Past Events
About the album:
Dame Cookʼs ‘nature, interruptedʼ is an audiovisual collaboration with multimedia artist Hollis B, containing a set of compositions created during/in response to the current pandemic and its effect on their artistry set to repurposed stock footage. Drawing from musical inspirations like ambient, electroacoustic, noise, dub, and pop, as well as Dameʼs personal history as an improvised musician, ‘nature, interrupted’ is a house with many rooms, and a guided tour waiting for you.
“nature, interrupted” is part of the digital edition of FAWN’s Convergence Theory Series, co-curated by FAWN and David Jones, and is now also a part of the CMC’s Multilocation Festival, curated by Nick Storring.
July 22, 2021. Convergence Theory
Video Album Release:
nature, interrupted
w/
music by Dame Cook
videography by Hollis Bullock
co-presented by
FAWN Chamber Creative & the Canadian Music Centre
as part of the CMC’s Multilocation Festival, curated by Nick Storring
Convergence Theory aligns the expressionistic spirit of experimental electronic music (from classical and beyond), new media art and their audiences as a means of broadening the creative perspectives of listeners and artists.
March 2018 Belladonna - queer techno opera (1st Stage Development performance)
FAWN presented phase one of a new collectively created techno opera with music developed by modular electronic artist ACOTE, guest mezzo-soprano Camille Rogers and members of the FAWN Team. The story of Belladonna was written by U.K. librettist Gareth Mattey who specializes in writing queer narratives for opera.
The root of the story was created by the FAWN Team for their 2017/18 launch event in January 2018 and was used by Mattey as inspiration for the opera. Belladonna begins reminiscent of a classic tale, following two shepherds, named Cloth and Lake and their journeys to tend to their flocks. The two shepherds experience differing impulses of curiosity and inevitability, leading them to eat the berry of a belladonna plant, which is highly poisonous with strong hallucinogenic properties. The experience thrusts them into a strange and revealing hallucinatory journey, which Mattey describes as being “…about queerness and how we access it and understand it, even in environments that may feel and seem inhospitable.”
Workshop collaborators included:
-
Mary-Dora Bloch-Hansen (dancer/choreographer) – Atrophy
- Jonathan MacArthur (tenor) – Cloth
- Camille Rogers (mezzo-soprano) – Lake
- ACOTE – modular electronics
- Adam Scime – double-bass
- Darren Creech – piano
Creative Team:
- Amanda Smith – Stage Director, Set Designer & Musical Dramaturge
- Gareth Mattey – Librettist & Dramaturge
- Noah Feaver – Lighting Designer
- Erica Sun – Makeup Designer
- Zev Shoag – Production Assistant
Feb. 2017 Synesthesia IV Private Workshop Collaboration
Second phase of the Synesthesia IV project and host our first devised-opera workshop. This week-long exploration brought together the three audience-selected Synesthesia IV composers (David Storen, Kit Soden and Joseph Glaser) with members of the FAWN Team and guest collaborators for a week of improvisation and collective creation. The ultimate goal was to give the librettist and composers fuel for inspiration using music, movement and drama, in tandem, to inform the creation of their new opera-ballets.
Workshop collaborators included:
- David Brock – librettist
- Joseph Glaser – composer
- Kit Soden – composer
- David Storen – composer
- Jennifer Nichols – dancer
- Adam Scime – double-bass
- Adanya Dunn – soprano
- Jonathan MacArthur – tenor
- Darren Creech – piano
- Bee Ungar – bassoon
- Amanda Smith – stage director
2016-2017 Season Launch: Annoucement & Fundraiser
November 30th, 2017 @7pm
Electric Perfume, 805 Danforth Ave, Toronto
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, artistic direction
Anna Höstman, composer
Kit Soden, composer
Joseph Glaser, composer
David Storen, composer
Adam Scime, contrabass
Katherine Watson, flute
Adanya Dunn, soprano
Jonathan MacArthur, tenor
Jennifer Nichols, dancer
ACOTÉ, electronics
Six exploratory Canadian composers have been selected by FAWN from a tall pile of submissions, spanning from across the country. With this music, Amanda, Jenn and Kathryn formed a dance-theatre and art installation that demonstrated the connection between sound and body. At the end of the night, the audience selected three composers to continue onto part two of the project. The selected composers were then invited to each work on developing a 20-minute opera-ballet with FAWN, after which a final composer will be chosen by the FAWN Team to win a commission from FAWN Chamber Creative to create with us a full length piece.
Synesthesia IV: Body & Sound
May 7, 2016 @8pm
221 Sterling Road (studio 5), Toronto
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, stage director & dramaturge
Jennifer Nichols, choreographer, co-stage director & dancer
Adam Scime, music director
Kathryn Frances Warner, visual artist
Holly Meyer-Dymny, lighting designer
Jonathan MacArthur, tenor
Nathan Petitpas, percussion
Amahl Arulanandam, cello
Pat Power, guitar
Various machines, electronics
Composers:
David Storen (Vancouver, BC)
Joseph Glaser (Montreal, QC)
Kit Soden (Montreal, QC)
Lucas Oickle (Vancouver, BC)
Roydon Tse (Toronto, ON)
Thomas Ciszak (Montreal, QC)
l'homme et le ciel (world premiere opera)
December 3 & 4, 2015 @8pm
Co-Presented by The Music Gallery
197 John Street, Toronto
Composed and conducted by Adam Scime,
Libretto by Ian Koiter w/ Translation by Eric Démoré.
L’HOMME ET LE CIEL is a stunning one-act chamber opera. The opera’s libretto has been carefully adapted from the 2nd century Christian literary text, The Shepherd of Hermas. This ancient text vividly depicts the spiritual journey of Hermas, whose beliefs are thrust into jeopardy when a mysterious Messenger appears in a series of inescapable visions. What he believes to be mere innocent thoughts are subsequently revealed as concealment of his undeniable impulses. This shakes Hermas’ self-concept, leading him into a foreign landscape of doubt.
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, stage director
Adam Scime, conductor
Andrew Chip Scriver, projection design
Holly Meyer-Dymny, lighting & set designer
Erica Sun, makeup design
Erica Olivia, costume design
Jane Honek, stage management
Adanya Dunn, soprano (The Messenger)
Larissa Koniuk, soprano (Rhoda)
Alexander Dobson, baritone (Hermas)
Wesley Shen, piano
Pheobe Tsang, violin
Tristan Durie, flute/piccolo
Dan Morphy, percussion
Anthony Thompson, clarinet/bass clarinet
Dobrochna Zubek, cello
Synesthesia III: Film & Music
May 3, 2014 @8pm
Brockton Studio (studio A), 442 Dufferin Street, Toronto
In collaboration with The Seventh Art. Featuring Canadian short films
with new music by Canadian composers.
Composers: Filmmakers:
Chris Thornborrow Blake Williams
Massimo Guida Dan Browne
Amanda Lowry Eva Colcze
Patrick Murray Liam Crockard
Trevor Hewer Sofia Bohdanowicz
Patrick Arteaga Stephen Broomer
James Lowrie
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, artistic direction
Christopher Heron, co-artistic direction and host
Patrick Murray, conductor
Brenton Chan, cello
Jessica Tse, clarinet
Patric Power, guitar
Eric Woolston, percussion
Michael Bridge, accordian
Adanya Dunn, voice and percussion
l'homme et le ciel (@ Open Ears Festival)
Church of St. John the Evangelist, Kitchener
23 Water Street North
“L’HOMME ET LE CIEL” in an immersive concert experience.
Adam Scime, composer
Ian Koiter, librettist
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, director
Patrick Murray, conductor
Holly Meyer-Dymny, lighting and set designer
Tyler Kenny, costume design
Jialiang Zhu, piano
Adanya Dunn, soprano (The Messenger)
Larissa Koniuk, soprano (Rhoda)
Gregory Finney, baritone (Hermas)
l'homme et le ciel (workshop)
Ernest Balmer Studio, 9 Trinity St, Suite 316, Toronto
A sneak preview workshop presentiaton of “L’HOMME ET LE CIEL” by Adam Scime (composer)
and Ian Koiter (librettist) with a translation by Eric Démoré. This piece was commissioned by FAWN, and is our largest undertaking to date, comprised of three singers, a six piece ensemble, electronics, and a responsive multi-media set.
This performance features excerpts from the opera and a pre-performance Q&A with the composer and director. This production was made possible by the generous venue sponsorship of Tapestry New Opera, who provided the Ernest Balmer Studio during our staging workshop process and for the performance.
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, director and production design
Patrick Murray, conductor and music director
Dylin North, co-production design
Brady Bothwell, projection design
Sam Gaudet, makeup design
Aaron Mariash, technical direction
Adanya Dunn, soprano (The Messenger)
Larissa Koniuk, soprano (Rhoda)
Giovanni Maria Spanu, baritone (Hermas)
&
Thin Edge New Music Collective:
Cheryl Duvall, piano (artistic director)
Ilana Waniuk, violin (artistic director)
Terry Lim, flute/piccolo
Anthony Thompson, clarinet/bass clarinet
Andrew Ascenzo, cello
Eric Woolston, percussion
PROJECTionPLAY: North American Tour
April 9, 2014 @8pm
The Array Space, 155 Walnut Avenue, Toronto
A collaborative new music project with responsive, abstract
visuals by artist, Dermot MacCormack and piano performance by Julia Sheriff.
Composers & American Composer Premieres*:
Anderson Alden*
Matthew Cmiel*
Viet Cuong*
Richard Danielpour
Lonnie Hevia*
Lowell Liebermann
Gity Razaz*
Performers & Artists:
Dermot MacCormack, visual artist
Julia Sheriff, piano
Convergence Theory
December 14, 2013 @10pm
MOJO Lounge, 1305 Dundas Street West,
Toronto
Electronic music and improv.
Performers & Artists:
David Psutka (EGYPTRIXX / HIAWATHAI), electronics
Kathryn Ladano, bass clarinet
Stacie Dunlop, soprano
Joey Bell, double bass
Amanda Lowry, flute
Amanda Smith, concept and director
After Party:
Sylvermayne
Liam Corckard
Synesthesia II
CineCycle (behind 129 Spadina Ave.), Toronto
An electronic music concert, featuring works by 9 emerging composers, alongside situational light installations by Dylin North.
Composers:
Adam Scime
Michael Vincent
Ana Koshkin
Amanda Lowry
Monica Pearce
Patrick Power
Jessica Neilsen
Sylvail Poitras
Patrick McGraw
Performers & Artists:
Dylin North, light installation artist
Amanda Smith, concept and director
Patrick Murray, conductor
Crypotomnesia
January 12, 2013 @8pm
Norman Felix Art Gallery
627 Queen St. West, Toronto
A new one-act opera by David Foley (composer & librettist), examining the strength of the subconscious and the inevitability of self-deception.
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, stage director and producer
Patrick Murray, music director
Laura Sharkey, co-producer
Yulia Shtern, costume designed
Aislinn Ritchie, stage manager
Post-show entertainment by Andy Sheppard
Jonathan MacArthur, tenor (Mario)
Christy Derksen, mezzo-soprano (Floria & the Masked Figure)
&
The FAWN Quartet:
Iain McKay, violin
Eslin McKay, violin
Mohammed Aburamadan, viola
Beth Silver, cello
SYNESTHESIA I: 2012-2013 Season Launch
August 25, 2012 @7pm
627 Queen St. West, Toronto
A progressive, Toronto-based New Music and Opera collective.
Performers & Artists:
Catharin Carew, mezzo-soprano
Christopher Mayell, tenor
Erica Williamson, violin
Anastasia Viktorovna, piano
Loralie Kirkpatirc, mezzo-soprano
Sonya Harper Nyby, soprano
Katheryn Lawler, soprano
Brenna McIane, violin
Karine St. Pierre, soprano
Kourosh Ghamsari-Esfahani, violin
Mohammed Ramada, viola
Alison Enns, mezzo-soprano
Natalya Matyusheva, soprano
Iain Mckay, Eslin Mckay
Chris Arnold, Beth Silver
Composers:
Adam Scime
Michael Vincent
Nancy Tam
David Foley
Meghan Bunce
Laura McGuire
Kourosh Ghamsari-Esfahani
Visual Artists:
Liz Emirzian
Matt Prata
SYNESTHESIA I: 2012-2013 Season Launch AFTER PARTY
783 Queen Street West, Toronto
A progressive, Toronto-based New Music and Opera collective.
Performers & Artists:
Andrew Dunn Clarke
Sylvermayne
Alex Brooks
David Patterson
DJ Chong
Composers:
Adam Scime
Michael Vincent
Nancy Tam
David Foley
Meghan Bunce
Laura McGuire
Kourosh Ghamsari-Esfahani
Visual Artists:
Liz Emirzian
Matt Prata
FAWN’s posters and logo art 
is designed by
André Edwards-Roderique.
Past Events
Feb. 2017 Synesthesia IV Private Workshop Collaboration
Second phase of the Synesthesia IV project and host our first devised-opera workshop. This week-long exploration brought together the three audience-selected Synesthesia IV composers (David Storen, Kit Soden and Joseph Glaser) with members of the FAWN Team and guest collaborators for a week of improvisation and collective creation. The ultimate goal was to give the librettist and composers fuel for inspiration using music, movement and drama, in tandem, to inform the creation of their new opera-ballets.
Workshop collaborators included:
- David Brock – librettist
- Joseph Glaser – composer
- Kit Soden – composer
- David Storen – composer
- Jennifer Nichols – dancer
- Adam Scime – double-bass
- Adanya Dunn – soprano
- Jonathan MacArthur – tenor
- Darren Creech – piano
- Bee Ungar – bassoon
- Amanda Smith – stage director
2016-2017 Season Launch: Annoucement & Fundraiser
Electric Perfume, 805 Danforth Ave, Toronto
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, artistic direction
Anna Höstman, composer
Kit Soden, composer
Joseph Glaser, composer
David Storen, composer
Adam Scime, contrabass
Katherine Watson, flute
Adanya Dunn, soprano
Jonathan MacArthur, tenor
Jennifer Nichols, dancer
ACOTÉ, electronics
Synesthesia IV: Body & Sound
221 Sterling Road (studio 5), Toronto
Six exploratory Canadian composers have been selected by FAWN from a tall pile of submissions, spanning from across the country. With this music, Jenn and Kathryn will form a dance-based art installation that will demonstrate the connection between sound and body. At the end of the night, the audience selects three composers to continue onto part two of Synesthesia IV. The selected composers will then each work on developing a 20-minute opera-ballet and a final composer will be chosen by the FAWN team to win a commission from FAWN Chamber Creative to create with us a brand new ballet-lyrique.
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, dramaturgy & co-direction
Jennifer Nichols, choreography & co-direction
Adam Scime, music director
Kathryn Frances Warner, art installation
Jonathan MacArthur, tenor
Nathan Petitpas, percussion
Amahl Arulanandam, cello
Pat Power, guitar
Various machines, electronics
Composers:
David Storen (Vancouver, BC)
Joseph Glaser (Montreal, QC)
Kit Soden (Montreal, QC)
Lucas Oickle (Vancouver, BC)
Roydon Tse (Toronto, ON)
Thomas Ciszak (Montreal, QC)
l'homme et le ciel (world premiere opera)
Co-Presented by The Music Gallery
197 John Street, Toronto
Composed and conducted by Adam Scime,
Libretto by Ian Koiter w/ Translation by Eric Démoré.
L’HOMME ET LE CIEL is a stunning one-act chamber opera. The opera’s libretto has been carefully adapted from the 2nd century Christian literary text, The Shepherd of Hermas. This ancient text vividly depicts the spiritual journey of Hermas, whose beliefs are thrust into jeopardy when a mysterious Messenger appears in a series of inescapable visions. What he believes to be mere innocent thoughts are subsequently revealed as concealment of his undeniable impulses. This shakes Hermas’ self-concept, leading him into a foreign landscape of doubt.
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, stage director
Adam Scime, conductor
Andrew Chip Scriver, projection design
Holly Meyer-Dymny, lighting & set designer
Erica Sun, makeup design
Erica Olivia, costume design
Jane Honek, stage management
Adanya Dunn, soprano (The Messenger)
Larissa Koniuk, soprano (Rhoda)
Alexander Dobson, baritone (Hermas)
Wesley Shen, piano
Pheobe Tsang, violin
Tristan Durie, flute/piccolo
Dan Morphy, percussion
Anthony Thompson, clarinet/bass clarinet
Dobrochna Zubek, cello
Synesthesia III: Film & Music
Brockton Studio (studio A), 442 Dufferin Street, Toronto
In collaboration with The Seventh Art. Featuring Canadian short films
with new music by Canadian composers.
Composers:
Chris Thornborrow
Massimo Guida
Amanda Lowry
Patrick Murray
Trevor Hewer
Patrick Arteaga
James Lowrie
Filmmakers:
Blake Williams
Dan Browne
Eva Colcze
Liam Crockard
Sofia Bohdanowicz
Stephen Broomer
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, artistic direction
Christopher Heron, co-artistic direction and host
Patrick Murray, conductor
Brenton Chan, cello
Jessica Tse, clarinet
Patric Power, guitar
Eric Woolston, percussion
Michael Bridge, accordian
Adanya Dunn, voice and percussion
l'homme et le ciel (workshop)
Ernest Balmer Studio, 9 Trinity St, Suite 316, Toronto
A sneak preview workshop presentiaton of “L’HOMME ET LE CIEL” by Adam Scime (composer)
and Ian Koiter (librettist) with a translation by Eric Démoré. This piece was commissioned by FAWN, and is our largest undertaking to date, comprised of three singers, a six piece ensemble, electronics, and a responsive multi-media set.
This performance features excerpts from the opera and a pre-performance Q&A with the composer and director. This production was made possible by the generous venue sponsorship of Tapestry New Opera, who provided the Ernest Balmer Studio during our staging workshop process and for the performance.
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, director and production design
Patrick Murray, conductor and music director
Dylin North, co-production design
Brady Bothwell, projection design
Sam Gaudet, makeup design
Aaron Mariash, technical direction
Adanya Dunn, soprano (The Messenger)
Larissa Koniuk, soprano (Rhoda)
Giovanni Maria Spanu, baritone (Hermas)
&
Thin Edge New Music Collective:
Cheryl Duvall, piano (artistic director)
Ilana Waniuk, violin (artistic director)
Terry Lim, flute/piccolo
Anthony Thompson, clarinet/bass clarinet
Andrew Ascenzo, cello
Eric Woolston, percussion
l'homme et le ciel (@ Open Ears Festival)
Church of St. John the Evangelist, Kitchener
23 Water Street North
“L’HOMME ET LE CIEL” in an immersive concert experience.
Adam Scime, composer
Ian Koiter, librettist
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, director
Patrick Murray, conductor
Holly Meyer-Dymny, lighting and set designer
Tyler Kenny, costume design
Jialiang Zhu, piano
Adanya Dunn, soprano (The Messenger)
Larissa Koniuk, soprano (Rhoda)
Gregory Finney, baritone (Hermas)
PROJECTionPLAY: North American Tour
The Array Space, 155 Walnut Avenue, Toronto
A collaborative new music project with responsive, abstract
visuals by artist, Dermot MacCormack and piano performance by Julia Sheriff.
Composers & American Composer Premieres*:
Anderson Alden*
Matthew Cmiel*
Viet Cuong*
Richard Danielpour
Lonnie Hevia*
Lowell Liebermann
Gity Razaz*
Performers & Artists:
Dermot MacCormack, visual artist
Julia Sheriff, piano
Convergence Theory
MOJO Lounge, 1305 Dundas Street West,
Toronto
Electronic music and improv.
Performers & Artists:
David Psutka (EGYPTRIXX / HIAWATHAI), electronics
Kathryn Ladano, bass clarinet
Stacie Dunlop, soprano
Joey Bell, double bass
Amanda Lowry, flute
Amanda Smith, concept and director
After Party:
Sylvermayne
Liam Corckard
Synesthesia II
CineCycle (behind 129 Spadina Ave.), Toronto
An electronic music concert, featuring works by 9 emerging composers, alongside situational light installations by Dylin North.
Composers:
Adam Scime
Michael Vincent
Ana Koshkin
Amanda Lowry
Monica Pearce
Patrick Power
Jessica Neilsen
Sylvail Poitras
Patrick McGraw
Performers & Artists:
Dylin North, light installation artist
Amanda Smith, concept and director
Patrick Murray, conductor
Crypotomnesia
Norman Felix Art Gallery
627 Queen St. West, Toronto
A new one-act opera by David Foley (composer & librettist), examining the strength of the subconscious and the inevitability of self-deception.
Performers & Artists:
Amanda Smith, stage director and producer
Patrick Murray, music director
Laura Sharkey, co-producer
Yulia Shtern, costume designed
Aislinn Ritchie, stage manager
Post-show entertainment by Andy Sheppard
Jonathan MacArthur, tenor (Mario)
Christy Derksen, mezzo-soprano (Floria & the Masked Figure)
&
The FAWN Quartet:
Iain McKay, violin
Eslin McKay, violin
Mohammed Aburamadan, viola
Beth Silver, cello
SYNESTHESIA I: 2012-2013 Season Launch
627 Queen St. West, Toronto
A progressive, Toronto-based New Music and Opera collective.
Performers & Artists:
Catharin Carew, mezzo-soprano
Christopher Mayell, tenor
Erica Williamson, violin
Anastasia Viktorovna, piano
Loralie Kirkpatirc, mezzo-soprano
Sonya Harper Nyby, soprano
Katheryn Lawler, soprano
Brenna McIane, violin
Karine St. Pierre, soprano
Kourosh Ghamsari-Esfahani, violin
Mohammed Ramada, viola
Alison Enns, mezzo-soprano
Natalya Matyusheva, soprano
Iain Mckay, Eslin Mckay
Chris Arnold, Beth Silver
Composers:
Adam Scime
Michael Vincent
Nancy Tam
David Foley
Meghan Bunce
Laura McGuire
Kourosh Ghamsari-Esfahani
Visual Artists:
Liz Emirzian
Matt Prata
SYNESTHESIA I: 2012-2013 Season Launch AFTER PARTY
783 Queen Street West, Toronto
A progressive, Toronto-based New Music and Opera collective.
Performers & Artists:
Andrew Dunn Clarke
Sylvermayne
Alex Brooks
David Patterson
DJ Chong
Composers:
Adam Scime
Michael Vincent
Nancy Tam
David Foley
Meghan Bunce
Laura McGuire
Kourosh Ghamsari-Esfahani
Visual Artists:
Liz Emirzian
Matt Prata