“Art is the focal point of all the great civilizations of the world. The spirit of the community is found in the arts.”
When most of us think of Calgary, we think of the bustling roads that criss-cross our busy, oil-oriented city, and the wide rolling landscape of golden canola plants and wheat. But Calgary is also home to one of the leading performing arts centres in the country, an amazing venue home to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Theatre Calgary, Alberta Theatre Projects and many other performing arts companies. Covering almost 10 acres of land, the centre houses five theatres and the world-class Jack Singer Concert Hall. Tucked comfortably into the centre of our city, the centre brings thriving vibrancy, culture, and inspirational artists from all over the world into each Calgarian’s life. Each year, more than 600,000 people have the opportunity to enjoy the 1,800 performances that resonate within the building’s acoustically fine-tuned walls. The majestic Jack Singer, throned by the $750,000 Carthy Organ, rings with the echoes of tens of thousands of performances by some of the most talented Canadian artists of our time.
25 years ago, the Epcor Centre did not even exist. “It took the expertise of an entire team of dedicated volunteers to make the centre a reality…” So how did this amazing place come to be? At first, it was only the dream of a few Calgarians, performing art companies who wanted a collective, bigger venue they could call home, and people who really saw the importance of art and culture development within such a vibrant city as Calgary. Then, with the collective efforts of people like Martha Cohen, Sandra LeBlanc and Vera Swanson, the donation of a lot of sponsors, and years of construction, what we now know as the EPCOR Centre finally transitioned from a dream to reality.
On Sept. 18, I joined in the celebration of the Epcor Centre’s 25th birthday at the free celebration concert. Tickets were sold out one week prior to the event, and one hour before the doors opened, there were already people waiting at the box office. Thanks to Kids Up Front for giving us the tickets!
It turns out that even though Lisa and I got there one hour early, we still didn’t get the best seats due to all our wandering around. Instead, we sat directly overhead the orchestra on a balcony, a very fun spot because we could basically see the music on the violinists’ stands. The evening began with a whole bunch of speeches. It seemed as if everyone who had been involved with EPCOR for the last 25 years got the privilege of making a speech that evening. John F. Zietsman, who was the president and CEO of the Epcor Centre, gave a very interesting speech about the importance of culture and arts in the community, which is the inspiration for this blog article =). The honourary patrons of the centre, Jeanne and Peter Lougheed, also came to speak about their involvement. Many performing arts companies, including the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO), also gave their spiel about the greatness of the centre. I was astounded by the variety of arts that existed in Calgary that I had not known about before, like the Calgary International Children’s Festival and One Yellow Rabbit.
The performances of the evening were absolutely amazing. I had never been to a concert that had so much variety. The cheerful, simple Festive Overture by Shostakovich started the show off with a bright atmosphere. It is rumoured that Shostakovich wrote this while talking and making jokes with his friends, quite an amazing feat indeed. Following this was a beautiful ballet from Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty (Pas de Deux). Tchaikovsky wrote this piece more than a century ago in St.Petersburg, yet today, it is still performed with the same elegance and beauty right here in our own city. Art really is something that has the ability to transcend time.
The highlight of the evening was the world premiere performance of Canadian composer Jeffrey Ryan’s Observer of Beautiful Forms, featuring First Laureate of the International Honen Piano Competition Georgy Tchaidze. Commissioned especially for the evening’s celebration, the performance was recorded and broadcasted live on CBC Radio 2. The piece was as vibrant as it was dynamic. Each of the three movements were unique and yet tied seamlessly together, reflecting the kaleidoscope for which the piece was named after. The word “kaleidoscope” is derived from the Greek words for “beautiful,” “form” and “to see.” Perhaps it pays subtle tribute to the centre itself, which has fostered and observed many beautiful performances since its birth.
Photo courtesy of: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/
I had always admired the majestic, intricately decorated Cathy Organ every time I came to the Epcor Centre. That evening, I finally got to hear what it sounded like. Mozart had once sad, “To my eyes and ears, the organ will ever be the King of Instruments.” After hearing the fast, complicated piece composed by virtuoso Marcel Dupre, I think I now have a gist of what Mozart meant. The organ itself is a piece of art. To play it requires immense concentration and cooperation between both hands and feet.
That evening was also the first time I appreciated opera live. I had once been to an opera concert with my mother when I was five years old. All I remember from that traumatic experience is crying (very quietly) through the whole thing because I was terrified to death by the “high-pitched” voices. However, I found that the opera performance that evening was absolutely beautiful. I was literally astounded by the capacity of the human voice to carry emotions. No other instrument in the world can produce such an effect. Even though I couldn’t understand a single word of either of the songs, I could still comprehend it through emotions.
The show ended with a very Calgarian tune, Hoe-Down from Rodeo by Aaron Copland.
After the concert, Lisa and I hung around in the main lounge, watching the adults socialize as they drank their champagne, which was free. We comforted ourselves for not being old enough by eating these awesome strawberry tarts and listening to the performance of the jazz band.
Photo courtesy of: http://www.dhruv19280.com/myblog/
Stepping into the chilly September night from the vibrant, warm atmosphere of the EPCOR Centre, I am reminded of just how much the arts can influence our lives. Even though not every one of us has the opportunity to create art and live art, we are all able to appreciate it and observe it.
To find out more about the EPCOR Centre, visit: http://www.epcorcentre.org/