Delicacy, precision, power. These words come to mind when Nicole Presentey and John Kofi Dapaah make music together. 

The Ottawa pianists performed “1 Piano, 4 Hands” in the NAC’s Thorsteinson Staircase, part of the Midday Matinées series at Chamberfest. 

The pair met at Carleton University, where Dapaah studied with Presentey. Soon after, they began playing duets together at Chamberfest and developed a close musical bond.

On Tuesday afternoon, a confident Presentey and Dapaah in matching plum outfits took their seats at the piano, much to the delight of the audience, who quickly filled seats and gathered around to listen.

The performance began with Mozart’s “Overture to the Marriage of Figaro.” Through practiced co-ordination, the duo immediately demonstrated their connection with this playful piece. 

The duo then moved into a series of selections from Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46. Morgenstemning (Morning Mood) is immediately recognizable to anyone familiar with classical music.

The duo painted the air with colour and sound as they danced through each movement, demonstrating the versatility and range of their instrument.

After each song, Dapaah and Presentey smiled at each other and then the audience. The obvious joy and satisfaction they felt when playing was contagious, and quickly spread throughout the room.

The pair moved through a glistening arrangement, finishing with clean dramatic intensity as they took on Grieg’s I Dovregubbens hall (In the Hall of the Mountain King), another iconic classic. 

During a brief intermission, Chamberfest Rising Stars winner Cal McGowan gave a stunning cello performance, accompanied on the piano by father and Carleton University professor, performer and composer James McGowan.

The McGowans earned a huge round of applause with their rich fluidity and mechanical precision. 

“Cal McGowan IS the music,” said Presentey, who is the creator and lead juror of the Rising Stars Showcase. 

Following this delightful interlude, Presentey and Dapaah channelled Claude Debussy with their performance of Prélude à l’après midi d’un faune. 

Strong themes and undertones carried the song, making it feel more like a story than a piece of music. Dapaah and Presentey wrote each chapter with grace. 

Next came selections from Astor Piazzolla’s  Histoire du Tango, including Bordel 1900, Cafe 1930, Nightclub 1960 and Concert d’aujourd’hui. 

Here, the duo demonstrated their mastery of their craft through perfectly balanced music full of depth and nuance. They support each other musically, but also know when to give space. 

The show ended on a high note with a fan favourite, a fugue arrangement of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance.

Music is often described as a universal language, but there is something about the way Dapaah and Presentey speak to each other through the piano that stays entirely between them. When they play together, it’s much more than just hitting the keys. It is storytelling, it is dance, it is a lifetime of dedication condensed into one hour of music.

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