The latest installation of the DreamPlay concert series and virtual art gallery – the first of their 2024/2025 season - will be shared on December 5 in the main hall of the Winnipeg Art Gallery Qaumajuq. The concert is entitled Sanctuary, but perhaps not for the reasons that an audience might first think of.
“What I’m really doing is providing a catharsis,” says composer Glenn Buhr, who creates and curates the DreamPlay concerts. “It's actually to bring this deep feeling that we have. There’s a cleansing also when you bring it out and express it. So, I didn't want to let that go because it's such an important emotion for every one of us.”
In this sense, Sanctuary becomes something of a safe space to feel the emotions of lament that are prevalent in the program, both in Buhr’s own works and in the selection of pieces like Elton John’s “Goodbye”. This blend of classical, jazz and pop music has become DreamPlay’s signature over the years, and when it comes to creating a sanctuary for catharsis, the wide-ranging repertoire can allow anyone to participate, regardless of their musical predilections.
“I think about it as our modern world where we all experience so many different kinds of music,” Buhr explained to Nolan Kehler on Morning Light. "What I try to do with my concerts is to go for a theme.”
“Music has an effect on the human nervous system, it's just a fact. It really depends on what you're saying with the music as to what the effect is on your nervous system. So, the theme of this one is sanctuary, because I think in these times, it’s something we could use.”
One key feature of the DreamPlay concerts is their intimate nature. With audience sizes of only a few dozen people at most, listeners can have a more personal encounter with the music and with the theme that Buhr curates. Audiences can also choose what they pay on a sliding scale model so as to make that experience accessible for everyone. While a small audience and a lower ticket price might be daunting for some producers, Buhr isn’t phased by it. “I love that challenge because, as a producer, I do a lot of the work myself. It’s kind of a do-it-yourself with really excellent musicians.”
The concert takes place on December 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the main hall of the Winnipeg Art Gallery Qaumajuq. For tickets and more information, music fans can visit DreamPlay’s website.