Michael Bridge of Toronto will present his second recital at U of T, featuring both solo works and collaborations with the wonderful talents of Joseph Johnson (TSO, principal cello), Quietish Pianomonkey Lee (piano), Johanna Wienhølts (harp), and a new work by Robert Taylor (composer). Works by Romiti, Bach, Taylor, Piazzolla and Creston.
The concert takes place on Thursday, April 23, 2015 at 7:30 PM at the University of Toronto 80 Queens’s Park, Walter Hall. Admission is free.
Canadian Accordion Champion Michael Bridge is one of the most versatile accordionists of today, expertly blending contemporary works with great composers like Bach and Haydn, French musettes, jazz standards, Piazzolla tangos and pop hits from the Beatles to present day. Michael made his orchestra debut at age 16 with the Boston Pops for the hit NPR radio show “From the Top”. Though still a student, his music has led him to China, Croatia, Italy, France, the U.K., and all across Canada and the USA.
In high demand, Michael gives over 100 performances a year in a multitude of settings and genres, both as a soloist and in collaboration with clarinet, violin, soprano, tango singer, and The Extravaganza Quartet. Unique highlights of 2013 included a public filming of his improvised live accompaniment to Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid” in Idaho, the Roland V-Accordion international festival in Rome, Miami’s Renaissance Ballroom, a tour of Virginia and West Virginia, Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio, a TEDx TALKS presentation/performance in Toronto, The Calgary Blues Festival, “rolling concerts” on Via Rail’s cross-Canada train, Wurstfest (Texas’ “salute to sausage”), and winning the Calgary Stampede Talent Search. In 2012, he had the honour to perform with Toronto’s Quartetto Gelato in Santa Barbara, California.
Both live and recorded, Michael’s playing traverses many genres. Live, you may encounter contemporary classical, tango, jazz, polkas, rock covers, and improvised fugues all in the same performance. In 2014, Michael released his 6th solo album, encompassing baroque gems, folk melodies, and his acclaimed 1812 Overture on solo digital accordion.
A former student of Beverley Fess (accordion), Donna Holloboff (piano), Robert Rosen (harmony and composition) and Tim Janz (harmony and composition), Michael is now in his third year at the University of Toronto, where he studies with world-renowned accordionist Professor Joseph Macerollo. He is a captivating young musician, determined to raise the profile of the accordion for the next generation.
University of Toronoto is one of the few remaining facilities in North America where you can get an accordion degree, the other being at the University of Indianapolis, where accordionists can attain an undergraduate degree in accordion with Dr. Marko Petricic.
For further information: michael@michaelbridgemusic.com
