Gustin House presents Trio Saint-Laurent, Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Trio Saint-Laurent–playing clarinet, viola and piano–reveals the poetic, intimate nature of their instruments in a kaleidoscopic musical experience! The stellar and respected chamber musicians from Quebec will perform Romantic-era works in solo, duo, and trio formations. 

Clarinetist Jean-François Normand, an alumnus of Juilliard, is praised for “completely natural playing, flawless technique, supple phrasing, beautiful and controlled tone quality, intonation, style, and imaginative use of improvised ornamentation” (La Presse). A soloist with Canadian orchestras, he is frequently heard on CBC/Radio-Canada, even as he maintains a teaching career at Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal and McGill University.

Marina Thibeault, violist, studied at Curtis Institute in Cleveland and at Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana. Her honours include prizes from Père-Lindsay Foundation (2017), "Révélation Radio-Canada" (2016-2017), first prize in strings at Prix d’Europe (2015), and a special award at the Beethoven Hradec International Viola Competition (2008). Her CD Toquade (2017, ATMA) was nominated by the ADISQ and Prix Opus for “album of the year.” 

Pianist Philip Chiu is one of Canada’s most sought-after ensemble musicians. He has made CD recordings with artists of the world stage and has toured with premier organizations; his performances have been broadcast on Classical 96.3 FM, Australia’s ABC Radio, CBC and Radio­-Canada. Inaugural winner in 2010 of the largest prize in Canada for an emerging classical musician, Mr. Chiu has an infectious love of music combined with an exceptional gift for communicating that passion to audiences, in particular to young people. He gave the pre-concert chat at this recital.

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Gustin House presents Janina Fialkowska, Wednesday, March 18, 2020

POSTPONED

The artist’s tour in Canada would have concluded with our concert, featuring French music and Chopin, but upon the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the performance had to be postponed to next season.  From her home in Germany, Ms. Fialkowska gave a media statement that included this reflection:

            A long time ago, when I met, after one of my concerts in London, a surgeon who worked in a children’s hospital, and I told her how much I admired her and what she did and that it was so much more important than what I did, she answered:  “Yes, I save their lives, but why?  So that they can experience concerts like tonight.  I save their lives.  You put quality into their lives.”  Which is why, admiring, so tremendously all the medical people who are doing so much to save so many people, I hope that I may have the opportunity in the future to offer to them a little of my music.

                                                -Augsburger Allgemeine, March 26, 2020