Autumn of Somers

Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada, Autumn, 2001

Until recently fans of composer Harry Somers could only find a small sampling of his works as recordings. But on a sunny afternoon late last February Governor General Adrian Clarkson officiated at the launch of a project that will fill that gap. Window on Somers is the name of a multi-stage recording project being carried out through the Canadian Music Centre's Centrediscs label.

The CBC, the Esprit Orchestra, the Elmer Iseler Singers and Soundstreams Canada are among the collaborators in an ambitous and unprecedented project to document thoroughly and record the works of a Canadian composer. The first three recordings, released in February, are "Singing Somers Theatre", "Songs from the Heart of Somers" and "The Glorious Sounds of Somers". They are remarkable not only for the compositions, but for their array of performing talent. Barbara Chilcott, Jean Stilwell, Ben Heppner, Krisztina Szabo and Michael Colvin are among the many well known figures represented on the first three discs. The second component of the project, launched on October 2, includes a welcome revival of the music of Somers' opera Serinette, which has not been heard since its debut at the Sharon, Ontario summer festival in 1990. The recording is performed by the cast of Soundstreams Canada's 2001 Toronto concert production. The other two discs are "Somers Strings", featuring Andrew Dawes (violin) and Kenneth Broadway (piano) and "Somers String Quartets", with The Accordes String Quartet. More details are to be found at www.harrysomers.com, and the recordings are available online through the Canadian Music Centre at www.musiccentre.ca.