Acclaimed performers Giselle Hillyer (violin) and Roger McVey (piano) present “A Spring Fiesta,” an afternoon of sonatas by Beethoven and Debussy as well as music by composers that have been influenced by the music of Spain. The concert is free and takes place on Sunday, May 7, at 2 p.m. in the Monastery of St. Gertrude chapel.
Originally from New Zealand, violinist Giselle Hillyer is active as a performer and teacher in Moscow, Idaho, where she teaches violin and viola lessons in the University of Idaho Preparatory Division and university music classes. She is associate concert master of the Washington-Idaho Symphony Orchestra, and has been concert master of the Idaho Bach Festival Orchestra and the Palouse Choral Society Orchestra. She has also played frequently with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Minnesota Opera Orchestra.
American pianist Roger McVey has performed as a soloist and collaborative pianist throughout the United States, in Europe, Asia, Mexico, and New Zealand. He is currently an assistant professor at the Lionel Hampton School of Music of the University of Idaho. Dr. McVey was a top prizewinner in the International Beethoven Competition (U.S.A.), and was a Semi-Finalist at the International Franz Liszt Competition in Poland, where critics praised his “passionate artistry and electrifying virtuosity.”
“A Spring Fiesta” is a presentation of the Spirituality and the Arts program at the Monastery of St. Gertrude. “In the spirit of St. Benedict who encouraged expression of artistic gifts in the monastic community,” reads the program’s mission statement, “we endeavor with artists…..to foster an artistic environment and be present to the many manifestations of beauty in our world and to nurture new artistic possibilities.”
The “A Spring Fiesta” concert is free and takes place on Sunday, May 7, at 2 p.m. at the Monastery of St. Gertrude, 465 Keuterville Road, Cottonwood. ADA accessible. A reception will follow.