The energy was high in the Carleton Dominion Chalmers Centre Thursday night as the Art of Time Ensemble warmed up ahead of their performance of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, kicking off Chamberfest’s 30th anniversary. 

The group, led by concert pianist Andrew Burashko, offered a classical and jazz inspired arrangement of the iconic Beatles album, hailed as one of the best of all time.

This year is also the Art of Time Ensemble’s 25th and final season. They have been performing with Chamberfest for many years.

There was a hum in the air as scales and arpeggios coloured the room, punctuated by the occasional blast of a trumpet and underlined by smooth violins.

It was a sweeping introduction, and it took a moment for the reality of it all to set in. The first song was immediately recognizable: “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Sloan’s lead singer Chris Murphy kicked off the show before welcoming former Barenaked Lady Steven Page, Ottawa’s own Jeremy Fisher and Skydigger Andy Maize onstage. 

The Art of Time then glided into the album’s title song, which set the tone for the rest of the evening with its upbeat rock and roll vibe. 

“With a Little Help From My Friends” was another hit. The tune featured quirky twists characterizing the jazzy aspects of the performance. The lyrics represent the spirit of friendship that the song conveys, in all its lightheartedness and depth.

Next came a crowd favourite “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” The crowd was hooked as the four vocalists stomped their feet, marking those familiar four beats before the chorus. But instead of the booming sing-along rock, the band unexpectedly backed off during the chorus, isolating the delicate harmonies of the vocalists in all of their quiet harmonies. 

Each of the singers demonstrated the compatibility of their unique vocal styles and stage presences. 

“Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” was the final song before the ensemble “flipped the disc” at intermission. It exemplified the genre-blending the performance sought to create, with romantic, theatrical strings and John Johnson’s whimsical bass clarinet.

The group lost none of their momentum over the break and the energy remained high into the second half of the show, beginning with “Within You, Without You.”

“When I’m Sixty-Four” presented satisfying harmonies, and “Lovely Rita” featured some of the best performances from the band. Special note should be taken of Rob Piltch’s guitar and an impressive piano run by Burashko. This song truly told a story, and one that the audience was eager to hear.

Following an electric rendition of “Good Morning, Good Morning” and a reprise of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” the ensemble moved into what is described as one of the Beatles best songs, and my personal favourite, “A Day in The Life.”

The first half of the song is the kind of music that makes fidgeting hands fall still, tilts faces skywards and ties a knot in the heart. The audience was enraptured. 

The sound of an alarm clock snapped listeners out of this trance and back into reality. The lyrics of Paul McCartney’s bridge and the chaos they convey ring true for any journalist working on a deadline.

Needless to say, this beautiful rendition of a timeless classic earned the ensemble a standing ovation.

But the audience couldn’t get enough, and the Art of Time couldn’t either. The group extended their set with several classics from the deluxe edition of the album. 

The trumpet solo in “Penny Lane” is arguably one of the best and most recognizable in pop music, and Steven Woomert executed it perfectly. 

The song was marked by dancing strings, jazz instrumentals, and soaring melodies with lyrics capturing the joys of mundane city life. 

“Here Comes The Sun” rom Abbey Road captured the epitome of the intersection between classical and jazz that the ensemble sought to create. The group’s connection was contagious – a bunch of hopeful romantics. 

The final song of the evening was a fitting one: “All You Need Is Love.” The band invited the audience to sing along to this fan favourite, and they obliged.

The Art of Time remained true to the Beatles as they finished their show. The classic rendition allowed each and every musician to shine, from percussion to sax to guitar. The vocalists completed the piece with ad libs and dancing, demonstrating their attention to detail. 

If they hadn’t already earned the audience’s approval, they secured it with that final dramatic chord. The Art of Time Ensemble once again received a standing ovation as they took their bows. 

Chamberfest continues until Aug. 8. 

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