Raine Hamilton has never been heard around these parts before, and what she does with song and sound hasn’t really been heard around most any parts before.
Making her Quesnel debut this week, Hamilton is part prairie songstress, part storyweaver. Each song has a story, delivered with humour and grace in between. Raine invites deep love of the violin into the singer-songwriter genre, writing for violin and voice, as well as for guitar and voice. Joined by cello and upright bass, expect string arrangements that push and pull, that move as they console.
A classical violinist and musicologist by training, Raine and their string trio offer string-quartet-like arrangements of Raine’s original songs. They call this chamber-folk, a hybrid of the classical tradition of string ensemble chamber music, with the singer-songwriter folk that comes so organically to the Manitoba rising star.
Hamilton’s latest work, the full-length album Brave Land, is a concept album about mountains, and the courage, wisdom, and otherworldly connection they represent. Here, as in their 2018 album Night Sky, the songs are set to intricate and seasoned arrangements for guitar, violin, cello, and double bass.
Hamilton believes that music is for everyone, and that we all have something to share. It’s a philosophy pulsing through her extensive work as a music educator, and carries into their concerts.
Hamilton is the recipient of the 2018 Canadian Folk Music Award for Emerging Artist of the Year. Raine has toured Canada extensively, driving, flying, and floating coast to coast. Highlights include: performing songs with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (five times), performing with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, playing a show in a cave 10 stories below the earth, playing festivals across Canada (Vancouver Folk Festival, Vancouver Island Music Fest, Atlin Festival, Home County, Filberg Fest, Lilac Fest, Harvest Moon, Trout Forest), playing for passage on Via Rail, and meeting so many amazing humans along the way.
Hamilton and the other two musicians in the trio will meet some amazing humans in Quesnel on April 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chuck Mobley Theatre (Correlieu Secondary School). Tickets are $25 regular, $20 seniors / students, available at Save-On-Foods, Green Tree Wellness, or online at the Quesnel Live Arts website at qla.tickit.ca.
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