For Immediate Release / October 3, 2024

15th Anniversary of the St. Albert Chamber Music Society

A warehouse may not be the most classical of locations, but what would eventually become the St. Albert Chamber Music Society first took shape in one such (very large) room.

It helped that the warehouse in question was the legendary Don’s Piano Place, complete with an underused recital hall—which Nancy Watt, founder and artistic director of the Society, decided to put to good use.

“Don [Vaugeois] was a wonderful businessman, but also very caring about the community,” Watt recalls of the now-passed Vaugeois. “He built a recital hall so that teachers could rent the space for our students’ recitals. It sat unused a lot of the year, because most teachers would have a christmas recital and a year-end recital. So I would organize some piano concerts just for the Piano Teachers Association … and then I thought, there's an appetite in the community for something more, so let's just give this a go … It kind of took off from there.”

The St. Albert Chamber Music Society is now celebrating its 15th anniversary with a season that highlights local talents, plus a few special guests. Lots has changed since those early days—the Society's shows are now at St. Albert United Church, for one—but that passion for beautiful music, from both performers and audiences, has remained steadfast.

“I feel grateful about the journey, that the community's embraced what we do,” Watt reflects. “The audience keeps coming: we have an Edmonton following, people come from Sherwood Park and Stony Plain. I get lots of requests now from artists from all over who want to perform here too.”

Photo of Luka Coetzee with her cello  Photo of Susanne Ruberg-Gordon

Its season-opening concert on October 20th will feature world-trotting cellist Luka Coetzee and pianist Susanne Ruberg-Gordon; November will feature the popular Ednova Quartet. Something new this year—that Watt notes she’s always wanted to offer—is a free family concert in January, with Watt herself and a former student performing Carnival of the Animals alongside poetry for each of the animals.  The season’s run of concerts continues well into 2025, ending with an anniversary fundraiser show in June featuring Michael Massey, longtime conductor of the Edmonton Youth Orchestra, on piano.

Photo of Michael Massey at a piano

“He wanted to do something for us because he believes in what we do, and he's from St. Albert,” Watt notes, of Massey. “He hasn't done a solo piano concert in many years—he plays primarily with the Edmonton Symphony when they need a pianist. He really wanted to do this, and do it in support of our society.”

Watt notes that keeping a local focus—giving homegrown talents the opportunity to showcase their skills—is a vital part of what the Chamber Music Society offers: the result is that both performers and audiences get unique opportunities to experience incredible music at an intimate scale.

“I felt, from my connections with musicians in the community, that they didn't have a platform,” Watt recalls. “Playing in a symphony is very different than playing in a small chamber music ensemble. And, musicians, they wanna play that repertoire. They love the intimacy of that. And it's special for the audience too, to have that intimate connection with the musicians."

Article written by: Paul Blinov


More information about the St. Albert Chamber Music Society’s season can be found at stalbertchambermusic.ca.

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Last edited: October 2, 2024