What an amazing 4 weeks it’s been in Banff! From Week 1’s physical intensity to Week 2 and 3’s beautiful and inspiring views, it’s culminated so nicely in this final week of intense composing…with just a bit more hiking thrown in there…
Hike #8 – In Town
You actually don’t have to leave the town of Banff to access amazing trails. We headed down the hill from the Banff Centre, crossed a long pedestrian bridge over the Bow River, and headed left towards the Falls. You would think you were in the middle of a dense forest with the height of the trees in this “urban” park. The public art along the trail is pretty cool too.
I feel so grateful to have enjoyed this pristine nature while here. It’s reminded me how important it is to protect our planet’s fragile ecosystem. I don’t want our plane trip here and back to be part of the problem. That’s why I just purchased Gold Standard Carbon Offsets courtesy of Less.
Our time here also coincided with Canada’s First National Day of Truth & Reconciliation. The Banff Centre is located on the lands of Treaty 7 territory. So it’s important for me to thank the Stoney Nakoda, Blackfoot, and Tsuut’ina Nations for their stewardship of the land.
I can’t thank enough the entire staff here at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity for their helpfulness and hospitality. The world has gone through hard times lately. To be the first artist invited back after a lengthy closure is very special to me. Lisa and I felt so taken care of and safe. Meeting so much of the friendly staff these past weeks has shown me that there’s a lot of pride emanating from this wonderful institution. I hope the world get’s more healthy in the coming months to allow more artists from around the world to visit this amazing place to get inspired and focussed. Now more than ever, we need artists motivated to make more art!
So what’s next? I return home with a first draft of my new solo piano composition, The Banff Suite. I’ll get the score started asap and look for funding to get this recorded! Stay tuned for details on how I’ll share this new music with the world next year!