‘Map of You’ DC release party featuring Rachel Fenlon
Composer statement
This collection of songs was born out of an opera I have in development. One of the characters is faced with the question of whether or not they have truly experienced love in their life. It points to the existential nature of love. However, every time I tried to address the question head on it quickly became too big, too on-the-nose. Instead, I found myself circling around it, articulating the many kinds of love: romantic love, rejected love, intimate love, unrequited love, insecurity in love, parental love, brotherly or sisterly love etc… as a way of approaching this central question.
“We dance ‘round in a ring and suppose,
but the secret sits in the middle and knows.”
– Robert Frost
I think of this as a collection of folk songs. The approach seems a perfect fit for Rachel and her unique performance practice as a singer and pianist. Early in the process, we had spoken of the changing nature of the art song. Increasingly, one finds a multiplicity of diverse musical influences coming into play. At the same time, we see elements of academic rigour being embraced in the alt. pop and folk music worlds. All of this points to a breaking down of barriers, a blurring of genres which I find very exciting.
“The folkness of the non-folk, [and] the non-folkness of the folk.”
– Charles Seeger
Thanks to Canada Council for the Arts, and Yukon Arts for their generous support of this project; Thanks to Maria Rupf-Bolz who hosted me many times in Berlin; Thanks to Lara Secord-Haid, Aphrodite Patoulidou, and Christian Bader; Thanks to Susan and my family, and all the people in my life who love and are loved. For this I am eternally grateful.
– Daniel Janke
Rachel Fenlon is a soprano and pianist who is finding a unique voice on the classical music stages of the world. Drawing from a singer-songwriter approach, Rachel performs song recitals as both singer and pianist accompanying herself. Praised for her “unusually shaped recitals in keeping with her extraordinary talent” (Places des Arts/Festival de Lanaudière), Rachel performs internationally as a recitalist, as solo pianist and singer, and on the opera stage. Rachel was born in the UK, raised on the west coast of Canada, and is now based in Berlin.
Rachel has performed at prestigious festivals and venues such as Fundación Juan March, the Oxford Lieder Festival, Festival de Lanaudière, Ottawa Chamberfest, National Arts Centre Canada, Settimane Musicali di Ascona, Scotiafest, Vancouver Opera Festival, Martha Argerich Festival Hamburg, Festival International Povoa de Varzim, Toronto Summer Music Festival, Oper Leipzig, PODIUM Festival Matadepera, Klangwerk LIED the Toronto Summer Music Festival, Kammermusik Festival Ahrenshoop, Pianosalon Christophori, the Canadian Broadcasting Company Studios, GEDOK Festival Berlin, and at venues such as the National SAW Gallery, Kuhlhaus Berlin, the Fox Cabaret Vancouver, St, James Picadilly London, Late Night Liederabend Vienna, Orpheum Annex Vancouver, St. Clement Danes London, Gallery 345 Toronto, Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Theater am Delphi Berlin, and Oper Leipzig.
Daniel Janke is a composer, writer and media artist. Music commissions include work with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Penderecki String Quartet; violinist Mark Fewer; the NAC Touring Ensemble; Standing Wave Ensemble; Bozzini String Quartet; the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra; and Vancouver Chamber Choir.
Daniel’s recording Celestial Blue with violinist Mark Fewer received a WCMA nomination for best new classical album in 2017. Other recordings include Body In Motion [Centrediscs, 2022]; and Crystalline [Afterday, 2022] a collaboration with clarinetist François Houle. Available Light features his group Winter Trio [Chronograph Records, 2023].
Film scores by Daniel Janke include the Oscar short-listed film Subconscious Password [NFB, 2014, dir. Chris Landreth]. His score for the short film Touch [Rebel Films, 2001, dir. Jeremy Podeswa] received special mention at Sundance Film Festival. Daniel wrote and directed the short film How People Got Fire [NFB, 2009] which has screened internationally, has received numerous awards and was shortlisted for a Writers Guild of Canada award. His multi-media work Grubstake Remix toured Canada and was featured at the Babylon Theatre in Berlin. Daniel recently co-directed the documentary film Old Crow a Philosophy [2025].
Daniel Janke lives and has a studio near Whitehorse, Yukon Canada. He also spends time working in Berlin, Germany. More information about the composer can be found on his website. Scores for this music can be found through the Canadian Music Centre music library.
Map of you CD Release Party
September 12, 2025 | 8:00 pm
Canadian Music Centre BC, Murray Adaskin Salon
837 Davie St Vancouver, BC
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