Last Friday was special on so many levels. A day trip to Ontario’s Saugeen Peninsula gave me the opportunity to workshop a new composition, hear it performed in a truly special setting, spend time with talented and kind-hearted colleagues, and immerse myself in the breathtaking scenery and fresh air of this beautiful part of the province.
The primary motivation for our trip north was Petrichor, a new composition for soprano and string quartet commissioned by Music on the Bruce. Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm’s powerful text, also titled Petrichor, uses the word as both image and metaphor, leading us through reflections on the beauty of the natural world and the ways it sustains us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
Our first stop was a small church tucked away along a quiet country road, where I met soprano Natasha Campbell, violinists Sarah Pratt Parsamian and Elizabeth Loewen Andrews, violist Natasha Sharko, and cellist Cathy Anderson to rehearse and workshop the piece.
I’ve said this many times before, and I suspect I’ll say it many more times as long as I have the privilege of hearing my music performed for the first time: there is an extraordinary joy in hearing something that has existed only in my imagination suddenly come alive through human beings.
Petrichor was especially moving for me. The piece was written with the intention of evoking beauty, and hearing these musicians bring that intention to life was deeply affecting. I felt genuinely moved—and incredibly fortunate to have such talented performers interpret this music.
Following the rehearsal, we visited Sarah’s family cottage, where we were treated to a wonderful home-cooked dinner. From there, we headed to the Cape Croker Park Bandshell for the premiere performance as part of the opening night of the 2026 Neyaashiinigmiing Traditional Pow Wow.
It was a beautiful early-evening performance, with the temperature just right, the sun beginning to set, and a warm, appreciative audience. The evening was made even more special because it was the first time I met Kateri in person. It was wonderful to finally have some time to talk with her—not only one of Canada’s great writers, but also an incredibly kind and generous soul.
The journey to and from the Saugeen Peninsula also reminded me that we don’t have to travel far from Toronto to experience extraordinary natural beauty. I could feel a difference in my breathing and in my overall energy simply by being immersed in the tranquility of nature. I’m very comfortable and happy with where Lisa and I live, but every time I spend meaningful time among trees and water, I’m reminded of how much I need—and perhaps should make more time for—rural landscapes and the restorative presence of nature.
Many thanks to Sarah Pratt Parsamian and the Music on the Bruce Festival for commissioning this special work. I’m also grateful for the financial support of the SOCAN Foundation and private donors who helped make its creation possible.
And, of course, many thanks to Kateri and to the extraordinary musicians who brought Petrichor to life. It was a day I will never forget.
If you’d like to experience more of what this special part of Ontario has to offer through music, I encourage you to make a point of attending the upcoming Music on the Bruce performances featuring more of my music later this month.
