{"id":108306,"date":"2024-10-08T11:26:35","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T15:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=108306"},"modified":"2024-10-08T14:00:01","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T18:00:01","slug":"preview-new-music-new-festival-ottawa-new-music-festival-launches-october-17-18-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/10\/08\/preview-new-music-new-festival-ottawa-new-music-festival-launches-october-17-18-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | New Music, New Festival: The Ottawa New Music Festival Launches October 17 & 18 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"
L-R: SHHH!! Ensemble; Violinist Erika Miller; composer Frank Horvat (Photos courtesy of the Ottawa New Music Festival)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The\u00a0Ottawa\u00a0New\u00a0Music\u00a0Creators (ONMC) are launching the first ever Ottawa New Music Festival this fall on October 17 and 18. The festival takes over the Alma Duncan Salon of the Ottawa Art Gallery for a weekend of new sounds.<\/p>\n

October 17 is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, and the festival opens with Horvat\u2019s Almost Homeless, offering an unflinching look at the realities of living in Ottawa today. The largely Canadian program also includes works by composers Harry Stafylakis, Jocelyn Morlock, cellist India Gailey, and others.<\/p>\n

We spoke to Zac Pulak<\/strong> of SHHH!! Ensemble \u2014 percussionist Zac Pulak and pianist Edana Higham<\/strong> \u2014 the Artistic Directors, about the festival.<\/p>\n

A Brand New Festival<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe organization has actually been around since 2008,\u201d Zac notes of the ONMC. The organization began producing concerts in 2021. SHHH!! Ensemble took over as Artistic Directors in 2021, continuing ONMC\u2019s established schedule of presenting four concerts each year. After a couple of years, it began to make more sense to create a single festival rather than spread the organization\u2019s resources over a four concert schedule.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe decided to condense it into a two-day new music extravaganza,\u201d Zac says.<\/p>\n

He notes the availability of a great space in the Ottawa Art Gallery, one that is both music-friendly and accessible by either car or public transportation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just wanted to create more opportunities for people in the Ottawa area to experiment with new sounds,\u201d he says, pointing out the lack of a dedicated new music presenter in the region. It\u2019s about providing more opportunities for the work of creators to reach audiences, simply put.<\/p>\n

The response in the weeks leading up to the festival have been encouraging.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had a really good reception so far. There\u2019s some buzz about the festival,\u201d he says. It\u2019s attracting a stream of new audience members. There seems to be a surge of interest in new music. \u201cThere seems to be a lot of people like us that are starting series, or reinvigorating series,\u201d Zac notes.<\/p>\n

October 17: Almost Homeless (World Premiere)<\/h3>\n

Frank\u2019s composition began with taking field recordings of conversations with Ottawa residents about their struggles with money and the high cost of living. Their reflections, and footage, are woven into the music. ONMC Artistic Directors SHHH!! Ensemble and\u00a0Ottawa-based violinist Erica Miller<\/strong> will perform the piece.<\/p>\n

SHHH!! will return for the second half of the concert to perform pieces by Harry Stafylakis, Jocelyn Morlock, and Micheline Roi.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is kind of the next instalment in our continuing relationship with Frank,\u201d Zac says. SHHH!! Ensemble performs Horvat\u2019s 2023 release, An Auditory Survey of the Last Days of the Holocene, and Zac says that Almost Homeless will be on their next album.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seemed like a really interesting and poignant way to kick off this new music festival we\u2019re starting,\u201d Zac says. \u201cThe piece is extremely powerful.\u201d He likens it in terms of sentiment and scope, if not musically, to Steve Reich\u2019s Different Trains. \u201cThe interviews are woven into the piece.\u201d Along with the actual words of the Ottawa residents Frank interviewed, there are elements like spoken facts and figures that become part of the musical matrix. \u201cIt\u2019s quite interesting,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

Composer Frank Horvat<\/strong> talks about the piece in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been motivated to compose this piece for well over five years, as I was shocked by media reports of prominent artists being forced to leave my current city of residence, Toronto, due to financial insecurity. Since then, inflation, unaffordable housing, and food scarcity have impacted nearly every segment of society in every city.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving been born and raised in Ottawa, it was impactful for me to learn more about another side of Ottawa I did not know. It was deeply moving to hear people open up about the thoughts that keep playing around in their minds, and the very real problems they are struggling with everyday. This isn\u2019t just an issue facing artists, this is much bigger and is impacting people deeply. Holding the weight of the emotion and the lack of hope many of the people I talked to have was heartbreaking. I felt this odd sense of grief while composing much of the piece. Not only are the current financial challenges great, but it truly doesn\u2019t seem like we will turn a corner without a huge re-prioritizing of what is important in society.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough there is some hope in the piece and solutions that seem to be working but overall, I\u2019ve come out of this experience with such a heavy sadness. There is so much struggle financially and emotionally just under the surface. This shouldn\u2019t have happened in a country with so much wealth like ours. We need a future with hope and there doesn\u2019t seem to be any right now. We\u2019ll never solve the big problems in the world if we are living our everyday without hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"
L-R: Percussionist David Brongo; Cellist & vocalist India Gailey; harpist Michelle Gott (Photos courtesy of the Ottawa New Music Festival)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

October 18: Triple Header<\/h3>\n

Halifax-based cellist, composer, and improviser India Gailey<\/strong>, Montreal-based percussionist David Brongo<\/strong>, and Ottawa-based harpist Michelle Gott<\/strong> will each perform a set in this triple bill concert.<\/p>\n

India Gailey will perform works from her 2024 release Problematica. Gailey sings as well as plays cello through the works of seven Canadian composers, whose work she commissioned for the album: Sarah Rossy, Julia Mermelstein, \u00a0Nicole Liz\u00e9e, Joseph Glaser, Andrew Noseworthy, Fj\u00f3la Evans, Thanya Iyer.<\/p>\n

David Brongo will also perform selections from a recent album, Confluence, featuring works by contemporary French Canadian composers Patrick Gigu\u00e8re, Pierre B\u00e9luse, Micheline Coulombe Saint-Marcoux, and Claude Vivier.<\/p>\n

Michelle Gott will perform works by Ottawa-based composer John Gordon Armstrong and a world premiere composition of her own, along with pieces by Andrew Staniland and Takashi Yoshimatsu.<\/p>\n

The OAG\u2019s Skylounge is available for mingling with the Festival Artists during intermissions and after the show.<\/p>\n

Stretching Ears<\/h2>\n

New music is most often touted as a hard sell, but it seems to be finding an audience these days.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew music people are their own worst enemies in some ways,\u201d Zac says. Having a friendlier and welcoming vibe, rather than an elitist or academic focus, is key. \u201cAll the people are very approachable.\u201d<\/p>\n

The goal is to help audiences stretch their ears a little and hear something new.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just hope we get a lot of people who have never been to anything like this before,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n