Contemporary Showcase is a festival of contemporary music by Canadian composers. ESFRS students participate in this festival both as soloists and in ensembles. Here are some performances from the 2019 festival:
Category Archives: Chamber Music
Groups & Grads February 21, 2019
Groups & Grads 2015 at Stanley Milner Library Theatre
This concert is the showcase concert of the year for our program. It features both solo performances of students who are celebrating completion of a book level, and group performances from the ensembles.
This year Groups & Grads will be at Knoppers Hall, Kings University (9125 50 St. NW)
Concert starts at 6:30 pm – students should arrive by 6:00 pm for set up and tuning.
Admission is free! Bring a friend!
Groups & Grads 2017 at City Hall
Groups & Grads 2016 – check out the bass recorder and bass flute!
Click here for more information about the ESFRS book level graduation program.
Celebrate the Season at the Alberta Legislature
photo: Kelly Komm, 2018
Our groups often perform in the Alberta Legislature building during the holiday season. We perform under the rotunda in the main entrance before the grand staircase – a beautiful setting! This is part of the Celebrate the Season event hosted by the Legislative Assembly Visitor Services.
In 2016 we were joined by members of the Edmonton Recorder Society for some of the pieces. Here are some highlights from that performance:
Here’s some highlights from the 2015 performances. The Silverwinds senior trio playing the Healey Willan setting of the Huron Carol:
A collection of highlights featuring many of our different flute and recorder group combinations:
And from 2012, the senior trio playing Joy to the World:
and a Gavotte by Boismortier:
November Group Concert
At the end of November, our students perform duets, trios, quartets, and other ensemble music that they learn in their group lessons. The group lessons are an important community building part of our program, and it is in the group lessons where the students learn the skills that will keep them able to play music with their friends throughout their adult lives.
We welcome families who are interested in having lessons with their children. Come to the concert and see what we do! Registration in our program is open year-round. Click here for registration information.
In 2018 and 2017, the concert was at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, where we also have our regular weekly group lessons. Here are some highlights from the 2018 concert:
And highlights from the 2017 concert:
Here is the link to the rest of the playlist, if you want to see the whole concert:
In 2016, the concert was at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church. Here is a short selection featuring the Silverwinds playing in 7/8 with a bass flute:
And another selection from 2016, featuring our beginners playing their very first ensemble piece:
In 2015, the concert was at the Strathearn United Church. Here are some highlights from that performance:
In 2013 and 2014, the concert was in the Expressionz Cafe. There were many favourable comments about the coffeehouse setting. Many parents enjoyed being able to sit back with a latte while enjoying the concert. Unfortunately, Expressionz had to close, so in November 2015 we found a new venue. Thank you Expressionz, for hosting us!
Flûte Alors!
Flûte Alors! is a dynamic recorder quartet from Montréal. They passed through Edmonton on Wednesday, February 21, and we are grabbed them as they went by for an amazing evening of concerts and classes!
5:00 – 6:00 pm: Masterclass / Workshop for young recorder players
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm CONCERT! Bach ’n’ Jazz
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Masterclass / Workshop for adult recorder players
All events were at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 9155 79 Ave, Edmonton
Many thanks to Edmonton Recorder Society for co-sponsoring the concert, and to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for the use of their facility.
Winter Recital
Our Winter Recital is held at the end of January. Instead of trying to have a concert in December when everyone is so busy, we save our winter concert for a special January project to get everyone going again after the holiday. Students choose their performance pieces before the holiday, and rehearsals with the pianist are organized during group time the week before the concert. This concert is open to the public. Admission is by donation.
Every student will has an opportunity to play twice – once as a solo and once as part of a unison group. This gives everyone an opportunity to experience going on stage two times.
Mid Term Mini Concerts
Something new we are trying for the 2017-2018 season: we take the group night in the middle of the term and turn it into a small concert, where we all play for each other instead of having our regular classes.
This is very informal. There is no dress code. Unlike our large recitals that we have in January and June, not everyone will play solos, only those who are recommended by their teacher as having something ready. Each group will play something they have been working on, so every student will have an opportunity perform in their groups.
Since not everyone will be playing a solo, there is no set rehearsal time with a pianist before the concert. Each student is responsible for their own accompaniment. This can be playing as a duet with a teacher, or teachers can play the piano parts. If you are playing a more complex piece that requires a piano specialist to accompany you, you are responsible for arranging a pianist and rehearsing in advance. So even though the concert is more informal, individual students have to take more responsibility for their preparation.
This event is open to the public. Students can invite friends and family. Anyone who is interested in seeing what we do in the ESFRS program is welcome to drop in.
10th Anniversary Celebration
January 28, 2017
10th anniversary Concert Celebration
Groups performed:
Mixed group with teacher Kathleen Schoen
Recorder group with teacher and pianist Dorothy Beyer
Flute group with teacher Beth Gardner
Soloists also performed on both flute and recorder:
And of course there was cake, and flowers, and general happy celebrations:
In our program, the beginners start out like this:
and end up sounding like this:
Many thanks to photographers Asanka Dissanayaka, Jackie Lalonde, Kelly Komm and Thomas Schoen.
Thanks to Susanna So for organizing and donating the cake.
Thanks to McEwan University for the use of the concert hall.
Thanks to Dorothy Beyer for playing the piano.