Classical music lovers ‘in for a treat,’ says organizer

Greater Sudbury residents are very supportive of the 5-Penny New Music Concert Series, said organizer and Laurentian University music instructor Robert Lemay.

The three-concert series focuses on classical music from 20th century composers and is a mix of well known Canadian and local artists.

Internationally renowned Canadian pianist Bruce Mather will perform the first concert of the season Friday Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. at St. Peter’s United Church, 203 York St., said Lemay.

The 5-Penny concert series is popular.

“We can have more people come out for performances here than in major concert centres like Toronto or Montreal,” said Lemay last Friday.

“Normally we will have 75 to 100 people attend. I had one concert group — Motion Ensemble, from New Brunswick — tell me that when they were here three years ago, they only played to 10 people at a concert in Toronto (the night before).”

Lemay attributes the solid support to partnerships developed over the years in the community. The 5-Penny New Music Concert series has been organizing concerts since 2004.

“We have contact with Laurentian University and Cambrian College music departments. Many of their students come out. They also help to get the word out,” he said. Local media also help promote the concerts, he added.

Lemay said there also is strong support for the Silver Birch concerts and for the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra.

“The Sudbury Symphony sold out its concerts (at the Fraser Auditorium) until they moved to the larger Glad Tidings venue. People seem to come out for this kind of music.”

The 5-Penny New Music Concert Series has been located at St. Peter’s Church for the past three years.

“The acoustics are very good. They also have a great piano, a small Yamaha that they keep in good shape. It is well tuned and if there is any problems they have a technician fix it promptly.” He said the music director at the church, Judith Hallman, has been very supportive of the 5-Penny concerts.

Lemay said the audience is in for a treat with the performance of Mather.

“He is one of the most famous Canadian composers. He won a lifetime achievement award in Quebec recently. With his prize money, in the $30,000 range I believe, he had commissioned a special piano to be built for him.”

It is the only one of its kind in Canada, said Lemay. In a piano, usually in the interval between going from the the white to the black keys, there is a half musical tone. The piano of Mather is so constructed that it has a 1/16th of a tone instead of a half tone, said Lemay. That changes the sound of the keys.

“The sound produced is very bizarre, hard to describe,” he said.

He used the analogy of when a person visits a paint store and there can be eight different shades of white paint.
“Mather can produce a very subtle sound with a lot of variations (with this piano).”

There are still tickets available for the concert, said Lemay. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students at Black Cat on Durham St. or at the door. The hall holds 175 people.

Coming up next in the concert series is local performer Yoko Hirota on Jan. 22, 2010.

The Laurentian University professor will release her CD, Small is Beautiful, at the venue.

“Yoko plays miniature pieces-very short pieces, one to four minutes. She draws half from European and American composers and the other half from Canadian composers.”

On May 1, 2010 Molinari, a string quartet from Montreal, will round out the season.

“They are one of the most famous Canadian string quartets. They tour internationally. Three years ago they won three Juno awards.”

For more information, visit www.5pennynewmusic.ca.