A group of classical musicians will be bringing the sounds of the 20th century to the Comox Valley this August.
This year's Kaimerata Festival looks at the music of Richard Strauss and his contemporaries, musicians who were turning the musical world on its head in the early 20th century. These composers were experimenting with new musical forms and dissonance, all while a school of more traditional composers continued in the more romantic style of the century before. For decades, the music of these late romantic composers were overshadowed by their experimental contemporaries, as musicians and listeners were drawn to the more fresh, intense and sometimes shocking new trends.
Canadian violinist Kai Gleusteen and French pianist Catherine Ordronneau are taking a second look at this forgotten music. They have unearthed some beautiful works that will be a big part of this year's festival.
The music this year is centred around the world of Southern German composer Richard Strauss who is remembered today for his many operas and large orchestral works. But Gleusteen and Ordronneau have arrived in the Comox Valley with several of his lesser known chamber music works that they have brought from their home in Barcelona and are excited to share.
In addition to the Kaimerata regulars, Dan Scoltz (viola) and Beth Root Sandvoss (cello) Catherine and Kai will be joined this year by violinists Traci Lindsay and Phillip Manning from Victoria.
This year, the Kaimerata Festival will be three concerts on both Denman Island and in Comox. The shows will feature the same complete works by Strauss and his contemporaries.
The concerts at Denman Island Community Hall will be on August 8 ,9 and 10.
The first concert at Comox United Church is on Sunday, August 11 at 4:00 p.m. and features the String Quartet in Gm by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg as well as a 鈥淐oncert鈥� for piano and violin accompanied by a string quartet. This unusual work by French composer Ernesto Chausson features four stunningly beautiful movements with a soaring violin and a brutally difficult piano part.
The second concert on Monday, August 12 at 7:00 p.m. includes the Serenade for String Trio by Hungarian composer Erno von Dohnanyi, and Piano Quartets by Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss.
The final concert at Comox United Church on Tuesday August 13 at 7:00 p.m. is an all Strauss event. It begins with two of his youthful chamber sonatas.The first is for cello and piano. The second is a sonata for violin and piano that Gleusteen and Ordronneau have loved and performed for years and are anxious to share with Comox Valley audiences.
To conclude the 2024 Kaimerata Festival, Gleusteen and Ordronneau will perform the Suite for Violin and Piano featuring familiar melodies from Strauss鈥檚 great opera Der Rosenkavalier.
Tickets for individual concerts are $25 (students $10). A Pass for three concerts is $70 and a Supporter鈥檚 Pass which includes reserved seating and access to rehearsals is $110. Tickets can be purchased online at , by etransfer to kaibarcelona@hotmail.com or at the door.
