Calgary Civic Symphony Returns Live to Fish Creek
Long-time partner Calgary Civic Symphony entertained residents of Fish Creek with an outstanding display of musicianship when two of its members, who also perform with the Calgary Philharmonic, brought a first class performance to the community.
United’s partnership includes covering some of the costs of Calgary Civic Symphony’s concertmaster position.
Maria van der Sloot, the newest concertmaster with Calgary Civic Symphony and a first violinist with the Calgary Philharmonic (CPO), joined Rolf Bertsch, the artistic director and conductor with the Civic Symphony, and pianist with the CPO for breathtaking renditions of Beethoven, Bach and several contemporary composers.
“Oh my word, it was amazing!” said resident Karen Balkwill. “It was just so special. We are so privileged to be able to enjoy such a high calibre of performers here in the community.”
“This is my first live performance in 19 months,” said Rolf. “It’s so good to see so many friends again and to receive such a warm response. And playing with Maria is awesome and I’m hoping we can collaborate on more performances in the future.”
Rolf is a long-time friend of United Active Living, bringing some highly imaginative and entertaining projects that engage the residents.
Maria, whose grandmother lives at Garrison Green, has performed several times for residents but this was her first performance as part of the Calgary Civic Symphony.
“When I play at Garrison Green, it’s extra special since my grandmother is there. She has inspired my whole family to play music,” said Maria. “I really like playing in these small venues. It’s more intimate and I feel the reaction of the residents. They are very appreciative and very engaged.”
“Being able to play again in front of a live audience is a real adrenaline rush,” she said. “I’m looking forward to more performances with the Calgary Civic Symphony and the CPO.”
The Calgary Civic Symphony will be performing Halloween afternoon at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. “We call it Trick, Treat and Triumph,” said Rolf. “We’ll be playing iconic music around the Halloween theme, and the triumph part, featuring Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, relates to our return to live concerts.”
Photos and videos by Sherana Productions.
Don’t hesitate to talk with one of our active living advisors about life in a United community. They can arrange for a tour at your convenience. If you know a friend or family member who could benefit from living in a United community, send them a link to our website or blog, or arrange a future visit. We are happy to help!
To learn more about life at United’s Fish Creek community, watch this short video.
Or, to find out more about life at United’s Garrison Green, watch this short video.
