Two down-to-earth young classical musicians originally from Saskatchewan shared their immense talent and passion for their craft with approximately 60 concertgoers at Canora Composite School on November 20. The show was presented by the Canora Arts Council as part of the 2019/20 Stars for Saskatchewan Concert Series.
Pianist Meagan Milatz and violinist Amy Hillis, also known as Meagan and Amy, performed a seamless blend of classical works by Canadian and international composers in what Hillis described as “many ingredients in this lovely Canadian cake we are baking tonight. We love to share music by Canadians whose experiences are similar to ours. Thank you for your wonderful prairie hospitality.”
The engaging duo opened the performance with Sonata for Violin and Piano by André Mathieu, a 20th century composer and pianist from Montreal.
“Mathieu wrote music in the style of the old Hollywood movie soundtrack,” said Meagan and Amy. “It’s slightly jazzy and very much ‘wearing your heart on your sleeve’ type of music.”
The duo also performed Alba by Jocelyn Morlock, who was born in Winnipeg and now lives in Vancouver. Alba was commissioned for Meagan and Amy’s current Canadian tour, and like much of Morlock’s music, it was influenced by Mozart. Alb is the Spanish word for “dawn.”
“The piece opens quietly and then blooms,” said Hillis. “Being from Saskatchewan, for us it’s a great reminder of a prairie sunrise. And just like us, Jocelyn is a prairie girl.”
Meagan and Amy performed Preludes, Op. 34 by Dmitri Shostakovich, a 20th Century Russian pianist and composer. They said they enjoy performing the music of Shostakovich for its unpredictability.
“It’s really musical comedy,” they said. “His music often makes people laugh through misdirection. Often his pieces are written in such a way that encourages listeners to expect one thing, and he ends up writing something completely unexpected.”
The Canora performance included Sonata No. 1 by David L. McIntyre, a composer and pianist who was born in Saskatoon and now lives in Regina, and was strongly influenced by Shostakovich.
“McIntyre’s music is noble and expansive,” said Milatz. “It’s written with the kind of nobility that makes us proud of who we are. It’s like being wrapped up in a big blanket with a very strong sense of community, quite appropriate for Saskatchewan.”
The final piece in the Meagan and Amy performance was Sonata No. I by Gabriel Fauré, a 19th and 20th century French pianist, organist and composer.
“His music reminds us of the ocean,” the duo explained. “Ranging from the low notes to the high notes, it’s filled with massive waves of sound.”
Meagan and Amy are in the middle of an extensive Canadian tour with stops in all 13 provinces and territories. It began earlier in fall and runs through the spring of 2020.
“It’s really all about celebrating Canadian classical music,” they said.
The duo said they thoroughly enjoyed the energy of the audience throughout the Canora concert.
“We love it when we can hear audible reactions from the audience, hearing people gasp or laugh after a piece finishes is especially rewarding,” said Hillis. “It was clear to us as performers and stewards of this repertoire by Canadian composers that the Canora listeners could relate to these pieces and that they found these pieces powerful and moving.”
“We know a concert is going well when there is complete silence at the end of a piece and we can sense that the audience is completely with us,” added Milatz. “Silence can be so powerful.”
Both performers began pursuing musical excellence at an early age.
Milatz grew up on a farm near Stoughton with other family members who also played piano. In a situation all too familiar to rural Saskatchewan, she went to elementary school in Griffin (population 111 in the most recent census) until that school closed. She later went to high school in nearby Weyburn. Weyburn was important to her development as a musician, being the home of Cherith Alexander, who taught Milatz piano for 13 years and “was definitely one of my most important musical influences.”
Hillis was born and raised in Regina and became interested in music, and specifically the violin, at a young age.
“It was originally my parents’ idea, but I found I loved playing music with other people,” she recalled.
Hillis later played with the Regina Symphony and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, all of which “made me want to pursue music as a career.”
Hillis and Milatz each studied music at McGill University in Montreal, which is where they first met and where each achieved undergraduate and graduate degrees in music. Hillis also studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where she achieved her Masters degree.
Hillis points to Denise Lupien, her instructor at McGill, as one of her biggest musical influences. After hearing them play together, Lupien and other McGill instructors encouraged them to pursue a long-term musical partnership, which has been ongoing since 2011.
Hillis and Milatz agree that being from Saskatchewan probably plays a role in their compatibility.
“Neither of us are very high maintenance,” said Milatz.
“We seem to have the same priorities and are willing to play everywhere from the big concert halls to intimate living rooms order to get classical music into as many different communities as possible,” added Hillis.
At the Canora show, Meagan and Amy asked audience members to compete a survey on the “Canadian Vibe!” and share their thoughts on the composers featured during the concert.
They also asked for suggestions regarding what Saskatchewan music they should listen to while traveling across the country on their Canadian tour. The answers received seemed like a good indication of the diversity of the Saskatchewan music scene, including: Ron Kalmakoff of Canora, Seven Levels of Canora, Katie Miller of Esterhazy and Connie Kaldor of Regina.
Meagan and Amy have performed as far away as Paris, France, where they played the music of Mathieu for an audience eager to hear Quebecois music, and how it compares with the works of composers from France.
The two young performers have some advice for elementary or high school aged students who are interested in pursuing a career in music, classical or otherwise.
“Listen to as much of the type of music you enjoy as possible. The Internet is a great resource. Music can inspire you, much more than thinking about what your teacher told you,” said Hillis.
“Be willing to take risks,” added Milatz. “Don’t be afraid to go with your gut.”
Those looking for more information or to listen to samples of the music of Meagan and Amy are encouraged to visit meaganandamy.com.
Their performance was the second in the 2019/20 Canora Arts Council Stars for Saskatchewan Concert Series.
The next performers in the series will be Christine Tassan Et Les Imposteures, bringing their unique blend of Gypsy jazz and revisited cover songs to Canora on March 17, 2020.
