2002–2003 Festival Series
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The Canadian Brass
Thursday, October 3, 2002
The Lois M. Nitschke Memorial Concert
“The enthralling sound of a brass choir…programs that feature virtuosic musicianship, masterful interpretations and flashes of humour … repertoire that encompasses Bach to blues – all these ingredients make the Canadian Brass the world’s leading brass ensemble.” – Washington Post
The five virtuosi of The Canadian Brass have made the brass quintet an exciting vehicle for serious concert music. Celebrating its 32 season, the group has been seen by millions of television viewers on such programs as “The Tonight Show,” “Today” and “Entertainment Tonight.” They not only present works in the classical repertoire but continue to take daring leaps into jazz, contemporary concert music and popular songs.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Thursday, November 14, 2002
The Louise F. Rees Memorial Concert
“Unforgettably spectacular and intense.” – The New York Times
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the resident company at Lincoln Center in New York City, makes its first appearance on the Festival Series—one that is long overdue. With the company’s core of distinguished artist members augmented by invited guests, artistic director David Shifrin is renowned for presenting extraordinary concerts of every instrumentation, style and period from the Renaissance to the finest works of our time. The Chamber Music Society performs on national and international tours, as well as nationally televised broadcasts on “Live from Lincoln Center” and regular features on National Public Radio’s “Performance Today” and Public Radio International’s “Chamber Music New York.”
eighth blackbird
Friday, December 6, 2002
The Kobacker Concert
“Astounding virtuosos, whose intensity breathes life into the music of today…as remarkable to watch as to hear” – The Cincinnati Enquirer
Hailed as ambassadors of new music, eighth blackbird has a growing reputation for its astounding musical versatility, as well as for its dedication to the works of today’s composers. Formed in 1996 at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the ensemble is comprised of flutes, clarinets, cello, piano, violin, viola and percussion. The group received the prestigious Naumburg Chamber Music Award in 2000 and both the 1998 and 2000 CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming. They have performed throughout the United States, including Washington, D.C., San Francisco and New York. Currently, eighth blackbird is the ensemble-in-residence at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. Their visit to Bowling Green will include several residency activities.
Les Violons du Roy
Thursday, February 6, 2003
“The performance was indeed a balm, delivered with a purity and group virtuosity which is rare.” – The Newark Star-Ledger
Les Violons du Roy, a group of 15 musicians brought together in 1984 by artistic director Bernard Labadie, specializes in the vast repertoire of music for chamber orchestra, performed in the stylistic manner most appropriate to each era. Playing on modern instruments, the ensemble’s approach to works of the Baroque and Classical periods has been acclaimed both in North America and abroad. Due to its many concerts and recordings for the French and English networks of CBC, Les Violons has also become a pillar of the musical scene in Quebec City and across Canada. Their program will include great works of the Baroque period and feature soprano Karina Gauvin and oboist Diane Lacelle.
Jane Monheit
Saturday, April 5, 2002
The Dorothy Bryan Memorial Concert
“Jane Monheit seems destined for jazz diva status.” —Hartford Courant
After winning the runner-up prize in the 1998 Thelonious Monk Institute Vocal Competition, it was obvious that Jane Monheit was the new talent to watch on the jazz vocal scene, and the past several years have brought her unanimous acclaim. Monheit’s debut album, Never Never Land, received rave reviews and highlights her natural, warm, swinging and refreshing sound, not to mention a breathtakingly beautiful voice. Singing standards two and three times older than she is, Monheit, 24, possesses that rare ability to dive under the surface of a song. Citing Ella Fitzgerald as her main influence, Jane Monheit graces listeners with a vocal style mature beyond her years. She will appear with her trio as the finale of the College of Musical Arts’ annual Jazz Week.