Interviews

At this year’s Classica Festival, the acclaimed duo Stick&Bow is set to deliver an exhilarating program that traces the artistic journey of one of the most intriguing composers of new music, Astor Piazzolla. Joined by the distinguished pianist, John Roney, the duo of Canadian marimba player Krystina Marcoux and Argentinian cellist Juan Sebastian Delgado, will explore Piazzolla’s dynamic evolution, from his early influences in New York’s jazz scene to his innovative tango compositions in France. 

PAN M 360 :  Hey thanks for taking time! Looks like an amazing program. Perhaps we could start by delving into your personal connection with Piazzolla’s music. What does it represent to each of you personally? 

Juan Sebastian Delgado : Oh, that’s a good question, if a long one! How much time do we have? Well, though Montreal has become my home for the past 12 years, I hail from Argentina originally. So Piazzolla’s music is deeply ingrained in me because of my Argentine roots. But honestly, you don’t have to be from there to appreciate his brilliance.

Krystina Marcoux : That’s right. Piazzolla’s style goes beyond just tango; it’s such a unique mélange of musical techniques and traditions, from European classical to jazz, to folk. There’s something there for everyone.

Juan Sebastian Delgado : His music is played even in academic contexts, which I find incredible and which he himself imagined impossible. I pursued my doctorate in performance at McGill, focusing on post-piazzolla tango. What to do after such an important genius? I love new music and tango, and Piazzolla bridges these aesthetics beautifully. He has been a part of many sound worlds and, although he was not born in New York, he spent 15 years there, which profoundly influenced his musical vision.

Krystina Marcoux : Yes, especially in the 1930s and 40s when jazz was booming.

PAN M 360 : So is this program specifically designed to trace his career and influences?

Krystina Marcoux : Well it’s not a complete picture that we’re able to give, but it’s definitely the starting point for our program. While we’ll focus on Piazzolla’s career trajectory, we’ll also highlight the broader influences of his era, showcasing composers like George Gershwin, who was a significant figure in New York during Piazzolla’s time there, or Nadia Boulanger in France. 

PAN M 360 : Your firsthand experiences recording with Piazzolla’s former collaborators must have provided invaluable insights into his music. Could you share more about what that was like?

Krystina Marcoux : We’ve been so fortunate to collaborate with musicians who have deep connections to Piazzolla’s music, such as his pianist Gustavo Beytelman and bandoneonist Marcelo Nissiman. Through these collaborations, we gained valuable insights into the oral tradition of tango and the nuances of Piazzolla’s compositions, which go far beyond just reading the notes on the page. How fascinating to learn all this from people who lived through the golden age of this music. It’s not just about playing the notes. Tango is a unique style, with a distinct tradition and precise playing codes, which is distinguished from jazz or classical music. This concert aims to highlight these influences.

PAN M 360 : When I think of tango, Piazzolla is the first name that comes to mind. Yet it seems he was the black sheep of the tradition.

Juan Sebastian Delgado :  Yes, internationally, Piazzolla is second only to Gardel in fame. And interestingly enough, when Piazzolla started innovating the tango, many in Argentina disliked what he was doing. He was seen as destroying the traditional tango.

PAN M 360 :  That makes me even more excited for this concert. Piazzolla’s music and its unique instrumentation are fascinating. It seems his compositions lend themselves to some flexibility with the arrangements? 

Juan Sebastian Delgado : Yes, similar to Bach, his pieces are arranged in numerous ways. For example, we use cello and marimba, which is rather unique.

Krystina Marcoux : : This flexibility is partly due to its jazz influence. He trusted his musicians and generally worked with the same instrumentalists for years, a bit like a jazz musician, to the point where a range of musical elements come from the musicians rather than the score.

Juan Sebastian Delgado : Exactly. To understand his music fully, you should listen to recordings of Piazzolla performing with his musicians. Their phrasing and style are exceptional.

PAN M 360 :  How does the marimba fit into the program?

Krystina Marcoux : Piazzolla didn’t necessarily write for the marimba, but he wrote for the vibraphone, collaborating with musicians like Gary Burton. They even recorded an album together.

Juan Sebastian Delgado : Absolutely, it’s worth checking out. We’re also including a piece by Gerry Mulligan, who recorded with Piazzolla.

PAN M 360 : Both Mulligan and Burton are legends in the jazz world.

Juan Sebastian Delgado : Yes, and they both brought something unique to Piazzolla’s music. In the album notes, Burton mentioned he was initially intimidated, but Piazzolla reassured him to just play. 

Krystina Marcoux : In our arrangements, the marimba often plays parts originally written for the violin. But it’s not always the case, we mix things up a lot, shifting roles between instruments.

Juan Sebastian Delgado : Yes, and John Roney, our pianist, is a big part of this program. He’s an example of a musician who is able to inhabit both the classical and jazz worlds simultaneously. He will be improvising on a Gershwin piece. It’s fantastic.

PAN M 360: Nadia Boulanger was of course mentor to so many titans of contemporary music, can you tell me more about the influence she had? 

Juan Sebastian Delgado : Nadia Boulanger played a crucial role in Piazzolla’s career, encouraging him to embrace his unique vision of music that fused tango and classical composition. Initially, Piazzolla sought to distance himself from tango in pursuit of the latter, however, Boulanger recognized the authenticity in his bandoneon playing and encouraged him to infuse classical elements into his tango compositions. 

Krystina Marcoux : That’s right. Piazzola had a deep love for Stravinsky, Ravel, and Bach, and I think it was in France that the classical influences began to take shape in his music alongside the tango.

PAN M 360:  So what would you tell the audience to expect from this show?

Krystina Marcoux : We invite the audience to embark on a musical journey with us, exploring the lesser-known facets of Piazzolla’s repertoire. We won’t be playing Libertango, our program offers a fresh perspective, incorporating French influences and lesser-known compositions that showcase the breadth of Piazzolla’s genius and the many musical worlds he was a part of.

PAN M 360: And I’m really looking forward to it. Thank you both for taking the time to chat. Enjoy this beautiful Montreal day.

Juan Sebastian Delgado : Thank you, we will try but we have to go practice now!

PAN M 360:  Of course. 

Krystina Marcoux : Thank you and see you soon!






For the 24th edition of Suoni Per Il Popolo, the artistic direction of the Montreal festival presents 44 concerts from June 12 to 23. A multi-genre, multi-generational happening, the Suoni are very much in left field. Once again this year, the line-up includes Yoo Doo Right, Anthony Braxton and Wolf Eyes, Erika Angell, Sarah Davachi and even Benjamin Patterson, founding member of the famous Fluxus collective. That’s why Alain Brunet went to meet Kiva Stimac, co-founder, general and artistic director of Suoni Per Il Popolo.

HERE IS THE WHOLE SUONI’S SCHEDULE

On Thursday May 30, 7 PM, at Phi Centre, Montréal producer Kee Avil is performing the material of her second studio album on Constellation Records, Spine. In her own way, she combines guitar, voice, and electronic production to assemble deconstructed song or pieces. Her influences are post-industrial, avant-pop, glitch, minimalist, folk, free jazz or noise, and what she does with all those genres or sub-genres is simply unique. Her first EP has been released in 2018 (Black Bough Records), then she got this record deal with Constellation where she actually released 2 albums in 2 years: Crease in 2022 and now Spine, a beautiful continuation of her first album. A few days before her first concert in Montreal in this new cycle, she talks with Alain Brunet about her quest, her recent evolution and achievements.

More info on her recordings on Constellation HERE

More infos and tickets for here show at Phi Centre

The Interview is in French

On Thursday May 30 in Salle Bourgie at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, excerpts from three new operas written and composed by women will be presented for the first time. In collaboration with Le Vivier, Musique 3 Femmes and Sixtrum, Fables and Legends – Opera of Today (the title of the evening) will present the results of three commissions to three female composer/librettist duos. The first is by Analía Llugdar and Emné Nasereddine (Émile Nelligan Prize 2022), entitled Je suis fille de la fille (I am Daughter of the Daughter). The second, by Rebecca and Rachel Gray, is a black comedy entitled Raccoon Opera, featuring a particularly charismatic raccoon (!!). The third musical/libretto duo is formed by Alejandra Odgers and Nicole O’Bomsawin. This opera, entitled Nanatasis, features puppets that bring traditional Abenaki legends to life.

Several artists will be on stage, including Andréanne Brisson-Paquin (soprano), Krystina Marcoux (percussion), Nicole O’Bomsawin (storytelling) and Sixtrum (percussion ensemble).

I had the chance to speak with Kristin Hoff, General and Artistic Director of Musique 3 Femmes, who explains how these operas are closely connected to our contemporary reality, with themes such as immigration, exile, the revival of aboriginal cultures and the housing crisis!

DETAILS AND TICKETS FOR THE CONCERT AT SALLE BOURGIE HERE
There will be a chat with the creators at 6:30 pm before the concert.

Vancouver Turning Point Ensemble (TPE) celebrates its 20th anniversary in Montréal with RASAS by Montreal composer Sandeep Bhagwati, and two pieces by Farangis Nurulla-Khoja and Jocelyn Morlock. This concert is presented by the SMCQ as part of its Homage series, dedicated this year to Sandeep Bhagwati.

SMCQ describes RAZAS as a “great epic modular composition” . According to Bhagwati, “the Rasas consist of a system for classifying the emotions that form the basic components of all artistic manifestations. More precisely , 64 sections are progressing within a matrix which can be arranged in different combinations. Before the concert, the performers choose a specific combination and, through their arrangement created in real time, offer a unique version of the piece. And what’s more, works by excellent composers Jocelyn Morlock and Farangis Nurulla-Khoja, and one by Owen Underhill, also artistic director and conductor of TPE. Turning Point Ensemble is a large chamber ensemble that performs music “in innovative contexts across genres and intersecting with multiple art forms”. The ensemble concentrates on modern an contemporary music, from the early 20th century to the present day. Owen Underhill, answers PAN M 360 questions before crossing Canada.

THIS CONCERT WILL BE PERFORMED ON TUESDAY MAY 28 AT SALLE PIERRE-MERCURE. TICKETS AND INFOS HERE.

Participants

Program

A conceptual leader, American saxophonist Steve Lehman creates music for ensembles of different configurations and aesthetic allegiances. In this case, Sélébéyone is a particularly spectacular project at FIMAV, as it highlights elements of hip hop and Senegalese culture to which he applies free jazz medicine. The line-up proposed for Victoriaville is particularly eloquent in this sense: American HPRIZM (HIGH PRIEST in Antipop Consortium), Senegalese GASTON BANDIMIC, who speaks Wolof, American DAMION REID, one of the first to adapt hip-hop beatmaking to drumming (with Robert Glasper), French MACIEK LASSERRE and STEVE LEHMAN on saxophones. The experiment began in the middle of the previous decade : the eponymous album Sélébéyone (which means “intersection” in Wolof) was released in 2016, followed by  Xaybu : The Unseen (Pi Recordings) in 2022. It’s May 2024, and Steve Lehman is finally presenting this finished project at FIMAV, explaining its ins and outs.

SÉLÉBÉYONE IS PERFORMING AT CARRÉ 150 OF VICTORIAVILLE , SUNDAY MAY 19, 8 PM. TICKETS HERE

Kaia Kater shocked the folk music world with her 2018 album Grenades, but six years later, she has now released a new album, somewhat more of a cinematic odyssey with folky elements.

She’s still strapped with the banjo on the new album, Strange Medicine, on a few tracks, but also worked with drums, bass, a horn section, strings, synthesizers… It’s a bigger, more ambitious album for Kaia Kater and we spoke to her about that process, inspiration, working on film projects, her acceptance of playing the banjo and navigating the world as a black folk artist.

Originally from Philadelphia when he started his career among former members of The Roots, Joshua Abrams has long been key musician to Chicago creative new music, hybridising free jazz with western minimalism, North-African Gnawa music and other cultural sources. This eight-piece version of his band Natural Information Society — which ABRAMS dubs the “Community Ensemble” — plays unfolding and layered trance-inducing rhythms and melds, among other elements. Scott Thomson, the new  FIMAV’s artistic director, has told PAN M 360 that this group has been one of the most beautiful concerts he bought at Guelph music festival where he was also artistic director for 7 years. So? We talk to Joshua Abrams!

PAN M 360 : The guimbri, a gnawa luth that many people from Occident  discovered with the famous Moroccan group Nas El Ghiwane in the early 80’s, is a central instrument in the Natural Information Society. Can you tell us how your love and dedication for this instrument started? What does guembri bring in your ensemble’s sound? How do you see it as a soloist instrument?

Joshua Abrams :  I first heard the guimbri played by Malleem Mahmoud Ghania on the record he made w/ Pharoah Sanders, The Trance of The Seven Colors. as a bassist it grabbed my ear and imagination. It has a very vocal quality and brings together low tones and percussive sounds in a profound way. Advanced technology for centering the mind. It allows me to bring together many musical interests and methods including composition & improvisation in a personal way.

PAN M 360 : I suppose you were the first double bass player before moving from Philadelphia to Chicago, isn’t right? Is bass still as important for you as guimbri today?

 Joshua Abrams : Yes, the double bass remains my primary instrument. I play it often in many different situations & on many recordings.

PAN M 360: By the way, do you still nourish human relationships with some former members of The Roots ?

Joshia Abrams : Yes

PAN M 360  : Of course your path is quite different in Chicago where you embraced this creative music whose origins lie in free jazz’s AACM community, post-rock, footwork or post-house experiments. You are obviously evolving in a different ecosystem! What led you to settle in Chicago?

Joshua Abrams : The music !

PAN M 360  : The expression Natural Information appeared in 2010 in your discography. Can you remind us of the background of this expression?

Joshua Abrams : It seemed like a potent combination of two common words that i had never heard used together. Natural Information is a good descriptor for where I enjoy focusing my attention and a good aspiration for what the music could be.

PAN M 360: How did Natural Information Society evolved since?

Joshua Abrams : We have released seven albums with varying lineups, orchestrations and musical personalities. I’ve written different bodies of music for each of those configurations to explore together .  The quartet of myself with Lisa Alvarado, Mikel Patrick Avery and Jason Stein plays the most frequently but on special occasions such as FIMAV the larger version of Natural Information Society Community Ensemble gets to play .

PAN M 360 : How do you see linkage between traditional music and contemporary experiments in music?

Joshua Abrams : I’m mostly interested in music’s vitality. For me whether something is old or new, traditional or experimental takes a back seat to the energy the music can share. All strategies are welcome.

PAN M 360:  Lisa Alvarado, harmonium
; Mikel Patrick Avery, drums 
;  Berman, cornet
; Kara Bershad, harp 
Hamid Drake, conga, tabla, tar
, Ben Lamar Gay, cornet
; Nick Mazzarella, alto saxophone
; Jason Stein, bass clarinet
; Mai Sugimoto, alto saxophone, flute; Ari Brown, tenor saxophone. Can you comment briefly about each role in this ensemble?

Joshua Abrams : We try to build a web with our sounds where the nuances of everyone’s changes can be heard and  felt and the music can evolve gradually. Everyone in the group are amazing musicians & artists in their own right and I’m honored by their participation. I write the pieces and lead the group. Lisa plays harmonium and creates our stage settings, she is my partner in the world and Natural Information Society. Mikel has been with the group for a long time and we have developed a strong intuitive musical bond. Hamid is a musical master, a mentor and a dear friend. But really the history of music making and friendship runs throughout all of the members of the group. Musical facility is important but patience , discipline and attitude are even more important. All of the horns in the group recognize this and are willing to put aside the impulse to play on top of the ensemble and embrace being part of our collective sound. 


PAN M 360:  According to the official program put online by the Victoriaville festival, Ari Brown is the featured soloist on tenor saxophone. Can you tell us how you built your artistic relationship with him? Also how do you want to feature him in this concert? 

Joshua Abrams : There is an old tradition in Chicago of the tenor saxophone being used as a sophisticated technology for human well being. Ari is currently the foremost practitioner of this tradition. We met years ago when he asked me to fill in for his bass player who was stuck in traffic. Recently he has participated on some of my film scores & with Natural Information Society. I have filled in from time to time with his band and we have an improv trio with Mike Reed.


PAN M 360 : What will be your next recording and live projects in music? Joshua Abrams : New music is getting close! There is also a collaboration with Bitchin Bajas that is close. Many other things have been recorded, a duo with Joëlle Léandre … 

THE NATURAL INFORMATION SOCIETY PLAYS AT FIMAV ON FRIDAY 17. TICKETS AND INFOS HERE

We continue our interviews with the last three finalists of the Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM).

Here’s what American Derek Wang, Canadian Jaeden Izik-Dzurko and Pole Jakub Kuszlik had to say after their dress rehearsal with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, under the baton of guest conductor Xian Zhang. The three finalists will perform Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1, Brahms’ Concerto No. 2 and Rachmaninov’s Concerto No. 2, in that order.

PAN M 360: What’s your current state of mind, with just a few hours to go before your final round of the competition?

Derek Wang: This Tchaikovsky is a piece of such grand high emotions. So, it suits the culmination of what’s been a really spectacular event for me in the last two weeks here in Montreal. Of course, as a pianist, I’m just trying to keep it simple and remember that however grand these feelings are, they have to be expressed by pushing down keys that only go down an inch and it’s within that inch or less really that everything has to be expressed. I’m trying to live through and genuinely feel these great heights of emotion and keep it tight, simple and controlled.

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko: There are a lot of specific musical things that I’m thinking about based on what happened at the rehearsal, little tweaks that I want to make, things I have to keep in mind. But in general, I feel very good. It was such a privilege to be playing this beautiful concerto with such incredible collaborators. Maestra Zhang is remarkable and very clear and expressive. Of course, the orchestra sounds fantastic. I’m very excited for tonight

Jakub Kuszlik: Definitely a little bit nervous. I don’t know if there’s anyone who can completely relax before the finals of a big competition, but I’m trying to stay focus, maybe take a rest, and after that, I will probably practice and try to fix some issues that occurred during the rehearsal.

PAN M 360 : Of all the concertos available in the repertoire, why did you choose this one and why?

Derek Wang: You know, I actually didn’t love Tchaikovsky, my whole life. Surprisingly, I sort of discovered other parts of the symphonic repertoire earlier, but it’s been only in the last few years that I think I’ve really gotten bitten hard by this Tchaikovsky bug.

For me, in addition to the extraordinary power of this concerto, there’s an incredible tenderness in the phrasing, an incredible delicacy in the way that he leads you from one idea to the next and I think these moments, the transitional moments in this piece, are the ones that are so fascinating for me. Because, the big climaxes are the parts everyone knows and loves, they actually depend on how you get there and how, once you’ve gotten to a climax or even in some cases, a crisis in the music, you come out of it. That’s what matters. I was really drawn to the idea of personalizing the experience of the piece for me because when I started to study it, I realized that you have to come up with your own answers to many of these questions. 

The score is very economical in a beautiful way. I think it is one of the reasons why so many musicians are drawn to it. It’s because whoever you are you have to approach the piece from your own personal experience. You can’t disconnect emotionally from it.

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko: I wanted to perform it for a long time, and I made my initial attempt at learning it, perhaps I was a little bit too young several years ago and set it aside, and then really started picking it back up in the fall of this year. It’s probably one of the monuments of the piano concerto repertoire. It’s just so fast in its scale and ambitious with four movements unlike the traditional three that most concertos have. It also includes such beautiful orchestration. It’s almost like a symphony in many regards. There’s a beautiful cello solo in the third movement, the famous horn solos in the first movement. It really feels like I’m collaborating with the orchestra in a meaningful way, which it’s a wonderful experience with such great musicians.

Jakub Kuszlik: It’s a beautiful piece of music, definitely. When I was a teenager, I just fell in love with that piece. I always dreamed of playing something like this in a big hall with a great symphonic orchestra. I think my dream finally came true.

PAN M 360: What do you want to express through this work?

Derek Wang: For me, the message of the concerto and in particular, the first movement, I just marvel so much at how he delays the final victory until the very last minute. Before that there is so much angst. There’s great moments like I said earlier of tenderness and of hope but they seem to start from a very hopeful place and then end in a very dark place. And it’s only at the very, very last minute that, in the blink of an eye, we change from this struggle to an incredible almost manic happiness. If I can take people through this piece, which is more than the big theme at the beginning and the flashy octaves in the middle, it’s actually an emotional structure, over the course of those eighteen minutes from the first movement, right up to the very last point, I’ll be happy.

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko: It’s mostly a consequence of Brahms’s writing, but I think the work has almost a feel of a vulnerability to it. Brahms’s really wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s not afraid to be intimate in spite of the grandeur of the concerto. The melodic writing is deeply personal. There is something just very sincere, heartfelt and personal about the writing that I hope to be able to transmit in my performance.

Jakub Kuszlik: I definitely want to underline the lyricism that is hidden in that concerto. I’m trying to play it as beautifully as possible. Some people, I think, treat it as a show off piece, maybe a little bit too much. It definitely has big potential to be a show of piece, but for me, it has really beautiful and expressive moments that really touch your soul. So, I really want to try to focus on those places that are more intimate

You can watch the final here

Crédit photo: Tam Photography

We’re entering the final days of the 2024 edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal, this year devoted to the piano. Six young pianists from five different countries will be vying for the top spot on the podium in an all-male final that will reach its ultimate conclusion on May 16th. In the run-up to the final, which takes place today and Thursday, we spoke to the finalists after their dress rehearsal with the OSM, the official orchestra of the competition, conducted by guest conductor Xian Zhang, just a few hours before the competition.

To begin with, here are Elias Ackerley (UK; South Korea), who will play Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1, Anthony Ratinov (USA), who will perform Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 3, and Gabriele Strata (Italy), who will conclude the evening by also performing Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1.

PAN M 360: What’s your current state of mind, with just a few hours to go before your final round of the competition?

Elias Ackerley: Right now, I’ve got nothing to lose. So I’ll just consider it a wonderful performance. I think it’s a great venue, and the orchestra’s great. I’m just going to try and enjoy myself.

Anthony Ratinov: I think at this point, the hardest part is over. I think the pre-selection and semi-final rounds were much more stressful. I recognize how much luck is involved with competitions to get to the final and be among the six finalists. I recognize how lucky I was because the level has been extraordinarily high in this competition from the very beginning. 

For me, the goal of competitions is to be able to play with such wonderful orchestras and conductors and in such nice halls. It’s an opportunity to share my music and my artistry with the audience. So, at this point, I’m really excited. I’m not nearly as stressed as I was a week ago. I truly think that the hard part is over and that now this part is just fun. So, right now, I’m very focused because, of course, I want to play as well as I can, but I’m also insisting to my body and mind that I have to enjoy every step of the way, because otherwise, what’s the point?

Gabriele Strata: I’m so excited. I can’t wait, and I just want to play! It’s an incredible place; the orchestra is magnificent, and so is the conductor. I’m not anxious or stressed. It’s really just joy in my spirit for tonight. For me, just being here, I’ve already won. Now all I want to do is enjoy the moment and make music.

PAN M 360 : Of all the concertos available in the repertoire, why did you choose this one and why?

Elias Ackerley: I think Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is probably one of the most ultimate concertos in the piano repertoire.  It’s just a beautifully constructed composition, and I think it’s wonderful to play it, and you can really express a lot of things through that piece.

Anthony Ratinov: I chose Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto for this finale, because it has always been a very special piece for me. It was the first piece I fell in love with when I was younger and discovering classical music. The recording of Martha Argerich playing this concerto when she was younger simply moved me and made me want to be a musician, especially to play this piece with an orchestra.

In this particular piece by Prokofiev, the orchestra is so integral with the piano that it gives the impression that they are one. It’s a piece that I love, a piece I play very well, and I love playing it every opportunity I get. It highlights a lot of my strengths pianistically. I played Prokofiev’s Eighth Piano Sonata in the semi-final, and it’s also one of my favorite pieces. They’re very different pieces, but there are similarities, although there are some extraordinary differences too, and it’s really great fun to play with them.

Gabriele Strata: It’s certainly not an atypical choice! But I really love the piece. It’s full of incredible melodies, beautiful lines, and lyricism. Also, it’s for a practical reason. It’s a concerto I’ve played many times, so it’s always nice to have a piece very close to me for orchestral playing. It makes me feel more comfortable on stage, too.

PAN M 360: What do you want to express through this work?

Elias Ackerley: I think one of the aspects I really treasure in this concerto is the softer parts. Because, everyone knows that it’s a loud concerto and that it’s extremely magnificent, royal, even in a certain sense. But I want to express the gems qualities of the second movement and of the other softer sections.

Anthony Ratinov: I think my goal is to express certain characteristics of Prokofiev’s music that are often overlooked. Prokofiev is very well known for his mechanical and warlike pieces, and of course there’s a lot of that energy in this piece, but there’s also a lot of Russian fairy tales and imagination. For me, these are the most beautiful moments in the piece. In the first movement, after explosions of sound and texture, we have these beautiful moments of intimacy and magic that are really connected. 

My family is from Russia, so I grew up hearing all these Russian fairy tales and stories of ice princesses, evil witches and wizards, and so on. Being able to communicate that to the listener is really important and really fulfilling for me.Gabriele Strata: It really is kaleidoscopic music. There are so many emotions in this concerto. What I think of when I listen to and play this music is ballet. It really is ballet music written for piano and orchestra. For me, the ultimate goal is to be able to paint this atmosphere and this picture.

You can watch the final here

Crédit photo: Tam Photography

McGill University’s Schulich School of Music presents Musical Chairs, a chamber music festival, from Friday, May 17 to Saturday, May 25, featuring 8 ensembles from music conservatories around the world, with 7 guest teachers, for a total of 37 musicians. The guest ensembles will all perform at the beginning of the week, and will then mix with Schulich students to form 21 new groups.

More specifically, the delegations come from the Norwegian Academy of Music (Norway), the Sibelius Academy (Finland), the Central Conservatory of Music (China), the Queensland Conservatory of Griffith University (Australia), the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (England), the University Mozarteum of Salzburg (Austria), the USC Thornton School of Music (USA), the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (Singapore).

Tenured professor and head of the Performance Department at the Schulich School, pianist Stéphane Lemelin is also artistic director of the Jeux de chaises festival. Hence this video interview with PAN M 360.

For info here

Schedule of events

The concerts

May 17, 2024 | 7:30 pm | Opening Concert / Concert d’ouverture
Redpath Hall | Free admission

May 19, 2024 | 7:30 pm | Ginastera, Schoenfeld and Clarke
Redpath Hall | Free admission

May 20, 2024 | 12:00 p.m. | Intermezzo
Tanna Schulich Hall | Free admission

May 21, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. | Mendelssohn, Bacewicz and Brahms
Tanna Schulich Hall | Free admission

May 23, 2024 | 7:30 pm | Mendelssohn, Brahms and Elgar
St-Charles Church | Free admission

May 24, 2024 | 5:00 pm | Marathon of chamber music! A musical 5 à 7 (… à 8 et demi)
Wirth Opera Studio | Free admission

May 25, 2024 | 10:00 am | Chamber Music Marathon! A musical mimosa!
Entrance hall | Free admission

May 25, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. | Closing concert
Multimedia music hall  | Free admission with reservation

Master Classes

18 May 2024 | 14:00 | Masterclass: Seth Parker Woods
Wirth Opera Studio | Free Admission

18 May 2024 | 16:00 | Masterclass: Kyoko Hashimoto
Wirth Opera Studio | Free admission

May 19, 2024 | 2:00 pm | Masterclass: Daniel de Borah
Wirth Opera Studio | Free admission

May 20, 2024 | 2:00 pm | Masterclass: Yan Lim
Wirth Opera Studio | Free admission

May 20, 2024 | 4:00 pm | Masterclass: Violaine Melançon
Wirth Opera Studio | Free admission

May 21, 2024 | 2:00 pm | Masterclass: Cibran Sierra Vazquez
Wirth Opera Studio | Free admission

May 22, 2024 | 2:00 pm | Masterclass: Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch 
Wirth Opera Studio | Free admission

May 22, 2024 | 4:00 pm | Masterclass: Bjørg Lewis
Wirth Opera Studio | Free admission

May 23, 2024 | 2:00 pm | Masterclass: Matthew Jones
Wirth Opera Studio | Free admission

Publicité panam

In 2003, British composer Will Todd (b. 1970) wrote a spectacular jazz choral work: Mass in Blue. Originally written for soloist, choir and big band, it will be performed for a rare occurrence in Quebec at Place des Arts’ Cinquième salle on Sunday, May 19 at 1pm. For the occasion, it will be performed in a more chamber version, but just as exciting, featuring a jazz quartet (piano, sax, double bass and drums) and a classical soprano as soloist. The hybrid, resolutely solar work, is extremely popular, though difficult to stage as it requires first-rate performers, well grounded in their jazz improvisatory impulses, but also in a need for classical technical rigor. A challenge taken up by young choral conductor Lorenzo Somma, recently seen as musical and choral director in productions such as Les Choristes and Hair. I caught up with the friendly musician to find out more about this work, which makes for a memorable listening experience, trust me. 

DETAILS AND TICKETS FOR MASS IN BLUE AT LA CINQUIÈME SALLE, SUNDAY MAY 19 AT 1PM

The interview is in French :

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