Watch musicians perform together from across the world this weekend

An unlikely musical combo will be performing online this week.

Despite restrictions prohibiting in-person performances due to COVID-19, the virus isn't keeping musicians from getting creative together.

The Brandon University Indigenous Music Festival will be streamed online this year.

The Brandon University New Music Ensemble (BUNME) and Any Enemy, a contemporary ensemble of musicians from Scotland, will kick off the festival on Saturday, Jan. 30.

Saturday's performance is also part of the Sound Scotland Festival's Lockdown Compositing Project, featuring the works of Scottish and Canadian composers like Ollie Hawker, Pete Stollery, and Melody McKiver.

All works in the concert were co-commissioned by BUNME and Sound Scotland for this collaborative concert.

Megumi Masaki, a School of Music professor and conductor of the BU New Music Ensemble, says the project has helped explore the challenges of creating music for performance online by musicians in different parts of the world.

"Learning new ways to collaborate, listen and perform online simultaneously in two countries positions our musicians to be inventive and strong," says Masaki.

Pete Stollery, a professor of composition and electroacoustic music at the University of Aberdeen, will conduct Any Enemy.

"I think this is a testament to our resilience as artists to try to come to terms with whatever is thrown at us and to get the best out of the situation that we can," Stollery says.

"Sound is really pleased to be able to facilitate this opportunity for these four composers, not only to provide a focus during very trying times, but also to try to exploit the constraints under which we are having to work at the moment."

Saturday's performance will begin at 11 a.m.

The BUNME is composed of eight musicians and conducted by Masaki, who also plays piano. It's performers include Azaria Neuschwander (soprano), Léa Liu (flute), Jichen Wang (clarinet), Naomi Cord (bass clarinet), Sheva Schwartz (cello), Ren Wang (percussion), Reanne Vanden Brink (piano), and  William Neufeld (piano).

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, Cree musician, dancer, choreographer and flutist Jessia McMann will conclude the series with a 7:30 p.m. performance.

McMann, who is from Cowessess, Saskatchewan, has focused her recent compositions on Indigenous identity and history.

"(McMann's) music and performances transcend boundaries by tapping into classical flute music and Indigenous traditions to deliver a message of the resilience and strength of Indigenous women," says Masaki.

Both performances will be available for viewing here.