2020 - 2021 Our 64th Season!   

Friday, September 25, 2020  
at 7:30 PM

Bridge and Wolak

Kornel Wolak (clarinet)
Michael Bridge (accordian)

In collaboration with
Debut Atlantic

NOTE: Live concert cancelled because of Covid-19, though Debut Atlantic made their virtual concert available.

Watch and be amazed" (CBC Music). Classically trained international soloists, Kornel Wolak (clarinet) and Michael Bridge (accordions) use virtuosity, comedy and musical sensitivity to bring their custom repertoire to life. Playing classical showpieces, jazz ballades, and fiery folk music, Wolak and Bridge began collaborating in 2012 and have since toured across Canada, Poland, France, and Ecuador as both performers and educators.

Kornel Wolak is an internationally-renowned soloist, teacher and chamber musician; "Control and a smooth expressivity are what make Wolak shine" (Toronto Star). Dr. Wolak is on faculty teaching clarinet at Queen's University and is also pioneering collaborative research in oral articulators with the department of Speech Language Pathology, University of Toronto. His first book, Articulation Types for Clarinet, quickly became the new must-have book of 2018 for clarinetists and saxophonists.

Michael Bridge (accordions and piano) is a winner of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Medal and named one of CBC's "30 Hot Classical Musicians Under 30". Active in new music, he has over 50 world premieres to his credit and tours extensively as an orchestral soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, and instructor. He is a doctoral candidate on accordion at the University of Toronto, studying with Joseph Macerollo.

Following the reception of their first album, "Rock Bach", their second album, "Tales from the Dinarides," was commissioned by the University of Alberta in collaboration with Professor Guillaume Tardif (violin). In 2018, they toured Canada and Europe. Most recently they presented talks at the National Association of Woodwind and Percussion Instructors and the College Music Society conferences and are gearing up for several North American university residencies. They can be heard regularly on CBC radio.

Learn more at https://www.debutatlantic.ca/artist/bridge-wolak

Top of Page

Michael Bridge

Described as "a wizard of the accordion", Michael Bridge is internationally-renowned for his warmstage personality, and versatile virtuosity. Named one of CBC's "30 Hot Classical Musicians Under 30", he made his solo orchestral debut with the Boston Pops and gives over 100 concerts per year in Europe and the Americas. His debut solo album, "Overture," bridged the gap between acoustic and digital concert accordions, "triumphing musically and technically in all styles" (Whole Note Magazine).

More than a classical musician, Michael describes his repertoire as 'concert music' -encompassing baroque, classical, and contemporary works, plus many of his own concert arrangements of folk music. An advocate for new music, Michael has given over 50 world premieres. He performs solo or with orchestra, and with his two ensembles - Bridge+Wolak and Ladom Ensemble - and has toured across Europe and North and South America.

Michael is pursuing doctoral studies in accordion performance at the University of Toronto, with Joseph Macerollo. His first accordion was purchased at a garage sale for $5 when he was five, and two decades later, he is attempting to redefine the perception of his traditional instrument. Michael is grateful for the support of the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Kornel Wolak

Highly acclaimed for his musical imagination and astonishing versatility. "Control, and a smooth, elegant expressivity… are what make Wolak shine" (John Terauds, the Toronto Star). Regularly appears in recitals as soloist with American and European orchestras as well as chamber musician. A "Fryderyk" nominee, Poland's highest recording award, he is a regular fixture on the CBC, Classical 96.3 FM, Public Radio International, and in the US, NPR. Regularly gives master classes and lectures in Europe, Asia and both Americas. His newly published book "Articulation Types on Clarinet (and Saxophone)" has become a bestseller world-wide among the woodwind community.

Since 2015, together with Drs. A. Slis, A. Namasivayam, and P. van Lieshout, Dr. Wolak is using 3D Electromagnetic Articulography (AG501) to measure tongue movements when playing various articulation types on the clarinet. The current study is focused on analyzing tongue action in single-, double, and side-to- side staccato articulation.

He is the founder of Music Mind Inc., an initiative that promotes music education through research and understanding.

Since 2018 Dr. Wolak is an Assistant Professor of Clarinet at Queen's University (Canada).

Double-Double Duo is about much more than coffee; each duo member is a 'double threat' on two instruments: Kornel Wolak (clarinet / piano) and Michael Bridge (accordions / piano). Classically trained international soloists, they use comedy, virtuosity, and musical sensitivity to bring their broad repertoire to life; "Double-Double Duo is the best of new, young 'classical' musicians… bringing their own style of intellect, expertise, and talent to a new 21st century audience." (Barrie Examiner). Actively touring in Poland, France, Ecuador, and across Canada, DDD performs their all- original arrangements of classical showpieces, sensitive jazz ballades, and fiery folk music from around the globe.

Of Polish origin, Dr. Kornel Wolak performs on clarinet and piano; "Control and a smooth expressivity are what make Wolak shine" (Toronto Star). He is currently pioneering collaborative research in oral articulators with the department of Speech Language Pathology, University of Toronto. He is an internationally renowned soloist, teacher and touring chamber musician.

Originally from Alberta, Michael Bridge (accordions and piano) was named one of CBC's "30 Hot Classical Musicians Under 30" in 2016, and is a winner of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Medal and the Canadian Digital Accordion Championships. Active in new music, he has over 30 world premieres to his credit. He is a graduate student in accordion performance at the University of Toronto studying with Joseph Macerollo.

Top of Page