2023 Canada Day Virtual Concert
Toronto, Canada
July 1, 2023
Let’s Celebrate!
Celebrate Canada Day
With an unforgettable musical experience.
Where Classical Elegance Meets the Canadian Spirit
A Canada Day Virtual Concert
Featuring soloist, Angel Wang
And the C.C.S.A. String Ensemble
Immerse yourself in music
and celebrate our great nation.
Angel Wang
Founder and Artistic Director
Canadian Chinese Society for the Arts
2023 Year of Rabbit Lunar New Year Virtual Concert
Toronto, Canada
Feb 6, 2023
Angel Wang (Artistic Director) Corey Gemmell, Nancy Kershaw, Ellen Moore, Yakov Lerner, Robert Speer, Maurizio Baccante, Claudio Vena
2022 Classical Sounds of Christmas
Virtual Concert
Toronto, Canada
Dec 25, 2022
“Jingle Bells” – C. Wheeler adaptation
Originally composed by American James Lord Pierpont in 1857, “Jingle Bells” imitates the sound and rhythm of trotting horses (which would not be heard in the snowy fields without the jingling bells).
“The Christmas Song” – Mel Tormé and Robert Wells
This song, better known as “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” is a classic Christmas tune composed by Mel Tormé (music) and Robert Wells (lyrics) in July 1945. Over the past 75 years, many great pop singers have recorded and performed it. The most famous version is by Nat King Cole. Other artists who have recorded it include Bing Crosby in 1947, Perry Como in 1953, Frank Sinatra in 1957, Ella Fitzgerald in 1960, and more recently Christina Aguilera in 2000 and Michael Bublé in 2003. Daffy Duck, Bob Dylan, and Big Bird have also recorded versions in other music genres.
G Minor Concerto, Op. 6, No. 8 – A. Corelli
This piece is commonly known as the “Christmas Concerto” and is subtitled “Fatto per la note di Natale” (“Made for Christmas night”). It is one of the 12 concertos included in Op. 6, published in 1714, one year before the Baroque composer’s death. However, the concerto can be traced back to around 1690, and it consists of 6 short movements written in the style of Sonata di Chiesa (Church Sonata). At that time, church services were often accompanied by small ensembles instead of organ accompaniment. Today, the numerous recordings of this work by the most renowned violinists and orchestras on YouTube attest to its place in the classics of Baroque concertos.
“Silent Night”
“Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht” in its original German title, is a beloved Christmas carol composed by Franz Xaver Gruber (music) based on a text written by Father Joseph Mohr in 1816. The origin story of the carol has been the subject of many films, documentaries, and academic works. The reason is simple: the church organ in the small village of Oberndorf, Austria, was damaged during a flood. Gruber was asked to set the text to a melody with guitar accompaniment for singing during the Christmas Eve Mass. It has been translated into about 140 languages and was designated as “intangible cultural heritage” by UNESCO in 2011.
Angel Wang (Artistic Director) Corey Gemmell, Nancy Kershaw, Ellen Moore, Yakov Lerner, Robert Speer, Maurizio Baccante, Claudio Vena
Winter Waltz
TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning
Toronto, Canada
September 17th, 2022
WELCOME TO “WINTER WALTZ”
On behalf of the Canadian Chinese Society for the Arts I would like to extend a warm welcome to our audience. We are delighted to share this evening of our favourite music with you. This is the 4th in our series of musical journeys from east to west, through time and across cultures. It is a celebration of music and all those whose hearts it touches.
Tonight’s programme features beloved music of China as well as the waltz genre of 19th century Europe. You will be whisked on a nostalgic tour of times past, from winter through spring, from Vienna to Beijing while listening to some of the most beloved music of all time.
Vienna and the waltz music of Johann Strauss II are inseparable in the minds of today’s concert goers, and the waltz is synonymous with elegance and romance. The dance form reached the peak of its popularity in the mid 1800’s during the reign of Hapsburg Emperor Franz Josef and still evokes images of Vienna at the height of its influence and sophistication. But the 3/4 dance rhythm is found not only in the music of Strauss, but also in works by the Spanish composer and virtuoso violinist Sarasate, Russian composers Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, and Italian composer performed in tonight’s programme.
Renowned, cherished works by Chinese composers complete the programme of music from days gone by, oft revisited in memory and song. We are delighted to share this fond glance back in time with you.
Angel Wang
Founder and Artistic Director
Canadian Chinese Society for the Arts
People’s Music – Asia, Europe and America
Filmed at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 26, 2021
Angel Wang
Artistic Director/Violinist
Renowned violinist Angel Wang has established herself as a violinist of exceptional ability in both China and Canada in solo, chamber and orchestral settings. In China she was a member of the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra and established the Angel Trio, performing chamber music throughout the country. In Canada she has performed with the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Opera and was concertmaster for a production of La Traviata.
Corey Gemmell
Violinist
Corey Lyle Gemmell, violinist, currently makes his home in Markham, Ontario. He has distinguished himself as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Canada, Germany, the United States and China. Mr. Gemmell is concertmaster for several orchestras with whom he has performed much of the standard repertoire for violin and orchestra. As a clinician he has adjudicated numerous festivals and enjoys an active private teaching studio.
Claudio Venna
Viola / Accordian
Claudio Vena is a Gemini award winning composer and founder of Quartetto Gelato and has conducted orchestras across Canada and performed as violist and accordionist around the world. He currently composes music for the Shaw Festival and is recording producer for Ensemble Vivant and pop band Chance Of Reign.
Rachel Pomedli
Cellist
Rachel Pomedli is a Toronto-based cellist and native of Saskatoon, SK. She earned her Masters of Music degree from Yale University, where she was a student of the esteemed Brazilian cellist Aldo Parisot and the Tokyo String Quartet. She received her B.Mus from the University of Toronto as a student of Shauna Rolston. Rachel performs regularly with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Art of Time Ensemble, Hamilton Philharmonic, Toronto Concert Orchestra, and Mirvish Productions shows.
George Gao
Erhu/Shaoquin
Gemini-award nominated Canadian musician George Gao started learning erhu at the age of six and went on to study at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Today, he is a world-renowned erhu performer and a renaissance man who has written and arranged music for films, television and Broadway musicals. At the same time, he is also a producer to many global musicians and artists.
Christmas Chestnuts and Classics
Filmed at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts
Toronto, Canada
November 20, 2020
Angel Wang
Artistic Director/Violinist
Renowned violinist Angel Wang has established herself as a violinist of exceptional ability in both China and Canada in solo, chamber and orchestral settings. In China she was a member of the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra and established the Angel Trio, performing chamber music throughout the country. In Canada she has performed with the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Opera and was concertmaster for a production of La Traviata.
Corey Gemmell
Violinist
Corey Lyle Gemmell, violinist, currently makes his home in Markham, Ontario. He has distinguished himself as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Canada, Germany, the United States and China.
Claudio Venna
Viola / Accordian
Claudio Vena is a Gemini award winning composer and founder of Quartetto Gelato and has conducted orchestras across Canada and performed as violist and accordionist around the world. He currently composes music for the Shaw Festival and is recording producer for Ensemble Vivant and pop band Chance Of Reign.
Paul Widner
Cellist
Paul Widner has performed throughout Canada, Europe, China and the United States as soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. In Toronto, Mr. Widner performs with the Canadian Opera Company, the National ballet of Canada and the Esprit orchestras.
Richard Moore
Drummer/ Percussionist/Cimbalist
Richard Moore holds a PhD in Ethnomusicology and Masters Degree in Percussion Performance. He works in many genres of music: film, television and jingle work in addition to live concert appearances with major orchestras in Canada, the US and across Europe. He records extensively and is a founding member of Ergo Projects/Ergo Ensemble an organization for the promotion of contemporary music.
Western and Chinese Classical Favourites
Filmed at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts
Toronto, Canada
October 30, 2020
Angel Wang
Artistic Director/Violinist
Renowned violinist Angel Wang has established herself as a violinist of exceptional ability in both China and Canada in solo, chamber and orchestral settings. In China she was a member of the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra and established the Angel Trio, performing chamber music throughout the country. In Canada she has performed with the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Opera and was concertmaster for a production of La Traviata.
Corey Gemmell
Violinist
Corey Lyle Gemmell, violinist, currently makes his home in Markham, Ontario. He has distinguished himself as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Canada, Germany, the United States and China.
Claudio Venna
Viola / Accordian
Claudio Vena is a Gemini award winning composer and founder of Quartetto Gelato and has conducted orchestras across Canada and performed as violist and accordionist around the world. He currently composes music for the Shaw Festival and is recording producer for Ensemble Vivant and pop band Chance Of Reign.
Paul Widner
Cellist
Paul Widner has performed throughout Canada, Europe, China and the United States as soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. In Toronto, Mr. Widner performs with the Canadian Opera Company, the National ballet of Canada and the Esprit orchestras.
A Concert for Violin and Piano
Filmed at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts
Toronto, Canada
August 20, 2020
Angel Wang
Artistic Director/Violinist
Renowned violinist Angel Wang has established herself as a violinist of exceptional ability in both China and Canada in solo, chamber and orchestral settings. In China she was a member of the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra and established the Angel Trio, performing chamber music throughout the country. In Canada she has performed with the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Opera and was concertmaster for a production of La Traviata.
Yisak Issac Seo
Piano
Meet in Beijing Arts Festival
May 11, 2019
Beijing, China
