When she saw her perform under the Yellowknife乌鸦传媒檚 midnight sun, Rosemary Thomson knew it would be a beautiful, brazen performance far removed from the classical mainstream.
The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of music director Thomson, welcomes renowned to the Kelowna stage Oct. 13 and Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Oct. 14.
乌鸦传媒淭he biggest thing that I乌鸦传媒檝e heard about Tanya perform is, 乌鸦传媒業t乌鸦传媒檚 unlike anything I乌鸦传媒檝e heard before,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 Thomson said of the Polaris Music Prize-winner. 乌鸦传媒淢y brother-in-law said to me, 乌鸦传媒榃hen I see her live, I feel like I want to weep one moment and laugh the next, and I don乌鸦传媒檛 know why.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
Traditional throat singing, heavy metal and rock interpretations coalesce into Tagaq乌鸦传媒檚 unique, and often highly improvised, operatic presence. Drawing inspiration from her Inuk roots, the Nunavut vocalist uses her artform to express her political statement.
乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 sort of an underlying rhythmic pulse that乌鸦传媒檚 continuant. There乌鸦传媒檚 vocalization both on the inhale and exhale 乌鸦传媒� that乌鸦传媒檚 what allows it to be so continuant,乌鸦传媒� Thomson said of Tagaq乌鸦传媒檚 throat singing. 乌鸦传媒淪he has the widest vocal range of anyone I乌鸦传媒檝e heard. I wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 describe it as pretty. It乌鸦传媒檚 such an immediate vocal expression of her being. It乌鸦传媒檚 wondrous. It bypasses your brain and goes straight to your heart. It乌鸦传媒檚 hypnotic.乌鸦传媒�
Originally performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Tagaq will close the performance with her own 25-minute composition dedicated to Canada乌鸦传媒檚 missing and murdered indigenous women and girls entitled Qiksaaktuq 乌鸦传媒� the Inuktitut word for grief. Following the K眉bler-Ross model for the five stages of grief 乌鸦传媒� denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance 乌鸦传媒� Qiksaaktuq is a five-movement piece combining improvised vocals from Tagaq and brass under Christine Duncan, while the strings, woodwind and percussion lead by Thomson provide a musical base.
While it marks a departure from traditional OSO programming, Thomson said Tagaq乌鸦传媒檚 performance represents a shift in the orchestral world.
乌鸦传媒淥rchestras have always been influenced by popular music. This is being influenced by a more contemporary music,乌鸦传媒� Thomson said. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檒l have some die-hard classical lovers in the audience 乌鸦传媒� this might not be for them. For some in the audience, it will make them feel uncomfortable. She pushes the envelope for sure.乌鸦传媒�
Thomson said there is always a level of uncertainty when bringing in an experimental artist like Tagaq, but it乌鸦传媒檚 an opportunity the OSO couldn乌鸦传媒檛 bypass.
乌鸦传媒淲ithout risk, life is boring,乌鸦传媒� Thomson laughed, noting that when western European composers originally brought cymbals into the mix it was considered a risk whereas now it乌鸦传媒檚 commonplace.
乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 the great thing about contemporary music 乌鸦传媒� it keeps it fresh,乌鸦传媒� Thomson said, adding that she hopes Tagaq乌鸦传媒檚 performance will instil a love of the orchestra in younger listeners.
Before Tagaq takes the stage, however, the OSO will perform Christos Hatzis乌鸦传媒� Thunder Drum 乌鸦传媒� a three-movement piece featuring a live orchestra and an electronic soundtrack and samples of Tagaq乌鸦传媒檚 vocalizations.
The second half of the performance will open with Dinuk Wijeratne乌鸦传媒檚 First Winter. Commissioned by the Calgary Philharmonic, First Winter is an expression of the Sri Lankan乌鸦传媒檚 first experiences with Canadian winter.
乌鸦传媒淚 love exploring the whole gambit from across the centuries,乌鸦传媒� Thomson said. 乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 what gives us a rich entry into the world of art.乌鸦传媒�
The OSO will take the Kelowna Community Theatre stage alongside Tagaq Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available through Kelowna Tickets, 250-862-2867. Tickets to the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Show Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. are available through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, .
parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com
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