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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday October 13, 2006 - 33 Artscene Oakville Beaver · FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2006 Cellist wins prize to play 1824 cello group is now in England for performances, and then off to France and Israel. "We're so lucky that we get to go to For the next three years, Oakville's these places and see them and discover Rachel Mercer will be playing an 1824 the different cities and see the different Italian cello worth more than $200,000. cultures," said Mercer, "and of course, The 28-year-old was recently award- play the music." ed the instrument from the Canada She played her first concert with her Council for the Arts after placing second cello just last week. in the cello category in a national com"It was really nice. My family was petition that loans valuable instruments there and they said they could really to worthy musicians. hear the difference," she said. "It's an amazing thing to be able to "Instruments of that quality, you can have for three years," said Mercer, an tell that they're old and they've develOakville-Trafalgar High School gradu- oped this sound through the years of ate. the wood being aged." "It's such a wonderful instrument. To To earn the cello, she had to submit play on something that's so a recording, biographical old and has such quality is information, a repertoire amazing." and a letter explaining why Through donations and "It's such a she needed a high-quality loans, the Canada Council instrument. wonderful for the Arts' Musical "Mostly I said it was Instrument Bank acquires instrument. because in my quartet, the valuable stringed instru- To play on other three have instruments to be loaned to gifted something that's ments of this quality," she young Canadian musicians so old and has explained. to help further their inter"I have to be on that such quality is national music careers. level, and because of the A final, live round before amazing." places my group plays in a jury in Toronto deterthe world, it really makes a mined who won the 11 Rachel Mercer, difference when you're instruments loaned out this cellist playing in different halls." year, which are worth a total Mercer has only played a of more than $18 million. cello of this quality a hand"When I walk around with it, I'm ful of times ­ but she's never had such worried I'm going to damage it. You an instrument for a long period of time. have to be really careful ­ it's a real "It's wonderful," she said. "When you antique," Mercer said of the 1824 have an instrument like this, it makes it McConnell Nicolaus Gagliano cello. easier, and I think it adds something. It "It's so beautiful and dark and you really inspires you to go to another can see the grain of the wood. It's amaz- level." ing that it's in this condition." The next time Mercer plays in Mercer, who began cello studies at Canada is at the Kitchener-Waterloo age three and continued those studies at Chamber Society on Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. the University of Toronto, has been a and Christ Church Deer Park in Toronto member of the Aviv String Quartet on Nov. 9 at 12:30 p.m. since 2002. The Aviv Quartet is visiting southern The four-person group has per- Ontario in the first week of March, formed all over the world, including 2007. Europe, China, Israel, Brazil and the For Aviv Quartet albums, visit United States, and they've also put out L'Atelier Grigorian in downtown several records together. Oakville. Mercer recently returned to Oakville ­ Krissie Rutherford can be contactafter performing in Latvia, and the ed at krutherford@oakvillebeaver.com. OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF By Krissie Rutherford WINNING CELLIST: Rachel Mercer will, for the next three years, be playing an 1824 Italian cello valued at more than $200,000 for placing second in a Canada Council for the Arts competition. Artists home gallery tour features 23 artists at seven homes The Oakville Artists Home Gallery Tour is today and tomorrow. The annual tour features the work of 23 artists this year, including two students. Everything from oil, acrylics and watercolours to photography, ceramics and jewelry is included in the show. The art will be on display at seven different homes. At tour home one, 1306 Hillview Rd., the works of Cathy Van Damme-Lorraway, Gail Mowat and Carol Gray will be on display. Rainer Wenzl, Nancy Goruk, Victoria Pearce and Christina Lee's art will be shown at tour home two, 1273 Hillview Rd. Tour home three, 1218 Halfmoon Lane, features the work of Michele Farris, Dominique Prevost, Lori and Steve Cranson. Stuart Carless, Todd Hobley and Margarita Marulanda will be showing their work at tour home four, 1184 Lambeth Rd. Tour home five, 2091 Granby Dr., features Roberta Carbone, Phylis Myers and Lynn Moniz, while Kasey Ball, Joan Kirby and Sandy Trunzer will display their art at tour home six, 1060 Glenashton Dr. The final house on the home gallery tour, tour home seven, 2019 Grand Blvd., features Elizabeth Elkin, Katarina McCombe, Sharon Gallinger and Diana Julia Elkin. The Oakville Artists Home Gallery Tour is Oct. 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. ­ 4 p.m. For more, including a detailed map and information on the contributing artists, visit www.oakvillearttour.com