Tableaux and miniatures

Masterpieces of the miniature for piano from the Romantic and Impressionist eras

Stéphan Sylvestre | Piano

October 7, 2026 | 7:30 p.m. FAB 2-7

Bagatelles, Op. 126 | L. V. Beethoven (1770-1827)

• No. 1, in G major: Andante con moto 
• No. 2 in G minor: Allegro
• No. 3 in E flat major: Andante
• No. 4 in B minor: Presto
• No. 5 in G major: Quasi allegretto
• No. 6 in E flat major: Presto-Andante amabile e con moto

Études-Tableaux, Op. 39 | S. Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

• No. 1, in C Minor
• No. 5, in E-flat Major

Intermission

Préludes, Livre 1 | C. Debussy (1862-1918)

• 10. La cathédrale engloutie

Fantasien Op. 116 | J. Brahms (1833-1897)

1. Capriccio in D minor. Presto energico
2. Intermezzo in A minor. Andante 
3. Capriccio in G minor. Allegro passionato 
4. Intermezzo in E major. Adagio 
5. Intermezzo in E minor. Andante con grazia ed intimissimo sentimento
6. Intermezzo in E major. Andantino teneramente 
7. Capriccio in D minor. Allegro agitato

Stéphan Sylvestre ranks among the most sought-after and brilliant Canadian pianists of his generation and enjoys an active performing career as a recitalist, orchestra soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and pedagogue. Critics on both sides of the Atlantic have bestowed lavish praise on his performances; “…it is indisputable that his performance belongs to the category of 'spectacular piano playing'... his natural talent reminds one of the great Artur Rubinstein...” (La Presse, Canada); “…Sylvestre’s Chopin manages to move us through a simplicity only found in the greatest pianists.” (La Scena Musicale, Canada). His performances have taken place in major concert halls throughout North and South America, the Middle East, Europe, Czech Republic, Russia, and Indonesia. Notable venues include the Concertgebouw (Holland), St. Martin-in-the-Fields (UK), the St. Petersburg Conservatory (Russia), Place des Arts, the National Arts Centre, and the Four Seasons Centre (Canada). He has played with several Canadian orchestras and regularly appears in international festivals throughout the country.

Mr. Sylvestre continues to gain recognition as a leading interpreter of Brahms and the French repertoire. His extensive discography, released under ATMA, CBC, Marquis Classics, and Espace 21 Records labels, has received outstanding reviews and two nominations for “Best recording of the Year” at the Opus Awards in Quebec. Placed alongside pianist Murray Perahia for his recording of Brahms complete late piano works (theWholeNote), the UK-based magazine The Strad gave a stunning review of his album of Szymanovski’s complete works for violin and piano with violinist Jerzy Kaplanek. Mr. Sylvestre has collaborated with renowned artists and ensembles such as James Campbell, James Sommerville, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Ransom Wilson, Martin Beaver, the Penderecki String Quartet, the New Zealand Quartet, and the New Orford String Quartet, among others. He regularly gives masterclasses and adjudicates for leading institutions as well as national and international competitions including the Montreal International Piano Competition, the Montreal Symphony Competition, and the Canadian Music Competition. Highly in demand as a pedagogue, his research on the art of performance focuses on the interconnection between the instrument, the awareness of the body and the mental state of the performer. His students are frequent prizewinners of music competitions and have been awarded prestigious research grants. Stéphan Sylvestre previously taught at McGill University and is currently Associate Professor of Piano at Western University, where he acts as chair of the Piano Department. Mr. Sylvestre is a faculty member at the Orford Music Academy, where he teaches in the summer. His teachers have included, among others, Leon Fleisher, John Perry, Marc Durand, and Marek Jablonski.

Read more at: www.stephansylvestre.net