Pianist David Jalbert is part of a new generation of performers who are drawn to music by composers who are alive and writing today. His first CD paired piano pieces by the Americans John Corigliano and Frederic Rzewski, and another album featured works by Philip Glass and John Adams. Jalbert's CD of preludes and fugues by Dmitri Shostakovich garnered a Juno nomination as well as an Opus award.
Earlier this year Jalbert released his recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations and with that, he entered an exclusive club of Canadian "Goldbergians" that includes Glenn Gould and Angela Hewitt. In fact David Jalbert plays everything from Glass back to Bach, and that includes chamber music as well. His most recent CD features piano trios with his ensemble Triple Forte.
David Jalbert grew up in Rimouski, Quebec, moving to Montreal in his late teens. At 21, he graduated with top honours from the University of Montreal, and now he's professor of piano at the University of Ottawa. On This Is My Music Jalbert reveals that his solid pedigree in classical music hasn't kept him from jamming with the folk rock band The Acorn.
David Jalbert is the host of This Is My Music on Saturday, September 15 on CBC Radio 2 from 10:05 a.m. to noon ET, 11:05 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. AT.
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Disc of the week: Triple Forte