Samantha Whelan Kotkas was born in Canada, raised in Africa, and educated in Calgary and Houston. She is an Artist through-and-through; a symphony trumpeter, a teaching artist with the National Arts Centre, a wife and a mother of two amazing young women (successful parenting is a hugely creative endeavour), and she writes and produces elaborate, unique, and collaborative shows... most recently 'Wandering With Wonder'; an enormous project that I am very fortunate to be included in as a composer and performer. Samantha is also one of my very dearest friends on Earth, and we've known each other for 10 years. We recorded this talk in her backyard studio in Calgary, Alberta in July 2020. 

Wandering With Wonder

"Inspired by the land, water and sky, ‘Wandering with Wonder’ is an immersive outdoor musical storytelling experience using the arts to reconnect people with nature. This 90-minute performance takes the audience through an adventure of mystery, loss and discovery while featuring newly composed music by five Canadian composers: Chris Andrew, Jordan Andrew, Matt Epp, Sherryl Sewepagaham and Walter MacDonald White Bear. On this journey, the audience will meet a magical young woman (a puppet), Wonder, who will guide them through a day that never was. Through her eyes, we experience the transformational power of nature, music and friendship as she goes in search of her lost song."

The world premiere of Wandering With Wonder was sold out and took place September 18 + 19, 2021, at the Leighton Arts Centre in the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains. All Samantha news is here, https://www.samanthawhelankotkas.com