As a classical-music critic, Norman Lebrecht is often cranky but always insightful. A decade ago he took a break from predicting the death of the genre to write a novel, trading interpretation for plot and critique for characterization. The superb result was The Song of Names, which won the 2002 Whitbread Award for first novels. Today he’s firmly back into music analysis and not so sure classical music is breathing its last. He’ll bring this and other views to the opening lecture of Music and Beyond July 5.

Norman Lebrecht. Photo by Abigail Lebrecht.

Lebrecht is at his best when predicting and advising on the future of arts, and classical music in particular, which is what the audience at Dominion-Chalmers United Church can expect, with gusto, for its $20 ticket. During an April interview with classicalmusic.org in London, he précis-ed the entire future of arts in two statements: without the engagement of new media, traditional (mature) genres have diminishing hopes; and you do not save your way out of a recession, you spend, and risk, your way out, following individual vision and imagination. He could have been speaking directly to Julian Armour.

Armour debuts the 10-day Music and Beyond with the entrepreneurial zeal of one who thinks that “loose cannon” is not a pejorative term. He knows his audience; the majority of programming is straight-up classical, and a lineup that includes, among 344 others, Kathleen Battle, Peter Serkin and the Emerson String Quartet is pure gold for aficionados. The Ottawa Citizen’s Steven Mazey offers a comprehensive preview of the festival. But God is in the details.

The tinkering Armour has done with non-classical and even non-musical elements would bring a sparkle to Lebrecht’s eye. (Perhaps this is why, on July 7, the writer will also present the North American launch of his new book on Gustav Mahler.)  Armour, as well, believes that for classical music to survive, it must evolve out of a rigidly over-planned concert format. “It’s all integral, tying in visuals with music,” he says about the innovative content. “I wanted to jam the festival full because it all helps create an affinity for classical music.”

Julian Armour. Photo by Mike Levin.

Some of those elements have been lodged in Armour’s heart for a long time. Movie soundtracks for example. He’s frequently obtained the scores of Henry Mancini and Bernard Herrmann and fit them into concert programs. For next year’s Music and Beyond, he has commissioned a piece from Canadian composer Howard Shore. “I have endless notes for the next 50 festivals. It’s incredible what you can do with this type of music,” he says.

Another way to increase affinity is to price single tickets as low as $20 and festival passes at $95. (Several performances have additional costs; see the event’s Website for details.)  “Classical music can be the most abstract because it exists by coming purely through the air. In fact, modern classical writers go out of their way to be illusive to people. I’m not saying this is bad, just that our goal is to make it more accessible, and we’ll do what we need to achieve this,” Armour says.

One  of the best ways to do that is by following the advice of someone like Norman Lebrecht: assemble a good product and then take the risk of trusting your own vision.