Join us for an evening of Canadian music and Romantic favourites with Jennifer King and Gillian Smith! Tickets: $20/adult, $10 student

Welcome to The Bessie Carruthers Study Club. It’s August 1919, and local Women’s Institute activist, Miss Bessie Carruthers of Kent Street in Charlottetown, has a very special guest for her weekly Study Club gathering: British musician, composer and renowned suffragette, Miss Ethel Smyth. While this is a fictional event, the characters are based on actual women. Bessie Carruthers played an important role in persuading political leaders of the era to grant women the right to vote on PEI. Ethel Smyth, now known as Dame Smyth, has been rediscovered as an important and significant composer of the last century, as well as a formidable voice in the work of British suffragettes. Produced by local company Pirate Jenny Productions, The Bessie Carruthers Study Club stars Suzanne Campbell as the titular suffragette with Jennifer King as English composer Ethel Smyth. Mezzo-soprano Suzanne Campbell teaches singing to students of all ages, appears as a frequent soloist around the Island, and sings as a member of the award-winning women’s vocal ensemble, Sirens, who recently won Choral Recording of the Year at the 2023 ECMAs. Halifax-based Jennifer King is a pianist, educator, host of Cecilia Concerts Sensory Accessible Concert series at Halifax’s Central Library and a recording artist. Her latest recording, O Mistress Moon: Canadian Edition, was the recipient of the 2023 ECMA Classical Recording of the Yyear. Described as a “playfully thoughtful and amusing look back at women’s earlier struggles, made more appealing by the Campbell/King duo’s fine singing and King’s formidable piano skills.” (Sean McQuaid, The Buzz) The Bessie Carruthers Study Club was one of nine shows selected to be part of the 2019 Island Fringe Festival where it performed to a sold-out, standing-room-only audiences throughout the festival. Audience members of all ages enjoyed the portrayal of Bessie Carruthers and Ethel Smyth as well as the audience-participation aspect of the show. —- The Souris Show Hall Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to staging live performance events, and maintaining the 132 year old theatre in Souris, PEI. There will be a 50/50 draw at intermission in support of the hall's activities and to continue the renovation and restoration of this historic property. Ticket sales are also an important part of keeping the Souris Show Hall open and operating, as well as paying the talented artists who grace our stage. That said, we want our whole community to be able to enjoy the events at the Souris Show Hall, so if ticket price is an issue for you for any reason, please use the promo code CHEAPSEAT to save 50% on a ticket to any of our events. 10 concession tickets will be available online in advance, and 10 will be held at the door while supplies last. For this performance we are also offering a 50% discount on tickets for those under 30. Use the promo code SOURISYOUTH at check out to save on your ticket!

Welcome to The Bessie Carruthers Study Club. It’s August 1919, and local Women’s Institute activist, Miss Bessie Carruthers of Kent Street in Charlottetown, has a very special guest for her weekly Study Club gathering: British musician, composer and renowned suffragette, Miss Ethel Smyth. While this is a fictional event, the characters are based on actual women. Bessie Carruthers played an important role in persuading political leaders of the era to grant women the right to vote on PEI. Ethel Smyth, now known as Dame Smyth, has been rediscovered as an important and significant composer of the last century, as well as a formidable voice in the work of British suffragettes. Produced by local company Pirate Jenny Productions, The Bessie Carruthers Study Club stars Suzanne Campbell as the titular suffragette with Jennifer King as English composer Ethel Smyth. Mezzo-soprano Suzanne Campbell teaches singing to students of all ages, appears as a frequent soloist around the Island, and sings as a member of the award-winning women’s vocal ensemble, Sirens, who recently won Choral Recording of the Year at the 2023 ECMAs. Halifax-based Jennifer King is a pianist, educator, host of Cecilia Concerts Sensory Accessible Concert series at Halifax’s Central Library and a recording artist. Her latest recording, O Mistress Moon: Canadian Edition, was the recipient of the 2023 ECMA Classical Recording of the Yyear. Described as a “playfully thoughtful and amusing look back at women’s earlier struggles, made more appealing by the Campbell/King duo’s fine singing and King’s formidable piano skills.” (Sean McQuaid, The Buzz) The Bessie Carruthers Study Club was one of nine shows selected to be part of the 2019 Island Fringe Festival where it performed to a sold-out, standing-room-only audiences throughout the festival. Audience members of all ages enjoyed the portrayal of Bessie Carruthers and Ethel Smyth as well as the audience-participation aspect of the show. —- The Souris Show Hall Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to staging live performance events, and maintaining the 132 year old theatre in Souris, PEI. There will be a 50/50 draw at intermission in support of the hall's activities and to continue the renovation and restoration of this historic property. Ticket sales are also an important part of keeping the Souris Show Hall open and operating, as well as paying the talented artists who grace our stage. That said, we want our whole community to be able to enjoy the events at the Souris Show Hall, so if ticket price is an issue for you for any reason, please use the promo code CHEAPSEAT to save 50% on a ticket to any of our events. 10 concession tickets will be available online in advance, and 10 will be held at the door while supplies last. For this performance we are also offering a 50% discount on tickets for those under 30. Use the promo code SOURISYOUTH at check out to save on your ticket!

Renowned pianist Jennifer King and violinist Gillian Smith touring along the South Shore and northern Nova Scotia.

Spanning from May 25 to June 2, their five-concert series will enchant audiences with a delightful program featuring Canadian and romantic favourites for violin and piano, along with solo violin and solo piano performances.

King and Smith have been collaborating since 2014 and earned nominations and awards from the East Coast Music Awards (ECMAs).

The tour showcases compositions by talented Nova Scotian artists, including Amy Brandon, Derek Charke, Carmen Braden and Adam Vincent Clarke, alongside works by Kevin Lau, Debussy, J.S. Bach and Eugène Ysaÿe.

King is a spirited and sensitive pianist who has dedicated over three decades to exploring classical music in the 21st century.

Her exceptional talent and artistry have earned her numerous accolades, including an Award of Appreciation from the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.

Smith is a rising star in the classical music scene and has captivated audiences as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Nova Scotia.

Her album, Into the Stone, featuring compositions by five Canadian women composers, garnered praise for her exceptional skill and interpretation.

Renowned pianist Jennifer King and violinist Gillian Smith touring along the South Shore and northern Nova Scotia.

Spanning from May 25 to June 2, their five-concert series will enchant audiences with a delightful program featuring Canadian and romantic favourites for violin and piano, along with solo violin and solo piano performances.

King and Smith have been collaborating since 2014 and earned nominations and awards from the East Coast Music Awards (ECMAs).

The tour showcases compositions by talented Nova Scotian artists, including Amy Brandon, Derek Charke, Carmen Braden and Adam Vincent Clarke, alongside works by Kevin Lau, Debussy, J.S. Bach and Eugène Ysaÿe.

King is a spirited and sensitive pianist who has dedicated over three decades to exploring classical music in the 21st century.

Her exceptional talent and artistry have earned her numerous accolades, including an Award of Appreciation from the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.

Smith is a rising star in the classical music scene and has captivated audiences as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Nova Scotia.

Her album, Into the Stone, featuring compositions by five Canadian women composers, garnered praise for her exceptional skill and interpretation.

Jennifer King:

Pianist Jennifer King is known as an energetic, insightful and versatile musician who is at home as a collaborator, soloist, and speaker on the concert stage. Her performances, as they have been described in reviews of her recorded albums, are “…dramatic out-of-this-world sonic listening featuring contrasting harmonic textures. King’s sensitive performances make for moving moonlight listening.” (The Wholenote) “King creates an introspective and meditative universe, both serene and lively. Contrasted both emotionally and aesthetically, …[it] soothes and brings warmth to the cold winter.” (Panm360) And: “One can only be charmed by the calm and meditative sweetness that emanates from her piano interpretations. Modern musical language often takes us out of our comfort zone and brings with it its share of anxieties, but it can also be intoxicating when the pace quickens. There are many moments when the music reaches heights of vitality. One can say that the album breathes renewal.” (La Scena)

Gillian Smith:

Hailed as a “rising star” by The WholeNote magazine, Nova Scotian violinist Gillian Smith Gillian Smith has performed widely throughout Nova Scotia as a solo and chamber musician with Musique Royale, the Music Room Chamber Players, Open Waters Festival, Shattering the Silence Festival, and Sunday Music in the Garden Room, among others.

Her album Into the Stone, which was released on the Leaf Music label in 2019, features works for solo violin by five Canadian women composers. La Scena Musicale wrote of the album, “Gillian Smith demonstrates a great skill and mastery…magnificently appropriates Canadian repertoire”. Into the Stone was nominated for an ECMA award for Classical Recording of the Year in 2020 and has been heard on radio broadcasts across Canada and in the U.K.

Don’t miss the final performance of the season in our series of Sensory-Accessible Concerts, co-presented with the Halifax Central Library. This fun all-ages program invites you to move and groove as our host and pianist Jennifer King is joined by the multi-talented Anna Plaskett on guitar and vocals, and the expressive dance artist Véronique MacKenzie. Delight in an eclectic program featuring classical masterpieces such as Erik Satie's mesmerizing Gnossiennes No. 3, Dmitri Kabalevsky's dynamic Prelude No. 8 from his collection of 24 Preludes, Georges Bizet's whimsical “Les Bulles de Savon” from Jeux D'Enfants Op. 22, and Frédéric Chopin's enchanting Mazurka Op. 30 No. 3. The program also offers a heartwarming selection of family-favourite tunes, including the fun and timeless "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles," the soothing "The River She is Flowing," Kira Willey's inspiring "Kindness Mantra," and the tranquil "Peace Like a River." Plus we will have a special musical arrangement of Nova Scotian author Sherree Fitch's timeless classic "If I Were the Moon."

FREE OF CHARGE/REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Come celebrate this year's ECMA nominees for Classical Recording of the Year, Choral Recording of the Year (new this year), and Classical Composer of the Year.

Hosted by Allegra Swanson, this FREE event is presented in partnership with Canadian Music Centre and Debut Atlantic, and will feature the presentation of these three Classical East Coast Music Awards, as well as showcases by:

Atlantic String Machine Christina Raphaelle Haldane with Carl Philippe Gionet Deantha Edmunds with the Blue Engine String Quartet India Gailey and Edward Enman Jennifer King SHHH!! Ensemble Greg Harrison with Maureen Batt Andrew Staniland with Michelle Gott

Leona Burkey brings her annual Shine Blue Show to The Carleton on Sunday, April 30th in support of Autism Nova Scotia during a special 20th Anniversary year for this incredible organization. Celebrating understanding, acceptance and inclusion, we’ll put a bow on Autism Acceptance Month 2023 with a benefit show featuring Shine Blue originals Jon Cornwall, David Bradshaw + new blue-comers pianist Jennifer King and appalachian-dark duo Factory Girls + special guests. Show time is 7 PM and tickets are $20 + HST. All proceeds to Autism Nova Scotia. Direct donations (eligible for a tax receipt) may be made HERE. Because of you, Autism Nova Scotia can support Autistic people and families through leadership, advocacy, education, training, and programming across the life span. Thank you for helping build a world where autism is fully understood and accepted.

Pianist Jennifer King is known as an energetic, insightful, and versatile musician who is at home as a collaborator, soloist and speaker on the concert stage. In the past five years, Jennifer is busy in a new artistic foray as a recording artist. Her latest album released January 2022, O Mistress Moon: Canadian Edition is a follow up to her debut album of 2018. O Mistress Moon was presented by Cecilia Concerts in Halifax, NS and nominated for Best Classical Album with East Coast Music Association and Music Nova Scotia in 2019. With a busy career spanning almost three decades, she has established herself as a sought-after performer and recording artist in Atlantic Canada with features on CBC Radio 2 and ici-musique. Her recordings can be found on all streaming platforms through her website www.jenniferkingpiano.com. Jennifer holds a Masters of Music degree in solo piano performance from McGill University, a Bachelor of Music from Acadia University and completed postgraduate diplomas at the University of Reading (Music Teaching in Private Practice with Distinction) in the UK and the prestigious Royal Academy of Music (Piano Accompaniment) in London, England. She was a scholarship holder at the Kneisal Hall Chamber Music School, “the cradle of chamber music teaching in America” in Blue Hill, Maine, and of a grant for contemporary music studies at the Britten Pears School of Advanced Musical Studies in the UK. Since moving back home to Nova Scotia from England in 2003, where she was an active musician and teacher, Jennifer has performed in hundreds of recitals in many of Nova Scotia’s concert series (The Garden Room Concert Series (Acadia University), Scotia Festival Chamber Players, Upstream Association’s Open Waters Festival and Cecilia Concerts to name a few) and alongside some of Canada’s most respected singers and musicians including soprano, Jane Archibald.

Join us for a warm, positive, and uplifting cultural experience as our Sensory-Accessible Concerts series, in partnership with the Halifax Central Library, presents an afternoon of Indigenous music and storytelling. Award-winning Inuk soprano Deantha Edmunds takes center stage, sharing traditional lullabies, river songs, and songs to the moon from her heritage with a program that includes classical arrangements of the Labrador folk song "This is My Home" by Harry Martin, and the Nunatsiavut anthem "Labradorimiut/Sons of Labrador" by Sid Dicker. She will also sing “Nutarâsuk,” the Inuktitut version of the German lullaby "Schlaf, Kindlein, Schlaf" or "Sleep, Little One, Sleep,." and "Kuvianattuksovut itigangit/How Beautiful are the Feet" from George Frideric Handel's "Messiah," as she recorded with Toronto Symphony Orchestra on the JUNO-nominated digital album "Messiah/Complex." You won't want to miss Edmund's own composition "Song of the River," as well as Mi'kmaq Grassroots Grandmother Dorene Bernard's recitation of a beloved poem by Mi’kmaw poet Rita Joe, set to a captivating nocturne from composer Sandy Moore performed by host, curator, and pianist Jennifer King.

FREE OF CHARGE/REGISTRATION REQUIRED

The March performance in our Sensory-Accessible Concerts series, presented in partnership with the Halifax Central Library, will pair our host, curator, and pianist Jennifer King with Symphony Nova Scotia's principal second violinist Isabelle Fournier. The musicians will perform a diverse array of works, including "Méditation," a beautiful and contemplative piece from Jules Massenet's 1894 opera "Thaïs", Pyotr Tchaikovsky's romantic and lyrical "Mélodie," and "Rondo," a lively and spirited work by Fritz Kreisler that was inspired by Mozart's compositions. The duo will also perform the second movement from Ludwig van Beethoven's graceful and memorable Op. 23 Sonata in a minor, Andante scherzando, più Allegretto, "Pièce en forme de Habanera" by Maurice Ravel a sultry and seductive piece that showcases the composer's signature style and rhythmic flair, and Argentinian composer Astor Piazzola's "Tango no. 3 for unaccompanied violin", which is a fiery and passionate work that is sure to captivate audience members of all ages.

We are proud to present this concert during the 2023 International Women’s Week. International Women’s Week is celebrated worldwide from the first Saturday of March, leading to International Women’s Day on March 8th. The week was established to celebrate women and their roles in society, as well as how far they have come in fighting for equal opportunities.

Sensory-Accessible Concerts are designed to make classical music accessible to everyone, including autistic, neurodivergent, and intellectually disabled community members of all ages and their families, as well as seniors with age-related changes in hearing and vision that can make loud noises and bright lights uncomfortable, or for anyone with underlying conditions that can affect their sensory processing and make traditional concert environments challenging. These concerts are designed to be inclusive, accommodating, and enjoyable for everyone in a welcoming and friendly environment. 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.

Violinist Isabelle Fournier keeps very busy as an orchestral musician, soloist, teacher, adjudicator, and more recently, as music director. Isabelle studied at the UK Royal College of Music and The Juilliard School of Music, and she has performed extensively throughout Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Europe, Japan, and Taiwan. Currently, she is the principal second violin with Symphony Nova Scotia. 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.

FREE OF CHARGE/REGISTRATION REQUIRED

For tonight’s program, three of Halifax’s finest musicians bring us a program of romantic and lush music for piano trio: a brief gem from Schubert; French lyricism from Mel Bonis; and Anton Arensky’s impassioned and generously melodic Trio No. 1.

Isabelle Fournier, violin; Hilary Brown, cello; Jennifer King, piano

Franz Schubert - Notturno in E-flat major, Op. 148, D. 897

Mel Bonis - Soir et Matin, Op.76

Anton Arensky - Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32

The February performance in our Sensory-Accessible Concerts series, presented in partnership with the Halifax Central Library, brings our host, curator, and pianist Jennifer King together with harpist Ellen Gibling for an afternoon of enchanting music featuring various harps and piano. Come hear Parisian composer Marcel Tournier's "Vers la source dans le bois," a tranquil and peaceful work inspired by nature, the expressive second movement of Giovanni Battista Pescetti's Sonata in C minor, Sergei Prokofiev's lively and sparkling Prelude in C major, op.12 no.7, as well as Spanish composer Joaquin Turina's Theme and Variations, op.100 for harp and piano. The first movement of French Canadian Caroline Lizotte's Suite Galactique "Exosphere" will transport you to the outer reaches of space with its cosmic sounds, and you will be treated to a traditional Irish slow air called "Port na bPúcaí" as well as a lively Irish jig set sure to get your toes tapping.

Sensory-Accessible Concerts are designed to make classical music accessible to everyone, including autistic, neurodivergent, and intellectually disabled community members of all ages and their families, as well as seniors with age-related changes in hearing and vision that can make loud noises and bright lights uncomfortable, or for anyone with underlying conditions that can affect their sensory processing and make traditional concert environments challenging. These concerts are designed to be inclusive, accommodating, and enjoyable for everyone in a welcoming and friendly environment. 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.

Ellen Gibling is a harpist based in K'jipuktuk/Halifax. She plays classical, Irish traditional, and free improvised music, and performs most regularly with New Hermitage and The Bombadils. She teaches harp at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, and recently released a solo album entitled "The Bend in the Light." 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.

FREE OF CHARGE/REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Welcome the new year with another enchanting performance in our series of Sensory-Accessible Concerts, presented in partnership with the Halifax Central Library. This early January concert brings our host, curator, and pianist Jennifer King together with Symphony Nova Scotia hornist Mary Lee for a thoughtful program of winter-inspired works that includes Richard Bissell's "Song of a New World" and Ameican-Canadian composer Elizabeth Raum's "Romance." Jennifer and Mary will be joined by mezzo-soprano Paula Rockwell for vocal performances of Hector Berlioz's gripping "Le jeune Pâtre breton" from "Fleurs des landes", based on the work of poet Auguste Brizeux, Sting's wistful "You Only Cross My Mind in Winter" inspired by J.S. Bach, and Gustav Holst's perennial gem "In the Bleak Midwinter" based on the poem by Christina Rossetti. The mezzo-soprano will also narrate a selection of the ancient Aesop's Fables set to music for piano and horn by American composer Anthony Plog. 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.

Hornist Mary Lee started playing the horn at the age of 12 in Toronto, the city where she grew up and went to university. She followed her undergraduate studies with a year at the Utrecht Conservatory in the Netherlands, where she was able to focus on 2 of her favourite things: orchestra and chamber music! A winding road finally led Mary to Halifax, where she has long since resided, playing with Symphony Nova Scotia and teaching the horn-another one of her treasured pastimes. 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. Mezzo-soprano, Paula Rockwell, has been steeped in musical projects, performances, and music festivals in Canada and the United States and is on the faculty at Acadia’s School of Music. Rockwell recently released her CD "Unwrapped: Finally Surfacing", featuring original songs. She will be the music director for Stage Prophets’ production of Jesus Christ Superstar, June 2-4, 2023, at Acadia University’s Arena.

FREE OF CHARGE/REGISTRATION REQUIRED

A solo recital of exploratory electro-acoustic and unadulterated cosmic piano music by David KJaeger, Allen Strange, Michael Donovan ( world premiere of Vertical ) , Amy Brandon, Rosemary Mountain and Peter Togni (premiere performance of Nocturne).

The third fall performance in our series of Sensory-Accessible Concerts, presented in partnership with the Halifax Central Library, brings cellist India Gailey together with our host, curator, and pianist Jennifer King. The pair will perform a warm and intimate program containing Dutch-Jewish composer Henriette Bosmans' hauntingly beautiful 1917 work "Arietta", Erik Satie's atmospheric "Gymnopedie" No. 3, and the airy yet intricate "Halcyon" by Canadian composer Jocelyn Morlock. Also featured is French composer Nadia Boulanger's post-impressionistic 3 Pieces for Cello and Piano I. Modere, and set of traditional Spanish songs arranged for cello and piano by the composer Manuel de Fallaas, as well as works by composers who are always audience favourites, including Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, and Antonio Vivaldi. 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.

India Gailey is a cellist and composer who performs most often in the realms of classical and experimental music. Named by CBC as one of 2022’s “30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30,” she has been the recipient of numerous honours, including awards from Arts Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Talent Trust, the Canada Council for the Arts, and McGill & Acadia Universities. She is a member of the improvisational quartet New Hermitage and frequently works with living composers, visual artists, filmmakers, and dancers to create exploratory works of interdisciplinary art. 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.