{"id":124383,"date":"2026-05-19T08:45:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T12:45:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=124383"},"modified":"2026-05-19T08:44:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T12:44:15","slug":"memoriam-cree-composer-cris-derksen-dies-accident-45","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/05\/19\/memoriam-cree-composer-cris-derksen-dies-accident-45\/","title":{"rendered":"IN MEMORIAM | Cree Composer Cris Derksen Dies In An Accident At 45"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_124385\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-124385\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-124385\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-19T081247.184.jpg\" alt=\"Cree composer Cris Derksen (Photo courtesy of the artist)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-19T081247.184.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-19T081247.184-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-19T081247.184-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-19T081247.184-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-124385\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cree composer Cris Derksen (Photo courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The world of Canadian classical and Indigenous music was left reeling over the weekend with the untimely death of cellist and composer Cris Derksen. The Cree composer was killed in a car crash near Slave Lake inn Northern Alberta as she was leaving her father\u2019s funeral.<\/p>\n<p>The 45 year old musician was involved in a head-on collision on Highway 44, a notorious stretch of road according to RCMP. High speed was said to be a factor in the accident, which occurred when a northbound SUV crossed the centre line and struck the vehicle Derksen was traveling in.<\/p>\n<p>Derksen\u2019s wife Bobby Benson is still in critical condition in hospital.<\/p>\n<p>pin\u00e2skiw (\u201cThe Season of Falling Leaves\u201d) by Cris Derksen, performed by Junior and Senior Strings of the University of Toronto schools:<\/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\/ZBELybaPM08?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<p>Cris was a force to be reckoned with in the Canadian classical music landscape. Her work combined her Cree heritage with Western classical idioms and electronic elements to create a unique voice and body of work.<\/p>\n<p>At LV, I had the pleasure and privilege of speaking with Cris and writing about her work on multiple occasions, most recently regarding her concert with the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n<p>The piece that was showcased in that concert, Controlled Burn, beautifully illustrates her work and approach. The title refers to a traditional Indigenous practice of burning dry brush in a controlled manner, a practice that created organic ashes which fertilized the land and prevented forest fires \u2014 and which was legislated out of existence by settler governments who didn\u2019t understand how to look after the woodlands they\u2019d taken over.<\/p>\n<p>In the composition, the cello soloist, performed by Derksen herself, enhanced by electronic effects pedals, and both the cello and bass section using a col legno technique to create a sound that emulates the roar of a forest on fire.<\/p>\n<p>She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2024 with Orchestre Metropolitan and Yannick N\u00e9zet-S\u00e9guin performing Controlled Burn.<\/p>\n<p>Cris Derksen performs in Halifax, NS in 2023:<\/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\/88rIEmznVes?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<h2>Cris Derksen<\/h2>\n<p>Cris Derksen was born on Treaty 8 territory in Northern Alberta. On her father\u2019s side, she comes from a long line of chiefs from the North Tall Cree Reserve, and on her mother\u2019s side, from Mennonite homesteaders.<\/p>\n<p>The two-spirit composer and musician earned a Bachelor\u2019s degree in Cello Performance at the University of British Columbia, but knew she wanted to use the instrument in ways that went beyond conventional classical training.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I was going to university, I knew that I had to be a good cellist to play my own music,\u201d Derksen said in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/11\/05\/interview-conductor-martin-macdonald-composer-cris-derksen-talk-controlled-burn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interview with LV<\/a>. \u201cI didn\u2019t take composition at all. I didn\u2019t want to get overly influenced.\u201d<br \/>\nCris added electronic elements to make the music more accessible, and performed and collaborated with a wide range of artist from Inuit superstar Taya Tagaq to rock bands.<\/p>\n<p>In recent years, her work has been performed by orchestras and classical ensembles across Canada and beyond. Derksen\u2019s music was commissioned by\u00a0the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Thunder Bay Symphony, and Orchestre M\u00e9tropolitain, among others. She served as composer for the Canadian Pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka in 2025.<br \/>\nShe performed across the globe, including recent concerts in Asia, Europe,Australia, Norway, and Chile.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performed the world premiere of Derksen\u2019s Still Here. The work was composed through sessions spent with the First Nations, Inuit, and M\u00e9tis clients of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Shkaabe Makwa centre, as part of CAMH\u2019s Art of Healing Program. The program explores new and culturally grounded ways to approach mental health.<\/p>\n<p>It was typical of Derksen\u2019s oeuvre in that it was both meaningful and impactful.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a piece about humanity,\u201d she wrote in a media statement, \u201cliving in cities, being surrounded and feeling alone, finding the magic in the mundane, getting excited about getting somewhere, feeling the empathy of humanity, the rhythm of the streets, pausing the chaos to listen to the sounds of our urban birds cousins, remembering where we came from,\u201d and more. She dedicates it to \u201call who feel alone surrounded by others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her most recent album The Visit was released in 2025:<\/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\/jd6S0JgJVgI?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<h2>Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>Derksen\u2019s passing leaves a dark gap in Canada\u2019s music scene. Cris made her message both accessible and poignant through her commitment to artistry, and to making her Cree heritage part of our nation\u2019s cultural landscape.<\/p>\n<p>She will be greatly missed.<\/p>\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 world of Canadian classical and Indigenous music was left reeling over the weekend with the untimely death of cellist and composer Cris Derksen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":124385,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[42533,42923,9,18,42119,41,63],"tags":[27604],"yst_prominent_words":[13398,6715,10669,6616,6826,6827,6825],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-19T081247.184.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-wmb","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124383"}],"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=124383"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":124386,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124383\/revisions\/124386"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124383"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=124383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}