NOCCA Presents an Afternoon of Piano Brilliance

The North Okanagan Community Concert Association (NOCCA) is delighted to present an afternoon of electrifying piano mastery on Sunday March 30 at 2:00 pm, featuring the internationally acclaimed Bergmann Piano Duo. The duo, comprised of husband and wife Marcel and Elisabeth Bergmann, have inspired audiences with dynamic and energetic performances of uniquely eclectic programs for more than two decades. Their recitals and concerts with orchestra have taken them to many parts of the world, including the United States, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, France, Macedonia, Greece, China and Canada, and have appeared in many international festivals.

Marcel, a native of Munich, Germany, has enjoyed an active musical career as a performer, composer, improviser and teacher. Elizabeth is an award-winning pianist and chamber musician originally from Alberta. They have both studied in Germany and Canada, including at the Univérsité de Montréal where they pursued specialized studies in duo piano. In addition to their performing careers they enjoy teaching and working in their capacities as Artistic Directors of White Rock Concerts. Elizabeth is also Artistic Director of Concerts at the Langley Community Music School and Marcel has held a position as Professor of Music at Mohawk College in Hamilton. Both Elizabeth and Marcel have been on the faculty of Mount Royal University and University of Calgary as well as being involved in musical projects at The Banff Centre for the Arts. In 2004/2005, they served as Artistic Directors of The Murray Dranoff International Two Piano Competition and Foundation in Miami. For many years, they were members of the Calgary based group Land’s End Chamber Ensemble, and were recipients of the 2005 and 2006 Western Canadian Music Awards for Outstanding Classical Recording.

The Bergmann Duo’s extensive repertoire spans from baroque to contemporary, featuring many of their own arrangements and compositions. They have recorded for CBC, several ARD stations in Germany, and National Public Radio, with their CDs appearing on the CordAria, Arktos, Koch International Classics, Naxos, ARS, and Brilliant Classics labels. Their recording American Stories on the ARS label showcases exclusively Marcel’s arrangements.

With their impeccable artistry, boundless creativity, and seamless musical synergy, the Bergmann Piano Duo continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Their ability to blend technical brilliance with expressive depth ensures an unforgettable concert experience. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness their extraordinary virtuosity live – join NOCCA at the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre on Sunday, March 30 at 2:00 pm for an afternoon of breathtaking piano performance.

Tickets are available through Ticket Seller at 250-549-7469 or online at www.ticketseller.ca.

The Perfect Gift for the Person Who Has Everything: NOCCA Tickets!

Struggling to find the ultimate gift this holiday season? Give the gift of live music with tickets to NOCCA’s incredible upcoming concerts! For a limited time, you can gift the entire remaining NOCCA season for only $99 (with single concert tickets regularly $40 each, this is a $120 value!).
Buy Season Tickets Here

Jazz up your Christmas and close it classically with three incredible concerts. Our upcoming performances promise unforgettable experiences that will leave any music lover thrilled.

These performances are not to be missed!

Rémi Bolduc Jazz Ensemble
2:00 PM, Sunday, February 23, 2025
Feel the magic of jazz as acclaimed saxophonist Rémi Bolduc brings his dazzling ensemble to the stage. Known for their virtuosic performances, you’ll be treated to a tribute to the great Oscar Peterson. A soulful, toe-tapping afternoon awaits!
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Bergmann Piano Duo
2:00 PM, Sunday, March 30, 2025
Two extraordinary talents, one unforgettable performance. Marcel and Elizabeth Bergmann’s dynamic and energetic duets have captivated audiences worldwide for more than two decades. Expect a unique and eclectic program that will leave you spellbound.
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Sarah Hagen
2:00 PM, Sunday, May 4, 2025
Let Canadian pianist Sarah Hagen transport you with her award-winning artistry. Praised for her inventive interpretations and flawless technique, Sarah has graced stages across the globe. Her performance will be nothing short of breathtaking.
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Give the Gift of Live Music
Whether it’s a ticket for one show or the rest of the season, NOCCA concerts are the gift of memories, emotion, and inspiration.

Music is the gift that keeps on giving. Share the joy!

Haerim Elizabeth Lee & David Fung – Thursday January 25, 2024

Haerim Elizabeth Lee & David Fung
7:30 pm Thursday January 25, 2024

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Captivating audiences, leaving them breathless with impeccable phrasing and musicality.

Violinist, Haerim Elizabeth Lee has developed a playing style indicative of the very essence of her personality: passionate, deliberate and often witty. In 2015, Elizabeth performed as the concertmaster with Yo-Yo Ma at the Kennedy Center Honors concert in Washington, D.C. to recognize Maestro Seiji Ozawa, which was attended by former President Barrack Obama.

Elizabeth possesses a progressive philosophy when it comes to exploring and premiering works by living composers. 

Elizabeth describes her interpretation of George Gershwin’s works for violin and piano as a “contemporary take on timeless music that captures the vibrant spirit of New Your City as it once was and as it is now. Her new album, My Time is Now, will delight die-hard Gershwin fans and capture the hearts of new followers. More about Liz Lee

Pianist, David Fung will be performing with Elizabeth. He is widely recognized for “interpretations that are elegant and refined, yet intensely poetic and uncommonly espressive.” David regularly appears with the world’s premier ensembles, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the San Francisco Symphony, as well as the major orchestras in Australia. 

David garnered international attention as a laureate of the Queen Elizabeth International Music Competition in Brussels and the Arthur Rubenstein Piano International Masters Competition in Tel Aviv. In Tel Aviv, he was further distinguished by the Chamber Music and Mozart prizes, awarded in areas in which he has a passionate interest. 

David is currently on the faculty at the University of British Columbia and is a curator at the Chan Center for the Performing Arts.  More about David Fung.

Click on the links below to view videos of violinist Haerim Elizabeth Lee and pianist David Fung.

David Fung, piano:

Haerim Elizabeth Lee, violin:


BUY SINGLE CONCERT TICKETS
Adults – $40  22 and Under – $20

Purchase tickets at:

TICKET SELLER
Phone: (250) 549-SHOW (7469)
E-mail: boxoffice@ticketseller.ca

– or –

Visit The Performing Arts Centre Foyer
3800 33rd Street, Vernon BC

All concerts are held in the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre.


*** NOCCA’s next concert will be on Tuesday April 23, 2024. 
Please visit nocca.ca for more details. ***

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko – Concert Review

Jaeden Izik-Dzurk with his parents and NOCCA president Paul Maynes
Jaeden Izik-Dzurko with his parents & NOCCA president, Paul Maynes

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

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (piano) – Tuesday September 12, 2023


Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (piano)
7:30 pm Tuesday September 12, 2023

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The 2023/24 NOCCA concert season begins with one of the North Okanagan’s great sources of musical pride, pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko. Over the past ten years, Jaeden has opened for NOCCA presentations as well as performed for the North Okanagan Youth Showcase of Excellence (NOYSE). After graduating from high school in Salmon Arm, he went on to the Juilliard School of Music and graduated in 2022 with his Bachelor of Music. Jaeden recently completed his master’s degree at UBC under Dr. Corey Hamm.

Celebrated by the CBC in 2021 as one of “30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30” Jaeden Izik-Dzurko is earning a reputation as a promising young artist. Recognized by audiences, conductors, composers and critics alike for his exceptional communicative power and the thoughtfulness of his interpretations “… he projects a distinctive musical personality that imbues even the most routine passagework with character and individuality” (Calgary Herald). In 2022 Jaeden won piano competitions both in North America and in Europe, and his road to success continues here in Vernon as he entertains us with works by classical masters as well as, at least, one of his own compositions. Come out and enjoy the talents a rising star.

More about Jaeden Izik-Dzurko

Click on the link below to view a video of Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, recorded live at the 2022 Hilton Head International Piano Competition:
https://youtu.be/JSvyHQjpeEU?si=x5yOCC3RqBL-2dQc

PURCHASE SEASON TICKETS
5 Concerts from September 2023 to April 2024
Adults – $150 22 and under – $75

BUY SINGLE CONCERT TICKETS
Adults – $40  22 and Under – $20

Purchase tickets at:

TICKET SELLER
Phone: (250) 549-SHOW (7469)
E-mail: boxoffice@ticketseller.ca

– or –

Visit The Performing Arts Centre Foyer
3800-34th Street, Vernon

All concerts are held in the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre.

*** NOCCA’s next concert of the 2023/24 Season will be on Wednesday October 11, 2023. 
Please visit nocca.ca for more details. ***