Piano Lunaire

08/01/2026

The campaign may be over, but the music is just beginning. 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨 for being part of this remarkable journey.
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Canadian League of Composers Stephanie Chua Adam Sherkin David Potvin Bryn Blackwood Saman Shahi Keiko Devaux Alison Yun-Fei Jiang Adam Sherkin

08/01/2026

𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻 takes on the double roll of pianist and composer for the 𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗗, performing 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗡𝗼. 𝟮 as well as composing a brand new nanoSONATA for pianist 𝗕𝗿𝘆𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 (who plays Sonata No. 4).

Of the second sonata, Sherkin exclaims, “𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗡𝗼. 𝟮 has posed particular challenges for my own pianism, in its variety of textures and technical heights to be scaled, from the most intimate moments in the opening movement to the spacious and dexterous third, not to mention the deft, crystal-clear passage-work in the second movement.​“
📸 wade muir 💻https://wademuir.ca/
🎧Audio: Piano Sonata No. 4: II. Allegretto by Harry Somers - John McKay

07/31/2026

Prize-winning pianist 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝘃𝗶𝗻 is a versatile performer with an interest in a wide range of repertoire. His imaginative programs seamlessly combine standard and contemporary music, with a focus on Canadian composers. He joins the 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗱 with impressive experience interpreting major works from the Canadian keyboard canon.

Of 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮, Potvin reflects, “Harry Somers was just 20 years old when he wrote his first Sonata, shortly after being discharged from the military at the close of World War II. He dedicated it to his friend Dudley Garrett Jr., who was killed in action in 1942. In the Sonata we hear bells tolling for the lost, guns blasting, and a relentless march to oblivion. It is remarkable how mature Somers’ artistic voice was at this early age, no doubt affected by his experience witnessing the tragedy of war. A century after Somers was born, unfortunately the subject matter of this work is no less prevalent.”

✍️ Keiko Devaux 🎹 David Potvin

🎧 Harry Somers’s Piano Sonata No. 1 performed by Reginald Godden

07/30/2026

Only one day left to make a difference to Canadian music and its future! Canadian League of Composers/La Ligue Canadienne des Compositeurs Canadian Music Centre

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE IF YOU CAN!

It has been an incredible journey thus far - but we still need your help. Every dollar you are able to give today makes every difference to our five pianists, five composers and terrific team behind this exciting initiative.

07/30/2026

Become part of the 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗱. ✍️🎹🌕
📲Link in bio

07/30/2026

JUNO-Nominated composer and conductor, 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗶 joins the 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗱 with a companion work to 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮, entitled “𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿.” Of his newly composed nanoSONATA, Shahi writes:

“In his 5th piano sonata, Somers is very judicious in developing his melodic material – almost Beethoven-esque - and is also keenly aware of the density of texture throughout each movement. “𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿” creates a parallel piece where some of his melodic and textural techniques are mirrored but using a slightly more lush and neo-romantic musical aesthetic. This piece can be placed before, during or after any of the movements of this sonata.​“
Saman Shahi’s music has been described as “a combination of virtuosity and sonic power” (PAN M 360), “Lucid and dramatic”(Musicworks) and “Endlessly rewarding” (I Care If You Listen).

🎧 Audio : Piano Sonata No. 5: I. Allegro
By Harry Somers - Antonin Kubalek

07/29/2026

Only THREE days left to meet our goal! 🎹✖️5⃣
Please consider making a contribution before July 31st!

Thanks to all you generous patrons who have supported this project during the fundraising campaign! We have just three days left to reach our goal so please continue to spread the word! Your support keeps us moving closer to that finish line. We hit $10,000 today, at 56% of our goal! We are so very....

07/28/2026

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗮 plays 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗔 𝗡𝗼. 𝟱 (1957), the last of the cycle. The pianist remarks, “I studied and performed the piece back in 2006 at my first all-contemporary solo recital at the Music Gallery. I love the breadth of moods and characters Somers is able to extract and develop through the humble interval of a 2nd.​“

Stephanie Chua partners with composer 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗵𝗶 for the nanoSONATA commission. He has written a beautiful work entitled, “𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿.”
✍️ Saman Shahi 🎹 Stephanie Chua
🎧 Audio : Piano Sonata No. 5: I. Allegro
By Harry Somers - Antonin Kubalek

07/27/2026

As part of the 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗱, pianist 𝗕𝗿𝘆𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 will perform a newly commissioned nanoSONATA by 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻, composed as an intermediary companion work to be inserted between the third and fourth movements of Harry Somers’ 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗔 𝗡𝗼. 𝟰.
✍️ Adam Sherkin 🎹 Bryn Blackwood
🎧 Audio: Piano Sonata No. 4: II. Allegretto By Harry Somers - John McKay

07/26/2026

Pianist 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱 takes up every challenge Somers’ rarely played 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗔 𝗡𝗼. 𝟯 can throw her way. She partners with the dynamic, Montréal-based composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist 𝗟𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗞𝗼𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄 on the nanoSONATA creation.
𝗚𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱 describes 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮 as, “Playful, shocking, and unapologetically energetic. That’s how I would describe the soul of the third piano sonata! It’s a virtuosic beast in many ways, but it also holds a childlike, sarcastic humour that oscillates between light and dark, like Somers is trying to work out which part of his inner child is really in control of his narrative.”
✍️ Gabrielle Gagnon-Picard 🎹 Lily Koslow ✨
📸 Tam Lan Truong
🎧 Audio: Piano Sonata No. 3: I. Allegro ma non troppo by Harry Somers - André-Sébastien Savoie.