Robert Kortgaard Trio to play concert in Caledon East

November 2, 2023 · 0 Comments

Trio features pianist, double bassist and soprano singer

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

An award-winning Canadian pianist and his bandmates are coming to Caledon for a performance.

At 7:30 p.m. on November 18, the Robert Kortgaard Trio will perform in the great hall at St. James’ Anglican Church in Caledon East, located at 6025 Old Church Road.

Caledon Chamber Concerts, a local non-profit, arranged the concert and will have a seven-foot Steinway grand piano brought in for the performance.

Kortgaard is a pianist and was born in Regina. He grew up in Calgary before completing his Bachelor and Master’s degrees at The Juilliard School in New York City.

He’s performed all over the world and has received numerous arts awards. Kortgaard is the artistic director of the Leith Summer Festival in Ontario and the Under the Spire Music Festival in Prince Edward Island.

Joining Kortgaard in his trio performance is Andrew Downing on double bass. Downing lives in Toronto and is a composer, band leader, and music educator.

He composes music for groups he plays in, as well as for many other groups throughout Canada. Downing was recently nominated for the Louis Applebaum Composition award through the Ontario Arts Council.

He also has two Juno Award wins for albums of his own composition. Downing currently works as a teacher at the University of Toronto.

Rounding out the Robert Kortgaard Trio is soprano singer Patricia O’Callaghan.

O’Callaghan has six solo albums and can speak French, Spanish, and German. She’s known for blending a variety of languages and cultures into her performances.

O’Callaghan teaches at The Dan School of Drama and Music at Queen’s University, and at The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity’s Evolution: Classical program.

Those interested in buying tickets for the Robert Kortgaard Trio concert can do so online at caledonchamberconcerts.com. Tickets can also be purchased by email at caledonchamberconcerts@gmail.com and phone at 905-880-2445.

Children ages 16 and under can attend the concert for free.