Making musical dreams a reality

May 11, 2009
by Paul Knowles

I remember the first time I heard David Francey's music. My son, Ben, has for years been on a mission to introduce me to his kind of music. Truth is, he's very eclectic, and I wind up liking most of it. Well, he had discovered this Scottish Canadian roots musician (we called 'em folk singers, back in my day), and he (full disclosure) burned a CD that included a song or two by David Francey.

I was hooked. I went to see Francey in concert when he appeared in Waterloo; I bought several of his CDs. I watched his career as he won Juno after Juno. I included his poetry in an anthology of literature ­ "Mixed Messages". I even became his Facebook friend.

And when the opportunity arose to bring him to New Hamburg, I grabbed it. That's why David Francey is a featured performer at the New Hamburg Live! Festival of the Arts, next week, appearing with Craig Werth. This is one concert with a satisfaction guaranteed label.

By now, the odds are good that you have heard all about this Festival, which is being presented by my wife, Nancy, and me. And some willing co-conspirators and volunteers. We're doing this because we like this community, we like music and art and books, and we're impressed with the kind of cultural growth we see all around us in New Hamburg, from new boutique-style shops to neat dining establishments to full-house support for events like the Dickens Christmas Carol.

If ever there was a town in need of an Arts Festival, we thought, this is the town. So we did. We applied for a provincial grant, were turned down, and decided to press on regardless, because it is too good an idea to abandon.

Where I brought a knowledge of the great work of David Francey, Nancy essentially brought the knowledge of darn near everyone else. And so we also present performances by MaryLou Fallis and Barry MacGregor, by the Concert Opera Group (opera in New Hamburg? You betcha!), and by the Ken Whiteley Band (bluegrass in New Hamburg? Ditto.).

And, as is traditionally said at such points... so much more. In this case, it's true; we have 10 visual artists exhibiting in our four-day art show, four authors reading and interacting with book lovers, area bands at the Rockin' Blues night, six musicians performing at the opening Lights of Broadway Gala (including great talent with area connections, such as Dan Lichti, Vicki St. Pierre, Sandra Tucker and Derek Hines).

It¹s looking as though the Sunday afternoon performance will be a superb finale ­ bluegrass legend Ken Whiteley and his band, local musical hero Vicki St. Pierre, keyboard players Charlene Nafziger and Dave Sapelak and a massed choir that is reaching greater mass by the moment (more registrations arrive daily) will be singing gospel and bluegrass in concert at Steinmann church.

In developing this event, we are trying to bring great international talent to our community, and also to present our community's talent to the larger world. We think we¹re doing a pretty good job on both fronts.

As for me, once all the organizing is done (which seems an unlikely premise at best, as I write this), I'm going to enjoy great music, art and books, from Wednesday through Sunday. And I'm planning to attend the choral workshop on Saturday, to qualify to be in the choir for the Sunday concert.

How often do you get to be a backup singer to a musician who has won Junos and been nominated for Grammy awards? Well, all of us who sign up for the Saturday workshop/Sunday concert will do exactly that! We've tried to produce something for every taste but the truth is, no matter what your taste, I suspect you might enjoy it all. Check out www.newhamburglive.ca. And we'll see you there. Live!