April concert announcement

April 12, First Unitarian Church, Hamilton.

Music by Dubois, Hoffmeister, Skye, Ravel.

Also featuring the world premiere of Ron ROYER’s Romance and Impromptu for flute and harp.

From the Hamilton Spectator article April 10, 2025

‘Erica Goodman, Suzanne Shulman and Caitlin Boyle perform trios for flute, viola and harp Saturday, April 12, 3 p.m., at the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton, 170 Dundurn St. S.

By Leonard TurneviciusContributing Columnist

“What’s the difference between a viola and an onion?

“No one cries when you cut up a viola.”

Yes, feel for the viola and violists, cruelly and unfairly denigrated as the butt of musical jokes for centuries.

However, when it comes to everyday music-making within, say, a string ensemble setting, be it in a string quartet or an orchestra’s string section, the viola’s distinctly warmer, darker timbre complements the violin’s brighter timbre and the deeper tones of the cello.

And in a trio setting with the flute and harp, the viola really comes into its own.

“The viola has more of a soloistic role in the flute, viola, and harp trio mostly because it’s the only bowed instrument in the group,” said Caitlin Boyle, co-artistic director of the 5 at the First Chamber Music Series. “This trio is a beautiful combination because all of the instruments have such a different and unique sound.”

You can hear that unique sound Saturday, April 12 at 3 p.m. in the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton, 170 Dundurn St. S., when 5 at the First presents “Flute, Viola, and Harp Delight!” with Boyle joined by Hamilton-based flutist Suzanne Shulman and harpist Erica Goodman. Longtime local classical music fans will recall the latter two musicians and their erstwhile Trio Lyra with former HPO violist Mark Childs, now retired.

The ad hoc trio’s program will be bookended by selections from France.

“Our diverse combination of instruments creates much scope for blend as well as contrast, and is especially well suited to French music,” said Shulman.

Their opener is the “Terzettino” by Théodore Dubois, composed in 1905 and generally regarded as the earliest piece for flute, viola and harp trio. Their closing work is Maurice Ravel’s “Sonatine,” also from 1905.

“These two composers were connected by a scandal involving a group of faculty at the Paris Conservatoire who conspired to prevent Ravel from winning the Prix de Rome (France’s prestigious prize for young composers),” explained Shulman of the national brouhaha that erupted in 1905 and the press dubbed “L’affaire Ravel.”

“Ravel was considered to be just too modern. Dubois was the Conservatoire director and he was forced to resign. We are happy to give Ravel the last word with an arrangement of his (solo piano piece) ‘Sonatine’ by Carlos Salzedo, the French harpist who played in the Trio de Lutèce with flute, cello and harp. The cello part was adapted for viola by Mark Childs. He kindly passed along his viola part to Caitlin.”

Shulman and Boyle will perform a work from the late 18th century, Franz Anton Hoffmeister’s “Duo concertante” op. 12 no. 3, before launching into Derrick Skye’s 2016 trio, “Crossing.”

“Interesting that this Los Angeles-based composer recently changed his name to Skye from Spiva Jr, as Spiva was the name given to his ancestors by slave owners,” said Shulman. “Skye celebrates the music of immigrants, and ‘Crossing’ is based on folk music from the Balkans. This piece explores elements of vocal communication: speech, laughter and song. The Times (London) calls his music ‘deliciously head-spinning,’ and we are finding his frequent rhythmic shifts a great workout for our ‘little grey cells.’”

Prior to the Ravel, Shulman and Goodman will premiere Los Angeles-born, Toronto-based Ron Royer’s “Romance and Impromptu for flute and harp,” a work with Hamilton roots.

“In 2004, Glenn Mallory invited Ron to compose a piece for the 40th anniversary of his Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, his only request being that it would feature ‘a beautiful romantic melody.’ Ron has extensive experience with film music, and this piece became ‘Cinema’ for orchestra. Ron has set this music for flute and harp as ‘Romance,’ and added an ‘Impromptu’ just completed a few months ago.”