Tuckamore Turns 25: A Festival Like No Other
- James Tarrant
- Jun 22
- 4 min read
If you’ve ever thought chamber music belonged only in grand concert halls and stiff black tie affairs, think again. The Tuckamore Festival, tucked into the windswept beauty of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, is rewriting that story, note by glorious note. And in 2025, this trailblazing festival hits a significant milestone: its 25th anniversary, marked by a celebration as bold and heartfelt as the music it champions.
From June 23 to July 6, Tuckamore lights up the island with something other than Mozart and Schubert. It's bringing "25 for 25"—a gleaming province-wide tour of 25 concerts in 25 communities, from rocky coast villages to vibrant city halls. Whether in Twillingate, Bonavista, Hopedale, or Heart's Content, the festival brings world-class music to your doorstep.
Small Beginnings, Big Dreams
The festival began modestly in 2001, fueled by the passion of violinist Nancy Dahn and pianist Timothy Steeves, aka Duo Concertante. Both are faculty at Memorial University's School of Music and acclaimed performers globally. Their dream was radical but straightforward: to offer great chamber music to Newfoundland and provide a forum where new talent could emerge along with seasoned performers.
The name "Tuckamore" comes from the stunted, wind-weathered evergreens that grasp the face of Newfoundland. It's a fitting metaphor—not just for the festival's roots in this windy corner of the world but also for its resilience, grit, and determination to survive, even in the most unlikely places.
In a Class of Its Own
What sets Tuckamore apart isn't the quality of its performances, though that, in significant ways, it does. It's the way it blends mentorship, community, and music to produce something enchanting. It's not a typical festival. It's a living, breathing musical community where performers don't play—they connect. Young musicians don't study—they shine. Audiences aren't spectators—they're part of it.
Tuckamore has directed over 500 young composers and artists around the world, who have gone on to tour with the world's greatest orchestras, win JUNO and East Coast Music Awards, and establish successful careers worldwide. And those students don't just sit and watch—their concert performances are on stage, backed by some of Canada's finest and most talented musicians.
A Star-Studded Lineup (and a Few Surprises)
The 2025 festival provides an electrifying mix of old favourites returning and new stars to discover. Some of the highlights are:
Charles Richard-Hamelin, widely regarded as one of the world's finest pianists and an International Chopin Competition silver medal winner, opens the Opening Night Gala.
New Orford String Quartet is one of Canada's most respected ensembles. It features players who are principal members of the country's top orchestras. The quartet returns with its usual emotional depth and technical intensity.
Schmaltz & Pepper, a genre-twisting klezmer quartet, injects warmth, humour, and high-spirited energy into the program.
Bekah Simms, a JUNO-winning Newfoundland composer, contributes fierce, contemporary glamour with a brand-new trio that is part of the anniversary tour repertoire.
Duo Concertante, still at the festival's throbbing hub, brings longtime collaborator cellist Vernon Regehr to the Tuckamore Faculty Trio.
Harpist Kristan Toczko, the Bergmann Piano Duo, soprano Meghan Lindsay and pianist Carson Becke, among other nationally recognized artists, composers, and educators.
But the real stars may be the new generation of musicians—the "Young Artists and Composers" who bring raw talent, fresh ideas, and unbridled creativity to the stage.
The 25 for 25 Tour: Chamber Music Goes Coastal
This is not a token roadshow—25 for 25 is an impassioned embrace of Newfoundland and Labrador's breathtaking geography and tight-knit communities. The performances range from standard recital halls to unusual venues such as churches, museums, lighthouses, and community centres—venues where live chamber music might be an absolute first.
And it's not just about playing. The tour includes school visits, talks, and free pop-up concerts, creating intimate, unforgettable moments with music across the province.
The repertoire is as eclectic and generous as the tour: a mix of 19th-century gems (including a recently discovered work by Clara Schumann), uplifting contemporary pieces, and audience favourites like Dvořák's "Dumky" Trio—a work full of joy, yearning, and Slavic heart.
Where the Music Lives
Back home in St. John's, the home venues for the music festivals are as welcoming as the music. Concerts are performed in the acoustically rich D.F. Cook Recital Hall, the warm, venerable Gower Street United Church, the beautiful, resonant St. Andrew's Presbyterian ("The Kirk"), and the beloved, snug upstairs room at Rocket Bakery.
These spaces are chosen for more than sound quality—they create a feeling of closeness between artist and viewer that is rare these days. You don't need to be able to identify a sonata or a symphony in order to be touched. Just show up, listen, and let it in.
Celebrating the Journey
Over the past 25 years, Tuckamore has presented more than 600 performances, received well over 150 notable artists, and extended programming to 40+ communities. That's not bad for a small festival that used to hold meetings to explain that "Tuckamore" wasn't a horticultural symposium.
The festival has earned the support of many of Canada's top-rated musicians—people like Richard-Hamelin and the New Orford Quartet. They come back not just because it's on their calendar but because they love it. They love the crowd, the energy, and the sense of place.
Why It Matters
There's a powerful aspect to a chamber music festival thriving on the eastern edge of North America, with fog blowing in from the Atlantic and seagulls crying overhead. Tuckamore is not just staying afloat—it's establishing a benchmark for how music festivals can be earthed, participatory, and revolutionary simultaneously.
In a world where "bigger" has equated to "better," Tuckamore reminds us that intimacy, authenticity, and connection truly make a difference.
So if you haven't been, now's the time. Tuckamore's coming your way if you're in St. John's or some seaside town you can barely locate on a map. And if you've been before—well, you do. You feel the chills when the first note is struck, the smiles in after-concert conversation, the joy of discovering something completely new in music you figure you know by heart.
Here’s to 25 years of unforgettable music—and to the many notes still to come.
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