The same way fans look forward to the All-Star game in hockey, Octagon has become a semi-regular performance of some of the who's who of the Canadian classical music world. Virtuosi bring's this year's grouping to Winnipeg on Saturday night (March 21).

Classic 107's Claudia Garcia de la Huerta sat down with one of the musical stars, acclaimed violinist Martin Beaver.

Martin has been living in Los Angeles for the last couple of years where he is teaching at the Colburn Conservatory of Music. He was born in Winnipeg and lived here until he was 11 years old before moving to Quebec. His father was a French teacher at the University of Manitoba.

Martin will be joined on the Virtuosi concert stage at the University of Winnipeg by: cellist Rachel Mercer, clarinetist James Campbell, Rivka Golani on viola, Joe Phillips on the double bass, Kathleen McLean on bassoon, Ken MacDonald on French horn and accompanying Martin on violin, Mark Fewer.

 

 

Octagon performs Saturday night in Eckardt-Grammatté Hall at 8:00 PM. Officially, the concert is sold out but if you'd like to try your luck, call the Virtuosi Box Office at 204.786.9000.

Opening for Octagon will be Thunder Bay-born musician Gregory Lewis. Last weekend the 18 year old won the 97th annual Winnipeg Music Festival's top instrumental prize, the Aikins Memorial Trophy. He performed on not one, but two distinctly different instruments; violin and piano. Ysaøe's Caprice d'après l'Etude en forme de Valse de Saint-Sa´ns for violin and Bach's Toccata in E minor BWV 914 for keyboard. He competed against 19 other musicians in a gruelling, nearly four-hour trophy class.

The Virtuosi audience will get to see Gregory perform Bach's Partita No.3 in E major, BWV 1006: Preludio for violin.

Very fitting for Bach's Birthday!!!!!

Tune in to Morning Light Monday morning at 8:30 AM when Virtuosi's Artistic Director Harry Strub will be Micheal's guest live in the studio to talk about the 2015/2016 season.