Take a journey through sound with a pairing unlike any other! Duo Tubello explores the lush and unexpected soundscape where the worlds of brass and strings collide. Typically only playing together in the orchestral setting, this husband-wife ensemble was born during the pandemic. Since the lockdown, they have enjoyed curating and arranging selections from the tuba and cello repertoires that showcase the beauty and lyricism of both instruments. This Noon Hour Concert program will encompass the baroque, classical, romantic, and contemporary repertoire from Schumann to Joplin.
A native of Toronto, Chris Lee began playing tuba at the age of twelve at Winona Drive Senior Public School and instantly discovered a passion for performing. During his time at Winona, Chris met Chuck Daellenbach of the Canadian Brass, and performed over 50 concerts with the Winona Brass Quintet including a tour of Japan. Chuck would serve as a role model and mentor for the remainder of Chris' career and those early musical experiences with the quintet would leave an indelible imprint on him.
After graduating from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, Chris’ formal education included studies with Dennis Miller at McGill, Alain Cazes at the Montreal Conservatoire and Dan Perantoni at Indiana University. His summers were spent performing at various summer festival orchestras including the National Academy Orchestra (Hamilton Canada), National Repertory Orchestra (Breckenridge, Colorado), National Orchestral Institute (College Park, Maryland), Verbier Festival Youth Orchestra (Switzerland) and a memorable summer in the Ceremonial Guard Band performing on Parliament Hill.
Chris’ professional orchestral tuba career began overseas in Spain, performing as Principal Tuba with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia for 2 seasons before returning to Canada in 2003 to take up the same position with the Winnipeg Symphony for 15 seasons. In 2018, Chris Lee started as Principal Tuba with the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
Chris has been an active teacher and enjoys sharing his passion for music. While in Europe, Chris was the Professor of Tuba at the ESMAE School of Music in Porto, Portugal and is the former Instructor of Tuba at the University of Manitoba. He is very proud of his former students who hold a variety of positions. Chris gave the orchestral premiere of the Victor Davies Tuba Concerto in 2009 with the WSO and is always on the lookout to find new tuba repertoire to perform for Canadian audiences.
A native of Toronto, Desiree Abbey has appeared as soloist with the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, the Guelph Symphony Orchestra, and the National Repertory Orchestra. As an orchestral musician, she has toured Europe with the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival Orchestral Academy, played at Carnegie Hall with the New York String Orchestra Seminar and served as Assistant Principal cellist for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for the 2011-2012 season.
Desiree holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music with Desmond Hoebig, and both a Master of Music Degree and Professional Studies Diploma from Mannes College The New School for Music with Timothy Eddy. Desiree is a passionate music educator and an active freelance musician. An avid chamber musician herself, Desiree has served on the board of directors of the Agassiz Chamber Music Festival.
The Noon Hour Concert series is proudly sponsored by
