The Auditorio de la Ribera was packed for last Saturday’s exciting Scotiabank Northern Lights Music Festival Gala Concert, performed by the Festival Orchestra and conducted by Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Associate Concertmaster, the renowned chamber musician, Mark Skazinetsky.
The evening began with Robert Fuchs’ Serenade No. 3 in E minor Op. 21 in four movements: Romanze - Andante sostenuto, Menuetto, Allegretto grazioso and Finale alla Zingarese - Allegro con fuoco.
Nicknamed “Serenaden-Fuchs” – Serenader Fox – in Viennese musical circles, because his serenades were so popular, this performance demonstrated why. It was 20 minutes of sheer delight, particularly the finale, where the Hungarian influences reverberated throughout the auditorium, wrapped in the energetic, high speed, soaring melody.
Concertmaster Chris Wilshere rose to welcome the audience. He explained that this concert was dedicated to the memory of Dan McTavish, who had been his valued and trusted mentor for several years, and also a loyal supporter of the festival.
Indicating the two mannequins dressed in Rosemarie Umetsu creations at either side of the stage, he thanked Rosemarie and Wayne Umetsu, together with Ceci Girling, for putting the fashion show together so beautifully.
Wilshere concluded by thanking Scotiabank profusely for their continuing and invaluable support – a sentiment that was vigorously echoed by lengthy applause from the audience.
He then introduced dynamic and versatile solo violinist Ben Bowman, who has performed to critical acclaim throughout North America, Europe and Asia. A frequent soloist and guest artist for some of Canada’s best chamber music ensembles, he also has an impressive discography.
Bowman played Felix Mendelssohn’s exquisite and very complex Violin Concerto in D minor, composed when Mendelssohn was 13 years old but which remained unpublished until 1952, some 130 years later. It was superb and the delighted audience was on its feet applauding, the minute the last note faded.
Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70, followed the intermission.
The first movement Allegro con spirito, wonderfully strong and alive, led to the Adagio cantabile e con moto and a violin solo by Wilshere, with a pizzicato accompaniment from the other strings, then a change of pace and some energetic bow-work by everyone.
The light and bright third movement, Allegretto moderato, preceded the lively and folk-dance nuanced Allegro con brio e vivace, with its persistent and resonant melody and breathless, dramatic ending.
It was a really impressive night and greatly enjoyed by its capacity audience. The festival has yet another week to run and there are still more events yet to come. See: scotiabanknorthernlightsmusicfestival.com for details.
2015 Festival Orchestra Members were: Tanya Charles, Catherine Cosbey, Lance Ouellette, Annale Patipatanakoon, Amy Shroeder, Keiko Tokunaga (violins); Luke Fleming, Carol Gimbel, Mai Nguye (violas); Roman Borys, Felix Umansky, Andrew Yee (cellos); Roberto Ochippinti (double bass).