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June 16th Sunday, 2019 15:00 Doors will open at 14:30
Duo Ventapane has been very active and gaining high evaluations in the international music scenes ever since it was founded in 2008 by a collaborative endeavor of a violinst Mana Shiraishi and a pianist Martin Karlíček. They made an OCCA debut in the year of 2017, when they conveyed to us a Mysterious World of Karol Szymanowski. This year Duo Ventapane will come back to us with the concert theme "Beyond Borders <Czech and Japanese Music>.
Dr. Martin Karlíček was born and raised in the Czech Republic and so was Ms. Mana Shiraishi in Japan, both having had their own life paths separately up until they met, fell in love and decided to make a family. Thus Duo Ventapane, unlike other ensembles that we often witness, had crossborder elements from the beginning primarily in their personal career paths, meaning Martin and Mana both having made crossborder challenges in Canada, a new world in common to both of them. A simple logic would predict it totally impossible that their music does not have a crossborder character.
The recital for this time says "Beyond Languages <Czech and Japan>". What does this mean? I can only make a speculation and I know one sure thing that I have to wait till their concert day to have real understandings. Their music will deliver their messages in a more wholistic context.
Satoshi Ogihara, Executive Director OCCA
Duo Ventapane
Mana Shiraishi, Violin, Martin Karlíček, Piano
Founded in 2008, Duo Ventapane received Smetana award and Bartók award from the IBLA Grand Prize International Music Competition and toured the United States as a result. Duo Ventapane’s recording « Duo Ventapane plays Czech & Japanese Music » was described as “While violin strikes clear and persuasive tones, the CD is recorded in natural and supple sound... it is a recording that one can rarely find...” and chosen as the "Excellent Recording" by important music magazine « Record Geijyutsu ».
Program
Akira Ifukube (1914-2006): Sonata for Violin and Piano
Allegro Cantilena. Andante Allegro Vivace
Leoš Janáček (1854-1928): Sonata for Violin and Piano
Con moto Ballada. Con moto Allegretto Adagio. Un poco più mosso
----------- Intermission ----------
Akira Miyoshi (1933-2013): Sonate pour violon et piano / Sonata for Violin and Piano
Moderato Andante Moderatamente
Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959): Sonata for Violin and Piano No.1
Allegro Andante Allegretto
Mana Shiraishi
Mana Shiraishi has played as a chamber musician in many countries in Europe, Asia and North America. In 2002, she was chosen to enjoy chamber music collaboration with Midori Goto at Midori’s career 20th anniversary concert in Japan. She participated in a concert tour “Mozart meets Jazz” with Paquito D’Rivera and Makoto Ozone, and made an appearance at numerous music festivals such as Martha Argerich’s Meeting Point in Beppu and Montreal Jazz Festival among others. As a member of Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà, she contributed to many recordings of this chamber orchestra and took part in numerous tours and concerts.
Mana founded Duo Ventapane in 2008. She has been regularly performing in symphonic and chamber orchestras and had opportunities to work with world-renown conductors. She is also a sought-after violin teacher and chamber music coach. In 2015, she established annual Westmount Chamber Music Workshop where she works as the director.
Mana graduated from Toho Gakuen School of Music (BMus), from McGill University (MMus) and from Université du Montréal (D.E.P.A.).
Martin Karlíček
Martin Karlíček’s piano playing has been described as “inspiring, rich, sensitive, stylistically taut and arresting, precise, crisp, brilliantly controlled, wonderfully colourful and always imaginative.” He performs, teaches and lectures regularly in the Czech Republic, Germany, Canada, U.S.A. and Japan.
Mr. Karlíček recorded piano works by Bedřich Smetana, Bohuslav Martinů, Sergei Prokofiev and Franz Liszt as well as a CD of complete works for piano by Canadian composer Andrew Yin Svoboda. His Leoš Janáček album gained reviews, such as:
“The composer's inner heart is traced delicately and with exquisite expression that deeply resonates with the listener. Rich sound color palette and accurate touch is fascinating.” Chopin Magazine - Kyoko Michishita
“It's the album that could be the standard for a new era.” Record Geijyutsu Magazine - Tsutomu Nasuda
Being an ardent chamber musician, Martin Karlíček founded award-winning Duo Ventapane as well as Trio Valdstyn. He is also the co-founder of Westmount Chamber Music Workshop and co-founder and executive director of the concert cycle Karlíček Sequenza.
During his formative years, Mr. Karlíček has brought prizes from several international music competitions, winning, among others, the Bedřich Smetana International Piano Competition. He also received awards for performances of contemporary compositions, chamber music collaborations and for solo performances of music by Bedřich Smetana, Béla Bartók, Ferenc Liszt, Leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinů.
Presently, he is teaching piano and chamber music at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University.
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