The Collingwood Summer Music Festival is about to kick off its second season.
Organizers say a diverse array of Juno and Grammy-nominated artists are set to perform this summer.
The festival will feature six brilliant Indigenous artists, three “Canadian Premiere” performances, two acclaimed poets and several engaging activities for youth, including a special sing-along event with the iconic folk singer Jerry Gray.
Each concert is professionally live-streamed and features live Q&A sessions with the artists, pre-recorded painting sessions with local artists and aerial drone footage of this charming town.
A series of virtual ‘musical hangouts’ are scheduled throughout the week in the form of in-depth musical discussions and storytelling for youth.
The festival is open to the possibility of admitting a limited in-person audience on the basis of health authority guidelines, which will be announced at a later date in May.
Daniel Vnukowski, artistic director of the Collingwood Summer Music Festival, expressed his artistic vision for the summer.
“Each of our live-streamed events make exciting use of technology, in order to produce some very impressive cinematic visuals, while heightening opportunities for engagement with virtual audiences,” he said. “This year, we are also thrilled to connect with Collingwood’s vast visual arts community, which has opened up many refreshing, new directions to explore for future years. At the current time, we are carefully monitoring the lockdown situation and have several backup plans in place, including the possibility of a romantic, drive-in concept for our spacious parking lot at the church. We want to ensure that everyone comes away with many memorable experiences this summer!”
Pre-festival free livestream events:
- Wed, April 21 at 7 p.m. Bravo Collingwood
Celebrate the strength and resilience of Collingwood’s arts scene. Daniel Vnukowski performs the music of Tchaikovsky joined by three guest visual artists: Geoffrey James, Tjalling Halbertsma and Anke Lex.
Pre-register at: https://collingwoodfestival.com/event/bravo-collingwood
- Wed May 19 at 7 p.m. Season Preview
Daniel Vnukowski performs the music of Rachmaninoff and invites three more special guests to join him on a fun-filled evening of music-making and interviews. Pre-register at https://collingwoodfestival.com/event/2021-season-preview
Festival Schedule
(See https://collingwoodfestival.com/festival-events for all event details and summaries):
- July 10 at 7 p.m. Popera
Inaugural concert featuring over a dozen members of The National Academy Orchestra of Canada and several stars of the Canadian opera scene, directed by Maestro Boris Brott.
- July 11 at 11 a.m. Free outdoor events for youth
Relaxed performances and activities for families and children with dancing and song-writing.
- July 12 at 7 p.m. A Woman’s Love
Starring Vera Pavlova, a contemporary, best-selling Russian poet together with her daughter Natalia Pavlova (soprano) who will be streaming in from Rome, Italy. Accompanied by a live music ensemble made up of local talents. Music by Robert Schumann, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Iraida Yusupova.
- July 13 at 7 p.m. Chocho
Already well-known to Collingwood audiences but with a unique twist. Presenting the ‘Chocho’ or ‘Butterfly’ with Aki Takahashi on taiko and shamisen together with the unbridled energy of the celebrated Japanese drummers Nagata Shachu.
- July 14 at 7 p.m. Red Sky Performance
Celebrating the creativity and fire of Indigenous artistic expression with Red Sky Performance, Canada’s leading contemporary Indigenous dance group and a very special guest – the established Indigenous poet and historian Dr. Duke Redbird, who will recite verses from his latest book of poetry. Accompanied by soothing sounds of the Native American flute with Jason Chamakese.
- July 15 at 7 p.m. The Wild Girls
A dramatic chamber music experience starring Mayumi Seiler on violin, Angela Park on piano and Cris Derksen on electric cello. Cris Derksen is a Juno Award–nominated, two-spirit, Cree cellist and composer, who will present specially-commissioned arrangements of her works specifically for this occasion. Music by Wolfgang A. Mozart, Johannes Brahms and Cris Derksen.
- July 16 at 7 p.m. Scheherazade
Starring acclaimed Lebanese-Canadian opera singer Joyce El-Khoury in the role of Scheherazade well supported by Serouj Kradjian and ensemble – a Canadian first! A exotic fusion of traditional masterworks featuring Maurice Ravel’s Scheherazade alongside twentieth-century Lebanese songs and many other jewels of the East.
You can order tickets by clicking here.