Our Saviour” as part of their ninth annual blockbuster Christmas concert.
The concert, “A Christmas Reprise” will take place in downtown Vancouver on Saturday December 17th at 2pm at Holy Rosary Cathedral. Get your tickets by clicking here.
To hear the Vancouver Cantata Singers’ 2007 award-winning performance of “Jesu”, just hit the link below.
“Prometheus” Finds A New Home
My work for choir “Prometheus” has found a home on the Vancouver Cantata Singers’ new album “VCS 50″. The whole album is now available exclusively on iTunes.
Copies of the score are also available digitally via my online store.
Thank you to Eric Hannan and the VCS for such a wonderful recording.
Be sure to check out “Crux Fidelis” by composer César Alejandro Carrillo and ”Kyrie” by Canadian composer Bruce Sled.
On The CBC
I will be interviewed on CBC Radio One this Sunday, July 10th.
Interview airs at 7:00 am PST. You’ve been warned.
***UPDATE***
Download the free 07/09/2011 Podcast “Medusa and Librarian Sleuths” via iTunes here.
Make sure you switch to CBC Radio Two right after at 9:00 am PST to hear the Vancouver Cantata Singers‘, winners of the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs.
It will all be so fierce, it’ll melt your face off. Right. Off.
The Coolest Thing I’ve Seen Today
“Now Ensemble”, you made my day with this performance.
I don’t think I’m alone in saying that people are hungry for this level of visual engagement in concert music.
Òran Performs “Llega La Hora”
Òran, an alumni offshoot of the Kokopelli Youth Choir is one of those young choirs that just “gets it.” I was so moved by their performance of my work “Llega La Hora” and would like to thank them and Kathleen Skinner (who conducted) so very much for such a beautiful rendition. Lyrics and translation of the poem by Kico Gonzalez-Risso and the video of the performance below.
Llega La Hora
Llega la hora del olvido
los recuerdos se oscurecen
los arboles vuelven a la tierra
los mares a los cielos
el tiempo va retrocediendo
y tú te olvidas de mi
Llega la hora del eclipse
las luces ya desaparacen
los astros vuelven al pasado
los fuegos al espacio
el tiempo va retrocediendo
y tú te olvidas de mi
Llega la hora de la sombra
las estrellas cambian de color
los amores vuelven al pasado
mientras te sigo mirando
el tiempo va retrociendo
y se que no vas a volver
poem by Kico Gonzalez-Risso
translation
The hour of forgetting arrives
memories darken
trees return to the earth
the sea to the skies
time is receding
and you forget me
The hour of the eclipse arrives
the lights already disappear
the planets return to the infinite
the fires to space
time is receding
and you forget me
The hour of the shadow arrives
stars change their colour
lovers return to the past
as I keep watching you
time is receding
and I know that you will not return
And here’s a little dessert-performance for you…
