NEWS

A 42nd successful season for the Festival


A 42nd successful season for the festival

Concerts and events were well attended

Lamèque, N. B., Saturday, November 18, 2017: The 42nd season of the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival presented last July was very successful. This is what came out of the assessment of the festival's activities made by the board of directors during its general annual meeting that took place Saturday, November 18, 2017, in Lamèque.

Overview of the 2017 season – artistic and financial success

In his report, the president of the board of directors, Jean-René Noël, provided an overview of the year's activities. From the outset, he stressed the work of the board of directors and volunteers, as well as the unwavering support of the community to the festival. "We presented six high-calibre concerts to music lovers along with one pre-concert lecture that were all successful," he said.

The 2016-2017 fundraising campaign has been a success, as the financial goals for donations, sponsorships and fundraising activities have all been met or exceeded. In terms of financial performance, the president presented the financial statements, showing a surplus of $6,721 at year-end. The president noted that the actual expenditures were below the approved budget by $709, a variation of 0.4% compared to the target. "I commend our team for the sound management of the festival's finances. This is essential to the sustainability of our event," said the president.

Highlights of the 2017 season include the third Mathieu Duguay Early Music Competition. Young soprano Myriam Leblanc won the top honours, while prizes totalling $6,500 were awarded to the evening's three participants. The opening concert, entitled "Partons la mer est belle," which featured Acadian soprano Pascale Beaudin was also an evening filled with emotions. The audience was captivated and moved by the presentation of arrangements of Acadian folksongs for soprano and baroque orchestra by composer Frédéric Chiasson. This concert was recorded by ICI Musique and broadcast from coast to coast on August 15, 2017.

The 43rd season of the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival will be presented from July 26 – 28, 2018. Details of the program will be announced next spring.