Jazz festival to stage “Friends” series at NAC’s Studio Theatre
Loss of NAC sponsorship forces major changes
By Peter Hum
The Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa International Jazz Festival will be revamped for next year’s 30th anniversary edition, with an ambitious concert series added, a longstanding series cancelled and an indoor series moved outdoors.
“If anything, there will be more programming” as a result of the re-organization, says Catherine O’Grady, the festival’s executive producer.
O’Grady says the event will stage a new “Friends” series at the National Arts Centre’s Studio theatre, featuring several A-list jazz artists giving concerts over two and three nights with different bands of their choosing.
She would not disclose whom the festival has invited to take part in this series, but premium tickets would apply.
The “Friends” concerts — so named because they would involve musicians who previously gave memorable Ottawa festival concerts — are to be staged in the evening, and would conflict with the festival’s mainstage offerings.
As it did this year, the festival will offer super-sized, three-concert evenings most nights in Confederation Park, O’Grady says.
Meanwhile, the festival’s 10:30 p.m. series will relocate from the NAC’s Studio to the OLG tent in Confederation Park. Facing a budget shortfall, the NAC this year ended its sponsorship of the festival’s late-night series, and rather than rent the Studio, the festival will save money by shifting the concerts to the park.
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Ottawa Chamber Music Society’s Vintage Wine Auction
The OCMS Wine Auction is one of the major fundraising events for the Ottawa Chamber Music Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting chamber music of the highest calibre. Fund-raising events such as the Wine Auction enable the Ottawa Chamber Music Society to present the highly acclaimed Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, one of the largest chamber music festivals in the world, as well as our fall/winter Concert Series, and the Family Music Fair.This year’s auction ~ our 10th! ~ will be outstanding, featuring donations of fine and vintage wines, including many exceptional wines. There will be almost 500 bottles divided in over 130 lots up for bid in the live auction alone. Many other lots will be available through a silent auction.
Admittance is $50, which can be applied as a credit towards any wine purchase. Registration for the event commences at 6 pm, providing an opportunity to enjoy a reception where one can mingle and peruse the live auction lots and participate in the silent auction. The live auction begins at 7 pm. This year’s event will be held on March 10, 2010, at Christ Church Cathedral, 420 Sparks Street in Ottawa. Tickets may be purchased through the OCMS office at 613-234-8008.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Silent Auction at 6 pm
Live Auction at 7 pm
Christ Church Cathedral, 420 Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON
Further information and the auction catalogue will soon be available at www.chamberfest.com.
Jazz from around the world to celebrate our 30th anniversary season!
The Ottawa Jazz Festival is pleased to announce this year’s fall/winter Concert Series, featuring six performances by internationally acclaimed, award-winning artists from around the world. In addition to this Concert Series, the Festival will be holding a live wine auction and benefit concert fundraiser on Tuesday, December 8, featuring Juno award winning jazz vocalist Sophie Milman as the special guest performer.
Known as a grand master of improvisation, French vocalist and cornet player Médéric Collignon will be performing at the National Arts Centre Fourth Stage on Tuesday, December 1 at 7pm. Encompassing styles as diverse as cool jazz, rhythm and blues, free jazz, contemporary electro-acoustic, big band and orchestral, Collignon’s original music fascinates and thrills. Presented in partnership with the (French Embassy/CulturesFrance.)
On Tuesday, December 8, the Jazz Festival hosts its 12th Annual Benefit Concert and Auction at Library and Archives Canada. Exciting dinner packages, exotic destinations, wine selection for all tastes and budgets – and just in time for Christmas! CBC Radio One’s Alan Neal will be the evening’s host and auctioneer, while Konrad Ejbich, regular Ontario Today wine commentator on CBC Radio One, will be the wine guest auctioneer. A performance by Juno winner Sophie Milman is the perfect finale to this evening!
Considered the premier banjo player in the world, Béla Fleck will perform his Africa Project: featuring Bassekou Kouyate, Ngoni Ba and Anania Ngoliga with John Kitime on Monday, March 1, 8pm at Dominion-Chalmers United Church. In on-location collaborations with musicians from Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Mali, South Africa and Madagascar, Fleck explores the African origins of the banjo, the prototype of which was brought to American shores by African slaves. Ottawa audiences will remember Fleck from his two previous sold-out appearances at the Ottawa Jazz Festival.
Dutch trumpet player Eric Vloeimans is considered one of the best performers in Europe. As a composer he does not feel restricted to one particular style, and has managed to create an evocative, harmonic language of his own. The Festival is very pleased to be presenting this show in co-operation with the Royal Netherlands Embassy on Monday, March 8, 7pm at the National Arts Centre, Fourth Stage.
The 30th TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival will take place from June 24 to July 4. Bigger than ever, the 30th anniversary celebrations will showcase hundreds of artists – an event not to be missed!
Tickets for the Cory Weeds Quintet, Rory Magill and Rake-star, Quartetski, Médéric Collignon and Eric Vloeimans concerts are available at: National Arts Centre box office – 53 Elgin St., Ottawa; Tel. (613) 947-7000; Ottawa Jazz Festival office – 602-294 Albert St., (613) 241-2633; and Ticketmaster (613) 755-1111 or www.ticketmaster.ca
Tickets for the Benefit Concert and Auction and the Béla Fleck Africa Project are available at the Ottawa Jazz Festival office and on the Festival website; both Compact Music and all 3 CD Warehouse locations; or Ticketmaster (613) 755-1111 or www.ticketmaster.ca
