Barry Tan remembers taking piano lessons at Place des Arts as a kid.
There were lots of other young musicians around the Coquitlam facility but, if they didn't play the same instrument, it was unlikely they would ever perform together.
Now, as a second-year faculty member and accomplished pianist, Tan wants to bring piano and string students into the same classroom to learn the basics of chamber music.
And he's calling on youth — with a minimum Royal Conservatory of Music level of Grade 7 — to be part of one of his two new piano chamber music ensembles at Place des Arts.
Auditions will be held at the Maillardville venue on Sunday, Sept. 10 and candidates are asked to play two contrasting compositions, up to about five minutes each.
Tan — along with string specialist Dominic Woo — will then select between six and 10 successful applicants and group them according to their skill sets and personalities.
Tan said he's looking for a pianist in each ensemble plus two violinists, a violist and a cellist, who will be able to rehearse every two weeks starting in mid-September.
Each rehearsal will last about 90 minutes, and musicians must be able to perform at community concerts as well as at Tan's faculty show at Place des Arts on Oct. 14, where Tan and guests Ben Goheen, Peter Ing and Will Chen will also play three works by Romantic composer Robert Schumann: Fantasiestucke Opus 12, Piano Quartet in E-Flat Major Opus 47 and Waldszenen Opus 82.
Tan said the pieces the young chamber musicians will play over the fall, winter and spring will include standards from Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
"What's great about this new program is that there will be interdepartmental collaborations so piano and string students will finally be able to perform together," he said.
• To sign up for an audition on Sept. 10, call Place des Arts' music programmer Wen Dee Wong at 604-664-1636 or email [email protected]. The ensembles are open to piano and string students 18 years old or younger. Visit placedesarts.ca.
