Emotion and Technique at Chamber Music
Jan DeGrass/Arts & Entertainment
Coast Reporter - August 27, 2010
A weekend of music once again rippled across Pender Harbour as the sixth annual Chamber Music Festival opened last Friday (Aug. 20) under the artistic direction of Alexander Tselyakov.
The free educational concert, Chamber Music Doesn't Bite, drew a full house with 20 children in attendance. Possibly the youngest was choir director Joy McLeod's little grandson who sat wide-eyed at his first concert. Perhaps that's why it opened with two music students - Daniel Tselyakov from Brandon University on piano and Anthony Blackman on double bass with his own composition - to show what could be accomplished early in one's life. (This concert will be broadcast on Coast TV at a later date.)
One of the highlights of the informal concert was surely the six hands, one piano rendition of Rachmaninoff when the two Tselyakovs joined Gryphon Trio's Jamie Parker. Some members of the Trio Verlaine, Lorna McGhee and Heidi Krutzen, matched flute and harp in a stellar combination, and the concert closed with a contemporary composition, Old Photographs, the first movement of Constantinople by Christos Hatzis, that opens lightly and finishes with a demented tango.
It was exciting to hear contemporary Canadian composers like Hatzis on Friday, and again on Saturday when Kelly-Marie Murphy's Give me Phoenix Wings to Fly, a piece commissioned by the Gryphon trio, was featured.
Friday evening's concert started with the renowned Gryphon Trio (who received ovations for their performances) and the work of Robert Schumann. For novice classical music fans, the celebration of the 200th anniversaries of great composers has been terrific. In the past we've reprised Mozart and Mendelssohn, and learned more about them. Now it's time for Schumann and his contemporary, Frederik Chopin, who were both born in 1810, but whose styles vary widely. Chopin's music is so emotional it can make a person cry without knowing why. A Chopin selection, Sonata for Cello and Piano, was rendered exquisitely by Tselyakov on piano and Roman Borys on cello.
For a Schumann sonata, Tselyakov was joined by virtuoso violinist Corey Cerovsek who was born in Vancouver, and has
"wandered around ever since," as he told the audience. With impeccable technique, the Paris-based musician played an instrument made in 1728. His curly hair bobbed and the veins stood out on his arms as he demonstrated his intensity and control.
On Saturday, broadcaster Bill Richardson interviewed the articulate Cerovsek during the afternoon intermezzo where audiences learned more about Cerovsek's two doctorates in both mathematics and music.
One of the highlights of the festival was not necessarily musical, says festival fan and organizing committee member Barbara Storer. At Sunday's concert, the comical Richardson accompanied a performance of Camille Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals, a musical suite in 14 movements, with 14 brief, wonderful poems that had the audience in stitches.
Storer commented that the weekend was an excellent mix.
"There were some composers unfamiliar to many (such as the Spanish Joaquin Turina) and some old favourites," she said.
Beethoven's Archduke Trio performed by the Gryphon Trio sent audiences scurrying to buy the recording.
Next year's festival is already in the planning for Aug. 19 to 21 with Tselyakov continuing as artistic director and Louise Argyle starting her second year as committee chair. Brilliant violinist James Ehnes and the Borealis String Quartet have been invited. Since tickets were sold out a month in advance for this one, plan to get yours early.
Chamber music delights for a sixth year
Submitted
Harbour Spiel
- September 2010, Issue 237
Artistic director and pianist Alexander Tselyakov not only played brilliantly himself, but also put together a superlative lineup of musicians with an eclectic selection of music to enthrall audiences at the recent Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival in Madeira Park.
Beginning with an evening of Chopin and Schumann, and ending with a delightfully funny performance of Saint-Saëns'
"The Carnival of the Animals" narrated by CBC's Bill Richardson using his own words, there was something for every musical taste.
The world-renowned Gryphon Trio performed a number of selections throughout the weekend with their usual richness and precision, repeatedly bringing the audience to their feet.
Vancouver-born violinist Corey Cerovsek showed his "hometown" fans why he has become a much sought-after violinist around the globe, both in solo performance and with others. In an interview with Bill Richardson in the special intermezzo event, he offered insight into his musical life and philosophies and had people hanging on every word.
Inspired by Debussy, the unusual combination of musical instruments of Trio Verlaine entranced the listeners as the musicians' obvious enjoyment of playing music together was contagious.
It was a weekend of some of the very best in chamber music in an idyllic setting that seems to have been made for this event.
As the festival continues to build on past years, it will be interesting to see what will be store for the third weekend in August 2011.
Chamber Music Festival "A RESOUNDING SUCCESS"
Submitted
Artistry
- Volume 8, Issue 5 , September-October 2010
From standing room only at the opening event, the free Chamber Music Doesn't Bite, to the sold-out ticketed concerts throughout the weekend, the Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival was a resounding success. The world-renowned Gryphon Trio delighted audiences with their precise and emotive playing of a variety of compositions by different composers, receiving repeated standing ovations. The same was true of violinist Corey Cerovsek. who impressed everyone with his technical virtuosity and beautiful depth of feeling as he performed with other musicians in music ranging from Bach to Saint-Saëns.
The unusual combination of Trio Verlaine (flute, harp and viola) entranced listeners with their renditions of
works by Debussy, Ravel and Piazzolla. Rounding out the roster were artistic director and pianist Alexander Tselyakov, clarinetist Jeanette Jonquil with her smooth rich tones, and emerging artists Daniel Tselyakov on piano and Anthony Blackman on double bass. The musicians played in different combinations throughout, with many playing together for the first time ever. This alone made for some exciting and remarkable performances.
The programming by Tselyakov was brilliant as people were treated to familiar tunes, such as the Michael Webster
arrangement of themes from Bizet's Carmen and the powerful "Archduke" Trio by Beethoven, and to compositions by modern composers including Turina and Piazzolla and Canadian Kelly-Marie Murphy, whose Give Me Phoenix Wings to Fly was originally commissioned by the Gryphon Trio.
The Intermezzo event, Corey Cerovsek in conversation with CBC's Bill Richardson, was particularly interesting as we learned the musical and life philosophies of this young violinist who enthralled audiences throughout the weekend. The Festival ended with a delightful rendition of The Carnival of the Animals, narrated by Bill
Richardson using his own poetry, which had the audience laughing enthusiastically.
It will be hard for the Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival to better this year's event in 2011, but with musicians such as world-renowned violinist James Ehnes and the wonderful Borealis String Quartet scheduled to appear, it is more than possible.
PENDER HARBOUR CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL: A Perfect
Recipe
Submitted
The Local
- August 26, 2010
Bring together 11 superlative musicians and a narrator, add two pianos, two violins, a flute, a harp, a viola and a clarinet, and you have a perfect recipe for a weekend of magic at the Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival in Madeira Park. This year, from August 20 - 22, audiences were treated to many instrumental combinations, concluding with a special performance of Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals, narrated by Bill Richardson using his own words. This delightful piece had the audience roaring with laughter, and ended a weekend that offered music from Chopin and Schumann in celebration of their 200th anniversaries as well as works by composers ranging from Bach to Canada's own Kelly-Marie Murphy. In addition to the spoken word, there were three other firsts: the unusual Debussy-inspired combination of Trio Verlaine consisting of harp, flute and viola; two pianos on stage for the final performance; and six hands on one piano!
The world-renowned Gryphon Trio more than lived up to expectations as they not only brought audiences to their feet throughout the weekend, but also showed their exceptional musicianship in performing with other artists. Arriving directly from Paris, Vancouver-born violinist Corey Cerovsek was a crowd favourite as he played as a soloist and in various combinations. He had his listeners enthralled with his technical brilliance and his ability to convey the deepest emotions.
Rounding out the roster was masterful clarinetist Jeanette Jonquil,
the young emerging artists Daniel Tselyakov on piano and Anthony
Blackman on double bass. Artistic director, Alexander Tselyakov
provided something for everyone with his eclectic choice of works
and his wonderful combinations of musicians, it was indeed the
perfect recipe.
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