Goldberg Variations is not just a piano piece. Bach’s multipart masterpiece has been likened to Everest — an ascent through 30 demanding variations that within the piano world known to test the performer’s dexterity, endurance and mastery of counterpoint. And for decades, concert pianist Angela Hewitt has scaled it with passion and precision.
The Ottawa native began playing the piano at three years old, and was formally trained at the University of Ottawa and Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris. Her career soared after winning the 1985 Toronto International Bach Piano Competition, a prestigious biannual event awarding $15,000 and other life-changing opportunities to a musician with world-class potential. Since then, Hewitt has brought powerful pieces to New York City’s Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. She also published Angela Hewitt’s Bach Book, solidifying her reputation as a globally leading pianist.
Her April 7th performance at the Winspear Centre marks her first time back in Edmonton after more than 20 years, when she taught a guest master class at the University of Alberta’s Convocation Hall.
Presented by Edmonton Chamber Music Society, this Live at the Winspear event promises to be an 80-minute musical marathon that immerses audiences in Bach’s intricate world. Originally composed for harpsichord, Goldberg Variations gradually became a piano composition known for its technical complexity and emotional range. For Hewitt, performing it goes beyond playing the piano. It’s about guiding the audience through “a great voyage” — a journey that will end by entering “another world” entirely.
“It’s always very emotional to play in my home country,” says Hewitt, who has spent the past 35 years living in London, as well as Umbria, Italy, where she’s artistic director of the Trasimeno Music Festival. “And especially at this time,” she adds, alluding to the current moment of strong national pride. “I think it’s really important that I have all these concerts in Canada.”
This performance of Bach’s master is a return to one of her signature shows and demonstrates her evolution as an artist since first performing Goldberg Variations in 1975. Initially, Hewitt’s interpretation was focused on prevision and clarity, but over the years her technique matured, infusing more expression into each variation. In 2025, Hewitt is determined to offer a fresh and profound experience, reintroducing the Goldberg Variations in a way that invites guests on a “great voyage… akin to spiritual experience.” This reintroduction began earlier this year with a memorable 50th anniversary performance at Nova Scotia’s Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance.
This performance also marks a major milestone for the Edmonton Chamber Music Society — which celebrates its 70th season of bringing world-class talent to the city. Hewitt, who has performed internationally, knows how significant it is to keep such an organization thriving. “It’s not easy these days to keep a concert society running.”
To encourage younger audiences and ensure the longevity of live classical music, the society offers ticket rates of $32.55 for those under 30, while standard admission remains $58.80 — an effort to balance financial sustainability with inclusivity, making high-caliber performances more accessible to the next generation of concertgoers.
