Violinist
Annalee Patipatanakoon, cellist Roman Borys and my brother Jamie Parker
at the keyboard, formed the Gryphon
Trio in 1993. In addition to keeping up a hectic touring schedule,
they also hold teaching positions and are committed to bringing music to
young people. Interests: Trek and X-Files, cars and Canadian hockey,
Belgian beer, wine and dogs! - even if they're a little rambunctious and
jump right through basement doors and window screens, right Jamie ?? ;)
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Gene, Chuck, Stuart, Joe and Jeff, A.K.A. the Canadian Brass, share my opinion that having fun and being serious about aspiring high quality in music performance can go hand in hand. Proof: they have dedicated fans who log 3850 miles/year driving to attend every Brass concert within their reach! These guys are fancy dressers, too, check out the footwear on some of their CD covers... |
Founder
Janina Fialkowska likes to call Piano
Six "our little band of brothers and sisters". Six Canadian pianists:
Angela Hewitt, Angela Cheng, Marc-André Hamelin, André Laplante,
Janina and myself, we literally go "where no one has gone before" throughout
Canada to bring music and joy to children and grown-ups alike. Now
the project has a website where you can read all about it. As government
funding has been cut, your help is needed to keep the initiative alive!
We do our share by performing nearly pro bono, so should you consider supporting
a performing arts project, your efforts will be greatly appreciated.
Cellist
Bion Tsang's sidekick on his tours
is named "Screechy", a Giovanni Bianchi cello made in Florence, Italy in
1746. Golfer, websurfer and Miami Dolphins fan, he is also the artistic
director of the Laurel
Festival of the Arts. The artist line-up features an exquisite selection
of musicians, among whom his wife, cellist Amy Levine Tsang, a member of
the Laurel Trio.
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Meet Michael Hope, symphonic pops artist with a voice so hot it will melt your heart! Michael's song repertoire includes work by Frank Sinatra, Cole Porter, and a wonderful selection of Broadway hits. His CD, "the Quintessential Cole Porter", recorded on August 29 1997, can be ordered on his website. I had the pleasure of accompanying my long-time friend on 3 tracks of this production. A new release, 'Bewitched', is available on Michael's page as well. Mike has been assistant principal bassoonist of the Calgary Philharmonic since 1982. |
Chicago-based
Rachel Barton, who started studying
violin at the ripe age of 3, is a lady whose talent and radiant personality
I admire very much. Never afraid of a challenge, she was a torchbearer
in the Atlanta 1996 Olympic torch relay, and as a sports fan she performed
her own arrangement of the national anthem at the first Chicago Bulls 1996
playoff game and at the Chicago Fire Home Opener, where she also threw
in Jimi Hendrix' "Fire". As a music teacher she reaches out to her younger
audience via local rock stations, and she released a CD with her
group Stringendo, 'Storming the Citadel'.
My
throat-singing friends from Tuva, Huun-Huur-Tu
are four guys who can sing three notes at the same time. By themselves. This uncanny vocal
technique is called 'khöömei', and practiced in South Siberia, Tuva and
Mongolia. HHT sings the praise of nature, faithful horses and beautiful
women, and they play traditional Tuvan string and percussion instruments.
Tolya and Kaigal-ool are experienced horsemen, Alexei's hobbies are martial arts
and piano, and Sayan is a pro on acoustic and electric guitar. And we share the same
passion for all things Feynman and Zappa...
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