2nd annual Rosebud Chamber Music Festival

Posted on: Staff Writer

 

Manny Everett    

Times Contributor  
 
Musicians playing in the second annual Rosebud Chamber Music Festival (RCMF) from July 30 through to Aug. 3 entertained music lovers from Rosebud, Drumheller and Three Hills.
The RCMF is a grassroots project committed to bringing world-class musical performances to rural communities in the Canadian Badlands. Their mission is to showcase international performers in concerts, education and outreach programs.
Keith Hamm, a native of Rosebud says, “My favourite part of the RCMF is the give and take between community and artist. Sincere thanks goes out to the people of Rosebud, Drumheller and Three Hills for embracing this fantastic medium and welcoming us into this incredible family.”
Hamm is a dedicated chamber musician who was named Principal Violist of the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, becoming the youngest member of the ensemble and one of the youngest principals in North America. He was recently featured on CBC Radio 2 as one of this year’s Next artists.
Hamm, along with Arnold Choi, Peter Longworth, Sheila Jaffe and Aaron Schwebel, played various pieces at the Rosebud Church, Knox Church in Drumheller and in the North Auditorium at Prairie Bible College in Three Hills. 
Samuel Deason was featured on Wednesday, July 30 at Rosebud where he performed his debut of a composed piece by the name of ‘Rosebud Variations’. Deason created this unique piece of music, and he challenged himself, he said, “to incorporate the names of the last ten donors of the keys on the piano to pay it off in full.” Each donor received a composed piece in the performance he created. The passion could not only be heard in the piece of music that Deason created in his debut of ‘Rosebud Variations’ but also clearly came across in his composure and character as an artist. The last piece he played was Rhapsodie Espagnole by Franz Liszt (1811-1886). He received a standing ovation and graciously came back to play an encore of his very first composition as a treat to delight the audience.