An expert mixture of sound, performance, and water artistry earned a standing ovation at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts during the March International at Home concert.

Soundstreams Canada presented Water Passion After St. Matthew, a dramatic reimagining of Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion composed by Tan Dun, a renowned Chinese composer and conductor. The concert wove Chinese contemporary classical strings, Peking Opera, Mongolian overtone singing, and water to create a soundscape in a powerful performance of the biblical text.

The four-part yearly concert series is a collaboration between the Office of the Associate Vice-Principal (International) and the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. The series brings domestic and international students together with the wider Kingston community to bridge intercultural differences and create a sense of community through music. Departments and units across the university sponsored tickets for distribution across campus, matched by the Isabel.

“The cross-cultural context of the performance was a perfect complement to the mission of the International at Home series by celebrating a mixture of cultures together,” says Kathy O’Brien, Associate Vice-Principal (International). “My office was honoured to make this performance more accessible for students at Queen’s to immerse themselves in international cultures and connect.”

Check out the photos of the reception and concert above, and keep up with more performances at the Isabel on their events page.