PAST NEWS

 
HOT OFF THE PRESS
October, 2011

AKAM is pleased to launch its 2012.13 Roster Brochure which boasts new projects and many of Canada's most established musicians. Representing artists of the highest calibre, AKAM's brochure will be arriving in your mailbox soon!

2012.13 ROSTER

INSTRUMENTALISTS
Lucille Chung, piano
Jane Coop, piano
Michael Kim, piano
James Parker, piano
Anagnoson & Kinton, piano duo
Bax & Chung, piano duo
Martin Beaver, violin
Erika Raum, violin
Guy Few, trumpet, corno da caccia, piano
Nadina Mackie Jackson, bassoon

ENSEMBLES
Gryphon Trio, piano trio
guy&nadina, trumpet and bassoon duo

SPECIAL PROJECTS
Colin Fox, narrator
Luis Mario Ochoa, Cuban music ensemble
The Schumann Letters, music-as-theatre



4 SHOWCASES AT 2 CONFERENCES
October, 2011

The fall is a busy time for industry professionals and for artists across the country with many important conferences taking place. This year is no exception, and several of AKAM's artists will be featured in showcase performances that should not be missed by conference attendees!

CONTACT EAST
September 28 - October 2
Summerside PEI

guy&nadina, trumpet and bassoon duo
Friday September 30 (afternoon showcase)

Luis Mario Ochoa Cuban Quintet
Saturday October 1 (evening showcase)

ONTARIO CONTACT
October 26 - October 29
Parry Sound ON

Luis Mario Ochoa Cuban Quintet
Friday, October 28 (evening showcase)

Lucille Chung, piano
Saturday, October 29 (afternoon showcase)



BLURRING THE CLASSICAL LINES:
A New CD Release and Concert by the Gryphon Trio
October, 2011

Broken Hearts & Madmen joins two of Canada's leading musical forces: the JUNO Award winning Gryphon Trio and vocalist Patricia O'Callaghan. Featuring popular songs from the Americas and the U.K. arranged by Roberto Occhipinti, Hilario Duran and Andrew Downing, this haunting new recording takes us on a musical journey through the complexities of the romantic soul. With songs by Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake, Lhasa de Sela, and Laurie Anderson alongside traditional melodies from Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil, Broken Hearts & Madmen is global in spirit.

The Gryphon Trio is proud to feature Progress Place as its community partner for this project. Progress Place is dedicated to improving the lives of people living with mental illness. Their community-based recovery centre in Toronto, part of a network of centres around the globe, offers programs and services which provide opportunities for friendship, employment, education, housing and recreation in a welcoming and accessible environment of support, respect and dignity. The concert at Lula Lounge takes place just in time for the week-long national campaign for Mental Illness Awareness which begins on October 3.

A CD release concert for Broken Hearts & Madmen will be held at Toronto's Lula Lounge on Sunday, October 2 at 8 PM.



NADINA'S VIVALDI BASSOON CONCERTI PROJECT
October, 2011

During a two day recording blitz at CBC's Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, Nadina Mackie Jackson recorded eight bassoon concerti by Antonio Vivaldi. Led from the keyboard by Nicholas McGegan of Philharmonia Baroque along with virtuoso performers and early music experts from Violons du Roy, Tafelmusik and the Handel & Haydn Society, the artists worked from original manuscripts and created their own performing edition of the music. The ensemble plans to tour the project in the 2012.13 season and will collaborate on a special video recording.

This is Nadina's seventh recording with engineer/producer David Bowles.

Recording Ensemble
Nadina Mackie Jackson, solo bassoon
Nicholas McGegan, scholar-in-residence, harpsichord, organ
Aisslinn Nosky, violin
Julia Wedman, violin
David Rose, viola
Raphaël Dubé, cello
Dominic Girard, bass
Lucas Harris, archlute & guitar
David v. R. Bowles, engineer/producer



ANAGNOSON & KINTON AT MUSIC WORCESTER
October, 2011

Anagnoson & Kinton, tagged by Music Worcester as 'Canada's legendary piano duo', will return to the Massachusetts, USA series on Saturday, October 29 at 8:00pm to give another spectacular duo recital in Tuckerman Hall.

Their program features one piano, four hands and two piano, four hands repertoire including marches by Beethoven and Schubert, highlights from Stravinsky's Petrouchka (1947) and the monumental Rachmaninov Suite No.2, Op.17. This fantastic performance will also be recorded and aired on WCUW, Worcester's community radio station at a later date.



ERIKA RAUM CD NOMINATED FOR WCMA AWARD
October, 2011

AKAM is pleased to announce that Erika Raum's latest CD on CMC's Centrediscs label, From The Heartland, has been nominated for a Western Canada Music Alliance award. Released in June of 2010, the CD was recorded with pianist David Moroz and features works by western Canadian composers including Sid Robinovitch's Dance Set #2, David McIntyre's Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano and 2 works by Elizabeth Raum, Les Ombres and Sonata for Violin and Piano.

The Western Canada Music Alliance Inc. was formed in late 2002 when the Prairie Music Alliance expanded, inviting the Music Industry Associations of BC and the Yukon to join forces in creating a new entity. While the Western Canada Music Week and Awards is a new event, there is a strong sense of history, a legacy of the successes of both Prairie Music Week and the West Coast Music Awards. The vision of developing the infrastructure of a regional music industry is intact and now shared across western Canada.



PERFORMING YEAR ROUND – 
AKAM ARTISTS AT ONTARIO SUMMER FESTIVALS
July, 2011

This summer, AKAM artists are keeping especially busy with concerts and festivals across the country. In Ontario, they are taking the festival scene by storm, giving recitals and collaborating in many exciting chamber projects. With both new and established festivals throughout the Province, there are endless amounts of concerts to check out over the next two months. Below are some of the events where you can catch AKAM's artists in performance.

MIDLAND'S SUMMER SERENADE
Presented by Brookside Music Enterprises Inc.
Thursdays, July 7, 2011 - August 11, 2011
Thursday, July 7 - 8:00pm - Anagnoson & Kinton
Thursday, July 14 - 8:00pm - Gryphon Trio
Thursday, August 4 - 8:00pm - guy&nadina
www.brooksidemusic.com

FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND, Parry Sound
July 15, 2011 - August 7, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011 - 7:30pm - (Opening Gala) - Anagnoson & Kinton
Monday, July 18, 2011 - 7:00pm - (Sunset Cruise) - Gryphon Trio
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - 12:00pm - Gryphon Trio
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - 2:30pm - Gryphon Trio
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - 7:30pm - Guy Few
Saturday, July 23, 2011 - 6:00pm - Guy Few
Sunday, July 24, 2011 - 2:30pm - Guy Few
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 - 12:00pm - (St. James Church) - Guy Few
www.festivalofthesound.ca

HUNTSVILLE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS (Jazz Festival)
July 28, 2011 - July 30, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011 - 8:00pm - Luis Mario Ochoa Cuban Quintet
www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca

MUSIC NIAGARA
July 16, 2011 - August 13, 2011
Saturday July 16, 2011 - 7:30pm (Opening Gala) - Anagnoson & Kinton
Friday, August 12, 2011 - 7:30pm - Gryphon Trio
www.musicniagara.org

ELORA FESTIVAL
July 8, 2011 - July 31, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011 - 4:00pm - Leslie Kinton
Sunday, July 24, 2011 - 4:00pm - The Schumann Letters
www.elorafestival.com

THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE, Gananoque
Studio 'S' Series
July 11, 2011 - August 22, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011 - 7:30pm - Jamie Parker
www.1000islandsplayhouse.com

LEITH SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL
Saturdays, July 2, 2011 - August 27, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 7:30pm - Gryphon Trio
www.leithfestival.ca

TD TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL
June 24, 2011 - July 3, 2011
Shops at Don Mills
Sunday, July 3, 2011 - 12:30pm - Luis Mario Ochoa's ten piece band, Cimarron (past event)
www.torontojazz.com

TORONTO SUMMER MUSIC
July 19, 2011 - August 13, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011 - 7:30pm - Erika Raum
Saturday, July 30, 2011 - 7:30pm - Colin Fox
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 - 7:30pm - Gryphon Trio
Thursday, August 11, 2011 - 7:30pm - Gryphon Trio
Saturday, August 13, 2011 - 7:30pm - Erika Raum
www.torontosummermusic.com

OTTAWA CHAMBERFEST
July 23, 2011 - August 5, 2011
Featured performers throughout the festival - Gryphon Trio
www.ottawachamberfest.com

MUSIC AT SHARON FESTIVAL
Sundays, May 29 – June 26, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011 – Jane Coop
www.sharontemple.ca



MOZART & ME – A NEW CD BY LUCILLE CHUNG
July, 2011

Mozart is the reason why Lucille Chung became a musician. Her first encounter with his music began with the Concerto in F Major K.459 when she was just 9 years old and she even went as far as living in Salzburg to study at the Mozarteum.

This special CD titled Mozart & Me was released on the Disques XXI label in April, 2011 and reflects the music that Lucille is so deeply connected with. It was a privilege for Lucille to have Mozart's music accompany her during her formative years and his music continues to be inspirational.

This CD features many Mozart gems and substantial compositions including Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman, K.265 and Sonate K. 570. It also includes several Mozart-Liszt selections. Mozart & Me is now available for purchase in stores and on-line.



GUY&NADINA PLAY INTO THE AFTER HOURS
July, 2011

Featuring works for trumpet, corno, bassoon and piano, this new disc released on June 1, 2011, is a collection of audio snapshots highlighting Guy Few and Nadina Mackie Jackson's touring careers together. After reflecting on their fascinating adventures of performing across the country for listeners of all ages, these pieces represent some of the duo's most cherished musical gems and audience favourites. Guy even displays his multitude of talents by playing trumpet and piano simultaneously!

At the end of the day, this music will resonate long after it plays and into the... After Hours.



AGENT OF THE YEAR GOES TO...
April, 2011

Andrew Kwan, Director of Andrew Kwan Artists Management Inc, has been awarded 2011 Agent of the Year by the British Columbia Touring Council (BCTC). Presented on April 2nd at the Pacific Contact Conference’s annual awards dinner, this distinction is given to an agent who has excelled in communications and relations with presenters, demonstrates professionalism and respect for artists and presenters and uses ethical and best practices in business.

Now in his 19th year representing Canadian artists, Mr. Kwan has developed strong relationships with many of British Columbia’s cultural stakeholders. These relationships have resulted in hundreds of performances in BC for Canada’s finest classical musicians. AKAM has organized substantial BC tours for artists including, Anagnoson & Kinton, Michael Kim, St. Lawrence String Quartet, Gryphon Trio, Erika Raum, Jane Coop, Norbert Kraft, Diaz Trio, Triskelion and many others. This past season saw a return tour for the Gryphon Trio and a first time tour for AKAM’s new production The Schumann Letters. Next season, AKAM touring artists include the guy&nadina duo as well as the Bax & Chung duo.

From Prince Rupert to Nakusp, Vancouver to Fort St. John and many venues in between, Andrew is grateful for this recognition of his peers and industry colleagues and feels fortunate to have made so many long lasting relationships over the years.

Congratulations to the other recipients of the 2011 BCTC awards – (image left to right)

Julia Mackey, Jake’s Gift (Touring Artist of the Year), Paul Gravett, Kay Meek Centre (Presenter of the Year), Sandra Thomson, former Director of Programming and Development, The Port Theatre (Touring Award of Excellence) and Andrew Kwan (Agent of the Year)



GRYPHON TRIO WINS 2011 JUNO AWARD
March, 2011

AKAM is thrilled to announce that the Gryphon Trio won the 2011 JUNO Award in the "Classical Album of the Year: Solo or Chamber Ensemble" category. Presented at the JUNO Award Ceremony in Toronto this past weekend, this recording features an all Beethoven piano trio program, including the Op. 70, No. 1 "Ghost", Op. 70, No. 2, and Op. 11. The CD was released to great acclaim in October 2010 and marks the trio's 13th title on the Analekta label.
 
Pianist Jamie Parker of the Gryphon Trio said, "It's an honour to be nominated for a JUNO alongside our friends and colleagues and we're thrilled to win this year with our Beethoven recording. We would like to thank everyone at Analekta-Select, CARAS, Andrew Kwan Artists Management, the Canada Council, the Ontario Arts Council, and all of our family, friends, and fans for their support over the years."
 
The Gryphon Trio won their first JUNO in 2004 for their CD "Canadian Premieres", featuring music by Canadian composers. This is the ensemble's seventh nomination and their second win of this prestigious award.
 
This year was especially important to CARAS as they celebrated the 40th anniversary of the JUNO Awards. In honour of the festivities, CARAS and Roy Thomson Hall presented a special concert titled, OVATION: Celebrating Classical Music at the JUNO Awards. For this performance, the Gryphon Trio was featured amongst an all-star line-up of Canadian classical musicians. The trio performed the first movement of the "Ghost" from their JUNO winning album.



50th, 20th, 5th... AND A 1st - THE SCHUMANN LETTERS IN KUWAIT
March, 2011

After 40+ successful performances in Canada, The Schumann Letters celebrated their 1st international performance this month in Kuwait City. Facilitated by the Canadian Embassy in Kuwait, the show had its international debut at the Al-Maidan Cultural Centre on March 2nd, 2011. The concert was presented by the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah as part of their 16th cultural season.

This performance coincided with a time of celebration in Kuwait and AKAM's artists joined the local residents in their festivities. This marked the 50th Jubilee of the Independence of the State of Kuwait, the 20th Anniversary of the Liberation of the State of Kuwait and the 5th Anniversary of the Ascendance of H.H. The Amir to the Leadership of the State of Kuwait.

The show was very warmly received and many great friends were made on this special trip. We gratefully acknowledge the Canadian Embassy and its staff for their hospitality and for making this experience so meaningful.

Mr. J. Reid Henry, Ambassador of Canada to Kuwait remarks:

"We are honoured that this was the first performance of The Schumann Letters outside Canada... by highlighting Canada's cultural achievements in Kuwait you contribute to reinforcing Canada's overall relationship with this country. Given what is happening throughout the Middle East, this is more important than ever."

(image - Susan Gilmour Bailey in front of concert series marquee in Kuwait City)