Gathering Storm / Une tempête menaçante

Benjamin Bertin, piano

Prelude in G-sharp Minor, op. 32 no. 12
Allegro
Sergei Rachmaninoff

Three Etudes-Tableaux, op. 39
No. 3 – F-sharp Minor, Allegro molto
No. 4 – B Minor, Allegro assai
No. 5 E-flat Minor, Appassionato
Sergei Rachmaninoff

Prologue in E Major, op. 1 no. 1
Andante cantabile
Nikolai Medtner

Sonata no. 7 in E Minor, op. 25 no. 2 « Night Wind »
I. Introduzione – Allegro – Introduzione
II. Allegro molto sfrenatamente, presto
Nikolai Medtner

Un concert commémorant le 100e anniversaire de la révolution bolchevique. Avec les œuvres de Rachmaninoff et Medtner écrit dans les années turbulentes précédant la révolution d'octobre qui reflètent la tourmente, l'excitation et l'anxiété de cette période de changement sismique.

A concert commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution. Featuring works of Rachmaninoff and Medtner written in the turbulent years preceding the October Revolution that reflect the turmoil, excitement, and anxiety of this period of seismic change.

Born in Winnipeg, Canadian pianist Benjamin Bertin completed degrees in piano performance at Brandon University (BMus) and Bowling Green State University (MMus). In December 2015 he received his Artist Diploma at Schwob School of Music, Columbus State University and currently is pursuing doctoral studies at L’Université de Montréal. His teachers have included Alexander Tselyakov, Thomas Rosenkranz, Joel Hastings, Alexander Kobrin, and Paul Stewart.

Mr. Bertin has appeared in masterclasses with Byron Janis, Robert Levin, Artur Pizarro, Seymour Bernstein, Dominique Weber, Dorian Leljak, Jose Ramon-Mendez, James Giles, and Pamela Mia Paul. Summer music festival appearances include Masterworks Festival (IN), Washington International Piano Festival, Clear Lake Chamber Festival (MB), Gijon International Piano Festival (Spain), and Porto PianoFest (Portugal).

Benjamin has drawn continued inspiration from Russian pianists, including two of his own teachers (A. Tselyakov and A. Kobrin), as well as Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter, and Grigory Sokolov. These formative influences, whose tone production and individuality continue to serve as ideals in his playing, all stem from the tutelage of legendary Moscow Conservatory artist teacher Heinrich Neuhaus. Russian composer Nikolai Medtner’s music is the focus of Benjamin’s doctoral research at l’Université de Montréal, where he is studying with noted Medtner interpreter Paul Stewart.