Musica Intima to Present (RE)BIRTH Concert This Month

Vancouver's renowned musica intima will close its 30th season with (re)birth, a meditative concert featuring songs inspired by the ripe imagery of nature, spring, and growth that both acknowledges the ensemble's past and celebrates its exciting future with performances on Friday, April 28 at Heritage Hall and Saturday, April 29 at Christ Church Cathedral.

"(re)birth is bound to be an unmissable celebration of music that will highlight the amazing vocal versatility and history of the ensemble," says Jacob Gramit, musica intima's Artistic Manager. "We have curated a wide range of Canadian music that includes favourites from previous concerts and an exciting world premiere by Canadian composer Tawnie Olson."

musica intima is honoured to be premiering The Call by Canadian composer, Olson, which sets excerpts from a speech by Rosemary Brown, the first Black woman to be elected to the provincial government of British Columbia, about reproductive rights and the early notions of intersectional feminism.

musica intima will also revisit Silver, the group's last milestone commission for its 25th anniversary by Vancouver composer Kristopher Fulton with evocative text from Modernist poet Hilda Doolittle's poem Pear Tree.

Rounding out the trio of commissions performed at (re)birth will be Jocelyn Morlock's Exaudi, featuring cellist Jonathan Lo. As musica intima, the music community in Vancouver, and colleagues across Canada continue to mourn the loss of this radiant composer, there is no more fitting tribute than this haunting work which takes the listener on a journey from death to light.

More featured Canadian music will highlight a diversity of voices, including Tracy Wong's Jauh/Dekat, based on Malay proverbs; Stuart Beatch's a boy & a boy, a queer retelling of Eric Whitacre's classic A Boy and a Girl with words by Matthew Stepanic; and a brand new in-house arrangement of Canadian-Guadalupean singer Malika Tirolien's Oliassa, which aims to capture "the sound of a feeling that can be different for everyone". The ensemble will also perform works by Indigenous composers and friends of musica intima Andrew Balfour and Sherryl Sewepagaham.

For tickets and further information, visit: musicaintima.org/rebirth

About musica intima (musicaintima.org)

Internationally renowned for their engaging stage presence, impeccable musicianship, and| new perspectives on ensemble singing, musica intima holds a unique position in the Canadian choral realm. Based in Vancouver's vibrant choral scene, musica intima works collaboratively as Canada's only conductor-less vocal chamber ensemble. Sharing leadership and exchanging ideas freely, musica intima creates riveting performances that audience members have described as "mind-blowing, heart-opening."

Over the past 30 years, musica intima has commissioned more than 20 new works from Canadian composers and championed contemporary Canadian vocal repertoire across the country and around the world.

musica intima performs and operates on the stolen territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and acknowledges their privilege as settlers on these lands.

musica intima presents

(re)birth

Dates:

Friday, April 28 at 8pm at

Heritage Hall (3102 Main Street, Vancouver)

Saturday, April 29, 7:30pm at

Christ Church Cathedral (690 Burrard Street, Vancouver)

Tickets and information: musicaintima.org

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