JASON SETNYK
Internationally touring cellist and vocalist Ian Maksin returned to Cornwall May 16, performing at the Seaway Valley Theatre as part of his “Songs of Love & Peace” tour.
The concert blended cello, vocals, and global musical traditions in a multilingual performance that crossed genres ranging from classical and jazz to Middle Eastern, flamenco, and Eastern European music. Promoted as “Songs of the Vagabond Cello,” the evening featured Maksin’s signature “one-man orchestra” style using live looping and electronic layering.
“It’s hard to place myself into any one specific genre,” Maksin said. “It’s pretty much a combination of very many genres put together… all sort of blended together through the sound of the cello.”
Originally from the former Soviet Union and now based in North America, Maksin said his multicultural upbringing influenced his musical direction. “I grew up in a very multicultural environment,” he said. “I enjoy languages, learning new languages. It’s like being able to immerse deeply into a new culture through language and music at the same time.”
Maksin shared he currently has more than 300 songs in 43 languages, including Navajo, which was part of the Cornwall performance.
He described the emotional connection music can create across cultures and borders. “I could be singing a song from Georgia… in Canada, France, or Italy, and that sort of music resonates very deeply with people regardless of what their language is,” he said.
The Cornwall stop was part of a broader Canadian tour that included performances in Toronto, Ottawa, Gatineau, Montreal, and Quebec City. Maksin said he was excited to return after his first Cornwall appearance drew a strong response last year.
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