The Kingston Road Village Concert Series presents two concerts with pianist Bruce Vogt, each with very different repertoire. The concerts take place February 21 and 22 at the Kingston Road United Church.
One focuses on music for classic silent films, while the other offers music as a balm for our troubled times.
Pianist Bruce Vogt
Canadian pianist Bruce Vogt maintains a busy career as a performer and teacher.
Vogt showed an interest in the piano as a toddler growing up in Southern Ontario. He grew up in a musical family where singing was a constant presence in his life, including choirs as well as impromptu campfire performances, along with the classical music, show, tunes, jazz, and pop that constantly emanated from his parents’ record player.
Bruce began formal lessons at age five, but included improvisation in his musical tool box even at an early age. He studied at Western University, where he earned his undergraduate degree, and followed up with studies at the University of Toronto with Anton Kuerti. He also studied in Europe and beyond with various teachers.
As a soloist and chamber musician, he has performed on stages big and small throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.
As a pedagogue, he has guided generations of young artists in the role of professor of piano at the University of Victoria. He has been invited to many institutions to serve as a guest lecturer, as well as leading master classes, and has adjudicated festivals across the country.
Alongside performances in concert form, Bruce has explored the links between music, film, literature and painting in various ways. That includes performing improvised accompaniment to classic silent films, including masterworks by Chaplin, Keaton, Griffith, Sjöström, Von Sternberg and many others. He’s added his musical accompaniment to such films in movie houses in Europe, Asia, and North America.
The Concerts
Saturday Night at the Movies (February 21)
The concert space at Kingston Road United Church will be transformed into a classic movie theatre, complete with a 14-foot screen, and free popcorn.
Bruce Vogt will accompany four silent films by the greats of that era, including Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Laurel & Hardy, with his improvisations.
It’s a family-friendly event full of unexpected delights.
Songs of Consolation for Our Distracted Times (February 22)
Calm, reflection, and renewal are the themes of this afternoon concert. It’s named after Thomas Tomkins’ work A Sad Pavan for These Distracted Times, and also includes music by Rameau, Chopin, Schubert, and Debussy. It’s a tonic for the constant noise of today’s world.
A Sad Pavan for These Distracted Times
It’s easy to feel like we are living in uniquely difficult times, but Thomas Tomkins’ judiciously titled A Sad Pavan for These Distracted Times was composed in the 17th century.
In 1625, Tomkins had been commissioned to write music for the coronation of Charles I. In 1642, his wife died, he civil war broke out, and his cathedral at Worcester was badly damaged, along with Tomkins’ organ. His own home was struck by a cannonball in 1643, and took a long time to refurbish. The cathedral was closed, and his choir disbanded.
He persisted in composed music, however, and among his works from that period was music dedicated to the Earl of Stafford, and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Both were executed during the 1640s, and King Charles I was beheaded in 1649.
Tomkins wrote his Pavan just a few days after the King’s execution, while he didn’t specifically dedicate it to the memory of the monarch. Musically, as well as in its title, the work reflects the era he lived in.
It’s probably the most famous of his pieces today. Originally written for harpsichord, it reflects the turbulence of the times, incorporating both emotional harmonies and melodies, and dissonance that gives a modern feel.
The Details
- Find details and tickets for Saturday Night at the Movies [HERE].
- Find details and tickets for Songs of Consolation for Our Distracted Times [HERE].
- Choose the “Weekend Special” option after clicking on “tickets” for a deal to attend both concerts.
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