July 9th Weekly Update: Hard Times Orchestra

Tickets available here, or by visiting/phoning our box office.

Historic St. Mary’s, 1374 Hamilton Rd., (902)-836-3733. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 12-5.

Our concert series this weekend offers one new, timeless and exciting show on Sunday, July 9th at 3PM – The Hard Times Orchestra. This fresh ensemble is an artist collaboration, storytelling display, and musical spectacle all rolled into one. 

The newly-formed ensemble, headed by bassist Adam Hill, is a 10-piece collaborative group including the award-winning Atlantic String Machine, vocalists Cameron MacDuffee and Brielle Ansems, and a rhythm section including Morgan Saulnier, Chris Corrigan and Andrew Murray.

‘Hard Times Come Again’, the title of their concert-length chamber-folk suite, was composed by Adam Hill. The work begins with a brief 20 minute introduction, which helps to highlight some important notes and provide context for the work. Drawing on oral history, the work aims to connect the Great Depression to more contemporary times by telling stories. Lyrics for the show have been taken from a diverse population of historic interviews from the time period, and helps to put together the seven songs of this suite. 

Contrasting the seven lyrical pieces of the suite are seven electroacoustic interludes to tell contemporary tales. Hill utilized his own modern-day interviews with island artists to contribute to the development of these interludes. The result of this musical creation – a bridge between past times and present day – is an experience that highlights our own values, and how we live our life in accordance with them. 

Whether you are a classical music fan, or looking for a way to approach a new genre in an accessible way, join Under the Spire Music Festival on July 9th for an evocative musical experience. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by phoning or visiting the box office (1374 Hamilton Road, Indian River PEI | 902-836-3733)