Our next concert, premiering March 7th, celebrates the "dean of Canadian composers" on the occasion of his 94th birthday. John Beckwith has had a foundational impact on Canadian music for over 70 years, and he is still very much a driving force.

I will host three back-to-back concerts, joined by my daughter (and John's granddaughter) actor Alison Beckwith, and featuring young students, Beckwith contemporaries, university students, and artists from across Canada and internationally.

The performers involved in this very special program include international superstars Barbara Hannigan, Russell Braun, Benjamin Butterfield and Krisztina Szabo, Canadian veterans Doug MacNaughton, Kimberly Barber, Colin Ainsworth, Leslie Fagan, Maria Soulis and Giles Tomkins, young professionals Sara Schabas, Caitlin Wood, Alison Angelo and Bradley Christensen, as well as university and high school students from across the country and members of the Canadian Children's Opera Company.

THE JOHN BECKWITH SONGBOOK will premiere on YouTube with three concerts on Sunday, March 7 at 2:00pm, 5:00pm and 8:00pm EST, and will remain on the Confluence channel for two weeks afterwards at www.youtube.com.

Please note that we've also made a few changes to our upcoming artistic plans. THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT, which was to premiere this month, has been rescheduled to May. And Patricia O'Callaghan's program GRACIAS A LA VIDA will celebrate the music of Argentina greats Astor Piazzolla and Mercedes Sosa. We've decided to delay one of the works originally on the program, Omar Daniels' Neruda Canciones, until later in 2021 when we can perform it for you live.

THE JOHN BECKWITH SONGBOOK
Over 70 Years of Originality
Premiering March 7 at 2:00PM

Celebrating the "Dean of Canadian Composers" on his 94th birthday with three back-to-back concerts.