Cris Derksen

A rising star on the Canadian classical / jazz / folk / pop / electronica / what have you scenes, cellist Derksen is known for captivating solo performances building layers of sound into often surprisingly slamming dance music. On her debut solo effort, the 13 tracks range from classically oriented, multi-tracked soundscapes ("We Danced Movement I & II") to upbeat party bumps inspired by her half-Cree ancestry ("Pow wow wow") and hybridized pieces that sound readymade for climatic moments in art or cinema.

Derksen has toured nationally and internationally as a solo artist and  performing her own compositions with Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq. She has performed Internationally at: WOMAX (Spain), SXSW (Texas), Riddu Riddu (Norway), Respect Festival, Colors of Ostrava (Czech Republic), Barroquisimo (Mexico), MADE festival (Sweden).

Nationally Derksen has performed at: Frostbite Festival, Rifflandia, Dawson City Music Festival, Edmonton Folk Festival, Calgary Folk Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival,Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards, and the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards.

As a side player Cris has performed with hip hop star Kanye West, Veda Hille, Tanya Tagaq, Christa Couture, Kinnie Starr, Lightening Dust (Black Mountain), Rae Spoon, Leela Gilday, and Ivan e Coyote.

In 2009 Cris was recognized by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network as one of it’s rising stars, The Georgia Straight’s “Who to Watch”, and was also a Curator in Residence at the East Vancouver Cultural
Center (the Cultch).

Derksen originally comes from Northern Alberta; a line of chiefs from North Tall Cree reserve on her Fathers side and a line of strong Mennonite homesteaders on her mother’s side. Her music braids the traditional and contemporary in multiple dimensions, weaving her traditional classical training with her aboriginal ancestry with new school electronics, creating genre defying music. She uses a Boss ME-70, a guitar multi effect pad, the Boss Loop Station RC20-XL, as well as an old 1986 Dr Rhythm 550 drum pad.