JOAQUIN VALDEPEÑASDAVID HETHERINGTON

SEROUJ KRADJIAN

AMICIENSEMBLE.COM

2017-2018 SEASON

MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

David HetheringtonJoaquin Valdepeñas Serouj Kradjian

Please join us in celebrating Amici’s legacy, 30 years of performing outstanding chamber music with our friends, our Amici! We invite you to experience our passion for innovative, evocative programming and the best chamber music and musicians as we share our inspiration with you this season!

We are pleased to present our 30th anniversary season opener, Inspired by Friends at the beautiful home of the Kelk family. Stroll through the gardens and relax by the koi pond while enjoying the most beautiful chamber music Amici has to offer and raising essential funds towards our new recording project!

Amici celebrates the 150th anniversary of our great country, with an all-Canadian program, Inspired by Canada. The program will include some of our most loved commissions, will feature the winning composition from our Young Composer Program, as well as new arrangements of works by Canadian greats such as Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Claude Lavallé. This concert will also feature the release of our recording Canadian Inspirations.

In January we present Inspired by Strauss. While Richard Strauss was mostly known for his operatic and orchestral masterpieces, Amici will explore his masterful yet lesser known chamber music works, and Lieder favourites in new arrangements by Serouj.

In February, Amici presents the remount of our Juno Award winning recording, Levant. Inspired by Levant focuses on the fascinating and mystifying sounds and colours of the “region of the rising sun”. We will take you on a wonderful musical journey, starting in the cradle of ancient civilizations and travelling through the Balkans; to Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and up to the Caucasus Mountains

The season ends in April, as Amici partners with the Royal Conservatory of Music to celebrate our 30th Anniversary Gala performance of A Legacy of Inspiration in Koerner Hall. We celebrate this auspicious occasion with three B’s; Beethoven, Brahms and Bernstein. We celebrate our legacy at this performance by featuring some of our favourite music performing with dear friends such as Internationally renowned soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian, favourite instrumental colleagues and showcasing our longstanding teaching relationship with RCM by featuring the award winning students from the Glenn Gould School.

Amici has been making music for 30 wonderful years and it has always been our goal to produce inspiring programming combining the most revered classical compositions, many of which we have recorded, with more adventurous music which we know our audiences will love just as much. We can’t wait to celebrate and share with you our 30th

Anniversary season!

Amici is pleased to present our 30th anniversary season opener at the beautiful home of the Kelk family. Stroll through the gardens and relax by the koi pond while enjoying the best chamber music Amici has to offer

featuring acclaimed violinist Yehonatan Berick and Amici favourite soprano Mireille Asselin. We look forward to

welcoming our Amici family of supporters for our annual fundraising event raising essential money towards Amici’s next ambitious recording project, Canadian Inspirations.

I N S P I R E D B Y

A GARDEN PARTY AMONGST FRIENDS

Graciously hosted at the home of Margie and Peter Kelk

SPECIAL GUESTS:

MIREILLE ASSELIN

YEHONATAN BERICK

SEPTEMBER 17, 2017 • 3PM

I N S P I R E D B Y

Amici celebrates the 150th anniversary of our great country, with an all-Canadian program including two of the most loved compositions we have commissioned

in the last 30 years: Chan Ka Nin’s Among Friends and Allan Gordon Bell’s Gravity and Grace. The second half

will feature Canadian soprano Mireille Asselin in the best of the Canadian songbook, including Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Claude Lavallé, in new arrangements by Serouj Kradjian. This program will

feature the winning composition from Amici’s Young Composers Program. We will also celebrate the launch of

Amici’s newest recording, Canadian Inspirations!

CELEBRATING CANADA’S 150TH ANNIVERSARY!

MUSIC:

CHAN KA NIN AMONG FRIENDS

ALAN GORDON BELL TRAILS OF GRAVITY

AND GRACE

LEONARD COHEN HALLELUJAH

JONI MITCHELL A CASE OF YOU

CLAUDE LÉVEILLÉE LES VIEUX PIANOS

GILLES VIGNAULT MON PAYS

RALPH VAUGHAN-WILLIAMS 49TH PARALLEL: PRELUDE

GORDON LIGHTFOOT CANADIAN RAILROAD

TRILOGY

SCOTT JOPLIN MAPLE LEAF RAG

SPECIAL GUEST:

MIREILLE ASSELINNOVEMBER 12, 2017 • 3PM

I N S P I R E D B Y

Richard Strauss was mostly known for his operatic and orchestral masterpieces. Amici explores his masterful yet lesser known chamber music works: his Piano Quartet,

the Duett Concertino (in its new chamber version), and Lieder favourites like “Morgen” and “Zueignung”,

in new arrangements, featuring Canadian soprano Sasha Djihanian and violinist Soovin Kim.

A TRUE MELODIST

JANUARY 28, 2018 • 3PM

MUSIC:

DUETT CONCERTINO

PIANO QUARTET IN C MINOR, OP. 13

LIEDER DIE NACHT

MORGEN

TRAUM DURCH DIE DÄMMERUNG

ZUEIGNUNG

SPECIAL GUESTS:

SASHA DJIHANIAN

SOOVIN KIM

SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMANCES SUPPORTED BY:

Amici presents the remount of our Juno Award winning recording, Levant. Take a musical journey with us

through the Middle East as we explore the fascinating and mystifying sounds and colours of Levant, the “region of the rising sun”. This program features

violinist Lara St. John in an eclectic selection of works by composers whose paths might not have crossed had it not been for their source of inspiration: the cradle of

ancient civilizations.

A MUSICAL JOURNEY TO THE REGION OF

THE RISING SUN

MUSIC:

RABIH ABOU-KHALIL ARABIAN WALTZ

ALEKSANDR GLAZUNOV RÊVERIE ORIENTALE

OSVALDO GOLIJOV LEVANTE

GEORGE GURDJIEFF ARMENIAN SONG

SAYYID SONG & DANCE NO. 29 SAYYID SONG AND DANCE NO. 10

JOHN FARAH AH YA ZAYN

SERGEY PROKOFIEV OVERTURE ON HEBREW THEMES, FOR CLARINET, STRING QUARTET

& PIANO, OP. 34

MARKO TAJCEVIC SEVEN BALKAN DANCES

GAYANE TCHEBODARIAN PIANO TRIO

SOLHI AL-WADI TRIO FOR PIANO,

VIOLIN AND CELLO

SPECIAL GUEST:

LARA ST. JOHN

FEBRUARY 25, 2018 • 3PM

James Sommerville Barry Shiffman Robert Schumann Leslie Mann, Franz Danzi Ludvig van Beethoven Lois Marshall Jacques Israelievitch Steven Dann Nora Shulman Andrew Davis Joanne Kolomyec Max Reger Alexander Zemlinsky Arnold Schoenberg Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Oskar Morawetz Johannes Brahms Arnold Steinhardt Archduke Rudolph Franz Schubert Mark DuBois Mi Hyon Kim Ralph Vaughan Williams Carl Maria von Weber Allan Vogel Michael Sweeney Frederick Rizner Francis Poulenc Glenn Buhr Edith Wiens Omar Daniel Rivka Golani Moshe Hammer Bernhard Crusell Raymond Ludeke Ernö von Dohnányi Maurice Ravel Olivier Messiaen José Luis Garcia Beverley Johnston Johanne Sebastian Bach Alexina Louie Shmuel Ashkenasi Alexander Mishnaevsky Joel Quarrington Richard Ranti John Cerminaro Catherine Robbin Jeanne Baxtresser Camille Saint-Saëns Chan Kan Nin César Franck Henri Duparc Mark Kaplan Paul Meyer Rennie Regher Brian Cherney Robert Muczynski Douglas Boyd David Jaeger Igor Stravinsky Antonin Dvorák Paul Kantor Paul Coletti Dmitri Shostakovich Jacques Hétu Robert Fuchs Cho-Liang Lin Annalee Patipatanikoon Toby Hoffman Martin Beaver Max Bruch Kathleen McLean James Mason Joseph Orlowski Joan Watson Harcus Hennigar Carl Nielsen Benjamin Britten Mikhail Glinka John Weinzweig Jaime Laredo Phyllis Tate Lakshmi Ranganathan Vasan Rajalingam Erika Raum Douglas McNabney Larry Weeks Vainika Ratna Henry Kucharzyk Bohuslav Martinu Yehonatan Berick Felix Mendelssohn Michael Schade John Greer David Amram Carl Czerny Lara St. John Robert McDuffie Béla Bartók Louis Spohr Jean Stilwell Mayumi Seiler Susan Hoeppner Max Christie Giovanni Bottesini Dan Welcher Gabriel Fauré Peggy Baker Louise Farrenc Claude Debussy Sergei Prokofiev Zoltán Kodály Marie Bérard Terence Helmer Scott St. John Gioachino Rossini Frank Bridge Franz Berwald Aram Khachaturian Peter Tiefenbach Mark Fewer John Rudolph Arthur Honegger Darius Milhaud Harry Somers Geoff Nuttall Lesley Robertson Marina Hoover Barbara Hannigan Rachel Mercer Max Mandel Aisslinn Nosky Julia Wedman André Previn Philip Loosemore Judy Loman Jacques Ibert Lothar Klein Patricia O’Callaghan Phil Dwyer Andrew Downing Carl Frühling Edison Denisov Rebecca Clarke Patrick Cardy Victor Steinhardt Dave Grusin Brett Polegato Edward Tait Malcolm Forsyth Violet Archer Vincent D’Indy Anton Webern Richard Strauss Elliott Carter James Ehnes Niccolo Paganini Cynthia Stelges Linda Ippolito Alban Berg James Rolfe Andrew Staniland Ida Kavafian Ernest Chausson Allan Gordon Bell Measha Brueggergosman Joaquin Turina Manuel de Falla Xavier Montsalvatge Arturo Márquez Daniel Phillips Todd Phillips Steven Tenenbom Timothy Eddy Luigi Boccherini Gerald Finzi Christos Hatzis Edvard Grieg Russell Braun Charles Loeffler Benjamin Bowman Shane Kim Sharon Wei Sydney Hodkinson Erwin Schulhof Leslie Kinton André Laplante Oliver Knussen Franz Berwald Teng Li Neil Deland Gary Kulesha Vladimir Feltsman Jonathan Crow Reinhold Gliére Galina Ustvolskaya Harry Freedman Modest Moussorgsky Isabel Bayrakdarian Mieczyslaw Weinberg Anton Arensky Brian McDonagh Stephen Sitarski Winona Zelenka Dianne Werner Heather Schmidt Sarah Jeffrey Kathy Halvorson Wendy Limbertie Jeffrey Beecher Heitor Villa Lobos Murray Schafer Robert Aitken Orli Shaham Franz Krommer Alexander Arutiunian Steven Page Alexander Sevastian Roberto Occhipinti Carlos Gardel Astor Piazzolla Kurt Weill Jacob Gade Arno Babadjanian Nino Rota Jin-shan Dai Eric Nowlin Sofia Gubaidulina, Darius Milhaud Gideon Klein Victor Ullmann Kyrylo Stetsenko Father Gomidas Franz Liszt Marko Tajcevic Gayaneh Chebotaryan Osvaldo Golijov Solhi Al Wadi Zdenek Fibich Aline Kutan Andrew McCandless Alex Feswick James Chatto Nikolai Kapustin Leonard Bernstein William Bolcom Edward Elgar Alice Ping Yee Ho Joseph Petric Rosemarie Umetsu Min-Jeong Ko Sarah Nematallah Caitlin Boyle Rachel Desoer Leslie Newman Leoš Janáček Daniel Hass Gian Carlo Menotti Luciano Berio Ryan Scott Heidi Van Hoesen Gorton Toru Takemitsu Henri Dutilleux John Adams John Corigliano Charles Ives Grisha Goryachev Isaac Albéniz Paco de Lucia Albert Guinovart Ernesto Lecuona Jamie Drake Rabih Abou-Khalil Andrew Wan Brian Mamker Kim Kashkashian Louis Papachristos Timothy Ying Tigran Mansurian Mireille Asselin Paul Juon Otto Nicolai André Previn John Taverner Man Ray Guy Maddin Buster Keaton Samuel Banks Sarah Lewis Aaron Copland Stéphane Grappelli Django Reinhardt Richard Mascall Bright Sheng Jesse Morrison Sergei Rachmaninoff Ilya Kaler Beste Kalender Aaron Durand Arvo Pärt Joni Mitchell Neil Young Claude Lavallée Soovin Kim Sasha Djihanian John Thrower

THIRTIETHANNIVERSARY

WITH ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN

AND FRIENDS

Amici has been making music for 30 wonderful years and we celebrate this auspicious occasion by

partnering with The Royal Conservatory of Music to present our final concert showcasing three B’s;

Beethoven, Brahms and Bernstein, in Koerner Hall. We are joined by award- winning students from the Glenn

Gould School, some of our favourite instrumental colleagues, dear friend Yehonatan Berick and

internationally renowned soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian.

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF INSPIRED PERFORMANCES, COMMISSIONS, RECORDINGS

AND EDUCATION

APRIL 27, 2018 • 8PM

MUSIC:

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN RONDINO

JOHANNES BRAHMS CLARINET QUINTET

LEONARD BERNSTEIN ARIAS AND BARCAROLLES

CANDIDE WEST SIDE STORY

SPECIAL GUESTS:

ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN

YEHONATAN BERICK

MEMBERS OF THE TSO WIND SECTION

SPECIAL GUEST:

LARA ST. JOHN

O F I N S P I R A T I O N

1998 Recording #5 “In Brahms’ Apartment”, Summit Records

2001 Recording #6 “Quartet for the End of Time”, Naxos

2003 Recording #7 “Amici and Jean Stilwell”, CBC Records

2005 Recording #8 “D’Indy, Bruch”, Naxos

2005 Recording #9 “Majestic Flair”, CBC Records

2007 First concert with Serouj

2010 Recording #10 “Armenian Chamber Music”, ATMA Classique

2012 Recording #11 “Levant”,

2012 Juno Award for “Levant”

2013 25th Anniversary concert

1986 First performances at U of T with Pat Joaquin and David

1988 First concert series of the Amici Chamber ensemble

1989 Tour to Atlantic Provinces featuring our first com-missioned work “Among Friends” by Chan Ka Nin

1990 Tour to Europe

1993 Recording #1 “Amici”

1993 Juno Award for “Among Friends”, Summit Records.

1995 Recording #2 “Quartet for the End of Time”, Summit Records

1995 Tour to Mexico

1996 Recording #3 “Beethoven”, Summit Records

1997 Recording #4 “Contrasts”, Summit Records

ABOUT AMICI CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

Amici Chamber Ensemble celebrates 30 years as one of Canada’s finest and most distinguished chamber music

ensembles. Co-Artistic Directors clarinetist Joaquin Valdepeñas, cellist David Hetherington and pianist Serouj Kradjian invite some of the finest musicians to join them in innovative and

eclectic programming, celebrating friendship through music.

Amici Chamber Ensemble’s annual concert series has featured world-renowned musicians as frequent guests and the

ensemble has commissioned and premiered over thirty works by Canadian composers. Alongside numerous broadcasts of their concerts on national radio, Amici Chamber Ensemble’s recordings have placed them firmly among the world’s best chamber musicians and garnered the ensemble two JUNO

awards and several JUNO nominations over the years.

Joaquin Valdepeñas, considered one of the most distinguished clarinetists of his generation. He was recently appointed Resident Conductor at The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Glenn Gould School and has conducted the Toronto Symphony Orchestra on many occasions. A prolific recording artist, he has won two Juno Awards, for his recording of Jacque Hetu’s clarinet concerto and most recently with Amici Chamber Ensemble’s Levant. His latest CD with the ARC Ensemble on the Chandos Label was released last season and features the Clarinet Quintet of Paul Ben-Haim. Another Chandos disc has just been recorded for release in 2016. Mr. Valdepeñas was a Grammy Award nominee three consecutive years in the chamber music category.

Mr. Valdepeñas was appointed principal clarinet of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra upon graduation from Yale University and appears as soloist, chamber musician, and conductor. He has performed at international festivals including Banff, Casals, Curitiba Brazil, Marlboro, Nagano Japan, and Korea’s Great Mountains Music Festival and has collaborated with the American, Calder, Emerson, Muir, Orion, St. Lawrence, Takács, Ying, and Zemlinsky string quartets, as well as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, The International Sejong Soloists and the Kalichstein Laredo Robinson Trio. Mr. Valdepeñas made his European debut with the BBC Welsh Symphony which was televised on the BBC and has recorded the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the English Chamber Orchestra. He has been a member of the artist/faculty at the Aspen Music Festival and School for many years.

JOAQUIN VALDEPEÑAS

For many years the Assistant Principal cellist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, David Hetherington received his musical training at the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto, and furthered his cello studies in New York, Italy and Germany with Claus Adam, André Navarra and Paul Tortelier. As soloist, he has performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, the Niagara Symphony, the Symphony Orchestra of Canada, New Music Concerts and Soundstreams Canada as well as recitals at the University of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory of Music. He currently teaches at the Glenn Gould School and is Music Director of the Interprovincial Music Camp.

In addition to the Amici Chamber Ensemble, Mr. Hetherington is also a founding member of the string quartet Accordes, which performs regularly for New Music Concerts, Soundstreams Canada and other contemporary music organizations. In 2001, the Canadian Music Centre, through Centrediscs, released Accordes’ recording of Harry Somers’ String Quartets, for which it received a Juno Award nomination. Accordes has also recorded works by several other Canadian composers such as Norma Beecroft, David Eagle, Harry Freedman, Hope Lee, Alexina Louie and Jean Papineau-Couture.

Mr. Hetherington has appeared on several recordings for the CBC and for Centrediscs with whom he made the Canadian première recording of Talivaldis Kenins’ prize-winning cello sonata. Mr. Hetherington plays a cello made in 1695 by Giovanni Battista Grancino.

DAVID HETHERINGTON

Canadian pianist and composer Serouj Kradjian has established himself as a versatile artist whose readiness to break new boundaries and explore different styles has made him an exciting voice on the international music scene. Mr. Kradjian has appeared as soloist with the Vancouver, Edmonton, Madrid, and Göttingen symphony orchestras, Russian National Orchestra, Armenian Philharmonic, and Thailand Philharmonic. Solo, chamber music recitals, and premières of his compositions have taken Mr. Kradjian from all major cities in Canada and the US to European concert halls, in addition to China and Japan.

Serouj Kradjian’s discography includes the acclaimed Transcendental Études and piano concertos of Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann’s three Sonatas for Violin and Piano (with Ara Malikian). With Isabel Bayrakdarian he recorded songs by Pauline Viardot- Garcia, which brought the two artists international accolades and a 2006 JUNO Award for Classical Album of the Year. With the Amici Chamber Ensemble, of which he is Co-Artistic Director, he has recorded Armenian chamber music and Levant, which won the JUNO for Best Classical Recording in 2013.

Works composed or arranged by Serouj Kradjian have been performed by the Toronto,Vancouver, Madrid Symphony, Fresno & Armenian Philharmonic Orchestras, I Musici de Montreal, the Elmer Iseler Singers,Elektra Women’s Choir & the St Lawrence String Quartet. His orchestral arrangements of folk songs by Gomidas, Armenia’s national composer, featured in the Nonesuch release Gomidas Songs, earned him a GRAMMY®-Award nomination.

SEROUJ KRADJIAN

AMICI MEMORIESWe have collected many cherished memories over the last thirty years. Here’s a little peak at each of

our favourites. Please be sure to share your special memories and Amici inspirations with us!

“Grano has always been special to Amici and I am so pleased we went back for our gala this year. I have many fond memories of afternoons spent playing music and visiting with friends in the warmth of Grano’s

environment, with sun shinning in the windows and enjoying good food. We have been longtime friends with Roberto and his family and

have watched out kids grow up together. I am very thankful for our

longtime friendship and his support of our work over the years.”

Joaquin Valdepeñas

“Our first tour to the Maritimes for Debut Atlantic in 1989 featured our first and possibly most successful commission “Among Friends”

by Chan Ka Nin. Ka Nin missed his deadline by about a month and we were rehearsing his piece as he wrote it. Twice we thought we had

come to the end and Pat’s doorbell would ring and Ka Nin would walk in with a sheaf of papers. The last ones arrived the day before we left

on the trip and we had to rehearse in Labrador the day before our first

concert. The work was and still is very popular with our audiences.”

David Hetherington

“Since my first concert as a core member of the Amici Chamber Ensemble, there have been many beautiful memories. But the one

which stands out, is receiving news, that “Levant” has won the Juno for Classical Album of the Year. The idea of the recording, which started off as a labor of love, and a tribute to my origins, developed into a treasure discovery of relatively unknown repertoire, all from or inspired by the

Middle East, a region which unfortunately is more known nowadays for depressing news about violence and war, rather than the rich cultural heritage it offers. And for it to win the Juno for Classical Album of the Year in such a distinguished field of nominees was an honor unlike any

other, and a memory I shall forever cherish.”

Serouj Kradjian

Please consider making a donation to Amici today. There are 3 easy ways to donate: Cheque made payable to

“Amici Chamber Ensemble”, by credit card or online at www.canadahelps.org.

Registered charity # 129714770RR0001

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT!

CREATIVE HEIGHTS

Together with the support of our generous donors,

Amici Chamber Ensemble reaches new creative heights

season after season. Your help delivers innovative

programming, educational outreach programs, and the

best chamber music in Toronto.

Amici Chamber Ensemble gratefully acknowledges the support of:

Norma Anderson

Luba Andrews

Janet Douglas

Eva Gerber

C. Schuh & M. Horn

Jennifer & John Snell

Molly Weaver

PATRONS $100 - $249

Nazli Dewji

David Hetherington

Marcia & Paul Kavanagh

Peter & Margie Kelk

Adom Knadjian

Serouj Kradjian

George Lovrics

Patricia Martin

Samuel Stern

Joaquin Valdepeñas

Douglas Bodley

Kaija & Alex Corlazzoli

Antonio Signoroni

Lois Weir

The George Wyhovsky Charitable Foundation

HEIGHTS $1000+

PROSPER $500 - $999

AMICI’S SUPPORTERS

Julie Bertoia

Susan Elliott

Ross L. Kennedy

Edward & Jocy Lee

Lois McDonald

Susanne Palmer & Wayne Drewry

Wendy Sanford

Ted Sharp

Alan Torok

Nancy Westcott

Sandy Wiseman

AMORE $250 - $499

SUBSCRIBE

Get inspired by creating your extraordinary experience

today by becoming a 2017-18 season subscriber! Enjoy all

the Amici Chamber Ensemble concerts at reduced rates,

with preferred seating and advance purchase options.

TO PURCHASE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE TODAY:

Online: amiciensemble.com

By Phone: 416-408-0208

In Person: Weston Family Box Office, 273 Bloor St W, Toronto

By Mail: 23 Ashgrove Place, Toronto ON M3B 2Y9

Included in your subscription choice for April 27th A Legacy of Inspiration concert is a Level 3 ticket in Koerner Hall, discounted to Amici ticket prices. If you would like to be closer to the stage, there are 3 additional seating upgrade options available at an additional cost - Price level 2: $24, Price level 1: $33 and Premium seats: $42.

FULL SERIES

FLEX 4

FLEX 3

Enjoy all five concerts and save up to 20%* Adult $285 • Senior $265

Enjoy all four concerts in the Amici season.*Adult $160 • Senior $140

Select your choice of three concerts.* Adult $120 • Senior $105 *excludes Gala Concert, September 17th.

Board

Adom Knadjian President

Julie Bertoia Treasurer

Antonio Signoroni

Sandy Wiseman

Staff

Joaquin ValdepeñasDavid Hetherington

Serouj Kradjian Co-Artistic Directors

Kaija Corlazzoli Executive Director

Laila Zakzook Marketing Coordinator

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & STAFF

CONTACT:

kaija@amiciensemble.com

(416) 871-4275

www.amiciensemble.com