The tables are turned in this upcoming concert as the faculty -- not the students -- of the Prince George Conservatory of Music present Springtime in Paris Saturday, May 26 at St. Andrew's Church, 3555 Fifth Ave., at 8 p.m.
"The neat thing is that the concert supports the continuing education fund at the conservatory," said Sebastian Ostertag, principal cellist for the Prince George Symphony Orchestra, cello teacher and leader of the Prince George Youth Orchestra. "It helps us be even better teachers for the students and improve the experience for our kids. Last year, two of the teachers, Ariane Nelles (flute) and Damian Dorschner (voice) did a conducting workshop so it's a really neat way for us to improve our skills."
This show is the last in a series of three. Teachers also perform at student recitals throughout the year.
The concert features all French music and Ostertag performs Claude Debussy's Cello Sonata. Debussy wrote this piece near the end of his life, Ostertag added.
"For me this piece is a little window into Paris in the early 20th century, which was a really exciting place," said Ostertag. "There were a lot of different influences -- you can hear the jazz influences in this piece. It's kind of twangy bass playing and it's fairly refined but there's lot of unexpected things popping out of the piece all the time. Also it has this kind of smoky, hazy feel to it sometimes so you're just kind of dreaming through it. I always thought of a salon thick with smoke and I imagine people lounging around. For me this piece evokes a lot of imagery. It's really wonderful."
Ostertag came to Prince George for the job two years ago and since some of his family was already here, he made the move from Owen Sound, Ont.
Ostertag came from a musical family where violin was predominant. His parents encouraged him to direct his talents to the cello and he came to it naturally.
Growing up, Ostertag took lessons and played in a small orchestra, then earned his diploma in orchestral music studying with Thomas Wiebe at the University of Western Ontario where he would receive a bachelors of music degree in performance as well as getting his artist diploma at Toronto's Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music with Paul Widner.
While Ostertag played often in Ontario, the opportunities were different from here. There he played weddings, corporate events and receptions.
"It's busy but not always the most meaningful work," Ostertag said. "You're not always working toward what you want to do. So I was afraid of being in Toronto and 20 years later still gigging. I wanted stability so that's why I came out here. It's interesting because I moved to a place with less overall opportunities but at the same time more opportunities because it gave me a chance to really focus on my orchestral playing. That's kinda neat and then I got the youth orchestra, too, and we're working to build the program."
The concert also features music by Faure, Chaminade, Lili Boulanger, Chausson and Bolling.
Performers include Ariane Nelles, flute; Angela Alba, piano; Damian Dorschner, voice; Jose Delgado-Guevara, violin and viola; Nil Rommel, piano; Barbara Parker, piano and of course, Sebastian Ostertag, cello.
Tickets are at the door for $20 or bring groups of any size for $40.
