Vancouver, CANADA (Feb 7, 2021) – The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) continues its commitment to reconciliation with the OriginO Kids Concerts performance of Carnival of OUR Animals this Sunday, February 13th at 2pm at the Orpheum and livestreamed through the VSO Online platform. This performance represents a special collaboration with the VSO Indigenous Council that presents a new take on French composer Saint-Saëns’s famed composition and adds new music inspired by animals of the Pacific Northwest.
Originally premiered in October for local elementary students and teachers, this concert has audiences share in Indigenous stories, culture, and knowledge with members of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. For Carnival of OUR Animals, composer and conductor William Rowson has collaborated with knowledge keepers from each nation—Shane Point, Swo-wo Billy, and Gabriel George—to create this orchestral work based on animals of the Coast Salish territory: the Thunderbird, the Salish Woolly Dog, and the Eagle.
The upcoming Carnival of OUR Animals concert is a fun and interactive 1-hour performance for all members of the community to learn about and explore local Indigenous cultures. Introductions and performances by the knowledge keepers will share the stories and significance of these animals to a new generation.
“This project and further collaborations between the VSO and local Indigenous nations is fundamental to our commitment to Truth & Reconciliation,” states VSO President and CEO, Angela Elster. “Through the partnership between the VSO and the Indigenous Council, we are working with members of the community to actively share their stories and culture with Vancouver audiences.”
“The VSO’s Indigenous Council was created to build inclusion with the 3 host nations: Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, the urban Indigenous populations and the Metis peoples,” VSO Indigenous Council chair Councillor Dennis Thomas-Whonoak stated before the premiere of the work in October. “Music plays such a huge part in Indigenous cultures and we intend to incorporate Traditional songs and stories in collaboration with the VSO and the musicians to create one of a kind musical performances. The Carnival of OUR Animals concert will be our first program together, musically introducing animals of the 3 host nations, inspired by the cultural knowledge keepers of each nation: elder Shane Point (Musqueam), Swo-wo Gabriel (Squamish), and Gabriel George (Tsleil-Waututh).”
Carnival of OUR Animals is presented as an OriginO Kids Concert this Sunday, February 13, 2022, welcoming children, families, and the general public to the Orpheum for an afternoon of fun while listening in celebration to the sounds of the VSO, and Indigenous musicians and storytellers. Audiences can also watch the livestream through VSO Online on Sunday or later this month on-demand. VSO Music Room subscribers can enrich their experience with fun learning materials and study guides to prepare for the performance.
About the VSO Indigenous Council
The VSO is committed to Truth and Reconciliation and building stronger relationships with local indigenous communities. In seeking reconciliation, they have established an Indigenous Council made up of the Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm), Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh), and Tsleil-Waututh (səl̓ilwətaɁɬ) nations, as well as an elder, youth, Metis, and Urban Aboriginal representative.
This season the VSO and Indigenous Council will premiere Carnival of OUR Animals, a multi-movement work developed in collaboration with the Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm), Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh), and Tsleil-Waututh (səl̓ilwətaɁɬ) nations. The Carnival of OUR Animals concept and concert is co-created with the Indigenous Council, with a goal of sharing indigenous stories, culture, and knowledge on their shared stage.
The season also includes symphonic works by three Indigenous Canadian composers that showcase the breadth and diversity of Indigenous voices in classical music. Accomplished opera composer Ian Cusson writes new songs for mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabo. Cellist, composer, and creator Cris Derksen opened the regular season with a new setting of her powerful work “War Cry” for orchestra and cello solo. Andrew Balfour journeys inside Tchaikovsky’s mind with his work Pyotr’s Dream, an original commission from Tafelmusik.
With the guidance of the Council, the VSO hopes to continue working together to further the commitment to truth and reconciliation.
About the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1919, the Grammy and Juno-award winning Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is the third largest orchestra in Canada, the largest arts organization in Western Canada, and one of the few orchestras in the world to have its own music school.
Led by Music Director Otto Tausk since 2018, the VSO performs more than 150 concerts each year, throughout Vancouver and the province of British Columbia, reaching over 270,000 people annually. On tour the VSO has performed in the United States, China, Korea and across Canada.
The orchestra presents passionate, high-quality performances of classical, popular and culturally diverse music, creating meaningful engagement with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Recent guest artists include Daniil Trifonov, Dawn Upshaw, James Ehnes, Adrianne Pieczonka, Gidon Kremer, Renée Fleming, Yefim Bronfman, Itzhak Perlman, Bernadette Peters, Tan Dun, and more.
