Brooke Maxwell will be our musical entertainment on this opening evening performing on our new and beautiful Bechstein piano. Brooke is a Vancouver Island-raised piano player/singer/songwriter based in Victoria. You never know what he's going to do…but it's going to swing! He's got an eclectic set list, a lively presence and elastic voice to match, so prepare yourself for a musical adventure. From jazz classics to Radiohead and some quirky originals, he plays the great standards old and new.

Spring Runoff, acrylic on canvas 40"x48"
Ann Zielinski

Spaces

"Spaces", a Hornby group show will encompass all that is exceptional about our island community - its collectiveness, its diversity, its inclusiveness, support, appreciation and acknowledgement of one another.

The Opening Reception will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the talent and spirit of Hornby.

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Jorge Miguel is a Spanish Canadian Flamenco guitarist and composer. FLAMENCO is the name of his new CD and the performance that will grace our stage here on Hornby. Passionate, aggressive and percussive music, dance and song will take you on a journey to the contemporary Flamenco scene in Spain. On stage Jorge will be joined by Venezuelan/Canadian vocalist Eliana Cuevas, percussionist, Luis Orbegoso, and stunning Flamenco dancer, Ilse Gudino. Jorge Miguel's style of Flamenco is the real thing. Jorge respects Flamenco's roots and rules, the hundreds of years of development and growth passed down through generations. He was trained in the traditional way as is done in Flamenco circles, "face to face and hand to hand" sitting across from his "professor". This is the passion and pride of true Flamenco. Percussive, aggressive and dissonant virtuosity are found in his Bulerias, Alegrias, Tangos, Farruca and Sevillanas (traditional Flamenco styles).

"Authentic Flamenco turns the River Run upside down, his playing and improvising were nothing short of fantastic"   Sheila O'Hearn - The Fergus-Elora Express

Opening Kunyarara

Faron Crowe is a born and raised Hornby girl who has been infected by the joyous polyrythmic music of Zimbabwe. She has a passion for the deep Shona grooves played on the mbira. Often referred to as a "thumb piano" the mbira is a small, portable instrument with an ancient repertoire. Tonight, Faron will be joined by two of her musical mentors, Andrea Rutz and Dean Samuel. Together, they call themselves Kunyarara, which means "may peace be with you".

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In her brain-bending performance of Number Theory, world-renowned storyteller and dancer Sarah Chase gives a dance lecture on movement loops, mathematics, the tides, michel le grand, and the effect of walking on logs. Becoming a living Chinese astrology calendar, her arms weave twelve animals through the 60-count cycle. Math has never looked this good. Sarah Chase is a born storyteller, combining eloquent words and graceful movement, seamlessly captivating in her ability to evoke place and personality. Chase enlivens long-forgotten tales and events, creating scenes, turning the simplest image into pure beauty. In her work, body and memory are inseparable. The body not only remembers movements but also feelings, experiences, and situations. In her movements, she performs that part of the memory that cannot be described with words alone, while simultaneously telling stories.

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The Shuffle Demons first broke onto the Canadian music scene in 1984 with an electrifying musical fusion that drew in equal measure from Sun Ra, Charles Mingus, Run DMC and the Beastie Boys. The band was one of the first indie acts to break out on MuchMusic. This band is genre bending, highly visually entertaining, funny, and best of all, they can really PLAY. All their eye catching, crowd-pleasing stunts are backed up by incredibly solid musicianship. They are a band that captured the imagination of a generation with their antics and performance - and they stopped traffic on a regular basis. And now The Demons are back!! Twenty-five years later, the Shuffle Demons return with a greatest hits album and a whole lot of demonic attitude. So get ready to sway in your seat, jump to your feet and dance to the Demon beat! Richard Underhill (sax & vocals), Perry White and Kelly Jefferson (saxes), George Keller (bass) and Stich Wynston (drums).

"A considerably but pleasantly disturbed group. Like a white Fishbone on a heavy jazz trip or Defunkt in too-narrow ballet shoes. Deservedly, the audience loved it."   Het Nieuwsblad National - Cactus festival

Opening Jill Gathright

Relatively new to the scene, Jillian Gathright aka , "Jilli Martini", is swiftly earning recognition as one of Comox Valley's female vocalists, calling Hornby Island home for 18 years. Jill's extremely broad taste in music is evident as she presents unique versions of a wide variety of genres. She makes each song her own with her voice that is tastefully seasoned by her decades of life experiences. She is proud to be accompanied by some of the Valley's best musicians, and always brings a relaxed and comfortable energy to her performances. www.jillimartini.com

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Chic Gamine, the roguishly charming Winnipeg/Montreal-based vocal quintet, has been serenading its audiences since the summer of 2007. With a solo percussionist as their main musical support, Chic Gamine use their voices as instruments, effortlessly launching into intricate string arrangements, bass-heavy rhythm sections and lush harmonies. These multifariously talented songwriters create a sound that resonates with soul, passion and an unabashedly random and sometimes downright peculiar brand of humour that reels audiences in and leaves them begging for more. Gospel, Soul, R'n'B, 50's Doo-Wop, Brazilian forro and French Chanson are infused into the voices and rhythms of these five schemers and effervescent song-makers. And the whole is liberally doused with the most absolute, happy-go-lucky impulsiveness unique to Chic Gamine. With just two years under their stylishly coordinated belts, Chic Gamine recently won a JUNO Award for the 2009 best roots traditional CD of the year and has performed already at some of the most renowned music festivals in North America.

Opening Bryn Bohn

Bryn Bohn has been raised on Hornby Island in a family filled with music, art and dance. In her musical journey, she has been lucky enough to perform with many of her favourite local artists and is hoping to pursue her dream as a musician.

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Pharis Romero

www.thehaints.com/

Listen to samples!

A festival favourite since she was four years old, Pharis Hope Romero is a musician and performer of great depth and diversity. She was a founding member of western Canadian roots favourites, Outlaw Social (2008 nominee Western Canadian Music Awards) - a band noted as "one of the most exciting roots-based bands to emerge on the West Coast scene in recent years" (Penguin Eggs). Her singing and songs have enjoyed regular radio play, including CBC nationally, NPR, and BBC Radio. Pharis Romero is a regular performer at prominent Canadian and US festivals including the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Vancouver Music Festival, Calgary Folk Festival, Edmonton Folk Festival, and others. Pharis is joined by Jason Romero on banjo, guitars and vocals.

Melisa Devost

www.melisadevost.com/

Listen to samples!

We are thrilled to have our very own Melisa Devost as part of the festival lineup this year. Hailing from Hornby Island, Melisa writes introspective and observant songs about life patterns and choices, love or lack of, and the refinements of what it means to be human on this planet. Her music varies from blues-tinged heaviness to heartfelt non-denominational gospel to quirky folk-pop. Combining fingerstyle guitar with a voice that has been described as "powerful, beautiful and dynamic," Melisa weaves her tales of woe and whoa! into a show that is engaging and emotionally stirring.

Emily Braden

www.myspace.com/emilybraden

Years of beautiful hard work has allowed Emily Braden to develop a truly unique style. With her powerful range and soulful sound, she explores everything from gospel wails, confident blues, hard funk and feverish vocal improvisations to heartfelt, subtle ballads. Emily's career as a versatile and engaging soloist is rooted in an early passion for powerhouse vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin. She recalls hours spent at a young age memorizing classic vocal recordings and scat solos. Emily was recently selected to perform at the historical Apollo Theater in New York City as a competitor in the world renowned talent show, "Apollo Amateur Night." Her new CD, Soul Walk, will be released this Summer. Recorded this fall in New York City with pianist, composer and producer Misha Piatigorsky, the CD features Emily's original compositions and promises to be a bold introduction to a serious career.

No Opening

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This evening of dancing under the maple tree is back by popular demand. Heading up an exceptional band is Adrian Dolan (fiddle, accordion, piano) who tours and records with JUNO nominees The Bills, and also works as a record producer. Zav (Jaime) RT (fiddola) is an innovative recording artist and composer with a unique West Coast sound, and the founder of Fiddleworks Community Development Society. Calvin Cairns is a renowned fiddler, teacher, and musical entertainer, who has recorded and performed with artists such as Stringband, Connie Kaldor, The Vinyl Cafe Orchestra, and the Romaniacs. Our caller for the night is Anne Glover whose love for folk dance began while immersed in the vibrant traditional music scene in Quebec. Anne tours internationally as a professional storyteller and string artist.

Dust off those dancing shoes!

No Opening

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Since 1999 when they first began to work together, Kai Gleusteen and Catherine Ordronneau have established themselves as one of the most important duos in the interpretation of sonatas for violin and piano. Having performed more than 100 recitals in Europe, Canada and USA, they are praised for their unique partnership, "playing under the control of a single intelligence", and for the emotional power of their interpretations. They also received critical acclaim for the release of their first recording for the AVIE records label, which includes a "standout performance of the Prokofiev sonata, one of the finest on records." In May 2004, their second recording with sonatas by Grieg, Dvorak, and Franck was distributed world-wide. Their repertoire encompasses most of the great sonatas for violin and piano. Among recent projects was a tour in the USA with performances with the St Louis Symphony, recitals in Chicago as well as in the San Francisco area and a gala concert in the prestigious Hotel de Ville of Paris.

Click here to download a PDF of the program guide for all of the evenings' performances.

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After a stunning performance at our festival three years ago, The Jacques Thibaud Trio will return again this year. The ensemble has performed throughout Europe, Japan and over 40 States of the U.S., and in Canada receiving tremendous acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Calling their playing "spontaneous and commanding," the New York Times said, "this could be the first string trio in some time to have a major career." With their charm, youthful exuberance and astounding virtuosity, the Trio has delighted audiences of around the world. Internationally, the Trio has appeared at the Lincoln Centre, London's Wigmore Hall, in Germany at Berlin's Konzerthaus and Philharmonie, at the Alte Oper Frankfurt and at the Musikhalle Hamburg, in Japan on several concert tours in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and Nagano, at the Seoul National University in South Korea, and at some of Europe's most prestigious festivals including the Beethoven Festival in Bonn/Germany, Belgium's Musica Mundi, Denmark's Roskilde Festival and Gidon Kremer's Echternach Festival in Luxembourg.

Click here to download a PDF of the program guide for all of the evenings' performances.

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Ages 7 - 13 - Enrolment is limited. (20 children max)
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Also note that this is a two session workshop spread over two days.

As well as an accomplished performer and choreographer, Sarah Chase (see above bio) is a gifted and inspired teacher. In this two-day workshop on storytelling and dance, the class will explore how movement can spring out of words and how words can spring out of movement.

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This year, long-term Hornby Island resident and poet, Billy Little passed away. Join accomplished local writers, Bill Smith, Carole Chambers, Amanda Hale and Keith Harrison, as they read their favorite selections of Billy's work as well as pieces of their own or other related works.

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Sarah offers a modern dance class to anyone who loves to move. The class involves both improvisation and simple dance phrases designed to open and reconnect the dancing body. Sarah Chase is an internationally renowned dance teacher who we are privileged to have teach here on Hornby.

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