Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival
| July 26, 2012 | to | August 10, 2012 |
Le Français Suivra
Music at every turn; your favourite composers interpreted with creative new intensity; traditional and fringe alike, performed to the bravos of folk who truly love their song. These are a few of the impressions you’ll take home from Ottawa Chamberfest 2012.
Now in its 19th edition, this year’s two-week international chamber music festival brings together the boldest names in ensemble and solo performance, capped at both ends with the hottest three tickets of the summer concert season.
Join us in Ottawa July 26 to August 10 and live the music.
De la musique à tous moments, vos compositeurs préférés interprétés avec une nouvelle intensité créative, des interprétations – du traditionnel au fringe – applaudies par des mélomanes vraiment avertis … voici quelques unes des impressions qui resteront avec vous après le Chamberfest d’Ottawa 2012.
D’une durée de deux semaines, la 19e édition de ce festival international de musique de chambre rassemble les interprètes les plus audacieux de la musique d’ensemble et soliste du moment, et sera couronnée, au début et à la fin, par les trois concerts les plus attendus de la saison de concerts estivale.
Joignez vous à nous, du 26 juillet au 10 août, à Ottawa, et vivez la musique!
Event Highlights:
- Return of the Bicycle Parade & Flotilla (with the Rideau Canal Festival)
- Late Night concert series
General information: 613.234.6306
General information email: info@chamberfest.com
Locations:
Dominion-Chalmers United Church
355 Cooper Street
Ottawa, ON K2P 0G8
613.235.5143
Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts
302 Patrick Street
Ottawa ON K1N 5K5
The Church of St. John the Evangelist
154 Somerset Street West
Ottawa, ON K2P 0H8
Rideau Hall
1 Sussex Drive
Ottawa ON K1M 1M4
The Sacred Space
Beechwood, the National Cemetery of Canada
280 Beechwood Avenue
Ottawa ON K1M 1K5
613.741.9530
On The Web:
Website: www.chamberfest.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ottawachamberfest
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Chamberfest
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/OttawaChamberfest
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/chamberfest2011
Map:
View Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival in a larger map
Janina Fialkowska Mozart Piano Concertos with Janina Fialkowska
Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.
Dominion-Chalmers United Church
355 Cooper Street
Janina Fialkowska – piano / piano
Jonathan Crow – violin / violon
Manuela Milani – violin / violon
Guylaine Lemaire – viola / alto
Julian Armour – cello / violoncelle
Murielle Bruneau – double bass / contrebasse
Works of Mozart: Concerto in C major, K. 415; Concerto in E-flat major, K. 449; and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Adult: $20 | Student: $10 | Reserved Section: $40 |
Special Fundraising Tickets: $200
Four of Canada’s top cellists open the Chamber Players of Canada 2011 Coffee Concert series on January 25th
Four of Canada’s top cellists will perform together in a program of music for four cellos to open the Chamber Players of Canada’s 2011 Coffee Concert Series. The concert, called Four Cellos, will take place at Dominion-Chalmers United Church on January 25th at 10:30 a.m. Coffee and refreshments, provided by Bridgehead and Governor’s Walk will be served starting at 9:45 a.m. Performing in the concert will be Denise Djokic, Brian Manker, Paul Marleyn and Julian Armour.
Brian Manker has been principal cellist of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra since 1999 and teaches at McGill University. Paul Marleyn was formerly Principal Cellist of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and is currently Professor of Cello at the University of Ottawa, and a member of Trio Hochelaga. An acclaimed soloist, Denise Djokic has performed regularly as a soloist with all of Canada’s major orchestras. Julian Armour is Artistic Director of both the Chamber Players of Canada and Music and Beyond, and is Principal Cellist of Thirteen Strings.
The concert will feature a wide range of music showing the full expressive and technical capabilities of the cello. The cello’s range of almost five octaves (larger than any orchestral instrument) makes it ideally suited for this kind of repertoire. The program will be made up of works by Handel, Mozart, Bizet, Igor Stravinsky, Franz Lachner, Julius Klengel, Alexandre Tansman, and a spiritual setting by Charles Fonteyn Manney.
“This is a concert I’ve been hoping to do for years,” comments Artistic Director Julian Armour. “Four cellos together create such a beautiful sound and there is a substantial amount of really wonderful music written for this combination. To make it work though, you have to have four absolutely first-rate players because it is so technically demanding. I’m completely delighted that we were able to coordinate the schedules of Denise, Paul and Brian to make this happen. We’ve got a great program and they’re all such superb players!”
The Chamber Players of Canada is a group made up of some of the best musicians from Ottawa and across Canada that varies in size for concerts, recording, and touring. The Chamber Players have performed at a number of the most prestigious concert series and festivals in Canada and have recorded seven recordings on the ATMA, CBC and CMS Classics labels. They are heard regularly on CBC Radio and Radio-Canada. All of their seven recording have received tremendous critical acclaim and each has earned the full five stars on the CBC Radio show Sound Advice.
The 2010-2011 Chamber Players of Canada Concert Series features some of Canada and North America’s top musicians including Jonathan Crow, Janina Fialkowska, Angela Hewitt, William Preucil, Andrew Tunis and Yehonatan Berick.
Tickets for Four Cellos are $20 for adults, $10 for students and $40 for seating in a special reserved section.
Tickets are available at the door and can be purchased in advance at several area locations including CD Warehouse, Compact Music, the Leading Note, Books on Beechwoood, Lauzon Music, Wall Space Gallery and Collected Works. Subscriptions and multi-concert discounts for the 2010-2011 season are available in advance and will be available at the concert. Tickets can now be purchased through the Chamber Players of Canada’s secure web site without charge. Further information can be found on the Chamber Player’s web site: www.chamberplayers.ca
Chamber Players of Canada open 2010 – 2011 concert series on December 21st with Christmas with the Chamber Players of Canada
The Chamber Players of Canada open their new 2010-2011 concert series on December 21st. Nine musicians will participate in Christmas with the Chamber Players of Canada, which will feature a wide variety of festive seasonal music including works by Corelli, Handel, Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns, Michael Praetorius, Adolphe Adam, Gustav Holst and Josef Suk. The concertwill take place at Dominion-Chalmers United Church at 8:00 p.m.
Joining the Chamber Players of Canada for this concert will be soprano Shannon Mercer, always a favourite with Ottawa audiences. She will be performing excerpts from Handel’s Messiah and three carol arrangements.
Artistic Director Julian Armour commented, “This is such a beautiful program. It’s a range of music that everyone will love with a great blend of familiar repertoire and some absolutely gorgeous rarely-heard works that reflect the spirit of Christmas. It’s a special treat that Shannon is joining us to launch this season’s concert series!”
The Chamber Players of Canada is a group made up of some of the best musicians from Ottawa and across Canada that varies in size for concerts, recording, and touring. The Chamber Players have performed at a number of the most prestigious concert series and festivals in Canada and have recorded seven recordings on the ATMA, CBC and CMS Classics labels. They are heard regularly on CBC Radio and Radio-Canada. All of their seven recording have received tremendous critical acclaim and each has earned the full five stars on the CBC Radio show Sound Advice. This concert opens the second year of their regular-season concert series. Last year’s Christmas with the Chamber Players of Canada drew over 700 people.
The 2010-2011 Chamber Players of Canada Concert Series features some of Canada and North America’s top musicians including Jonathan Crow, Janina Fialkowska, Angela Hewitt, William Preucil, Andrew Tunis and Yehonatan Berick.
Tickets for Christmas with the Chamber Players of Canada are $20 for adults, $10 for students and $40 for seating in a special reserved section.
Tickets are available at the door and can be purchased in advance at several area locations including CD Warehouse, Compact Music, the Leading Note, Books on Beechwoood, Lauzon Music, Wall Space Gallery and Collected Works. Subscriptions and multi-concert discounts for the 2010-2011 season are available in advance and will be available at the concert. Tickets can now be purchased through the Chamber Players of Canada’s secure web site without charge.
Further information can be found on the Chamber Player’s web site, www.chamberplayers.ca
Chamber Music Society ‘bowled over’ by music critic’s generosity: Former Citizen writer left bulk of his estate to organization
Steve Mazey, The Ottawa Citizen
Photograph by: Chris Mikula, The Ottawa Citizen
Delighted Ottawa Chamber Music Society officials say they are “absolutely bowled over by the generosity of spirit and vision” of the late Citizen music critic Jacob Siskind, who left the bulk of his estate to the organization.
“Mr. Siskind’s bequest will make it possible for the Ottawa Chamber Music Society not only to continue bringing the world’s finest chamber musicians to perform for audiences in Ottawa, but will also allow the organization to move forward on a stable financial footing so critically important to excellence and growth,” executive director Glenn Hodgins said in a statement.
“Jacob was a passionate music lover, and with this gift he has made certain that Ottawans will be the beneficiaries of that passion,” artistic director Roman Borys said in a statement.
“It is truly a staggering endorsement and one we acknowledge with gratitude and humility.”
Full story: Chamber Music Society ‘bowled over’ by music critic’s generosity
OCMS Wine Auction!
On Wednesday, September 29th, the Ottawa Chamber Music Society presents its annual Wine Auction at the Chateau Laurier featuring over 500 bottles of fine and vintage wines. Registration and a reception begin at 7 p.m. and the Live Auction begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased through the OCMS office at 613-234-6306. To view the catalogue, please visit: chamberfest.com.
Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival announces lineup: Von Stade, Tokyo Quartet headline Chamberfest
By Steven Mazey, The Ottawa Citizen
American mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, one of the most acclaimed singers of her generation, will open the 2010 Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival July 24 as part of her farewell recital tour, organizers announced Tuesday.
Read more: Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival announces lineup
Chamber Players of Canada celebrate music of Godfrey Ridout at Maxwell’s Bistro and Club on March 2nd
Ottawa – The Chamber Players of Canada are moving to Maxwell’s Bistro and Club on March 2nd for an evening of chamber music by one of Canada’s most distinguished composers, Godfrey Ridout. The concert begins at 8:00 p.m.
Godfrey Ridout is well-known to music lovers across Canada as the composer of Fall Fair, which is the most frequently-performed symphonic work written by a Canadian composer. Ridout’s music is highly respected by Canadian musicians, and well-loved by music fans but the vast majority of it is only rarely heard.
“I’m delighted to be programming a program of music by Godfrey Ridout”, comments the Chamber Players of Canada’s artistic director, Julian Armour. “The entire music community in Canada knows Ridout’s music from a handful of works that are deservedly well-known. The fact is that he wrote so much more, and there is a tremendous output of first-rate music waiting to be discovered by both musicians and music-lovers alike. The sad truth is that Godfrey Ridout was branded as being too conservative at a time when music was moving into the extreme avant-garde. I’m pleased to think that we’re living in a time that is much more open-minded, and his works will be viewed for what they are – great music.”
On March 2nd, the Chamber Players will present a wide variety of his works, spanning the period from 1938 to 1982. The thirteen musicians performing will include Ottawa soprano Shannon Mercer, who is acknowledged as one of Canada’s most promising young stars. Critically acclaimed by the international press for her musical artistry, she has been hailed as “one of Canada’s most promising young sopranos” and a “Leader of Tomorrow (Maclean’s).”
Three of the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s superb principal wind players will be heard at this concert: flautist Joanna G’froerer, oboist Charles Hamann and Lawrence Vine on horn. Other musicians performing include one of Canada’s top violinists, Marcelle Mallette and Chamber Players of Canada favourites violist Guylaine Lemaire, double bassist Murielle Bruneau, pianist Andrew Tunis and cellist Julian Armour.
The concert will take place in the relaxed atmosphere of Maxwell’s Bistro and Club at 340 Elgin Street. A piano is being provided thanks to Lauzon Music, and the audience can listen to the music while enjoying a wide variety of refreshments, a glass of wine or their favourite beer.
“I’m delighted to be back at Maxwell’s”, states Julian Armour. “This is a fantastic way for people to hear this music close-up and to chat about it with other music lovers, the musicians, and with people who knew the composer personally. Those few who are lucky enough to get a ticket are going to love this show!”
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Any minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian,
- 30 –
Contact: Julian Armour (613) 565- 4338 or (613) 853-4096 (cell)
Further information: www.chamberplayers.ca
Tickets may be purchased at the door and through the Chamber Player’s website (www.chamberplayers.ca) or can be purchased in advance at the following outlets:
The Leading Note
370 Elgin St., Suite No. 2
(613) 569-7888
Collected Works Bookstore
1242 Wellington Street West
Ottawa, ON K1Y 3A4
(613) 722-1265
Compact Music { Downtown }
190 Bank Street
(613) 233-7626
Compact Music { Glebe }
785½ Bank Street
(613) 233-8922
CD Warehouse { Kanata Store }
499 Terry Fox Dr., Kanata
(613) 599-4700
CD Warehouse { Nepean Store }
383 Clyde Ave
(613) 225-9027
CD Warehouse { Ottawa East Store }
1717 St. Laurent Blvd
(613) 523-0110
Books on Beechwood
35 Beechwood Avenue
(613) 742-5030
Lauzon Music { Cash and cheques only }
1345 Wellington Street
(613) 725-1116
Program:
The Chamber Players of Canada
Chamber Music of Godfrey Ridout
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010, 8:00 p.m.
Maxwell’s Bistro and Club, 340 Elgin Street
Music of Godfrey Ridout:
Movement for String Quartet
Ballade for Viola and Strings
Concerto Grosso (for string quintet and piano)
Folksongs of Eastern Canada (for voice and piano)
Two Songs for Soprano and Oboe (première)
Prelude in F (for piano solo)
A Birthday Fantasy (for flute, clarinet and bassoon)
Introduction and Allegro (for violin, cello, flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon)
Shannon Mercer – soprano
Joanna G’froerer – flute
Charles Hamann– oboe
Shauna McDonald – clarinet
Lawrence Vine – horn
Sarah Gauthier-Pichette – bassoon
Marcelle Mallette – violin
Andréa Armijo Fortin – violin
Guylaine Lemaire – viola
Julian Armour – cello
Margaret Munro Tobolowska – cello
Murielle Bruneau – double bass
Andrew Tunis – piano
Tickets: $15 (adults), $10 (students)
Availble at: The Leading Note, Collected Works Bookstore, CD Warehouse (all locations),
Compact Music, Lauzon Music, Books on Beechwood or www.ticketweb.ca
The Chamber Players of Canada
The Chamber Players of Canada is a group made up of some of the best musicians from Ottawa and across Canada that varies in size for concerts, recording, and touring. The Chamber Players have performed at a number of the most prestigious concert series and festivals in Canada and have recorded seven critically-acclaimed CD recordings on the ATMA, CBC and CMS Classics labels. They are heard regularly on CBC Radio and Radio-Canada.
The Chamber Players of Canada have performed a wide range of music from the great masterpieces of the 18th and 19th century to some of the most exciting chamber music works of the 20th and 21st century. They have regularly been praised for their strong commitment to Canadian composers.
The Chamber Players of Canada have recorded a series of critically-acclaimed CD recordings on the ATMA, CBC and CMS Classics labels. Each of their seven recordings have earned the full five stars on the CBC Radio show Sound Advice. Their most recent recording, Mozart Piano Concertos with Janina Fialkowska has received unanimous praise and was selected as one of the top CD’s of 2007 by the Ottawa Citizen. It has so far received excellent reviews from publications around the world including BBC Music Magazine, CBC’s sound Advice, the Toronto Star, and the Montreal Gazette. Their recording, Chamber Music of Eldon Rathburn, was named one of the top 10 classical CD’s of 2006 by the Montreal Gazette and recently received a glowing review in the American Record Guide. Their recording of Schubert’s Trout Quintet was named one of the top five classical CD’s of 2005 by Montreal’s La Presse. They record many times each year for CBC Radio and Radio-Canada, and a recent television broadcast of Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Christ has been broadcast on Vision TV, PBS and around the world to over 126 different countries on EWTN. The Chamber Players of Canada have performed on many prestigious series and at several of the most important Canadian festivals.
The Chamber Players of Canada recently performed on the CBC Almonte series, at Festival of the Sound and for Chamber Music at Ste. Pétronille. They performed in Ottawa in May 2008 and May 2009 as part of the Canadian Tulip Festival’s Celebridée series, the only other musical performers on this series being pianist Angela Hewitt and the Theatre of Early Music. They were the only classical artists to play at the grand opening of Ottawa’s new Shenkman Theatre in June, 2009.
In December 2009 the Chamber Players of Canada launched a new fall and winter concert series, presenting 10 concerts in the Ottawa area. Upcoming festival appearances include Ottawa’s new Music and Beyond Festival and the Festival of the Sound in 2010. They will be collaborating with Canada’s Platypus Theatre to present a new work combining theatre and chamber music as part of Ottawa’s Children’s Festival. Future recordings for the ATMA label include the Chamber Music of Healey Willan, Rachmaninoff Piano Trios, Beethoven Chamber Music Symphonies, and a second volume of Mozart piano concertos in their chamber music versions with pianist Janina Fialkowska.
Godfrey Ridout (1918 – 1984)
Ridout, Godfrey. Composer, teacher, writer, conductor, b Toronto 6 May 1918, d there 24 Nov 1984; honorary LLD (Queen’s) 1967, honorary FRCCO 1975. At the TCM (RCMT) he studied with Charles Peaker (organ and counterpoint), Ettore Mazzoleni (conducting), Weldon Kilburn (piano), and, on a scholarship received for Ballade for Viola and Strings (1938), with Healey Willan. Ballade brought Ridout his earliest recognition and was performed in Canada, the US, and Great Britain. Another ambitious early work was the full-length dramatic symphony Esther, premiered (1952) at Massey Hall with Lois Marshall and James Milligan as soloists under the direction of Mazzoleni. Between Ballade and Esther, the bulk of Ridout’s professional work – with the exception of the oft-performed Two Etudes for strings (1946) – comprised many radio-drama scores and symphonic arrangements of popular music for the CBC, and some film scores for the NFB.
Ridout began teaching at the TCM in 1940 and at the University of Toronto in 1948; he retired from the latter in 1982as professor emeritus. In 42 years of teaching his pupils included Walter Babiak, Walter Buczynski, Hugh Davidson, Alan Detweiler, Ben McPeek, Welford Russell, Alfred Strombergs, and Charles Wilson. Assistant editor of Canadian Music 1940-1 and the Canadian Review of Music and Art 1942-3, Ridout contributed to other Canadian music publications and wrote program notes for the TS 1973-84. He served 1949-58 as music director of the Eaton Operatic Society, Toronto, and honorary vice-president of the Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Toronto branch.
Ridout’s articles on Sullivan, Elgar, and Willan, and on church music, betray his particular enthusiasms as a music historian of Victorian and Edwardian Great Britain and suggest the formative influences on him as a composer. He himself noted the lasting impact of his first hearing of Holst’s The Planets.
His early assignments for the CBC and the NFB gave Ridout an intoxicating exposure to jazz and a respect for popular music and resulted in extraordinary versatility and fluency of musical craft and a keen appreciation of just how much chaos in music a paying public will endure. Wide knowledge of the historical repertoire also informs his works. He could write occasionally in the serial manner without ’sounding serial.’ He could hold on to rhythmic patterns with almost baroque tenacity. He could (and did in several contributions to Spring Thaw) produce stylistic parodies of unerring accuracy and telling wit; and this gift he put to good use in his idiomatic reconstruction (1964, from a second violin part) of the orchestral score of Quesnel’s opera Colas et Colinette of 1790.
Essentially an eclectic, Ridout yet did not lack for individuality. His music, though intensely felt, is prevailingly sunny and affirmative; it eschews the ‘doom and gloom’ manner and self-conscious profundity of much 20th-century concert fare. Ridout liked fun in music and could not easily resist concluding a work with a ‘good tune’. He saw no need to strive for ever-new styles, or for a progress through styles, or for the role of musical inventor; style for him was a means of communication, not the ‘message’ itself. In this aloofness from contemporary conformity, Ridout may be perceived to be more original than many innovators and one of the determined communicators of his day.
Two works separated by more than two decades reveal much of the stylistic consistency and growing refinement of Ridout as a composer. Two Etudes (1946, revised 1951) and Concerto Grosso (1974) are works for string orchestra (though the concerto has also a solo part for piano in the fast outer movements). Both works are held together mainly by short motives (more often of rhythmic than of melodic identity) that recur, sometimes in persistent repetition or sequence, sometimes greatly transformed. (The slow movement of Concerto Grosso even has a serial theme that occurs in all of the Schoenbergian permutations, though against the disjunct angularity of the tone row Ridout set a cohering bass that moves almost entirely by step, with the result that it sounds like Ridout, not Schoenberg.) The dramatic excitement, however, comes not from the integrating power of motives, but from discontinuities and sudden surges, which both works have in abundance. Similarly, the closing movements of both works achieve cumulation by fast tempo, driving rhythms, and brevity and by final terse cadences that leave the listener astonished but pleased. If both works proceed from the same stylistic premises, they are yet individual: the Two Etudes are a young man’s effort – bold, impulsive and dramatic; the Concerto Grosso is more polished, sophisticated, knowing – it testifies to the composer’s understanding of the concerto grosso principle, which he reinterprets in a manner that is fresh.
The Cantiones mysticae, three works for solo voice and orchestra, perhaps are the most deeply felt of all of Ridout’s creations. It is no accident that their texts are sacred or that the composer himself chose them; for the music he writes to these words would convince any sensitive listener that the composer had strong spiritual convictions. Then too, the combination of redolent poetry and the expressive potential of the richly accompanied solo voice seems to trigger Ridout’s highest creative powers. The melodies are fluid and finely arched, having none of the rhythmic rigidity that crops up here and there in his purely instrumental compositions; and they fit the texts like a glove.
The first of the Cantiones mysticae, performed in Carnegie Hall under Stokowski (1953), sets three of Donne’s Holy Sonnets (nos. 15, 1, and 7). The two outer pieces are in the composer’s best rhapsodic manner; the gentle centre piece ‘Thou Hast Made Me’ would seem a perfect baroque aria were it not for the ominous music that suddenly occurs at the words ‘despair, death, terror,’ and the occasional eccentric modulation. The Ascension, Cantiones mysticae No. 2 (1962) is written to liturgical texts for Ascension Day and is in two continuous sections: the first, joyous, interpreting quite literally the words ‘God is gone up with a merry sound… the sound of the trumpet… Alleluia’; the second, elegiac, at the words ‘Lo the fair beauty of Earth’ and boasting one of Ridout’s most glowing melodies. In the third and most ambitious of the cantiones, The Dream of the Rood (1972), the animistic Cross narrates and comments on the poetically told story of the Crucifixion. The orchestral forces (winds, brass, and organ) are handled with exceptional brilliance and Ridout adds a large chorus in the introduction and at the close; it replaces the baritone soloist at especially poignant moments of the text.
By way of sad contrast, note must be taken of the three-act CBC TV opera The Lost Child (1975), a charming tale of the disappearance of the Christ Child from a church crèche on Christmas Day. While there are splendid musical ideas, Ridout cannot overcome the handicap of a fundamentally flawed libretto that in a one-hour work has far too many characters, far too many plot digressions, far too many bits of dialogue, simply far, far too many words for the music ever to take flight.
The public will know Ridout best from his many occasional works for orchestra. They are widely performed, addressed to the widest possible audience, and intended to please. Yet they are highly professional works. Music for a Young Prince was commissioned to celebrate the opening of the St Lawrence Seaway (1959) and with the young Prince Charles in mind. The two outer movements, ‘Dreams’ and ‘Pageantry,’ are everything they claim to be, the latter in the best Elgarian tradition. The inside movements are superb genre pieces. The third, ‘The Cowboy and the Injun,’ evokes memories of Ferde Grofé; but Ridout is much better. The second, a train ride ‘From the Caboose,’ is a veritable tour de force of orchestral realism (Ridout was a train nut). Ridout’s instructions to the trombonists, telling them how to produce the final sounds of this movement (the release of air-brake pressure at the end of the ride) illustrate the exactitude by which he achieved this remarkable movement: ‘The desired effect is gained by removing the mouth piece, reversing it, holding the cup against the tube opening at a slight angle and blowing through the shank.’
A CBC commission for a United Nations concert in New York produced the orchestral frolic Fall Fair (1961), a short, striking, and characteristic work that has deservedly retained its popularity. George III, His Lament was commissioned by the NACO for the Ottawa celebration of the 1976 bicentenary of US independence. The subtitle describes it as ‘variations on a familiar theme’ but what Ridout does not say is that the identity of the theme becomes clear only toward the end. To identify it here would only spoil the fun.
Ridout’s retirement from University of Toronto was marked by a concert of his works at Walter Hall 22 Nov 1982. Ridout was a member of CAPAC, which he served 1966-73 as a director, and which instituted the annual Godfrey Ridout Award for choral composition in 1989. He was a member of the CLComp and his status as associate composer is maintained by the Canadian Music Centre.
Ridout’s widow was the soprano Freda Antrobus Ridout (b Coleman, Alta 1920, d Walden, Ont 2005; ARCT (RCM). Freda Antrobus studied with George Lambert and performed as a recitalist and church soloist in Toronto and on CBC broadcasts. She was soloist in the Canadian premiere 17 May 1945 of Gerald Finzi’s Dies natalis. Antrobus was a charter member of the Festival Singers.
Author Harvey Olnick (SourceThe Canadian Encyclopedia © 2010 Historica Foundation of Canada)
www.chamberplayers.ca
The Chamber Players of Canada
Box 20443
RPO Rideau East
Ottawa, ON K1N 1A3
In his Ottawa debut, Rob Kapilow reveals “What Makes It Great”!
What makes ‘What Makes It Great?’ great? Well, Kapilow is as enthusiastic as the Energizer Bunny and profound at the same time. He is learned and funny, and he edifies the musically experienced at the same time as he reaches non-musicians in the audience. – Ann Arbor News
Ottawa (January 28, 2010)
The Ottawa Chamber Music Society, under the Artistic Direction of Roman Borys, the Gryphon Trio, and in partnership with the Extra Curricular Creative Arts Program of the Continuing Education department of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, proudly announces the Ottawa debut of Rob Kapilow to reveal “what makes it great”.
Commentator, composer and conductor Rob Kapilow will take his audience on a riveting exploration of Brahms’ Piano Trio in B major, Op. 8 (Revised Version – 1891), followed by a performance of the work by the Gryphon Trio, on Sunday, February 7, at 3 PM, at Dominion-Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper Street, Ottawa.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s Extra Curricular Creative Arts Program is proud to support the Rob Kapilow “What Makes It Great?” concert as an exciting and entertaining event for young musicians and their families. For parents who confess, “I can’t help my child; I know nothing about music”, Rob Kapilow has the ability to translate the classical world into language everyone can understand and thoroughly enjoy! – Deborah Latham, Supervisor, Extra Curricular Creative Arts Program, Continuing Education, OCDSB
With his diverse array of talents and infectious enthusiasm for all things musical, Rob Kapilow has been compared to Leonard Bernstein for bringing the pleasures of classical music to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. For more than 15 years, master communicator Rob Kapilow has brought the joy and wonder of classical music, and at the same time unraveled some of its mysteries, to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Characterized by his unique ability to create an “a-ha” moment for his audiences, no matter their level of musical sophistication, Kapilow helps people to listen actively rather than just hear.
You could practically see the light bulbs going on above people’s heads … The audience could decipher the music in a new, deeper way. It was the total opposite of passive listening. – Philadelphia Inquirer
With remarkable energy, Kapilow breaks the music down in a listener-friendly way and explains why a piece is so “likeable”. He pulls themes apart and guides listeners through the maze of melodies, then finishes up with a complete performance of the work – the perfect combination of education and entertainment!
Kapilow’s accessible and refreshing approach is designed to help listeners – whether newcomers to classical music or experienced concert-goers – to understand music from the inside out. He deciphers what it is about a piece that triggers the listener’s response. Kapilow teaches audience members to become great listeners by expanding on his belief that the core of real listening has less to do with musical terminology and historical facts than with one’s ability to pay attention and to listen closely. He demonstrates how to listen to music from the composer’s point of view; he highlights what composers intended to be heard, but what listeners so often miss.
An educator, motivational speaker, and game show host, all rolled up in one … Rob Kapilow’s insightful and entertaining programs … bring moments of revelation to even the most seasoned aficionados. – The Boston Globe
By opening “new ears” to musical experiences, Rob Kapilow helps people understand how music can enrich, reflect and enhance their daily lives. Educating an audience is essential for the future of classical music as education leads to music enthusiasm. What makes Rob Kapilow so great is that he has mastered this. His presentations satisfy listeners at all levels of musical sophistication, resulting in each member of Kapilow’s audience having a unique but shared experience: a lightbulb is lit in his or her musical consciousness.
In my 20 years in this business I have never seen a more innovative musical program help to open minds and change attitudes and perceptions about classical music. - Martha H. Jones, President of the Celebrity Series of Boston
THE PERFORMERS
Robert Kapilow (December 22, 1952) is an American composer, conductor, and music commentator. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale University, a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, and a student of Nadia Boulanger. He initially gained recognition for his classical music radio program, “What Makes It Great?”, under the umbrella of National Public Radio’s “Performance Today”. “What Makes It Great?” now sells out regular subscription series in Kansas City (12th season) and Cerritos, CA (9th season), as well as at New York’s Lincoln Center [follow this link to see Rob at the Lincoln Centre in January 2008] and the Celebrity Series of Boston.
The wide reach of his interactive events and activities range from Native American tribal communities to inner-city high school students, and from youngsters to seasoned Ivy League musicologists. Kapilow has appeared on NBC’s Today Show in conversation with Katie Couric, presented a special “What Makes It Great?” event for broadcast on PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center, and written the prize-winning All You Have to Do is Listen: Music from the Inside Out (2008).
THE GRYPHON TRIO
The Gryphon Trio, formed in 1993 and based in Toronto, consistently delight audiences with their dynamic performances throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. With a strong commitment to expanding the piano trio repertoire, the Trio has commissioned and premiered over 50 works. Their celebrated recordings include works by Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Lalo, and Shostakovich. Their recordings include the 2004 Juno winning Canadian Premieres, Tango Nuevo, and their recently released recording Beethoven Piano Trios. The Trio is actively involved in teaching and nurturing future classical musicians and audiences. They are Artists-in-Residence at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music where Dr. Parker is the Rupert E. Edwards Chair in Piano Performance and violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon is an Assistant Professor. The Trio has also given master classes across North America. After two seasons as Artistic Directors of the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, they are continuing with Roman Borys as Artistic Director and Jamie Parker and Annalee Patipatanakoon as Artistic Advisors.
TICKET INFORMATION
Full 2009-2010 Concert Series details are available on the OCMS’ website at www.chamberfest.com.
Single tickets range from $30 – $47. Discounted student pricing is also available.
The OCMS has recently partnered with eyeGO to the Arts!, a national program dedicated to making the arts accessible and affordable for high school students allowing them to purchase concert tickets – including the best seats in the house – for only five dollars. For more information about this and all other ticket options, please contact the OCMS office at 613-234-6306.
The next concert in the series will feature the Cecilia String Quartet with Louise Bessette on Sunday, March 7, at 3 PM, Dominion-Chalmers United Church (355 Cooper Street).
Mark your calendars! Chamberfest 2010 will take place from July 24 to August 7.
The Ottawa Chamber Music Society gratefully acknowledges the support of its sponsors, partners and donors.
-30-
Media Contact :
Karen St. Aubin
Communications, Marketing & Events Coordinator
Ottawa Chamber Music Society
201-4 Florence Street
Ottawa, ON K2P 0W7
613-234-8008 x 244
613-299-0929 (cell.)
kstaubin@chamberfest.com
Join us for the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, the best chamber music experience in North America!
Chamberfest 2010
July 24 – August 7
Rendez-vous au Festival international de musique de chambre d’Ottawa. En musique de chambre, c’est ce qu’il y a de mieux en Amérique du Nord !
Chamberfest 2010 du 24 juillet au 7 août
For the Fallen – Remembering our heritage with music for choir and brass
The Ottawa Chamber Music Society, in partnership with the Cantata Singers of Ottawa, present a poignant concert, For the Fallen, on Saturday, November 14, 8 PM at Dominion-Chalmers United Church.
The Cantata Singers of Ottawa and Capital BrassWorks join forces in a unique and powerful performance in honour of Canada’s military heroes, past and present, and in commemoration of Remembrance Day. This contemplative program expresses the deep-felt emotions triggered by moving moments in history.
The Cantata Singers of Ottawa is one of the foremost choirs in Eastern Ontario. Founded in 1964, the choir is now being directed by internationally renowned choral conductor Michael Zaugg who is taking the choir in new and exciting directions. The choir supports local and national composers by commissioning and performing their works. For this concert, Christopher Hossfeld will be the guest conductor.
Since its inaugural concert in June 1999, Capital BrassWorks has attracted enthusiastic audiences and seen its popularity grow by leaps and bounds. The group includes some of Canada’s finest brass players and percussionists drawn primarily from the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Guest artists from the Toronto and Montreal symphony orchestras have also taken part in concerts and recordings.
This commemorative concert will feature many moving and reflective pieces, including Rudolf Mauersberger’s motet of mourning, Wie liegt die Stadt so wüst, written after a massive air raid on February 13, 1945 destroyed the inner city of Dresden and killed some 25,000 people. The Kreuzkirche (Church of the Cross) remained standing, but its interior was gutted and the choir school destroyed. The motet was given its first performance in the gutted church in the same year. Also on the programme will be London Miniatures by Gordon Langford, O Nata Lux by Canadian composer Rob Teehan, an arrangement by Capital BrassWorks’ Angus Armstrong called Tommy’s Tunes inspired by Tommy Dorsey and the big bands, Hymn to the Fallen by John WiIliams from the movie Saving Private Ryan, and a WORLD PREMIERE performance of Shell Shocked by Michal Novotny, and others.
“Helping other organizations in the community achieve their goals while adding quality and programming diversity to our own concert offerings is a winning formula. Collaborating with the Cantata Singers and Capital BrassWorks gives us the opportunity to commemorate Remembrance Day on a grand scale,” says Artistic Director Roman Borys.
Ticket Information
Full 2009-2010 Concert Series details are available on the OCMS’ website at www.chamberfest.com.
Single tickets range from $30 – 47. Discounted student pricing is also available.
Subscription benefits include: access to the best seats in the house, a 40% savings off single tickets, and the ability to exchange tickets for other concerts during the season. For more information, please contact the OCMS office at
613-234-6306.
The next two concerts in the series will feature the internationally renowned Württemberg Chamber Orchestra of Heilbronn performing on November 26 and with the Gryphon Trio on November 27.
[mappress]
