Michael Pepa, Founding Artistic Director
Lynn Kuo, Chef de l’ensemble
at
GALLERY 345
345 Sorauren Avenue, Toronto Canada M6R 2G5
[South of Dundas West, Between Lansdowne & Roncesvalles]
8:00 p.m.
(Adults $20, Seniors $15, Students $10)
(Note: Concerts II & IV - general admission $20)
Meet the artists at the reception after the concert.
I - Tuesday, November 30, 2010
David Hetherington, Cello
Joseph Petric, Accordion
Cherney: Like Ghosts from an Enchanter Fleeing
Rea: Schattenwerk - *world premiere.
Louie: Bringing the Tiger Down from the M.
Hopkins: Reclaiming the Spirit solo cello
Mott: Red Haze - solo acc.
Romiti: Sonic Eclipse
Louie: Bringing the Tiger Down from the M.
Hopkins: Reclaiming the Spirit solo cello
Mott: Red Haze - solo acc.
Romiti: Sonic Eclipse
Duo Contempera looks forward to working with Michael Pepa, artistic director of Toronto’s LesAmis concert series for the 2010-2011 season.
II - Saturday, February 19, 2011
The Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia in Mississauga
presents
DUO Novinc/Čaldarović
The renowned Croatian DUO’S first Canadian tour
Ivan Novinc, Violin - Srđan Čaldarović, Piano
B. Bersa: Povero Tomin, Elegija for Violin and Piano, Op. 1
J. Brahms: Sonata for Piano and Violin in A Major, Op. 100
Allegro amabile
Andante tranquillo – Vivace – Andante – Vivace di piu – Andante – Vivace
Allegretto grazioso (Quasi andante)
D. Pejačević: Sonata for Violin and Piano in D Major, Op. 26
J. Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 10
Ivan Novinc graduated violin at the Department for Stringed Instruments and Guitar at the Music Academy of the University in Zagreb in 2000, in the class of Professor Maja Dešpalj-Begović, and finished his postgraduate studies in the same class in 2009. He has been awarded numerous prizes at state competitions, both as solo player and as the first violinist of the Porin String Quartet.
Mr. Novinc has performed around the world, both solo and in chamber ensembles (Slovenia, France, the USA, Spain, Austria, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Mexico, Japan, Sweden, Argentina, China and Canada).
Since 1998 he has played first violin in the Porin String Quartet and has been the leader of the Cantus modern music ensemble since 2001. In the years 2002-2006 he was the deputy leader of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra.; in addition, he has led the Zadar Chamber Orchestra since 2004. Since 2006 he has been performing with pianist Srdjan Čaldarovič and guitarist Tvrtko Sarić.
During his career Mr. Novinc has performed and cooperated with numerous distinguished artists, such as Dunja Vejzović, Monika Leskovar, Stefan Milenković, Enrico Dindo, Aleksandar Milošev, and Petrit Ceku.
He has attended master seminars of Professor Maxim Fedotov, the Strings Only seminars in Zadar held by Professors Maja Dešpalj-Begović, Valter Dešpalj, M. Maurer, and L. Honda, as well as seminars in Austria held by members of world-famous string quartets, such as the Amadeus, Alban Berg , Bartok, Janaček and the Prague Quartet.
In 2000 he was awarded the City of Zagreb scholarship, the University scholarship and the Dean's Prize. As member of the Porin String Quartet he won the Dean's Award for Exceptional Performances and the first prize in Radio podij, the contest for young Croatian artists (both in 2000), the first prize in the 34th Darko Lukić Competition of Young Musicians (season 2000/2001), the Ivo Vuljević Prize for the most accomplished young musicians of the year in 2002 and the Milka Trnina Award in 2007. He also won the Darko Lukić Award for solo performance at the 36th Darko Lukić competition (season 2002/2003), the Stjepan Šulek Award for the performance of a soloist violin composition in 2004, and the University Professors' Association Award for the young scientists and artists of the year in the academic year 2008/2009.
He has recorded for the HR (Croatian national radio), the Austrian radio and the Cantus publishing house.
In 2010. Mr. Novinc became Assistant Professor at the Zagreb Music Academy.
Srdjan F. Caldarovic, born January, 8th 1973 in Zagreb, Croatia, started to play piano at the age of five. During his music education in primary and secondary music schools in Zagreb, he had appeared in many public performances. He had played as a soloist with several orchestras, including the Zagreb Soloists ensemble (at the age of 13). He had won the first prize in the piano competition of former Yugoslavia (1985). 1987, as a member of a piano quartet, he also won the first prize at the Chamber music competition of the former Yugoslavia. From 1990 onwards he gives solo and chamber music recitals on a regular basis in all major Croatian cities. For several of his performances, Caldarovic has won outstanding awards (Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1, Liszt: Sonata in B minor). For his Washington debut music critic Cecilia Porter wrote – “Caldarovic's playing reveals consummate artistry in coupling an introspective approach with refined sensitivity for phrasing...”
Srdjan F. Caldarovic graduated in piano major at the Music Academy, University of Zagreb in the class of Prof. Vladimir Krpan (1995). Caldarovic went onwards to perfect his pianist skills at Indiana University in Bloomington with Prof. Leonard Hokanson (1996), and later at the Trinity College of Music with Prof. Philip Fowke (2000). After completing these performance-oriented programs, Caldarovic became a Teaching assistant at the University of Miami School of Music where he obtained a Master’s degree in Piano performance, under the guidance of a great musician, J.B. Floyd (2002). He has actively participated in masterclasses held by E. Timakin, S. Costa, R. Kehrer, J. Rose, and R. de Waal. He has given a number of recitals in Croatia and in the USA, and from 2005 he holds a position as the Assistant Professor at the Music Academy, Piano Department in Zagreb, Croatia.
Allegro amabile
Andante tranquillo – Vivace – Andante – Vivace di piu – Andante – Vivace
Allegretto grazioso (Quasi andante)
D. Pejačević: Sonata for Violin and Piano in D Major, Op. 26
J. Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 10
Ivan Novinc graduated violin at the Department for Stringed Instruments and Guitar at the Music Academy of the University in Zagreb in 2000, in the class of Professor Maja Dešpalj-Begović, and finished his postgraduate studies in the same class in 2009. He has been awarded numerous prizes at state competitions, both as solo player and as the first violinist of the Porin String Quartet.
Mr. Novinc has performed around the world, both solo and in chamber ensembles (Slovenia, France, the USA, Spain, Austria, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Mexico, Japan, Sweden, Argentina, China and Canada).
Since 1998 he has played first violin in the Porin String Quartet and has been the leader of the Cantus modern music ensemble since 2001. In the years 2002-2006 he was the deputy leader of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra.; in addition, he has led the Zadar Chamber Orchestra since 2004. Since 2006 he has been performing with pianist Srdjan Čaldarovič and guitarist Tvrtko Sarić.
During his career Mr. Novinc has performed and cooperated with numerous distinguished artists, such as Dunja Vejzović, Monika Leskovar, Stefan Milenković, Enrico Dindo, Aleksandar Milošev, and Petrit Ceku.
He has attended master seminars of Professor Maxim Fedotov, the Strings Only seminars in Zadar held by Professors Maja Dešpalj-Begović, Valter Dešpalj, M. Maurer, and L. Honda, as well as seminars in Austria held by members of world-famous string quartets, such as the Amadeus, Alban Berg , Bartok, Janaček and the Prague Quartet.
In 2000 he was awarded the City of Zagreb scholarship, the University scholarship and the Dean's Prize. As member of the Porin String Quartet he won the Dean's Award for Exceptional Performances and the first prize in Radio podij, the contest for young Croatian artists (both in 2000), the first prize in the 34th Darko Lukić Competition of Young Musicians (season 2000/2001), the Ivo Vuljević Prize for the most accomplished young musicians of the year in 2002 and the Milka Trnina Award in 2007. He also won the Darko Lukić Award for solo performance at the 36th Darko Lukić competition (season 2002/2003), the Stjepan Šulek Award for the performance of a soloist violin composition in 2004, and the University Professors' Association Award for the young scientists and artists of the year in the academic year 2008/2009.
He has recorded for the HR (Croatian national radio), the Austrian radio and the Cantus publishing house.
In 2010. Mr. Novinc became Assistant Professor at the Zagreb Music Academy.
Srdjan F. Caldarovic, born January, 8th 1973 in Zagreb, Croatia, started to play piano at the age of five. During his music education in primary and secondary music schools in Zagreb, he had appeared in many public performances. He had played as a soloist with several orchestras, including the Zagreb Soloists ensemble (at the age of 13). He had won the first prize in the piano competition of former Yugoslavia (1985). 1987, as a member of a piano quartet, he also won the first prize at the Chamber music competition of the former Yugoslavia. From 1990 onwards he gives solo and chamber music recitals on a regular basis in all major Croatian cities. For several of his performances, Caldarovic has won outstanding awards (Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1, Liszt: Sonata in B minor). For his Washington debut music critic Cecilia Porter wrote – “Caldarovic's playing reveals consummate artistry in coupling an introspective approach with refined sensitivity for phrasing...”
Srdjan F. Caldarovic graduated in piano major at the Music Academy, University of Zagreb in the class of Prof. Vladimir Krpan (1995). Caldarovic went onwards to perfect his pianist skills at Indiana University in Bloomington with Prof. Leonard Hokanson (1996), and later at the Trinity College of Music with Prof. Philip Fowke (2000). After completing these performance-oriented programs, Caldarovic became a Teaching assistant at the University of Miami School of Music where he obtained a Master’s degree in Piano performance, under the guidance of a great musician, J.B. Floyd (2002). He has actively participated in masterclasses held by E. Timakin, S. Costa, R. Kehrer, J. Rose, and R. de Waal. He has given a number of recitals in Croatia and in the USA, and from 2005 he holds a position as the Assistant Professor at the Music Academy, Piano Department in Zagreb, Croatia.
III - Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Massimiliano Valenti, Piano
Chick Corea: 10 Children Songs
(No. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,12,18)
Alberto Ginastera: Sonata Op. 22, No. 1
Allegro marcato
Presto misterioso
Adagio molto appassionato
Ruvido ed ostinato
Komitas Vardapet: Six Dances for Piano (1869-1915)
Erangi - Danse de Erevan
Unabi - Danse de Shusha
Marali - Danse de Shusha
Shushiki - Danse de Vagarshapart
Et-arach - Danse de Erzarum
Shornor - Danse de Erzuru
Massimiliano Valenti: Sonata-Fantasia, quasi Jazz
Massimiliano Valenti has become one of the most exciting pianist of his generation. He started to study at the age of five and continued his musical studies at the Musical Istitute “V.Bellini” in Catania, graduating with top honors. Subsequently he refined his artistic training with Paul Buch and Gerhard Oppitz in Germany and with Marian Mika in Italy. Later, he studied with the great Aldo Ciccolini in France, where he started to deepen his knowledge of the French repertory. His last teachers were Diana Apan and dana Borsan in Romania.
Massimiliano’s talent has opened the way to a brilliant career, allowing him to become the head of important musical organizations in Europe and to perform in numerous festivals in Italy and abroad ( Austria, Germany, Portugal, Spagna, Romania and United States). He has conducted master classes at the University of Music in Aveiro, Conservatory of Porto and fundao in Portugal and at the Faculty of music in Timisoara, Romania, where he has worked regularly since 2005. Valenti has also been a member of the jury in national and international piano competitions in Italy and abroad.
Reviews for his CD recording on the Casa Musicale ECO label of music by Rameau, Satie, messiaen and Gershwin are full of praise in the media, nationally and internationally. In addition to his concert engagements and teaching, Valenti is very dedicated to his other passion: painting. He regularly receives critical acclaim for the passion and emotion he manages to convey in both his paintings and his concerts, fundamental elements that distinguish him and place him among the most interesting pianists of today.
IV - Tuesday, March 29, 2011
THE SERBIAN HERITAGE ACADEMY OF CANADA
presents
Members of Les AMIS Ensemble
PROGRAMME of Gypsy Music by
Ana Sokolovic: Chant (2003)
Katarina Curcin: Gypsies (2009)
Michael Pepa: Fantaisie bohémienne (2004)
V - Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Lynn Kuo, Violin
www.lynnkuo.com
Marianna Humetska, Piano
www.myspace.com/mariannahumetska
VI - Tuesday, April 26, 2011
THE SERBIAN HERITAGE ACADEMY OF CANADA
presents
Members of Les AMIS Ensemble
Lynn Kuo, Violin
www.lynnkuo.com
Rachel Mercer, Cello
http://www.rachelmercercellist.com
Marianna Humetska, Piano
www.lynnkuo.com
Rachel Mercer, Cello
http://www.rachelmercercellist.com
Marianna Humetska, Piano
PROGRAMME of Gypsy Music by
Ana Sokolovic: Chant (2003)
Katarina Curcin: Gypsies (2009)
Michael Pepa: Fantaisie bohémienne (2004)
&
Video of highlights of the April 27, 2009 Belgrade concert
of music by Canadian/Serbian composers
Ana Sokolovic and Katarina Curcin
at Svecana sala Skupstine grada
of music by Canadian/Serbian composers
Ana Sokolovic and Katarina Curcin
at Svecana sala Skupstine grada
V - Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Lynn Kuo, Violin
www.lynnkuo.com
Marianna Humetska, Piano
www.myspace.com/mariannahumetska
W.A. Mozart: Six Variations in g minor on 'Hélas, j'ai perdu mon amant', K. 360
César Franck Sonata in A major:
I. Allegretto Ben Moderato
II. Allegro
III. Recitativo Fantasia
IV. Allegretto Poco Mosso
Nino Rota: Improvviso in re minore 4'30
Astor Piazzolla: Milonga en re
Igor Frolov: Concert Fantasy on themes from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
I. Allegretto Ben Moderato
II. Allegro
III. Recitativo Fantasia
IV. Allegretto Poco Mosso
Nino Rota: Improvviso in re minore 4'30
Astor Piazzolla: Milonga en re
Igor Frolov: Concert Fantasy on themes from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
VI - Tuesday, April 26, 2011
TRIO ATLANTIK
Akemi Mercer, Violin
Dirk Niewöhner, Viola
Rachel Mercer, Cello
W.A. Mozart: Divertimento in E flat major K563
Allegro
Adagio
Menuetto - Allegretto, Trio
Andante
Menuetto - Allegretto, Trio I, Trio II
Allegro
Michael Pepa: Trio Atlantik for Akemi, Dirk & Rachel
Erno Dohnanyi: Serenade in C major, Op. 10
Marcia - Allegro
Romanza - Adagio non troppo quasi andante
Scherzo - Vivace
Tema con variazoni - Andante con moto
Rondo (finale) - Allegro vivace
Formed in 2010 through personal and musical friendship, Trio Atlantik is dedicated to creating inspired interpretations of the beloved standard works while exploring new music of their peers residing in their respective neighbourhoods, cities and countries. Bringing together their international training and years steeped in intense chamber music performance, Trio Atlantik is determined to breathe a new life into the rarely performed string trio repertoire and introduce ears to the novel.
Canadian violinist Akemi Mercer performed all over the world as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestra player. Prize-winner in the Canadian Music Competition and the Peel Music Festival, Akemi has appeared as soloist with the Toronto, Oakville and Etobicoke Orchestras. As member of the award winning Gemini and Ebony String Quartets Akemi has collaborated with the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Steven Dann, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Anssi Kartunen, Steven Isserlis, Mayumi Seiler, Scott St. John, and William Aide. She has attended festivals such as Banff, Orford, Scotiafest, the Southern Ontario Chamber Music Institute, Domaine Forget and the Kuhmo Festival in Finland, and from 2005-2006 was a member of the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra touring Europe and South America with Micheal Tilson Thomas, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Daniel Gati and Gustavo Dudamel.
Born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in Richmond, BC and Oakville, Ontario, Akemi completed her Bachelor of Music Performance in Toronto with David Zafer and Mayumi Seiler, after which she continued her studies with Victor Tretyakov at the Music College in Cologne, Germany. From 2006-2007 she was member of the Orchestra Academy of the Munich Philharmonic and participated in masterclasses with Peter Oundjian, Christian Tetzlaff, Martin Beaver, Jose Luis Garcia, Maricio Fuchs, and members of the Orford, Tokyo, St. Lawrence and Juilliard quartets.
Since March 2008, Akemi is a permanent member of the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, now Associate Principal Second violin, under Paavo Jarvi. Along with her orchestral playing, Akemi is member of the Alighieri Quartet, the Frankfurt String Sextet, and is a leading member of Frankfurt Strings, a string orchestra made from members of the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra. Akemi comes to Canada regularly to play concerts, most recently guest concertmaster with the National Ballet Orchestra, a performance with her sister Rachel Mercer of Brahms' Double Concerto, and the 5th concert of a Haydn trio cycle with the Mercer-Oh Trio for the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society.
German violist Dirk Niewöhner is prize winner at both the German Viola Society and the Eastern Music Festival in the United States. He has appeared as soloist with orchestra on both violin and viola and as a member of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic. Founding member of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra under Claudio Abbado, Dirk has been a member of the Munich Philharmonic viola section since 2003.
Dirk has performed at festivals such as the Rheingau Musik Festival, Lucerne Festival and at Carnegie Hall, and has collaborated with Kolja Blacher, Renaud Capucon, Mirijam Contzen and Wen-Sinn Yang. He was a member of the Signum String Quartet, a prizewinner at the International Charles-Hennen-Concours (Netherlands) and currently plays with the Munich Philharmonic String Sextet and the Tertis Viola Ensemble - the only quartet worldwide consisting of four violas.
Dirk studied violin with Ida Bieler, Miriam Fried and Rainer Kussmaul before continuing his studies on viola with Wolfram Christ and Hariolf Schlichtig. He also has chamber music degrees with the Alban Berg and Melos Quartets. Dirk has received scholarships from the German Music Council and the German cultural foundation "Villa Musica". Grand prize winner of the 2001 Vriendenkrans Competition in Amsterdam,
Canadian cellist Rachel Mercer made her European recital debut in the Concertgebouw Kleine Zaal. Rachel has performed as a soloist across Canada, in Europe, the Balkans, the United States,
South Africa and Israel, and her performances have been broadcast in Canada, Israel and Europe. She currently records for Israeli indie label EnT-T. As a member of the award-winning Aviv String Quartet from 2002-2010, Rachel toured regularly on five continents, and released cds on Naxos and Dalia Classics.
Born in Edmonton, Rachel began cello studies at the age of three continuing at the Vancouver Academy of Music, the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto with Shauna Rolston, the
New England Conservatory with Laurence Lesser, and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Dmitri Ferschtman. Rachel attended Orford, Banff, Holland Music Sessions, Ravinia,
Prussia Cove, Scotiafest, Proquartet, the Juilliard Quartet Seminar and the Verbier Academy, for masterclasses with Boris Pergamenschikow, Frans Helmerson, Lynn Harrell, Janos Starker, Aldo Parisot, Gregor Horsch, Valentin Berlinsky, Valentin Erben, Henry Meyer and Walter Levin.
Currently based in Toronto, Rachel has given guest masterclasses at the University of Toronto and QuartetFest at Wilfred Laurier University. She is cellist for Via Salzburg, a chamber music series led by Mayumi Seiler, and of piano quartet Ensemble Made in Canada, winners of CBC Galaxie Rising Stars Award, and named among "80 women to watch" in the 80th anniversary edition of Chatelaine magazine in May 2008. Ensemble Made In Canada tours across the country and most recently began appearing in the United States with a residency at SUNY, New Paltz, NY. Rachel and her violinist sister Akemi formed the Mercer-Oh Trio in 2007 (with Toca Loca pianist and Toronto Music Gallery curator Gregory Oh) and are playing a complete Haydn trio cycle for the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society between 2009-2013. Rachel also appears in recital with pianist Angela Park as the Mercer-Park duo. Other upcoming concerts include the the Art of Time Ensemble season , a debut recital at Music Toronto, and summer festival
appearances in Ottawa, Stratford and Halifax with the Mercer Duo and Ensemble Made In Canada.
Recent winner of the Canada Council Instrument Bank Competition, Rachel plays the 1696 Bonjour Stradivarius cello, on loan until
August 2012 from the Canada Council for the Arts, donated to the council by a generous anonymous donor.
VII - Sunday, May 29, 2011Allegro
Adagio
Menuetto - Allegretto, Trio
Andante
Menuetto - Allegretto, Trio I, Trio II
Allegro
Michael Pepa: Trio Atlantik for Akemi, Dirk & Rachel
Erno Dohnanyi: Serenade in C major, Op. 10
Marcia - Allegro
Romanza - Adagio non troppo quasi andante
Scherzo - Vivace
Tema con variazoni - Andante con moto
Rondo (finale) - Allegro vivace
Formed in 2010 through personal and musical friendship, Trio Atlantik is dedicated to creating inspired interpretations of the beloved standard works while exploring new music of their peers residing in their respective neighbourhoods, cities and countries. Bringing together their international training and years steeped in intense chamber music performance, Trio Atlantik is determined to breathe a new life into the rarely performed string trio repertoire and introduce ears to the novel.
Canadian violinist Akemi Mercer performed all over the world as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestra player. Prize-winner in the Canadian Music Competition and the Peel Music Festival, Akemi has appeared as soloist with the Toronto, Oakville and Etobicoke Orchestras. As member of the award winning Gemini and Ebony String Quartets Akemi has collaborated with the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Steven Dann, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Anssi Kartunen, Steven Isserlis, Mayumi Seiler, Scott St. John, and William Aide. She has attended festivals such as Banff, Orford, Scotiafest, the Southern Ontario Chamber Music Institute, Domaine Forget and the Kuhmo Festival in Finland, and from 2005-2006 was a member of the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra touring Europe and South America with Micheal Tilson Thomas, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Daniel Gati and Gustavo Dudamel.
Born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in Richmond, BC and Oakville, Ontario, Akemi completed her Bachelor of Music Performance in Toronto with David Zafer and Mayumi Seiler, after which she continued her studies with Victor Tretyakov at the Music College in Cologne, Germany. From 2006-2007 she was member of the Orchestra Academy of the Munich Philharmonic and participated in masterclasses with Peter Oundjian, Christian Tetzlaff, Martin Beaver, Jose Luis Garcia, Maricio Fuchs, and members of the Orford, Tokyo, St. Lawrence and Juilliard quartets.
Since March 2008, Akemi is a permanent member of the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, now Associate Principal Second violin, under Paavo Jarvi. Along with her orchestral playing, Akemi is member of the Alighieri Quartet, the Frankfurt String Sextet, and is a leading member of Frankfurt Strings, a string orchestra made from members of the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra. Akemi comes to Canada regularly to play concerts, most recently guest concertmaster with the National Ballet Orchestra, a performance with her sister Rachel Mercer of Brahms' Double Concerto, and the 5th concert of a Haydn trio cycle with the Mercer-Oh Trio for the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society.
German violist Dirk Niewöhner is prize winner at both the German Viola Society and the Eastern Music Festival in the United States. He has appeared as soloist with orchestra on both violin and viola and as a member of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic. Founding member of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra under Claudio Abbado, Dirk has been a member of the Munich Philharmonic viola section since 2003.
Dirk has performed at festivals such as the Rheingau Musik Festival, Lucerne Festival and at Carnegie Hall, and has collaborated with Kolja Blacher, Renaud Capucon, Mirijam Contzen and Wen-Sinn Yang. He was a member of the Signum String Quartet, a prizewinner at the International Charles-Hennen-Concours (Netherlands) and currently plays with the Munich Philharmonic String Sextet and the Tertis Viola Ensemble - the only quartet worldwide consisting of four violas.
Dirk studied violin with Ida Bieler, Miriam Fried and Rainer Kussmaul before continuing his studies on viola with Wolfram Christ and Hariolf Schlichtig. He also has chamber music degrees with the Alban Berg and Melos Quartets. Dirk has received scholarships from the German Music Council and the German cultural foundation "Villa Musica". Grand prize winner of the 2001 Vriendenkrans Competition in Amsterdam,
Canadian cellist Rachel Mercer made her European recital debut in the Concertgebouw Kleine Zaal. Rachel has performed as a soloist across Canada, in Europe, the Balkans, the United States,
South Africa and Israel, and her performances have been broadcast in Canada, Israel and Europe. She currently records for Israeli indie label EnT-T. As a member of the award-winning Aviv String Quartet from 2002-2010, Rachel toured regularly on five continents, and released cds on Naxos and Dalia Classics.
Born in Edmonton, Rachel began cello studies at the age of three continuing at the Vancouver Academy of Music, the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto with Shauna Rolston, the
New England Conservatory with Laurence Lesser, and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Dmitri Ferschtman. Rachel attended Orford, Banff, Holland Music Sessions, Ravinia,
Prussia Cove, Scotiafest, Proquartet, the Juilliard Quartet Seminar and the Verbier Academy, for masterclasses with Boris Pergamenschikow, Frans Helmerson, Lynn Harrell, Janos Starker, Aldo Parisot, Gregor Horsch, Valentin Berlinsky, Valentin Erben, Henry Meyer and Walter Levin.
Currently based in Toronto, Rachel has given guest masterclasses at the University of Toronto and QuartetFest at Wilfred Laurier University. She is cellist for Via Salzburg, a chamber music series led by Mayumi Seiler, and of piano quartet Ensemble Made in Canada, winners of CBC Galaxie Rising Stars Award, and named among "80 women to watch" in the 80th anniversary edition of Chatelaine magazine in May 2008. Ensemble Made In Canada tours across the country and most recently began appearing in the United States with a residency at SUNY, New Paltz, NY. Rachel and her violinist sister Akemi formed the Mercer-Oh Trio in 2007 (with Toca Loca pianist and Toronto Music Gallery curator Gregory Oh) and are playing a complete Haydn trio cycle for the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society between 2009-2013. Rachel also appears in recital with pianist Angela Park as the Mercer-Park duo. Other upcoming concerts include the the Art of Time Ensemble season , a debut recital at Music Toronto, and summer festival
appearances in Ottawa, Stratford and Halifax with the Mercer Duo and Ensemble Made In Canada.
Recent winner of the Canada Council Instrument Bank Competition, Rachel plays the 1696 Bonjour Stradivarius cello, on loan until
August 2012 from the Canada Council for the Arts, donated to the council by a generous anonymous donor.
at
Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front Street West, Toronto
Erica Iris Huang
with
Canadian Sinfonietta
Tak-Ng Lai, Conductor
www.canadiansinfonietta.com
(Adults $28, Seniors $22, Students $18)
Premiere
Liliane for Mezzo-Soprano and Orchestra
by
Michael Pepa
Produced with the support of the
City of Toronto
through the
TORONTO ARTS COUNCIL
through the
TORONTO ARTS COUNCIL