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Summer Solstice Festival: Ancient & Modern Voices of the East
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Starts: Friday, June 19
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Ends: Friday, June 19
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Erhu master George Gao, a virtuoso performer on the two-stringed instrument some know as a "Chinese violin", performs both traditional and original compositions that highlight the musical traditions of the Far East.
The shimmering delicacy of Debussy's Pagodes and the gamelan-inspired sounds in Lou Harrison's Varied Trio reveal a fascination with non-Western modes and instruments. This mix of eastern and western elements continues in works by Hovhaness, and contemporary composers Bright Sheng and Yukiko Nishimura.
About the Festival
The absence of a summer chamber music festival in Edmonton was a question raised by Dr. Patricia Tao when she joined the ECMS executive in 2004.
A pianist and dedicated chamber musician, she had participated in many such festivals in Europe and North America and thought Edmonton, with its well-established chamber music audience and enthusiasm for summer festivals, would welcome a new entry onto the cultural scene. The ECMS supported her vision and in June 2008 presented the first annual Summer Solstice Festival.
Patricia Tao undertook the role of Music Director as well as performer. Organizer of the Hear's to Your Health concert series at the Walter Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, she drew upon her experience as a music programmer to create thematically linked but stylistically varied programs.
Event Location
Convocation Hall
3-82 Fine Arts Building
Edmonton, Alberta
T6G 2C9