With the arrival of spring, it’s time to get your tickets for Westben’s 2023 season of 26 musical performances and more this July and early August in Northumberland County.
This year, the not-for-profit arts organization in Campbellford is welcoming a range of Canadian artists at various stages in their careers, from up-and-coming Warkworth-born country music artist Sacha to Grammy award-nominated soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee (who will open the season), to veteran singer-songwriter Dan Hill.
For classical music aficionados, Westben’s own Brian Finley will perform a selection of favourite piano music of Liszt, tenor Ben Heppner will sing with the internationally acclaimed ensemble The Elmer Iseler Singers, five favourite Westben musicians will perform “Mozart in the Meadow” with music for clarinet and string quartet, and Juno award-winning concert pianist Janina Fialkowska will perform piano concertos by composers such as Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, and more.
Along with Dan Hill and Sacha, other singer-songwriters featured at Westben this season include Juno and Grammy award-winning Chantal Kreviazuk, folk musicians Del Barber, Ben Caplan, and Lennie Gallant, and golden-voiced songstress Jill Barber.
Jazz vocalist Emilie-Claire Barlow will lead her band through innovative arrangements of American songbook treasures and more. Her father, Canadian jazz drummer and arranger Brian Barlow, will join award-winning singer-songwriter and pianist Laila Biali with his big band to perform the music of Joni Mitchell and more.
Unique performances coming to Westben this season include the Juno award-winning quartet The Fretless, who perform both traditional and original music on violin, viola, and cello, and an improvised concert where Ben Finley and a group of musicians team up with a mime artist to explore a series of silent movies.
Westben is welcoming Indigenous performers this season, including the award-winning Mi’kmaq fiddler and singer Morgan Toney. A special event called “Natural Balance” will see Westben’s Michi Saagiig neighbours from Alderville First Nation sharing stories, music, and conversation about their life, history, hopes, and dreams, with a special introduction to the creation and caretakership of Alderville’s Black Oak Savanna, the largest intact tract of native grassland in Central Ontario.
Westben will also be celebrating the music of Les Misérables, one of the most moving and beloved musicals in history, with a multiple-day performance of “Les Mis in Concert” featuring musicians Adam Fisher, Robert Longo, Caitlin Wood, David Michael Moote, Maher Pavri, and Kim Dafoe.
In 2021, Westben reconfigured its main performance venue and created two new outdoor venues to accommodate public health restrictions during the pandemic. The Barn, which seats 400 and has doors that roll open onto a meadow, has new circulation fans and movable seats to allow for greater flexibility and physical distancing. Willow Hill, where audiences bring their own chairs, is a natural grassy amphitheatre located north of The Barn. The Campfire is an intimate space where audiences and enjoy music, stories, and campfire treats such as smores and baked brie.
Here’s the full line-up for Westben’s 2023 season along with dates and ticket prices (which do not include tax and fees):
- Measha Brueggergosman-Lee – Sunday, July 2 at 2 p.m. – The Barn – $65 adults, $63 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Brian Finley – Friday, July 7 at 2 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $55 adults, $53 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Morgan Toney – Friday, July 7 at 7 p.m. – Willow Hill – Tickets $45 adults, $43 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Sacha – Saturday, July 8 at 7 p.m. – Willow Hill – Tickets $45 adults, $43 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- The Fretless – Sunday, July 9 at 2 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $45 adults, $43 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Sounds of Silence – Thursday, July 13 at 7 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $35 adults, $33 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Ben Heppner with the Elmer Iseler Singers – Friday, July 14 at 2 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $65 adults, $63 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Mozart in the Meadow – Saturday, July 15 at 2 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $55 adults, $53 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Del Barber – Saturday, July 15 at 8 p.m. – The Campfire – Tickets $50 adults, $48 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Dan Hill – Sunday, July 16 at 2 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $65 adults, $63 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Natural Balance – Thursday, July 20 at 7 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $45 adults, $43 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Emilie-Claire Barlow – Friday, July 21 at 7 p.m. – Willow Hill – Tickets $55 adults, $53 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Janina Fialkowska – Saturday, July 22 at 2 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $65 adults, $63 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Ben Caplan – Saturday, July 22 at 8 p.m. – The Campfire – Tickets $50 adults, $48 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Chantal Kreviazuk – Sunday, July 23 at 2 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $65 adults, $63 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Les Mis in Concert – Thursday, July 25 to Wednesday, August 3 at 2 p.m., with 7 p.m. performance on Friday, July 28 – The Barn – Tickets $55 adults, $53 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Lennie Gallant – Friday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. – Willow Hill – Tickets $55 adults, $53 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- Jill Barber – Saturday, Aug 5 at 7 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $65 adults, $63 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
- The Music of Joni Mitchell & More – Sunday, Aug 6 at 2 p.m. – The Barn – Tickets $65 adults, $63 seniors, $30 under 30, $5 youth under 18
Single tickets for Westben’s 2023 season are available online at www.westben.ca, by calling the Westben box office at 705-653-5508 (toll free at 1-877-883-5777), or in person at The West Schoolhouse (6788 County Road 30, Campbellford) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Friday.
