The sensuality of Taqralik Partridge’s piece Eskimo Chick, a poem of love and longing from one Inuit lesbian to another, set the stage for a celebration of alternative culture at Westfest on Friday and Saturday.

Partridge performed it early in the evening on Friday as part of Qaggiq, a showcase devoted to Inuit acts. Also on the bill that night were singers Lucie Idlout and Tanya Tagaq and the electro-fusion band Tumivut. Between them, the throatsinging was steamy, the energy was primal and the temperature of the planet shot up a few more degrees.

Despite the quirks, it’s a great site that looks like it will hold at least 10,000 fans. Approximately 3,000 attended the Inuit showcase on Friday, while Saturday’s mainstage crowd peaked around 5,000, with a big influx after the rain ended, just in time for Bif Naked.

Read full review: Westfest performers enjoy new stage

An independent panel of judges comprised of industry leaders decided among 24 finalists to award the ultimate “Star of the City 2010” as well as winners in the following 8 categories.

OTTAWA TOURISM’S 2010 STAR OF THE CITY
Grand Prize Sponsored by the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association
Kamalesh Kasinathan – Holiday Inn & Suites Ottawa Kanata

Kamalesh’s story: Shortly before the guest checked out of the Holiday Inn & Suites Ottawa Kanata, Kamalesh knocked on the guest’s door, informing them that their car had been vandalized during the night. Kamalesh took the guests to their car to take pictures of the damage and called the police for them. Kamalesh then called a car rental agency that was open on Sunday and also several automotive glass replacement agencies in hopes to find one open. The husband asked Kamalesh if they could have some plastic and tape to cover the windshield due to the fact that it was a rainy day. Not only did Kamalesh supply the plastic and tape but he did the job himself while the guests were having lunch.

WHAT’S LOST IS FOUND
Sponsored by: Rideau Centre
Ebrahim Hamid-Saaed – West Way Taxi – Ottawa International Airport Authority

After a couple left two cameras in a taxi, Ebrahim persistently searched for the owners by talking to people in the neighborhood, trying to recall where the owners lived. Ebrahim delivered the cameras to the owner’s door 9 days later.

ABOVE & BEYOND
Sponsored by: Algonquin College, School of Hospitality & Tourism
Kamalesh Kasinathan – Holiday Inn & Suites Ottawa Kanata

Kamalesh helped guests whose car had been vandalized by taking pictures of the vehicle, calling the police, arranging a car rental and patching the damaged windshield with plastic and tape.

STARS WITH HEART
Sponsored by: Porter Airlines Inc.
April Taylor – Transport Canada, Ottawa International Airport Authority

Thinking that a woman was having a heart attack, April came to her assistance quickly, efficiently and with discretion.

GOOD CITIZEN
Sponsored by: Ottawa Citizen
Michel Haddad – Traction Tires & Rims

After leaving Connecticut, this visitor had car troubles that Michel was more than willing to help with…especially because it was Thanksgiving.

GO THE EXTRA MILE
Sponsored by: Ottawa International Airport Authority
Marc Trudel – formerly of the Currency Museum of the Bank of Canada

Two colleagues on a business trip were very disappointed to arrive at the museum after opening hours. Marc saw them peaking in the window and offered to give them a private tour, making their day.

HOST(ESS) WITH THE MOST(EST)
Sponsored by: Downtown Rideau BIA
Annie McClure – Residence Inn by Marriott Ottawa

Thanks to Annie, the guest’s presentation went very well and her homemade cupcakes were a HUGE hit!

EVENING STAR
Sponsored by: Casino du Lac-Leamy
Tammy Ng – Elgin Café at the Lord Elgin Hotel

“Tammy always remembers the guests and makes each one of them feel like their request is the only one that is important at that time.”

STAR PROPERTY
Sponsored by: Ottawa Hotels of the Westmont Hospitality Group
Westin Ottawa

“The Westin has so many things to offer…class, elegance, comfort, great location, amazing staff, beautiful view and shopping nearby!”

Category winners receive a beautiful award along with a $250 gift cards courtesy of Rideau Centre. The overall 2010 Star of the City receives another $250 gift cards from Rideau Centre and an all-inclusive trip for two to the sunny south courtesy of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association.

Ottawa Tourism provides destination marketing, strategic direction and leadership in cooperation with members and partners to service the travel media and attract visitors, tours and conventions to Ottawa and Canada’s Capital Region. Its vision is to build recognition of Ottawa as an outstanding four-season tourism destination.

A music fan who says his tastes cover folk, roots, indie-rock, blues and jazz, the tall, Dylan Griffith was offered the job of artistic director of the Ottawa Folk Festival after a nationwide search that attracted more than a dozen qualified applicants.

Photograph by: Brigitte Bouvier, The Ottawa Citizen

On his first visit to Ottawa this week, Dylan Griffith, the new artistic director and producer of the Ottawa Folk Festival, was taken on a guided tour of the festival’s Britannia Park site.

The picturesque riverside setting was covered in snow, but for Griffith, who has been living in the Yukon for most of the past decade, winter is one thing that makes him feel at home. Everything else about Ottawa is new.

A 38-year-old native of Vancouver who looks a bit like Lyle Lovett, Griffith is moving himself and his cat to Ottawa this month to take over the festival’s top job, a recently created position combining artistic direction and management. He is replacing Chris White, the festival’s longtime artistic director and co-founder, who resigned in the fall to pursue other opportunities.

Read more: A fresh face at Ottawa Folk Festival; New artistic director hails from Yukon

By Steven Mazey, The Ottawa Citizen

Gatineau violinist Christian Vachon’s new violin, a copy of one made by famed Italian violinmaker Antonio Stradivari in 1693. Vachon’s instrument was made in Ottawa by Guy Harrison.

Photograph by: Bruno Schlumbeger, The Ottawa Citizen

OTTAWA — Christian Vachon grins as he gently holds up his new violin, a burnished, richly grained fiddle that he says comes as close as a new instrument probably could to the sound and look of the 300-year-old Italian violin of his dreams.

The varnished wood gleams as the violinist holds it up to the sunlight in his Gatineau home. He starts to play one of the tangos he’ll perform tonight at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival with the group Norteno in the violin’s debut, and a sumptuous sound fills the living room, from lusciously dark lower notes to bright, sweetly penetrating high notes.

Read more: New fiddle, 300-year-old sound

By Richard Todd, The Ottawa Citizen

Afiara String quartet

Photograph by: Handout photo

OTTAWA — As everyone must know by now, 2010 marks the bicentenary of the births of Schumann and Chopin. If you don’t care for the music of these composers, you might want to consider moving to Antarctica for the remainder of the year, or at least a cabin in the woods.

It would be a special ordeal for you at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, as there is a considerable amount of music by these composers to be heard. The 7 p.m. concert at Dominion-Chalmers was entitled Schumann, Poet of the Night. Pianist Hinrich Alpers played the Nachtstücke, op. 23 and the Humoresque, op. 20. Even Schumann-haters must have been taken aback by the beauty and elegance of the playing, but also by its power. Of course, it’s unlikely that any Schumann-haters would come to a concert of this description, but if any did they probably left with a revised opinion.

Read more: Two venues, two stunning performances

By Richard Todd, The Ottawa Citizen

Frederica von Stade, shown here at an event for the 75th annual Metropolitan Opera Guild in April, 2010 in New York City, performed Saturday night at the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival.

Photograph by: Astrid Stawiarz, Getty Images

Although the name Frederica von Stade sounds as German as German can be, the famous mezzo-soprano was born in New Jersey, and that all by itself makes her as American as American can be.

Along with her accompanist, pianist Jake Heggie, she gave the opening night concert of the 17th Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival. It was part of her Farewell Tour; she is 65 and knows when to quit.

The audience at Dominion-Chalmers was large, though short of capacity

Read more:  As beautiful as ever

Frederica von Stade, 64, in the midst of a goodbye tour across North America, will perform at Dominion-Chalmers Church on the first evening concert of this year’s festival.

Photograph by: Astrid Stawiarz, Getty Images, The Ottawa Citizen

Opera lovers, get out your handkerchiefs. This year’s Ottawa Chamber Music Festival will open Saturday with a musical goodbye from one of the most acclaimed singers of her generation.

American mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, who is winding down her career after more than 40 years on stage, has been presenting a series of farewell concerts across North America.

Read more: A musical farewell

Photo courtesy of Afiara String quartet

SATURDAY, JULY 24

1 p.m.: Gryphon Trio, mezzo Patricia O’Callaghan. Songs and tangos from the Americas. Grounds of Rideau Hall.

3 p.m.: Rising Stars. Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts. Young Ottawa-area musicians.

7 p.m.: Mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade in recital with pianist Jake Heggie. Music by Heggie, Copland, Poulenc, Mahler, Sondheim, others. Dominion-Chalmers Church.

10:30 p.m.: Broken Hearts and Mad Men. Gryphon Trio; mezzo Patricia O’Callaghan. Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts, Kildare Room.

SUNDAY, JULY 25

11 a.m.: Improvisations and Interpretations with pianist Adam Gyorgy. Beechwood National Memorial Centre, Sacred Space.

1 p.m.: Afiara String Quartet. Grounds of Rideau Hall.

3 p.m.: Violinist Marc Djokic, cellist Denise Djokic. Music of Kodály, Martinu, others. St. Andrew’s Church.

3 p.m.: Tf3, Grounds of Rideau Hall. Free. Classical, country, gypsy and jazz.

7 p.m.: Pianist Alexander Tselyakov. Chopin recital, including complete Etudes. Dominion-Chalmers Church.

8 p.m.: Claudel-Canimex Quartet. Music of Ravel, Dohnányi, Mozetich. Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts.

10:30 p.m.: Late Night at Saint Brigid’s: Tf3. Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts.

Read more: Ottawa Chamber Music Festival Schedule

By Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa Citizen July 17, 2010

Great Big Sea and lead singer Alan Doyle entertained the crowd on the MBNA stage at the 2010 Bluesfest held at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Friday July 16, 2010.

Photograph by: Ashley Fraser, The Ottawa Citizen

OTTAWA — Who attracted more fans to Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest Friday night: Newfoundland’s favourite sons, Great Big Sea, or Drake, Canada’s hot new rap superstar?

It was a tough call. Drake, being the only big-name rapper on this year’s program, drew throngs of young concertgoers to his show on the Claridge stage, although the Great Big Sea army turned out by the tens of thousands, as they always do when their top band is on the main stage. Plus, it was Friday night.

In other words, it was a huge crowd, at least as big as the 35,000 estimated at Santana the other night.

Read more: Drake, Great Big Sea draw waves of support

Coolooloosh

Coolooloosh hit the Blacksheep tent at the 2010 Bluesfest Sunday July 11, 2010 held at the Canadian War Museum.

Swell Season singer Glen Hansard was not amused by the sound waves from the prog-rock trio Rush bombarding his band on the Hard Rock stage on Sunday night.

If only there was a tent, he mused at one point, where the quieter bands could play their shows in relative peace.

Well, as a matter of fact there is a tent at Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest this year, a monstrosity of a structure just over the hill from the Hard Rock Café stage. Unfortunately, its purpose is not to cushion the soft and earnest acts from the main-stage onslaught of noise.

Read more: Bluesfest’s newest stage ruins the music vibe