When she saw her perform under the Yellowknife鈥檚 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 91大黄鸭 stage Oct. 13 and Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Oct. 14.
鈥淭he biggest thing that I鈥檝e heard about Tanya perform is, 鈥業t鈥檚 unlike anything I鈥檝e heard before,鈥欌�� Thomson said of the Polaris Music Prize-winner. 鈥淢y brother-in-law said to me, 鈥榃hen I see her live, I feel like I want to weep one moment and laugh the next, and I don鈥檛 know why.鈥欌��
Traditional throat singing, heavy metal and rock interpretations coalesce into Tagaq鈥檚 unique, and often highly improvised, operatic presence. Drawing inspiration from her Inuk roots, the Nunavut vocalist uses her artform to express her political statement.
鈥淭here鈥檚 sort of an underlying rhythmic pulse that鈥檚 continuant. There鈥檚 vocalization both on the inhale and exhale 鈥� that鈥檚 what allows it to be so continuant,鈥� Thomson said of Tagaq鈥檚 throat singing. 鈥淪he has the widest vocal range of anyone I鈥檝e heard. I wouldn鈥檛 describe it as pretty. It鈥檚 such an immediate vocal expression of her being. It鈥檚 wondrous. It bypasses your brain and goes straight to your heart. It鈥檚 hypnotic.鈥�
Originally performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Tagaq will close the performance with her own 25-minute composition dedicated to Canada鈥檚 missing and murdered indigenous women and girls entitled Qiksaaktuq 鈥� the Inuktitut word for grief. Following the K眉bler-Ross model for the five stages of grief 鈥� denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance 鈥� 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鈥檚 performance represents a shift in the orchestral world.
鈥淥rchestras have always been influenced by popular music. This is being influenced by a more contemporary music,鈥� Thomson said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l have some die-hard classical lovers in the audience 鈥� this might not be for them. For some in the audience, it will make them feel uncomfortable. She pushes the envelope for sure.鈥�
Thomson said there is always a level of uncertainty when bringing in an experimental artist like Tagaq, but it鈥檚 an opportunity the OSO couldn鈥檛 bypass.
鈥淲ithout risk, life is boring,鈥� Thomson laughed, noting that when western European composers originally brought cymbals into the mix it was considered a risk whereas now it鈥檚 commonplace.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the great thing about contemporary music 鈥� it keeps it fresh,鈥� Thomson said, adding that she hopes Tagaq鈥檚 performance will instil a love of the orchestra in younger listeners.
Before Tagaq takes the stage, however, the OSO will perform Christos Hatzis鈥� Thunder Drum 鈥� a three-movement piece featuring a live orchestra and an electronic soundtrack and samples of Tagaq鈥檚 vocalizations.
The second half of the performance will open with Dinuk Wijeratne鈥檚 First Winter. Commissioned by the Calgary Philharmonic, First Winter is an expression of the Sri Lankan鈥檚 first experiences with Canadian winter.
鈥淚 love exploring the whole gambit from across the centuries,鈥� Thomson said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what gives us a rich entry into the world of art.鈥�
The OSO will take the 91大黄鸭 Community Theatre stage alongside Tagaq Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available through 91大黄鸭 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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