A Musical Evening with Sarah Slean and Hawksley Workman

Important Patron COVID Information: The presentation of live shows and events at Kingston Grand Theatre is subject to all provincial and public health guidelines in place at the time of the scheduled performance.  

For the first time, two of the finest voices in Canadian music share the stage in an astonishing collaborative performance. Sarah Slean and Hawksley Workman will perform together from their respective musical repertoires and will accompany each other, as both are accomplished multi-instrumentalists. Expect the evening to be filled with unforgettable music, storytelling, and soaring voices, as they showcase their extraordinary musical talent.

Sarah Slean
Signed to Atlantic/Warner Records at the tender age of 19, three-time Juno nominee and modern-day Renaissance woman Sarah Slean has since released 11 albums in over 10 countries worldwide – but perhaps the most astonishing aspect of her artistry is its breadth. Over her 20-year career, Slean has published two volumes of poetry, starred in short films and a movie musical (spawning two Gemini Award nominations), penned two string quartets, held numerous exhibitions of her paintings, and shared the stage with 10 of the country’s professional orchestras. Classically trained from the age of 5, she routinely collaborates with cutting-edge contemporary classical ensembles like The Art of Time, and has been invited to sing world premieres by Canada’s leading living composers. Citing such diverse influences as Leonard Bernstein, philosophy, Joni Mitchell, Buddhism and Bach, her music borrows aspects of cabaret, rock, pop, and orchestral: all knit together by the startling poetry of her lyrics, virtuosic piano-playing, and that voice, described by the CBC as “a 19th century Kate Bush”. In addition to headlining theatres across Canada, Sarah has also toured Europe, the US and Scandinavia and has opened internationally for such artists as Bryan Ferry, Rufus Wainwright, Alanis Morissette, Andrew Bird, Feist, Ron Sexsmith, Chris Isaak, and Buck 65. Metaphysics, her first recording in 5 years, is described as a breathtaking amalgamation of Slean’s dramatic orchestral arranging and her signature take on songwriting.

Hawksley Workman
A staple of the Canadian arts scene for almost 20 years, Workman boasts a catalogue of 15 solo releases showcasing his now signature spectrum of sonic influence, from cabaret to electro-pop to anthemic rock and plenty in between. The accolades amassed include JUNO nods and wins and widespread critical acclaim. As a producer, his fingerprints grace releases by JUNO and Polaris Prize nominees and winners like Tegan and Sara, Sarah Slean, Serena Ryder, Hey Rosetta!, and Great Big Sea. He’s also penned melodies with a myriad of artists, from Oscar award-winning Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose, Inception) to French rock icon Johnny Hallyday. Hawksley’s touring career has seen him play nearly a thousand shows worldwide. He’s headlined prestigious venues like Massey Hall in Toronto and The Olympia in Paris and opened for heroes Morrissey, David Bowie, and The Cure.

Join us for more! Ticketholders are invited to join Kingston’s own Poet Laureate, Jason Heroux in the Davies Lounge at 6:30 pm for a pre-show salon centered on the poetry of Sarah Slean and Hawksley Workman. Patrons are encouraged to check out Slean’s Ravens and Workman’s Burns for Isadora in advance and engage in a lively and casual chat about the works and their respective authors facilitated by Jason.

Jason Heroux is the author of four books of poetry: Memoirs of an Alias (2004); Emergency Hallelujah (2008); Natural Capital (2012) and Hard Work Cheering Up Sad Machines (2016). He is also the author of three novels: Good Evening, Central Laundromat (2010); We Wish You a Happy Killday (2014) and Amusement Park of Constant Sorrow (2018).

Born in Montreal, Jason came to Kingston in 1990 to attend Queen's University and has lived here ever since. Jason holds a BA degree from Queen's and was a finalist for the 2016 ReLit Poetry Award. Translated into French, Italian, and Arabic, his poetry has been featured in several anthologies, including Breathing Fire 2: Canada's New Poets, and Best Canadian Poetry in English 2008, 2011 and 2016, and has appeared in magazines and journals in Canada, the U.S, Belgium, France, and Italy.

Jason works at Service Ontario and lives with his wife Soheir, and their three cats, Akira, Pablo, and Neruda.

Watch & listen as Jason recites his 2022 Mayor’s Levee poem, The Future of Yesterday.