Jiten Beairsto, Emily Burton & Connor Page

Gallo Chamber Players·

The Gallo Chamber Players are a newly formed Vancouver-based ensemble of early music performers. They met and have been training together in the Baroque Orchestra Mentorship Program at the University of British Columbia. The ensemble is formed by violinists Jiten Beairsto, Elana Cooper and Majka Demcak, cellist Emily Burton, and harpsichordist Connor Page.

Gallo Chamber Players on Facebook

Today we had the pleasure of listening to three of the Gallo Chamber Players, Connor Page, Emily Burton and Jiten Beairsto at special gathering at Hodson Manor, the headquarters of Early Music Vancouver.

The reason for the concert, drinks and food was to thank those who hosted musicians during the recent EMV Bach Festival. We hosted two musicians so we were there, too.

Hodson Manor 16 August 2019

They young trio (the other two were gallivanting perhaps in Europe) played  J.S. Bach's Sonata for Violin and Continuo BWV 102. It was mostly soft and mellow and it didn’t quite prepare us for the fireworks of the next work, Jean-Féry Rebel’s Sonata for Violin No. 5. Because this French Baroque composer (18 April 1666 – 2 January 1747) was also a violinist it explained the virtuoso performance by Beairsto. I enjoyed Connor Page’s (he of the Baroque red hair) playing as only in the last few years have I begun to appreciate that instrument thanks to private talks with Alexander Weimann.

And I want to leave for the end my comments on cellist Emily Burton who brought an elegance to the trio’s performance that added to our enjoyment. I found it interesting that after having seen quite a few baroque cellists play with the instrument high between the legs, Burton played it further down. It looked elegant and just right.

The trio and quintet are part of the Baroque Mentorship Program of UBC and which EMV also contributes in funds which will result in a continuance of first-class period instrument ensembles in our city and country.

As for why all those people who were there as host to EMV musicians, no matter how many times we may be thanked for our efforts, the reason we do this is because having these musicians in our homes expose us to knowledge (I can speak for myself here) that make life all that more enjoyable not only to the ears, and eyes but to the mind.

EMV's Fauré with lots of juice with Martin Auclair - bass singer

With a rapture of delight - EMV's Hail! Bright Cecilia with Curtis Daily -bass