piano, violin, viola and cello

Situated in the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories is the Great Bear River, a 113-kilometre channel connecting to the Mackenzie River at the hamlet of Tulita, the birthplace of “Yatsule” (1879) a prolific musician of Dene Folk Music. This composition’s motifs of harmony, melody, rhythm, and form come from geographical data pertaining to the river’s striking meandering pattern. The music is stylized by “blue notes”, glissandi, syncopation and driving rhythm — prominent qualities of contemporary Dene Folk Music.

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