July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Carol Gimbel to support a mass participatory concert in Wellington West, as part of Chamberfest.

“Young musician, avid amateur, seasoned pro, and enthusiastic concert attendee – all are welcome at #1000Strings,” says Carol. “The outdoor performance will feature award-winning composer John Oswald's seminal work Spectre, which was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet in 1990 and combines live quartet with multi-layered overdub, creating the illusion of a 1000-piece string orchestra. With #1000Strings, the community joins forces to make that illusion a reality.”

Play violin, viola, cello, or bass and want to join in? Signing up to participate is free. Want to just enjoy the show? It takes place Saturday, August 3rd, at 11 AM, in Hintonburg Park.

Carol is a performer, producer, and director. She is also Secretary of the Canadian Viola Society and founder of Music in the Barns, which specializes in repurposing alternative performance venues for bespoke, site-specific “installation concerts.”