Hommage à Tarrega ………………………………… Joaquin Turina (1882-1949)
I. Garrotin
II. Soleares

Variations sur un thème de Scriabine ………… Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986)

Libra Sonatine …………………………………………. Roland Dyens (1955-2016)
I. India
II. Largo
III. Fuoco

London based guitarist Andy Cloutier has been performing music in a variety of styles for over 15 years. As a performer of classical music, he studied guitar with Robert Kubica at the University of Western Ontario, where he also focused on studies in music theory and composition. He has received awards and scholarships from the University of Western Ontario, the London Kiwanis Festival, and the OMFA provincial competition. He has also participated in public master classes with world-renowned artists, including Pepe Romero, Manuel Barrueco, Roland Dyens, Pavel Steidl, and the Assad Brothers.

As a performer of popular music, Andy has been actively involved in London’s music scene since the early 2000’s, playing and recording with numerous bands and ensembles. Honours include awards from the London Music Awards, and the Jack Richardson Music Awards. Andy currently resides in London, where he maintains an active private teaching studio, and works as organist and music director at Strathroy United Church. Andy performs on a guitar built by Canadian Luthier Bruno Boutin.

PROGRAM:

Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 78 “Regensonate”………………………………… Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
I. Vivace ma non troppo
II. Adagio – Più andante – Adagio
III. Allegro molto moderato

Violinist Hua-Chu Huang, a youthful and versatile musician, brings a wealth of experience in solo, chamber, and orchestral playing. As a passionate performer of new works in addition to the canonized repertoire, Mr. Huang recently collaborated with flautist Carol Wincenc in the Canadian premiere of Yuko Uebeyashi’s Misericordia at the Banff Centre, and also presented Andrew Norman’s Gran Turismo at Toronto’s New Music Festival, 21C. Mr. Huang has appeared in concert with Philippe Djokic, Lynn Stodola, Denise Djokic, Barry Shiffman, and the new music ensemble suddenlyLISTEN; he is also the founder of Asterisk*, a Toronto-based conductorless chamber orchestra. In April, Mr. Huang was a recent winner of the 2017 Glenn Gould School Chamber Competition placing first in the duo category with Chu-Yi Duo, and was awarded a performance with the Montrose Trio in their debut in Koener Hall. Mr. Huang also placed second and third in the chamber category with the Louise String Quartet and the Eastern Trio.

An alumnus of the Canadian Opera Company Academy. Mr. Huang performed in the Canadian Opera Company’s 2016 season premiere of Wagner’s Siegfried. He performs regularly with Symphony Nova Scotia, an orchestra with which he has also appeared as soloist. Mr. Huang has also been featured as soloist with the Chebucto Symphony Orchestra, Dalhousie Symphony Orchestra, and Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra. The second prize winner of the 2015 Canadian Music Competition and the 2013 Kiwanis Rosebowl, Mr. Huang has also won numerous national competitions in Taiwan. In the Dalhousie Universiry Concerto Competition and the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra Competition, he won top prizes.

Mr. Huang has recently received his Artist Diploma as a Temerty Family Fellow at The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music, studied with Paul Kantor and Barry Shiffman; having previously earned his Bachelor of Music from Dalhousie University under the tutelage of Philippe Djokic.

First prize winner at the International Competition “Franz Schubert” in Rousse, pianist Petya Stavreva is working on her DMA at Western with Prof. Leslie Kinton. She finished her Master’s Degree with Prof. Anton Nel at the University of Texas at Austin, where she received full scholarship and grant support from Canada Arts Council and the Webb Trust Fund from the Glenn Gould School. Before that, she was an artist-in-residence at the Banff Centre for ten weeks. At Western, she is a two-time recipient of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, as well as the Don Wright Graduate Entrance scholarship, and the Sherwood Fox Music scholarship.

Petya has been an active solo and collaborative pianist in Toronto over the last decade. She completed her Artist Diploma with James Anagnoson at the Glenn Gould School on full scholarship, and obtained a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto with James Parker and Marietta Orlov. She also attended the Taylor Performance Academy in Toronto with full scholarship, studying with Arshalouis Nersessian. As an educator, Petya has been an adjudicator for the Kiwanis Festival in Toronto in 2014, as well as the Ontario Music Festival Association in Hamilton in 2017. She will be joining the Royal Conservatory College of Examiners in 2018. She currently maintains an active teaching studio in both London and Toronto.

Petya has been a prize winner of numerous competitions in Canada and Europe, and has performed concertos with the Toronto Sinfonietta Orchestra. Her upcoming projects include concerts in London, as well as a recording project to be completed by 2019. She also collaborates with pianist Todd Yaniw for duo concerts.

She has played in masterclasses for artists such as Vadym Kholodenko, John Perry, Mark Steinberg, Christian Tetzlaff, Andre Laplante and Jon Kimura Parker, among others. Past festivals include Bowdoin Music Festival as a collaborative Fellow, Young Artist Program in Ottawa, the Banff Chamber and Solo Residencies, Nice Academy in France, and Toronto Summer Music Festival.