A new piece, never-before heard in western Canada, will be the cornerstone of a concert in River Heights this week addressing the realities and anxieties of climate change.
The St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church Choir and Handbell Ensemble will be presenting For the Earth on Friday, November 22 in their sanctuary at the corner of Oak Street and Kingsway. From there, they’ll transport audiences to Canada’s east coast and the music of Paul Aitken. Aitken’s new work Missa pro terra will anchor the concert, which also features music by Cree composer Sheryl Sewepagaham, Frank Dewald and Aaron Copland.
"At St. Andrew’s River Heights, we’ve been talking a lot about creation over the year and how we can be stewards of the Earth and of creation,” says conductor Katy Harmer. “[Missa pro terra] just seemed to fit so well that I just thought, ‘We’ve got to do some new music. We’ve got to look at this issue.’”
For Harmer, music has always played an important role in reminding us of our shared humanity and the shared threats that we face. For the Earth is one way to give voice to that experience, whether it be despair over the enormity of the climate crisis, or optimism that galvanizes us to action.
Hear an excerpt from Paul Aitken's Missa pro terra performed by the St. Andrew's River Heights United Church Choir here!
“There are so many issues, and it can feel kind of hopeless,” Harmer acknowledges, “but at the same time, there is still hope. The things that we are doing can make a difference, and I I hope that that is something that we can bring across in this concert.”
“It's not just about lamenting the harms that have been done. It's also celebrating the beauty that is all of creation and all of the earth and also sort of reframing things a little bit for ourselves to get out of that hopelessness, feeling and into sort of a hopeful moving forward.”
For the Earth takes the stage at St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church on November 22 at 7 p.m. Entry is by donation with a suggested amount of $20, with a portion of the proceeds supporting Winnipeg’s Green Action Centre. For more information, you can visit the church’s website.