Ofra Harnoy, one of the greatest cellists on the world’s concert stage, is performing at Venables Theatre in Oliver at 7:30 pm, Friday, October 4th. The South Okanagan Concert Society is absolutely thrilled. Ofra was in Oliver years ago as a student from the Banff School of the Arts. Her talent back then was exceptional and it came as no surprise when her career sky rocketed. Canada is proud and has honoured her with membership in the Order of Canada. She has won 5 Juno awards. She became the first Canadian classical instrumental soloist since Glen Gould to gain an exclusive worldwide contract with a major record label.
Tickets for the concert are available on line @ www.venablestheatre.ca or at the theatre box office Tuesday through Thursdays from 10 to 3 pm. Generous sponsors make the tickets very affordable. Two or more tickets in advance are only $21/ticket. Single ticket in advance is $23 and at the door $25. Youth are ‘almost free’ at $2.50. We want the younger generation to be exposed to fine music.
Ofra will perform with Canadian, Mike Herriott, a respected multi-instrumentalist in both classical and jazz genres. A fine trumpet player, Harriott also happens to be Ofra’s talented husband.
To read their remarkable love story, click here:
Also performing will be pianist Dr. Kinza Tyrell. She made her orchestral debut with the Victoria Symphony at age 12 and earned a doctorate in Piano & Vocal Accompanying Performance from McGill University in 2003. She has held numberous conducting and teaching positions and has been on the faculty at the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto since 2004.
Ofra Harnoy was born in Israel and moved with her family to Toronto in 1971. She made her professional debut as a soloist at age 10. Her solo-orchestral and recital debuts at Carnegie Hall in 1982 brought her public and critical acclaim. Known for her virtuosity, her warm but powerful touch and her passionate stage presence, Ofra says not a day went by without playing her cello since she was 5 ½. She “had the drive” and was soon living her dream. She threw herself into it with abandon and didn’t flinch at 16 hour recording sessions. Somehow she managed to raise a son and a daughter too.
In 2011 this beloved cellist hit a wall. In a performance with Anton Kuerti her shoulder became so painful she thought the bow would fall from her hand. Years of overuse had led to shredded tendons, surgery and a slow but determined recovery.
She is now back on stage where she belongs. We welcome her with open arms and a program that encompasses music from “Baroque to the Beatles and Beyond”.
