Who are We?
We are a collective of composers, performers and artists aiming to breach the limitations of the vocal repertoire of our century. Based in Ontario, Canada, The Art Song Collaborative Project brings together composers and performers in the creation and performance of a new modern opera each year.
Refined by Franz Schubert in the 19th century, an Art Song is the musical setting of a poem or text usually for solo voice and piano. Honed by many composers through the centuries, an Opera is a dramatic work in one or more acts set to music for singers and instrumentalists.
Our vision is to not only elaborate and expand on these ideas, but also blur the lines between song and opera while exploring the similarities between the two genres.
The composers are tasked with writing one song using any style, medium and instruments they are comfortable with. Each unique Art Song is compiled, organized into a cohesive story, and workshopped with the musicians as a fully developed Opera.
Originally created as an opportunity to perform the music of upcoming Canadian and International composers of the 21st century, the Project has evolved into an exploration of drama through Art Songs. Through the year we have collaborated with composers from Canada, USA, Australia, Austria, Germany, Iran, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.
Blurring the genres of Song and Opera, the Project aims to bring awareness to the damage we are causing our planet and hope to inspire solutions to our current problems
Only a third of the collaborators for the 2018 Coming Home. Photo Credit: Scott Newirth
ASCP 2019 performing Cries of the Earth - an opera through art song
Since 2018 we have focused on creating an opera through song that reflects on how we can all be better to our planet and to each other.
In 2019 we gave our composers the theme of "re-think, recycle, re-value", challenging to consider the problems of plastic pollution to our planet. With 13 new Art Songs reflecting on how our greed and carelessness towards our home is damaging the animals and plants that coexist with us.
"Cries of the Earth" was performed twice in Toronto at the Array Music Space and had a third performance in Richmond Hill. We felt our message needed to be heard by as many people as possible, and so we ensured a great quality video performance: here
I thought 2020 was going to be a big one! It would have been my 5th production, and it had such and important ring to it. Little did I know.
But against all odds, I got my first grant. Thanks to the Canada Council for the Arts, I was able to plan and organize Terra's Resurgence w. Through 9 art songs, it tells the story of Julia, a young girl who realizes our wasteful ways of living are not sustainable for our planet.
Last August we rehearsed them, recorded and performed them for our friends and family at the Canadian Music Centre in Toronto.
We will be releasing these amazing pieces for 2 soprani, piano, cello and percussion as a YouTube series.
More details here
This August we also want to bring our favourite pieces from Cries of the Earth (2019) and Terra's Resurgence (2022) as a one of a kind, limited ticket, immersive concert experience in Barrie, Ontario. We are currently organizing an Indiegogo Campaign to help us with this new endeavour. We have prepared amazing perkes and it will be running for the remainder of April and into May.
Click here for more info
Through art, we want to inspire everyone to think of ways that we can reduce our footprint on our Earth. Let us all work towards a clean and healthy planet, and towards a GREEN future.
