Artists of the New North Collective
New North Collective is an ensemble of Northern Canadian performing artists from Yukon and Northwest Territories including spoken word artist/bassist Pat Braden and composer/performer Carmen Braden from NWT, singer/songwriter Diyet from the Kluane First Nation, guitarist/songwriter Graeme Peters and percussionist Robert Van Lieshout from Yukon. Learn more about each artist below. View the Circumpolar Concert Series schedule here.
Carmen Braden
Carmen Braden is a composer, performer and an environmental musician. Carmen’s music is on the repertoire lists of highly respected ensembles including the Elmer Isler Singers, the Gryphon Trio, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and James Ehnes, a/o. Carmen’s recordings featuring both her classical compositions and her adventurous art songs have won back to back Western Canadian Music Awards.
Pat Braden
Pat Braden writes and performs on Chapman Stick and bass. From his home in Yellowknife, he has released multiple recordings as both a singer/songwriter and storyteller along with authoring a book of northern fables titled “From the Fire”. Pat has toured extensively throughout Canada with two one-person shows - A Place to Call Home and Shack Tales. He is a podcaster and writer of Musicians of the Midnight Sun, the history of music in the NWT.
Jan de Vroede
Jan de Vroede (BE/GL) is a multi-instrumentalist, festival producer and artistic director currently based in Belgium. Jan’s experience includes international touring as a musician, manager, arranger, producer, and composer working in Canada, Europe, Asia and the US. He has worked as advisor to the Government of Greenland and is now artistic director for both festivals and arts centres in Brussels.
Diyet
Diyet has released three alt folk recordings as Diyet & The Love Soldiers which have garnered her an international audience and multiple music awards and nominations. She is from the Kluane First Nation and is writing new songs in her traditional language of Southern Tutchone. Diyet was featured in the Messiah Complex (Against The Grain Theatre) in a reworking of a Handel aria in her traditional language. She regularly tours nationally and internationally.
Graeme Peters
Graeme Peters is a jazz and classically trained rock musician, bringing jazz/rock/avant guarde treatments to the group. He tours extensively with his band Speed Control, soon to release their fourth recording. Graeme has recorded and played with Canadian jazz greats Ingrid Jensen and Terry Promane as well as throat singer, Tanya Tagaq.
Robert Van Lieshout
Robert Van Lieshout is NNC’s percussionist. Originally from the Netherlands, Robert moved to the Yukon from Vancouver. His career in the Netherlands included playing drums with a number of successful touring bands. Robert is a partner in Diyet & The Love Soldiers as well as highly sought after public health consultant.