Cris Derksen is a Juno-nominated Indigenous cellist and composer known for building sound layers in captivating performances. Her music braids the traditional and contemporary in multiple dimensions, weaving her classical training and her Indigenous ancestry with new school electronics, creating genre-defying music.

Originally from Northern Alberta, Cris Derksen hails from a line of chiefs from North Tall Cree reserve on her father’s side and a line of strong Mennonite homesteaders on her mother’s side. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance at UBC and shared the title of Principal Cellist with the UBC Symphony Orchestra. She was also Curator in Residence at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre.

Cris Derksen was nominated for the Instrumental Album of the year at the 2016 Juno Awards.

We are thrilled to bring genre-defying musician Cris Derksen’s amazing sound to the Prismatic stage.