Submitted by Jen Burak
The SweetWater Music Festival’s Springtime Live concert week was a huge success on many fronts. This year, the festival expanded to offer a sold out show at the L.E.Shore Gallery in Thornbury on Thursday, May 22. Artistic Director Edwin Huizinga said, “It was thrilling to come to a new community and see so many new people, and fill up a wonderful gallery in downtown Thornbury. The audience leapt to their feet and we all just felt so welcome!”
The second concert took place on Friday evening at the historic Leith Church in Meaford. An iconic setting, perfect for wonderful chamber music; intimate and charming.
The spring festival featured Juno award-winning pianist Philip Chui, violinist Edwin Huizinga, violinist Sheila Jaffe, violist Keith Hamm, and Julie Hereish on cello. All of these phenomenal musicians journeyed to the region from various places across Canada to bring us incredible music at affordable ticket prices.
No need to travel to the city these days to hear top notch performers!
Both concerts offered different programming for the first half and stunned both audiences with the Schumann Piano Quintet; an astounding piece of music performed with virtuosic passion, literally leaving the audience breathless.
Since its inception over 20 years ago, SweetWater has maintained a tradition of including free performances in their festivals, especially for children and teens. Edwin is committed to opening free live performances up to more diverse audiences in the community – schoolchildren, seniors, and everyone in between. To that end, the festival included two free concerts, one at the Harmony Centre in Owen Sound and the other in Meaford Hall.
According to board member Gail Gallant, “After a wonderfully entertaining set, the musicians invited comments and questions from the audience, and a few of the heartfelt expressions of gratitude that followed brought tears to my eyes. Several were overcome and simply gestured to the SweetWater Springtime Live Quintet on stage, saying ‘I love you’.”
In addition, the dream team of musicians held a two-hour workshop with the new community string ensemble, Sweet Strings, that is based in Meaford. Twenty players were coached and encouraged by the professionals in what was an incredibly fun and vibrant session for all.
According to Edwin, “The joy of working with Sweet Strings, and offering community concerts in both Meaford and Owen Sound is just so important! New engagements with the community from the very young to the elderly and everything in between. It was a magnificent week.”
If you missed Springtime Live or have yet to experience the SweetWater Music Festival, don’t worry, the fall festival, running from September 15-21, is now curated and looks spectacular. There are concerts planned in Owen Sound, Leith, and the grand finale will be a matinee at Meaford United Church on Sunday, September 21. Not to be missed.
There will be free events and ticketed concerts: something for everyone indeed.
The Festival Pass is now on sale and gives holders access to all of the concerts and includes an exclusive mystery venue/event for pass holders only! Individual tickets go on sale July 3. As always, there will be free community events and a range of ticket prices to make the concerts accessible.
For further details on the concerts go to: sweetwatermusicfestival.ca. Tickets and passes are available through the Roxy Box Office in Owen Sound: call 519-371-2833, Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., or visit boxoffice@roxytheatre.ca.
