Handel’s Messiah has been a Christmas season staple for nearly three centuries. Find out why as Juno-winning Rosa Barocca and Early Music Voices bring this masterpiece to Red Deer for the first time since 2018. With choir, orchestra, and a big “Hallelujah”, this concert will be a holiday hit!
Rosa Barocca’s mission is to present Alberta audiences with historically informed performances of Baroque music using period instruments to capture the spirit, stylistic approach and distinctive sound of that glorious musical era. Newly minted and comprised of musicians from across Canada, the ensemble had its debut in November 2016 with two greatly acclaimed performances of Purcell’s “Hail! Bright Cecilia” in Calgary and Red Deer under their Artistic Director Claude Lapalme. Since then, Rosa has performed more than a dozen concerts in collaboration with VoiceScapes, Luminous Voices and Spiritus Chamber Choir as well a concerts presented by Early Music Voices and the Red Deer Symphony; and with acclaimed artists such as Benjamin Butterfield, Andrew Mahon and Elinor Frey.
Every other year, Early Music Voices presents a full performance of Handel’s Messiah with guest soloists, Rosa Barocca and an outstanding small professional choir all led by Claude Lapalme. Our interpretation of this marvellous work with baroque instruments is not to be missed!
Altius Brass represents a unique collaboration of professional performers on brass and percussion instruments. Based in Calgary, Alberta, this eighteen-member ensemble under the musical direction of Mark Lennon, brings together musicians with a stimulating mixture of backgrounds, including professional orchestral performers from the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra, some of Calgary’s finest freelance performers, and instructors from Calgary’s public and separate school boards. All of these performers are united in their goal of exploring and expanding the musical repertoire for large brass ensemble, while continuing to increase the audience for such music.
Samantha and Walter are the Artists in Residence at Sam Livingston School. They will be creating a school song with the students while also using music and storytelling as a way to integrate into the school’s curriculum.
Telemann - Latin Magnificat in C
JS Bach - Cantatas 137, 140 & 147 (excerpts)
JS Bach - Dona nobis pacem
Mozart - Regina coeli, KV 276
With Guest Chorus:
UCalgary Concert Choir
Kathryn Parrotta, Director
Calgary Bach Choir and Chamber Orchestra
Terry Edwards, Artistic Director
Adult: $30
Senior: $25
Student over 18: $10
Student under 18: Free
The biggest high school and junior high band festival in Alberta!
Professional Development for the entire Staff at Sam Livingston by Samantha and Walter.
Samantha and Walter White Bear will be presenting at the seventh International Teaching Artist Conference in Auckland, New Zealand. This conference is hosted by ITAC’s New Zealand Hub: the Centre for Arts and Social Transformation (CAST) at Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland.
We will be coming together as artists and using our creative powers to make a positive impact in our communities, schools, and beyond. ITAC7 will be the place to be for international networking, professional development, partnership building, knowledge exchanges, and more. We are very excited to take part in this amazing event.
In partnership with the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra and the National Arts Centre, Walter White Bear (guitar/flute/drum), and Samantha Whelan Kotkas (trumpet/flugelhorn/piccolo trumpet) will be presenting their musical workshop ‘Inspired by the Land’ in select schools in Central Alberta.
Cross-curricular teaching artist duo, Walter White Bear and Samantha Whelan Kotkas, guide educators through their indigenous and cross-cultural approach to music. Walter and Samantha share their experiences of bringing a cross-cultural mentality and philosophy to Alberta classrooms and answer any and all questions about how to be part of reconciliation at this time in Canada.
What if we used artmaking to learn about others and the world around us? What if we allowed students to make and create, and then take it out into the world to share? What if students lingered in the process of art making to discover instead of making a product?
This May, Arts Commons is sending local teaching artists to Calgary schools for 135+ workshops to activate the imagination and inspire curiosities – for FREE!
Samantha Whelan Kotkas and Walter White Bear are the artists in residence at Manning Elementary in Northern Alberta. They will be facilitating a residency for grades K–6 inspired by the land and ‘Wandering with Wonder’.
In partnership with the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra and the National Arts Centre, Naomi Delafield (violin), Walter White Bear (guitar/flute/drum), and Samantha Whelan Kotkas (trumpet/flugelhorn/piccolo trumpet) will be presenting their musical workshop ‘Inspired by the Land’ in select schools in Central Alberta.
If you don’t recognize this concert title, you’ll still recognize the music. From Star Wars to Schindler’s List, Jaws to Jurassic Park, composer John Williams is the musical mastermind behind them all, and the RDSO is thrilled to present his greatest hits - live! With an epic orchestra and spectacular scores, there’s no better way to wrap up this standout season. May the Fourth be with you!
May The Fourth Be With You is sponsored by ATB Wealth.
Shows at 1:00pm and 3:30pm. Come and enjoy an afternoon listening to stories and some of Canada’s finest musicians. Storyteller/Musician Samantha Whelan Kotkas and her friends will entertain you and your children with musical interactive tales of child-accessible hikes in the Rocky Mountains. Teach your child about courage, unity, joyfulness, and caring in an afternoon of fun and adventure. An event for the whole family that you will want to be a part of.
Recommended for children aged 5 to 12, but created with the entire family in mind.
Come one hour before the show & enjoy family friendly activities. Stay after to meet the performers.
Tyler Hornby - Drums, Chris Andrew - Piano, Pat Belliveau - Saxophones, Aaron Shore - Guitar, Stephen Shepard - Bass
$15 adults/ $12 students/children/seniors
Hear a special performance of Mozart’s Requiem, reminiscent of our first performance in the Bella Concert Hall in 2015. The program will also feature works both accompanied and unaccompanied by Andrew Balfour, Owain Park, Jeffrey Ryan and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Our performance proudly features soloists who are all long-time members of Luminous Voices.
NATIVE AWARENESS TRAINING
LIMITED to 20 Participants
WHO: White Bear Services.
Facilitators: Walter MacDonald White Bear and Samantha Whelan Kotkas
WHAT: Native Awareness Training
WHERE: # Arts Commons, 205 8 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0K9
Arts Learning Center Room
When: Feb 12-2024, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Why: To meet the accreditation requirements for staff that work with Native people in social services and correctional services, or to expand your knowledge!!
HOW: COST-FREE!! rainsky44@yahoo.ca or TXT 403-714-2398
PLEASE NOTE:
The session will be Videotaped for promotional purposes. Waivers are to be signed
SO YOU ARE AGREEING TO BE FILMED
No audio will be used for the session. But optional brief interview at end of day
Musical storyteller Samantha Whelan Kotkas and pianist Mark Limacher create an interactive experience that will delight children of all ages. The Rocky Mountain Fairy Tales interweave story with melody, sparking both imagination and a love of music.
The Wheel of Life: Music and Storytelling
Join Walter White Bear and Samantha Whelan Kotkas for an afternoon of sharing stories, songs, and cross-cultural sharing.
Inspired by the land, water, and sky, Canadian cross-cultural musician/teaching artist duo Walter White Bear and Samantha Whelan Kotkas use the arts to reconnect people with nature.
Told in a theatrical and engaging style for all ages.
Located in the Inspiration Stage.
Samantha is the artist in residence at Jennie Elliott School from January - February 2024. She will be doing storytelling and music with the grade 5 classrooms centered around belonging, peace, and her ‘rocky mountain fairy tales’.
Come enjoy an evening of brass music and storytelling as we bring on the Christmas season. This pairing will delight audiences of all ages!
The biggest high school band festival in Alberta!
This November, the Rockies come alive with the sound of music, as concert and jazz band members strike up the bands! The Vic Lewis International Band Festival is a three-day, non-competitive event for junior high and high school bands, who arrive in Canmore for a weekend of learning, with instruction delivered by an international faculty of top-tier professional musicians and educators.
Ije Live is an immersive, participatory musical experience summarized by this saying “When we gather together in the moonlit village ground, it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his own compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.” - Chinua Achebe
"Ije" is an Igbo-Nigerian word for 'Journey'. Ije Live started out as a simple idea to recreate a childhood community experience. A safe space for soulful, uplifting and refreshing musical experience. It features original music, storytelling and more wholesome expressions of Perpie's art. It has now grown into a 'Gathering'. Like last year, it features saxophone and vocal performance by Perpie accompanied by the orchestra and more.
Join the RDSO as we kick off our 2023-24 season with two FREE performances of Bruce Adolphe's Tough Turkey in the Big City! Follow the comic blunders of Tom Turkey as he leaves the farm to try his luck in the big city... watch Tom tussle at the Turkey Club, fall in love with a Park Avenue pigeon, get the surprise of his life at the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and more!
Performed by an ensemble of six professional musicians and narrated by RDSO trumpet player and music educator Samantha Whelan-Kotkas, this funny, family-friendly favourite will be a hit with the young and young-at-heart alike!
With only two performances and very limited seating, these shows will fill up quickly. Reserve your spot today!
Tickets can be reserved here: Tickets
Calling all music teachers! Participate in a live-streamed panel discussion featuring NAC Teaching Artists and accomplished education professionals from coast-to-coast-to-coast. The culmination of three registration-only discussions on Indigenized, cross-cultural, and cross-curricular music teaching, this not-to-be-missed public live forum welcomes a range of diverse expertise and experience.
Emphasizing Cree, Inuit, and Mi’kmaq perspectives in the music classroom, access to this free livestreamed event will be shared via official National Arts Centre social media platforms on Thursday, September 14 and via email to those who optionally register . Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, this panel discussion concludes the four-part event series.
Calling all music teachers! Join Cree musician Walter MacDonald White Bear and classical trumpet player Samantha Whelan Kotkas for an interactive presentation of cross-cultural teaching artistry in the music classroom.
Register for free to attend this interactive session focusing on the creation and facilitation of inclusive, participatory, and culturally-responsive learning experiences. Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, this is the first of a four-part event series focused on Indigenized, cross-cultural, and cross-curricular music teaching.
This session additionally emphasizes Cree perspectives in the music classroom.
Reserve your seat today for the exciting live premiere of a truly unique musical storytelling experience created by RDSO's own Samantha Whelan Kotkas. Inspired by the land, water and sky and filmed against the backdrop of Alberta's beautiful landscapes, Wandering With Wonder uses the arts to reconnect people with nature.
With live orchestral accompaniment composed by RDSO's own Claude Lapalme and TD Grand Jazz Award winning composer & pianist Chris Andrew, this production will be a season finale to remember!
Written and Produced by Samantha Whelan Kotkas
Music by Chris Andrew, Matt Epp, Sherryl Sewepagaham,
Walter MacDonald White Bear and Jordan Andrew
Film production by Roadwest Pictures
Sound and audio engineering by Paul Johnston
Directed by Dean Bareham
Puppetry by Green Fools Theatre
Dance and choreography by Yukichi Hattori
Costume design by Anni Kuhn
May 14, 2023 – 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
The University of Calgary Rozsa Centre: Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall
Donovan Seidle, solo violin
Narrator, Samantha Whelan Kotkas
Composer, Bruce Adolphe
Conductor, Claude Lapalme
Puppets by Green Fools Theatre
