For nearly two decades, Cantus Ansambl has actively participated in the project of Croatian-Canadian musical connections, continuously developing cultural and artistic exchange between the two countries. This collaboration has included not only the ensemble’s guest performances in Canada, but also appearances by numerous distinguished Croatian musicians, such as the Zagreb Saxophone Quartet, the duo of violinist Ivan Novinc and pianist Srđan Čaldarović, mezzo-soprano Renata Pokupić, the Porin String Quartet, and the Zagreb Guitar Trio. At the same time, Croatian audiences have had the opportunity to host renowned Canadian ensembles such as Les Amis and the Penderecki String Quartet. At the heart of this transcontinental collaboration lies contemporary music and its production, alongside a clearly articulated commitment to continuity and the creation of a shared musical space.
Cantus Ansambl undertook two major tours of Canada, in 2008 and 2014, performing in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal in prestigious venues such as the Glenn Gould Studio and the Toronto Opera House. On these occasions, the ensemble introduced Canadian audiences to more than twenty works by contemporary Croatian composers, with concerts often featuring collaborations with Canadian musicians. This exchange was not merely presentational; it also encouraged new creative impulses and sustained communication between key musical institutions, including Muzički biennale Zagreb, the SoundXis Festival, Canadian Sinfonietta, the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, and other partners.
An important role in establishing and developing this collaboration was played by Canadian composer Michael Pepa, a long-standing friend of the Croatian music scene. Berislav Šipuš, founder and artistic director of the Cantus Ensemble, first performed in Canada in 2006, realizing the first Croatian-Canadian projects precisely in collaboration with Michael Pepa and the Toronto-based ensemble and arts organization Les Amis. Michael Pepa first visited the Muzički biennale Zagreb in 1979, and already at the following festival edition he presented a selection of contemporary Canadian music through the Soundstage Canada project at Komedija Theatre as part of the Biennale’s late-night program. Les Amis performed at the MBZ in 2009 and again in 2015, when they were joined by the Canadian Penderecki String Quartet. Michael Pepa’s contribution was further recognized in 2015 with the Croatian Order of Danica Hrvatska bearing the image of Marko Marulić.
A new phase of collaboration began in the 2019/2020 season, when the Vancouver-based ensemble Turning Point joined the project. Already in 2019, its artistic director Owen Underhill visited Zagreb and conducted the Cantus Ensemble in a concert dedicated to contemporary Canadian music. Although the planned return visit was postponed due to the pandemic, the collaboration continued virtually during the 2021 edition of the Muzički biennale Zagreb, before being revived through live guest appearances and joint projects in 2022 and 2023.
In April 2022, Berislav Šipuš visited Canada as part of an artistic and educational residency, giving lectures and concerts at institutions including the University of Toronto and in Cobourg, where he presented Croatian piano music from the second half of the twentieth century together with Canadian-Italian pianist Erica Crinó. At the same time, he conducted Canadian Sinfonietta and Turning Point Ensemble in Vancouver, where works by Croatian composers such as Stanko Horvat, Marko Ruždjak, Srđan Dedić, Krešimir Seletković, Ivana Kiš and Šipuš himself were performed.
The collaboration continued in Zagreb, where in May 2023 the Cantus Ensemble hosted Turning Point Ensemble. Under the direction of Owen Underhill, the Canadian musicians presented a program of contemporary Canadian music featuring distinguished soloists — Canadian soprano Robyn Driedger Klassen and Israeli violist Rivka Golani. The concert was further marked by performances of new works and collaborations with Croatian composers, confirming the vivid and dynamic exchange between the two musical scenes. Helena Skljarov’s The Red-Haired Man, commissioned specifically for the occasion, received its world premiere at the concert. The event was organized in cooperation with the Canadian Embassy in Zagreb and formed part of the celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Croatia.
The culmination of this phase of collaboration took place in 2024, when the Cantus Ansambl realized its third major Canadian tour. The tour included Vancouver, Toronto, and Cobourg, with concerts presented as part of the Turning Point concert season and at the Canadian Opera Centre. Under the baton of Berislav Šipuš, works by Croatian composers of various generations were performed, including Boris Papandopulo, Natko Devčić, Milko Kelemen, Mladen Tarbuk, Srećko Bradić, Ivana Kiš, Frano Đurović, Vjekoslav Nježić, Tibor Szirovicza, Ivan Josip Skender, and others, alongside new works by younger composers – Sara Jakopović and David Batinić. The programs also featured works by Canadian composers, further emphasizing the reciprocal nature of this collaboration.
In autumn 2027, the collaboration will enter a new chapter: conductor Owen Underhill will return to the Cantus Ensemble season together with a Canadian soloist, reaffirming the continuity and vitality of this international project.
Through nearly two decades of continuous activity, Croatian-Canadian musical relations have proven to be an example of long-term, stable, and creatively stimulating international collaboration. In this context, Cantus Ansambl has played a key role in connecting the two contemporary music scenes, encouraging the exchange of ideas, performers, and new works, while ensuring the international visibility of Croatian music and the presence of Canadian music within Croatia’s cultural landscape.