Violinist Andrew Forde brings Glenn Gould to contemporary audience

Toronto-based violinistAndrew Fordehas performed with Justin Bieber, Sting, Mary J. Blige and Pitbull,but there's another star he's connecting with: Glenn Gould.

Forde has remixed the iconic Canadian pianistto explore the country's rich identityin Ideas of Northand will perform it live Feb. 9 in Toronto as part of Black History Month.

The title is aplay onGould's landmark documentary, The Idea of North, which first aired on CBC Radio in 1967. Gould layered speaking voices on top of each other to create a unique sonic landscape in his program about the Canadian North.

Forde is calling his pieceIdeas of Northas an ode to the late musician, but also to represent the pluralism of voices which wouldn't have been heard 50 years ago.

Violinist Andrew Forde re-interprets Glenn Gould

7 years ago

Duration 1:34

The Toronto-based musician, accompanied by Nathaniel James on piano, gives a sneak peek of his upcoming performance marking Black History Month

"We're going to hear what it meant to be, what it means to identify as a black Canadian, as an Indigenous person, as a young person, even," said Fordeduring an interview at aToronto recording studio."There's a lot of different narratives that we've now opened up the conversation to."

The approach is different too.

Fordeisjoined byIsKw, an Indigenous female singer-songwriter and teenage trumpeter and pianistWilliam Leathers,who has performed with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra since the age of13.Canadian hip hop artist Shad will also be part of it through a video recording.

Fordeworked with studios behind creative films such as Inception toinclude a special visual component tothe story.

"When you go to the movies, for example, you'll watch the actors and you will passively take in the music," said Forde."What we're doing is, we're kind of switching that around. You're going to actively take in the music but passively have visuals that kind of ground what you're listening to and so it's supposed to excite all your senses."

The irony of performing aGlenn Gould interpretationin front of a large audience isn't lost on Forde. The renowned pianist'sdisdain of audiences was well-known and led Gouldto retire early from concert life,focusinginsteadon recording music.

But Forde, whofirst heard Gould at the age of seven and has remained a fan ever since, believes the late musician would approve.

"It'sreally about connecting the audience and the performers and the story so that everyone kind of partakes and is riskingexposing their identities, almost, collectively."

Forde will perform on violin in The Ideas of Northat Koerner Hall in Toronto with his band The Ghost Tapeson Feb. 9, as part of Black History Month, in HalifaxMarch3 and in Los Angeles at a later date.