RBC Concerto Competition

Image from UofC RBC Concerto Competition

The RBC Concerto Competition was my choice of events tonight. ]The event was on the stage of the Eckhardt-Gramatte Hall in the Rozsa Centre. The orchestra was warming up when I walked into the theatre.

Six students performed on their instruments of choice: the piano, the flute, the saxophone, voice, the xylophone, and a Master's student from Beijing Central Conservatory performed on a two stringed Chinese instrument called the erhu. Edward Agopian had arranged the work for Yumengebg Wang, "Sunshinw over Tashkurgan"

The pianist won the competition and he also performanced first. I watched his hands on the keyboard, having  the perfect position from my seat on the left hand side of the hall. Then I began to watch the image of his hands as they were reflected in the ebony wood of the keyboard cover, the twin images connected by the real keys and the reflected ones in the wood.

 I didn’t lose interest in the evening when John Chan left the stage for all of the participants were equally interesting and deserve a paragraph of their own. But only this much will be written, and only to say ... such a lovely place to live, just a 20 minute walk away from that acoustically perfect Rozsa Centre.

Thanks to my concert companions, Pouria and Amir for a lovely evening.
Arta

Bow Valley Brass Quintet

Free Concert tonight, October 19, by the Bow Valley Brass Quintet—a vibrant ensemble of Calgary Philharmonic members.  Well, not free for everyone.  Just free for students with their student ID and free for retired U of C employees.

For this concert the Bow Valley Brass Quintet performed Kevin McKee’s Vuelta del Fuego, Eric Ewazin’s Frost Fire, Jan Bach's Foliations, and some lighter numbers..

"You are going to take me to concerts when I grow up?"

I had an extra ticket so Pouria joined Amir and me.

Because wind players need some time to rest their embouchure between pieces,  Michael Eastep (tuba), Laurie Matiation (French horn) and David Reid (trombone) gave information about the pieces they were about to play -- nice additions to the fulsome programme notes.

Last spring they knew they were going to play in the University of Calgary Celebration Series, so they looked through their calendars.  This Saturday night was the only one that all of them had free.  So they filled their calendars in with this date and played for us.

My dream is to live long enough to continue to go to these concerts for many years -- at least live long enough that baby Alice can grow up and go with me.

Arta