Arne Sahlen: Back in the Saddle Again!

Arne Sahlen will perform two piano recitals at Centre 64 on Mondays May 20 and 27. Both concerts will start at 7 pm, with admission by donation.

To quote author Graham Greene in 'The Wind in the Willows': Sahlen "never did anything small!"   In not one but two programs, he will show off the Centre 64 Kawai grand piano - for which he led the fund-raising four decades ago - and a Sabathil harpsichord, precursor to the piano, built in Vancouver and donated in early 2000s by iconic Kimberley resident the late Wendy Panattoni.

Music to be played includes Classical standards, Jazz-Popular-Country greats, Canadian works and Videogame music.  Why such variety?  "A splendid smorgasbord, music has meaning in every style.  Wendy taught piano, co-founded our regional Symphony, and enjoyed Country music.  Some of my students love videogame offerings; one played a few in our East Kootenay Festival to raves from the piano adjudicator.  We can explore it all while learning both piano skills and music appreciation."

Sahlen has been much out of the local loop in recent years. In 2022-23 he drove weekly to Golden as place-holder for a teacher whose mother in Calgary was battling cancer.  This past teaching year was much taken up with fourteen Calgary trips to care and pack up for a brother in serious health decline. Sahlen gives lessons in Cranbrook, Invermere and Creston as well as Kimberley, and three of his advanced students are chosen delegates for the BC Provincial Festival in June.

Sahlen is able at last to commit more to Kimberley life, in particular his passion for playing at The Pines and Garden View seniors' homes.  His Centre 64 programs will include lively "info-tainment" about music history and the lives of the composers.

Admission by donation. Food Bank items also appreciated.