From Sea to Sea is an original a cappella song cycle written by Toronto composer, Aaron Jensen. It is an exploration of the human voice and a celebration of Canadian verse. Penned between 2007 and 2013, the completed thirteen piece series pays tribute to Canadian poets from every province and territory, commemorates the country’s many cultural and folk traditions, explores the versatility of the unaccompanied voice, and features a range of musical genres as diverse as the nation itself. Jensen navigates through the diverse texts, drawing on a full spectrum of vocal colours – from the lush choral textures of Remember Thee! to the strident whoop and holler of Uncle Josh – from the overtone-rich, Inuit-inspired Uvavnuk Dreams to the percussive minimalism of Eunoia. These performances have been captured through acoustic choral recordings, such as The Tramps and Beatitudes, as well as contemporary studio works, Pulse, Poems in Braille, and Opera Somnia.
From Sea to Sea premiered on May 12th, 2013 at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre as part of SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival. The song cycle was first performed by The Elmer Iseler Singers, The Elora Festival Singers, Cawthra Park Chamber Choir, Countermeasure, and the SING! Singers featuring Denzal Sinclaire.
Aaron Jensen is an internationally published composer, arranger, and performer based in Toronto, Canada. Best known for his vocal works, Jensen’s creative offerings are performed widely across North and South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. His music is played on syndicated radio stations worldwide. In 2011, Jensen was awarded the grand prize by the International John Lennon Songwriting Competition in the jazz category. In 2009, he completed his first orchestral commission which premiered in Florence, Italy and has since been performed in Brazil, Turkey, and France. His first full-scale musical theatre work, O.E.D. Dementia, Devotion and the Writing of the Oxford English Dictionary premiered in 2006 at the E. A. Rawlinson Center. Jensen, an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre, studied composition at York University. He was born and raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.