In this concert we’ll celebrate J.S. Bach’s 336th birthday with a selection of his works arranged by this wonderful group of musicians. The Dover Quartet catapulted to international fame following a stunning sweep of the 2013 Banff Competition, at which they won every prize. In 2017, they appeared on our Next Generation Series with mandolinist Avi Avital.
Bridget Kibbey has gained a reputation for her diverse, energetic programming that spans the baroque, French masterworks, and rhythmic South American music. The award-winning harpist appears frequently as soloist and chamber musician at festivals and on series across the globe.
“It is my great pleasure to join the formidable Dover Quartet in sharing this experience with you live, via some of our best-beloved works of J.S. Bach, adapted for harp and string quartet. In this context, the harp becomes a mighty organ, an intimate lute, a clavecin supporting vocal lines executed by the bow. The quartet becomes a harpsichord with lines drawn out in various colours, an individual violin becomes a vocalist; and together, the ensemble becomes an orchestra exalting in the complexity of woven counterpoint. We hope you enjoy our celebration of J.S. Bach, re-imagined for harp and strings.”
— Bridget Kibbey
J.S. BACH: Toccata & Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (harp) (trans. Kibbey)
J.S. BACH: Sonata in E flat major, BWV 1031 (violin & harp)
J.S. BACH: Aria and 4 Variations from the Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (violin, viola & cello) (trans. Daniel Lee)
J.S. BACH: Harpsichord Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056 (string quartet & harp)
J.S. BACH: Sonata in G minor for Violin & Clavier, BWV 1020 (violin & harp)
J.S. BACH: Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080: Contrapuncti 1 – IV (string quartet)
J.S. BACH: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 (string quartet & harp)
“A sound so distinctive as to be identified within mere minutes” — Philadelphia Enquirer
“Kibbey made it seem as though her instrument had been waiting all its life to explode with the gorgeous colours and energetic figures she was getting from it” — New York Times
Learn more about each afternoon’s recital program at our pre-concert talks. Each talk takes place at 2.15pm in Salon A
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This exciting young Canadian pianist was First Prize Winner and Gold Medalist at the First China International Music Competition. He’s currently studying piano and composition at the Juilliard School Pre-College Division. Tony has given recitals in North America, Europe and Asia, and has appeared twice with the China Philharmonic Orchestra.
VANCOUVER DEBUT!
BUSONI: All’ Italia (in modo napolitano) BV 249
WAGNER/LISZT: Solemn March to the Holy Grail from Parsifal S. 450
CHOPIN: Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58
SCHUBERT: Sonata No. 18 in G major, D. 894
“Tony is a true poet of the keyboard. Expressive, and with his own distinct voice, yet elegant and poised.” — Pianist Magazine
Learn more about the musicians when they return to the stage to answer your questions following their performance
Series sponsor: The Estate of Edwina and Paul Heller
Concert Sponsor: This concert is sponsored in memory of Michael Kemble
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So captivated were we — and our audience — with the Chiaroscuro’s performance in the 2018-19 Season that we re-booked them immediately! Hear this brilliant ensemble in a program of string quartet gems. Everything they play sounds fresh and original.
PURCELL: Fantasias (selection TBD)
MOZART: Quartet No. 21 in D major, K. 575
SCHUBERT: Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703
MENDELSSOHN: String Quartet in F minor, Op. 80
“The playing is intense and refined, exploratory and poised. The sound is featherweight, but there is grit and substance when needed” — The Guardian
Learn more about each afternoon’s recital program at our pre-concert talks. Each talk takes place at 2.15pm in Salon A
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Concert Sponsor: Robert and Denise
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Captivating stage presence combined with performances that are technically and musically masterful make accordionist Hanzhi Wang the perfect ambassador for her instrument. In addition to winning First Prize at the 2017 Young Concert Artist International Auditions in New York (where we heard her stunning performance), she also won First Prize at the Castelfidardo International Accordion Competition in Italy.
Distinctive among today’s young string quartets, the Omer Quartet is known for presenting both fearless renditions of the standard quartet repertoire and compelling works by today’s composers. In addition to winning First Prize in the 2017 Young Concert Artist International Auditions, they won Top Prize at the 2017 Paolo Borciani Competition, Top Prize at the 2017 Trondheim International Competition, and Grand Prize at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in the US.
CANADIAN DEBUT (Hanzhi Wang)
VANCOUVER DEBUT (Omer Quartet)
SCARLATTI: 3 Sonatas
SCHNITTKE: Revis Fairy Tale
MOSZKOWSKI: Étincelles, Op. 36, No. 6
BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135
DVOŘÁK: Bagatelles for Two Violins, Cello, and Harmonium
GUNNAR VALKARE: Taang
PIAZZOLLA: Five Tango Sensations for String Quartet and Accordion
“Putting a regal polish on every phrase, her sparkling technique held the audience in a state of breathlessness” — Oberon’s Grove
“These four musicians certainly rose to the occasion. They opened with a poised, mature and ebullient account of the Haydn, gave a glowing vividly dramatic performance of Debussy and brought out the punch energy of Chris Rogerson’s String Quartet” — New York Times
Learn more about the musicians when they return to the stage to answer your questions following their performance
Series sponsor: The Estate of Edwina and Paul Heller
Concert Sponsor: The Board of Directors of the Vancouver Recital Society
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Those who heard Behzod on his previous visits to the VRS know that his electrifying performances combine an immense depth of musicality with phenomenal technique and breathtaking delicacy.
Buckle up for this one!
BACH or SCARLATTI (TBD)
SCHUMANN: Kreisleriana Op. 16
LISZT: Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude
RACHMANINOV: Corelli Variations, Op. 42
“With prodigious technique and rhapsodic flair, Mr. Abduraimov dispatched the work’s challenges, including bursts of arm-blurring octaves, with eerie command” — New York Times
Learn more about each afternoon’s recital program at our pre-concert talks. Each talk takes place at 2.15pm in Salon A
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Concert Sponsor: Ann Harding
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Since winning both the First Prize and the Audience Prize at the Beethoven Competition in Bonn in 2015, Italian pianist Filippo Gorini’s career has gone from strength to strength. His performances in many of Europe’s prestigious concert halls have earned him unanimous critical acclaim. After graduating with honours from the Donizetti Academy in Bergamo, and completing a postgraduate course at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Filippo continues his studies with Maria Grazia Bellocchio and Pavel Gililov, and is mentored by Alfred Brendel.
Filippo made a great first impression when he appeared on our Next Generation Series in 2019… so much so, we re-engaged him on the spot! Filippo was recently announced as the winner of a coveted Borletti Buitoni Trust Award in London.
BEETHOVEN: Sonata No. 13 in E flat major, Op. 27, No. 2
BRAHMS: 7 Fantasies, Op. 116
SCHUBERT: Sonata No. 18 in G major, D. 894
“A pianist with remarkable keyboard control who can penetrate works with unusual clarity and long-term vision” — Geoffrey Newman, Vancouver Classical Music
Learn more about each afternoon’s recital program at our pre-concert talks. Each talk takes place at 2.15pm in Salon A
Concert Sponsor: Elaine Adair
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Trained under the guidance of Maria Tipo, Andrea Lucchesini garnered international recognition at a very young age, and made his Canadian debut for the VRS at the Playhouse in 1986. He returned no less than three times in the following seasons and — after a rest of 28 years — we brought him back to our series in 2018. He’s a most extraordinary pianist and we’re now making up for lost time!
SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata in B flat major, D. 960
SCHUMANN: Fantasy in C major, Op. 17
“[Lucchesini’s] versatility now extends to Schubert in performances of an exceptional delicacy and restraint, almost as if played late at night before an audience of close friends” — Gramophone
Learn more about each afternoon’s recital program at our pre-concert talks. Each talk takes place at 2.15pm in Salon A
Concert Sponsor: Anonymous
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Twenty-year-old Israeli pianist Tom Borrow was featured in a two-page article in a 2019 edition of International Piano magazine. Charting his sudden rise to prominence and giving insight into this exciting new pianist, the article asserts: “Tom Borrow is the very definition of one to watch”. Performances take him from Israel to South Korea, and from Verbier to London. He currently studies at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University, and is mentored by Murray Perahia through the Jerusalem Music Centre’s program for outstanding young musicians.
CANADIAN DEBUT!
SCHUBERT: Sonata in A major, D. 664
FRANCK: Prelude, Chorale and Fugue
RACHMANINOV: Selected preludes from Op. 23 and Op. 32
SCRIABIN: Sonata No. 2 (1897) and Sonata No. 5 (1907)
“Tom is a truly special young pianist. Technically brilliant and with the soul of a poet”
— Günter Hänssler, Head of Hänssler Classics, one of Germany’s major independent record labels, who recently signed Tom for his first recording
For more information about Tom, visit his website.
Learn more about the musicians when they return to the stage to answer your questions following their performance
Series sponsor: The Estate of Edwina and Paul Heller
Concert Sponsor: John C. Kerr Family Foundation
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This exciting young Russian pianist gained international recognition through his outstanding appearance at the 8th International Tchaikovsky Competition for young musicians, where he won First Prize. At the time he was just 13. Since then, Alexander has appeared with major orchestras and conductors across Europe, and we’re delighted to welcome him in his Canadian debut with an all-Russian program.
CANADIAN DEBUT!
MEDTNER: 2 Skazki, Op. 48
MEDTNER: Forgotten Melodies 1, Op. 38
PROKOFIEV: Piano Sonata No. 9 in C major, Op. 103
RACHMANINOV: Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 28
“The latest phenomenon of the Russian piano school” — Corriere della Sera, Milan
Learn more about the musicians when they return to the stage to answer your questions following their performance
Series sponsor: The Estate of Edwina and Paul Heller
Concert Sponsor: Joyce and Tony
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If you were lucky enough to have been in the audience when Isabelle Faust and Alexander Melnikov performed the Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin in our 2011-12 Season, you’ll be first in line for tickets to this performance! This time around, they’ll play a selection of Beethoven Trios with the wonderful French cellist, Jean-Guihen Queyras.
BEETHOVEN: “Kakadu” Variations in G major, Op. 121a
BEETHOVEN: Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 2
BEETHOVEN: Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97, “Archduke”
“For us Vancouver will forever be connected with the figure of the incomparable Leila Getz – with her unique mixture of strength, elegance, wit, and profoundness. If our sorry civilization could be ruled by people like Leila, we would all be in a better place.”
— Isabelle, Jean-Guihen, and Alexander
Learn more about each afternoon’s recital program at our pre-concert talks. Each talk takes place at 2.15pm in Salon A.
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Concert Sponsor: Joyce and Tony
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