Concert Program
Humanity
A musical exploration of the human experience
March 10, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Pacific Spirit United Church
Welcome to Elektra’s celebration of the human experience. The German poet, Heinrich Heine famously said, “Where words leave off, music begins.” Surely photography can make that claim as well! And together, well, a powerful opportunity to experience “all the feels” about being alive. I must admit to leaving out anger, indifference, frustration and, I’m sure, many more of the negative emotions. My goal is that we leave the concert reflecting on the great gifts of the relationships we have in our lives, our ability to get through the tough times when we have community around us, and the beauty and majesty of nature where we live.
I was attracted to the photography of friend and fellow musician Elizabeth (Beth) Larsen because of her ability to capture two central themes of tonight’s concert: spontaneous connections between people and the beauty of her environment which is Gitxsan Territory – the communities of the Upper Skeena in the Pacific Northwest of BC – the Kispiox, Skeena and Bulkley Rivers, small communities of First Nations and Settlers, and the spectacular backdrop of mountains. While the images may not all be of the exact scenes described in the music (we are not in New York or Norway), the images I chose evoked in me parallel emotions to those of the poets and songwriters. The broad strokes of these parallels will, I hope, allow you to place them in your own context and communities.
New music that reflects our themes can be found in Natalie Fasheh’s haunting Ya Amar, having its world premiere tonight. Composer and conductor Laura Hawley brings us three contrasting works, including her brand new suite, The Secret Wisdom of Flowers, co-commissioned with five other women’s choirs from Prince George, BC to St. John’s, Newfoundland. These choirs and their conductors are an important part of Elektra’s community.
The Humanity concert brings us together with Beth and her art, a dozen composers and arrangers, and the students of Elektra’s Mira Youth Mentorship program. My thanks to these talented and dedicated students in grades 10-12 and their teachers. Thanks, also, to the amazing singers of Elektra, who continue to embrace our musical journeys.
Guest Artist
Elizabeth Larsen ~ Photographer
Performance Pieces:
Canadian Work