The Gryphon Trio, Canadian Premiere, and a Kung Fu Mash Up Highlights of Upcoming SweetWater 2016

The SweetWater Music Festival is coming soon – September 16 to 18. It takes place this year at the Historic Leith Church as well as at the Roxy Theatre and Harmony Centre in Owen Sound.

Artistic Director Mark Fewer has assembled an outstanding line up including Aiyun Huang, The Gryphon Trio, Ensemble Caprice's Matthius Maute, Meredith Hall, and James Campbell. The 13th edition kicks off with an opening night concert in Leith at 8 p.m. on Friday, September 16.

The acclaimed Gryphon Trio, consisting of cellist Roman Borys, violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, and pianist James Parker, will perform twice that weekend.

"The Gryphon Trio is one of Canada's musical treasures. Their performance at this year's Festival will be a highlight," says Fewer.

Fewer is also looking forward to Aiyun Huang's performance of "Eagle Claw Wu Tsiao Chen Wins" on Saturday afternoon at the Roxy. Huang and co-writer Sean Griffen take a 1980s Hong Kong "B" action film and mash it up so that the female character is the hero. As the film is screened behind her, she speaks a re-written script in Mandarin and synchronizes action sequences with percussive gestures.

"Aiyun is world famous for her ability to bridge the percussive arts with all other forms of artistic pursuit," adds Fewer.

David Braid's new composition, Corona Divinae Misericordiae (Chaplet of the Divine Mercy), will be the highlight of Saturday night's Virtuosity at the Roxy. The work will showcase several local choral singers, along with guest soprano Meredith Hall. Fewer is also excited to have "the great one" return, clarinetist James Campbell. He'll be performing on Saturday and Sunday. Other featured performers at SweetWater 2016 along with Fewer include Joseph Phillips, Mark Edwards, Steven Dann, and conductor Nicholas Michael Smith. Works by Vivaldi, Schubert, Weber, Prokofiev, and Beethoven will also be performed.

SweetWater is more than just concerts. Three free, interactive musical activities will take place at the Harmony Centre on Saturday. Kids along with parents are invited to Mozart for Munchkins at 10 a.m. where Mark Fewer exposes youngsters to the wonders of music. People who play string instruments can join in with Festival performers at the always popular Classical Jam at 11 a.m. Plus, there's the annual Luthier Exhibit where you can see beautiful string instruments made in Grey and Bruce.

Festival Passes and concert tickets are available via www.sweetwatermusicfestival.ca and at the Roxy Theatre Box Office (call 519 371 2833). A Festival Pass is only $120. The Friday Night Gala is $45 and other concerts are $30 each ($10 for students).

The SweetWater Music Festival is supported by Canadian Heritage and the Ontario Arts Council. SweetWater 2016 is also sponsored by the Eva Leflar Foundation, Community Foundation Grey Bruce, the New Classical 102.9 FM, Tamming Law, the Medley Family, and the Municipality of Meaford.

For more information about SweetWater 2016, go to www.sweetwatermusicfestival.ca or via the SweetWater Facebook page and Twitter, @SweetWaterNotes.