Requiem for A Glacier

by Dave Quinn, photos Dave Quinn

Local volunteer porters cart in the mountains of instruments,
 sound gear, and other equipment required for the project.

On July 27th, fifty Kootenay musicians, aged 12 to 83, along with fifty porters, support staff, sound techs, camera techs, and directors, performed Requiem for A Glacier, a four-part Requiem composed by Victoria, BC composer Paul Walde, on the West Farnham Glacier in the Purcell Mountains West of Radium.

The piece was composed to bring awareness to melting glaciers, and particularly to these specific glaciers, on which a recent approval could see a 6500-person ski resort built.

 The proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort has been one of BC's most controversial proposals for nearly 25 years, and the Requiem is a latin translation of a government press release announcing the approval of the controversial project, as well as detailing 25 years of public opposition.
   

Victoria Composer Paul Walde directs set up on the East Farnham Glacier

The Jumbo area has been documented by BC biologists as being a critical linkage are for the region's threatened grizzly population, and the region is already home to 19 ski resorts within a five hour drive, all of which are in existing communities, and many of which are struggling with declining skier visits, overbuilt real estate, and increasing costs. This proposed resort is 55km up a forestry road, in an area known as the "Heart of the Purcells", which is rich with mountaineering history and wilderness-type recreation opportunities. These are some of the main reasons that between 75 and 95% of poll respondents and public input for the approval process have been against the resort, for more than 20 years.

Conductor Ajtony Csaba, director of the University of Victoria Symphony and the Central European Chamber Orchestra, led the performance, which took place at the base of the Commander Glacier, and on the receding toe of the East Farnham Glacier. A documentary film and an art installation are planned.

Composer Ajtony Csaba leads musicians through the opening piece of Requiem for a Glacier, with the rapidly receding toe of the Commander Glacier in the background, some of the proposed 'summer skiing' for the Proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort (a lift is proposed for access up this heavily crevassed and rapidly melting glacier).

For more information or photos from Dave: daveq@wildsight.ca

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