PODIUM 2024 | AHSKENNON'NIA: SONGS OF PEACE

In May 2022, University of British Columbia’s Chancellor Steven Lewis Point of Skowkale First Nation said, "Reconciliation is the song we sing together." Ahskennon’nia, meaning “peace” in the Huron-Wendat language, lays the musical foundation of this Indigenous-led collaboration featuring Andrée Levesque Sioui (Wendat singer-songwriter), Sylvia Cloutier (Inuk performing artist), Choeur des enfants de Montréal (Eun Jung Park), musica intima vocal ensemble, and with Sherryl Sewepagaham (Cree singer-composer) as the concert's curator and co-host.

Ahskennon’nia will feature Indigenous compositions by Sherryl and Andrew Balfour (Cree), and will debut a new Indigenous choral commission. In the spirit of reconciliation through song, Ahskennon’nia will end with a powerful finale arrangement by Andrew composed and led by Andrée Levesque Sioui highlighting the concert's collective Indigenous artists, choirs, and collaborators.