Tuesday, June 23, 2020 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Ottawa Chamberfest is now offering Chamber Chats: At Home, Chez vous, hosted by celebrated broadcaster/writer Eric Friesen. Taking place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2pm EDT, these 45-minute interactive episodes combine chat with pre-recorded and live performances and feature guest artists and lecturers from all over the world. They provide artists with an opportunity to […]
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 @ 2:30 am – 4:30 am – In Bach’s own words, his Italian Concerto in F major was composed “for lovers of music, for their enjoyment.” Don’t miss the penultimate concert in Angela Hewitt’s epic four-year Bach Odyssey series.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020 @ 1:30 am – 3:30 am – “Clearly. Absolutely. Undoubtedly virtuoso” (La Presse). Canadian violinist Blake Pouliot has been featured with the Montreal, National Arts Centre and Toronto Symphony Orchestras, and broadcasted nationally by CBC Music and the JUNO Awards. Pouliot and pianist Hsin-I Huang perform violin favorites from Mozart to Ravel and Prokofiev.
Sunday, November 24, 2019 @ 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm – An all-star cast of Canadian chamber musicians perform Beethoven, Strauss, and the world premiere of Canadian composer Kevin Lau’s A Drop of Light. The Octagon Ensemble features violinists Martin Beaver and Mark Fewer, violist Rivka Golani, cellist Rachel Mercer, bassist Joel Quarrington, horn player Ken MacDonald, bassoonist Kathleen McLean, and clarinetist James Campbell. Arrive early […]
Monday, November 4, 2019 @ 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Don’t miss a moment of the final season of Angela Hewitt’s Bach Odyssey. Tonight, Hewitt continues with the fourth, fifth, and sixth English Suites, and the rarely performed Sonata in D major.
Friday, October 25, 2019 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Fall under the spell of baroque beauty, voiced by the “passionate intensity and uncommon understanding” of soprano Karina Gauvin (CBC Music). Vancouver’s twenty-strong Pacific Baroque Orchestra delivers the drama and passion of the eighteenth-century Russian opera.
Thursday, August 8, 2019 @ 7:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Toronto’s supergroup Art of Time Ensemble returns to Chamberfest to share their reimagined take on Abbey Road, in anticipation of the album’s 50th anniversary. Set loose upon the Beatles’ original material, the company’s roster of celebrated arrangers maintain the impeccable vocal harmonies, while pushing the boundaries of the underlying music. Let Art of Time rekindle […]
Thursday, August 8, 2019 @ 1:00 pm – 11:59 pm – In the years between 1811 and 1816, Beethoven wrote the song cycle An die ferne Geliebte and a set of letters dedicated to a “distant” and “immortal” beloved. In 2012, Canadian composer James Wright set these letters to music for trio and voice entitled Briefe an die unsterbliche Geliebte. Gryphon Trio and the “powerful, free, […]
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 @ 10:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Wrap up your Chamberfringe in style with an encore from violinist/DJ Brendan Speltz and the Manhattan Chamber Players. First, hear and watch classical music remixed movement by movement. Then, Speltz moves the mixing to the turntables as the Ottawa Art Gallery cabaret stage becomes a dance floor.
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 @ 7:00 pm – 11:59 pm – “Expert musicianship, razor-sharp ensemble, deep musical feeling” (Chicago Tribune). Since the Dover Quartet won the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2013, they have become one of the most active and popular quartets on the planet. Tonight they play quartets by Brahms and Britten, and are joined by members of the Manhattan Chamber Players for […]
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 @ 1:00 pm – 11:59 pm – From child prodigy to prolific composer beloved by her contemporaries, Clara Schumann was one of the most distinguished composer-pianists of the Romantic period. Celebrate this exceptional German composer’s 200th birthday, hosted by broadcaster Eric Friesen and Clara Schumann specialist Julie Pedneault-Deslauriers.
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 @ 10:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Feel the joy and raw emotion that comes from LGBTQ+ stories, with a musical inspiration ranging from Billy Strayhorn to Taylor Swift. Created and performed by a 12-piece chamber pop ensemble and guest vocalists, the Queer Songbook explores and uplifts the queer narrative in pop music. “How do we get to that table? We make […]
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 @ 7:00 pm – 11:59 pm – “Energetic, expressive, and assertive” (Classical Source), the Manhattan Chamber Players pluck five members of their fresh, consummate roster directly from the centre of New York City. They open with all Mozart, performing his darkly dramatic Violin Sonata in E Minor and String Quintet in G Minor. Then, brothers Brendan and Brook Speltz join pianist David […]
Monday, August 5, 2019 @ 10:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Il faut entendre cette musique folklorique aux éclatants accents arabes. Maryem Tollar, une voix pleine et profonde, et Alfred Gamil, violoniste égyptien hors de pair, nous guident au cours d’un voyage mélancolique à travers le Moyen-Orient.
Monday, August 5, 2019 @ 10:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Experience pure Arabic folk inspiration. Maryem Tollar, a voice limitless in meaning and depth, and Alfred Gamil, Egypt’s violin master, lead this soulful journey into the classical and the popular of the Middle East.
Monday, August 5, 2019 @ 7:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Angela Hewitt embarks on the final year of her Bach Odyssey, in the first of the four final parts. Alongside the first three of the poised English Suites and the Suite in F Minor, she performs the lively and masterful Prelude and Fugue in A Minor.
Monday, August 5, 2019 @ 5:30 pm – 11:59 pm – The Life and Music of Eldon Rathburn: Book Launch. Film composer Eldon Rathburn wrote more music than any other Canadian in his generation, borrowing from a diverse range of styles and genres along the way. Launching an authoritative book on Rathburn’s life and music, published by McGill-Queen’s University Press, composer James Wright helps us remember […]
Monday, August 5, 2019 @ 12:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Un aperçu des tendances actuelles de la musique nouvelle. Continuum Contemporary Music met en vedette de jeunes musiciens et compositeurs dans le cadre de HATCH, le tout nouveau programme estival de mentorat. Font partie des mentors les compositeurs Brian Current, James Rolfe et Linda Smith.
Monday, August 5, 2019 @ 12:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Your preview of the up-and-coming in new music. Continuum Contemporary Music showcases young musicians and composers with HATCH, their new summer mentorship program. Mentors include composers Brian Current, James Rolfe, and Linda Smith.
Monday, August 5, 2019 @ 10:00 am – 11:59 pm – The string quartet: two violins at play, a viola to anchor them, and a cello keeping the bottom lines strong. Montreal’s Quatuor Andara will introduce you and your family to a family of instruments, and how they make music as a team.
Sunday, August 4, 2019 @ 10:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Celebrate composers who drive current technology to the max, often inventing new software and hardware to create singular responses to our modern civilisation. Ten performers push, shove, and play with sound and multimedia hatched on the fringe.
Sunday, August 4, 2019 @ 7:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Three summers of community collaboration and creativity come to a head with the world premiere of Rob Kapilow’s Après Maman. Featuring an octet including three-time JUNO winners the Gryphon Trio, Kapilow’s work is an inspired musical realization of our community’s response to Louise Bourgeois’s famous spider sculpture. NACO musicians Joel Quarrington and Carissa Klopoushak join […]
Sunday, August 4, 2019 @ 2:45 pm – 11:59 pm – Maman sculptor Louise Bourgeois described her mother, a tapestry weaver, as clever, patient and as useful as a spider. But spiders, not unlike Bourgeois mother, can also be fearsome. Ahead of the premiere of his new octet this evening at Dominion-Chalmers, composer Rob Kapilow discusses his artistic inspiration with National Gallery of Canada associate curator […]
Sunday, August 4, 2019 @ 1:00 pm – 11:59 pm – The “elegant, contemplative, rocking, and fiery” Ladom Ensemble (CBC) give a taste of their zesty European and Middle Eastern playlist on the grounds of Rideau Hall – the official residence of the Governor General. Gorgeous terrain steeped in decades of history makes an apt setting for a beautiful afternoon concert experience.
Saturday, August 3, 2019 @ 10:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Lose yourself in the stuff of Middle-Eastern legend, and find your inner child. This is a universal and surprising tale of a hero looking for a treasure, delightfully told by narrator Parmida with original music composed by the Iranian-Canadian Composers of Toronto and performed by the Ladom Ensemble.
Saturday, August 3, 2019 @ 1:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Originaire de la capitale du Canada, ce duo de frère et soeur, composé du violoncelliste Bryan Cheng et de la pianiste Silvie Cheng, continue d’être encensé par la critique et le public pour son excellence artistique, son esprit généreux et son dynamisme irrésistible. Selon Large Stage Live! : « Ce duo excelle à faire ressortir […]
Saturday, August 3, 2019 @ 1:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Absolutely beloved in Canada’s capital, this brother-and-sister duo of cellist Bryan Cheng and pianist Silvie Cheng is defined by their thoughtful performances and affectionate dynamic. “Coaxing the music off the page and into vivid life” (Large Stage Live!), they’re joined by friend and fellow Ottawa native Angela Hewitt for a tribute to Clara Schumann.
Saturday, August 3, 2019 @ 1:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Mentored by the St. Lawrence and Danel string quartets, these rising stars from the Montreal chamber music scene are our 2019 Career Development Residency ensemble. Join Quatuor Andara for this outdoor performance as they animate the gorgeous grounds of Rideau Hall – the official residence of the Governor General – with string quartet highlights from […]
Saturday, August 3, 2019 @ 1:00 pm – 11:59 pm – Young musician, avid amateur, seasoned pro, or enthusiastic concert attendee, you won’t want to miss the fun as Grammy-winning violinist James Ehnes and a host of local string-player celebrities lead this mass ensemble in a unique, participatory concert experience. Composed by award-winning Canadian composer John Oswald, Spectre was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet in 1990. […]
Saturday, August 3, 2019 @ 10:00 am – 11:59 pm – Go on a musical adventure with Parmida, a young hero looking for treasure, and the musicians of Ladom Ensemble. Along the way, she’ll meet many colourful characters: from a clever clown to a bewitched prince, from a wise lion to an arrogant mouse.
Thursday, August 1, 2019 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – Les traditions classiques et folkloriques du Moyen-Orient et de l’Asie du Sud s’entremêlent lorsque les compositeurs et improvisateurs, Kinan Azmeh et Dinuk Wijeratne, nous entraînent dans cette quête musicale. La musique pour clarinette, piano, tabla, percussions et quatuor à cordes, avec la participation de Nick Halley, Shawn Mativetsky et du Quatuor Danel, définira le carrefour […]
Wednesday, July 31, 2019 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – Le narrateur invité, Tom Allen, et le Sanctuary Trio présentent un oeuvre aux textures riches et multiples de Jeff Reilly qui relate les rêves les plus puissants. Clarinette basse, violoncelle et orgue se livrent à une superbe méditation sur les défis auxquels notre âme est confrontée en période d’incertitude.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Hinrich Alpers exécute quinze sonates pour piano lors de deux concerts marathon avec « une élégance et une aisance absolues » (Ludwig van Toronto).
Saturday, July 27, 2019 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Dirigé par le violoniste Geoff Nuttall, le quatuor à cordes St. Lawrence met en lumière les quatuors de Joseph Haydn et explore ce qui les rend uniques et révolutionnaires. Le Quatuor à cordes en fa mineur, opus 20, no 5 est présenté sous divers angles et joué devant un public qui l’écoutera d’une oreille neuve […]
Friday, July 26, 2019 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm – Award-winning pianist and composer Stephen Prutsman has been presenting concerts for families with children on the autism spectrum in San Francisco since 2012. Freedom of movement and conversational interaction between the audience and pianist allows young audience members to engage in new ways and follow the musical storyline of a particular piece of music.
Thursday, July 25, 2019 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – In one of Buster Keaton’s last pictures before his move to MGM, Keaton plays a bookish college student who tries to win back his girlfriend by becoming an athlete. Stephen Prutsman plays his score for improvised piano and string quartet live with the St. Lawrence String Quartet in an abridged 40-minute screening of this classic […]
Thursday, July 25, 2019 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm – Three voices are better than one! Come out for some fun with the JUNO-winning Gryphon Trio, and meet the violin, cello, and piano – and the people who make them sing.
Monday, March 4, 2019 @ 7:30 pm – ” Puissant, limpide, flamboyant ” (d’apres le Times), le quatuor a cordes catalan Cuarteto Casals subjugue les spectateurs du monde entier depuis vingt ans. Pour la premiere fois a l’affiche de Chamberfest, le groupe execute les quatuors a cordes les plus prises de Haydn et Bartok ainsi que l’admirable Quatuor a cordes en fa mineur […]
Monday, March 4, 2019 @ 7:30 pm – “Virile, clean, surging with expression” (The Times), Catalan string quartet Cuarteto Casals has captivated the international scene with their crisp and fiery performances for twenty years. For the first time, they take the Chamberfest stage, performing string quartet favourites Haydn and Bartok, and concluding with Mendelssohn’s heartbreaking and powerful String Quartet in F Minor.
Monday, March 4, 2019 @ 7:30 pm – Il faut entendre ces voix divines formidablement harmonieuses. Cet art choral plonge ses racines dans l’histoire virtuose de la cour de Vienne. Ces 25 choristes qui composent Les Petits chanteurs de Vienne (et ont entre neuf a quatorze ans) interpretent des oeuvres chorales fondees sur les motets et les lieder.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 @ 8:00 pm – L’Ensemble contemporain de Montreal (ECM+) de Veronique Lacroix accorde une place toute particuliere a l’esprit musical novateur. Le concours biennal Generation de l’ensemble s’attache a mettre en valeur de jeunes compositeurs en debut de carriere et permet a ces derniers de composer des oeuvres appelees a etre executees dans tout le Canada. La tournee de […]
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 @ 8:00 pm – Veronique Lacroix’s Ensemble contemporain de Montreal (ECM+) champions the innovative musical mind. The ensemble’s biennial Generation contest fosters young composers at the beginning of their careers, allowing them to create music and see their work performed across Canada. This year’s tour features the work of Sophie Dupuis, Patrick Giguere, James O’Callaghan, and Thierry Tidrow.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 @ 8:00 pm – Veronique Lacroix’s Ensemble contemporain de Montreal (ECM+) champions the innovative musical mind. The ensemble’s biennial Generation contest fosters young composers at the beginning of their careers, allowing them to create music and see their work performed across Canada. This year’s tour features the work of Sophie Dupuis, Patrick Giguere, James O’Callaghan, and Thierry Tidrow.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 @ 8:00 pm – Veronique Lacroix’s Ensemble contemporain de Montreal (ECM+) champions the innovative musical mind. The ensemble’s biennial Generation contest fosters young composers at the beginning of their careers, allowing them to create music and see their work performed across Canada. This year’s tour features the work of Sophie Dupuis, Patrick Giguere, James O’Callaghan, and Thierry Tidrow.
Wednesday, May 8, 2019 @ 7:30 pm – One of Europe’s most celebrated cellists “plunges heart and soul” into his performance (The Times). The renowned and charismatic Mischa Maisky and his daughter, pianist Lily Maisky, bring our Concert Series to a rousing conclusion with a rare Canadian recital featuring highlights from their recent Deutsche Grammophon recordings.
Saturday, February 16, 2019 @ 7:30 pm – Meet the “royal family of guitar” (New York Times): three generations of classical virtuosity with a legacy spanning more than half a century. A must for any guitar buff, Los Romeros’ blend of tradition and inspiration will excite and delight.
Friday, February 1, 2019 @ 7:30 pm – The dynamic Gryphon Trio returns, alongside Scandinavia’s ethereal Nordic Voices, for a program that spans over 500 years. The six-member vocal ensemble will perform early music gems by Gesualdo and Victoria “with a unanimous sense of purpose” (Washington Post). The two ensembles join forces for the world premiere of Jeffrey Ryan’s Scar Tissue, featuring the […]
Saturday, December 15, 2018 @ 7:30 pm – This holiday season, experience the ultimate heavenly host. For fifty years, the King’s Singers’ concerts have been “as comforting as a favourite sweater on a cold winter’s night, while being challenging and inventive” (Ottawa Citizen). In this very special programme, this legendary vocal sextet joins forces with Jean-Sebastien Vallee and the Ottawa Choral Society for […]
Friday, December 14, 2018 @ 7:30 pm – This holiday season, experience the ultimate heavenly host. For fifty years, the King’s Singers’ concerts have been “as comforting as a favourite sweater on a cold winter’s night, while being challenging and inventive” (Ottawa Citizen). In this very special programme, this legendary vocal sextet joins forces with Jean-Sebastien Vallee and the Ottawa Choral Society for […]
Friday, January 18, 2019 @ 7:30 pm – Continuing her Bach Odyssey, Angela Hewitt brings forth the improvisational toccatas. The program’s conclusion cannot be missed: the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D minor was admired in Bach’s time as one of his great masterpieces, adored by Felix Mendelssohn more than 150 years later, and continues to be a must in the repertoire of […]
Thursday, October 18, 2018 @ 7:30 pm – Angela Hewitt continues her historic four-year exploration of Bach’s entire keyboard repertoire. In part seven, she gives a much-anticipated performance of Book II of the Well-Tempered Clavier, one of classical music’s most significant works.
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 @ 7:30 pm – The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble has been a jewel in the UK orchestra’s crown for more than 50 years. Uniquely versatile and able to explore the full depth of the chamber music repertoire, the ensemble includes a rare Ottawa performance of Schubert’s glorious Octet for strings and winds.
Sunday, April 7, 2019 @ 4:00 pm – Experience the sound of divine voices formidable in harmony, and the tradition of a chorale that finds its roots in the virtuosic history of the Viennese court. Now as diverse as the music they perform, these 25 choristers of the Vienna Boys Choir, all between the ages of nine and fourteen, perform a striking choral […]
Thursday, September 20, 2018 @ 6:00 pm – Hosted by Juno-winning Canadian singer Kellylee Evans, this festive gala evening will feature a four-course dinner, silent and live auctions with Lawrence Greenspon at the hammer, and performances by Gryphon Trio and a choir curated from our Community Engagement and Education programming.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 @ 8:00 pm – Beethoven created his “Serioso” string quartet in 1810, the year after Napoleon Bonaparte’s French army had occupied Vienna, the city where he was living. That catastrophic event may have influenced this piece’s tragic nature.
Thursday, August 9, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:00 pm – Come close out this year’s festival with us! Join your Chamberfest friends for a party scored by New York DJ Brendan Speltz’s perfectly curated playlist of retro classics and pop. He’ll set the stage for a special closing performance by the SOMA Quartet, wrapping up fifteen incredible days in style. Dancing’s not just welcome – […]
Thursday, August 9, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Led by Jean-Marc Zeitouni, this Montreal chamber orchestra is lauded for its innovation and passion, this evening placing French-Canadian composers alongside the Romantics. I Musici is joined by Cameron Crozman, who will elicit the splendor of the “Bonjour” Stradivarius cello (on loan from the Canada Council) in a performance of Schumann’s heart-felt Cello Concerto in […]
Thursday, August 9, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Montréal’s SOMA Quartet returns to Chamberfest following their dynamic run as part of our 2017 Career Development Residency. Often noted for their prowess in new material, today they delve into classical music’s well-loved, including Haydn’s rich and cello-driven String Quartet Op. 20 No. 2 and Beethoven’s defiant Razumovsky Quartet.
Thursday, August 9, 2018 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – From classical to rock n’ roll to movie music, explore the possibilities of a string quartet with Montreal’s SOMA Quartet. Whether you’re a kid or a kid at heart, there’s something for everyone at this interactive concert.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – Harnessing jazz, Indian and European classical, and world music influences, Justin Gray’s Synthesis brings together Ed Hanley on tabla, Ted Quinlan on guitar, Drew Jurecka on violin, and the Hardanger fiddle. Gray’s custom-designed Bass Veena, a hybrid of the sitar and electric bass, lends the music its trademark “trance-inducing beauty” (All About Jazz).
Wednesday, August 8, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Partners onstage and in life, “one of Canada’s most sought-after sopranos” Simone Osborne and bass-baritone Gordon Bintner close our Marina Kun Series. Together with collaborative pianist Michael McMahon, they offer a program of favourite art songs and duets by Saint-Saëns, Mendelssohn, Finzi, Strauss, and Fauré.
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – With a legacy nearing 50 years, the Pražák Quartet is renowned for its mastery of the Czech quartet tradition. Their program tonight, featuring Dvorák, Zemlinsky, and Smetana, follows an arc of emotion, revealing the influence of folk themes and the depth at which music can reflect the human experience.
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 @ 2:45 pm – 4:15 pm – A mainstay in the world of classical guitar, the Canadian Guitar Quartet brings a performance that is brimming with “fantastic, spirited playing and sheer inventiveness” (Classical Guitar Magazine). Experience electrifying arrangements of favourites composed for strings and winds, including Beethoven’s tempestuous String Quartet in C Major and Poulenc’s Allegro vivace from his elegant and playful […]
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Considered “masters of balance and blend” by the Ottawa Citizen, Pentaèdre has shone a brilliant spotlight on the beauty of the woodwind for more than 30 years. They feature a new arrangement of Bach’s Chaconne in D Minor and a rendition of Ligeti’s 6 bagatelles that is nothing short of remarkable.
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – It’s a fantastic fairy tale: a bird seller, a princess with a prince coming to her rescue, and a wicked Queen of the Night. Learn about Mozart’s incredible Magic Flute with a quintet of woodwinds.
Monday, August 6, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – “A feast of colorful sounds with a special fusion flair, they represent the current face of the Iranian music scene with style, pathos, and creativity” (Jazz Corner). Underscored by their Iranian-Austrian roots, this trio builds upon jazz untethered by geography or language.
Monday, August 6, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Soaring to the halfway point of her fantastic performance of Bach’s entire collected works for keyboard, Angela Hewitt performs Bach’s ethereal Aria and 30 variations known the world over as the Goldberg Variations.
Monday, August 6, 2018 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – This year’s Career Development Residency ensemble wraps up their tenure at Chamberfest – under the mentorship of educator Rob Kapilow, from workshops at the Boys and Girls Club to pop-up concerts in Ottawa’s parks – with a showcase of the skill that has elevated them in Toronto’s chamber music scene.
Monday, August 6, 2018 @ 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm – Explorez la gamme sonore des esprits les plus créatifs d’aujourd’hui dans la cadre de la mini-série annuelle de Chamberfest, Nouvelle Musique. Nouvelle Musique célèbre l’ampleur et la vitalité de la nouvelle culture classique d’aujourd’hui.
Monday, August 6, 2018 @ 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm – Explore the sonic range of today’s most creative musical minds at Chamberfest’s annual New Music Now miniseries. New Music Now is a celebration of the breadth and vitality of today’s new classical culture.
Monday, August 6, 2018 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Explore the sonic range of today’s most creative musical minds at Chamberfest’s annual New Music Now miniseries. New Music Now is a celebration of the breadth and vitality of today’s new classical culture.
Monday, August 6, 2018 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Sixty strong, Belgian boys’ choir Les Pastoureaux – the Shepherd Boys – will give this holiday Monday a blessed beginning with a unique program spanning from sacred songs to choral arrangements of modern classics.
Sunday, August 5, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – With iconic melodies that are truly larger-than-life, Leonard Bernstein inspired and defined the American Songbook. Armed with a pair of pianos and La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins’s intimate theatre, pianists Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann exuberantly bring Leonard Bernstein’s most recognizable works and arrangements to life, including classics from West Side Story and On the Town.
Sunday, August 5, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Celebrating 25 years, the Gryphon Trio have put together a set list featuring much loved music for violin, cello, and piano by Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Piazzolla, and many more. Eric Friesen hosts an evening of greatest hits and favorite stories.
Sunday, August 5, 2018 @ 2:45 pm – 4:00 pm – Between her two Bach Odyssey performances in the Bytek Signature Series, Angela Hewitt sits down with broadcaster Eric Friesen to talk life, music, and the great composer.
Sunday, August 5, 2018 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Come meet Chamberfest for an afternoon performance on the beautiful, historical grounds of Rideau Hall – the official residence of the Governor General. Today, hear a quartet bringing together some of Canada’s most praised rising string players: violinists Sheila Jaffé and Yolanda Bruno, violist Catherine Gray, and cellist Carmen Bruno.
Sunday, August 5, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Come meet Chamberfest for an afternoon performance on the beautiful, historical grounds of Rideau Hall – the official residence of the Governor General. Today, hear a quartet bringing together some of Canada’s most praised rising string players: violinists Sheila Jaffé and Yolanda Bruno, violist Catherine Gray, and cellist Carmen Bruno.
Sunday, August 5, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal’s concertmaster Andrew Wan and award-winning Canadian pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin do Beethoven justice as they continue to explore the great master’s ten sonatas for violin and piano. Their collaboration is “physically dynamic and spontaneously expressive without theatrics” (Artsfile).
Sunday, August 5, 2018 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Baroque cellist Elinor Frey and soprano Suzie Leblanc explore newly discovered pieces, long hidden away in Como, Italy. Brilliant and lyrical, this treasure trove of sonatas, likely written by Milanese cellist Angelo Maria Fiorè, are woven with expressive Italian arias arranged for cello and voice.
Saturday, August 4, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – Following her mother’s slow loss of her vision and subsequent passing, violinist Leslie Ting listened to the silence to discover what she never saw before. This monumentally moving performance, featuring works by Beethoven and John Cage, is reinforced tonight by much-loved German pianist Hinrich Alpers.
Saturday, August 4, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Angela Hewitt continues the second year of her epic journey through Bach’s complete keyboard works with Book I of the masterful Well-Tempered Clavier. Widely considered to be among the composer’s best works for keyboard, these preludes and fugues are a rush of emotion, moving from intimacy to joyous livelihood to deep sadness.
Saturday, August 4, 2018 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Musician and impresario George Zukerman has been engaging audiences and producing concerts all over Canada for the last 60 years. An Officer of the Order of Canada, Zukerman speaks with Roman Borys and reveals the source of his passion as he shares insights and remarkable stories.
Saturday, August 4, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Fourteen composers, four instruments, four minutes. Ensemble Made In Canada weaves a cultural quilt from specially-commissioned pieces inspired by Canada’s many provinces, territories, and regions, with composers including David Braid and Sarah Slean.
Saturday, August 4, 2018 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Come meet Chamberfest for an afternoon performance on the beautiful, historical grounds of Rideau Hall – the official residence of the Governor General. Revel in a fusion of classical and jazz from the Austrian-Iranian Golnar & Mahan Trio, joined by clarinetist Mona Matbou Riahi, ahead of tonight’s Chamberfringe show at La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins.
Saturday, August 4, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Come meet Chamberfest for an afternoon performance on the beautiful, historical grounds of Rideau Hall – the official residence of the Governor General. Revel in a fusion of classical and jazz from the Austrian-Iranian Golnar & Mahan Trio, joined by clarinetist Mona Matbou Riahi, ahead of tonight’s Chamberfringe show at La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins.
Saturday, August 4, 2018 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Xenia Concerts are specifically designed to be welcoming for children on the autism spectrum and their families. They welcome freedom of movement and conversational interaction between the audience and performers to help young audience members follow the musical storyline of a particular piece of music.
Friday, August 3, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – Flute and violin daredevils Sonic Escape generate a highly energetic and original blend of classical and Celtic music. Engulfed in light and movement, these two innovators have brought their experience to extreme corners of the planet, and delighted audiences with their “wonderfully imaginative sense of fun” (Washington Post).
Friday, August 3, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – NYO Canada has trained many generations of musicians that now enjoy careers in orchestras and chamber ensembles around the world. This year’s showcase performance will include Brahms’s glorious Trio for violin, horn, and piano as well as Copland’s inspiring orchestral masterpiece, Appalachian Spring.
Friday, August 3, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Aficionados of budding chamber ensembles unite. NYO Canada brings your sneak peek at the chamber musicians of tomorrow, with a series of performances from groups newly formed from their orchestra.
Friday, August 3, 2018 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Aficionados of budding chamber ensembles unite. NYO Canada brings your sneak peek at the chamber musicians of tomorrow, with a series of performances from groups newly formed from their orchestra.
Friday, August 3, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Aficionados of budding chamber ensembles unite. NYO Canada brings your sneak peek at the chamber musicians of tomorrow, with a series of performances from groups newly formed from their orchestra.
Friday, August 3, 2018 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Join dancing violinist Maria Millar and flautist Shawn Wyckoff for music that moves. With Maria and Shawn, music isn’t just fun to dance to – the music dances too!
Thursday, August 2, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – Crisp air and crisper leaves in vibrant colours. A rich, stormy sky. Wide lakes in a thousand shades of blue. Known for his association with the Group of Seven, Tom Thomson could evoke the dynamic beauty of an autumn walk like no other. Singer-songwriter Terry Tufts, pianist Kathryn Briggs, violinist Laura Nerenberg, violist Lisa Moody, […]
Thursday, August 2, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – The poetry, music, and very essence of Spain has been an inspiration for generations of artists, ranging from De Falla to our own Leonard Cohen. Vocalists Patricia O’Callaghan and Maryem Tollar join forces with a diverse group including pianist David Braid and members of the Canadian Guitar Quartet, in a mix of traditional melodies and […]
Thursday, August 2, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – It was a label he rejected to the end, but there is no denying that Debussy’s stunning, contemplative music fits him right in with the atmospheric and emotional work that defined impressionism, both in art and in music. Just steps away from the National Gallery of Canada’s Impressionist Treasures exhibit, pianist Hinrich Alpers curates a […]
Wednesday, August 1, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – “Energetic, fresh, and creative.” Meet Koszika: Transylvania’s rising star of the folk-jazz scene. Become spellbound as she unveils the unlikely friendship between tango and the jazz standard, together with the Tiberius String Quartet, clarinetist James Campbell, jazz guitarist Graham Campbell, double bassist John Geggie, and pianist Jamie Parker.
Wednesday, August 1, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Switzerland’s celebrated early music envoys Gli Angeli Genève brings their exquisite brand of instrumental and vocal performance to Ottawa for the first time. J.S. Bach’s beloved Church Cantatas (BWV 4, 131, and 106 – Actus Tragicus) alongside a lesser-known jewel by Telemann (Du Aber Daniel), fill Dominion-Chalmers under the steady guidance of acclaimed bass-baritone Stephan […]
Wednesday, August 1, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Spirited away from their appearances at Festival of the Sound up in Parry Sound, artistic director and clarinetist James Campbell, brother-sister piano duo Cheng2, and the Tiberius String Quartet bring a slew of core favourites including Haydn’s dramatic and contrasting “Quinten” Quartet and selections from Bartók’s violin duos – his masterclass in folk.
Wednesday, August 1, 2018 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Meet the piano, the cello, and the violin at this interactive family show with Toronto’s Bedford Trio.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – Music revolutionary Claude Debussy and his one-time acolyte, Maurice Ravel, collide under the shadow of the Great War that almost destroyed them and their beloved City of Light. Tom Allen returns with Judgment of Paris, weaving a tale steeped in history, music, betrayal, and war that is both new and old, heroic and tragic, mythic […]
Tuesday, July 31, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Come for a musical journey into the life of the renowned Ojibwe military officer and sniper, Francis Pegahmagabow. Composed by Timothy Corlis and written by Ojibwe poet Armand Garnet Ruffo, Sounding Thunder comes in three dramatic acts. It explores Pegahmagabow’s early years immersed in the world of the Anishinaabe spirits, his extraordinary accomplishments in the […]
Tuesday, July 31, 2018 @ 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm – Before tonight’s incredible multimedia performance of Sounding Thunder, learn the story behind the production. Festival of the Sound artistic director James Campbell and writer Armand Ruffo join Brian McInnes to discuss the life and legacy of Francis Pegahmagabow, the most decorated indigenous soldier in Canadian history.
Monday, July 30, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – Baryton à la fois « posé et séduisant » (selon le Globe and Mail), Brett Polegato rend hommage à Broadway. Aux côtés du pianiste Robert Kortgaard, il interprète quelques-uns des canons musicaux et notamment Carousel, Les Misérables, Company et Sweeney Todd.
Monday, July 30, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – With a “serious and seductive” baritone (Globe and Mail), Brett Polegato gives his regards to Broadway. In collaboration with pianist Robert Kortgaard, he’ll perform some of the modern musical canon’s best, including Carousel, Les Misérables, Company, and Sweeney Todd.
Monday, July 30, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Virtuosity and passion abound as Israel’s Ariel Quartet unleash their seasoned interpretations of quartets by Schumann and Ravel. They finish alongside the Banff International String Quartet Competition winning Rolston String Quartet, with Mendelssohn’s brilliant and sweeping Octet, one of chamber music’s greatest offerings.
Monday, July 30, 2018 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Bass-baritone Stephan MacLeod chats director-to-director with Roman Borys about the genesis of his early vocal and instrumental ensemble Gli Angeli Genève. The Swiss ensemble takes our stage this Wednesday.
Monday, July 30, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Composer and educator Rob Kapilow sheds light on the inner workings of one of Beethoven’s most eloquent and compassionate chamber works. Dedicated to his friend and supporter Archduke Rudolph, this work represents one of the high points of the piano trio repertoire. Together with the Gryphon Trio, Kapilow will reveal what makes this musical marvel […]
Sunday, July 29, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – Last year’s winners of the JUNO Instrumental Album of the Year, The Fretless celebrate folk and blue grass traditions via the string quartet. Adored across North America for “transforming fiddle tunes into intricately beautiful, high-energy arrangements” (The Sudbury Star). Their first trip to Chamberfest features songs from their award-winning album Bird’s Nest.
Sunday, July 29, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Celebrate the festival’s birthday with us! Experience a mosaic of music that spans many centuries and defines the spirit of Chamberfest. Hosted by Eric Friesen, this musical mashup will feature small ensembles in every form, from baroque to blue grass.
Sunday, July 29, 2018 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Come meet Chamberfest for drinks at one of downtown Ottawa’s newest outdoor bars.
Sunday, July 29, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – France’s Quatuor Danel combines quick-witted energy with virtuosic precision. Their empathetic playing well serves Schubert’s Rosamunde Quartet, which is fueled by the trials and tribulations the composer faced as he approached the end of his life.
Sunday, July 29, 2018 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Buzz Brass explore the softer side of instruments typically reserved for fanfare, alongside “enchanting” harpist Valérie Milot (Le Soleil). Their peaceful programme moves from Bach’s My Spirit Be Joyful to Debussy’s beloved Clair de Lune, ending with the defining Leonard Cohen piece, Hallelujah.
Saturday, July 28, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Young virtuoso stars of the classical scene in their own right, pianist Zhang Zuo, violinist Esther Yoo, and cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan – winner of the 2011 Tchaikovsky Competition – create classical interpretations borne of “total togetherness.” With a musical chemistry “like alchemy” (Cambridge Independent), their program includes violin and cello sonatas by Beethoven and Shostakovich […]
Saturday, July 28, 2018 @ 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm – Ann Monoyios explores the tradition of musical settings of the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah – a witness to the heartbreaking destruction of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC – with special emphasis on three, beautiful 16th century examples from England, Spain and Northern Europe.
Saturday, July 28, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Sixième siècle avant Jésus-Christ : Jérusalem est capturée et détruite par Nabuchodonosor II, le Temple de Salomon est profané et les Juifs sont expulsés de leur patrie. Le prophète Jérémie interprète cette défaite comme étant une punition de Dieu. Ses puissantes lamentations ont inspiré des compositeurs européens (des siècles plus tard) qui les ont mises […]
Saturday, July 28, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Sixth century BC: Jerusalem is captured and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II, the Temple of Solomon is desecrated, and the Jews are expelled from their homeland. The Prophet Jeremiah understood this defeat as a punishment from God, his lamentations so powerful that they inspired European composers centuries later to set them in music reflecting their time […]
Friday, July 27, 2018 @ 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm – Violin wizard Roby Lakatos and his virtuoso bandmates follow their opening concert with a late night homage to jazz legends Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli.
Friday, July 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Powerhouse pianist Marc-André Hamelin and France’s eloquent Quatuor Danel return to Chamberfest to join forces for a performance of Dmitry Shostakovich’s breathtaking Piano Quintet. Lauded for performances that “keep the listener on the edge of their seat” (Toronto Concert Reviews), Hamelin will open the program with new discoveries by Feinberg and breathtaking works by Chopin.
Friday, July 27, 2018 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Welcome the Z.E.N. Trio – pianist Zhang Zuo, violinist Esther Yoo, and Tchaikovsky Competition-winning cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan – in advance of their first performance on the Chamberfest stage.
Friday, July 27, 2018 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Pianists Nicole Presentey and James Parker bring a long-time dream to fruition and join forces with their two pianos. Brahms’s own arrangement of his well-known Quintet in F minor brings this artistic collaboration’s maiden voyage to a dramatic conclusion.
Thursday, July 26, 2018 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Stay on after our opening concert for the story of Chamberfest through tales and performances from Chamberfest friends like Hinrich Alpers, Julian Rachlin, and Quatuor Danel, captured over three years by Riddle Films.
Friday, July 27, 2018 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – A “scorching virtuoso” (Andante Music Magazine), Roby Lakatos and his quartet open our Marina Kun series, and launch our 25th anniversary celebrations. Born into a long tradition of Romani violinists, Lakatos’s return to Chamberfest will lavish audiences with his seamless and incomparable display of musical styles and improvisational pyrotechnics.
Monday, December 4, 2017 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Following the success of their sold-out concert in 2015, The Tallis Scholars fill Dominion-Chalmers with interpretations of a cappella sacred vocal music that bear their signature supple approach and “brilliant virtuosity” (Ottawa Citizen). The chamber choir’s program is a tribute to the gorgeously detailed polyphony of Renaissance vocal music, and marks the 500th anniversary of […]
Thursday, April 12, 2018 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Known for his engaging interpretations, German violin virtuoso Christian Tetzlaff performs a rare solo recital. Experience the violin companion to Angela Hewitt’s Bach Odyssey as Tetzlaff performs Bach’s sonatas and partitas, including the immense D-minor Chaconne. “Is there a more physically engaged fiddle virtuoso before the public?” – Chicago Tribune Connu pour ses interprétations captivantes, […]
Thursday, March 22, 2018 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – “One of the world’s top orchestras” (Gramophone), Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra returns to the capital with a new program dedicated to the emotive works of Antonio Vivaldi. They are led for the first time in Ottawa by their new music director and Italian violinist Elisa Citterio, praised for her “invigorating” style by the Globe and Mail. […]
Monday, January 15, 2018 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Beloved among Chamberfest festival and concert series attendees alike, the St. Lawrence String Quartet’s extraordinary dynamism has carried them through nearly 30 years as an ensemble. “Remarkable not simply for the quality of their music making, exalted as it is, but for the joy they take in the act of connection” – New Yorker Très […]
Sunday, November 12, 2017 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Led by artistic director and “master of perpetual movement” (Le Figaro) Thierry Pécou, Ensemble Variances calls on their French roots for an evening of music in motion arranged for small forces: violin, cello, clarinet, piano, saxophone and flute. They feature Ravel, Milhaud, Debussy’s intimately-layered Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, and Stravinsky’s narrative piece L’Histoire du […]
Monday, October 23, 2017 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Acclaimed for his “astounding colours” (The Guardian), pianist Sir András Schiff has stood atop the world of piano for decades as one of the greats of recent years. The conductor, lecturer, and pianist performs an elaborate and reflective program that features Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms’s enchanting 7 Fantasien, Op. 116, and 8 Klavierstücke, Op. 76. […]
Friday, August 4, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – Andrew Burashko’s Art of Time Ensemble returns with a reprise of their re-imagination of the Beatles’ generation-defining album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Performed in full voice by an ensemble including Craig Northey (The Odds), Andy Maize (Skydiggers), and British pop singer Wesley Stace, Burashko’s project “chooses to rebuild magic, rather than restore it” […]
Friday, August 4, 2017 @ 5:30 pm – 12:00 am – Emerging and established artists offer free, 45-minute “snapshot” performances and discussions for those attending the evening’s gala performance.
Friday, August 4, 2017 @ 2:45 pm – 12:00 am – Visiting artists, scholars, and educators share their insights on the day’s musical offerings.
Friday, August 4, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Returning by popular demand, the Eybler Quartet digs up the works of baroque composers and breathes new life into them, playing Vanhal and Asplmayr as they were meant to be played – on period instruments and side-by-side with two recognized greats: Haydn and Beethoven. Prepare for “music that is alive, pulsing with rhythm” (Musical Toronto) […]
Thursday, August 3, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – “A sad morning, every morning.” Based around the emotional impact of the upheaval in Syria, Home Within is a 60-minute audiovisual performance, bringing together Syrian composer and clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and Syrian-Armenian visual artist Kevork Mourad in counterpoint. Together, their work explores the Syrian revolution and its aftermath in an abstract journey to redefine home. […]
Thursday, August 3, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – A cornerstone of our festival, the Gryphon Trio has long established itself as a must-experience on our concert calendar. Their repertoire this evening includes the Ottawa premiere of a new commission from Vincent Ho, Gryphon Realms, and a performance of Brahms’s lyrical A major Quartet, featuring leading British violist Graham Oppenheimer.
Thursday, August 3, 2017 @ 2:45 pm – 12:00 am – Ahead of their ground-breaking performance at tonight’s Chamberfringe, clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and visual artist Kevork Mourad chat about their project, Home Within, a 60-minute audio-visual performance focusing on the emotional impact of the upheaval in Syria. Broadcaster Eric Friesen will uncover the nooks and crannies of Azmeh and Mourad’s creative process, exploring a world where […]
Thursday, August 3, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Accomplished percussionist Beverley Johnston and violinist Marc Djokic come together for an inimitable partnership of percussion and violin. Strings meet marimba, vibraphone, and musical saw in a melodic, contemporary programme of specially-commissioned arrangements and compositions. There’s nothing quite like these interpretations of Telemann and Pärt – don’t miss this one.
Thursday, August 3, 2017 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 am – Celebrate 150 years of music with Ensemble Made in Canada. Bring the Kids! events are free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome, but adults with children will be given priority admission.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – Restless wanderers and acclaimed violinists Carissa Klopoushak and Edwin Huizinga make the world their dreamscape. Tonight’s setlist is a melting pot of violin and fiddle music for every music lover, from early classical to Eastern European folk.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – Beloved for their “remarkable range of technical excellence and emotional sweep” (The Globe and Mail), the Penderecki String Quartet celebrate their 30th anniversary at Chamberfest. Tonight, they play tribute to their vast history, including a piece by their namesake, Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, and Schumann’s prismatic String Quartet no. 3.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 @ 2:45 pm – 12:00 am – To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ottawa Chamberfest, composer Rob Kapilow will be turning one of Ottawa’s most famous works of art into music, and he would like your help. It all begins with your input at this unique opening conversation, which offers the Chamberfest audience the rare opportunity to be a part of a […]
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – From 1867 to 2017, Ensemble Made In Canada celebrates 150 years of music, featuring Mahler, Witte, and the Canadian premiere of Stewart Goodyear’s Piano Quartet.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – Cris Derksen brings an energetic evening of cello, weaving her classical training together with electronics and her Aboriginal ancestry. She’s joined by master hoop dancer Nimkii Osawamick and percussionist Jesse Baird. “Electrified and covered in flecks of gold, you exit gasping for air.” – Weird Canada
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – Marking 25 years since the beloved Argentinian composer’s death, Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires is brilliantly paired with its European inspiration, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Often staged and recorded only in fragments, Piazzolla’s epic tribute to his home country is performed with Vivaldi’s perennial classic, by Viennese virtuoso violinist Julian Rachlin and the festival […]
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 @ 5:30 pm – 12:00 am – Canadian Art Song Project founders tenor Lawrence Wiliford and pianist Steven Philcox are joined by soprano Allison Angelo in a program of lyrical Canadian music.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Dedicated to one of his first supporters, Count Ferdinand von Waldstein, Beethoven’s serene Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53, or the “Waldstein” Sonata, is considered one of his most notable sonatas. But what makes it notable? Why do its melodies touch us? Why do they invoke the peace of dawn? Rob Kapilow […]
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 am – Become an auditioner, an orchestra, a chorus, or even a performer on stage with opera singer Kyra Millan and pianist Tina Faye. Bring the Kids! events are free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome, but adults with children will be given priority admission.
Monday, July 31, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – Join Kyra Millan and her accomplice Tina Faye on a soprano’s exhilarating and hilarious journey from barely being able to speak in public to becoming an opera singer. Become the auditioner, orchestra, or chorus – or even share the stage with a world-class coloratura soprano.
Monday, July 31, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – “With just one voice to a part, polyphonic lines are sharply etched and perfectly weighed throughout” (BBC Music Magazine). Each singer acclaimed in his own right, this pan-European a capella group is celebrated for their stylish and harmonic approach to early music. Tonight, the prolific five piece group, boasting members from Austria, Belgium, England, Germany […]
Monday, July 31, 2017 @ 3:00 pm – Explore the sonic range of today’s most creative musical minds at Chamberfest’s annual New Music Now miniseries. New Music Now is a celebration of the breadth and vitality of today’s new classical culture.
Monday, July 31, 2017 @ 12:00 pm – 12:00 am – Explore the sonic range of today’s most creative musical minds at Chamberfest’s annual New Music Now miniseries. New Music Now is a celebration of the breadth and vitality of today’s new classical culture.
Sunday, July 30, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – The Swiss Piano Trio and clarinetist Peter Stoll explore the intimate eastern mysticism of Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s masterpiece, Scheherezade. Florian Noack’s chamber arrangement and a classical art video collage by director Arthur Spirk play off each other in a kaleidoscopic dreamworld inspired by the Arabian Nights.
Sunday, July 30, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – Hollywood director Stanley Kubrick brought new dimension to films such as The Shining, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and A Clockwork Orange by harnessing the depth and power of well-known classical works. Eric Friesen hosts an evening celebrating the legendary director’s musical choices, with an all-star cast including Hinrich Alpers, the Gryphon Trio, the Cecilia String […]
Sunday, July 30, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Rolling in from Parry Sound’s Festival of the Sound, clarinetist and artistic director James Campbell brings violinist and violist Gil Sharon, pianist Martin Roscoe, and the Land’s End Ensemble along for an afternoon of beautiful music making. Their performance includes expert interpretations of Bruch, Brahms, and Mozart’s intimate “Kegelstatt” Trio, as well as Allan Bell’s […]
Sunday, July 30, 2017 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 am – “Fierily forward-looking yet sensitive” (Gramophone), the Swiss Piano Trio is acclaimed for their emotional power and precision. Set today on the beautiful grounds of Beechwood Cemetery, their program includes Swiss composer Wettstein and Brahms’s introspective and intense Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor.
Saturday, July 29, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – David Braid’s music is “hauntingly beautiful” (The Globe and Mail). With compositions built to widen the palette of chamber, the JUNO-winning pianist and a top-notch string quartet paint dynamic strokes of classical-jazz revelation.
Saturday, July 29, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – The Cecilia String Quartet make a welcome return to our stage, joined by “highly expressive lyric tenor” (Victoria Times Colonist) Lawrence Wiliford. Together, the string quartet and tenor will give the Ottawa premiere of Marjan Mozetich’s ravishing Songs to Whitman, and the Cecilias will close the program with a pillar in the chamber music repertoire, […]
Saturday, July 29, 2017 @ 2:45 pm – 12:00 am – In anticipation of our Stanley Kubrick mash-up the following night, Jan Harlan takes us inside his work as Stanley Kubrick’s executive producer. Discover how Kubrick and Harlan integrated classical music into storylines, and created movie moments that remain among the most memorable in film history. Pianist Hinrich Alpers plays excerpts from Kubrick’s film scores.
Saturday, July 29, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Hinrich Alpers returns to Chamberfest with his renowned energy and versatility in tow. Alpers’s program is entirely dedicated to French genius Maurice Ravel, whose work in the German pianist’s hands is “first-class” and “nuanced” (Calgary Herald).
Saturday, July 29, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – Xenia Concerts, with the Cecilia Quartet and Lawrence Wiliford, are specifically designed to be welcoming for children on the autism spectrum and their families; the concerts achieve this objective by eliminating many of the conventions associated with classical music performances including audience silence and stillness. Instead, Xenia Concerts welcome freedom of movement and conversational interaction […]
Friday, July 28, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – Meet Kishi Bashi: a one-man music machine, mixing violin loops and layered singing to build a perfect blend of classical music and contemporary pop. Tonight, he’ll perform with a little help from his friends in the Rolston String Quartet (winners of the Banff International String Quartet Competition) – La Nouvelle Scène is the place to […]
Friday, July 28, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – Recently named the fifth best choir in the world (Gramophone Magazine), the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge makes their first appearance in Ottawa in nearly 20 years. “A heavenly experience” (New York Times) with more than 600 years of history in Cambridge, England, the 35-piece choral group is known around the world for their performances […]
Friday, July 28, 2017 @ 2:45 pm – 12:00 am – For centuries, Canadian musicians have been central to international music, their contribution evolving with our nation’s mosaic. Over three afternoons, Robert Harris recalls key Canadian moments on the world’s musical stage, and shares stories about the role of newcomers to this country in establishing Canada’s cultural institutions and music scene.
Friday, July 28, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – In their own rights, trumpeter Guy Few and violinist Mark Fewer are celebrated as “buoyant” (The Globe and Mail) and ““genre-bending” (National Post) performers. The immensely gifted artists come together with pianist Stephanie Mara for a diverse program that will sweep their audience into a multi-coloured world of gypsy folk, pure classical, and bewitching jazz.
Thursday, July 27, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – From Leonard Cohen to Randy Newman to Ron Sexsmith, the Gryphon Trio and “commanding yet intimate” (Billboard) soprano Patricia O’Callaghan cross into the contemporary with a night of dark tales of hardship and moody nostalgia.
Thursday, July 27, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – With an undeniable chemistry and joy that has carried them through seven years of joint performances, the Montréal Guitare Trio (MG3) and the California Guitar Trio (CGT) return. The contrasting sounds of steel and nylon strings meet in ground breaking arrangements of progressive rock, world, jazz, and classical music that brought Chamberfest to a triumphant […]
Thursday, July 27, 2017 @ 2:45 pm – 12:00 am – For centuries, Canadian musicians have been central to international music, their contribution evolving with our nation’s mosaic. Over three afternoons, Robert Harris recalls key Canadian moments on the world’s musical stage, and shares stories about the role of newcomers to this country in establishing Canada’s cultural institutions and music scene.
Thursday, July 27, 2017 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 am – How is a fanfare made? Trumpeter Mike Fedyshyn takes a break from leading the world’s brass sections to share the story of the trumpet. Bring the Kids! events are free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome, but adults with children will be given priority admission.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – Known for a percussive and improvisational style on the piano, Ottawa favourite John Stetch pushes the boundaries of classical and jazz, with “imaginative, rigorous, and truly personal takes” (Joseph Lin, Julliard String Quartet) on Chopin, Bach, and Mozart.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – The Canadian National Brass Project is true Canadiana: drawing from the first chairs of North America’s best orchestras and led by Canada’s premiere horn soloist James Sommerville, the all-star brass ensemble shines a light on Canada’s foremost composers. The project returns to Chamberfest with a programme that features well-loved classics and a new piece by […]
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 @ 2:45 pm – 12:00 am – For centuries, Canadian musicians have been central to international music, their contribution evolving with our nation’s mosaic. Over three afternoons, Robert Harris recalls key Canadian moments on the world’s musical stage, and shares stories about the role of newcomers to this country in establishing Canada’s cultural institutions and music scene.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – It’s much more than the bassline. From Schumann and Bach to jazz standard “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” Joel Quarrington, one of the world’s foremost bassists, puts the double bass’s best foot forward alongside fellow bassist Dave Young and pianists Bernie Senensky and Jamie Parker.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 am – Percussion quartet Architek shares the endless possibilities of creating sound. Bring the Kids! events are free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome, but adults with children will be given priority admission.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – Four missing pages. One big mystery. After Canadian musician Theodore Molt met Ludwig van Beethoven in December 1825, the pages from Beethoven’s notebook detailing their meeting were torn out and destroyed. Betrayal? Pride? Scandal? Tom Allen makes his best guess in a programme of music, drama, history, video, and informed speculation featuring soprano Patricia O’Callaghan, […]
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – One of the world’s finest and most active quartets returns with a bold program to inspire any admirer of essential chamber music. This evening performing Haydn, Dvorák, and Beethoven’s resplendent Op. 131, the Miró Quartet’s breathtaking intensity is sure to bring our audience to their feet.
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 5:30 pm – 12:00 am – Emerging and established artists offer free, 45-minute “snapshot” performances and discussions for those attending the evening’s gala performance.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – They’ve been called Canadian chamber’s “mad percussive scientists” (The Coast). Join Architek Percussion in an exploration of the haunting sound of minimalist, “electroacoustic” music, drawing from an instrumental spectrum ranging from drums and cymbals to beer bottles and tin cans.
Monday, July 24, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – Scored for chorus and five soloists performing in English, Cantonese, Ukrainian, and Hungarian, Sweat brings the audience into the heart of a contemporary sweatshop. Improvisation and percussive spoken text contrast the world of the factory floor with the dreams of the women who labour there. Plunging headfirst into the ethical conundrums of the garment trade, […]
Monday, July 24, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – Daughter of Florence and Queen of France, Catherine de Medici was undoubtedly the most powerful and controversial woman in Europe during the 16th century. A great believer in the power of artistic display to manifest her influence, she held sway over France for many tumultuous decades. Early music ensemble the Toronto Consort presents Catherine’s musical […]
Monday, July 24, 2017 @ 2:45 pm – 12:00 am – The squeeze box. The windjammer. The Stomach Steinway. Alexander Sevastian looks into the history of his instrument of choice: the accordion. He’ll accompany the story with compositions of his own, as well as Russian folk songs with acclaimed bass Robert Pomakov.
Monday, July 24, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Berlin was a crossroad for young composers in the 1700s. These emerging virtuosos came to Germany’s capital seeking inspiration, the excitement of the royal court, and, most importantly, the mentorship of Johann Sebastian Bach. On her five-string baroque cello and joined by lauded Italian organist Lorenzo Ghielmi, Elinor Frey explores the “Sensibility (Empfindsamkeit)” – fleeting […]
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 10:00 pm – 12:00 am – In 2016, Danny Michel was invited by Col. Chris Hadfield for a journey through the Arctic aboard Kapitan Khlebnikov, a Russian icebreaker. Over their 18-day voyage, he wrote and recorded an entire album: Khlebnikov. Now, Michel presents his love letter to the north, his travels, and the icebreaker itself, with brass and string accompaniment written […]
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 7:00 pm – 12:00 am – He’s been called “a virtuoso who begins where others leave off” by the Washington Post, gifted with “the most perfect piano-playing conceivable,” according to the Guardian. Renowned British pianist Stephen Hough plays a rare Canadian recital. In his Chamberfest debut, the true Renaissance man of the keys performs a treasure trove of classical piano, featuring […]
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 5:30 pm – 12:00 am – Emerging and established artists offer free, 45-minute “snapshot” performances and discussions for those attending the evening’s gala performance.
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 4:00 pm – 12:00 am – In a major initiative from the Royal Conservatory of Music, the New Canadian Global Music Orchestra explores and celebrates the cultural diversity and pluralism of Canada, connecting us and communicating in ways that words, politicians, and spiritual leaders cannot, and helping us to find a common language. Hailing from all corners of the globe – […]
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 3:00 pm – 12:00 am – Turkwaz is a unique combination of four musician/singers immersed in diverse musical traditions – from mysterious Sufi devotional love songs to rousing Thracian dance music. Each performer brings a distinct voice to the group. Maryem Hassan Tollar draws on her Arabic language heritage, Jayne Brown and Sophia Grigoriadis bring their experience with Greek music to […]
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 3:00 pm – 12:00 am – Montreal’s SOMA String Quartet gives a free afternoon performance at the National Gallery of Canada’s outdoor amphitheatre.
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 2:00 pm – 12:00 am – Scored for chorus and five soloists performing in English, Cantonese, Ukrainian, and Hungarian, Sweat brings the audience into the heart of a contemporary sweatshop. Improvisation and percussive spoken text contrast the world of the factory floor with the dreams of the women who labour there. Plunging headfirst into the ethical conundrums of the garment trade, […]
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Guitarist Kevin Breit, cellist Matt Brubeck, and percussionist Jesse Stewart give a free afternoon performance of improvisational jazz at the National Gallery of Canada’s outdoor amphitheatre.
Sunday, July 23, 2017 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 am – Now in its second year, Chamberfest’s Career Development Residency (CDR) invests in tomorrow’s artistic leaders by providing them with real-life entrepreneurial opportunities to program concerts and organize community outreach events. One of three participating ensembles this year, Montreal’s SOMA Quartet – equipped with two beautiful instruments from Canada Council for the Arts – begins your […]
Saturday, July 22, 2017 @ 7:30 pm – 12:00 am – For more than 50 years, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYO Canada) has enjoyed a reputation as Canada’s orchestral finishing school, devoted to the discovery and training of our country’s best young classical musicians. This summer, as part of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations, the NYO kicks off its Edges of Canada pan-Canadian tour, performing […]
Saturday, July 22, 2017 @ 3:00 pm – 12:00 am – Emerging artists Zachary Pulak and Andrew Harris show off percussion’s best in a free afternoon performance at the National Gallery of Canada’s outdoor amphitheatre.
Saturday, July 22, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – An annual feature of Chamberfest, Rising Stars showcases Ottawa’s finest emerging talent and provides a professional performance opportunity within the context of Canada’s largest chamber music festival. A panel of visiting artists judges each young musician’s performance. The two top performers receive cash scholarships to continue their studies in music.
Saturday, July 22, 2017 @ 1:00 pm – 12:00 am – Guitarist Kevin Breit, cellist Matt Brubeck, and percussionist Jesse Stewart give a free afternoon performance of improvisational jazz at the National Gallery of Canada’s outdoor amphitheatre.
Monday, May 15, 2017 @ 12:10 pm – 1:00 pm –
Monday, May 29, 2017 @ 12:10 pm – 1:00 pm –
Tuesday, May 30, 2017 @ 12:10 pm – 1:00 pm –
Tuesday, May 9, 2017 @ 12:10 pm – 1:00 pm –
Monday, May 8, 2017 @ 12:10 pm – 1:00 pm –
Monday, April 24, 2017 @ 12:10 pm – 1:00 pm –
Saturday, November 12, 2016 @ 7:30 pm – Chamberfest favourites the New Zealand String Quartet return for an evening of essential chamber music. Featuring quartets by Haydn, Farr and Rachmaninoff, the evening will close with one of the greatest chamber works of all time, Schubert’s sublime cello quintet in C major. Comptant parmi les formations les plus appréciées de Chamberfest, le Quatuor à […]
Thursday, March 16, 2017 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Angela Hewitt’s Bach Odyssey is nothing short of epic. It takes her across the world and home to Ottawa, performing the complete piano works of J.S. Bach in twelve recitals over four years. Her hometown concerts begin at the Chamberfest Concert Series, venturing into his Fantasias, Capriccios, and Inventions. Presented in partnership with the National […]
Saturday, March 18, 2017 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Angela Hewitt’s Bach Odyssey is nothing short of epic. It takes her across the world and home to Ottawa, performing the complete piano works of J.S. Bach in twelve recitals over four years. Her journey continues with a recital of his six French Suites, which are stunning in their simplicity. Presented in partnership with the […]
Monday, April 10, 2017 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – One of the top sopranos in the world, Karina Gauvin transports audiences with her incredible, toned range. With “a voice like liquid gold” (Seen and Heard International), the Canadian soprano joins Les Boréades de Montréal in a programme of baroque beauty featuring the works of Henry Purcell. Figurant parmi les sopranos les plus illustres du […]
Wednesday, November 23, 2016 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Lauded for their beautiful and polished tone, violinist extraordinaire Angèle Dubeau’s string ensemble La Pietà puts the spotlight on the musical excellence of Canadian female musicians. Tonight, they perform their very best: a diverse repertoire in 90 minutes including Antonio Vivaldi, George Enescu, Philip Glass, and genre-jumping superstar Ludovico Einaudi. Loué pour ses merveilleuses et […]
Tuesday, November 1, 2016 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Known for their zeal for showcasing new Canadian works, Véronique Lacroix’s Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal (ECM+) champions the innovative musical mind. The ensemble’s biennial Generation contest fosters young composers at the beginning of their careers, allowing them to create music and see their work performed across Canada. This year’s tour features the work of Taylor […]
Saturday, February 11, 2017 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Hailed by the Washington Post as “the best two-guitar team in existence, maybe even in history,” the Brazilian guitar duo of Sérgio and Odair Assad specializes in bringing together the classics of Europe and those of Latin America. Over their nearly 40 years, the pair have set the standard of guitar performance with their incomparable […]
Thursday, December 15, 2016 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – World famous tenor and broadcaster Ben Heppner hosts an evening of favourite carols and stories that will warm the hearts of audiences young and old. Featuring conductor Jean Sébastien Vallée in his debut with the Ottawa Choral Society, star soprano Mireille Asselin, and an ensemble of Ottawa’s finest brass and percussion players. Presented in partnership […]
