Mind, Body, Soul

On September 30th Decca Records released the latest album from Grammy Award Winnipeg composer Christopher Tin. 

This Sunday, November 13th at 2:30pm at Chapel Lawn, the “Ring Out” Hand bell Quartet will be joined by the “At Last” vocal quartet in a concert they are calling “Bells and Voices.” This is a concert that will feature traditional favorites such as Simple Gifts and Amazing Grace, as well as some less familiar selections performed by each of the quartets.

On Friday, October 7th, the world renowned violinist Hahn released her latest CD titled “Eclipse.” This latest recording features two concertos; Dvorak’s beloved violin concerto and the ground-breaking and virtuosic violin concerto of Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera. The CD is rounded out by Pablo de Sarasate’s showy and fiery Carmen Fantasy.

The “Eclipse” project was a long time in the making, and Hahn is quick to point out in the booklet that the recording almost did not happen.

On Tuesday, October 18th at 7:30pm at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg’s GroundSwell will present their second concert of the season called “Standing Wave: Ex Machina”. This concert will feature “The Standing Wave Ensemble” from Western Canada. Made up of six virtuoso musicians, the Standing Wave Ensemble has mesmerized audiences throughout the world with their intrepid performances, of the latest in boundary breaking new music.

Have you ever been to a concert and seen a soloist perform super-human feats on their specified instrument while at the time sounding great and making it look so easy without nerves getting in the way?

For many of us who have studied a musical instrument, the idea of performing on stage brings up thoughts of anxiousness, and nervousness.

Since 1991 the Virtuosi Concert Series has been delighting audiences with world class chamber music, performed by some of the best musicians on the scene.

The natural environment has been something that has been AN inspiration for composers for hundreds of years. Whether it be Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Strauss’s Alpine Symphony, or Beethoven’s Pastoral symphony; nature has inspired many masterworks throughout the centuries.

Today with climate change and global warming being  at the forefront of our minds, twentieth and twenty-first century composers have also been inspired to compose works not only inspired by nature, but also works that hopefully make a statement about what man is doing to the planet.

This Friday, September 16th at 7:30pm at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Winnipeg Chamber Music Society (WCMS) will be launching their 2022-23 season with a gala opening concert that features the music of Brahms, Dohnnayi, and Dvorak.

On September 21st and September 22nd, Manitoba will have a taste of the French city of Marseille. Winnipeg’s foremost new music organization GroundSwell, will welcome to the Province Ensemble Télémaque the acclaimed ensemble from Marseille, France. They will be performing at 7:30pm on Wednesday, September 21st at Theatre Circle Moliere here in Winnipeg and at 7:30pm Thursday, September 22nd at Brandon University’s Lorne Watson Recital Hall.