Four of these performances were interpretations, and one was of an original composition by Canadian-Estonian composer Erik Kreem, performed together with clarinetist Gavin Warren.
In this concert, Kreem demonstrated his aptitude as a cellist rather than on the piano we have often seen him play as part of Estonian Music Week and other events. The Faculty of Music indicated that his composition of the evening was “Erik’s first piece for instrumental duet without piano.” In the past, he has guest conducted the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra and has had his work performed by a multitude of Canadian ensembles.
The concert commenced with the iridescent and progressively darkening piano playing of Sumi Kim, performing Jamie Li's “Prismatic Dreaming.” The piece broke into rolling, majestic chords. It shifted back and forth with vigour, pushed with piston-like repetition, and finally closed with a sorrowful ending, as a pleasant dream might end.
Christian Le played a classical guitar in the most dynamic of ways for Ian Chan's “Guizheng”, a title which combines “guitar” and “guzheng”, a Chinese zither. At first, Christian picked the strings of the guitar sitting on his lap like a Guzheng player would do, with hands above the strings. Except the guitar was in standard classical guitar tuning, with frets. The strings were raked and pulled. Partway through, he switched the positioning and played more traditionally, with sweet descents and ascents over the guitar neck.
Erik Kreem's composition, “Passages”, was a contrasting musical conversation between Kreem's cello and Gavin Warren's clarinet. It began with a sweet, floating clarinet solo that glided lightly before being confronted with opposition. Kreem's cello came in at an angle, counter to the steps of the woodwind melody.
The bow swept the cello in deep howls. The song moved like two confident adversaries wrestling with each other. Drawing back and forcing in. As Erik says about the composition “…grappling with change is central to the human experience, whether it be adjusting to a new home, starting a family, or mourning the loss of a loved one…The piece is perhaps a journey from a small, simple place into a broader world…”
Marilena Liakopoulou placed safety and fury side-by-side with her interpretation of “Echo Lontano” by Menelaos Peistikos. She played piano, which was paired with fluctuating lights and scary historical imagery on screen. She leaned inside the piano and plucked the strings explosively but precisely, based on where they were marked.
At the end of this musical spiral was “pedale traverso” written by Paulo Brito, and performed by Jin Cho. Cho articulated the baroque flute with electronic sounds in the background. Cho's whistling high tones, singing through the flute's air column, and winding finger work showed a seamless connection to his instrument. His digital accompaniment sounded as if it was coming out of a 200 year old music box. It descended further and further, before roaring like the THX Deep Note.
Overall, there was a strong theme of dramatic changes. I was not prepared for what was to come, but I came away dazzled by what is out there to be explored. It was energizing to see these six dedicated musicians show us what's ahead in classical music. You can watch the concert on YouTube.
This article was written by Vincent Teetsov as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.
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