The former principal cello in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra joins this young American pianist in a captivating program of compositions by Rachmaninoff (the cello sonata), Dvorak and Shostakovich.
Lee Duckles on cello and Alexandria Le on piano will be performing at The Old Schoolhouse Arts Centre (122 Fern Rd., Qualicum Beach) on Nov. 20 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. as part of the Music On Sunday series. Tickets are $16 and can be purchased through TOSH. For more information, visit www.theoldschoolhouse.org or call 250-752-6133.
Lee Duckles, formerly principal cello and soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, received his early training in the San Francisco Bay Area. He received his degree in performance from the University of Illinois and participated in post-graduate master classes. An active chamber music performer, Duckles has appeared in music festivals in British Columbia, California, Colorado, Washington, Alaska and South Korea.
Since the 1980s, he has been the principal cello at the Cabrillo Music Festival of Contemporary Music in California, where he has premiered a number of works for cello and orchestra and worked with numerous composers. He is currently the president of the Vancouver Cello Club.
American pianist Alexandria Le’s broad scope of work has brought her to perform in the world’s most prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall.
She is artistic director and founder of the Las Vegas Wine and Music Festival (which pairs wine to classical music in untraditional spaces), founded the non-profit organization Notes with a Purpose, and co-directs the Las Vegas Academy Piano Institute.
A native of Las Vegas, she garnered 16 first-prize awards, performed live broadcast performances over KNPR-Las Vegas, and performed with all of Las Vegas’ regional orchestras — all before graduating high school. After winning the prestigious Pro Musicis International Award in 2011 and joining a distinguished roster of artists, she debuted as soloist in Carnegie Hall.
Alexandria Le on piano will be performing at TOSH on Sunday. – Photo submitted by Ron Hadley
Le has held collaborative piano positions at the Banff Centre of the Arts in Canada. Le is equally engaged as an educator and advocate of arts in the society through community outreach. Over a span of two years, she dedicated 200 hours of classroom music instruction at an inner-city elementary school in Brooklyn and presented more than 60 outreach performances in community venues around New York City as part of Ensemble ACJW.
— Submitted by TOSH
