I feel very honoured that I have been invited to attend an expedition to the Arctic this coming June! Along with other international artists, scientists, educators and innovators, I will be living and composing on-board a Tall Ship for 3 weeks while sailing the waters of the international territory of Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago just 10 degrees latitude from the North Pole.

Coordinated by The Arctic Circle Expeditionary Residency Program, this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see firsthand an awe-inspiring part of our planet while learning more about the ravages of climate change, especially from researchers directly on the ship.

My hope is that this trip will inspire me to compose a large-scale work for chamber group and fixed electronics inspired by perspectives of the arctic and why its preservation is of paramount importance. As a participant of this expedition/residency, I will be able to learn from and audio record other participants to create the basis of this future composition.

Following the expedition, I would like to seek out a performance ensemble who would collaborate with me to bring this work to life. My hope is that live performances would feature added multimedia like a photo slide-show or animation evoking the arctic…perhaps even incorporating the work of other artists from the ship.

This is going to be a very fluid, collaborative experience. I’m just looking forward to soaking it up and letting that inspire where the music might go. In the meantime, preparations are underway. I look forward to sharing my experiences with all of you….stay tuned to my social media channels, my blog posts and my e-newsletter for updates on this amazing adventure.

Many thanks to The Arctic Circle Expeditionary Residency Program for inviting me and to the Canada Council for the Arts for helping fund my participation.