The Pender Harbour Music Society has announced the May 25 appearance of two of Canada’s outstanding classical performers, Cameron Crozman (cello) and Meagan Milatz (piano). Crozman has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician across Canada and internationally — as well as sharing the stage with distinguished musicians who have also formerly performed at the Music School in Pender Harbour (including violinist James Ehnes, clarinetist James Campbell, and the New Zealand String Quartet).
Crozman studied at the Paris Conservatoire, receiving his “Prix de violoncelle” with highest honours, and plays on a circa-1750 Gennaro Gagliano cello on loan from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Pianist Meagan Milatz was named one of Canada’s “30 hot classical musicians under 30” by the CBC in 2019. She has earned top prizes at several piano competitions and has appeared as a soloist with orchestras around the world, and across Canada. Milatz, who holds a Master's degree from McGill University, is returning to Pender Harbour stage having previously performed with violinist Amy Hillis in 2023. She has signed a recording contract for nine albums of solo and chamber music under the ATMA Classique label.
Since 2022, Crozman and Milatz have been performers and artistic directors of the HausMusique chamber music concerts in Montreal’s Eaton Centre. Crozman is also the artistic director of the Edeta Arts International Chamber Music Festival in Llíria, Spain, where he and Milatz will be performing this July.
The Pender Harbour program on May 25 will include works by Beethoven, Gershwin and Rachmaninoff, concluding with a new suite for cello and piano composed by Graham Campbell especially for them — and infused with elements of jazz rhythms. (Chamber music devotees will recall Graham Campbell’s commissioned work for the Pender Harbour Chamber Festival’s 15th anniversary in 2019.)
Tickets for the concert ($30) are on sale at Harbour Insurance in Madeira Park and the Visitor Centre in Sechelt — or from the Pender Harbour School of Music website at penderharbourmusic.ca.
Murder writer slays
Author Charlotte Morganti of Gibsons has been named the winner of the inaugural Toby Award for her mystery novel Breaking News: Local Heiress Dead. The announcement was made at the Little Branches Rural Roots Library Conference in Perth, Ontario, on May 8.
The Toby Award, the first of its kind in Canada, recognizes excellence in self-published mystery novels released in trade paperback format in 2024. The award aims to spotlight Canadian authors navigating the evolving publishing landscape.
The contest was judged by a panel of authors, journalists, editors, and librarians who evaluated entries based on writing quality and originality. Myriah Saulnier of Braeside, Ontario, received an Honourable Mention for her novel Killer in the Mirror. Other shortlisted authors included writers from Newfoundland, Ontario, and Nova Scotia.
Award founder Peggy Blair, an internationally recognized mystery author and owner of ReBound Press, established the Toby Award to celebrate the talent of self-published authors. “The Toby Award recognizes the risk-taking, creativity, and perseverance of Canadian mystery writers who choose to publish outside the traditional system. Our goal is to help readers discover exceptional books that deserve a wider audience.”
Sponsoring organization VIMI Corp. has donated $ 1,000 worth of printed copies of the winning entry to participating libraries. Morganti will also receive the Toby Award statue — a metal sculpture of a dog reading a book, created by Ontario artist Carol Nasvytis (Soul Metal), with silver eyeglasses crafted by Ladysmith silversmith Vonda Croissant.
Morganti's book previously won the award for Best Book (Sunshine Coast Voices) in the 2024 awards sponsored by the Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society.
Knight makes SoulShine shimmer
The annual SoulShine Garden Series concerts produced by local impressario Deanna Knight has released its summer lineup of Canadian talent. The shows take place in July and August on the grounds of the Secret Beach Bed and Breakfast in Gibsons.
A new season's pass will be on sale only until June 28, with individual shows on sale soon.
The SoulShine shows will include folk-noir troubadour Oliver Swain on July 9; guitarists, vocalists and songwriters Paul Pigat and Michael Friedman on July 23; the Deanna Knight Tree-O (featuring Knight with Simon Kendall and Eric Reed) on July 30; gospel and rhythm-and-blues artist Dawn Pemberton artist with her full band on Aug. 13; folk/pop singer-songwriter Coco Love on August 20; and bluegrass harmony group Unfaithful Servants on Aug. 27.
Full details and ticket information are available online at deannaknight.ca.
Artesia a springboard
The final Artesia Coffee House of the season — part of a live performance series organized by the Coast Cultural Alliance in cooperation with the Sunshine Coast Arts Council — on May 10 highlighted new solists and ensembles that merit enthusiastic attention.
The new powerhouse quartet of saxologists Graham Ord, Karen Graves, Ken Grunenberg, and Jack Davis is an irrepressible groove machine — tempered by subtle conversation between players who master the full range of Adolphe Sax's instruments. The trio of vocalist Kiki Connelly, bassist James Meger, and pianist Anna Lumiere offered seductively sultry rhythms that charmed the capacity audience.
Meanwhile two piano soloists made their Artesia debut to rapturous acclaim: Taho Shinagawa and Daniel Claudepierre, both playing from the heart and (seemingly) utterly at ease in front of ardent music aficionados.
