MUSICIAN OF THE MONTH: CHRISTINA MURRAY
December means snow, skating, and sugarplums. It also means that we get to announce our December Musician of the Month, conductor Christina Murray!
Christina Murray is a choral conductor and vocal pedagogue based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She approaches her conducting practice through the voice and is widely known for her award-winning and innovative work as artistic director of Xara Choral Theatre Ensemble. She is also the director of the Dalhousie University Chorus and conducts the Bay Chorale, a joyful community choir in the Peggy’s Cove area.
Christina holds an honours undergraduate degree in music (voice/conducting) and philosophy from Mount Allison University, has done graduate work in feminist liturgical practices, and has subsequently studied conducting with Diane Loomer, Jon Washburn, Michael Zaugg, and Elise Bradley. Also an active and accomplished choral singer, as a young person she was selected for two tours with the National Youth Choir of Canada and she now sings with the Canadian Chamber Choir.
Christina served as head of choral studies at Kodaikanal International School in South India from 2002-2004 and was resident conductor of the Nova Scotia Youth Choir in 2005 and 2006. Today, she lives in Boutilier’s Point with her spouse, her baby son, Phinean, and their two dogs.
1.What is your idea of perfect happiness? I love to be entirely absorbed in beauty – it could be the sound of my baby son’s laughter, a contented evening with my spouse by the fire at my family’s cottage, or being immersed in a gorgeous choral sound. Each of these things hold equal but very distinct places in my heart and are the closest things I’ve experienced to perfect happiness.
2. Which choral conductor do you most admire and why? That’s an incredibly difficult question to answer! But if I had to choose only one person, it would be Diane Loomer. I admired her adventurous and distinctive programming, her passion for the art form, her determination to do things despite obstacles that were in her path, and her generous spirit with all the musicians she met. But more than anything, I admired her radiance on the podium and the way that she inspired people to sing better than they ever knew they could.
3. What is something people would be surprised to know about you? I am a klutz. A complete, clumsy, klutz. People who have only seen me in a professional capacity often tell me how graceful they find me. Although my hands and my public speaking may be mostly graceful, as soon as I have to walk across a field or wield a rake or shovel, I am terribly accident prone!
4. What quality do you most admire in your fellow human beings? Generosity of spirit. I admire those who listen generously, who look for the best in others, and who are encouraging and understanding when people struggle.
5. Travel destinations on your bucket list? Well, Southern India is permanently at the top of my bucket list because my three generations of my family have lived there at different points in their lives (me, included) and I like to get back to my South-Asian “home” whenever I can. After India, however, I really want to spend some time in Northern regions – Northern Canada and Northern Europe (Scandinavia, in particular). As much of my choral programming reveals, I am fascinated by the impact that the Northern landscape and culture have on the music of these regions.
6. Which composer (dead or alive) would you most like to have dinner with and why? The answer to that question changes daily! Today it would be Pauline Oliveros who passed away just last week at the age of 84. She founded the practice of “Deep Listening” and combined performance with ritual, and improvisation. She was an amazing thinker, activist, and musician – I feel like she would be a fascinating and inspiring dinner guest!
7. Do you have a favourite holiday tradition? Murray Curry! Every December 26th my family of origin (plus some friends) get together for a giant feast of gorgeous Indian food. I often do a lot of the cooking and it’s an incredibly delicious and delightful event!
8. What is your wish for 2017? Over the last four years I have been humbled to participate in a process of reconciliation through art-making with some amazing female, Indigenous performers. In 2017 I’ll be dedicating even more of my creative energy to this work. One of my most fervent wishes for 2017 is that all Canadians would find a way to become a genuine part of the truth and reconciliation process.
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- Murray conducting a group of singers.
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- With Xara.
Find out what Xara Choral Theatre is doing here: www.xara.ca