June 2001 - Nr. 6
Festival of the Sound
22nd Season of Fabulous Music
Friday, July 20 to Sunday, August 12, 2001
Parry Sound, Ontario
"Come to the Festival of the Sound this summer" invites Artistic Director James Campbell and "eat, sleep, breathe and live music for a few days just as we musicians do for most of our lives." Music will be heard at morning, noon and evening concerts with over 60 events ranging from galas at the Inn and Tennis Club at Manitou to a Baroque Picnic, from familiar concertos by Mozart and Beethoven to the new sounds of the Discovery Series. Sunset cruises on the Island Queen bring together the music of the Festival of the Sound and the spectacular scenery of Georgian Bay. Parry Sound comes alive with music for the 22nd annual Festival of the Sound, July 20 to August 12, 2001.
Gala Opening Weekend
(July 20, 21, 22)
The Festival of the Sound opens on July 20 in the splendid acoustics and beauty of St. Peter’s Church. The magnificent voices of the Elmer Iseler Singers combine to celebrate the gala opening with selections from the choral music of Holst, Handel, Mozart, Healey Willan and a world premiere by Srul Irving Glick. On Saturday night (July 21), the Festival is proud to introduce Katherine Chi, the Calgary-born First Laureate of the Esther Honens Calgary International Piano Competition. She performs with James Campbell, Mark DuBois and the Penderecki String Quartet and is heard again in recital on Sunday afternoon (July 22). The weekend wraps up with one of the Festival’s favourite traditions, a Gilbert and Sullivan singalong on the Island Queen.
Classics Series
(July 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29,
August 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11)
The Classics Series of twelve concerts is the series in which Artistic Director James Campbell is able to program standards from the chamber music repertoire and new works to challenge and inspire the audience. Classical musicians come together from across Canada and many parts of the world and rehearse the works on site, bringing an energy and freshness to the performances.
Beginning in 2000, Campbell chose a number of bodies of work that he identified as musical monuments of the past millennium. Cycles of these works began last year and will be completed over the next two or three years. The Festival Baroque, chosen for their love of the Baroque repertoire from some of Canada’s leading orchestras, made their Festival debut in 2000 bringing a dynamic approach to their performance of three of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. They are back to complete this cycle in the first week of the season (July 25, 27, 28).
Founding Artistic Director Anton Kuerti makes two concert appearances that week. On July 26, he is heard with the Festival Winds, James Mason, James Campbell, James McKay, and James Sommerville, in a concert launching their acclaimed CD of the Mozart, Beethoven and Witt quintets for piano and winds. A highlight of the season comes on July 29 when Kuerti performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Violinist Erika Raum makes her Festival of the Sound debut on the same program with Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4. The Festival Baroque and Festival Winds form the core of the orchestra that evening as well as on July 27 and 28 when James Sommerville, Principal Horn of the Boston Symphony, plays all four Mozart Concertos for Horn.
Morning and Noon Series
(July 25, 26, 27, August 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10)
Many days at the Festival of the Sound begin with Morning Music at 10:30 A.M., followed by Noonsounds at 12:00. St. James United Church in downtown Parry Sound provides an intimate atmosphere for these chamber series. During the first week, the Penderecki String Quartet completes the cycle of Bartok String Quartets (July 25, 26, 27). During the following two weeks, England’s Allegri String Quartet is heard in four Noonsounds concerts and is joined by cellist Antonio Lysy in Schubert’s great String Quintet in D Major (August 2).
Discovery Series
(July 26, 28, August 1, 2, 3, 9, 10)
The Discovery Series began in 1996 as a series of free concerts preceding evening Classics Concerts. The mandate was to introduce the works of young Canadian composers to Festival audiences. The composers are in residence at the Festival of the Sound under the mentorship of Gary Kulesha, composeradvisor to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The Discovery Series has expanded to include works by established Canadian composers. Festival audiences will hear two String Quartets by R. Murray Schafer, Footprints in New Snow, an electroacoustic composition by Christos Hatzis based on the vocal games of the Inuit and Quantum Mechanics by Jeffrey Ryan.
Million Dollar Strings
During the third Festival week, the focus is on strings. The Canada Council Instrument Bank acquires, through donations and loans, quality instruments that are then awarded to established or gifted young Canadian musicians to help further their international solo or chamber music careers. At the 2001 Festival, you will meet the 1729 ex-Heath Guarneri del Gesu violin (and Martin Beaver), the 1717 WindsorWeinstein Stradivari violin (and Annalee Patipatanakoon), the 1824 McConnell- Gagliano cello (and Roman Borys) and the 1820 Pressenda violin (and Jasper Wood). Members of the Allegri String Quartet, David Harding and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi also use famous old instruments and perform during the week. The highlight comes on Friday, August 10 when the wonderful acoustics of St. Peter’s Church will be the setting for a concert bringing them all together.
Music From the Inside Out
Woven throughout the concert season, we have Music From The Inside Out, a series of free lectures, discussions, open rehearsals and Discovery Concerts. Dr. Charles Morrison, Dean of Music at Sir Wilfrid Laurier University, discusses the Bartok String Quartets. George Zukerman and James Campbell share their experiences from a March tour of the Qikiqtani region of Nunavut where they presented concerts in 10 remote communities. The second week, the Festival welcomes back Brian Newbould, renowned musicologist and Schubert scholar. Carol Bream, Director of Endowments and Prizes for the Canada Council for the Arts, is in attendance during the final week to moderate discussions about the Instrument Bank anal the instruments. Adrian Shuman, Music Archivist of CBC Radio’s Fresh Air, presents a talk on the history of recorded sound from a uniquely Canadian point of view.
Island Queen Musical Cruises
(July 1, 22, 31, August 5, 8, 12)
The cruise ship Island Queen takes a wandering three-hour route through the spectacular beauty of the 30,000 Islands at sunset. The music is performed on the lower deck and heard throughout the ship. The Harvey Seigel Dixieland Band kicks off the season on Canada Day with a tribute in recognition of the centenary of the birth of Louis Armstrong. Under the direction of Roy Schatz, the audience becomes the chorus for a Gilbert and Sullivan Celebration (July 22). Two new ensembles bring traditional Canadian music to the Island Queen series. On July 31, join Anne Lederman and Fiddlesong for a lively evening of fiddling, strongly rooted in prairie traditions. John Prince and A Piece of the Rock bring songs of Newfoundland to the waters of Georgian Bay (August 5). An old Festival of the Sound tradition returns on August 8 with Evening Serenade, classical favourites performed as the Island Queen floats silently on Georgian Bay. Jazz pianist Craig Harley, a native of Parry Sound, and his ensemble Cash Coin, are joined by other Festival musicians for the Final Party Cruise, the traditional wrap-up to the season (August 12).
Katherine Wheatley in Concert (July 13)
Another talented native of Parry Sound, Katherine Wheatley is regularly heard on CBC radio and performs at folk festivals and concert series across Canada. Her original songs reflect her humour, her depth of observation and her passion for landscape, character and life’s unpredictable marvels. This special concert will be a fundraiser for two significant capital projects in Parry Sound, the new West Parry Sound Health Centre and Parry Sound Place .
…plus these Special Events
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Just Gene and Jim at Manitou (July 24)
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Baroque Picnic (July 25)
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After Hours with Guy Few (July 27)
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Gala Dinner and Concert at Inn at Manitou (August 7)
