Keys, Wind & Strings

-sonic explorations for accordion, flute, piano and violin-

Keys, Wind and Strings (KWS) is a touring concert project comprised of Thin Edge co-artistic directors, pianist Cheryl Duvall and violinist Ilana Waniuk with guest artists German accordionist Olivia Steimel and Montreal based flautist/composer Solomiya Moroz. Cheryl and Ilana first met Olivia and Solomiya while attending an artistic winter residency at the Banff Centre in 2012. Unusual instrumentation aside, a mutual passion for contemporary chamber music led to the idea for a collaborative project. Keys, Wind and Strings was conceived with the purpose of fostering the creation of new works for this unique ensemble as well as showcasing 20th/21st century works for unusual parings within the group.

Following an artistic residency at the Banff Centre in January 2013, Keys, Wind and Strings kicked off their first Canadian tour with a performance at the University of Calgary’s Happening Festival of Music and Media, followed by concerts in Vancouver, Victoria (presented by the Open Space Art Society), Toronto and Montreal. This tour was made possible through generous support from the Canada Council of the Arts and the Shevchenko Foundation and included the premiere of two new works by emerging Canadian composers Anna Pidgorna and Solomiya Moroz. In July 2013 KWS was featured as ensemble in residence at the soundSCAPE festival of new music in Maccagno, Italy.





























Winds, Keys and Strings:
Sample Program I


Anna Pidgorna (b.1985)
Bridal Train (for accordion, flute, piano and violin) (2013) 5' *

Georg Katzer (b. 1935)
SaitenZungenspiel (for accordion and violin) (1992) 14’

Juan de Dios Magdaleno (b. 1984)
Memento Mori (for violin and piano) (2008) 7’

Intermission

Uros Rojko (b.1954)
Bagatellen (for accordion and piano) (1994) 15’

Toshio Hosokawa (b.1955)
Lied (for flute and piano) (2007) 8'

Solomiya Moroz (b. 1981)
cloud patterns (for accordion, flute, piano and violin ) (2013) 12' *

* commissioned and premiered by the Thin Edge New Music Collective

(approx 70 min in length)



Musician and sound artist, Solomiya Moroz collaborates often with instrumental and electronic musicians, dancers and video artists. Her work has been presented as part of Takt Berlin Artists residency, Omi International Musicians residency (New York), and Banff Centre Creative residency. In addition she has performed at festivals in Canada, Austria, Germany, France and the United States. She has been awarded Leighton Artists’ Colony residency at the Banff Centre from CALQ for composition as well as a development grant to study with flutist Eva Furrer in Vienna, Austria in 2012. She is currently a co-director of a series for contemporary music Bruissements du Cercle, held at the Espace Cercle Carré in Montreal.
www.solomiyamoroz.com








Olivia Steimel is a German accordion soloist and chamber musician. Dedicated to contemporary music she collaborates with international composers such as Anna Pidgorna, Michael Quell and Mario Mary performing their works in concerts (Canada, France, Germany and Italy), radio broadcasts (CBC) and recordings (Michael Quell-Chamber Music, Neos 2011). Since 2009 she has been a member of the Würzburg Philharmonic Orchestra. She won several prizes including first prize in the “Musikalische Akademie Würzburg” Competition (2010) and another prize in the 2010 German Conservatory Competition. With guitarist Josef Mücksch she received second prize in the 48th International Accordion Competition Klingenthal (2011) as well as first prize in the International Accordion Competition Castelfidardo (2011). In 2009 Steimel was awarded an ERASMUS study grant to study in Florence with Ivano Battiston. She is currently completing her pedagogical diploma at the University of Music Würzburg under the tutelage of Prof. Stefan Hussong with funding by “Yehudi Menuhin-Live Music Now” and the “Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes”.www.oliviasteimel.com
Photographer: Armin Fuchs