Konstantin PopoviĆ began his violin studies at the tender age of five in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. A few months later, he was acknowledged as the most promising beginner violinist by the members of the board of education for strings. This recognition led to a performance on a national televisionprogram, about the history of violin music.
Parallel to his achievements in violin, at the age of seven, Konstantin was appointed vocal soloist in a renowned youth choir “Drinka Pavlovic”. This choir was frequently broadcast on radio and television and also created three separate recordings featuring Konstantin as a vocal soloist.
At the age of seventeen Konstantin graduated from a music high school in Belgrade having accumulated numerous awards at the highest national violin competition. Konstantin studied violin with Vlada Bobic in Belgrade. Shortly after graduation, Konstantin immigrated to Toronto, Canada where he continued his studies at the University of Toronto in the music performance department under Leo Wigdorchik.
After graduating from U of T, he extended his orchestral studies as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and National Academy Orchestra. As a member of the National Youth Orchestra, he toured most major Canadian cities, numerous countries in Europe and Asia.
In 2000, Konstantin became the Assistant Concertmaster of Windsor Symphony. The same year, he also won an equivalent position in Sinfonia Toronto, a string orchestra comprised of fourteen members. He performs chamber music with Wellington Music, the group that he started in 1997 and with First Generation Entertainment, a Greek ethnic music orchestra.
Konstantin has been featured as a violin soloist on numerous tracks of Kosta Arnakouros’ instrumental CD Mediterranean Rendezvous released in 2004.He recently finished studio work for composer-arranger Charles Cozens of Somerset Entertainment and will be featured as a first violinist of a string quartet on that recording.
As a soloist Konstantin has had the honor of collaborating with conductors such as Giuseppe Lanzetta, Nurhan Arman, Peter Wiebe, Charles Greenwell, Ivars Taurins, Janez Govednik, Mark Skazinetsky, Fabio Mastrangelo and Maestro John Morris Russell.
Of all his achievements Mr. Popovic puts most value on the arrival of his son Dimitri and daughter Tatiana. His never ending debt for encouragement goes to his parents and his brother. Finally his immeasurable gratitude for inspiration and support of “a not so starving” musician goes to his wife Dawn.
The Quartet for the End of Time
Sunday, Feb 13 2:30 pm
The St Catharines Chamber Music Society Presents:
Olivier Messiaen’s The Quartet for the End of Time with Konstantin Popovic- violin, Gordon Cleland- cello, Michele Jacot- clarinet, Erika Reiman- piano.
“I saw a mighty angel descending from heaven, clad in mist, having around his head a rainbow. His face was like the sun, his feet like pillars of fire. He placed his right foot on the sea, his left on the earth, and standing thus on the sea and the earth he lifted his hand toward heaven and swore by Him who liveth for ever and ever, saying: ‘There shall be time no longer, but at the day of the trumpet of the seventh angel the mystery of God shall be consummated’.”
-Revelation, X
The Quartet for the End of Time was written in the course of Messiaen’s captivity in a German concentration camp and first performed in Stalag 8 A on January 15, 1941. It was directly inspired by this quotation from The Revelation of St John. It’s musical language is transcendental. Certain modes, realizing melodically and harmonically a kind of tonal ubiquity, draw the listener into a sense of the eternity of space or time. Certain rhythms existing outside the measure contribute importantly toward the banishment of temporalities.
The quartet comprises eight movements. Seven is the perfect number, the creation of six days made holy by the divine Sabbath; the seventh in its repose prolongs itself into eternity and becomes the eighth, of unfailing light, of immutable peace.
The Quartet for the End of Time
I. Liturgy of crystal.
II. Vocalise, for the angel who announces the end of Time.
III. Abyss of the birds.
IV. Interlude.
V. Praise to the eternity of Jesus.
VI. Dance of fury, for the seven trumpets.
VII. Cluster of rainbows, for the angel who announces the end of Time.
VIII. Praise to the immortality of Jesus.
Accompanying Messiaen’s unique masterpiece will be:
Prayer, from Jewish Life #3
A powerfully moving piece for cello and piano by Ernest Bloch.
Miniatures in India
I. Prayers Ignite
II. Temple Incense
III. The River Pamba
A fascinating work by local St Catharines composer Neva Tesolin. It was inspired by her studies in India. She arrived in India during a religious festial in which the streets of the city were strung with fireworks and she captures the essence of religious fervour accompanied by explosions, the feelings of mystey in a shrine and the sacred beauty of the River Pamba.
Violinist/violist George Cleland is the Music Coordinator for the Niagara Suzuki Association, the Conductor and Music Director of the Peninsula Orchestra and the Viola Coach for the Niagara Youth Orchestra. He has been an instructor for Brock University since 2004. A performer, teacher and conductor, George is a founding member of the Luthien Ensemble, and he performs frequently as a chamber and orchestral musician with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, and other orchestras in Ontario. Prior to moving to the Niagara region, George was a violin instructor for the Medicine Hat College Conservatory of Music and Dance, and the conductor of the Medicine Hat Junior String Orchestra and the founder and director for the Medicine Hat Community Orchestra.
Marcia O’Neill has been involved in music education more than twenty years. She currently teaches piano and theory privately to students from beginner to Grade 10 (Conservatory Canada/ RCM) ages 4 to Adult. She is former Education Director for the Niagara Symphony Association. In addition, she was Coordinator and Camp Director for the Niagara Symphony Summer Music Camp, an orchestral camp serving more than 300 children and adults annually. She was developer and teacher of the Tickle the Ivories course, a continuing education course atBrock University in St. Catharines, ON. She frequently presented music education workshops to teachers for theGrand Erie District School Board. She is coordinator of the Canadian Music Festival.
