Paul Merkelo, trumpet

Renowned as one of the finest trumpet players of his generation, Paul Merkelo is recognized for his “unusual lyrical gifts’’ (Gramophone) as well as his “pure technical prowess’’ (Rochester Democrat & Chronicle). Principal trumpet with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra since 1995, Merkelo is regularly praised by the Montreal press as “a spectacular soloist… a most impressive master of his instrument’’ (Montreal Gazette), and a “great virtuoso” and “dazzling’’ (La Presse). He has been featured frequently with the OSM, including tours to South America and the Lincoln Center in New York, along with several world premiere works. Most recently, he has released a solo recording with Maestro Kent Nagano and the OSM entitled French Trumpet Concertos, which was a 2016 Juno Award nominee for Classical Album of the Year.

In 1998, he made his New York debut at Lincoln Center with the New World Symphony Orchestra and Michael Tilson Thomas, performing the U.S. orchestral premiere of Carmen Fantasie by Franz Waxman. Merkelo was appointed Canadian musical ambassador to China in 1999 for the inauguration of the Montreal Park in Shanghai, and he performed as soloist with the Shanghai Broadcast Orchestra in a national telecast. He has been featured with orchestras and in recital throughout the United States, Canada, Russia, China, Australia, Japan, Portugal, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, France and Thailand. He has worked with conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Charles Dutoit, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Sir Georg Solti and Valery Gergiev. Merkelo’s first solo recording, A Simple Song, was ranked #1 in Quebec’s classical
recording chart in 2000 and in 2004, Analekta released a highly praised second CD, Baroque Transcriptions, which was nominated by the ADISQ for “Best Classical Album of the Year”.

Previously, he was Principal Trumpet with the Rochester Philharmonic and the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra and gained early orchestral experience as an extra with the New York Philharmonic and Pittsburgh Symphony. Merkelo is a faculty member at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara and at McGill University in Montreal. He is on the board of directors for the Youth Orchestra of the Americas (Canada), and is the founder of the Paul Merkelo Scholarship helping young Canadian musicians. He will be recording the Haydn, Hummel and Mozart concerti with the Oxford Philharmonic in 2018.

Paul Merkelo is a Yamaha artist.

Serhiy Salov, piano

Serhiy Salov is recognized as an outstanding pianist, whose playing is both energetic and imbued with sensitivity. He is known for his remarkable technique and exacting rigour and virtuosity, qualities that unwaveringly serve the poetry inherent in the music. Public enthusiasm and critical acclaim have amply confirmed his prominent status on the international music scene as a soloist and chamber musician. In addition, Serhiy Salov has achieved distinction for his piano transcriptions of symphonic works such as Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, Debussy’s Nocturnes, Mussorgsky’s Night on a Bald Mountain, and many others.

After initially learning music in Ukraine, Salov pursued his studies in London, obtaining a Master’s degree from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, followed by a Doctor of Music degree from the Université de Montréal. His gifts extend far beyond the mastery of piano technique: the disciplines of improvisation, musicology, and the study of languages complement his training and enable him to deploy a highly expressive individual approach.

A superlative concert performer, Serhiy Salov has collaborated with renowned conductors and numerous orchestras around the world. He is regularly featured at the foremost international music festivals, and has been awarded many prizes in competitions worldwide.

 

– VISIT MERKELO & SALOV’S EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT PAGE TO LEARN MORE –

 

---