On Sunday, September 22nd at 2;30pm at Young United Church, The Royal Canadian College of Organists, Winnipeg Chapter will be presenting a remarkable concert that features Canadian music written for piano and organ duo.
The performers for this concert are the renowned Duo Majoya which consists of the husband-and-wife team, organist Marnie Giesbrecht and pianist Joachim Segger. The duo has travelled the world performing keyboard duets of all combinations in North America, Europe, South Africa, and Asia.
The two members of Duo Majoya, individually have also made their careers as successful performers and pedagogues around Alberta. Dr. Marnie Giesbrecht is Professor Emerita and University Organist at the University of Alberta and is adjunct Professor at King’s University in Edmonton.
Dr. Joachim Segger is the chair of the Piano Department at King’s University and is also an adjunct Professor of keyboard at The University of Alberta. His performances have been heard on CBC both on local and National Broadcasts.
The concert on Sunday, September 22nd will feature music from their newly released CD Titled “Canadian Suite Celebration,” which consists of music written by Canadian composers for the Duo.
Duo Majoya have been performing together for more than fifty years. They first began performing piano duets together when they were teenagers. As Marnie Giesbrecht says, “We like to say we met on a piano bench at Shawnigan Lake Performing Arts Summer School. We were both there, and we ended up sightreading Dvorak, and then when we came back to Edmonton, we ended up playing [the accompaniment] for each other’s piano concertos, and one thing led to another ...and here we are.”
Since becoming an organ and piano duo they have commissioned many works from composers from around the world for the two instruments.
Some composers are wary of composing for such a duo, but Giesbrecht pleads the case well. As she says, “Piano plays with an orchestra...that’s not much different, and organ plays with an orchestra...so why couldn’t an organ play with a piano? If you kind of think of that mixture of sounds like that, that seems to get the wheels turning for composers.”
The result that is created is spectacular! The myriads of tonal color combinations and textures that can be created between the two instruments is fascinating. “Marnie uses different color combinations on the organ in order to showcase the different sounds,” says Segger. This combined with all the tonal possibilities of the piano make for a truly engaging and satisfying experience.
The works on Sunday’s program will consist of compositions from their recently released CD “Canadian Suite Celebrations” as well as other music from composers that the duo has commissioned works from. Works by Denis Bédard, Ruth Watson Henderson, Cary Ratcliff, and Zachary Wadsworth will be heard on Sunday’s program, with all the music being very tuneful and accessible by audiences.
The cost of the concert is entry by donation. This is a fantastic opportunity to hear this terrific music, and wonderful sounds performed by two of Canada’s finest musicians.
For more details on Duo Majoy's performance on Sunday, September 22nd at 2:30pm at Young United Church click here