Patrons at The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra’s final concert of the season will not only be treated to internationally acclaimed pianist and violinist Jonathan Chan, they will also learn what a $900,000 violin sounds like.
Chan, who will be joining the OSO on stage at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre Sunday for the OSO’s 56th season finale, is the 2012 Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank winner for violin.
“Jonathan is incredibly talented and this award is proof of this as very few musicians are awarded such a prestigious award after competing in a very intense competition. His talent for violin is just a start. He is equally talented on piano and we are fortunate to have him perform with both instruments at our season finale,” said OSO music director Rosemary Thomson.
Entitled Titans, the concert celebrates the music of German romanticism and features performances of Richard Wagner’s Flying Dutchman Overture Paul Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber, and Jeffrey Ryan’s The Linearity of Light.
Chan performs in two virtuoso showpieces: as piano soloist in Franz Liszt’s dazzling Hungarian Fantasy and as violin soloist in the richly emotional Concerto in G Minor by Max Bruch.
Hailing from Vancouver, Chan began playing the violin and piano at the age of four. Since making his solo debut with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at just eight years of age, he has gone on to perform across four different continents. He had the honour of performing for former Prime Minister Jean Chretien’s nationally televised retirement concert, playing for more than 10,000 people and sharing the stage at the Air Canada Centre with other renowned artists including Cirque du Soleil, Oliver Jones, Paul Anka, and the late legendary pianist, Oscar Peterson.
“In addition to our amazing soloist, our professional orchestra will express their talent with these incredible and difficult pieces, which will leave attendees inspired to go home and learn to play an instrument,” said Thomson. “We look forward to welcoming audiences in the Okanagan for this powerful finish to a glorious season.”
The OSO and Chan take the stage at the Performing Arts Centre Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets are at the box office, 549-7469, www.ticketseller.ca.
