Join us in the Rose Event Commons at Mitchell Hall for a powerful midday performance that brings together music, climate science, and community conversation.
The Isabel welcomes back the JUNO Award–winning New Orford String Quartet for a special public concert inspired by the Northern Tornadoes Project, a Canadian research initiative exploring how tornado patterns are changing due to climate change. Presented as part of the Currents of Change residency, this concert features music shaped by environmental data and explores themes of nature, transformation, and resilience.
The concert will be followed by an open discussion with the musicians, composers, and researchers. Composer Cecilia Livingstone will be in attendance.
Whether you are a student, researcher, music lover, or simply curious, this free event offers an inspiring way to connect with urgent climate issues through sound, story, and shared dialogue.
Andrew Wan, violin
Jonathan Crow, violin
Sharon Wei, viola
Joseph Johnson, cello
Event Location: Rose Event Commons at Mitchell Hall, 69 Union St, Queen’s University
Learn more about the Currents of Change residency below.
Program
The Program
Emily Hiemstra (b. 1991)
Didsbury for Viola Quartet
La Malbaie for Viola Quartet
Performed by Western University students
Emily Hiemstra, viola 1
Cian Diamond, viola 2
Tasman Tantasawat, viola 3
Chantal Lemire, viola 4
Ian Cusson (b. 1971)
La Pieta, after Monkman for Solo Viola (2018)
Cian Diamond, viola
Cecilia Livingston (b. 1984)
After the Wind
New Orford String Quartet
Carmen Braden (b. 1985)
Bridge Between the Earth and Sky
New Orford String Quartet
Vincent Ho (b. 1975)
Twin Tornadoes
New Orford String Quartet
Andrew Wan, violin
Jonathan Crow, violin
Sharon Wei, viola
Joseph Johnson, cello
Beethoven (1770-1827)
String Quartet Opus 18, No. 2
Andrew Wan, violin
Jonathan Crow, violin
Sharon Wei, viola
Joseph Johnson, cello
About the New Orford String Quartet Currents of Change Residency (March 23–25, 2026)
Currents of Change: Musical Expressions, Scientific Explorations, and Northern Tornadoes Project is a collaborative residency between the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts and the Stephen J.R. Smith Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Queen's University. Centered on the Quartet’s work with the Northern Tornadoes Project, the residency brings together students, scientists, and musicians through performances, discussions, and hands-on learning, offering new ways to understand climate change through art and research.
As part of a series of residency events, a student engagement session titled "Seeing the World: Design and Systems" will take place on Tuesday, March 24 from 11:30am–1:00pm in the Rose Event Commons at Mitchell Hall. Students will be led by JUNO Award–winning New Orford String Quartet, composer Cecilia Livingstone, and Northern Tornadoes Project researcher Greg Kopp for an immersive class experience featuring musical excerpts and discussion. Together, they will explore how climate data, design thinking, and creative practice intersect, offering students a direct opportunity to engage with artists and researchers working at the crossroads of music and environmental research.