Our 2025-2026 season is a diverse series of four concerts exploring themes of cultural identity, holiday spirit, and musical history. The season kicks off on October 29, 2025, with “The Ocean in a Drop,” a collaboration with the Agassiz Music International Cello Festival of Canada, blending cello and vocal works across centuries. On November 23, 2025, we present “WinterSing!” our community concert celebrating the holidays with the Filipino-Canadian Musica Singers, featuring ethnic and holiday music, new compositions, and the always joyous singalongs!
The season continues on February 22, 2026, with “This is Who I Am,” a concert curated by guest conductor Dr. Melissa Morgan. This performance will explore West Indian ancestry, migration, and identity through Caribbean folk songs, spirituals, and works by Black Canadian composers. Lastly, the season concludes on April 12, 2026, with our contribution to the 2026 Winnipeg Baroque Festival, “Monteverdi: Prime parole, seconda musica,” featuring Fidem in Fidibus. This concert will delve into the revolutionary music of early 17th-century Italy, showcasing how composers like Monteverdi began prioritizing dramatic storytelling and text over traditional polyphony.
The Ocean in a Drop
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Desautels Concert Hall (150 Dafoe Rd W, University of Manitoba)
A flagship concert in the Agassiz Music International Cello Festival of Canada
The Cello Festival unites with ground-breaking chamber choir, Dead of Winter, for a one-of-a-kind evening. Curated by cellist Leanne Zacharias and composer Andrew Balfour, the program features medieval and contemporary works performed by the ensemble, along with cellists Inbal Segev, Denise Djokic, and Cameron Crozman. The result is an atmospheric concert that explores the rich dialogue between cello and voice across centuries of musical tradition.
WinterSing!
Sunday, November 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Crescent Arts Centre (525 Wardlaw Ave)
This year, Dead of Winter is thrilled to collaborate with Musica Singers, a vibrant, top-quality vocal ensemble of dedicated Filipino singers. As always, the music will be fun and eclectic, featuring ethnic and holiday music, works by Filipino Winnipegger Philip Lapatha and our own Andrew Balfour and Mel Braun plus singalongs to spread the holiday spirit. Curated and led by Vic Pankratz, this concert is a perfect way to enjoy the warmth and fun of our community. Are you ready to sing along in Tagalog?
This is Who I Am
Sunday, February 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Crescent Arts Centre (525 Wardlaw Ave)
Choral depictions of culture, migration, identity and belonging
Join celebrated guest conductor, Dr. Melissa Morgan on a musical journey as she traces the history of her West Indian ancestry. Featuring sounds and songs from the islands and her people’s journeys of immigration, including Caribbean folk songs, spirituals, traditional choral art song, and new music by black Canadian composers. A special way to celebrate Black History Month!
Monteverdi: Prime parole, seconda musica
Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Saint Margaret’s Anglican Church (160 Ethelbert St.)
Dead of Winter’s contribution to the 2026 Winnipeg Baroque Festival featuring Fidem in Fidibus
Music’s world order underwent a seismic change in early 17th C. Italy. Gone was the complex choral polyphony of the last 150 years, replaced by a new approach, where composers worked to convey the visceral drama of the text. Whole new musical forms were developed and opera was born. Monteverdi was the first great master of this new style. Along with contemporaries like Francesca Caccini and Salamono de Rossi, he forever changed the way music would reach audiences. The power of storytelling, grounded in dramatic text, was the new world order. First words, then music!
