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YORK FINE ARTS LABEL LAUNCHES DOUBLE SERIES, SHOWCASING YORK ARTISTS AND ACADEMICS ON SIX NEW CDS/CD-ROM TORONTO, August 28, 1997 -- The Faculty of Fine Arts is marking this fall's return to classroom and studio with the release of two innovative series under the York Fine Arts label. The York Artists Signature Series presents a collection of five CDs showcasing the range of cutting-edge talent in music and spoken word at York University. The York Learning Series features the country's first-ever interactive multimedia CD-ROM tutorial on Canadian dance history. York University's digital recording and publishing label made its debut last year with the release of the CD Two of a Kind by York pianist Christina Petrowska and her husband, baritone Louis Quilico. Since then, the label has been at work tapping into the artistic, pedagogical, and technical talent and creativity that abounds at York University. "We initially launched the label to profile York's renowned artists and performers, as well as our state-of-the-art facilities," says Fine Arts dean Seth Feldman. "With these two series we are going a step further. We are reflecting the breadth of vision that characterizes this university as both an educational institution and a contributor to Canadian culture." New releases on the York Artists Signature Series are:
Mott, a York music professor, is an award-winning saxophonist, composer and improvisor in new jazz and new classical music. All nine pieces on this CD are composed and performed by Mott, who is strongly influenced by non-western music.
An adjunct professor of music at York, Westcott is a pianist, composer, singer, writer, and a specialist in ragtime, blues and early jazz styles. Recording recreates style and mood of the early 20th century through ragtime and blues selections which illustrate the variety and original substance of the music.
A York music professor, Werren is a renowned composer for dance and has been a prominent explorer in the field of electronic music for 25 years. Stone Witness juxtaposes natural sounds from Werren's cottage in Bancroft, Ontario with urban soundscapes. Summer Evening recreates a strange aural landscape of birds, crickets and cicadas, interspersed with excerpts from the 1940s Tommy Dorsey hit "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You."
Every artist featured on this compilation disc is, or has been, connected to York's music program. Henderson, Elmes and Murley are among the heavyweights on the Canadian jazz scene who currently teach at York. This CD covers a lot of territory, from "in-the-tradition" post-bop to jazz-rock.
Elliott is a York English professor, University Orator, and well-known Dickens enthusiast. In his inimitable style which has enthralled audiences for years, he reads selections from David Copperfield, Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities. All of the recordings in the York Artists Signature Series were produced by composer Michael Coghlan, professor of digital arts in York's Music Department. Coghlan, like all the artists featured on York Fine Arts label productions, donated his time and talent to the project. The premier release on the York Learning Series is the CD-ROM Shadow on the Prairie which focuses on the seminal ballet by Gweneth Lloyd, founding choreographer of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. This digital courseware, accompanied by the teacher's guide, was developed and produced by York dance professors Mary Jane Warner and Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt. Productions on the York Fine Arts label are available for purchase through York University and other outlets. Proceeds from sales will be used for program and student support. York's Faculty of Fine Arts is one of the largest and most comprehensive centres for fine arts education in North America. Since its inception some 25 years ago, the Faculty has been a leader in exploring creative and pedagogical applications enabled by new technologies.
For more information or review copies, please contact:
Brigitte Kleer
Sine MacKinnon |
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