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Friday, February 10, and Saturday February 11, 2012 7:30 PM
Auburn Saloon, 163-9 Avenue SE
David Braid, piano
John Lowry, violin
Beth Root Sandvoss, cello
Chris Alfano, clarinet
All Music by David Braid
Program to be announced
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Chauve ()
—
David Braid
Listen
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Prelude ()
—
David Braid
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To Be announced ()
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David Braid
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Semi ()
—
David Braid
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Resolute Bay Part I & Part II ()
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David Braid
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Saudade () —
David Braid |
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Guest Artists |
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David Braid, piano
Hailed
in the Canadian press as "A jazz genius to call our own" (MacLean's
Magazine), Juno award winning David Braid is among a new generation of
Canadian artists making his mark on international stages. Braid has
performed across Western Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, Australia, Brazil,
the United States and Canada.
Combining harmonic intricacies fundamental to European classical music
and the spontaneity of American jazz, Braid's original music engages
audiences with a quiet, thoughtful, lyrical voice that does not conform
neatly to any one musical genre. His work has been described as
"refreshingly uncategorizable" (Paris Transatlantic), "wide-ranging,
exploratory" (South China Morning Post), "une force poétique" (Le
Soleil) and "elegant" (Ottawa Citizen).
"Braid's tone, touch, chord voicings
and imagination make him one of the most interesting new pianists I've
encountered in a long time." - Doug Ramsey, recipient of Jazz Journalists Association's Lifetime achievement Award.
Recently awarded Jazz Pianist of the Year in Canada, Braid is also a
recipient of SOCAN Composer of the Year, recognizing his output of over
seventy works including compositions for solo piano, jazz ensembles and
symphony orchestras. He is a Juno Award Winner, multi-National Jazz
Award Winner and a recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts'
"JazzID Award."
Braid graduated from the University of Toronto in 1998 and was
nominated for the Canadian Governor General's Academic Medal. Since
that time, he has produced eight recordings, garnering five Juno
nominations.
His most recent focus is on solo piano performances. In addition to his
solo recording, VERGE, Braid's solo work was also profiled in Daniel
Berman's series "Solos: the Jazz Sessions" (Original Spin Media) along
with pianists Brad Mehldau, Ethan Iverson and Jacky Terrason.
In addition to performing and composing, Braid is on faculty at the
University of Toronto, and is an honorary guest professor at Xinghai
Conservatory. |
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Chris Alfano, clarinet
Born
in Hamilton, Alfano started his music career as a Clarinet student at
the Royal Hamilton College of Music at age eight. He studied classical
clarinet for seven years with teachers Don Allen, John Price and Gary
Kidd.
At age 15, he embarked on the learning of jazz improvisation and took
up the Alto Saxophone studying privately with noted jazz saxophonist
Pat LaBarbara in Toronto. Alfano continued to play clarinet and studied
jazz styles on both instruments. He played in many local concert bands,
swing big bands on alto doubling on lead clarinet, and became
Bandmaster of 150 Hamilton Tiger Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Cadets.
In 1983, Alfano was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant with the Cadet
Instructors List, Canadian Forces Reserve working each summer as an
instructor of music to Air, Army and Sea Cadets at CFB Borden, Borden
Ontario. He received his Bachelor of Arts (Honours Music) degree from
Saint Francis Xavier University, where I began playing flute, in 1986
and received a Master of Music from SUNY Potsdam the following year.
Alfano left the Active Reserve to attend the University of Western
Ontario and earned a Bachelor of Education in 1993. After a semester
teaching instrumental music at St. Mark High School in Manotick,
Ontario, he relocated to Kingston to teach grades nine to twelve
instrumental music and institute an Adult Instrumental Music Program at
La Salle Secondary School, Kingston, Ontario.
In September of 2004, he began his PhD at McGill University in the
Intergenerational Education area of research. In December of 2008 he
successfully defended his thesis and, in the spring of 2009 graduated
with a Doctor of Philosophy.
Alfano is an active musician in the Eastern Ontario area playing in a
variety of genres. He has performed classical music as part of the
Kingston Symphony and National Arts Centre Orchestra as well as with
the Kingston Classics Trio. His dance band, the Swingmasters are a
feature every summer on the Island Star cruising through the Thousand
Islands. Additionally, he has performed for many private functions as
part of a jazz combo. In the summer of 2009 he played in Toronto with
the Greg Runions Big Band at the Rex. |
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