Cris Derksen
In a world where almost everything — people, music, cultures — get labeled and slotted into simple categories, Cris Derksen represents a challenge. Originally from Northern Alberta she comes from a line of chiefs from NorthTall Cree Reserve on her father’s side and a line of strong Mennonite homesteaders on her mother’s. A Juno-nominated classically […]
Surgeon
Surgeon emerged from the ashes of St. John’s instrumental rock group, NARROWS, back in 2008. Where Narrows paved the way with intricate guitar layers, massive grooves and infectious melodies, Surgeon draws inspiration from a darker, more twisted sound world. Taking cues from contemporary classical music, horror movie soundtracks, prog-rock legends and post-rock aesthetics, Surgeon “seamlessly […]
Jennifer Thiessen
Whether she finds herself on a concert hall stage or in an underground venue, Jennifer Thiessen relentlessly seeks a deep musical authenticity, in which she carves her own unique voice. She is a founding member of Cénacle, Toninato/Thiessen Duo and Park Sounds, and performs regularly with collectif9, Ensemble Caprice and Ensemble SuperMusique, among other historical […]
Ida Toninato
Montreal-based saxophonist, composer and improviser Ida Toninato has an ear for the unknown. Her playing is electric – an expression of her need to orient the sound she is making to the environment she is in, and to the people she is with. After years of playing contemporary music with various collaborators, she is diving […]
Teresa Connors
Teresa Connors is active as an acoustic/electroacoustic composer, opera singer, film scorer, and installation artist. Her creative works have received awards and support from the Canada Council for the Arts, British Columbia Arts Council, Bravo Fact and presented at international conferences, film festivals, and galleries. She has recently completed a practice-‐based creative PhD at Waikato […]
Faceless Forces of Bigness
The Faceless Forces of Bigness (FFoB) are an electronic collective. For the past 17 years the FFoB have explored generative composition within the parameters of real time improvisation. The FFoB create music and moving images using analog modular synthesizers networked to cutting edge video authoring tools.
Dawn Avery
GRAMMY nominated Dawn Avery creates a contemporary soundscape from electronica, pop and classical elements. Her sultry vocals and soaring cello lines reflect a deep spirituality rooted in her Native American heritage and love of Sufi tradition. Avery toured and performed with the Soldier String Quartet for 10 years at such venues as The Kitchen, the Knitting Factory, […]
James Harley
James Harley is a Canadian composer teaching at the University of Guelph. He obtained his doctorate at McGill University in 1994, after spending six years (1982-88) composing and studying in Europe (London, Paris, Warsaw). His music has been awarded prizes in Canada, USA, UK, France, Austria, Poland, Japan, and has been performed and broadcast around […]
Gayle Young
Gayle Young is a Canadian composer, musician, and author. Her music and sound installations include a wide variety of sound sources, from electronic and orchestral instruments to found stone and wood. In the late 1970s she developed notational systems and designed musical instruments to facilitate explorations in unusual tunings, and since 1993 has used multiple […]
Subhira Quartet
Subhira, one of the most innovative bands from Chile bring their unique blend of World, Latin American and Contemporary Acoustic Music to Sound Symposium. The band is composed of electric cellist Juan Angel Moñoz, violinist Danka Villanueva, film maker and percussionist Emai Cepeda, and Subhira Rodrigo Cepeda on piano, keyboards, didgeridoo, and ethnic instruments.