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We mourn the loss of R. Murray Schafer. He was one-of-a-kind, one of the most remarkable artists ever to come out of Canada. He was the Wagner of the North: the mythologies he created are infused with a profound sense of spiritual connection to wilderness lands and waters. Virtually everything he wrote possesses a transformative power, taking us out of our daily lives and into a mythical world where magic is still possible.

-Founding Artistic Director Lawrence Cherney

We’ve put together a small sampling of some of the work Soundstreams and Murray have collaborated on. Please enjoy!

1. The Fall Into Light (2004), conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste, was a Soundstreams commission/premiere using the balconies of the Barbara Frum Atrium at the downtown Toronto CBC building for seven professional Canadian choirs.

2. An excerpt from Tantrika, performed by mezzo-soprano Andrea Ludwig and percussionists Ryan Scott and Daniel Morphy as part of our production of Odditorium (2017).

3. Our Northern Voices International Choral Fest (2005) included the world premiere of our commission The Death of Shalana, also conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste.