SoundBites

A month of Concerts

It’s a month of concerts…

It’s a month of concerts, beginning with the New Music concert performed last Sunday night, featuring the Calgary Youth Orchestra, the Conservatory Strings and Elasticus, John Abram’s new music group. The concert was very well attended, including composer John Burge, who came to Calgary to work with the CYO who performed his piece, Four Violins Concerto.

Then on Monday, Feb. 4, was the Pender Island Flute Retreat fundraising recital and auction, featuring Pittsburgh Symphony Principal Flutist Lorna McGhee with PIFR faculty Gwen Klassen and Colleen Athparia. Guest artists from the Calgary Philharmonic joined the ensemble, and it was by all accounts, a lovely concert.

Next week we welcome for the first time to Calgary, New York Polyphony, one of the world’s finest vocal quartets. They are Wyatt Artists-in-Residence, and will be providing ensemble coaching and masterclasses for our voice students and vocal academy.

“New York Polyphony has leapt to the forefront of Early Music vocal scene since its founding in 2006, and we are very proud to present them to Calgary for the very first time,” says Paul Dornian, Conservatory Director. “Over 500 years ago, sacred vocal polyphony of the Renaissance “Golden Age” was a form of religious worship, but church reforms have all but erased the possibility of a liturgical performance of this style of music.

“Nevertheless, the Early Music movement of the twentieth century championed this (and other forgotten repertoires) on the concert stage and in the recording studio. Indeed, Calgary has a strong core of Early Music enthusiasts, including our own Purcell Ensemble here at the Conservatory, as well as Spiritus Chamber Choir, Early Music Voices, the Calgary Bach Society and others.

The NYP’s programme spans 500 years of composers, all in the polyphonic style.

An example of their work includes this premiere performance of the Missa Charles Darwin—a newly commissioned secular Mass setting based on texts of Charles Darwin by composer Gregory Brown:

 

 

Tickets are still available — call 403.440.7770 or buy online

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