Violin virtuoso to take stage with SSO

The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra is set for a night of romance and discovery at its upcoming concert, titled Tainted Love.

Less than a week before Valentine’s Day, the orchestra will be presenting a concert headlined by the performance of Prokofiev’s musical interpretation of the Shakespeare tragedy Romeo and Juliet at TCU Place on Feb. 9.

But the biggest draw for this concert might be guest artist Andrea Tyniec, the Montreal-born violin virtuoso. Tyniec has been invited to perform Peteris Vasks’ Distant Light, a piece she said most people probably won’t know but they’ll quickly learn to love.

“It’s an entry point for people to discover someone new,” she said. “It features a really amazing way for the solo violin to really be part of the ensemble and then soar out ... it’s just a really unusual musical journey.”

Renowned for her expressive and passionate play, Tyniec said she’s never been to Saskatoon before — and this will be her first time playing a concert with the SSO. She has some familiarity with Eric Paetkau from when he conducted the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Tyniec played with that group, but otherwise playing in Saskatoon will be a new experience for her.

While the Vasks piece is where Tyniec will be featured in the program, she said she’s eager to hear the orchestra play Romeo and Juliet, yet another piece of music that is not as widely appreciated.

Tyniec described Prokofiev’s style as expansive and melodic — perfect for the kind of storytelling experience being invoked in a performance of one of Shakespeare’s most famous works.

“I love Prokofiev ... his melodies cover such an incredible range,” she said. “His imagination, his orchestration and the drama ... It’s just a powerful, amazing piece.”

The program for the concert opens with Hector Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture, with the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra playing alongside the SSO. Airat Ichmouratov’s Youth Overture follows, with Vasks’ Distant Light closing out the first half and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet finishing out the show in the second.

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner and themes of romance and celebration permeating the program, Tyniec said she’s excited to be part of such a passion-filled performance. Though she said Vasks’ Distant Light is not an inherently romantic piece, Tyniec said there are elements of beauty and discovery that make the piece a perfect addition to the program ahead of one of the most romantic days of the year.

“It’s really awesome to bring someone you want to get to know better to the concert,” she said. “There’s nothing better than ... being surprised by a piece of art, to get to know someone better.”