Snowmobile And Full Orchestra

The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra's New Music Festival begins today, and their theme is "discovering Canada's musical voice."

That voice is key to the opening night concert, with singer-songwriter Sarah Slean (who will be releasing her new CD shortly) performing a world premiere by Winnipeg composer Glenn Buhr, with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

And apparently the snowmobile is also key. (Well, certainly the whine of a snowmobile across a frozen Canadian lake is an iconic sound, no?) As part of the celebration of R. Murray Schafer (he's 75 years old this year) there will be a performance of his 1973 work North/White, for snowmobile and full orchestra. (I guess you'd need full orchestra, wouldn't you, if snowmobile is also being played.) Also, another Schafer work for string quartet and orchestra, with the string quartet playing in different places around the orchestra, will also be preformed.

And if you are not so lucky as to be at the Centennial Concert Hall tonight to hear all this, mark down this date -- February 17th, when you can hear music from this concert on Sunday Afternoon in Concert.