{"id":120500,"date":"2025-12-22T16:33:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T21:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=120500"},"modified":"2025-12-23T07:00:02","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T12:00:02","slug":"preview-maya-vasserman-talks-one-kind-concerts-peer-gynt-adventures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/12\/22\/preview-maya-vasserman-talks-one-kind-concerts-peer-gynt-adventures\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | Maya Vasserman Talks About One-of-a-Kind Concerts\u2019 Peer Gynt Adventures"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Graphic
Graphic for Peer Gynt\u2019s Adventures concert (courtesy of Maya K. Vasserman & One-Of-A-Kind Concerts)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maya Vasserman\u2019s One-of-a-Kind Concerts will present a program revolving around the music of Edvard Grieg, and Norwegian themes. It takes place on January 18, 2026, and the program is designed to appeal to younger audiences, as well as anyone with a taste for something fun to go along with the music.<\/p>\n

Vasserman wanted to offer audience members of all ages something a little out of the ordinary. The concert is presented in collaboration with the Norwegian Consulate, and the Norwegian Club of Toronto.<\/p>\n

\u201cI contacted the consulate and I asked them to come and give a talk,\u201d recalls Vasserman. While officials at the consulate were not able to attend the event, the Norwegian Club of Toronto stepped into the breach. It\u2019s not a sponsorship relationship; it\u2019s more of a cultural collaboration.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy main point of all my events is to bring awareness of classical music, especially for younger generations,\u201d Maya says. It\u2019s been one of her mandates since she began One-of-a-Kind Concerts.<\/p>\n

Young audiences aren\u2019t her only focus. Earlier in December, she presented a concert for an adult audience focused on the music of Edith Piaf.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything we do is catered for adults, and catered for children, and catered for seniors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edvard Grieg, a composer of the Romantic era, is known for his lyrical and evocative pieces. Many, like the Peer Gynt suite, were written with a story in mind. It\u2019s music that has a broad appeal, and as she points out, many children have already heard In The Hall Of The Mountain King.<\/p>\n

For the concert, Vasserman has written a story revolving around the music. \u201cOur story is very broad; it\u2019s about Norwegian folk culture.\u201d Nature is a strong theme in the narrative she\u2019s written to weave together the various pieces, with character\u2019s she\u2019s added to the Peer Gynt story including the Butterfly and the Swan. \u201cPlayful stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Program<\/h2>\n

The all-Grieg program in full includes:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Prelude from Holberg Suite op. 40 (piano solo)<\/li>\n
  • Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Suite (piano trio)<\/li>\n
  • Butterfly Op. 43 no.1 (piano solo)<\/li>\n
  • Little Bird Op. 43 no. 4 (piano solo)<\/li>\n
  • Waltz Op. 13 no. 2 (guitar duo)<\/li>\n
  • Death of Ase from Peer Gynt Suite (string duo)<\/li>\n
  • Norwegian Dance Op. 35 no. 2 (piano 4 hands)<\/li>\n
  • March of the Dwarfs Op. 54 no. 3 (flute and piano)<\/li>\n
  • In The Hall Of The Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite (piano trio)<\/li>\n
  • Notturno Op. 54, No. 4 (guitar solo)<\/li>\n
  • Anitra\u2019s Dance from Peer Gynt Suite (piano trio)<\/li>\n
  • Swan Op. 25 (soprano and piano)<\/li>\n
  • Varen Op. 34 no. 2 (flute and piano)<\/li>\n
  • Solveig\u2019s Song (soprano and piano)<\/li>\n
  • Wedding Day At Troldhaugen (piano four hands)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker Suite, performed by Sophie Wang & Alyson Guan:<\/p>\n