Sarah hosts six conceptually innovative chamber music performances at the Port Theatre. Guest performers include: Rebecca Wenham (cello) on September 23rd, Krzysztof Kaczka (flute) on October 28th, Marcus Takizawa (viola) on November 25th, The Bergmann Piano Duo on March 10th, and Benjamin Butterfield (tenor) on Apriil 14th.
This concert features the Bergmann Piano Duo. The three pianists will present a programme that grows from one hand to all six!
Programme:
One hand - new composition by Marcel Bergmann - written especially for this 6-handed concert tour
2 hands- Mozart D minor Fantasy
3 hands- M. Kagel - Der Eid des Hippokrates
4 hands- Brahms - Variations on a theme by Schumann
5 hands - Ravel - Frontispice
6 hands- Rachmaninoff - Waltz and Romance
6 hands- T. Baynov - Metrorhythmia
About the Bergmann Piano Duo
Recognized in the press as “piano duo extraordinaire having keyboard skills of the first order with impeccable musicianship” (The Calgary Herald) they have recorded numerous CDs for the Arktos, Koch International, Brilliant Classics and Naxos labels. Their Naxos release of the 2 piano music of William Bolcom reviewed in BBC music magazine contains “delicious take-offs of Latin –American salon music, plus ragtime and cakewalk pieces”.
Their programmes draw from an extensive repertoire ranging from the baroque to the contemporary and incorporate numerous arrangements and original compositions by Marcel Bergmann who writes in a “uniquely original voice that straddles the best of the classical and jazz worlds”(The Miami Herald)
In addition to their performing careers, they enjoy teaching, act as Directors at the Langley Community Music School and serve as lecturers and jury members of International competitions.
The duo studied with Arie Vardi at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Hannover and with Jean-Eudes Vaillancourt at the Université de Montréal.
They received first prize at the International Chamber Music Competition in Caltanissetta, Italy, and were laureates of The 4th Murray Dranoff International Two Piano Competition. They performed extensively in Germany as members of the young artists’ roster of Yehudi Menuhin-Live Music Now.
In addition to their performing careers they also enjoy teaching and working in other capacities in the music industry. Marcel and Elizabeth serve as Directors at the Langley Community Music School. From 2009-2013 Marcel was Professor of Music at Mohawk College in Hamilton. Elizabeth and Marcel have been on faculty at Mount Royal University and University of Calgary as well as being involved in various musical projects at The Banff Centre for the Arts. In 2004/2005, they served as Artistic Directors of The Murray Dranoff International Two Piano Competition and Foundation in Miami. They were members of the Calgary based group Land’s End Chamber Ensemble, recipients of the 2005 and 2006 Western Canadian Music Awards for Outstanding Classical Recording.
Committed to supporting the production of new repertoire, the duo has commissioned and premiered several works by Canadian composers. Their extensive repertoire ranges from the baroque to the contemporary and includes numerous own arrangements and compositions.