the agreements

a Gamified Song Cycle for the 21st Century

The Agreements is a contemporary classical music project for a virtual performance space. At its centre is a song cycle being created in response to nine agreements crafted by Debbie Patterson, a Canadian theatre writer and leading disability activist, and Njo Kong Kie, an internationally acclaimed classical composer based in Toronto. Debbie, also the librettist for the project, lives with multiple sclerosis. These songs collectively act as her ideal pathway towards a more ethical future. Each song takes place in an interactive game environment. As someone embracing the disruptions of disability, Debbie writes: “We know something about what it is to be human that everybody else doesn’t know yet.”

Interactive Media Designer Rob Elsworthy will design and build the game platform for the Agreements. Ross Manson acts as a dramaturge and creative consultant. The three singers involved are Neema Bickersteth, Ineza Mugisha and Dérrell Woods.

This is a project in development. There will be nine songs in the cycle, and nine levels or virtual spaces within the game/concert (each one occupying a different forest on Earth). Audience members will navigate their own path through the forests, and the songs. We also intend to develop a live-performance concert version of the material.

creative team

Volcano’s New Work Development Partner is: