Second week of Elora Festival has concerts for every taste

The second week of the Elora Festival of­fers a taste of everything that is music – chamber, jazz, choral, clas­sical, and folk.

On July 17, the first of the Vaughan Williams Trilogy, A Celebration of Ralph Vaughan Williams will be performed at 7:30pm at Knox Presbyterian Church, Elora. Early Influences will focus on the composers who greatly influenced his work, including Max Bruch, Frederick Delius, and Maurice Ravel.

The Elora Chamber Players will be joined by mezzo-sop­rano Kimberly Barber, and com­mentary by Jef Ten Kor­te­naar will give the audience a greater insight into Vaughan Williams, the composer, during this, the 50th anniversary of Vaughan Williams death.

At 9pm the same evening, the Gambrel Barn will be turn­ed into an intimate, star-lit bistro, as jazz diva Laila Biali takes the stage.

On July 18, master classical pianist André Laplante per­forms at the Gambrel Barn. It has been said that Laplante plays the way the composer would have played. With a pro­gram consisting of Chopin and Liszt, be prepared to hear the music as it was meant to be heard.

On July 19, enjoy two cham­ber concerts. At 2pm, Guy Few and Nadina Mackie Jack­son – Duo Affinité – will join forces to present a program for trumpet, corno, bassoon, and piano. At 4pm, tenor Colin Ainsworth and pianist James Bourne present Schubert’s much-loved setting of Wilhelm Müller’s Die Schöne Müllerin.

At 8pm, Hot Fusion brings together Amanda Martinez, Justine Hines, and Vasyl Popa­diuk for the first time, in an evening of Mexican folk, Latin jazz, and Afro-Cuban music with a gypsy violin overlay at the Gambrel Barn.

On July 20, at 2pm, the Elora Festival Singers present Paradise Rediscovered. Para­dise Found in 2007 was the biggest hit of the season. And now, it is back and better than ever.

At 4pm, Sharlene Wallace and Susan Piltch present Harp Connections.

A complete line-up for the 2008 Elora Festival is available at www.elorafestival.com. Tick­­ets can be purchased by phone, 519-846-0331 or 1-888-747-7550, on line, or in person at the festival office, 33 Hen­der­son Street, Elora.