Yamaha Piano Series

SERVING CENTRAL ONTARIO

ALLISTON - BRADFORD WEST GWILLIMBURY
COLDWATER - TOWN OF GEORGINA
TOWN OF INNISFIL - MIDLAND - ORILLIA

Pickering - Toronto - Mississauga

A Yamaha Concert Grand Piano
will be the premier instrument for a
cavalcade of Jazz, Rag-time, Classical
and Blues performers throughout the
twelve days of the Festival.
Performances on this exquisite
marvel of Yamaha craftsmanship and
grand piano evolution will range
from solo recitals to jazz and blues
ensembles in shows and concerts.

In recognition of the dedication to the
arts of the many fine instrumentalists
and vocalists in our region performing
in other musical idioms, the Festival
will be presenting a series of recitals
and showcases featuring a selection
of excellent teachers and students
from throughout Simcoe County.

Printer Ready Programme

GO TO PIANO CONCERTS

GO TO "OUT TO LUNCH" CONCERTS & RECITALS SERIES

"This venue has one of the best pianos I've ever played in the Toronto area. So if you want to hear some great music in a totally acoustic (un-amplified) environment with a great piano and great musicians, this is a rare opportunity, and one that should be taken advantage of."
Mark Eisenman - Canadian Jazz Pianist
LISTEN
to what Mark Eisenman has to say about the Yamaha CFX piano.

___________________________________________

"Thank you again for the opportunity to have my piano recital at this incredible venue. I hope this environment inspires my students to continue music for a lifetime."
Sarah Lawton - Music Teacher, Barrie, Ontario.

___________________________________________

"another fabulous FREE Barrie Jazz & Blues festival at the Rotunda. Matt Herskowitz from Mtl (sic - Montréal) playing Gerschwin. Brilliant!"
Jennifer Sibley, Barrie

___________________________________________

LISTEN
to what Matt Herskowitz has to say about the Yamaha CFX piano.

LISTEN
to what Fern Lindzon has to say about the Yamaha CFX piano.

LISTEN
to what D. D. Jackson has to say about the Yamaha CFX piano.

LISTEN
to what Attila Fias has to say about the Yamaha CFX piano.

LISTEN
to what Nancy Houle has to say about the Yamaha CFX piano.

"THE GIANTS OF JAZZ" ARTICLE

CONCERTS & RECITALS HOSTS

JOE FINLEY - BOB GARRETT
BRAD & SUE LUMBERS - RON KIRBY
RAY MARTINELLI - RUSS STRATHDEE

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

8:00 P.M.

A "GIANTS OF JAZZ" CONCERT

Featuring
ETHAN ARDELLI - GEORGE KOLLER

PRESENTS

"THIS WOMAN IS A WHOLE SYMPHONY .....
AND SHE MAKES LOVE TO THE PIANO"

"WILD WOMAN"

TBA
June 11, 1920 – October 2, 1981

TBA

_____________________________________

TBA

_____________________________________

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

9:15 A.M. - 11:30 A.M.

THE SKYLINERS BIG BAND
RON ROBBINS - Music Director
SCOTT BOYER - Pianist / Vocalist
JESS OWEN - Vocalist

"BIG BAND REHEARSAL"

Drop in to a fun-filled big band rehearsal session at the Barrie City Hall Rotunda. Pull up a chair and relax while the band goes to work on the fabulous songs, arrangements and swing rhythms of their up-coming concert-dance to be held during the Festival on Thursday, June 13, 2024.

_____________________________________

8:00 P.M.

A "GREAT MOMENTS IN JAZZ" CONCERT

PRESENTS

_____________________________________

THURSDAY, JUNE 13

8:00 P.M.
A "GREAT MOMENTS IN JAZZ" CONCERT

TBA
Featuring
TBA
PRESENTS
"TBA"

TBA
_____________
TBA
_____________

FRIDAY, JUNE 14

8:00 P.M.

TBA

PRESENTS

"TBA"

TBA

_____________

TBA

_____________

TBAhi

_____________

SATURDAY, JUNE 15
10:30 A.M.
DARYL YAEGAR - Music Director
COME ON OUT TO THE HEART OF THE CITY AND
ENJOY THE TALENTS OF THE NEXT GENERATION
OF JAZZ MUSICIANS AS THEY EXPLORE THE BIG BAND COMPOSITIONS MADE FAMOUS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.
______________________________________
8:00 P.M.

"TBA"
TBA
Featuring
MORGAN CHILDS - ALEX DEAN
NEIL SWAINSON

PRESENTS
_____________________________________
MARK EISENMAN
The Jazz Report's 1999
Acoustic Pianist of the Year
Mark Eisenman is one among a handful of the top 'in-demand' jazz pianists in Toronto. Born in New York City but based in Toronto since 1972, Mark started studying the piano with his father. By the age of eighteen he had resolved that he would be pursuing the piano as a career interest. He entered into the music program
at York University and after a short time discovered jazz music.
With his introduction to this idiom his musical interest peaked.

Under the tutelage of John Gittins and others, Mark ultimately took a degree in Fine Arts, and as testimony to his continuing dedication to the learning process, and until recently conducted jazz workshops at York as a part-time faculty member. His teaching has expanded to include "The Jazz Camp" and classes at Mohawk College in Hamilton in addition to a lot of private teaching in his home studio.

Mark has performed in many different venues with numerous eminent Canadian and U.S. jazz artists including the following: Blue Mitchell, Woody Shaw, Nat Adderley, Ed Bickert, Rob McConnell, Sam Noto and Pat LaBarbera. He has also had numerous radio appearances and is well represented on recordings,
the latest of which is Mark's debut recording as a leader, "The Chant". He has toured Canada extensively with various groups.

"His professional status is based largely on his skill and versatility as an ensemble player, but what marks him most is an ability to produce, no matter what the musical company, distinctive well-structured solos".
- Toronto Star
_____________

THE
"OUT TO LUNCH"
CONCERT SERIES

JUNE 7
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

A "JAZZICAL" CONCERT

THE MUCH-IN-DEMAND ACCOMPANIST, CHORAL
LEADER, BAND LEADER AND SOLOIST, DANNY McERLAIN PRESENTS A CONCERT OF FAMILIAR JAZZ STANDARDS INTER-MIXED WITH SOLO PIANO PIECES FROM THE CLASSICAL MUSIC REPERTOIRE.

_______________________________

JUNE 10
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

"A YOUNG LION PIANO MAN YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH, IT DOESN'T TAKE ANY THOUGHT TO DO A TRIBUTE TO HERBIE HANCOCK SET, BUT IT DOES TAKE BEING AN OLD SOUL TO IT LIKE HE WAS THERE WHEN THINGS OLDER THAN HIM WERE CREATED. A WELL DESERVED AWARD WINNER IN MANY JAZZ AND MUSIC CIRCLES."
- Chris Spector, The Midwest Record (Illinois, USA)

_______________________________

JUNE 11
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

"WHAT AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO DISCOVER AN ALBUM LIKE THIS. CANADIAN PIANIST AND COMPOSER STACIE McGREGOR HAS WRITTEN AN ABSOLUTELY PERFECT SET OF HARD BOP ORIGINALS, NEW AND YET SOMEHOW FAMILIAR, AND PLAYED WITH A CONFIDENCE AND EBULLIENCE THAT IS INCREDIBLY REFRESHING THESE DAYS." - RAY NESLOVE

AWARD RECIPIENT

_______________________________

JUNE 12
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

AWARD-WINNING PIANIST AND COMPOSER ADREAN FARRUGIA IS ONE OF CANADA'S MOST DISTINCT VOICES ON THE PIANO. ADREAN HAS APPEARED ON MORE THAN 30 RECORDINGS TO DATE AND HIS DEBUT RECORDING AS A LEADER, "ADREAN FARRUGIA V1.0: LIVE AT THE SENATOR", WAS RELEASED IN THE SUMMER OF 2006.

ADREAN IS CURRENTLY ON THE FACULTY OF YORK UNIVERSITY AND MOHAWK
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY WHERE HE
TEACHES JAZZ PIANO AND IMPROVISATION, AND HE IS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER UNIVERSITY IN NOVA SCOTIA.

AWARD RECIPIENT

_______________________________

JUNE 13
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

TANIA HAS A MASTER OF MUSIC IN JAZZ PERFORMANCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, A BACHELOR OF MUSIC IN JAZZ PERFORMANCE FROM McGILL UNIVERSITY, AND STUDIED CLASSICAL PIANO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA. SHE HAS TAUGHT MUSIC PRIVATELY FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS, AND FORMERLY TAUGHT PIANO AND ENSEMBLES IN THE HUMBER COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL. TANIA HAS BEEN A CLINICIAN/ADJUDICATOR AT FESTIVALS IN ONTARIO AND MANITOBA.

"Her finely textured improvisations are always intent but casual as if she were merely picking out notes and phrases that have always been there, waiting to be made audible. Her complexities feel natural and almost self-evident."
- Robert Everett-Green - The Globe and Mail

.... "pianist Tania Gill's sparkling, very free solo impresses," - The Wire

.... her "spiky, sparse piano" is "most successful in channelling the eccentric spirit of the masterful [Thelonious] Monk." - Toronto Star

_______________________________

JUNE 14
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

GRAMMY
MULTI-AWARD NOMINEE

MULTI-AWARD
RECIPIENT

Featuring

MARK KELSO - ROBERTO OCCHIPINTI

THE CELEBRATED CUBAN-CANADIAN PIANO MASTER HILARIO DURAN, IN A TRIO FORMATION, WILL HONOUR THE MUSIC OF OSCAR PETERSON, ONE OF THE GREATEST JAZZ PIANISTS OF ALL TIME AND ONE OF CANADA'S MOST HONOURED AND REVERED MUSICIANS. ..... More

_______________________________

JUNE 17
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

DOUG BALFOUR IS A VERSATILE MUSICIAN WHO HAS PERFORMED ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR MORE THAN FORTY YEARS. HE IS SKILLED IN MANY STYLES OF MUSIC, FROM HARD STOMPING BOOGIE WOOGIE, TO SWINGING VELVET JAZZ STANDARDS TO CHOPINESQUE CLASSICAL INTERLUDES. DOUG HAS WORKED EXTENSIVELY AS A MUSIC DIRECTOR AND ARRANGER FOR SUCH SHOWS AS "FOREVER PLAID", "FOREVER SWING", "PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES", AND "AIN'T MISBEHAVING". DOUG IS STILL A MEMBER OF TORONTO'S LEGENDARY R & B BAND,
ROBBIE LANE AND THE DISCIPLES.

_______________________________

Current to APRIL 14, 2024

_______________________________

CONCERTS & RECITALS SERIES - 2023

CONCERTS & RECITALS SERIES - 2019

CONCERTS & RECITALS SERIES - 2018

CONCERTS & RECITALS SERIES - 2017

CONCERTS & RECITALS SERIES - 2016