Halifax choir to honour Mi'kmaw artist with concert event

A concert combining Mi'kmaq artwork and music by First Nations' composers is scheduled to take place in Halifax this weekend.

Halifax Camerata Singers is a premier chamber choir in Atlantic Canada. The group will honour Mi'kmaw visual artist Leonard Paul, from Truro, N.S., by displaying his artwork as they sing music by First Nations' composers Andrew Balfour and Russell Wallace.

The concert event is called 'Stories and Mi'kmaq Legends with Leonard Paul.'

"Leonard's art is going to be shown on a screen and we're going to illustrate the paintings that you see on the screen with our music," says Jeff Joudrey, the artistic director with the Halifax Camerata Singers. "I've chosen pieces which represent and honour his art."

Paul, a graduate from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and Acadia University, is a painter who specializes in high realism. Inspired by his ancestors and traditions, Paul has received the Governor General's Medal for his work. 

According to Joudrey, the concert will be divided into three sections.

"The first section is called 'In Harmony with Nature,'" he says. "It illustrates Leonard's art, woodland scenes, and bird pictures."

Joudrey says the second section is about residential schools.

"The final section is 'Our Call to Action.' The music, we feel, represents that part of history," says Joudrey.

The collaborative event has been two years in the making. Joudrey says he is excited the concert is finally coming to fruition.

"I feel that we have a chance for 'Camerata' to honour Leonard as a First Nation's Mi'kaw artist," he says. "To us, that's really important right now."

The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the St. Andrew's United Church in Halifax. Organizers say the concert will also be live-streamed for those who are unable to attend in-person.

Tickets are available now or can be purchased at the door.

Organizers also say masks will be required. They add the choir will also be singing masked as a way to help keep everyone safe.