Ahead of his highly anticipated headlining debut with the NAC Orchestra at Southam Hall on September 13, award-winning composer, musician and singer Jeremy Dutcher checked in with NACO Music Director Alexander Shelley for an illuminating one-on-one about music, identity, and culture. Their candid conversation offers a glimpse into Dutcher’s creative journey and his profound connection to the songs he brings to life in concert and on his Polaris-Prize winning studio albums, Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa and Motewolonuwok.
Dutcher, who describes himself as a “recovering classical musician,” reflects on the tension between his classical training and the contemporary relevance of symphonic music. He shares a powerful story of how Maggie Paul, an elder from Wolastoqey Nation, Dutcher’s home in New Brunswick, urged him to turn ancestral songs into symphonies.
“This is our space, too. I think we’re here now. We’re telling our stories. We’re singing our songs in our language. For me, it’s a celebration.”
As Dutcher describes it, performing with an orchestra is a vastly different experience from his usual band setups, which are often more improvisational. However, his operatic voice —used sparingly and intentionally—creates a stunning harmony with the orchestra.
The conversation touches on Dutcher’s mission to bring ancestral songs out of archives and into the cultural spotlight. “These songs need to live out in the world,” he declares, emphasizing that Indigenous voices and stories belong on stages like Southam Hall.
_cropped__square.jpg)
