Carissa Klopoushak is wide open and full throttle when it comes to her musical interests. She's a violinist in the NAC Orchestra, she is part of a chamber quartet called the Ironwood String Quartet and she co-founded a nine-year-old festival in her home town of Saskatoon. She
The Miró Quartet brought its Texas-sized sound to Chamberfest Monday night with a steak-and-potatoes program of Haydn, Dvořák and late Beethoven. The concert was presented as a tribute to Joseph Kun, the Czech violinist, instrument-maker and inventor, who developed his renowned shoulder rest after immigrating
Harry Hyman (Hy) Bloom was the son of a tailor but he was much more interested in the sound a stereo needle could create. As a young man Bloom was fascinated by sound. According to a biography on the website of the Ottawa Country Music Hall of
The American film director Stanley Kubrick only made 12 feature films and yet they are some of the most iconic in the history of 20th century cinema. Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dr. Strangelove, Spartacus, these titles speaks volumes about the director's art. But why are
Hinrich Alpers is a German pianist who just happens to love French music. "There are actually two focal points in my repertoire right now. Beethoven is one. He is the most important German composer and as I won the Beethoven competition in Bonn, Germany, several years
There comes a time in any career when a change is required. It's not always because the job has become onerous or even odious. Sometimes it's just that you have ambitions that you want to pursue. Matthew Larkin has reached that point. After more than a dozen years as the
Kishi Bashi (aka Kaoru Ishibashi) is known for his skill as an indie rock violinist and as a songwriter. He's carved out a pretty decent career doing both. But he's not a closed musical book and a couple of years ago Kishi Bashi extended his thinking
When Ottawa photographer Fred Cattroll sold his house it meant he had to tell his exotic Italian "tenant," that it was time to move on after five years. The tenant did reply in an unexpected way, with the Moonlight Sonata. That "housemate" was a nine-foot Fazioli grand
Stephen Hough opened this year’s Chamberfest Sunday night like the true original he is, right down to the grosgrain ribbons on his patent leather court shoes. In a recital focused on Schumann and Debussy, most pianists would traditionally open with their Beethoven sonata. Hough closed with
A word of advice: If your plans ever conflict with those of Corallina, you may as well just give way because she’ll best you every time. Corallina — a firecracker with an intense sense of honour, an estimable loyalty to those who merit it and an
