Concerts
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Ebony and Ivory
Luke Welch – Sunday, June 11th at 2pm
Toronto-based pianist Luke Welch returns to our concert series, presenting an exciting collection of works by Chopin and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Since his first public performance at age 7, Luke has performed extensively on the international stage, and in addition is highly sought after as both interdisciplinary collaborative pianist and pedagogue. We are pleased to welcome him back to our stage.
Programme
Scenes From An Imaginary Ballet, Op. 74 — Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875 — 1912)
1. Molto vivace
2. Tempo di Minuetto
3. Andantino
4. Andantino
5. Vivacissimo
Three Humoresques, Op. 31 — Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875 — 1912)
1. Presto
2. Molto vivace
3. Allegro assai
Three-Fours Valse Suite, Op. 71 — Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875 — 1912)
1. Allegro molto
2. Andante
6. Allegro assai
Mazurkas Op. 24 — Frédéric Chopin (1810—1849)
1. Lento
2. Allegro non troppo
3. Moderato, con anima
4. Moderato
Nocturnes, Op. 27 — Frédéric Chopin (1810—1849)
1. Larghetto
2. Lento sostenuto
Bolero, Op. 19 — Frédéric Chopin (1810—1849)
Biography
Award-winning Canadian pianist Luke Welch was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and grew up nearby in Mississauga. He played his first public performance at age seven, and his early private piano teachers include Kyzysztof Jedrysik, Catherine Kuzeljevich, and John-Paul Bracey. He later graduated from Western University in Canada with Bachelor and Master of Music degrees and completed additional graduate studies in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Welch has also participated in the classes of Jean-Bernard Pommier, Cecile Ousset, Dang Thai Son, Stephane Lemelin, André Laplante. He has performed extensively on the international stage including appearances in Canada, United States of America, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and New Zealand.
Highlight performances include recitals at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, and Castletown House in Ireland. He has also appeared at Music Mondays in Toronto, Beethoven Haus in Bonn, Germany, St. Andrew’s-on-the-Terrace in Wellington (New Zealand), the American Cathedral in Paris, and Waalse Kerk in Breda (Netherlands).
Welch made his debut as soloist with Durham Chamber Orchestra in Toronto and has since collaborated with a number of orchestras including the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Mumbles Symphony Orchestra, Winchmore String Orchestra, Greenway Strings, York Chamber Ensemble, and Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra.
In addition to his performance commitments, he has also been highly sought after as an interdisciplinary collaborative pianist. He has worked closely with a number of renowned international academies and companies including Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT), Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Dans Ateliers, Holland Dance Festival, Codarts Rotterdam Conservatory, Royal Conservatory of the Hague, Dutch National Ballet, and National Ballet of Canada.
Welch’s recordings have received critical acclaim, and his performances have been broadcast on WQXR-FM in New York, KING-FM in Seattle, CBC Radio in Montreal, and Radio Classique. In addition to his published writing in the Globe and Mail (including ‘Life as Black Classical Pianist’, and ‘Black sopranos Othalie Graham, Audrey Dubois Harris and Measha Brueggergosman on inclusion and Black Lives Matter‘), La Scena Musicale Magazine, and WholeNote Magazine, he was named the 2018 recipient of the Harry Jerome Arts Award – distinguished with national recognition by the Black Business and Professional Association.
Welch has taught in both Canada and Europe, and was appointed to the Faculty of Piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music Oscar Peterson Program in 2022.
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Brilliance of Beethoven
A beautiful afternoon of Beethoven piano sonatas played with clarity and vitality by pianist Grisha Krivchenia.
Thank you to our appreciative audience and wonderful artist!
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Brilliance of Beethoven
Grisha Krivchenia – Sunday, May 14th at 2pm
Lauded as “the coolest classical musician around” (Santa Fe Reporter) and “presiding over outstanding technique” (Bergisches Zeitung), Grisha Krivchenia is a versatile artist whose performances and original compositions enthrall audiences throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Grisha will offer an all-Beethoven program including three iconic piano sonatas.
Programme
Piano sonata no 18 in E-flat major, opus 31 no 3 – Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
1. Allegro
2. Scherzo. Allegretto vivace
3. Menuetto. Moderato e grazioso
4. Presto con fuoco
Piano sonata no 14 in C-sharp minor, opus 27 no 2 – Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
1. Adagio sostenuto
2. Allegretto
3. Presto agitato
Piano sonata no 14 in C minor, K 457 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)
1. Molto allegro
Piano sonata no 31 in A-flat major, opus 110 – Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
1. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
2. Allegro molto
3. Adagio ma non troppo – Allegro ma non troppoBiography
Grisha Krivchenia is a versatile artist whose performances and original compositions enthrall audiences throughout the Northern Hemisphere. He enjoys a busy touring schedule, and his compositions are realized by professional ensembles worldwide. Recent premieres have taken place in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Bucharest.
Grisha studied at Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Victoria School of Music. In 2007, Grisha founded the music program at Spring Street International School in Friday Harbor. His solo piano and chamber music is published by Abundant Silence Publishing and CCC Music Company.
Grisha takes a special interest in using art to amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard. He writes music in collaboration with hospice patients, veterans, and recovering addicts and recently completed a song cycle based on interviews with Syrian refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. -
Baroque banquet
Our audience was uplifted, nourished and inspired after an outstanding performance on period instruments by three members of the Victoria Baroque.
It was lovely to also see the next generation represented in a young narrator!
Thank you to our appreciative audience and wonderful performers:
Soile Stratkauskas
Christina Hutten
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Soile Stratkauskas, Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith & Christina Hutten: April 16th
Baroque Banquet – Sunday, April 16th at 2pm
A delicious and varied selection of baroque delights, including solos and chamber sonatas by JS Bach, CPE Bach, Telemann, and Boismortier. Playing on instruments of the Baroque period, Victoria Baroque brings listeners closer to the sound world of the era, highlighting the conversational aspect of baroque music with the mellow tones of the harpsichord, wooden flute and gut strings.
Programme
Trio Sonata in G major Op.5 No.4 – George Friderick Handel (1685-1759)
Passacaille
Gigue
Menuet
Sonata for Flute & Violin in G major TWV40:111 – Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
Dolce
Scherzando
Largo e Misurato
Vivace e staccato
Toccata Prima – Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643)
Variations on La Spagnoletta – Bernardo Storace (ca.1637-ca1707)
Trio Sonata in D major Op.3 No. 2 – Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)
Grave
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
Sonata for flute and obbligato harpsichord in D major Op.91 No.1 – Joseph Bodin de Boismortier (1689-1755)
Sicilienne
Gayement
Gracieusement
Gayement
Sonata Representativa in A major – Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704)
Nachtigal
CuCu
Fresch
Die Henne
Der Hann
Presto
Die Wachtel
Die Katz
Musgetier Mars,
Allemande
Trio Sonata in G major BWV 1038 – Johann Sebastian Bach 1685 – 1750)
Largo
Vivace
Adagio
PrestoBiographies
Soile Stratkauskas
Finnish-born Soile Stratkauskas completed her undergraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and gained her Master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London, UK. Soile has performed with many prominent period instrument orchestras in the UK, including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Gabrieli Consort and Players, and has toured in Europe and recorded with these groups. Soile is the founder and artistic director of the Victoria Baroque, and is passionate about creating opportunities for music making in the community. With Victoria Baroque, she has performed ten successful concert seasons in Victoria, as well as guest performances for Early Music Vancouver, the Early Music Society of the Islands, the Cowichan Symphony Society, and Artspring. Soile is the principal flutist of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and teaches at the University of British Columbia as part of Early Music Vancouver’s Baroque Orchestra Mentorship Programme.Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith
Versatile Canadian violinist Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith began her early music career in Toronto and has performed regularly with ensembles such as Tafelmusik, Aradia Baroque Ensemble, IFURIOSI, Talisker Players, and Opera Atelier. Since moving to Victoria, BC in 2016 to be closer to family, she has become a member of both Victoria Baroque and Pacific Baroque Orchestra and has been invited as a regular guest director of Per Sonatori baroque ensemble in Regina. She has toured internationally for performances in Russia, Australia, France, Ireland and Italy. In addition to performing, Elyssa is an enthusiastic and passionate educator and has been involved in teaching, coaching and program development for over 15 years.Christina Hutten
Organist and harpsichordist Christina Hutten has presented recitals in Canada, the United States, and Europe, including performances in concert series hosted by the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, the Hooglandsekerk in Leiden, Early Music Vancouver, the Universities of British Columbia and Calgary, and others.She performs regularly with Pacific Baroque Orchestra and has appeared as concerto soloist with the Okanagan Symphony, the Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra, and the Arizona State University Chamber Orchestra.
Christina is also an enthusiastic teacher. She coaches and coordinates the early music ensembles at the University of British Columbia and has given masterclasses and workshops at institutions including Brandon University, the University of Manitoba, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada’s National Music Centre in Calgary, and the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute.
Funded by a generous grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, she pursued historical keyboard studies in Europe with Francesco Cera, François Espinasse, and Bernard Winsemius. She participated in the Britten-Pears Programme, led by Andreas Scholl and Tamar Halperin, for which she was awarded the Loewen Prize.
Christina obtained a Master’s Degree in Organ Performance from Arizona State University under the direction of Kimberly Marshall and an Advanced Certificate in Harpsichord Performance from the University of Toronto, where she studied with Charlotte Nediger.
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March concert pictures
On March 19th Anna Betuzzi, Camilo Jaramillo and Jany Lu entertained the audience with a delightful concert! Our audience was quite spellbound by the versatility, expressiveness and colourful moods created by these talented musicians on their respective instruments.
Thank you to all who came out to be their appreciative audience. See you at the next concert!
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Anna Betuzzi, Camilo Jaramburo Jaramillo, Jany Lu: March 19th
Spring Song – Sunday, March 19th at 2pm
Anna Betuzzi graduated from the University of Victoria, and has recently returned to join the Victoria Symphony as Principal Oboe. In a program celebrating the rich complexities of the oboe, she will present a variety of works from the baroque, romantic and modern eras. Joining her on bassoon is husband Camilo Aramburo Jaramillo, as well as collaborative pianist Jany Lu.
Programme
Sonata in A Minor, H. 562 – C.P.E. Bach (1714 -1788)
1. Poco Adagio
2. Allegro
3. Allegro
Sonata in A Minor, TWV 41 – Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
1. Siciliana
2. Spirituoso
3. Andante
4. VivaceEncuentros for Oboe and Bassoon – Daniel Cueto (1986 -)
1. Prólogo
2. Figuritas de Wayno
3. Pregón del Amauta
4. Pequeña Aria
5. Yaraví Místico
6. Marinera de Cámara
Collision Etudes for Solo Oboe – Alyssa Morris (1984 -)
1. Summertime
2. City Landscapes
3. Jimson Weed
4. Rainbow
5. Autumn Leaves
6. My World Is Not Flat
Three Romances for Oboe and Piano Op. 94 – Robert Schumann (1810 -1856)
1. Nicht schnell
2. Einfach, innig
3. Nicht schnell
Biographies
Anna Betuzzi is the Principal Oboe of the Victoria Symphony, having joined the orchestra in 2022. She also joined the University of Victoria as a Sessional Instructor of oboe at that time. She is a recent graduate of the Artist Diploma Program at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory, where she studied with Sarah Jeffrey of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Anna holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Victoria, where she studied with Russell Bajer. Anna has performed as guest Second Oboe and English Horn with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Guest Principal Oboe with the Vancouver Island Symphony and the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy. Her solo appearances include the Strauss Oboe Concerto with the UVic Symphony Orchestra, and the Mozart Oboe Concerto with the Cowichan Consort. Anna has participated in the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Scotia Festival of Music, Orford Musique, the Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy, and the Trentino Music Festival in Italy. Outside of the oboe, Anna enjoys yoga, reading, walks on the beach, and drinking tea.
Bassoonist Camilo Aramburo Jaramillo is originally from Bogota, Colombia. He studied at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory in the Artist Diploma Program, where he was a student of Glenn Einschlag, Principal Bassoon of the Buffalo Philharmonic. Camilo also holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he studied with Dr. Kim Woolley. Camilo has attended the Orchestra of the Americas Academy, and has toured Europe and South America with the Filarmonica Joven de Colombia youth orchestra. He has participated in several summer music festivals, including Femusc in Brazil. Camilo recently relocated to Victoria from Toronto with his wife, Anna.
Jany Lu studied piano performance at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and University of Victoria with May Ling Kwok, and Piano Pedagogy and Performance with Midori Koga at University of Toronto. She is now based in Victoria, BC, where she works closely with the next generation of musicians. She is currently a keyboard faculty at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where she teaches the fundamentals of piano playing and enjoys helping students develop their natural musicality. She also holds a position as collaborative pianist at the VCM and the Collegium program, and frequently performs at the University of Victoria and with the Victoria Symphony. -
February concert pictures
On February19th an absolutely delightful afternoon spent in the company of The Meeks Duo left our audience with smiles on their faces and full of love for the gift of music. The question asked by many, was: “How soon can you bring them back??”
Scott and Clare presented the perfect package of keyboard mastery, flawless ensemble playing, imaginative and skillful arranging, and engaging personalities.
(We also loved their surprise guest artist featured in the second encore piece
)Thanks to all who came out to the concert today. Hope to see you again soon!
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The Meeks Duo: February 19th
Be our Valentine – Sunday, February 19th at 2pm
Married Vancouver-based pianists Scott Meek and Clare Yuan are The Meeks Duo, an acclaimed four-hands piano duo whose aim is to make every performance a uniquely enjoyable experience. Already well-established performers in Canada, Scott and Clare recently made their Asian debut with concerts in Japan and Taiwan, including at the prestigious Taiwan National Concert Hall. During the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, they performed 22 weekly online concerts from their home from March to August 2020. Currently, they are very active as YouTubers, uploading new recordings every week since April 2021.
Programme
Variations On Autumn Leaves (2020) — Joseph Kosma
As Time Goes By — Herman Hupfeld/Ray Conniff
The Way You Look Tonight — Jerome Kern/Ray Conniff
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes — Jerome Kern/Igor Frolov
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree — L. R Brown/I. Levine
Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso — Ennio Morricone
The Man I Love — George Gershwin
Fly Me To The Moon-light Sonata — Bart Howard/ Ludwig van Beethoven/Scott Meek
Piano Concerto no. 1, 2nd mvt (Romance) — Frédéric Chopin
Drinking Song from La Traviata — Giuseppe Verdi
Romance from 2-piano Suite no. 2, op. 17 — Sergei Rachmaninov
Coda from The Fairy’s Kiss — Igor Stravinsky
The Lark — M. Glinka /M. Balakirev
Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker — Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Biographies
The Meeks Duo
Scott Meek maintains a busy schedule as an in-demand collaborative pianist and chamber musician. As a soloist, he has performed concertos with major orchestras in Canada, and is a top prizewinner in several national and international competitions in North America. Scott received a Doctor of Music degree from Indiana University and also studied at the Oberlin Conservatory. His principal teachers were Menahem Pressler, Alvin Chow, and Carole Pollard.
Clare Yuan runs a full studio of eager and talented students, who are inspired by her innovative teaching style and frequent performing opportunities. She has won scholarships and made her debut as a soloist in New York City, and as a conductor in Vancouver in 2013. Clare received a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music. She also studied at UBC and University of Victoria. Her principal teachers were Jane Coop, Arkady Aronov, Eva Solar-Kinderman, and Christine Eschman.
Scott and Clare combined musical forces shortly after they got married in 2013. They love the unique closeness of two musicians sharing a single instrument, and are happy to share this love with you!
The Meeks Duo is recognized for their groundbreaking inventiveness and uniquely diverse repertoire for piano duet. Their concert programs feature their own creative transformations of classical pieces into anything from Happy Birthday to Japanese pop, as well as standard duet repertoire and works by living composers. Scott and Clare entertain and inform with stories and anecdotes, and surprise with mid-performance antics, making each concert a memorable and unique experience for their audiences.
The Meeks Duo has been publishing new videos every week on YouTube since March 2021. Using their home as a recording studio, Scott’s original new arrangements combined with Clare’s distinctive video editing make each video visually and aurally engaging. Their interview series The Meeks Talk features engaging conversations with musicians from across the world, and they have been featured as guests on several other YouTube channels. Their music has been played on CBC and Fairchild Radio, and their albums are available worldwide all streaming platforms. Keen on promoting living composers and arrangers, Clare and Scott have had several new works and arrangements written for them, and they often perform works by lesser-known and female composers.
“A delightful, modest young couple with extraordinary talent!”
— Frances Herzer, member of Halpern Committee for the Performing Arts at Brock House -
January concert pictures
On January 15th we had a full house at our first concert of the year! Music is indeed the Food of Love.
Forgetting all about the cold, wet weather, an appreciative audience was treated to a wonderful program of music for voice, piano, horn and clarinet this afternoon. Different combinations of and arrangements for the various instruments brought familiar works to life in a brand new way. Thanks to all who came out to listen, and to the KeyWinds Trio and guest soprano Kelly Coubrough.
Chemainus Classical Concerts 