News

Alexander Tselyakov

• Kanon Artists is pleased to announce the addition to its roster of renowned Russian pianist Alexander Tselyakov. Alexander Tselyakov has won major competitions in Russia, Japan, Italy, Israel and the U.S., and has appeared with Leningrad Philharmonic, the Moscow Philharmonic, the Tokyo Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Orchestra Symphonique de Québec, amongst many others. His performances in the important concert halls all over the globe—such as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall (London) and Merkin Hall (New York)—have led to a reputation as one of Canada’s leading concert pianists.  Mr. Tselyakov is the Artistic Director of both the Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival, British Columbia and the Clear Lake Chamber Music Festival in Manitoba, and is professor of piano at Brandon University

Duo Concertante

• Ten Years Together
  This season, the Duo celebrated ten years of international appeal and intensely personal music-making by performing the complete sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven.  From tours of Florida, California, British Columbia and Saskatchewan to concerts in Ontario and the Maritimes, this expressive and personal repertoire was featured along with attractive encore pieces arranged especially for Duo Concertante by Canadian composer Clifford Crawley. The CD follows the Duo’s three previous ATMA recordings (all nominated for the ECMA’s “Best Classical Recording” in 2000, 2003 and 2005), and consists of such works such as Tico Tico, Night in Tunisia, and Mozart’s Turkish March. 
• World Premiere of R. Murray Schafer Commission by Duo Concertante
  The Ottawa Chamber Music Festival will present Duo Concertante’s World Premiere performance of a new work commissioned by the Duo, written by one of Canada’s most revered composers. The August engagement will also include a children’s concert and collaborative performances. Other festival appearances this summer include P.E.I.’s Indian River festival and of course Tuckamore: Chamber Music in Newfoundland, of which Dahn & Steeves are Artistic Directors.
• China Revisited
  Duo Concertante’s successful tour of China in 2005 will be repeated this fall, performing in nine cities as well as conducting masterclasses and media appearances

Julia Halfyard

• Julia was featured in this season’s hilarious and hugely successful show Fear of Flight, a large-scale choral, vocal and theatre production exploring the fears of a group of tremulous travelers on a plane together.  Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland mounted this show with the help of 6 of Canada’s top playwrights, and it features music by Julia Halfyard’s longtime collaborator, Jonathan Munro.
• Proving her diversity, Julia is one of the artists featured on David Chafe’s 2007 award-winning gospel album “Bright and Beautiful”
• Once again, Divas do Christmas had a rousing run in St. John’s, one of Julia Halfyard staple shows that bring in the crowds during the holidays.
• This fall Julia will be creating the show that Broadway heavyweight Erv Raible has asked her to bring to New York City in 2009.  This invitation  is a result of Julia’s dazzling showing at the 2007 Yale Summer Cabaret Conference, performing for numerous industry luminaries such as Ron Abel and Laurel Masse (of Manhattan Transfer) amongst many others.  Although auditions are open internationally, Julia was chosen on the spot as one of the 35 few selected for this program.
• Julia’s highly successful Summer Music Theatre will be held once again this summer, attracting students from far and wide to learn all aspects of entertaining and working in the music theatre milieu.

Bowties

• This unique show which explores the similarities and polar opposition of two music styles tours Atlantic Canada in June of 2008 with a new show filled with music and laughter.
• Classical violin/piano team Duo Concertante comes to the table on its 10th anniversary of performing and touring internationally, with the presentation of the complete cycle of Beethoven sonatas and the release of its fourth CD as top events of the season.  They’ll be featured at this summer’s Ottawa Chamber Music Festival performing the World Premiere of a new work written for them by R. Murray Schafer, and reprise their 2005 visit to China with another nine-city tour of that country.
• Master fiddler Gordon Stobbe along with acclaimed guitarist Greg Simm bring their expertise in the huge world of traditional music, with performances from the Yukon to Baffin Island to Louisiana and everywhere in between.  Gordon’s fame as a fiddler and teacher take him everywhere from Halifax to Hollywood, and his latest CD has been lauded as “exuberant”, “excellent”, and “memorable”.  In addition to his work with Bowties, Greg Simm has been directing, producing and performing with artists such as Natalie McMaster, Lennie Gallant, and the Mamas And Papas’ Denny Doherty, to name just a few.