By Steve Hunter
Pews were packed at the St. Peter’s Anglican church well before the performance Saturday, July 19.
There was standing room only at the back by the time the Morin/Bruns family trio began their exquisite program of classical music.
Promoting an event like this during the busy summer months was no easy task but the Community Arts Council of Williams Lake made a heroic effort to get the word out and it paid off.
The church itself was a natural choice for the concert. The acoustics were worthy of this top notch professional Montreal based couple and their fourteen year old daughter. Music soared to the lofty heights of the church from the alter to the foyer. Piano man Kevin Epp had the baby grand tuned to perfection.
Gerry Morin is the assistant principal cellist with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He’s been with the MSO for more than 20 years and has toured worldwide with the orchestra.
He has also taught at the university level. He’s originally from Victoria.
Sylvia Bruns is a highly regarded pianist at the national level, a soloist and accompanist of high acclaim. Sylvia grew up on a dairy farm at Mara Lake near Enderby.
Their daughter Celia, a prodigy by any account, played with tremendous virtuosity and was an equal member of the trio.
Tall and willowy this soft spoken young lady was an inspiration to the music students in the crowd.
The cello was a story in itself. Steve Hunter recalled his 50 years of history with the cello, (a Fiorini circa1870).
His father played it for decades.
Finally, a few years ago when he could no longer play, the instrument was sold to Morin who had been a student of James Hunter.
A humourous condition was placed on the sale that Morin should play the cello in Williams Lake. Three years later there they were.
The audience, the very young and old alike were plainly awestruck by the performance.
The one hundred and twenty plus crowd raised more than $1,000 dollars for the arts council. The money will be used for children’s art and music camps.
The Morins asked for no fee. They traveled and played at their own expense solely to support the WL Community Arts Council. A stellar performance. Hats off to Marg Evans and the CAC.
The CAC website has their expanded bio’s in the newsletter along with other ventures of the Community Arts Council of Williams Lake at http://www.williamslakecommunityartscouncil.com.