Sebastian Ostertag is the adjudicator for the band and instrumental section of the 2012 Cariboo Festival taking place at St. Peter’s Anglican Church on Wednesday, April 11 and Thursday, April 12.
Born in Saarbrucken, Germany and raised in Owen Sound, Ontario, Sebastian Ostertag is currently the principle cellist of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra, and conductor of the PG Youth Orchestra. As an active orchestral musician, Sebastian has performed in concerts directed by such esteemed conductors as Mario Bernardi, Johannes Debus, Leon Fleisher, and Peter Oundjian. He has also performed in master classes and workshops with The Tokyo String Quartet, Philippe Leroux, Desmond Hoebig and Zubin Mehta.
As a soloist, Sebastian has performed with the Georgian Bay Symphony, the Kincardine Summer Music Festival Orchestra, as well as on CBC Radio and Classical 96.3 FM. Other performances have included the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, the Banff Centre Chamber Music Residency and the Sweetwater Music Festival. In 2009, he was awarded the Donna Steinacher/Friends of Leith Church Award, and performed in recital with Peter Longworth, and was chosen as “Best Emerging Artist” at the 2009 Owen Sound Cultural Awards.
While classically trained, Sebastian has performed and recorded with some of Canada’s leading popular musicians. He recorded on Basia Bulat’s Polaris Prize nominated record “Oh My Darling,” and performed at the Ottawa Blues Festival and throughout Northern Europe. He also recorded on Shad K’s Juno nominated Hip-Hop record “The Old Prince” and subsequent Juno Award winning album “TSOL.” A strong supporter of music education, Sebastian has performed for the Royal Conservatory’s “Learning Through the Arts” program, as well as the PG Conservatory’s “Fun with Strings” presentations. He is thrilled to be adjudicating at the 2012 Willams Lake Music Festival!
The creative writing section of the festival will receive adjudication April 13 at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre. Vocal entries will perform April 16-18 at St. John Lutheran Church.
Piano performances will be held April 23-26 at the Calvary Tabernacle Church.
The festival wraps up with the Honours
Concert May 5, at 7 p.m. at Cariboo Bethel Church.