MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release: September 21, 2005
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TO OPEN 2005 INTERNATIONAL BACH FESTIVAL
Featuring three concertos for various instruments by Vivaldi, Bach and Berg
TORONTO—Five violins, four pianos and ninety nimble fingers will join forces with the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra in the opening concert of the International Bach Festival at the University of Toronto on Saturday, October 1, 2005 at 7:30 pm in MacMillan Theatre. Conducted by Raffi Armenian, the concert will include the first movement from VIVALDI’s Concerto for Four Violins in B minor (featuring student soloists Patricia Ahn, Hiroko Kagawa, Elizabeth Loewen and Allene Chomyn), J.S. BACH’s Concerto for Four Pianos in A minor (with faculty pianists Midori Koga, James Parker, Cameron Stowe and Lydia Wong), and BERG’s Violin Concerto featuring faculty violinist Scott St. John. Tickets ($17 adults, $9 seniors/students) can be purchased at the Faculty of Music Box Office or by calling 416.978.3744. MacMillan Theatre is located in the Edward Johnson Building at 80 Queen’s Park (Museum Subway stop).
Director of Orchestral Studies at the Faculty of Music, Raffi Armenian has led the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra in acclaimed performances of standard symphonic works, and opera productions. In February 2006, maestro Armenian will lead the joint U of T Symphony Orchestra and the Montreal Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra in two concerts in Toronto and Montreal, featuring the music of Shostakovich and Stravinsky. In March 2006, maestro Armenian will conduct four performances of The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart, featuring students from the Opera Division.
The International Bach Festival Toronto features nine days of inspired performance and educational perspectives on the theme of J. S. Bach in the World Today! This year’s artistic collaboration includes Canada, Germany and Israel, as the focus is “Poetry and Politics of Bach’s Early Cantatas”. For details on the Bach Festival, please visit www.internationalbachfestival.ca or call 416.862-BACH (2224).
Media Contact
Aaron Wong (Faculty of Music)
aaron.wong@utoronto.ca | 416.978.0491
Beth Shulman (Bach Festival)
bsulman@hccink.com | 416-628-5602
