Afrobeats jazz quintet aims to bring people and music together in a happy blend
The John Dapaah Quintet is sharing their unique fusion of African music and jazz with Ottawa this summer. “With every song we do, we try to mix it up in a sense. We kind of throw a popular song in there that the audience might not be expecting,” said John Kofi Dapaah, director and pianist of the quintet. “An example...
Canadian voters prioritizing economic stability, incumbency amid Trump tariff threats
A perceived ability to protect Canada’s economic interests against U.S. President Donald Trump is one of the primary ballot questions uniting Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative success and Mark Carney’s popular rise with the federal Liberal party, according to one pollster.
Ottawa artists celebrate a ‘deep’ and ‘nuanced’ culture during Black History Month
As Black History Month winds down, many artists are gratified for the opportunity to celebrate Black contributions to the arts and to reflect on the work of those who came before.
Ottawa will soon allow shelters anywhere in the city, despite concerns about consultation raised by some councillors
City council is taking the next step in allowing emergency and transitional shelters, despite concerns about a lack of public consultation from some councillors. Council has passed a motion by Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper, which directs city staff to amend a bylaw to allow shelters to be built in any part of Ottawa without a rezoning application. Leiper said he...
Most Canadians believe financial cost of hosting Olympics outweighs benefits, survey shows
Although Canadians are very proud of the country’s accomplishments in the Olympics, most don’t want to see Canada host the Games again, new data from the Angus Reid Institute shows. Canada has had an undeniably successful summer games, earning an impressive 23 medals thus far with more to come. Canada’s top achievements in the Paris 2024 Olympics include swimmer Summer...
Review: Cheng2 Duo mark Chamberfest homecoming with heartwarming performance
Ottawa’s favourite piano-cello duo returned for their annual Chamberfest homecoming on Aug 7 at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre for a magical night of music. Silvie and Bryan Cheng made their debut at Chamberfest way back in 2007 at the Rising Stars showcase. This year, they once again returned with a new folk-inspired repertoire, titled Kindred Spirits, exemplifying the spirit of...
Review: Angela Hewitt pairs Mozart and Brahms to great effect at Chamberfest
The Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre was packed on Saturday night when Ottawa’s own world-class pianist Angela Hewitt took the stage for an elegant evening of Mozart and Brahms. The humidity and thunderstorms only added to the dramatic nature of the night. The Officer of the Order of Canada and a Officer of the Order of the British Empire was showcasing her...
From Rising Stars to Signature Series: Silvie and Bryan Cheng return to their musical roots at Chamberfest
Silvie and Bryan Cheng have come full circle at Chamberfest. The talented sister and brother started as the winners of the very first Rising Stars showcase. Today they are rocking the festival’s premier Signature Series in the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre stage on Aug 7 . The siblings have been playing together professionally for years. But it started in the family...
Review: Danish String Quartet captures the heart and soul of Chamberfest with delightful classics and modern adaptations
The Danish String Quartet and Finnish cellist Johannes Rostamo gave a stunning performance at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre on Aug 2 with their take on Franz Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major, D. 956, Op. posth. 163. Along with this chamber music classic, they performed a modern arrangement of the quintet, by Thomas Adès. The performance is part of the...
Review: Pouliot and friends deliver rare performance of Mendelssohn’s Octet in elegant concert of romantic music
Canadian violin virtuoso Blake Pouliot took over the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre stage on July 31, much to the delight of the audience. For Pouliot, this was a return visit to Chamberfest for the talented violinist from Toronto who has forged a stellar international career as a soloist. He was the grand prize winner at the 2016 Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal...
The wheels on the bus: Black History Ottawa’s educational tour connects families and community
Black History Ottawa is educating the city about local history with an interactive History in the Streets Bus Tour, every Saturday this summer. The tour showcases the contributions of Black Canadians in Ottawa’s rich history, from athletes to politicians to activists and medical professionals. Names mentioned include Rawlson King, the first Black Canadian city councillor in Ottawa in 2019, Wangari...
Review: Nicole Presentey and John Dapaah dazzle Chamberfest audience with piano duet
Delicacy, precision, power. These words come to mind when Nicole Presentey and John Kofi Dapaah make music together. The Ottawa pianists performed “1 Piano, 4 Hands” in the NAC’s Thorsteinson Staircase, part of the Midday Matinées series at Chamberfest. The pair met at Carleton University, where Dapaah studied with Presentey. Soon after, they began playing duets together at Chamberfest and...
The “Bratification” of Kamala Harris: Gen Z at the intersection of internet culture and politics
Bright lime green, simple font, Charli XCX’s hit album “Brat” is everywhere these days. It’s even put its stamp on Democratic presidential candidate and current U.S. vice president Kamala Harris’ social media accounts. “Brat” is a dance-pop album defined by a gritty authenticity, capturing the vulnerability of the cool-girl aesthetic. But it’s more than the music. Charli herself says Brat...
Review: The Art of Time Ensemble kicks off Chamberfest with heartwarming Beatles tribute
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...
A Capital Current Profile: Consumed by passion for music, Henry Kennedy brings his talent to role as NACO’s resident conductor
Henry Kennedy is the NAC Orchestra’s new resident conductor and a rising talent in the classical music scene, although that’s not to say that the young conductor hasn’t already had an impressive career. As resident conductor, Kennedy will spend the next two years working with the NAC Orchestra under the guidance of music director Alexander Shelley. Capital Current spoke with...
A Capital Current Profile: Ottawa’s John Kofi Dapaah finds meaning and faith in the intersection of classical and jazz music
For John Kofi Dapaah, music is more than just a career. It’s a way of connecting with his faith and family. Dapaah is a well-known pianist and music teacher in Ottawa who will perform at Chamberfest on July 30 alongside his teacher and friend Nicole Presentey. Dapaah comes from a musical family and his first experience with music was in...
A Capital Current profile: Nicole Presentey’s musical journey has deep roots in Ottawa
Nicole Presentey is an Ottawa native and while she is certainly one of the most talented pianists and music educators to come from this place, she has remained in the region even though the world beckons. One of her deep local connections as a supporter and as a performer is Ottawa Chamberfest, one of the city’s best known classical music...
Safe injection site reopens in Sandy Hill after five-month hiatus
The Sandy Hill Community Health Centre’s safe injection site reopened on July 15 after closing in February.The opening day saw about 50 per cent capacity while word about the reopening gets around, but staff expects to see an increase in the next few weeks.
Turning 30: Chamberfest celebrates with a bevy of stars and series for all musical tastes
There’s nothing like summer in the city, and there’s nothing like Ottawa’s Chamberfest either. The capital’s renowned classical music festival Chamberfest is returning from July 25 to Aug. 8.
Nova Scotian Henry Kennedy announced as first new resident conductor with NAC Orchestra
Nova Scotian Henry Kennedy is taking up his place as the first resident conductor in a new program with the NAC Orchestra.
Aggregate price of a single family home increasing in Ottawa, according to Royal LePage
Ottawa home buyers continue to feel increasing economic pressures, according to Royal LePage. The aggregate price of a home in Ottawa has increased by 2.1 per cent to $777,400 in the second quarter of 2024.
Canadians remain worried about increasing cost of living, despite inflation easing
New data from the Angus Reid Institute (ARI) shows Canadians remain concerned about the cost of living, despite inflation stabilizing. Some 60 per cent of those surveyed rate inflation a top concern. The poll shows 32 per cent of those surveyed are considered “Struggling” on the ARI Economic Stress Index which analyzes financial indicators and measures economic stress. This is...
On strike: CAS Ottawa workers say their job action is a last ditch effort to maintain services and staff
The Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa (CAS) workers continued their strike into Tuesday.CAS is part of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). They are asking the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to agree to not make any more layoffs and for better wages.
REVIEW: Opening night of Bluesfest offers some intimate and captivating performances
Capital Current took in several shows on opening night at RBC Ottawa Bluesfest Thursday night. Here's our take on three very unique performances.
More Canadians say they may leave their home province, especially new residents, survey shows
New data from the Angus Reid Institute shows that three in 10 (28 per cent) Canadians are considering leaving their province of residence due to housing affordability.
Blue skies and warm temperatures make a beautiful backdrop for Canada Day 2024 in Ottawa
Thousands gathered in downtown Ottawa under blue skies and warm temperatures to celebrate Canada Day 2024
Crumbl Nepean attracts a cookie-loving crowd on opening day
Crumbl Cookies, a dessert franchise that’s gone viral on social media for their unique weekly rotation of cookies, opened a brand-new store in Ottawa on Friday, and locals flocked to its doors for opening day.
NFB showcases Canadian films in celebration of the national day
The National Film Board of Canada is showcasing Canada’s diversity with the art of film with 14 channels of programming.
What to do on Canada Day in Ottawa
Canada Day in Ottawa will be hectic with events downtown and across the region.
New survey shows Doug Ford’s approval down as rumours of early election swirl
New data from the Angus Reid Institute shows a three-point decrease in Ontario premier Doug Ford’s approval rating, now sitting at 31 per cent, the lowest among the premiers along with New Brunswick's Blaine Higgs.
City council adopts new solid waste plan
City council has passed a solid waste management plan that will extend the life of the Trail Road Landfill.
Rising theft in Ottawa raises safety concerns for businesses
“He wasn’t our usual clientele,” Ça Va De Soi sales associate Laly Delaoune said. “But I don’t judge people by appearance, so I’m going to give the same service to everybody.” “He was actually polite, and he was apparently looking for a gift for his mother,” she said. Delaoune offered suggestions to her customer for a suitable present. Within seconds,...
Pro-Palestine protest targets Canadian government, alleged weapons suppliers
Protestors criticize Canada's role in bringing a ceasefire to the ongoing war in Gaza and the arms being sold to the Israeli Defence Force.
Local performers share stories of family ahead of Black History Month event
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