Musician ends residency with a special performance

Music lovers braved the snowstorm Friday night to experience a night of piano music by Demian Shwarcz.

The pianist and the director of the Fine Arts Department Dr. Kutnowski, have been working together for the last four months to showcase a concert.

The performance featured solo and accompanied piano arrangements by Shwarcz that varied in genres from classical music to tango.

Shwarcz, who travelled from Argentina, has spent the last week in a residency at St. Thomas working with the Songwriting and Arranging students.

“We were in touch for the last 4 months. We were working with the music and with the score. I was very glad to come here and play with the orchestra because it sounds very well. I’m very happy for the students,” says Shwarcz about his residency at St. Thomas.

One of the students performing with Shwarcz was Fourth year student and cellist Emma Johnson.

The class gives students the opportunity of playing with musicians like Shwarcz. Johnson says it’s taught her a lot about playing in an orchestra.

“This class has helped me a lot with the orchestra that I’m in as well, The Fredericton Symphony Orchestra. It has helped so much seeing someone conduct and knowing this is beat one and how to fit in rhythms when you’re the only instrument in the ensemble. You have a certain responsibility,”.