Lantern Walk (Free event)

We will meet at the main entrance of Tribune Bay Provincial Park to begin the Community Lantern Walk.  We encourage people to carpool or cycle to Tribune Bay Park.  This is a family oriented event that is designed as a fun and magical evening for the Hornby Island community. Please come out and bring your own handmade lantern creation for the walk (watch out for lantern-making workshop notices or contact the Festival office).  The walk will begin near the park entrance to the music and rhythms of Kantata and will be illuminated by the Hornby Island Dancers and lantern art installations generously built by our talented Hornby Island Artists.

Note: Festivities will end and lanterns must be out at 10:30 pm as the park closes at 11pm (and gates are locked, vehicles must be out of the parking lot).  Please wear warm clothing, comfortable shoes and carry a flashlight.  Be assured that we are working with the Hornby Island Fire Department to make this a safe and fun event for everyone.

Off the Wall – a “Celebration of Our Abundance”

A spectacular opening to the Hornby Festival Art Show - Treat yourself to this unique and highly anticipated performance art show collaboration by Hornby artists, crafters, musicians and movers.  A dazzling evening of paintings, sculpture, vessels, luminaries and wearable art presented in celebration of our rich natural environment and our connection to it. Experience our many skills and talents, achievements from a willingness to share, and the organic magic we create.  Pure delight…

*Daily Art Show

Opening Reception (following the Off the Wall art show performance) – Everyone Welcome!  (Free)

The Hornby Festival Board of Directors and Staff invite all islanders and visitors to come and celebrate the opening of the 2007 Hornby Festival.  Come and mingle with your friends and make new ones, view the fabulous Off the Wall collaborative art show and enjoy some delicious hor d’oeurves while taking in the sounds of two-time JUNO nominee and Western Canadian Music Award winner,
Marc Atkinson. 

Aboubacar Camara & Doundounba (Marimba HI Opening)

Marimba HI is an 8-piece marimba, mbira and drum ensemble featuring high energy dance music, rooted in Zimbabwean tradition. This community band combines the talents of members from Hornby's well known Amani Marimba and their student youth band – Kutapira. Islanders have enjoyed the uplifting, happy sounds of Amani's hand crafted wooden instruments for over 10 years.

Aboubacar Camara leads Doundounba in performing West African amasumbou music - a mingling of musical traditions - including ancient Guinean rhythms and popular West African dance-driven melodies of mandeng guitar. Their instrumentation is equally diverse, incorporating the balafon (xylophone), djembe (hand drum), doun doun (bass drum), kirin (slit log drum played with sticks), and gongoma (gourd) alongside electric and bass guitars and the drum kit. The result is dance hall world music alongside traditional percussion, a combination that gets everyone on their feet dancing or moving in their seat! On stage, Aboubacar's extraordinary dance moves, with their speed. energy, and style, are thrilling to watch. 'Many of Aboubacar's original lyrics promote qualities such as kindness, unity and joy, and others make inquiries into the human condition and the challenges that face a diverse society. This range and excellence in African music make Doundounba's sound stand out in the World Music community. Their compelling presentation and the vibrant atmosphere they create make this group one you won't want to miss!
Aboubacar Camara's released one of the most exciting West African albums to
come out of the west coast in some time. Fanyifan (Kindness) flips from highlife
to soukous and other rhythms native to Guinea. ..." World Beat Canada

www.doundounba.ca    

Aboubacar Camara Youth Drumming Workshop (adults welcome too!)

This one hour drumming workshop led by Aboubacar Camara is not to be missed. Aboubacar creates positive, wonderful memories for those who have experienced his talent, joy and art of teaching.Aboubacar Camara is a performer native to Guinea, on the Western coast of Africa. He spent 16 years performing and training with professional dance troupes ("ballets"), touring Africa and Europe. He came to Canada in 1995, performing with Vancouver-based African group, Bafing Productions, and he is now leading his own group, Doundounba Music & Dance. When he isn't touring or teaching classes, Aboubacar lends his vocal and instrumental skills to other artists in the studio, and, a member of BC's actor's union, finds time to appear on the screen as well. His training began first on the djembe, apprenticing under expert drummer Sekou Sylla at an early age. Fluent in the Sousou, Fulah, Malinke, and Kisse languages of Guinea as well as in French, Aboubacar absorbed the music and culture of his entire country, from the capital to the forest region, and brings this out in his music. Please bring a drum to this workshop. There will be a few available first come, first serve for those of you who don't have access to a drum of your own.

Aché Brasil - World Beat and Dance (Kantata Opening)

Come and groove to the lively West African and world fusion rhythms of Kantata (meaning ‘Call to the village’ in the Ghanian language, Kposo). Kantata is a local group of highly skilled drummers, percussionists, bass and sax players, and singers who have been performing on Hornby and elsewhere for over three years

Founded in 1990 by Mestre Eclilson de Jesus, Aché Brasil is a performance group that fuses music, dance, Capoeira (martial arts and acrobatics) into a dynamic, colourful, high energy performance. The dancers, musicians and performers of Aché Brasil exhibit a rare combination of authenticity and excellence in their work, which is presently unmatched in North America. Experienced and professional, Aché Brasil is committed to presenting high quality performances which best exemplify Brazil's rich cultural heritage.Since 1992, the group of Brazilian performers have gone on to become one of the most popular touring and performance groups in Western Canada. Equal parts dance, music and spectacle, Aché Brasil has played to enthusiastic audiences and critical acclaim.  Seen by thousands on The Vicky Gabereau Show, the West Coast Music Awards and Much Music, Aché Brasil has far exceeded the expectations of many festivals. "The tent reverberated to the boom of the drums and the temperature soared. The energy of the band never slowed for the whole hour of their performance.”

www.achebrasil.com

Aché Brasil - Capoeira Workshop

Give yourself an introduction to traditional Brazilian history and culture via this exciting capoeira workshop. Capoeira is a Brazilian art form which combines martial-arts, dance, music, acrobatics and gymnastics.  Known as the secret dance of Brazil, Capoeira is an astonishing display of acrobatics, breath-taking kicks and self-defense tactics performed to the music of drums and Berimbau (an ancient stringed bow-like instrument). Originating out of North East Brazil (about 400 years ago), by slaves from the African continent, Capoeira had to be practiced in secrecy after the lethal potentials were discovered by the slave masters. Although Capoeira was created as a way to free the slaves from their oppressors, it has evolved into one of the most hypnotic and interesting art forms yet to come out of Brazil. Capoeira Aché Brasil has been at the forefront of Capoeira instruction in Vancouver for over ten years. Born in Brazil, Mestre Eclilson is a highly regarded Master of Capoeira, with 32 years of experience. 

Please wear loose and comfortable clothing.

Readings at Olsen's Farm

Hornby Island is home to many of Canada's extraordinary writers. Bring a picnic to the farm and sit and listen to samplings of the wonderful words and literary range of some of these Hornby Island talents.  While you may have heard some of these writers read before, they will all be reading from works never before presented on Hornby Island –  new works, works in progress and old treasures. 

Mae Moore & Lester Quitzau (Christa Didham Opening)

Christa Didham brings a fresh flare with original lyrics, through folk style song and spoken word. She is a Hornby Island mama/musician and fibre artisan, with inspiration drawn from children, color and global diversity. Allow yourself to ride this wave of original thought and surrender to the soul of these spirit songs.

The first time Lester Quitzau and Mae Moore performed together as a duo, opening for Taj Mahal in 2002, they were received with standing ovations. There was clearly electricity between them. The chemistry is all the more interesting when each artist has already several cd's, with Juno nominations, and more than a dozen years into their own careers and personae. Mae and Lester come from varied and diverse backgrounds, but complement each other, striking a perfect balance. Audiences immediately remark on their connection, an inspired collaboration in which the sum is greater than it's parts. As Canadian solo artists, Mae Moore and Lester Quitzau have each defied simple categories. Lester has been nominated for a Juno with his stunning second release, A Big Love, as it took blues where no one expected it to go. He also performs as part of the Juno award winning trio, Tri-Continental, with Bill Bourne and Madagascar Slim. Mae is often put in the same category as Canadian icons Joni Mitchell, Diana Krall and Sarah McLachlan. Superstar status hit as her songwriting skills eventually landed her a deal with CBS Records and a Juno nomination for Oceanview Motel. Singles, "Watermark", "Bohemia" and "Genuine" established her as a standard and respected artist at Triple A radio in the US. After three releases and sales over 100,000, Mae returned to the indie route. Don't miss this intimate evening under the stars.
"The warmth between these two can be successfully extended outward to their
audience, and indeed to the world beyond.”

www.maemoore.com      www.lesterg.com

Crazy Orchestra - Children's event  (Children’s day prices, adults free)

Led by music therapist Scott White.  Space limited so buy your tickets soon. For children aged 3-12 years; they must be accompanied by an adult. No previous musical experience necessary.

Enroll your children in an afternoon of Crazy Orchestra and let them discover the musician and more within. Crazy Orchestra is about bringing children together and allowing the imaginative and creative, textural and tangible, real and fantasized elements of sound and rhythm lead them to a playground of potential, fun and mystery. What results depends upon the group itself, but is certain to run from wild to tender, and will bring out a bit of each child. This children's workshop will be led by music therapist Scott White (also a performer in the evening events - see August 11 for more info). emotionally or spiritually, this can truly be life transforming. I have witnessed it many times, and am happy if I have served well as a facilitator.

Outlaw Social (The Eclectics opening)

The Eclectics:  A swinging interpretation of feel'n fine. Featuring Glenn Startup on trumpet, Brett Martens on guitar, Jan Steen on clarinet, and Reuben Weir on guitar.

Old-time music comes screeching into the present with this virtuosic five-piece band.  Outlaw Social draws on the deep roots of North American music - Appalachian singing and picking, Gospel, Jug and Cajun traditions, to create material steeped in traditional sounds - but with the edge of original songs and non-traditional instruments. With three lead singers blending beautifully and smoking hot instrumentation, "these hip-urban-hillbillies" are having a grand old time writing new chapters in North American folk music. Since their inception three years ago, this band is quickly becoming a household name, soaring into the top twenty radio charts and fast following the resurgence of folk music into pop culture. Equally proficient at soulful lamentations and rollicking dance tunes, Outlaw Social brings mature songwriting and exceptional singing and playing to every performance.
"Energetic and incredibly accomplished musicians"

www.outlawsocial.com

Lynda Raino and David Ferguson - Modern Dance

COURTYARD FOR A BIRD  world premiere of the dance duet by David Ferguson & Lynda Raino / Also NATURE ECSTASY (film) with the Kirby Quartet 

We are thrilled to present Suddenly Dance Theatre’s David Ferguson and Lynda Raino of Victoria’s Lynda Raino Dance studio in a two-part special evening of contemporary dance under the sky and stars of this beautiful island. The first half of the program features the world premiere of COURTYARD FOR A BIRD, a live dance duet by Ferguson & Raino with masks designed by Miles Lowry. Celebrating this outdoor venue, COURTYARD FOR A BIRD contrasts visions of the natural world and wilderness with ritual cloister and the manicured garden, evoking themes of isolation and transcendence. The central image: a bird flying in and out of a courtyard; a wild thing dropping into a tamed place; of stillness and turbulence. 

The second part of the program features an exciting first-time collaboration - a live performance by our resident string ensemble, The Kirby Quartet, with Suddenly Dance Theatre’s NATURE ECSTASY, a silent dance film made for live musical interpretation, created by Miles Lowry and David Ferguson and performed by David Ferguson and Jung–ah Chung. This project provides the opportunity to collect musical compositions throughout the video’s evolving existence. Recent versions of NATURE ECSTASY have been made by Giorgio Magnanensi with members of the Victoria Symphony at the News Currents Festival, Victoria, BC and by Eclipse Quartet at the Contemporary Arts Forum in Santa Barbara, USA. In this performance, The Kirby Quartet will use Maurice Ravel’s String quartet, in F major (1903) as inspiration.

For fifteen years, Suddenly Dance Theatre has been consistently presenting original dance works to the public through original commissions, collaborations, and through Romp! A Festival of Independent Dance (10 Festivals). David Ferguson and Jung-ah Chung are featured in recent media works in collaboration with visual designer/co-director Miles Lowry, including Opium (2005/2006), broadcast nationally on Bravo! Chum Television and Artv Quebec; and the soon-to-be-released Bravo!FACT short film, Aisling, based on a visionary poem by Irish author Liam Mac Uistin. Suddenly Dance Theatre is a non-profit society. We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing support of The British Columbia Arts Council and Capital Regional District Arts Development.

Lynda Raino’s extensive career in dance and choreography has taken her around the world. She was one of Margie Gillis’ first teachers, and has collaborated with some of North America’s most highly acclaimed performers, including Bobbi McFerrin and Crystal Pite. She started Big Dance, Canada’s first company for large women, and is the founding Artistic Director of Lynda Raino Dance, a school in Victoria BC, now in its 27th year.

"Their (Jung-Ah Chung & David Ferguson) tense, tempestuous improvisations of the theme of elemental vertigo was a Romantic recognition of the ‘sublime,’... ...The duo ritualistically describes the “ecstatic” dance of nature’s celebrants, earth spirits or elementals. From an initiatory baptism in calm, glassy water, through Eros, terror, consummation, and bliss, Ferguson and Chung paint an abstract narrative of tempestuous union, surrender, and relinquishing.”
- on Nature Ecstasy, Yvonne Owens, Vie des Arts magazine, Montreal 2005

www.suddenlydance.ca   www.lyndaraino.com    www.kirbyquartet.com    www.mileslowry.ca

The Kirby Quartet - Classical Strings

The Kirby Quartet will be our resident classical string quartet for the Festival. The Kirby Quartet is quickly establishing its place among Canada's top chamber groups. The quartet has become an audience favourite on the Toronto Music Garden Concert Series, the Les Amis Concerts, and is a founding member of the Markham Street Chamber Concerts.  They have been featured on CBC's Music Around Us series. Sharing a common aesthetic based in historical performance practice, the Kirby Quartet puts their collective experience together for thought provoking and sometimes risky performances.

Consisting of Julia Wedman, Aisslinn Nosky, Max Mandel, and Carina Reeves, the players' backgrounds include performances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the National Ballet of Canada, the Seiler Strings Chamber Orchestra, Opera Atelier and Tafelmusik, with whom the two violinists presently perform. Through their former groups the Metro and Bomari Quartets, and while collaborating with such musicians as Yo-Yo Ma, Rachel Podger, Menahem Pressler, Anton Kuerti, Steven Dann, the Florestan Trio, Tafelmusik, the St. Lawrence Quartet and Shauna Rolston, each member of the quartet has been forging their clarity of intention both as individuals and as chamber musicians. When the foursome finally joined forces after knowing each other for over a decade, they realized that this quartet would fulfill their highest ideals.

The Kirby Quartet program will include selections from Haydn, Dvorak, Riley and Beethoven.

www.kirbyquartet.com

Kirby Quartet and Dave Eggar - Classical Strings

This Kirby Quartet and Dave Eggar mixed programme will include the Mozart Duo in G major for Violin and Viola,  "On the Edge" for Two Cellos (1996) by Amanda Harberg, and of course, the Schubert Cello Quintet in C Major, Op.163 which features the two cellos.

Dave Eggar, cello, and Dina Finai, vocals – Classical and Beyond

Dave Eggar has performed throughout the world as a solo cellist and pianist. Recent featured engagements include Carnegie Hall, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Barbican Center Concert Hall in London, Kennedy Center Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Central Park Summerstage, Lincoln Center Festival, Stuttgart Bach Festival, Jakarta Anniversary Festival, Tokyo Blue Note, and many others. A graduate of Harvard University and the Juilliard School, Mr. Eggar has performed and recorded with artists in many genres. He has collaborated extensively with dance companies as composer and performer including the New York City Ballet, Dance Brasil, and others. He has won grants and awards from ASCAP, the Leonard Bernstein Foundation, Time Magazine, the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and many others. Dave has released three solo records on the Virgin/Domo and Domo Record Group labels. He is currently touring his recent release, Left of Blue. His evening with the Hornby Festival will display a wide spectrum of cello possibilities. 

This will include a mixed programme of Bach, Pablo Casals, Schumann, Canadian premiere's of works by Toshiro Mayazumi and Paola Prestini as well as an arrangement of Michael Brecker. In addition, Mr. Eggar will be joined by vocalist Dina Fanai on a selection of Harry Partch Li Po songs, an arrangement of Schumann by Mr. Eggar for cello and voice and a piece by John Cage.

Dina Fanai has performed throughout the United States and abroad as a vocalist, pianist, original composer and outside of the classical world as a featured singer with the platinum selling Arena Rock band, Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  Dina has written and produced for Universal Records USA and Columbia/Japan records. Continuing to receive enthusiastic reviews by magazines nationwide, Dina Fanai is often compared to artists as diverse as Sara Brightman, Kate Bush, Alanis Morrisette, Peter Gabriel, the poet Rumi and even the music of Cirque du Soleil. As recently appointed The Director of Music Ministries of The Cor Christi Institute (an organization created under the direction of the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta) and through countless benefit performances and charity events, she continues to perform and produce concerts and recordings to inspire the process of peace in the world.   She has received grants from the United States National Endowment for the Arts, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the John Michael Kohler Foundation, and the US Japan Friendship Foundation for her work in contemporary music.

www.daveeggar.com    www.dinafanai.com

Ulli Bartel and Scott White

Bartel/White is about the excitement, humour and spontaneity of live performance when two like minded world-class virtuosic musicians get together. Ulli Bartel (violin) (coming from Berlin especially for our festival) and Scott White (Contrabass) met in Munich, rather appropriately as band members of the world-famous Cirque du Soleil. It was clear from early on that they shared an appreciation of the humorous, bizarre, and folk as well as eccentric elements of music in general. When they both ended up living in Berlin it was only a matter of time before they collaborated on such a project. Ulli is a rather notorious jazz figure in Germany and surrounding lands, performing with all sorts of ensembles from Istanbul to Warsaw. The musical options are endless, and the future awaits Bartel/White- what will they think of next? We were able to lure Ulli to Canada and our festival with the help of Canadian Berlin resident, Scott White who wowed our audience last year in his performance with Miles Black and his solo bass performances around the island. Scott White left Canada 10 years ago to become the Musical Director, bandleader and bass player for Germany’s Cirque du Soleil. A gifted bassist, he has toured around Europe and North America collaborating with many renowned musicians. 

www.bartelwhite.com

Short Performances in Unusual Places

After last year’s tremendous success the Hornby Festival is once again presenting the Art in Unusual Places program.  We are bringing art further afield into the community in locations besides the beautiful venues of Olsen’s Farm and the Hornby Community Hall. So, don’t be surprised if on a stroll along the beach you stumble across traditional Brazilian folk music and Capoeira dancers, or if on the old ferry dock you suddenly hear the beauty of bass and violin intertwining.  You may hear some West African grooves at the Ringside Market and a world-class cellist on the Ford Cove Dock.

These 15 – 20 minute spot performances are free to the public (with donation bins if you are feeling charitable) and will perhaps inspire you to come and take in the evening performances as well.  A map and schedule will be available to help you take it all in.

Festival Fundraiser Raffle Tickets on sale! 

The prize is a Linda Jane Schmid painting titled Caravan Alchemy (18“ x 24”, acrylic, unframed).  Don’t miss this opportunity to win one of Ms. Schmid’s stunning outdoor images of Hornby Island celebrating the Hornby Festival.  Tickets will go on sale starting June 1, 2007.  They are available at the Hornby Festival box office and the Festival merchandise table.
Cost: $2 per ticket or $5 for three tickets.

*Olsen’s Farm Etiquette

Olsen’s Farm is a special place on Hornby Island, and Festival audiences are asked to help us keep it safe and fun for everyone by observing the following guidelines:

• Smoke only in designated smoking areas
• Carry a flashlight
• No outside food or drink is allowed on-site (except for the afternoon readings Sunday, August 5th).
• All events proceed rain or shine - Bring clothing and protection suitable for all types of weather.
• No dogs are allowed on the concert grounds or in parking area.  Guide Dogs are permitted. 
• Respect your fellow concert-goers by not dancing in front of the seated audience.

Concession
At the evening events there are fine treats and beverages available and a licensed bar onsite at Olsen’s Farm and the Community Hall.  So, don’t forget to bring your pocket money.  Sample the scrumptious, savoury and sweet delicacies created by Trish Vet and wash down with one of the fine artisan meads from Middle Mountain Mead* or one of the offerings of our own licensed Festival bar or with a hot Hornby Roasted Coffee.

*Available at the Farm only.