Why Not City Missions’ hosted its second annual Candlelight Concert fundraiser at the Brant Community Church on Saturday, February 1, 2025.
Inspired by the popular candlelight concerts that have been held in multiple cities all over the world, the evening featured a striking performance by the Quintessence Ensemble.
Karen Stewart, Executive Director of Why Not City Missions, began the evening event with a warm welcome and an introduction to the Cacciacarro sisters, Miriam, Hannah and Abigail.
“I have the privilege of announcing Quintessence tonight. They are a remarkable string trio comprised of three sisters whose passion for music and commitment to excellence have taken them from small performances in Toronto, to high profile stages around the world,” said Stewart. “Their journey began as a modest ensemble playing for intimate gatherings, but their talent and dedication quickly propelled them into the spotlight. …Today’s program will feature a beautiful selection of classical and well-recognized pieces performed with the precision and artistry that Quintessence is known for. As Christian musicians, their mission goes beyond just performing; they strive to glorify God through every note they play, bringing inspiration and joy to their audiences.”
The Cacciacarro sisters, who sat centre stage surrounded by numerous candles, then opened their performance with Édith Piaf’s ‘La Vie en rose.’
With Miriam and Abigail on violin, and Hannah on cello, the sisters performed a variety of well-known songs throughout their first set including, Henry Mancini’s “Moon River” (best known from Breakfast at Tiffany’s), Ennio Morricone’s “Gabriel’s Oboe” (from The Mission), Pietro Mascagni’s “Intermezzo” from the opera Cavalleria Rusticana), Antonio Vivaldi’s “Winter Largo” from his “Four Seasons” concerto, and finally, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik.”
Breaking for intermission, many attendees headed downstairs to enjoy several hors d’oeuvre style snacks, while others stuck around for the chance to ask the sisters various questions.
The trio shared that while their parents personally don’t play any instruments themselves, it was their love for classical music and their continued support that encouraged their daughters to pick up the strings.
“They would always have classical music playing in the house and from the time we were young, they would take us to concerts in Toronto where we grew up,” said Hannah.
The oldest of the three, Miriam has been playing the violin since she was five-years-old. While Hannah originally picked up the violin at the age of six, she later switched to the cello at nine-years-old and has been playing ever since.
Wanting to follow in the footsteps of her older sisters, Abigail later picked up the violin at the age of four.
Having all attended the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, their passions later led the three to teaching students themselves and they now run their own school, Studio Forte, in the Niagara Region where they now reside.
Speaking of the evening’s event, the Cacciacarro sisters said they were happy to be there.
“It’s been such a beautiful evening and we’re always happy to support such a great cause too,” said Abigail.
“When I had spoken to Karen about Why Not and all its programs, it was so amazing to hear about all the things they have done in the community,” added Miriam. “To be there for all those young people when they’re at such a vulnerable time in their life… it’s just such a wonderful thing and so we’re glad that we could come out and help with that.”
Returning from the intermission, the non-profit organization took the opportunity to play a video to provide guests with more information about Why Not City Missions and its programs, before welcoming the sisters back up to the stage.
Moving into their second set with music from composers like Antonín Dvořák, Johann Sebastian Bach, Frédéric Chopin, and Giacomo Puccini, the Cacciacarro’s continued to impress the crowd with their repertoire.
Nearing the end of the night, the ladies garnered a standing ovation for their performance of Francesco Sartori’s “Con te partirò,” also known as Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman’s “Time to Say Goodbye.”
Having come prepared with an encore piece, they played just one final song, Eduardo di Capua and Alfredo Mazzuchi’s “O’Sole Mio,” a nod to their Italian heritage.
Afterwards, Stewart said she was thrilled with how the overall performance went.
“Oh, I loved it. It was just fantastic and we’re so thrilled with everybody who came out, and with the quality of musicians we had… it was just beautiful,” she said.
Brantford residents, Donald and Karen, also shared similar sentiments.
“I thought it was just wonderful, we really enjoyed it,” said Karen. “They’re very accomplished and as they played longer, they just got even better. The ambience was also so lovely with all those candles too. …It was nice to be able to have something of this quality happening right here in Brantford; our son just went to something similar in Toronto so it was nice that we could experience this without leaving the city.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
