Ian Parker performs "Rhapsody in Blue"

Friday, February 10, 7 p.m.
Kwantlen Auditorium, Glover Rd & Langley By-pass
Presented by Kwantlen Polytechnic Orchestra-In-Residence
Tix: $25/22/15 - 604-599-3315 and Long & McQuade, 604-530-8704
Saturday, February 11, 7 p.m.
Surrey Arts Centre – 13750 – 88 Ave
Presented by Surrey City Orchestra
Tix: $25/23/15 - 604-501-5566  https://tickets.surrey.ca
Sunday, February 12, 3 p.m.
Central Heights Church, Abbotsford
Presented by Central Valley Academy of Music
Tix: $25/22/15 at CVAM. House of James (604 852-3701),  Kings Music (604-853-5996)

Meet Ian Parker, a member of the Parker family dynasty of virtuosic concert pianists who was born and raised in Vancouver, schooled at Juilliard in New York and now divides his time between performances around the world and his homes and studios in New York City and Vancouver. This coming weekend (February 10-12) the youthful, dynamic, flamboyant and expressive, globe-trotting Parker, who has just completed concerts in Bogota, Colombia, will be performing with orchestras in Langley, Surrey and Abbotsford, under the baton of violinist and conductor Calvin Dyck.

Rhapsody in Blue

Parker will be pulling out all the stops as he plays one of his (and audiences’) all-time favourites, Gershwin’s amazing, lively, rhythmic, sensuous and dramatic Rhapsody in Blue. Considered a musical portrait of New York City, it combines elements of classical music and jazz.
Rhapsody in Blue remains one of Parker’s most memorable pieces of music. “It was the first piece I ever played with an orchestra; the Vancouver Youth Symphony. I was sixteen. I have now played Rhapsody in Blue as my debut with most prominent symphony orchestras around the world.”
While the audience basks in the after-glow of Rhapsody in Blue, Parker then lets his fingers float over the piano keys with melodic passages from Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20, the concerto made famous in the movie “Amadeus”.

Top BC Talent - Guest Artists

Parker shares the spotlight in these concerts with exceptional BC talent and music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Flutist Paolo Bortolussi, a passionate and provocative performer of a wide range of musical styles, joins Maria Whelton, a harpist described as angelic, playful, bold and sensitive, for a performance of the Flute and Harp Concerto. Andrew Clark, an international French horn performer and recently welcomed addition to the BC music scene from London (UK), will play Mozart’s Horn Concerto. Also included on the program is the overture to the opera “The Marriage of Figaro” and a movement from the popular Symphony No. 29.

Teaching Musicians of the future

Teaching musicians of the future is a keen interest for Parker. In fact, Parker has agreed to donate part of his fee from the Abbotsford concert to help with fundraising for CVAM. 

For more information about Ian Parker visit his web site at www.ianparker.ca and visit a series of interview articles at www.quillsquotesandnotes.com/ws-parker.com .