Creating connection through chamber music in Ottawa

Ottawa Chamberfest has grown from an annual summer festival to a beloved year-round concert series. With a goal to make chamber music in Ottawa accessible for all, Chamberfest’s roots are firmly planted in community engagement and educational programs.

For Ralph and Eileen Overend, long-time donors and volunteers, Ottawa Chamberfest provides an opportunity for everyone to experience quality classical music in an intimate setting. After moving to Ottawa 50 years ago, the Overends became involved with Chamberfest at its inception.

“The intimacy of the music making, and the connection—both between the musicians and between the musicians and the audience—is of huge appeal to us,” Eileen said. “We also like what [Chamberfest has] always done over the years, in its choice of repertoire and performers. It’s been very wide ranging, very eclectic. It’s offered music and styles of performance you’d never have the opportunity to hear elsewhere. It’s been fascinating in the way it’s expanded musical horizons for Ottawa.”

Chamber music in Ottawa draws in a broad audience through advocacy

Chamberfest works hard to maintain and grow its community outreach as the festival and concert series evolves as one of the proud non-profit organizations in Ottawa. Rather than creating a feeling of separation between the stage and the audience, interaction between musicians and the community is an integral part of performances. This connection is amplified by the festival’s consistent efforts to make classical music accessible to a wide range of listeners.

“From the very beginning, they devoted some portion of their summer festival to the disadvantaged or the closed in. They were trying hard to make classical music a more ‘everyday’ thing, for everybody.” Ralph said.

Ottawa chamber music festival places Canadian artists centre stage

Chamber music in Ottawa also provides a much-needed platform for Canadian musicians. Beginning with advocacy for Ontario musicians and composers, Chamberfest has expanded its repertoire over the years to include musicians country-wide The festival offers resources for discovering and supporting up-and-coming artists, an effort that the Overends’ feel has been lacking from other large Canadian arts organizations.

Creating a special environment extends far beyond the performers involved in Chamberfest. “The involvement of smaller audiences with the performers—there’s something magic, like an electricity that flows between the performer and audience, and back again.” Ralph said. “There are magic moments. Not singular ones, but things like that, that just blossom like a flower.”

The spark these powerful moments create don’t go unnoticed by participating musicians, who are eager to return to the Ottawa chamber music festival. The Overends recall many conversations with performers who thoroughly enjoyed the experience of the festival and are hopeful to take the Chamberfest stage again in the future.

With the help of their Chamberfest connections, the Overends celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with the orchestra, and gave back to the festival in a way befitting Chamberfest’s commitment to Canadian music. They sponsored the commission of a piece by young Toronto composer Jordan Pals, which was performed by the St. Lawrence Quartet, the year of the Overends’ anniversary. A very special memory for both of them is being the sole audience for the final dress rehearsal.

Throughout the pandemic, the Ottawa chamber music festival continues to pivot and provide online concerts available for livestream and replay. “[They’ve] managed to be nimble and maintain both the intimacy and the quality of performance, while at the same time expand the range of what they offer, and not lose sight of their core mission,” Eileen said.