New Voices, New Relationships
Society is always changing, and thus the sectors and institutions within it. So the world of classical music is changing. Institutions such as orchestras, opera companies, choral groups, and individual performers are embracing diversity and inclusion, truth and reconciliation. They are reflecting on whether the music they perform and who performs it support these values and are adopting new repertoire and developing exciting collaborations with groups previously seen rarely on their stages. This is not just a matter of righting past wrongs, but also of celebrating the gifts that all of humanity has to offer.
With the support of a grant from Calgary Arts Development Association (CADA), CRSP is embarking on this journey. Guided by our Artistic Director, Jane Perry, we will explore, with the help of leaders in Indigenous, Black and People of Colour (IBPOC) communities, ways we can creatively and respectfully work together. Then we will take steps to create an environment that attracts and welcomes greater diversity in the choir itself and in our audience. Starting with guest artists, we will move towards collaborative performances. We will continue to share with people of all cultures the music we love, while embracing new music and new relationships. We want prospective choristers and audience members from previously underrepresented groups to be able to see themselves in our work and want to join us.
We have company in this work. For example, Winnipeg’s Renaissance music ensemble, Camerata Nova, founded by Cree composer Andrew Balfour, has renamed itself Dead of Winter, and is incorporating Indigenous stories and songs into its performances. Locally, String Theory Music Collective’s (STMC) upcoming concert, Chant, features a new work by STMC’s Andrea Neumann and Sherryl Sewepagaham, a Cree/Dene song-maker who has also collaborated with Luminous Voices. And a recent Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra concert, I Rise, was an innovative combination of contemporary choral music and the Black Lives Matter Mural Project. It included music by Florence Price, a female African American classical composer whose works have not received the attention they are now seen to have deserved.
Our journey is in its early stages. We hope to share the first fruits of this work with you, our audience, one year from now, in our winter, 2023 concert. Welcome to the journey!