Across Poland, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, France, Ecuador, throughout the USA and Canada, Bridge & Wolak have mystified audiences of all sizes (and can tell you all the best vegetarian restaurants.) Most concerts include a Q & A, so have your questions ready and expect riotous answers – they’ve been asked everything from “How can Kornel play for 5 minutes without breathing?” to “Do you like girls??” (by a grade 5 student).

Michael Bridge and Kornel Wolak were set up on a blind (musical) date by Michael’s accordion professor at the University of Toronto, and have since toured the world and become great friends and colleagues. They both started studying music at age 5 – Kornel in Poland, and Michael in Alberta.

Off stage, Kornel Wolak teaches clarinet at Queen’s University and Michael Bridge is completing his doctorate in accordion at the University of Toronto (while writing his thesis in hotel rooms!) Collectively holding seven degrees in music, they frequently offer school concerts and university masterclasses / lectures throughout their tours. Dr. Wolak is also a pioneer in collaborative research in oral articulators with the department of Speech Language Pathology, University of Toronto, which led to the publication of peer-reviewed scientific articles and his two books on woodwind pedagogy.

A highly decorated accordionist, Michael Bridge placed second at the World Digital Accordion Championships, twice won the Canadian championships, and the Calgary Stampede Talent Search among 300 contestants. He is the North American artist-ambassador for Bugari Evo digital accordions.

Together, Bridge & Wolak were nominated for the BC Touring Artist of the Year award in 2019 and have collaborated with CBC, TVO and other broadcasters for TV and radio specials. They gratefully acknowledge the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for financially supporting their international touring.

Bridge & Wolak est un duo musical humoristique qui parcourt le globe, mélangeant les instruments traditionnels avec la technologie numérique du 21^e siècle. Michael Bridge (accordéons et piano) et Kornel Wolak (clarinette et piano) interprètent leur propre musique de fusion, puisant à partir de leurs racines classiques et de leur amour du jazz et du tango. Munis de virtuosité et d’une vivacité d’esprit sans fin, ils ont été appelés les « Victor Borges du 21^e siècle. » Ces deux gentlemen bons vivants (qui détiennent sept diplômes en musique), représentent la conception moderne de musiciens-comédiens-éducateurs. « Regardez et soyez émerveillés! » - CBC. 

Bridge & Wolak ont stupéfait des auditoires de toutes tailles partout en Pologne, en Ukraine, en République Tchèque, en France, en Équateur et à travers les États-Unis et le Canada. (Ils peuvent même vous dire où se trouvent les meilleurs restaurants végétariens!) La plupart des concerts ont une période de questions et réponses, alors préparez bien vos questions et soyez prêts à des réponses hilarantes – on leur a posé des questions sur tout, par exemple, « Comment Kornel peut-il jouer pendant cinq minutes sans respirer? » ou « Aimez-vous les filles? » (question posée dans une classe de cinquième année). 

À l’Université de Toronto, le professeur d’accordéon de Michael Bridge a organisé une rencontre (musicale) à l’aveuglette avec Kornel Wolak, et les deux ont fait le tour du monde, devenant de bons amis et collègues depuis lors. Ils ont tous deux commencé leurs études musicales dès l’âge de cinq ans – Kornel en Pologne et Michael en Alberta. 

En plus de présenter des spectacles, Kornel Wolak enseigne la clarinette à l’Université Queen’s et Michael poursuit ses études doctorales en accordéon à l’Université de Toronto (Il continue à rédiger sa thèse dans les chambres d’hôtel!). Ensemble étant titulaires de sept diplômes en musique, ils offrent souvent des concerts aux écoles et des classes de maître et des conférences aux universités pendant leurs tournées. M. Wolak est également un pionnier dans la recherche collaborative sur l’articulation orale avec le Département d’orthophonie de l’Université de Toronto, ce qui l’a mené à la publication d’articles scientifiques évalués par les pairs et ses deux livres sur la pédagogie des instruments de la famille des bois. 

Michael Bridge est un accordéoniste hautement décoré. Il s’est classé deuxième aux Championnats du monde d’accordéon numérique, est lauréat des championnats canadiens à deux reprises et a remporté les honneurs parmi 300 participants au Calgary Stampede Talent Search (Recherche de talent du Calgary Stampede). Il est l’artiste-ambassadeur des accordéons Bugari Evo. 

Ensemble, Bridge & Wolak ont été mis en nomination pour le prix BC Touring Artist of the Year (Artiste en tournée de l’année de la Colombie-Britannique) en 2019 et ont collaboré avec la CBC, TVO et d’autres sociétés de diffusion pour des émissions spéciales à la télévision et à la radio. Ils désirent exprimer leur gratitude envers le Conseil des arts du Canada et le Conseil des arts de l’Ontario pour le soutien financier à leur tournée internationale. 

-VISIT BRIDGE & WOLAK’S EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT PAGE –

TOUR DATES: September 16 – October 2, 2016

BIOGRAPHY:

Three of Canada’s most acclaimed chamber musicians, clarinetist Jean-Francois Normand, violist Marina Thibeault and pianist Philip Chiu, gather in this unique and compelling formation to form Trio Canoë The trio’s outstanding programs have been curated to highlight the poetic, intimate, and mysterious nature of their instruments – in solo, duo, and trio form – to deliver an incomparable experience. Complementing the warm and melancholic colours of the existing repertoire, Trio Canoë reveals their fiery and passionate personalities with original transcriptions; including Piazzolla’s ‘Four Seasons of Buenos Aires’. The trio is strongly committed to engaging new audiences, and bringing classical music to those with limited access. Each member has had the opportunity to work with incredible organizations, including El Sistema, La Société pour les arts en milieux de santé,
and ArtStarts.

Jean-François Normand, clarinet

A much sought-after performer on the Canadian music scene, Jean-François Normand is currently clarinet teacher at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal and McGill University in addition to the Domaine Forget Music Academy. Mr. Normand holds degrees from both University of Montreal and the Juilliard School of Music. Mr. Normand has already appeared as a soloist with several orchestras, including the Montreal, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Toronto, Texarkanas Symphony Orchestras and the Montreal Metropolitan Orchestra. His interpretation of the Mozart Concerto has been praised by the press: “completely natural playing, flawless technique, supple phrasing, beautiful and controlled tone quality, intonation, style, and imaginative use of improvised ornamentation” (Claude Gingras, La Presse). He performed this same concerto in 2005 with the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra in Bratislava where it was broadcast to over 16 European countries. He is also frequently heard on Radio-Canada/CBC. In 2010, Jean-François Normand entered the world of historical performance on period instruments. He recorded a CD for Atma dedicated to the French composer Mehul, along with oboist Washington McClain and bassoonist Mathieu Lussier. His next concerts will take him to Toronto where he will be joining Tafelmusik for a series of concerts in May.

Marina Thibeault, viola

Marina Thibeault, born in 1989, from Québec City graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music where she studied with both Roberto Díaz, and Michael Tree. Afterwards, she studied abroad with Bruno Giuranna at the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the swiss government. Marina is currently finishing her Master’s Degree with André Roy at the McGill University in Montréal.  Marina has performed as a soloist with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, Marienbad Orchestra, North Czech Philharmonic, and the Západočeský Symphony Orchestra. Marina was a 2007 winner of “CBC Young Artist”, She was also a 2008 prize-winner at Hradec’s Beethoven International Music Competition in the Czech Republic, after which she gave a recital tour in Prague and Teplice, during the Music Festival Ludwig van Beethoven. Marina is the winner of the 2015 McGill Concerto Competition and will perform the Schnittke Concerto with MGSO next season. In 2012, Marina made her debut in Paris at the Centre Culturel Canadien.  Marina joined the Parcival Project in 2013. The ensemble has performed at Halifax’s Scotia Fest and Toronto’s ROM and Mooredales concerts. En September 2014, the group went on tour to South America; Argentina, Chili and Bresil. Inspired by El systema, the Parcival Project gave masterclasses and workshops for social actions in music. In November 2014, Marina toured around Quebec and Ontario for Les Jeunesses Musicales du Canada with the recital; White Nights in Russia. Marina is also a Hatha Yoga teacher. She teaches at the Sivananda Yoga Center in Montreal and gives workshops and conferences on yoga for musicians.

Philip Chiu, pianist

More than a summation of technical and musical abilities, pianist Philip Chiu has become one of Canada’s leading musicians through his infectious love of music and his passion for communication and collaboration. Lauded for the brilliance, colour and sensitivity of his playing, he is particularly noted for his ability to connect with audiences on and off-stage. An exceedingly sociable pianist, Philip concertizes extensively as one of Canada’s most sought-after chamber musicians. He has appeared in recitals with leading musicians of the world stage, including James Ehnes, Raphael Wallfisch, Patrice Fontanarosa, Regis Pasquier, Matt Haimovitz, Radovan Vlatkovic, Stefan Dohr, Philippe Bernold, Alex Klein, and Eugene Isotov. He performs regularly with principal members of Canada’s leading orchestras and ensembles, including Toronto Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Jonathan Crow, l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal concertmaster Andrew Wan, and Pascale Giguere of Les Violons du Roy. Along with pianist Janelle Fung, he forms one of Canada’s most exciting piano duos, the Fung-Chiu Duo. He has toured numerous times with premier touring organizations, Jeunesses Musicales Canada, Prairie Debut, and Debut Atlantic, and will be touring again soon with Jeunesses Musicales (2014/2015, 2015/2016) and Prairie Debut (2014/15). Dedicated to elevating the standard and art of collaborative piano, Philip is the creator and director of the new Collaborative Piano Program at the Domaine Forget International Festival and Academy. He is an acclaimed accompanist¬/coach based at McGill University, has been an invited professor¬-accompanist for the Conservatoire de musique de Montreal, and regularly accompanies at l’Universite de Montreal. He travels regularly across Canada and the U.S. to accompany for national and international competitions. Philip is extremely grateful for the support of the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts and Jeunesses Musicales in his various pursuits. He can be heard/seen on Classical 96.3 FM, Australia’s ABC Radio, CBC Radio, and Radio Canada.

“… a pianist-painter who turns every musical idea into a beautiful array of colors.” La Presse
“Pianist Philip Chiu played with striking precision and subtle poetry.” The Gazette (Montréal)