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Rameau (arr. Suren Barry) - Overture to Pygmalion
Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances
- Intermission -
Kelly-Marie Murphy - Dr. Blue's Rapidly Deployable Escape Ladder
Stravinsky (arr. Alexeev) - Suite from The Firebird
Rameau (arr. Suren Barry) - Overture to Pygmalion
Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances
- Intermission -
Kelly-Marie Murphy - Dr. Blue's Rapidly Deployable Escape Ladder
Stravinsky (arr. Alexeev) - Suite from The Firebird
Duo Octavian is an acclaimed Canadian piano duo formed by pianists Carson Becke and Suren Barry. Specializing in music for two pianos and four-hand piano duets, the ensemble is celebrated for performing their own orchestral arrangements, expanding the repertoire, and emphasizing the creative role of the performer.
A high-level overview of their professional history and artistic profile includes:
Co-Founders & Background
Carson Becke: A pianist, composer, and educator. He holds a doctoral degree focusing on Richard Strauss and is a highly active solo performer, vocal collaborator, and chamber musician.
Suren Barry: A versatile artist adept at the piano, fortepiano, and harpsichord. He holds a doctoral degree from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, focusing on Mozart and historical improvisation.
Formation: Carson and Suren grew up playing in the same music circles in Ottawa, Canada, and officially formed Duo Octavian in 2016.
Artistic Vision & Repertoire
Philosophy: Duo Octavian believes that performers play an actively creative role in music-making. They push against the notion that performers are merely there to faithfully reproduce a composer's intentions.
Arrangements & Transcriptions: The duo frequently performs their own piano arrangements of massive orchestral works. Their portfolio includes:
Arrangements of music by Gustav Holst, Harold Bauer, and Dmitri Alexeev's two-piano suites of Stravinsky’s The Firebird and Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.
Name Origin: The name pays homage to the piano's octaves and to the hero Octavian from Richard Strauss's opera -Rosenkavalier
Career Highlights
They have performed at major Canadian venues and festivals, including the Ottawa Chamberfest and Doors Open for Music at Southminster.
Rameau (arr. Suren Barry) - Overture to Pygmalion
Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances
- Intermission -
Kelly-Marie Murphy - Dr. Blue's Rapidly Deployable Escape Ladder
Stravinsky (arr. Alexeev) - Suite from The Firebird
Rameau (arr. Suren Barry) - Overture to Pygmalion
Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances
- Intermission -
Kelly-Marie Murphy - Dr. Blue's Rapidly Deployable Escape Ladder
Stravinsky (arr. Alexeev) - Suite from The Firebird
Duo Octavian is an acclaimed Canadian piano duo formed by pianists Carson Becke and Suren Barry. Specializing in music for two pianos and four-hand piano duets, the ensemble is celebrated for performing their own orchestral arrangements, expanding the repertoire, and emphasizing the creative role of the performer.
A high-level overview of their professional history and artistic profile includes:
Co-Founders & Background
Carson Becke: A pianist, composer, and educator. He holds a doctoral degree focusing on Richard Strauss and is a highly active solo performer, vocal collaborator, and chamber musician.
Suren Barry: A versatile artist adept at the piano, fortepiano, and harpsichord. He holds a doctoral degree from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, focusing on Mozart and historical improvisation.
Formation: Carson and Suren grew up playing in the same music circles in Ottawa, Canada, and officially formed Duo Octavian in 2016.
Artistic Vision & Repertoire
Philosophy: Duo Octavian believes that performers play an actively creative role in music-making. They push against the notion that performers are merely there to faithfully reproduce a composer's intentions.
Arrangements & Transcriptions: The duo frequently performs their own piano arrangements of massive orchestral works. Their portfolio includes:
Arrangements of music by Gustav Holst, Harold Bauer, and Dmitri Alexeev's two-piano suites of Stravinsky’s The Firebird and Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.
Name Origin: The name pays homage to the piano's octaves and to the hero Octavian from Richard Strauss's opera -Rosenkavalier
Career Highlights
They have performed at major Canadian venues and festivals, including the Ottawa Chamberfest and Doors Open for Music at Southminster.