Biography
A rising star on the Canadian classical/jazz/folk/pop/electronica/what have you scenes, cellist Derksen is known for captivating solo performances building layers of sound into often surprisingly slamming dance music. On her debut solo effort, the 13 tracks range from classically oriented, multi-tracked soundscapes ("We Danced Movement I & II") to upbeat party bumps inspired by her half-Cree ancestry ("Pow wow wow") and hybridized pieces that sound readymade for climatic moments in art or cinema.
Cris has toured Nationally and Internationally as a solo artist and performing her own compositions with Inuit Throat singer Tanya Tagaq. Performing in France, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Czech Republic, Mexico, Cuba and USA. Derksen is also a strong presence on the Canadian Festival Circuit performing at Vancouver Folk Fest, Vancouver Island Music Fest, Regina Folk Fest, Calgary Folk Fest, Edmonton Folk Fest, Salmon Arms Roots and Blues, Harrison Music Fest, Trout Music Fest, Frostbite Music Fest, Aboriginal Music Week, Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, JunoFest and the 2010 Cultural Olympics.
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Cris obtained a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance at UBC and shared the Principle Cellist of the UBC Symphony Orchestra title. In 2009 Cris was recognized by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network as one if it’s rising stars, and was a curator in residence at Vancouver East Cultural Center. In 2010 Cris released her first album The Cusp. In 2011 The Cusp was nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award, and Cris was selected for First Tracks, an APTN Music Video fund.
Cris has performed with many Artist’s including, Kanye West, Tanya Tagaq, Kinnie Starr, Rae Spoon, e.s.l., Karen Jamieson Dance Company, Noam Gagnon(Holy Body Tattoo dance) and many others.
Derksen originally comes from Northern Alberta; a line of chiefs from North Tall Cree reserve on her Fathers side and a line of strong Mennonite homesteaders on her mother’s side. Her music braids the traditional and contemporary in multiple dimensions, weaving her traditional classical training with her aboriginal ancestry with new school electronics, creating genre defying music. She uses a Boss ME-70, a guitar multi effect pad, the Boss Loop Station RC20-XL, as well as an old 1986 Dr Rhythm 550 drum pad.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.