| Dreams of Haiti, pianist Suki Guerrier |
| Wednesday, 25 June 2008 | |
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Dreams of Haiti, a review of pianist Suki Guerrier The theme "Dreams of Haiti" was inspired by Suki's exposure as a young girl to the music of the famous Haitian composer's Ludovic Lamothe, Henrie Etienne, Frank Lassegue (amongst others), and the sounds of traditional folklore music, which was infused with strong drum beats, dance, and soulful singing. While visiting Haiti in the summer of 2007, she had the fortune to meet pianist extraordinaire Micheline Laudun Denis, who encouraged and assisted in the orchestration of Ms. Guerrier's first performance in Haiti. The performance was a "passing of the torch," a rite of passage for the young musician, leaving the pianist to realize that she had indeed come full circle. Ms. Guerrier's Haitian music selection was that of Ludovic Lamothe (1882-1953, born in Port-au-Prince), one of Haiti's most celebrated composers. The pieces Tango, La Dangereuse in E Major, Danse Espagnol in A minor, Habanera Danza No.1, & Souvenir were as you may have guessed, dance pieces, capturing an essence of Haitian tradition, in a classical form. The music entranced the audience from beginning to end, ranging from playful soft music, to dark and sinister, forte/piano, passionate, light hearted, with spins on various dance moves such as a Viennese waltz, to a vivacious and sensual Latin dance. The music transposed ones soul and transported the audience to different worlds, time, and characters. The next segment of the program was comprised of piano and soprano duets, with the very expressive and fierce soprano talent Colleen Beaumont, finished with the great piano/cello duet of cellist Carl Baron. The three operatic selections were: Morgen by Richard Strauss, Violon by Francis Poulenc, and D'amor Sull'Ali Rosee by Giuseppe Verdi. Ms. Colleen Beaumont delivered a powerful and passionate performance, conveying the various nuances of the love librettos, or the libretto that served as an ode to the violin. The audience was pleasantly surprised by this musician's tenacity and gentle beauty. Mr. Carl Baron delivered two fine performances of Sonata in C Major, Op. 119 by Sergey Prokofiev & Sonata in A Major, Op. 69 by Ludwig van Beethoven. The first piece was full of playful runs, colorful conversations between piano and cello, dissonant sounds, energy, contrasts and vitality. The second piece was equally lively, with more contrasts between slow and fast tempos, engaging conversations between the dynamic duo, and heartfelt eminence by the cellist. Ms. Guerrier provided exceptional accompaniment of guest musicians, emanating radiance, grace, and expressiveness every step of the way. For the finale, Ms. Guerrier executed an exceptional performance of Beethoven's Sonata Op. 57- Appassionata (Allegro Assai), completely captivating and sweeping the audience in a whirlwind of fast notes, chords, contrasts in moods, and fingers commanding the entire range of keys on the piano. It was absolutely breathtaking and wonderful. This concert met and exceeded everyone's expectations, as one audience member stated, "It was a pure delight, a very memorable performance. Suki is a virtuoso, and the combination of piano & cello was totally delightful, and not to forget, the soprano who was exquisite." When asked about the future of classical music, a senior in High School commented, "When we study music in school it is mainly in the past. We need to keep it alive. Music is a big and important part of our culture, if we lose it; we're losing a big part of our culture." It was truly refreshing to be a part of this inspirational and beautiful performance.
Boston, MA native Martina Green is a graduate of the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts in Natick, MA. A violinist for 9 years, she attended programs such as Project STEP, New England Conservatory of Music prep, Boston University Tanglewood Institute. She currently resides in New York City where she is earning her master’s degree in Arts & Cultural Management from the Pratt Institute.
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