The Musical Arts Club of Ottawa is hosting A Musical Harvest, their biennial scholarship fundraising gala concert on Nov. 2 at Woodroffe United Church.
Ottawa musicians will be performing an eclectic mix of classical music, starting with a trumpet and organ piece by Handel, followed by folk song arrangements by Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, then two chamber pieces for flute and piano, and more. A reception will follow the performances in the banquet hall.
Carole Portelance, from the Musical Arts Club of Ottawa publicity committee, says supporting artists has been at the heart of the organization since 1938.
“The Musical Arts Club of Ottawa was formed to create opportunities for women classical musicians to perform among their peers. As the club grew, it started raising funds to support younger club members in their studies. That scholarship mandate changed over the years where the club turned their focus outwards, and we now raise funds for senior level music students in the Ottawa area,” she writes.
“The Musical Arts Club of Ottawa was formed to create opportunities for women classical musicians to perform among their peers.”
“This Gala goes a long way to increasing our Scholarship Fund, thus ensuring we have the funds to award these scholarships on a yearly basis. With the significant increase in the cost of living over the last couple of years, we realize the importance of maintaining these music scholarships to support our future musicians. If there was ever a time to continue the furtherance of music education, and the presence of music in our lives it is now.”
All profits from the concert will go toward their scholarship fund, with which they award yearly scholarships through the Ottawa Kiwanis Music Festival, the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Vocal Festival, and supports Orkidstra through donation.
The last event happened in 2022. Portelance says the organization was pleased with the turnout that year. “We received such positive feedback from our audience members who loved the concert program and were impressed with the virtuosity of the performers. With the support of our audience members, we were able to substantially increase our scholarship fund,” she writes. “This year’s concert is being held under different conditions than that of 2022. At that time, because of Covid restrictions, we had not had a gala concert in four years. This year, we are back on our regular two-year schedule for our gala fundraising concert.”
Top row from left: Christa Lowry, Jennifer Loveless, Doreen Taylor-Claxton, Cara Gilbertson, Lucile Brais Hildesheim. Middle row, from left: Christine Muggeridge, Carole Portelance, Elaine Keillor, Paula Conlon, Natalia Bibik. Bottom row, from left: Marlene Basarab, Loyda Lastra, Amélie Langlois, Sonja Deunsch Plourde, Kirsten Carlson.
Concert Program
Suite in D major for Trumpet, HWV 341. George Frederic Handel (1865-1759)
Christa Lowry, trumpet & Jennifer Loveless, organ
Songs of the Hebrides: Kishmul’s Galley, Mull Fisher’s Love Song, A Hebridean Sea-Reiver’s Song, The Christ-Child Lullaby. arr. Marjory Kennedy-Fraser (1857-1930)
Cara Gilbertson, soprano & Lucille Brais Hildesheim, harp
Three Romances Op. 94. Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Paula Conlon, flute & Elaine Keillor C.M., piano
Duets for Voice and Piano, Op. 46, No. 1, 4: Evening, In the Garden near the Ford. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Christine Muggeridge, soprano, Carole Portelance, mezzo & Marlene Basarab, piano
INTERMISSION
Three Romances, Op. 22: Andante molto, Allegretto, Leidenshaftlich schnell. Clara Wieck Schumann (1819-1896)
Kirsten Carlson, flute & Sonja Deunsch Plourde, piano
Music for Children. Valentin Bibik (1940-2003)
Natalia Bibik, piano
Cancion de Cuna (2019). Samuel Zyman (1956-)
Loyda Lastra, flute & Amélie Langlois, piano
Cabaret Songs: The Song of Black Max, Waitin’, Amor. William Bolcolm (1938 – )
Doreen Taylor-Claxton, soprano & Jennifer Loveless, piano
Tickets are $35 for adults and $15 for students. They can be purchased from Eventbrite, Granata Music at 1412 Bank St., 43 Roydon Place, and at the door.
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