The idea for this collaboration came about through my desire to perform as a Canadian citizen on the greatest day of the year where we all come together as one and show our true colours of the Great White North … what better way to do this than with so many of my tuba colleagues from across the entire country! The Maple Leaf Forever symbolizes our history in the world; our pride, and our natural optimism for a better future.
Written by Alexander Muir (1830–1906), inspired by a large maple tree which stood on his street in front of Maple Cottage, a house at Memory Lane and Laing Street in Toronto.
Because of its strongly British perspective it became unpopular amongst French Canadians, and this prevented it from ever becoming an official anthem, and the text later revised.
CBC Radio’s Metro Morning show in Toronto ran a contest to find new lyrics for the song in 1997. The contest was won by Romanian immigrant, mathematician, and now a songwriter, actor and poet, Vladimir Radian, who came to Canada in the 1980s.
And now this version! (tuba 6tet++ plus soloist, arr. Kutz).
Lucas van Lierop (Canadian/Dutch dual citizen) is virtually joined by all my great tuba and euphonium stars from all across Canada for this project! Thank you all!
The list of names is quite impressive:
Lucas van Lierop
BC (NL) Dutch National Opera Studio Amsterdam
Bob Nicholson
PEI Freelance Trombone/Tuba
Peder MacLellan
BC Solo tuba, Vancouver Symphony
Paul Beauchesne
BC Solo tuba, Victoria Symphony, Professor UVic
Ellis Wean
BC Former Solo tuba Montreal & Vancouver Symphony
Nick Atkinson
BC Former RCMP Band and National Arts Centre Orchestra solo tuba
Tom McCaslin
AB Solo tuba, Calgary Philharmonic
Dale Sorensen
PEI Professor of Brass UPEI, Solo trombone PEI Symphony
Greg Irvine
PEI Solo tuba, PEI Symphony, Former Professor of Brass UPEI
Sasha Johnson
ON Solo tuba National Ballet Orchestra, Professor of Tuba Glenn Gould School of Music
Silvain Gagnon
ON Solo tuba Kingston Symphony Orchestra
Colin Traquair
ON Trombone, National Arts Centre Orchestra
Scott Whetham
AB Solo tuba, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
Chuck Dallenbach
ON Founder and tuba player of the Canadian Brass
Jarrett McCourt
MB Solo tuba, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
Mark Tetrault
ON Solo tuba, Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Chris Lee
ON Solo tuba, National Arts Centre Orchestra, former solo tuba Winnipeg Symphony
Dave Kutz
ON (NL) Solo tuba, Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest (Amsterdam), Doctor of Music-Northwestern University