Maestro Victor Vener
Maestro Vener greets the house as always. Welcoming, cheerful and with glee. He knows the fun we’re about to have and playfully reveals it one moment at a time. But just before we’re about to start, comes the first surprise.
Off Vener’s wand, starts a distant bagpipe. He plays along, his eyes puzzled. The music grows, yet the volume stays low. Restrained. Moments pass. The bagpipes continue while Vener passes his glance around the room, playing along as the constant showman.
Finally with a boot thump, the marching begins. Within moments the Cabar Feidh Pipeband marches into the concert hall in perfect cadence. Behold! Quite a sight. They spread across the floor, 12 in total, with their leader, a grizzled looking Scotchman front and center. The play a rousing rendition of “Scotland the Brave” and then journey backstage leaving behind the breathless audience.
Then comes samples of the late-great Michael Kamen, which of course did “ Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” Main Theme. Bombastic and riveting.
Before intermission we enjoyed “ Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini”, a meditative swirl that takes your imagination on a rich and complex journey. This is where the great, world-renowned and dare-I-say top ranked in the world pianist Robert Thies dazzled us. How you ask? Well, Thies was the first American in four decades to win the Russian piano contest. He’s not just good. He’s altering. Watching his nimble fingers delicately finding the right strokes in speed, placement and rhythm. That in itself could be show. And probably has been.
Pianist Robert Thies
Things twisted again with Tristan and Isolde’s Prelude and Love Death and finally lightened up for Lohengrin for Prelude to Act III.
To learn more about Cabar Feidh, click here or on myspace.
To learn more about world-renowned pianist Robert Thies, click here.
As always, to learn more about the Cal Phil, and to buy tickets, visit here.