Night on an Old Trade Route

...is in the news today! The concert is coming right up!

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I asked Crystal Kolt if I could post the invitation. Here it is:


AN INVITATION – NIGHT ON AN OLD TRADE ROUTE CONCERT

CRANBERRY PORTAGE Grand TIPI– May 24, 2008

Flin Flon Arts Council – (204) 687-5974 phone (204) 687-8799

ffac@mts.net



The Flin Flon Arts Council and The Flin Flon Community Choir wish to invite you to an amazingly cross-cultural experience on Saturday, May 24th, 2008.



Together with the Aboriginal members from Flin Flon and Cranberry Portage as well as the Flin Flon Indian/Metis Friendship Centre we will showcase a cultural concert unparalleled in our northern communities. With the support of the Cranberry Portage Art Festival and Aboriginal Elders, the concert will take place in Cranberry Portage’s Grand Tipi. This sacred venue, known as the largest Tipi in the world stands 70 feet high with 2700 square feet of space that can hold over 200 people.



Two concerts will be held on the day of May 24th. One at 2:00pm and the second at 8:00pm in the evening. For those interested in traveling by air (through Calm Air Airlines) to Flin Flon, there is a flight leaving Winnipeg at 11:30am arriving in Flin Flon at approximately 1:00pm. The Flin Flon Airport is about 15 minutes from Cranberry Portage.


PROGRAM - A NIGHT ON AN OLD TRADE ROUTE CONCERT - May 24th



Guests and audience members will be invited to participate in a Smudging ritual held outside of the Tipi before entering the Grand Tipi.



Once all in attendance are seated in the Tipi, an Elder will honour the proceedings and the audience with a blessing after which, The Red Rock Thunder Dance Troupe, an Aboriginal dance troupe from The Pas, Manitoba, will begin the Concert with a ceremonial Aboriginal entrance accompanied by a Welcoming Song sung by Cranberry Portage youth vocalist Mike Onibagon.



Crystal Kolt, Director of the Flin Flon Community Choir will give an offering of cloth and Tobacco to the Elder out of respect for the gathering and the meeting place. The four coloured cloths, (yellow, red, white and blue representing the different peoples in our nation as well as representing the different stages in ones life) will be hung at the four corners of the Tipi (North, South, East and West). Choir members will also have these same cultural coloured ribbons displayed on their sleeves out of respect.



It is at this point that 50 members of the Flin Flon Community Choir will approach the stage and perform their first number. Three original works will be premiered during this concert together with works by Manitoban composer Andrew Balfour and Ontario composer R.Murray Schaefer. The pieces which will be performed are:



Pictograph Premiere Performance Composer – Mark Kolt (Manitoba)

Lyrics – Brenda Schmidt (Creighton, SK)

Performed by the Flin Flon Community Choir

Pictograph musically describes the very present artwork and stories still clearly seen on our lake-side cliffs. This piece beautifully captures the philosophical emotion experienced when a traveler chances on one of these pre-contact images.



Story Teller - TBA



Words To Another Forest Song Premiere Performance Composer Mark Kolt

Soprano Soloist – Jana Dutkiewicz (The Pas) Lyrics – Brenda Schmidt



“Sometimes a word can be heard over music,

needles twanging twigs

branches drumming air

beating on neighboring trees”



This piece created for solo soprano and piano lets our hearts soar in reverie of our northern forests. We take our time and reflect on our place in this world.



Metis Spirit Reel Composer – Jim Hiscott

Performed by Fiddle and Button Accordian.



Fogarty’s Cove Composer – Stan Rogers

This song is sung in tribute to the many Scottish brothers who joined the forces of the Hudson Bay Company and became cherished members of our northern communities.



Snowforms Composer – R.Murray Schaefer

Performed by The Flin Flon Community Choir – Women’s Chorus

Snowforms is sung in remembrance of our northern Inuit peoples. We share so much and yet are so different. This song takes us through the journey of winter. As all northerners experience the different snows that take up so many of our days. The Inuit people expertly comprehend this white environment. R.Murray Schaefer’s piece musically teaches us about this culture.



Sound of Prayer for Mother Earth Composer – Andrew Balfour (Manitoba)

Performed by the Flin Flon Community Choir

Since Andrew’s exploration into his Cree roots, Manitoba has shared in his journey. Through his latest DVD entitled Wa Wa Te Wak, we travel through time and see Aboriginal suffering through the eyes of a young Cree girl walking through the streets of Winnipeg. Sound of Prayer for Mother Earth asks us to remember all of the Aboriginal communities in the world. All nations equally proclaiming adoration for nature.



A Night on An Old Trade Route Composer – Jim Hiscott (Manitoba)

Premiere Performance Poet – Brenda Schmidt (Creighton, SK)

Performed by the Flin Flon Community Choir

Finally, the reason d’etre for this concert and the catalyst for this cross-cultural collaboration. Night on an Old Trade Route was commissioned by The Flin Flon Community Choir in 2004 and as in any trapper journey, has traveled long and hard to get to its destination, patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity to be presented to the world. Brenda Schmidt’s poetry is drawn into a world of music with clear intent and matches the haunting textual quality with voice.



Our Concert ends as it began, with the sound of drum and dance of the Red Rock Thunder Dance Troupe who will perform a ritual closing ceremony.



Bannock will be served by the fire outside of the tent with continued chant and Metis fiddling following the celebration.



We are please to share this experience with you and hope you will be able to join us in celebration.



Sincerely,


Crystal Kolt

Director- Flin Flon Community Choir

Cultural Coordinator – Flin Flon Arts Council