CMC’s award-winning label, Centrediscs, sponsored the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s CD launch for Bramwell Tovey’s long-awaited opera, The Inventor, on Sunday, February 11, in Pyatt Hall. Centrediscs — the only label exclusively devoted to Canadian music — has released nearly 300 recordings since 1981.
Joanne Harada helped bring the long-delayed project to fruition, backed by Angela Elster, the VSO’s President & CEO. They were both in attendance, as was Bramwell’s longtime pals, Christopher Gaze and Marion Newman, who appears to be spending more time out west lately…
Composer Jeffrey Ryan was also on hand. CMC BC will be hosting the CD launch of his new recording of Requiem on Friday, May 3 in the Murray Adaskin Salon.
musica intima
On Monday, Feb 12, musica intima performed works at The Annex from the composition workshop CMC BC co-produced with them last fall, featuring composer-mentor Leslie Uyeda, and including brilliant compositions by emerging composers Mari Alice Conrad, Emily Hiemstra, Tracy Wong, Nicholas Ryan Kelly, Daniel Gardner, Alex Vollant, Hope Salmonson, and Katharine Petkovski.
Composers from the workshop CMC BC co-presented with musica intima
On Friday I was in Kelowna for stunning performances by Ballet Kelowna that CMC BC sponsored, featuring the world premiere of their new work Delicate Fire. Delicate Fire was inspired by Jocelyn Morlock’s composition Delicate Fires, which itself was based on poems by Sappho and was commissioned and performed on Redshift Music’s first-ever CD by Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa and Mark Takeshi McGregor.
According to Artistic Director Simone Orlando, “Delicate Fire is an emotional exploration of the nature and deeds of Gods and Goddesses within the mythical realm.” Rachel Kiya Iwaasa was there for the performance and played at a reception following. I was asked to speak at the beginning of the performance and was grateful to be able to pay tribute to Jocelyn Morlock and her remarkable contribution to our world.
Photographer SD Holman, Playwright Kat Sandler, Pianist Rachel Kiya Iwaasa, and Sean Bickerton, BC Director of the CMC.
On Saturday night, I was excited to meet a group of 8 keen young composers of high school age taking part in a composition workshop we are co-presenting with the Okanagan Symphony, which is led by composer-mentor Jennifer Butler. Over slices of pizza, they talked about their process, the works they were creating, and their lives. It was fascinating.
We were joined by Anita Perry and other composers, part of a series of events we are holding, reaching out to composers in different regions as we seek to deepen our engagement and connections across the province. Performances of the works created will be performed by the Okanagan Symphony Youth Orchestra will take place on Thursday, April 4.
Young composers and yours truly, inappropriately wearing a hat indoors as I prepare to depart.
On Sunday, I couldn’t resist visiting Synchromesh Winery before heading home. Synchromesh makes some of the most outstanding Rieslings in the world. Circles within circles — I first learned about Synchromesh from Heather Pawsey, outstanding Soprano, filmmaker, producer, and champion of Canadian composers as Chair of the CMC’s Board of Directors.