Songs of Hope

Artistic Statement:

In 2023, the SPO decided to embark on a musical journey. We asked ourselves: “How can artists respond to the times in which we live?” Our answer was to create a song cycle embracing the theme, “through adversity, hope”.  We brought together composers with a variety of lived experiences and cultural perspectives, who were also at different stages of their lives and careers. We selected 2 singers and chose an ensemble of 8 musicians from the SPO community, including our ensemble-in-residence, the Odin Quartet. We asked mezzo soprano Danielle MacMillan to be involved as we developed the various stories, lyrics, and music. Some of our composers wrote their own lyrics, and others were inspired by and adapted historical works. Each composer maintained their own musical voice but worked collaboratively while creating their lyrics and music. The SPO wanted to create a unified song cycle with the goal of engaging and touching our audience with music that finds hope in the face of challenge. For the next stage, Songs of Hope was workshopped, rehearsed, performed and finally recorded. Soprano Maghan McPhee summed it up for our team,

“For me, this project reaffirmed a core truth: music isn’t just about notes and rhythms—it’s about the stories we tell and the bonds we form along the way.Here’s to hope, collaboration, and the enduring power of art to connect us all.”