PORTopera’s 15th Anniversary Gala Concert Features Internationally Acclaimed Singers

PORTopera's 15th Anniversary Gala Concert Features Internationally Acclaimed Singers

PORTLAND, Maine – On July 30th, seven nationally and internationally recognized opera singers will take the stage at Merrill Auditorium in celebration of PORTopera's 15th Anniversary season. The Gala's featured singers will present selections from the company's past productions, as well as pieces from operas under consideration for future years, accompanied by a full orchestra.

Directed by PORTopera's Artistic Director Dona D. Vaughn, the concert will be conducted by Robert Moody, celebrated Music Director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Featured singers for the concert include PORTopera past guest artists: Pamela Armstrong (soprano), Jeneice Golbourne (mezzo-soprano), Sandra Lopez (soprano), Michael Mayes (baritone), Lauren McNeese (mezzo-soprano), Jan Opalach (bass-baritone), and Gaston Rivero (tenor).

Pamela Armstrong, a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, has appeared in countless productions across the United States, Europe, and has even appeared as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Vienna State Opera in Beijing, China. Other leading roles include Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, the title role in Susannah, and Mimi in La Bohème. Armstrong made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and Opera Pacific in the 2001-2002 season, and recently returned to Europe to sing the role of the Countess in Toulouse, France. She appeared in La Bohème for PORTopera in 1999.

Jeniece Golbourne's career highlights include singing the lead role in Carmen and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, both at the Manhattan School of Music, and Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Westminster Opera Theater. A graduate of Westminster Choir College and the Manhattan School of Music, Golbourne has a master's degree in Voice Performance. She has performed in the U.S. from California to New York and has even crossed the ocean to appear at concerts in Germany with the Deutsche Kammeracademie Neuss am Rhein Orchestra and Würzberg Orchestra. Golbourne sang Lola in PORTopera's Cavalleria Rusticana in 2004.

Sandra Lopez has captivated audiences across the country, appearing as Catherine in the premier run of A View from the Bridge at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the title role in Tosca, Mimi in La Bohème, and many other performances in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Connecticut and Massachusetts. She has been the recipient of numerous prizes, awards and grants, including winning the Metropolitan Opera Competition, receiving a Grand Prize with the Florida Grand Opera Young Patroness Association, receiving a Career Grant from the George London Foundation, and being honored as a World Finalist in the Luciano Pavarotti Competition. She has appeared in several PORTopera productions: Carmen in 2005, Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana in 2004 and Faust in 2002.

Michael Mayes has been recognized by the opera world internationally for his masculine presence and stage command. In companies like the Madison Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Palm Beach Opera and more, Mayes has recently appeared as the title role in Don Giovanni, Marcello in La Bohème and Morales in Carmen. Here in Portland, he took on the role of Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette for PORTopera. Abroad, he has appeared in conjunction with La Fenice in Castel-Franco Veneto, Italy. Past honors he has received include 3rd place at the Metropolitan National Council Auditions in Chicago, and the Entergy Young Texas Artist Competition Vocalist Award among others.

Lauren McNeese, whose voice has been described as "creamy", has appeared in the Los Angeles-staged, Woody Allen production of Gianni Schicchi as La Ciesca. In addition to her appearance at the PORTopera Gala celebration this summer, she will also travel to Italy to reprise this role in the Festival dei Due Mondi. In a 2007 PORTopera production of The Barber of Seville, Lauren played the role of Rosina, and also performed the following season in Roméo et Juliette. A graduate of the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center of Lyric Opera of Chicago, McNeese will make her debut at the Arizona Opera this coming season in addition to returning to the Los Angeles Opera to sing in Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung.

Jan Opalach has been hailed as one of the most versatile vocalists in the U.S. Playing in both dramatic and comic roles, he has appeared with the Oratorio Society of Washington and New York, the Handel Festival Orchestra, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and Musica Sacra, and the New York City Opera. He has performed in two PORTopera shows: Don Giovanni in 2006 and The Barber of Seville in 2007. Opalach has recorded a number of works, including Igor Stravinsky's Renard/Pulcinella, Wolpe's Quintet with Voice and more. His awards include the 1979 Metropolitan Opera National Auditions, the 1980 Walter M. Naumburg Vocal Competition, and the 1981 International Vocal Competition at s'Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.

Tenor Gaston Rivero made his debut performance in New York City in Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme on Broadway in 2003 and has since performed a number of roles on the operatic stage. The young Uruguayan-American sang Roméo in PORTopera's 2008 production of Roméo et Juliette. Other roles include Don José in Carmen and B.F. Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, among others, at Deutsche Oper Berlin, L'Opéra de Lausanne, Opera Carolina and more. Rivero also frequently appears at Carnegie Hall in New York. He has received numerous awards, including the Deutsche Oper Berlin Award in 2009 and the Vidda Award from Opera Orchestra of New York for the 2007-2008 season.

The July 30th PORTopera Anniversary Concert will feature selections from: Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, Verdi's La Traviata, Puccini's La Boheme, Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci, Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Bizet 's Carmen. Tickets range from $38 to $100 plus PortTix handling fees, and may be purchased at www.porttix.com, by calling (207) 842-0800, or by visiting the PortTix box office Monday through Saturday from noon to 6:00 p.m.

For more information about the concert and other PORTopera 15th anniversary events, visit www.portopera.org.

Markham Jazz Festival - "On Fire!" Opening Night Gala

The 12th Annual Markham Jazz Festival kicks off with a big bang from a big band on Friday, August 14! Jazz lovers will be treated to the toe-tapping beats and swinging rhythms of The Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra with the sultry vocals of Canada’s own award winning Ranee Lee.

The On Fire! Gala celebrates the opening of the Markham Jazz Festival, a festival known for its incomparable line-up of Canadian jazz talent. The On Fire! Gala will usher in the festival with a great night of music that will delight lovers of swing, bebop and smoky sexy jazz standards! Held at the beautiful Markham Theatre, the evening will include a catered intermission reception and silent auction. This gala concert is an evening that self-proclaimed jazz aficionados won’t want to miss!

The Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra (DMJO) is made up of some of Canada’s top jazz musicians. Acclaimed across Canada, the DMJO is a Juno Award nominated ensemble which represented Canada on a tour through Russia in 1991, was featured at two International Association of Jazz Education conferences, and is a mainstay at the Toronto Jazz Festival. Ranee Lee is widely recognized as one of Canada’s greatest jazz vocalists. She is a Member of the Order of Canada, a Juno Award nominee, a Dora Mavor Moore Award winner, and has performed for audiences around the world. The August 14th performance will feature the big band alone, the big band with Ranee Lee, and Ranee Lee with a small ensemble.

The Markham Jazz Festival runs from August 14th-16th, 2009 and is one of the town’s most notable events, attracting thousands from across Ontario to the quaint main streets of Markham and Unionville. With over 20 performers on four stages, plus 17 “hot spots” (local bars and restaurants who book their own acts under the umbrella of the Markham Jazz Festival), this year’s festival is sure to provide “cool” sounds for all fans of great music!

Gala tickets: $48

Location: The Markham Theatre, August 14th 2009
Time: Doors open at 7 pm; Performance at 8 pm.

For tickets and information: 905-305-SHOW (7469), 1-866-768-8801
or visit the Markham Jazz Festival website at: http://www.markhamjazzfestival.com/

More Info: contactus@markhamjazzfestival.com, or call 905-471-JAZZ

Concours de musique du Canada - Grande finale et concert gala à Montréal

Jean-François Rivest et Alexande Da Costa

au concert gala du 6 juillet

à la salle Claude-Champagne

La finale de la 51^e édition du Concours de musique du Canada (CMC)

réunira près de 250 musiciens, du 19 juin au 6 juillet, à la Faculté de musique de l’Université de Montréal.

Durant les épreuves, les mélomanes pourront entendre gratuitement les meilleurs espoirs de la relève classique au pays

jouer des instruments aussi divers que le piano, les cordes, les vents, le clavecin, la harpe, l’orgue,

la guitare, la flûte à bec, les percussions, sans oublier le chant et la musique de chambre.

Cette année, le Concours culminera par un concert gala présenté le 6 juillet, à 19 h 30, à la salle Claude-Champagne.

L’Orchestre de la Francophonie Canadienne, sous la direction de l’ambassadeur artistique du CMC, Jean-François Rivest,

se produira avec le violoniste virtuose Alexandre Da Costa et plusieurs lauréats de cette 51^e édition du Concours.

http://www.cmcnational.com/

2009 NAC Gala: a Magical Evening with Yo-Yo Ma and Pinchas Zukerman on Oct. 3

The 2009 NAC Gala offers a Magical Evening with Yo-Yo Ma and the NAC Orchestra led by Pinchas Zukerman on Oct. 3

Ottawa, Canada – “Yo-Yo Ma is the greatest cellist today. Everything he touches he turns to gold...gorgeous, almost voluptuous playing.” Boston Herald

The National Arts Centre is delighted to announce that superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma, “the most popular artist in classical music today,” will return as special guest for the 2009 NAC Gala on Saturday, October 3. Music Director Pinchas Zukerman will lead the National Arts Centre Orchestra for this “Magical Evening with Yo-Yo Ma”, presented by TELUS. The fundraising evening benefits the National Youth and Education Trust which provides funds for the NAC’s wide array of performing arts programming for young artists, young audiences and schools.

Yo-Yo Ma has been a cultural beacon for decades. Young and old flock to his sold-out concerts, coming away moved, thrilled, and inspired. This astonishing artist has performed at the Oscars, the Grammys, the Olympics, and recently before a live audience of over a million at the inauguration of President Barack Obama. He returns to the NAC Orchestra to perform Dvorák’s beloved Cello Concerto with the NAC’s own luminary Pinchas Zukerman leading the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Additional programming will be announced at a later date.

There will be a pre-concert reception for all patrons at 5:30 p.m., followed by the concert at 6:30 p.m. Those who purchase Encore Seating will join Gala sponsors at a post-concert reception, followed by dinner on the Southam Hall stage.

Subscribers who sign up for the 2009-2010 National Arts Centre Orchestra season, which will be announced on March 3, will benefit from a priority purchasing period from April 1 to 15 before tickets go on sale to the general public on May 18.

The NAC is honoured once again to have TELUS, Founding Partner of the National Youth and Education Trust, as the Presenting Sponsor of the Gala – a commitment that reflects TELUS’s continuing support of this primary resource for supporting the artistic development of young Canadians through educational materials, professional training, mentoring programs and young audience performances. The Trust is also supported by Michael Potter and Véronique Dhieux, supporters and patrons of the National Arts Centre Gala, and members of the NAC Foundation’s Donors’ Circle.

The NAC is delighted to announce that Janet Yale, TELUS’ executive vice president, Corporate Affairs, has agreed to chair the Gala Committee for the fourth year.

Yo-Yo Ma was born in 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris. He began to study the cello with his father at age four and soon came with his family to New York, where he spent most of his formative years. Later, his principal teacher was Leonard Rose at the Juilliard School. He sought out a traditional liberal arts education to expand upon his conservatory training, graduating from Harvard University in 1976. He has received numerous awards, including 15 Grammy® Awards from his discography of over 75 albums, the Avery Fisher Prize (1978), the Glenn Gould Prize (1999), the National Medal of the Arts (2001), and the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award (2008). Appointed a CultureConnect Ambassador by the United States Department of State in 2002, Yo-Yo Ma has met with, trained and mentored thousands of students worldwide. In 2006, Secretary General Kofi Annan named him a U.N. Messenger of Peace and in 2007 Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon extended his appointment.

Pinchas Zukerman has been Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra since 1998, and his genius and prodigious technique have been a marvel to critics and audiences for over four decades. He is equally respected as a violinist, violist, conductor, and chamber musician while his dedication to teaching has been a major catalyst for many of the education initiatives supported by the National Youth and Education Trust. Pinchas Zukerman's discography contains over 100 titles, and has earned him 21 Grammy nominations and two Grammy awards. He was named first-prize winner of the 1969 Leventritt Competition, and, in 1983, President Reagan awarded him a Medal of Arts for his leadership in the musical world. In October 2002, he became the first recipient of the Isaac Stern Award for Artistic Excellence at the National Arts Awards Gala in New York City.

Pinchas Zukerman and the National Arts Centre Orchestra donate their services for the NAC’s annual Gala.

Concert tickets for the NAC Gala on Saturday, October 3 are priced at $70, $125 and $150 and include the pre-concert reception with wine and canapés at 5:30 p.m., followed by the concert at 6:30 p.m. These go on sale on April 1 to members of the NAC Donors Circle and to subscribers to the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s 2009-2010 season which goes on sale on March 3. Orders can be made only with a valid order form which will be accepted online, by mail, by fax, or dropped off in person in the NAC Box Office from Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. This priority period lasts until April 15. The Box Office opens to the general public on May 18.

Gala de la musique de Québec: Et les nominés sont...

Québec, le 27 janvier 2009 – Le Gala de la musique de Québec (GMQ), un événement annuel de remise de prix pour les artisans de la musique de la grande région de Québec, est fier d'annoncer aujourd'hui ses nominations pour la remise des Prix Champlain 2009, disponibles au http://www.apmgrq.com/Mises_en_candidatures_Gala_2009_APMGRQ.html. L'Association des professionnels en musique de la grande région de Québec (APMGRQ), à la tête du GMQ, compte maintenant 70 membres et elle a reçu 30 mises en candidature dans les différentes catégories du GMQ. Le GMQ dévoilera ses gagnants dans la deuxième moitié du mois d'avril. Le public et les membres de l'APMGRQ pourront voter pour leurs artistes favoris à compter du 9 mars au www.galadelamusique.com.

…SUITE EN PIÈCE JOINTE

www.galadelamusique.com

www.myspace.com/galadelamusique

Lauréats Opus 2007-2008 An 12

GALA DES PRIX OPUS 2007-2008 : UNE DOUZIÈME ÉDITION SOUS LE SIGNE DE L'EXCELLENCE ET LA DIVERSITÉ (Montréal, le 25 janvier 2009) - C'est dans une ambiance festive que la 12^e édition du Gala des prix Opus s'est tenue aujourd'hui à la Salle Claude-Champagne, à Montréal. Les artisans de la musique de concert, réunis pour cette fête annuelle, ont écouté attentivement et applaudi avec beaucoup d'entrain tout au long de la remise de prix. Animé par Françoise Davoine d'Espace musique et Martin Bernier, le gala a mis à l'honneur la musique et les musiciens d'ici. Pour l'occasion, 11 musiciens parmi les plus dynamiques sur la scène musicale québécoise ont accompagné la remise de prix avec des arrangements signés Louis Babin. Au total, 26 prix ont récompensé le talent des interprètes, compositeurs, musicologues, producteurs et diffuseurs québécois qui ont marqué la saison s'échelonnant du 1er septembre 2007 au 31 août 2008. Les prestations musicales mettaient en vedette plusieurs ensembles issus de répertoires variés : le Strada, l'ensemble Mont-Royal, l'Auguste et le Quatuor de tourne-disques. Le prix Hommage a été remis à l'organiste Bernard Lagacé. Sans contredit l'un des organistes actuels les plus importants sur le plan international, il a donné, durant sa longue carrière, de nombreux récitals et a participé à des concours internationaux au Canada, aux États-Unis et en Europe. Il a gagné plusieurs prix et l'on a fait appel à lui en tant que juge lors de compétitions internationales d'orgue chez nous et à l'étranger. Ses qualités de pédagogue ainsi que son engagement dans le mouvement de renaissance de l'orgue classique au Canada lui ont conféré une influence considérable dans le milieu musical au pays et à l'étranger. Bernard Lagacé a reçu, en 1978, le Prix Denise-Pelletier du gouvernement du Québec pour les arts d'interprétation et le Prix de musique Calixa-Lavallée de la Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal en 1989 qui voulait ainsi reconnaître non seulement « le génie musical de Bernard Lagacé, mais aussi la sensibilité, l'intériorité et l'éloquence de l'artiste... ». Il a été nommé Membre de l'Ordre du Canada en 1985 et Officier de l'Ordre du Canada en 2002. Créé par le Conseil québécois de la musique, ce gala souligne l'excellence de la musique de concert au Québec dans ses différents répertoires. Le Québec foisonne de musiciens de talent et la qualité des lauréats de cette année nous a permis encore une fois de le constater. L'événement vise à rendre hommage aux musiciens d'ici, mais aussi, et surtout, transmettre au public et aux mélomanes le goût de découvrir la musique de concert. Le Conseil québécois de la musique a remercié les principaux partenaires du gala, soit le Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Musicaction, le Conseil des Arts du Canada, le ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine du Québec, la Société de développement des entreprises culturelles, le Conseil des arts de Montréal, Galaxie, le réseau de musique continue de Radio-Canada, Espace musique, la radio musicale de Radio-Canada, Le Devoir, la Faculté de musique de l'Université de Montréal, la Librairie Monet et La Scena Musicale. La liste des lauréats accompagne ce communiqué.

---

Prix Opus - Lauréats 2007-2008





Concert de l'année - Montréal (prix accompagné d'une bourse de 3 000 $ du Conseil des arts de Montréal) Paul Verlaine, Jean-François Lapointe, baryton et Louise-Andrée Baril, piano, Société Musicale André-Turp, 15 juin 2008 Concert de l'année - Québec Unique, monumental, puissant, Orchestre symphonique de Québec, 15 mars 2008 Concert de l'année - Régions Vers la fin du temps, Jean-François Normand (clarinette), David Jalbert (piano), Marc Djokic (violon), Denise Djokic (violoncelle), Concerts aux Îles du Bic, 8 août 2008 Concert de l'année - Musiques médiévale, de la Renaissance, baroque Musique au temps de Philippe le Bel, La Nef reçoit La Rota, 10 novembre 2007 Concert de l'année - Musiques classique, romantique, postromantique, impressionniste Unique, monumental, puissant, Orchestre symphonique de Québec, 15 mars 2008 Concert de l'année - Musiques moderne, contemporaine Influences réciproques, Quatuor Molinari, 8 février 2008 Concert de l'année - Musiques actuelle, électroacoustique 2 X 4 II, Codes d'accès, 29 avril 2008 Concert de l'année - Jazz, musiques du monde Déserts, La Nef, 26 avril et 3 mai 2008 Concert de l'année - Jeune public (prix accompagné d'une bourse de 5 000 $ du ministère de la Culture et des Communications et de la Condition féminine du Québec) Voyage autour du monde, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, 18 novembre 2007 Disque de l'année - Musiques médiévale, de la Renaissance, baroque Pièces de Guitarre de Monsieur Rémy Médard [1676], David Jacques, XXI-21 productions inc. Disque de l'année - Musiques classique, romantique, postromantique, impressionniste Winterreise, Pentaèdre - Christoph Prégardien, ténor, ATMA classique Disque de l'année - Musiques moderne, contemporaine Shostakovich, 24 Préludes & fugues, op. 87, David Jalbert, ATMA classique Disque de l'année - Musiques actuelle, électroacoustique Clic, Bernard Falaise, DAME / Ambiances Magnétiques Disque de l'année - Jazz, musiques du monde Rasstones, François Bourassa Quartet, Effendi Records Création de l'année Circuits parallèles, Nicolas Gilbert, compositeur, Société de musique contemporaine du Québec, La ReCréation du monde, 24 avril 2008 Livre de l'année alcides lanza - Portrait of a composer, Pamela Jones, McGill-Queen's University Press Article de l'année Musiques au tournant du XXI^e siècle : l'unité dans la diversité, Noémie Pascal, Musiques, une encyclopédie pour le XXI^e siècle, vol. 5 : L'unité dans la musique. Sous la direction de Jean-Jacques Nattiez, Arles, Actes Sud/Cité de la musique Compositeur de l'année (prix accompagné d'une bourse de 10 000 $ du Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec) Nicolas Gilbert Découverte de l'année (prix accompagné d'une bourse de 5 000 $ de Galaxie, le réseau de musique continue de Radio-Canada et d'une année en résidence à la radio de Radio-Canada) Valérie Milot, harpiste Diffuseur de l'année Domaine Forget Directeur artistique de l'année Michel Levasseur Festival de Musique actuelle de Victoriaville - 25e anniversaire Événement musical de l'année Série hommage no 1 / Claude Vivier Interprète de l'année (prix accompagné d'une bourse de 5 000 $ du Conseil des Arts du Canada) Quartango Prix Hommage Bernard Lagacé, organiste Rayonnement à l'étranger Marc Boucher, baryton Reconnaissance à un facteur d'instruments (prix accompagné d'une bourse de 5 000 $ de la Société de développement des entreprises culturelles) Jean-François Laporte

Buy a piece of Summer at 4th Line Theatre

Old Millbrook School, 1 Dufferin St., Millbrook, ON, L0A 1G0

Administration phone: (705) 932-4448 Box Office phone: (705) 932-4445 Fax: (705) 932-3347

Buy a piece of Summer for the Holiday season!

Millbrook, ON…If you’ve had enough of winter already, 4th Line Theatre is pleased to offer a little piece of summer for your holiday gift-giving! This season, they’re presenting some new ways to enjoy great outdoor theatre at fabulous prices.

This week only, ending Friday, December 19th: all single tickets are $2 off!

With the presentation of two world premieres in 2009, 4th Line is offering something special this year: Champagne Gala Subscriptions are your passport to the excitement and splendor that is Opening Night! Your premiere ticket to two World Premiere plays also includes Hors d’oeuvres and complimentary champagne at Baxter Creek Golf Club where you will rub elbows with stars of the stage and like-minded theatrephiles. (Opening nights are July 2^nd and August 12^th of 2009)

4th Line Theatre is also happy to announce their Picnic Partner for the 2009 season, Baxter Creek Golf Club which will provide delectable pre-show picnics to enjoy at the Farm before the play begins. Also new, and for the same price as a picnic, patrons can have the option of enjoying a Club Luncheon for a sit-down meal at the Club, just a short drive away from the theatre venue Winslow Farm.

A perfect solution for a weekend getaway, 4th Line Theatre’s Rural Routes and Scenic Stages Theatre packages are now available for purchase online by visiting www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca or by phone (705) 932-4445 at the theatre box office. Your getaway package includes 2 tickets to a 2009 play, a full breakfast and an overnight stay for two with our Accommodation partners. Choices include “Historic Hill and Dale”, “Plantation House” and “Pioneering Women” (hosted by Victoria Inn).

A history or theatre buff on your holiday gift list may also appreciate receiving a published script. Doctor Barnardo’s Children, Crow Hill: The Telephone Play and Cavan Blazers scripts are available for $15 each. Copies of Leanna Brodie’s Schoolhouse and For Home and Country are also available at the 4th Line office for $15 each. For tickets, gift certificates or scripts call 705-932-4445.

Gift certificates for the Galas, tickets, subscriptions, picnics and theatre getaways can all be purchased online by visiting www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca or by phone at (705) 932-4445 or in person at the 4th Line Theatre Box Office. Associated ticket outlets have gift certificates for single tickets & picnics: Bethany Hills Interiors at 17 King St. E. in Millbrook (705)-932-1600 or Peterborough Museum and Archives on Armour Hill, at Museum Drive off Hunter St. E. in Peterborough (705)-743-5180, as well as Kent Bookstore at 55 Kent St. West in Lindsay (705) 328-1600.

4th Line Theatre, Canada’s premiere outdoor theatre company brings history to life on the barnyard stages of the picturesque 5th generation Winslow farm in Millbrook, Ontario. The theatre company is committed to preserving and promoting our Canadian cultural heritage through the development and presentation of regionally based, environmentally staged historical drama.

En route vers le 1er Gala de la musique à Québec

En route vers le 1^er Gala de la musique de Québec…

Québec, le 30 octobre 2008 – La première rencontre d’information tenue par les producteurs du Gala de la musique de Québec (GMQ) s’est tenue le 19 octobre dernier à l’Impérial de Québec. Les membres présents ont pu prendre connaissance en détail du projet de gala pour la grande région de Québec et ont voté à l’unanimité pour la tenue du premier Gala de la musique ainsi que pour la mise sur pied d’une association pour les représenter. L’Association des professionnels en musique de la grande région de Québec (APMGRQ) vise à structurer le milieu de la musique à Québec et à rassembler ses artisans. Mme Annie Poulain, auteure-compositrice-interprète et musicienne professionnelle, est dès maintenant nommée présidente de l’APMGRQ.

Mme Poulain se fixe deux mandats principaux, soit de constituer un exécutif et de stimuler l’adhésion des membres à l’APMGRQ. « Il me fait plaisir de m’impliquer dans l’organisation de l’APMGRQ et du Gala. Le travail déjà fait est colossal et les idées qu’il contient sont porteuses pour le milieu de la musique de Québec. J’invite tout le monde à s’inscrire à l’APMGRQ et à mettre leur production en nomination. »

Une opportunité pour les musiciens et artisans de Québec…

L’APMGRQ, comptant 58 membres, invite les artistes, artisans, techniciens et groupes de musique à profiter du Gala de la musique de Québec pour se faire entendre en mettant leur travail, leur musique, leur album, leur clip et leur site Web en candidature. Pour participer à une des plus grandes réunions artistiques de Québec, les artisans intéressés ont maintenant jusqu’au 31 décembre 2008 pour s’inscrire au : www.galadelamusique.com

www.galadelamusique.com

www.myspace.com/galadelamusique

NAC annual Gala raises $835,000 for the National Youth and Education Trust

National Arts Centre’s annual Gala raises $835,000 for the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust

Ottawa, Canada – The National Arts Centre’s 2008 Gala has raised an impressive $835,000 for the National Arts Centre Foundation’s National Youth and Education Trust. The Gala, which this year featured the legendary Tony Bennett, had been sold out for months, and the crowd was on its feet repeatedly throughout the night. In the opening half of the programme Music Director Pinchas Zukerman led the National Arts Centre Orchestra supplemented by the five participants in this season’s Institute for Orchestral Studies (IOS) plus the Richard Li Young Artist. The first half highlight was a performance of the Allegro from Vivaldi’s Concerto in B-flat major for Violin and Cello by 11-year-old violinist Kerson Leong, and his 13-year-old brother, cellist Stanley Leong, both recent participants in the NAC’s Summer Music Institute (SMI). The National Youth and Education Trust provides funds to support the wide array of artistic and educational programming the NAC undertakes for young Canadians, including the SMI and the IOS and the Richard Li Young Artist Chair.

The evening included the announcement that Pinchas Zukerman’s friends from around North America have begun a “Pinchas Zukerman 60^th birthday scholarship fund” with a $60,000 gift to support international scholarships for the Summer Music Institute. It is the first dedicated fund for this purpose.

TELUS was once again the Presenting Sponsor of the annual Gala, reflecting its continuing support of the National Youth and Education Trust, as its founding partner. The Trust is also supported by SunLife Financial, patrons of the Gala and the National Arts Centre Foundation Donors’ Circle. The Honorary Chair of the Gala was Laureen Harper.

The Gala Committee was chaired for the third year by Janet Yale, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs of TELUS. Janet Yale said: “Tony Bennett held the crowd in the palm of his hand. What a wonderful entertainer! It was equally thrilling to see the reaction of the audience when the NAC Orchestra and Pinchas Zukerman were joined by our two young string players, Stanley and Kerson Leong, who have already benefited from the National Youth and Education Trust through the NAC’s Young Artists Programme. When you see before your eyes the future of music in this country, it’s easy to understand the importance of fundraising events such as this. I’m grateful to all the hard work of this year’s Committee and to all those who supported the Gala.”

NAC Foundation CEO Darrell Gregersen enthusiastically added: “Over 2,000 people left their heart at the NAC tonight! This unforgettable evening is the result of an enormous amount of passion and hard work from Janet Yale and the Gala Committee, and also to the contribution of Pinchas Zukerman and the musicians of the NAC Orchestra who donated their services for the Gala and performed so wonderfully. It was truly inspirational when we learned first thing Monday morning, that our soloists Stanley and Kerson Leong have asked to make a donation to the Trust.”

After a luxurious wine and canapé reception and a taste of San Francisco in the NAC Foyer for everyone in attendance, the concert thrilled the crowd. The Ottawa Citizen, which featured the Gala on its front page the next morning, said “Tony Bennett is one of the wonders of popular music” and added: “A special treat came in the form of a Vivaldi concerto for violin and cello, played with real pizzazz by the Leong brothers.” Following the concert and a post-concert reception in the Foyer, 800 Gala guests dined on Southam Hall stage, which had been magically converted into a classy art deco dining emporium.

The glittering crowd included ambassadors, cabinet ministers, senators and members of Canada’s corporate elite.

NAC Gala with Tony Bennett on Oct. 4

NAC Orchestra programme announced for NAC Gala with the legendary Tony Bennett on Oct. 4

Ottawa, Canada – The National Arts Centre Gala has been sold out for some time and lucky ticket-holders have a truly spectacular night ahead on Saturday, October 4. Tony Bennett, famously described by Frank Sinatra as “the best singer in the business”, together with his quartet will give a one-hour command performance in the second half of the Gala. And, to launch this night of glamour and style, Pinchas Zukerman will lead the NAC Orchestra in a complementary classical programme.

Two young Ottawa string virtuosos will join Maestro Zukerman and the Orchestra in the opening half. Stanley Leong, a 13-year-old cellist, and his brother 11-year-old violinist Kerson Leong will join forces to perform the Allegro from Vivaldi’s Concerto in B-flat major for Violin and Cello, filled with acrobatic highjinks requiring nimble fingers! Both have been multiple top prize winners in the Canadian Music Competition, and both participated in last summer’s Tenth Anniversary NAC Summer Music Institute in the Junior Strings Programme.

The five participants in this season’s Institute for Orchestral Studies (IOS) will be onstage performing with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. They are Emily Westell (violin, 23, Calgary, AB), Améline Chauvette-Groulx (violin, 25, Ottawa, ON), Tali Kravitz (viola, 24, Israel), Leat Sabbah (cello, 21, United States), and Theodore Chan (double bass, 24, Ottawa, ON).

The NAC Gala is a benefit for the National Youth and Education Trust, investing in young Canadians through the performing arts. Both the Summer Music Institute and the Institute for Orchestral Studies are among the NAC programmes that are supported by the National Youth and Education Trust.

Maestro Zukerman will also lead the NAC Orchestra in Brahms’ Variations on a Theme of Haydn, and will close the first half with Ravel’s thrilling Bolero, an orchestral tour de force that is one of the most popular compositions in the entire classical repertoire.

In the second half Tony Bennett will take the stage with his quartet consisting of Lee Musiker (music director and piano), Gray Sargent (guitar), Jim Hughart (bass) and Harold Jones (drums). Mr. Bennett will announce his programme from the stage.

The Gala Committee NAC is chaired for the third year by Janet Yale, TELUS’ executive vice president, Corporate Affairs. Mrs. Laureen Harper is the Gala’s Honourary Chair.

There will be a pre-concert reception in the Foyer for all patrons at 5:30 p.m., followed by the concert at 6:30 p.m. Those who have purchased Encore Seating will join Gala sponsors at a post-concert reception in the Foyer, followed by dinner on the Southam Hall stage.

TELUS, Founding Partner of the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust, is the Presenting Sponsor of the annual Gala. This commitment reflects TELUS’s continuing support of the National Youth and Education Trust, a primary resource for supporting the artistic development of young Canadians through educational resources, professional training, mentoring programmes and young audience performances. The Trust is also supported by SunLife Financial, patrons of the Gala and the National Arts Centre Foundation Donors’ Circle.

Tony Bennett is the stuff of legends. His unforgettable voice has touched the heart and moved the souls of admirers around the globe. For nearly 60 years he has entertained us, yet has remained forever young and wowed generation after generation of new fans. He is an international treasure, honoured by the United Nations as a “Citizen of the World”. With over 50 million records sold world-wide and platinum and gold albums to his credit, Bennett has received thirteen Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. His appearance with the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the 1993 MTV Video Awards ceremony introduced him to a whole new generation with his recording “MTV Unplugged” garnering Grammy’s top award, “Album of the Year.” The New York Times declared “Tony Bennett has not just bridged the generation gap, he has demolished it.”

Tony Bennett is one of a handful of artists to have new albums charting in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond. He introduced a multitude of songs into the Great American Songbook that have since become standards for pop music. He has toured the world to sold-out audiences with rave reviews whenever he performs. To celebrate his 80^th birthday in 2006, Tony Bennett recorded Duets - An American Classic with some of the top names in contemporary music, including Bono, Michael Bublé, Elvis Costello, Celine Dion, Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Sting, Barbra Streisand, James Taylor and Stevie Wonder.

The NAC Orchestra’s own Pinchas Zukerman was one of the instrumental superstars on Tony Bennett’s Duets – An American Classic. Named Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in 1998, Maestro Zukerman’s genius and prodigious technique have been a marvel to critics and audiences for over four decades. He is equally respected as a violinist, violist, conductor, and chamber musician while his dedication to teaching has been a major catalyst for many of the education initiatives supported by the National Youth and Education Trust. Pinchas Zukerman's discography contains over 100 titles, and has earned him 21 Grammy nominations and two Grammy awards. He was named first-prize winner of the 1969 Leventritt Competition, and, in 1983, President Reagan awarded him a Medal of Arts for his leadership in the musical world. In October 2002, he became the first recipient of the Isaac Stern Award for Artistic Excellence at the National Arts Awards Gala in New York City. Pinchas Zukerman and the National Arts Centre Orchestra donate their services for the NAC’s annual Gala.

Kerson Leong, violin, and Stanley Leong, cello

Kerson Leong is 11 and has already won the Grand Prize at the Canadian Music Competition for four straight years, each time achieving the highest mark of any age group or instrument. In the recent 2008 competition in Quebec City, the judges awarded him a mark of 99% for his stunning performance. He was recognized in the Galaxie Rising Star Program of the CBC and was also the youngest finalist in the 2006 nationwide CBC Mozart Variation Contest held to celebrate Mozart’s 250^th birthday anniversary.

Stanley Leong is 13 and has been a top prizewinner at the Canadian Music Competition for 6 years in a row. At the recent 2008 competition in Quebec City, he won First Prize once again and made his solo debut at the CMC Gala with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Yoav Talmi.

Both young musicians have been guest soloists with the NAC Orchestra at a TD Canada Trust Young People’s Concert, as well as with I Musici de Montreal, and have performed at the 2008 Ottawa Chamberfest and at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto.

[Toronto] Final line-up for Stars of the 21st Century Koffler Centre Dance Gala

For Immediate Release: April 23, 2008

LISTINGS UPDATE

Artists from American Ballet Theatre and Joffrey Ballet

Join Star-Studded Line-up at the

KOFFLER CENTRE OF THE ARTS GALA

STARS OF THE 21st CENTURY

Tickets are Selling Fast!

Sunday, May 4, 2008 * Toronto Centre for the Arts

Veronika Part, American Ballet Theatre and Fabrice Calmels, Joffrey Ballet, will join the cast of international dance stars for the 7th annual KOFFLER CENTRE OF THE ARTS GALA, STARS OF THE 21st CENTURY, Sunday, May 4 at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Part and Calmels will perform Swan Lake White Adagio and Gerald Arpino's Light Rain.

Part and Calmels are replacing the Berlin State Opera Ballet's Ronald Savkovic and Shoko Nakamura, who are unable to appear at the gala this year.

The full company consists of:
Veronika Part, American Ballet Theatre and Fabrice Calmels, Joffrey Ballet
Nina Gershman and Alexander Utkin, The Israel Ballet
Ana María López and Francisco Lorenzo, Compañía Nacional de Danza de España
Miki Hamanaka, Lithuania National Opera Ballet and Daniil Simkin, Vienna State Opera Ballet
Yevgenia Obraztsova, Kirov Ballet and Artem Pykhachov, Mikhailovsky Ballet
Heather Ogden, Nehemiah Kish and Zdenek Konvalina, National Ballet of Canada

The Koffler Centre of the Arts has a history of being an innovative and inclusive centre for the creation and presentation of art and culture. Established in 1977 to enrich the cultural life of Toronto through arts education and exhibitions, the Koffler Centre has grown to reach thousands of people a year through a rich mix of classes in dance, music, and visual arts; public programs such as concerts with the Koffler Chamber Orchestra, the Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Awards and the Jewish Book Fair, Rikkudiya Israeli Dance Festival; and cutting-edge, critically-acclaimed exhibitions at the Koffler Gallery.

KOFFLER CENTRE OF THE ARTS GALA

STARS OF THE 21st CENTURY

A Solomon Tencer Production o Nadia Veselova-Tencer Artistic Director

Sunday May 4th, 2008, 8pm

The Toronto Centre For The Arts, 5040 Yonge Street, Toronto

Tickets range from $60-$165 and are available at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 416-872-1111

For Gala Patron Tickets (includes show, VIP reception, exclusive dinner) or to be a Gala Sponsor,

contact Tobi Liederman at 416.636.1880 X271 or events@kofflerarts.org

For more information visit www.kofflercentre.com

Koffler Centre of the Arts Gala - Superstar line-up announced

For Immediate Release: April 8, 2008 * Please include in listings/announcements

The Israel Ballet To Present A World Premiere At

KOFFLER CENTRE OF THE ARTS GALA

STARS OF THE 21st CENTURY

Sunday, May 4, 2008 * Toronto Centre for the Arts

International dance superstars from around the world - including Germany, Israel, Lithuania, Russia, Spain, and Vienna and principals from the National Ballet of Canada - will grace the stage together on Sunday, May 4, 2008 at the Toronto Centre for the Arts for the 7th annual Stars of the 21st Century. Proceeds from the gala support the many programs of the Koffler Centre of the Arts.

Invited to Toronto for Israel @ 60, The Israel Ballet will present a world premiere at the Koffler Gala, from Berta Yampolsky artistic director and choreographer, featuring Nina Gershman and Alexander Utkin. Also appearing for the first time at Stars of the 21st Century, Compañía Nacional de Danza de España from Madrid, will present two exciting works from renowned choreographer and artistic director, Nacho Duato, featuring Ana María López and Francisco Lorenzo.

Miki Hamanaka, Lithuania National Opera Ballet Theatre and Daniil Simkin, Vienna State Opera Ballet, will come together in Toronto to perform Don Quixote Grand Pas De Deux, which they first performed in Lithuania last year. Simkin made his principal debut in Don Quixote only last year and this October he will join the American Ballet Theatre in New York.

Yevgenia Obraztsova of the Kirov Ballet (Mariinsky Theatre) and Artyom Pykhachov from Mikhailovsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, will perform Le Corsaire Pas de Deux and the Berlin State Opera Ballet's Ronald Savkovic and Shoko Nakamura will perform Esmeralda Pas de Deux. The gala will also feature three artists from the National Ballet of Canada: Heather Ogden and Nehemiah Kish will perform Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and Zdenek Konvalina will perform excerpts from Maurice Béjart's Seven Greek Dances.

The Koffler Centre of the Arts has a history of being an innovative and inclusive centre for the creation and presentation of art and culture. Established in 1977, to enrich the cultural life of Toronto through arts education and exhibitions, the Koffler Centre has grown to reach thousands of people a year through a rich mix of classes in dance, music, and visual arts; public programs such as concerts with the Koffler Chamber Orchestra, the Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Awards and the Jewish Book Fair, Rikkudiya Israeli Dance Festival; and cutting-edge, critically-acclaimed exhibitions at the Koffler Gallery.

Executive Director Lori Starr, who joined the Koffler Centre in 2006 from the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, will spearhead the creation of a new, sophisticated, multi-purpose 40,000 square foot Koffler Centre of the Arts. This signature building on the new Bathurst Street Sherman Campus is where people and art will come together to generate a true sense of community.

KOFFLER CENTRE OF THE ARTS GALA

STARS OF THE 21st CENTURY

A Solomon Tencer Production * Nadia Veselova-Tencer Artistic Director

Sunday May 4th, 2008, 8pm

The Toronto Centre For The Arts, 5040 Yonge Street, Toronto

Tickets range from $60-$165 and are available at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 416-872-1111

For Gala Patron Tickets (includes show, VIP reception, exclusive dinner) or to be a Gala Sponsor,

contact Tobi Liederman at 416.636.1880 X271 or events@kofflerarts.org

For more information visit www.kofflercentre.com

Media Contact:

Carrie Sager

FLIP Publicity & Promotions Inc.

416.533.7710 X224 fax 416.533.7797

carrie@flip-publicity.com

http://www.flip-publicity.com