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Friday, July 18, 2025 @ 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm – Chamberfest connects to our community of exceptional local piano students to present this high-level masterclass with pianist Katherine Dowling. Sharing professional knowledge to motivate the next generation with her insights, Katherine invites everyone to join in the fun as our masterclasses are free and open to the public!

Friday, December 13, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – The Tallis Scholars return to Chamberfest in a spectacular festive concert in the glorious acoustic of Christ Church Cathedral. In addition to seasonal favourites, they’ll share selections by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, just ahead of the monumental composer’s 500th anniversary in 2025.

Friday, November 15, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Chamberfest presents Beethoven’s Ninth like we’ve never heard it before! To celebrate the work’s 200th anniversary, Hinrich Alpers returns to perform the entire symphony in a special transcription for solo piano by Franz Liszt. He will be joined by the Ottawa Bach Choir and stellar soloists Meghan Lindsay, Alex Hetherington, Lawrence Wiliford, and Philippe Sly.

Thursday, August 8, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Chamberfest turns 30 and we are set to celebrate! Join us on closing night to take in some fan favourites, meet some of the faces of chamber music’s next generation, and hear the world premiere of Kevin Lau’s Song of the Quaking Aspens, commissioned by Chamberfest. The evening wraps with a barn burner loved the […]

Wednesday, August 7, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Chamberfest’s treasured siblings Bryan and Silvie Cheng return with a programme celebrating many of their favourite composers, including Ottawa’s Dinuk Wijeratne (Juno-nominated Portrait of an Imaginary Sibling), Sibelius, Grieg, and Sulkhan Tsintsadze. Clarinetist James Campbell will join in the fun with Bruch’s Eight Pieces for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano.

Wednesday, August 7, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – The Nicole Senécal Emerging Artist Award recognizes an exceptional graduating student from the University of Ottawa’s School of Music on the cusp of a professional career. This year, the award recipient is pianist Alexander Merpaw, who studies under David Jalbert. Alexander plans to participate in multiple renowned international competitions this coming year – catch him […]

Tuesday, August 6, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – “A World Transformed” shares the story of Matthew Shepard, a young man from Laramie, Wyoming who was killed because of his sexuality. His death was pivotal to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, sparking global action and change. This immersive Echo Chamber performance presents a daring and ultimately touching combination of music and dance as one integrated expression.

Tuesday, August 6, 2024 @ 5:30 am – 6:30 am – Une discussion intime avec des membres du groupe Echo Chamber, animée par la directrice artistique du Chamberfest, Carissa Klopoushak

Tuesday, August 6, 2024 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Radia aka Ryan Davis, is an innovative composer-performer, combining inspiration of classical, folk, electronic, and hip-hop music with a loop pedal. Unifying his extensive classical training with the inspiration of folk, electronic, and hip-hop music, he finds himself seamlessly blending in between creative spaces. Radia’s performance will feature original compositions that utilize looping technologies, woven into […]

Tuesday, August 6, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – We don’t often think of poetry as rebellion, but the women of Afghanistan have built a tradition out of artistic defiance by speaking in rhyme words forbidden in prose. Beth Silver, Jenna Richards and Elizabeth Polese  combine cello, piano, and voice for this special noon hour concert. The music pays homage to the origins of the […]

Monday, August 5, 2024 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Raphael Weinroth-Browne is an internationally renowned cellist and composer with many musical facets, celebrated for his emotive, virtuosic playing and fearless improvisation both on stage and in the studio. Combining classical training with a passion for progressive metal and Middle Eastern music, he has appeared in over 150 studio albums and opened for rock heavyweights […]

Monday, August 5, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Chamberfest welcomes Arion Baroque Orchestra, with a program exploring the ‘Operatic Fluidity’ of gender through some of Handel’s most beautiful arias. In Handel’s time, these arias would have been performed by castrati—it was their golden era—but these roles have long-since been assigned to mezzos, contraltos, and tenors. Arion gives these beloved works a current-day gender […]

Monday, August 5, 2024 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Leslie Ting’s “What Brings You In” is an autobiographical concert with interactive sound installation. Based on interview research and personal experiences with talk therapy, hypnotherapy, sandplay, somatics, “What Brings You In” is an exploration of when and where our truest selves emerge. This installation/concert invites audiences inward to discover more about themselves through listening, while […]

Monday, August 5, 2024 @ 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm – Sarah Davachi’s Three Unisons for Four Voices, commissioned by NO HAY BANDA, is an hour-long piece primarily about texture and incidental harmony. The four “voices” of the ensemble (strings, winds, percussion, electronics) proceed in a slow-moving monody that is made into a sort of variable canon by way of open and offset timings.NO HAY BANDA […]

Monday, August 5, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm – NEW MUSIC NOW 2024 opens with two string quartets composed by the first and second place laureates of the uOttawa/Chamberfest Composition Competition. You’ll hear Angela Geleynse’s driving Autonomous, followed by Cameron Hunter’s spacious Breathless. Our celebration of emerging artists continues when HATCH takes the stage. Their programme features new compositions written and performed by the […]

Monday, August 5, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Returning favourites on the Chamberfest stage, this brother-and-sister string quartet from Gatineau are sure to get you up and moving. Quatuor Despax is locally known for their diverse musical capacities, from Candlelight concerts of Taylor Swift songs to 40-minute classical works by Mozart. Today, the siblings will introduce their family of instruments (violin, viola, and […]

Monday, August 5, 2024 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am – An intimate chat with Leslie Ting, NO HAY BANDA, and UOttawa composers, led by AD Carissa Klopoushak.

Sunday, August 4, 2024 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Montreal’s Kleztory is an internationally renowned klezmer ensemble. After 20 years together and over a thousand electrifying concerts around the world, their music remains contagious, featuring innovative and respectful arrangements of traditional music from Eastern European shtetlech—small Eastern European villages or “ghettos” in Yiddish—that shows this music at its finest.

Sunday, August 4, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Lauded as Canada’s new jazz ambassador, Allison Au is a Toronto-based award-winning saxophonist, composer, arranger, and singer. Her Juno-nominated album Migrations, inspired by Au’s family history of immigration to Canada, will be performed in its entirety. Au and her 10-piece Migrations Ensemble make complex ideas, issues, and arrangements seem effortless, “…weaving lush, mosaic-like dreamscapes with […]

Sunday, August 4, 2024 @ 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm – After traveling across Romania collecting traditional Jewish and Klezmer music, Beth Silver is sharing her discoveries. Joining her for some tunes and transcriptions of this style, and some tangentially related folk-style classical works from Eastern Europe is longtime duo partner Jenna Richards. Known for their characterful presentations and inclusive practices, the duo frequently involve their audiences in concerts, […]

Sunday, August 4, 2024 @ 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm – Siblings by nature, quartet colleagues by choice, the Despax Quartet bring an almost telepathic synchronization to their performances that only many years of bonding can create. With a diverse and eclectic repertoire from Taylor Swift to Piazzolla to Mozart, this family group has something for everyone. Catch them on Saturday or Sunday on the grounds […]

Sunday, August 4, 2024 @ 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm – Jenna Richards and Beth Silver are known for their characterful presentations and inclusive practices. You can expect music of all kinds from maritime fiddle tunes to traditional Klezmer, classical to musical theatre. The duo frequently involves their audiences in games or activities during the concerts, keeping children and adults alike engaged in the fun. Don’t […]

Sunday, August 4, 2024 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Joel Quarrington, former NAC Orchestra principal double bassist, was recently appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for his contributions as a world-leading double bass player and respected educator. Quarrington recently embarked on a recording project of all J.S. Bach’s Cello Suites on the double bass. On this programme, Quarrington will be performing J.S. […]

Saturday, August 3, 2024 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Toronto’s Moneka Arabic Jazz delivers a danceable mix of Maqam-influenced melodies and African grooves flavoured by the musicians’ diverse backgrounds. Ahmed Moneka’s songs range from Arabic sounds to reggae to ballads to multicultural blues/jazz/pop with storytelling that touches on his experiences as an Afro-Iraqi refugee and his passion for human rights. A Chamberfest debut.

Saturday, August 3, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Angela Hewitt returns for a new blockbuster summer performance, this time with the Chamberfest Anniversary Orchestra and young Canadian pianist Carter Johnson, for an evening of Mozart and Brahms. Embarking on another milestone project after her ambitious and highly acclaimed Bach Odyssey cycle, her Mozart’s Complete Piano Concertos project launched in March 2023 and will […]

Saturday, August 3, 2024 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – An intimate chat with Carter Johnson, led by Chamberfest Artistic Director Carissa Klopoushak.

Saturday, August 3, 2024 @ 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm – Siblings by nature, quartet colleagues by choice, the Despax Quartet bring an almost telepathic synchronization to their performances that only many years of bonding can create. With a diverse and eclectic repertoire from Taylor Swift to Piazzolla to Mozart, this family group has something for everyone. Catch them on Saturday or Sunday on the grounds […]

Saturday, August 3, 2024 @ 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm – Perhaps the only duo of its kind, Bridge & Wolak audiences can expect plenty of humour and performative delivery from this accordion-clarinet band. From Benny Goodman swing tunes and classical arias to their showstopper called “Rock Bach” based on Bach’s infamous cello suites, be sure to catch these two mavericks in action.

Saturday, August 3, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Violin virtuoso Kerson Leong: thrilling, breathtaking, overwhelming, and “not just one of Canada’s greatest violinists but one of the greatest violinists, period” (Toronto Star). Known for his extreme technical prowess and exquisitely nuanced performances, Leong has assembled a monster of a program that he will slay with characteristic supreme control and blazing artistry, including Ysaÿe Solo […]

Saturday, August 3, 2024 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am – Have you ever wondered how a digital accordion works? One of Canada’s foremost digital and acoustic accordion performer, Michael Bridge, is here to teach the whole family how to sound like a whole symphony with just the push of a few buttons. Partner in crime, clarinetist Kornel Wolak will challenge children to see if they […]

Saturday, August 3, 2024 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am – Greet the day and treat yourself to a gentle outdoor yoga practice while soaking up the sounds of local cello favourite, Raphael Weinroth-Browne. In the first of two yoga-enhanced concerts of the summer, you’ll hear Raphael’s gorgeous ambient compositions and classical selections. Led by Anna Petersen of Passionflower Yoga, this practice is inclusive and accessible […]

Friday, August 2, 2024 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Juno-nominated Cree cellist Cris Derksen returns to Chamberfest fresh from her Carnegie Hall debut. Known for creating “undeniably modern music” (MusicWorks), her riveting solo and quartet performances feature drum machines and loop pedals with Powow singers, hoop dancers, and always, cello. Catch her at SAW with singer Rebecca Benson and strings.

Friday, August 2, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – The Danish String Quartet return for the fourth and final instalment of their innovative Doppelgänger project, in which they pair a Schubert work with a brand-new commission. Joined by Finnish cellist Johannes Rostamo, the quartet will perform Schubert’s epic String Quintet, which is regarded as one of the all-time great works of the chamber repertoire. Its Doppelgänger is a […]

Friday, August 2, 2024 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Feel the pull of silvery glissandos, arcing melodic solos, and a pumping swinging rhythm drawing you into The Record Centre as Justin Duhaime single-handedly recreates the Hot Club 1930’s guitar stylings of Django Reinhart. To play Manouche music right requires a virtuosic player – and Duhaime is one of Canada’s best! Catch Justin with his […]

Friday, August 2, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Canadian globe-trotting duo Bridge & Wolak, dubbed “The Victor Borges of the 21st Century”. A “wizard” and a “musical maverick,” Michael Bridge performs on a digital accordion – essentially a computer housed in a conventional accordion case. Together with Kornel Wolak’s “smooth, elegant expressivity” on clarinet, the duo captures the energy and panache of stadium rock with the discipline and […]

Thursday, August 1, 2024 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Local synth composer Nick Schofield’s latest release Ambient Ensemble was created using tape-slowed piano parts layered with synthesizers and a small chamber ensemble. Chamberfest is delighted to host the recreation of this minimalist album live with Ottawa’s own Philippe Charbonneau, Mika Posen (Merganzer), and Yolande Laroche (Orchidae).

Thursday, August 1, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Toronto-born and multi-award-winning mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo has a “wondrous and powerful” voice, described as a “…creamily muscular thing of beauty” with diction as clear as a bell. After making her stage debut at only 21 as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro at the Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi, D’Angelo’s career launched like a meteor. […]

Thursday, August 1, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Thomas Annand is pulling out all the stops for this Chamberfest organ recital! For this performance, Annand will play the extraordinary 1964 Casavant neo-baroque organ of Dominion-Chalmers—Ottawa’s largest wind instrument—recently restored and re-voiced. His programme pays tribute to the organist-composer William France who oversaw the installation of the organ, as well as other Ottawa composers […]

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Toronto-born violinist Blake Pouliot brings his internationally lauded artistry and youthful vigour to the Chamberfest stage for a programme of chamber music gems. Pouliot will take the stage in a gust of superstar sparkle, joined by local piano giant David Jalbert. In the second half, Blake will be joined by the Ironwood Quartet and friends […]

Tuesday, July 30, 2024 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – An intimate chat with Blake Pouliot, led by Chamberfest Artistic Director Carissa Klopoushak.

Tuesday, July 30, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Ottawa pianists Nicole Presentey and John Kofi Dapaah will shine in a four-hands piano program including hits by Mozart, Debussy, Grieg, tango, and Gaga. Presentey is a Carleton University professor and champion of the next generation; as a founder of Chamberfest’s Rising Stars winners, performing with Dapaah, her former student, must feel gratifying to say the least – but […]

Monday, July 29, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Chamberfest welcomes back the Gryphon Trio, fresh off their own 30th anniversary celebration season. Creative innovators with an appetite for discovery, the Gryphons are committed to redefining chamber music for the 21st century. This summer, the trio will champion living American composers Reena Esmail and Paul Wiancko, pairing two daring new works with Mendelssohn’s beloved […]

Monday, July 29, 2024 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – An intimate chat with Gryphon Trio members, led by Chamberfest Artistic Director Carissa Klopoushak.

Monday, July 29, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm – An annual feature of the Chamberfest summer music festival, Chamberfest’s Rising Stars showcases the region’s finest emerging talent who have been selected from a round of springtime auditions. This showcase is adjudicated by a panel of Chamberfest artists, and scholarships are awarded to the strongest performances, including Anne Presentey Rising Stars Award scholarships in junior […]

Monday, July 29, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Welcome to Duo Cecilia‘s Musical Kitchen! In this concert, Gertrude (flute) and Catherine (piano), wearing chef’s hats and aprons, blend the music of Widor, Damase, Saint-Saëns, and Bizet with comparisons of French cuisine and musical ingredients. Children will discover the parallels between a flute cadenza and a chocolate’s surprising filling, and learn that crafting a […]

Sunday, July 28, 2024 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Chamberfest welcomes back fan favourites The Fretless with special guest singer Winnipeg-based singer-songwriter Madeleine Roger. A JUNO Award-winning supergroup of celebrated solo artists, this string quartet is renowned for their transformation of folk melodies into intricate, subtle, beautiful, and percussive high-energy arrangements.

Sunday, July 28, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Canadian Brass, one of the most popular and beloved brass ensembles in the world today, returns to Chamberfest with new addition Ashley Hall-Tighe (trumpet), who is the second-ever woman to join Canadian Brass. The ensemble will offer up some classical favourites from old friends like Mozart and Bach, but the Beatles and Coldplay are also […]

Sunday, July 28, 2024 @ 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm – Welcome to Duo Cecilia‘s Musical Kitchen! In this concert, Gertrude (flute) and Catherine (piano), wearing chef’s hats and aprons, blend the music of Widor, Damase, Saint-Saëns, and Bizet with comparisons of French cuisine and musical ingredients. Children will discover the parallels between a flute cadenza and a chocolate’s surprising filling, and learn that crafting a […]

Sunday, July 28, 2024 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Guitarists Sébastien Deshaies, Glenn Lévesque, and Marc Morin  know no limits, igniting audiences around the world for over 25 years. For Chamberfest, the Trio will showcase their greatest hits in a Mediterranean-flavoured program that includes the music of Paco de Lucia, Manuel De Falla, and Morricone – plus Led Zeppelin and Radiohead. Breathtaking, surprising, amazing, and exalting, […]

Saturday, July 27, 2024 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm – When Tamar Ilana & Ventanas take the stage, be prepared for a mesmerizing flamenco-style seduction of the senses. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist, dancer, and choreographer Tamar Ilana, Ventanas perform Sephardic and Balkan music and dance plus originals in over 20 languages. Don’t miss the Chamberfest debut of this award-winning internationally renowned “pan-global diva” and her […]

Saturday, July 27, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – The Juno Award-winning Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC) graces the stage with a programme featuring Bach, Bruckner (in honour of his 200th birthday), Isabella Leonarda, Clara Schumann, Monteverdi, Purcell, Pärt, and Taverner. Don’t miss this expert performance, delivered with OBC’s signature “…bright, clear, and transparent sound, springy feel for rhythm, beautifully shaded dynamics, and exemplary diction…” […]

Saturday, July 27, 2024 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Spend an afternoon spirited away by film music from Japan and North America with Sergio Emilio Parra, a prize-winning Mexican pianist and composer based in Ottawa. Juxtaposing his classical pianistic technique with his experimental compositional style, Parra’s music incorporates elements of electronic music production and often visuals. Float on a sound cloud as Sergio transforms […]

Saturday, July 27, 2024 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am – The Sisu Ensemble brings joy and adventure to their piano-vocal concerts engaging children and their families in interactions relevant to the pieces they perform. Expect everything from classics like the Sound of Music to new compositions by living Canadian women composers to operatic songs in foreign languages like Finnish, all woven together with storytelling and […]

Saturday, July 27, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Chamberfest welcomes Julie Nesrallah, mezzo-soprano and CBC Tempo host, back to our stage with Heat, a program featuring “the sexiest songs in classical music.” Joined by pianist Guy Few, these two treasured Canadian personalities explore a spicy Iberian palette with works by De Falla, Montsalvatge, Debussy, Saint-Saëns, and of course – a bit of Bizet’s […]

Saturday, July 27, 2024 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am – Greet the day and treat yourself to a gentle outdoor yoga practice while soaking up the sounds of local cello favourite, Raphael Weinroth-Browne. In the first of two yoga-enhanced concerts of the summer, you’ll hear Raphael’s gorgeous ambient compositions and classical selections. Led by Anna Petersen of Passionflower Yoga, this practice is inclusive and accessible […]

Friday, July 26, 2024 @ 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm – Moskitto Bar is back to deliver their fresh mix of Ukrainian, Balkan, Iraqi Middle-Eastern, and French Celtic music in a toe-tapping multicultural buffet of sound that will leave you itching for more!

Friday, July 26, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Celebrating two decades together, Brooklyn Rider returns with a programme paying homage to their namesake, “Der Blaue Reiter,” including four newly commissioned works and the song cycle Chalk and Soot. The group will also present Schoenberg’s Second String Quartet, featuring American soprano Ariadne Greif. Known for expertly navigating varied repertoire with “…the energy of young […]

Friday, July 26, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Chamberfest welcomes back flautist Lara Deutsch, harpist Emily Belvedere, and Juno-nominated violist Marina Thibeaut as Trio Kalysta. Known for championing works by female and Canadian composers, Kalysta’s program is a tribute to Jocelyn Morlock — weeks before her passing, Morlock completed a commission for the trio entitled “The Uses of Solitude.”. This program explores new and old, joy and grief, […]

Thursday, July 25, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Sgt. Pepper, the iconic Beatles album, sung by Canadian pop icons Steven Page, Chris Murphy, Jeremy Fisher, and Andy Maize, performed by AOTE from start to finish; their fusion of high art and popular culture leave wanting more! But it’s now or never: after 80 productions and recordings and extensive touring (including appearances at Chamberfest), it’s this beloved ensemble’s […]

Friday, May 10, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Gabriela Montero, piano, and Quatuor Calidore String Quartet

Monday, March 4, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Chamberfest hosts the Hagen Quartet in their highly-anticipated Ottawa debut years in the making. Hailed as “the ideal string quartet” by the Los Angeles Times, this concert is not to be missed! The Hagen Quartet has attained an unparalleled position among the finest ensembles of our time, having been declared “the pinnacle of musicality” (Die […]

Tuesday, February 13, 2024 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – The legendary trio of violinist Isabelle Faust, pianist Alexander Melnikov, and Canadian-born cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras make their Ottawa debut, playing a thrilling program of seminal works of the trio repertoire. Having these international stars on our stage is excitement enough; to have them play Brahms’ B major Trio, plus Elliott Carter’s Epigrams and Robert Schumann’s […]

Friday, December 15, 2023 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Join us for a warm and joyous celebration of the winter solstice and the festive season, Chamberfest-style. As we approach the longest night of the year, let us revel with a stage full of Chamberfriends. Together, we will “let the light in” in anticipation of the return of longer days and shorter nights. In this […]

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Canadian chamber music superstars Scott St. John, Rachel Mercer, and Angela Park grace our stage to celebrate the music of Kevin Lau, who has recently made Ottawa his home. Join us for the Ottawa premiere of Lau’s new work Under A Veil of Stars, specially commissioned by the trio. The programme will also include other […]

Wednesday, October 11, 2023 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – The 2023-24 Concert Series opens with a spectacular recital from Grammy award-winning violinist Augustin Hadelich and pianist Orion Weiss, featuring Beethoven’s lyrical Sonata No. 10 and Prokofiev’s haunting Violin Sonata No. 1. The programme also features John Adams’ Road Movies, described as a “joyful romp,” and the reverie of Amy Beach’s “Romance, Op. 23.” Hadelich has performed […]

Thursday, August 4, 2022 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Spontaneous and impeccable in their performances, the world-renowned Danish String Quartet promises to make even the most seasoned chamber music fanatic feel as though they’re discovering chamber classics for the first time.

Tuesday, August 2, 2022 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Equal parts passion and precision, Tunisian-born mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb has captivated audiences around the world with her vocal clarity and lavish tone. With added forces from the newly minted Chamberfest Artists-in-Residence, the evening is sure to mark an exceptional festival debut for Chaieb.

Sunday, July 31, 2022 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Sounding Thunder brings to life the struggles and accomplishments of Francis Pegahmagabow, distinguished Ojibwe military officer and political leader, following his journey from the trenches of WWI to his time as Chief of the Wasauksing Ojibwe. This cultural collaboration paying homage to the legacy of a Canadian hero acts as a reminder of the challenges […]

Friday, July 29, 2022 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – The electrifying combination of piano trio, a cappella ensemble Nordic Voices, and the vivacious mezzo-soprano Marion Newman will resonate across Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre. As an extra treat for this evening, this unique collaboration imagined by the illustrious Gryphon Trio brings forward new works by composers Eliot Britton, Andrew Balfour, and Henrik Hellstenius.

Saturday, July 23, 2022 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – When the internationally celebrated Canadian Brass is on stage, a mixture of humour and skill guarantees a performance unlike any you’ve experienced. The Canadian Brass promises to deliver a lively and fun concert, bolstered by their impeccable technique and powerful performance.

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Known for his virtuosity and musicality, Canadian violinist James Ehnes is a favourite of audiences around the world. Join James and Eric Friesen in this exclusive Chamber Chat: Festival Edition, available to Festival Livestream Passholders. Audiences will remember James’ gorgeous performances of the complete Beethoven violin sonatas in 2019. Looking forward to hearing him perform […]

Friday, July 30, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Quatuor Danel has been at the forefront of the international music scene since 1991. Famous for their bold, concentrated interpretations of the string quartet cycles of Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Shostakovich, and Weinberg, Quatuor Danel is a long-time Chamberfest fan favourite. Join them in conversation with Eric Friesen in this exclusive Chamber Chat: Festival Edition, available […]

Wednesday, July 28, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Infusion Baroque has been captivating audiences with creative and interactive programming across North America. Join host Eric Friesen and the four women of Infusion Baroque in a conversation centred around their many creative projects, including “Who Killed Leclair?” (an interactive murder mystery soirée based on the unsolved murder of the famous musician), and much more […]

Monday, July 26, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – One of “Canada’s 30 hot classical musicians under 30 in 2020” (CBC Music), Ottawa audiences were introduced to rising soprano star Jonelle Sills in her NACO debut in 2020. Learn more about Jonelle’s artistic journey in this exclusive Chamber Chat: Festival Edition, available to Festival Livestream Passholders. Audiences will have the chance to hear Jonelle […]

Friday, July 23, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Hinrich Alpers has been a favourite of Chamberfest audiences since his first appearance at our summer festival. Honen’s laureate, Steinway artist, Chamberfest artistic advisor – we can’t wait to hear Hinrich and host Eric Friesen chat on music and life in this exclusive Chamber Chat: Festival Edition, available to Festival Livestream Passholders. Hinrich has also […]

Saturday, July 31, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Chamberfest favourite Quatuor Danel performs Beethoven’s Op. 18, No. 1 and Shostakovich No. 2 in a performance created especially for Chamberfest, recorded live from the string quartet’s home in Antwerp, Belgium.

Tuesday, July 27, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Phenomenal firebrand violinist Lara St. John shares a special concert programmed and recorded live from Atterbury House, where the Canadian violinist has been hosting a successful series throughout the pandemic. The program will include solo and collaborative material highlighting female and Canadian composers.

Sunday, July 25, 2021 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Pianist and long-time festival friend Hinrich Alpers brings his hometown to us in a specially programmed and recorded recital. Brahms and Beethoven will dominate this program, which includes a performance of Beethoven symphonies in Liszt’s transcriptions, hot off the recording press!

Thursday, July 22, 2021 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm – What makes the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” an indelible classic? Rob Kapilow helps explain why this “song of yearning,” as Yip Harburg called it, has become even more meaningful and relevant as we continue to confront this challenging pandemic moment.

Thursday, July 22, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Rob Kapilow explores what Beethoven has to teach us in the pandemic. These bite-sized chats will include illuminating insights on connection, new paths, and transformation through short musical excerpts from Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Appassionata Sonata, and “Kreutzer” (now also known as the “Bridgetower”) Sonata.

Thursday, July 22, 2021 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am – For renowned classical pianist Simon Trpčeski, there are no cultural or musical boundaries. This recording, created especially for Chamberfest, will feature live solo piano music of his native Macedonia by contemporary composers Buzharovski and Shahov, and excerpts from his latest project MAKEDONISSIMO, which blends Macedonian folk music with highly virtuosic, jazz-influenced riffs and harmonies. Stay […]

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – The talented siblings of Quatuor Despax have been a regular on stages in the national capital and beyond since they began performing together nearly two decades ago. Expect an eclectic mix of standards and new surprises.

Sunday, August 1, 2021 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Ottawa-based piano/percussion duo, SHHH! Ensemble, share their unique style and “avant-accessible” programming in this captivating concert. Also coming this summer, families can explore with this creative duo at a Bring the Kids! show.

Friday, July 30, 2021 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Beth Silver (cello) and Jenna Richards (piano) explore folk, fiddle, and klezmer in this unique program. Audiences can hear Jenna and Beth share a Romantic Classical program on Thursday, July 29 at 3pm, part of the Steinway Series.

Tuesday, July 27, 2021 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Recognized as a 2021 CBC Ottawa Trailblazer for making a positive impact, Kathryn Patricia Cobbler is a loop pedal violist, composer, arranger, and educator known for creating unique soundscapes.

Saturday, July 24, 2021 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Ottawa audiences will recognize John Kofi Dapaah’s unique style, which crosses the boundaries between the classical, jazz, and gospel worlds. This concert sees Dapaah in the world of jazz. Audiences can take in John’s classical program on Monday, July 26 at 3pm, part of the Steinway Series.

Thursday, July 29, 2021 @ 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm – Frequent Chamberfest performer Beth Silver (cello) and Chamberfest’s Director, Artistic Planning & Community Engagement, Jenna Richards (piano), have been collaborating for more than a decade. This concert sees the duo in a lush program of works by Brahms, Dvorak, Kodaly, and Schumann. Audiences can also hear Jenna and Beth explore folk, fiddle, and klezmer on […]

Monday, July 26, 2021 @ 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm – This concert finds the multitalented pianist John Kofi Dapaah firmly in the classical world with a program of works by Florence Price (*Ottawa premiere), Bach, and Beethoven. Audiences can also take in John’s jazz set on Monday, July 24 at 5pm, part of the Record Centre Series

Monday, July 26, 2021 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Duo Concertante reflects on the social and political events of our time in Ecology of Being. With commissioned works by Melissa Hui, Ian Cusson, Bekah Simms, Dawn Ierihò:kwats Avery, and Carmen Braden, Ecology of Being is about feeling and experiencing the trauma of a lost earth, and about treasuring the joy of a world we […]

Friday, July 23, 2021 @ 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm – Ottawa pianist Carson Becke shares a thoughtful program inspired by storytelling through music, with works by English and Nordic composers, and Carson’s own arrangements.

Wednesday, August 4, 2021 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Join one of Canada’s most exciting young string quartets in a program featuring Haydn’s penultimate Op. 77, No. 1, and Beethoven’s Op. 74, No. 10 (“Harp”) Quartet, famous for its pizzicato sections and warm-hearted spirit.

Sunday, August 1, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:15 am – All Canadian stars of their instrument, Caroline Lizotte, Caroline Léonardelli, Lori Gemmell, and Jennifer Swartz come together to share the beauty of the harp in Beechwood’s sacred space. Featured arrangements include Mozart’s String Quartet in B flat, K 589, and Vivaldi’s beloved Four Seasons.

Sunday, July 25, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:15 am – The guitar takes centre stage in a program featuring arrangements of Mozart’s Piano Sonata KV 448, original compositions by former and current Quartet members, and more.

Sunday, August 1, 2021 @ 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm – Ladom Ensemble returns to Chamberfest with their unique blend of chamber music and inspiration from around the world – from Iran and Serbia to Argentina. Piano, cello, accordion, and percussion… expect passion, sophistication, and high intensity.

Saturday, July 31, 2021 @ 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm – Capstand shanties, halyard shanties, laments, forecastle songs, short haul shanties… Whatever your shanty of choice, join these award-winning singers for a taste of the maritimes, with tunes from England, Scotland, Ireland, the Americas, and the Caribbean, arranged by La Nef’s musical director, Seán Dagher.

Friday, July 30, 2021 @ 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm – “Who Killed Leclair?” Murder, mystery and intrigue are on the menu as Montreal-based ensemble Infusion Baroque investigates the murder of composer Jean-Marie Leclair (1697-1764). This program features several of Leclair’s trio sonatas, and works by his colleagues and rivals.

Thursday, July 29, 2021 @ 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm – The Montreal Horn Stars take the brass quintet to new heights with inventive arrangements and loads of improvisation in a groovy, eclectic concert that blends pop, jazz, and classical.

Saturday, July 24, 2021 @ 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm – Composer guitarist Duane Andrews hits the stage with Mark Fewer (violin), Carissa Klopoushak (violin), David Marks (viola), and Julia MacLaine (cello) in a program featuring music from Andrews’ album Conception Bay. Audiences can expect Jazz Manouche, new music composition, Newfoundland jigs and reels, some fun classical references to Haydn, Stravinsky’s Firebird, and more!

Friday, July 23, 2021 @ 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm – Taking their name from the word for heart in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria, OKAN is an award-winning, women-led ensemble that fuses Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, folk, and global rhythms in songs about immigration, courage, and love.

Thursday, July 22, 2021 @ 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm – JUNO Award-winning quartet The Fretless is known for ferocious playing, masterful composition, and a genre-bending sound. In this unique performance, they are joined by singer Béatrix Méthé of Montreal-based indie folk band, Rosier.

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Discover what happens when chamber music merges with the physical beauty of dance, as Echo Chamber Toronto joins forces with members of the Rosebud and Ironwood String Quartets.

Sunday, August 1, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Celebrating opera and art song, this special concert features multifaceted tenor Isaiah Bell, and marks dynamic, young soprano Jonelle Sills’s Chamberfest debut.

Friday, July 30, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Toronto’s original guerrilla-folk party-punk massive shares a genre-bending set that is equal parts exhilarating precision and reckless abandon.

Wednesday, July 28, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Canada’s beloved piano trio delivers a program centred around Beethoven’s Ghost Trio, with Silvestrov’s “Fugitive Visions of Mozart,” and a commissioned work by Canadian composer Bruce A. Russell

Tuesday, July 27, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Two virtuosic powerhouses pool their talents in a program of works for two pianos. Music by Mozart, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and Bernstein.

Monday, July 26, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Ottawa’s “take no prisoners” (ARTSFILE) quartet joins forces with iconic pianist Jamie Parker.

Sunday, July 25, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Brilliant Canadian violinist Mark Fewer and friends present Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires,” in celebration of the composer’s 100th birthday.

Saturday, July 24, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Dinuk Wijerante’s “Letters from the Afterlife,” Samy Moussa’s quartet, Caroline Shaw’s “Entracte,” and the Mendelssohn String Quartet in A minor – works paying homage to composers of the past.

Thursday, July 22, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Centred around the music of Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov, “The Night of the Flying Horses” explores moments of wonder and melancholy, with frenetic, electrifying waves of sound in a program of works spanning over five centuries.

Wednesday, August 4, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Brassfire Big Band! Standards and hot new arrangements of the music of Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Tommy Dorsey, and more. This program also includes the Canadian premiere of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” for piano and jazz band.

Monday, August 2, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Montreal’s premier chamber orchestra shares a program including works by Kelly-Marie Murphy, Josef Suk, and Tchaikovsky.

Saturday, July 31, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – The cello takes the spotlight as cellists Rachel Mercer, Cameron Crozman, and Paul Marleyn join with pianist Stéphane Lemelin in an eclectic program showcasing the emotional range of this beloved instrument.

Thursday, July 29, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Glorious and Free – Romani Inspired Songs and Operetta Arias, this program features music by Brahms, Dvorak, Liszt, Iradier, Valverde, and Gilbert.

Friday, July 23, 2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – A true and singular time travel experience, “Once upon a time in Versailles” features music of the Royal French court, played on period instruments by Montreal’s Arion Baroque Orchestra, a cornerstone in the world of early music since 1981.

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Known for his virtuosity and musicality, Canadian violinist James Ehnes is a favourite of audiences around the world. Join James and Eric Friesen in this exclusive Chamber Chat: Festival Edition, available to Festival Livestream Passholders. Audiences will remember James’ gorgeous performances of the complete Beethoven violin sonatas in 2019. Looking forward to hearing him perform […]