Arts & Culture
Sublime music and veterans
Published 10:34 PST, Fri November 15, 2019
Last Updated: 10:58 PST, Tue December 3, 2019
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In November, our minds turn to Remembrance Day and veterans.
Professor Tu Wei’s piano concert on Nov. 1 was dedicated to the women and men who fought for our country. The recital began with donations from Richmond-based ICONNBC, a business association formed by Asian Canadians to promote traditional Canadian values and share business knowledge.
On behalf of the association, vice chair, Allen Chan presented a cheque for $1,500 to Matthew McBride for the Richmond Poppy Fund. He presented an equal amount to George Ng for the Chinese Canadian Military Museum. Also representing veterans was Steveston resident, Rosalyn Ng.
And, with that, the concert was off and running with a vibrant duo, Schubert’s Marche Militare between Tu and her adult pupil, Katie Lin.
With the range in ages from adult to young enough to require special booster pedals for the Tom Lee Music’s Steinway concert grand, there wasn’t a dull moment in this family friendly concert.
Small children, in the reception room, quietly danced to the music their parents or bigger siblings played.
Absolutely beautiful was Chopin’s Waltz opus 69, No. 2 as played by the tiny Wyetta Gee. She later returned to play pieces from Maykapar and Handel.
Coco Gan, tall and poised in a yellow satin tea length dress offered Heinrich’s On the Lake with grace and assurance.
Rainnie Du, played with assurance that belied her tiny size, using the specially designed booster pedals for her two pieces.
Young Elliot Sun played a perky piece, Sonatina in F major by Clementi, with strength. He had the audience in the palm of his hand. Silence reigned when held a long pause and the audience held their breath.
Tall and elegant, Miranda Song wowed the audience with Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G flat major.
Song and Tu returned, student and pupil, to close out the evening with a duet of Elgar’s absolutely lovely and lyric Salut D’amour, long a Victorian drawing room favourite that elicits images of elegant women with fans and long dresses.
While each of the 20 numbers, performed by a variety of Tu’s skilled students, had their own beauty, they are too numerous to elucidate each one in this article. You will just have to watch for next year’s concert.
Supporting the generosity of a business association dedicated to bridging the cultural divide in Richmond while enjoying sublime music, this concert was an evening well spent.