The concert that opened the 2024/5 season was a fantastic evening.
Fantastic because not only did it introduce us to a new conductor, Maestra Cosette Justo Valdes, and a young Canadian composer, Maria Martins, but it brought back the outstanding Canadian pianist Jon Kimura Parker.
Maestra Valdes has just joined the Vancouver Island Symphony, as the artistic director while remaining resident conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. She conducted with verve and a dramatic style. The orchestra reacted immediately and she had complete control. I got the impression that they liked playing with her.
The concert opened with Johann Strauss's 'Junior’s Emperor Waltz' and featured strong playing from several soloists, particularly the horn and bassoon stood out for me. The orchestra was arranged slightly differently than usual with the horns on the left and the other brass on the right separated by the tympani. This gave a very good balance to the sound.
This was followed by the new work composed by Maria Martins, who came onto the stage and introduced herself and the music. The music 'Vortex Cantabilis' spanned several centuries as she explained that the basic theme was taken from a tune written in the 13th century by Alfonso X of Castile. Martins used the theme steadily throughout the short piece and she overlaid it with various combinations of the orchestra. It was well done but a bit dissonant for my taste.
The third piece was the rollicking 'Slovakian dances of Galanta' by Zoltan Kodaly. Galanta was the small town in Slovakia where Zoltan grew up as a boy and his father was the station master. Unlike other folk music that composers often picked up 'Dances of Galanta' was based on 19th century recruiting songs. These songs were energetically performed to encourage young men to sign up for the Austro-Hungarian army. Somehow I doubt that this tone poem, with its beautiful clarinet cadenza would help enlist young people today! Again the orchestra was well under the control of Valdes with a very strong performance on the clarinet and the bassoon.
After the intermission a smiling Jon Kimura Parker came onto the stage looking relaxed and at home. He told us that he had visited his alma mater at Shawnigan Lake School that afternoon and was impressed with growth there.
Once he sat down to perform the Beethoven '5th piano Concerto' he was anything but relaxed as he played with such gusto and concentration. This concerto is often considered as Beethoven’s master work and although difficult to play Jon was more than up to it. The first allegro movement had him worked up into a sweat and he looked as if he had collapsed over the piano at its end. One thing that was apparent is that Valdes worked hard to keep the orchestra in time with the piano and she never drowned it out. The last note was cut off instantly when she signalled it.
Kimura Parker recovered and went into the more gentle adagio movement which is marked “un poco mosso” which means “with a bit of motion”! Motion there was as Kimura Parker’s fingers raced up and down the keyboard. As is often the case Valdes did not pause between the second and third movements. Kimura Parker picked up the pace and played the rondo superbly. When the closing beat came the audience leapt to its feet with wild applause for a performance that was satisfying in every way.
When pressured by the continuing applause Kimura Parker agreed to perform an encore and surprised us by playing Elton John's 'Bennie and the Jets' that was written in 1974, the year that Kimura Parker was last at Shawnigan Lake School. If Elton had been there he would have been amazed as we were by Kimura Parker's metamorphosis into a rock and roller!
The hall was buzzing with appreciation as people were leaving for a concert that was both interesting and brilliant. What a start to the season! I hope we get to see Valdes again soon she was very impressive.
The next concert is on Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. and features the world renowned Canadian Brass who were last here 30 years ago. Don't miss it.
