Szivi Quartet + 1 killer program = “5 at the First”

Why is the 5 at the First chamber music series a gem in the Southern Ontario music scene? One big reason is the number of exceptional professional Canadian musicians that it brings to the spotlight, thanks to the curatorial efforts of Executive Director Michele Corbeil, and Co-Artist Directors Rachel Mercer and Caitlin Boyle. 

On Saturday, April 27, the award-winning Szivi Quartet will take the 5 at the First stage in the friendly intimacy of Hamilton’s First Unitarian Church – a venue which series regulars have come to love. The program comprises a diverse range of compositions spanning from the late 19th century to the early 21st century, and features works in classical and contemporary styles, with various geographic origins. This rich tapestry of musical expressions boasts influences ranging from European classical and romantic to minimalist, film music, and even Latin American folk. An engaging, diverse listening experience is guaranteed.

The Szivi Quartet is made up of four virtuosic  rising-star artists: Paula Kokot (alto saxophone), Lexi Breen (tenor saxophone), Chase Griffin (baritone saxophone), and Glimmer Ng (soprano saxophone). Founded in 2021 during their time at Western University, the Szivi Quartet made a splash with their debut performance, which won them the prestigious Young-Ja Park Chamber Music Award. Since then, they have performed a series of successful recitals, including a recent appearance at the Stratford Summer Music festival. Newest member Glimmer Ng is an experienced soloist who has played with the acclaimed Rosaurum Quartet, the BGSU Wind Ensemble, WLU Wind Orchestra, and Band of the Ceremonial Guard. They thrilled to join Szivi Quartet: “It’s exhilarating to bring my experiences from performing solo with orchestras to this dynamic group.”

The quartet’s formative musical moments are just as inspiring as their collective achievements. For instance, Ng recalls a pivotal performance during high school: “I performed with so much emotion, energy, and soul; I could feel the connection with the orchestra and audience members. I have never communicated so much, without using a single word! That was the time that I finally understood the power of music, and decided to pursue a career in music.” Kokot found a similar transcendence in her own formative experiences: “I cannot pinpoint an exact moment where I decided to pursue music, but what really pulled me in was the joy that I experienced when performing with my high school band. Music challenged me in so many ways that I never expected, and it was through meeting these challenges that I started to find my voice and expression in the music I was performing – and I discovered a whole new world.”

As Szivi Quartet prepares to grace the stage at the next 5 at the First chamber music series, Kokot and Ng took time to speak with SesayArts Magazine about the concert’s program, the life of a professional musician — and why the Aurelia Saxophone Quartet should be on everyone’s playlist.

SesayArts Magazine: What will be on the program for the 5 at the First concert on April 27. 

Kokot and Ng: We have a wide variety of genres planned ranging from Romanticism to Minimalism, with lots of contrast between each piece that we are presenting.

SesayArts Magazine: What are you most  excited to perform and for the audience to experience? 

Kokot and Ng: Two pieces that we are  particularly excited to perform are Puccini’s Crisantemi and two movements from Guillermo  Lago’s Ciudades: “Sarajevo” and “Addis Ababa”. These two pieces are particularly exciting for us as we feel that they showcase the versatility of the saxophone both technically and  sonically.

Puccini’s Crisantemi is simple and elegant, yet haunting, and we cannot wait to  take the audience on the mournful journey that Puccini has curated. We believe that the  audience will truly hear the purity and a wide range of colours when they hear this piece.

“Sarajevo” and “Addis Ababa”, on the other hand, are entirely contrasting. The movements  aim to capture Lago’s perspective of the cities that have inspired the composer. The audience will be taken through a tour of each city and will hear the uniqueness of each culture. Ultimately, the goal of our performance is for the audience to join us on the journey  that we take through each piece, to feel the emotions, whether they be sorrow, mourning,  joy, or chaos, rather than focus on individual notes or virtuosity. 

SesayArts Magazine: What’s the best thing about being a professional musician, in your opinion?  

Ng: The best thing about being a professional musician is the chance to intimately  experience different cultures by meeting different people from around the world. I’m  honoured and privileged to have a career with an emphasis on human connection and  community. It is tough to find other disciplines where you can find a similar community or  experience. With music, there is always a link between people. Music is too personal to avoid connecting with others and creates incredibly strong bonds.  

Kokot: Opportunities like the one that we have to play for 5 at the First, where it is an intimate venue and the people who are attending are interested in hearing live music and have come simply to have a wonderful afternoon. The connection between the performers and the audience is much more tangible, and it’s very exciting to feel that. 

SesayArts Magazine: Who is a musician or group that you really admire and would like to put on our radar? 

Kokot and Ng: We would like to recommend the Aurelia Saxophone Quartet. They are a European quartet  that cover a wide array of genres from Baroque to contemporary pieces that they have  commissioned and have almost a dozen albums that showcase saxophone quartets which  now are established pieces in classical canon of repertoire. Each saxophonist is also a  virtuoso and has a very successful career as a soloist aside from the quartet, so it is quite a  pleasure to hear this group of virtuosos come together and perform as a group. 

Interestingly  enough, one of the members is actually a composer that we will be performing on our  program: Guillermo Lago. However, Guillermo Lago is only a pen name; his real name is  Willem van Merwijk. We believe any listener will be able to find an album that will delight  them since they have performed a nice variety of genres. 

Click here to reserve tickets to Szivi Quartet’s concert on April 27, 2024, 3:00 – 4:30 pm, presented by 5 at the First Chamber Music Series at the First Unitarian Church in Hamilton, Ontario. 

Stay in touch with members of Szivi Quartet on their social media channels and websites:

Glimmer Ng: @glimmercng_music & glimmerngsaxophone.com 

Chase Griffin: @chasegriffinmusic 

Paula Kokot: paulakokot.com 

© Arpita Ghosal, SesayArts Magazine, 2024