Rebecca Foon

Rebecca Foon (born 13 December 1978) is a Canadian cellist, vocalist, composer and visual artist. Foon currently records under her own name, as well as the alias Saltland, and is a member and co-founder of the modern chamber ensemble Esmerine as well as was a member of A Silver Mt. Zion. She also works with her sister Aliayta Foon-Dancoes.

Summary of career

Foon has been a member of several groups associated with the post-rock, experimental, and chamber music scenes of Montreal and New York City, including Set Fire to Flames, A Silver Mt. Zion, and Colin Stetson's Gorecki Symphony of Sorrow ensemble. Esmerine's Turkish folk-influenced album Dalmak, released in 2013, received the Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year in 2014, as did their 2022 album Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More.

In 2013, Foon released her first Saltland album, which Exclaim.ca described as a "combination of genres from dream pop to chamber music to ambient and shoegaze". and was co-written with Warren Ellis.

In 2020, Foon released Waxing Moon, her first album under her own name. In 2024 she released a neo classical album, First Sounds with Sarah Neufeld and Richard Reed Parry. In 2025 she released a dream pop album, Black Butterflies featuring Patrick Watson as well as Reverie with her sister Aliayta Foon-Dancoes. She has also composed soundtracks for film and museum projects.

Early life Rebecca Foon was born in 1978 in Canada, and raised in Vancouver.

A Silver Mt. Zion

Foon (center) playing cello with Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra in 2007

Soon after moving to Montreal, Foon began playing cello and composing with Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, a band that formed in Montreal in 1999. Foon joined in 2000, when the band expanded from a trio into a sextet. Foon plays on the band's second album, Born into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upward, released in 2001 on Constellation Records. The minimalist album was well received by music critics, including Allmusic

La Lechuza is thus dedicated to Lhasa de Sela. The band collaborated with Patrick Watson on the album and released a song entitled "Snow Day for Lhasa", as well as created a site – – dedicated to Lhasa. Patrick Watson also contributed vocals on two songs and produced the album, with other guests contributing, including violinist Sarah Neufeld (Arcade Fire) and saxophonist Colin Stetson.

After Barr and Page became occupied with their other projects, Esmerine added two new members to their touring lineup: percussionist Jamie Thomson and multi-instrumentalist Brian Sanderson. After a number of live performances, the quartet began writing new material in early 2012. The album was dedicated to Foon’s mother who had passed away of cancer while the band was recording the album.

Other albums In 2004, Foon teamed up with Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown, and Moonface) and Rachel Levine (Cakelk) to form the string/piano/accordion-based trio Fifths of Seven, releasing its first album, Spry from Bitter Anise Folds, in 2005. Foon also co-founded Pathway to Paris and the 1000 Cities Initiative for Carbon Freedom with Jesse Paris Smith (that has put on international concerts in collaboration with the United Nations featuring Thom Yorke, Flea, Patti Smith, Joan Baez, Bob Weir, Talib Kweli, Lucinda Williams and more), and Junglekeepers with Paul Rosolie.

Awards and nominations Year Album title Release details2013 Released: 14 May 2013 Label: Constellation Format: CD, vinyl, digital2017 Released: 31 March 2017 Label: Constellation Format: CD, vinyl, digital2020 Released: 21 February 2020 Label: Constellation Format: CD, vinyl, digital2025 Released: 24 October 2025 Label: Envision Records Format: vinyl, digital

With groups

Sarah Neufeld, Richard Reed Parry, Rebecca Foon 2024: First Sounds

A Silver Mt. Zion

2001: Born into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upward 2003: "This Is Our Punk-Rock," Thee Rusted Satellites Gather + Sing 2005: Horses in the Sky 2008: 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons

Set Fire to Flames 2001: Sings Reign Rebuilder 2003: Telegraphs in Negative/Mouths Trapped in Static

Esmerine 2003: If Only a Sweet Surrender to the Nights to Come Be True 2005: Aurora 2011: La Lechuza 2013: Dalmak 2015: Lost Voices 2017: Mechanics of Dominion 2022: Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More

The Mile End Ladies String Auxiliary 2005: From Cells of Roughest Air

Fifths of Seven 2005: Spry from Bitter Anise Folds

Guest appearances + Incomplete list of credits for Rebecca Foon Yr Release title Primary artist(s) Label Notes, role 2003 Just Another Ordinary Day Patrick Watson Self-released Cello 2004 Stand With the Stillness of the Day Elizabeth Anka Vajagic Constellation Cello Lesbians on Ecstasy Lesbians on Ecstasy Alien8 Cello If Night is a Weed and Day Grows Less Mitchell Akiyama SubRosa Cello 2005 Stem Stem in Electro Hrsta Constellation Cello 2006 Nisht Azoy Black Ox Orkestar Cello Evangelista Carla Bozulich Cello 2007 Return to the Sea Islands Rough Trade Cello North Star Deserter Vic Chesnutt Constellation Cello 2008 Hello Voyageur Evangelista Cello 2009 Hot Wax Grant Hart Con d'Or Cello Against the Day Land of Kush Constellation Cello 2010 Cloak and Cipher Land of Talk Saddle Creek Cello 2011 Do You Like Rock Music? British Sea Power Rough Trade Cello National Parks Project (LP and film) Various Last Gang Composition, cello The Golden Record Little Scream Secretly Canadian Cello 2013 The Big Mango Land of Kush Constellation Cello

Soundtracks

2023: Two One Two (short animation by Shira Avni) 2023: Phyllis, Silenced (feature by Roland Ellis) Soundtrack by Rebecca Foon and Sarah Neufeld 2020: Thanadoula (short animation by Robin McKenna) 2017: The Departure (by Lana Wilson) 2017: Freelancer on the Front Lines with Esmerine (by Santiago Bertolino) 2016: Live Cinema with Brendan Canty, Kate Ryan and James Canty (by Sam Green and Brent Green) 2013: My Little Underground (short animation by Elise Simard) 2012: National Parks Project 2012: The Kiss (short animation by Eva Cvijanovic) 2008: H2Oil (by Shannon Walsh)

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