Contemporary Canadian composer Frank Horvat joined us as the 2026 Woodhaven Artist in Residence.

He spent four weeks at Woodhaven working on a new composition in his Earth Hour series, his decades-spanning series of solo piano compositions. During the residency, Horvat offered free public performance at the Woodhaven Eco Culture Centre, Earth Hour 1, performed for the first time outside, in darkness, with the forest as the concert hall.

Horvat says his connection to Kelowna runs deep. In late March 2010, he released Earth Hour (EH1) on his album A Little Dark Music. Conceived as a 60-minute solo piano work to be performed entirely in darkness, it toured to more than 60 cities across North America as part of his sustainably driven, Green Keys Tour — a project exploring how music can heal, connect communities and spark meaningful conversations about environmental responsibility.

“One of the most memorable and magical evenings of that tour took place in Kelowna. The audience, the post-concert conversations, and my continued dialogue with the event organizer left a lasting impression on me,” he says.

Forty people attended the performance on June 22, enjoying this special presentation of Horvat’s work. Special thanks to Wentworth Music who sponsored the piano for the residency and performance.

About the performance Frank says: “Hearing the piano converse with the wind through the trees, the birds overhead, and the chorus of frogs and crickets around us created a musical experience unlike any I have had before. It was a beautiful reminder that nature can be both an audience and a collaborator.” This is an excerpt from Kelowna Residency Recap on Frank Horvat’s blog, where you can read more about his stay here.