Thursday 29 October 2015

Become the Raven this Halloween!


Looking for something to do this Halloween? Be a part of the art! The igNIGHT Festival is looking for 5 or 6 people who would like to volunteer for the performative aspect of igNIGHT’s The Unkindness by Kasie Campbell. The Unkindness features a raven, a local foul who encompasses many affects; a chariot of the soul; a symbol of hope; a model of resilience; an infamous trickster; and a mediator of life and death. Throughout time, the raven is depicted by many cultures and portrayed within their mythologies, legends and folklore. The Unkindness (formerly “Untitled”) is a piece inspired by the revered avian creature.

Conceptualized by Kasie Campbell and executed with the assistance of the students of Keyano’s Art & Design program, their collaborative efforts bring the notorious raven to life through a myriad of materials, lighting and performance art. A piece that pushes the creative boundaries of all parties including: the artist, the students and the observers, The Unkindness is a piece that will pervade the mind and, like the raven, stamp its repute.   

Be a Part of the Art!


If you would like to volunteer and be a part of the final performance this is what is required:

Attire:


Kasie will provide black feathery masks for each participant.

Action:


Performers will situate and disperse behind the Raven and in the trees then slowly come out into the fog (there is a fog machine) by the bird and collect twigs and leaves. To add to the nest.

Date:


Friday, October 30th

Time:


8:30PM

The volunteers will meet the artist Kasie Campbell at the gazeebo at Keyano’s Doug McCrae Park where she will give you a mask and instruct you on what to do.


Performers can keep the masks once they have finished. If you are interested, please contact Kasie Campbell at: kasie1@ualberta.ca

Friday 23 October 2015

Meet the Artists' of igNIGHT














The Pool by Jen  Lewin


POOL (verb) = combine, amalgamate, blend, join forces, league, merge, put together, share
 The Pool is an environment of giant, concentric circles created from interactive circular pads. The Pool is a world where play and movement create swirling effects of light and colour. Imagine a giant canvas where you can paint and splash light collaboratively. Like a giant game of light “ping pong,” the pool will have users running and jumping, adding, bouncing, and mixing light together.

 The Pool is an interactive environment where movement creates swirling light and color. As users shift their weight or move from one pad to another, their motions are reflected on pads with color and movement. As multiple users play in the pool, their interactions become mesmerizing patterns of shifting and fading colours.

About the Artist

Jen Lewin is an internationally renowned light and interactive sculptor whose studio is located in Boulder, Colorado. Over the last 15 years, Lewin has honed her highly technical medium to fabricate large-scale interactive sculptures that combine light, sound and motion to encourage community interaction. From responsive sound and light forms that incorporate dance to giant robotic moths that flutter in response to human touch, Lewin’s use of technology as a medium challenges popular conceptions of new media works and their limitations. Focusing on pieces made for public use, she thinks beyond a traditional art exhibition to create an experience that brings vibrancy to neighbourhoods, parks and public spaces. At once organic and electronic, Lewin’s playful sculptures leave viewers enchanted and surprised while encouraging delight through their engagement with the work. In this sense, visitors to Lewin’s works become artists themselves.

 Her technically complex works have been featured at events including Vivid Sydney, iLight Marina Bay, Signal Fest and Burning Man, art Biennales in Denver and Gwangju and solo exhibitions in the United States, Portugal and England. Her design and multimedia work has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, The Smithsonian, Wired, The New York Times, BBC News and The Straits Times. Lewin served as Creative Director for the Ceren Project and Ivee Project at The Sundance Laboratory for Advanced Computing in Design, as well as a lead designer for ITN (Saber) in Palo Alto. Lewin attended New York University and earned her BA in Computer-Aided Architectural Design and her MPS in the Graduate Program in Interactive.

Rage, Rage, Against the Dying of the Light by Sarah Beck


As of 2015 the light bulb as we know it, also called the “Edison bulb”, will no longer be produced in North America. While this marks an advance in environmental responsibility, it also marks the death of a technology that changed the world. The light bulb, invented in Toronto, but associated with Thomas Edison, ushered in a new era. The light bulb’s impact was so great that it came to symbolize a bright idea. As this technology fades into the past, this piece is an epitaph that invites contemplation of change, hope, passage and death.

“Rage, rage against the dying of the light” is a line from a poem by Dylan Thomas entitled “Do not go gentle into that good night”. The poem was written by Thomas in 1952 to examine the death of his father. A year later he himself would be dead, at the age of 39, from his own hard living tendencies.
Light bulb packaging claims that each bulb will last approximately 60 days, or roughly 1500 hours, if run continuously. As known from practical experience, the lights will twinkle out at staggered rates, some holding on longer and some snuffed out early. The work invites contemplation of the inevitability of the viewer’s mortality. To resist change is as futile as the fight against death. On the contrary, lights represent hope and ideas, allowing viewers to bring layered meaning into their contemplation of the work. Because the piece is time based, it is likely be different each time it is experienced. This piece is proudly supported by the Ontario Art’s Council

*This installation will remain on exhibit for a duration of 60 days.








About the Artist Artist

Sarah Beck uses her art practice to address contemporary issues, engaging the audience with humour and common signifiers. Her studio practice favors accessibility and moves between mediums. Beck is a Saskatchewan artist currently based in Toronto. She has won various awards, including the Canada Council for the Art’s Joseph S. Stauffer Prize and the Ontario Arts Council’s Chalmers Arts Fellowship. She was featured at Toronto City Hall’s Museum for the End of the World during Nuit Blanche 2012, and at the 2010 Winter Olympic Cultural Olympiad. Beck completed her Interdisciplinary Master’s of Art, Media & Design at the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU) in 2010. During the summer of 2014 Beck was the first Artist in Residence at the International Space University. In 2015 Beck was named as a finalist for the Glenfiddich Artist in Residence prize.




Trimonic by Stefan Verstappen


Tri-Monic is a multi-sensory interactive installation that requires viewers to interact musically with the installation. By singing or playing the correct musical notes, the installation responds by playing the harmony and providing a synchronized light display. 
Each wedge is programmed to respond to only a specific set of notes. When the correct note is sung or played, the wedge will activate and play its own tone tuned to the third interval, lower octave of the viewer’s note. The result is that the wedge will play in harmony with the viewer.

Simultaneously, the sound interaction will trigger the screen to light up and flicker at the same frequency as the note being played.

By singing a song or playing a tune, Tri-Monic offers an enlightening performance art exhibit that you will want to interact with every day!

About the Artist

Toronto native Stefan Verstappen recently returned from California where he was awarded the mayor’s recognition certificate for his contributions to the city of Ventura’s public art program.
In the years since opening his first studio, SunDog Arts, in 1981 in Kleinberg Ontario he has worked in dozens of mediums from stained glass and watercolors to foam sculpture and electronic art. His most recent commission was a pen and ink illustration for the Joe Fresh 2014 spring fashion line.
From 2000-12 Verstappen lived in Ventura, California and was associated with Art City and Green Art People where he worked on sculpture, multimedia art and completed several public art installations.

In 2008 Verstappen was commissioned by the City of Ventura to create his Tubular Zen installation - a kind of electronic Stonehenge that consisted of five 16 foot pillars that played notes of the pentatonic scale using the sound of a Shakuhatchi. 
"Technology allows me to create installations that work on multiple symbolic and sensory levels. Based on the existentialist concept that there is no art without the observer, my latest designs combine art with technology to create interactive public art that requires the participation of the observer in order to work.


As We Are Here by Jeremy Tsang


Historically, crystals and minerals have always played a cyclical and significant role to human beings; from beliefs of their healing properties, to their countless usage in materials and energy production, to our own body`s systematic needs. Participants will be thrusted into contemplating their own relationship to the land, feeling mesmerized as the colours and reflections on the surface of the crystals continuously transform. As We Are Here explores our interwoven relationship with the earth’s metamorphic elements.

With special thanks to Ramm Design Labs for their fabrication assistance.

About the Artist

Jeremy Tsang (NSCAD University, 2011) is a visual interdisciplinary artist currently practicing out of Toronto, CA. He has exhibited across Canada, including a survey of alternative landscapes (Lost Horizons, 2012) at St. Mary’s University Art Gallery (SMAUG). In 2014, Nocturne Halifax (akin to Nuit Blanche) produced one of Tsang’s diasporic installations. He was featured recently in the 30 Under 30 curated by art critic Gary Michael Dault at John B. Aird Gallery (Toronto, CA), the Exposure Photography Award exhibition presented at the Louvre (Paris, FR) and a photography-based growing collaborative Incubator Series exhibition at Latitude 53 (Edmonton, CA) over the summer months. Forthcoming 2015, Tsang has been commissioned by Nocturne to construct a major large-scale installation, will be featured in the upcoming issue of Concrete Flux Zine (Beijing, CN), and commissioned to construct a new installation work in Nuit Blanche Saskatoon and igNIGHT Fort McMurray, AB. 

Tsang’s work of photographs, videos, text, object-making, reinterpretation of found ephemera, and installations are included in the public collections of Sobey Art Foundation and SMUAG and as well many private collections around the world. Additionally, Tsang divides his time to sit and advice on various boards, concurrently on South Asian Visual Art Centre (SAVAC) and Gallery 1313.


Wreck to the Seaman, Tempest to the Field by Robert Cram and Nathaniel Wong



Wreck to the Seaman, Tempest to the Field is an immersive installation combining light, kinetic sculpture and sound that celebrates connectedness, nomadic tendencies and exploration as compounding attributes that dictate spatial organization and development. As a sculptural form, the structure will be constructed and utilized as a canvas vivifying the ecologic process of wind, change and transition. The intention is to contrast the romantic ideals of open space exploration with the limitations of stationary place and habitat.

About the Artists

Robert Cram is a landscape architect and artist who has worked on a range of public and private projects across Canada. His design methodology is founded on a post-disciplinary approach that infuses research, art and ecological thinking. He remains active in the Toronto art and design community as a practising artist, curator and member of a local artist’s cooperative.


 Nathaniel Wong is an interdisciplinary artist who works in video, sculpture and sound. His works incorporate humour and playful forms that are informed by philosophy, literature and history. Wong recently completed his MFA from Simon Fraser University, has shown in Vancouver and Edmonton and is an active member of the Dynamo Arts association in Vancouver.


The Unkindness by Kasie Campbell and the students of Keyano College Art and Design Program


The raven, a local foul, encompasses many affects; a chariot of the soul; a symbol of hope; a model of resilience; an infamous trickster; and a mediator of life and death. Throughout time, the raven is depicted by many cultures and portrayed within their mythologies, legends and folklore. The Unkindness (formerly “Untitled”) is a piece inspired by the revered avian creature.

Conceptualized by Kasie Campbell and executed with the assistance of the students of Keyano’s Art & Design program, their collaborative efforts bring the notorious raven to life through a myriad of materials, lighting and performance art. A piece that pushes the creative boundaries of all parties including: the artist, the students and the observers, The Unkindness is a piece that will pervade the mind and, like the raven, stamp its repute.   

About the Artists

Kasie Campbell is a visual artist working in Edmonton, Alberta. Campbell focuses on integrating a variety of media including sculpture, installation, new media and performance. She has earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Alberta and hopes to continue on to her M.F.A in a few years’ time. Campbell is a recipient of the International Sculpture Centre’s Outstanding Student Achievement Award in contemporary sculpture and her work will be sent to Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey for the Fall exhibit.

Students of Keyano College Art & Design program (Fall 2015) worked with Kasie Campbell to cultivate this large-scale public art installation.


Thursday 22 October 2015

igNIGHT is ready to illuminate Wood Buffalo


 The lights of the 2015 igNIGHT Festival are set to brighten the night sky starting on Friday, October 23. Held in conjunction with the local public art community, the six temporary installations will be placed around downtown Fort McMurray, invigorating public spaces and stimulating the imagination and creativity of Wood Buffalo residents.

“This year’s edition of igNIGHT is a true representation of the beauty, imagination and raw creativity that we hope to inspire,” said coordinator Theresa Jolliffe. “We have been able to collaborate closely with the arts community in Wood Buffalo and are excited for residents to experience this interactive exhibition.”

The igNIGHT installations will be active every evening, creating unique experiences for residents that reinforce community pride. A nightly guided bus tour will leave the Main Bus Terminal (Franklin Avenue and Main Street) at 8 p.m. and run until approximately 10 p.m., with special performances being held on October 23 and October 30.

Pre-register today to ensure a space on the bus:
Performing Arts Tours:  ignightperformingtour.eventbrite.ca
Informative Tours:         ignightinformativetour.eventbrite.ca

igNIGHT 2015 installations:

Rage, Rage Against the Dying of the Light, by Sarah Beck
Jubilee Plaza
Contemplate the inevitability of change while viewing this time-based piece; it is likely be different each time it is experienced.

The Pool, by Jen Lewin
Jubilee Plaza
Play and create swirling effects of light and colour – imagine a giant canvas where you can splash in the light with others as you jump, bounce and move.



    As We Are Here, by Jeremy Tsang
    Main Bus Terminal (Franklin Avenue and Main Street)
    Contemplate your relationship to the land as the colours and reflections continuously transform.




Tri-Monic, by Stefan Verstappen
MacDonald Island Park
Sing or play the correct musical notes and watch as the installation responds by playing the harmony and providing a synchronized light display.



Untitled, by Kasie Campbell and Keyano       
College Art and Design students
Doug McRae Park, Keyano College
Watch as the notorious raven is brought to life through a myriad of materials and lighting.


Wreck to the Seaman, Tempest to the        
Field by Robert Cram and Nathaniel Wong
Snye Park
Sail in your imagination with this exciting combination of light, kinetic sculpture and sound as they combine to celebrate connectedness, nomadic tendencies and exploration.


Tuesday 20 October 2015

Great Kids Award


In spring 2016, the Government of Alberta is presenting the 16th Annual Great Kids Award to celebrate Alberta’s remarkable young people. Great kids capture the vitality of Alberta by helping, inspiring and changing the lives of others.

These amazing young leaders deserve our recognition because they are role models in our communities. Our future promises to be bright led by kids like these individuals.
Nominate a Great Kid Today!

Nominate a child or youth between the ages of 5 and 18 for positively impacting our communities or the lives of Albertans. Sixteen great kids will be selected from four age categories (5-8, 9-12, 13-15, and 16-18) and celebrated at a special awards ceremony.
Who can be a nominator? Any resident of Alberta can nominate a Great Kid – teachers, coaches, pastors, social workers, neighbours, friends and family!
Look around your community...seek out and celebrate the amazing young people we have in Alberta!


All nominations must be received by November 27, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. If you have questions, please visit www.humanservices.alberta.ca/department/great-kids-award.html. For additional information, please call 780-415-8150 or email HS.greatkids@gov.ab.ca.

Human Services hosts the awards with the support of Fantasyland Hotel.

Tuesday 13 October 2015

The Famous Wop May


The next time you are at the Fort McMurray International Airport waiting for your luggage, why don’t you take a step outside for some fresh air? Open the glass doors to the outer courtyard and you will notice at the far side there is a Heritage Plaque, one of many installed around the region. Take a closer look and you will notice this plaque is in honour of Wilfrid “Wop” Reid May, a famous bush pilot.

Wop flew the skies around Wood Buffalo for many years. He was born on March 20, 1896 in Manitoba and grew up in Edmonton.  As a pilot during the First World War, Wop shot down 13 enemy aircraft and he was also involved in the aerial battle in which the infamous “Red Baron” was killed.

In January 1929, Wop and Vic Horner piloted an open-cockpit plane from Edmonton to Fort Vermillion to deliver diphtheria vaccine. “The Race Against Death” made headlines across Canada.

In 1929, Wop and his wife Violet moved to Fort McMurray and established Commercial Airways Ltd. based on the Snye River. The company completed the first official airmail flight to the Arctic.

In 1932, Wop became the first pilot to track down a fugitive from the air when he assisted the RCMP in the manhunt for the “Mad Trapper of Rat River.” During his lifetime, Wop received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Order of the British Empire. Following his death in 1952, Wop was inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame and in 2004, NASA named a rock on Mars “Wopmay” in his honour. For more information on Wop May check out www.wopmay.com.  


Friday 9 October 2015

Diana Moser, A Few Good Men


Keyano Theatre’s first play in its 4-Play Drama Series A Few Good Men, written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Dave Horak closes this Saturday. Do not miss this tense, award-winning, drama about military lawyers at a court-martial who uncover a high-level conspiracy in the course of defending their clients, two United States Marines accused of murder. The show plays tonight and tomorrow starting at 8pm. Purchase your tickets today at www.keyano.ca/theatre


Community Strategies coordinator Michael Beamish, recently interviewed local actor Diana Moser about her experiences in the show playing the character Lt. Commander Joanne Galloway. A lawyer with the Navy JAG Corps, specifically the internal affairs division where she works as an investigator.

Michael Beamish: When did you start acting?

Diana Moser: I did some acting in musical theatre in high school, but I really got into acting when I was cast in the ensemble of Les Miserables at Keyano Theatre a couple years ago. I’ve done two more plays since then, Cabaret at Keyano and the one act play The Most Massive Woman Wins with Theatre; Just Because.

MB:  What were the rehearsal like?

DM: The rehearsals were very interesting. We spent the first several rehearsals sitting at a table, reading carefully through the script and noting significant shifts in character, emotion, mood, etc. As a cast we had good discussion of the themes of the play, and what was important to us in putting on this production. We spent time going through movement and space exercises, which really got us working together as an ensemble. I found that moving around and blocking the show helped to solidify lines for me, and then the director’s specific work with us on the intention and thinking behind all of the lines and scenes strengthened my character and her relationships. I really enjoyed adding in the technical elements of the play (costumes, sound, lights) too. It sure went by quickly though!

MB: What was it like working with Dave Horak?

DM: I enjoyed working with Dave! He had a clear vision but he was very interested in helping me get through my process of building my character and relationships. I always felt like I could try things and really play. He was thoughtful and supportive, and he brought in many ideas and concepts for me to try as an actor; I learned so much. He definitely steered this ship with confidence!

MB: Who have you bounded with most in this show?

DM: As an actor, I feel that I bonded the most with Brodie, who played Daniel Kaffee. He has such great energy and I found that we had strong chemistry on stage. I always felt good about trying things, he was right there with it. He’s so pro, I learned so much. I would totally work with him again.

MB: What is it like acting with your husband, Chris?


DM: It was fun acting with him! We did Les Miserables together, but we never interacted as characters. Our characters in this play are reluctant partners, mostly held together by Kaffee, which was an intriguing relationship to play. I think I most enjoyed seeing him develop his character. And working on this play together sure made learning lines a little easier!

MB: What is your backstage ritual?

DM: Aside from the usual warm up, hair, makeup, and costume, I need to ground myself. I check my props and costume change placements before the start of the show, and I like to just sit in my dressing room until we’re called for the top of the show. I don’t close my door, I like hearing all the commotion going on, but I keep myself directly out of it so that I can be aware of myself and my mind set.

MB: What is your favourite line and why?

DM: “I know how to fight, but you know how to win.” (Act 1, Jo to Kaffee)
Jo decides what is important – sure, she doesn’t quite like Kaffee, she doesn’t really understand his personality, the whole situation around the case bothers her – but she realizes the bigger picture and how to get there. It is hard to recognize the parts of yourself that you wish were better, and it’s even harder to admit when someone else can do what you can’t. But that is the reality of life, and you can draw strength where and when you need it by embracing this.

MB: What is your favourite scene in the play?

DM: My favourite scene in the play is in Act 1, when the JAG lawyers visit the Guantanomo Bay Marine base and they meet Colonel Jessup and his officers for the first time. There’s great shifts in power, character motivations and traits are highlighted, and there’s a lot of important information that the characters and audience find out.

MB: Why should people come see this show?

DM: People should come and see the show because of the characters, the story, and the energy. What Aaron Sorkin created through his words and what we have developed as a cast and crew is unique and fascinating. Bonus – you may hear a famous line or two!

For tickets or more information please visit www.keyano.ca/theatre or contact the Keyano Box Office at 780-791-4990.




Wednesday 7 October 2015

Diversity Summit 2015










It is with great excitement that we invite you to attend Diversity Summit 2015 – “Destination Diversity: Pathways to Change”.
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Regional Advisory Committee on Inclusion, Diversity and Equality (RACIDE) and the Interdepartmental Committee on Inclusion, Diversity and Equality (IDCIDE) are hosting this summit to recognize and celebrate diversity and foster a sense of pride in this community.

The Keynote Speaker Laurel Vespi will give her dynamic address ‘The Power of One.”  In her empowering and inspirational address, Laurel will share a simple formula for creating the kind of positive impact YOU can have in your family, workplace and community. A popular speaker, certified life coach and published author, Laurel provides audience members with a great recipe for outstanding success by focusing on positive difference.  The Power of One is particularly popular with charities, caring professions teachers and workplaces where staff members are asked to do a lot more with less resources.

Date: Thursday October 29, 2015
Time: 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Place: Royal Canadian Legion

Please follow this link to the Diversity Summit page to register: Diversity

Tuesday 6 October 2015

Elizabeth Clarke in Concert



Fort McMurray is in for a classical delight!

The Fort McMurray Music Teachers’ Association is pleased to present a weekend of classical music, October 17th and 18th at the Casman Centre Amphitheatre.

On Saturday, October 17, 1 pm-5:15pm, there will be a Master Classes recital featuring local piano students. On Sunday, October 18, 7 pm, master pianist Elizabeth Clarke will perform. Both performance are free of charge.

Last week, Community Strategies Coordinator, Alanna Bottrell chatted with Fort McMurray’s own Elizabeth Clarke about her passion for piano.

Alanna Bottrell: Tell us about yourself

Elizabeth Clarke: I was born and raised in Fort McMurray, where I lived with my family until I finished high school.  Then I did my undergraduate degree in music at the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus in Camrose and now I am finishing my Masters degree at the University of Victoria.

AB: I assume you took piano lessons as a child.  Was it a chore or did you love it?

EC: Yes, I started when I was six.  As with any kind of learning, sometimes I loved it and sometimes it was hard work and I wished I could be off playing with my friends instead.  That probably still applies!

AB: What made you stick with it?

EC: Initially I think I liked the challenge, and I wanted to play because my older sister did.  After that it was just something I always did.  From the beginning I saw that the more I practiced the better I got, so I wanted to stick with it and see how far I could go.

AB: Who's the best piano teacher you ever had?

EC: That's a hard question, as I have had a lot of piano teachers and I have learned different things from each of them.  Some have focused more on technique, some on musicality, and some on performance skills and I am grateful for what I have learned from all of them.  I think the best teacher is one who understands the individuality of each student and is able to work in a way that inspires them.

AB: What advice do you have for a child/youth struggling with piano lessons?

EC: I think it's incredibly important for students to listen to advanced piano repertoire performed by professionals from an early age.  That's what inspires us to work harder and get better.  If your only concept of piano playing is rudimentary finger exercises or struggling to read notes, of course you won't want to stick with it.  But if you know how exciting and beautiful piano playing can be, then you have something to work towards.

I think it should be required for all young students to go to Classical music concerts where possible or at the very least listen to a lot of recordings.  Symphonies, chamber music, opera, solo repertoire- it really doesn't matter as long as their musical curiosity is piqued. I think another key is showing children how creative they can be at the piano.  So many piano methods are very restrictive, teaching children "right" and "wrong" finger technique without encouraging them to listen to the sound they are actually making.  So it becomes more like typing class than music making.  Students can be much more inspired when they learn to listen and realize that they can make artistic choices that affect the music.

AB: What are your career aspirations?

EC: I'm hoping to start my doctoral degree next year, and eventually have a career that blends teaching and performing.

AB: What are some things that people don't know about piano players?

EC: I think a lot of people don't realize how much intellectual thought and hard work goes into preparing a piece.  Just learning the notes is the equivalent of a sculptor ordering a block of marble.  It's the basis that everything starts from, but the real art comes from what you do with your block.  Pianists have to make so many choices about nuances in the music and these can really make the difference between a moving performance and something that falls flat.  The only way to figure all these things out is careful practice and experimentation.  We don't just sit down and magically make music happen!

AB: What will you be playing at the concert in Fort McMurray?

EC: I will be playing pieces by Benjamin Britten, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Robert Schumann, and Ludwig van Beethoven.  The first piece, Britten's "Holiday Diary" suite was written in 1934 while he was still a student at the Royal Conservatory in London, England, and is dedicated to his piano teacher at the time, Arthur Benjamin. It is meant to evoke scenes from a seaside holiday and is a lot of fun to play.  The Rachmaninoff was written only three years before, in 1931, but it is stylistically very different and more closely related to the traditions of the 19th century.  It is very beautiful but has a dark, gloomy mood throughout.  Things get more hopeful with my Schumann piece, whose German title translates to "Songs of Dawn".

It's a set of five short pieces that are meant to evoke the feelings one would have at the approach and growth of the morning.  The final piece is Beethoven's Piano Sonata in A Major, Op. 101.  It's one of his last piano sonatas and has a deeper, more spiritual mood than some of his earlier works.  Many of these pieces are not often performed, so I am excited to share them with people who may not have heard them before.

AB: What's your favourite music to play?  Why?

EC: Some of my favourite composers are Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms.  I love how their music is both emotionally moving and intellectually well put together.  Careful thought went into every note that was composed, and the focus is usually on the beauty of the music itself and not on the virtuosity of the performer.  It's a real challenge to think through this music and come up with a convincing interpretation, but it's always.

For more information about the concert please contact:  Janey at 780-792-8928.  

             

Thursday 1 October 2015

Celebrating Family Literacy Month


October 2015 Activities


Reading is important! It exercises our mind, it’s one of the building blocks of life, helps us discover new things, improves our concentration, relaxes the body, and calms the mind. So many reasons to bring your family to one of the many October activities celebrating Family Literacy Month in the Wood Buffalo Region.


Family Literacy Month Kickoff
October 1, 2015
McMurray Experience 10am-11:00am
Join us as we kick off the month of literacy. Bring your wee ones for a “theatrical” reading of favorite Imagination Library books. Snacks and drinks are provided.

Jacqueline Guest Reading
Oct 20, 2015
Wood Buffalo Regional Library, 7-8:30pm
Jacqueline Guest is a celebrated Canadian youth and children’s storyteller. Many of her award
winning books have main characters of ethnic
backgrounds including First Nations, Inuit or Metis. If you’ve read her books you’ll agree she brings
magic and immense awe. If you haven’t had a chance to read Jacqueline’s books then take this
opportunity and be prepared to be drawn into her storytelling. Bring your Jaqueline Guest books or
pick up one of her new ones she will be available for signing.

Rural School Author Tour
October 20-22, 2015 Various Locations
Students and staff at elementary schools in the rural schools in Wood Buffalo will be enjoying magical and adventurous storytelling by our local author, Sheila Chartrand, and celebrated Canadian youth and children’s storyteller, Jacqueline Guest. They will travel to schools in Fort McKay, Anzac, Conklin, Janvier, and Fort Chipewyan to share their talents and stories, entertain, and inspire young ones to read and perhaps even begin writing.



Youth Writers Workshop
October 22, 2015 Red Poll Centre 6-9pm
Fee: $15/$20 snacks provided Register at
ch-youthwriter.eventbrite.ca
Charlene Hammond will teach your budding youth author how to bring stories to life. The workshop will help writers learn the process of writing from start to finish. For more info please contact
info@artscouncilwb.ca

Authors Success Program
October 24, 2015
Shell Place Diamond Ball Room
Fee: $40/$50 Lunch is provided Register at
ch-youthwriter.eventbrite.ca
Charlene Hammond will help you master the tools to launch or re-launch your book and sell the work, create a global presence, secure media and much more! For more info please contact
info@artscouncilwb.ca

Family Book Swap
October 31st
Wood Buffalo Regional Library 12:30-4:30pm
Come in costume and fill your bags and treats.
Exchange and share your favorite adults and
children’s books. Let’s spread the love of reading.



Brought to you by: