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Matthew Blackburn, piano
 

Sunday, March 8 at 4:00 pm

VENUE: Duncan United Church, 246 Ingram Street, Duncan

Please note that this concert starts at 4:00pm

Born in Campbell River, now based in Paris, France, Matthew Blackburn’s performances have been described as breathtaking, uplifting, and glorious. In this recital, he illuminates the captivating dialogue across generations of composers such as J.S. Bach and his son C.P.E. Bach, as well as Franz Liszt and his student Juliusz Zarebski. Other works by Beethoven and Canadian composer John Burge round out a program that celebrates reflection and renewal.

Programme

Background information

Born in British Columbia, pianist Matthew Blackburn was the winner of the Lethbridge Symphony’s Young Artist Competition (Canada). He holds a Master of Music from the University of Calgary, where he studied with Charles Foreman and Marilyn Engle. He completed his performance studies with Georgian pianist, Guigla Katsarava, at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. For his studies, he was generously supported by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and awarded an artistic residency at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris.

At ease with a varied repertoire, from Bach and Beethoven to Hétu and Andronikou, Matthew Blackburn’s performances are always enthusiastically received. His performances have been described as “breathtaking” and “uplifting and glorious”. He has performed at numerous festivals, including the Mountainview International Festival (Calgary, Canada), Tuckamore Chamber Music Festival (St. John’s, Canada) and Académie Musicale Internationale “Barbara Krakauer” (Vaison-la-Romaine, France).

He has also performed at Salle Cortot, Espace Georges-Bernanos and Salon Honnorat at Cité Internationale (Paris, France), among others. He has performed with the Calgary Orchestra (Liszt’s Totentanz) and the Lethbridge Orchestra (Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 2), Lily String Quartet and Musaeus String Quartet. His last performance: a duo recital with Quebec tenor François-Olivier Jean, featuring French and Russian lyrical music at the Théâtre de L’île Saint Louis in Paris.

An avid outdoorsman, Matthew enjoys life in Montmartre, Paris with his young twin daughters.

Catherine Ordronneau, piano; and Kai Gleusteen, violin
 

Sunday, February 8 at 2:30 pm

VENUE: St Michael and All Angels Church, Chemainus

Please note that this concert starts at 2:30

Just as visual artists use chiaroscuro (strong contrasts between light and dark) to create a sense of depth and drama in a composition, composers of music employ contrasting light and dark tones to create a heightened emotional impact. Highly acclaimed duo Catherine and Kai return with a program for violin and piano, as well as solo piano. Works by Eugène Ysaÿe, Claude Debussy and Edward Elgar explore the many facets of the character of love.

Programme

Background information

Since 1999 when they first began to work together, Kai Gleusteen and Catherine Ordronneau have established themselves as one of the most important duos in the interpretation of sonatas for violin and piano. Having performed more than 200 recitals in Europe, Canada and USA, they are praised for their unique partnership, “playing under the control of a single intelligence” (Gramophone Magazine), and for the emotional power of their interpretations. In 2004, they were featured in the television program Classical Now, a nationally broadcast show, as well as a two-hour program on CBC radio in Canada including a live recital . They also received critical acclaim for the release of their first recording for the AVIE records label, which includes a standout performance of the Prokofiev sonata, one of the finest on record. In 2011, Kai and Catherine created a festival called Kaimerata Concerts which features various chamber music concerts with music of a single composer or country. Works are preceded by explanations and demonstrations of the pieces to be performed. This year marks the 14th season in Europe and the 10th in Western Canada. This year’s theme is French chamber music and will include works by Ravel, Poulenc, Messiaen, Francaix, Franck, and Fauré.
Having performed her first recital at the age of twelve, it wasn’t until the age of twenty, after two years of law school, that Catherine Ordronneau decided to devote herself entirely to music. Taught by Colette Fernier, Monique Deschaussées, Sergio Perticaroli, and encouraged by François-René Duchâble, she received the highest distinction at the Conservatory in Rouen, and later the prestigious Concert Award at the École Normale Alfred Cortot in Paris. Catherine chooses to avoid the international competition circuit in favour of taking the time to study repertoire in its historical context. She delivers “mesmerising performances in which her ability to summon a myriad of colour is allied to a total artistic integrity”. (The Times).
Canadian born violinist Kai Gleusteen started playing at the age of five years old in his native city, Calgary. Kai chose to combine his musical studies with academic pursuits. At the University of Michigan, he studied anthropology, geophysics, and philosophy and received a Master’s Degree from Rice University under the tutelage of violinist Camilla Wicks. In 1991, Kai moved to Europe to live in the heart of Western Culture. Paris and Prague were his bases for nine years, allowing him to develop and perform both as a soloist and leader of numerous orchestras. In the year 2000, he won the concertmaster position of the Orquestra Simfonica del Gran Teatre del Liceu and subsequently moved to Barcelona. In 2003, he created the Gran Teatre del Liceu Chamber Orchestra and was appointed professor at the Escuela Superior de Musica de Catalunya. He continues to perform extensively as a soloist and recitalist throughout Europe and North America and has released numerous critically acclaimed recordings. Kai has the great fortune to play on a violin made by J.B. Guadagnini, “El Tigre”, made in 1781.

Arin Sarkissian, flute; Monica Pfau, piano; Brian Yoon, cello
 

Sunday, January 11 at 2:00 pm

VENUE: Sylvan United Church, 985 Shawnigan/Mill Bay Road, Mill Bay

Please note that this concert starts at 2:00

Victoria-based musicians Sarkissian, Yoon, and Pfau join forces to present Nikolai Kapustin’s Trio, an exhilarating fusion of classical form and jazz-infused brilliance, blending intricate counterpoint, virtuosic interplay, and irresistibly swinging rhythms into a seamless and electrifying musical experience. Also on the program are works by British composer Eugene Goossens, French composers Louise Farrenc and Francis Poulenc, and Robert Schumann.
 

Programme

Background information

Residing in British Columbia, Arin Sarkissian is the Principal Flutist of the Victoria Symphony. The Toronto-born artist was awarded the 2024 Michael Measures 1st Prize by the Canada Council for the Arts and 1st Prize at Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal’s 2020 Concours. Sarkissian performs regularly as featured soloist both in Victoria and beyond, most recently as featured soloist on tour with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and in a solo recital broadcasted by CBC on behalf of Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. Orchestral appearances included invitations as fellow with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, substitute for the Vancouver Symphony, and guest Principal Flute with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

An accomplished soloist and chamber musician, pianist Monica Pfau has performed on a variety of stages across North America and Europe. Many of her performances have been featured on CBC Radio’s Westcoast Performance and she has recorded with the CBC Vancouver Orchestra under Mario Bernardi, the National Film Board of Canada, and for Australian cinema. A student of Robin Wood, early honours included the Victoria Medal (UVic), the ARCT Performer’s Gold Medal, BC Cultural Fund artist grants, and a DAAD scholarship to the Hochschule für Musik in Munich. Appointed Accompanist-in-Residence at the Banff Centre, Monica performed with renowned artists such as cellist Janos Starker and the Fine Arts Quartet (USA). After completing her Master’s degree in Performance from UBC, Monica won First Prize in the Concerto Competition and made her orchestral debut under Maestro Kazuyoshi Akiyama. She later accepted a Doctoral Fellowship and became a faculty member of the VSO School of Music. Monica is currently working as a collaborative pianist at the University of Victoria.

Brian Yoon enjoys a multifaceted career as soloist, chamber musician, adjudicator, teacher, and Principal Cello of the Victoria Symphony. Additionally, he was recently appointed as Co-Head of Strings at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Since winning First Prize at the 35th Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition, Brian has performed from coast to coast, with repertoire ranging from Bach and Beethoven to George Crumb and Metallica. Brian has received generous support from the BC Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation. He currently plays a 1905 cello by Gaetano Sgarabotto of Milan, purchased with the generous support of Dr. Fritz Boehm and the Gail O’Riordan Memorial Fund for Music and Performing Arts at the Victoria Foundation.