Jamie Parker At ‘Friends of Music’ – The Nimblest Fingers In The Business

The guest artist for the first concert in the 34th Friends of Music season was Canadian pianist Jamie Parker and what a treat he was. Not only does he have the nimblest fingers in the business, but he is also a very funny man. His introduction to each piece included something to make us smile, if not laugh out loud. Linda Catlin Smith is a composer born in 1957. When Jamie introduced Nocturne, a piece written by her in 1997, he said that he liked to sometimes play pieces that were not “written by dead white guys”. But of course he played several pieces written by composers who come into that category: Chopin, Brahms, Debussy, Beethoven amongst them, and those ten nimble fingers created absolute magic.
Jamie Parker, one of the illustrious Parker family of pianists, which includes Jon Kimura and Ian Parker, is one of the best-known Canadian pianists; his achievements are both lengthy and impressive. He is the recipient of some of the most sought-after classical music prizes, including JUNO Awards for recordings in the Classical Album of the Year category.
He has performed with all the major Canadian symphonies and has enthralled audiences in North America and Europe. He is also a member of the premier Canadian chamber group the Gryphon Trio, which opened the Friends of Music 30th season in 2004. Jamie’s brothers Jon and Ian have also played for Friends of Music.
The reception following the concert, which was held at Cameco Capitol Arts Centre, was in The Studio upstairs. Just as well because practically the entire audience came to meet Jamie, enjoy some fabulous cheeses and wine, and reconnect with old friends from last season. And Jamie was more than gracious with the many fans that wanted to say hello.
The Friends of Music season promises some fascinating performances, not the least of which will be Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan. A Gamelan is a traditional instrumental ensemble that has been a fundamental part of Indonesian musical life for centuries. The instruments in a gamelan are composed of sets of tuned bronze gongs, gong-chimes, metallophones, drums, one or more flutes, bowed and plucked string instruments. Evergreen Club is Canada's only ensemble of its kind. I can’t wait for this one.
Info on the Friends of Music season can be found on their website: porthopefriendsofmusic.ca. Tickets are $35 and $15 for students.

The Forsyth Review – The Year Of Magical Thinking - Magnificent!

Joan Didion












The Year of Magical Thinking was a book written by writer/screenwriter Joan Didion. It was a bout the sudden death of her husband, journalist, novelist, playwright John Gregory Dunne, to whom she was married for 40 years. He died in December of 1993, shortly after they got home from visiting their daughter, their only child, in the hospital in New York. She was gravely ill. They were at the dinner table and he suddenly collapsed and died. The daughter recovered. Briefly.
The Didion book, which came out a year later, was a huge success but I didn’t read it. I had been through my own year of magical thinking after my husband died and didn’t want to be reminded. To add to Joan Didion’s pain, her daughter died just as the book came out. I didn’t want to have to think about that either.
So it was with some hesitation that I went, a couple of weeks ago, to the Capitol Theatre to hear a play reading presented by Robert Latimer’s First Stages Theatre Company. Joan Didion had turned her award-winning book into a one-woman play; she had included the life and death of her daughter. Latimer, producer, director, actor and tour de force had acquired the rights to the book and had hired remarkable Canadian actor Patricia Yeatman to play Joan Didion. I cannot tell you how happy I am that a dear friend had persuaded me to go. The play and Yeatman were magnificent. Joan Didion has created a timeless document that everyone who has ever lost a loved one should see/hear/read.
And as for Patricia Yeatman, there are no words to describe how absolutely amazing she was. She was Joan Didion. Robert’s direction was brilliant; the experience was extremely powerful and one I cherish. It is amazing that we get the caliber of performances that we do in this small town. All thanks go to Robert Latimer and the First Stages Theatre Company. What a treat.
Selena Forsyth.