Cello and Song, a concert showcasing local classical musicians in aid of the Kootenay Refugee Coalition, is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Anglican Church, 701 Ward St. in Nelson. The concert is a fundraiser for the coalition.
This past summer, two women from Eritrea have arrived and are now Canadian permanent residents, living and working in Nelson, learning the language and building a new life in Canada.
“The Nelson region is full of unique and compassionate people and we celebrate our connections with people around the world,” says Rev. David Boyd, coalition coordinator. “We see this sponsorship as a community endeavour. We thank all who have helped with donations and words of welcome.”
Internationally acclaimed soloist Noemi Kiss (performing with cellist Jeff Faragher), and Nelson vocalist Mary Audia will be joined by cellists Tibo Kölmel and Mia Kraus at the concert. Voice soloists Emma Chart and Michael Marsland will round out the concert program
Kiss, originally from Hungary, has performed in the concert halls of Europe and Montreal. In the Kootenays, where she now makes her home, she has been soloist in Nelson Choral Society productions of Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Coronation Mass. As a teacher, she has worked with many of the area’s finest singers.
Faragher is the artistic director and conductor of the Symphony of the Kootenays and a leading cellist in the region, collaborating with many musicians in the area. He is an active performer in both folk and classical music.
Audia has been singing onstage since age 10, and for many years has been a soloist in church and school choirs, singing hymns and traditional Irish, Scottish and English airs. She sang Musette in La Boheme, The Queen in The Magic Flute, the stepmother in Into the Woods, and was the narrator in The Threepenny Opera. She is a soloist and long-time member of the Nelson Choral Society.
Kölmel, a student with Nadja Hall, was this year the recipient of the Ian Douglas Smith Award for strings at the Kootenay Festival of the Arts. As well as being a passionate cellist, Kölmel has played guitar for over 12 years.
Kraus joined Kölmel as one of the musicians who created the documentary Requiem for a Glacier in 2012. She has played cello since 2007 and has been a student with Alexis Moore, Faragher, and currently Nadja Hall.
Marsland, a student of classical voice with Mathilde Klassen as his teacher, won the provincial gold medal for his Grade 5 work and has twice been chosen to compete at the provincial level of the Festival of the Arts. He is a member of the youth choir, Corazón
Emma Chart, also a member of Corazón, says she loves singing with a passion. A student of Mathilde Klassen as well, she competed this year in the BC Provincial Festival of the Arts.
Tickets for Cello and Song are available at Otter Books or at the door. For further information, please call 250-352-9871.