From May 11–17, multi-instrumental performer Boris Sichon will be showcasing a selection from his eclectic collection of instruments from all over the world as part of the Jewish Community Centre’s Festival Ha’Rikud. Utilizing the diverse array of instruments accumulated from his globe-trotting days, Sichon’s music showcases folk music styles from a wide variety of cultures.
At the event, Sichon will feature 30 different wind, percussion and string instruments from different corners of the world. They are used for a myriad of styles, including Brazilian Samba, Classical Indian, Chinese music and African drums.
The instruments are part of his musical collection of over 300 items, each of which holds a special appeal to Sichon.
“There are no favourites! When I play each of them I am totally focused in the moment – I love them all,” he says.
An expanding musical vocabulary
Boris Sichon, composer and performer of world music. | Photo courtesy of Prologue.org
Sichon’s life has always revolved around music and the performing arts. Before he became a curator, composer and performer of world music, he grew up in Ukraine (part of the former Soviet Union) and studied at the Academy of Music in Saint Petersburg to become a classically trained percussionist. During this time, he worked with the Saint Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, and even performed under world-renowned composers and conductors such as Dmitri Shostakovich.
Despite his admiration for Western classical music, Sichon soon left the strictures of this genre to explore the realm of world music, which he believed allowed for more musical experimentation.
“Classical music is the most beautiful music in the world. It is incredible, but there is not much freedom. Ethnic music is very interesting and more colourful. There is lots of space for improv, experimentation, different combinations of instruments, and it opens up many more possibilities,” he explains.
A world explorer
Throughout his life, Sichon spent many years travelling extensively as a musician, which enabled him to continuously expand his musical palette and develop an encyclopedic knowledge of the global musical landscape.
His global musical journey began while working with the Russian National Folkloric Band as a stage musician, dancer and singer. He had the opportunity to visit and perform in 25 countries spanning five continents, where he began to collect local instruments and learned to play traditional music from native musicians. He then continued touring Europe with the Footsbarn Travelling Theatre from France as a musician and actor, obtaining more instruments and musical information in the process.
“When I travelled countries like India and [those throughout] South America, I found that they could communicate beautiful things through simple stuff,” says Sichon.
A Jewish heritage
His Jewish roots also form a large part of his musical identity. In the Soviet Union, he was a member of the Moscow Jewish Theatre. He spent five years in Israel, where he composed music for the Habima National Theatre in addition to teaching at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.
“My mom spoke Yiddish, and being Jewish is a huge influence and a huge part of me. This year I performed at [Vancouver’s 15th annual] Chutzpah Festival, where there was a beautiful program about the Holocaust,” he says.
After arriving in Canada in 2004, Sichon found his musical niche without missing a beat. Here, he continues to share his passion for music through performing, leading workshops, participating in festivals and composing music for theatre.
For more information visit: www.jccgv.com
