Renowned pianist Todd Yaniw to perform as part of Caledon Chamber Concerts

By Rob Paul

Caledon Chamber Concerts had become one of the most popular music events in Town for more than a decade. When COVID-19 hit, president Gordon Morton, a Palgrave resident and former choir director at St. James' Anglican Church in Caledon East, had to put the concert series on hold.

Incorporated in December 2007, Caledon Chamber Concerts is a non-profit corporation that aims to bring classical music into the community. Some of the artists it's featured have been classical guitar with flute accompaniment; piano and violin; string quartets, trios and more. 

The artists that Caledon Chamber Concerts put on are known for their professionalism and high-class ability and the events have gained so much popularity within the musicians' circle, that they now call the Caledon Chamber Concerts in hopes of booking a concert with them.

After its hiatus, it finally returned to St. James Anglican Church on February 26, with pianist Ben Cruchley, whose concert was titled “Mozart at the Opera.”

Now, Caledon Chamber Concerts is once again bringing a professionally trained musician into the community with pianist Todd Yaniw on March 19.

“He is extremely talented and professional and I'm sure that the evening will be beyond expectations. We are so fortunate to have a musician of this calibre performing right here in Caledon East,” said Morton. “Todd will be playing works by Beethoven and Prokofiev.”

Yaniw is a Canadian pianist praised for his “atmospheric contrast of poetry and power, a hair-raising performance.” Since his debut with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at age 13, Yaniw has performed across Canada; at festivals and venues including CBC Vancouver, Banff Centre, Edmonton's Winspear Centre for Music, the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, the Festival of the Sound in Parry Sound, the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, and Koerner Hall.  

Born in Edmonton, Yaniw's teachers include Michael Massey, Dr. James Parker, Professor James Anagnoson (The Glenn Gould School), and Dr. Jon Kimura Parker (Rice University).

Mr. Yaniw completed his doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin, where he worked with Dr. Anton Nel.

Yaniw has performed concerts with several Canadian orchestras, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, and has performed with the Afiara Quartet, Rolston String Quartet, Trio Arkel and the ARC Ensemble (Artists of the Royal

Conservatory).  He is the pianist of Trio d'Argento, a group which has performed across Canada.

“He's been interviewed and broadcast on many occasions on CBC Radio and was featured in CBC's ‘30 Under 30' list,” said Morton. “Internationally, Todd has performed in Bulgaria, China, Italy, Jamaica, Monaco, the United Kingdom and the United States. He's been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, and twice was a recipient of the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation Awards. He currently works as a pianist at The Glenn Gould School and is on faculty at The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists.”

The concert will be March 19 at 7:30 p.m. at St. James' Anglican Church on Old Church Road in Caledon East.

To reserve your tickets, email gordonkmorton@gmail.com.

Due to capacity limits, tickets must be reserved in advance, on a first come, first served basis and picked up at the door on the night of the concert. Pay for your tickets at the door by cash or by cheque—payable to “Caledon Chamber Concerts” or pay in advance by e-transferring to gordonkmorton@gmail.com.