Amici Chamber Ensemble

The Amici Chamber Ensemble has been at the forefront of the Canadian chamber music scene in the past twenty-five years. Founding members, clarinetist Joaquin Valdepeñas, cellist David Hetherington and pianist Patricia Parr (past artistic director, Member of the Order of Canada) and recent addition, pianist Serouj Kradjian invite some of the finest musicians to join them in eclectic programming and projects, at the same time celebrating friendship through music; hence the name Amici. Some of the many renowned artists who have performed with Amici in their renowned concert series at the Glenn Gould Studio are James Ehnes, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Benjamin Bowman, Russell Braun, Michael Schade, Cho-Liang Lin, Jaime Laredo, Andre Laplante and James Sommerville.

Amici Chamber Ensemble has commissioned and premiered over twenty works by Canadian composers, among them Allan Gordon Bell, Chan Ka Nin, Brian Cherney, Malcolm Forsyth, Jacques Hétu, Alexina Louie and Jeffrey Ryan. The 2012-2013 'Celebrating through Collaboration' will feature a very strong lineup of collaborators and innovative programming - definitely fitting for a quarter-century celebration!

Alongside numerous broadcasts of their concerts on national radio, Amici recordings have placed them firmly among the world's best chamber ensembles and garnered AMICI a Juno award (for Among Friends), and several Juno award nominations - most recently, a 2011 Juno nomination for their latest ATMA Classique disc "Armenian Chamber Music". Two recordings of Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time highlight their critically acclaimed discography.

Joaquin Valdepeñas is principal clarinetist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and is regarded as one of the most distinguished clarinetists of his generation. Active as soloist, chamber musician and conductor, Mr. Valdepeñas has performed at festivals & concert series throughout the world.

David Hetherington, assistant principal cellist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, teaches cello and chamber music at the Glenn Gould School. Mr. Hetherington plays his 1695 cello made by Giovanni Grancino of Milan "with rare delicacy and clarity".

Pianist and composer Serouj Kradjian is hailed as a "keyboard acrobat" of "crystal virtuosity" by the press. He is regularly invited to appear as soloist and chamber musician in North America and Europe. Lately, he has been gaining much praise as composer and arranger.