Wandering with Wonder
'Wandering with Wonder’ tells the tale of a girl, Wonder, who loses her song and looks to her friends Turtle, Bear, Beaver and Eagle to help her find it. Through this story, we learn we all have a little Wonder in each of us, which allows us to speak to the animals and listen to the trees. And when we are silent, we can hear our songs in the wind.
‘Wandering with Wonder’ with the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra - May 2023 - Photo Credit - Jennette Miller - For bookings and inquiries, please contact Samantha Whelan Kotkas at whelans@telus.net or at 403-969-1784
“This is the type of artistic endeavour and collaborative project we should all be striving for to make the world a better place. ”
Inspired by the land, water and sky, ‘Wandering with Wonder’ is an immersive musical storytelling experience using the arts to reconnect people with nature. This 64-minute experience takes the audience through an adventure of mystery, loss and discovery while featuring newly composed music by five Canadian composers: Chris Andrew, Jordan Andrew, Matt Epp, Sherryl Sewepagaham and Walter MacDonald White Bear orchestrated by Maestro Claude Lapalme with Chris Andrew. On this journey, the audience will meet a magical young woman (a puppet), Wonder, who will guide them through a day that never was. Through her eyes, we experience the transformational power of nature, music and friendship as she goes in search of her lost song with the help of her animal friends - Turtle, Bear, Beaver and Eagle.
Watch the Back Story for Wandering with Wonder Below
Filming of Wandering with Wonder by Roadwest Pictures took place with the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra June 23 - 27, 2022
Watch the Trailer for the Film below
Music for ‘Wandering with Wonder: The Soundtrack’ is now live on Bandcamp
The Wandering with Wonder Ensemble is a group of musicians from across Canada, led by Samantha Whelan Kotkas, who came together to create an album and an immersive outdoor musical storytelling experience, Wandering with Wonder, using the arts to reconnect people with nature. The Ensemble was thrilled to be joined by the Juno nominated choir Luminous Voices on several tracks of this album.
The members of this Ensemble come from very diverse backgrounds which makes the music on this album special. They are united by their love of nature and music and their belief that the arts changes people's lives. The Wandering with Wonder Ensemble is comprised of TD Grand Jazz Award winning composer/pianist, Chris Andrew, Juno-nominated, Edmonton-based singer/composer Sherryl Sewepagaham, award-winning singer/songwriter Matt Epp, film score composer Jordan Andrew, cultural knowledge holder, composer, guitarist and flute player Walter MacDonald White Bear and award-winning storyteller and trumpet player Samantha Whelan Kotkas along with the Lily String Quartet (four talented string players from Calgary Alberta), Rubim de Toledo and Jamie Cooper. More than just creativity and entertainment, the Wandering with Wonder Ensemble's aim is to create a call to action through music. It’s a call for reinvigorating our values of community, creativity, love, compassion and of course living sustainably within our environment.
Click Here to listen to Matt Epp’s Podcast ‘Drinking the Water’ with Samantha Whelan Kotkas as the two of them discuss ‘Wandering with Wonder’.
Read about ‘Wandering with Wonder’ HERE
photo credits - Chris Malloy
tickets are now SOLD OUT
Thank you to everyone for supporting this project. The Premier is going to be very special.
World Premier of ‘Wandering with Wonder’
Saturday, September 18 3:00pm - SOLD OUT
Sunday, September 19 11:00am - SOLD OUT
Sunday, September 19 3:00pm - SOLD OUT
CLICK BELOW TO BUY TICKETS! Looking forward to seeing you in September at the Leighton Art Centre.
Inspired by the land, water and sky, ‘Wandering with Wonder’ is an immersive outdoor musical storytelling experience using the arts to reconnect people with nature. This 90-minute performance takes the audience through an adventure of mystery, loss and discovery while featuring newly composed music by five Canadian composers: Chris Andrew, Jordan Andrew, Matt Epp, Sherryl Sewepagaham and Walter MacDonald White Bear. On this journey, the audience will meet a magical young woman (a puppet), Wonder, who will guide them through a day that never was. Through her eyes, we experience the transformational power of nature, music and friendship as she goes in search of her lost song.
Wandering with Wonder
written and produced by Samantha Whelan Kotkas
Dean Bareham - Director
Chris Andrew - Music Director/Composer
Paul Johnston - Recording Engineer
Tobias Kalden - Technical Director
Anni Kuhn - Costume Designer
Lynne Huras - Artwork
Christy Mackintosh - Script Editor
In order of appearance
Matt Epp - Composer/Troubadour
Chris Andrew - Composer
Samantha Whelan Kotkas - Producer/Writer/Turtle
Walter MacDonald White Bear - Composer/Bear
Jordan Andrew - Composer
Sherryl Sewepagaham - Composer/Beaver
Yukichi Hattori - Dancer/Eagle
Luminous Voices - Directed by Timothy Shantz - Choral Works
Musicians in order of appearance - Matt Epp - Guitar and Vocals, Lily String Quartet - Elisa Milner - Violin, Diane Lane - Violin, Patricia Higgins - Viola and Andrea Case - Cello, Chris Andrew - Piano and keyboard, Jamie Cooper - Percussion and Drums, Rubim de Toledo - Bass, Sherryl Sewepagaham - Vocals, Samantha Whelan Kotkas - Trumpet, Walter MacDonald White Bear - Guitar, Flute, Vocals, Drum, Rattle, Luminous Voices - Choral Works - Soprano - Julie Crouch & Katie Partridge, Alto - Julie Freedman-Smith & Sara Staples, Tenor - Rod Olson & Jason Ragan, Bass - Bryan Hryciw & Paul Grindlay.
We are very grateful for and would like to acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des arts du Canada, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Leighton Art Centre, Green Fools Theatre Society and Luminous Voices.
