Romantic Elements – Salmon Arm

Romantic Elements will take the listener on a musical journey through the Four Elements (earth, water, air, and fire), in a piece by Salmon Arm composer Jean Ethridge, then moves to the bursting energy of Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 1, and concludes with the lyrical beauty of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.A musically gifted composer, Jean Ethridge has written many fine works, ranging from well-crafted miniatures, to a full-length opera. Her main mentor was Dr. Jean Coulthard at UBC. Later, she studied briefly with Murray Adaskin, Violet Archer, and Oskar Morawetz. Canada Council Grants allowed her to study for a year at the Royal College of Music, London, England. In 2002, Jean Ethridge was Composer in Residence at Studea Musica in Quebec. The senior Dalcroze Eurhythmics class choreographed Water from the Elements, which was described as “breathtaking.” Originally composed for piano duo, the KSO has commissioned Ethridge to orchestrate four of the Elements for this concert.Joining the KSO to perform Tchaikovsky’s concerto is Canadian violinist Timothy Chooi, who has been described as “the miracle.” Chooi has won numerous awards for his playing, including the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition in Hannover, Germany, and the Schadt Violin Competition in the US. Along with winning top international prizes, he has contributed his violin performances in global peace events such as the Asian Heritage Day Gala in collaboration with the Government of Canada. With his older brother, Nikki-also a violinist- he has founded the ensemble ‘The Chooi Brothers’ which has been performing for over five years with a special dedication of bringing performances across remote regions of the world where classical music is still rare. Most recently, they have completed a project of performing ten concerts in isolated communities across Western Canada. Chooi is currently pursuing his Masters of Music at the Juilliard School.Tickets are $32 in advance or $35 at the door, $10 Youth (under 19), $15 KSOundcheck members, and will be available from Wearabouts Salmon Arm, at the door, or from Kamloops Live! Box Office.Salmon Arm Series Sponsors: City of Salmon Arm, Shuswap Community Foundation, Salmon Arm Observer, Salmon Arm Savings and Credit Union