BIGLAKE Festival, the highly anticipated musical event in Prince Edward County, returns on August 21.
Its 6th season opens with acclaimed Canadian violinist Kerson Leong, who will be making his BIGLAKE debut. The prodigy started playing the violin at age four, winning First Prize at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists when he was only 13 years old, which was followed by a long list other awards.
JUNO award-winning Canadian pianist Philip Chiu, on the other hand, is a seasoned BIGLAKE veteran. He has been a regular presence in Prince Edward County since the inception of Wellington Water Week, before it was rebranded as BIGLAKE Festival.
Kerson and Philip are long-time musical collaborators. The two artists frequently perform and tour together, and Kerson’s debut album “Bis” was recorded with Philip as a joint artist project.
Kerson Leong and Philip Chiu perform at the Festival de Musique de Lachine back in 2014:
LV caught up with Kerson and Philip about their upcoming BIGLAKE concerts.
Opening Night with Kerson
The concert is an exploration of darkness and light, and angels and devils. Kerson will be accompanied by Philip on the piano.
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt is the most performed living composer in the world, known for his signature tintinnabuli style, a minimalist musical language inspired by the sound of ringing bells and Gregorian chant. The concert starts off in an ethereal place with Pärt’s iconic work “Fratres”— meaning brotherhood—which Kerson describes as very spiritual and solemn.
Next is Francis Poulenc’s Violin Sonata. Kerson describes this piece as spirited and full of contrast. “It is filled with lightheartedness, yet also full of tragedy.”
“The Lark Ascending” by Ralph Vaughan Williams is an iconic piece that many will recognize. “It makes the violin embody a lark or a bird that’s fluttering and doing all of its things in a very literal way. And it brings us back into the ethereal,” says Kerson.
Kerson has a special connection to Belgian composer and violin virtuoso Eugène Ysaÿe, having studied at the institute that Ysaÿe co-founded. Kerson also recorded all six Ysaÿe solo violin sonatas in 2021. For BIGLAKE, he will perform No. 2, notable for its homage to J.S. Bach and the medieval chant “Dies irae,” which Kerson describes as “almost demonic or sardonic.”
The demonic theme continues with Giuseppe Tartini’s “Devil’s Trill Sonata.” The story goes that Tartini had a dream in which the devil played him a sonata, which the composer wrote down what he could remember of it. “I find it’s an incredibly powerful piece. You can sense the urgency, passion, perhaps desperation, in Tartini’s writing, just to be able to capture that moment in a dream,” Kerson says.
The last piece on his program will be Maurice Ravel’s “Tzigane”, described by Kerson as a character piece for both the violin and piano. The piece is inspired by the style of Hungarian and Romani (“Gypsy”) violin playing, with lots of fiery tricks and dazzling virtuoso effects.
Philip Chiu in Solo Recital
Since the theme of this year’s BIGLAKE is Classics, Philip’s solo recital will feature many well-known piano classics, from Chopin Nocturnes and Rachmaninoff Preludes to Debussy’s Clair de Lune and Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.
From a musician’s standpoint, performing these familiar pieces presents a special challenge. “I had to first kind of wrestle with my own demons, you know, as a musician,” says Philip. “We’re sometimes hesitant to lean into some of these works exactly for the reason that they’re so well known to us. We start to attach these labels about them being very cliché, because we hear them all the time.”
Philip feels it’s important to approach these works without this label. He cites the example of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”, which he only learned recently. “It’s really remarkable to come to these works that we think of as super familiar and overplayed, to actually see the genius and the imagination behind. The very reason that they became so well known is that they are such amazing pieces of music that, in a way, happen to worm their way into the cultural consciousness.”
Even for non-classical fans, most of the music will sound familiar. “I would like to show them just a little bit more about where a piece comes from, what the context is about, who the composer was, what he was about, and what this piece meant for him,” explains Philip.
“For me, what I’m hoping to do through this evening is to create entryways for people who are curious, to give them a little bit more understanding; to reward their curiosity by sharing and finding ways for them to come in towards the music or to bring the music towards them.”
In addition to his solo concert, Philip will also perform with the quartet Ensemble Made In Canada, a staple of BIGLAKE.
Kerson & Philip Play Dorman & Chausson
The two artists get to collaborate again in this concert that also features the Berlin Philharmonic String Quartet.
According to Philip, Ernest Chausson’s Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet is filled with, “extremely beautiful melodies, tons of virtuosity and brilliance, and lots of elegance.”
Kerson adds, “It’s one of those pieces where you get the impression that the composer is just overflowing with emotions and ideas, and just wants to cram it all; a heart-on-sleeve piece where nothing is hidden. It’s a real rollercoaster ride for everyone involved, and for the listener as well, just because it’s conceived on such a massive scale.”
By contrast, Avner Dorman’s “Nigunim,” has a totally different aesthetic. Originally written for violin and piano, this version has been adapted for violin, piano and string quartet. Dorman’s works are renowned for blending classical forms with influences from Jewish, Middle Eastern, African, and Balkan musical traditions. “Nigunimis” a highly energetic, multicultural exploration of global Jewish musical traditions.
About Working Together Again at BIGLAKE
When asked what the musicians are most looking forward to, Philip immediately gushes, “Kerson is just such an incredibly natural musician, and at the same time, such a learned and thoughtful artist. Playing with him has never felt anything but easy. It’s always stimulating. When we went on tour, every performance felt new. I’m just personally so excited to be playing with him again, all week long.”
The admiration is certainly mutual. Kerson also enthuses about his collaborator. “Playing together with Philip never felt stale, predetermined, or preconceived. I have great memories of us playing together because it was always a living process. Philip responds in a way that is so natural, our communication doesn’t need words.”
Because this is Kerson’s first BIGLAKE gig, he looks forward most to the wonderful energy and people in a beautiful natural space. “It is the close connection between the artists that are playing and the listeners who are right in front of them. There is a real intimacy in that kind of concert setting. The emotions and physical sensations of hearing sounds come out are very palpable, like there’s a real exchange going on, and I so look forward to that.”
Philip also echoes this sentiment about playing in medium-sized venues that is distinctly BIGLAKE.
“What I love so much is hearing people breathe and hold their breath when something is really beautiful. To me everyone becomes a part of music-making and of the living arts. BIGLAKE is high quality, but made for humans on a very intimate scale. I think that’s what I really love about it.”
Final Thoughts
Philip adds that “I’m not just coming to perform incredible music — I mean really amazing, exciting, thrilling music. I’m coming to share this music with them, offering it as a gift. Consider it an invitation — come without trepidation or concern about having to know something or having grown up in classical music, but just experience what it can be for you. It’s more than just music. It’s the people as well.”
As if they finish each other’s sentences, Kerson sums it up nicely.
“What we’re offering is something that is ultimately a very human experience.”
- Find concert details and tickets for all BIGLAKE events [HERE].
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