| Violin |
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IOAN HAREA |
| Romanian, Canadian, Venezuelan Ioan Harea resides in Ottawa, Canada since 1986. He has Performed his specialty program "CLASSIC GYPSY" with orchestras in Canada, the United States, Europe and South America, as well as on recital series and tours across Canada. Ioan Harea is the founder and leader of the Harea String Quartet and the Virtuosi Strings. Ioan Harea was featured artist on the "sold-out" Virtuosi Productions Concert Series 2002/2003 season at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Canada. Ioan Harea is on the faculty of the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York in Potsdam, New York. "Versatility" is the third of a series of five CD's to be recorded by Ioan Harea for Dark Skippy Records. |
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| Viola |
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Pemi Paull |
| Raised in Ottawa, Pemi Paull studied violin with Ioan Harea until 1993, when Pemi entered McGill University. In 1997, he was accepted with full scholarship to the University of Indiana where he studied viola and chamber music. A two-time winner of the National Arts Centre Bursary, Pemi is heard frequently on CBC Radio as a recitalist and chamber musician, receiving the CBC Prix Galaxie Rising Star Award for Chamber Music in 2002.He is a regular participant in chamber music festivals in Canada, England, Turkey and Mexico. Pemi has been a member of L'Orchestre Baroque de Montreal for three years, and has worked with Les Violons du Roy. In May 2002, Pemi gave the world premiere of "Debacle" for viola and orchestra with L'Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec. In February 2003 he gave the Quebec premiere of Gyorgy Ligeti's Sonata for Solo Viola. |
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| Oboe |
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Angela Casagrande |
| Angela Casagrande currently works as a free-lance solo, chamber and orchestral musician throughout the National Capital region. She has performed on both CBC and Radio-Canada, and plays frequently in concert venues in Ottawa and surrounding area. In addition, she is a par-time professor at the University of Ottawa, and maintains a large private teaching studio. Angela also works as an arranger and sells hand-made oboe reeds throughout Ontario. She has completed a textbook for the study of music theory, which she will market through her own company, Pink Flamingo Press. |
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| Violin |
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John Lindsey |
| John Lindsey is very active in chamber music in the US and is Concertmaster of the Orchestra of Northern New York and the Hanover Chamber Orchestra. "Ioan is the best colleague one could ever wish for!" They are both violin teachers at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY. |
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| Guitar |
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Roddy Ellias |
| "Sandra" was written for a very special person - my wife. Her name is Sandra. "Nothing To Gain … Nothing To Lose" is a state of being that I try to live my life by. I find it is especially useful if I am nervous about performing a concert or recording. Recording these pieces with Ioan was a special experience. I gained a lot and I hope you will to when you hear him play these pieces. |
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| Piano |
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Ian Clyne |
| I have always enjoyed the passion in Ioan's playing, (maybe it's the "Romaniac" thing…), and my own career path has been quite versatile as well. I have been commissioned to write pop music, theatre music and children's theatre music. I have played keyboards for Juno Award-winning country artist Charlie Major. I have my own jazz trio and I have been to all the "hot spots" of the world with the Canadian Armed Forces Entertainment Show. I tried to incorporate elements of all these diverse styles into the arrangement of "Nostalgie". |
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| Fiddle |
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Sol Gunner |
| Sol Gunner works mainly as a jazz bass player in addition to playing the violin. He has performed at international jazz festivals on both instruments, as well as for a variety of musical theatre productions and miscellaneous "gigs". "It was great to perform with Ioan - a real violinist!" |
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| Bassoon |
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Jo Ann Simpson |
| I wasn't totally convinced that I should be partaking in this project both as a performer on, as well as the producer of, my husband's latest CD. Ioan however was totally excited about giving me an opportunity to show off my own "versatility". We rejected a number of duos for violin and cello before choosing Duo #3 from Beethoven's Three Duos for Clarinet and Bassoon. We felt that this work treats both instruments as soloists, meaning that neither one of us has to take a back seat for too long! |
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| Cello |
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Mathias Wexler |
| I have always admired Ioan's artistry and his spirit. He is always full of life and eager for the next musical adventure. He is a man in love with his music, with the violin, with friendship, a man who enjoys himself by making something beautiful! I was delighted to be able to spend a little time with him as he continues his musical quest. You have here a sampling of his warmth and spirit, of his musical conversations with many good friends. May the quest continue! Mathias Wexler, cellist, has appeared as a chamber musician and soloist in major centers throughout North America and has been nominated for a Grammy. He is currently on the faculty of the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY, USA. |
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| Recorded at: |
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Sound of One Hand Studios, Ottawa. |
| Produced by: |
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Virtuosi Productions "The Music Makers". |
| Recorded and engineered by: |
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Michel Legault and John Dooher. |
| Mixed at: |
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Sound of One Hand Studios by John Dooher. |
| Mastered at: |
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Lacquer Channel Mastering by Phillip Demetro. |
| Graphic Design and Layout: |
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John James, ably. Productions. |
| "Versatility" is an experience of everything from Baroque through Classical and 20th century art music to gypsy and jazz. On this CD, I have chosen to interpret a wide variety of musical styles in collaboration with some of my favorite musicians. The works I have chosen to play all reflect who I am, what I have experienced in life and what I love most about music. |
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| It has been a real privilege and pleasure to work together with such good friends and fine colleagues on "Versatility". I particularly want to thank those who collaborated with me in the creative process as composers and arrangers. I want to thank Roddy Ellias for trusting me to give voice to his very heart-felt and personal compositions. Sol Gunner continues to amaze and enlighten me as to the inner science of the "shuffle". Ian Clyne's reworking of the three songs that make up "Nostalgie" brings freshness and humor to music, which is otherwise all to familiar. |
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| Playing duos is perhaps the most difficult project I have yet worked on. The writing is so transparent. There is nowhere to hide. The blend. The intonation. The colour. The articulation. The rhythmic ebb and flow! In a successful duo you move as one with your partner, sensing when to lead and when to follow. It is a lot like dancing a tango! |
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| Creating "Versatility" has been a privilege and an enriching experience; I hope it will bring joy to you who listen to it! |
