Grant Harville, conductor

Conductor Grant Harville recently completed an eight-year tenure as Music Director of the Great Falls Symphony, which saw the organization cross the million-dollar budget threshold. He previously held director positions with the Idaho State-Civic Symphony (where he earned a 20 Under 40 Award) and Bozeman Symphony. Recent guest conducting appearances include the Okanagan Symphony, Boise Philharmonic, Southwest Michigan Symphony, St. Cloud Symphony, Georgia Symphony, Manitoba Underground Opera, and Fraser Lyric Opera. He currently directs the Civic Orchestra of Victoria.

Harville has collaborated with numerous artists of international stature, including Bela Fleck, Martina Filjak, Orion Weiss, Dominic Cheli, William Hagen, Stephanie Chase, Inbal Segev, Pink Martini, and Time for Three. He conducted the first American performance of the complete orchestral program of the French-Canadian folk band Le Vent du Nord, and arranged and premiered a symphonic collaboration with Indigenous Music Award-winning hip-hop artist Supaman. He has spotlighted video game music with his orchestrations of the scores from Tetris, Celeste, and Undertale.

Also a composer, Harville established the Second Performance Project in 2022, an initiative to bring further performances to works which have already been premiered. The program has since received over 200 submissions from more than 30 countries.

Amanda Lisman, narrator

Amanda is a graduate of the University of Victoria (BA in Anthropology), the University of Alberta (BFA in Acting), the Citadel/Banff Theatre Program, and the Stratford Festival’s Birmingham Conservatory. Her acting credits include three seasons at the Stratford Festival (Titus Andronicus, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Tempest), Alberta Theatre Projects (Betty Mitchell Award for Venus in Fur), Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (Winnipeg Theatre Award nomination for 23.5 Hours), The Segal Centre (Montreal English Theatre Award nomination for Noises Off!), Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre (Critic’s Choice Spotlight Award and M Award for My Fair Lady), and roles with Theatre Aquarius, the Arts Club, the Citadel, Canadian Stage, Western Canada Theatre, Atomic Vaudeville, the Great Works Theatre Festival, and the Belfry Theatre. Her television credits include Suits, iZombie, Supernatural, Private Eyes, and several Hallmark Christmas movies. Amanda is also an educator, teaching acting, voice, Shakespeare, and public speaking at institutions including the University of Victoria, the Victoria Academy of Dramatic Arts, Lifetime Networks, and the Stratford Festival’s Teaching Shakespeare Program.