Members of chamber group Voicelliano Trio receive their award for the most outstanding performers at this year's Medicine Hat Rotary Music Festival from Rotary Music Festival Society president Cathie Catalano. From left to right, Lavigne, Catalano, Clark and Lorentzen.--NEWS PHOTO KENDALL KING
kking@medicinehatnews.com
A trio of Medicine Hat musicians were named winners of the 2023 Medicine Hat Rotary Music Festival’s Rose Bowl on Sunday evening, during the STARS of the Festival award ceremony.
Pianist Stirling Clark, vocalist Emma Lavigne and cellist Laec Lorentzen, who comprise the chamber group Voicelliano Trio, were bestowed the honour after adjudicators deemed them the most outstanding performers of the 2023 festival season.
The win is a great feat for the trio, which was only formed in August 2022, at the recommendation of the three young Hatters’ music instructors.
“Typically chamber consists of strings and piano, but I’m a vocalist,” said Lavigne. “So, we’re a very unconventional trio. But we, along with our teachers, thought it would be interesting to bring something new to the community.”
During the festival, Voicelliano Trio took part in the 17 and under Chamber Group class, performing Work at Hand (parts I and II, Origami and Warrior) by Jake Heggie, and Two Pieces by J. Brahms.
The trio gave an encore performance of Heggie’s Work at Hand for the Rose Bowl, which was held Friday at Medicine Hat College’s theatre.
Despite being formed less than a year ago, the group’s success is unsurprising to many, as all three members are individually recognized for their talent and skill in music.
Performing within solo disciplines, Lorentzen has twice won the Rose Bowl (in 2019 and 2022), while Clark and Lavigne have both been finalists (in past years and this year).
Nevertheless, the trio has had to hone skills both individually and asa group to ensure their chamber performance met the Rose Bowl standard of excellence.
“A lot of it, I think, is the skill of being able to communicate between each other while performing,” said Clark. “It is a whole different skill when playing as an ensemble rather than playing solo, because you have to pay attention and focus on the other parts.”
Despite any challenges faced in joining as an ensemble, Clark, Lavigne and Lorentzen agree the experience has helped them each grow as musicians, especially in that they were able to perform at Rotary as an ensemble.
“Performing is one of the most important aspects of being a musician,” said Lorentzen. “So, I think it’s really good for there to be this annual opportunity to perform, especially for younger kids … I know that I would not be at the level I am today without having performed at the Rotary Music Festival (in past years).”
Also longtime festival participants, Clark and Lavigne agree, highlighting the festival allows performers the opportunity to receive feedback in a supportive atmosphere.
“I think that the art of performing is really important, but furthermore, within that, is having a safe space to fail,” said Lavigne. “And I think what Rotary does a good job of is providing a very positive learning environment with phenomenally-educated adjudicators who are able to gently help you along your path without tearing you down.”
Both aged 17 and soon graduating, Lavigne and Lorentzen are glad to have ended their years of Rotary participation on such a high-note, while Clark says he will continue participating until his own graduation.
At the moment however, the trio is focused only on the upcoming Alberta Provincial Festival, where they will perform as soloists and as Voicelliano Trio.
