one at eight o'clock,
one at eight o'clock, called Murder Most Foul, in which the featured work is fl Primo Omocidio (The First Homicide) by Alessandro Scarlatti based on the biblical story of Cain's murder of Abel. This concert is followed by a reception called "Death by Chocolate", and then at·l 1 :00 p.m. by another concert entitled The Mystery Sonatas, a very different look ·at murder - namely the crucifixion of Christ. Violinists FaJ'.ran James and Linda Melsted are joined by a star basso continuo group in H. I. F . Biber's last four sonatas. According to the festival's web-site the late-evening concert is well worth staying for because it "has become the most magical and intimate part of the festival." Something that impresses me very much about the Grand River Festival is the fact that while many of the musicians are well into their careers with a wealth of experience - people like.co-artistic director, oboist Jim Mason, bassooµist/ conductor Jim McKay, and cellists Olga van Kranendonk and Margaret Gay - others are quite young and relatively inexperienced - like 22-year old tenor, Joseph Schnurr and 28-year old bass player, Nicholas Lessard, and even flutist, Margaret Prime, who, according to the website, "After many years away from music ... completed her Bachelor of Music degree from W. L. U. in 2001 and .. has just completed her Masters of Music Degree in Performance from the University of Toronto." If beginning the summer with a long and memorable day of music with good food in a tranquil rural setting appeals to you, then reserve July 3 for the Grand.River Festival! BROTT SUMMER FESTIVAL Attending a concert at the Brott Summer Festival will not get you into the countryside, since the Brott Festival concerts all take place in downtown Hamilton. However, "Steeltown," as Hamilton is sometimes affectionately called, has real charm, natural amenities, like Hamilton "Mountain," and an "otherworldly" movie set atmosphere resulting from the fact that most of the original downtown commercial and july21 to August 1 On Wednesday, July 21 at 11:15 a.m., violinist James Ehnes will open the festival of 46 concerts with a solo recital in the Maureen Forrester Young Artists series. String coricei;ts will occur at the same hour on succeeding days. The Axelrod Stradivarius String Quartet will bring their priceless matched Strads from the vaults of the Smithsonian Institution to present the early quartets of Ludwig van Beethoven. On July 25, the Festival String Quartet joins the Axelrods in a once-in-a-lifetime performance of Mendelssohn's Double Quartet/Octet . . Week2 concerts at 11 :15 a.m. start with a violin recital by Andrew Chung and continue with the St. Lawrence String Quartet featuring violinist Scott St. John and cellist Simon Fryer. During Week 1, four 9:30 a.m. concerts will feature John Longhurst, senior organist of the Mormon Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah. During Week 2 at that time, Montreal's Molinari String Quartet will perform all' eight of the quartet masterpieces by R. Murray Schafer. The annual Organ Academy is facilitated by Christopher Dawes; daily performances at 2:00 p.m; are free . . The first week of free, daily noontime concerts on the MusicBarge will feature Son de Madera, from Mexico's Veracruz region; The second week showcases Canada's Creaking Tree String Quartet, with a unique fusion of Celtic, classical, bluegrass and jazz traditions, while the Perth County Pipe Band performs the final afternoon. EVENING PERORMANCES Our trademark 9pening ceremony (8:00 p.m. July 21) features an evening of traditional Perth County fiddle tunes from the floating MusicBarge on the Avon River and concludes with fireworks to Berthold Carriere's Fantasy for a Midsummer's Night. ' Two special free concerts present the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus and fifty modern-age Cossacks complete with traditional costumes. Also, Canada's greatest Celtic fiddler, Ashley Macisaac,, presents his unique repertoire. · After-Theatre Cabarets at 11:30 p.m. spotlight stars of the Stratford Shakespearian Festival in the hilarious sketches of Beyond The Fringe and musical performances featuring The Music of Frank Sinatra. Concert and Cabaret tickets Organ Academy and BargeMusic are free 1·800·567·1600 17th ANNUAL Brott Music Festival 2004 July 10 to Aug. 19 Hamilton The Brott Music Festival features Classical, Chamber, Jazz, Pops, · and family co~certs. Founded in 1988 by conductor Boris Brott as a two-week event, BMF has grown to encompass an Autumn Festival. The Summer Festival continues to be the centrepiece of Hamilton's vibrant arts scerie in July and August each year. Venues include Hamilton Place, Theatre Aquarius, Dundurn Castle, Ancaster Old Mill, Royal Botanical Gardens .. Guest soloists over the years have included: Valerie Tryon, Pinchas Zukerman, Anton Kuerti, Oliver Jones, Martin Beaver, James Ehnes, Michael Burgess to name a few. The- 2004 Festival will feature a mini-Russian Festival and Carmina Burana. The Orchestra-in-residence is the renowned young and exuberant National Academy Orchestra, founded in 1989 by conductor Boris Brott. In 1999, the NAO was recognized as a Canadian "National School" by the Department of Canadian Heritage, one of the first times such a designation had been made outside Toronto or Montreal. NAO is renowned for its effective "apprenticeship" pairing of young graduate musicians with seasoned "mentor" musicians from Canada's finest orchestras. Each .winter, over 300 potential apprentices audition from across Canada for a spot in the orchestra. NAO is . the only orchestral programme of its kind in Canada. Graduates from the National Academy Orchestra hold, or have held positions with virtually every major orchestra across Canada: (eg. Toronto Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra) and orchestras across Nor1h America and around the world. NAO has been awarded Canada Council grants for its original series celebrating Hamilton: Group Of Seven: A Musical Celebration (1999), The Sophia Diaries (2000) and Journey to Hamilton (2001 ). For info call 905·525·SONG or toll free 1·888-475·9377. 24 WWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM June 1 - July 7 2004
apartment buildings are still standing, unlike Toronto, where so many have been demolished to make way for bigger ones. - Musically, of course, the Festival has much to offer. A major drawing card of Boris Brott's enterprise is the National Academy . Orchestra, which is made up of seasoned professional musicians from various local orchestras and "apprentices," young professional players who have auditioned for the opportunity to be in the orchestra for a twenty week season to gain valuable professional experience. Thanks to the Brott Festival there are plenty of concerts to go to at a time when there is almost-nothing in Torontq, and being only 60 km away it is almgst as easy as going to one in Toronto. It is close enough that you don't have to stay overnight, and not only do you hear excellent performances but you have the satisfaction of knowing that you are supporting a unique and much needed educational resource. . SOUTH CENTRAL TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER Music FESTIVAL One of the great ironies of life in Canada's largest city - and, if WholeNote 's listings are any indication, the one with the busiest music season - is that the only summer music festival here is a mere three days/six concerts long. This is not a criticism of the Festival's organizers - far from it. To mount even such a modest festival here is a major accomplishment, because it is no small task. Robert Missen created _a varied and imaginative festival with top ranking performers for a couple of summers a few years ago and was not able to continue. I don't think the reasons for this are hard to find. When you consider that for most Torontonians the ideal summer would be spent somewhere other than in Toronto, attending concerts in the city is not high on the priority list; similai"ly, if the people who live here would prefer not to be here during the summer months it seems a little absurd to think that people who don't live here are - going to want to come here in July and August. The reason, I think, is obvious - the lqra esttval 25th Anniversary July 9 - August 1 After 25 years of bringing the world's best music to southern Ontario, the Elora Festival is ready to celebrate its Silver Jubilee in style. The Festival's anniversary program, running from July 9 .through August 1, 2004 is, without question, its most ambitious in years. Starting with a grand performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on opening night, the 25th Elora Festival presents some of the finest musicians Canada has to offer, as well as some of the most profound music the world has ever heard. This year's sweeping program encapsulates one of the widest spectrums of music the Festival has celebrated, from the grand productions of Beethoven, Orff's Carmina Burana and Verdi's Requiem, to brilliant Canadian jazz pianist Michael Kaeshammer, rock iegend Randy Bachman, and Celtic folk-pop favourite Spirit of the West. The Festival also offers an exceptional line-up of chamber music including The Gryphon Trio, Les Violons du Roy, and the Toronto Consort. Larger ensembles include the Stuttgart Chamber Choir, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, and the Parry Sound Ensemble. This year's season will also embrace Juno winner Andre Laplante, the Russian Cossack State Dance Company, and NEXUS. Internationally renowned soprano Emma Kirkby will return to Elora with Canadian countertenor Daniel Taylor and the Theatre of Early Music for an evening of Glorious Baroque. At the heart of each year's Festival, the artists-inresidence, the Elora Festival Singers, offer several performances under the direction of Noel Edison. Come celebrate our Jubilee with us in the intimate Village of Elora! For more information, please visit our website at www.elorafestival.com. To order tickets, contact the Festival office at (519) 864-0331, ore-mail at info@elorafestival.com. MUSIC ON LAKfi AUGUST 1-14, 20 FABULOUS JAZZ AND CHAMBER M combined with daytime classes have m Summer Music Festival a preferred su nation for over 13 years. Our dedicate teers provide students Wi he-oppor some of North America' offer p~rsonalized ca M gramming in a casu~r~~Jt (;:.;' > ~~.nee Rosnes, Al~~ Q.~~· , ·• Bria.n Dickinson, ~af tjyllil'JS ,Lisa Martinelli, ftick ~ln;s; 15;atie J,.ansdale, Mark ~~w,r; ·. Jasmine Schnarr, s·' n '.eter Shackle . rs.We y. proms in Jazz, ultar ?nd Child . · h Rick Fines and ·adult amateur ' hitr~s. ·Beginners 11t of their choice. rtunity to develop llenge themselves in the Jazz, c al programs. Young professionals can refresh their skills. THE KINCARDINE SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL - AN IDEAL AND UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER MUSIC EXPERIENCE. Register on-line at www.ksmf.ca early and save! - Kincardine Summer Music Festival P.O. Box 251, Kincardine ON, N2Z 2Y7 Phone 519-396-9716 or 1-866-453-9716 Information at info@ksmf.ca June1 - July 7 2004 . WWW. TH EWHOLE NOTE.COM 25
