The 21st annual Fall Piano Charity Concert will feature pieces from the dark and whimsical to the peaceful and serene.
Nine pianists playing at the Grade 10 and ARCT, Associate Royal Conservatory Toronto, level, will be performing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, Frédéric Chopin, Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Debussy and other 20th century works.
Maisie Liu, 14, and Edwin Ma, 17, both at the ARCT level, will both be performing.
Liu will be playing Études Tableaux Op. 33 No. 2 Allegro in C Major by Sergei Rachmaninoff and Fantasie Impromtu by Frédéric Chopin.
Never before has she performed a piece by the famous Russian composer but she enjoys listening to his music.
“Rachmaninoff has a dark yet whimsical melody and harmony overall, but it also has very expressive melodies. He blends major and minor keys in a very creative way,” said the young pianist who likes the poetic contrast between the three sections of the piece.
Teacher Dan Wardrope explains that the first section is notoriously difficult to play and extremely technical.
“Because it is super fast,” said Liu.
“You’re covering the upper half of the keyboard, I would say, in many places,” noted Wardrope.
Ma will also be playing a piece by Rachmaninoff, Prelude Op. 32, No. 5 in G Major.
“It has this really interesting five note pattern that you don’t commonly see in other pieces,” said Ma of the five notes that will be played with his left hand.
“Usually beats are groups of four. But when you add that extra one it sounds really different,” he continued, adding that the five note pattern stays throughout the serene melody.
The second piece Ma will be performing is Un Sospiro by Franz Liszt. In this piece Ma’s hands will be constantly crossing over, making it quite challenging.
Liszt was a 19th century Hungarian composer that was the first to embrace the culture of showmanship into his concerts. He changed the way modern piano concerts were held Wardrope explained.
“What he did was he moved the piano sideways to the audience so you could see hands and his facial profile,” said Wardrope, pointing out that the composer understood how to draw people into what he was doing.
Ma even learned through his research of the classical artist that when Liszt would throw his handkerchief to a crowd of people, they would shred it.
“He was that kind of magnetic persona,” said Wardrope.
Sadness envelopes much of the music of Rachmaninoff. The Russian composer became increasingly disillusioned and disenchanted with home country and his music often reflected the social and political turmoil at the time.
During the concert each pianist will be speaking about the composers and music that they will be performing.
This years concert will benefit New Westminster based Hope International Development Agency that helps people become free from poverty through their own initiative by providing clean water, sustainable food supplies, good health, education and skills and improved income.
Since its inception the Fall Piano Charity Concert has raised more than $25,000 for various charities chosen by the performers.
The concert takes place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 6 at Swaneset Bay Resort and Country Club, 16651 Rannie Rd. in Pitt Meadows.
Doors open at 6:30pm and tickets are $15 and must be ordered in advance as the concert sells out every year. Admission includes coffee, tea and a cookie or muffin at intermission.
To order tickets call 604 818 8853 or email djwardrope@gmail.com.
Performers: Maisie Liu, Nicole Lassetter, Emily Zhang, Tabea Hall, Edwin Ma, Tony Yang, Tracy Yang, Faith Tan and Adriana Wardrope.