New Beginnings in Montreal – Brahms, Dvořák, and a Full House

July 2025

After a whirlwind move to Montreal a few days ago (it feels like weeks already), I feel like I’m finally catching my breath. I arrived just in time from two back-to-back quintet concerts—my last performances in Toronto before fully settling here—and they couldn’t have been a more rewarding sendoff.

We performed Dvořák’s Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81 and Brahms’s Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34, two works I’ve loved for years but had never performed together in one program. Preparing the piano parts was both a joy and a serious undertaking. Brahms’s writing is famously dense and orchestral—so much texture and counterpoint to navigate—and I found myself constantly working to balance clarity with warmth, and power with space for the strings. In contrast, Dvořák’s quintet felt like a breath of fresh air: folk-inspired, lyrical, and full of dance-like rhythms. His writing is generous to the piano, but still asks for deep listening and subtle ensemble playing.

Putting the pieces together in rehearsal was its own process. With Brahms, it took time to align the phrasing and pacing—we all had strong ideas, and it was beautiful to see how those ideas gradually became one shared interpretation. Dvořák came together more naturally, but even there, the challenge was to stay light and flexible within the lushness of the sound.

The first night was a private house concert at Concerts@100, and it was honestly magical. We played on a stunning Steinway concert grand in a small, acoustically warm space. Everything felt immediate and alive—we could hear each other clearly and respond instinctively. The audience was right there with us, and I left that night feeling deeply connected and full of energy.

The second performance was at UPC Markham, a larger, more resonant space. The baby grand piano felt heavier under the fingers, and the acoustics were a bit boomy, which made ensemble balance tricky. Fanny (our wonderful violist) had to sit quite close to the keyboard, and we couldn’t always hear each other clearly. Still, it was a meaningful performance, and navigating the challenges together reminded me of how much trust and adaptability chamber music requires.

Now that I’m in Montreal full-time, I’m looking forward to diving into this next chapter—starting my Doctorate in Piano Performance at Université de Montréal with Henry Kramer, exploring the city, and building new musical connections here. These two concerts were a beautiful bridge between the places and people I’ve loved in Toronto and the exciting unknowns ahead.

Warmly,
Cecilia