Schubert's Final Journey

On April 28, 2012 Academy Concert Series presented our final concert of the 2011-2012 season, Schubert's Final Journey. The fabulous and remarkable Lumière Quartet played two of Schubert's greatest pieces of chamber music for a wonderful and appreciative (and growing!) audience. The Lumière Quartet is an incredibly talented group of this country's best and most experienced musicians with David Stewart and Paule  Préfontaine on violin, Stephen Marvin on viola and Christina Mahler on cello.

 Schubert's Final journey started with the Death and the Maiden string quartet. Schubert wrote this piece after he found out he was dying. It is a piece that seems to look at death in a searching way - looking for meaning and understanding. For the last part of the concert, I joined the Lumière  quartet to play one of my favourite pieces, the Cello Quintet in C major. Schubert completed it two months before his death. It is a monumental work that seems to transcend death. It is a work full of depth, transcendental beauty, humanity and hope. A remarkable work, it was definitely one of the highlights for this season!

We did it! The transition from Nicolai Tarasov to me of all Artistic Director duties has been completed, and my new board of directors and I, as well as a small army of volunteers and supporters (I love you all), are now well-underway towards ensuring that next season is another success.

The program for next year is all set – the music has been selected and the artists chosen. Next season will again feature three concerts at our beloved Eastminster United Church. While we have received requests to expand to four concerts next season, we are not yet in a position to fund an expansion of our season. We would love to add concerts and, with the tremendous support of our donors, are hopeful that we can consider it for upcoming seasons.

Another reason this concert was particularly special is that I played one of my favourite pieces with my mentor and friend, cellist Christina Mahler. I moved to Toronto from Edmonton, Alberta in 2005 in order to study with Christina. What a special and meaningful experience it was - a wonderful way to end our 2011-2012 seas!

Mozart: A year in Vienna

The Academy Concert Series held its second concert of the 2011-2012 season last Saturday, January 28, 2012 at Eastminster United Church (310 Danforth, near Chester subway station).  The program for the concert was all Mozart, and all pieces he composed while living in Vienna in 1788-1789.  A copy of the program and the program notes can be sent to you upon request.

As usual when playing with the Academy Concert Series, it was a real treat to play with such talented musicians.  On violin there were Edwin Huizinga and Emily Eng.  On viola was Charlene Yeh.  And on clarinet for the Clarinet Quintet in A Major “Stadler K. 581 was Nicolai Tarasv.  Nicolai was the Artistic Director for Academy Concert Series for 16 years before this transition year where he is handing off the reins to me.  It was fun and exciting to honor Nicolai by having him come back to play such a wonderful piece, and one which showcases his abundant talent as a musician!

The music is always the main event at our concerts, but in addition to that, as part of our ongoing efforts to share the joy of music with our community, Academy Concert Series invited students and their families from Axis Music to attend the concert for free.  Axis Music was founded in January 2011 to provide tuition-free violin, cello and piano music lessons to youth in Toronto Community Housing.  I am pleased to report that we had ten elementary aged students and their parents take up our offer and attend the last concert. They were so attentive and excited. One students was even asking for autographs at the end of the concert! (So cute!)

It is always a particular pleasure to hear from audience members after each concert.  Perhaps it bears reminding that we invite audience members to come and speak to the musicians after concerts and to email me with any comments, questions or feedback.  This time around I received a number of beautiful emails from beloved audience members.  Here are a few quotes from those emails, which I’d like to share with you.

“The concert was a warm, relaxing and wonderful experience, enhanced by the selection of the three pieces and the brilliant performance by your group.”

- Steve Gabhauer

“Just wanted to give feedback on last night's concert:

1.  program selection = wonderful

2.  performance = exquisite

3.  organization for entry and snacks = excellent

… 

A most enjoyable evening.  Thanks to you and your fellow performers.” 

- Richard Lee

Again, thank you so much to everybody who attended the concert.  I would also like to thank our sponsors, both individual and corporate as well as the Queen and Beaver Public House located at 35 Elm Street near Yonge and Dunas who donated dinner for two for our raffle, and the volunteers who helped make it all possible!  We couldn’t do it without your support! 

I hope to see you April 28, 2012 for "Schubert's Final Journey" with the fabulous Lumière Quartet.