Valerie Tryon at this years Brott Festival

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The Brott Music Festival is happening in Hamilton this month, and tomorrow night’s evening of nostalgic dancing at Liuna Station is sold out. The historic train depot will be transformed into a Viennese ballroom.

Lisa Hepfner introduces us to one dancer and world-renowned pianist, who’s been living in Hamilton since 1971.

Valerie Tryon comes from an artistic family. Her father painted a portrait of her, her mother sang and played piano. “When I was four she tells me I pushed her off the piano stool. And ever since, I’ve been playing the piano. It’s what I do.”

She still plays for audiences around the world, and has taught at McMaster University and now Redeemer University. “Actually teaching is a very necessary thing. You can ruin the way a person looks at anything by the way you teach them. Or you can inspire them.”

Yet, she sees her own skill continue to grow. “The youngsters have fantastic technique, they can all play wonderfully, but they haven’t had the life experience behind them to bring out the soul. You need to have a life to play really well. Any performance, I think.”

And for Tryon, having a life, means dancing. “I just love dancing.”

So for this year’s Brott Festival, she’ll be waltzing in a Viennese ballroom as well as headlining her own piano concert.