Fierbois
oboe & piano | hautbois et piano
CAITLIN BROMS-JACOBS | oboe/hautbois
MADELINE HILDEBRAND | PIANO
The name Fierbois resonates deeply with Caitlin Broms-Jacobs (oboe) and Madeline Hildebrand (piano). Meaning “proud wood,” it references the core material of their instruments, the legendary sword and spirit of Joan of Arc, and the dignified majesty of the forests so central to the Canadian landscape. Through their music, Caitlin and Madeline reinforce these powerful connections, blending history and nature with their artistry.
At the heart of their concert program is Oscar Peterson’s jazz-infused “Canadiana Suite,” a musical exploration of the True North. The selections portray the rolling pine-covered Laurentians of Quebec, the sway of wheat fields in the Prairie provinces, and the imposing Rockies, land of the misty giants.
Maddy and Caitlin are passionate performers who believe in the power that music has in connecting with a wide range of audiences. In addition to masterful performance, they communicate through stories, anecdotes, and detailed introductions to the pieces they perform. Fierbois presents a remarkable tribute to the Canadian landscape and all of those who inhabit it.
“We’re fortunate to have artists of this caliber”
– Valley Voice B.C.
BIOGRAPHY
BLUE SKIES
Known for their joyful and electrifying performances, pianist Madeline Hildebrand and oboist Caitlin Broms-Jacobs are fast friends and musical collaborators. In 2014, the duo performed their first concert together on Winnipeg’s prestigious Millennium Recital Series. Having instant chemistry both on and offstage, the two realized they had found their perfect musical match, and have since gone on to bring their expressive music making to audiences across Canada. Their thrilling interchange of musical ideas is instantly apparent in their performances, which are infused with free-spirited warmth and ease of expression.
Self described as “serious musicians who don’t take themselves too seriously,” Madeline and Caitlin combine their infectious enthusiasm and unstuffy approach with sensitive and masterful playing, all with the goal of inspiring audiences and bringing joy through music.
The duo’s debut album launches in September 2024.
Caitlin Broms-Jacobs
Caitlin is the principal oboist of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, and also performs frequently as guest principal oboist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Her solo and chamber music performances were featured on the MCO’s 2021 livestream concert series, and her recent arrangement and performance with her MCO colleagues of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations was highly regarded.
In April 2022, Caitlin was featured as soloist with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra for the premiere of “Prayer in a Green Cathedral,” a new oboe concerto written especially for her by one of Canada’s finest composers, Kevin Lau.
Caitlin has appeared with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra as guest principal oboist, the Calgary Philharmonic, the Group of 27 Chamber Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the National Ballet Orchestra and has performed frequently as principal for Canzona Chamber Choir and MusikBarock Ensemble, and the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra. Caitlin previously held the position of principal oboist of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, and has premiered contemporary works for oboe and English Horn for Groundswell New Music as a soloist and with chamber ensemble. She was the Artistic Director and co-founder of the highly successful Liberty Village New Artist Series, a series of chamber music concerts held at the Academy of Spherical Arts in Toronto in 2009.
Originally from Toronto, Caitlin studied with Keith Atkinson at the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Young Artists Performance Academy. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music.
“
Gorgeous singing tone and sensitive musicality …. a delightfully musical player, with elegant tone and delivery.”
–
Madeline Hildebrand
Versatile pianist Madeline Hildebrand is quickly becoming a top-pick as a soloist and collaborator across Canada and the US. She appeared recently in concert with Philip Glass (Winnipeg New Music Festival), the Kronos Quartet (Mass MoCA), with Yarn/Wire (DiMenna Center, New York), and as a soloist for Music Toronto’s COSE series. Of her recent performance of Petroushskates, the composer Joan Tower says, “I was really impressed with how Madeline navigated that part with such ease and power at the same time …. one of the best performances of that piece I have heard.”
Whether cooperating with a singer or a sine wave, Madeline’s collaborative virtuosity leads much of her work. Her first prize win in the Women’s Musical Club’s McLellan Competition included a concerto debut with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. An Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition prize winner, her passion for creating unique musical experiences has led to numerous collaborations with living composers. She can be heard on T. Patrick Carrabré’s latest Western Canadian Music Award winning album 100,000 Lakes, and was spotlighted in Banff Centre’s 2022 Evolution: Classical led by the Gryphon Trio.
Madeline founded the Young Artists Program for Winnipeg’s Virtuosi Concert Series, and served on the board for seven years. As an adjudicator and master class clinician, she has appeared at numerous festivals throughout Canada, and enjoys her present post as interim instructor at Brandon University, and Canadian Mennonite University.
Madeline recently completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at Stony Brook University, NY, where she won the prestigious position as an IDEA (inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility) grad, crafting pathways through curriculums for new interdisciplinary degree programs, and devising service-learning projects for the music department.
“
An extraordinary young artist whose communicative skills convey the essence of all that she plays. Her pianism is of the highest level, and she has an instinctive understanding of beautiful sound.”
– Jon Kimura Parker on Madeline Hildebrand
…. two of our city’s finest musicians. Artistically enticing, sympathetic, creative, and dynamic”
-Winnipeg Classic 107
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