Tapestries: Christina Petrowska Quilico

65 minutes, CD, Canadian Music Centre, 2011

Reviewer Ed Farolan

Last November 2nd at the Canadian Music Centre in Toronto, an event was held to celebrate the launch of Christina Petrowska Quilico's 26th CD, Tapestries.” The album features two works by Canadian composers: George Fiala (Concerto Cantata for piano, opera chorus, and chimes) and Heather Schmidt (Piano Concerto No 2). She performed the world premiere of both works in 1987 and 2001 respectively. The Canadian Ukrainian Opera Chorus under conductor Wolodymyr Kolesnyk accompanied Quilico's 40-minute rendition of Fiala's concerto.

The chorus clapped and whistled and sometimes hissed in some parts of Fiala's concerto, which gave colour to this energetic piece.

The second piece in the album opens like a score from a movie. Schmidt's Piano Conceto No. 2 performed by the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Daniel Warren sounds like a score from a thriller movie, suspenseful, yet delicate in its rendition. Petrowska softly pounds on the keys, timing her strokes perfectly and dexterously. This is a 25-minute concerto.

Christina Petrowska Quilico born December 30, 1948, Ottawa, is a well-known Canadian pianist and wife of of Canadian baritone Louis Quilico. She was the recipient of the 2007 Friends of Canadian Music Award, an award honoring those who have demonstrated a commitment to Canadian composers and their music..

This is a CD worth having and listening to. It sells for $13.98 and can be bought at any music store or ordered online at htp://www.musiccentre.ca

© 2011 Ed Farolan

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