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.

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

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​Calgary Bach Choir and Chamber Orchestra

Terry Edwards, Artistic Director​

Adult: $30

Senior: $25

Student over 18: $10

Student under 18: Free

Professional Development for the entire Staff at Sam Livingston by Samantha and Walter.

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! 

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.

Come enjoy an evening of brass music and storytelling as we bring on the Christmas season. This pairing will delight audiences of all ages!

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.

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.

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

“MARITA AND HER HEART’S DESIRE”

May 14, 2023 – 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
The University of Calgary Rozsa Centre: Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall

PERFORMERS

Donovan Seidle, solo violin
Narrator, Samantha Whelan Kotkas
Composer, Bruce Adolphe
Conductor, Claude Lapalme
Puppets by Green Fools Theatre