Building on last spring鈥檚 Musical Offerings, faculty from a pair of 91原创 music schools will once again join forces in a 鈥渞enewed artistic alliance鈥� while offering a gift of music to the community.
The event 鈥� happening on Saturday, Jan. 14 鈥� now includes a member of the faculty. Cellist Joel Stobbe is joining Calvin Dyck (violin) Jane Hayes (piano) and Paolo Bortolussi (flute), of the , to participate in a day of music lessons, capped off with a concert in Rose Gellert Hall.
There are a couple of changes audiences will likely notice if they attended the first annual collaboration between LCMS and KPU faculty last April.
This year, Stobbe will speak to Kwantlen students while the trio of university instructors offers master classes to LCMS students throughout the day. The classes are open to the public, and the day will once again culminate with a free public concert at 7:30 p.m.
鈥淲e鈥檝e often seen the need for collaboration between Kwantlen and LCMS,鈥� said Stobbe, who鈥檚 excited to be participating in the project this year, though he鈥檚 performed with frequently with all three of the other musicians.
鈥淲e鈥檙e never an island and it鈥檚 important to build relationships,鈥� he said.
By doing something like this, Stobbe said, 鈥測ou get a broad spectrum of opinions on music and performance styles. I鈥檓 looking forward to it very much.鈥�
During his time as a student in Munich, Germany, Stobbe enjoyed being able to take in some of the many live musical performances which were always happening in the European city.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful thing for anyone, and this is a small step toward that,鈥� he said of the Jan. 14 show.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to hear wonderful musicians working together.鈥�
Because both of the participating schools have received public funding, it鈥檚 important for people to see where their tax dollars are going, said Stobbe.
鈥淭here鈥檚 so much that goes into creating a musical product,鈥� he said. And it鈥檚 important audiences understand that the hour long concert or five-minute piece they鈥檙e hearing is the result of hundreds of hours of work.
Pianist Jane Hayes, who has been an instructor at Kwantlen since the music department opened in 1993, agrees that bringing high quality concert performances to the area is vital.
鈥�91原创 is just far enough outside Vancouver that it鈥檚 desperate for a cultural infusion,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is a chance to bring a high level of music to the front door of the community.鈥�
Beyond the evening鈥檚 performance, during which she has something a little special planned (involving, of all things, golf tees which will make her piano sound like a steel drum), Hayes is looking forward to working once again with students who are often quite a bit younger than the ones she teaches at the university.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 interesting for a pianist is that you鈥檙e often getting kids who are so bright, but they鈥檙e not necessarily going into music.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e so multi-talented and so open 鈥� they鈥檙e at that point in life where they鈥檙e open to anything you can throw out,鈥� she said.
The day鈥檚 combination of master classes and concert is invaluable, Hayes added, because it removes that barrier students often feel when watching professionals perform.
After, all, these are the same people the students have spent the day working with.
鈥淲e teach, we work, we offer ideas and experience and then we turn around at night and put our best on the line,鈥� laughed Hayes.
The title of this year鈥檚 evening performance 鈥� Music Concert 鈥攔eveals little about what the program actually offers, but it will include pieces by Haydn, Mendelssohn, Villa Lobos, Vaughan Williams, Dorothy Chang and Steven Chatman.
鈥淭his year, there is some great traditional repertoire,鈥� said Bortolussi.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a piano trio in D minor by Mendelssohn 鈥� I will play the violin part on flute.鈥�
In fact, he will adapt two separate violin parts for the Jan. 14 concert.
鈥淚鈥檓 all about stealing violin pieces lately,鈥� he laughed.
鈥淎 lot of people will be familiar with the pieces, but not these incarnations.鈥�
A lack of material from the 1800s makes the effort necessary, he explained.
鈥淭here was a big hole in flute repertoire in the 19th century.
鈥淚t was a fashionable parlour instrument, but it didn鈥檛 make it into the major works because none of the big composers were writing for flute at the time.鈥�
Like his colleagues, Bortolussi sees the collaboration as a wonderful opportunity for both schools.
鈥淧art of (the reason for the day) is to publicize that there is a path (to a career as a professional musician) that is in 91原创. It is a less expensive option.鈥�
The fact that Kwantlen now offers four year bachelor鈥檚 degrees in music means local students can complete their post-secondary education close to home, Bortolussi added.
鈥淭his is a challenging time for arts in general,鈥� he said. 鈥淢oney is tenuous.
鈥淭he more institutions like LCMS and Kwantlen can band together and create a more cohesive scene, so we鈥檙e not stepping on each other鈥檚 toes, it鈥檚 good.鈥�
The master classes, which are open at no charge to the public, will be held on Jan. 14 at 2:30 p.m., and the free concert will begin in Rose Gellert Hall at 7:30 p.m LCMS is located at 4899 207 St. Call 604-534-2848
