Empire Brass back by popular
demand at the 2006 Festival!
“Lavishly
endowed in technique and musicianship, individually
and collectively they proved brilliantly, virtuosic,
with lips of steel and willing musical spirit.”
– Los Angeles
Times
Ottawa (Tuesday, June 20, 2006) – Two years ago the Empire Brass
kicked off the 11th Festival to a resounding
triumph! Now back by popular demand, this ensemble
celebrated as one of the world’s great brass ensembles,
is internationally renowned for its virtuosity and
unparalleled diversity of repertoire. They will
perform at the 13th Ottawa
International Chamber Music Festival
in a Pass-Plus concert on Sunday, July 23, 8 pm
at Dominion-Chalmers
United
Church,
355 Cooper St.
(at O’Connor).
All the members
of the quintet have held leading positions with
major American orchestras and each has earned an
international reputation in the music world. They
include, Rolf Smedvig - founder and first trumpet,
Marc Reese - trumpet, Michelle Perry - horn, Mark
Hetzler - trombone, and Kenneth Amis – tuba. Together
they will perform repertoire by Bach, Purcell, Albinoni,
Handel, Charpentier, Pachelbel, Holborne and others.
Their collaboration
has introduced a worldwide audience to the excitement
of brass music ranging from Bach and Handel to jazz
and Broadway.
“…a performance
both filled with wild abandon and letter perfect.
Astonishing, entertaining and above all, they made their audiences feel
special.” — Fanfare
In addition
to playing across the United States, the Empire Brass has toured the Far East
several times and performs regularly in Europe. They have played to standing-room crowds
in the former Soviet Union,
where their concert was broadcast on television.
Among its many honours, Empire Brass became the
first ensemble to play at the newly remodelled Carnegie
Hall and opened the Carnegie Hall Centennial Gala,
joining forces with members of the New York Philharmonic.
Among
many honours, the ensemble has received the Naumburg
Prize and Harvard Music Award.
Passes are $80 for adults and $40 for students
and permit access to all but the 13 Pass-plus concerts
(Pass-Plus tickets are $20 per person). Ticket outlets
includes: Ottawa Chamber Music Society –
200 Isabella, Suite 401; The Book Bazaar
– 417 Bank St.; Compact Music – 785-A Bank
St. and 190 Bank St.; Three Wild Women –
1171 Bank; CD Warehouse – 1383 Clyde, 1717
St. Laurent Blvd. and 499 Terry Fox Drive; Ticketmaster
– (all outlets in Canada) www.ticketmaster.ca, (613)
755-1111; Scotiabank – 366 Elgin Street;
Books on Beechwood – 35 Beechwood Avenue; Collected
Works – 1242 Wellington St.; Lauzon Music
Centre – 1345 Wellington; Nicholas Hoare
Books – 419 Sussex Dr.; The Leading Note
– 370 Elgin St.; Marvelous Mustard Shop –
109 Sparks Street and the Rideau Centre Kiosk.
Suzan
Zilahi, Communications Director
