ChamberFest West 2024
ChamberFest West brings internationally acclaimed classical musicians to perform with some of Canada’s best. Together they create a unique fusion of styles and interpretations.
Our musicians include great artists who have made their reputations over decades, along with the most extraordinary and established young stars. They are chosen specifically to rehearse and perform together for ChamberFest West’s annual festival, having spent the winter season performing with the world’s finest orchestras and as soloists in the world’s most prestigious concert halls.
Meet the Musicians
Eric Auerbach
American-born violinist Eric Auerbach began his musical journey near Boston, honing his craft at the New England Conservatory pre-college. He furthered his studies at Indiana University (B.M.), San Francisco Conservatory (M.M.), and Mount Royal University under the guidance of esteemed mentors Bill Van der Sloot, Ian Swensen, and Kevork Maridirossian.
Clare Bradford
Praised for her “beauty of tone and musical line” (South Florida Classical Review), cellist Clare Bradford enjoys a career as an orchestral player and chamber musician. In previous years she has played with the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, Lakes Area Music Festival and has had a long-standing collaboration with the Classical Music Institute (CMI) of San Antonio where she is a teacher and guest artist. She is also a recent alumna of the New World Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.
Nicholas Canellakis
Nicholas Canellakis has become one of the most sought-after and innovative cellists of his generation, praised as a “superb young soloist” (The New Yorker) and for being "impassioned ... the audience seduced by Mr. Canellakis's rich, alluring tone" (The New York Times). A multifaceted artist, Canellakis has forged a unique voice combining his talents as soloist, chamber musician, curator, filmmaker, and composer/arranger.
Lucia Cesaroni
Lucia Cesaroni, an Italian-Canadian soprano known for her "lush, creamy voice," commands the stage as some of opera's most coveted heroines. In the 2022/23 season, she debuted on The Metropolitan Opera roster, covering Olga in Giordano’s Fedora, and delivered captivating performances as Violetta in La Traviata with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte at Pacific Opera Victoria. In the 2023/24 season, Ms. Cesaroni joined Calgary Opera as Susanna in Le ozze di Figaro and reprised the role of Ava in Rocking Horse Winner with Tapestry Opera.
Alexander Cohen
Alexander Cohen has been the Principal Timpanist of the Calgary Philharmonic since 2011. A student of Paul Yancich and Richard Weiner, he graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2006. Shortly thereafter he was appointed as Principal Timpanist of the West Virginia Symphony- a position he held for five years. He acted as Principal Timpanist of the San Diego Symphony during the 2007-2008 season and has acted in the capacity of visiting Principal Timpanist with the Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic.
Diana Cohen
Praised for her “incredible flair, maturity and insight,” violinist Diana Cohen leads a multi-faceted career as a concertmaster, chamber musician, soloist, and arts administrator. Appointed concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in 2012, she previously served as concertmaster of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra while maintaining an active freelance career in New York City. She has held the same position with Charleston Symphony (with which she performed numerous works as soloist), The National Repertory Orchestra, Iris Orchestra and Red {an orchestra}, and has been guest concertmaster with the Rochester Philharmonic and the Phoenix Symphony.
Carrie Dennis
Carrie Dennis received her B.A. from the Curtis Institute of Music in violin performance in 1999, as a student of Joseph de Pasquale and Victor Danchenko. She returned to Curtis in 2000 to study viola with Michael Tree. Halfway into her second year she earned a position in the Philadelphia Orchestra as Associate Principal Viola. After 5 years she went to the Berlin Philharmonic, and served as Solo Viola for the Berlin Philharmonic for two years. She joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic as Principal Viola in 2008, where she remained until 2016. In addition to her orchestral career, Ms. Dennis is an avid chamber musician and has toured with Musicians from Marlboro. She presently plays as co principal of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Adam Golka
Polish-American pianist Adam Golka first performed all of Beethoven’s 32 Piano Sonatas when he was 18 years-old, and he returned to the complete cycle in 2020-2021 for performances in NYC, Orlando, and Houston. He also presented all-Beethoven live streams for presenters in Ventura, El Paso, Sitka, Spokane, and the Library of Congress. Adam’s performances and presentations were complemented by 32 short films he created, known as ’32@32" (available on YouTube), featuring not only conversations with legends such as Alfred Brendel and Leon Fleisher, but also connecting the Sonatas to other disciplines through dialogues with an astrophysicist, philosopher, magician, painter, and a child, to name only a few special guests.
Laurent Grillet-Kim
Born and raised in Bordeaux, France, Laurent Grillet-Kim studied with Atar Arad at Indiana University where he won the Viola Concerto and the String Quartet competitions. While at IU, he was regularly invited to play with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and actively collaborated with a number of faculty members such as Alex Kerr, Eric Kim, Emile Naoumoff and Atar Arad. Upon graduation, Laurent joined the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra as Principal Viola in 2014.
Timothy Hutchins
Timothy Hutchins, Principal flute of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra since 1978, is regarded as one of the world’s renowned flutists. He is a favourite of audiences and critics, who consistently praise his artistry.
Teng Li
Teng Li is a diverse and dynamic performer internationally. Recently Ms. Li was appointed as Principal Violist of the L.A. Philharmonic after more than a decade as Principal with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Sam Loeck
After eight years of service as Principal Bass of the Calgary Philharmonic, Sam Loeck will join the National Arts Centre Orchestra as Principal Bass in the upcoming 24/25 season. Sam is a native of Lincoln, Nebraska, and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Nebraska. He then earned a Master’s degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he studied with Bruce Bransby and was named winner of the IU Bass Concerto Competition.
Ismail Lumanovski
The extraordinary clarinetist Ismail Lumanovski is a musical force of passion and dynamic virtuosity. Already of international distinction, Lumanovki has launched a major career as a soloist, chamber musician in both classical and cross-over repertoire. His synergistic blend of natural talent and training combines the spirit of folk music with the discipline of classical music.
Amy Schwartz Moretti
Violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti has a musical career of broad versatility. Before becoming the inaugural Director of Mercer University’s McDuffie Center for Strings, she was concertmaster of the Florida Orchestra and Oregon Symphony. She has premiered concertos by GRAMMY winner Matt Catingub and Mercer colleague Christopher Schmitz, collaborated with James Ehnes for Prokofiev’s “Sonata for Two Violins” and Bartók’s “44 Duos” -- both contributions to Chandos recordings receiving consecutive Juno Awards for Classical Album of the year 2014 and 2015 -- and she performed the complete cycle of Beethoven String Quartets in Seoul, Korea with the Ehnes Quartet.
Steve Moretti
Steve Moretti is a dynamic drummer, percussionist, and producer whose illustrious career is adorned with two Grammy® Award nominations, a Juno nomination, and two Telly Awards. Renowned for his captivating performances both on stage and in the studio, Moretti's drumming is celebrated for its blend of subtlety and vigor. With a discography boasting over 40 nationally released recordings, including a standout role in the 2014 Clint Eastwood film "Jersey Boys," Moretti's musical adaptability shines through collaborations with diverse artists, ranging from Josh Groban to Rosemary Clooney. Not confined to popular music, Moretti has also graced the stage with esteemed orchestras like The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra.
Aubree Oliverson
Praised for her evocative lyricism and joyful, genuine approach, American violinist Aubree Oliverson is proving to be one of the most compelling artists of her generation, distinguishing herself with clear, honest, and colourful performances, described as “powerful…brimming with confidence and joy” by the Miami New Times.
Blake Pouliot
Described as “immaculate, at once refined and impassioned,” (ArtsAtlanta) violinist Blake Pouliot (pool-YACHT) has anchored himself among the ranks of classical phenoms. A tenacious young artist with a passion that enraptures his audience in every performance, Pouliot has established himself as “one of those special talents that comes along once in a lifetime” (Toronto Star).
Roman Rabinovich
Praised by The New York Times for his ‘uncommon sensitivity and feeling’, the eloquent pianist Roman Rabinovich is renowned for his multifaceted musical artistry, earning acclaim as a soloist, curator, and collaborator.
Raman Ramakrishnan
Cellist Raman Ramakrishnan enjoys performing chamber music, old and new, around the world. For two decades, as a founding member of the Horszowski Trio and the Daedalus Quartet, he toured extensively through North and South America, Europe, and Asia, and recorded for Bridge Records and Avie Records. Mr. Ramakrishnan is currently a member of the Boston Chamber Music Society, and is on the faculty of the Bard College Conservatory of Music. In the summers, he has performed at the Marlboro, Vail, Portland, and Kingston Chamber Music festivals, and served on the faculties of the Kneisel Hall and Norfolk Chamber Music Festivals.
Charles Richard-Hamelin
Silver medalist and winner of the Krystian Zimerman Prize at the 2015 International Chopin Piano Competition, pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin has emerged as one of the most important pianists of his generation. Recipient of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec and of the prestigious Career Development Award conferred by the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto, he was awarded the Prix Denise-Pelletier in November 2022, becoming the youngest recipient in the history of the Prix du Québec.
Chris Sies
Living in multiple musical dimensions, percussionist and composer Chris Sies seeks to bring visceral sonic experiences to audiences through his unique voice and “virtuoso flair” (Detroit Free Press). Chris has composed and performed with a multitude of artists, collaborating in acts such as the GRAMMY award-winning Attacca Quartet, the Akropolis Reed Quintet, the National Arab Orchestra, Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble, Shara Nova’s My Brightest Diamond, and the JUNO-nominated Land’s End Ensemble among many others. He has performed extensively throughout North America at venues including the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall, (le) poisson rouge, and Princeton University, with performances on the Vans Warped Tour, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, the Bowling Green New Music Festival, and Detroit’s Strange Beautiful Music.
Stéphane Tétreault
In addition to numerous awards and honours, Stéphane Tétreault received the Canada Council for the Arts’s prestigious 2019 Virginia Parker Prize. He is also the laureate of the 2022 Prix Opus for “Performer of the Year” and the 2023 Prix Opus awarded by the Conseil québécois de la musique. In 2016, Stéphane made his debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin and performed at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in Switzerland.
Robert Uchida
Canadian violinist Robert Uchida, Concertmaster of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, enjoys a varied career as a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician, and educator. His debut recording of Andrew Violette’s Sonata for Unaccompanied Violin won international acclaim, with Strings Magazine praising his “ravishing sound, eloquence and hypnotic intensity.”
Maria van der Sloot
Violinist Maria van der Sloot enjoys a diverse career as a performer and educator. A grand prizewinner in chamber music at the Canadian Music Competition, she performs extensively throughout North America. Born in Medicine Hat, Alberta she has appeared as soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic, National Arts Centre Orchestra, and Calgary Civic Symphony and has performed for Music for Food, NPR’s From the Top, the Boston Symphony Prelude series, the Virginia Arts Festival, Sound Atlas, San Francisco’s Chamber Music Tuesday, and the Berkeley Piano Club.
Stephen Waarts
Stephen Waarts’ innate and poetic musical voice has established him as a firm favourite with audiences across the globe.
Stephen has performed with orchestras such as Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, hr-Sinfonieorchester, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de Belgique, Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Halle Orchestra, with conductors including Christoph Eschenbach, Sir Andras Schiff, Marin Alsop, Constantinos Carydis, Nicholas McGegan, Maxime Pascal, Markus Stenz and Elim Chan.
Emad Zolfaghari
Rising Star
19 year old Canadian violist Emad Zolfaghari was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music at age 16, where he currently studies with Hsin-Yun Huang. He is the first prize winner of the 2023 Irving M. Klein International String Competition, first prize winner of the International 2023 Morningside Music Bridge Competition, second prize winner of the 2022 Johansen International String Competition and third prize winner of the 2023 OSM String Competition.
The Fretless
A supergroup of celebrated solo artists, The Fretless has been creating a singular and signature sound that dares to expand the idea of what a string music quartet can be — transforming fiddle tunes and folk melodies into intricate, beautiful, high-energy arrangements that have quickly gained a dedicated following and accolades from around the world. Within what appears to be a simple and classical construct — two fiddles, a viola, and a cello — The Fretless has created a sound that is distinctly rich, multi-layered, and uniquely percussive. This tonal quality pushes traditional music to new heights, producing a completely fresh approach to Folk music.
Since the band’s first album in 2012, The Fretless has been successfully touring at home in Canada, as well as globally. From intimate back rooms and rowdy dance halls to some of the world’s most iconic and prestigious stages, The Fretless has had the honor of performing for a wild variety of audiences.
The Fretless will be accompanied by Winnipeg singer-songwriter Madeleine Roger, an exceptional vocalist who has been touring with the band across Canada and internationally. Madeleine’s voice has been described as “a voice stays with you, reminiscent at times of a young Joni Mitchell." – Mojo
The Fretless is Trent Freeman (Fiddle/Viola), Karrnnel Sawitsky (Fiddle/Viola), Ben Plotnick (Fiddle/Viola), and Eric Wright (Cello).