Breaking news: Calgary Philharmonic has just asked to present Grounder’s Grand Adventure for their November 2026 Education Concerts at the Taylor Centre’s Bella Concert Hall. This will be a first for StoryMusic, expanding from chamber music to string orchestra. Students will be treated to the lively Dohnanyi Serenade, with a story including numerous animals native to Alberta, and players will get to experience this challenging but delightful work in a new way. We are grateful to Alysha Armanious and Damase Anderson-Camacho for their hard work in making this happen. More details to come as they emerge!

Artwork by Olga Cuttell: https://oladesign.ca/

We can’t wait to join Green Fools Theatre once again to present Little Red Riding Hood with Beethoven alongside their amazing puppetry, thanks to a recent grant from Alberta Foundation for the Arts! The photo below shows the dress rehearsal of our sold-out performance with them back in February 2023 at the Central Library Performance Hall in Calgary. It was a rollicking good time! We are working to secure a venue and will update as things develop.

Photo credit: Helen Scott Studios https://www.helenscottstudios.com/

We look forward to performing Little Red Riding Hood with Beethoven at Varsity Acres School, Simons Valley School, and Calgary Jewish Academy this April, thanks to CADME (Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education), MPTF (the Music Performance Trust Fund), and Calgary Musicians Association. Want us to visit your school? More funding is likely possible with six weeks advance notice, so feel free to reach out! Our email: storymusiccreations@gmail.com

We had a wonderful time bringing Little Red Riding Hood with Beethoven to over 300 K-6 students at Douglas Harkness School! Kudos to Music Specialist James Sylvester for prepping everyone so well, as well as for organizing artwork: it was our first time performing along with a slide show of students’ visions of the traditional fairytale, coordinated with the movements of Beethoven’s epic quartet. Special thanks to Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education, the Music Performance Trust Fund, and Calgary Musicians Association for making the concert possible!

Thanks to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, we were able to record our latest album and present a release concert right here in southern Alberta. The event was sold out, and included the premiere of our newest work, Winter. Many thanks to our stalwart and amazing performers: Julie Freedman Smith, Voice; Genevieve Micheletti, Violin 1; Diane Lane, Violin 2; Liza Scriggins, Viola; and Andrea Case, Cello. We also appreciate our many volunteers for their hard work: Noah Kanashiro, Theresa Kraucunas, Sirui Li, John Lowry, Maren Aukerman, and Minel Aukerman. Kudos to Rory Siddall for getting us set up at the lovely Dougherty Hall! And deep gratitude to Helen Scott Studios for the amazing photography– do check out their spectacular work here: https://www.helenscottstudios.com/

It was such a treat to be able to share our newest project, Winter along with the first movement of Schubert’s Quartet No. 13 in A minor, D. 804 (“Rosamunde”). It’s a story about a kid who wants to play outside when it’s way too cold, and includes a snowball fight (imaginary!). This is the beginning of what will hopefully work out to be A Schubertian Four Seasons. Several new things about this emerging project: it was the first work we’ve presented with two voices, first movement almost entirely sung, our first collaboration with student musicians, and our first performance at Dougherty Hall. We are hugely grateful to phenomenal singer Lauren Woods for joining our fantastic vocalist Julie Freedman Smith, as well as to the wonderful young musicians from the Amici String Program (Yana Zubrytska, Serafina Oliva, Aedan Lowry, and Eva Martino) for their fine performance! Many thanks also to Helen Scott Studios for the fabulous photos, as well as Alberta Foundation for the Arts for making this concert possible ❤️

Photography: Helen Scott Studios https://www.helenscottstudios.com/

Join StoryMusic in celebration of our second album release: Little Red Riding Hood with Beethoven!

3 PM on Sunday January 11, 2026 at Doherty Hall, Stampede Youth Campus, 623 13 Ave SE, Calgary

Liza Scriggins’ unique twist on the classic fairytale comes to life with Beethoven’s Quartet Op 95, in live performance with:

• Julie Freedman Smith, voice
• Genevieve Micheletti, violin 1
• Diane Lane, violin 2
• Liza Scriggins, viola
• Andrea Case, cello

Also featuring a debut performance of StoryMusic’s newest creation Winter alongside the first movement of Schubert’s Rosamunde Quartet, about a kid who wants to play outside even though it’s WAY TOO COLD, with special guests Lauren Woods, soprano and students from the Amici String Program:

• Yana Zubrytska, violin 1
• Seraphina Oliva, violin 2
• Aedan Lowry, viola
• Eva Martino, cello

Mini-cupcake reception to follow!

Tickets $10 here or at the door: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/storymusic/1978446

We are excited to announce that our second album, Little Red Riding Hood with Beethoven, will be digitally released on all major platforms on January 9, 2026. We are immensely grateful for the support of Alberta Foundation for the Arts in making the recording possible, as well as to Leaf Music Distribution for their work on the release!

Pre-save here: https://leaf-music.lnk.to/sm2026

StoryMusic is happy to announce that we have been offered funding from Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education (CADME) as well as the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF), enabling us to perform Little Red Riding Hood with Beethoven at four schools this winter. Bookings are in process– more details as plans are finalized! Huge thanks to CADME and MPTF for their generous support.

“Wow! We feel so blessed to have been gifted your performance yesterday. You truly captivated our students and staff with your musicianship and talents. We were completely engaged and conversations lasted long after you left.”

“It was such a pleasure having you!!!!”

“Thank you Liza! We would love to host you again.”

(Annie Foote School students pictured in the two collage photos just above, thanks to Principal Heather Scholz!)