Banff, Alberta, May 23, 2011 -- Led by composer and trumpeter Dave Douglas, The Banff Centre’s International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music is one of North America’s most innovative hothouses for the creation of new music. Following on the great success of the TD Jazz Fellowships, awarded to musicians in creative residencies since 2008, TD Bank Group (TDBG) has made a further commitment to jazz at The Banff Centre. With generous support of $100,000 for the 2011 and 2012 jazz programs at Banff, TDBG provides ongoing support for exceptional young musicians through the TD Fellowships and Scholarships in Jazz.
“We’re very pleased to continue our support of the jazz programs which help music students develop their skills and gain important new experiences. At TD we believe that helping students obtain their educational goals is one of the best ways we can have a positive impact,” says Monique Bateman, Senior Vice President, TD Canada Trust. “In partnership with The Banff Centre we’re pleased to be creating opportunities for young people to access and contribute to arts and culture in Canada.”
The Banff Centre provides a highly concentrated workshop environment for young musicians, where they have the opportunity to play with established jazz musicians from around the world (past mentors have included Chucho Valdes, the Bad Plus, Joshua Redman, and Bill Frisell). The Centre’s music programs bring leading performers and composers together with young emerging artists in an intense program of master classes, ensemble playing, discussion, and experimentation. Musicians in the International Workshop also perform regularly as part of the Banff Summer Arts Festival.
Jazz programming at The Banff Centre began in 1974, when jazz legends Oscar Peterson and Phil Nimmons came to Banff to put their ideas on jazz education into practice. Since then, some of the most notable names in jazz have passed through the Centre’s doors, including Dave Holland, Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor, Kenny Werner, Steve Coleman, Hugh Fraser, Vijay Iyer, and Han Bennink.
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About The Banff Centre: The Banff Centre’s mission is inspiring creativity. Thousands of artists, leaders and researchers from across Canada and around the world participate in programs here every year. Through its multi-disciplinary programming, The Banff Centre provides them with the support they need to create, to develop solutions, and to make the impossible possible.