Festival Highlights

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St. John’s, Newfoundland, is once again hosting its popular biennial Festival 500 “Sharing the Voices”, an international, non-competitive festival of choral music (July 1-8). Locals and visitors will have the opportunity to hear 35 choirs selected worldwide and a bevy of renowned conductors, playing largely Celtic music. Among others, professional Irish choral group Anùna will be showcased.

Throughout the week, evening concerts will provide three invited choirs the opportunity to perform individually, concluding with a massed choral piece under the direction of guest conductors, including Montreal’s Iwan Edwards and Toronto’s Robert Cooper.

Two separate choirs ranging from youth to adult will participate in the June 8 grand finale. Featuring 1500 singers and an orchestra conducted by internationally recognized Lyn Williams and Celso Antunes, the choirs will perform a commissioned work by Steven Hatfeild, who is also the invited Composer-in-Residence. www.festival500.com

Atlantic Festivals Preview

By Caroline Pelletier

With the crisp winter having retreated into a fresh summer, the Maritimes proudly open their doors to a vast array of great summer festivals. From Charlottesville to Lunenburg to St. John's to Fredericton will be found a bounty of talent sure to please all.

n "Something wonderful has happened in Charlottetown," wrote theatre
critic Nathan Cohen in 1965 about the Charlottetown Festival. This year, the success continues to grow as the ever-popular musical Anne of Green Gables comes back for its 42nd season, with well over two million viewers since its premiere. Other highlights include the great Canadian jazz and blues singer David Layton-Thomas, (formally singer of jazz-rock band, Blood, Sweat & Tears) theatrical pieces that range from humorous plays such as Shear Madness to heart-warming Canadian classic Salt-Water Moon.

n "Music You Can Hear With Your Heart" is appropriate for this year's theme of P.E.I's Indian River Festival (www.indianriverfestival.com). A showcase of classical, jazz, maritime and world music, this is the festival's 12th season, held annually through July and August in the acoustically sublime and architecturally stunning St. Mary's Church. This year, Canada's soprano superstar Isabel Bayrakdarian gives her only two Canadian summer recitals here, while the Gryphon Trio, and pianist Angela Chang also visit.

n The Third Annual Lunenburg Summer Opera Festival (www.martitimeconcertopera.com) is presenting two shows this summer: With A Song In My Heart: The Music of Richard Rodgers, on June 22 at the Pearl Theatre and La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi, on June 23 at the same venue. Also in Lunenburg this summer is the Boxwood Canada Festival (www.boxwood.org/canada.html), celebrating its 12th year commemorating the traditional music of the flute in one of North America's most exquisite 18th-century seaside towns. From July 21 - 27, the festival includes a baroque ensemble of The Tempest; one of the most important figures in classical Indian music, Pandit Hariprasad Chaursia; a ceilidh dance and more.

n New Brunswick warms up this summer with the Baie des Chaleurs International Chamber Music Festival (www.fmcbc.nb.ca), July 12 - 17. This year's guests include the young and talented violoncellist Denise Djokic and her partner, the subtle pianist, David Jalbert; a dazzling harmony of 12 voices from Vancouver – Musica Intima; pianist Louis Lortie; and world music with the Montreal Guitar trio.

n The Lamèque International Baroque Music Festiva (www.festivalbaroque.com) offers its yearly dedication of distinctly Baroque music, with a program including vocal and instrumental selections as well as choral works, chamber music and solo pieces.

n Featuring both internationally acclaimed musicians as well as aspiring local talents, the 6th annual Tuckamore Festival (www.tuckamorefestival.ca) celebrates the creation of chamber music, be it on stage or in master classes. In 2005 the festival was honoured to have the world-renowned Shanghai String Quartet as both performers and mentors to the Young Artists program and they return this year with two evening concerts and four full days in residence. Other performers include acclaimed Canadian violinist Nancy Dahn, pianist Tim Steeves, cellist Vernon Regehr, conductor and viola-player Rennie Regehr as well as pianist Minsoo Sohn, "a man who will create a life in music." The festival runs August 6 - 19 in St. John's, Newfoundland.

n Gros Morne Festival (www.gmsm.ca) July 20 - August 19, with its theme “From Earth to Human”, celebrates the joys of the earth through music by bridging the worlds of culture and nature. Take in active archaeological digs in ancient settlements at Port du Choix and experience Bach's famous “Chaconne” for solo violin performed by Taiwanese virtuoso Min Tze. The Gros Morne Festival is located in Gros Morne National Park and Great Northern Peninsula — both of which have earned the UNESCO World Heritage Site Designation — and is sure to please all natural and musical senses.

MOZART PLUS (28 JUIN AU 8 AOÛT)

Kent Nagano dirigera l’OSM non plus à la basilique Notre-Dame, mais à la Place des Arts, dans le cadre du festival Mozart plus.

Le Quatrième concerto de Beethoven sera exploité dans tous ses contrastes grâce au jeu du pianiste allemand Lars Vogt le 18 juillet. Sous la conduite de Heinrich Schiff, l’Orchestre de musique de chambre de Vienne exécutera la populaire suite Roméo et Juliette de Prokofiev le 25 juillet. Le 1er août, Mozart sera célébré au violon par Renaud Capuçon, qui interprétera le premier concerto sous la conduite de Kent Nagano.

Le 8 août, on fait place à la musique vocale : la mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, spécialiste du répertoire, interprétera les Nuits d’été de Berlioz, complétant sa prestation avec deux arias de Mozart. www.osm.ca

MONTRÉAL BAROQUE (22 AU 25 JUIN)

Le Festival Montréal Baroque, organisé cette année sous le thème Du ciel aux enfers, envahira les rues du Vieux Montréal pour la cinquième fois. Anges, séraphins et démons d’outre-tombe ont inspiré autant la musique que les événements préparés par l’équipe du festival. La Place de la Dauversière accueillera la Foire baroque qui compte, parmi ses exposants, danseurs, animateurs pour enfants et kiosques d’artisans. Des concerts gratuits seront offerts entre midi et 17 h 30, du 23 au 25 juin.

Des conférences et ateliers d’interprétation pour la harpe, le violon et le clavecin baroque, tous gratuits, attendent les festivaliers au Château Ramezay. Les mélomanes pourront également siroter un café tout en écoutant des musiciens de la relève au Café À Propos, qui restera ouvert à toutes heures du jour et de la nuit, du vendredi 22 au dimanche 24 juin.

Des oeuvres de Bach, Biber, Vivaldi, Buxtehude ainsi que des chants religieux figurent au programme des grandes séries du festival. www.montrealbaroque.com

LES CONCERTS POPULAIRES DE MONTRÉAL (27 JUIN AU 1er AOÛT)

Nathalie Choquette ouvrira la 43e saison des concerts populaires le 27 juin avec des airs bien connus. La soprano sera aux côtés du chef Stéphane Laforest, qui dirigera la Sinfonia de Lanaudière. Le chanteur Jazz Jeff Simons, quant à lui, recréera l’atmosphère des années 30 et 40 avec une sélection d’airs de swing mis en valeur par le Montreal Jazz Big Band. Hong Xu, pianiste lauréat de plusieurs concours internationaux, sera l’invité de Yannick Nézet-Séguin et de l’Orchestre Métropolitain pour l’exécution de classiques populaires de Mozart, Beethoven et Bach le 11 juillet. Le 18, avec le même orchestre, le baryton Alexander Dobson célébrera le 40^e anniversaire de l’Expo 67 avec des oeuvres de Mahler, Strauss, Mozart et Mendelssohn. L’ensemble Amati, sous la direction de Raymond Dessaints, fera revivre les succès de la musique Italienne avec une sélection d’airs et de chants napolitains. www.orgueetcouleurs.com

FESTIVAL DU MONT ORFORD (22 JUIN AU 12 AOÛT)

Le Centre d’arts Orford offre cette année encore une brochette d’invités de réputation internationale. Le festival s’ouvrira sur une adaptation lyrique des Fleurs du mal de Baudelaire mise en scène par Lorraine Pintal et réunissant le comédien Jean Marchand, le baryton Marc Boucher et le pianiste Olivier Godin.

Le 23 juin, le pianiste Anton Kuerti visitera des classiques de Czerny (la célèbre Marche funèbre sur la mort de Beethoven op. 146) et de Beethoven (notamment la Sonate en fa mineur op. 57 n^o 23 «Appassionata») ainsi que quelques classiques de Chopin.

Le festival n’aurait pas l’âme qu’on lui connaît sans les maîtres instrumentistes du Centre d’arts, qui feront apprécier une fois de plus une chimie musicale mûre de plusieurs années. Les violonistes Anne Robert et Sophia Copey, l’altiste Bertrand Robin, le pianiste John Perry, le clarinettiste James Campbell et le violoncelliste Michel Strauss, se rassembleront autour de pièces de Beethoven, Franck, Honegger et Weber, samedi le 30 juin.

d’entendre des oeuvres de Britten, Bach et Crumb pour violoncelle solo le 6 juillet. L’événement fait contraste avec l’imposant hommage à Grieg et Schumann préparé par Louis Lortie. Le pianiste fera quatre escales musicales au festival, accompagné tantôt d’Hélène Mercier dans un concert à quatre mains, tantôt du violoniste Augustin Dumay et d’autres invités de marque, du 21 au 27 juillet. www.arts-orford.com

FESTIVAL DE LANAUDIÈRE (DU 7 JUILLET AU 5 AOÛT)

Le Festival de Lanaudière prépare son 30e anniversaire avec beaucoup de soin et un brin de mégalomanie. Dans une ouverture monumentale, deux orchestres, celui de Québec et l’Orchestre Métropolitain, associeront leurs musiciens et leurs choeurs respectifs à l’ensemble choral du festival. Le programme est à la même échelle; y figurent l’Ouverture 1812 de Tchaïkovski op. 49, l’Ouverture de fête de Chostakovitch op. 96 et le Te Deum de Berlioz, opus 22; à la tête de ces immenses forces, Yoav Talmi accueillera sur scène le ténor soliste Frédéric Antoun. L’excellent chef estonien Paavo Järvi, à la tête de la Deutsche Kammerphilarmonie Bremen gâtera les amateurs d’intégrales en proposant celle des symphonies de Beethoven, du 27 au 29 juillet. Sur une note plus intime, Jérôme Ducharme, lauréat de la prestigieuse compétition de la Guitar Foundation of America, présentera un programme de Hétu, Morenotorroba, Rodrigo et Turina à l’Église de la purification à Repentigny, le 16 juillet.

Quant à lui, James Ehnes prépare deux concerts, les 12 et 14 juillet, séparés par un récital d’Alain Lefèvre le 13. Dans le premier, on l’entendra en compagnie du pianiste Eduard Laurel; dans le second, il sera entouré de jeunes virtuoses de l’heure, dont Jean-Marie Zeitouni, Denise Djokic, Johnathan Crow et Olivier Thouin. Viendront ensuite deux concerts de musique baroque: le 30 juillet, Mika Putterman, flûte baroque, jouera avec le claveciniste Olivier Fortin; le 2 août, la soprano Tracy Smith-Bessette se joindra à l’ensemble MASQUES et à d’autres invités, dont Mélisande Corriveau à la flûte à bec et à la basse de viole, Olivier Fortin au clavecin et Matthew Jennejohn hautbois baroque et cornetto.

www.lanaudière.org

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DU DOMAINE FORGET (23 JUIN AU 25 AOÛT)

Le Domaine Forget présente cette année encore un festival bien équilibré de concerts de musique de chambre, musique ancienne, jazz, musique chorale et spectacles de danse. À noter: les concerts et cours de maîtres sont de retour, avec Pavel Steidl à la guitare classique, Paul Ellison à la contrebasse, Régis Pasquier au violon, Philippe Muller au violoncelle et d’autres encore.

Un ensemble de musique de chambre composé de cuivres et suivi de près par le piano de Denise Pépin, dans le même concert exécutera des oeuvres de Poulenc, Dring, Lalliet et Martinu le 27 juin, le lendemain d’un concert des Violons du Roy dirigé par Bernard Labadie. Le 29, l’ensemble de musique ancienne La Nef proposera un programme d’airs écossais, avec des chants de guerre et d’amour commémorant la bataille de Killikrankie.

Le 14 juillet, violoniste Jin Joo Cho, la gagnante du Concours musical international de Montréal 2006, jouera avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec sous la direction de Jacques Lacombe. Le 18 juillet, l’art vocal sera représenté de nouveau, cette fois par Musica Intima: composé de douze chanteurs (sans chef), l’ensemble a préparé au fil de ses répétitions une relecture d’oeuvres d’Elgar, Pärt, Lang, Poulenc, Vivier, etc. pour en donner une interprétation toute fraîche.

Oliver Jones, le grand vétéran du jazz, sera accompagné de son trio le 26 juillet. Le surlendemain, le 28, aura lieu un autre concert intime, celui de Régis Pasquier, Philippe Muller et du violoncelliste Emmanuel Strosser. Un seul événement d’envergure orchestrale est au programme, un concert-bénéfice hors-série pour le Fonds de la bourse Jacqueline et Paul Desmarais, réunissant Renaud Capuçon, Kent Nagano et l’OSM. www.domaineforget.com

RÉGION DE QUÉBEC

Une gigantesque cérémonie d’ouverture faisant appel à plus de 800 musiciens est prévue à la Place George V cet été. Le rendez-vous gratuit qu’est le Festival international de musique militaire de Québec battra son plein cet été avec, en plus, des concerts organisés au alais Montcalm, des défilés militaires, des kiosques, un pique-nique familial ainsi qu’une messe à la basilique Notre-Dame de Québec. Les cérémonies colorées de relève de la garde du Royal 22e Régiment se tiendront tout l’été avec le concours de musiques militaires invitées pendant le festival.

Ceux qui se déplaceront pour le Festival d’été de Québec seront ravis d’entendre Jordi Savall, au Palais Montcalm, dans des récitals à thème: Le Paradis perdu (7 juillet), Orient Occident (8 juillet). Les festivaliers pourront également apprécier les rénovations apportées à la salle Raoul-Jobin du Palais Montcalm : Measha Brueggergosman et Pieter Wispelwey soumettront la salle à de solides tests d’acoustique, les 13 et 5 juillet ! www.infofestival.com

AILLEURS AU QUÉBEC

Décidément, Louis Lortie voyage beaucoup cet été. En plus de l’entendre au Centre d’arts Orford et au Festival du Domaine Forget, on le croisera au Festival international de musique de chambre de la Baie des Chaleurs où il donnera un récital le 14. Denise Djokic et David Jalbert y présenteront un concert deux jours plus tard. Une journée entière du festival est consacrée à la guitare : outre le Trio de guitare de Montréal et le duo Eden-Stell, les amateurs se verront présenter un film (15 juillet) et, pendant toute la durée du festival, des démonstrations dans l’atelier du luthier Jean Rompré. Pour plus d’informations : www.fmcbc.nb.ca

Un autre festival de musique de chambre aura lieu du 8 au 12 août, celui des Concerts aux Îles du Bic, qui accueillera deux fois Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Le 8, le chef d’orchestre accompagnera au piano le baryton Alexander Dobson et la soprano Éthel Guéret. Le 9, toujours au piano, il sera entouré d’une formation de chambre pour interpréter des œuvres de Schubert et Schumann.

Avis aux mélomanes et aux gourmands : le 12 août, un pique-nique musical gratuit sera offert par un jeune quatuor en résidence à la ferme Rioux du Parc national du Bic. www.bicmusique.com

Les Voix humaines feront route vers le Festival international de musique baroque de Lamèque, qui se déroule du 25 au 29 juillet. L’ensemble jouera des œuvres de Boismortier et Marais à l’église de Sainte-Cécile de Petite-Rivière-de-l’Île le 27, dans le cadre d’un concert gratuit. Les organistes Vincent Boucher et Nicolas-Alexandre Marcotte seront quant à eux à l’église Saint-Jérôme de Shippagan le 26, où ils joueront Bach, Buxtehude et Scarlatti.

www.festivalbaroque.com

Ottawa Chamberfest

By Natasha Gauthier

On April 13, Ottawa learned, with some trepidation, the identity of the temporary programming team that would be filling Julian Armour’s shoes for the 14th edition of the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, taking place July 21-August 4.

Armour’s sudden resignation in March as director of the festival he founded had left many worried about the event’s future. Pianists Tristan Lauber and André Laplante and violinist Renée-Paule Gauthier are not exactly household names in the Nation’s Capital, so observers were anxiously waiting their May 18 line-up announcement.

They needn’t have worried. Although Armour is no longer at the helm, his stamp is still all over the festival, since he had already signed off on a large chunk of the programming before his departure. Lauber and his team have filled in the blanks admirably, considering the time crunch. And while grumblings have been heard about some differences—the elimination of the two-day new music “festival-within-a-festival” and the slightly reduced number of concerts, for example—notoriously change-averse Ottawa can breathe a sigh of relief. Until the festival finds its new permanent artistic director, that is.

Here are some of this year’s highlights :

n Pianos galore

Piano recitals have always been a mainstay of the festival—one concert last year saw a litter of 21 pianists sharing the same stage. This year’s edition features André Laplante, Louis Lortie, favourite Ottawa daughter Angela Hewitt, Richard Raymond, Stéphane Lemelin, six up-and-coming young students of Lortie, and many others.

n East Village Opera Company

Crossover darling EVOC took Ottawa by storm last year in its Chamberfest debut. Founded by two Ottawa expats living in New York, the group, which describes its style as “the pomposity of opera meets the majesty of rock, and vice versa”, gives a free outdoor concert in support of the planned Ottawa Community Concert Hall.

n Complete Beethoven string quartets

The complete Beethoven cycle performed over the course of six concerts by the Moscow, Leipzig, Arthur-Leblanc, Shanghai, and St. Lawrence string quartets.

n Early Music stars

The festival has outdone itself this year in terms of early music, with a brace of concerts by the London Handel Players, soprano Nancy Argenta, tenor Charles Daniels, the Toronto Consort, baritone Peter Harvey, the Boston all-women vocal ensemble Tapestry, Daniel Taylor and his Theatre of early Music and, in a terrific coup, the farewell concert of legendary countertenor James Bowman.

n Schoenberg Symposium

Four concerts will celebrate the chamber music of Arnold Schoenberg, in conjunction with a scholarly symposium on the composer, his world and his legacy, hosted by Carleton University. Schoenberg’s three children are scheduled to attend.

n Débuts

Several buzz-worthy musicians will be appearing at the festival for the first time, including the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet; the St. Cecilia Quartet—protégés of the St. Lawrence; German cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, Stephen Isserlis’ star pupil; pianist Sergei Salov, winner of the 2006 Montreal International Music Competition; Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who will be accompanying baritone Alex Dobson in Die Winterreise, and MSO solo trumpet Paul Merkelo.

For the complete schedule, pass and ticket info, visit ww.chamberfest.com

Southern Ontario Festivals Preview

Joseph So

Attention, music lovers: this summer, the Southern Ontario music scene is more vibrant than it has been in years. First of all, the city of Toronto, a long-time musical desert when it comes to summer music, is hosting Luminato: Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity, June 1-10 This big-budget extravaganza features cutting-edge performances and exhibitions celebrating music, dance, film, literature and theatre. It kicks off with an “Opening Gala and Concert” at the BCE Place on June 1. Among the many musical highlights are Not the Messiah, a comic oratorio inspired by Monty Python’s Life of Brian and performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Choir; a new work by Philip Glass interpreting the poetry of Leonard Cohen; an evening of Glenn Gould celebrating the 75^th anniversary of his birth; and LUNA, a gala concert featuring ten of Canada’s brightest opera singers at Roy Thomson Hall. For tickets call (416) 872-1111. For details go to
www.luminato.com

Also of interest is the Toronto Summer Music Academy and Festival (July 23-August 19), under the leadership of Artistic Director Agnes Grossmann. The opening gala features pianist Anton Kuerti in a program of fantasies by Beethoven, Mozart, Schumann, Chopin and Mendelssohn (July 24). There will be chamber music galore, with appearances by the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet, Leipzig String Quartet, Gryphon Trio and String Trios featuring Mayumi plus Canada’s own St. Lawrence String Quartet. Pianist Andre Laplante will play a program of Ravel, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin and Schubert. Sopranos Lorna Macdonald and Karina Gauvin will give recitals while Measha Brueggergosman will host a Rising Stars Concert featuring Canada’s up-and-coming musicians. Also on the program is a production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Order tickets by mail. For detail information, go to www.tsmaf.ca/festival-events.html

Elora Festival (July 13-August 5) opens with Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, with soloists Michael Colvin, Kimberly Barber and Tyler Duncan. Other vocal highlights include soprano Measha Brueggergosman (July 20) and baritone Russell Braun in a program of folk songs (August 3) Pianist Anton Kuerti gives a recital of Beethoven, Chopin and Schumann (July 20).
Buy tickets online at www.elorafestival.com/cgibin/tm.cgi or call toll-free at
1-888-747-7550.

Stratford Summer Music (July 25-August 19) features a wide-range of concerts from classics to folk to jazz. This year’s theme is on the life and art of Glenn Gould. For details, go to

www.stratfordsummermusic.ca/index.html

Festival of the Sound (July 20-August 12), under the directorship of James Campbell, is one of the premier chamber music festivals in Canada. Located in picturesque Parry Sound, the Festival this summer opens with Songs of the People, featuring the Elmer Iseler Singers and the True North Brass. Mezzo Jean Stilwell brings her new show, Carmen Unzipped, to the Festival on July 28. Baritone Russell Braun and soprano Monica Whicher headline Of War and Peace, “an evening of music to inspire us on the path to peace” (July 25). Among the many chamber musicians at the Festival this year are violinist James Ehnes, violist Steven Dann, and cellist Roman Borys. For information and tickets, call toll-free at 1-866-364-0061, or go to

www.festivalofthesound.ca/index.html

Now in its eighth season, the Westben Concerts at the Barn is located in the beautiful Campbellford countryside in Eastern Ontario. Westben’s concert season extends into the fall and Christmas, but most of the activities are in the summer months. This summer the focus is on piano. Angela Hewitt, the Gramophone Artist of the Year for 2006, joins cellist Daniel Muller-Schott to perform works by Bach and Beethoven. Janina Fialkkowska performs Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. The young Korean pianist Minsoo Sohn, winner of the 2006 Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary, will give a solo recital (July 17). Pianist Andre Laplante and cellist Brian Manker play a program of Beethoven and Prokofiev (July 10). For lighter fare, don’t miss Gilbert and Sullivan’s Gondoliers (July 5-8), or Summertime & Hammerstein, for a concert of show tunes (July 25-Aug. 2). For tickets and information, call toll-free 1-877-883-5777, or visit www.westben.on.ca

Down the QEW in Hamilton, the Brott Music Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary with blockbuster Mahler’s Eighth, Symphony of a Thousand (August 23). Buy tickets by calling 1-888-475-9377 or 905-525-7664 ext. 16,
or by e-mail at boxoffice@brottmusic.com. Visit www.brottmusic.com
for more information.

Voice-only festivals are a rarity, but this summer, we have a mini, two-day songfest, the Bayfield Festival of Song, as the Aldeburgh Connection
celebrates its 25th anniversary by taking its program to Bayfield, Ontario. The morning of June 9th is a coffee concert with piano duets by Stephen Ralls and Bruce Ubukata, interspersed with song. At 8 PM is a solo recital by baritone James Westman. Sunday at 2 PM, Aldeburgh Connection
celebrates the 125th anniversary of the beautiful Bayfield Town Hall with a concert featuring a quartet of young singers. To order tickets you can e-mail
bayfield@aldeburghconnection.org or contact them at (416) 531-3330 or by fax: (416) 531-0797. For more information go to http://www.aldeburghconnection.org/festival.html

Vancouver Chamber Music Festival

Southwest BC abounds with music in the summer months. Unfortunately, one of the best of our summer festivals won’t be around this year: the Vancouver Recital Society’s long-running Vancouver Chamber Music Festival (VCMS).

Begun in the heady Expo year of 1986, the VCMS started out as a somewhat blurred copy of the successful Seattle Chamber Music Festival. Concerts featuring ad hoc ensembles comprised mainly of young performers were staged on the leafy grounds of Vancouver private schools. Within a season or two, however, organizer Leila Getz made it unique.

Getz was always passionate about her multi-national focus: matching established locals and promising Canadians with young performers from other countries. The Festival became the sort of place where Vancouvians could discover British cellist Steven Isserlis or Israeli clarinet player Sharon Kam; where Scott St John and Shauna Rolston could try out new repertoire; where violinist Joshua Bell might drop by to play chamber music with his pals for two weeks; where pianist Rena Sharon could be coaxed into playing an obscure work by Hummel.

Programming was determinedly eclectic. Composers-in-residence included Chan Ka Nin and Patrick Cardy, Alexina Louie and Heather Schmidt. The Festival’s greatest hits included Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night, George Crumb’s Vox Balaenae, and Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time.

And then, suddenly, it was no more. A number of new summer music choices, specifically Festival Vancouver, eroded audience numbers. Corporate and government funding and broadcasting support became increasingly insecure and tenuous. An attempt at re-branding last year, changing the name to “Summer Combustion,” made no appreciable marketing difference.

Informed that the facilities of Crofton House School were no longer going to be available, Getz decided, to the bitter disappointment of fans, to quit while she was ahead. The void will be felt keenly this summer.

Vancouver Festivals

Most of Vancouver’s main classical festivals wait for our (almost) assured good weather, towards the end of July. This summer a new initiative, the Vancouver International Song Institute (VISI), runs earlier at the University of British Columbia, June 17 – 27. Offering lectures, workshops, master classes and performances, VISI will bring to town luminaries like to consider Canadian, American, and British art song.

Vancouver’s Early Music Festival (EMV) is also based at UBC, July 29 – August 15. EMV offers popular courses and workshops, as well as an occasional collaboration with Festival Vancouver. Highlights this season include Courtly Songs and Dances of Dowland and a solo recital from lutenist Paul O’Dette featuring soprano Ellen Hargis. Also on the program is Sonata, an evening of Baroque chamber music featuring Elizabeth Wallfisch and
Jaap ter Linden.

For a seventh season, Festival Vancouver (FV) is the summer’s mega event with scores of shows. This year there’s a double focus on Asia and Scandinavia. FV’s major classical events kick off August 7, when Richard Margison and Measha Brueggergossan sing at the Orpheum with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Handel’s first oratorio La Resurrezione, a co-production with EMV, is this year’s Baroque blockbuster, bringing back long-time festival favourites Tyler Duncan, Colin Balzer and Suzie Le Blanc to the Chan Centre August 11. Other headliners include the LA Guitar Quintet, August 12, and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, August 18. Seemingly countless concerts will be offered all over town with run-outs to more distant BC communities for the duration of the festival.

A relative newcomer to the summer festival scene is the Pender Harbour Chamber Festival, running a single weekend, August 17 –19, in Madeira Park on the Sunshine Coast, a short ferry ride away from Vancouver. Artistic directo

Victoria BC Festival Preview

There is no doubt concerning Canada’s vast amount of talent, as was witnessed at the recent Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival. Various categories were adjudicated, with the winning contestants going on to the upcoming BC Provincial Music Festival held in Penticton June 3-7, and hopeful participants potentially moving on to Moncton’s National Music Festival (www.gypaf.org), August 7 -11.

As the season turns into summer, Canada’s West Coast offers many enticing concerts and festivals. The city will be hosting the Youth Music Festival this summer on July 1st. The 6th annual Summer Vocal Academy will be performing at the Victoria Conservatory of Music (VCM) on June 29, with Stuart Hamilton, host of CBC’s “Saturday Afternoon at the Opera”, in attendance. Viva Voce will return on July 20, with the VCM also organizing its Summer String Academy, July 29-August 11.