The Canadian premiere of a new work by award-winning Canadian composer Cait Nishimura is now being performed here during the Cochrane Music Society’s Music of Christmas concert on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

Adam Mailman, music director of Band on the Bow and Riverside Jazz, is thrilled that the local music society has the honour of being the first Canadian ensemble to perform “In Dreams” during an evening that is already dear to Cochrane.

Composer Cait Nishimura

This 7 ½ minute composition is particularly special to the Cochrane Music Society because it describes the composer’s journey to follow her dreams, says Mailman. Nishimura shared the inspiration for the piece while in Cochrane last week to work on the piece with the band.

“As we celebrate our 20th year, we too are following our dreams of making music with our community."

The Cochrane Music Society is a member of a consortium of over 35 ensembles across North America that commissioned the work. The University of Portland led the project.

The local music society has been making huge strides in promoting new Canadian music as well as local composers. They have also commissioned a composition by Bow Valley High School graduate Andrew Ball to be premiered at their 20th Anniversary concert next spring.

Nishimura, 27, is a Toronto-based composer and music educator who is described as offering a "refreshing buoyancy" to her compositions.

Her work for wind band, “Chasing Sunlight,” was selected as the winner of the 2017 Canadian Band Association Composition Competition, and has since been added to regional and national wind band syllabi.

Two of her pieces have recently been selected for this year’s US-based Bandworld Magazine’s Top 100 list, “Chasing Sunlight” and the “Lake Superior Suite” 1 thru 5.

The Music of Christmas concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Bow Valley Baptist Church and features the music ensembles and the Choral Waves choir. They’ll be many first at the concert, including guests vocalists performing with both the Band on the Bow and Riverside Jazz.

Tickets are $10 and are available at www.cochranemusic.ca or at the door. Children 12 and under free. Food bank donation will also be accepted.

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