Enjoy Beautiful Classical Music in a Relaxed and Informal Setting

Pianist Sarah Hagen Performs at Horizon Stage on January 30 at 10:30 a.m.

Do you take pleasure in classical music but find it hard to enjoy in a concert setting? An Up Close and Personal recital by pianist Sarah Hagen may be just what you are looking for. While being treated to a musical feast for the ears, Sarah’s audience members also gain insight into the pianist's perspective and are encouraged to join the discussion. Sarah promotes an informal ambiance at her concerts, providing opportunities for listeners to ask questions, voice opinions, or just sit back and enjoy the magnificent music while sipping a warm beverage. For something different on a winter morning, join Sarah Hagen at Horizon Stage on Thursday, January 30. Tea, coffee, and goodies will be served at 9:45 a.m. and the concert will start at 10:30.

Sarah will focus her Horizon Stage recital on the romantic music, and story of Robert and Clara Schumann. Theirs is a tale of incredible talent and star-crossed love, infinite joy and devastating sadness, wrapped in beautiful music. Robert Schumann (1810 –1856) is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. He left the study of law to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist but focused his musical energies on composing after a hand injury.  Clara Schumann (1819 – 1896), also a talented composer, is considered to have been one of the most distinguished and influential pianists of the 19th century.  When her parents disapproved of their relationship, and forbade their marriage, they gained permission to marry through the German court system. They eventually had seven children together and a loving but rocky marriage. Robert’s growing mental instability led to a suicide attempt, incarceration, and death in an asylum. Over a 61-year concert career Clara is credited with changing the format and repertoire of the piano recital and the tastes of the listening public. A tireless crusader for her husband’s music she was a strong matriarch who supported her family both financially and emotionally, though many hardships.

Sarah’s own star is steadily rising on the Canadian music scene. With expressive technique, an engaging personality, and startling fresh concepts, she is equally at home in front of a symphony orchestra or in an intimate concert setting. Her solo album, Glass House Dancing, was nominated for Classical Recording of the Year at the 2009 Western Canadian Music Awards. As First Prize Winner in the 2013 Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, Sarah performed solo at New York City’s Carnegie Hall in May 2013. Since moving to an artist loft in one of Vancouver’s most vibrant neighbourhoods in 2011 she has become deeply involved with intricate projects inspired by urban vitality and is motivated by the belief that music has the power to be a window into our souls, regardless of age or knowledge.


Enjoy tea, goodies, and a beautiful morning performance by Sarah Hagen, at Horizon Stage on Thursday, January 30. For an even more Up Close and Personal concert experience, seating will be general admission and a limited number of seats will be available at tables on the stage, right next to Sarah and the grand piano. Tickets are just $25 and may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave) or by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090. Tickets can also be purchased online through Ticketpro. 

CONCERT RESCHEDULED: Hotel California

Weather. Is there anything more Canadian than talking about the weather? We don’t think so.
Unfortunately, due to the weather in Toronto and all the flight cancellations, Hotel California's concert on Thursday, January 9 has been canceled. The band has expressed their deep regret, but they have been up all night trying to find a way to get here, with no luck.

Fortunately, we have been able to reschedule their performance. The new date is Sunday, February 23 at 1 p.m.

If you have tickets, they will be honoured on the new date. If you are unable to attend the new show, please contact the City Hall Ticket Centre at 780-962-8995 for options. Refunds will be offered until Friday, January 17. Exchanges or gift certificates will be offered after that date.

Thank you for your understanding. And suddenly, our weather doesn’t look so bad, does it? It’s all about perspective.

Enjoy Fun, Family Friendly, Comedy with a Powerful Beat

BAM! Percussion Performs at Horizon Stage on January 25 at 4 p.m.

Th d ynamic, comedic percussion trio BAM! Percussion formed in Quebec in 1999 and they have since performed at hundreds of festivals, including Montreal’s Just for Laughs, and theaters, across Canada and around the world. Their high energy blend of physical comedy and intense rhythm is equally enjoyed by audience members of all ages and nationalities. BAM! use their child-like clown personas, gibberish, drumming, and audience interaction to create a performance experience like no other. Described as a cross between taiko drummers and a three-ring circus, current troupe members Jean-Sébastien Dallaire, Denis Richard Jr., and Krystina Marcoux are looking forward to their performance in Spruce Grove on Saturday, January 25.

Calling themselves ‘drumstick meets slapstick’, BAM! Percussion is about seizing your inner child and refusing to let go, no matter how much he kicks or screams. Tickets to their 4 p.m. Family Matinee performance (note special start time) at Horizon Stage are $20 for adults and $16 for children and seniors. Free pre-show crafts and activities for the kids will run in the theatre lobby starting at 3 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, and online through Ticketpro.ca.  Whether you’re bringing actual children to see BAM! Percussion, or just wanting to entertain your own inner child for an hour, you won’t be disappointed!

Purchase: BAM! Percussion Ticket Online

Watch: Exerpts from BAM! Percission's Show

CONCERT CANCELLATION - Joe Sealy on February 8th

Due to unforseen circumstances Joe Sealy's entire Africville Stories tour has been cancelled, regretfully, by the promoter and the artist.  The reasons are not health related.
If you have purchased tickets to Mr Sealy's concert at Horizon Stage on Satuday, February 8, please contact the City Hall Ticket Centre at 780-962-8995 regarding ticket refunds and exchnages.

Africville Stories Cast Announcement

 

We are excited to announce that acclaimed Canadian jazz singer and award-winning actress, Jackie Richarson, will be providing the vocals for Joe Sealy's Africville Stories at Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Ms Richardson is best known for her screen roles in The Gospel According to the Blues, The Doodlebops, and Sins of the Father. She is also a noted stage performer, winning a Dora Award in 2004 for the musical Cookin' at the Cookery.The musical Big Mama! The Willie Mae Thornton Story was conceived of and written by Audrei-Kairen Kotaska for Jackie who starred in the first production in 1999 and then again in 2012. Bassist Paul Novotny will also be performing.

Give The Gift of Entertainment

Are you looking for a unique present for the person on your holiday shopping list who has everything? Give them the gift of high quality entertainment. Our gift certificates are valid for any Horizon Stage season performance and are perfect for any occasion. They are available in any denomination and can be purchased in person at the City Hall Ticket Centre.

Chris Gibbs’ Humour and Wit Will Leave Audiences Wracked With Laughter

Don’t Miss The Return of His Hit Show Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. at Horizon Stage on November 22

Described by The National Post as “one of the funniest guys around,” comedian Chris Gibbs explores the anxieties of first-time parenthood in his hit one man show Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. Terrified about his new responsibilities and skeptical about his ability to be a good dad, Gibb’s self-deprecating humour leaves audiences wracked with laughter and howling in their seats. Whether you are a parent, you know a parent, you have a parent, or you just like a mixture of British wit and Canadian comedy you don’t want to miss Chris Gibbs in Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. at Horizon Stage on Friday, November 22.

British-born Gibbs has been a professional comedian since 1991, when he began performing comedy shows on the street in London’s Covent Garden. For the next 11 years he toured full-time, performing at comedy, theatre and street-theatre festivals throughout Europe, as well as in New Zealand, Australia and Canada.  Since moving to Canada permanently in 2002 he has taken the Fringe Festival tour circuit by storm with five hit shows that have all received stellar reviews, played to full houses, and left fans wanting more.

Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. won patrons pick at the 2009 Toronto Fringe and was a sell-out hit at the 2010 Winnipeg and Edmonton Fringe Festivals. This fresh, funny, and fast paced comedy explores the anxiety Chris feels about becoming a new father while managing to also touch on the Superman myth, pop heroes in general, the perils of being overweight, the complexities of marriage, and other garden variety issues.

Called “the Steve Jobs of Fringe comedy” by the Toronto Star for “always coming up with something new that manages to be good as well” Chris’ self-effacing stories, jokes, and observations are both cheeky and honest. Tickets to Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. at Horizon Stage on Friday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m. are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave) and by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090. Tickets can also be purchased online through Ticketpro.

  “Gibbs’ showmanship is always entertaining and this performance does not disappoint. Equally impressive is the show’s broad appeal: parents (especially new ones) will enjoy it for an empathetic voice, while others will appreciate the perspective it provides on one’s own childhood experiences.” 

««««« - Mel Priestley, Vue Weekly

“…an endearingly hapless quester, constantly reassessing his personal experience, having second thoughts and going off on hilarious tangents. Not to be missed” 

««««½ - Liz Nichols, Edmonton Journal

“…one of the funniest comics on the Fringe circuit… there is always a cleverness and intelligence about his shows. Gibbs has the ability to tell a joke, generate a laugh and then continue only to return later and top the same joke. You have to see it to believe it.” 

««««½   - Colin McLean, Edmonton Sun

Spice Up Your Sunday Night with an Energetic West Coast Kitchen Party

The Bills will set Horizon Stage ablaze with their fiery folk tunes on November 17 

From the beautiful west coast of Canada comes an extraordinary quintet. Renowned for their instrumental virtuosity, lush vocal arrangements, exuberant live performances, evocative songwriting, and refreshing sound, The Bills truly are a Canadian acoustic music super-group. Last seen at Horizon Stage in 2002 when they were still performing as The Bill Hilly Band, The Bills are thrilled to be returning to Spruce Grove on Sunday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Melding together rock, maritime fiddle, bluegrass, Cajun, Romany, and other genres, The Bills’ unique sonic approach transcends musical boundaries and defies simple categorization. Their original songs coax sublime beauty, energy, and rhythm out of their instruments and feature stunning layers of vocal harmonies. Listen and you’ll hear influences of global roots and rock alongside hints of Chopin, Stan Rogers, and Django Reinhardt. But you’ll ultimately hear The Bills, doing the magical thing that they do.

A Bills’ live show is a legendary experience. Since forming in 1996, the band has delighted theatre and festival audiences from Copenhagen to California, thrilling fans with their breathtaking musical explorations and their unscripted onstage wit and charm. In 2006 they were voted Western Canadian Entertainer of the Year, edging out fellow nominees Michael Buble and Jann Arden. Their albums, Let Em Run and All Day Every Day, each garnered JUNO nominations and All Day Every Day won a Western Canadian Music Awards for Roots Album of the Year in 2002. Their latest release, Yes Please, features some of their finest songwriting to date.

Whether entertaining an intimate theatre audience or rocking a festival crowd of 10,000, these five gifted multi-instrumentalists are masters at leaving listeners breathless and revitalized all at once. Marc Atkinson, Richard Moody (last seen at Horizon Stage with Woody Holler in October), Adrian Dolan, Scott White, and Chris Frye each sport world-class credentials in folk/roots, jazz, classical, and world music.

Called “the biggest blast of fresh air to come out of Canada since The Band” by the Glasgow Herald, The Bills mix a little bit of holler with a whole lot of harmony. Tickets to see them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on November 17 are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave) and by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090. Online tickets can be purchased at Ticketpro.


This concert is proudly sponsored by CKUA, Seal & Bedard Accountants, Travelodge Inn & Suites, Canadian Heritage, and The Alberta Foundation for the Arts.            

Quality Entertainment That Will Make Your Whole Family Giggle

Horizon Stage’s Family Matinee Series Opens November 16 with an Improvised Cinderella

Are you looking for something fun and warm to do on a chilly November weekend afternoon? Do you seek quality, family-friendly, live entertainment to take your children, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews to? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions Horizon Stage invites you to the first show in their 2013/2014 Family Matinee Series, DuffleBag Theatre’s Cinderella, on Saturday, November 16 at 2 p.m. 

 Since 1992, the “Nearly World Famous” DuffleBag Theatre has been making people laugh at festivals and schools across Canada. Their improvised retellings of original adaptations of fairy tales and Shakespearean classics are full of charm, wit, and humour. Just when the audience becomes enthralled by the story - an unexpected twist happens! Before their very eyes, children, and maybe a parent or two, will be asked to come on stage and join in the fun! DuffleBag Theatre’s unpredictable performances are a hilarious and truly unique interactive theatrical experience where the dream of living a fairy tale really can come true!

Tickets for DuffleBag Theatre’s Cinderella at Horizon Stage on November 16 are just $20 for adults and $16 for children and seniors. Free pre-show activities in the lobby start at 1 p.m. and will include games, hula-hooping, crafts, and colouring.  But wait… there’s more…

Because Cinderella is the first show in Horizon Stage’s Family Matinee Series that means that Family Matinee Packages are still available. So, for just $45 for adults and $39 for children and seniors you can secure THREE Saturday afternoons of giggle-inducing, family-friendly, entertainment! Family Matinee Packages include 1 ticket to DuffleBag Theatre’s Cinderella, 1 ticket to the percussive comedy show, BAM!Percussion, on Jan 25 at 4 p.m., and 1 ticket to Juno Award-winning children’s artist, Norman Foote, on March 15 at 2 p.m.  That works out to $15 per show if you’re an adult or $13 per show if you’re under 17 or over 65!

So plan to spend one, two, or three laughter-filled afternoons at Horizon Stage this winter – you won’t be disappointed. Call 780-962-8995, visit the City Hall Ticket Centre in-person at 315 Jesperson Ave, or visit Ticketpro to purchase tickets online.

Trying to plan a perfect kid’s birthday party or, a Guiding, Scouting, or other group activity?  Discounts and packages for parties (minimum 6 kids) and groups of 10+ are available and meet the artist opportunities and informational talk-backs with theatre staff can be arranged. We’re going to have so much fun at Horizon Stage this season, and we want to create a wonderful experience for you and the young people in your life too!

Stunning Fiddle Lines, Lively Mandolin Melodies, and Clear, Crisp Vocals

Catch Alberta’s 2013 Country Music Group of the Year, PEAR, at Horizon Stage on November 2.

Born under blue Alberta skies, PEAR knows there’s nothing quite like driving down an old dirt road and chasing your dreams. Husband and wife team Lynae and Denis Dufresne’s individual careers have been peppered by numerous accolades and multiple award nominations.  In 2006 they joined forces to create PEAR and seven busy years later they had the distinction of being named 2013 Group of the Year by the Alberta Association of Country Music. This fall you can catch this charming country duo as they tour Alberta, making a much anticipated stop at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m.

In 1997, Lynae and Denis began their touring careers as cast members in the successful fiddle show Barrage. Their production of 'Barrage: The World on Stage' was broadcast across the United States on PBS. The CD of the same name rose to the Top 5 on the Billboard World Music chart. They toured extensively with Barrage in Canada, USA, Scandinavia, England, Scotland and China and gave command performances for The Prince of Wales, the Saudi Royal Family, and the Prime Minister of Canada.

After finishing with Barrage in 2003, the Dufresne’s lent their individual fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and vocal abilities to a host of top country, folk, and rock music acts, quickly becoming two of the most sought after live and session players in Canada. Lynae and Denis settled in Calgary but quickly became restless. Realizing that they wanted to work together again, they created PEAR. The fledgling duo was awarded a New Artist Showcase at the 2006 Canadian Country Music Awards and their performance so impressed CMT Canada that they were asked to be part of ‘Plucked’, a documentary-style television show the network was filming.

In 2011 PEAR’s single, “Take Me With You”, hit #43 on the Canadian country chart and Denis won the Canadian Country Music Association’s Fiddle Player of the Year award.  Their 2012 single “This Ain't a Love Song”, won the International Songwriting Competition in the country music genre and was included in the Alberta Music Industry Association’s Music Sampler, Volume 3. Stunningly, Denis and Lynae were both nominated for the CCMA’s 2012 Fiddle Player of the Year Award —marking the first time that spouses were nominated against each other. The win went to Denis who also won CCMA Mandolin Player of the Year, a distinction that he proceeded to win again in 2013.

Lynae and Denis have opened for a truly diverse group of performers including Alanis Morrisette, Alan Jackson, Moby, Barenaked Ladies, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Tammy Wynette, Paul Brandt and Counting Crows. They have built their fan-base at numerous festivals in the US, UK, and Canada, including Country Music Week, the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, and Big Valley Jamboree.

PEAR plays the kind of music that wins your heart and leaves you in love. Laced with Denis’ stunning fiddle lines and lively mandolin melodies, and carried by Lynae’s clear, crisp vocals, PEAR is a sweet treat with a fresh sound bound for country music stardom. Tickets to see them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on November 2 are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at Ticketpro. 

Enjoy an Afternoon Filled With Old Fashioned “Jazz from the Saddle”

Don’t Miss Woody Holler and his Western Swing Orchestra at Horizon Stage on October 27

Winnipeg based singer Woody Holler has been yodeling since he was a little shaver. Influenced by the crooning styles of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, as well as the rustic blue yodeling of Jimmy Rodgers and danceable swing of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Woody Holler plays dusty, down-home cowboy music. With a smooth, pitch-perfect voice that rises and falls like that big prairie moon and a lyrical yodel that dances around the jingle-jangle of that old guitar, Holler feels a real sense of nostalgia for the Western genre. Holler's orchestra consists of Manitoba's finest folk/jazz musicians and together they create a western swing style that Woody defines as "jazz from the saddle.”

 

Woody Holler grew up hearing the songs of the cowboy. Although he was later trained in opera, a sense of belonging and nostalgia held him close to the early Western genre. In 2009 he hooked up with Richard Mood (violin), Greg Lowe (guitar) and Daniel Koulack (double bass) and the rest, as they say, is history. Woody Holler and his Western Swing Orchestra is not your average country western band. Their clever arrangements are rich with virtuosity and style and their repertoire is eclectic, fun, and fascinating. Their concerts feature everything from finger-snapping  swing beats, to honey-slowed love croons, to show-stopping "extreme" yodeling. 

 

Nominated for a 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award, an afternoon with Holler and his orchestra will have you longing for a simpler time. Tickets to see them Up Close and Personal at Horizon Stage on Sunday, October 27 at 2 p.m. are $35 for adults and $30 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995, or online at Ticketpro.