History
OUR MISSION
This project originated, in 1997, from the desire of a group of people in northern New Brunswick, to create a summer festival that would meet the region's undeniable need for cultural activities. Its primary aim is to provide local music-lovers, summer residents and tourists with chamber music concerts of high artistic quality and, in so doing, to contribute to the culture and tourism development of the region.
The Festival is an annual event with the following objectives:
- to fill a cultural need with productions of high artistic quality
- to thereby promote the development of culture and tourism in the region
- to promote the talent of recognized chamber musician
- to promote awareness of, and interest in the chamber music repertoire from classical to contemporary
- to promote the creation and performance of works by Canadian composers.
To accomplish these objectives, the Festival intends:
- to organize chamber music concerts by musicians from New Brunswick, other provinces of Canada and other countries, mainly among the new generation who have already built up a solid reputation in Canada or abroad;
- to include works by Canadian composers in our programs and also promote their creation;
- to offer musicological presentations related to the concerts and develop a Youth series
- in the mid to long-term, hold Master classes in chamber music and perhaps eventually a chamber music competition.
HISTORY
2008
The 12th annual Festival, which was held from July 10 to 13, 2008, was a great success, artistically and financially. This edition included, in June, an astonishing addition to the programme, a special event combining music with film. The pianist-in-residence at the Quebec Film Library, Gabriel Thibaudeau, gave a workshop for students in grade 4 to 7 on the subject of accompaniment for silent movies. Twelve of the students were chosen to participate in the show at L.E. R. Theatre in Dalhousie on June 8. They presented, in collaboration with Thibaudeau, their musical creation, which accompanied the Laurel and Hardy silent movie at the beginning of the evening. This was followed by a showing of another silent film, “It”, accompanied by Gabriel Thibaudeau in collaboration with the Quebec wind quintet, Pantaèdre, which was a world premiere. A week later, two regular movies, on musical themes, were shown at L.E.R. Theatre: The Red Violin of François Girard and Agnieszka Holland’s Copying Beethoven.
In July, the Festival presented 4 days of concerts and shows at Dalhousie’s L.E.R. Theatre. The official opening on Thursday, July 10, featured two renowned Canadian virtuosi: pianist Alain Lefèvre and his brother David Lefèvre, violinist. This was a concert rich in emotion and of an unbelievable artistic quality with artist commentary on the work presented and a warm rapport between artists and audience.
Saturday evening was devoted to an event entitled “Beethoven revisited by science”, a multimedia and interactive concert given life by pianist, Lucille Ouellette and a Nova Scotia string quartet, plus the comedian, Jean-François Gagnon. An original idea of the Artistic Director and Production Director of the FMCBC, the event was inspired by the documentary “The Mystery of the Death of Beethoven” presented on Radio-Canada’s Découvertes. The concert audience saw the documentary followed by a theatrical projection of pictures, a reading of certain documents written by Beethoven and the musical interpretation of some of his compositions from different periods during his life.
Friday evening, Quartetto Gelato, a great quartet of wide repute, presented an eclectic programme of works by composers from varied epochs and musical traditions. The next morning, they met with the children to provide musical animation for a reading of the Robert Munsch story “I will love you forever”
Finally, on Sunday afternoon, at the St-Jean Baptiste church, in Dalhousie, a large and ardent audience attended a concert of the vocal ensemble Cantabile, The London Quartet. The singers offered a broad repertoire and a panoply of styles from diverse eras. Thus, the Festival closed on a humorous note, leaving the public asking for more…
2007
The 11th edition of the Festival took place from July 12 to July 15, 2007 under the patronage of Gloria Richard as honorary president. Ms Richard is an internationally renowned soprano and teacher who has contributed substantially to the development of Arts Education in the province. We had the pleasure of greeting for this 11th edition two young virtuosi of the up-coming generation: the pianist David Jalbert (Qc) and the cellist Denise Djokic (NS) as well as the great Canadian pianist, Louis Lortie, and the famous vocal ensemble musica intima (BC). We kept our Stepping-Stone Series - Young Artists in which we greeted two young artists from our region, the guitarist Nicolas Smith and the percussionist (marimba) Étienne Lévesque. In keeping with its mission, our Festival thus made it possible for two young New-Brunswickers to perform in a professional environment and in doing so reinforced its commitment to form part of the community. Twenty-three artist in all; 3 from the Maritimes, 6 from Quebec, 12 from British-Columbia and 2 from England; took part in this edition of the Festival.
An astonishing program within which we inserted a special event, «Guitar mania» thus allowing us to invite the Montreal guitar trio (MG3) and the Eden Stell Duo from Great-Britain who also offered a Master Class. The guitar maker, Jean Rompré, also offered a workshop. In addition, we presented a film on the life of the great British guitarist Julian Bream to put the Festival participants into the «guitar mode» and stimulate their curiosity for this instrument and its performers. By doing so, we continued the tradition that has developed in the Festival over the years of establishing a specific theme and introducing some novelty for each edition. This in turn attracts and wins over a new and additional audience.
2006
This year, the Festival's 10th anniversary coincided with Mozart's 250th, and as such our theme was Mozart by the Sea. Our honorary president was esteemed New Brunswick artist, Pauline Bujold, whose cultural contribution to the Maritimes we wished to highlight. This festival season was also noteworthy for an increase in both attendance and generosity on the part of our benefactors.
The season began in grand style, with the 50-voice Beauséjour choir from Moncton, accompanied by a 16-member chamber orchestra composed of musicians from New Brunswick, Québec, and Symphony Nova Scotia, under the direction of Monique Richard. The all-Mozart program, with divertissements and serenades, also featured motets with soprano soloist, Chantal Dionne. A native of Grand Falls, Dionne has already begun making a name for herself internationally, winning numerous prestigious awards in Europe). The concert took place in Dalhousie, benefitting from the wonderful acoustics of the St-Jean-Baptiste church.
Next came the Ensemble Neptune, a trio for piano and strings, with a program aptly entitled Spanish Interlude, with works by Turina, Piazzola and Granados. The concert also featured dancer Julie Duguay ( two-time recipient of the Prix Eloizes ) accompanying actor Jean-Francois Gagnon in a stage adaptation of a poem by Juan Ruiz Pena, and some Spanish Songs for cello and piano by Manuel de Falla.
The third concert was Mozart Triumphant! from the world-reknowned Empire Brass (American brass quintet). Ranging from Mozart and Prokofiev, to Irish traditional and jazz numbers, it was an evening of seemless humour and virtuosity.
The season came to a close with Angelic Mozart, and the heavenly sounds of some of the world's foremost harpists, performing together as the Four Seasons Harp Quartet. The festival was very fortunate to host this world-class performance, and furthermore, was privy to the world premiere of a Caroline Lizotte arrangement (for four harps) of a Mozart quartet. We were also treated to a beautiful rendition of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Our recently introduced Young Artists Series rounded out the Festival with a performance by Kristan Toczko, an 18-year-old harpist from Moncton (artist-Laureate of Radio-Canada Atlantic's Young Artist competition.
2005
The 9th edition of the Festival was high in color and rhythm. The Festival wished to pay tribute, in 2005, to the contribution of a great lady of choral singing, Josette Levesque, for her teaching of music and promotion of culture in our region.
For the opening concert, the Festival welcomed the Ensemble Neptune It was a first for this open formation of three talented musicians: pianist Lucille Ouellette, artistic director of the Festival, violinist Pascale Gagnon, from Quebec and cellist Sheila Hannigan, originally from Nova Scotia. Violist Marie-Claire Cousineau joined them for a memorable performance of the Shumann quartet op. 47.
Our international guests, Soledad, came from Belgium. The quintet brought an exotic touch to the Festival with their tango nuevo rhythms and steady sensations. The String Quartet Quatuor Alcan, from Quebec, made their first appearance at the Festival with a superb performance of the famous Dvorak String quartet, op.105, and of Beethoven (op.18 no.4) and Mendelssohn (op.80) quartets.
Percussion made a booming entrance at the festival and was very well received. Over a period of two days, workshops and concerts were offered to the whole family. Saturday morning, a workshop on the creation of ones own percussion instrument with New Brunswick percussionist Michel Deschênes and Pierre-Guy Blanchard, followed, in the afternoon, by the initiation to percussion with Quad, Quebec ensemble renowned for their visual performance. An off-series concert was presented Sunday morning by Quad, accompanied by percussionists from the Maritimes, joined by the workshops participants on their self-made instruments, in a piece they had practiced the previous day. A great experience indeed. At the last concert on Sunday afternoon, percussion reached its zenith with Nexus from Ontario. A master ensemble with some 30 years experience which took us on a magical voyage of sounds.
The Festival also offered two interesting outing packages, "Sea and Sound (kayak and concert)" and "Bird-watching, poetry and music" which did not create the anticipated interest but are worth trying again. Still, the 9th edition was certainly a great success in most aspects. We gained a new audience of families and young adults and we became financially stronger.
2004
Strings, a magnificent voice, flute, oboe and accordion were at the program of the 8th edition of the Festival. The Honourable Herméilde Chiasson, writer, poet and Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick was invited as the Honorary President.
The audience was enchanted by the opening concert featuring Borealis String Quartet of Vancouver and Lucille Ouellette, piano. To add visual aspects again this year, young artist, Alexandre Robichaud, was invited to create a painting inspired by the Schumann Piano quintet. The progression of his work was projected on a giant screen that was placed on stage behind the musicians. Measha Br?gergosman accompanied by JJ Penna captivated the spectators with a repertoire of Ravel, Copland, Montsalvatge and Turina. For the youth activity, sculpture was the artistic medium experimented at the Sounds, Forms and Colour workshop. Normand Forget, oboist performed for the children. The string quartet Quatuor ?ys? from France and flutist Claire Marchand interpreted a world premier for flute and string of compositor Shirish Korde, "Tenderness of cranes". To conclude this 8th edition, Joseph Petric, accordion and Normand Forget, oboist, along with the participation of a young string quartet of Halifax, Quantum Quartet performed for the final concert.
2003
Senator Viola Léger, famous actress and writer, was the Honorary President of the 7th Edition of the Festival, also honored by the presence of The Honorable Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, Marilyn Trenholm Counsell: a turning point in the development of our Festival. Considering the growing number of musicians from other countries (15%) the Festival could now claim to be an International Festival with rising stars from Europe on the 2003 program such as the French cellist Ophélie Gaillard, the revelation of the year at the Victoires de la Musique and the Italian brass quintet Gomolan, making their first appearance in Canada.
The opening concert was also a theatrical happening created by two trios, a trio of musicians (Lucille Ouellette, piano, Laurence Kayaley, violin and Ophélie Gaillard, cello) and a trio of actors (Marie-Hélène Copti, Jean-François Gagnon and Pierre Lebeau). The actors read prose and poetry illustrating works by Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann that were performed by the musicians.
We also featured our first concert in Campbellton thus widening our reach. The concert was given at the First United Church with gifted Luc Beauséjour at the organ, Paul Merkelo the famous trumpet solo of the Montréal Symphonic Orchestra and the great New Brunswick Opera singer, Wendy Nielsen. Then the Penderecki Quartet accompanied dancers from the Dancetheatre David Earle in the performance of "Tango" by Canadian composer Randolph Peters. A wonderful discovery. Finally, the Brass Quintet Gomolan gave the final concert with brilliant humor.
Thus the 7th was an artistic success on all levels, scenic and musical. The production was well supported by the great lighting and staging. We also note a thoughtful innovation; the audience could observe the organist playing, thanks to a giant screen installed at the front of the church. And we must not forget our young ones being initiated to the mysteries of organ playing and being allowed to play the keyboards and listen to the pipes sing!
2002
Our 6th Festival included a concert by Lorraine Desmarais Jazz Trio together with a classical wind quintet, a first and a great success. There was also a concert and conference on the evolution of piano jazz by Mrs Desmarais during which she graciously answered questions from the audience. Jamie Parker conducted a classical piano master class that was well attended by the musicians of the region. Mr. Parker also gave a concert with the renowned oboist, Philippe Magnan. The latter also performed for the children attending the Sound and Colour workshop for a mini concert.
The Festival invited an ensemble of young Swiss musicians, Casal String Quartet, who are having an enormous success in Europe. The Festival's artistic director, Lucille Ouellette, pianist, joined them to give a rendition of the famous Dvorak piano quintet opus 81. Finally, Jamie Parker, Trio Gryphon and the first violin and alto of the Arthur-Leblanc Quartet performed the piano quintet opus 57 by Shostakovich. Great musical moments indeed! The Festival paid a special tribute to Miss Gladys MacDonald, a pioneer music teacher in the region
2001 - (fifth anniversary of the Festival)
Quatuor Kandinsky gave the opening concert thanks to the collaboration of the French Consulate. The Arthur-Leblanc Quartet gave a wonderful rendition of the Reinberger's Nonet together with contrabassist Éric Lagacé and Pentaèdre wind quintet. They also performed the Redemptio world première, a triptych by Canadian composers André Prévost, Roger Castonguay and Pierre Michaud on a poem by Serge-Patrice Thibodeau, Acadian poet. We had the pleasure of the latter's presence at the concert as well as Roger Castonguay and Pierre Michaud who are native of New Brunswick. A local actor, Yvan Vanecke, read the poem.
The Pentaèdre Ensemble gave a concert with Lucille Ouellette at the piano and Nicole Ouellette, soprano. Two young musicians from the Maritimes, Denise Djokic, cello and Jasper Wood, violin, with pianist Jean Desmarais, Ottawa's renowned accompanist, gave us wonderful renditions of duos and trios. The Canada Arts Council has entrusted both Denise and Jasper with old instruments of great value. For the occasion, the Festival invited Olivier Pérot, a specialist in the restoration of ancient instruments, to give a conference on the socio-political and cultural context that prevailed at the birth of these instruments (a 1696 Stradivarius and an 1820 Pressenda). This conference attracted a large and inquisitive audience.
Two sessions of the Children's workshop Sound and Colour and a special family concert completed this 5th edition of the Festival. The family concert was the première of a musical show created by Diva Natalie Choquette with Éric Lagacé, double bass, and the Duo des Concertants, guitarists. This concert resulted of a lively and exciting concert of Opera, Guitar, Humour and Flamboyant Costumes to an enthusiastic young and not so young audience. To crown this significant season, Mr. Jean-Louis Roux, president of the Canada Arts Council, accepted the honorary presidency of this 5th Festival. He visited the region, attended the initial concert and the subsequent reception and addressed the audience with a few enthusiastic words.
2000
To mark the new millennium, the Festival offered a most prestigious program. Thanks to the co-operation of the French Consulate, world's famous Wanderer Trio opened the series. In closing the series, the chamber orchestra I Musici de Montréal (15 musicians), also of world fame, together with ten young musicians from the region, gave a memorable concert of mostly Russian and Canadian music.
The program also included Duo Concertante from Newfoundland and a Brahms concert for piano four hands and mixed vocal quartet, performed by four highly regarded singers whose careers are in full swing along with pianists Lucille Ouellette and Richard Raymond, both originally from the region.
The end result was an increase in attendance and an artistic and financial success. All concerts were recorded by Radio-Canada. In addition, an activity for young people entitled "Sounds and Colours" was also televised by SRC. Canadian composer, Denis Gougeon, was invited as the Honorary President of this fourth edition of the Festival and made his presence felt by attending most of the concerts and by meeting the public where he debunked for them contemporary music and communicated his enthusiasm.
1999
In 1999, the Festival offered a high-quality programming with greater participation by artists from Atlantic Canada: Trio Rivard-Trudel-Ouellette with Bob Dutton, trumpet, Mark Simons, clarinet, Robert Lewis, bassoon and Jean-Luc Plourde, viola; as well as a youth series: A violin on a string; multi-ethnic: Duo Liu-Gao, pipa and erhu, with guest Ye-Xu-Ran; classical music and the discovery of new talents: Duo Caprice with Sophie Larivière and Mathias Maute, recorder players. Gilles Lefebvre, founder of Jeunesses Musicales du Canada was invited as Honorary President. As in the past, all activities were held in both official languages and the concerts were commented. Following the concerts, the musicians and special guests attended gatherings open to public.
1998
The 1998 Festival was on a larger scale, with more musicians and more involvement by the SRC in co-production. The budget was increased to $53,000, 60% more than the previous year. While the total seating capacity rose by 39%, we doubled our sales of tickets and subscriptions. In addition, our marketing efforts, buoyed by '97's success, had more impact and covered a larger territory. The self-financing of the event rose to 72%. Government grants accounted for 22% of the budget. Our confidence in the cultural and economic value of this event was reinforced by the response to our '97 survey of the people who attended the concerts, filling the halls at 69% of its' capacity. The response was in favour of making the Festival an annual event.
From July 9 to 12, 1998, four concerts featuring Quatuor Claudel, Danzi Wind Quintet, Rivard-Trudel-Ouellette Trio and Niagara Brass Ensemble, a total of 17 highly regarded musicians from New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. A series of public lectures by a well-known musicologist was added to the program along with a books and recordings boutique. Thanks to donations, twenty youngsters attended the concerts.
The Festival has also earned a place among the major summer festivals sponsored by the Société Radio-Canada. Its reputation broaden across the Atlantic Provinces, Quebec and even across Canada thanks to Joseph Rescigno, renowned conductor of the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, and honorary president of this second edition, who certainly helped the festival gaining this growing visibility.
1997
The first edition of the Baie des Chaleurs Chamber Music Festival was held in New Mills and Benjamin River, New Brunswick, from July 3 to 6, 1997. Five concerts were on the program. The opening concert, co-produced by the Société Radio-Canada, featured the Arthur-Leblanc Quartet, string quartet in residence at the Université de Moncton. The Marchand-Lizotte Duet (flute and harp), two performances by the Duo des Concertants (guitar duet), and the Leonore IV Quartet rounded out the program.
Writer Antonine Maillet, honorary chairperson of the first Festival, attended the opening concert and made a memorable speech. And then the celebration began, as people turned out in large numbers to enjoy the music, spend time with family, friends and neighbours, appreciate the beautiful acoustics of Benjamin River Church and discover the antique charm of the little concert hall in New Mills, which had been renovated for the occasion. It was a celebration by and for the people of Restigouche, who worked together to make it happen. And their enthusiasm continues to drive the Festival as we approach year 2000.
The 1997 Festival was a tremendous success. It was the first artistic experiment of its kind in that area, and the response was well beyond expectations. Thanks to a professional, open administration and high-quality production, the Festival immediately garnered the respect of its financial partners in both the public and private sectors. It also benefited from excellent media coverage and critical acclaims. The Société Radio-Canada agreed to record a concert even in this first year.
This first Festival owed its success, first and foremost, to the many volunteers who worked on the preparations and to the generous contributions of companies, businesses, social organizations and individuals, who together provided 55% of the financing. This success came as no surprise, given New Brunswick's healthy economy and the desire of government to promote the development of tourism and culture. An even more important factor was the interest and enthusiasm the project elicited in everyone we approached, from simple music-lovers to professional musicians and the business community
·····
During a period of ten years, the Festival brought 260 musicians and artists from all over Canada and other countries to Restigouche, a region in northern New Brunswick that was previously rather isolated in terms of culture. These musicians were offered works and new audiences to play for, and in return brought a unique artistic experience to the region
Over the longer term, the Festival organizers intend to remain attentive to the public's needs and expectations, and to innovate with respect to programming, artistic content, activities and broadening of audiences, all while remaining within budget. Above all, we intend to keep in mind our mission and to maintain the friendly, vacation-like atmosphere of the Festival.
The Baie des Chaleurs Chamber Music Festival inc. is a non-profit charitable organization incorporated in New Brunswick.
The General and Artistic Director, and Founder of the Festival, Lucille Ouellette, M.Mus, was born in New-Brunswick where she first studied and gave her first concerts. A bachelor in music from Moncton University, she then obtained a Master degree from University of Montréal. With a grant from the French Government, she further studied piano and chamber music in France, from 1984 to 1988, with Yvonne Lefébure and Catherine Collard. She now pursues her career as a pianist, accompanist and chamber music player.
The Board of Directors is composed of Louise Somers, presidente, Lise Blanchette-Corbin, vice-president and Louise Robert-Gagnon, secretary-treasurer, and directors Marielle Abud, director, Best Western Hotel Manoir Adelaïde, Jean Corbin, engineer, Bowater Maritimes, Claude Larouche, MBA, and Chris Gillis, regional director, Aliant and ex-officio: Gérard Arseneault, a.v.a.c.fin.a., ex-president, Diana-Marie Ouellette, administrator and ex-president and Lucille Ouellette, general and artistic director.
The administrative team is composed of Lucille Ouellette, general and artistic director, Louise Robert-Gagnon, administrative director, Suzanne Savoie, coordinator and Jean-François Gagnon, production coordinator. Some fifty volunteers who have adopted the Festival as their own and whose enthusiastic participation has been the key to our success since 1997 support this team.
