An evening of literary and musical practice will be brought to life Oct. 29 with a performance by three of Canada’s top artists.
Celebrated Canadian poet Daphne Marlatt will read from her classic poetry cycle Steveston with an evocative soundscape composed and performed by Canadian composers Robert Minden and Carla Hallett, all part of the Like Light off Water performance scheduled for Conron Hall at 8 p.m.
The dramatic performance will combine Marlatt’s landmark poem cycle with innovative experimental music. Steveston, a documentary poem engaging with the day-to-day lives and histories of Japanese-Canadian fishers and other members of the community of Steveston, British Columbia, centrally engages aesthetic, cross-cultural, environmental and labour issues.
Minden and Hallett have worked together since 1986 on recording and performance projects, joining forces to explore the possibilities of storytelling and song.
The event will have appeal for those with interests in literature, music, visual arts, Canadian cultures and the environment by bridging the gap between scholarly discussion and the vibrant experience of poetry.
Graduate students are involved in the organization of this event, which is being coordinated with the Canadianist Research Group. Marlatt, an honorary degree recipient from Western, will offer a special workshop geared to graduate students from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities the afternoon before the performance.
The performance will also be of interest to graduate students and faculty with interests in contemporary musical experimentation, photography and collaborative art forms.
In addition, “Like Light Off Water” provides an opportunity to introduce Western’s Writer-in-Residence, Penn Kemp, to the university and local community. Kemp is a friend of Marlatt’s, has written poetry collaboratively with her, and will be introducing her.