Motion Trio next in 5-Penny New Music series

The Motion Trio will present the next concert in the 5-Penny New Music concert series Jan. 25.

The trio, which consists of soprano Helen Pridmore, violinist Nadia Francavilla and clarinetist Richard Hornsby, is drawn from the larger Motion Ensemble, based in Moncton, N.B.

The program consists of contemporary and experimental music by composers from Ontario (Robert Lemay, Avi Granite), Quebec (Gabriel Thibaudeau, Claude Vivier) and the Maritimes (Derek Charke, Sandy Moore, Jérôme Blais).

The highlight will be the world premiere of Lemay’s “Chemin du miracle.” Scored for violin, clarinet and soprano, the work is based on the collection, “Chemin du miracle,” by the distinguished Quebec poet, Pierre DesRuisseaux.

DesRuisseaux, who won the Governor-General’s Award for literature in 1989 and was Poet Laureate of the Parliament of Canada from 2009-11, will be in Sudbury for the performance.

“A long time ago, I used one of his poems as an inspiration for a piece,” said Lemay. “We met and he came to the premiere. We have stayed in touch and I have continued to read his books as they appear.

“My understanding and appreciation for his art has grown. I deeply admire ‘Chemin du miracle,’ a collection of poems that explores the rich ambiguity of human existence. I was immediately drawn to the sound of the words, so when Motion commissioned me to write this piece for voice and instruments, I decided to use them.”

Also featured on the program is Charke’s “Between the Shore and the Ships,” for clarinet and soprano. The piece is the title track of the album that won Pridmore and clarinetist Wesley Ferreira the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) award for best classical recording in 2013. The album deals with the British expulsion of the Acadians from Grand Pré from 1755-62. Charke’s piece also received the ECMA award for best classical composition.

The event takes place at St. Peter's United Church starting at 8 p.m., although Lemay will give a pre-concert talk in French starting at 7 p.m.

General admission is $20 and $15 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the door.