David Dalle
Thursday July 27th, 2017 with David Dalle
A look at my top 3 picks from the Chamberfest: all adventurous late-night concerts including Syrian clarinettist Kinan Azmeh, the Swiss Piano Trio, Canadian cellist and composer Cris Derksen

Today we look at my 3 top picks from this year's Chamberfest: all adventurous late-night concerts including Syrian clarinettist Kinan Azmeh, the Swiss Piano Trio, Canadian cellist and composer Cris Derksen. The Swiss Piano Trio is performing a project conceived with video director Arthur Spirk, performing Rimsky-Korsakov's luxurious Scheherazade in a transcription for piano trio and clarinet. The music will be accompanied by Arthur Spirk's visuals exploring the Orientalism which inspired Rimsky-Korsakov. Canadian cellist and composer Cris Derksen is an astonishing, powerful, and unique voice in Canadian music. Embarrassed to say I have only recently encountered her music and I am so happy I did! She composes music at the intersection of her extensive cello training and classical education, and her First Nations heritage. She uses electronics to expand her cello with loops and effects, as well as samples. Music that is absolutely riveting, haunting, powerful. Lastly, we will hear the extraordinary Syrian clarinettist Kinan Azmeh, who has been touring a very intimate and personal project, "Home Within", this is a collaboration with Armenian-Syrian artist Kevork Mourad. From Damascus and Aleppo respectively, they met in their new home in New York, but both consider "Home" to be in Syria. This audio-visual work grew from a short piece Kinan wrote which he called "Sad Morning, Every Morning", reflecting waking up everyday to look at the news from Syria. It grew into a nearly hour-long work which they named "Home Within". It is an extraordinarily beautiful and haunting work, full of melancholy, nostalgia, sadness, and hope. Kevork accompanies Kinan's clarinet with visuals, some of them prepared, some of them he creates during the performance. Kinan adds some electronics to his live clarinet. All three of these concerts are exceptionally rare treats for Ottawa. Do not miss them! All taking place at La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins on King Edward Ave, starting at 10pm. on Sunday,Tuesday, next Thursday. Swiss Piano Trio: http://www.chamberfest.com/concerts/2017-0730-06/ Cris Derksen Trio: http://www.chamberfest.com/concerts/2017-0801-05/ Kinan Azmeh & Kevork Mourad: http://www.chamberfest.com/concerts/2017-0803-05/