Cameron Crozman, celloSunday, January 28, 2024 – 2:30pm
July 7, 2023
Janelle Nadeau, harp& Ashton Lim, celloSunday, November 5, 2023 – 2:30pm
July 7, 2023
Concerts Café Classico Series
Vancouver Opera and Turning Point Ensemble bassoonist, Ingrid Chiang and pianist Risa Tonita will perform a a programme that complements Ingrid’s powerful and oftentimes playful technique, and Risa’s dramatic accompaniment on the piano. The afternoon will feature diverse genres and styles and will also include a piece by the performer Ingrid Chiang.
The concert will open with an informal conversation between LCMS’ Artistic Director Elizabeth Bergmann and the artists, followed by complimentary coffee, tea and refreshments before the performance. The performance will take place in the Rose Gellert Hall and will last approximately 60 min, with no intermission.
Commentary & Coffee – 2:30pm, Concert – 3:15pm
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Concerts Café Classico Series
Single Tickets: Adult $25 / Senior $23 / Student $10
Flex Pass (4 concerts of your choice): Adult $90 | Senior $83
Season Subscription (6 concerts): Adult $128 | Senior $118| Student $59
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About the Artists
Ingrid Chiang, bassoon
Ingrid Chiang was that little kid who loved to perform – to be the centre of attention, to get up on stage and tell stories through music, to bask in the approval of her proud parents in the audience. Today she’s a veteran of the Vancouver music scene – a highly respected bassoon soloist, orchestral musician and teacher. And that love of being in the spotlight continues.
Ingrid grew up in Taipei, Taiwan. She joined a choir at 4, began piano at 5. At the Conservatory she majored in piano. In Grade 3 she had to choose an orchestral instrument to learn as well. She tried violin (until her dad complained it sounded like a “cat getting skinned.”) Eventually, her Mom suggested that “beautiful long instrument” – the bassoon. Ingrid found her voice.
At 15, she emigrated with her family to Vancouver and the music lessons continued. Ingrid received her BMus from UBC and played bassoon and piano with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada for five years.
She’s been Principal Bassoon of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra for over 20 years, is in her 10th season with the adventurous Turning Point Ensemble, serves on faculty at UBC, is a mentor for local amateur orchestras and is in constant demand as a studio musician.
She’s also a fashion maven and a fitness freak.
Over a decade ago, Ingrid had breast cancer. The survival rate was 10 per cent. The invasive treatments saved her life, but weakened her body. She found a gym with a cross-trek regimen that helped her regain her health and stamina and gave her the strength to support the hours of practicing, rehearsals and concerts that a professional musician endures. She’s now training other musicians to improve both their physical and mental fitness.
“I’m constantly learning something new,” she says. “I want my students, my family and my friends to see and hear music in any genre as part of everyday life, part of basic education and a way to express oneself. I’m very lucky.”
Risa Tonita, piano
A vibrant musician, Risa Tonita performs as a solo and collaborative pianist, and as a singer. She especially enjoys working on music that features extended techniques such as playing on the strings and pins inside the instrument, using her physical voice to tell a story while playing the piano, and adding items to the strings to create a prepared piano.
Recent performance highlights include performing with bassoonist Ingrid Chiang as part of the UBC Noon-Hours series (march 2023), a performance of videogame music with the UBC orchestra conducted by Lucas Waldin (November 4th 2022), performing in the final round of the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Piano Competition in April 2022, performing for The Old School House “Music on Sundays” concert series with Ingrid Chiang and oboist Emma Ringrose (2020), and working as rehearsal pianist for the Best of Broadway POPS concert at the National Arts Centre in 2018.
Risa’s experience in theatre, dance, and singing, as well as her commitment to fighting stigmas associated with mental health, gender inequity, and cultural oppression have inspired her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) research. She is currently studying feminist theories and political philosophy that support the development of the “self” as a way to connect more deeply with her audiences.
Risa graduated with a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music in piano performance from the University of Ottawa under the guidance of Frédéric Lacroix and holds a “Diplôme d’étudesmusicales” from a conservatory in France. She is currently finishing a DMA degree at UBC and is thoroughly enjoying being on this adventure with her supervisors, Dr. Corey Hammand Dr. Hedy Law.
When she needs a break from her piano shenanigans, Risa loves to sing, dance, bake, eat delicious food, and spend time with family, friends, her husband Alexander, and her mini-Aussie Luna.
