{"id":75925,"date":"2022-07-05T14:29:05","date_gmt":"2022-07-05T18:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=75925"},"modified":"2022-07-05T15:36:36","modified_gmt":"2022-07-05T19:36:36","slug":"preview-taking-dive-ottawa-chamberfest-d-carissa-klopoushak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2022\/07\/05\/preview-taking-dive-ottawa-chamberfest-d-carissa-klopoushak\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Taking A Dive Into Ottawa Chamberfest With A.D. Carissa Klopoushak"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Ottawa
Ottawa Chamberfest Artistic Director Carissa Klopoushak (Photo: Alexander Vlad)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Ottawa Chamberfest is back for summer 2022 with a full slate of in-person concerts and events, along with online offerings from the festival\u2019s premiere venue.<\/p>\n

Carissa Klopoushak<\/a> is the Artistic Director, having taken over the role in March 2021. When Roman Borys of the Gryphon Trio made the decision to step aside, Klopoushak was invited into the role.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that part of the reason that I was tapped was because of who I am as a musician,\u201d she says. The Ottawa-based violinist is a member of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and an active chamber musician with the Ironwood Quartet, and as a member of the Ukrainian band \u0422\u0443\u0442\u0456\u0422\u0430\u043c. Along with classical music, she performs folk music. \u201cI\u2019m interested in all kinds of music,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had started a chamber music festival in Saskatoon where I grew up,\u201d she explains. \u201cI love to curate, I love to plan. I think chamber music is a special thing, and my favourite aspect of music making.\u201d<\/p>\n

After last year\u2019s all-Canadian version, Klopoushak\u2019s looking forward to a full-scale festival. \u201cI at least had the one year to build in my approach,\u201d she says of the challenges in planning events during the period where openings and lockdowns were uncertain. \u201cFirst of all, I have a fabulous team,\u201d she acknowledges. \u201cI\u2019m the one that gets to dream and imagine. I think I always had faith that this would be possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Planning is an ongoing process, one that took the disruption of the past couple of years into account. Along with new artists, German pianist Hinrich Alpers, for example, will be back after his acclaimed 2019 Chamberfest debut to continue his cycle of Beethoven\u2019s solo piano sonatas.<\/p>\n

\"Ottawa
Ottawa Chamberfest 2019 – ART OF TIME (Photo: Andre R. Gagne)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even a casual glance at the Chamberfest program reveals a diverse selection of both music and performers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can only speak to my philosophy,\u201d says Klopoushak. \u201cI think that at the core, what I\u2019m trying to do is design a festival that is for everybody.\u201d As far as she is concerned, everyone likes chamber music \u2014 they just may not know it.<\/p>\n

Chamber music has an intimate appeal. Without a conductor, it relies on the connections between performers, and between the performers and the audience directly. She underscores the importance of including new music, and genres like folk along with classical offerings in her programming.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think the music is the problem. We don\u2019t have to get rid of anything, we just have to make room for others,\u201d she says. \u201cYou don\u2019t need prior knowledge to enjoy it,\u201d she continues. \u201cI try to create a festival that I would enjoy, and the people that I know would enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s making sure we have people on stage who reflect the society that we\u2019re in. That\u2019s who this is for, and that\u2019s who we need to see on our stages.\u201d Beyond that, it goes to the make up of the organization itself. \u201cWho\u2019s in our staff? Who\u2019s in our board?\u201d<\/p>\n

The festival has a theme this year. \u201cIt kind of came to me as the festival was developing,\u201d Klopoushak explains. \u201cIt\u2019s about being part of the community, part of society. A theme found me, in a way, considering the year we\u2019ve been through.\u201d The invasion of Ukraine and the pandemic weighed heavily on her mind. \u201cI\u2019ve landed on this theme of light overcoming darkness.\u201d<\/p>\n

The various concerts develop that theme, some in subtle ways, others more obvious. The opening concert on July 21 is entitled First Light<\/em>, with Finnish pianist\/composer Olli Mustonen\u2019s Nonet no. 2<\/em>, and Mendelssohn\u2019s famous Octet<\/em> on the program. \u201cWe\u2019re going to be performing music that, to me, evokes the sunrise,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year, we\u2019re introducing some sunrise concerts,\u201d she says. They\u2019ll take place outdoors on the historic grounds of the Beechwood Cemetery. Other concerts, towards the end of the festival, will be sunset related, including Schoenberg\u2019s Transfigured Night<\/em>, performed by Tunisian-born mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb.<\/p>\n

All in all, it\u2019s good to be back. \u201cI think this summer, we\u2019re presenting the magnitude that I think people are expecting from us,\u201d she says. \u201cI think people will be really excited to have that live music experience for real.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Imani
Imani Winds (Photo: Shervin Lainez)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Festival<\/h2>\n

The festival includes more than 70 concerts, with several world premieres, in both small and large venues.<\/p>\n