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- Gryphon Trio and Marion Newman bring their restorative performance Echo: Memories of the World to the Chan Centre
Gryphon Trio and Marion Newman bring their restorative performance Echo: Memories of the World to the Chan Centre
The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia is proud to present Echo: Memories of the World, an extraordinary multimedia concert that weaves together music, storytelling, digital audio, and film to explore themes of memory, erasure, and resilience. This powerful performance will be presented on Saturday May 31, 2025 at 7:30PM as part of the Director’s Cut series. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday February 6, at 12PM.
“As a Métis classical composer, I am always proud to support projects that create space for Indigenous voices, Echo’s spirit of collaboration and unity, especially in these times, is needed now more than ever. I can’t imagine a better array of artists to deliver on this message of hope.”
Pat Carrabré, Director of the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
Echo: Memories of the World unites the celebrated Gryphon Trio with mezzo-soprano Marion Newman Nege’ga, narrator čačumḥi Aaron Wells, and a diverse group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous composers, poets, researchers, and filmmakers from around the globe. Together, they create a vision of the future that offers hope, drawing inspiration from three distinct corners of the world: Canada, Norway, and Ukraine.
The concert’s multimedia format enhances the storytelling, blending music with digital audio and film to bring the emotional weight of the program to life. In honouring the resilience of those who have fought against oppression, it emphasizes the urgency of reparation and reconciliation.
Echo weaves together the music of contemporary composers Andrew Balfour, Eliot Britton, Ian Cusson, Ry Moran, Kelly-Marie Murphy, Marion Newman, and Valentin Silvestrov, with those of J.S. Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and more. With this diverse array of music, Echo creates a powerful narrative that bridges past and present.
Gryphon Trio is one of the world’s preeminent piano trios. Violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, cellist Roman Borys, and pianist Jamie Parker are virtuosos in their own rights with storied careers. The trio regularly tour throughout North America and Europe and have released an extensive 22 albums. They have won the Juno award for Classical Album of the Year three times and have been nominated eleven additional times.
Marion Newman Nege’ga is a celebrated mezzo-soprano of Kwagiulth, Stó:lō First Nations, Scottish, English and Irish heritage. She adds a deeply personal perspective to the performance, infusing it with her commitment to truth and reconciliation within the classical music world. Marion has earned recognition for her powerful operatic performances and for advocating for equity in classical music. She is the host of CBC’s Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and is also co-founder of Amplified Opera.
Narrator čačumḥi aaron wells, a member of the Nuučan̓uł and Ts’ymsyen Nations, draws on his experiences as an actor and community language advocate. His storytelling adds a vital dimension to the multimedia experience, enriching the performance with cultural significance and emotional depth.
Echo: Memories of the World will be an invitation to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and look toward a future where all voices are heard and honoured.
