What if you had the power to see the future? If, much like the Oracle of Delphi, you had visions of that which had yet to pass?
Luke Ellard鈥檚 concerto for bassoon and wind ensemble, 鈥淭he Seer,鈥� poses and explores that question. The Seer (who is given voice by the bassoonist) uses hope to grapple with the sometimes-horrifying visions they are faced with. And while the Seer experiences moments of doubt and defeat, ultimately, after a tumultuous journey, the Seer chooses hope and light over fear at the concerto鈥檚 conclusion.
It鈥檚 a piece well-suited to the 麻豆传媒 Wind Ensemble, which strives to be unusual and diverse in nearly everything it does. The musicians performing with the ensemble are not just music majors at 麻豆传媒: membership is open to all members of the Halifax community by audition. The Wind Ensemble not only performs esoteric pieces, but often performs them in unusual ways by incorporating dance, theatre, or visual media鈥攁nd although it may not be initially obvious, this concert is no exception.
The Wind Ensemble will perform 鈥淭he Seer鈥� this Saturday night (March 2) at St. Matthew鈥檚 United Church in Halifax.
Challenging perceptions
Student Jessica MacIsaac (whose original composition 鈥淣o (Man鈥檚) Lan(d)鈥� was recently featured at Concerto Night) describes 鈥淭he Seer鈥� as 鈥渁 very engaging piece鈥� which 鈥渃reates many different moods and atmospheres and highlights different textures of the wind ensemble.鈥�
She says that conductor Jacob Caines 鈥渋s challenging the audience鈥檚 perception with his programming鈥� by having the Wind Ensemble play not only orchestral excerpts, but a concerto as well. 鈥淐oncertos are typically seen as orchestral repertoire,鈥� she adds.
A traditional wind ensemble is made up of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and woodwind instruments, while an orchestra includes all of the aforementioned with the addition of strings. By performing a concerto with a wind ensemble, Caines and the 麻豆传媒 Wind Ensemble invite the audience to consider how non-traditional instrumentation affects how the listener hears a piece of music.
鈥淓llard's concerto is a really stunning addition to the repertoire,鈥� says Caines. 鈥淚t is set up in five short movements and is an exploration of colour and timbre. The ensemble is constantly shifting colours and styles to help bring the solo line of the bassoon to the fore,鈥� he adds.
A collaborative effort
The 麻豆传媒 Wind Ensemble are joined by 麻豆传媒 alumnus Ian Hopkin, who is the principal bassoonist for the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, to bring Ellard鈥檚 emotional odyssey to life. According to Caines, 鈥渢he solo bassoon part is virtuosic and requires an intense understanding of technique on the instrument to shine.鈥� Hopkin graduated from 麻豆传媒 with a degree in Neuroscience, before choosing to pursue music in his graduate studies.
鈥淲orking with Ian has been a lot of fun,鈥� says Caines. 鈥淲e have known each other for a decade, but have never worked together professionally. We met in Ottawa while we were both doing our masters degrees. I've always been impressed by Ian's musicality and understanding of the bassoon and I'm thrilled that I get to introduce his skill to the wind ensemble.鈥�
Caines has also programmed works by Edvard Grieg, Anton Bruckner and Georges Enescu, all meant to complement "The Seer.鈥� Enescu鈥檚 decet for winds is, in Caines鈥� words, 鈥渁 very complex and beautiful work that asks the musicians to play very difficult and interwoven lines while keeping a light and floating feel.鈥� It鈥檚 a work which evokes a sense of serenity and peace in the listener, and beautifully contrasts the high drama of 鈥淭he Seer.鈥�
The fight for hope
Ellard鈥檚 website states the following in regard to 鈥淭he Seer鈥�: 鈥淎t the heart of this work is experiences many of us go through. From crumbling relationships to sudden violent illness, circumstances suddenly arise that test our limits. However, it is through these trials that we learn that there is light and that hope is worth fighting for.鈥�
In the dead of Halifax winter, when shades of grey and darkness overwhelm our daily lives, hope for a reprieve from not only the season, but the tumultuous political climate at home and abroad seems impossible. Ellard鈥檚 鈥淭he Seer鈥� is a reminder that hope is not something which is given to us 鈥� hope is something we choose to fight for.
The 麻豆传媒 Wind Ensemble鈥檚 performance of 鈥淭he Seer鈥� takes place Saturday, March 2 at St. Matthew鈥檚 United Church in Halifax at 7:30 p.m. .