On September 12, NOCCA’s ‘23-24 concert season was opened by Hadley Lanaway. Ms Lanaway treated the audience to three beautiful piano pieces. As she played, she relaxed into her chosen repertoire allowing concert goers to create images within each selection. Hadley ended her performance with a lovely Sea Dragon lilt by Ina Dykstra.

The featured artist, Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, is no stranger to NOCCA. He graced our stage as a youth performer playing on the “Dowager Steinway” in 2016. Tonight he enthralled audience members with his exquisite performance on NOCCA’S ‘lucky’ Steinway.

Jaeden welcomed the patrons into the evening’s offerings by opening with selected Moments Musicaux, D.780 by Franz Schubert. He played with seamless precision. He was one with his instrument and one with the music, gifting the listeners with a performance full of heart and passion.

His interpretation of Nikolai Medtner’s Sonata, Romantica, in B flat Min. Op 53 No.1 was a stunning rendition that showcased his profound technical ability and deep engagement with the music. The audience was spellbound and spontaneously rose in their appreciation of Jaeden’s immense musicality.

After a much needed intermission for both the audience and Jaeden, no doubt, we were once again left breathless by his performance of Ravel’s Miroirs. This technically challenging piece appeared easy under Jaeden’s fingers. It evoked images of moths flitting in the night to the movement of sparkling ocean water and brought concert goers to their feet yet again.

It was with immense pleasure that we were treated to his final selection, Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.20 by Frederic Chopin. This work was followed by Jaeden’s first encore leaving patrons thoroughly sophonsified. However, Jaeden offered us one more warm musical nightcap to send us on our way.
When he concluded his concert, a collective sigh of absolute appreciation could be heard echoing throughout the theatre.

There are simply not enough superlatives to describe this magnificent performance and performer.

Review by Shannon Marsh, Emily Fraser and Gerry Sholomenko

Nocca’s next concert will feature Oktopus on Wednesday October 11, 2023. Tickets can be purchased at ticket seller.ca or phone (250) 549-7469. For more information visit our website at nocca.ca