Eric & Stuart Eigler

Pianists

Eric and Stuart Eigler started playing the piano at the age of three. They are now studying with Olga Tcherniak. Eric and Stuart participated in music festivals and won many scholarships and trophies. Eric has won the top trophies in Brantford and Norfolk. Eric earned first class honours for his RCM ARCT performance exam, and is working on the Licentiate. Stuart finished Grade 10 piano and is working on his ARCT. Eric and Stuart performed at a fundraiser for NYCO (North York Concert Orchestra), in the Sanderson lobby at many Brantford Music Club (BMC) shows, and played at BMC Young Artists’ Recitals. Eric was the Young Artist soloist in 2022. Eric played Beethoven Piano Concerto 1 with the Brantford Community Symphony Orchestra. Since the start of the Covid lockdowns, Eric and Stuart have performed on their driveway ten times to entertain the neighbours. Most recently, they performed at Whistling Gardens, organized by Arcady Ensemble. In addition to playing the piano, Stuart and Eric like practising chess, table tennis, karate (junior black belt), and designing objects to build with the 3d printer.

Ronald Beckett

Artistic director

Ronald Beckett has had numerous compositions performed by ensembles throughout Ontario. He has written three operas that constitute a trilogy: Ruth, John, and I Am…. that have been given fully staged performances by Arcady and Queens Student Opera. Ruth, due largely to its length (72 minutes) and facility of staging, has received some twenty performances since its premiere in 1996. Ron’s catalogue of compositions includes a number of additional large-scale works for orchestra or orchestra and chorus and an abundance of chamber music and pieces for piano and organ. Since 2008, he has written a great number of songs and music for youth, specifically for the Arcady Youth Singers.

Ron is the founding director of Arcady, an organization established in order to encourage outstanding young musicians by providing them a bridge between their student and professional performing careers. Most of Arcady’s work is in two areas: period performances of early music repertoire and the works of Ronald Beckett. The ensemble offers 20 to 30 programs ranging from small ensemble to full choral-orchestral performances in Ontario each year. Arcady has released three CD recordings on the Crescendo label: A Baroque Messiah (1999), Welcome Yule! (2001), and Ruth (2007). Welcome Yule! is a collection of original Christmas compositions and Beckett arrangements. Ron also arranged and conducted Ruby Productions’ CD entitled Peace on Earth (2000). In 2002, Phoenix Records released the CD A Beckett Miscellany – a sampling of Ron’s instrumental music performed by The Essex Winds and Arcady.

A Summa Cum Laude graduate from McMaster University in History and Theory, Ronald Beckett is an Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Music (Piano Performance), and also holds a Master of Music degree in composition from the University of Western Ontario. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to music and community, he was inducted into the McMaster Alumni Gallery in 2004.

Ron is a member of SOCAN, the Canadian League of Composers and the Canadian Music Centre. His works are frequently heard on classical radio in North America and Europe.

Visit Ron’s website for more information: www.ronaldbeckettmusic.com