News
You've heard of Bach, Mozart and maybe even Shostakovich, but chances are you have yet to see and hear two of New Brunswick's most talented young string musicians performing together in an old church renowned for its acoustics.
Next week, you'll get your chance.
As part of the Barachois Historic Church's Summer Concert Series, and sharing the stage for the first time, Riverview native and professional violinist Terri Croft, 24, will perform along with Riverview cellist Jaeyoung Chong, 18, in the Young Artist Series concert on Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Both Terri and Jaeyoung say they are looking forward to the program, and have known each other for some time, performing and competing in many of the same music communities.
'I think it's a fun program because the first half is entirely solo Bach,' says Terri. 'So it's sort of more standard old-school baroque music. Later on in the program, we get into some modern stuff, which is really cool. It's a real mixture of old and new.' Terri lear ned to play the fiddle first, beginning at the age of seven. But classical courses originally meant to improve her fiddle technique, combined with a growing interest in the classical repertoire eventually drew her to the violin.
When asked about her advice for young musicians, she said it's about keeping it real.
'You always have to keep the element of fun in music-making. I think that's the most important thing,' she says. 'As a professional, you can get really caught up in deadlines and very concerned about other people's opinions, like your employees and your colleagues but at the end of the day, you have to be yourself and not care what anyone thinks. Just do what you do and have fun.' Terri is quick to add, however, that life as a professional classical musician is not all fun and games.
'To be a classical musician, you basically have to study your entire life, to develop the muscles in your hands and train yourself to do these ridiculous feats of agility and dexterity,' she says. 'It's a lifetime of work. You have to think about everything, not just what's on the page but what you want to convey and what you want the audience to feel when they listen to you.' She is certainly an accomplished musician, with a bachelor of music from Dalhousie University, a master's degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and many awards and prestigious performances to her credit. She will soon enrol in the artist diploma program at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto, and says she is excited to perform at the Barachois Historic Church with cellist Jaeyoung Chong.
Jaeyoung, who emigrated to Canada from South Korea with his family in 2005, is another accomplished musician, who has been playing cello from a young age.
'My mother loves classical music,' Jaeyoung says of his musical beginnings. 'She doesn't play any instruments but she loves it and she wanted me to be involved in it. She took me to orchestra concerts and while I was at those concerts, I fell in love with the cello.' He pointed out that he loves all genres of music and performing, though classical music is often his working focus and his greatest challenge. Currently, he is working on a piece by Shostakovich, called 'Cello Concerto in E-Flat major.' 'I definitely love classical, it's the music I work on, but I actually love every genre,' he says. 'Everything from pop to heavy metal to classical music - I love every single genre. As a musician, it's very important to really perform pieces that are outside of your box.' For the Young Artist series, though, he said the program should offer a mix of new and old classical pieces, beginning with several solos by Bach. Jaeyoung will perform one of Bach's six unaccompanied suites, and he described the tone as fairly serious.
'It's not as technical, it's very old music,' he says. 'It's very religious and church-like and it works because I'm playing at the Grand Barachois (church). Musically, it's nostalgic with a solemn feeling.
'On the opposite, Terri is going to be playing something a lot more high energy and in the end, we'll be playing a duet as well. That's very exciting and almost epic, I guess.' First, though, Jaeyoung will also perform a more modern cello piece called 'Julie-O' by virtuoso cellist Mark Summers. He said he is excited about that one because of the variety of techniques not traditionally seen in cello, such as strumming and percussive movements.
The duo piece by Jaeyoung and Terri will finish off the program, and they will perform Passacaglia by Handel-Halvorsen.
'The wonderful acoustics of the church is especially suited for solo string playing,' said concert series organizer and pianist Julien LeBlanc, in an email. 'The very strong and unique musical personalities of the two performers will no doubt make this concert a very exciting event for music lovers this summer.'
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT PHOTO -- Cellist Jaeyoung Chong was a six-year member of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra. He was principal cellist and featured soloist during the 2012-13 NBYO Season. Jaeyoung was also New Brunswick's only member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada during summer 2012. He will be studying cello at the University of Ottawa beginning in September 2013.
