Seed Songs Performance and Exploration with Carmen Braden

Accès

À propos

The Prince Edward County Chamber Music Festival is pleased to present a free concert on Friday October 2 featuring work by 2026 Indigenous Composer-in-Residence Carmen Braden.

Carmen is a two-time JUNO nominated force in the world of new music, hailing proudly from the Northwest Territories. Moving smoothly between genres of composing and songwriting, Carmen is recognized as a “brilliant, young Yellowknife-based composer” (Ottawa Citizen) an “acoustic ambassador of the Canadian Subarctic” (Musicworks). Carmen’s work in music, theatre, songwriting and dance has been performed across Canada and beyond, from Atlin BC to Helsinki, Finland. Her work has a special focus on northern themes as well as the influences of play and parenthood.

Carmen has released four albums to national acclaim. Her contemporary classical compositions are regularly commissioned and performed across Canada, and are being increasingly recorded across Canada and beyond. Carmen is an Associate Composer with the Canadian Music Centre, and is signed to Truant Artist Management for representing her compositional work. She is actively engaged as a contemporary classical composer as well as a performer of her original quirky songs throughout Canada.

Liens

• Learn More pecmusicfestival.com
• Listen to Seed Songs carmenbraden.com

Organisateur

Prince Edward County Chamber Music Festival

Since its inaugural season in 2004, the Prince Edward County Chamber Music Festival has consistently presented the finest of Canada’s musicians, offering performances that explore the depth and magnitude of the western chamber music repertoire. Audiences have been thrilled, deeply moved, and even transformed by these outstanding musical moments.

For the first ten years, the Festival adopted a unique mandate to highlight works of living Canadian composers in the larger context of music of all times. Each composer was present for the duration of the festival, and was therefore able to forge meaningful relationships with audience and musicians alike. The festival hosted some of Canada’s most celebrated composers: Jacques Hétu, Malcolm Forsyth, Chan Ka Nin, Andrew MacDonald, Alexina Louie, John Burge, Steven Gellman, Ana Sokolovic, and Marjan Mozetich. As a result, audiences have also received considerable exposure to the world of Canadian chamber music and its repertoire.

The festival was founded in 2004 by Canadian pianist and educator Stéphane Lemelin, who served as the festival’s Artistic Director until 2017. In 2018, the direction of the festival was assumed by the New Orford String Quartet, who led the festival until the 2024 season.

In 2025, we welcomed our current Artistic Director, cellist Paul Marleyn. Paul has performed as soloist and chamber musician across North America, Europe, and Asia, has recorded for ATMA Classique, CBC Records, United Records, CALA Records, and RCM Victor, and founded the Agassiz Chamber Music Festival in Winnipeg and the International Cello Festival of Canada as Artistic Director. He was the Principal Cellist of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Our festival audiences also know Paul from past seasons, as a frequent guest artist.

Over its 23 years of providing exceptional chamber music, the Festival has attracted audiences of all ages from Prince Edward County, the Quinte and Eastern Ontario regions, and beyond. Many have become loyal patrons, returning annually to experience once again the delights of the chamber music experience.

The Festival, with support from its sponsors, is also committed to education. Since the beginning, we have presented interactive concerts specifically designed with an educational component for young audiences. These concerts give local school children an opportunity to experience a live music event and to learn about the art and craft of music-making. Over the years, the response to these concerts has been so enthusiastic that the Festival has had to double the capacity by offering two concerts with a total audience of more than 500 children annually.

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