From New York to Paris and everywhere in between, “refreshingly uncategorizable” (Paris Transatlantic) David Braid anchors this program of mind-bending experimental works from some of our most celebrated living composers. Balancing on “the border of jazz and chamber music” (Ludwig van Toronto), Braid explores the intersections of classical and jazz, between music and film, setting the trajectory for SOJOURN.

One of Steve Reich’s most famous works, Clapping Music (1972) found its start in a less than stellar concert experience. Reich recounts how, at an underwhelming flamenco concert in 1972, the high point came when the guitarists started clapping out a rhythm. Reich realised that in the absence of melody, rhythm could stand alone as authentic musical experience. The other Reich piece we hear tonight is similarly experimental. Originally written for string quartet and two pre-recorded quartets, tonight’s performance of The Triple Quartet (1999) will showcase a live ensemble of twelve musicians navigating the moody and expressionistic composition.

The string quartet is a living, vibrant tradition. Throughout tonight’s journey we encounter creative takes on the genre. From the maximalist string orchestration of Jessie Montgomery to the eclectically frantic Bryce Dessner, SOJOURN celebrates new currents in string composition. One of Canada’s most exciting composers, Nicole Lizée’s Another Living Soul (2016) is hauntingly beautiful. It is also quite inventive, requiring the quartet to sing, ring bells, and play the boomwhacker. 

GRAMMY-Award winning composer Jessie Montgomery works in numerous non-profit organizations including the Sphinx project, dedicated to helping Black and Latino string players develop their craft. Strum (2012) is a string piece deeply infused with African American folk influences. Within its exponentially widening string textures, the piece moves from “fleeting nostalgia and transforms into ecstatic celebration.” 

In addition to being a classical composer, Bryce Dessner also has the honourable distinction of being listed as Rolling Stone’s 243rd greatest guitarist of all time. Based in Paris, Dessner’s compositional approach marks a stark departure from his award-winning band The National. He fuses a variety of Baroque and Minimalism aesthetics, making for a compositional style entirely his own. Aheym (2009) is the furious opening to Dessner’s album of the same name, his collaboration with the Kronos Quartet. His first solo recording project, Dessner’s style has been lauded as “furtive, urgent, [and] intense” (Pitchfork).

And finally, JUNO Award winners Mark Fewer and David Braid play David Braid. In a Canadian premier, the pianist’s Joya Concerto (2023) is a jubilant celebration of the many interconnections of world cultures. “I started thinking about Universal Music Design,” Braid describes. “Form, Melody, and Rhythm are basically constants, cross-culture-cross time… different cultures in different periods just express those constants differently.” As you listen to this concerto, watch for how Braid combines a variety of diverse sound worlds: American jazz, Indian classical music, Stravinsky-esque passages, even an homage to renowned pianist Jaya Hoy of North Battleford, Saskatchewan. This piece is a playful celebration of the universal experience of music-making. 

David Braid 

David Braid is “one of his country's true renaissance men” (Ottawa Citizen). The composer, improviser, and pianist is a ten-time JUNO nominee and four-time recipient. To single out a few more accomplishments: his chamber music album, FLOW, is “an exceptional work” (Los Angeles Examiner), while his spectacular compositions for Ethan Hawke’s Born to Be Blue surely explain why it’s considered one of the top jazz films of all time. From Hollywood to New York’s coolest jazz clubs, from Armenia to Canada’s most illustrious classical stages, this musical wanderer has clearly been everywhere – except the MCO. This will soon change in spectacular fashion. 

Mark Fewer

Mark Fewer has performed around the world to critical acclaim in virtually every role asked of a violinist, and then some. In a career that now spans over three decades, he’s graced Carnegie, Wigmore and Salle Pleyel, performed with Stevie Wonder, and appeared with major orchestras all over the world. Fewer has presented the premieres of over 200 works – some may recall his mind-blowing Canadian premiere of John Adams’ "The Dharma at Big Sur” for 6-string electric violin and orchestra a few years ago. The “genre-bending” (National Post) virtuoso is just as at home in early baroque as he is in jazz and the avant-garde. His collaboration with Braid will be something special. 

Janna Sailor

Janna Sailor is an acclaimed conductor, violinist, and visionary in the Canadian music scene. As the newly appointed Director of the Canadian Music Centre, Prairie Region, she is recognized for her commitment to inclusivity and innovation. She founded the Allegra Chamber Orchestra, a groundbreaking ensemble of female-identifying musicians with a mission to champion underrepresented voices and create change through music. Janna’s work emphasizes community engagement, including music programs for disadvantaged youth and initiatives supporting immigrants. She was named to Women in Music Canada’s “Honour Roll – 10 Female Artists to Watch” in 2023 and received the Betty Webster Award for Orchestral Innovation. Under her direction, Allegra recently premiered The IndigiDivas, spotlighting Indigenous opera singers. Janna is also pursuing an Executive MBA with the Global Leaders Institute for Arts Innovation, focusing on social entrepreneurship and community development.