础听world-renowned Canadian pianist is coming back to Squamish, a place that she says has a special place in her heart.
鈥淚 love Squamish,鈥� Janina Fialkowska said in an interview from her home in Germany last week. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big part of my life. I would not dream of playing a West Coast tour without going to Squamish.鈥�
Fialkowska鈥檚 career spans more than 40 years. Germany鈥檚 distinguished daily newspaper, the Allgemeine Zeitung, recently hailed her as 鈥渙ne of the grande dames of piano playing.鈥�
She has performed three times previously in Squamish. As part of her year-long 65th birthday celebration tour in Canada and around the world, she will give a concert at the Eagle Eye Community Theatre on March 11.
Fialkowska鈥檚 association with the community and Howe Sound Performing Arts Association (HSPAA) goes back 18 years. As part of Piano Six 鈥� the program that Ms. Fialkowska founded to bring internationally renowned Canadian pianists to more remote communities across the country 鈥� the local association was invited to host artists such as Jon Kimura Parker, Angela Cheng, Andre Laplante, Fialkowska and many others.
One problem stood in the way, however. Squamish lacked a quality instrument. In 1997, the association and the Rotary Club of Squamish hosted a fundraising gala with Fialkowska performing on a loaned grand piano. With funds raised by HSPAA over four years and matched by the Vancouver Foundation, plus monies raised from the gala and a final donation from the Tiampo family, the association was able to purchase a Yamaha C7 grand piano. Fialkowska at a subsequent concert jokingly called it 鈥渉er鈥� piano.
The pianist maintains a rigorous schedule of solo recitals and orchestral engagements, performing regularly throughout Canada, the U.S., Europe and Asia.聽
Why, when she can fill concert halls around the world, would she choose a venue as intimate as the Eagle Eye Community Theatre, which has room for only 200 people? 鈥淚 actually prefer playing in more intimate surroundings,鈥� she says. 鈥淢ost of the pieces I play were written for intimate surroundings. Chopin hated playing concerts. Even in his time, there were no 3,000-seat halls. What he liked was playing in peoples鈥� salons or living rooms.鈥�
Fialkowska鈥檚 professional career was launched in 1974 by the legendary Arthur Rubinstein, who declared that in Fialkowska, he had found 鈥渁 born Chopin interpreter.鈥�
She explains her affinity for Chopin. 鈥淭he first thing is, I have a last name that is so Polish it鈥檚 ridiculous, and if you happen to be Polish, it鈥檚 like a sin not to love Chopin. My parents also loved Chopin very much 鈥� and my mother was not Polish, she was a Canadian pianist.聽
鈥淎nyone who is a pianist loves Chopin because he wrote so exquisitely for the instrument. For me鈥� from the very beginning, the rhythms, the melodies, just the whole feel of his music I adored. And every day 鈥� if possible 鈥� I love him more. I鈥檓 so happy I鈥檓 going to be playing all Chopin recitals next year.鈥�
Beyond the demands of the concert stage, Fialkowska is committed to inspiring the next generation of pianists. Her international piano academy, founded in 2010, is run annually in Bavaria, where she resides with husband, cultural manager Harry Oesterle.
Is there a way to inspire young people to appreciate classical music? 鈥淚t鈥檚 not for everybody,鈥� Fialkowska admits. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just a fact because you have to have the capacity to sit and listen and concentrate and want to do that. But, what I鈥檝e noticed over and over again鈥� let鈥檚 talk about a school concert in Canada鈥� is that there will always be about 10 per cent of the kids who are riveted. To really appreciate [classical music] is to let it really open up all your senses, your heart, your mind and let it just flow into you. And some kids can do that and some kids are just hooked right away.
鈥淣othing replaces the live classical music performance鈥� It鈥檚 unique and that鈥檚 where you catch the kids. If you get a very good performer, you show them that there is a whole world there they can discover and appreciate if they just listen.鈥�
Tickets for the March 11 concert are available at Billie鈥檚 Flower House. A reception prior to the event will begin at 6:45 p.m. at the Eagle Eye Community Theatre, and the concert will start at 8 p.m.
