Jim Boyd
Special to The Morning Star
Trio d’Argento is at the Performing Arts Centre Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. with a wonderful variety of interesting musical gems.
There will be old classical friends like Haydn and Camille Saint-Säens, as well as American Russell Stollson’s cool trio touching on jazz and world music, and the brand new piece by Toronto composer Kevin Lau that uses music to introduce the principles of quantum physics.
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Trio d’Argento is not your usual trio. Peter Stoll, Sibylle Marquardt and Todd Yaniw introduce their programs with humour and make the concert experience fun. With flute, clarinet and piano these three virtuosos perform with technical flair and musical sensitivity.
The trio has firmly established itself in the Ontario chamber music scene in the past few years. They have collaborated with First Nations composer and performer Barbara Croall. Their highly successful debut recording with members of the Canadian Brass (Piano Centric) will be followed up with a CD that showcases their strong commitment to Canadian music.
From the classics to jazz to exotic world music, these three brilliant musicians provide lively and entertaining concerts with spoken introductions to each piece. Sybille and Stoll play many different sizes of flutes, clarinets and even saxophone, creating a wide and ever-changing array of sound colours, combined with Yaniw’s powerful pianism.
In addition to performing with Trio d’Argento, these musicians are heavily involved in education and academics. Since 1998 Sybille has been on the faculty of the Royal Conservatory of Music and a member of the College of Examiners. She is also the visiting artist at the Etobicoke School for the Arts. Sybille has also released a CD with Guitarist Wilma van Berkel, called From the New Village.
Stoll teaches clarinet, chamber music, performance studies and “The Business of Music” at the University of Toronto. He is also the winds discipline specialist for the Royal Conservatory of Music’s National College of Examiners. He has completed numerous compositions, arrangements and cadenzas. Stoll’s performance highlights have included concerts with the Gryphon Trio, pre-eminent Canadian percussionist Beverly Johnston, accordion virtuoso Joseph Mecerollo. He also has performed solo and chamber music for visits by world-renowned composers Kryzstof Penderecki, Chen YI and Anders Hillborg, as well as appearing on numerous CD’s, including Syrinx Concerts and several devoted to the music of John Gladwell.
Yaniw is a native of Edmonton. His teachers have included Michael Massey, James Parker, James Anagnosson (The Glenn Gould School) and Jon Kimura Parker (Rice University). He has recently completed his doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin. In addition, he was the winner of the Roy Thomson Hall First Prize at the Toronto Symphony Volunteer Committee’s TD National Piano Competition, a two-time winner of the Canadian Music Competition and silver medalist at the Eastman International Piano Competition. Yaniw’s debut CD was titled Todd Yaniw: Scriabin, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Chopin.
In addition to Vernon, this year’s fall tour brings Trio d’Argento to Mississauga, Toronto, Vancouver, Whitehorse, Haines Junction, and Golden.
Opening the performance is Katherine Flaherty, who began her musical career in Fresno, Cali. where she received her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from California State University. Flaherty has toured with various classical ensembles throughout California, as well as Carnegie Hall and the Vatican. In 2016, she relocated to Vernon where she now teaches voice at the Vernon Community Music School.
Tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for youth (18-and-under) and are available through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, www.ticketseller.ca.
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