FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7/26/1010

Announcing Boise Chamber Music Series 2010-2011

 This year’s Boise Chamber Music Series opens with an immediate return of the Gryphon Trio on Friday, September 17. After their amazing performance last season, the Gryphon Trio is back by popular demand.  With a strong commitment to expanding the piano trio repertoire, the Trio has commissioned and premiered over 50 works. Their 2004 recording, Canadian Premieres, features the work of leading Canadian composers and was awarded a Juno. Their most recent recording, Tango Nuevo, features the music of Astor Piazzolla and Hilario Duran, and represents their tenth CD for the Analekta label. Strongly dedicated to pushing the boundaries of chamber music, the Trio has collaborated on special projects with clarinetist James Campbell, actor Colin Fox, choreographer David Earle, and a host of jazz luminaries at Toronto’s Lula Lounge. Their most ambitious undertaking has been the groundbreaking multimedia production of Christos Hatzis’ Constantinople, which has been performed in Canada and the United States, and was presented by the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in England in 2006.

http://www.gryphontrio.com/

Grammy-winning eighth blackbird performs October 15.   "eighth blackbird's performances are the picture of polish and precision, and they seem to be thoroughly engaged by music in a broad range of contemporary styles."  --The New York Times Since its founding in 1996, eighth blackbird has actively commissioned and recorded new works from such eminent composers as Steve Reich, George Perle, Frederic Rzewski, and Joseph Schwantner, and has commissioned from a younger generation (Jennifer Higdon, Stephen Hartke, . . . ).  The group was honored in 2007 with the American Music Center's Trailblazer Award and a Meet The Composer Award.  eighth blackbird received the first BMI/Boudleaux-Bryant Fund Commission, was the first contemporary music group to win the Grand Prize at the Concert Artists Guild International Competition, won the 2000 Naumburg Chamber Music Award and the 2004 NEA/CMA Special Commissioning Award, and has received grants from BMI, Meet The Composer, the Greenwall Foundation, and Chamber Music America, among many others. http://www.eighthblackbird.com/

 Since winning the prestigious Naumburg Chamber Music Award in 1989 and making their New York debut in 1990 at Alice Tully Hall, the Peabody Trio has appeared on the Boise Chamber Music Series a record five times. They bring to their music making what The Washington Post calls “the romantic fervor of the 20th century greats.”   They will be back for their sixth performance on February 11. The Peabody Trio currently serves as the resident faculty ensemble of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, a position they have held since 1989.  They celebrated their 20th season in 2007-08 with the release of the Beethoven Trios Opus 1, Nos. 1 and 3 on Artek Records, the second in their series of the complete piano trios of Beethoven. Gramophone Magazine called this recording a "bold, flexible and vibrant" performance in which Beethoven's music received "consummate consideration." In 2004 the trio released their recording of the Beethoven Opus 70 Trios on Artek, praised by Strad Magazine as "some of the most accomplished Beethoven Trio playing …heard in many a year."

http://www.peabodytrio.org/

 On April 29, we welcome the St. Petersburg Quartet back for their third appearance on the BCMS, and their first time judging the Young Artist String Quartet Competition, on Saturday, April 30.  Founded in 1985 as the Leningrad Quartet, the St. Pete’s blazed a trail through international chamber music competitions, winning First Prize at the All-Soviet Union String Quartet Competition, the Silver Medal and a Special Prize at the Tokyo International Competition of Chamber Ensembles, First Prize and both Special Prizes at the Vittorio Gui International Competition for Chamber Ensembles in Florence, Italy, and First Prize and the "Grand Prix Musica Viva" at the International Competition for Chamber Ensembles in Melbourne, Australia  Having recorded nineteen CDs, including the complete quartets of Shostakovich, the St. Petes have achieved a Grammy nomination, "Best Record" honors in both Stereo Review and Gramophone, and the Chamber Music America/WQXR Prize for Best CD of 2001.

http://www.stpetersburgquartet.com/

 For season subscriptions to the 2010-11 Boise Chamber Music Series, call 426-1216 and leave contact information.  Season tickets are $100 for the four concerts, all of which take place in the Morrison Center Recital Hall, at 7:30 pm on Friday evenings.   The Series is supported by the Boise Chamber Music Society and the BSU Dept. of Music.  http://boisechambermusicseries.org/

 Contact:  Jeanne Belfy, 426-1216; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

The Boise Chamber Music Society announces the winners of the Fifth Annual Young Artist String Quartet Competition, held Saturday, April 17. From a field of four qualifying collegiate string quartets, Boise State University's student quartet of Seth Mattison and Maggie Snow, violins; Enrique Olvera, viola; and Shara Long, cello was awarded first place. Second-place prize was awarded to the College of Idaho Quartet, consisting of Geoffrey Hill, violin; Lisa Stempe, violin; Aurora Torres, viola; and Dayne Filer, cello. The Boise State quartet was coached by BSU string professors Brian Hodges, Linda Kline Lamar, and Craig Purdy. College of Idaho Langroise Professor David Johnson coached the C of I quartet. Judging was done by the members of the Enso Quartet, following their appearance on the final concert of the 2009-10 BCMS season.