Artistic Excellence is the Foundation of Our Festival
Our mission is to present an intensive summer chamber music festival that features internationally renowned musicians, explores unique and immersive thematic programming, and creates original, engaging musical experiences for its audiences. This festival will nurture a deep family-like connection between musicians and audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
About ChamberFest West
About Us
ChamberFest West was a dream that founders, Diana Cohen and Roman Rabinovich, wanted to bring to Calgary. As they shared their front lawn concerts with a small but enthusiastic audience during COVID, the dream took shape, and ChamberFest West was born in 2022 with the first theme of this amazing new musical offering appropriately titled “Big Bang”.
The festival now includes six concerts in five venues throughout Calgary, with a diverse musical program presented by over twenty renowned musicians from Canada and around the world. Diana and Roman create an overarching theme for each festival, framing the incredible chamber music literature in an enlightening way. Calgarians have welcomed ChamberFest West to the city’s vibrant summer music scene, with sold out concerts and rave reviews.
With the addition of education and outreach programs, and a knack for making chamber music fun and profound at the same time — ChamberFest West invites all to join the “chamberhood” and experience the pleasure and power of music.
ChamberFest West is a registered charitable society.
“Summer festivals make it easy to fall in love with music. The close contact between the musicians and the audience, the total immersion in the art, the parties, and the community that develops around music all create a unique experience. Music has always been central to our lives, and we are thrilled to be sharing our love of chamber music with you. Having ChamberFest West in our home town is a dream come true!”
Mission, Vision & Values
Artistic excellence is the foundation of our Festival.
ChamberFest West’s VISION is that Calgary and Alberta are internationally recognized for chamber music. We aspire to add to the richness of Calgary and continue to put our city on the map as a cultural destination. Our MISSION is to present an intensive summer chamber music festival that features internationally renowned musicians, explores unique and immersive thematic programming, and creates original, engaging musical experiences for its audiences. This festival will nurture a deep family-like connection between musicians and audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
PROGRAMMING
ChamberFest West is devoted to creating original, engaging musical experiences for its audiences. Each summer the festival will have a theme; this overarching idea will connect each of the festival programs. Our commitment is to explore the great gems of the chamber music literature, cutting edge works of our time, and world music that has informed these genres.
ARTISTS
ChamberFest West presents an international and multi-generational cast of musicians – great artists who have made their reputations over decades, alongside the most extraordinary young “rising stars” who we believe will benefit from the opportunity to play with more senior musicians in an international summer festival.
CULTURAL EQUITY STATEMENT
ChamberFest West is mindful of the myriad and long-lasting benefits the arts bring to individuals and communities; at the same time CFW is aware these benefits are not enjoyed equally.
ChamberFest West is committed to creating a culture that celebrates chamber music in ways that foster and promote enhanced individual and community access and engagement, especially among those segments of the community historically underrepresented in the chamber music world.
ChamberFest West is committed to intentionally investing time and resources to develop and sustain policies, procedures, practices, and programming that mitigate traditional barriers to involvement in chamber music.
ChamberFest West is committed to including diversity, equity and inclusion as guiding principles in its decision making and strategic planning, while remaining true to its artistic vision.
ChamberFest West recognizes that achieving cultural equity takes time, commitment, resources, on-going learning, and openness to change.
Board of Directors
Heather Bourne - Chair
Jim Campbell - Director
Diana Cohen - Co-Founder
Brenda Erskine - Director
Peter Feldstein - Director
Robyn Gurofsky - Vice Chair & Secretary
Veronica McDermott - Director
Roslyn Mendelson - Director
Anita Oliva - Director
Rick Osuna - Treasurer
Roman Rabinovich - Co-Founder
CFW Staff
Diana Cohen - Co-Artistic Director
Roman Rabinovich - Co-Artistic Director
Steven Gallant - General Manager
Mark Scholz - Festival Manager