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I am partnering with Creative Visions (Los Angeles—creativevisions.org) to secure funding that will introduce The Five Seasons to a global audience.
The project consists of three full-length concerts and a film. The music film (New Canoe Media) will integrate concert performances with breathtaking visuals illustrating the Earth’s five seasons, while also tracing the arc of human life.
TESTIMONIALS
I listened just now, before and after 5 AM. It’s just terrific. I love the composition and yr performers really kicked this upstairs with gorgeous expressive song flying out of them. Love their voices and ensemble sense. You got a hit here, mister. I’m sure audiences will love it every time. Peter Levitt- American Poet
“It’s hard to find words to describe the excellence of the performance in every way: beautiful, expressive, strong yet poignant.”-audience member
“This work is timeless and will inspire audiences for generations. What you have conveyed is a gift and I thank you for it.”-audience member
“From its first notes, this work grips you and transports you. Technically remarkable, emotionally extraordinary, it’s a work of great power, beauty and insight. It’s a timeless and masterful achievement.”-audience member
The Five Seasons, celebrates Earth’s changing seasons—Spring, Summer, Harvest, Fall, and Winter—and mirrors the human experience from birth to death.
The Five Seasons is a seventy-five-minute concert work and a film, organized into five distinct movements and performed by eight vocalists (SATB) and twelve instrumentalists. The repertoire incorporates texts ranging from 6th Century Chinese literature, Indigenous teachings, to contemporary sources from around the world.
The Five Seasons project not only serves as a reflection on the cycles of nature but also invites the audience to engage more deeply with environmental stewardship and personal growth. The Five Seasons fosters a greater appreciation for the interconnectedness of all living things and inspires a sense of responsibility toward preserving our shared home.
The Five Seasons draws inspiration from the writings of Rachel Carson in her book “A Sense of Wonder.”
‘Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts… There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature – the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
The creation of The Five Seasons was made possible through a substantial contribution from Robert Davidson, internationally renowned Haida Artist, as well as a distinguished award from the Music Division of the Canada Council for the Arts and The Gail O’Rirodan Climate and The Arts Legacy Fund.
A twenty-five minute abridged version of The Five Seasons was presented on May 31, 2024 at the Kirk Hall in Victoria BC. Six vocalists, eleven players. I conducted.
Here is a rehearsal recording of the abridged performance.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10tt0lbzV1bQqlouknSVkDw2o0T6XCYoS/view?usp=drive_link
Here is a link to a four minute film/music teaser. An example of the projects next stage to create a full length music/film of The Five Seasons.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17vLMMzike6e4Y0Zbptn2iiBbs7CgQlmn/view?usp=drive_link
