August 16, 2024

LIKE FATHER AND GRANDFATHER, PIANIST BRETT SONTAG PACKS ‘EM IN AT TRINITY UNITED CHURCH

GRAVENHURST — A nice moment after Brett Sontag’s concert Wednesday evening at the United Church was a photo-op with his grandfather Adam and dad Dale.

The three generations of guitar players shaking hands was a fun way to end a brilliant evening of piano music.

**Brett Sontage shakes hands with his grandfather Adam and dad Dale who inspired him to play guitar, piano and violin.**

The fourth and final concert in Trinity United Church’s summer series had its largest audience to hear Brett. That’s the power of name recognition.

The youngest Sontag was at the keyboard for an 80-minute recital that drew a cross section of people in his “14-year musical journey.”

At 30, he sounded amazingly accomplished having only taken up piano at age 16. He also plays guitar and violin.

In the intervening years, the self-taught pianist (“I’ve only had about 10 lessons” from former TUC organist Dan McCoy) appears to have mastered all 88 keys.

Enough to draw multiple rounds of applause — helped by playing a dozen truncated pieces with all but one of which he wrote. Some of his pieces, he said, have done quite well on Spotify.

**Sontag drew the largest crowd for TUC’s summer music series Wednesday night.**

Many who turned out were teachers past at Gravenhurst Public School, Gravenhurst High School and Upper Canada College, where he just finished a three-year contract as an EA, IT specialist and sports coach. It’s also where he honed his musical chops further, in particular playing with friend Lucas Chen a viola and violinist with the Toronto Youth Symphony.

Sontag is currently looking an EA gig in Muskoka.

A truly nice guy (“I was never a troublemaker growing up or much of a rebel”), he dedicated three pieces he wrote to his late grandmother Martha Sontag (“Pure of Heart); and late good friends Duncan Veitch (“Twinkling Star”) and Cheryl Green (Forever in Our Heart”).

Another dedication (“Unsung Hero”) was to Ellen Yeo, a former teacher at Monck Public School in Bracebridge — she one half of the children’s musical duo Jam Sandwich who was thrilled to be on hand.

Sontag says his lack of formal piano education allows him to break rules by mixing Rachmaninoff and Bach in the same piece.

**The new surround sound was an ideal venue to hear a dozen original songs by Sontag.**

“Emotional storm” let him introduce the piece by talking about being a bit of a “rapper, influencer and motivational speaker.” It also gave him an opportunity to share sayings he’s learned to live by.

Another of his original songs was one he wrote just a year after he started playing piano, called “Soldiers.” He wrote it in Grade 12 and performed it at a GPS Remembrance Day service.

He says his heart remains in Gravenhurst and he wrote “The Place” about his beloved hometown.

With a grandfather who still plays (“by ear”) at the Catholic Church each Sunday morning and a dad who once packed the Opera House for his own concert that’s no surprise.

Gramps wants to jam with his grandson before Brett takes a month-long holiday next month.

Sontag said he hoped “this will be the first of many concerts to come here.”

Amen to that.