Chamber series opens strong with string duo Fire & Grace

Written By CITIZEN STAFF

Caledon Chamber Concerts opens it 2018-2019 season on Saturday, October 20 with the duo Fire & Grace.

Fire & Grace is a unique collaboration between guitarist William Coulter and violinist Edwin Huizinga. The duo explores the connective musical elements of classical, folk and contemporary traditions from around the world. Fire & Grace's repertoire is vast, ranging from Bach to Vivaldi, tango to Celtic tunes, traditional Bulgarian to American fiddle tunes and waltzes, all played with a sense of discovery and commitment to the elements of passion and virtuosity—fire and grace—found in these diverse traditions.

Performing both baroque and modern repertoire, Canadian violinist Edwin Huizinga has appeared alongside Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Renée Fleming, Mike Marshall, and Stevie Wonder, and has been featured as a soloist with the San Bernardino Symphony, the Sweetwater Music Festival, the Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival, and the Banff Summer Arts Festival. Edwin is a founding member of the baroque ensemble ACRONYM which has released six full-length albums of previously unknown and unrecorded baroque music. Edwin also performs worldwide with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. Most recently, Edwin was part of the string quartet that played at John McCain's funeral.

Guitarist William Coulter has been performing and recording traditional guitar music for over 20 years. His most recent solo recording, The Road Home (Gourd Music), was met with critical acclaim and in 2005 he received a Grammy for his contribution to The Pink Guitar, a collection of solo guitar arrangements of Henry Mancini's music. Musical collaborations have been a mainstay of William's career and have included many tours and recordings including Song for Our Ancestors with classical guitar virtuoso Benjamin Verdery, Time to Sail, One Sweet Kiss and Westward with Kerry-born Irish singer Eilis Kennedy, Simple Gifts - Music of the Shakers with cellist Barry Phillips, and Celtic Requiem with Irish vocalist Mary McLaughlin. Celtic Crossing, published by Mel Bay, includes music from his recording of the same name. William maintains a classical guitar studio at the University of California at Santa Cruz at teaches at various summer music camps.

The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. at St. James' Anglican Church, Caledon East.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $15 for students 16 years and younger and may be purchased in advance at Forster's Book Garden, Howard the Butcher and BookLore. A limited number of tickets will also be available at the door on the night of the performance. For more information call 905-880-2445.