In this turbulent time of climate crisis, economic and political unrest, what action can we take? How do we remain hopeful in the face of such distressing challenge?
When designing Kaleid 2020, we wanted to create a space for artists to express themselves, and delve deeply into themes of global citizenship and stewardship. We have assembled our artistic team, Moira Smiley, Allison Girvan, Lalin Chamber Choir and Jennifer Moir to help us do just that!
Our planning process with the entire Kaleid Project Team included hours of thoughtful discussion about how the Kaleid Choral Festival could be of service to our community at this tender time.
Of particular resonance was the idea of illuminating what unites everything; what is common to people and all other elements of our earth environment.
This idea kept coming forward as one to be explored:
The global notion of Mother Tongue. All humans hold language as an important part of our individual identity and use it to relate to each other and our world. Nature does the same, though not in a language of words.
“Language for traditionally oral people, is not a specifically human possession, but is a property of the animate earth, in which we humans participate.” David Abram (From Becoming Animal, An Earthly Cosmology)
At Kaleid 2020 we want to honour the diversity of all languages and in particular, celebrate the gift of language to reveal our shared experience on earth.
We are thrilled to be exploring these themes through the choral art of our acclaimed guest artist, Moira Smiley.
In addition to arrangements like Bring Me Little Water Silvy and original composition, Refugee, we have commissioned Moira to write a piece on the theme of Mother Tongue - a Language of Hope, which will be premiered by the mass choir at the festival!
A quote of great inspiration:
“the power of language remains, first and foremost, a way of singing oneself into contact with others in the cosmos---a way of bridging the silence between oneself and another person, or a startled black bear, or the crescent moon soaring like a billowed sail above the roof. Whether sounded on the tongue, printed on the page, or shimmering on the screen, language's primary gift is not to re-present the world around us, but to call ourselves into the vital presence of that world---and into deep and attentive presence with one another.
David Abram (From Becoming Animal, An Earthly Cosmology)
This important music project is currently under construction, and we know that Moira plans to reach out to our ‘kaleidoscope of voices’ for material to be included in this piece! Stay tuned for more news on this, and how to make your contribution!