Chamber music

Mark Fewer joins a few of his friends
Story and Photo: Sharon Harrison

Six distinguished, world-class performances over six days marked the Prince Edward County Chamber Music Festival’s 15th year. The opening concert saw the New Orford String Quartet perform Mozart’s String Quartet No.19 in C major, K.465 “Dissonance”; Burge’s String Quartet No.2, “Death of a Lady’s Man”; and Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major. The festival concluded on Sunday afternoon with Mark Fewer and his classical friends. In between, the fine acoustics at St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church in Picton resonated with the sounds of Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal; a piano recital with André Laplante; and Mark Fewer and his jazz friends.

The New Orford String Quartet took over as new artistic directors of the festival this year after Stéphane Lemelin held the position over the festival’s 14 year history. The New Orford String Quartet members consist of Andrew Wan, Eric Nowlin, Jonathan Crow and Brian Manker.

Friday night brought the much-anticipated and world-renowned soprano Erin Wall to the festival with Carolyn Maule on piano. The concert, however, was cut a little short when Wall fell and broke her wrist as she left the stage at the end of the first half of the performance. While she is reported to be feeling well now, Wall was unable to finish the concert.

“This festival is 15 years old now, but this is special for us as it is something new as we have new artistic directors with the New Orford String Quartet, so they have brought with them some fresh things,” said Maureen Dunn, festival chair. “Today was a good example that there will be very traditional sounding music, but there is also some more modern things that sound a little bit different and everybody seems to be very accepting of that,” she said.

Chatting with the audience (L-R) violinist Mark Fewer, violinist Bénédicte Lauzière, pianist Wonny Song, and cellist Joseph Johnson.

Mark Fewer and his classical friends left the audience breathless and in awe of a stunning performance at Saturday’s festival conclusion. Violinist Fewer brought along his friends for the afternoon: violinist Bénédicte Lauzière; pianist Wonny Song; cellist Joseph Johnson and violinist Jethro Marks. The performances began with Lauzière, Song and Johnson performing Haydn’s piano trio no.39 in G major, Hob. XV/25 “Gypsy”. After completing the complex and energetic piece, Lauzière continued straight into an equally lively and enthralling violin solo of Adaskin’s Sonatine Baroque. Lauzière promised a wild ride and did not disappoint as the piece delivered power and beauty. Cellist Johnson and violinist Fewer then tackled Kodály’s duo for violin and cello, Opus 7.

The afternoon finished with a lively and moving performance of Dvoák’s piano quintet in A major, Opus 81.

“The whole festival has worked really well; we’ve had a full house the first night with the New Orford String Quartet and each night afterwards, it’s been quite full and we’ve had a very good response,” added Dunn. “Last night, we had the same Mark Fewer on violin, he has a jazz trio so he played with a bass and piano player and it was an old-style jazz and it was a terrific show and felt more like you were in a club or something.”

Fewer and his classical friends ensured their audience was touched by the emotion of the music which was not only delightful to hear, but equally intriguing and captivating to watch as each of the extraordinary performers worked as one with their instrument. The music pleasantly teased the senses; it was thought-provoking, upbeat and moving, even reaching into the aggressive and briefly melancholic. While the performances were beautifully and precisely orchestrated, the group ensured it came with a sense of fun too and the audience got a true feeling the musicians were here to enjoy themselves as well as to entertain. Fewer and his classical friends stayed for an audience question and answer segment after the performance where they chatted freely with the crowd.

Dunn said, “On Saturday night, we had this wonderful choir Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal. They were 12 people, four women and eight men, with just a conductor and they sang beautiful music from the medieval times right up to modern times and the theme was Lamentations. André Laplante put on a great show, he was fantastic and very energetic“

For classical and non-classical music fans alike, this local chamber music festival offers a taste of some of the most astoundingly talented musicians who found time from their schedules to perform in Prince Edward County. It’s an extraordinary privilege to have them attend this wonderful little festival which seems to outdo itself year-after-year.