The Royal Conservatory of Music has announced a star-studded concert to celebrate the launch of their Celebration Series®, Sixth Edition piano books. The Royal Conservatory’s Artist in Residence Stewart Goodyear, Angela Hewitt, and others will perform works that have been included in the RCM’s latest set of piano publications.
The celebration will take place in-person as well as via livestream on Apr. 27 at 8:30 p.m. at Koerner Hall.
About the books
The Celebration Series®, Sixth Edition piano books includes volumes of piano repertoire, études, music theory, and other components of the RCM’s educational program.
The new series includes work by composers from 20 different countries, including the work of 47 Canadian composers and 54 American composers. Canadian composers include Vincent Ho (Calgary), Alexina Louie (Toronto), Stephen Chatman (Vancouver), and Christine Donkin (Victoria).
As part of the RCM’s mandate to support living artists, the pieces include new commissions from 73 living composers, including 32 recently composed pieces that make their debut in this series.
Performers include…
- Stewart Goodyear;
- Angela Hewitt;
- Jan Lisiecki;
- International Fryderyk Chopin Competition laureate Tony Yike Yang;
- RCM Honorary Fellow Lang Lang;
- Series composer Heather Schmidt;
- Recording artist for the series Dianne Werner-Simon;
- Among others.
Among the works performed will be three world premieres.
- The Cat and Mouse Tango by Gary K. Thomas, performed by Stewart Goodyear;
- Flip Flops by Gary K. Thomas, performed by his daughter Hope Thomas;
- A Moonlight Night on the Spring River, arranged by Edward Jiang, performed by Tony Yang.
Why it’s important
The music that piano students learn from will inform their progress as they continue to develop as either performers or composers, or both. If the world of classical music is to reinvigorate itself with a steady stream of new talent and artistic works, that process has to begin at the student level.
Incorporating diverse styles of music from all over the world enlarges the base of knowledge they can draw on as their musical lives progress.
Dr. Peter Simon, President & CEO of The Royal Conservatory, talked about the concert in a release.
“At this event, we will also celebrate the music teachers who have guided their students through isolation and uncertainty and brought the joy of music at a time when its transformative power was needed most,” he said. “I look forward to seeing teachers on April 27 and expressing my gratitude for their commitment.”
You can RSVP for the livestream event here.
Check out the Celebration Series®, Sixth Edition here.
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