News
Upcoming Projects and Events
January 12, 2025, 2:30PM. St Andrew’s united Church, Winnipeg, MB. A REel Waltz for string trio (violin, viola, cello) will be performed during a Virtuosi Concerts presentation.
This is part of the Roots and Branches Mentorship Concert that Virtuosi presents every year in January.
January 22, 2025, 7:30PM. Desautels Concert Hall, Winnipeg, MB. The Great Flood (arranged for Chamber Ensemble and SATB voices) with text by Joyce Clouston. to be performed/Premiered by the Winnipeg Chamber Wind Collective (Jacquelin Dawson, Director)
Based on part of the Cree creation story, with text adapted by Joyce Clouston (Karen’s mother), the piece tells the story of the great flood as told to Joyce, but Elder Stan McKay Sr. in the 1980’s. Karen and Joyce worked with a few Elders to make sure the adaption was appropriate. The piece will be premiered during a community concert at the University of Manitoba, Desautels Concert Hall as part of the Winnipeg New Music Festival. For more information and to book tickets check out the concert page here.
Past Projects and Events
November 16, 2024, TIME 8pm. Too far to walk: A song cycle based on the poetry of John K. Samson. Premiered by Lisa Rumpel and Aaron Hutton at the West End Cultural Centre.
Commissioned by Lisa Rumpel and the Winnipeg Arts Council.
September 18, 2024, 7PM. The Great Flood (for Concert Band and Choir) with text by Joyce Clouston. Premiered by the University of Manitoba’s Wind Ensemble (Jacquelin Dawson, Director) and University Singers (Elroy Friesen, Director) at Desautels Concert Hall, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB.
Based on part of the Cree creation story, with text adapted by Joyce Clouston (Karen’s mother), the piece tells the story of the great flood as told to Joyce, but Elder Stan McKay Sr. in the 1980’s. Karen and Joyce worked with a few Elders to make sure the adaption was appropriate. Commissioned by the University of Manitoba, Desautels Faculty of Music.
May 22, 2024, 7pm. pisimwak-Moons for ssa children’s choir. Text by Joyce Clouston. Premiered by the medicine hat college girls’ choir at Fifth Ave Memorial united church in medicine hat, aB.
Commissioned by Classical Movements as part of the Eric Daniel Helps New Music Program.
APRIL 28, 2024, 7pm. Blue planet blues (for choir) with text by zsuzsanna ardo. premiered by Whittier college choir at whittier memorial chapel, california.
The piece was written for Ardo’s worldwide PlanetWoman project. Karen wrote two pieces for this project.
April 5, 2024, 7pm. Gradiva (for choir) with text by Zsuzsanna Ardo. premiered by CGUC’s Chamber choir at St. john the evangelist church for their end of term concert.
The piece was written for Ardo’s worldwide PlanetWoman project. Karen wrote two pieces for this project.
February 23, 2024 7pm. An Emptiness in me (for b-flat clarinet and Marimba). Premiered by Vidarneisti during the dream big conference in Winnipeg, MB
Commissioned by Prairie Debut for Vidarneisti (Cathy Wood and Victoria Sparks). There is also a video created about the piece by Mikolaj Debowski in 2023.
October 22, 2023, 2pm. Embroidered with jagged patterns (for violin, cello and piano) premiered during a women’s Musical Club concert by Elation pauls, paul marleyn and Madeline hildebrand.
Commissioned by the Women’s Music Club, Winnipeg.
August 22, 2023. Jack the fiddler (for violin, piano and narrator) was premiered and performed by Elation Pauls, Will Bonness, and Karen SUnabacka.
Commissioned by Elation Pauls for her album SUSTENANCE which will be released in Fall 2024.
April 14, 2023, 8pm. Born by the River (For string orchestra) to be performed by Sinfonia Toronto at Trinity st-paul’s centre, 427 bloor street west, toronto, on.
For more information and to book tickets visit Sinfornia Toronto’s website here.
March 5, 2023, 3:30pm. Never to return (for string orchestra) to be performed by the Ottawa symphony orchestra at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers centre, Ottawa, On.
For more information and to book tickets visit Ottawa Symphony Orchestra’s website here.
March 2, 2023, 7:30pm. Born by the River (for string orchestra) to be performed by Symphony Nova Scotia at Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, on the campus of Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
For more information and to book tickets visit Symphony Nova Scotia’s website here.
March 2, 2023, 7:30pm. Never to Return (For String Orchestra) to be performed by the manitoba chamber orchestra at westminster uninte church, 745 westminster @ maryland, Winnipeg, MB.
For more information and to book tickets visit MCO’s website here.
January 20, 2023, 8pm. Never to return (for string orchestra) to be performed by Sinfonia toronto at Jane Mallet theatre, 27 front street east, Toronto, ON.
For more information and to book tickets visit Sinfonia Toronto’s website.
January 15, 2023, 3pm. Perichoresis (for flute, oboe and cello) to be performed during Virtuosi’s Roots and Branches the mentorship concert project at St. Andrew’s River heights church
For more information and to book tickets visit Virtuosi’s website. Tickets can be purchased here.
November 23, 2022, 3:30pm. Surely I know the spring that swiftly flows (text by St John of the Cross) for Baritone voice and string quartet will be performed by bipoc voices curated by Rich Coburn. During Indiefest 2022 at Vancouver Playhouse (600 Hamilton St, Vancouver, BC)
Titled “Imaginarium IV: BIPOC Voices” this is “A musical sampling platter of vocal chamber music by nine exciting BIPOC composers.” For more information and for tickets click here. This is part of IndieFest | re:Naissance Opera. More information about this event can be found here. (https://reopera.ca/indiefest/)
On September 23, 2022, Karen Sunabacka’s album Curlicue, with pianist Darryl Friesen, was released.
You can find the program notes as well as links for downloading and purchasing here at Ravello Records. (https://www.ravellorecords.com/catalog/rr8074/) Darry Friesen’s website can be found here. (https://darrylfriesen.com/)
August 1, 2022 - Music mondays Toronto, church of the holy trinity - Karen Sunabacka performed with the Andromeda Trio her newest work (commissioned by the Andromeda trio) The Place Where the creator rests.
The concert also included Karen’s first Trio - The Duke’s Arch (1999). The concert was recorded for a future broadcast on CBC.