From This Place: Salish Sea Chapter
In this project, presented by some of the members of the ACWC/ACC, who live on Vancouver Island (the Salish Sea Chapter), each composer chose a local place important to them, to be the inspiration for their video. Either writing new pieces or bring in older works, the composers added video footage and photographs to create unique videos, honouring and celebrating these places.
Baby Eaglet by Christie Morrison
Eagles are among the world’s largest birds of prey. We venerate them as living symbols of power, freedom, and transcendence. This year I was given a rich opportunity to observe the birth of an eagelette in Sidney B.C., when a good friend, who lives on the street where this event took place, invited me to her outside deck.On a regular basis we socially distanced, observed in full view, the father, mother and the birth, of one eaglette. The year of isolation, due to covid, resulted in an overwhelming sense of despondency for me. As I watched the eagle activities, it restored my sense of humanity.These birds possess such admirable qualities as beauty, honour, pride, determination, and grace.
Water Rock Tree Sky by Diane Berry
I wrote this piece as a love song to the coast; to the islands, the inlets, the rocky shores, and the blue waters. Being beside or on the water has always helped me to put the challenges of every day life aside; to feel at peace with the world; to connect with the beauty of the place and the life that calls it home. The piece, for soprano, flute and clarinet, floats on gentle swells, describes sparkling sun on water, hears whispers in evergreen branches, and gazes up at a million stars in dark summer skies.
I Shall Miss the Sea by Leila Lustig
Some of my earliest memories are of the sea in southern California, and I missed it during my years in the South and other parts of the U.S., before immigrating to Canada. When I first visited Victoria 25 years ago, the sea called out to me, “Come home again!” and now here I am. Although I don’t see the sea every day, I would be heart-broken to lose it again forever to human greed and carelessness. Hence this poem, and my music arising from it.
