Concert show cases violin, piano
On May 1, a violin and piano concert was held at Casa, featuring Lethbridge residents Soleil and Carmen Letourneau; Hannah Orr; and Raymond residents Karina, Abby and Adam Witbeck performing several different violin, piano, and operatic pieces.
“It’s sort of a love affair between the violin and piano because they keep going back and forth,” Carmen Letourneau said of some of the pieces.
The concert started with Soleil Letourneau playing “Allego Amabile and Andante – Vivace” by Johannes Brahms on violin while her mother, Carmen, provided piano accompaniment. Next, Karina and Abby Witbeck played “En Bateau” by Claude Debussy. After that, Soleil and Carmen played a violin/piano duet of “Andante Sostenuto” by Aram Khachaturian, a concerto for violin in d. minor.
Adam Witbeck then wowed the audience with a piano rendition of “Fantasia” by W.A. Mozart. Following his performance, Hannah Orr gave enthralling operatic performances of “Le Paipillon et a fleur” by Gabriel Faure; “Se l’aura spira” by Girolamo Frescobaldi; and “The Green Dog” by Herbert Kingsley.
Following a brief intermission, Karina Witbeck and Carmen Letourneau played a duet of music called “Histoires” by Jacques Ebert that consisted of pieces called “La menuse de tortues d’or” (The Girl Leading the Golden Turtles); “Le petit ane blanc” (The Little White Donkey); “A Giddy Girl”; “La cage de cristal” (The Crystal Cage); and “Le cortege de Balkis” (The Procession of Balkis).
To conclude the concert, Soleil and Carmen Letourneau played a violin and piano duet of several Roumanian folk dances called Dance With Sticks; Waistband Dance; Stamping Dance; Hornpipe Dance; Roumanian Polka; and Quick Dance.
Soleil Letourneau is set to take her exam for Grade 10 violin next month and the concert was a good way for her to practise for the exam. The concert was well attended and well appreciated.
“It’s fun to play music with people,” Carmen Letourneau said of the concert.