The Southern Utah University Department of Music has invited chamber music ensemble CAN-AM Trio to perform on Tuesday, April 5, at 5 p.m. in the Thorley Recital Hall. The concert is free to the community.
CAN-AM Trio will perform oboe and English horn pieces from composers including Liz Sharma, Jean Oelrich, Vivienne Olive, Helga Warner-Buhlmann and Viet Coug.
The group was formed in fall 2019 by oboist Geralyn Giovannetti, oboist Sarah Hamilton and English hornist Anna Mattix. Their name stems from the fact that Giovannetti and Hamilton are Canadian and Mattix is American. They have been able to record and perform new pieces for their ensemble because of a $20,000 grant commissioned by the Canada Council for the Arts.
“I have some connections with composers including Ron Royer who was instrumental in helping me put the grant together,” said Hamilton in the “Notes From The Aisle Seat” podcast. “We realized one of our goals was to create a new repertoire because there isn’t as much repertoire for this group compared to more standard ensembles. What seems important now is having new compositions by living and underrepresented composers.”
Hamilton is the professor of oboe at the State University of New York and performs in several musical groups including Fredonia Wind Quintet, Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic and Orchard Park Symphony. She received a Bachelor of Music from Western University where Giovannetti was one of her teachers, a Master of Music from Wayne State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts from The Ohio State University.
“We’ve all been really interested in chamber music so that’s how the group connected,” said Giovannetti. “Once we gathered the repertoire together and started playing through things, we knew what pieces we liked, what worked and how to put a program together.”
Giovannetti has performed with Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Chamber Orchestra, Utah Chamber Orchestra, Orpheus Wind Quintet and Essex Winds. She is Brigham Young University’s professor of oboe and has graduated from Western University in Ontario, Canada and the University of Michigan.
Mattix studied at Ithaca College, Yale University and Indiana University. At Yale, she developed a mentorship program between graduate students and New Haven, Connecticut public schools that is still implemented today. Mattix teaches at Buffalo State College and Canisius College and she has performed with Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Buffalo Chamber Players.
“I love these ladies,” said Mattix. “It was all meant to be, getting the grant and pushing forward to create new art for this ensemble.”
For more information about upcoming musical events, visit the Department of Music website.
Story by: Addie Horsley
accent@suunews.net
Photo courtesy of SUU Department of Music
