Inspired by Canada / Notre Pays

The Amici Chamber Ensemble's "Inspired by Canada" features Canadian soprano Mireille Asselin performing songs which capture the spirit of Canada, including music by Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Claude Léveillée, in new arrangements by Serouj Kradjian. 

"We realized that a lot of the material we were drawn to was Canadian – and what better time than during Canada 150 to delve into a project that was more focused on our own musical heritage? We spent hours at the library digging through the stacks, listening to old recordings of chansonniers and folksingers, probing our own memories for important musical touchstones, and in the studio comparing notes and hashing out ideas. In the end, we distilled our list down to the material that spoke to us the most both musically and emotionally. The end result really feels like a labour of love!" – Mireille Asselin

Read reviews and interviews from Ludwig Van Toronto , Artsfile.ca 

How can you tell the story of a country as vast as Canada? How can you capture through song the beauty of its landscapes or the diversity of its people?  

This was a challenge.  

For this disc we’ve drawn inspiration from all of the above as well as from important historical events and iconic singer-songwriters who’ve made us proud to be Canadian.  

We knew at the outset that we would have a lot of great music to pull from, but could not have anticipated how rewarding the process of discovery, research and development would be. It was in turns nostalgic, challenging, thought provoking, revelatory, and ultimately... personal.  

What ended up informing us most were our own lives and experiences, making the resulting product truly feel like a love letter to this country we call home.  

Here are our Canadian inspirations —Voici notre pays...

The World is Waiting for the Sunrise (M–Ernest Seitz, L–Gene Lockhart)  

Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) 

Le Vieux Piano (M–Claude Léveillée, L–Henri Contet) 

A Case of You (Joni Mitchell) 

Un Canadien Errant (Antoine Gérin-Lajoie) 

Red River Valley (Trad.) 

Chants du Québec (Serouj Kradjian) 

(À la claire fontaine—Nous vid'rons la bouteille—Boum badi boum) 

Maple Leaf Forever Rag (Scott Joplin / Serouj Kradjian)  

Huron Carol–Sacrae Familiae (Jean de Brébeuf / Charles-Amador Martin)

Underground Railroad Songs (Trad.)  (Steal away—Down to the river to pray—Follow the drinking gourd) 

Morrison's Jig (Trad.) 

Inspired by Newfoundland (Serouj Kradjian) 

(She’s like the swallow—Fish of the sea—We'll rant & we'll roar 

like true Newfoundlanders) 

Lettre de Louis Riel (Trad.) 

Mrs. Maqi Denny's Lullaby (Trad.) 

Ma Cabane au Canada (M–Loulou Gasté, L–Mireille Brosey) 

49th Parallel: Prelude (Ralph Vaughan Williams) 

All music arranged by Serouj Kradjian