Jazz festival offers great lineup of talented musicians on Algonquin Theatre stage

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 29, 2009.)

The third annual Huntsville Jazz Festival starts tomorrow, July 30, and runs until Saturday, Aug. 1.

This ‘festival within a festival’ focuses on the genre of jazz and, as in previous years, a great lineup of talented musicians has been confirmed.

On Thursday evening, the big sound of the Toronto All Star Big Band takes the Algonquin Theatre stage. Described by the National Post as “a great swing band,” this group of young, very accomplished musicians will energetically interpret the great music of the '30s and '40s, including the works of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey.

Armed with brilliant programming, slick choreography and witty cultural nostalgia, this vibrant cast of young talent has earned its position at the top of the list of presenters throughout Ontario and in the U.S.

At the heart of the musical matter, the Toronto All-Star Big Band provides one of the most intense and stimulating youth music programs in Canada. Behind their extraordinary entertainment, they engage cream-of-the-crop young musicians from across the GTA in a rigorous regime of rehearsals, workshops and rich skill-building performance experiences with international stars. They have also worked with talented Canadians such as Peter Appleyard, Tommy Ambrose, Phil Nimmons, Oliver Jones, Ranee Lee and the great Jackie Richardson.

On Friday night, crooner Michael Danso and the celebrated jazz trio Kollage will present an evening of great jazz music. Kollage is led by acclaimed drummer Archie Alleyne, who was nominated at the 2007 National Jazz Awards for Drummer of the Year, Musician of the Year, and Instrumentalist of the Year. Alleyne has accompanied a who’s who of great jazz performers from Billie Holliday to Oscar Peterson and Oliver Jones to Big Joe Turner, as well as producing a couple of CDs with Danso.

Singing with symphony orchestras and jazz groups, Danso has travelled from Toronto to China and back. He has toured extensively as a singer and dancer with Riverdance, has acted in dramatic roles on television and the stage, and has appeared in hit musicals across North America.

Originally from Scotland, Danso first appeared on stage at the age of five. Ella Fitzgerald spotted him at the age of 10 and wanted to take him to the U.S. but his grandmother vetoed the idea. Danso spent the next nine years continuing to hone his talents in Scotland. He finally came to North America at the age of 19, performing in the hit musical Hair.

Danso spent three years in Los Angeles, then three more touring Japan and the Far East. He finally settled in Canada, where he immediately became a favourite of audiences and media alike. He has performed in top jazz rooms, festivals and nightclubs all across Canada and the U.S.

Just added to the program is a guest vocalist, the aforementioned Jackie Richardson. Known as the queen of gospel and soul, she achieved theatrical acclaim for her award-winning work on Cookin’ at the Cookery and Raisin in the Sun.

On Saturday night, the jazz festival closes with the legendary Peter Appleyard. A versatile studio percussionist and nightclub/television personality in Toronto, he moved to Canada in 1951 as a drummer and soon turned to the vibraphone.

LEGENDARY VIBRAPHONIST: The jazz festival closes on Saturday with legendary percussionist Peter Appleyard, who will be joined on stage by jazz vocalist Carol McCartney.

Appleyard’s television shows include the CBC’s Mallets and Brass (1969), with flugelhornist Guido Basso, and the syndicated Peter Appleyard Presents (1977-80). Appleyard, who has conducted his Canadian career with a keen instinct for popular tastes, has recorded several light-instrumental albums, including Swing Fever (1982), as well as the jazz CDs Barbados Hot and Barbados Cool (1990). His version of the Lincolnshire Poacher was a pop hit in the early 1970s.

Appleyard has worked abroad with Benny Goodman, Dick Hyman, Mel Tormé, Bob Wilber and other noted U.S. jazz musicians.

He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1992. Joining Appleyard on the evening’s program will be vocalist Carol McCartney, well known on the Toronto jazz scene.

Tickets for all shows are available at the Algonquin Theatre box office, by calling 789-4975, or online at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

All-day jazz featured at River Mill Park

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 29, 2009.)

Local groups and guest artists will delight audience for hours

This Saturday, Aug. 1, will be the first all-day jazz festival in River Mill Park, running from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The afternoon of music, a new component of the Huntsville Jazz Festival, will feature a combination of local groups and guest artists.

The day will kick off at 11 a.m. with the music of the Muskoka Big Band, under the direction of Neil Barlow. This band of local musicians performs regularly throughout the community and always provides a rollicking good program. Vocalist Sherisse Stevens will accompany the band on a few numbers and the program will include a bevy of audience favourites.

Next up, at noon, the Muskoka Jazz Guys will perform. One of the busiest groups in the Muskoka area, saxophonist Doug Banwell, keyboard wiz Tim Sullivan and bass player Jamie Bestwick can play all types of jazz music and often look for requests from the audience to set their program. Known for their virtuosic solo work the group returns at 5 p.m. for a second set.

Marguerite and Bill Urban lead the Trillium Dixie Jazz Band onto the stage at 1:15 p.m. This six-piece ensemble is the perfect group for an outdoor concert, with lots of energy, toe tapping tunes and music we have all grown to love. Mixing Dixieland swing with well-known classics, the Trillium Dixie group has a large local following.

At 2:15 p.m. Laganza, better known for their pop/rock performances, take the stage. Led by the versatile Tobin Spring, the group will do a set of reggae and jazz-inspired tunes, showcasing Spring’s guitar wizardry and group vocals.

Special guest musicians, the Herbie Koffman Quintet, perform a set of jazz standards at 3:30 p.m. Koffman, a master on the trumpet, and his son are joined by a rhythm section and well-known jazz guitarist Rob Piltch.

Following the Koffman set, the Muskoka Jazz Guys and the Trillium Dixie band return for second sets at 5 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. respectively. In between artists, masters of ceremonies Doug Banwell and Ken Cole’s comedy troupe the Woodshed Collective will keep those in attendance occupied and entertained.

There is no charge for this event and the Huntsville Festival of the Arts invites you to bring your lawn chair, sit back and enjoy some great music. The performers will be set up on a professional stage and under a stage cover purchased by the festival through an Ontario government Celebrate Ontario grant. These facilities will be used in the future by various community organizations both in River Mill Park and at various outside venues.

A masterpiece in the making, in the open air

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 22, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

Huntsville’s downtown will take on the air of Quebec City’s Old Quebec Lane, when 25 artists (plus some artists-in-training) set up their easels on July 30, to paint whatever tickles their fancy.

The finished masterpieces will then be auctioned off from the town hall steps at 3 p.m. that afternoon. Sponsored by Kelly Holinshead, the Shutterbug Gallery and the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, en Plein Air painting and auction is a new, totally unique idea to raise money for an art bursary(ies) for local students pursuing a fine arts post-secondary education.

GREAT PAINTS: Some of the artists participating in en Plein Air on July 30 gather on the steps of town hall. From left, front, Gerry Lantaigne, Sharon Stock Feren and Jennifer Pimentel. At back, from left, Kelly Holinshead, Johanne Stewart, Huntsville mayor Claude Doughty and Catherine O'Mara.

The participating artists will set up their easels at 10 a.m. on Main Street or in River Mill Park, having been supplied with a stretched 16 x 20-inch canvas and a box of acrylic paints in red, blue, yellow, black and white. They will then use their imagination and talent to produce a completed painting by 2 p.m.

“They can paint whatever they want, a self portrait, from a photograph, from memory or what they see around them,” Holinshead said.

Once finished, the paintings will be displayed on the town hall steps for the public to view prior to the auction. To entertain the prospective buyers, music will be provided by guitarists/vocalists David Crombie, Luc Pattison and Luke Pombiere.

Promptly at 3 p.m., arts patrons, the public at large and anyone looking for an original piece to hang on their walls, will have an opportunity to bid and possibly obtain the painting of their choice. With actor/comedian James Carroll conducting the proceedings, the auction promises to be a lively and entertaining affair.

Some of the artists who are taking part are Wendy Moses, Catherine O’Mara, Sara Hall, Helena Renwick, Johanne Stewart, Sharon Stock Feren and muralist Gerry Lantaigne. Artists-in-training include mayor Claude Doughty and councillors Fran Coleman and Mary Jane Fletcher.

Doughty, a former dentist, is not much known for his artistic endeavours, although he does confess to having an architectural eye. “When I was eight, I was given a Jon Nagy learn-to-draw kit and I had it licked by noon. That was the last time I did anything that wasn’t a building,” he said. “Then, when I was 16, I didn’t know if I was going to be a dentist or an architect. The guy next door was a dentist and had a nice car and that cemented my decision.”

Lantaigne has been busy of late with Group of Seven mural renderings but said he will probably choose a building to paint, such as the Shutterbug Gallery, which is one of his favourite buildings in town. “When I paint, I’m usually done in two hours but, with four hours, I can really spend some time on it.”

With the other participants still mulling over their options, Doughty said he has to first get the hang of mixing paints. “Can we have a Coles' Notes colour chart?” he asked of Holinshead.

Patsy Cline comes to life on stage, July 25

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 22, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

Leisa Way is returning to the town where, three years ago, she debuted her Patsy Cline tribute show.

Sweet Dreams – A Tribute to Patsy Cline takes the Algonquin Theatre stage this Saturday, July 25, at 8 p.m.

“Huntsville and the Algonquin Theatre were the start of what has become an amazing tour,” said Way, who also portrayed Cline in the stage musical A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline.

WAY TO GO: Leisa Way takes time out for a photo with Tom Thomson outside the Algonquin Theatre earlier this month. Way brings Sweet Dreams: A Tribute to Patsy Cline to Huntsville this Saturday, July 25.

The perky, petite blonde, becomes Patsy Cline in an instant when kitted out in black wigs, cowboy hat, boots and adopting the singer’s trademark deep voice. Quite the change for the soprano who once played Peter Pan and Anne in Anne of Green Gables for the Charlottetown Festival.

Way was born in Kitchener, raised in Sudbury and has deep northern Ontario roots. Her mother hailed from Callander and her father from Powassan. From a musical background with family gatherings full of music and laughter, she says of the three children in her family she was the lucky one who got all the musical talent.

Way loves the Huntsville area, and she and her husband, actor David Nairn, who is also the artistic director of Theatre Orangeville, often vacation at the Nor’Loch Lodge in Dwight. “We were just there a few weeks ago. Our tax guy is in Huntsville,” Way said, with a tinkly laugh.

It was at the Banff School of Fine Arts that Way developed a love of musical theatre, starring over the years in shows such as Crazy For You, Showboat, The Sound of Music and Grease. During that time, Way found her ‘musical belt,’ which allowed her to hit the back wall of a theatre when she sang in a lower vocal range. That opened up a whole new world for the soprano.

“A lot of people don’t have a great belt voice. Barbra Streisand is one and Patsy Cline another, ” she said.

The show Way is bringing to Huntsville differs from the last in that there are more songs and less dialogue, Way said. “I told so many stories about Patsy Cline last time; I could talk all day about her there are so many funny stories, but I’ve honed it, so there is more music - 29 songs in total.”

Included in that number are several songs that Cline only ever sang live and were never recorded. There are a couple of songs, which are lovely, that people will not know Patsy did unless they were at one of her shows, Way explained.

Way has just completed a 22-concert tour playing to sold-out audiences everywhere. “In one theatre in Morrisburg, we did several shows and close to 5,000 people came to see us,” she said.

After three years, Way still enjoys portraying her alter ego. “She was so loving, so giving, so full of life. It’s a joy to embody someone who was so well loved.” Patsy Cline was killed in an air crash at the age of 30, but lives on in the hearts of many of her fans. This is one show that is sure to sell out, organizers say.

Tickets are $35 and $20 for youth under 18 and available at the Algonquin Theatre box office, 789-4975 or online at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

Multi-sensory show brings Paris life to Huntsville stage, thanks to HHS grads

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 22, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

Busking with her violin on the streets of Paris was an exciting and rewarding experience for 28-year-old Nisha Coleman.

“I busked on the streets for three years and it worked well. I made more money busking in Paris than I would have in any other job anywhere,” she said.

While busking is officially illegal in Paris, so are many other things but that doesn’t stop the French, Coleman said. “The police don’t bother you unless they receive a complaint. I had a few encounters with the police, but nothing too serious. One time, a lady complained, saying she didn’t like the violin. The police came and questioned me, checked my passport, and that did make me feel a bit uncomfortable.”

There are some areas to be avoided, such as the Champs Elysees, where busking is strictly forbidden. Conversely, there is a designated area for artists and musicians, but it was too busy, Coleman said. “I went to non-designated places, under bridges and archways, where sound can resonate a bit more, which is better for the violin.”

While in Paris, Coleman re-connected with former fellow Huntsville High School student Brigitte Reid, who made a 17-minute documentary about her busking experiences. “That inspired both of us to complement the film with other multi-media to capture the essence of Paris,” said Coleman.

The result can be seen tomorrow night, July 23, at the Algonquin Theatre, when the Huntsville Festival of the Arts presents Une Soiree Parisienne. The show will begin with the documentary,
followed by a text, written and related by Coleman, that will take the audience through a day in Paris, as seen through the eyes of all who encompass the city: children, homeless people, Parisiennes on their way to work, even the pigeons, said Coleman.

“I begin with the day at 6 a.m. through to 10 a.m. Then the theatre will go dark and there will be a two-minute electro-acoustic recording of Paris sounds – the cacophony of traffic, the birds, the metro.” The evening will continue with more text, music and a couple of short films accompanied by Coleman and Reid on violin and piano.

“There will be lots of little surprises throughout the evening. We want to bring four of the five senses to the experience, and make it a holistic revisitation of the city,” Coleman said. One of those senses, taste, will be introduced to patrons during the intermission with offerings of French wine, cheese and baguette.

Recently returned from her sojourn in France, Coleman is settling down in Montreal with her boyfriend, whom she met in Paris. Reid is living in Mexico City with her husband, teaching English and French, filming and working on various other projects. The couple is expecting their first child soon.

Tickets for what promises to be a delightfully different evening are $15 and available at the Algonquin Theatre box office, 789-4975 or online at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

PLAYING IN PARIS: There is nothing like the sound of Bach to soothe the soul on a sunny afternoon in Paris. Passer-by Herve Blandin caught former Huntsville High School student Nisha Coleman busking not far from the Palais-Royal and posted it on the web. Coleman and fellow alumna Brigitte Reid bring Une Soiree Parisienne to the Algonquin on July 23.

Festival warms up with hot country trio Doc Walker, followed by tenor Mitch Seekins

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 15, 2009.)

By Gillian Brunette

One of North America’s hottest country acts, Doc Walker, comes to the Algonquin Theatre tomorrow night at 8 p.m.

Combining the free-spirited country-rock style of the Eagles with the blended vocal bliss of bands such as Alabama and America, this trio, with its trademark country-rock sound and pitch-perfect, high-flying harmonies, is sure to fire up all country music fans. Doc Walker band members Chris Thorsteinson, Dave Wasyliw and Murray Pulver are three childhood friends from small-town Manitoba who managed to stick it out for the long haul – through school band practices, tour after tour, marriage, children and through the good and the bad,

Three albums into their career, Doc Walker released Beautiful Life, an album that won the band a 2009 Juno Award for Country Recording of the Year, six Canadian Country Music Awards in 2008 (including Album of the Year, Single of the Year and Fan’s Choice Award) and three top-10 country singles.

On Aug. 25, Doc Walker will release their fifth, hotly anticipated, full-length album, tentatively entitled Go. The album echoes the multi-award winning Beautiful Life in a number of ways. The three band members co-wrote the majority of the album and worked with acclaimed Nashville songwriters Bruce Wallace and fellow Canadian Victoria Banks.

With a busy set of summer festival dates, a major fall tour and a brand new album, Doc Walker will drive their dream further than they imagined when they were 14 years old and just fooling around with guitars in a tiny Manitoba town.

On Saturday, July 18, the celebrated tenor Mitch Seekins brings the popular music of Michael Bublé and Andrea Bocelli to the Algonquin stage. This show makes for a wonderful evening full of energy, humour and class all at the same time with songs such as Home, Fever, Time to Say Goodbye, The Prayer, as well as hits with Tony Bennett and Josh Groban.

Mitch Seekins has, for more than 20 years, been performing pop, rock and R&B in nightclubs from coast to coast in Canada. In 1996, he was encouraged to make a crossover into classical music and has since performed in operas by Puccini, Mozart and many others.

Performing the music of Andrea Bocelli was a perfect marriage of both the pop and opera genres, showcasing Seekins’ abilities. The idea of Bublé to Bocelli was really in response to the demands of audiences wanting to hear the old standards with Bublé’s new, lively arrangements, but also with the great renditions of Andrea Bocelli’s music.

One interesting piece of trivia: Seekins is also the founder of his own vocal school, where he has instructed internationally known artists, including Huntsville’s own two-time Juno award winner Hawksley Workman.

Tickets for all festival shows are available at the Algonquin Theatre box office on Main Street, by dialing 789-4975, or online at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

TRAIL BLAZERS: One of the hottest country acts
in North America, Doc Walker takes the Algonquin
stage on Thursday, July 16, at 8 p.m.

Lake of Bays diva performs at Algonquin Theatre with top-notch string quartette

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 15, 2009.)

Internationally renowned opera star Pamela Hoiles brings a variety of guests to her Huntsville concert

By Gillian Brunette

Internationally recognized soprano and Lake of Bays resident Pamela Hoiles appears in concert this Friday, July 17, and says she is thrilled to be performing in Huntsville.

“It is such a pleasure to be back here with such wonderful friends and supporters of the arts in beautiful Muskoka.”

The July 17 concert, titled Festival Friends, promises to offer a cross section of music to suit all tastes, said Hoiles. “It is a very interesting program and I think that everyone will enjoy it. Arkady (Yanivker, violinist) has played many times (at the theatre) and he will perform pop with me, as well as classical pieces.”

Hoiles has lived in Lake of Bays for about eight years. “One of the reasons I decided to get a cottage up here is because of the Festival of the Arts. I heard about it and have been impressed with all that they do. My friend Pamela Smyth really did a great job of getting it to the Algonquin Theatre,” she said.

“It is great to have that theatre in Huntsville because of the citizens of the area, who understood the need for such a facility. I admire them for that and so am thrilled to be singing for them.”

IN CONCERT: Lake of Bays resident and internationally acclaimed soprano Pamela Hoiles performs at the AlgonquinTheatre on Friday, July 17, at 8 p.m.

Hoiles, who has been a major benefactor of the Algonquin Theatre and the Huntsville Festival of the Arts over the years, spends much of her time in Muskoka when she is not on tour.

“I usually come up in the winter but, this year, I had to have a back operation and couldn’t come, so I am very happy to be back. I do have lots of friends up here and am really looking forward to seeing them on the 17th and over the rest of the summer.”

Friday’s concert will include a string quartet led by Yanivker, who is well known to long-term festival supporters as the concertmaster of the festival orchestra and first violin for the Toronto Symphony. They will be performing Mendelssohn’s String Quartet, first movement, opus 44, in D major. “It is a very energetic, very upbeat selection,” said Yanivker.

The second piece will be the melodious second movement from Borodin’s musical Kismet. Hoiles will then take the stage, performing some popular tunes arranged for her by composer Bob Goldstone. These will include a medley of Night and Day, The Continental, Embraceable You, Bewitched, Sooner or Later and, possibly, I Was Beautiful.

Hoiles will be backed by the string quartet, piano and a quartet of brass, woodwind and bass (all top professionals from across North America) to create a dynamic and unique sound. She will then be joined by New York City’s internationally renowned pianist and vocal coach Myron McPherson to perform the following pieces: Strauss’s Zueignung; Dos cantares populares; and Ravel’s Vocalise en forme de Habanera. Yanivker will return to open the second half in recital with a pianist and perform two pieces before being joined by the quartet to conclude the concert with an arrangement of Porgy and Bess.

Born in Lawton, Oklahoma, and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Hoiles attended Occidental College in Los Angeles and graduated as a drama major. She then went to Rome for one year and studied with the eminent vocal coach Maria Theresa Pediconi of the St. Cecilia Academy.

Before concentrating on her career as a soloist, Hoiles performed throughout the United States and Europe as a singing actress, recreating roles in plays such as the Mikado, Carousel and the Sound of Music.

Most recently, Hoiles has been performing in Europe. “After a wonderful success in Sofia and Italy, I am now looking forward to doing a more relaxed and fun program at the Algonquin Theatre,” she said.

Tickets for Festival Friends are $32 ($20 for youth under 18) and are available at the Algonquin Theatre box office on Main Street, by dialling 789-4975, or online at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

Classics, comedy, blues and jazz are some of the treats in the upcoming festival line-up

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 8, 2009.)

Bowser and Blue perform July 10, Downchild Blues Band returns July 15, with classical music in between

By Gillian Brunette

Some of the best-loved pieces of music have been borrowed from the great classical composers and turned into film scores.

Tunes such as Strauss’ Blue Danube (Austin Powers), Haydn’s Symphony 101, 2nd Movement (Prince of Tides), Mendelssohn’s Wedding March (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and Debussy’s Clair De Lune (Seven Years In Tibet), to name but a few, have introduced the classics to the masses.

An opportunity to hear these wonderful pieces of music, plus six other great scores, takes place on July 11 at the Algonquin Theatre, when the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) presents Classics at the Movies with maestro Kerry Stratton and the 40-piece festival orchestra.

IN CONCERT: Maestro Kerry Stratton directs the festival orchestra at the Algonquin Theatre in 2008. The orchestra returns on Saturday, July 11, at 8 p.m. with Classics at the Movies. [Photo by Jon Snelson.]

In the second half, Beethoven’s Emperor concerto will be performed by Belgrade-born American pianist Zora Mihailovich. Recognized internationally as a recitalist, orchestral soloist, recording artist and educator, she has performed in London’s Royal Hall, New York’s Carnegie Hall and Brussels’ Conservatoire Royal.

“The festival orchestra has been a cornerstone of the Huntsville festival since year one,” said HFA general manager Rob Saunders. “Under the baton of Kerry Stratton, an internationally recognized conductor, this group of professional musicians plays regularly with some of the finest symphonies in the province. This year’s program will combine some very recognizable repertoire with an exceptional display of virtuosity through the piano concerto.”

The previous evening, July 10, the music and comedy duo Bowser and Blue return to the Algonquin Theatre stage.

George Bowser and Rick Blue have been writing and performing music and comedy together since 1978. Colorectal surgeons around the world are familiar with them through the song Working Where the Sun Don’t Shine, which was first heard on Madly Off In All Directions in 1997.

The duo appeared at the 2008 edition of the Just For Laughs comedy festival with Joan Rivers and many other fine comedians. That performance was telecast in January of this year on CBC television. Bowser and Blue hail from Montreal where they have recorded 10 CDs on their own You Guys label, and four on Montreal’s Justin Time label.

On Sunday, July 12, the popular afternoon of Jazz in the Garden returns to Spencer’s Tall Trees Restaurant. From 2 to 4 p.m. enjoy the beautiful gardens of Tall Trees, while smooth jazz sounds fill the air. Tickets are $15 and include tempting desserts, snacks and refreshing drinks. Don’t forget to bring a lawn chair.

Back by popular demand, the six-piece Downchild Blues Band returns to the Huntsville stage after their ‘raise the roof’ performance in 2008.

It’s been nearly 40 years since Donnie (Mr. Downchild) Walsh and his now-deceased brother, Hock Walsh, formed the group that would be the inspiration behind the world famous Blues Brothers. Downchild was nominated for Blues Album of The Year at the 2005 Juno Awards, and lauded as Entertainers of the Year in 2007 at the Maple Blues Awards. Walsh has kept the music alive, and Downchild features some of the most well-respected musicians in the country, who have performed together for over 15 years.

This includes silky smooth singer and harmonica player Chuck Jackson, tenor sax player Pat Carey, beat man Mike Fitzpatrick on drums, rhythm captain Gary Kendall on bass, and former American supergroup rocker Michael Fonfara (of Rhinoceros fame) on keyboards.

Tickets for these and all other main stage performances are available at the Algonquin Theatre box office on Main Street, by dialing 789-4975, or online at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

Festival fringe events continue this week

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 8, 2009.)

In addition to the many mainstage concerts taking place at the Algonquin Theatre as part of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) summer season, there are ongoing fringe events, which for the most part are free courtesy of the HFA.

Over the coming week, the Music at Noon series continues at Trinity United Church with the Olde Tyme Gospel Band (July 8), John Langille and Bob Attfield on organ and piano (July 9), Muskoka Community Band (July 10), Trillium Jazz Guys (July 13), soprano Bridget Mantha with Broadway show tunes (July 14), Marilyn de Lang and Brenda Smallwood on piano and flute (July 15), soprano Victoria Thompson and pianist John French (July 16), and Steven McKean on oboe and Marion Haggart on piano (July 17).

Don’t miss the outdoor theatre extravaganza for all ages, presented by Edge of the Woods Theatre Festival and taking place at the town dock and River Mill Park on July 10 and 11, beginning at 6 p.m.

For a fun and totally different night of entertainment, join celebrated composer Robert Bruce on July 13 at the Algonquin Theatre at 8 p.m. Bruce will recreate the golden days of silent film by performing live original scores to accompany classic 1920s films.

The focus that evening will be on Buster Keaton and include one of his funniest works, titled The Cameraman.

To learn more about Bruce visit http://www.robertbrucemusic.com/live_music_silent_film.php.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a correction to the information in the festival’s brochure with respect to the two dock concerts. The Muskoka Concert Band will play at the Port Sydney dock on July 14 (not July 16 as printed) and at the Dwight Beach dock on July 16 (not July 14).

Both concerts begin at 7 p.m. and admission is free.

Huntsville Festival of the Arts season opens Friday with high-energy Celtic theme

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 1, 2009.)

Johannes Linstead performs Saturday, showcasing similar musical stylings to festival favorite, Jesse Cook

By Gillian Brunette

The fabulous Fitzgerald family, featuring four of Canada’s finest young champion fiddlers and stepdancers, accompanied by their parents on keyboard and bass guitar, is the opening concert for the 2009 Huntsville Festival of the Arts summer season.

Everything Fitz takes the Algonquin Theatre stage this Friday, July 3, at 8 p.m. Theatre-goers may remember the young fiddlers and dancers from their charity benefit concerts here in 2006. The shows were virtual sellouts, and the festival is confident the group’s appeal will bring many of the same people back.

Everything Fitz offers a high-energy stage show featuring Canadian fiddle music that incorporates the sounds of East Coast, French Canadian, Texas-style and old-time music, combined with Ottawa Valley-style stepdancing. The band members, considered to be the rising stars of the fiddle and stepdancing world, have been show openers for such international stars as Ashley MacIsaac and Natalie MacMaster, and now take their own action-packed show across Canada. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for youth 18 and under.

Lovers of guitar and Latin rhythms will enjoy Johannes Linstead, who performs at the Algonquin Theatre this Saturday, July 4, beginning at 8 p.m. Fans of festival favourite Jesse Cook should take particular note, as Linstead’s sound and stylings are very similar.

A hugely talented multi-instrumentalist, Linstead plays guitar, piano, mandolin, bouzouki, bass, wood flute and various percussion styles. On his recordings, he is backed up by world-class musicians from countries as diverse as Cuba, Colombia, Syria, Greece, Mexico, Russia, India and the Ukraine.

Linstead’s live performances are nothing short of phenomenal, bursting with tropical sounds. Audiences are moved to dance and clap along to the music. In concert, as on his recordings, Linstead strives to create a festive mood, leaving plenty of room for lightning-fast guitar improvisations and spicy percussion solos on bongos, congas, timbale and doumbek.

Linstead is appearing with a solid six-piece band of exceptional musicians and will be joined on stage by a flamenco dancer, who will interpret Linstead’s music, adding both passion and flair to the performance. Tickets are $32 for adults and $20 for youth under 18.

The Metropolitan Silver Band, a brass band in the English tradition, appears at the Algonquin Theatre on Wednesday, July 8, at 8 p.m. Using only the instruments of the brass and percussion families, the band has been based at the Metropolitan United Church in downtown Toronto since 1934.

The group’s repertoire spans all genres written and transcribed for brass band. Classical, swing, pop, traditional and show tunes are among the selections for their fun-filled, 75th anniversary tour summer concerts. Along with the delightful Scottish flair of baritone Malcolm Sinclair, the band is sure to delight every audience. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for youth under 18.

For those looking for some comedic relief, the very funny duo Bowser and Blue return to Huntsville on July 10. Whether being politically correct (or as the case may be, incorrect), this satirical pair mix insightful observations and exceptional musicianship to bring laughter to all. Tickets are $32 for adults and $20 for youth under 18.

Another great evening of music is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, when the 40-piece professional festival orchestra, under the direction of Kerry Stratton, returns with Classics at the Movies. Stratton will present classical scores used in a number of well-known films, culminating with Beethoven’s Emperor piano concerto performed by pianist Zora Mihailovich.

More information and/or tickets are available at the Algonquin Theatre box office on Main Street, by phoning 789-4975 or online at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

Fringe events offer an eclectic mixture

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 1, 2009.)

Popular Music at Noon series will last three weeks

During the month of July, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts presents events throughout the community geared to satisfy all tastes. For the most part, they are offered at no cost to the patron. Next week’s lineup is a great example of this fringe program.

Kicking off a great week of family entertainment, the annual Art Splash takes place on Sunday, July 5 at the Huntsville town dock. Running from noon to 3 p.m. and hosted by the staff of Camp Tawingo, Art Splash promises a fun-filled afternoon of interactive arts and crafts for kids of all ages.

On Monday, July 6, Music at Noon – a series of half-hour, mid-day free musical offerings at Trinity United Church – begins with The Larks, an a cappella female choir directed by Sherisse Stevens.

JUST GREIGHT: Members of the Just 8 jazz vocal group, with musical director George Kadwell at the organ, performed at Trinity United Church last summer during the popular Music at Noon series. The mid-day concerts begin again July 6. [Photo by Jon Snelson.]

Also on July 6, the first of two movie offerings will be screened at the Capitol Theatre, beginning at 4 p.m. Titled Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, Francis Girard’s compelling film is a visual and aural feast. Colm Feore, in the lead role as the pianist, captures the theatricality, puckishness, loneliness and determination that defined Gould’s persona. Cost is $8.

The second movie presentation, Live Music/Classic Films, will be screened at the Algonquin Theatre on Monday, July 13, at 8 p.m. Celebrated composer Robert Bruce recreates the golden days of silent film by performing live original scores on the Algonquin Theatre’s grand piano to accompany classic 1920s films. The focus will be on Buster Keaton and include one of his funniest works, The Cameraman.

Music at Noon continues on Tuesday, July 7, with the handbell duo Lynne Godfrey and Verna Stephenson.

On Wednesday, July 8, the mid-day treat features gospel/bluegrass music from the Olde Tyme Gospel Band. Then, on Thursday, July 9, Trinity United Church’s musical director John Langille takes a seat at the organ, accompanied by Bob Atfield on piano. The week wraps up with the Muskoka Community Band, directed by Jordan Riley, on Friday, July 10.

Also on July 10 and 11, the second annual Edge of the Woods Theatre Festival arrives in town. This outdoor theatre extravaganza is a one-of-a kind event that will feature giant puppets, stilt walkers, acrobats, modern dancers and much more. The event begins at 6 p.m. with free arts activities for youth, followed by the feature performance at 7 p.m. Bring a lawn chair, sit back and be entertained in Huntsville’s beautiful waterfront park. Admission is by donation.

Continuing throughout the month are many other fringe events, such as two dock concerts with the Muskoka Concert Band, one in Dwight and one in Port Sydney, on July 14 and 16 respectively, the eighth annual Muskoka Novel Marathon, taking place at the Muskoka Literacy Council from July 17 to 20 and the Writers' Cafe at the Hideaway Pub, beginning at 7 p.m. on July 21. The popular Arts Walk returns on July 26 at the new River Mill Park, from noon to 3 p.m.

Two new endeavours will also take place this month. "Threshold" is a public art installation that will be found at three locations: the Trinity United Church grounds, the Hunters Bay Trail and Main Street. Art will be created live on Main Street on July 30, beginning at 11 a.m. This will be followed by a charity art auction at 3 p.m.

For more on this year’s festival lineup, pick up a brochure around town or visit www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.

Writers unite for annual novel marathon

(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on July 1, 2009.)

By Laura MacLean

It’s been described as similar to a retreat for writers, but it has a competitive edge. The Muskoka Literacy Council (MLC) is getting into novel marathon mode as the date for the annual Muskoka Novel Marathon rapidly approaches.

And, if there’s one thing MLC president Susan Lowe knows for sure about the event, which kicks off on Friday, July 17, at 8 p.m., and runs until Monday, July 20, at 8 p.m., at the MLC building, it’s that it won’t take long before newcomers start to feel right at home.

“I think what’s so neat about it is the comraderie of the writers,” said Lowe. “They’re there to win but also support one and other. Newcomers don’t feel like newcomers for long. The veterans are welcoming. The writers share ideas and support each other and, at the same time, the writers are supporting readers.”

Over the course of the three days, participating writers attempt to hammer out as much of a novel as they can. Some opt to bring material they’ve been working on, and others, who wish to enter the contest, take a stab at starting something fresh and new. Many of the writers will head home to catch a couple of winks after spending the entire day writing, but the novel marathon has also seen many diehards who barely sleep during the three days.

After all the submitted work has been judged, the MLC organizes a celebration in late September to reconvene and share the news of marathon winners. Usually a team of five judges read all of the manuscripts. Winners are sent to publishers for review.

“We have 25 people signed up to participate so far,” said Lowe, adding that the novel marathon can accommodate 35 writers. “Last year, we had 27, so it’s grown again this year. I think the highlight of this marathon will be the story relay.”

SITE COMMANDER: Steve Taunton uses his creative flare to design the story relay website that will tie into the Muskoka Literacy Council’s upcoming Muskoka Novel Marathon. The public will have the opportunity to contribute to the story relay by visiting two websites that will be up and running from July 5 to 20. [Photo by Laura MacLean.]

Last year was the first time the MLC introduced the story relay and three writers contributed beginnings and endings for stories on the Huntsville Forester’s website. Celebrity writers – local author Mel Malton, Huntsville native and award-winning journalist Roy MacGregor and children’s author Robert Munsch – wrote the beginnings to three different stories. The public was also invited to participate by simply adding a word or a phrase to the stories.

This year, explained Lowe, the public will have the opportunity to contribute to the story relay by visiting two websites that will be up and running from July 5 to 20. Last year, participation was by donation only and, this year, there is the option of participating without donating as well.

Linda McLean, a local singer/songwriter who has garnered international acclaim, will be providing the beginning and ending for the Huntsville Online version (www.huntsvilleonline.com) and MacGregor has been invited back to contribute the beginning and ending of the MLC’s website version (www.simcoemediagroup.com/relay/).

“It gives those people who want to write the opportunity to do so without having to spend time actually at the marathon,” said Lowe.

Since the marathon’s inception seven years ago, writers have helped raise more than $30,000 for MLC through pledges they collect from friends, family and co-workers. (EDITOR'S NOTE: The Muskoka Novel Marathon was begun by Martin Avery and Mel Malton, originally as part of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts; it gradually evolved into a key annual fundraising endeavor for the MLC.)

The $45 registration fee goes toward the cost of organizing the event – snacks, beverages, copying charges, welcome packages, paper, postage, envelopes for the registration packages etc. All of the pledges collected go directly towards student resources – print and technology.

For more information, contact Susan Lowe at the Muskoka Literacy Council at 705-789-1850 or e-mail her at lowes.atthefarm@sympatico.ca.