Cecilia Concerts Sensory Accessible Concert with Ken Shorley (percussion)
Paul O'Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library , 5440 Spring Garden Road , Halifax
The second fall performance in our series of Sensory-Accessible Concerts (formerly Sensory-Friendly Concerts), presented in partnership with the Halifax Central Library, features percussionist Ken Shorley and our host, curator, and pianist Jennifer King. This dynamic pair performs a cross-cultural exploration of music travelling from Africa through Europe and includes original compositions on a wide range of percussion instruments mixed with piano – sure to spark the imagination. The program includes the traditional dance Pomaško Sirto, a work that celebrates the Muslim inhabitants of Bulgaria; French composer Erik Satie's gorgeous Gnossienne No. 1, arranged here for piano and percussion; Bowl Bells from Lou Harrison's east-meets-west Varied Trio; along with original works composed by Ken Shorley, including Still Waiting, Atmospheres, and Locked in Orbit. Sensory-Accessible Concerts are designed to be welcoming, friendly, and accessible for autistic, neurodivergent, and intellectually disabled community members of all ages and their families. They are open to the public free of charge on select Sunday afternoons at the Halifax Central Library's Paul O'Regan Hall. Seating is limited, and registration is required.
Ken Shorley is a Canadian percussionist and composer specializing in the hand drumming traditions of the Middle East and India. A faculty member with the Acadia University School of Music, he is based in Wolfville, but his musical passions have taken him to many parts of the globe. He has been a featured performer at the Halifax Jazz Festival, Sound Symposium, Prismatic Festival, Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, Sunfest, Mosaiq Festival, Deep Roots Music Festival, and on national broadcasts for CBC Radio. Energetic and insightful, Jennifer King is a versatile, award-winning pianist who is equally at home as a soloist or a collaborator on the concert stage. With a career spanning almost three decades, she has established herself as a sought-after performer and recording artist in the region. She performs with many respected soloists and multidisciplinary artists throughout the Maritimes.