{"id":103966,"date":"2024-05-07T05:00:55","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T09:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=103966"},"modified":"2024-05-07T05:01:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T09:01:06","slug":"preview-kitcheners-open-ears-festival-offers-innovative-performances-interactive-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/05\/07\/preview-kitcheners-open-ears-festival-offers-innovative-performances-interactive-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Kitchener\u2019s Open Ears Festival Offers Innovative Performances And Interactive Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Graphic
Graphic courtesy of Open Ears \u2014 Festival of Music & Sound<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the Open Ears \u2014 Festival of Music & Sound, you can listen to a cutting edge experimental electroacoustic performance, find out how to foley, explore cultural heritage, and more. The Kitchener festival takes place May 30 to June 2.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is very, shall I say, one of a kind experience. It is not a traditional festival,\u201d says Artistic Director Richard Burrows<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Formed back in 1998 by composer Peter Hatch, then a professor at Laurier University, the festival was designed under the auspices of the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, and ran biennially. It was paired with an installation by CAFKA \u2014 Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener and Area. Nowadays, it operates as a separate entity.<\/p>\n

We spoke to Richard Burrows, who has built an international career as a percussionist outside leading the festival. He holds two Master\u2019s degrees from the University of Toronto, and performs wth TorQ Percussion Quartet as a founding member, among many other ensembles and collaborators. He\u2019s been with Open Ears since he started as a junior artistic associate in 2012.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe began to do what we called \u201cbetween the ears\u201d\u201d, he says, meaning events that took place between the biannual. \u201cI\u2019m now in my 8th year as AD of the festival.\u201d<\/p>\n

Open Ears \u2014 Festival of Music & Sound<\/h2>\n

\u201cThis is more of a bespoke cultural experience,\u201d Richard explains.<\/p>\n

While many music festival are associated with fields and portable bathrooms, Open Ears takes places across various venues in the Kitchener Waterloo area. \u201cBut, you\u2019re also going to come across outdoor… interruptions, let’s say,\u201d he comments.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kind of try to stay away from the traditional recital vibe. We try to break the norms of what a traditional concert is.\u201d<\/p>\n

He lists a couple of examples.<\/p>\n

One of the highlights of the festival is headline act Vicki Chow,<\/strong> who will be presenting her work using two projectors that highlight her on stage as well as add images, with speakers that will surround the audience for a 360-degree sound experience. She\u2019ll be performing the work Sierra<\/strong> by composer Jane Antonia Cornish, with immersive light design by Ben Toht.<\/p>\n

creek<\/strong>, by composer Deborah Carruthers<\/strong>, will be performed outdoors near the historic Schneider House. The performance reflects on the history of the community, and on the history and evolution of Schneider Creek over the decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough the evolution of industries and housing \u2013 it\u2019s a kind of ecological reflection of how the creek has changed,\u201d he explains. The musicians react to those changes, the erosion of the bands, and the audience experiences the music as it flows along with the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a really interesting artistic experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"L-R
L-R (clockwise): Pianist Vicki Chow; Composer & performer Bijuriya (Jonathan Goulet); Foley artist Michelle Hwu (Photos courtesy of Open Ears)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Guerrilla Pop Up Concerts<\/h3>\n

Richard calls it the flagship festival in Canada, \u201cfor doing these kinds of experience based guerrilla kind of pop up concerts,\u201d he says \u201cThere is definitely something to be said for Peter Hatch and his vision. He really was a visionary in that regard,\u201d he says. \u201cWe have kept that vision alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not only about experimentation, it\u2019s about offering audiences immersive experiences. \u201cOur audience expects novel experiences,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s the curious ear that brings them to the fesival.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arriving without expectations is the best policy. \u201cThat is a part of what makes Open Ears so special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with the concerts, the festival builds in outreach and interactive experiences, such as a self-guided audio walk<\/strong> that complements the Creek performance. Foley artist Michelle Hwu<\/strong> will lead workshops on how to create the sounds of video games. Workshops are free, and open to the public. A sound installation<\/strong> at the KW Art Gallery features drone footage of the region with audio accompaniment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are some very interesting things to experience during the four days of the festival.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Many of the performances and installations incorporate elements of social relevance, like the environment, with a viewpoint that\u2019s current. \u201cI think a lot of the inspiration \u2014 it\u2019s a common thing in this festival \u2014 artists who are being very reactive to social and political events,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything that you\u2019ll see in this festival has been written in the last decade, and in some cases, within the last year.\u201d<\/p>\n