“The 21C Music Festival is a celebration of new music, including a concert of premiering works from composers Ian Cusson and Stewart Goodyear. The concert takes place on Sunday, January 22 at 3:00 p.m.
We caught up with both composers for a few questions about the works they have created for the concert.
Stewart Goodyear
As a pianist, he’s perhaps best known for his immaculate interpretations of Beethoven and other classical composers, including his Toronto performance of all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas in one day. Even within the classical tradition, however, Goodyear added his own touches that fell outside the lines of modern conventions, like his improvised cadenzas.
As a composer, his influences are broader, including the Caribbean music of his mother’s side of the family, and the classic rock albums his late father left him. Goodyear’s piece Specially Mixed includes seven movements with differing instrumentation, some for solo piano and others in an ensemble that includes Goodyear on piano, Michael Occhipinti on guitar, Joy Lapps-Lewis on steel pan, Roberto Occhipinti on bass, and Larnell Lewis on drums…”
