Home »
International Chamber Music Festival finds new home and name
A musical phenomenon found only in Canada’s southwest has a brand new name tying its roots to its new home.
The SoWeCa Chamber Music Festival (SoWeCa for Southwest Canada) is the fresh name chosen for the classical chamber music festival that will be held this May in the East Kootenay and Southern Alberta. The festival was formerly known as the Fort Macleod International Festival that was based at the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, Alberta until 2011.
“We spent a great deal of time deliberating on a new name for the festival,” says Gerard Gibbs, Key City Theatre managing director. “We want to tie the event with the location and its international scope.”
“We chose this name,” said Rivka Golani, artistic director and world renowned viola player, “because part of our philosophy is based on appreciation and deepening of the ties to our place, namely the East Kootenay and Southern Alberta. This place has offered us fertile soil in which to grow and cultivate our festival, which has slowly been gaining international notoriety.”
Golani is an internationally recognized performer and teacher with numerous recordings, awards and stellar reviews from concerts. She has performed on some of the most important stages of the world; Roy Thompson Hall, Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall and the BBC Proms just to name a few.
For eight days in May, 16 musicians, composers and actors will be in residence preparing a very exciting array of music for you to enjoy. Members of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, along with faculty from the University of Lethbridge and London’s Trinity Laban Conservatoire will round out the roster. You will have the chance to hear some of the greatest masterpieces of chamber music including Brahms, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, and Faure.
In addition, three world premiers of works have been commissioned from some of Canada’s finest veteran composers and one of Britain’s rising stars – just for this festival! These works are based on traditional Blackfoot culture and include; Thunder and Raven by David Jager, Two Ravens by Charles Heller and Baker Massacre 1870 by Benjamin Ellin.
The four-day event, new to the East Kootenay, will mark its eighth year. The festival attracts musicians who perform internationally on the world’s top stages and who are recording artists at the leading edge of classical music.
Audience members are treated to an interactive concert delight outside of the concert norm. Musical preludes providing unique insight into the background of the composers, music and musicians are only a small part of this special event. Concertgoers will be able to get up close and personal with musicians, travel to unique locations to witness extraordinary performances and enjoy a special camaraderie, even among the three composers in residence.
The festival will consist of four concerts May 23 – 26, in several venues including The Key City Theatre, Cranbrook, The United Church in Fernie, Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump, Fort Macleod, Alta. and the Recital Hall of the University of Lethbridge.
Tickets are $30, $25 for Key City Theatre Members and $10 for Students. Specially priced three and four concert packages are available. Tickets may be purchased online through our website or at the Key City Theatre box office (250) 426-7006.
All the exciting event details can be viewed on a new website www.soweca.com
Submitted
