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Volume 9 Issue 7 - April 2004

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  • April
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  • Composer

QUODLIBET by Allan

QUODLIBET by Allan Fulker AN INTERVIEW WITH Canadian composer, pianist and music professor Walter Buczynski, whjch was going to be my opening "story" this month, took on a life of its own and outgrew the allotted space, .,Fortunately there was space availaole_for this piece immediately following Quodlibet, so read on to learn more about this outstanding musician in our midst and the opportunities in April to hear his music. Fl.JRTHER AFIELD , . . / There are many very mterest1pg concerts this month in the ar

PROFILE by Allan Pulker Walter Buc~ynski one of the most important composers of his generation, turns 70 this month, an occasion that will be recognized by a concert of his music at Walter Hall on April 16. The program will consist of his Third and Fourth s1n·ng Quartets . and his t~i:d piano sonata, peiformed by the composer. There will be other opportunllles to hear Buczynski 's music in April as well. IN A RECENT INfERVIEW he said: "Last spring Paula and Dorothy Glick, the organizers of the Chrylark Concert Series, told me they wanted to feature a major work of mine on each of their five concerts this season. In the first three concerts (now all past) my 24 Preludes, Violin Sonata and Third Piano Sonata were beautifully performed. After the performances people whom I had known for years came up to me and expressed astonishment that I had written such music, which they had never before had an opportunity to hear. This brings me to my axe to grind; we have many wonderful young performers in Canada and they are not playing Canadian music. So, needless to say, I think the Chrylark Series is doing something very positive by giving this kind of exposure to the work of Canadian composers." At the April 4 Chrylark concert Loma McDonald will perform two song cycles by Buczynski, and on May 2 11 " the world premiere of his Fifth String Quartet, composed in 1992, will be on the program. On May 1, in Minneapolis, there will be a concert at which two of his works, Monday for clarinet and piano and Friday for French horn and piano will be performed. · A CONCERT PIANISf AS WEU. as a composer and, by the mid 1970s, a professor at the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto, he was focussing primarily on composition. Before then, I asked, how had he managed to balance his work as a concert pianist with his work as a composer? Balance between the two, he told me, was impossible. He could do one or the other but not both, because there just wasn't enough time to do both well, earn a living and raise a family. As a professor of theory and composition at the Faculty of Music he had to teach, mark papers, attend committee meetings and sit on juries. Consequently for fifteen years he barely touched the piano at all, putting whatever energy he had left at the end of the day into composing. For him composing is by far the rmre satisfying activity: "As a performer you play music over and over again until you reach CONTINUES NEXT PAGE Enjoy learning about opera with Iain Scott WAGNER - BEFORE "THE RING" 5 weeks beginning April 19 or 20 APRIL 1 - M AY 7 2004

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