Awarded Ontario Arts Council Grant,South Bruce Peninsula Community Grant
Submitted by Sarah Pratt-Parsamian
Music on the Bruce (MOTB), now entering its fourth summer of concerts in Bruce Peninsula communities, has been awarded a highly competitive Music Production and Presentation Grant from the Ontario Arts Council. In addition, the town of South Bruce Peninsula has awarded MOTB a community grant for the 2024 summer season. MOTB is honoured to receive these awards in recognition of the world-class artistry and cultural significance of the festival.
The 2024 Festival will run from August 9-18, 2024, with the main chamber ensemble concerts on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons. In addition, there are smaller scale community concerts and open rehearsals during the week, this year happening as far north as Tobermory.
This summer’s programming includes a work by Métis composer Ian Cusson, “Five Songs on Poems of Marilyn Dumont”. The work is a beautifully poignant musical setting of Dumont’s poetry. Canadian Ojibwe artist Joanna Diindiisikwe Simmons will join the MOTB ensemble to sing this incredible work on Saturday August 10 at the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Center in Southampton, and Sunday August 11 at the Oliphant Camper Church. MOTB is proud to celebrate the cultural diversity of the region through this music.
This summer’s programming will also feature music of Canadian/Armenian composer Petros Shoujounian in a string quartet program Saturday, August 17 at Harbourside Stage in Lion’s Head, and Sunday, August 18 to close out the festival at St. John’s United Church, Wiarton.
As always, you will also hear many well-loved classics, including Johannes Brahms’ luscious clarinet quintet, the incomparable string quartets of Mozart and Beethoven, and the transcendent solo violin music of J.S. Bach.
You can catch a preview of the festival on the Civic Holiday weekend, at the Wiarton Homecoming Celebration, where Music on the Bruce will be featured in a concert on Sunday August 4, at the new Bluewater Park bandshell.
Music on the Bruce festival details, full schedule of events, complete 2024 artist roster, advance ticket sales, and more, can be found on the MOTB website www.musiconthebruce.com
