The Agassiz Festival, founded in 2000 by cellist Paul Marleyn, delivers a world-class experience of chamber music in creative, diverse, and innovative ways, bringing musicians and listeners together in intimate concert settings to share and enjoy artistic excellence. The 2024 Festival titled -Sounds in the Key of Spring- has as its theme the idea of new growth and colour that is manifest in newly composed Canadian and Indigenous music, and new takes on music that has been around for centuries reimagined by collaborating artists. The Festival will present both traditional and more innovative performances in multiple categories, including classical chamber music, jazz, music by women composers, Indigenous music, and spoken-word poetry accompanied by improvised cello. As the Festival’s final performance, Agassiz presents the touring production of ‘Sounding Thunder, the song of Francis Pegahmagabo”’ the story of Francis Pegahmagabow, the most highly decorated Indigenous soldier in Canadian military history and the most effective sniper of the First World War. The production is a joint First Nations–non indigenous work of art. Its main strength is in the respectful way First Nations and non-indigenous communities have collaborated to share this story - text by Ojibwe author Armand Garnet Ruffo and music by JUNO nominated composer Timothy Corlis with additional musical material from Jodi Contin-Baker (Anishinaabe singer) all with consultation from Brian McInnes (great grandson of Francis Pegahmagabow). The cast includes many of Canada’s top classical musicians and will be expanded to included members from the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.