About the piece

Scenes of a Prairie Peoples is a piece commissioned by the University of Saskatchewan in 2017 to commemorate Canada’s sesquicentennial, and the 110th Anniversary of the University of Saskatchewan. This 3-movement piece is a celebration of the land, and, of the different peoples that have inhabited it.  

The first movement, The Hunters Where Lillies Grow for Wind Orchestra, offers a glimpse of the land ten thousand years ago, when hunters chased their prey among the tiger lilies. The second movement, The Horsemen Where Rivers Join for Choir, is a retelling of a famous horse race between the Cree and Blackfoot at the forks of the North Saskatchewan and Battle rivers over one hundred years ago.  

The third and final movement, The Fiddlers Where Greystones Stand for Jazz Orchestra, brings us to present day, the greystones representing the University of Saskatchewan, a place where the multi-faceted history of this land can be explored and shared. 

This piece was premiered by the UofS Wind Orchestra, Greystone Singers and Jazz Ensemble.

Paul Suchan

Born in 1983 in Saskatoon Saskatchewan, Paul Suchan graduated with a B. Mus/B.Mus Ed (2007) from the University of Saskatchewan and M.Mus in Composition (2012) at the Université de Montréal where he studied with composer Alan Belkin. He is currently based in Saskatoon with his wife Naomi.  

Mr. Suchan’s compositions has been performed across Canada, the United States and Europe by leading university ensembles, symphony orchestras, community groups, choirs, small ensembles and soloists.   Highlights include performances at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and the performance of his opera The Beast in the Jungle in Montreal.  His piece for band The Colors and Contrasts of Grief has received over 100 performances throughout North America and has been professionally recorded three times.  Mr. Suchan has also been the winner of numerous composition awards including winning the 2014 Canadian Band Association Composition Competition for his band piece Swiftriver Passage.

Mr. Suchan is a strong advocate for fellow composers and in 2011 he co-founded the Strata Festival of New Music, an annual 3 day festival dedicated to high quality performances of Saskatchewan and Prairie composers.  

For more information, visit his website at www.paulsuchan.com

The Hunters Where Lillies Grow (High School version)

• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Alto Sax 1
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Alto Sax 2
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Baritone Sax
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Bass Clarinet
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Bassoon
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Chimes / Glockenspiel
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Clarinet in Bb 1
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Clarinet in Bb 2 & 3
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Euphonium
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Flute 1
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Flute 2
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Horn in F 1 & 2
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Oboe
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Suspended Cymbal & Bass Drum
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Tenor Sax
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Timpani
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Toms
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Trombone 1
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Trombone 2
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Trumpet in Bb 1
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Trumpet in Bb 2
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow - Tuba
• The Hunters Where Lilies Grow
•  The Hunters Where Lilies Grow (MP3)

The Horsemen Where Rivers Join (High School version)

• The Horsemen Where Rivers Join
• The Horsemen Where Rivers Join

Fiddlers where Grey Stones Stand (High School version)

• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Alto Sax 1
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Alto Sax 2
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Baritone Sax
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Drum Set
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Guitar
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Piano
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Tenor Sax 1
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Tenor Sax 2
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Trombone 1
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Trombone 2
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Trombone 3
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Trombone 4
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Trumpet in Bb 1
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Trumpet in Bb 2
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Trumpet in Bb 3
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Trumpet in Bb 4
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Woodblocks Sus. Cymbal
•  The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand
• The Fiddlers full changes
• The Fiddlers Practice Sheet - Alto and Bari Saxophone
• The Fiddlers Practice Sheet - Rhythm
• The Fiddlers Practice Sheet - Tenor Sax
• The Fiddlers Practice Sheet - Trombone
• The Fiddlers Practice Sheet - Trumpet
• The Fiddlers Where Grey Stones Stand - Acoustic Bass