08/06/2025
SPOTLIGHT ARTIST OF THE WEEK
Cris Derksen is an internationally acclaimed cellist and composer hailing from Treaty 8 territory in Northern Alberta. She incorporates traditional Indigenous sounds into contemporary classical pieces, playing a cello enhanced with multi-effect guitar pedals.
Derksen trained in classical music from an early age, first on the piano before moving to the cello due to an accessible string program at school and her mom’s car not being large enough to fit a double bass! She later attended and graduated from UBC with a degree in Cello Performance, where she was principal cellist for their symphony orchestra.
Since then, Derksen has produced a plethora of different works. She has released several solo albums including her debut “The Cusp” and “Orchestral Powwow” which blends symphonic elements with powwow music. Derksen has composed for TV, film, and podcasts, including “Stolen: Surviving St. Michaels”, an investigative podcast about the Residential School system, which received a Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award. She has also composed commissioned works for prestigious ensembles such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre Métropolitain.
Derksen is committed to opening doors for more Indigenous classical musicians. She created the Classical Indigenous Music Residency program at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in 2019, building a supportive network for indigenous classical musicians to help propel their careers.
