The Secret Songs of Nadina Mackie Jackson

The power of inspiration is a force that can drive us to achieve greatness in whatever we set our minds to. From the people we meet, know, and love, the places we go, the experiences we have, to the things we admire, inspiration can come from countless sources, each with the potential to ignite a spark within us and propel us towards our goals.

For Nadina Mackie Jackson, it was the exceptional strength, resourcefulness, and ingenuity of her parents that both inspired and influenced her to take the World as her oyster. Raised on a remote mountain ranch in British Columbia, they built their home, tended to their land, grew their food, raised their cattle, and even wrote narratives to sell to a city magazine for income. Her parents’ legacy shines through the log building school they built along with various literary and visual works they created, which celebrate the dignity of providing a home for oneself and one’s family.

Growing up surrounded by this level of resilience led her to pursue her passions with vigor and determination; Nadina is Canada’s most widely recorded solo bassoonist in history, having established herself with 13 solo albums and eight chamber music recordings. She has been all over the world, performing in symphonic, chamber, and historical instrument orchestras. Beyond her successful music career, Nadina is an accomplished visual artist, selling her paintings to private collectors and using her aptitudes to design album covers and storefront displays.

“The fundamental motivation of my art is to capture movement in colour and sound, to allow the gestures to follow an arc born of discipline and cultivated freedom. There is always an element of chance in any performance or painting. My goal is to allow motion to authentically trace its vital curve and continue in the imagination of the observer,”  Nadina shares. “The urge to work is constant, either to see a complex sweep of deep colour on a particular surface, or to fill the air with the sound of Vivaldi, Bach, Telemann, or my own secret songs.”

Want to see Nadina’s masterpieces? Check out our upcoming Multi! Some of her brilliant, original pieces and musical recordings will be up for bids in the Spring Forward Multi-Consignor Auction!

“I love to play the bassoon. I play when I am happy, and I feel happier. I play when I am sad, and I feel stronger.” Nadina shares that playing the bassoon is “her door to music, to art, to a greater experience of the wide world.” It’s no surprise that this profound, Canadian artist also strives to inspire others through her commitment to providing aspiring bassoonists with the education, support, and resources they need to thrive. Nadina founded the Council of Canadian Bassoonists, a nationally registered education charity that brings the bassoon and its magic to all Canadians.

In the Spring Forward Multi-Consignor Auction, you will find a rare, historical Florent Barbier bassoon and some bassoon cases also up for bids! In the fact, the profits from all bassoon-related items will go directly to the Council of Canadian Bassoonists’ education charity.

Take a cue from Nadina, from her story, and let the power of inspiration drive you towards greatness in all aspects of your life.

What inspires you?