Rosebud Chamber Music Festival to perform seventh season
By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor
Photo Courtesy of Lauren Hamm Photography
“Three exciting concerts this year,” said Keith Hamm, artistic director of Rosebud Chamber Music Festival (RCMF).
The first concert is at the Badlands Amphitheatre, Aug. 8. “Our audiences really enjoy taking in the experience in this unique outdoor space,” Hamm said.
On Aug. 9, the RCMF ensemble will give a “more intimate, strings only” performance at Rosebud’s Akokiniskway Gallery.
The festival closes with an Aug. 11 concert featuring music for piano and strings, at Rosebud Church.
“This season we will be prominently featuring the music of Johannes Brahms, a wonderful string sextet and his magnificent piano quintet,” Hamm said. “This is some of our favourite music to play.”
The ensemble will also perform music by Anton Dvorak, Erwin Schulhoff, Claude Debussy and Ludwig van Beethoven.
“I often choose programs based on the particular talent and forces (of the performers),” Hamm said. “This year we have a string sextet and so we’re finally able to do some of these incredible pieces by Brahms. Each (concert’s) program is different, so I’d encourage people to take in more than one.”
Violinist Aaron Schwebel, who Hamm says is “quickly becoming one of Canada’s most in-demand concert artists,” is performing. Schwebel is concertmaster with the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra and associate concertmaster with Canadian Opera Company Orchestra.
Violinist Elizabeth Skinner is also returning. She is a member of collectif9, which Skinner’s website calls “Montreal’s cutting-edge classical string band.”
Cellist Leana Rutt is returning for her second RCMF season. She was recently named principal cello of Canadian Opera Company Orchestra.
Cellist Julie Hereish, who was associate principal cello with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra and has recently been named principal cello with Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, will perform again.
Hamm, who has been principal viola of Canadian Opera Company Orchestra and was recently named principal viola of Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, will also perform.
Clayton Leung, violist with Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, is a new performer at RCMF this summer.
Akiko Tominaga, a Calgary-based pianist who’s on the faculty of Mount Royal Conservatory of Music, will also join the ensemble for the August 11 concert at Rosebud Church.
“Audiences often remind me that it is crucially important to experience this music live,” Hamm said. “These are some of Canada’s finest classical artists and watching them relate to each other on stage becomes such an integral part of the concert experience. For (Strathmore Times) readers who think they don’t like classical music, I’d encourage them to take have their mind changed in this unique setting. Live chamber music is one of the most thrilling concert experiences that one can have.”
All RCMF performances begin at 7:30 pm and tickets are $30. For the Gallery concert in particular, Hamm said, seating is limited, and he encourages RCMF fans to book tickets soon.
Tickets for the Aug. 8 performance are available at BadlandsAmp.com. Tickets for August 9 and 11 are available at RosebudTheatre.com.