Summer brims with opportunities to experience light classical music outdoors, and St. Albert is no exception. Whether basking in a warm sun or enjoying the evening’s cool breezes, the combination of nature and music turns into a wonderful experience.
One of the most anticipated outdoor concerts in the region takes place at St. Albert Botanic Park on Sunday, July 27, featuring WindRose Trio.
“We’re really a geriatric ensemble,” said oboist Beth Levia during a tongue-in-cheek moment. Rather than referring to the trio members' ages, she was chuckling about the ensemble’s longevity. It debuted in 2004.
“We love playing outdoor concerts," Levia said. "They’re so relaxed. I like to look out and see the audience sitting on blankets or lawn chairs. It feels like the audience is part of the group. Because there is no barrier such as the stage, when everyone is under the same light and you feel the same gusts of air, we’re all together in it."
The Sunday concert will be strictly light classical with repertoire ranging from the late 19th century to current times.
In addition to Levia, the reed trio is composed of Rob Spady (clarinet) and Matthew Howatt (bassoon). Over two decades, the threesome has acquired a reputation far beyond Alberta’s borders.
The trio’s first CD, Path of Contact, was awarded a Western Canadian Music Award for Best Classical Recording. Later in 2015, they represented Canada at the International Double Reed Conference in Tokyo, and one year later they were invited to perform at the month-long Harbin Summer Music Festival in Harbin, China.
“It’s a massive festival and recognized by UNESCO. It happens every second year and we were the first Canadian group to perform there. It’s so big it’s a world heritage event,” Levia said.
Another aspect of WindRose Trio is their dedication to commissioning and premiering new works by Canadian composers. Out of 17 Canadian compositions in its repertoire, 12 were written for the trio.
Although the ensemble has yet to announce its program, two of the trio’s favourite composers are Darius Milhaud and Jacques Ibert, two prolific 20th-century French composers responsible for contributing some of the first works for reed trio.
In selecting repertoire for outdoor concerts, one of their favourite pieces is Gordon Lewin’s Scherzola.
“It’s a novelty piece written in the 70s. It’s short and lively and it has interlocking lines that overlap. It’s quite cheerful.”
WindRose will also play several Celtic tunes from their long list, three or four pieces from its own repertoire and possibly a composition from St. Albert composer Michael Massey.
“We’ve played together for 20 years and we’re a tight ensemble. We choose summery music that will have you tapping your toes. It’s a one-hour concert. We’re going to choose music that is familiar as well as music you’ve never heard before. These outdoor concerts are a delight, and we are looking forward to it.”
The free concert takes place Sunday, July 27 at St. Albert Botanic Park’s gazebo from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
