The piano encore concert, presented by the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Performing Arts (FOPA), got off to a great start on April 13 with young Brison Geue playing a fast and polished Toccatina Op. 27 No.12 by Kabalevsky.
It contrasted with the next piece, a soft and dreamy Reverie of Spring played by Nadia Behji.
All the 14 performers at the Sunday concert previously demonstrated their fine piano skills during the first week of the festival and all were awarded some distinction — either a certificate, medallion or scholarship. Some of the musicians were so little they could scarcely be seen by the audience when seated at the grand piano at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt.
The youngest player was Leif Montgomery who performed a duet with his mother Katherine Hume while sitting on her lap by Mina and Sora Shibasaka also performed a duet while Simon Gidora produced a lovely Polonaise in C sharp by Chopin. Emily Picard showed her talent on a performance of C.P.E. Bach’s Solfegietto to close the show.
The 41st annual festival wraps up three weeks of adjudication and performance today Friday, April 25, but the best is yet to come. The Festival Highlights concert is at the Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt on May 4 at 2 p.m. Admission is by donation. It’s usually a full house and is an entertaining show of instruments, voice and dance. For more on the festival see www.coastfestival.com.
