Sarah Hagen in "Perk Up, Pianist!"

Our Second Concert of our 2023 - 2024 Concert Series - Sarah Hagen with her show " Perk up, Pianist!" 

Often referred to as the next Victor Borge, Sarah Hagen has transformed her award-winning
role as “concert pianist” into a stand-up, or rather, sit-down comedy. Pairing anecdotes from the
road with some of her favourite pieces by Chopin, Debussy, and Liszt, Sarah takes audiences
deep inside the world of a classical musician as she shares her earnest efforts to keep her
spirits up in the midst of troublesome times.

Part storytelling and part recital, “Perk up pianist!”
has been described as “one of the best hours I’ve ever spent at the Fringe” [The Coast
(Halifax)].

“Her comic timing is as solid as her musical meter.” - The Edmonton Journal

Directed by Rick Roberts
Created, written and performed by Sarah Hagen, with original compositions

 

Awarded as Artist of the Year by both Ontario Contact (2017) and the BC Touring Council (2015),
and mentioned by The Guardian (Charlottetown) as the Best Classical Performance of 2014, pianist
Sarah Hagen’s interpretations have been described as "outstandingly inventive" [University of Waterloo
Gazette], ”played flawlessly” [ReviewVancouver]. Her extensive touring has taken her across
Canada, to Sweden, France, Germany and Italy, and twice to New York City’s Carnegie Hall. Sarah
released an album of Goldberg Variations in 2021. Her third album, Women of Note, highlights two
forgotten female composers of the 18th century, and garnered the 2021 Music PEI Instrumental
Recording of the Year as well as two ECMA nominations. Sarah’s debut solo album, Glass House
Dancing, was nominated for Classical Recording of the Year at the 2009 Western Canadian Music
Awards. Her second album, Devoted: Music of Robert & Clara Schumann, features solo piano works
and Clara Schumann’s Romances, Opus 22 with violinist Martin Chalifour, concertmaster of the Los
Angeles Philharmonic. In addition to writing wine reviews for her blog, “ARTIST WINES! - Uncorking
musician-priced cellar secrets,” Sarah tours a one-woman musical comedy show called “Perk up,
pianist!” of which the Edmonton Journal wrote, “Her comic timing is as solid as her musical meter.”
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