Media Release

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For immediate release
October 11 , 2006

Banff Centre musicians highlighted at New York concert

Musicians mentored in the heart of the Canadian Rockies will be front and centre at a New York concert later this month. The Americas Society will host a concert featuring alumni and faculty of The Banff Centre on Tuesday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Based in Banff, Alberta, Canada, The Banff Centre is a globally respected arts, cultural, and educational institution. The Centre supports the development of creative work in the arts, sciences, business, and the environment; and provides professional development for artists, and business and community leaders.

The Jupiter String Quartet, winners of the Centre’s 8th Banff International String Quartet Competition, will open the concert. One of North America’s most celebrated young string quartets, the Jupiter String Quartet have won numerous awards, including the 2004 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Violinist Meg Frievogel and violist Liz Freivogel of the quartet credit Banff Centre programs with inspiring their love of chamber music.

The concert will also feature jazz pianist/composer John Halle, violinist/violist Barry Shiffman, and cellist Paul Katz.

John Halle is a veteran of the San Francisco and New York jazz scenes and a founder of the composers’ collective Common Sense. Active as both a composer and theorist, Halle’s recent compositions have been performed by the Meridian Arts Ensemble, the Cygnus Ensemble, and the Now Ensemble, among others.

An internationally-lauded chamber musician and teacher, Barry Shiffman is a founding member of the St. Lawrence String Quartet (SLSQ) and a former artist-in-residence at Stanford University. In demand at concert halls across Canada, the United States, and Europe, SLSQ’s recordings have won the coveted German critics award, the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, as well as a Juno Award. The SLSQ first met at The Banff Centre, and this fall, Shiffman left the quartet to become the director of the Centre’s music programs.

With an international career spanning 26 years, Paul Katz is known to concert-goers the world over as the cellist for the Cleveland Quartet (1969 to 1995). The recipient of numerous awards and honours, Katz has appeared as a soloist across North America and Europe, and is one of America’s most sought after cello teachers. Katz has also served as faculty at The Banff Centre.

The concert at the Americas Society will feature works by Joseph Haydn, John Halle, and Johannes Brahms. Sidley Austin LLP are the presenting sponsors for the event, with support from KeySpan Corporation.

The concert will take place at the Americas Society in New York, 680 Park Avenue (at 68th Street). For more information, contact the Americas Society at 212-249-8950 or inforequest@as-coa.org.

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For more information on the Banff International String Quartet Competition:
www.bisqc.ca

For a high resolution downloadable photo of the Jupiter String Quartet:
http://www.banffcentre.ca/media_room/images/Winter_Concert_Series/

For a high resolution, downloadable photo of Barry Shiffman:
http://www.banffcentre.ca/media_room/images/people/#shiffman