February 2003 - Nr. 2
K-W and Beyond
by Irena Wandschneider
Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society
The Music Room of the K-W Chamber Music Society is actually a living room added on top of the garage of the otherwise private residence on 57 Young Street in Waterloo. It can accommodate up to 85 people and offers a unique atmosphere of very personalized space with books, records and discs collection, some pieces of art and more than welcoming Mr. and Mrs. Jan Narveson, the hosts. There is a regular scheduled program of either piano concerts or chamber music performances. The information is available at www.k-wcms.com or by calling 519-886-1673. The website is organized, periodically updated, offering the history of the Kitchener Waterloo Chamber Music Society, the bios of the artists, program for the year and even an appeal to the local residents to offer overnight accommodation to the visiting artists.
I happened to read an interesting article in the January 4, 2003 issue of The Record on a Ukrainian couple, Elena Klyucharova and Andrey Tikhonov having a concert at the Music Room. There was a story to it: Howard Dyck, conductor of the K-W Philharmonic Choir met them on the ship while taking a cruise on the Dniepr. The young couple was providing entertainment for the tourists. Mr. Dyck offered to assist them and, on his return to Canada looked into the possibility for them to come to Canada and hopefully develop their careers in the Western world.
After some inquiries, paperwork and arrangements, they arrived in Canada last August, accepted teaching positions at the Beckett School of Music and are making an honest effort to present themselves to the public, anyway they can – playing at the Walper, the Art Bar - and giving a combined concert at the Music Room.
Elena Klyucharova is a classic concert pianist coming from the formal school of Eastern Europe, showing discipline and technique. She played Scarlatti, some Chopin, Liszt, Debussy and Manuel de Falla. Scarlatti was great, Fire Dance of Manuel de Falla was a fiery closing. Maybe the selected Chopin’s nocturne was not one of the better known, but somehow it was not quite there. She is a young pianist with a great future and some growing to do.
Andrey Tikhonov is a jazz pianist in full control of the instrument, making improvisations and variations of the theme with amazing ease. He was playing mostly pieces by request and showed familiarity with a considerable selection of melodies of classic New Orleans’s style of jazz. For an artist who must have had little exposure to jazz in his young days ("playing jazz was prohibited in the Soviet Union" he says) his selection was good and his confidence admirable.
The audience enjoyed both the classical music and the jazz and expressed their appreciation with standing ovations. The concert was sold out, dozens of people without reservations were left at the door – the Music Room has a capacity of only 85. In response to high demand, this talented couple was invited to give a repeat performance the following Sunday, January 12th. This second concert was also sold out within 24 hours after the first concert.
If you missed them, you might still enjoy them while dining
at the Art Bar and at the Walper Terrace. Check for times. Hopefully Elena
and Andrey will stay and give us many more concerts to look forward to.
The Bible: The Complete Word (abridged) at the Waterloo Stage Theatre.
The Waterloo Stage Theatre is located in Waterloo at King and Erb in a converted movie theatre. The conversion was done in 1997 at the initiative of Steve Roth and Dale Hobbs and the Theatre is presently in it’s six season. They offer an assortment of light theatre, mostly comedies not requiring any sophisticated studies or deep thinking. In general – nothing controversial. Until they staged ……. "The Bible".
Many years ago "The Complete Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged)" were written by a trio of Adam Long, Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor for the joy of audiences and frequently performed in high schools. This time the same team went through the Holy Book and produced an abbreviated version of it.
![Andy Pogson as "Salome", Randolph Johnston as "John the Baptist" and Duane Woods as "Moses" [Photo: Steve Roth]](302c-IW-B3.jpg)
With
the help of three actors, Randolph Johnson, Andy Pogson and Duane Woods
under the direction of Robert More we can presently enjoy this production in
Waterloo. It runs till February 15. It is worth every minute and every penny
of it.
It covers the Old Testament from the Books of Genesis, through Adam and Eve, Abel and Cain, Abraham and Isaac, Joseph and Moses, and of course Noah and his Arc. The accompanying music comes from Space Odyssey and current-day hits. The language is colloquial and full of currently relevant references such as to the US – Iraq conflict and Gordon Campbell’s predicament, to name a few. One of the actors is playing all female parts, and it is a hoot.
The New Testament is a bit less irreverent, picking only on some events and stories. The members of the audience are asked to participate in one scene, everybody sings along in some other. It is great fun, needless to say not for all. There are two pre-requisites necessary: you have to know the Bible to understand the jokes and you have to be broadminded with an offbeat sense of humour. As I said before: it was great fun, the audience – many in the 50+ category at the matinee – enjoyed it immensely. And so they should !!
For more information see www.waterloostagetheatre.com or tel.: 519-888-0000
