Festival’s 15th celebration includes All That Jazz, a new venture beginning Aug. 2

(The following Trumpeter column originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 25, 2007.)

By Bruce Gowan

As a special feature of its 15th season, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts is launching a jazz festival in addition to its traditional summer program.

This inaugural festival will run for four days from Aug. 2 to 5. The lineup includes some of Canada’s finest jazz performers — the Giants of Jazz, with special guest Guido Basso, Hilario Duran & Havana Remembered, Molly Johnson and the return of festival favorite Oliver Jones.

In addition, jazz can be enjoyed in a number of venues throughout the community.

Expansion or alteration of a successful endeavor is always a challenge, and our decision to increase our performance schedule certainly required careful thought and planning.

Bruce Gowan is an active member of the Hunstsville Festival of the Arts board of directors.

Each year when the board of directors of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts meet to ponder the format for the coming summer season, the suggestion of an all-jazz lineup, similar to many other festivals across Canada, is inevitably tabled for discussion. The consensus opinion always determined that it is important to continue to offer a wide range of artistic options to hopefully satisfy the diverse tastes of the residents of and visitors to Huntsville and district.

This past year the board made the bold leap forward to pursue the option of a separate jazz festival, while keeping our traditional format in place.

With this decision in hand, our first task was to secure a financial partner for this venture. As TD Canada Trust is a major supporter of Canadian jazz festivals, our first initiative was to contact Will Gibson, a local manager for TD Canada Trust and a strong supporter of our festival.

When apprised of our plans Will set up a meeting at TD’s corporate offices for our pitch. We (Kareen Burns, myself and Rob Saunders) headed off to Toronto armed with a tentative outline of our first year’s program and lots of information relating to the history, financial performance, and community involvement of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts.

The meeting went well and we were pleased to hear that the head office of TD Canada Trust has been monitoring our festival for several years. We received enough encouragement to begin the process of planning the jazz festival (securing performers and theatre dates etc.) while we waited for the approval process to work its way through the committee decision tree at the bank.

In the spring we were pleased to get the news that TD had agreed to be a presenter for the 2007 Festival.

We are launching this new initiative with four keynote performances; however our vision for the future has no boundaries. With the continued support of our patrons and sponsors we would, in future years, like to expand this program to include numerous outdoor presentations and activities – perhaps even in our new downtown waterfront park.

Arts Walk returns to Avery Beach Park on Sunday and jazz festival is next weekend

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 25, 2007.)

By Gillian Brunette

Sunday’s Last Night at the Proms at the Algonquin Theatre may have heralded the conclusion of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts’ core summer season, but there is still so much yet to come.

Stina Nyquist’s The Lost Chord opens tomorrow, Thursday, for a three-night run. On Sunday, July 29, the popular Arts Walk, a multi-arts experience in a natural setting, returns. It will be at Avery Beach Park, running from noon to 3 p.m. along the beautiful Hunters Bay trail.

Starting at the Avery Beach pavilion and stretching westward to the causeway, visitors will experience painters working in various mediums, stone carvers, creative knitters and crafters.

Rudy Stade will display his furniture from the earth that has been installed at various locations in the downtown. Music along the trail will be provided by Tobin Spring on guitar and Andrew Fisher on drums.

While this is not an arts and craft sale, the artists are happy to talk about their craft and explain some of their techniques as they create. Admission is free.

The festival’s inaugural jazz festival kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 2 running through to Aug. 5. It promises a stellar lineup of some of the finest jazz musicians in the country playing evening concerts.

During the day jazz will play in a number of settings throughout the community.
Leading off on Thursday night is a great evening of traditional jazz, featuring the Giants of Jazz. Comprising some of Canada’s finest jazz players, Don Thompson, Dave Young, Pat LaBarbera, Reg Schwager and Archie Alleyne among them, the giants will play an evening of jazz standards and some original material that is sure to satisfy the most ardent fan.

Special guest Guido Basso will lend his expertise on the trumpet and flugelhorn, ensuring the evening is a memorable one.

The next evening Friday, Aug. 3, Cuban/Canadian piano wizard Hilario Duran will bring his eight-piece salsa band to the Algonquin Theatre.

This ensemble produced the CD Havana Remembered in 2003 and received a Juno nomination for their efforts. Duran is one of the greatest virtuoso jazz pianists to emerge from Havana. He played for nine years with Arturo Sandoval and has shared the stage with legendary musicians such as the late Dizzy Gillespie and composer/arranger Michael Legrand.

On Saturday, Aug. 4 the festival presents acclaimed vocalist Molly Johnson. Johnson has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s greatest voices, known for her luscious interpretations of jazz and blues standards. Opening the show will be Micah Barnes on piano and vocals. Barnes has established a solid reputation in the jazz field after a lengthy stint with Canada’s top a capella group The Nylons.

REAL DEAL: Whether rocking from coast-to-coast as a pop artist or seducing patrons with her luscious interpretations of jazz blues and standards, Molly Johnson is the real deal. Don’t miss her concert on Saturday, Aug. 4 at the Algonquin Theatre.

Closing this inaugural jazz festival will be piano wizard Oliver Jones. Jones performed to a sold-out crowd at last year’s festival and delivered a memorable evening of unmistakable finesse, lightning fast technique and rollicking rhythms.

While the focus will be on the evening concerts, there will be other opportunities to enjoy the festival. On Thursday, Aug. 2 Erick Traplin will bring Junior Jazz to the Royal Canadian Legion as part of the Huntsville Public Library’s children’s summer series.

Traplin plays guitar, has a great voice and brings a tub-full of fun and surprises, guaranteed to spark the child in all of us. Tickets for this show are only $3 and are available at the library or at the door.

On Friday, Aug. 3 well known entertainer Bill Stewart will bring his jazz guitar to the Kent Park gazebo from 2 to 3:30 p.m., returning again on Saturday morning from 10 a.m. until noon.

On Saturday afternoon enjoy the sounds of the Muskoka Concert Band from 1 to 3 p.m outside the town hall.

Tickets for all of the evening shows are available at the Algonquin Theatre box office, by calling 789-4975, or online at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca. Tickets will be sold at the door on the night of the show, if available.

The Lost Chord being presented July 26-28

(The following article and photo appeared in the on-line version of The Huntsville Forester, July 25, 2007.)

(Photo courtesy of Muskoka Heritage Place)

Stina Nyquist's new play tells the story of Joseph Tapley, an accomplished singer/actor in the early 1900s, who gave up his career in England to become a farmer in the Canadian wilderness.

Based on historical fact, the play is a fictional drama of the human dilema and struggle to survive, between Mr. Tapley and 'E' his wife. Historical information was provided by his family who still reside on the Tapley homestead on Lake of Bays, now known as Bondi Village.

Sixth novel marathon launched on July 20

(The following photo originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 25, 2007.)

WRITERS' BLOCK: Some of the writers in this year’s Muskoka Novel Marathon gather for a photo at The Hideaway on Friday before embarking on a long weekend of pounding out words in the hope of producing a winning manuscript. All proceeds from the event go toward Muskoka Literacy Council programs. [NOTE: The Muskoka Novel Marathon was begun by Martin Avery and Mel Malton, under the Huntsville Festival of the Arts banner. Although the organizational torch has been passed to the Muskoka Literacy Council, it is still an official HFA fringe event. This year, the marathon took place July 20-23 at the Learning Centre; the resulting manuscripts are currently in the hands of the judges and awards will be given out at a later date.]

Mendelson Joe to kick off for Hawksley Workman’s shows

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 18, 2007.)

By Gillian Brunette

Emsdale painter, author and recording artist Mendelson Joe will open for Hawksley Workman at both of his two concerts on Saturday, July 21. While the 8 p.m. show is sold out, there are some tickets still available for the 2 p.m. performance.

Joe has enjoyed a diverse career since 1968 and the forming of his and Mike McKenna’s band called McKenna Mendelson Mainline. In December of that year, when the wave of English bands was coming to North America, McKenna Mendelson Mainline moved to England to pursue a record deal. They signed with Liberty/United Artists in the spring of 1969 and started working the English circuit, following acts Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin.

The group opened for major acts such as Rod Steward, Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix, then in April of 1969 recorded Stink.

They returned to Canada shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, Allied Records released the demos completed in September of 1968, promoted as McKenna Mendelson Blues.

Mendelson left the band in January 1970 and in the spring of that year joined up with Tony Nolasco and Zeke Sheppard to start a trio called Mainline. They brought with them the novelty of a heavy blues/rock band, premiering at the Hawks Nest in Toronto. McKenna joined the group for the large outdoor festival Scarborough Fair. The impact was huge and Mainline became a four-piece band.

In March of 1973 McKenna, Nolasco, Harrison and King Biscuit Boy (Richard Newell) got together and performed at several selected venues. They opened for Rory Gallager at Toronto’s Colonial and headlined a sellout crowd of 10,000 at Ontario Place. In June, Mendelson replaced King Biscuit Boy for their second Australian tour, this time as a headliner. It was wildly successful.

Joe Mendelson re-named himself Mendelson Joe and has had a prolific independent recording career that has spanned five decades. His latest album Everyone Needs a Pimp was released in May 2007.

OPENING ACT: Canadian singer, artist and author Mendelson Joe will open for Hawksley Workman’s two performances on July 21.

In 1975 Joe rescued some derelict paints from the garage and tried painting “to see what it was like.” A distinct style soon evolved and today Joe’s paintings are internationally recognized as outstanding, unique examples of contemporary Canadian art.

Also an accomplished writer, Joe expects his fourth book, Joe’s Politicians, to be published in early 2008.

The cost for the Hawksley Workman/Mendelson Joe concert is $35 for adults and $25 for youth under 18. Tickets can be purchased at the Algonquin Theatre box office, 789-4975, or online at www.algonquintheatre.ca.

Thirty writers taking part in this year’s novel marathon

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 18, 2007.)

Seventy-two-hour marathon will raise money for adult literacy initiatives in Huntsville

By Gillian Brunette

On Friday, July 20 at 8 p.m., a bell will be rung at the Adult Education Centre on Centre Street, marking the beginning of the sixth annual Huntsville Festival of the Arts Muskoka Novel Marathon (MNM).

Over 72 hours, a diverse group of writers will pound out as many words as possible in the hope that when the closing bell rings at 8 p.m. on Monday, July 23, their manuscript will be one of three chosen to be sent to a publisher for review and possible publication.

The organizers have decided this year that with so many participants it will be difficult to choose just one winner from manuscripts that are intended for diverse audiences. To that end there will be awards presented in three categories – adult, young adult and juvenile.

WORDS OF INSPIRATION: Muskoka Novel Marathon veteran Paula Boon (left) gives some advice to rookie marathoner Tracy Nita Pender. Both Forester staffers will be writing away at the Adult Education Centre this weekend as part of the Muskoka Literacy Council's annual fundraiser.

The marathon’s rules are strict. Writers may bring a one-page draft outline only. It is not a time for writer’s block. As noted last year by participant Karen Wehrstein, caffeinated beverages are crucial, while sleeping and eating are optional.

What began five years ago with just three writers has blossomed into an event with 30 participants. Muskoka mystery writer Mel Malton, one of the original three, launched her novel for young readers The Drowned Violin (which was conceived during the first MNM) on the eve of last year’s event. To date, several novels begun at the MNM have been published.

This year’s opening ceremonies are being held at the Hideaway Pub and will celebrate past and present MNM writers and their writings. A Muskoka Novel Marathoner’s Bookstore will offer their books for sale.

As well, there will be a special screening of Flipbook, a four-minute film based on last year’s event, co-produced by writers Sue Kenney and Bruce Pirrie with a Bravo/FACT grant supported by Bravo! New Style Arts Channel. Copies of the DVD will be available for purchase.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the evening is open to the general public. There is a cover charge of $5.

Each marathon participant will be collecting pledges to benefit programs offered by the Muskoka Literacy Council (MLC) in Huntsville to adults with educational barriers.

“The numbers are staggering – more than 30 per cent of adults nationally and higher in the Muskoka region are considered to have literacy barriers,” said Susan Lowe, MLC president.

“Our organization provides a safe and sensitive learning environment for adults over the age of 19, or teens younger who have been out of school for a year.”

MLC programs provide adults with confidential, one-to-one and small group learning in numeracy, literacy, computers, pre-employment and life skills. Volunteer tutors are committed to ensuring that their students acquire the life skills and knowledge necessary to participate fully in their workplace and community. A recent partnership with Georgian College enables adults to access academic upgrading at MLC for community college entry.

For more information on the MNM, call 789-1850 or e-mail literacy@vianet.ca.

Festival enters its third great week

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 18, 2007.)

By Gillian Brunette

The Huntsville Festival of the Arts is enjoying one of its most successful seasons in its 15-year history.

“I think there is no doubt we will have our highest sales levels from this summer’s shows.

“We knew going in we had a fairly popular lineup and by and large our patrons have supported us,” said festival general manager Rob Saunders.

(photo by Jon Snelson)
BOARD TALK: Members of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts board of directors unveil the new banner that will be seen advertising various festival-sponsored events around town this summer. From left back are: Suzanne Riverin, Bruce Gowan, Susan Lowe, Kareen Burns (president), Diane Thoms, Gillian Brunette, June Salmon, Stina Nyquist and Rob Saunders (general manager). Front row from left: Sharon Stock Feren, Pam Smyth, Carol Gibson and Jon Snelson.

He continued: “This being our 15th season, we knew we wanted it to be special. Our board decided to bring back some of our most popular performers from past years, as well as introducing some first-time festival artists. Lucky for us the opportunity to present both Jim Cuddy and Bruce Cockburn just happened to work out with their schedules.”

The last week of the festival continues in the same great vein with tenor Michael Burgess taking the Algonquin Theatre stage on Friday, July 20. There are still some tickets available for this show.

Already a household name to fans of Canadian theatre, Burgess is rapidly becoming just that on the popular music scene.

He is probably best known for his role as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, but Burgess has performed a variety of roles on stage from Shakespeare to O’Neill and Cole Porter to Stephen Sondheim. Last year, he recorded his first solo album, A Place In The Sun, which features pop music and renditions of songs by Freddie Mercury, Roch Voisine and others. The album is doing so well that Burgess is in the midst of completing his second solo effort, this time a collection of Christmas songs.

In addition to his music, the Regina, Saskatchewan-born Burgess has began to carve a niche for himself on the small screen. Guest appearances on television programs such as E.N.G., Street Legal, Friday the 13th, Psi Factor and Earth: Final Conflict have helped to make him quite the in-demand actor these days; he also started working on a feature film in New York last month.

Tickets for Michael Burgess are $35 for adults and $20 for youth under 18.
On Sunday, July 22, the popular Last Night at the Proms featuring the Huntsville Festival Orchestra returns due to popular demand.

This performance will also feature the Huntsville Community Choir and local singers Sherisse Stevens and Sean Connon. Connon will be performing the Celtic folk song Danny Boy.

There are still some tickets available for Last Night at the Proms. The cost is $42 for adults and $20 for youth under 18.

Huntsville playwright Stina Nyquist’s latest offering The Lost Chord wraps up July with three performances of her turn-of-the-century fictional drama taking place at the Algonquin Theatre July 26 to 28.

To celebrate its 15th great year, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts is bringing a four-night jazz festival to Huntsville in August.

“Last year we ended our summer in July as the theatre was booked in August by local theatre groups. This year with our Jazz Festival and groups like the Celtic Tenors and Lunch at Allens, I believe we will continue to see large audiences throughout August,” Saunders said.

Concluding, Saunders said the success of this year’s festival speaks well to the future of both the festival and the Algonquin Theatre.

“I think it’s great to see so many new faces coming into the theatre. At each show you hear people talking about how this is their first time in the theatre and for the most part their comments are very positive.”

(photo by Jon Snelson)
GARDEN TUNES: Bill Stewart and his longtime partner Jo-Ann Robert draw a large audience to the garden at Spencer’s Tall Trees Restaurant on Sunday. The Huntsville Festival of the Arts’ Jazz in the Garden was a huge success, with dozens of people showing up to listen to live music under sunny skies.

Brochures listing all events, can be found at various outlets around the area. More information can be found at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

Tickets are available from the festival website, at the Algonquin Theatre box office on Main Street, or by calling 705-789-4975.

Muskoka lore explored in Nyquist’s new play The Lost Chord, on stage July 26-28

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 11, 2007.)

Story based on a real British actor and singer who swapped fame for a farmer’s life in Canada.

By Gillian Brunette

Those who have seen one of Stina Nyquist’s many plays about pioneer life in Muskoka will be thrilled to know she has a new story to tell.

The Huntsville playwright has sharpened her quill as it were and penned The Lost Chord, which the North Muskoka Players will stage at the Algonquin Theatre on July 26-28 at 8 p.m.

Based on historical fact, the play is a fictional drama of the human dilemma and a family’s struggle to survive in Muskoka at the turn of the 20th century.

FIELD OF DREAMS: In rehearsal for Stina Nyquist’s latest play The Lost Chord are, from left, Gregg Evans (Joseph Tapley), Sherisse Stevens (Elizabeth Tapley) and Richard Wattling (Al, a farmhand). The Huntsville Festival of the Arts drama plays at the Algonquin Theatre July 26 to 28.

British actor and singer Joseph Tapley was well known in England during the height of the Gilbert and Sullivan era. He was a student of the illustrious Sir Arthur Sullivan and mixed with the social and cultural elite. He sang for royalty, including Queen Victoria, and also performed in Australia, where he met and married a young, beautiful actress who sadly died in childbirth.

Tapley remarried a charwoman well below his class and fathered two sons. When illness struck and his doctor advised him to give up his career and become a gentleman farmer, Tapley instead took his family across the Atlantic and bought a rocky, run-down farm in Lake of Bays, then a Muskoka wilderness.

The year was 1905.

His talent was definitely not in agriculture and Tapley yearned for England and the theatre, imagining a theatrical spectacle on the shores of Lake of Bays and dreaming that his sons would one day inherit his musical mantel.

Meanwhile, his down-to-earth wife was left to become the proud tiller of the soil.

While sharing their love for their children and treating each other with respect and loyalty, the couple is separated by class, by Tapley’s all-consuming passion for his art, his long absences from home and by the shadow of his first wife. Elizabeth Tapley finds support in an earthy and attractive farmhand named Al. He is a complete contrast to the sophisticated actor and becomes Elizabeth’s jack-of-all-trades and her friend. . . perhaps even a little more.

Nyquist has chosen her cast well from a plethora of great Muskoka actors. Gregg Evans is Joseph Tapley and Sherisse Stevens (who is also the play’s musical director) is his wife Elizabeth. Richard Wattling is Al, while Austin Simonett and Billy Wray play the two Tapley sons Percy and Douglas.

Tayler Calleja and Kristin Dalziel play the Tapleys’ daughter Violet as a young girl and a young woman respectively.

The remaining cast members are Kenneth Donald, Troy Palmer, Gary Fisher, Meg Giller and Maureen Van Lare.

The play is both serious drama and comedy, part truth, part fiction, said the show’s producer Pam Smyth.

“Although the play is based on real people in a real time period it is, at heart, a story of human dilemma, conflict and resolution, which is of course from the imagination of the playwright.

“As in any good theatre we as an audience want to be able to get into the hearts and minds of the characters and share their challenges.”

Much of the background material for the play comes from Tapley’s grandchild Nancy, who with her brother Brian, is the owner and manager of the original Tapley farm, now called Bondi Village Lodge and Cottages.

The actual silk suit costume worn by Tapley when he appeared on stage before Queen Victoria in Australia around 1890 is currently on display in the performing arts section of the Muskoka Creative exhibit at Muskoka Heritage Place.

Tickets for The Lost Chord are $22 for adults and $12 for youth under 18 and are available from the festival website, www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca, at the Algonquin Theatre box office on Main Street, or by calling 705-789-4975.

Second concert added for Hawksley Workman on July 21 at theatre

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 11, 2007.)

With all seats sold for the 8 p.m. July 21 Hawksley Workman concert, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts has added another show.

Some tickets are still available for a 2 p.m. show on the same day at the Algonquin Theatre.

The cost is $35 for adults and $25 for youth under 18. Tickets can be purchased at the Algonquin Theatre box office, 789-4975, or online at www.algonquintheatre.ca.

Poet laureate guest presenter at Poetry Café

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 11, 2007.)

Fringe festival event celebrates 5th anniversary in style at the Algonquin Theatre.

By Gillian Brunette

“Growth and more growth” is how Huntsville Festival of the Arts board member June Salmon describes the Poetry Café.

“We have growth in poets, talent and experience through the café and the community’s spirit. We also have growth in terms of venue. We started at Seven Main Café five years ago with eight participants and now we have up to 26 poets who have performed for us,” Salmon said.

Sixteen of those homegrown poets will take part in the event next Monday, July 16. All are well-known friends of the Poetry Café and recent anthology. All have been involved since the beginning.

The evening is also one of firsts: the first time it has been staged at the Algonquin Theatre, and the first time a major guest poet has been invited to take part, Salmon said.

The evening begins with readings from local poets. “One of the poets is Huntsville High School student Skyler Brooks, who participated in the Huntsville Festival of the Arts Grand Slam Poetry workshop,” said Salmon.

Following intermission, celebrated poet laureate of the City of Toronto Pier Giorgio Di Cicco takes the stage.

In addition to being a multi-faceted poet, Di Cicco is the curator of the Toronto Museum project and Centre for Global Cities and principal of Municipal Mind: Agents for the Urban Motive. He has authored 18 books of poetry, teaches at the University of Toronto and has just released Municipal Mind: Manifestos for the Creative City, a guidebook on civic aesthetic and the relationship between urban renewal, creativity and citizenship.

The evening concludes with an open mike with members of the audience invited onstage to participate in a great evening celebrating poetry.

Tickets for the Poetry Café are $10 and are available from the Algonquin Theatre box office, 789-4975, or online at www.algonquintheatre.ca.

Pianist André Laplante in concert July 17

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 11, 2007.)

Virtuoso musician has won awards at the Geneva and Sydney International Competitions and the Tchaikovski Competition in Moscow.

By Gillian Brunette

Canadian pianist André Laplante has been compared to Ashkenazy, Horowitz, and Rudolph Serkin, placing him in the elite circle of virtuoso pianists who do not hesitate to take risks.

The Huntsville Festival of the Arts brings the talents of Laplante to the Algonquin Theatre stage on Tuesday, July 17 at 8 p.m.

The program will feature Moment Musical #2 in A Flat Major (Schubert), Variations in F Minor (Haydn), Sonata in C Major, op. 53 (Beethoven), Sonetto del petrarca #104 (Liszt) and Sonata op. 35 in B Flat Minor (Chopin).

Laplante firmly established his reputation after attracting international attention by winning prizes at the Geneva and Sydney International Competitions and being awarded the silver medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.

André Laplante

In 2005 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2004 won the Juno award for orchestral recordings. He has appeared with the Montreal and Chicago symphonies, the Czech Philharmonic in Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Centre, the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by Sir Nevill Marriner, toured Europe with the Toronto Symphony under Andrew Davis, and the Royal Philharmonic under the late Sir Yehudi Menuhin during its extensive tour of America.

Recent seasons have also included a major concert tour of China, recital tours of the Far East, Australia and North America, and appearances at major music festivals across Canada as well as the Debussy Festival (France), Pecs Festival (Hungary), Cascais Festival (Portugal), Salzburg Festival (Austria), and the TCU-Van Cliburn Institute (USA).

Laplante has served as a juror of the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, the International Music Festival in Australia, the CBC National Competition (Canada’s most prestigious), the Honens International Piano Competition, the William Kapell International Piano Competition and the Van Cluburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs.

An active recording artist, Laplante’s releases include works by Liszt (Félix 1995), Ravel and Rachmaninov, as well as an award-winning Brahms album (Félix 1996).

He has also recorded for CBC and Melodia. His recording of Tchaikovsky No. 1 with Joav Talmi and l’Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, was nominated for the 2001 Felix Award.

In 1999, Laplante received two Opus Awards for live performances: Best Concert in Montréal and Best Concert in Québec Province.

Tickets for André Laplante are $35 for adults and $20 for youth under 18 and are available from the Algonquin Theatre box office, 789-4975, or online at www.algonquintheatre.ca.

African Guitar Summit unites Canada’s best guitarists for performance here July 12

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 11, 2007.)

Musical magic created through the combination of international experts’ individual styles.

The African Guitar Summit, a star-studded collaborative project uniting the talents of Canada’s best guitarists of African origin, is coming to the Algonquin Theatre July 12 as part of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts summer season.

The 8 p.m. concert will include Madagascar Slim, Alpha Yaya Diallo, Pa Joe and Mighty Popo. Each one is an expert with his individual style. Together they create real musical magic.

REACH FOR THE TOP: The African Guitar Summit unites the talents of Canada’s best guitarists of African origin. The group plays in a Huntsville Festival of the Arts concert at the Algonquin Theatre on July 12.

Madagascar Slim (Randriamananjara Radofa Besata Jean Longin) was born on Halloween night in 1956 in Madagascar. He didn’t really decide what he wanted to do with his life until he heard Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix on the radio.

While he didn’t speak a word of English, he spent many long hours trying to duplicate the solo from that song. Later he heard the records of B.B. King and came to appreciate the more direct and simple form that Hendrix had used as a starting point.

Slim’s first CD, OmniSource, won the 2000 Juno for Best World Music Album.

Guitarist and singer Alpha Yaya Diallo is originally from Guinea, West Africa. He has earned a matchless reputation internationally for the excellence of his musicianship and the excitement of his live shows, whether performing solo or with his band Bafing.

His dexterous guitar playing, with its fluid melodic lines and compelling grooves, places him in the front ranks of African musicians. Since then he has recorded five highly acclaimed albums of his own compositions, resulting in several Juno Award nominations and two Junos in the Best Global Recording category.

The Mighty Popo was born in Ngagara, a neighbourhood in Bujumbura, Burundi populated largely by Rwandan and Congolese emigrés and refugees. He grew up listening to local contemporary and traditional music along with music from the rest of Africa and beyond, as Ngagara was a soundscape in which Soweto, Kingston, Bahia and New Orleans lived side by side.

To Popo all this music formed one continuum, and when he left Burundi for Canada his musical journey took him down paths his ears had already travelled at home. As Popo gained experience as a performer, the various musical elements he first began absorbing in Ngagara became integrated in a mature musical vocabulary, and a brilliant and versatile sideman developed into a leader whose creative vision has given a voice to his old neighbourhood.

Pa Joe was born in the twin cities of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. His musical talent emerged early in his childhood, and he picked up the guitar at eight years old. He was informally schooled in guitar by C. K. Mann and Deroy Ebo Taylor, but considers himself primarily self-taught.

Pa Joe is the only actual musician in his family, although the family has been in the music business for over 50 years. Pa Joe was introduced to African music stars of all kinds, including Jewel Ackah, with whom he played and toured. After completing school he took over the leadership of Osamirima Band.

Since coming to Canada Pa Joe has played with Samara, Highlife Stars, Show-D-Man, and the legendary AfroNubians.

Tickets for African Guitar Summit are $32 for adults and $20 for youth under 18 and are available from the Algonquin Theatre box office, 789-4975, or online at www.algonquintheatre.ca.

2007 summer festival is fully rolling

Greetings everyone!

The 2007 Huntsville Festival of the Arts summer season is off to a wonderful start, as many of you will already be aware. In fact, some performers have proven so popular, according to advance sales, that a second show has been added to the original schedule.

There have also be a few "treats" added, such as opening acts for some artists which were arranged after the main brochure was printed. So, be sure to check our main website for updates and other information:
www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca

We are eager to have your feedback by about the shows on the main stage at the Algonquin Theatre or "fringe" events at other venues, as well as any festival activities. Please let us know what you think, what performers you would like to see in the future, or anything else you would like to say. Send your thoughts to:
comments@huntsvillefestival.on.ca

I will pass on any comments to the board of directors and, with your permission, I will try to post relevant excerpts on this blog.

Trumpeting the arts,
Jenny

Safari Jeff and Shannon will educate and captivate kids

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 4, 2007.)

Creatures like Sol, a Burmese python, Julius, a spiny green iguana and Sir Chompsalot, an American alligator, will make an appearance

By Marguerite Urban,
Huntsville Public Library

Safari Jeff and Shannon’s popular Great Green Adventure returns to Huntsville with a performance on Wednesday, July 11 at 11 a.m. at the Legion, Veterans’ Way (formerly Lansdowne Street East).

Sponsors for the show are Huntsville Festival of the Arts, Friends of Huntsville Public Library and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232. Tickets are $3 a person, large or small, andavailable at the library or at the door. The Great Green Adventure offers first-class, affordable family entertainment for children of all ages, thanks to the generous support of the sponsors.

The Safaris have been environmental advocates for many years, having promoted the need for conservation and preservation of species long before these issues were the flavour of the week.

They will educate and captivate you with a collection of their creatures (most are representatives of endangered species) such as Sol, a Burmese python, Julius, a spiny green iguana, and Sir Chompsalot, an American alligator.

One of the most popular features of the show occurs after the performance when children can get up close and personal with a few of the animals.

For example, Father Time, the giant tortoise, munching his lunch (mostly lettuce) is always a great hit. All of the reptiles in the show were born in captivity and now receive special care from Jeff and Shannon. Jeff and Shannon also donate their time and efforts to raising money and awareness for different Canadian animal organizations. They also love to spend time sharing their animals at Sick Children’s Hospital.

Safari Jeff, Shannon and their amazing reptiles of the world have performed in malls, science centres, fairs and festivals across Canada.

The show is a perennial favourite in Huntsville. Huntsville Festival of the Arts, Friends of Huntsville Public Library and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232 invite you to join Safari Jeff and Shannon for another magical adventure.
For more information check the library’s web page at www.huntsvillelibrary.net or try Jeff and Shannon’s page at www.greatgreenadventure.com.

Leonard Cohen fans will love Perla Batalla concert next Tuesday, July 10

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 4, 2007.)

Joined by Julie Christensen, the performer will pay tribute to Cohen’s greatest hits on July 10

By Gillian Brunette

The Huntsville Festival of the Arts presents Perla Batalla in concert on Tuesday, July 10 at the Algonquin Theatre.

The Los Angeles-born singer-songwriter first gained international attention as a backup singer for Leonard Cohen. He later encouraged her to embark on a solo career and Batalla subsequently released her debut CD Perla Batalla in 1994. Not surprisingly, the critics loved it, calling her singing “sublime” and her talent “stunning.”

Batalla is excited about her tribute to Leonard Cohen titled Bird on the Wire. The album includes special guests such as David Hidalgo (of Los Lobos), Bill Gable, Vinnie Coliauta, Greg Leisz, Julie Christensen and many other fine musicians.

Batalla and Christensen were Cohen’s backup singers on his 1988 and 1993 tours and also worked with Cohen during recording sessions in studio. An accomplished solo artist in her own right, Christensen now performs with her band Stone Cupid.

SIMPLY SUBLIME: Perla Batalla’s performance is “an experience to be savoured and sought at every opportunity.” The former backup singer for Leonard Cohen is at the Algonquin Theatre on July 10.

The July 10 concert promises to be a very special evening of music as Christensen will join Batalla on stage. The two will pay tribute to Cohen’s greatest hits and offer a glimpse into each of the artist’s solo works.

Batalla was immersed in the musical world from birth; her father was a Mexican singer and disc jockey, her mother the proprietor of a bustling Spanish language music store.

In addition to singing with Cohen, Batalla has worked with artists ranging from k.d. lang to the Gipsy Kings and Jennifer Warnes. These diverse influences are evident in the music she writes, arranges and performs today. Her repertoire cuts across genre and language, combining traditional Mexican folk melodies, powerful ballads and pulsing rhythms, the result being stylish and sophisticated.

Her second album Mestiza was released in 1998 on her own Mechuda Music label. Mestiza and Batalla’s 2000 release Heaven and Earth celebrate a powerful civilization born from the explosive marriage of separate worlds, a resplendent, vibrant culture nourished by mysticism, imagery, magic and myth.

Batalla’s eagerly awaited followup to the Mestiza song cycle was an innovative undertaking of contagious rhythm and pure joy. Named for her parents’ record shop, the Discoteca Batalla project was a compilation of original compositions interspersed with traditional Spanish-language classics arranged to reflect Batalla’s rich bicultural personal and musical heritage. Discoteca Batalla has appeared on “best of” lists throughout the country.

Christensen has had the blues and jazz in her ears and soul and voice for a long time. Before her two backup singing stints with Cohen, she fronted an alternative post-punk band Divine Horsemen with Chris D from 1983 to 1987, putting out four albums.

Since the recordings and live sessions with Cohen, she has worked with Van Dyke Parks, Exene Cervenka, John Doe, Steve Wynn, Osamu Kitajima, k.d. lang, Robben Ford and others. Blues and jazz and other roots music are conjured up on Christensen’s gigs alongside her evocative original songs.

Tickets for Perla Batalla are $30 for adults, $15 for youth under 18 and available at the theatre box office on Main Street, by calling 705-789-4975 or on-line at www.huntsvillefestival. on.ca.

Free festival fringe events include Music at Noon concerts at Trinity United Church

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 4, 2007.)

Kids’ Arts Splash begins at noon on the town dock this Sunday, July 8

During the three weeks of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts core period there are events throughout the community offered free and geared to satisfy all tastes.

The most popular of these are the Music at Noon concerts co-ordinated by Marion Haggart and taking place weekdays at Trinity United Church from July 9 to July 20.

The concerts, which feature some of Muskoka’s finest vocalists and musicians, begin at 12:15 p.m. each day and run for approximately half an hour.

The schedule of the first week is as follows:
July 9: Cilla Dale and Tom Dunn performing guitar and vocals.
July 10: Huntsville Adult Community Band with director Jordan Riley.
July 11: Kathy Kilbourne (clarinet), Margaret McCrank (piano) and George Kadwell (piano).
July 12: Patti Vipond (mezzo-soprano) and Marion Haggart (piano).
July 13: Suzuki String School (three quartets).

The lineup for Week 2 can be found on page 6 of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts brochure.

Free festival fringe events also include a dock concert at the Huntsville town dock on July 11 with the Muskoka Concert Band beginning at 7 p.m.

This Sunday, July 8 from noon to 3 p.m. is the annual Arts Splash, offering a fun-filled afternoon of interactive arts and crafts for kids of all ages. Paint a picture, make a craft or get a painted tattoo.

Other fringe events include the Poetry Café on July 16, the Muskoka Novel Marathon July 20 to 23, and the Arts Walk at Avery Beach Park on July 29.

Opera sensation Russell Braun at the Algonquin Theatre on Saturday, July 7

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 4, 2007.)

Juno award winner is certain to be a Huntsville Festival of the Arts highlight

The Huntsville Festival of the Arts is thrilled to present renowned Canadian baritone Russell Braun in recital this Saturday (July 7) as part of the opening weekend of its much-anticipated 15th season.

Manic, glorious, superbly sung and malevolently acted, rich, powerful, elegant, soft-grained, and spine-tingling are but a few of the epithets the media have used to describe this Canadian opera sensation.

CLASSIC PERFORMER: Canadian opera sensation Russell Braun performs Debussy, Vaughan Williams, Schumann and Spohr in his first Huntsville recital on Saturday, July 7.

Joining Braun on stage will be his wife, pianist Carolyn Maule, and renowned violinist Rebekah Wolkstein. The program will feature the music of Spohr, Debussy, Vaughan Williams and Dichterliebe by Schumann.

In concert, opera and recital, the international stages of the world – the Metropolitan Opera in New York, l’Opéra de Paris, the State Opera in Vienna, the Lyric Opera in Chicago, the Los Angeles Opera, La Scala in Milan, the Salzburg or the Glyndebourne Festival – are Braun’s for the taking.

His recording of Mozart arias and duets titled Winterreise, with fellow Canadian superstars Michael Schade and Isabel Bayrakdarian, won the 2007 Juno in the category of Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral Performance.

The 2006-2007 season featured Braun in a challenging combination of recitals, concerts and opera on two continents. The 2006 season began with his ROH Covent Garden debut as Valentin in Faust. Performances of Cosi fan tutte followed in Toronto’s new opera house, the Kindertotenlieder with the Toronto Symphony, a recital of Winterreise in Saint Mary’s and Il Barbiere di Siviglia in Japan.

Braun also made a number of appearances in New York throughout the new year including a duo recital with Bayrakdarian for the London Foundation, a performance of the Dichterliebe at the 92nd Street Y in New York, appearances at the Metropolitan Opera as Silvio in I Pagliacci and as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Recitals in Waterloo and Toronto and concerts with the Atlanta and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras rounded out the season.

Future seasons will see Braun return to the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, the San Diego Opera, the Salzburg Festival and appear with his friend and singing partner tenor Schade in recital at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto and Ottawa.

Recent highlights include his critically acclaimed debuts in the title role of Eugene Onegin with the San Francisco Opera, the title role of Billy Budd and Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with the Canadian Opera Company, as Zurga in San Diego’s Les Pêcheurs de Perles and in the title role of Pélleas et Mélisande at the Glyndebourne Festival.

In much demand as a concert artist, Braun has performed with many of the world’s leading conductors appearing with major orchestras in Europe, Canada and the United States.

Most recently Braun joined a host of Canadian singing stars on the stage of Roy Thomson Hall for Luna, Luminato Festival’s opera gala.

Braun makes his home near Toronto with his wife and their two sons, Benjamin and Gabriel.

Tickets for Russell Braun are $35 for adults, $20 for youth under 18 and are available through the Algonquin Theatre box office on Main Street, by calling 789-4975 or visiting the festival website at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

Sponsoring the concert are Pamela Hoiles, a noted supporter of the arts both in Huntsville and internationally, and DB Maw Landscaping.