Clayton Leung, viola & Lisa Tahara, piano, in concert

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 16, 2017

LCMS Welcomes BC-Grown Talent, the Leung-Tahara Viola-Piano Duo, to Concerts Café Classico

LCMS alumnus Clayton Leung, viola, and award-winning Dr. Lisa Tahara, piano, grace the stage at the Langley Community Music School’s (LCMS) Concerts Café Classico series at 2:30 pm Sunday afternoon, October 29, 2017.

The duo will perform a variety of music for viola and piano from the romantic, such as Max Bruch’s “Romance,” to the rhapsodic, such as Rebecca Clarke’s lively “Sonata.” The repertoire will also include Efrem Zimbalist’s “Tango,” George Gershwin’s “Three Preludes,” Paul Coletti’s “From My Heart” and “Circus,” and Frank Bridge’s “Pensiero” and “Allegro Appassionato.” Violist Clayton Leung says, “Selections like Coletti and Bridge all draw out the sonorous and rich tone of the viola, with some technical virtuosity, and beautifully crafted melodic lines that soar.”

LCMS alumnus and violist Clayton Leung is a celebrated orchestral musician whose career has brought him across North America. He is currently working with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and was formerly the principal violist with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. He has also held positions in the Ashland Symphony Orchestra, the Castleton Festival, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Orchestre de la Francophonie.

Pianist Dr. Lisa Tahara is a classical pianist, teacher and former Fraser Valley resident, currently residing in Toronto, Ontario. Over the past 17 years, she has appeared in solo and chamber concerts throughout North America and Europe. Lisa has also performed as a soloist with several orchestras across Canada such as the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, the University of Victoria Orchestra and the Georgian Bay Symphony Orchestra. Lisa also starred and performed in France Benoit’s short film, Kiri’s Piano, during the summer of 2013 in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

The event starts at 2:30 pm with a pre-concert conversation with violist Clayton Leung, and pianist Dr. Lisa Tahara, hosted by LCMS artistic director Elizabeth Bergmann. This commentary will explore some anecdotes of the duo’s careers and highlight their insights into the selected repertoire. There will be a short break with coffee and refreshments, before the performance from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

“We are proud and thrilled to welcome back LCMS alumnus Clayton Leung and former Fraser Valley resident, pianist, Dr. Lisa Tahara,” says LCMS Artistic Director Elizabeth Bergmann. “It’s always special to be able to feature our alumni and our great British Columbian talent. We are very much looking forward to hearing these two dazzling young musicians.”

Leung adds, “Coming back to the Langley Music school, where I grew up, is so special for me. It’s thrilling to return and pull myself out of the orchestra and perform in a duo, where I get the chance to challenge myself with programming and making my own musical decisions.”

Tickets for this Concerts Café Classico event are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students. Call the box office at 604-534-2848. The Rose Gellert Hall is located at 4899 207 Street, Langley, BC.

ABOUT LANGLEY COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL
Langley Community Music School (LCMS) is a non-profit organization and registered charity that is committed to providing the highest quality of musical education to students of all ages and levels, from early learning to pre-professional and adult programs. With the support of the community, LCMS has become one of the largest non-profit music schools in the province, earning both national and international acclaim for their comprehensive and innovative programs. Learn more about LCMS programs, scholarships and bursaries.

The Langley Community Music School hosts multiple musical concerts from October to May, including the Rose Gellert Hall Series, a Saturday evening concert featuring renowned Canadian and international musicians, as well as the Concerts Café Classico Series, a Sunday afternoon concert series featuring stellar local and touring musicians playing classical, jazz or contemporary works.

Visit langleymusic.com or call 604-534-2848.

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