Students from Unionville HS, R.H. King, and the Peel Region Strings program enjoyed the brilliant program played by Mark Fewer, Chris Whitley, the Thalea String Quartet, and Jeanie Chung.
After the concert came the Book Launch party for Robin Elliott’s third installment of the history of the WMCT: Counterpoint Three, with his promise to keep documenting us until the 150th!
The party included Kathy Halliday’s astonishing cupcakes. For more photos, check our Facebook page.
The day before her Music in the Afternoon recital, Mariam gave a master class for advanced piano students at Unionville High School for the Arts. She listened to three young performers, then offered guidance and advice. One of them wrote:
“Learning under the tutelage of a great pianist is always a pleasure, but my master class with the fantastic Mariam Batsashvilli was an entirely different experience altogether. Her deep understanding of music and effortless charm made for not only one of the best lessons I’ve ever received, but also one of the most enjoyable. Her insights about my piece, Liszt’s Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, were profound and unbelievably helpful, whilst being delivered lightheartedly with both humility and a great sense of humor. My gratitude to Ms. Batsashvilli for coming and offering her expertise and both the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto and the Arts Unionville program for offering me this incredible opportunity is ineffable; it is truly an experience that I won’t forget.”
The class attended Walter Hall on April 4, and offered some feedback:
“I
am beyond grateful to have been given this opportunity. I thoroughly
enjoyed the programme and the musical nuances that Mariam brought to
life – it was as if the audience was part of the story woven in her
music. Her interpretation of Liszt is awe-inspiring, expressive and
sensitive. Combined with her technical brilliance, it made for an
unforgettable concert. Thank you for this amazing experience!”
“I enjoyed Mariam’s expression for each piece she played. She was able to capture the mood and feeling of a character… it felt like she was telling a story in her pieces. Her technique was so effortless, clean and smooth, I really liked the soft trills and the crisp turns from the impeccable articulation she used.”
Music in the Afternoon has just become a performing arts partner in the Cultural Access Pass (CAP) program. CAP is available to all new Canadians over 18, following their citizenship ceremony, and lasts for one year. It’s a year of free admission to more than 1,400 Canadian museums, art galleries, and historical sites, plus opportunities to attend concerts, dance and other events by performing arts partners right across Canada.
CAP is delivered by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), a national charity co-founded in 2006 by WMCT Patron the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul. ICC programs and projects inspire inclusion, and the practice of active citizenship, including ownership of our collective culture and spaces.