Catherine Wilson, pianist

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?

My childhood years were fraught with family strife creating challenges that medical professionals deemed insurmountable.It was the arrival of a used upright piano, which my mother acquired through her bingo winnings when I was in late grade school, that was ultimately key to providing ‘light’, and transforming my life. For this I remain forever grateful. Although the opportunities to play were sporadic, from the outset my musicality was noted as touching the hearts and souls of all who heard me play.Shortly after the arrival of the piano,I entered grade 7 and had the chance to play the clarinet. My band conductor, Charles Mills, was quick to recognize my natural sense of music. I was introduced to an eclectic array of musical genres and styles performing music from Jean Sibelius to Leonard Bernstein, from Henry Mancini to Lionel Bart and so many other composers. This planted the seeds for my genre diverse repertoire as a soloist and chamber musician, and those years in the band were critical to pointingme in the direction of a career in music. When I entered music festivals playing the piano,I was fortunate to receiveconstant affirmation from adjudicators and others who heard me play. These affirmations of my musical talents were critical in helping me develop a sense ofself, and the consistent feedback that my music-making positively affects the lives of others ultimately crystallized the realization that I was contributing something important that mattered. Among many who recognized my musical potential and who influenced me are Myrtle Guerrero, Patricia Parr, C.M. and Theodore Lettvin. While Mr. Lettvin and Mrs. Guerrero have passed on, Patricia Parr remains a champion of my music making to this day.I am grateful to all of them.The great late Canadian composer John Burke was a constant source of inspiration starting from my late student days. He wrote numerous compositions for me up until his untimely passing in 2020. Having the chance to learn music and to play with others opened up a bright,exciting world which gave me a personal sonic space radiating solace and healing which ultimately enabled me to ‘surface’. I remain close with some of the friends I made in those early days. Roger Sarty, whom I met when playing in the band, remains an integral part of my life, and he is also the President of the registered not-for-profit charity that I founded years later which brings highest level music education performance programs and other music opportunities to underserved populations, with a focus on underserved children and seniors. I am extremely close with Norman Hathaway, whom I met at the faculty of music, and he has been integral to the running of our charity: EUTERPE: Music Is The Key (www.musicisthekey.org) since its inception. Norman is also a member of my chamber group, Ensemble Vivant.I had no idea what it meant to pursue a career in music. One thing evolved from another in a happenstance way. My career was just getting underway when Jazz Icon Rick Wilkins, C.M. heard me play. He heard me segue from Classical styles to the syncopated rhythms of Ragtime, Latin stylings and so much more. This wasn’t typical for a Classical pianist in those days and he loved my innovative repertoire and the “affinity and élan” I had, no matter the genre/style. Rick has been a mentor since the beginning of my career and his insightful observations and guidance have influenced me greatly. A steadfast supporter of my music-making, he has written dozens of brilliant arrangements and original compositions over the years for me and for Ensemble Vivant. Iam forever grateful to my friends and colleagues for their ongoing support. It isn’t possible to enumerate everyone whom I have had the honour and privilege of working with over the past 35 years plus in my group Ensemble Vivant. They have all been highest level performers and artists who have inspired me greatly. In more recent years, the wonderful bassist George Koller joined forces with Ensemble Vivant and has taken an active role in the group as well as in Euterpe: Music Is The Key.

Committed to the wonderful work we do all around, he brings a fresh, deeply caring uplifting approach that is rich with imagination. Catherine Wilson Performs BERCEUSE, Op. 57 by Frederic ChopinEnsembleVivant Performs RAGTIME from Divertissement by Rick WilkinsCatherine Wilson Performs Fugue For Fireflies by Michael CoghlanEnsemble Vivant-Catherine Wilson & George Koller Perform FUGA DEL SUR by John BurkeEnsemble Vivant Performs FUGA Y MISTERIO by Astor Piazzolla, arr by J. LabroWhat have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?After surviving a difficult childhood that created multiple daunting challenges, my career challenges remain similar to many. I try hard to stay in shape musically, physically and emotionally, and it is always gratifying evolving to new plateaus. It can be difficult to stay on top of all the technological advancements that are forever changing, and to manage the administrative responsibilities relating to my group Ensemble Vivant and to the charity I founded, including grant writing. It’s a constant balancing act, yet with a great team around me, we find the time and the way to achieve our goals.

Which performances/recordings are you most proud of?

I am grateful for each concert, recording, or video opportunity. I don’t take any of these opportunities for granted. To date there are 15 Ensemble Vivant recordings, the latest being iFUGUE ~ A World of Fugues. iFUGUE, like all of our recordings is unique in its concept and combination of beautiful repertoire, some of which is unknown to listeners but so very worthy of attention. Many of our recordings were captured LIVE, and these along with the many videos, also recorded and filmed LIVE, continue to reap positive feedback from listeners/viewers of all ages. The many music education performance videos recorded and filmed for Canadian schoolchildren, thanks to funding from The Canada Council For The Arts, have a tremendously positive impact on children of diverse cultural backgrounds, the vast majority of whom are unfamiliar with Classical, Jazz and related musical styles. No matter the demographic, children are inspired by these videos, as they are when experiencing our programs LIVE.

Which particular works do you think you perform best?

My repertoire has always ranged from Classical, Ragtime, Latin and other Jazz stylings. I have been steeped in these musical traditions my entire career. I am passionate about the music of J.S. Bach, some examples of which are featured on Ensemble Vivant’s recording iFUGUE ~ A World of Fugues.I enjoy performing Ragtime, music from Great American Songbook, including the music of George Gershwin and Jerome Kern, and I love performing our Latin repertoire, including the music of Astor Piazzolla, Aldemaro Romero and many others. Our recording Latin Romance gives a glimpse into some of this as does our CD Homage to Astor Piazzolla. Our recording iFUGUE ~ A World of Fugues includes masterful fugues from composers from a variety of cultures, including Latin cultures.

What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?

Offstage I practice Tai Chi, transcendental meditation, a Buddhist chant, and I work out daily to help keep healthy both mentally, physically and emotionally. My friends, both humans and pets, are my family and are key to providing inspiration on stage.

How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?

I put a lot of thought into the repertoire choices for Ensemble Vivant and for my solo performances. Often related to a recording concept, I love researching and unearthing interesting repertoire that has for various reasons become buried. This applies to all the diverse styles that I and my group perform. In the end, each project is a labour of love.

Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?

I have performed in many wonderful concert venues, some that are very famous, such as Carnegie Hall, but I don’t have a single favourite concert venue despite there being many that I love returning to. Although not concert venues per se, my passion and dedication to taking underserved children on an unforgettable musical journey that inspires and transforms their lives, is of utmost importance to me and among the most noble and rewarding things I do. These children have never seen a grand piano let alone heard one played at a high level, nor have they seen or heard the other instruments that are part of the LIVE opportunities we bring to them, which typically happen in old school gymnasiums in underserved communities.

What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music audiences/listeners?

My commitment to bringing highest level music education performance programs of Classical and Jazz styles to children in underserved communities has been key to inspiring listeners and audiences of the future. For 20 years I have witnessed first-hand how our programs, which we conduct through Euterpe: Music Is The Key transforms children’s lives. I encourage artists to make underserved communities a priority. These children do not have music programs at their schools, yet once exposed to our music, the musical seeds are planted, the children are inspired and their lives are transformed. Our programs lead to children wanting to play an instrument and to learn music andto make music with others.

What is your most memorable concert experience?

I honestly don’t have a single most memorable concert experience. There has been such an array of wonderful performance experiences over the years. I treat each performance opportunity with equal respect, and whether it be a major concert venue such as Carnegie Hall, a modest sized opera house in a rural community, a church, a school gymnasium at an underserved school, I approach each opportunity with equal gratitude and commitment to performing as beautifully as I am able to do.

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

My definition of success is knowing that my music-making has touched the hearts and souls of listeners of all ages, of all demographics, that these listeners have been inspired and transformed through my music-making.

What do you consider to be the most important ideas and concepts to impart to aspiring musicians?

I feel that among the most important ideas and concepts to impart to aspiring musicians is to play the repertoire they enjoy most and that they feel they bring something special to. I feel aspiring musicians should be aware of the tremendous need there is for quality musical opportunities among underserved children. These children make up a hefty percentage of our population, and when exposed to high-level music education performance programs, the musical seed is planted. Some of the talent in these communities is profound and when given the chance to learn an instrument and to make music with others, children’s lives are forever transformed.

---

CATHERINE WILSON is pianist/artistic director of Ensemble Vivant and founder/artistic director of EUTERPE: Music is The Key