March 20, 2014

On Sunday, March 23, 2014 award winning cellist, Rachel Mercer and pianist, Angela Park will perform at 2:30 p.m. in the Medicine Hat College (MHC) Cultural Centre, Recital Hall.

The pair, known as the Mercer-Park Duo will entertain the crowd with a one hour performance including a wide-range of pieces from Beethoven and Brahms through to the 20^th century and current generation.

“We are excited to have guest artists come through and in particular this duo, which bring an impressive amount of credentials with them,” said Christine Bootland, instructor at the Conservatory of Music and Dance. “This is an opportunity for the community to hear really fantastic international artists in an intimate environment.”

Mercer was the winner of the 2009 Canada Council Musical Instrument Bank competition and was awarded the use of the 1696 Bonjour Stradivarius cello from 2009-2012; the cello is valued at approximately $11 million. In 2011, she was the grand prize winner at the Vriendenkrans Competition in Amsterdam and has toured Europe, the United States, Balkans and Israel.

Park has as well received numerous awards in major global competitions including: International Grace Welsh Prize for Piano in Chicago, Canadian National Music Festival and the Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona. In 2006, she received the CBC Galaxie Rising Stars Award at the Banff Summer Arts Festival. Park was also one of the founding members of the award-winning piano quartet ensemble Made in Canada.

On Saturday, March 22 at 4:00 p.m. the duo will be teaching a Masterclass to the academy students at the Conservatory of Music and Dance. The Masterclass is open to anyone in the community that would like to watch.

“Masterclasses have always been open to the public, because it is a way for us to open our doors and invite the community in to see what our students are doing,” said Bootland. “For our students it allows them to see where they rank with international talent, and it shows them what they can aspire to be.”    

The performance is made possible in part by a grant from the Ontario Arts Council’s National and International Touring program as well as through the financial support of the Medicine Hat Symphonic Society.  

Details:

Masterclass Performance
Saturday, March 22 at 4:00 p.m.
Medicine Hat College Conservatory of Music and Dance
There is no cost to attend.

Main Performance
Sunday, March 23 at 2:30 p.m.
Medicine Hat College Cultural Centre, Recital Hall
The cost is suggested donation- $10 public, $5 students.

Download the poster here