“Halifax musicians Gillian Smith (violin) and Jennifer King (piano) will bring an all-Canadian program titled From Sea to Sky to Toronto as part of a three-city tour. Along with Halifax, where the tour kicks off on September 12, and Toronto (September 25), they’ll be traveling north to Yellowknife, NWT (September 28).
The two musicians have been performing as the Smith | King Duo for about the last decade. The concert program includes works for solo violin and solo piano as well as piano/violin together. Three of the works were composed for the duo.
The Performers
The Smith | King Duo have performed throughout Nova Scotia and the Maritimes, including the Acadia University’s Concert and Lecture Series, Shattering the Silence Festival, Sunday Music in the Garden Room Series, the Open Waters Festival, the Classical Showcase at the 2019 East Coast Music Awards, and the Lilian Piercey Concert Hall at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts.
Violinist Gillian Smith is a strong advocate for new music. Her 2019 album Into the Stone (Leaf Music), showcased works for solo violin by five Canadian women composers. It was nominated for an ECMA award for Classical Recording of the Year in 2020. She’s also performed on two other ECMA-nominated recordings. Her second album, also featuring five Canadian composers, was released by Leaf Music in 2023.
Pianist Jennifer King has focussed on contemporary music during a three decade career. She was the recipient of an Award of Appreciation from the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. Her first recording, O Mistress Moon (2018) can be frequently heard on CBC radio. Her 2022 follow up, O Mistress Moon: Canadian Edition won Classical Album of the Year at the 2023 ECMAs. She maintains a busy career as a soloist and collaborative pianist throughout Atlantic Canada…”
