Performed by Alex Wen and the Litha Symphony Orchestra in New York, July 16, 2022. “Athabasca” is inspired by my love for Jasper National Park. Growing up in Alberta, I made countless trips from Edmonton to Jasper, and each time, there is something awe-inspiring and magical about driving into the park. The prairies melt into hills, which quickly burst into mountains. Your guide along this incredible journey is the Athabasca River. It seems to stretch endlessly as it twists and turns with the forested mountains. In some areas, sprawling and seemingly slow-moving, while other areas spring to life with rapids and waterfalls. "Athabasca" was first performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 2021 as part of their Explore the Score program. "Athabasca" went on to win the 2021 composition contest with the Litha Symphony Orchestra, leading to this performance in New York City. "Athabasca" is the first composition in my Wild Spaces Series for orchestra. 15% of all rental and royalty fees from performances of this work will be donated to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

Original big band piece by Joel Toews

"Sleeping Giant" is based on the stunningly beautiful and iconic Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, as well as an homage to Great Lake parks all across Ontario. Although I grew up in Alberta, in 2020 I made the decision to pack up everything I had in my car and drive all the way across Canada to move to Toronto. After three days of driving across the prairies, I finally hit Ontario, and one of the first stops I made was in Thunder Bay. I can distinctly remember, without knowing what it was, the shape of the Sleeping Giant peninsula stretching across the gigantic, ocean-esque lake. That was my first exposure to the Great Lakes in Ontario, and since then, time and time again, the majesty and grandeur of the Great Lakes have surprised and delighted me. When planning this piece, I decided to use a type of theme and variations structure. The piece opens with an ominous tone, as you imagine the waters of the enormous Lake Superior in the early morning. Then, the theme of the "Sleeping Giant," a distinctly Dorian melody presented in solo trumpet, enters. From that point onwards, the theme goes through variations, each one in a different mode compared to the next. I chose this because, in my mind, each mode gives such a distinct tonal character, allowing me to imagine this "giant" in different circumstances as the weather conditions of Lake Superior shift and change. "Sleeping Giant" was commissioned by Orchestra Toronto for the 2022 Composer Prize Competition. "Sleeping Giant" is the third composition in my Wild Spaces Series for orchestra. 15% of all rental and royalty fees from performances of this work will be donated to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

Dedicated to my grandparents, this piece as an exploration of minimalist techniques for SMATB choir, percussion, piano, and brass quartet.

The inspiration for "Mirrors in Haida Gwaii" came from a trip I took with two of my siblings to the remote island of Haida Gwaii in 2017. This archipelago lies eight hours off the coast of Vancouver Island in Northern British Columbia, Canada. The scenery and landscapes I experienced on that trip were something I never thought I’d see in Canada – it truly felt otherworldly. Lush green trees and sprawling mountains with a foggy grey atmosphere that gave the impression of an early morning in a rainforest. The entire island is incredible, but the most specific memory I have comes from a morning kayaking trip across Alliford Bay, just outside of Daajing Giids. Most days, when I looked out beyond the coasts of Haida Gwaii, I was met with a fierce and endless ocean, but, on this particular morning, I was lucky enough to experience the ocean as clear and calm as glass. Never in my life have I experienced an entire ocean bay at this level of serenity and beauty, and this piece aims to capture the natural mirrors created that morning. Looking out across the vast expanse of ocean, air and cloud, it was impossible to see where water stopped and sky began; impossible to determine where the ocean mirror flipped from sea to sky. "Mirrors in Haida Gwaii" is the second composition in my Wild Spaces Series for orchestra. 15% of all rental and royalty fees from performances of this work will be donated to the Haida Stewardship Fund.