CYMC students completed their first week of classical studies in top form with two weekend concerts.
Chamber music dominated Friday night’s concert with 13 ensembles performing works as varied as Beethoven’s String Quartet in C minor to Poulenc’s Sonata for horn, trumpet and trombone.
For the uninitiated, chamber music is the equivalent of a jazz trio or folk quartet — small, intimate and played without a conductor.
Saturday’s concert began with the Junior Strings’ 11 youngsters led by instructor Mike Klazek. In five mornings they learned four works and played with wonderful unison and precision.
Nancy DiNovo next led the Festival Strings followed by John White with the Festival Winds. With over 40 students attending this year, the music was rich, lively, imaginative and passionately played.
CYMC is set to do this all over again starting with the second Faculty Concert this Thursday. Students will play a whole new set of chamber works on Friday.
The Grande Finale on Saturday wraps it all up with the full orchestra under the direction of Yariv Aloni.
All concerts are played at Mark Isfeld Secondary School beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the Laughing Oyster and Blue Heron book stores as well as at the door. The Friday evening concert is free to the public.
— Comox Valley Youth Music Centre