Rosebud native Keith Hamm is artistic director for the Rosebud Chamber Music Festival.
submitted by: Julie Willms, Toronto
The door opens, and Peter Longworth is standing in front of me. The sight of his relaxed khakis and bare feet do a bit to take the edge of my nerves, but I’m still feeling way out of my league. Peter is considered one of the best collaborative pianists in Toronto, has a sensational new Brahms CD, and at any given moment could be playing venues across Canada. I, on the other hand, am a music teacher with long-out-of-practise fingers and a definite lack of rehearsal. How did I ever get myself into this situation?
The answer is the Rosebud Chamber Music Festival and its dynamic young founder, violist Keith Hamm. In its inaugural year, the festival kicks off with three spectacular concerts in August, both of which feature a quartet of string players and Peter on piano. Keith has assembled a team of the best in the business, perhaps bribing them with tales of Rosebud magic.
As an Ontarian, the lure of the Albertan countryside has long had a particular allure, a place so serene that it needs to be experienced first hand. My thirst for prairie air and the timing of this musical festival coincided perfectly, and soon plans were set in motion. The chance to have a piano lesson with Peter Longworth in Toronto followed by one in Rosebud (at Keith’s suggestion) was just the icing on the cake to make this an exciting summer, albeit a terrifying one.
Two minutes into my piano lesson I know I’ve made the right decision. Peter is a gifted perfectionist, each chord voiced with clarity and a depth of emotion that suddenly makes everything on the page make complete sense. His opening attacks are exhilarating and yet the next phrase sounds like a delicate whisper. This is music making at its finest, and I am almost swept off my feet with the power of the sound. If only it sounded like that when I practised!
Combine Peter’s effortless technique with Keith’s superstar viola talent and you have a partnership that is not to be missed. Chamber music is about inviting you, the audience, to participate in the connection between instruments and people. Quiet nights and intimate venues create a bond between listener and performer. I would not miss out on hearing Keith, Peter and friends create magic this summer with the Dvorak Piano Quintet and works by Bach, Haydn, Mozart and Debussy. Joining Keith and Peter will be international artists, Arnold Choi (playing the 11 million dollar Bonjour Stradivarius cello), and Sheila Jaffé (violin) and Aaron Schwebel (violin).
Concerts will be held Thursday, August 1 at Knox United Church, Drumheller; Friday, August 2 at the Maxwell Centre Atrium, Three Hills, and Sunday, August 4 at the Rosebud Church, all performances start at 7:30 pm. Tickets available at the door or at www.rosebudchambermusic.com or call 403-677-2001. Advance tickets will be on sale until Friday, July 26.
