Wow! What a season to look forward to at the Indian River Festival this summer! We’ve been working away since last autumn to secure the absolute finest performing artists for your enjoyment. Two full months of what will prove to be an amazingly diverse season of concerts there are just too many internationally lauded singers, instrumentalists, chamber ensembles, celtic, Acadian, jazz and blues musicians, to mention. When you scan through the 2009 lineup of great, innovative programmes and performing artists, you’ll see that there is something for everyone. In fact, MANY things for everyone!

Many of these wonderful musicians have been with us before. We can’t resist having them back, and it’s something they are thrilled to do because they know the beauty of the countryside, the warmth of the Indian River Festival audiences, and the welcome they feel in the community. Most of the musicians have busy international careers, so the opportunity to present the very best repertoire from their respective musical genres in a setting as visually and acoustically stunning as St. Mary’s Church, plus being able to meet the people and melt into the landscape of one of the most beautiful areas in all of Canada well, let’s just say they feel they are receiving as much as they are giving while they are part of the musical family that is created each season.

Along with the commitment to musical excellence that will be demonstrated throughout the season, the equally sincere commitment to the festival by the many sponsors, volunteers, and benefactors, must be applauded. On a personal note, my heartfelt thanks goes out to the dedicated board members who do so much behind the scenes, and special thanks to the inspirational office directors and staff. Music you can hear with your heart, is our Festival motto. Because of the warm hearts of so many wonderful people, we can proudly demonstrate the importance of a live music experience and reinforce the need for such things in our daily lives. We look forward to seeing you this summer. Don’t forget, we serve the worlds best oysters on the half shell at intermission I’ll make sure there’s a huge supply!

Robert Kortgaard
Artistic Director

Recent Press Reviews

"This summer-long event at a French Gothic church near the western PEI town of Kensington may have the best collection of musicans of any small festival in the country. There's a strong emphasis on the voice, with visits by sopranos Isabel Bayrakdarian, Nathalie Paulin and Suzie LeBlanc; baritone Peter Barrett; cabaret singer Patricia O'Callaghan; Punjabi ghazal singer Kiran Ahluwalia; vocal ensemble musica intima and Cape Breton singer-songwriter J.P. Cormier. There are also performances by the Gryphon Trio and a versatile supporting ensemble anchored by pianists Peter Tiefenbach and Robert Kortgaard, who steers the whole thing as artistic director."

Robert Everett-Green, Globe and Mail, June 2007

"St Mary's Church in Indian River, PEI is quite simply the best place to hear live classical music performed in Atlantic Canada."

Adrian Hoffman, CBC host and producer

A world of fine music, classical, jazz, maritime and world, is to be found at the Indian River Festival, held annually through July and August at St. Mary's Church, located in beautiful, picturesque Prince Edward Island (PEI). We are proud to say this is the 13th Anniversary of the Indian River Festival and we invite music lovers from all over the world to PEI, St. Mary's Church and truly a most spectacular music festival. Here at the Indian River Music Festival you will experience the cream of our local PEI and maritime performers as well as international, classical and jazz artists performing in the near-perfect acoustical setting of St. Mary's Church, designed by famed PEI architect, William Critchlow Harris, over a century ago.

You are invited to peruse the Indian River Music Festival catalog of fine concert offerings for this season. Make your selections and purchase your choices online. You may book using your Visa, Mastercard, Amex or Discover card through Paypal, a name you can trust. We also invite you to consider membership in the Indian River Festival and some of our exciting music festival packages as well as a visit to the historic venue of the music festival, St. Mary's Church.



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