sound.colLAB

sound.colLAB logo with logos for partner organizations
The Rolston String Quartet plays on a stage with microphones, a camera, and a blue curtain behind them.
Participant Rory Berk and Xenia Concerts Executive and Artistic Director Rory McLeod sit together behind a table, while Rory McLeod takes notes and Rory Berk looks on

A unique co-creation project that celebrates neurodiversity through music

The result of a groundbreaking partnership between Xenia Concerts and National accessArts Centre, Sound.colLAB is an unprecedented collaborative project in which seven neurodivergent artists co-create an original piece of music under the mentorship of nine professional musicians. With the support of Juno-award nominated composer Bekah Simms, the award-winning Rolston String Quartet, and NaAC and Xenia team members, participants are working together to co-create an original piece for string quartet and electronics, which will be performed on stages across North America in 2022-2023. 

 

Meet the Participating Composers

Rory Berk – Location: Toronto

Thomas Sinclair – Location: Toronto

Maddux Ma – Location: Toronto

Nathan Neutel – Location: Toronto

Anthony Hodgetts – Location: Calgary

Laura LaPeare – Location: Calgary

Jamie Petit – Location: Calgary

 

Meet the Supporting Musicians

Bekah Simms — composer/workshop leader

Adam Scime – Electronics Director

The Rolston String Quartet — performers/workshop leaders

Paolo Griffin — composer/coach

Evan Lamberton — cellist/coach

Rory McLeod — violist/coach

Clayton Smith — coach

 

Project Overview

sound.colLAB was launched in November 2021 through a partnership with Xenia Concerts (Toronto) and National Access Arts Centre (Calgary). Through three workshops with composer Bekah Simms and the Rolston String Quartet, participants were introduced to the sounds of the string quartet. At the end of these workshops, each participant had developed text scores about a sound or sounds that they had recorded, and Bekah arranged these text scores into pieces of music for the Rolston String Quartet.

All seven participants’ pieces will be premiered on the Xenia Concerts stage as part of our sensory-friendly concert series. This concert will be open to the general public. Throughout 2022 and 2023 we will present this original work at music festivals across Canada. Watch our website for more details!

Click HERE to Read More about sound.colLAB

Upcoming Performance Dates

 

Partners & Supporters

National accessArts Centre — program partner

TO Live — venue partner

Canada Council for the Arts and Unity for Autism — funding partners