Muttart Hall (Alberta College), 7:30 pm, May 15, 2010

Six of Canada’s leading new music ensembles have come together to create a countrywide event. Sparked by an idea from Vancouver’s Redshift Society, each group has commissioned a nearby composer, and each will play all six new pieces on the night of May 15. The concert will be performed by the Motion Ensemble (Fredericton), ECM+ and Bradyworks (Montréal), CONTACT Contemporary Music (Toronto), St. Crispin’s Chamber Ensemble (Edmonton) and Negative Zed (Vancouver). It features new commissions by Joel Miller (NB), Michel Frigon (QC), Gordon Fitzell (MB), Juliet Palmer (ON), Dave Wall (AB) and Jordan Nobles (BC). The instrumentation, based on Bradyworks, is guitar, piano, clarinet, double bass, violin and percussion.

Saint Crispin’s Chamber Ensemble has performed dozens of new and classical music concerts in Alberta since 1994 and appears on eight CDs and over 20 radio broadcasts. Leader and clarinetist Don Ross will be joined by local allstars Daniel Gervais, violin, Dave Wall, guitar, Roger Admiral, piano, Lindsay Woolgar, bass and Brian Thurgood, percussion.

Says Don: “Saint Crispin’s is thrilled to make a Six Team League with these world class groups. Dave Wall is a perfect fit for this project, an old friend with major chops as both a guitarist and composer. This new configuration for us, with bass and electric guitar, promises a lot of fresh new sounds. Dave’s piece is a driving funky groove while Jordan’s is more ambient. The other four promise to be anything from serene and simple to complex and intense.”

The show is at 7:30 pm on Saturday, May 15 2010 in Muttart Hall at Alberta College, 10050 Macdonald Drive. Tickets are $20 adults, $10 senior/students/underemployed available at the door or at TIX on the Square 780 420-1757 or www.tixonthesquare.ca

Saint Crispin’s gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Council’s Alberta Creative Development Initiative and the Edmonton Arts Council’s Edmonton Artists’ Trust Fund.