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Valerie Tryon
February 12, 2012
VALERIE TRYON’s career as a concert pianist began while she was still a child. Before she was twelve she had broadcast for the BBC and was appearing regularly before the public on the concert platform. She was one of the youngest students ever to be admitted to the Royal Academy of Music where she received the highest award in piano playing and a bursary which took her to Paris for study with Jacques Février.
Her place among Britain’s acknowledged artists was assured when a Cheltenham Festival recital brought her the enthusiastic acclaim of the country’s foremost critics. Since then she has played in most of the major concert halls and appeared with many of the leading orchestras and conductors in Britain. Her career has latterly taken her to North America where she has appeared in such cities as Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. She now lives in Canada where she is the Artist-in-Residence at McMaster University, but spends a part of each year in her native Britain.
Her repertoire is enormous and ranges from Bach to contemporary composers; it includes more than sixty concertos and a vast amount of chamber music. Among British composers, both Alun Hoddinott and John McCabe have dedicated works to her. She is well known for her sensitive interpretations of the romantics “” Chopin, Liszt, and Rachmaninov in particular. When the BBC launched its Radio Enterprises record label, some years ago, Valerie Tryon’s performance of Rachmaninov’s Etudes Tableaux, op. 39, was the first classical disc to be released. More recently she has recorded the complete Ballades and Scherzos of Chopin for the CBC’s “Musica Viva” label, which Harold Schonberg of the New York Times described as “the best Chopin recording of the past decade.” Notwithstanding her involvement in the music of the nineteenth century, she retains a deep love of Scarlatti, whose keyboard sonatas she has delighted in playing in public since her childhood and early youth, and to which she remains deeply committed. Likewise, her ongoing series of the complete piano music of Claude Debussy, represents a special passion: she has twice performed this important repertoire in a demanding cycle of five successive recitals.
One of Ms. Tryon’s chief enthusiasms is chamber music. Two of her best-known duo partners in England were Alfredo Campoli (violin) and George Isaac (cello), with both of whom she made a number of significant recordings. Her performance with Isaac of Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata is now considered to be a collector’s item.
Since moving to Canada, Ms. Tryon has performed frequently with cellist Coenraad Bloemendal. Both were members of the Rembrandt Trio with violinist Gerard Kantarjian.
Valerie Tryon has been awarded several distinctions for her services to music. She was an early recipient of the Harriet Cohen Medal. More recently the Liszt Memorial Plaque was bestowed on her by the Hungarian Minister of Culture in recognition of her lifelong promotion of Franz Liszt’s music.
PROGRAMME:
Gluck-Friedman: Ballet des ombres heureuses
Le rappel des oiseaux
Les fifres
Schubert: Sonata in A op. 12
Impromptu in G flat op.90
Chopin: Ballade in G minor
Ballade in F
Ballade in A flat
Eric Himy
October 14, 2012
2pm
Program: Gershwin in Paris
The New York Times has described pianist Eric Himy’s playing “flawlessly poised, elegant and brilliant.” His compelling artistry has intrigued audiences around the world. His technique has been compared recently by the 2007 Revue Musicale de Suisse Romande to that of the legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz and called him ” a sensual gourmand of sound.” He has played to critical acclaim in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, and Slovenia. Mr. Himy has been heard most notably at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Recital Hall, The Frick Collection, The Phillips Collection, Salle Cortot and Salle Gaveau in Paris and on NPR “Performance Today.
Himy studied biochemistry and music at the University of Maryland, and received a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School in New York, having studied with Thomas Schumacher, Adele Marcus and Josef Villa. For the ‘06-07, ’07-08 seasons he performed more than 70 concerts worldwide including Morocco where he performed two concerts and was seen on National TV. Mr. Himy was invited by the Bernstein family to celebrate the 90th anniversary tribute to Leonard Bernstein in a Gala concert at the 2008 Lukas Foss Music Festival in the Hamptons.
In 2010, Mr Himy celebrated Chopin’s 200th Anniversary by performing more than 40 concerts worldwide including several performances of the Chopin Piano Concerto no. 1, one notably at the 2010 Marienbad Chopin Festival in the Czech Republic, and made his debut at the Bayreuth Steingraeber Festival in Germany. Last year, Mr. Himy recorded an all-Chopin CD and a “Gershwin in Paris” DVD. In 2011, Mr Himy celebrated Liszt’s 200th Anniversary and performance highlights were at the prestigious Teatru Manoel in Malta and at the Salle Molière in Lyons, France and Carnegie Hall, NY. He has recorded 14 CDs.
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Special Thanks to our Sponsor, Staybridge Suites
Continental Drift
Saturday, August 22 2009
A Fundraiser Event Hosted in the Home of Ilona and Hugh Overlooking the Hamilton Bay
Appetizers inspired by the Seven Continents / Wine / Vodka Samples / Cash Bar Silent Auction / Baywatch Spectacle / Special Guest Artists / Summer Chic Attire Live Music
HCA Dance Theatre would like to invite you to join us for “Continental Drift”, a spectacular fundraising event in support of our Harbourfront production of Displacement. Help us celebrate the growth of professional dance in Hamilton with an inspiring evening. All profits support bringing Displacement to Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre as part of the Next Steps Dance Series.
Displacement is a dance show like no other, and Continental Drift is a fundraiser like no other. Your generous support will help to bring HCA Dance Theatre to the forefront of modern dance in Canada. Set sail with us, our journey begins here.
HCA Piano Series
Michael Lewin
March 25, 2012
Michael Lewin is internationally applauded as one of America’s most abundantly gifted and charismatic concert pianists, performing to acclaim in over 30 countries with orchestras and in recital.
Recognized as a master interpreter of Liszt, Mr. Lewin will be performing that composer’s music around the world in 2011 to commemorate his 200th birthday. He will also be making his second recording for Dorian, entitled “Ghosts & Goblins.”Highlights of Mr. Lewin’s 2009-2010 season included his London recital debut at Wigmore Hall (in an all-Griffes program) followed by a recitalat Oxford University. He also toured China playing the Liszt PianoConcerto No.1 with the Beijing National Radio and Television Orchestra.
Commanding a repertoire of 40 piano concertos, Michael Lewin’s orchestral engagements include the Netherlands Philharmonic, Moscow Chamber Orchestra Mongolia State Opera Orchestra, Cairo Symphony, Bucharest ‘Enescu’ Philharmonic, Beijing National Radio Orchestra, Filharmonica de Guadalajara, the Thessaloniki StateSymphony of Greece, the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Symphonies of Phoenix, Indianapolis, Miami, Colorado, Nevada, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, Illinois, North Carolina, Sinfonia da Camera, the Jupiter Symphony, and the Youth Orchestra of the Americas.
Michael Lewin’s discography has received extraordinary critical praise, and reflects the great scope of his musical interests and personality. His newest release is “If I Were a Bird,” aselection of 20 bird-themed pieces. Bamboula!, piano music by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, was a “Year’s Top 10 Pick” by the Boston Herald. His Naxos releases include a best-selling collection of Keyboard Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti and the complete piano music of American composer Charles Tomlinson Griffes (in two volumes).
Deeply committed to guiding and nurturing gifted young pianists, Michael Lewin is one of America’s most sought-after teachers. He is on the Piano Faculty ofThe Boston Conservatory where he is also Artistic Director of the Piano Masters Series, and Visiting Artist at Boston University. A native of New York, he studied at the Juilliard School. His teachersi ncluded Leon Fleisher, Irwin Freundlich, Adele Marcus, and Yvonne Lefebure.
PROGRAMME:
Liszt and his Circle Celebrating the 200th Birthday Year of Composer Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Prelude in B minor J.S. Bach- A. Siloti
Vallée d’Obermann Franz Liszt
Etude in e-flat minor, Op. 10, No.6 Frédéric Chopin
Fugue for Organ in G minor, BWV 542 (“The Great”) J.S. Bach-Liszt
“Wiosna” (Spring) Chopin-Liszt
“Le Rossignol” (The Nightingale) Alabieff- Liszt
“Aug Flügen des Gesanges” (On Wings of Song) Mendelssohn-Liszt
Sonetto del Petrarca No. 123 Franz Liszt
Waltz from Gounod’s “Faust”, Concert Paraphrase Franz Liszt
Marc Toth
October 9, 2011
Gaining increasing popularity with French, German, Italian and English-speaking audiences for his entertaining and informative Concert-Lecture Series “What is so great about Classical Music?”, Marc Pierre Toth would like it to be known that he did, in fact, abandon a Chemical Engineering scholarship to undertake more serious musical studies at the appropriate time. He has finished a degree in the fortepiano and historical performance after graduating from the Soloist-Class at the world-reknowned Hochschule fuer Musik und Theater in Hannover.
As the 3rd ranked Laureate at the 52nd Busoni International Piano Competition in 2000, Mr.Toth was engaged for concerts in Lisinski Hall in Zagreb, Amici della Musica di Verona, Amici della Musica di Vicenza, Academia Musicale di Pescara, Festival di Maria Callas in Sirmione sul Garda, Virtuoses de Musica in Brazil, Fondacion Santillana in Bogota etc.
He has appeared as soloist with diverse orchestras in Canada and Europe including Orchestra London, the Paderborn Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the state Opera in Hannover, Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma e Lazio, Orchestra del Teatro Bellini, The Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano, ORCAM in Spain and others, he has also recently been invited as soloist in Germany, Italy and Russia. Mr. Toth was featured in the “4Beethoven 4″ project with the Hannover Staatsoper Orchestra in 2007-08, and the “A Propos Bach” Project in 2008&2009 which resulted in an invitation for the Bachfest in Weimar 2009.
Mr. Toth has also recently begun his Complete Beethoven Cycle in Germany and Canada.
PROGRAMME:
Bach: Goldberg Variations BWV 988
Liszt: Pilgrim’s Chorus from Tannhaueser; Paganini Etude no.2; Harmonies du Soir; Venezia e Napoli
Andre LaPlante
January 15, 2011
Over the last decade, Canadian pianist André Laplante has firmly established himself as one of the great romantic virtuosos. He garnered international attention after winning prizes at the Geneva and Sydney International Piano Competitions, then capturing the silver medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Critics have compared him with Ashkenazy, Horowitz and Rudolph Serkin, placing him in the elite circle of virtuoso pianists who do not hesitate to take risks.
In 2005, Mr. Laplante was honored to be named an Officer of the Order of Canada. In that same year, he was awarded the Prix Opus for Best Performerof the Year. In 1999, he received two Opus Awards for live
performances: “Best Concert in Montréal” and “Best Concert in Québec Province.” Most recently, in 2010, he received another Prix Opus, this time for Best Concert of the Year.
In recent years, Laplante has appeared as orchestral soloist with the Montréal and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, the Minnesota
Orchestra conducted by Sir Neville Mariner, on tour in Europe with theToronto Symphony under Andrew Davis and with the Royal Philharmonic under the baton of the late Sir Yehudi Menuhin during their extensive NorthAmerican tour.
An active recording artist, he has recorded for CBC and Melodia: his performance of Jacques Hetu’s Piano Concerto No. 2 for CBC Records won the2004 Juno award for orchestral recordings, as well as the Western CanadianMusic Award. His recording of Tchaikovsky No. 1 with Joav Talmiand l’Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, was nominated for the 2001 Felix Award ; and in 2010 his recording of Liszt’s Années de Pèlerinages awarded a Felix Award for Best Classical Solo Album of the Year.
PROGRAMME:
Debussy: Estampes
Ravel: Oiseaux tristes and La vallée des cloches from Miroirs suite, Sonatine
Liszt: Sonata in B minor
