Above: Art by Francis Amour, Pascal Amour, Philippe Amour, Matthis Amour, Julian Amour and Guylaine Lemaire
Ottawa-based festival Music and Beyond introduces classical music to audiences new and old with exciting, arts based programming. Each year, the festival offers a variety of performances and concerts to highlight connections between classical music and many other art forms and brings opportunities to interact with fine art to young people in the community.
In the festival’s first ten seasons, Music and Beyond has presented some of Ottawa, Canada, and the world’s greatest musicians and performers, with a total of 900 concerts and events, as well as 3,8900 “mini-concerts.”
Their usual concert and event programming is impossible this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But Music and Beyond has been working harder than ever to provide opportunities and access to music and fine arts content through brand new avenues. This year alone, they have produced and released over 100 videos in their Virtual Concert Series.
The videos in the series, all posted to Music and Beyond's YouTube channel and free for the public, include a virtual edition of the festival’s 12 Days of Christmas celebration and an incredible variety of other content. This content includes three Vvirtual series: Music and Nature, Music and Law, and Music and Circus.
The series’ are created in partnership with organizations and professionals in Ottawa: Music and Nature is hosted by the Canadian Museum of Nature, Music and Law is narrated by the right honourable Beverley McLachlin, and Music and Circus is created in partnership with the Circe Fantastique. The series’ provide educational insight on classical art and its connection to the world throughout history, narrated by professionals in their respective fields.
Every year, the Music and Beyond festival organizes the Viennese Winter Ball, well-known in Ottawa as one of the most elegant galas of the year. This season, the ball will be held virtually as well.
Though the pandemic has changed the way Music and Beyond can provide opportunity and education on classical music and art in Ottawa, it hasn’t changed the festival’s mission to provide beautiful, fascinating, education arts content—this they pursue wholeheartedly and with great enthusiasm.
