A rising star on the Canadian classical/jazz/folk/pop/electronica/what-have-you scenes, cellist Cris Derksen is known for captivating solo performances building layers of sound into often surprisingly slamming dance music. Her music braids the traditional and contemporary in multiple dimensions, weaving her traditional classical training and her aboriginal ancestry with new school electronics, creating genre defying music.

On her debut solo CD The Cusp, the 13 tracks range from classically oriented, multitracked soundscapes to upbeat party bumps inspired by her half-Cree ancestry and hybridized pieces that sound readymade for climatic moments in art or cinema. It was nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award.

Cris has toured nationally and internationally as a solo artist and performing her own compositions with Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq. She has performed at over two dozen Canadian and international festivals and the 2010 Cultural Olympiad.

As a side player Cris has performed with hip hop star Kanye West, Veda Hille, Tanya Tagaq, Christa Couture, Kinnie Starr, Rae Spoon, Leela Gilday, Ivan e Coyote and e.s.l.

Cris obtained a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance at UBC and shared the title of Principal Cellist of the UBC Symphony Orchestra. In 2009 she was recognized by the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network as one of its rising stars and The Georgia Straight’s “Who to Watch”. She was also a Curator in Residence at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. 

“It’s not every night you see a cellist pack a club dance floor. But Cris Derksen is not just another classically trained musician bowing away in the background. Kicking out electronic beats and using her loop station and pedal board to bring the noise, the UBC grad is building an international reputation for invention, session work and performance.”  - The Vancouver Province.

Showcase Artist: Pacific Contact 2013

Home Base: British Columbia

Touring Schedule: Click here