Program

Join the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra for Noondaagotoon, a powerful concert that amplifies Indigenous voices and stories through music. This program features the evocative work of Cree composer Cris Derksen, who draws inspiration from the traditional practice of controlled burns — an Indigenous method of wildfire management that has safeguarded ecosystems for centuries. While recent years have seen devastating wildfires dominate headlines, Derksen’s composition explores fire not as a force of destruction, but as a vital tool — one that nurtures and protects the land. By carefully burning select areas in the spring, when the earth is still damp, Indigenous peoples have long managed forests, preventing more intense fires later in the season. In Derksen’s stirring piece, the crackling embers of a controlled burn transform from threat to instrument — a reflection of resilience, wisdom, and the power of living in balance with the land. Experience this compelling blend of tradition and innovation at Noondaagotoon, where music becomes a bridge between past and present, and sound tells the stories that have always been here.