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Arts & CultureArea musicians to perform at renowned Canadian art gallery

Area musicians to perform at renowned Canadian art gallery

Tom Thomson musical weekend with Kathryn Briggs and Terry Tufts at the McMichael gallery includes world premiere by The Algonquin Ensemble

by RocketChimp Media staff

Thanks to the composition and performance talents of Kathryn Briggs and Terry Tufts, the first weekend in July might well be declared “Tom Thomson musical weekend” at The McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario.

July 8th marks the 100th anniversary of the death of the legendary Canadian painter Tom Thomson. On that date, Briggs (piano) and Tufts (guitars and vocals) have been invited by the McMichael gallery to play at a tribute to Thomson. The 5pm event will include a talk by the McMichael’s Executive Director, Ian Dejardin, and readings by Murdoch Mysteries’ Yannick Bisson.

The next day, Sunday July 9th, is even more exciting for the husband and wife team from McDonald’s Corners. At 2pm Briggs and Tufts will reflect on Thomson’s legacy as part of The Algonquin Ensemble in a world premiere performance of Sonic Palette – Tom Thomson’s Voice through Music 100 Years Later. It’s an immersive musical celebration capturing the spirit of his landscapes through original new music. The Algonquin Ensemble sextet includes John Geggie on double bass, Sara Mastrangelo on violin, Lisa Moody on viola and Margaret Tobolowska on cello.

Briggs will be playing a grand piano and Tufts will be singing and playing guitars including another world premiere – of “The Manzer Palette”, a 50-stringed multi-necked guitar created by world-renowned luthier Linda Manzer. The one-of-a-kind instrument was created over the last year in her Almonte workshop with the support of The Canada Council for the Arts.

This very special July musical weekend in one of the nation’s most revered art galleries is the culmination of 18 months of musical energy by Briggs and Tufts. “We wanted to tell the story of Thomson’s amazing artistic journey the way we see it, and especially hear it as musicians,” says Briggs. “The anniversary of his death inspired us to focus on his life, and all he accomplished to help paint the foundation of the Canadian identity.”

To learn more about The Algonquin Ensemble and support their ambitious artistic vision for a future CD and nation-wide tour of the Sonic Palette project, Briggs and Tufts have created an IndieGoGo campaign offering a series of imaginative musical “perks” in exchange for financial support. You can find a link to the campaign here or click on the YouTube video below. So far over $2,500 has been pledged towards a campaign goal of $34,000.

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