About Us

SchützFest350 is the collective vision of a group of south-western Ontario musicians, all of whom share a passion for the music of Schütz, and a number of whom are alumni of the German Academic Exchange (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst - DAAD).

Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) was one of the great early German Baroque composers, and a towering figure in German culture. He lived during a particularly tumultuous time, enduring plague and famine, most notably, the ravages of the Thirty Years’ War. His shifting musical styles reflected the varying circumstances under which he worked, much as the pandemic of 2020-21 dramatically shifted all assumptions normally associated with the artistic process. Honouring Schütz on the 350th anniversary of  his death is happening at the same time when cultures and communities are transforming.  The Canadian festival featuring Schütz's musical emotion and invention signals a full return to public concertizing while reflecting new realities and values that are changing the arts.

The festival welcomes the public to engage with music, education and the arts, and especially with the works of Heinrich Schütz. Valuing community and collaboration, the festival supports inclusion and equitable access for as many people to participate. Shared musical experiences can initiate understanding. Mirroring the world today, the Schütz experience can as easily describe our own circumstances demanding of art and of us great resilience, ingenuity to adapt, and transform.

By commemorating the 350th anniversary of the passing of an early music “giant”, SchützFest350 joins with a pan-Canadian music community in the hope of contributing to the current conversation about the role of the arts.

SchützFest350 Working Group

Artistic Direction	Working Group
Howard Dyck*, Artistic Director     Nota Bene Players & Singers Daniel Lichti*, Bass-baritone & Associate Professor Emeritus Alison Melville, Toronto Consort, recorders & flutes Daniel Taylor, Countertenor &  Artistic Director Theatre of Early Music	Daniel Lichti*, SchützFest350 Chair & Administrator Marc Paré, Business Manager, NBPS Christine Kralik*, Secretary Wenzel R. B. Hoberg*, Sponsor & Donor Services Gregory Johnston*, Committee Member Peter Koniers, Concert Manager Ralph Carl Wushke*, Past-chair *Canadian Alumni of the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst / German Academic Exchange Service)
	Advisory
	Jonathon Adams, Indigenous Host Lisa Hoberg Katharina Moeller, St. George's Evangelical Lutheran Church
Technical Direction	Volunteers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Land Acknowledgement

 It is a privilege for us to be here, on the traditional lands of the confederacies of the Wendat ‘People of the Island,’ the Anishinaabeg ‘Original People,’ and the Haudenosaunee ‘People of the Longhouse.’ We acknowledge this land as the home of the Mississaugas of the Credit, ‘River of the north, of many mouths.’

We acknowledge the wisdom of the Dish with One Spoon treaty between the Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee: The ‘Dish’ represents what is now known as southern Ontario. We all eat out of the dish with only one spoon, ensuring that our dish is never empty. This symbolizes our ongoing roles and responsibilities of sustaining the land and treating each other and all living things with equity and respect.

Today, Tkarón:to, which in Kanien’kéha means 'the place in the water where the trees are standing’ is home to many First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples from across Turtle Island. We acknowledge the history of this place. We recognize that we must live in right relations, abiding by the wisdom of this land and its traditional stewards. We commit to listening, witnessing and activating a bond of resurgent healing, honour, and solidarity with our indigenous hosts.