Rehearsal video of Carmina Burana

For those of us who have fondest memories of last summer’s performance of Carmina Burana, here’s a video with clips of the rehearsals. At the end of the video is a clip from the University of Moncton chorus’ performance of Betelehemu, one of the most outstanding and exciting choral and percussion pieces in the repertoire, followed by “Why Isn’t Love like it is in the Opera” by Peter Tiefenbach, with the composer at the piano. SO much fun to relive this…

Indian River Festival receives Music PEI’s Achievement in Classical Music Award

We are delighted to have received Music PEI’s Achievement in Classical Music Award at last night’s gala concert. At the heart of the Indian River Festival’s programming is a constant commitment to presenting the finest classical music performed by Canada’s best classical artists. That commitment is just as strong in 2012 and we will be announcing full details on this coming season in early spring.

It’s soup weather…

The autumn is absolutely my favorite time of year and one reason is that it is perfect weather for making soup…here is one my of favorite recipes…

Portuguese Bean Soup (a very large recipe, easy to halve. It’s also easy to adapt the ratio of vegetables to your own preference.)

12 cups chicken stock
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups chopped celery
1 medium chopped onion
14 oz tomato sauce
2 cups sausage (your choice) cooked and chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
14 oz can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
1 cup uncooked pasta (optional)
4 cups shredded cabbage

In a large stock pot put first nine ingredients and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.
Add kidney beans, pasta and cabbage. Return to boil and lower to a simmer for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy with your favorite bread. Guaranteed to ward off the chilly weather!

The Spinney Brothers are coming to Indian River!

Here’s what’s in store for our 2nd Annual Fall Fundraising concert with the fabulous Spinney Brothers on Friday, October 7 at 7:30pm at historic St. Mary’s Church, Indian River. You are most definitely in for the real deal in traditional, authentic bluegrass…check out the video…BUY TICKETS or call 1-866-856-3733

The one and only Matt Andersen, photos from Sept 18

Two sold out shows…and I got to sing with Matt Andersen, well, me and almost 500 other people in his encore. What a performer – he sings with such heart, soul and passion…

Photos from Harvest Soupfest

What a brilliant afternoon we had…here’s a photo record of the day…

Maple Roasted Carrot Soup (with orange, cinnamon and ginger)

Here’s the recipe for the Festival’s soup that was part of Harvest Soupfest last Sunday.

Maple Roasted Carrot Soup (with orange, cinnamon and ginger)
(Makes a nice large pot of approx 5 litres)

Ingredients:
3 lbs carrots peeled
3&1/2 litres of either vegetable or chicken stock (I made my own vegetable stock and added a couple of pieces of fresh ginger to add flavour)
2 cups orange juice (you can adjust this up or down to taste, I like a nice orange flavor so would probably use a little less stock and a little more orange juice)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp each cinnamon and ground ginger
1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400degrees F
Cut carrots into chunks
Place carrots on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
Drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon and ginger
Roast carrots for 40 minutes
In soup pot add oil and saute garlic
Add roasted carrots, stock, orange juice and bring to a boil. (if you like more of a ginger flavor and it was not used in your stock, toss in a couple of pieces of fresh ginger while the soup simmers).
Simmer until carrots are soft
With an immersion blender or stand blender, remove fresh ginger if used, and puree soup until smooth.
Add fresh parsley and serve.
Remember, this recipe is very user friendly…taste the soup and see if you prefer a little more of anything, like maple syrup, orange juice, salt or pepper. It is definitely best the next day when all the flavors have had time to get to know each other.

What a roaring success Harvest Soupfest was! To see hundreds of people enjoying delicious soups and bread, great music all afternoon, and most of all enjoying each other’s company and the beautiful grounds of St. Mary’s Church was wonderful to experience. I suspect there will most definitely be a Harvest Soupfest 2012…
stay tuned for some photos of the day….

And the menu is….

Here’s the lineup of delicious soups available for sampling on Sunday at Harvest Soupfest! You will be able to try 5 different soups in a four ounce serving for each…yummmm: Windfall Celebration (vegetarian, gluten free); Roasted Carrot and Maple (vegetarian, gluten free); Chicken Soup for the Soul (gluten free); Mulligatawny; Beef Barley; Thai Gazpacho (gluten free, vegetarian); Billy Bee Mussel Soup; Seafood Chowder; Gazpacho (vegetarian) and of course delicious bread from chefs Calvin Burt and Robert Pendergast!! Vote on your favorites in fun categories!

Harvest Soupfest just around the corner

September at the Indian River Festival will celebrate harvest time and a basket full to overflowing with music at historic St. Mary’s Church, Indian River. In that theme, a unique fundraising event will happen on Sunday, September 11 from 1:30 to 4pm at St. Mary’s Church. Harvest Soupfest will bring together delicious fall flavours and great music all wrapped up in an array of comforting, homemade soups. A variety of chefs from well known, Island restaurants will each prepare a flavorful fall soup with fresh seasonal ingredients. Attendees to this event will be able to sample five different soups of their choice, and vote on their favorites in fun categories. In addition, every ticket purchased will go into a draw for a beautiful handcrafted soup tureen by Scott Barnim. There will be live music all afternoon in St. Mary’s Church and the soup will be served in the spacious Festival tent adjacent to the church. Attendees can feel free to wander back and forth between the tent and the church throughout the afternoon enjoying delicious soup and excellent music in the beautiful acoustic space of St. Mary’s Church.
Musicians who will provide music during the afternoon are Nathan Condon; Mike Dixon and James Phillips; Iain McCarvill and the quartet of Josh Ellis, Leah Brown and Peter and Christine Gallant. Popular CBC host Mitch Cormier will also be in attendance as a celebrity server.

Participating chef and restaurants in this event are: Cast Iron Catering (Chefs Robert Pendergast and JD Runnels), Coles Family Restaurant, The Dunes, The Home Place, Island Stone Pub, Mary’s Bake Shoppe, Miss Daisy’s Victorian Bistro,Shipwright’s, and Stanley Bridge Country Resort. Festival organizers say that this event is not dependent upon the weather as all the activities will take place both in the Festival tent and inside St. Mary’s Church. All proceeds from Harvest Soupfest will assist the Indian River Festival in its ongoing mission to present fine music and to restore and maintain its important historic home, St. Mary’s Church.

Tickets are $12.50 each and are available by visiting www.indianriverfestival.com or by calling the box office at 836-3733 (toll free 1-866-856-3733). All upcoming concert information for September and October can also be found on the Festival website or by calling the box office.