Isabel Bader Centre, Kingston Ontario
About PALENAI
Canadian pianists, Joy Innis and Adrienne Shannon have performed across Canada, in the U.S., Israel, Korea and the Ukraine and at festivals in England, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. Appearances with major Canadian orchestras include the Toronto Symphony, National Arts Center Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, Edmonton and Victoria Symphonies, and the Canadian premier of the Czerny Concerto for Four Hands with the Mainly Mozart Orchestra in Toronto. Their public recitals and studio recordings have been broadcast on CBC, PBS, RAE Italy, RIAS Berlin, and BBC.
Originally from Calgary, Joy Innis studied at Mount Royal College Conservatory of Music and Speech Arts with Gloria Saarinen and the One Third Ninth Piano Trio. She graduated from the University of Toronto where she studied with Pierre Souverain and Patricia Parr. Joy attended piano and chamber music programs at the Banff Center under the direction of Menahem Pressler, John Perry, Abbey Simon, Gyorgy Sebok, and Edith Cavallo.
Adrienne Shannon studied with Boris Berlin at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto and completed her MMus with Ania Dorfman at the Juilliard School. She attended Jeunesses Musicales in Quebec, L’Institut d’Hautes Études Musicales and the Tibor Varga Institute in Switzerland. Adrienne was a prize-winner at the Munich and the Busoni International Piano Competitions.
PALENAI joined piano duos from 13 countries at the First International Piano Duo Festival held in various cities in Israel. Their research paper on the Duo Piano and Duet Music of Canadian Composers was presented at the Targ Center in Jerusalem. Other festival appearances include the Odessa Dialogues Festival in the Ukraine and Bad Herrenalb International Piano Duo Festival in Germany.
PALENAI Duo has premiered and recorded numerous works by Canadian composers.
Inherent in their creative work is a “message of change” through preservation of natural environments and the ethics of animal welfare.
Adrienne is an avid gardener, and Joy befriends every animal crossing her path! They actively support and volunteer for various local, national and international organisations working to change laws and improve the lives of animals.
Reviews
“Exhilarating - a standout at the Festival.”
“There exists a sympathetic and malleable way with the music.”
“Artistic brilliance and technical excellence.”
“Encompassing sensitivity.”
“A fine two piano team with an interest and dedication to Canadian music.”
““Masterful ensemble…profound expression.”
“Palenai’s debut in the United Kingdom was a most outstanding performance, well-attended by music lovers and critics.”
“The great Fantasie of Schubert played with impeccable musical ensemble, power and tenderness.”