Hard Times Orchestra- July 9, 2023

Featuring vocalists Cameron MacDuffee and Brielle Ansems, the Hard Times Orchestra consists of a string section performed by the Atlantic String Machine and a rhythm section made of Chris Corrigan, Andrew Murray, and Morgan Saulnier.

Composed by Adam Hill, Hard Times Come Again is a concert length chamber-folk suite that draws on oral history and connects the Great Depression to contemporary times through stories of hope and transformation. The piece is made up of seven songs with lyrics derived from historical interviews about the Great Depression. The interviewees represent a diverse demographic, young and old, from farmers and salespeople to artists and politicians. Complementing these songs are seven electroacoustic interludes that tell contemporary tales. Hill conducted his own set of interviews with Island artists and combined samples from those conversations with organic and synthetic sounds. The result is an emotionally evocative musical experience that sheds light on what we value and how we lead our lives in accordance with those values.

Best known to Islanders as the bassist in Atlantic String Machine, Adam Hill is also an award-winning composer and songwriter. He has released five albums of songs that have received radio play all over Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, and have spent time on the national Earshot! Folk & Roots chart. Additionally, his compositions have been presented by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, the Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra, the Elektra
Women’s Choir, and many others. For more information, visit www.adamhillmusic.com.