Pianist Vladimir Soloviev will be coming to Bradford, Ont. on Saturday, July 23, 2016
In early June, approximately two dozen artists, musicians, dramatists, a videographer, and church members convened at Bradford United Church, located at 66 Barrie Street in Bradford, for a special open house event.
The purpose of the gathering was twofold: first, to offer a guided tour of the church, which was constructed in 1865; and second, to engage in a discussion regarding the potential transformation of the sanctuary and the 450-square-foot church hall into a “Bradford Centre for the Arts.” The event also served as a platform for the proposal of a series of cultural events that would leverage the full capacity of the church building.
The inaugural event, titled “Beer and Bach,” is a “lecture-recital” that will take place at the church. This event will feature pianist Vladimir Soloviev and flautist Catherine Willshire, who will discuss the significance of Bach and classical music in a community setting. A cash bar will be available for the duration of the event. The lecture-recital is scheduled to take place at the church on Saturday, July 23 at 7 p.m., and tickets are available at a cost of $10.
The initiative to increase the use of the church as a performance center has been led by Rev. Jim Keenan. The Sanctuary, with its curved wooden pews and old plaster, offers “superb” acoustics in a space that can seat 200 people, according to Keenan.
The objective of this initiative is twofold: first, to enhance the quality of life for the local community, and second, to provide affordable and accessible opportunities for both artists and audiences.
While the Bradford United Church will continue to serve its congregation on Sundays, it aspires to evolve into a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible space that will “increase opportunities for artists and audiences.” The Bradford Centre for the Arts.”
Musician Paul Rumbolt, who also serves as a minister at the United Church, conducted a demonstration of the church’s acoustical properties for a group of interested artists. Demonstrating unamplified performance, he demonstrated the church’s acoustics by rendering a whisper audible from the gallery while his voice and guitar filled the space.
“People expend millions of dollars attempting to generate this sound. It is a genuine gem. It is a space that many people would come to use,” Rumbolt stated. He further likened the experience to being “inside an instrument, like a fine cello.”
The parish hall, a venue typically reserved for social gatherings such as teas and church suppers, was identified as a suitable location for a variety of performance and workshop activities. Its capacity to accommodate intimate performances without compromising the audience’s comfort and its favorable acoustics were considered key advantages.
Connoisseurs of music are encouraged to attend on July 23rd to experience the event for themselves. Tickets for the Beer and Bach event are available at Nancy’s Nifty Nook and Evans DeVries Higgins.
Vladimir Soloviev, a distinguished musician, completed his undergraduate degree at Western University, where he was twice awarded the prestigious Pattison Competition and attained second place in the London Music Scholarship Foundation competition. He subsequently earned a Master’s degree at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, after which he relocated to Toronto, where he has dedicated himself to the promotion of classical music.
Possessing a versatile repertoire, ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach to contemporary composers, he is active in a variety of roles, including soloist, chamber musician, and educator.
Catherine Willshire’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Western University and the University of Strassbourg in France, as well as a Master of Musicology from York University and the Université Paris-Sorbonne. During her time at the latter institution, she held the position of First Flute with the Orchestre Symphonique interuniversitaire de Paris.