ARCHIVES

2007-2008 Season

Sunday, October 21, 2007
Time: 2:00 p.m.

LIENE CIRCENE, pianist

Latvian pianist Liene Circene has established an impressive career in Europe since her TLCA debut at the Glenn Gould Studio in 2000 with performances in Germany , England , France , Switzerland , Sweden , Norway , Russia , Lithuania and Latvia . She is also a favorite and frequent guest artist in Iceland and has become a regular guest soloist with Gidon Kremer's Kremerata Baltica. Ms. Circene currently lives in France with her young family. For more information about this outstanding artist visit www.lienecircene.com

Sunday, March 30, 2008
Time: 2:00 p.m.

SERGEJS JEGERS,
counter-tenor

Countertenor Sergejs Jegers is a graduate of the Latvian Academy of Music. He continued his studies with Andreas Scholl at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland . Mr Jegers has performed in Latvia , Russia , Finland , Australia , New Zealand and England . His repertoire includes Handel's Messiah , Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and cantatas by Bach and Vivaldi including the latter's O mie porpore pi belle and Cessante, omai cessate . His opera appearances include the Angel in Rubinstein's The Demon , the title role in Handel's Rinaldo, Ruggiero in Alcina and Orpheus in Gluck's Orpheus and Euridice . This will be Mr. Jegers' debut recital in Canada .

Mr. Jegers will be accompanied by Toronto pianist Irisa Purene.

Sunday, April 20, 2008
Time: 2:00 p.m.

Sandra Mogensen, pianist

Pianist Sandra Mogensen has performed widely in concert as soloist and accompanist in Canada, the United States, and Europe. She has received much praise for her work as a recitalist committed to the art song repertoire. Recent performances include collaborations in recital with Canadian baritones Brett Polegato and James Westman; bass-baritone Gary Relyea, and bass Paul Sketris, with whom Ms. Mogensen has recorded a CD of Schubert’s Winterreise.

In 2007, Ms. Mogensen released a new CD, Piano Music of Edvard Grieg. She will be performing works from this recording and will also be joined by soprano Catherine Gardner and baritone Mark Gardner to perform some of Grieg’s art songs. In addition, Sandra will perform solo works by Latvian composers Talivaldis Kenins and Janis Medins.

The Toronto Latvian Concert Association is grateful to Sandra Mogensen for joining us in the final concert of our season as The Baltic Trio had to recently cancel its tour.

2006-2007 Season

Sunday, October 22, 2006
Time: 2:00 p.m.

Pianist ARTHUR OZOLINS at 60!

with pianist VERA LEINVEBERS

Hailed by The New Yorker as “…one of the great virtuoso pianists of our time,” ARTHUR OZOLINS first played for the TLCA in 1963 in what was then one of his first professional solo recitals. For more than forty years, he has enjoyed a major international career. In 1981, he received the very first Juno Award given in classical music.

Arthur Ozolins has performed more than 50 times with the Toronto Symphony and his recordings of the complete Rachmaninoff concerti with the TSO earned him a second Juno nomination.

Mr. Ozolins has long been a champion of Latvian piano music and this program will feature the world premiere of his recent transcription of a concerto by Emils Darzins -- a work he will be performing later this year in Riga, Latvia. In addition, he will perform works by Chopin and Ravel, including Arthur's own version of La Valse .

Sunday, February 18, 2007
Time: 7:00 p.m.

Bass- baritone EGILS SILINS

with pianist MARIS SKUJA

Internationally acclaimed bass EGILS SILINS is a graduate of the Latvian Academy of Music, making his debut at the Latvian National Opera in 1988. He has been a soloist with the Frankfurt, Basel and Vienna State Operas and has made guest appearances singing leading roles at Glyndebourne, La Scala, The Met and other major opera houses in Berlin, Chicago, Zurich and Hamburg.

He will be performing the role of Mephistopheles in the Canadian Opera Company production of Gounod's Faust in early 2007. This will be a rare opportunity to hear him in the intimate setting of the magnificent Glenn Gould Studio, his second appearance with the TLCA.

Sunday April 15, 2007
Time: 2:00 p.m.

Soprano AIRA RURANE

with IRISA PURENE, piano

Soprano AIRA RURANE graduated from the Latvian Academy of Music in 1997 and has recently been appointed soloist with the Latvian National Opera, receiving rave reviews for her performances as Katerina Ismailova in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk , Tatiana in Tchaikovsky's Yevgeny Onyegin and Woglinde in Wagner's Das Rheingold . Ms. Rurane is a frequent guest soloist with the Latvian National Symphony, Riga Chamber Musicians, New Chamber Orchestra of Riga and others, performing in such great oratorio works as Bach's St. John Passion , Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and the Brahms Requiem . This will be Ms. Rurane's North American debut concert recital.