International Sound Symposium 2022

The International Sound Symposium takes place every two years in St.John's, NL and was founded by Don Wherry and Kathy Clark Wherry. Like its name, one of the main goals of the festival is to explore sound. I was lucky to grow up in Newfoundland and be able to take in the festival fairly early in my life. So people playing on - while being by suspended by - cables from the rafters was a normal sight - and sound - for me!

Photo credits: Greg Locke

I haven't had the chance to make it home for every symposium, but I was able to go back in 2008. Like many festivals in 2020, the International Sound Symposium was rescheduled. So it was 14 years since I last enjoyed this spectacular event, of which one of the signature series is the harbour symphonies - symphonies of boat horns at noon hour.

Photo credits: Greg Locke

This year's focus was Percussion. I feel really blessed to share the festival's stages with percussionists like Trichy Sankaran, Beverly Johnston, and members of both Nexus and TorQ. On Wednesday, I joined Erin Donovan's Trail Reports, that look place in the MUN Botanical Gardens. I love when music and nature collide. At the final evening concert, I premiered two of my works, "Sundial for prepared vibraphone and sound installation" and "Though Shall Not Apologize", a duet for two percussionists with Erin Donovan. In the second half of that concert, I was treated to a program by Nexus, who I haven't heard live in years. A beautiful way to end the festival!