Friday Fun Link #29

This weekend is Carifest in Calgary. Enjoy a weekend of Caribbean music and culture! (c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Summer Music Programs around Alberta

Parents, if you're looking for a summer activity for the young artist in your life, check out some of these summer music programs throughout Alberta:

1. Calgary Arts Summer School Association: Now in its thirteenth year, CASSA is enjoying steady growth and a long list of happy campers. The Piano Camp is fully booked but there are still spaces available in the Musical Theatre Showtime; Music, Drama, Movement & Art; Music Theory Workshop and Piano Pedagogy Workshop.

2. Mount Royal College - The Conservatory: The Conservatory is offering: a Drumset Educational Program, Head Start Band Program, Intermediate Band Program, Kodaly Musicianship, Morningside Music Bridge, Music with Your Baby, Organ Academy International Summer School, Summer Jazz Workshop and Summer String Academy.

3. University of Lethbridge: Summer programs offered in Kindermusik, Drama, Art and more!

4. Red Deer College: RDC offers MusiCamp Alberta, for students age 10 and up. Students can experience fiddling, piano, choir, band, Adult Concert Band and musical theatre.

5. Macewan College: offers summer workshops in music, art and new media.

If you hear of any arts related summer programs that you think should be added to the list, please let me know.

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Calgary Youth Sparkle at Calgary Concerto Competition

On Sunday, a friend and I attended the Calgary Civic Symphony's concert, featuring the winners from this year's Calgary Concerto Competition. We were simply amazed at the musical maturity these youngsters displayed. At the tender age of 11, Jan Lisieki demonstrated that he could interpret the tender cantabile melodies in Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 with sensitivity and maturity. It is no wonder that he has won the Calgary Music Competition three times.

Thirteen year-old TieDan Yao is always a delight to watch. His face reflects the sheer joy he feels about playing. He sparkled with the Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1. I enjoyed this performance even more than his playing at the CFMTA National Piano Competition this past summer.

Willem Stam provided a wonderful break from the piano with his interpretation of Dvorak's Concerto for Violncello and Orchestra in B minor. The seventeen year-old proved that he can infuse the melodies with sufficient angst and passion.

Fifteen year-old Eric Kim closed the program with Gershwin's Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra. In her introduction, Maestra Rosemary Thompson, mentioned that Eric plays trombone in his school jazz band. His feel for the jazz idiom was evident in his performance.

It was an inspiring concert, the type that inspires other musicians to try harder. Most of us aren't cut out for the concert stage, but we can always improve.

Copyright 2006, Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Friday Fun Link #5

When checking the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra’s website for concert information today, I noticed a link titled “Musician Demos”. What a treat to find short video clips of various orchestra members talking about their instruments. For instance, did you know that there are over 1,000 “noise-makers” in their percussion section? What made the treat extra special is that I know some of the musicians in those clips.