Hope Salmonson

Composer Hope Salmonson is queering her music through a cross-genre artistic voice and an emphasis on establishing musical community. Her approach embodies ideas of musical joy, placing equal emphasis on elegant composition and camaraderie onstage. She weaves accessible musical language and contemporary approaches to musicking, seeking meaningful collaborative experiences. Through her interactive compositions, Hope seeks to ensure that every voice in the room is valued, on and off the stage.

 

An import from unceded Mi'kmaq territory (Halifax), Hope is spreading her wings on Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh lands (Vancouver). After receiving her BMUS with Distinction from Mount Allison University, her graduate studies at the University of British Columbia have seen her studying with Drs. T. Patrick Carrabré and Jennifer Butler. She is already sparking relationships in the Pacific Northwest, composing for small and large ensembles in the Vancouver area.

 

However, she has never forgotten her Atlantic home and continues to strengthen connections across the land. She's written for classical ensembles, a street brass band, and various points in between. Participating in the Lunenburg Academy of Music, the Wildflower Composers Festival and as Composer-in-Residence at the 2021 UNB Contemporary Music Festival, she's had no shortage of musical adventures.

 

Amid this, Hope continues to explore music in all its facets. In addition to performing her own works, she is active as a wind band tubist, chorister and recreational jazz drummer. She seeks to uplift underrepresented composers in all facets of her practice. This has led her to work with the Tuba-Euphonium Social Justice Initiative as Resource Manager. Outside of music, Hope is an avid board & video game fan, and enjoys sharing good food with her loved ones.

​