Kathleen Kajioka with the Deep Wireless Ensemble - Open C by NAISA

In May 2008 at the Ryerson Student Centre, NAISA's Deep Wireless Ensemble performed this work by Kathleen Kajioka. The Ensemble is an ad hoc grouping of artists from various disciplines and genres that was curated by NAISA Artistic Director Darren Copeland and directed by Mark Cassidy from 2004 to 2010. In this recording the ensemble consisted of Kathleen Kajioka on viola, Debashis Sinha, Chantal Dumas and Andreas Kahre on texts, percussion and electroacoustic sounds. The performances by the Deep Wireless Ensemble were collectively created with each member responsible for directing the content for a piece.

In her notes about this piece, Kathleen Kajioka, says:

"What is the difference between a viola and an onion? Nobody cries when you cut up a viola. Overshadowed by the violin and bogged down by mockery, the viola is the underdog of the orchestra. Open C is a compassionate portrait of the heart and life of this dark beauty."

Kathleen Kajioka - Based in Toronto, Kathleen Kajioka is a violinist and violist. With a reputation as a musical multi-linguist, Kathleen moves between worlds with agility and uncompromising depth; including Classical music, World music, Early Music, New Music and Pop. In the world of radio, Kathleen is a host on Classical 96.3 FM.

Andreas Kahre is an interdisciplinary artist and designer based in Vancouver and Gabriola Island, BC. His work combines images, sound and text in a variety of configurations including interdisciplinary performances, audio art installations, and collaborations with theatre, dance and new media artists.

Chantal Dumas - Sound artist, Chantal Dumas explores the medium of sound through the production of audio fiction and docu-fiction, sound installation, composition and sound design. Her work includes a participatory dimension. She has produced over 30 narrative works. Her work has received various awards, including the Opus Prize in music (Montreal) and the Bohemia and Phonurgia Nova prizes in radio.

Debashis Sinha’s creative output spans a broad range of genres and media. Sinha has developed his creative voice by weaving together his own experience as a 2nd generation south Asian Canadian, his training with master drummers from various world music traditions, a love of electronic and electroacoustic music and technology, and a desire to transcend the traditional expectations of how these streams might intersect and interact. His unique take on the place of sound in storytelling places him in demand as a composer and sound designer for theatre and contemporary dance.