UpFront Festival- William Prince and Cris Derksen

Experience William Prince in concert with opening act, Cris Derksen. William Prince William Prince approaches the big questions with humility and curiosity, and his songwriting is a masterclass in skillful simplicity. Since his Juno Award win in 2017, Prince’s momentum has continued to build, with each new album adding depth and dimension to an exceptional body of work that has received international acclaim. From national network television appearances, top-tier media coverage, and performances at major international festivals, William Prince has become one of the country’s most respected and celebrated songwriters. Cris Derksen Juno-nominated Cris Derksen is an internationally respected Indigenous cellist and composer. Originally from Treaty 8 in Northern Alberta, she comes from NorthTall Cree Reserve on her father’s side and Mennonite homesteaders on her mother’s. Derksen’s composition strength lies in her diversity for all artistic fields including dance, theatre, film, television, animation, fashion, podcasts, symphonic, chamber, choral, and installations. She performs as soloist-composer for symphonies and chamber orchestras across Canada and has been commissioned by the Calgary Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Thunder Bay Symphony, and Orchestre Metropolitan- Yannick Nézet- Séguin. In 2022, Derksen was the composer for the Canadian pavilion for the world expo in Dubai. Her work on the podcast Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s by Connie Walker and Gimlet media won both a Pulitzer and Peabody. Upcoming engagements include Carnegie Hall, a collaboration with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and a project with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Derksen is always up for the challenge of bringing an Indigenous perspective to all aspects of sonic storytelling.