As St. Albert Chamber Music Society launches its 15th season, it brings to the foreground music performed by women’s voices.
Cellist Luka Coetzee and pianist Susanne Ruberg-Gordon welcome the season on Sunday, Oct. 20 at St. Albert United Church with a classical repertoire ranging from the 19th century to present day.
Barely 20 years old, Coetzee is a Calgary-raised child prodigy, now a student at Hochschule für Musik Franze Liszt Weimar in Germany. She made her orchestral debut at age 11 with the Calgary Civic Symphony.
Her nuanced interpretations and technical mastery were game changers in winning first prize at the seventh International Paulo Cello Competition, the ninth Johansen International Strings Competition, and the 2022 Pablo Casals International Award. These prestigious competitions placed her squarely in the spotlight of top-tier musicians, and she currently performs as guest cellist with major European orchestras.
In a short interview, the young musician quickly underscored the importance of passion in music and her relentless pursuit of excellence.
“I love the fact that I am able to portray such a strong message from my art form," Coetzee said. "In music, we are able to express our deepest feelings in a beautiful way. I believe it is most beautiful when we can be most vulnerable. And when you connect with the audience, there’s a beautiful energy. It’s about sharing what we feel and what we express through life — not only joy, but pain too.”
Coetzee has developed a repertoire that pays tribute to five internationally acclaimed male composers: France's César Franck, Canada’s Vincent Ho, Poland’s Krzysztof Penderecki, France’s Claude Debussy and Argentina’s Astor Piazzolla.
However, Coetzee introduces the concert with Nadia Boulanger’s Three Pieces for Cello and Piano. The French musician is recognized as one of the most important composition teachers of all time. Her students included Aaron Copeland, Philip Glass and Elliot Carter.
“Three Pieces is such a magical work, and it brings in the audience in an intimate way. It’s quite a mystical atmosphere. There’s lots of fantasy in this. It’s vulnerable, sensitive and playful. The thing I love is that she was also the teacher of Franck, as well as Piazzolla, and it ties in with the rest of the program,” Coetzee said.
Franck’s Violin Sonata in A Major, one of his best-known compositions, emanates a romantic flair. The composer wrote this as a wedding present for 28-year-old violinist Eugène Ysaÿe.
“What’s special is how many different movements there are. Originally it was written for violin, but the composer later transcribed it for cello.”
In a nod to the achievements of contemporary Canadian composers, the program salutes Calgary-based Ho’s Dragon Dance, a short five-minute work written for his young daughter.
“This is the Year of the Dragon, and this is based on a traditional folk tale of dragon who wakes up from a deep sleep, takes part in a lot of action and falls back asleep. It’s whimsical, very exciting, very rhythmical and has some cool effects.”
Swedish born pianist Susanne Ruberg-Gordon is the cellist’s long-time Calgary-based accompanist, and the duo will once again collaborate.
Emerging cellist Dillan Couillard will perform Sarabande from Bach’s Cello Suite #5 as well as Aaron Minsky's The Train Whistle.
The concert is Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at Musée Heritage Museum or on Eventbrite. Cost: $40 adults, $35 seniors, $15 students.
