Rivka Golani Joins Turning Point Ensemble for Vancouver Concerti Premiere

Turning Point Ensemble will present Concerti Premiere, unveiling new chamber ensemble works on February 21, 2026, at 7:30pm and February 22, 2026, at 4:30pm at The Annex (823 Seymour St). The program features three world premieres, one North American premiere, and solos by world-renowned violist Rivka Golani, as well as TPE's own accomplished bassoonist, Ingrid Chiang.

The program comprises four main works: Concerto for Viola - Rivka (world premiere) by Vancouver composer and TPE Artistic Director Owen Underhill, featuring Golani as soloist; Musical Offering No. 2 “Golani” (North American premiere) by Canadian composer Michael Pepa, also with Golani as soloist; Morning Twilight (world premiere) by Taiwanese-American composer Chichun Chi-Sun Lee, showcasing Chiang; and Sauntersludge (world premiere) by Vancouver composer Eldritch Priest.

Rivka Golani is recognised as one of the outstanding violists of modern times. Her contributions to the advancement of viola technique have earned her a place in the history of the instrument. These advances have inspired other players and motivated many composers to write for the viola. More than 350 works have been composed for Rivka so far, including over 80 concertos—a record matched by no other violist in history.

“It's a pleasure to collaborate with Rivka Golani again after meeting her during our European tour in 2023,” says Owen Underhill, Artistic Director. “I was honoured when she asked me to write a piece for her, and it's been delightful to work together and receive her input throughout the process.”

Underhill's Concerto for Viola – Rivka comprises three movements, and is the largest-scale work the composer has written for TPE. The piece will be recorded by the ensemble after the live performances. Also written for Golani, Michael Pepa's Musical Offering No. 2 “Golani” begins by manipulating the B.A.C.H theme and concludes with a collage of The Art of the Fugue, a Ukrainian folk melody, and a Serbian folk melody.

Written with bassoonist Chiang in mind, Morning Twilight by Chichun Chi-Sun Lee traces the gradual emergence of light—from absolute darkness to the first appearance of the sun—through five sections and two interludes. Beyond its astronomical imagery, the concerto reflects Chiang's personal journey of resilience in overcoming cancer, as well as Taiwan's collective passage from historical darkness toward renewed international visibility. 

Sauntersludge by Eldritch Priest was written for TPE as a whole; the lounge-like piece is the only work in the program without a soloist.