Events › Unraveling the Art of Gothic Ballads & Haunting Melodies - Part One

Join Chris Bose, the Indigenous Storyteller in Residence for a deep dive into lyric writing and song.

May 13 - Part One: Setting the Mood, The Anatomy of a Dark Storytelling Song, and the Murder Ballad.

May 20 - Part Two: The Murder Ballad (review), Co-writing and Collaboration, Performance and Feedback, and Taking it Further (Expanding into a full album concept or EP).

He'll discuss the influence of Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, and others on his lyric writing process. The focus of this workshop will be acoustic songwriting inspired by storytelling, Gothic narratives, minor chords, and evocative melodies.

Bring in your own acoustic instruments or take one out for this event through VPL's Musical Instrument Library.

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Chris Bose is a writer, musician and multi-disciplinary artist hailing from Kamloops, B.C. A member of the Nlaka’pamux and Secwepemc Nations, Chris has been a professional storyteller for almost 30 years. His work has been published in a variety of publications and exhibited in galleries. He has also shared traditional Nlaka’pamux and Secwepemc stories at schools, festivals, and cultural events across Canada.

“The stories I share come from my grandmother and grandfather, my Yeah Ya7 and Spa7 Pu La7,” says Bose. “They were revered storytellers who travelled across Canada in the 1970s, and I now continue their legacy.

I’m looking forward to sharing these stories and my culture to help others – both Indigenous and non-Indigenous – find their voice.”

To find out more about Chris’ residency and keep up with his upcoming events visit: vpl.ca/storyteller

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***To locate the Alice MacKay Room on the lower level, take the stairs before you reach the main entrance and it will be the room right at the bottom of the stairs. Elevator access is also available and is located directly across from the main entrance near the bank machine.