Diasporic Bridges

Diasporic Bridges, at Trinity St. Paul’s on Sunday afternoon, was the Amici Chamber Ensemble’s final concert of the season.  It celebrated the way that music binds emigrant communities together and provides a link to “home”.  Most, though not all, of the pieces performed were by composers of diverse styles and backgrounds living and working in Canada and the live music was preceded by an excerpt from Amici’s upcoming film on the same topic.  I’ll save writing about that until I’ve seen the whole thing.

diasporicbridges

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Show Me The Way

CDR-226-Cover-WEBShow Me The Way is a new double CD from baritone Will Liverman, pianist Jonathan King and various collaborators featuring vocal works by female American composers.  It draws on a wide range of influences from Ella Fitzgerald to Will’s mother.

There are several song cycles; some composed for the album or not previously recorded.  There’s A Sable Jubilee with music by Jasmine Barnes and text by Tesia Kwarteng.  It’s a celebration of “blackness” in various moods incorporating jazz influences into a complex tonal structure.  It’s beautifully sung by Liverman and very skilfully accompanied by King on piano. Continue reading

The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes

The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes (I’m going to abbreviate this to Shadow) is a theatre work created by Geelong based collective Back to Back Theatre.  It’s currently playing at the Berkeley Street Theatre as part of Canadian Stage’s season.  Back to Back is an unusual company.  Its actors all have perceived intellectual disabilities but, collectively, they have created theatre that has been seen on stages all over the world, on film and on television.

The Shadow Whose Prey The Hunter Becomes, Zurich, Back to Back Theatre, Image Kira Kynd 2022 (6).

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