Arts on 817 welcomes meagan&amy to Strathmore

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By Christine Foshaug Times Contributor

March 14th marks the fifth concert of the season for Arts on 817 with piano and violin duo meagan&amy.
Pianist Meagan Milatz and violinist Amy Hillis, who both grew up in Saskatchewan, met and joined forces in 2011 when they were students at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal.
In an unprecedented move, they were awarded a Pan-Canadian Tour from the Canada Council to tour as part of all three of their concert programs: Debut Atlantic, Jeunesse Musicale and Prairie Debut. Since Arts on 817 is a Prairie Debut partner, Strathmore was able to choose a performer.
“I asked two of my children to recommend a performer from the 2019-20 roster,” said Carolyn Steeves, artistic director for Arts on 817. “My son, Timothy, knew Amy Hillis and highly recommended meagan&amy. I personally love the violin/piano repertoire so it was a great fit.”
In the Pan-Canadian Tour, meagan&amy are performing 50 recitals across the country, as well as masterclasses and performances at town libraries, schools and seniors’ centres. While in Strathmore, they will perform for École Brentwood Elementary and Milatz will conduct a piano masterclass.
The two young musicians’ accomplishments are numerous. Milatz has appeared as soloist with the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra, the McGill Symphony Orchestra and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. She won the top prize at the 2014 Shean Piano Competition and the 2011 CFMTA National Piano Competition. And in late 2019, CBC named Milatz one of the top 30 classical musicians under 30.
In 2017, Hillis was artist-in-residence at La Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. She also won the 2018 Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition, the 2017 McGill Concerto Competition and a doctoral fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Steeves is excited to have such high-calibre musicians as part of the Arts on 817 concert series. “meagan&amy will perform a wonderful array of violin and piano chamber music,” she said. “It will be a must-see for anyone who enjoys music of the masters.”
The concert will take place on Saturday, Mar. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Strathmore United Church. Tickets can be purchased online at smoreuc.com or by phone at 403-901-2797.