“The train is about to depart the station. Please stand clear of the doors.” With those words violinist Lucy Wang of the Viano String Quartet invited us along on a train ride to some improbable places. And what a ride … Read More

Escapism often has a negative connotation. Society tells us to plant our feet firmly on the ground and keep our heads out of the clouds, but our most powerful inspiration can often come from those moments where we escape the … Read More

During the Liz Carter Talk in the foyer before Saturday’s concert, an audience member asked cellist Ariel Barnes about the name of his duo Couloir. Ari mentioned his love of skiing, referencing one meaning of the word as a steep … Read More

Time for a little philosophy. We’ve heard the name of Axiom Brass used frequently in the past little while. The reference to brass is obvious. But what about the axiom part of the name? The dictionary tells us that an … Read More

  And so it was over with a single note. No thundering climax. No plangent tones fading into silence. The concert ended with a single note from the piano. The violinist and the cellist sat motionless. The pianist needed only … Read More

  The title of this piece is a quote from a TED Talk that has become widely used. It makes the point that facts in isolation have little meaning. Their context shapes their significance. On Friday, we enjoyed a concert. … Read More

  The Canadian Guitar Quartet opened the second half of Friday’s concert at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium with a piece entitled Empty Houses. Guitarist and composer Renaud Côté-Giguère explained that as a boy he had believed his old homes would … Read More

  Last Friday we enjoyed a marvelous concert of music by Beethoven and Brahms. They’re famous. Just say the name and everyone knows of whom we are speaking. History is full of talented composers who have produced glorious music, but … Read More

At first blush, there couldn’t be a greater contrast. The man was unassuming. The artist was sensational. The man was short. The artist was towering .The man mumbled at times. The artist communicated with passion and clarity. Charles Richard-Hamelin embodied … Read More

  It was a trio. But every memory of Thursday’s concert returns unerringly to one face. The three of them played with brilliance and passion. But one of them played with the audience. Vladimir Volokhin was an absolute wizard with … Read More