Announcing the 2007-2008 Catherine Thornhill Steele Chair: Anton Kuerti

Pianist Anton Kuerti was born in Austria, grew up in the U.S., and has lived in Canada for the last 35 years. His teachers included Arthur Loesser, Mieczyslaw Horszowski, and Rudolf Serkin. At the age of 11 he performed the Grieg Concerto with Arthur Fiedler, and he was still a student when he won the famous Leventritt Award.Anton Kuerti has toured 31 countries, including Japan, Russia, and most European countries, and has performed

with most major North American orchestras and conductors, such as the New York Philharmonic, National Symphony (Menuhin), Cleveland Orchestra (Szell), Philadelphia Orchestra (Ormandy), and the orchestras of Atlanta, Denver, Detroit, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and San Francisco. His vast repertoire includes some 50 concertos, including one he composed himself.In Canada Kuerti has appeared in about 140 communities from coast to coast, and has played with every professional orchestra, including over 30 concerts with the Toronto Symphony. As a chamber musician, he has performed the major repertoire with such artists as Gidon Kremer, Yo-Yo Ma, Janos Starker, Barry Tuckwell, and the Cleveland, Guarneri, and Tokyo string quartets. Kuerti is one of today’s most recorded artists: compact discs of his performances include all the Beethoven concertos and sonatas, the Schubert sonatas, the Brahms concertos, and works by many other composers. These recordings air almost daily on the CBC. He is also an Officer of the Order of Canada, and has received several honourary doctorates.The Piano Area welcomes Prof. Kuerti to the Schulich School of Music. Our students are eager to learn from his incredible expertise and artistry.

The Friends of McGill Piano Present:

The SoundboardVol. 2, issue 1

“Life is like a piano. What you get out of it depends on how you play it.”

-Tom Lehrerr

As part of a capital investment by McGill University, this spring the Schulich School of Music was able to welcome its newest instrumental acquisitions: a selection of 13 upright and grand pianos. These stunning Yamaha pianos are destined to replace those various instruments that have accrued over the years and now unsalvageable, and also to increase the number of high-quality instruments in the school’s collection. These new instruments are but the first

of three installments of new pianos. Over the next 18 months, over $700,000 of new Yamaha Upright and Grand Pianos will begin their lives at the school. The generous support of McGill University and our longstanding relationship with Yamaha Canada has made these acquisitions possible. Our professors and students compete and succeed on the global stage—now their school has enhanced resources to help support them in their endeavours!

McGill WelcoMes Anton Kuerti

neW YAMAhAs for McGill PiAno fAcultY And students

The Dorothy Morton Visiting Artist Concert, featuring Anton Kuerti in recital, will be held on March 14th, 2008 at 8:00 pm in Pollack Hall.

PiAno AreA chAir’s WelcoMe

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the second edition of The Soundboard, McGill Music’s newsletter dedicated to all friends of piano.

We are very pleased to see such great enthusiasm generated by its first release, and truly want it to be the link between the School and all piano lovers in the community. You are our “raison d’être”, and are a tremendous inspiration for our gifted students. Your support to and presence at various piano events happening at the Schulich School makes a world of difference to them, and we are all very thankful of your kind generosity.

It has been an exciting year, from Michelle Nam winning the Grand Prize of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Competition, to an impressive list of Guest Artists who came to share their expertise with us. There was a unique Symposium on Beethoven’s “Tempest” Sonata culminating in a recital shared amongst Professor Sara Laimon, Professor Kyoko Hashimoto and myself. Recently, thanks to the tireless efforts on our behalf from Dean Prof. Don McLean many new pianos began arriving at the School, and with the move of academic and support staff into the new building, work will soon begin to create many additional practice rooms, which will have a huge impact on our students access to improved instruments and practice facilities.

We are confident that the New Year will be filled with many thrilling moments, and that you will all be there to share them with us. We want you to feel a part of our students’ development and success.

Prof. Richard RaymondPiano Area Chair

The Soundboard

Friends of McGill Piano would like to introduce you to our current international ‘crop’ of Doctoral piano students. We extend special congratulations to Xenia Pestov and Durval Cesetti, who were recently awarded SSHRC grants. Our current Doctoral students are profiled here.

Described by Claude Gingras of La Presse as ‘un pianiste d’une rare musicalité’, Brazilian Durval Cesetti, BMus ’03, MMus ’05, is currently pursuing a Doctorate in piano performance. He is a student of Kyoko Hashimoto; his past teachers include

Neusa França, Eugene Plawutsky, Louis-Philippe Pelletier, Richard Raymond and Tom Plaunt. Durval has performed solo recitals in important halls throughout Brazil. Recent performances include a recital with mezzo-soprano Martina Govednik, and a concert of the Société de Musique Contemporaine du Québec at Salle Pierre Mercure. This summer he played three concerts with the Orquestra Sinfônica do Rio Grande do Norte in Natal, Brazil. Cesetti’s areas of research include performance anxiety, music and literature, Szymanowski and Polish piano music. He was recently awarded SSHRC grant to analyze two piano triptychs of Szymanowski: Métopes, op. 29, and Masques, op. 34. His research will contemplate the diversity of influences – both musical and non-musical – that affected his style. Lana Henchell received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Calgary, where she studied with Marilyn Engle. A laureate of many competitions, she took First Prize at the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Piano Competition in May 2004 and traveled across Canada to perform a sixteen-concert tour. This included a performance of the Mozart C Major Piano Concerto, K.503, with the Montreal Chamber Orchestra. As soloist and accompanist, Miss Henchell has played numerous recitals in the Calgary area, and has

appeared with Calgary orchestras, performing concerti by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Grieg. Miss Henchell has taught private piano and theory lessons, adjudicated festivals and accompanied both professional and student musicians in the Calgary area. Currently, she is studying with Professor Richard Raymond and her research areas will include Finger exercises of Brahms, Liszt and Dohnanyi and their applications in the works of these composers, 20th century extended piano techniques, and Canadian Piano Music.

Martin Karlíček comes from the Czech Republic. Prior to McGill, Martin studied in Plzeň and Prague as well as the Utrecht Academy of the Arts in Holland. He has been active in international workshops for both chamber music performers and soloists. In March 2000, he was chosen to attend the 5th Hamamatsu Academy in Japan where he gained experience from such prominent Professors as H. Nakamura, M. Beroff, P. Paleczny, P. Lang and M. Abbado. Martin is a holder of the B. Smetana and the F. Liszt Prizes and as a prizewinner of a number of piano competitions he was also a guest of several music festivals. At McGill he is studying with Professor Kyoko Hashimoto.

Tea Mamaladze, ADip ’01, MMus ’03, was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. Following musical studies at The Musical School for Gifted Children she studied at Tbilisi State Musical Conservatory where she graduated with honors. In 1995, Tea moved to Montreal and continued her studies at McGill, completing both the Artist Diploma and Master of Music. During her graduate studies, Ms. Mamaladze received numerous scholarships. Tea’s piano career has included invitations to many European musical festivals and solo recitals in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Berlin, Bremen, Hanover, Lubeck, Salzburg, and Amsterdam. Ms. Mamaladze – winner of the “Debut” Young Concert Artist Series in Montreal – is a frequent performer in Montreal and Ottawa, and is currently a student of Professor Richard Raymond. Her areas of research include the Virtuoso Etude, development of the Conservatoire, and Audition Colorée (synaesthesia).

Alejandro Ochoa, MMus ‘05 is from Medellin, Colombia. Upon completion of studies in Bogota, he came to McGill, where he completed his Masters degree with Marina Mdivani. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate in a unique program combining historical and modern instruments with Professors Tom Beghin (Fortepiano) and Kyoko Hashimoto (Piano). His research includes work on Beethoven’s piano music, Rhetoric/Musical Rhetoric and Variation Form, as well as Nineteenth Century Performance Practice. Alejandro has performed extensively as soloist and chamber musician in Colombia as well as in Germany and Canada.

F o l l o w i n g childhood music education in Russia, Xenia Pestov moved to New Zealand with her family in 1992 and later went on to study in the UK, the

Netherlands, France and Canada. Xenia’s interest in promoting 20th and 21st Century repertoire has led her to collaborate with emerging and established composers and premiere numerous works. She has studied with the leading interpreters of contemporary music and is a laureate of several competitions. Recent collaborations include performances with the United Instruments of Lucilin and Luxembourg Sinfonietta (Luxembourg), McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble (Montreal), Stroma and Amalgam (New Zealand). Xenia is currently studying with Professor Sara Laimon. Her areas of research include Aspects of Performance Practice with Instruments and Electronics, The Importance of Birdsong in Relation to Olivier Messiaen’s Piano Output, and Russian and Soviet Musical Modernism 1900-1932. She recently received a SSHRC grant to develop ideas on the Performance Practice of Interactive Music in Canada: 1950 to the Present Day.

We would also like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Doctoral student- Ms. Ruby Ji Zin. She recently completed her Artist Diploma at McGill with Prof. Richard Raymond, and will begin her Doctoral studies this fall. Congratulations and welcome!

neW doctorAl students in the house page 2

The Soundboard

I will never forget the first day I met Charles. I had been assigned to him as a Master’s student, and walked up to the fourth floor of the music building to introduce myself and to discuss lesson times for the year. The snow white haired, dignified looking gentlemen was sitting at his desk and inquisitively looked up after I knocked at the door. His gentlemanly demeanor was apparent right from our initial

meeting, but what surprised me the most is that after brief initial discussion, he looked at me and said simply “You will call me Charles.” What a surprise!

Wanting to make the best of my time at McGill, I had practiced my programme all summer, and after our first piano lesson, was most pleased when Charles’s comment after my initial playing of Beethoven’s Opus 2 No.3 was“quite mature”. I was amazed at how great Charles was at making you feel at ease at lessons--in fact, the norm was more collegial, as opposed to professorial. (The only time the latter prevailed was during a slightly heated interpretive discussion of Chopin, after which Charles said “...on this, I insist!”).I always looked forward to taking the metro

to practice on weekdays at his Greene Avenue apartment – what a privilege! His “rock-hard” Steinway provided a great athletic workout for the fingers, and occasionally I could look forward to little notes in foreign languages that were sometimes were left for inspiration! If further inspiration were needed, I would conjure up one of my more favorite of his pearls of pianistic wisdom, such as “…think of the keys

as an extension of your hand” To this day, I use that analogy for legatissimo with my own piano students.

After graduating in 1990, we kept in touch on a y e a r l y b a s i s , either with phone c a l l s — a l w a y s brief (“GOOD to hear from you!” was usually how they ended after a minute and a half or so!), letters (ending

sometimes with “Mhany hugs and kisses”), or, when I made it to Montreal, in person lunches (“You pay for the drinks; I’ll pay for the food!”). Who could forget the famous page turning jokes!

I will never forget one particular cab ride to the airport for one of my visits back home to Winnipeg during my studies at McGill. In conversation with the cab driver, my piano studies with Charles came up in

the discussion. It so happened that the driver was a classical music fan who had seen some of Charles’ performances and could not believe his good fortune that he was transporting a genuine Reiner student in his cab! No doubt, all of his former piano students around the continent collectively bask in the knowledge of how fortunate we all were to have had him in our musical lives.

Pianist Jacqueline Ryz is a native of Winnipeg where she received her Bachelor of Arts in music from the University of Winnipeg, as well as her ARCT in performance from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto. In Winnipeg, she studied with John Melnyk and Lorne Watson, and was twice a finalist in the prestigious Aikens Memorial Trophy Competition. She later received her MMus at McGill, where she studied with Charles Reiner.

Ms. Ryz is currently on the piano faculty of the Preparatory Studies Division of the University of Manitoba and also teaches piano pedagogy at the Faculty of Music. A highly experienced teacher, she maintains a large class of students at all levels. Her students include provincial RCM medal recipients. She is also a senior piano examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, and a member of the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association.

Ms. Ryz is an active performer in Manitoba and has had numerous concerts broadcast on CBC radio. She is a frequent guest artist on many University of Winnipeg concert series, and has premiered two solo works by Manitoba composers. Her performances include duo piano tours with pianist Laura Loewen, as well as appearances in Mexico and the United States.

reMeMberinG chArles reiner by Jacqueline Ryz, MMus’90

AluMni Profile: JAcqueline rYz, MMus’90

Charles Reiner’s Credo, in his own charming style:

page 3

Jacqueline and Charles

The Soundboardpage 4

N e w R e l e a s e s

Canadian Music for Two PianosLUBA and IRENEUS ZUK Piano Duo

A CD of Canadian Music for Two Pianos, performed by the Luba and Ireneus Zuk Piano Duo, has been released by SNE - Societe nouvelle d ’ e n r e g i s t r e m e n t (Direction artistique: Gilles Poirier).

The disc includes the following works: “Ronde villageoise” (1961, rev.1986) by Clermont Pépin, “Danse brésillienne” (1946, rev. 1971) by Roger Matton, “Mythologies” (1987) by Gary Kulesha, “Fantasy” (1982) by David Keane, “Second Sonata” (1983) by George Fiala, and “Three Shades of Dark” (1987) by Clifford Crawley.

The Zuk Duo have become known for their particular devotion to the Canadian repertoire. They have commissioned and premiered a significant number of compositions by Canadian composers including works written especially for them, some with the assistance of grants from the Canada Council and the Ontario Arts Council.

Professor Luba Zuk is a member of the piano faculty at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University and at the McGill Conservatory of Music in Montreal. Ireneus Zuk is Professor and former Director of the School of Music at Queen’s University, Kingston.

Luba & Ireneus Zuk

Pépin • Matton • Kulesha • Keane • Fiala • Crawley

Canadian Music for Two PianosMusique canadienne pour deux piano

Piano duo Pianistes-duettistes

we’d love to hear from you!If you'd like to send us your news, or you'd like to support the Piano Area, or if you know someone who would like to receive our newsletter,Contact Kate herzberg in the Development Office at 514-398-4054 or kate.herzberg@mcgill.ca.w w w . m c g i l l . c a / m u s i c / a l u m n iHelp save a tree--ask for your electronic copy (PDF) today!

I met Paul Berkowitz two years ago in beautiful Santa Barbara. Even though I have done quite a few auditions in the past, never before had a professor come pick me up at the airport in his car. This was indicative of the warmth and generosity so characteristic of him, qualities I would get to experience in the following 3 days, which felt more like a vacation than the tense and anxious situation auditions usually are. Those same qualities come across clearly in Paul Berkowitz’ performances, as the audience in Pollack Hall was able to witness on March 20th. Not that his playing cannot also be grim and heart-wrenching when needed, as in his masterful rendition of Janáček’s Sonata 1.X.1905 that evening.

After 6 years at McGill, I was very much looking forward to moving to a balmier climate and studying with him, and he

seemed equally eager that I go there, but reasons beyond our control prevented that from happening. Therefore, when I heard he was coming to McGill, I was overjoyed

at the prospect of playing for him again. In the masterclass he gave, Paul demonstrated his profound understanding of Beethoven and Brahms, brilliantly coaching Tristan Longval-Gagné and Eun-Boram Ahn in their performances. When it came my turn to play Prokofiev, I once again experienced the qualities that make him a truly special teacher. The attentive listening, the gentle way in which he coaxes us

to overcome our limits, the deep love for music and the intoxicating enthusiasm that exude from his every word. At the risk of sounding trite, I must say that it was indeed a very special evening for me, and that it reminded me why we make music. Thank you, Paul. -Durval Cesetti

PAul berKoWitz: Morton VisitinG Artist ‘07

Michelle Nam, BMus ‘07, recent Montreal Symphony Orchestra Piano Competition Grand Prize winner, was invited to play for a second time with the OSM on July 26th at Place-des-Arts, where she performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto K.488 in A major. In September she began her Master’s studies at Juilliard.

Vancouver lawyer Roselle Wu, BMus ’98, was the soloist Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 (The Em-peror) with the West Coast Symphony on November 30th. Currently an associ-ate of Harper Grey, Ms. Wu is also an active chamber musician. The concert on the 30th raised funds for the Lookout Emergency Aid Society.

This September Rosa Pyon, student of Luba Zuk, won First Place (senior group) at the 2007 Thousand Is-lands International Piano Competition for Young People, in Cape Vincent, New York. Ms. Pyon is currently pursuing an Undergraduate Degree in Piano Performance.

Prof. Richard Raymond made his Mexican debut in Mexico City with the Mexico Philharmonic Orchestra performing Shostakovitch’s Concerto no.2, and then gave a solo recital in Tbilisi, Georgia at the Grand Hall of the Conservatoire. While in each country he also led masterclasses.

Prof. Sara Laimon, cur-rently on sabbatical, will be performing in New York at Symphony Space on February 14th, 2008, featuring works by Har-old Meltzer and McGill’s own Brian Cherney. For further information, please visit www.sym-phonyspace.org.

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