Award-winning Ensemble Made in Canada to perform at New Paltz

NEW PALTZ – The State University of New York at New Paltz Music Department presents the world renowned Ensemble Made in Canada. The ensemble will perform on October 30 at 8:00 p.m. in the Julien J. Studley Theatre and give a workshop on October 31 at 11:00 a.m. in the Nadia & Max Shepard Recital Hall located on the college campus. Both events are open to the public. The concert and workshop are made possible through a residency generously funded by the Mary Whittington Davenport Endowment.

The concert will feature Jean Coulthard, “Sketches from a Medieval Town” (Arabesque – Sonatine, Medieval Procession, The Gargoyle and the Saint, Villanelle – Country Dance); John B Hedges “Snikt, bub!” for piano quartet (2012) *World premiere; Anton Dvorak, Piano Quartet No 2 in E flat, Op 87 – Allegro con fuoco, Lento, Allegro moderato, grazioso, Finale: Allegro non troppo.

Ensemble Made in Canada is rapidly gaining recognition as Canada’s premier piano quartet. Awarded the 2006 CBC Galaxie Stars Award from the Banff Centre for the Arts, the quartet was also featured in 2008 Chatelaine Magazine’s 80 women to watch as an ensemble that is leading the next generation of classical musicians. The members of the group, violinist Elissa Lee, violist Sharon Wei, cellist Rachel Mercer and pianist Angela Park, have been forging outstanding individual careers and bring together a shared love of chamber music and a wealth of experience having already appeared at prestigious festivals such as Marlboro, Ravinia, Orford, Verbier, Prussia Cove, Pablo Casals and Evian.

The ensemble has performed for such series as Winnipeg’s Virtuosi, Jeffery Chamber Music Series, Lindsay Concert Productions, and Almonte in Concert in Ontario. They have been re-invited to perform at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Parry Sound’s Festival of the Sound and the Stratford Music Festival. Other recent performances include Montreal Pro Musica series, Sherbrooke Bishop’s University Series and Toronto’s Syrinx Series. Ensemble Made in Canada has provided master classes, chamber music coachings, and lectures at universities across Canada and have also participated in outreach programs for public schools in Ontario. The ensemble was a recent recipient of the Music Touring Grant, generously awarded by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Tickets for the performance are $8 general admission, $6 seniors, New Paltz faculty/staff, $3 students and can be purchased at the door one half hour prior to the concert. For additional information, call 845.257.2700 or visit www.newpaltz.edu/music

Ensemble Made in Canada