inding it hard to sit through a whole concert at the NAC? Finding it hard on the budget to take the family to a concert or musical? You still can enjoy some great performances without denting your budget. You can even feel easy taking the kids because the best deal in town is once again the Saturday Afternoon Concert series of the Ottawa Music Club.
Not only do you get four, inexpensively priced concerts for $15 or $8 each with children for $4, you get to hear young prize winning and upcoming local musicians and singers.
Beethoven, Schubert or Copeland, piano, violin, lieder or guitar, each set no more than twenty minutes is an experience not to be missed. Not only do you get a generous sampling of a variety of the best local young performers, you feel as if the performers are playing for you.
All concerts are only an hour long, possible to fit into a busy day or keep an young person attentive, and you could still have tea afterwards. Our family has been going for three years and for high-schoolers, it is a good chance to do that review needed for music class. We usually wind up with tea at a local bistro, maybe even rewarding ourselves with a dessert. We've even had tea in Wilfred's conservatory at the Chateau Laurier looking out at the Christmas lights.
This year Ottawa Music Clubcelebrates its 70th year of concerts highlighting promising young musicians. For many years, these concerts have been held at the Chateau Laurier. However, for this season, concerts will be presented at Canadian Museum of Nature, 240 McLeod with ample parking, handicapped access and convenient bus routes on Elgin. Season tickets may be purchased at the door. The opening concert will take place Saturday, October 28 at 2 pm. Proceeds from the series help provide scholarships to assist the careers of these young musicians.
Another special this year is the Music Clubs Gala "Millennium Milestones" Concert in the National Gallery Auditorium, 8 pm Saturday, October 21. This millennium project features talented young pianist Frederic Lacroix and the Volta String Quartet, which has already participated in a number of international competitions.
Quartet members are Joseph Tang, violin, Pierre Lapointe, violin, Scott Chancey, viola and Garrett Knecht on cello. Following will be a reception to meet and chat with these talented young musicians.
Tickets are $20 and available at CD Warehouse, 1382 Clyde and 1717 St. Laurent, HMV, Sparks at Bank, The Leading Note, 370 Elgin at Frank and The Book Bazaar, 755 Bank in the Glebe. More information is available at 225-0919.