In a career spanning more than five decades, Robert Silverman has climbed every peak of serious pianism: lauded performances of the complete sonata cycles by Beethoven and Mozart; concerts in prestigious halls across the globe; orchestral appearances with many of the world’s greatest conductors; and award-winning recordings distributed internationally.

Recognized as one of Canada’s premiere pianists, Robert Silverman has reached a level of musical and technical authority that can only be accomplished after years of deep commitment to the instrument and its vast literature. Many aspects of Silverman’s playing are frequently noted: a polished technique, an extraordinary range of tonal palette, an uncanny ability to sing his way into the heart of a phrase, and probing interpretations of the most complex works in the repertoire.

Silverman has performed in prestigious concert halls throughout North America, Europe, the Far East and Australia. Under the batons of such renowned conductors as Seiji Ozawa, John Eliot Gardiner, and Neeme Järvi, he has appeared with leading orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony, the Sydney Symphony, the BBC (London) Symphony, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and every major orchestra in Canada.

Robert Silverman's discography includes 25 CDs and a dozen LPs. His recording of Liszt's piano music received a Grand Prix du Disque from the Liszt Society of Budapest, while his widely-acclaimed 10-CD recording of all thirty-two Beethoven sonatas was nominated for a Juno Award.

On September 23rd, Dr. Silverman performed Haydn's Sonata No. 48 in C major, Schubert's Allegro in A minor (Lebensstürme), D. 947(with Ellen Silverman), and Modeste Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

Guitarist Paul MacDermot was joined by violinist Angela Cavadas in a varied programme of works by Dowland, O'Carolan, Paganini, and a Beethoven Porpourri arranged by Diabelli. The programme also included Latin American favourites, Mangoré's Vals No. 3, and El Choclo by Villoldo.

Paul studied guitar with Bruce Clausen at Vancouver Community College’s well-regarded music program, and received his advanced performing diploma in 1983. Further studies include a Certificate in Guitar Performance with Wim Pfister at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam and masterclasses with Raphaella Smits (Belgium), Hubert Kappel (Germany), and David Russell (Britain).

A founding member of the New Vancouver Guitar Quartet, Panormo Guitar Trio, and Pastorale Duo, Paul is an active performer, both as a soloist and with chamber groups. He has taught guitar in Vancouver for over twenty years.

A respected teacher, Angela teaches privately as well as at Douglas College, the Vancouver Academy of Music, and the Arts Connection in Richmond; she has adjudicated at a number of music festivals in B.C. Angela is a regular member of the CBC Radio Orchestra and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, and concertmaster of Abbotsford Symphony. She plays regularly for Lyre of Langley Trio and the Vancouver String Trio.

Catherine Affleck, soprano, was joined in concert by Michaela Dickey, mezzo-soprano, and Cameron McPhail, baritone. Accompanied by David Boothroyd. Their delightful programme on November 18th consisted of selections from classical opera by Mozart, Gounod, Smetana, Bizet, Délibes, as well as contemporary works by Britten, Rogers/Hammerstein and Previn.

Catherine has completed her Masters of Music in Opera Performance at the University of British Columbia. She holds a B.A. in Music History from Bishop's University in Quebec, and an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Catherine has received numerous awards, including the Sir Henry Pellatt Scholarship, the Arminah Ouzounian Scholarship for Voice, and the Jean Scott Scholarship in Voice.

In May 2009, Catherine visited Sichuan province in China, where she gave concerts with orchestra featuring both opera and musical theatre, as well as Chinese art songs. She also performed in Beijing and Chengdu with the UBC Opera Ensemble.

In November, Catherine won a prize at the Metropolitan Opera Guild Competition and will travel to Seattle in February 2010 to compete in the next round.

Timothy Chooi is currently studying violin with Bill van der Sloot in Calgary, and Muge Buyukcelen in Victoria. He has participated in the Victoria Music Festival since the age of four and has won several major awards.

In August, 2007, Timothy performed Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy as the featured soloist in Victoria's "Symphony Splash." He has performed with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra several times through annual competitive auditions in Victoria.

The year 2008 was an incredibly busy and successful one for Timothy. As a finalist in the Morningside Music Bridge International Concerto Competition, he played the first movement of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with the Calgary Philharmonic. At the BC Festival of the Arts in Burnaby, he won first place for senior strings, as well as the "JFK Rose Bowl" plaque and scholarship for the most outstanding performer at the national concert. His chamber group won first prize at the provincial level. In June, representing British Columbia, Timothy placed second in strings at the Federal Canadian Music Festival in Edmonton. Other solo performances included three concerts with the Palm Court Orchestra in May, and two concerts with the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra in November (after winning the Don Chrysler Concerto Competition).

In March, 2009, Tomothy competed as one of 11 semi-finalists in the Fifth Triennial Johansen International Competition for ages 13-17 in Washington, DC. In June, he was personally invited by Pinchas Zukerman, after participating in the maestro's masterclass, to attend the Young Artists Program workshop in Ottawa.

Timothy is a grade 11 student at St. Andrew High School in Victoria. He has a great passion for chamber groups and continues to perform chamber music at concerts and charitable events. He also loves drawing, cooking and gardening

Accompanied by Amanda Chan, Timothy performed an exciting programme comprised of J.S. Bach's Sonata in G minor No.1; Beethoven's Sonata in G major, Op.30, No.3; Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op.28, by Saint-Saëns; and, Caprice No.10 in G minor by Paganini.

Michael Unterman began his cello studies with Judith Fraser at the Vancouver Academy of Music. He remained her student until 2004, also studying part-time with John Kadz at the Mount Royal College Conservatory in Calgary. He earned several first prizes in the Vancouver Kiwanis Festival as well as special scholarships for most promising cellist and most outstanding string contestant. He competed several times in the Provincial Music Festival, winning first prize in three separate categories in 2004. Michael was also a semi-finalist in the Eckhardt-Gramatte competition in 2006.

Michael was a member of two notable Lower Mainland chamber music ensembles, Cello Jello (a cello quartet), and the Ulysses String Quartet. Cello Jello won several first prizes in local provincial competitions and performed extensively around Vancouver, including a concert for the VWMS. The Ulysses Quartet were prize winners in consecutive years at the National Music Festival and were named the junior quartet in residence at the Banff Centre for the Arts during the summer of 2003.

In 2004, Micahel began undergraduate studies at the New England Conservatory in Boston with Laurence Lesser, graduating with honours in 2008. During his time at NEC, he performed several times in the school's famed Jordan Hall, most notably in two chamber music gala concerts, in a faculty recital given by Mr. Lesser, and in a performance of Steve Reich's "Triple Quartet" which was coached by the composer. Michael has also attended summer music festivals at Kneisel Hall, Orford and Tanglewood, and coached with members of the Takacs, Cleveland, Juilliard and Borromeo quartets. At Tanglewood in the summer of 2008, he was awarded the Karl Zeise Memorial Cello Award for musical achievement, professionalism and exceptional service.

In 2008, Michael was awarded a Fulbright grant to study in Barcelona with virtuoso cellist Lluis Claret and was invited to perform in Berlin at the Fulbright Gala Concert. He returned to NEC in 2009 to begin his Master's degree, studying with Natasha Brofsky.

Accompanied by Kathy Bjorseth, Michael presented a varied programme including Coulthard's Sonata for Cello and Piano (1968); Beethoven's Sonata for Cello and Piano in D, Op.102, No.1; Guinjoan's Elegia (Monodia); and, Suite Populaire Espagñol by Falla.

Da Young An is a first year Master of Music student at UBC studying with Dr. Corey Hamm. She began her music education at the age of six, and while in elementary and middle school, won several competitions in Korea.

After moving to Canada, Da young attended Douglas College on full scholarship for performance. She won several gold medals from the Kiwanis, Music Man, and Richmond Festivals, and performed at Tom Lee, in Vancouver. Da young is also an experienced accompanist who has played with church choirs and bands. She transferred to UBC after Douglas College as a third year piano performance student, where she received the Erzsebet Gessler Memorial Scholarship, Eileen R. Gilley Soroptimist Scholarship in Music, and Robert Rogers Prize in Piano. She was also a finalist in the 2009 Knigge competition.

At UBC, Da young had several opportunities to perform in master classes with Lydia Artymiw, Aquiles Delle Vigne, and Catherine Vickers, and she often performs in Contemporary Players’ concerts. She is in the Artsway UBC Music Ambassador Program. This past summer, Da young won the Johann Strauss Foundation Scholarship and had the privilege of studying in Austria with Prof. Sergei Perticaroli and Prof. Peter Feuchtwanger.

On February 10th, Ms. An performed Piano Piece No.4 by Rzewski, Sonata Op.110 by Beethoven, Mephisto Waltz No.1 by Liszt, Liapunov's Transcendental Etude No.10, "Lesghinka" and Choral et Variations by Dutilleux.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Ashton Lim studied with Audrey Nodwell at the Vancouver Academy of Music and obtained his ARCT diploma in Cello Performance. He then earned his BMus under the tutelage of John Kadz at Mount Royal College Conservatory and University of Calgary. In June 2010, he will graduate with a MMus. from Northwestern University in Illinois, where he currently studies with Hans Jorgen Jensen.

As a chamber musician, Ashton has worked with members of the Emerson, Guarneri, Shanghai, St. Lawrence, and Vermeer String Quartets. His piano trio won first place in the 2004 Canadian Music Competition and the 2006 Canadian National Music Festival. In 2007, as part of the University of Calgary String Quartet, Ashton premiered Difficult Things: 124 by Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy. Coached by Judith Fraser, Ashton has also enjoyed playing in a cello quartet, Cello Jello, receiving top honours in the Friends of Chamber Music Competition, Elsje De Ridder Armstrong Chamber Music Competition, Vancouver Kiwanis Festival, and BC Festival of the Arts. The quartet performed for the Vancouver Women’s Musical Society in 2002.

Ashton has had the privilege of playing for such artists as Richard Aaron, Andreas Diaz, Anthony Elliot, Norman Fischer, Amanda Forsyth, Bonnie Hampton, Lynn Harrell, Desmond Hoebig, Ronald Leonard, Laurence Lesser, Shauna Rolston, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Raphael Wallfisch, and Pinchas Zukerman. During the summers, he has participated in the Banff Summer Arts Festival, Meadowmount School of Music, Morningside Music Bridge, and National Arts Centre Young Artists Programme. Ashton is a 2008 VWMS Bursary Recipient.

On March 24th, accompanied by Monica Pfau on piano, Ashton performed the Sonata in E Major by Valentini (arr. A. Piatti), Sonata in F Major, Op.99 by Brahms, and Davidoff's At the Fountain, Op.20, No.2.

Lucy Yu graduated from UBC with a B.Mus. in Flute Performance, where she studied with Lorna McGhee and Brenda Fedoruk. She has played with various ensembles including the UBC Symphony, Vancouver Academy Symphony and the Kamloops Symphony. Lucy has also performed in masterclasses with Bradley Garner, Leone Buyse and Susan Hoeppner. In addition to performance, Lucy plans to pursue music education. She is currently involved with the UBC Artsway Ambassador program, and the Vancouver Symphony Connects program, which brings music to elementary school students.

On April 21st, Ms. Yu presented a delightfully varied programme of works, including Sonata for Solo Flute in A minor, Wq. 132 by C.P.E. Bach, Romance & Scherzo for Flute & Piano by Grovlez, Flute Concerto, 3rd movement by Ibert, Beethoven's Duets for Clarinet in C and Bassoon, and contemporary composer Cameron Wilson's Celtic Partita for Flute & Piano. She was accompanied by I-Fen Peng, piano, and Selina Kuo, bassoon.

Stephanie performed Mozart's Exsultate, jubilate, K.165; Chacun le sait (La Fille du régiment) by Gaetano Donizetti; Zda není snem? and O lásky moře bezdné by Vitězslav Novàk; Joy beyond measure, Mother! from Little Women by Mark Adamo; and, Puccini's Quando men vo (La Bohème) and O mio babbino caro (Gianni Schicchi). Accompanist – Richard Epp.

Stephanie Nakagawa is a graduate student at Indiana University, where she studies with Carol Vaness. As a student of Nancy Hermiston at UBC, Stephanie received her BMus in opera with a minor in Commerce and received the UBC Medal for highest academic standing in her faculty at her graduation. Stephanie won the Western Canada District Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions and the Gold Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Her stage credits include Gretel (Hansel & Gretel), Musetta (La Bohème), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Yvette (Rondine), First Spirit (Magic Flute), and Fiametta (Gondoliers) with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Westcoast Symphony, IU Symphony, and North Bohemian Philharmonic. As a soloist, Stephanie has performed in The Messiah and Johannes Passion at UBC, in Ginastera's Cantata para América Mágica at the Aspen Music Festival, and in Paul Chihara's Amatsu Kaze with the IU New Music Ensemble. This summer, Stephanie will perform the role of Zerlina in Italy and then return to the Aspen Music Festival.

Grace performed Bach's Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004: Chaconne, and Beethoven's Sonata No.7 in C Minor, Op.30, No.2: 1st and 2nd movements.
Accompanist – Kathy Bjorseth.

Grace Takeda began studying violin at the age of four with Patricia Osoko and later with Mark Luchkow, Masako Matsumoto, and her present teacher, Heilwig von Koenigsloew. She began piano studies at the age of six.

Grace attended the Banff Arts Centre in June, 2008 with her piano quartet, and participated in the International Youth Symphony Orchestra in Bremen, Germany in October, 2008. Grace has been part of the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra for six seasons, serving as concertmistress of the Intermediate Orchestra in 2007-2008, and as principal second violinist in the Senior Orchestra in 2008-2009. As a chamber musician, Grace has performed on violin and piano. In 2005, her first string quartet performed on CTV's Breakfast Television; in 2007, her piano trio participated in CBC's Battle of Beethoven.

Currently in grade 10, Grace is working on her Performer's ARTC diplomas in both violin and piano. She would like to pursue music as a career, either as a violin teacher, music therapist, chamber musician, or orchestral musician.

For her recital on June 16th, Joanne will perform J.S. Bach's Sonata in E-flat Major, BWV 1031, Chen Yi's The Golden Flute: Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, Romance and Scherzo for Flute and Piano by Gabriel Grovlez, and Carl Nielsen's Concerto for Flute and Orchestra.
Accompanist – Sarah Bowker.

Joanna Tse recently completed the third year of her B.Mus. degree in flute performance at the UBC School of Music. She holds an ARCT performer's diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music and presently studies with Brenda Fedoruk, Principal Flutist with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, and flutist and piccoloist for the CBC Radio Orchestra. Joanna is currently the Rotating Assistant Principal Flutist in UBC’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble, having previously played the Second Flutist and Principal Piccolo positions in the UBC Symphony Orchestra.

Before moving to Canada, Joanna studied in California under Michelle Caimotto, Principal Flutist of the San José Opera Orchestra. In 2002, Joanna became the Principal Flutist of the Fremont Youth Symphony (FYS) with whom she appeared as soloist in 2004. That same year, Joanna moved to Richmond, BC, and began studying with Camille Churchfield, at the time Principal Flutist of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Joanna soon became rotating Principal Flutist of the Vancouver Academy Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, Joanne won third place in the 14th Annual Bjorn and Lori Hareid Senior Secondary Competition held at the Vancouver Academy of Music. In 2009, she won third place in the Vancouver Women’s Musical Society Scholarship Competition in 2009.

When Joanna was accepted to UBC in 2007, she was invited to join the newly developed Nachschlag Wind Quintet, which placed first in its class at both the Kiwanis Music Festival in Vancouver and the Performing Arts BC Provincials, and twice won the senior division of the Friends of Chamber Music competition. The group toured the Okanagan with Artsway in 2009 and 2010, providing live music to seniors' centres. In January 2010, the Nachschlag Wind Quintet was chosen to participate in Music Bridge Opus 2010, which involved collaborative performances at UBC and the University of Victoria with a student quintet from the G.F. Ghedini Conservatorio in Cuneo, Italy.