{"id":122045,"date":"2026-02-25T15:49:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T20:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=122045"},"modified":"2026-02-26T07:00:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:00:02","slug":"scoop-canadian-art-song-project-releases-long-walk-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/02\/25\/scoop-canadian-art-song-project-releases-long-walk-home\/","title":{"rendered":"THE SCOOP | The Canadian Art Song Project Releases The Long Walk Home"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_122047\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-122047\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-122047\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-25T154825.003.jpg\" alt=\"L-R: Baritone Nathan Keoughan; composer Peter Tiefenbach; librettist James Ostime (Photo courtesy of the artists)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-25T154825.003.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-25T154825.003-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-25T154825.003-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-25T154825.003-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-122047\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">L-R: Baritone Nathan Keoughan; composer Peter Tiefenbach; librettist James Ostime (Photo courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Canadian Art Song Project has released The Long Walk Home as a digital album. The contemporary song cycle features music by composer <strong>Peter Tiefenbach<\/strong>, with text by writer <strong>James Ostime<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Baritone <strong>Nathan Keoughan<\/strong> performs, with the composer at the piano on the recording.<\/p>\n<p>It represents the first commercial recording of The Long Walk Home, which premiered in 2015.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/o91e_5n35r8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>The Long Walk Home<\/h3>\n<p>The song cycle follows a journey through a single night, and covers themes of longing, vulnerability, and self-recognition, with a dash of humour. It\u2019s an intimate work, an interior monologue that offers a series of reflections, each sparked by chance encounters along the way. It\u2019s thoroughly contemporary in nature, where the protagonist wonders how to keep moving forward in this constantly changing world.<\/p>\n<p>There are eight movements:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Prologue \u2013 00:32<\/li>\n<li>Too Good\u2026 (To Be True\u2026) \u2013 03:55<\/li>\n<li>Outta There \u2013 03:28<\/li>\n<li>Message Received \u2013 05:34<\/li>\n<li>The Hunger \u2013 02:27<\/li>\n<li>Nearly Home \u2013 02:40<\/li>\n<li>The Busker \u2013 01:57<\/li>\n<li>Epilogue \u2013 01:02<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Its emotional arc begins with optimism, ranging through self-doubt and disappointment, and moves towards a quieter sense of consolation.<\/p>\n<p>Naturally, the concept evokes Schubert\u2019s Winterreise, and composer Peter Tiefenbach uses the seminal work as an inspiration. His Long Walk, though, is set in the modern world of city streets, food trucks, unanswered text messages, and contemporary notions of intimacy.<\/p>\n<p>Tiefenbach and librettist James Ostime had known about each other\u2019s work for some time before the invitation came via The Canadian Art Song project. The initial concept was for a work that revolved around youth and humour, but the project quickly took a different turn. The duo decided to work on an emotional journey that balanced humour with insight, ranging from anxiety and self-awareness along the way.<\/p>\n<p>The Long Walk Home premiered in March 2015 at Walter Hall at the University of Toronto, with baritone <strong>Geoffrey Sirett<\/strong> and Tiefenbach at the piano.<\/p>\n<p>The recording was made to create an enduring presence for the work within the Canadian art song repertoire. art for The Long Walk Home recording<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/r9Pr9Vu_fu0?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Baritone Nathan Keoughan<\/h3>\n<p>Baritone Nathan Keoughan is a graduate of Op\u00e9ra de Montr\u00e9al\u2019s Atelier Lyrique. He later returned to the company for Conte di Luna (cover) in Verdi\u2019s Il trovatore, and the world premiere of Bilodeau\u2019s La reine-gar\u00e7on, covering the role of Karl Gustav. He subsequently revisited the latter in the Canadian Opera Company\u2019s production.<\/p>\n<p>His repertoire and past performances also include Orff\u2019s Carmina Burana with the Grand Philharmonic Choir, his role debut as Escamillo for Vancouver Opera\u2019s Carmen, a role and company debut as Danilo in The Merry Widow with Toronto Operetta Theatre, and Bernstein\u2019s Mass with Chorus Niagara along with the Canadian premiere of Braunfels\u2019 Die V\u00f6gel with Pacific Opera Victoria, and multiple performances with Sound the Alarm for two Canadian tours of Music of the Night: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.<\/p>\n<h3>The Recording<\/h3>\n<p><em>We are deeply grateful to John Wright and Chung-Wai Chow, whose original support made the 2015 commission possible and whose continued generosity helped bring this recording to fruition. Their belief in this work has ensured it can now reach audiences far beyond its premiere.<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You can buy or stream The Long Walk Home [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/idpl.lnk.to\/3NhVh6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>]<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? Need to know the best\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>events<\/u><\/a>\u00a0happening this weekend? Send us a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Canadian Art Song Project has released The Long Walk Home as a digital album, with music by Peter Tiefenbach, with text by James Ostime, sung by baritone Nathan Keoughan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":122047,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[42533,42192,4967,81,39,51,63],"tags":[617,42694,40950,42693],"yst_prominent_words":[19666,21730,24074,29276],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/Copy-of-NEWS-2026-02-25T154825.003.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-vKt","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122045"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122045"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122045\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":122062,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122045\/revisions\/122062"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/122047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122045"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=122045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}