News from Gustin House
and Gustin/Trounce Heritage Committee Inc.

Vol. 18, no. 2, November 2022

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Music and Sculpture, March 5, 2023 at 3 p.m.

A re-scheduled event in the Gustin House inter-arts Sunday series highlights artists and creative artistic works intimately connected with the prairies. Gustin House proudly presents three local musicians and a sculptor, all of whom have appeared and/or exhibited internationally. Soprano Helen Pridmore and pianist Michael Angell will perform music of composers who made an important mark in our province: Marguerita (Rita) Spencer, Harry Abley, and Robert Fleming; Gregory Schulte will perform organ compositions by Russell Green. Sculptor Douglas Bentham, widely known for dramatic welded metal pieces that grace our city and are seen in centres across Canada, will display and speak about a selection of his works. On this occasion, the venue will be St. John’s Anglican Cathedral, 816 Spadina Crescent East. N.b. For the protection and ease of artists and audience, masks are required at this event. Admission: $25, at the door.

Announcing Kloppenburg Concert Gift

Gustin House is most grateful to Cheryl and the late Henry Kloppenburg for a generous gift of funding, arranged over the past months, that will enable Gustin House to bring several exceptional concerts to our stage in coming seasons. This visionary gift follows upon support the couple had given to the Lyell Gustin Recital Series during years past. Highly regarded philanthropists, notably in education, literature, and art, both had studied piano with Gustin graduates and are part of the rich tradition and great musical lineage of Beethoven-Czerny-Leschetizky-Durno-Gustin. Our gratitude to them is now joined to deep sympathy from the entire community to Cheryl Kloppenburg on the passing of her husband, October 12, 2022.

In its 103rd Year, Gustin House relies on you

Thank you for your donations, and know that your contributions enable us to serve musical life, student and professional musicians, and the broader cultural- heritage public. Gifts may be sent by cheque (for mailing address, see over), or via our website: a click on “Donate” will reach CanadaHelps.org. We invite endowment gifts to the Lyell Gustin Musical Legacy Fund at the Saskatoon Community Foundation, and we ask you to please remember Gustin House in your Will. Every gift, small or large, makes a difference!

Lyell Gustin Recital Series 2023

These first decades of the 21st century invite us to well and joyfully celebrate the birth of the piano in Italy some 300 years ago! In praise of the piano, the most-played instrument in the world, and which was at the heart of the Lyell Gustin Piano Studios, 2023 will be uniquely an all-piano season. Superb artists from national and international stages will perform music from across the spectrum of the piano’s history, an array of marvellous repertoire for the “Queen of Instruments.” Season pricing is in place to facilitate your chance of hearing all our fine upcoming artists:

Luca Buratto – Tuesday, January 24, 7:30 p.m.

A winner of the prestigious Honens International Piano Competition, this native of Milan, Italy, will perform works of Schumann, Debussy and Ravel.

Catherine Vickers, Tuesday, April 11, 7:30 p.m.

Saskatchewan-born pianist living in Germany and a lauded practitioner of contemporary music, her recital program will focus on 20th-21st century compositions.

David Jalbert, Tuesday, August 22, 7:30 p.m.

Described by CBC Music as one of Canada’s top 15 classical pianists ever, a Quebec native now based in Ottawa, he will perform Bach, Brahms and Prokofiev.

Venue: our regular “concert home,” St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 436 Spadina Crescent East

Admission: $50 regular / $30 student; for all three concerts, season price, $135 regular / $75 student

Tickets: St. John’s Music, Saskatoon Academy of Music, Gustin/Trounce Committee members, or at www.gustinhouse.ca

N.b. For the comfort and safety of performers and audience, masks are required at all recitals. This remains in effect unless updated near concert date.

Glorious Recitals completed Centenary 2020

A performance by the world renowned star pianist Janina Fialkowska in mid-May 2022, followed by a delightful recital by cellist Cameron Crozman and pianist Meagan Milatz in August, fulfilled the promise and plan for the Gustin Centenary of 2020. Warmest thanks to all the artists for so graciously honouring a commitment made at what seems a very long time ago, and to our steadfast audiences and community for sustained encouragement and support.

Passing of Gustin Graduates in 2022

M. Junice Headley, March 16, North Battleford

Dedicated and enthusiastic music teacher through a long lifetime, she was much appreciated as leader of church choirs, active participant in festivals and concerts, and contributor to the musical life of her community; recently, despite vision challenges, she brought the joy of music to senior residences.

Mary Barrett-Lenz, June 13, Saskatoon

Already prominent as a talented pianist when a young student of Lyell Gustin, she took on diverse musical pursuits: performing concerts, live radio broadcasts, playing for dances, leading music organizations, and always teaching. A loyal and devoted visitor to Mr. Gustin, she had a privileged insight into his last years.

Walter Falk, June 20, Lethbridge AB

As a youthful musician in the Gustin Studios, he was known for superb piano technique; his personal love of music led him into a career as music educator in both administrative and teaching roles. With his typical determination, he travelled to a Gustin Recital (by Janina Fialkowska) just weeks before his passing.

Sister Dolores Schneider, July 19, Saskatoon

Member of the Ursuline Sisters of Prelate, music teacher for decades, she is remembered fondly as choir director in her congregation and on parish and diocesan levels; ever a seeker of knowledge, her ensuing skills enabled her to serve in educational and liturgical capacities in this province and beyond.

History Alive: the Church, and the Trounces

Grace-Westminster United Church, near neighbour of Gustin House, marked its 140th Anniversary in spring of 2022. Its history dates to the establishment of the Temperance Colony by settlers who included Harry and Bessie Trounce. For an event on June 11, the Gustin/Trounce property hosted actor-speakers who performed historical sketches, including spiritual music sung by “Bessie” (the real Mrs. Trounce was musically trained). Grace-Westminster and Gustin House have been linked on various levels since Lyell Gustin’s own time. Our appreciation to the Church for repeated kind assistance to Gustin House, and for their members’ ecclesial presence serving Saskatoon.

Thank you to these wonderful Donors . . .

from Saskatoon: Ursuline Sisters of Bruno, Janice Shoquist, Theodore Makeechak, Jeanette Schuler, Joe and Cathy Fry, Patti McGillivray, Doreen Hickie, Kristin Enns-Kavanagh, Joyce Latrace-Lundquist,

Janis Robbins, Nestor Shinkewski, Jennifer Zhang, Sheryl McKee, Cheryl and Henry Kloppenburg, Viola Kruger, and Audrey Siemens; from other centres: Rachel Andrist (Estevan SK), Ann Burnard Crawford and Helen Larratt (both of Calgary), Maidra Creswell (Victoria), Marjorie and Garth Beckett, and Maidrid Jonat (all of Toronto); and Patricia and James Leach (Ottawa);

. . . for memorial gifts: Anonymous, in memory of Shirley and Peter Pridmore; Michael Pomedli and Joan Halmo, in memory of Sheila Shinkewski;

. . . for items donated: Garth Beckett (Toronto), an insightful paper summarizing his five years of piano studies at the Lyell Gustin Piano Studios; Bernadette Kutarna (Regina), scores and musical items from the collection of Gustin graduate Sister Joan Miller;

. . . for volunteer assistance: at recitals, Marie Jolly, Alicia Klopoushak, Michael Angell, Lynne Graham, Karen Sterner, Jerry Hu, Anne MacMillan, Andrea MacMillan-Johnson; scholarships and student contact, Cheryl Steponchev and Kathleen Lohrenz Gable; joining Committee members to make thank-you calls, Edna Thiessen, Lorene Nickel, Michael Pomedli;

. . . for professional services and consultation:

Clarke Brenner, Harry Dalsgaard, Levi Nicholat, Zane Hrynewich, Marlene Reinbold, Blair Schmidt (Martensville); Helen Lee (Winnipeg); Andrew Haji, Chris Daviduik, and Rachel Pomedli (all of Toronto); and Delta Hotels Saskatoon.

Scholarships Awarded

Gustin House congratulates those who won our piano scholarships at the conclusion of last music season: Saskatoon Music Festival, 10-and-Under Concert group, Gracie Munshaw of Saskatoon; Lyell Gustin Memorial Piano Competition, first-place award, Grace Liu of Regina; and Saskatchewan Provincial Festival, the Garth Beckett/Gustin House Senior Piano Scholarship, Leah Macfarlane of Saskatoon.

Do not neglect theory. It will do you good. –– Lyell Gustin

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Gustin/Trounce Heritage Committee: Honorary President, Catherine Vickers, (Frankfurt, Germany); President, Sheryl McKee; Secretary-treasurer, Joan Halmo; Stephen Kreuger, Gregory Schulte, Donald Roach; Advisory Group, Marie Jolly, Boyd McDonald (Kitchener), Ken Adams (Winnipeg).

Contact us: (306) 373-1451; www.gustinhouse.ca
Mail: 47 Pony Trail, Riverside Estates, Saskatoon SK S7T 1A4 —Joan Halmo, editor