Whatever happened to John Miller?
Once upon a time, a Stratford music man retired. That music man created something wonderful: Stratford Summer Music, our much loved summer music festival.
That music man was John Miller. A legendary figure in Stratford, a founder then serving as artistic director of Stratford Summer Music for 18 years (and as AD emeritus since).
Whatever happened to John Miller?
To find out, we enter Trivitt Church in Exeter, 45 minutes west. Step into the sanctuary - not a pew in sight, and it’s dark. The windows are blocked, there is soft blue light around them, and at the end of the sanctuary, there is GAIA, the answer to our question.
GAIA is a HUGE perfectly rendered Earth, floating in space, slowly turning. GAIA was created by Luke Jerram, an English artist, using NASA photos.
Earth, as seen only by astronauts.
As the artistic director of Huron Waves, a spring music festival, John Miller brought GAIA to Exeter and it runs June 1-July 3. If you suddenly feel a sense of awe, even tears, when you see this incredibly beautiful blue jewel floating before you, you may be forgiven.
Many people, including the astronauts who first looked back and saw Earth, have felt an overwhelming sense of its beauty and fragility. It becomes so clear that all parts of that beautiful jewel must work together. In the words of the artist, “an ecosystem we urgently need to look after – our only home.”
Using GAIA as a theme for the 2023 Huron Waves Music Festival (Huron Waves) John and his team have created a challenge for us all: Our Earth, My Responsibility.
That challenge was first delivered to musicians, “Canadians all,” proudly notes John, who were charged with the expression of their feelings about Earth through music. The musicians and the music mirror the richness that is Canada. There are women and men composers, Indigenous composers, western styles of music, Indigenous creations, jazz, oratorios, and the sounds of nature and sounds of the Arctic.
Paul Ciufo, Chair of the Huron Waves board, wrote the libretto for the Oratorio Water. (Considering Matthew Shepard, an oratorio exploring attitudes that govern our actions towards others will also be presented.)
True to its theme of Our Earth, My Responsibility, the GAIA adventure has reached out to schools, inviting students to come and experience GAIA, followed by a Nature of Things film, Curb Your Carbon. In fair weather, an immense ground map of Canada created from satellite photos will be exhibited on Baldwin Street.
For three Saturdays, there will be a 'What Now Information Village', offering suggestions to those who emerge from GAIA wondering what now? What can I do to help? Stratford’s own Climate Momentum will be in the What Now Village on June 24.
Yet another Stratford link is key. Michael Walton, head of design and lighting designer for the Stratford Festival, contributed his talents as the creator of the blue lighting ambience that echoes GAIA.
Another local connection includes renowned actor and Stratford resident Graham Greene, who is hosting an evening with Tomson Highway, at the Dark Horse Winery in Grand Bend on June 21.
Whatever happened to John Miller? Visit GAIA and see.
For information on the GAIA Adventure, and the music schedules, go to https://huronwaves.ca/.
