I’m excited to join the jury for the 4th edition of the Trinity International Music Competition in December 2024. This competition provides unique opportunities for performance, publicity for outstanding winners in major television and news networks worldwide, as well as in social media.
https://www.trinityinternationalmusiccompetition.org/jury-panel.html#/
Excited about a new project (and long-cherished dream!) dedicated to Fritz Kreisler’s works for violin and piano (and solo violin). Pianist Bernadene Blaha will be joining me in this journey, inaugurating the 2024/25 season on Friday, October 4th, 2024, in Montreux, Switzerland.
Stay tuned – more details TBA soon!
Happy to join the jury panel of the Adler Classical Music Competition, France (Les Musicales du Centre), May 2024 Edition. 42 participants worldwide to hear and to discover this month.
GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE!
Intensive Violin Course 2024 with Violinist Laurence Kayaleh, from May 20 to 24, in Montreal, Canada. Sessions focused on the violin repertoire, and left hand, bow, vibrato, sound production & practice techniques.
For detailed information, please submit your request using the contact form.
I wish you a new year filled with happiness, love, good health, as well as the fulfillment of your dearest wishes. My deepest thoughts go out to the victims who are experiencing excruciating suffering around the world. The language of music transcends words. It brings people together, enriches our souls and soothes our hearts. Music is a magnificent and universal source of beauty and inner growth. With it, borders fade and the human communion flourishes. May the Art of Music continue to bring as much Peace as possible in 2024…
This new artistic adventure which was to learn, perform and record the violin sonatas by Polish composers Zygmunt Noskowski and Wladyslaw Zelenski was, for pianist Bernadene Blaha and myself, most captivating. The musical and instrumental potential the pieces embody is admirably substantial.
Both works were written in the heart of romanticism. Passionate, and yet respecting the sonata form, they often evoke a lyrical character with subtle dialogues between the instruments. These sonatas have the characteristic of being very contrasting in atmospheres and moods, moving quickly from a dramatic and fiery character, to an espiègle and a humorous one, including phrases imbued with remarkable beauty and innerness.
While listeners can appreciate the influence of Noskowski’s symphonic writing within his sonata in A minor – for which the composer was particularly renowned, having been a great conductor himself – they will enjoy the crystalline writing, as well as the influence of Polish folk music in Zelenski’s sonata in F major.
Zygmunt Noskowski, who was one of the most famous Polish pedagogues of his time, was the teacher of the prominent Karol Szymanowski, a composer I am particularly fond of.
In addition to having been a composer, pianist, conductor and teacher, Zelenski also held a PhD in Philosophy, this aspect certainly having had a significant influence within the artistic depth of his work.
A recording session will never allow the singular communion a musician experiences on stage in the presence of an audience. This energy is (fortunately!) unparalleled. However, recording offers the musician the opportunity to achieve, through the process of listening, a distinct – and yet equally exhilarating – artistic work. This experience allows for a deeper understanding of the work and its conception, while experimenting with different approaches to interpretation.
It was a memorable musical journey exploring these astounding works together with my colleague, Bernadene. We had the pleasure of performing them on stage, and it was with great emotion and enthusiasm that they were received by the audience.
These sonatas are still too rarely performed around the world. I sincerely hope that this recording will allow a wider audience to discover them, and more musicians to treasure and perform them! This is also what our vocation as interpreters consists of: drawing on the colossal artistic heritage left to us by our predecessors, and exposing it…
A sincere « thank you » to the Naxos record company which promotes such projects, showcasing gems from the gigantic musical repertoire.
©Laurence Kayaleh – violinist
This movement was particularly interesting to perform. It inspires the musician to vary considerably the effects, dynamics, and dialogues between both instruments. Written in a Tarantella form – a traditional dance born in Italy – we had to emphasise the dancing character of the piece.
On a more technical level, this movement allowed me to play with the many colours and the pearly, vigorous and sparkling characters which are specific to the Spiccato, a bow stroke which offers a multitude of descriptive facets to interpretation.
In this movement, flawless complicity between the musicians is crucial, and contributes to the essential fluidity within dialogues, an important characteristic of the Tarantella style. It was a source of great enjoyment to perform it with Bernadene!
In this movement, it is the influence of Polish folk music which constitutes a particularly interesting material. We’re focusing on the playful and colorful moods – including moments of great flexibility required by this musical character.
Transitions between voices and contrasting sections of the movement must always be carried out in a most natural, flexible and clear manner. We therefore explored agogic rubato relating mainly to the musician’s emotions and perception, and to what the artist wishes to engrave in their interpretation.
©Laurence Kayaleh – violinist
I hope that you all enjoyed a beautiful summer, despite the massive wildfires. My prayers go out to all the victims…
I’m very excited to start this musical season, with new projects, collaborations & artistic discoveries!
♦️📀 My new album (Polish Violin Sonatas) recorded with pianist Bernadene Blaha will be released worldwide on Naxos Records in December 2023.
More projects will include a violin & cello Concert Tour with Canadian cellist, Elizabeth Dolin; a musical program dedicated to Central European music, and a Canadian piece composed for us by Guy Fouquet.
I’m also looking forward to our new collaboration with pianist (and ER doctor!), Mathieu Gaudet (including Beethoven’s Trio, Op. 70, No. 2…a long-held dream of mine).
‼️ STAY TUNED – more details to follow in the next few weeks!
Wishing you all a fabulous concert season!!
Laurence 🎻
It was such a pleasure to work with talented violinists during the Intensive Violin Course 2023 that I led in Montreal, from May 24th to June 1st.
Dear Students, continue to dedicate yourselves to the great Art of Music. Develop your thirst for knowledge and TAKE THE NECESSARY TIME to learn, to tap into your musical (and human!) potential, and to define your artistic message. Don’t get overwhelmed by the many (and often, worthless) distractions surrounding us. The world needs you more than ever! Wishing you all a wonderful summer and looking forward to seeing (and hearing) you during the new musical season filled with great music & inspiring human exchanges!
Intensive Violin Course 2023 with Violinist Laurence Kayaleh, from May 24 to 31, in Montreal, Canada. Sessions focused on the violin repertoire, and left hand, bow, vibrato, sound production & practice techniques – including a session on J. S. Bach’s Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin. For detailed information, please submit your request using the contact form.
It’s been a great pleasure to be interviewed by researcher and musicologist Dr. Karin Martensen, from the Technical University Berlin, during her visit at McGill University as part of her study of the process of collaboration between performing artists & record producers/engineers in the creation of recordings of classical music.
Dear Friends and Music Lovers,
The year 2022 is coming to an end and the time has come to reflect on the events that marked our year, on our actions and on what we wish to share with people around us. Music unites all nations into one and uplifts our souls. The emotions it creates represent a wealth that nothing can take away from us. Music isn’t tangible. No one can hold it in a treasure box. But it only takes one time for it to penetrate our hearts forever… May this end of the year bring you all Happiness, Love and Serenity!
Laurence Kayaleh
« Altogether, Żeleński’s Violin Sonata was a real find, played with whole-hearted commitment and skill by the Kayaleh/Blaha duo… »
« As for the finale, (Noskowski) plunges with the merest preamble into a headlong Prestissimo that the Kayaleh/Blaha duo made into a real moto perpetuo thrill ride… »
«…Laurence Kayaleh and Bernadene Blaha thoroughly justified their choice of this rare repertoire for an entire recital rather than cozying audience ears with something more familiar, and it is good news indeed that they are going on to record this pair of almost-forgotten 19th century violin sonatas by two fine Polish composers for Naxos… »
LA Opus
by David J. Brown
Regrettably, pianist Bernadene Blaha, who contracted COVID, will not be able to perform our concert on June 30 as part of Musique de chambre à Sainte-Pétronille, near Quebec City. Pianist Meagan Milatz will join me in Grieg’s & Franck’s sonatas for violin & piano. I’ll be performing J. S. Bach’s Chaconne for Solo Violin in replacement of Smetana’s Aus der Heimat. A big “thank you” to Meagan, and wishing Bernadene a speedy recovery!
Artists :
Program :
« The limpidity with which Ms. Kayaleh floated the first theme made one marvel once again how something so gentle and apparently self-contained could become the source of such resourceful and unpredictable development as ensues, while Ms. Blaha’s no less eloquent handling of the second subject underlined the originality with which Franck makes each of the two instruments “own” their respective melodies.
Ms. Blaha unerringly clarified the leading voices within the tumble of piano figuration that launches and underpins much of the dramatic second movement—effectively the work’s scherzo but not thus named—while Ms. Kayaleh was truly molto dolce in her projection of the poco più lento and Quasi lento sections that Franck intercalates into the tumult.
Again, in the seemingly-improvisatory-but-not-really Recitativo-Fantasia that is as original a take on the role of “slow movement” as its predecessor is a scherzo, both players were unfailing responsive to Franck’s multiplicity of expressive indications, so that when the finale opened with its plain-spoken but indelibly memorable main theme, it seemed like a thankful homecoming after a long, unpredictable, and sometimes perilous journey. What a masterpiece this sonata is, and how masterfully the Kayaleh/Blaha duo realized it. »
It is the extension of my being
The voice that expresses what no word can describe
It enriches my mind, and nourishes my soul
My violin, my reason of being…
Happy World Violin Day on Monday, December 13, to all violin lovers – and wishing you all a joyous Holiday Season!
© Laurence Kayaleh
My next performance in Los Angeles, California, with pianist Bernadene Blaha will be videotaped and streamed as of Sunday, November 14th, 2021 at 2pm (Los Angeles time).
For more details : http://www.palosverdes.com/ClassicalCrossroads/SecondSundays.htm
« From inner balance to musical expression… »
Musician’s Health, Violin Posture, Illustrated & Commented Exercises, Interview with Physical Trainer, Kevin Arteta, and much more !
STAY TUNED to my Official YouTube Channel !!
Dear Friends & Music Lovers !
I’m so excited (& grateful) about rescheduled dates for my previously postponed concerts for the upcoming summer & fall – Switzerland, Quebec/Ontario (Canada), Los Angeles (USA). More details will follow soon ! Fingers crossed. Although, the situation remains uncertain around the globe, it brings tremendous joy and energy to mark these concerts on the calendar … Miss you all ❤️
Naxos 8.573992
In a life spanning seventy-three years, where he is said to have composed around nine hundred works of various genres, Ferdinand Rebay is now totally forgotten.
Born in 1880, he was a piano and composition student at the Vienna Conservatoire, his career as an educationalist then giving him time to write operas, oratorios, symphonic and chamber music. By far the largest part was guitar music that came into his life when a friendship with Jacobus Ortner, another teacher at the Musikhochschule and his niece, a leading European guitarist in the first half of the 20th century, opened up a new world of music. In total he is said to have composed around 600 pieces for guitar, much of it in the ‘classical’ mode. Among that massive collection are three duo sonatas, unusual in the fact that they are equal ‘voices’, without either consigned to an accompanying role. Rebay was said to have composed in the style of Brahms, the works, as represented here, are too lightweight for such a connection. We know that 1942 was the composition date for the violin/guitar sonatas, but the date of the viola work is unknown. In many ways I find this the most persuasive, the darker colours of the viola bringing a much greater contrast to the guitar, while Rebay was here finding more attractive melodic material as he explores the use of solo passages for both instruments.
Rebay has the good fortune of having Laurence Kayaleh doubling on violin and viola, her perfect intonation and thoughtful phrasing mirrored by Michael Kolk’s excellent guitar playing. Still want persuading? Well try track 5—the opening movement of the Viola/Guitar duo—and I doubt you will make a more beautiful discovery this year?
© 2020 David’s Review Corner
September 4, 2020 to September 11, 2020.
Ferdinand Rebay : Complete Sonatas for Violin/Viola & Guitar (NAXOS Records 8.573992).
“La violoniste vaudoise s’est installée au Canada. Elle joie Tchaïkovski à Montreux le 31 janvier.”
Matthieu Chenal
27.01.2020 24 Heures
One is immediately struck by the excellence of the violin sound in the first sonata. … III also shows off Raff’s violinistic writing, with plenty of barriolage and octaves as well as engaging accompanimental material given to the violin, and Kayaleh does not shy from producing an original conception with plenty of slides. Raff is not a writer of melodies but is good at harmony and pacing. … In IV I caught glimpses of why I fell in love with the violin, courtesy of Kayaleh’s marvelous playing. … Raff’s run-on sentences can be difficult to navigate. The ease and bravado that Kayaleh displays as she deals with fiendishly difficult material in the developmental sections carry the performance. Most impressive of all might be how she manages to sound good playing those awkward high chords. … This is an excellent performance, particularly by Kayaleh, lifting average music into an elevated state. … it is a pleasure to hear the violin played so marvelously.
Ned Kellenberger
© 2020 American Record Guide
Laurence Kayaleh, violin & Jean-Fabien Schneider, piano – Joachim Raff : Complete Violin Sonatas, Vol. 1 (NAXOS Records 8.573841 – Sept. 2019)
November 15, 2019 to November 22, 2019.
Joachim Raff Complete Violin Sonatas (NAXOS Records 8.573841/42).
Friday, January 31st, 2020 at 7:30pm
Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, Salle des Congrès
Violinist Laurence Kayaleh and pianist Jean-Fabien Schneider will be performing Joachim Raff’s Sonata No. 1 in E minor for violin and piano, Op. 73 on Radio VM, Canada.
Album available tomorrow, Friday September 13, 2019 on NAXOS Records 8.573841 (Complete Violin Sonatas – Vol. 1).
Somewhere in the plethora of music composed by Joseph Joachim Raff, the five violin sonatas have become neglected, though at the time they were well received. It is said that the violin, which he was taught as a child, was his favourite instrument, which becomes a strange comment when in these two sonatas he gave so much to the piano that it became far more than an equal voice. The First dates from from 1854 while he was working for Liszt, who had just saved the young man from destitution, its structure, in the conventional four movements, having a very happy scherzo coming followed by a fulsome and passionate slow movement. Finally an intensely active finale with the exhortation by Raff that it should be ‘very determined’. The Second Sonata was completed in 1858, by which time he had become financially self-sufficient and had found a personal style of composition that moved him towards the musical world created by Schubert. Raff added a genial disposition, and, at times the bustling action, the tempo indication to all four movements being of urgency. The scherzo of vigorous charm, and even the ‘slow movement’ has the qualifying statement, ‘not too slow’. In both works the Canadian-based violinist, Laurence Kayaleh, is a most persuasive advocate, her intonation immaculate and her celebrated Guarneri violin sings eloquently. The French-Canadian pianist, Jean-Fabian Schneider, brings a welcome virtuosity to passages, such as those in the mercurial finale to the Second. Excellent sound engineering, and a discovery that offers many delights.
David Denton
© 2019 David’s Review Corner
Laurence Kayaleh, violin & Jean-Fabien Schneider, piano – Joachim Raff : Complete Violin Sonatas, Vol. 1 (NAXOS Records 8.573841 – Sept. 2019)
Here is a picture taken this morning in Drummondville, Canada, with Mr. Roger Dubois.
It was time to return the beautiful viola after playing on it for 13 months in preparation for a special recording project – Ferdinand Rebay : The Complete Sonatas for Violin & Guitar and Viola & Guitar with guitarist Michael Kolk (soon available on Naxos Records) !
Heartfelt thanks to Mr. Dubois & to Canimex Group for their exceptional generosity !
Happy Birthday, Ferdinand Rebay (Vienna, June 11, 1880 – November 6, 1953) – Looking forward to recording this week for NAXOS Records his complete sonatas for violin & guitar and viola & guitar with guitarist Michael Kolk & producer Drew Henderson. Thank you Groupe Canimex for giving me the opportunity to play on a viola from Mr. Roger Dubois’ collection for this project.
So glad to announce that I’ll be performing in Los Angeles, USA, next season with the pianist, Bernadene Blaha, as part of our concert tour dedicated to English music of the twentieth century !
GREAT NEWS !! I’ll be performing the following program dedicated to Music of England with the outstanding pianist, Bernadene Blaha (detailed program below).
Our concerts will take place during the spring/summer of 2020. Stay tuned for the complete concert schedule !
Presenting this special musical theme has been a dream of mine for a long time. Can’t wait to explore this superb repertoire with Bernadene…
There are only a few seats left for Sunday’s concert (March 17 at 2pm) – “A Tribute to Johannes Brahms” !
Quai 5160 – Maison de la culture de Verdun, 5160, Boulevard LaSalle (Montreal, Canada).
Sunday, March 17, 2019 at 2pm, Maison de la Culture de Verdun, Montreal, Canada “Hommage à Johannes Brahms”
Can’t wait to immerse myself in Brahms’ superb music with my dear colleagues cellist, Elizabeth Dolin & pianist, Claire Ouellet !
Super excited to play my first Maurice Ravel Piano Trio in the fall as part of an all-French program – including other works by Gabriel Fauré & Claude Debussy – stay tuned !
The violin & guitar concert tour with guitarist Michael Kolk ended at Toronto’s Heliconian Hall on March 3 – Syrinx Concerts Toronto. A sincere and heartfelt THANK YOU to all the presenters & beautiful venues, the enthusiastic and very supportive audiences, the photographers, the hosts, friends & family members who drove and accompanied us throughout this journey – not to mention the wonderful restaurants ! Check out the souvenir pictures.
Photo credit : Pascal Boudreault, Pier Carlo Liva, Joao Cardoso & Julie Glick.
CHAPELLE HISTORIQUE DU BON-PASTEUR, MONTREAL, CANADA.
CHAPELLE HISTORIQUE DU BON-PASTEUR, MONTREAL, CANADA.
PHOTO CREDIT : PASCAL BOUDREAULT.
MAISON D’OPERA ET DE CONCERTS DE SHERBROOKE, CANADA (PLYMOUTH-TRINITY CHURCH).
PHOTO CREDIT : PIER CARLO LIVA.
FAIRMONT LE MONTREUX PALACE, SWITZERLAND (SALLE DES CONGRES).
PHOTO CREDIT : JOAO CARDOSO.
SYRINX CONCERTS TORONTO, CANADA (HELICONIAN HALL).
PHOTO CREDIT : JULIE GLICK.
On my way to Ontario, Canada, for the final leg of the violin & guitar concert tour with the wonderful guitarist, Michael Kolk.
Stay tuned 🙂 !
Photo credit : Joao Cardoso (Picture taken at the Montreux Palace, Switzerland)
Dear Friends,
The violin & guitar concert tour will start in two weeks (please find below the concert dates) – great venues & repertoire from Italy, Austria, Spain, Canada & Argentina (Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango !). Stay tuned & share the information around you. Hope to see you in great numbers !
Laurence Kayaleh, violin & Claire Ouellet, piano
B. Smetana Aus der Heimat / K. Szymanowski Sonata Op. 9 / R. Strauss Sonata Op. 18 / R. Schumann Sonata No. 1 / J. Brahms Sonata Op. 108 / E. Grieg Sonata Op. 45 – Encores : M. de Falla/F. Kreisler Spanish Dance & Gluck/Kreisler Melodie.
Photo credit : Barry Weiss
Laurence Kayaleh, violin & Michael Kolk, guitar. Tickets are now available !
Heartfelt thanks to La Maison d’Opéra et de Concerts de Sherbrooke, Canada, for yesterday’s memorable welcome ! What a great audience and truly outstanding acoustics. On the first picture (L to R) : Mr. Roger Dubois from Groupe Canimex (who is giving me the opportunity to play on a superb Italian viola from his collection for my upcoming recording), pianist Claire Ouellet, Mr. Pier Carlo Liva, cellist Elizabeth Dolin & violinist Laurence Kayaleh.
A sincere thank you to my magnificent colleagues, Claire Ouellet & Elizabeth Dolin, to the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal & to our fantastic audience tonight – such an unlimited source of inspiration, artistically & on the human level… MERCI ❤️ ! Back on stage tomorrow in Sherbrooke city, Canada. Can’t wait 😊
Saturday, October 20, 2018 – 7:30pm
Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, Canada
Série Vivace
Heartfelt thanks to the Lakeshore Chamber Music Society for the warm welcome. Great audience tonight, beautiful acoustics & superb repertoire ! Upcoming performances next weekend (Oct. 20 & 21) at the Conservatoire de Montréal & La Maison d’opéra et de concerts de Sherbrooke. Laurence Kayaleh (violin), Elizabeth Dolin (cello), Claire Ouellet (piano). Czech Music (works by Josef Suk, Leos Janacek, Bedrich Smetana & Antonin Dvorak).
Laurence Kayaleh, violin
Yusuke Kikuchi, piano
JT Art Hall | Tokyo, Japan
Laurence Kayaleh, violin
Yusuke Kikuchi, piano
JT Art Hall | Tokyo, Japan
Dear Friends of Music,
It is a great pleasure to visit Japan and perform again in this beautiful country in
September ! I still keep very dear memories of my last stay in Tokyo and of the audience’s
appreciation for music. Such a journey is a significant source of inspiration as an artist.
Audiences aren’t always aware of their contribution to the musician’s interpretation. But the
public plays a crucial role in the unique communication and communion we, musicians,
experience on stage. I still remember the magical moments in concert halls in Japan filled
with people enjoying every note of music with such passion and respect !
The sonatas I will be performing in Tokyo on September 21st are masterpieces which I
have been playing for many years. The musical writing and structure of these works
represent a world of endless artistic (and human !) exploration… I feel privileged as a
musician to be able to come back regularly to such great musical literature with new
musical ideas, impressions and maturity. I have been recently performing Richard Strauss’
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 13, hence the choice of performing his magnificent violin
sonata, together with Johannes Brahms’ Sonata in D minor, Op. 108 and Edvard Grieg’s
Sonata in C minor, Op. 45.
My heartfelt thanks to the organizers for having me back !
Laurence Kayaleh
September 21, 2018 at 7pm
Johannes Brahms – Sonata for violin & piano No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108
Richard Strauss – Sonata for violin & piano in E-flat major, Op. 18
Edvard Grieg – Sonata for violin & piano No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45
Laurence Kayaleh, violin
Yusuke Kikuchi, piano
Dear Friends !
Here is a brief outlook on my upcoming musical season ! Events will include concerts at the JT Hall in Tokyo, Japan, with pianist, Yusuke Kikuchi ; new album releases on NAXOS Records, working with sound engineers and producers, Martha de Francisco & Drew Henderson ; a special violin & guitar concert tour with Canadian classical guitarist, Michael Kolk, including works by Paganini, Rebay, de Falla, Roux & Piazzolla ; performances of Tchaikovsky’s monumental Piano Trio, Op. 50 with cellist, Elizabeth Dolin & pianist, Bernadene Blaha ; performances in British Columbia, Canada, including a concert for The Coast Recital Society with pianist, Michelle Mares ; performances in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, for the Pro Musica Series with pianist, Claire Ouellet ; Czech music concerts in Montreal with cellist, Elizabeth Dolin & pianist, Claire Ouellet ; including works by Strauss, Grieg, Brahms, Suk, Smetana, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Szymanowski, Schumann. I will also be making my viola debut 😉, and will be conducting a public Masterclass in Japan, in September 2018.
I’m very much looking forward to all these events and collaborations with my wonderful colleagues !
Stay tuned for more exciting news to come ! For detailed information, please click the button below :
Dear Friends and Colleagues !
I’m playing for you Edward Elgar’s Salut d’Amour (Love’s Greeting) in this video with pianist, Jean-Fabien Schneider !
Thank you so much to all of you for your continued support and for attending my performances this year ! I’m deeply grateful for being surrounded by such wonderful friends and colleagues…
Wishing you a most magical Holiday Season and may the New Year bring you happiness, peace and prosperity !
By going through archives, I came across this beautiful document I am sharing here for the first time (see English translation below).
Meeting and playing for legendary pianist, Alicia de Larrocha (1923-2009), remains one of the most moving and inspiring experiences of my musical life.
« Still under an indescribable impression, I want to make clear that Laurence Kayaleh (whom I had the immense pleasure of hearing yesterday) is an incredibly sensitive artist, with an extraordinary musicality, a fabulous, stunning technique and who possesses a sound with her Guarnerius that I do not recall ever having heard! Such a volcanic temperament always controlled by her good taste and great musicality. Laurence Kayaleh is a violinist whom everyone should know! Her future is an immediate sensation.
Alicia de Larrocha »
Ongakunotomo Magazine (Ongaku No Tomo Sha) / August 2017
Laurence Kayaleh, Violin
Yusuke Kikuchi, Piano
Ichigaya Lutheran Hall – Tokyo, Japan
Dear Friends of Music,
Here are some pictures of last night’s concert in Tokyo, Japan, with wonderful pianist, Yusuke Kikuchi. Beautiful concert hall, magnificent acoustics and extraordinary audience !! A big « thank you » to the organizers for their particularly moving and inspiring welcome… ».
© Violinist Laurence Kayaleh – 2017
Photo credit : Kumiko Kasugai
Dear Friends of Music,
Since the early stages of my artistic life, I was eager to learn new repertoire. Of course, there is always endless beauty to discover in music, even in the regularly performed repertoire. The musical literature is incredibly rich, inspired, and inspiring. Every time I work on a Brahms or Beethoven sonata, or any work of the standard repertoire, I approach it as if it were the first time I read it, even if I have already performed it many times in concert. Music grows, as we grow as human beings. The general conception of interpretation, and the understanding of composers’ indications become much deeper with time and experience. A genuine artist never knows a work completely, even after years of dedication. The artistic evolution is constant; it never ends. This is also the beauty of the Arts.
The repertoire written for the violin is vast (although not as vast as the piano’s!).
Even though I regularly perform and cover well-known repertoire ranging from the Baroque through the contemporary eras, I believe it is also my role, as a performer, to present lesser-known works but very inspired to a larger audience. There are some remarkable jewels out there yet to be explored—a real gold mine.
Karol Szymanowski’s Sonata for Violin & Piano in D minor Op. 9 was composed in 1904, in Warsaw. It was created in April 1909 by violinist Paul Kochanski and pianist Arthur Rubinstein. The work was composed in the style of late Romanticism which he highly appreciated and respected at that time. The work is dedicated to Bronisław Gromadzki, an amateur violinist and good friend of Szymanowski. The young Szymanowski, a pupil of Zygmunt Noskowski, was then 21 years old. He demonstrates in this work a very fine mastery of the classical form.
Gabriel Fauré’s Sonata for Violin & Piano No. 2 in E minor, Op. 108 is a masterpiece of artistic depth. It was written in 1916, five years before his sublime Piano Quintet in C minor Op. 115 (1921), and only eight years before his death. The human and musical evolution in the 40 years between his first and second violin sonatas is quite striking. The work certainly reflects and expresses World War I torment and human suffering… The musical writing demonstrates great inspiration and maturity.
Sonata Op. 108 was written during the third period of his life throughout which Fauré was suffering from hearing loss problems.
The gorgeous theme in the Andante from the discarded Symphony in D minor of 1884 is full of beauty and expression.
The work was premiered by Lucien Capet and Alfred Cortot on November the 10th, 1917 at the Société Nationale de Musique. The sonata is dedicated to the Queen of Belgium, Her Majesty Elisabeth.
After Szymanowski’s and Fauré’s lesser-known sonatas, the program will conclude with the superb and one of César Franck’s best-known works, his Sonata for Violin & Piano in A major. The sonata was written in 1886. It was Franck’s wedding present to the young violinist and composer, Eugène Ysaÿe. Ysaÿe performed the work for the wedding guests with pianist Léontine Bordes-Pène. Both Ysaÿe and Bordes-Pène gave the first official public performance of the sonata on December 16th, 1886 at the Museum of Modern Painting in Brussels.
The role of a performer is quite subtle. One must follow and respect the musical text and the composer’s indications, while in a way “reimagining” the piece using the eloquent and precise indications given by the composer. There is a distinct but fragile line between what the performer can do or not to serve the composer’s intentions without it being detrimental to the personal interpretation.
The artists need to emphasize the coherence in the sound colors to create a total “communion” between the instruments, thus favoring the general atmosphere and respecting the color of the harmonic architecture. This is always a very critical step in chamber music, made even more complex by the uniqueness of every musician.
© Violinist Laurence Kayaleh – 2017
Audio excerpts from the recent recording of Georgy Catoire’s Complete Works for Violin & Piano performed by Laurence Kayaleh & Stéphane Lemelin (NAXOS Records) now available on this website.
Radio Interview with violinist Laurence Kayaleh and pianist Stéphane Lemelin on their new Naxos Album dedicated to Georgy Catoire with host, Frédéric Cardin “Les trésors cachés de la musique classique” (Radio VM, Montreal, Canada).
2pm-4pm, Tuesday October 4, 2016
Radio Interview with violinist Laurence Kayaleh and pianist Stéphane Lemelin on their new Naxos Album dedicated to Georgy Catoire with host, Frédéric Cardin “Les trésors cachés de la musique classique”.
2pm-4pm, Tuesday October 4, 2016
Radio VM 91,3 FM Montréal, Canada (Please, check frequency outside Montreal on Radio VM website)
Website : http://www.radiovm.com/
Radio show Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/groups/tresorscachesradiovm/?ref=bookmarks
Laurence Kayaleh ist aber so wunderbar vorbereitet, dass ihr das scheinbar gar keine Mühe bereitet. Sie konzentriert sich auf die Musik, die sie dem Hörer wie etwas Eigenes mitteilt. Ihr Klavierpartner Stéphane Lemelin fügt sich da nahtlos in die Regie der begnadeten Violinistin, die schon vor bald 30 Jahren als Wunderkind in Europa herumgereicht wurde. Ihre Wege führten sie über die berühmtesten Konzertsäle von Moskau, Paris, Zürich, Genf, Tokio, Washington und Montreal, und das teils an der Seite von Persönlichkeiten wie Ida Haendel oder Igor Oistrach. Sie spricht musikalisch in einer Deutlichkeit, wie selten erlebt und kann Spannungsbögen schaffen wie nur wenige ihrer Zunft. Da ist sie mit David Oistrach gleichauf, der in den 1950er Jahren ebenfalls die Sonaten Catoires einspielte. (…) Sie hat ein ausgeprägt dramatisches musikalisches Temperament und singt immer mit Seele. Ihre 1742er Guarneri ist ihr dabei ein unverwüstlicher Partner. Schließlich zählte diese Violine einst zum Besitz eines Carl Flesch. Ihr strahlend-durchdringender Ton begeistert sicher nicht nur eingefleischte Fans, sondern auch neugierige Entdecker. (…) Klaviersatz und Violinstimme verschmelzen hier wiederum zu einer untrennbaren Einheit. Dieses Idyll – zunächst mit Dämpfer intoniert – entfalten die beiden Solisten und machen daraus große Kunst. Hier macht sich ‚saftiger‘ Klang breit, aber auch Zurückhaltung und Demut werden spürbar. Doppelgriffe gelingen Kayaleh mühelos, ihre Intonation ist blütenrein. Diese Platte ist unbedingt empfehlenswert.
Large-scale music, then, and Laurence Kayaleh and Stéphane Lemelin give it large-scale performances […] they’re both powerful players and the music often suits a red-blooded approach (listen to Kayaleh from 6’19 » in the Second Sonata to hear her low register in all its gutsy glory). They’re at their best in Catoire’s grand, cascading climaxes.
http://www.ckwr.com/
FM 98.5 – Ontario, Canada
“Women in music” host/animateur : Tom Quick
Georgy Catoire’s Complete Works for Violin and Piano (NAXOS 8.573345)
Dear Friends of Music,
Herewith, you’ll find a live recording of a performance I gave with cellist, Elizabeth Dolin, at the University of Victoria on November 18th 2015, during a successful concert/teaching Tour in British Colombia, Canada. We were welcomed with such care,
warmth and generosity throughout the tour. It was a memorable journey !
A heartfelt thank you to Elizabeth for her inspiration, to the organizers for their remarkable work, to the warm and enthusiastic public, to the teachers and their students for their exceptional welcome at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and the University of Victoria, and to our wonderful hosts !
Another year comes to an end ! As always, I would like to express my gratitude for your precious support towards the Art of Music by attending concerts.
I wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season, and hope that 2016 brings you happiness, health and prosperity !
Chers Amis de la Musique,
Le temps passe vite et nous voilà déjà à la veille d’une autre année qui s’achève, remplie de beaucoup de musique, de voyages, de belles rencontres, de partages et d’émotions. C’est l’occasion de vous remercier très sincèrement pour le soutien continuel de beaucoup d’entre vous, d’année en année. Les musiciens ne seraient pas grand chose sans un public de fervents mélomanes qui sait apprécier et comprendre le grand Art de la Musique – cette parole universelle qui saura toujours atteindre le coeur du monde, quelle que soit la culture… La musique est un équilibre vital dont nous avons tous besoin. Comme le disait Nietzsche « Sans la musique, la vie serait une erreur »… Ainsi, la communion qui naît dans une salle, entre les artistes sur scène et le public, crée l’inspiration propre à cet instant qu’est le concert. Cette énergie humaine contagieuse incite le musicien à créer, à donner le meilleur de lui-même et à communiquer un message au-delà de toute parole…
Je vous retrouverai sur scène dès le mois de février 2015 dans l’intégrale des superbes oeuvres pour violon et piano de G. Catoire au Conservatoire de Musique et d’Art Dramatique de Montréal et à la Chapelle Historique du Bon Pasteur à Montréal avec le pianiste Stéphane Lemelin, ainsi qu’auprès de mes chers collègues, Lambert Chen et Elizabeth Dolin, pour d’autres concerts incluant le Trio à Cordes en sol majeur op. 9/1 de Beethoven, le Duo de Kodaly et la merveilleuse Sérénade pour Cordes en do majeur op. 10 de E. Dohnanyi – Les Rendez-Vous du Dimanche : De l’Allemagne à la Hongrie.
Je vous souhaite à tous de Joyeuses Fêtes auprès des vôtres, et une nouvelle année 2015 heureuse et prospère !
Joyeux Noël, Frohe Weihnachten, Buon Natale, Merry Christmas !
Laurence
Here are pictures of my stay near Annecy, France, where I performed this week with Georges Kiss (August 12).
The musical program was dedicated to Bach and Mozart. We ended up playing two encores, including J.-S. Bach’s Sarabande in D minor for solo violin.
The sound and the beauty of the church were breathtaking…We enjoyed it tremendously !
A heartfelt THANK YOU to the organizers of the Festival « Les Fêtes Musicales de Savoie » for their generous welcome, to my wonderful colleague, Georges, and to our awesome audience !!
Laurence on the road.
Photographs : A. Othenin-Girard
Chers Amis de la Musique,
Quelques mois se sont écoulés depuis ma dernière “carte postale” ! Le temps passe trop vite et les activités s’accumulent, toujours aussi passionnantes et inspirantes. Et entre temps, des éléments techniques du site devaient subir des mises à jour.
L’hiver fut très froid au Canada cette année ! Mais la Musique ne cesse d’illuminer nos cœurs, animant chaque instant de ma vie par le partage qu’elle inspire au quotidien…
Mes étudiants à l’Université de Montréal, en violon et en musique de chambre, ont merveilleusement bien travaillés cette année. L’investissement et les résultats de chacun d’entre eux furent très gratifiants en tant que professeur. J’ai eu le bonheur de voir naître des étincelles dans leurs yeux au sein de chacune de nos séances de travail. Et sans le savoir, nos élèves nous apprennent d’innombrables merveilles humaines, artistiques, et instrumentales. J’analyse sans relâche mon travail instrumental personnel, tels que les aspects techniques, la conception générale des œuvres etc., mais on ne cesse jamais d’apprendre (et heureusement !). Les caractéristiques de chaque élève, les éléments à développer ou à acquérir, me poussent à aller toujours plus loin dans mes recherches…
Nous avons conclu la saison musicale par une très belle sortie de classe le samedi 3 mai 2014. Je joins quelques photos de l’événement à ce texte !
Quant à mes concerts, l’hiver fut intense avec la reprise du Souvenir de Florence en février dernier, à Montréal, ainsi que des concerts violon et violoncelle avec la violoncelliste Elizabeth Dolin, au mois de mars, incluant une prestation à l’Eglise de la Visitation qui possède une acoustique tout à fait exceptionnelle pour les instruments à cordes. Quel bonheur que de pouvoir y interpréter les œuvres du grand J.-S. Bach !
Je me trouve actuellement en Suisse où je me produirai au Festival du Château de Bossey, près de Genève, en concerts de musique de chambre et dans la superbe Suite pour violon et alto no. 3, op. 19 que j’interpréterai avec ma sœur Céline, à l’alto.
Le Festival réunira sur scène les brillants violonistes de la Kayaleh Violin Academy, ainsi que des musiciens qui se retrouvent souvent à l’occasion du festival annuel du Château
(www.festival-chateaubossey.ch).
Le programme du concert du 20 juin 2014 sera consacré à des œuvres écrites pour différentes formations de musique de chambre, mettant en valeur la beauté très complémentaire du violon, de l’alto, du violoncelle et du piano. Ce voyage musical vous transportera en Allemagne avec le pétillant Octuor de F. Mendelssohn et le Quintette pour piano de R. Schumann que ce dernier composa à l’âge de 32 ans et qui fut créé en 1843 avec Clara Schumann au piano. Les prochaines escales du concert auront lieu en Pologne avec la Suite pour deux violons et piano de M. Moszkowsky, au Royaume-Uni avec le Sextuor pour cordes du compositeur et merveilleux altiste, F. Bridge et enfin, en Russie avec le fameux Souvenir de Florence de P. I. Tchaïkowsky, œuvre d’une grande profondeur et d’une structure musicale exceptionnelle !
Le Concert Gala du Kayaleh Chamber Orchestra aura lieu le samedi 21 juin. Cette année, l’orchestre mettra à l’honneur la Scandinavie et la noblesse très intérieure de sa musique pleine de grâce, d’intimité et aux ambiances des plus inspirantes…
Ces deux concerts permettront aux mélomanes de découvrir les nombreuses couleurs et subtilités que renferment tous ces instruments et qui seront mises en valeur dans leur beauté la plus pure.
Aussi, l’artiste-peintre, Catherine de Saugy, exposera ses tableaux tout au long du festival.
Une belle semaine de partage artistique et humain s’annonce au cœur d’une météo déjà
très estivale !
Je me produirai également à Toronto, au Canada, cet été, où j’entamerai la préparation d’un nouvel enregistrement prévu en automne, ainsi qu’en France, près d’Annecy.
D’ici les prochaines nouvelles de mes aventures musicales, j’espère que vous profiterez tous pleinement d’un début d’été ensoleillé et reposant !
Avec mes pensées musicales d’Europe,
Laurence
NEW VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE ON MY OFFICIAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Maurice Ravel – Tzigane
Violin – Laurence Kayaleh
Piano – Ingrid Hoogendorp
Album : The Royal Bow
Dear Readers !
A huge and heartfelt THANK YOU for your amazing support throughout the year, for attending performances and for sending me some very touching messages !
The Art of Music is a vocation, a passion. Expressing oneself through this universal language is certainly a God-given gift and privilege … It is also very demanding, including self-discipline and a tremendous amount of daily physical and intellectual efforts, with some difficult moments as well ; questionings, fatigue, low energy and even, doubts. Despite those natural “ups and downs” of life, a musician is asked to “function” immediately, anytime, no matter the circumstances. And behind the musician, there is a human being living, with emotions, impressions, and vulnerability. The great Maria Callas would have turned 90 years old on December the 2nd, 2013. She represents for me this supreme combination of superhuman strength and human fragility, fears and need to be surrounded with care…
Therefore, I’m deeply grateful for a supportive public throughout the years, to my wonderful friends and brilliant colleagues, to my dear students from whom I’m learning everyday, and last but NOT LEAST, to my devoted and cherished parents and family who are my inspiration …
I wish you all a magical Holiday Season, and a New Year 2014 filled with happiness, good health, lots of great music and love !
I’ll be back in 2014 with new projects, including another complete work recording, concerts in France, exploring more violin teaching via Skype, and more :). Meanwhile, please check out my Official YouTube Channel for updates.
JOYEUX NOËL !!
Laurence
Violin & Cello concert with Laurence Kayaleh and Elizabeth Dolin.
New article now available in Laurence’s online Diary !
To access the article, please click on the link below.
New article now available in Laurence’s online Diary !
To access the article, please click on the link below.
New article now available in Laurence’s online Diary !
To access the article, please click on the link below.
Le public peut souvent entendre ces deux instruments dans différents contextes, accompagnés d’un piano, d’un orchestre, ou encore aux côtés de divers instruments. Il est cependant assez rare d’apprécier les qualités de ces deux magnifiques instruments sans accompagnement. Ces concerts permettront aux mélomanes de découvrir les nombreuses couleurs et subtilités que renferment le violon et le violoncelle et qui seront mises en valeur dans leur beauté la plus pure.
Les instruments à cordes permettent aux artistes des possibilités d’expressions remarquables se rapprochant de la voix humaine, un défi de maîtrise technique complexe. La diversité sonore qui caractérise ces instruments est aussi variée que les humeurs qui définissent la vie. Être capable d’intégrer l’instrument au corps et savoir “parler” à travers cette voix très personnelle est sans doute le langage le plus intègre, qui dépasse toutes les barrières de l’artifice.
La communion de ces instruments à cordes nécessite une harmonie parfaite entre les artistes qui doivent alors sentir et anticiper le souffle de chacun pour un équilibre parfait, donnant ainsi l’impression d’écouter un seul instrument.
Les œuvres au programme comprendront le superbe et passionné Duo de Kodály imprégné de la musique hongroise populaire, la Sonate pour Violon et Violoncelle de Ravel écrite peu de temps après la première guerre mondiale – une œuvre aux contrastes et aux ambiances marqués – ainsi que des œuvres de Bach pour violon et violoncelle seuls.
Nous espérons vous y retrouver nombreux !
Laurence
October 24, 2013 : University of Guelph (Toronto, Canada)
October 26, 2013 : Caledon Hills Chamber Concerts (Toronto, Canada)
October 27, 2013 : Private Event (Toronto, Canada)
November 17, 2013 : Brossard, Canada
December 1st, 2013 : Conservatoire de Musique et d’Art Dramatique de Montréal
Musicians
Laurence Kayaleh (violin)
Paul Stewart (piano)
Composer
Honegger
Catalogue number
Naxos 8.572192
Laurence Kayaleh and Paul Stewart follow up their fine two-disc Medtner survey for Naxos with the only single disc of Honegger’s four violin sonatas currently available. It makes for fascinating listening as the three accompanied sonatas date from between 1912 and 1919, a time when Honegger was still finding his creative feet working with sonata procedures, whereas the Solo Sonata of 1940 revisits the Bach tradition from the perspective of an out-and-out neo-Classicist.
Kayaleh’s warm, gentle sound is especially well suited to the espressivo richness of the early D minor Sonata (‘no.0’), an astonishingly assured work dating from Honegger’s first year at the Paris Conservatoire. Kayaleh traces the music’s radiant contours with a heightened sensitivity to phrasing and an occasional portamento inflection, whose precision timing brings to mind the young Heifetz. The two numbered sonatas are exploratory works that require enormous skill and patience, and here Kayaleh and Stewart achieve a near‑perfect balance between youthful exuberance and a beguiling sense of inner calm, complemented by exceptionally well-balanced sound.
In the tricky four-movement Solo Sonata, Kayaleh produces a seductively cushioned sound on her glorious 1742 Guarneri, although here I wondered whether she might have thrown herself into the fray with an even greater sense of abandon.
New article now available in Laurence’s online Diary !
To access the article, please click on the link below.
New article now available in Laurence’s online Diary !
To access the article, please click on the link below.
Trio Reiner :
Laurence Kayaleh – Violon
Elizabeth Dolin – Violoncelle
Paul Stewart – Piano
Programme :
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF – Trio élégiaque No. 1 in G mino
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN – Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 65
ANTONIN DVORÁK – Four Romantic Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 75
ANTON ARENSKY – Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32
Nadia Evans
An enthusiastic standing ovation for the exceptional musicians of the Reiner Trio! While every selection in the carefully chosen program was special, each of the four Romantic pieces for Violin and Piano by Dvorak were precious gems, and Arensky’s Piano Trio in D minor with brilliant cello sang to this Slavic soul.
Virginia Heinrichs
Wonderfully warm tones from all three artists. Perfectly shaped phrases, and energetic playing that should definitely speed up the arrival of warm weather. The light piano passage in the Chopin sparkled like silver.
Dvorak- violin strings that warmed our heart strings, and a pianist’s fingers that danced on the keys.
Arensky- Simply delightful- music that radiated beauty and passion and touched the listener.
Linwood DeLong
Very beautiful, sensitive playing. Hats off to the performers for selecting some interesting, but less frequently played repertoire.
Lyle Smordin
Extremely melodic. Three first- class musicians. The music flowed beautifully toward the audience. Most enjoyable.
Ye Seul Lee
It was awesome! I couldn’t find any mistakes. The Reiner Trio has three perfect musicians; they made my day! I will not forget this night. Thanks.
Paul McCullough Sr.
Wonderful concert.
Four stars for the Reiner Trio.
On Saturday night, the Montreal-based Reiner Trio – violinist Laurence Kayaleh, cellist Elizabeth Dolin and pianist Paul Stewart – gave Virtuosi Concerts patrons the opportunity to hear some rarely-heard pieces, all by Slavic composers. The evening was just what the doctor ordered for a seemingly interminable winter in which the trio’s performances, so full of energy and life, were enthusiastically welcomed by the Winnipeg audience.
Stewart introduced Rachmaninoff’s Trio elegiaque No. 1 in G minor, a dramatic and emotional start to what would prove to be an immensely satisfying program, with a nod to the work’s elusive origins – the piece was written in the last decade of the 19th century and went virtually unnoticed until 1947, when its first edition was finally published.
Needless to say, it was a thrill to hear. Kayaleh and Dolin’s urgent strings played both with and against Stewart’s versatile piano, which navigated the piece’s countless twists and turns with flair and ease. Each artist alone seemed to be an organic extension of their instrument; together, the musicians’ chemistry was magical.
The intelligently-structured program gave each artist the chance to showcase their abilities both individually and within the context of a trio. Stewart and Dolin came together on Chopin’s Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 65, which the composers collaborated on with, and dedicated the piece to, cellist Auguste Franchomme. The opening Allegro moderato established a dialogue between the two instruments, Stewart’s nimble piano lines rising to meet Dolin’s dulcet cello tones as the two began an exquisitely-composed courtship. Scherzo – allegro con brio, which incorporated elements of a mazurka – a nod to Chopin’s Polish heritage – featured beautifully complex and full-bodied work from Dolin, who captured the uniquely modern style and spirit of the movement.
Largo, a love duet between two instruments, was romantic and delightful; Stewart’s melodious piano played the part of a shy gentleman resolved to win the heart of the headstrong woman embodied by Dolin’s cello, a quest fulfilled in the movement’s final, gorgeous, faded notes. No sooner had the audience caught their breath than the duo surged forward into the lively Finale – Allegro, in which dazzling bow-work and richly-hued piano built toward a triumphant and ovation-worthy finish.
Kayaleh joined Stewart for an exceptional rendition of Dvorák’s Four Romantic Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 75. These “four little jewels,” as the violinist described them in an introduction, demonstrated Kayaleh’s impressive range and intuitive command of her instrument. She made the agile and powerful rhythms of Allegro maestoso come alive, mesmerized the audience during the extraordinary Allegro appassionato – a movement that concluded with a dazzling display of pizzicato – and, over Stewart’s fluid piano, brought the intricate melancholy of Larghetto to a place of pure emotion.
The trio came together once more for Anton Arensky’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32. Stewart noted that the Russian composer wrote the piece two years after his pupil Rachmaninoff’s death and dedicated it to the memory of cellist Karl Davydov. Arensky’s work fittingly contained a breadth of moods and textures representative of a lifetime. Scherzo – Allegro molto featured a ‘music box’ texture, a light, playful feel and brisk tempo, whereas Elegia – Adagio, an elegy for Davydov, was mournful and touching. All this led to the energetic Finale – Allegro non troppo, where violin and cello sang together as the three players raced forward to the piece’s – and the evening’s – stunning close. Regrettably, no encore was offered. The concert was recorded by CBC Radio 2 for broadcast on In Concert on Sunday, June 30th 2013.
Chers Amis de la Musique,
Nous voici sur notre route en direction de Trois-Rivières après un court séjour de 24 heures à Saguenay. Demain, le 19 avril, marquera la dernière journée de jury au Concours de Musique du Canada (CMC) après une tournée de trois semaines à travers la province du Québec.
Ce fut à nouveau une expérience enrichissante sur les plans artistique et humain ! On nous a informés que les copies des commentaires du jury sont gardées environ cinq ans au concours et sont ensuite déposées aux Archives Nationales.
Nous avons entendu de brillants candidats durant toute la tournée. Le niveau général de préparation est assez remarquable et le talent et la beauté humaine couronnent l’événement… Je me surprends d’ailleurs souvent à retenir mes larmes en écoutant ces jeunes artistes en herbe et en discutant avec eux. Leur passion, leur maturité, leur curiosité et leur profond désir d’apprendre sont non seulement émouvants, mais très encourageants. Certes, le monde avance vite, ne laissant souvent plus le temps nécessaire au développement culturel. Mais tous ces jeunes ambassadeurs de la musique classique sauront défendre avec distinction cette noble cause. Il s’agit sans aucun doute d’une future relève musicale et de mélomanes avertis de grande qualité !
Un grand bravo à tous les candidats. Ils ont tous remportés à mes yeux un grand prix : celui d’un investissement artistique admirable au cœur d’une société où la musique classique est trop souvent
brimée …
Je souhaiterai aussi remercier très chaleureusement mon cher collègue, Michel, avec qui j’ai échangé des instants musicaux intenses et passionnants, ainsi que tous les responsables du Concours de Musique du Canada, les directeurs des conservatoires et les bénévoles pour leur travail très précieux et essentiel visant à soutenir nos jeunes au sein de leur développement artistique (et humain !), pour leur grand dévouement et pour le mémorable accueil réservé aux membres du jury !
Laurence d’une route pluvieuse du Québec 🙂
Dear Readers,
I arrived last night in Quebec City. I was finally able to sleep and rest during the drive. Buses became very comfortable. It’s pleasant and relaxing. My short visit to Montreal was VERY intense. I couldn’t lose a minute as I’ll be on the road for quite a bit. And everyday reality goes on with bills, tax period, laundry, cleaning…life 🙂 !!
Quebec City is always an experience ! I almost forgot the peaceful feeling of being here. The hotel is gorgeous. We are all staying in a “Manoir” in the old city which has a distinctive charm. I’m used to standard hotel rooms, wherever I go. Such a place has its own character. How inspiring ! And I woke up and smell fresh croissants this morning !!
It’s good to meet again with the CMC team. We didn’t see each other for only two days, but I was starting to miss our crew ! When we share such intensive days on a long period of weeks, we also develop a wonderful bond of friendship.
The CMC sessions in Quebec are taking place at the music conservatory which is the province second in size, after Montreal. We were warmly welcomed by the director of the conservatory, Louis Dallaire. The coincidence of this meeting in Quebec during the CMC is special as Louis used to be the general director of the competition from 1995 to 2009. This year, he has been named Honourary Patron for the CMC in Quebec. I had the privilege to cross the whole country for two months in 2009 as a jury for the CMC during his last tour as general director. It was memorable, with laughter, stress, rushes, last minute planes, music, long drives, the Rockies and Lake Louise, good restaurants, spinach salads tasted all over the country, lots of great talents etc. etc. etc ! He was the Soul of the competition. His dedication was exceptional.
I’m practicing my violin during breaks for my upcoming concerts. At the time we were touring with Louis, he organized all the practice rooms for me in universities and concert halls. Today, he does it again but in the institution that he is leading ! Life is surprising.
Gifted people are not always necessarily born in big cities and I’m often impressed by the number and the level of talents when I’m visiting smaller cities. Today, while listening to the candidates, I could see (again !) how crucial is a healthy lifestyle in the demanding vocation of music !
Every Art has its own challenges, but music embodies so many elements. First the natural sense of style and phrasing, or the ability to create symbolic colours through the only tool of sound, untouchable and subjective, is one of the most inspiring but also very challenging element to develop. This is also what characterizes a musician ; the Sound ! It is like a fingerprint, a signature !! A deep introspection of one’s own thoughts and feelings should guide a musician in this continuous search which also reflects the human behind the artist, life experience etc.
The intellect, while analyzing a music score or performing it, is also continuously active. And feelings or emotions without a brain can never be balanced and controlled.
This concentration on stage can be sometimes experienced to such an extent that a musician can really have the impression of being away, in “another world”. When this happens, it is probably one of the strongest feeling that can be experienced.
The instrumental reflexes are conditioned. This is why a daily, intensive and well thought practice is crucial. It is like a sportsman. Such a discipline is the key to the tools which will allow a musician to “speak” through the language of music, and go beyond the sole instrumental technique.
I believe that a musician needs a heart that is able to give everything and a mental of steel. Not easy and certainly a lifelong challenge !!
Here is a special thought to my students who are working hard and progressing beautifully, and to all the young artists embracing music with passion and sincerity…
Until next time, enjoy the pictures and I thank you for your loyalty !
Laurence from the road
Dear Readers,
It is 07:22am and I’m already on my way back to Montreal for a 24 hours “transit” ! I’ll go to the violin maker for my upcoming concerts, change luggage, practice a few hours, have a good night sleep before heading to Quebec City !
I enjoy to travel and to discover new places ! I like airports, train stations atmospheres. I always feel that it’s also a good way to “stop the clock” for a short while. I can’t go anywhere while flying or driving. I have no choice but to rest, read and…write !
It is snowing, it is grey, it is cold but at least, I don’t feel it as I’m spending time in concert halls, enjoying the sunshine of the talented musicians I’m hearing all day !
Upon my arrival to Rimouski, I was welcomed by Marie-Josèphe at the station. She is partly in charge of the tour and assisting us (the jury) with travel facilities, scores, transmitting the comment sheets and announcing the final results to the candidates. What would we do without her help and smile ?
Once at the hotel, I realized that the heating wasn’t working in my room. The weather was windy and very cold. It was already 11:30pm and we were starting the next session early in the morning. I asked for another room but the night was (too) short !
The conservatory concert hall was renewed a few years ago. Wood is the primary building material of the hall which gives warmth and roundness to the sound. The hall possesses very good acoustics. No excuses for the candidates :). The conservatory facilities are quite impressive. Practice rooms are very well settled, isolated, clean and welcoming. We were received by the director of the institution, Benoît Plourde, with whom I worked at the time I was a professor there. It was quite moving to meet after all these years. He is admirably supporting the cause of classical music. The major cuts and the critical financial situation of the conservatory throughout the province isn’t easy on the administration and the professors …
Rimouski chapter of the CMC is well organized and the people in charge are all very helpful and generous. We were spoiled !
We heard lots of string players on Friday. Surprisingly, there weren’t many violinists in Montreal. The majority of the candidates are usually pianists. Maybe this is due to the fact that the violin is more difficult and challenging than the piano (sorry pianists…I’m kidding !). We heard many cellists in Montreal as well. I was particularly happy to hear more violinists yesterday. They are all very well guided. The professors are doing a tremendous work. Teaching remains a heavy responsibility. I’m questioning myself before each teaching session (being often more nervous than before a concert performance !), always wondering if I’ll be ready enough to assume it. We have a part of each student’s future in our hands … Thanks to the parents who play an essential role as well !
As my colleague Michel said to the public : “it is remarkable to see young people of that age devoting hours, months and years of their lives to culture, arts and to the elevated discipline that classical music requires, knowing that they are evolving in an effortless society, where mass media are praising artists “instant careers and success” … It is indeed very encouraging !
We ended up at the Cathedral of the city where the last candidate performed on the organ. This Casavant instrument (1921) is impressive. It was restored in 1979. The organ pipes are three floors high ! Even though I’m 6 feet tall, I felt VERY small next to it with my violino piccolo !!
I’m thanking all the candidates for expressing their happiness, satisfaction and gratefulness towards our comments and our mission to help them as much as we can in their artistic development !
I’ll now take a short nap before reaching my city of adoption, Montreal !
A bientôt for the next story. Enjoy an excellent weekend !
Laurence from the road
Dear Readers,
Last week’s CBC-Radio concert in the Virtuosi Concert Series, University of Winnipeg, was a treat. I enjoyed performing again in the series and Paul and Elizabeth played beautifully as always. We were warmly welcomed by an enthusiastic public and by the committee members, especially by the director, Harry Strub and his wife, Cathy, who invited us with such generosity. The CBC crew was very efficient and it was quite wonderful to play a CBC concert again considering the major budget cut of the past years… I remember most concerts being radio broadcast at the time I started to perform in Canada. It used to be a great way for the public to discover and follow musicians nationwide, throughout the years and encourage culture as well. But this is unfortunately another topic…
Stay tuned on June the 30th 2013, on CBC-Radio !
There was a snow storm during the night following my concert in Winnipeg and I’m now traveling to Rimouski, Quebec, where snow is welcoming us tomorrow again ! Where is Spring 🙂 ?
I’m joining the jury of the Canadian Music Competition for the second time. The first time took place on a two months national tour. I got invited to join the jury for the national tour again this year but my other artistic activities and responsibilities didn’t allow me to do so. Therefore, I’ll be touring the Province of Quebec this time !
The competition is celebrating its 55th edition which started officially on April the 1st, in Montreal. We spent an intensive week. My colleagues are all wonderful, very helpful and they are doing everything in order to support young talents in their musical development. We heard some very good candidates in Montreal. The general level is excellent and I’m always thrilled to see young people already devoting an important part of their activities to Arts, Music and Culture.
As a member of jury, our responsibility is challenging. A typical day would start around 9am and finish…12 hours later ! We are asked to write all the detailed comments on each work while listening to the candidates. They all keep the jury’s written comments. We need to be coherent, which isn’t always easy while listening, analyzing and following bar numbers in the scores !! We are commenting on artistic and technical elements, always in a constructive manner as the mission of the competition is to support young musicians. The CMC offers also the rare opportunity for the candidates to meet with the jury after their performance to discuss the comments and ask questions. I enjoy this part a lot as it is very pedagogical (and human !). Such an experience brings a lot into my teaching activity and even into my own playing !
We need our maximum concentration, adding to it frequent traveling hours. We all try to be very careful with sleeping hours and healthy diet. One can easily lose control of a healthy natural rhythm due to irregular schedules and heavy fatigue !
In all this, I’m trying to fit in some violin practice hours as I’ll be performing concerts soon…and my students who will be presenting their exams, masters and doctorate recitals in a few weeks ! Days are too short !!
Next stop : Rimouski Conservatory of Music ! Can’t believe I used to travel 14 hours from Montreal every week at the time I was teaching there…!
Looking forward to Quebec City !
Until next time, be well and continue to encourage classical music ! We all need your support !!
Laurence from the road,
New article now available in Laurence’s online Diary !
To access the article, please click on the link below.
New article now available in Laurence’s online Diary !
To access the article, please click on the link below.
New CD and live recordings excerpts now available on this Website !
To access the recordings, please click on the link below.
Dear Readers,
My upcoming concert in Montreal, Canada, will take place on February the 21st in a musical program dedicated to chamber music featuring composers from Russia and Hungary ! I’ll be performing with my colleagues, pianist Paul Stewart and cellist Elizabeth Dolin.
The Trio Elégiaque no. 1 in G minor by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) will open the evening. The work was written by the young nineteen-year-old Rachmaninov. He wrote his second Elegiac trio in October 1893, just after Tchaïkowsky’s death. Unlike most chamber music works, the Trio Elégiaque in G minor was written in one movement. The piano is opening the trio with the elegiac theme in the first part Lento Lugubre, softly accompanied by the strings, reminding us of his famous piano concerti. Later, violin and cello are dialoging on this gorgeous theme, while the intensity is progressively growing until the Appassionato segment. The thematic motif is ending the work as a funeral march (Alla marcia funebre).
Interesting : played backwards, the four notes of the first theme of the work remind us of the opening of Tchaïkowsky’s first piano concerto…in a minor key !
Rachmaninov was a student of Anton Arensky at the Moscow Conservatory. Arensky’s Piano Trio Op. 32 will end this concert !
The second work on the program is the Duo Op. 7 for violin and cello by Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodály, which I’ll be playing with cellist Elizabeth Dolin.
The Duo was composed in 1914 and was premiered only four years later, in 1918. Most of his chamber music works were composed during the first World War. Kodály (1882-1967) was extremely involved in the musical activities of his native country, and highly contributed in areas such as music history, educational language, linguistics and history of literature. Kodály and Bela Bartok are both considered as Hungary’s greatest Twentieth Century composers. Like his colleague and friend Bartok, Kodály’s work was very inspired by authentic folk music reflecting centuries of traditions and history. The Duo for violin and cello has a very specific character based on folk music rhythmic patterns, melodic figures influenced by Magyar folk music (gypsy music).
“To write a folksong is as much beyond the bounds of possibility as to write a proverb. Proverbs condense centuries of popular wisdom and observation. In traditional songs, the emotions of centuries are immortalized in a form polished to perfection.” (Zoltan Kodály, 1941)
Kodály devoted a considerable part of his life to music education in his country. He was the father of The Kodály Method, a concept of music education that he developed, and which became internationally known and applied in various schools.
“Music education is necessary for the development of the total person (music should be at the core of the curriculum – affective, cognitive, psychomotor).” (Zoltan Kodály)
Mrs. Dolin and myself are planning a concert tour in Ontario and Quebec, Canada, during the fall 2013, in a program involving only violin and cello instruments, including Kodály’s Duo and Maurice Ravel’s Sonata for violin and cello.
Back to Russia, the concert will end on Anton Arensky’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32. Arensky (1861-1906) was born in Novgorod, Russia.
Arensky’s magnificent chamber music works include two piano trios, a piano quintet and two string quartets. Like many young composers of his time, including Rachmaninov, Arensky was strongly influenced by Tchaïkowsky’s music to such an extent that his work was hardly considered for a long while. The general impression was that Arensky was a composer lacking personal style. Nowadays, Arensky’s works are regularly performed and recorded.
Very young, Anton Arensky demonstrated exceptional musical abilities. He studied under Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov at the Saint-Petersburg Conservatory and became a professor at the Moscow Conservatory. After retiring from his position as music director of the Imperial Choir in Saint-Petersburg, he devoted his life to composition, to piano and to conducting.
His superb Piano Trio in D minor Op. 32 was dedicated to Russian cellist and composer, Karl Davydov.
Note : The Antarctic Arensky Glacier was named after composer Anton Arensky.
Program notes by Laurence Kayaleh
Thursday, February the 21st, 2013 at 8:00pm
Chapelle Historique du Bon Pasteur, Montreal, QC, Canada (General information : (514) 872.5338)
Concert of the Reiner Trio
Laurence Kayaleh, violin
Elizabeth Dolin, cello
Paul Stewart, piano
New article now available in Laurence’s online Diary !
To access the article, please click on the link below.
Dear Readers,
I have been thinking for quite a while to keep an online Diary !
Since a young age, I have always felt the need to write. Dissertation was my favorite subject at school, after music of course 🙂 ! Like music, writing is an extraordinary way to introspection… As Carl Jung said : “Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens”.
I’m continuously fascinated to see how many words could define a specific impression or feeling ! Writing is an art in itself ; probably the one of Thinking… And when words cannot express anymore the depth of moods, feelings or emotions, the language of Music finds its fundamental importance in its undefinable and sublime ways to nourish the world’s Hearts and Souls…
English isn’t my first language, but I’m working on it every day 🙂 ! You’ll find my online Diary on this Website in which I’ll be sharing general impressions about music, violin, Arts or about my artistic experiences and concert trips adventures !
My articles in My Diary will be written alternately in English and in French.
Looking forward to meeting you through my online Diary or better, in a concert hall !
Laurence
Dear Friends of Music !
Welcome to my new Website ! You’ll find updated news on my musical life : upcoming concerts and Masterclasses, articles, available recordings in music shops, live performances recordings, my biography, testimonials, pictures on various occasions and finally, my online Diary !
I warmly thank you for your support and for your contribution towards the cause of classical music, simply by appreciating it !
Laurence
