The 2008 Collingwood Music Festival is poised to be the best yet.

Festival music director Douglas Nadler said the response to the lineup has been strong as full season tickets are up 18 per cent.

"I'm very pleased with it," he said. "I think it has great diversity."

The festival's summer season kicks off on Sat., June 21 at 7:30 p.m. with a performance by Anton Kuerti.

Kuerti is widely considered one of Canada's greatest classical pianists and will be performing a concert featuring the work of Beethoven. Kuerti's concert will serve as a benefit for the Collingwood Music Festival and Oxfam - an international organization that looks to find solutions to poverty and social injustice.

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir takes to the stage on Sat., July 5 at 7:30 p.m. and will perform a variety of music including Handel, Bach and Haydn.

Nadler said the performance will feature about 50 singers.

"It's a big coup for us," Nadler said. "They are recognized as Canada's greatest choral group."

Etsuko Kimura, a violinist and assistant concertmaster with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, will be performing on Thurs., July 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Pianist Megumi Okamoto will accompany Kimura. Etsuko, a prizewinner at the Joseph Szigeti International Violin Competition and a concertmaster of the Kobe Symphony Orchestra, will be perform Bartok's Romanian Dances, Beethoven's Spring Sonata, Ravel's Sonata and Grieg's Sonata.

This concert will be followed by a performance the next night by the Evergreen Club Gamelan Ensemble at 7:30 p.m.

The eight-member ensemble will perform on a collection of bronze and wooden instruments that are collectively known as a gamelan, the traditional ensemble of Indonesia.

Violinist Jasper Wood, cellist Yegor Dyachkov and pianist David Jalbert, are collectively known as Triple Forte and will be performing on Fri., July 18 and will featuring a lineup including Beethoven's Trio Opus 70, Murphy's Give Me Phoenix Wings to Fly and Ravel's Trio.

Dyachkov, voted "artist of the year" by the CBC, and winner of the 2000 Young Canadian Musician Award, will be performing a solo concert on Sat., July 18 at 7:30 p.m.

One of Canada's most prominent Celtic music groups will be performing on Wed., July. 23 at 7:30 p.m. The Cape Breton-based group is comprised of the six McNeil siblings.

Classical pianist Richard Raymond will be performing his program including Beethoven's Waldstein and Moonlight sonatas on Thurs., July 31 at 7:30 p.m.

Nagata Shachu Japanese Taiko Drumming Ensemble will take the stage on Fri., Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Nadler said this is shaping up to be the most popular 'world music,' concert the festival has ever had.

"Tickets are selling really well," he said.

Nexus, a group that uses a variety of percussion instruments from around the world, will be performing on Sat., Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

One of the most high profile performers in the festival's history will take the stage on Tues., Oct. 28.

Folk music legend Arlo Guthrie, whose hit Alice's Restaurant became an anthem in 1967, will be performing at the festival for the first time. Guthrie, son of folk legend Woody Guthrie, is an accomplished musician playing the six and 12-string guitar, harmonica and a dozen other instruments.

Nadler said having Guthrie perform is another coup for the festival and expects the show to be sold out.

"For people age 45 plus, they are all taking out their records and listening to Arlo Guthrie," Nadler said.

All concerts take place at the New Life Brethren in Christ Church and tickets are available at Crow's Nest Bookstore on Hurontario Street, Joe's Music on Hwy 26, Curiosity House Book Store in Creemore and Picnic Catering in Thornbury.

For more information, click the link provided.