Belfountain Music Festival taking over Alton Mill next weekend

August 8, 2019 · 0 Comments

Written By CONSTANCE SCRAFIELD

“This year what we did is reduce the number of concerts to three. I came with a vision that we needed to do so. In the past, there were seven or eight concerts in a number of venues and we thought concentrating on the three would be easier for most people and assure strong attendance. We’re looking to expand for a stronger following,” so said Emily Rho, this year’s Artistic Director for the re-designed Belfountain Music Festival.

“This year, a lot of it is classical chamber music, starting with Bach, Mozart and on to Tchaikovsky, then, up to Joni Mitchell songs and that will be a sing along.

“The middle concert is at Paul Moran Studio. There are 12 musicians and 10 student musicians involved, so, it’s a mixture of local artists and those coming from different parts of the country – namely, Quebec and Manitoba. It is mostly strings, and one of the singers is originally from Erin. About half of the artists are returning artists from previous music festivals.”

How Ms. Rho came to be involved, and is now AD, is “I was involved as a performer and a volunteer with Alex McLeod. He is my brother-in-law and he invited me to participate in the Belfountain Music Festival.”
She is based in Toronto, Ms Rho said, “I drive out to Caledon many times. I have several friends here. One of the artists this year, is based out of Owen Sound and Toronto but she keeps her horse in Caledon.

“The venue [the Alton Mill Arts Centre] was suggested by the previous artistic director. I wasn’t 100 percent involved with that decision. The Alton Mill has been very supportive of the music festival. The Alton Mill people were very happy to have the series of concerts here.

“Everybody’s getting paid because it is funded by the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) and the Town of Caledon. This is the first year for support from the OCA.

“We wanted to create concerts that are accessible and enjoyable for many people,” she continued to say, “this is a romantic location and, hopefully, we’ll have nice weather. So, the music is romantic and exciting. It’s really great to have musicians who have played here before but also some musicians, coming for the first time, who are some of the best musicians in Canada.

“I am personally connected to a lot of them, through school and as colleagues,” she added.

Friday evening’s concert will be held in the Pond Gallery upstairs in the Mill.

Ms Rho explained, “The first concert is very pretty, chamber music by Brahmas, Hayden and Dinuk Wijeratne, a Canadian composer, born in Sri Lanka. The specific piece we’re playing on Friday night won a Juno award for Best Classical Piece of the Year, a couple of years ago. ”

Friday’s concert is prefaced by a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m., with the concert staring at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday’s concert is likewise in the evening at 7:30 p.m. at Paul Moran Studio, 19741 Main Street, Alton.

“The Mill has a wedding on Saturday,” is the story behind the shift, “and Paul happened to be at that meeting. He offered to have that concert in his venue. His venue is always being used for concerts anyway.”

“One of the focal points of that concert is Souvenir de Florence,” she commented. “A classical, ultra- romantic and lush piece, with really exciting moments. There’s a story how it got composed.

“Tchaikovsky – there’s this lady, Nadezhea von Meck, a Russian business woman, who also had 13 children, and who was a huge fan of Tchaikovsky. She wrote him a letter and said, ‘I want to sponsor you.’

“So he gratefully accepted that, under one condition: that ‘we never actually meet face to face.’

“She was happy with that arrangement. They’ve heard a lot about each other and, one day, in Florence, he ran into her by coincidence. He dashed off immediately, very embarrassed. He wrote to her to apologize to her that he breached that contract. ‘I’m going to keep supporting you,’ she told him. So, he went home to Russia and wrote this piece and dedicated it to her. It’s the highlight of the program on Saturday evening.

On Saturday, there will be 14 or 15 people performing. The Tchaikovsky is originally for six string players. We start rehearsals Monday in Toronto, the musicians are coming from all over.

“I get to see these people, which, personally, also makes me really happy.”

Sunday is Beer and Baroque: Goodlot Brewery as well as Partake for non alcoholic.

“We’re playing the Grieg string orchestra piece. We wanted to include something the audience could partake as well. So, we’re going to use the time it takes to set up to play Joni Mitchell, as a sing along. One of the musicians will be playing the guitar, another will lead the audience.”

This concert will be performed in the Mill Race room down in the lower level of the Mill. Each concert is ticketed separately.

Ms Rho told us, “There is a three concert bundle and we have a 10 percent promotion on at the moment for people buying tickets online: tick ‘10off’ at the check out. Tickets are available at the door as well.”

Emily Rho is a pianist, having studied and lived in Toronto.

“I work for a couple of different places – Pocket Concerts. They are Chamber music concert series that brings music into private venues – people’s homes and offices, during the school year. And I teach with the Royal Conservatory of Music.

For Ms Rho, the big reason for coming to any or all of these Belfountain Music Festival events, in Alton is, “I think the idea of listening to live music together, sharing that moment is really special and can open people’s minds and get closer and make friends – meeting people and being able to provide that through music.”

For tickets and information, checkout www.befountainmusic.com.