NEWS

 
GREAT HONOUR BESTOWED UPON JANE COOP
January, 2013

AKAM is pleased to announce that on Sunday, December 30, 2012, pianist Jane Coop became one of the 91 people set to receive The Order of Canada. The Order recognises people in all sectors of Canadian society whose contributions have enriched the lives of others in this country.

In her esteemed career as a pianist, Jane has performed in recital and has appeared in concerto and chamber concerts throughout 28 countries. In Canada, she has performed from coast to coast in both large centres and small communities. She has numerous critically acclaimed recordings to her credit and is often heard on radio broadcasts. She recently completed 31 years of teaching at the University of British Columbia and continues to perform all over the world.



LUCILLE DEBUTS WITH HAMILTON PHIL… TWICE??
January, 2013

OK...not exactly twice, more like one and 1/4 times to be exact.

First appearing on January 12, 2013, pianist Lucille Chung will perform a special Mozart program presented by the Welland-Port Colborne Concert Association. Featuring Mozart's solo piano works and works for piano and string quartet, Lucille will be joined by four of the Principal Strings of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. The members are Steven Sitarski, Bethany Bergman, Chau Luk and Jack Mendelssohn. AKAM would like to thank the HPO administration for their cooperation on this project. Later this season, Lucille heads to HPO's home turf for a concerto debut performance. In a program titled Fiesta, Lucille will be the featured soloist in the audience favourite Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin.

CONCERT DETAILS

January 12, 2013 - 7:30pm
Presented by Welland-Port Colborne Concert Association
Lucille Chung with the Principal players of the HPO in recital
J.M Ennis Auditorium, Centennial Secondary School, Welland ON

April 20, 2013 - 7:30pm
Presented by Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with James Sommerville, conductor
Hamilton Place, Hamilton ON




TORQ PERCUSSION QUARTET
January, 2013

The third concert in TorQ's 2012-2013 Toronto concert series is "Off the Page".

"Off the Page" is a concert which takes an intimate look at the textures and sounds that can come from spontaneous music-making, in its many forms.  With their hallmark blend of sensitivity, excitement, passion and musical wit, TorQ Percussion Quartet will take you on an improvisational journey across a wide spectrum of styles and sounds.

CONCERT DETAILS

February 7, 2013 - 8:00pm
"Off the Page"
Gallery 345, Toronto ON




NEW RECORDINGS AS A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION
January, 2013

How about refreshing your music collection as one of your New Year's resolutions. Here are some recent releases and upcoming projects you won't want to miss! (click album image for more information)

VIVALDI BASSOON CONCERTI, Vol. I
Nadina Mackie Jackson, Bassoon
Nicholas McGegan, director and keyboards

Canada's bassoonist extraordinaire, Nadina Mackie Jackson, releases her first of four Antonio Vivaldi's bassoon concerti recordings. A project recorded for the MSR Classics label, this CD contains eight of the thirty-nine bassoon concerti.

Led from the keyboard by Nicholas McGegan of Philharmonia Baroque, the chamber orchestra was comprised of virtuoso performers and early music experts from Les Violons du Roy, Tafelmusik and the Handel & Haydn Society. The artists worked from original manuscripts and created their own performing editions of this great music which was thought to be lost until the 1920's.

FOR THE END OF TIME
Gryphon Trio with James Campbell, clarinet

The Gryphon Trio is proud to announce the release of their 15th recording on the Analekta label titled For the End of Time.

This album features a three-part program bookending Olivier Messiaen's legendary Quatuor pour la fin du temps with the world premiere recordings of works by Alexina Louie and Valentin Silvestrov. Renowned clarinettist James Campbell joins the trio for both the Messiaen and Louie works.

UPCOMING RELEASE

Anagnoson & Kinton have recorded their 10th CD featuring works by Clementi, Beethoven & Schubert. This CD is set to be released later this season.

NEW RECORDING PROJECT

Bax & Chung head back to the studio for their new recording project featuring works for four hand, one piano by Stravinsky, Brahms and Piazzolla.

Stay tuned throughout the season for more great CD releases by AKAM artists.




GRYPHON TRIO NAMED ARTIST OF THE YEAR
January, 2013

At a special awards dinner held during Ontario Contact 2012 industry conference, five members of the touring sector received awards recognizing their contribution to the sector.

Artist of the Year is presented to an artist or company that has had tremendous impact on the touring sector, often going above and beyond what is expected of the relationship between the presenter and the artist. This year, Artist of the Year was awarded to the Gryphon Trio, who was recognized for their commitment to Ontario communities and to developing the next generation of concert attendees. In particular, the trio was commended for their Listen Up! project which brings together literature, poetry and local composers to build community engagement.

In accepting the award the Gryphon Trio stated:

"Ontario Contact and all the delegates here are a vital part of the arts in this country. Presenters play an essential role in the communities they serve and we, the Gryphon Trio, are privileged to be a part of a team that explores and provides new artistic ventures and establishes an even greater presence for the arts."

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