Artists

Annette Coffin

Inspired Arts: Watercolour in Poetry & Song, Sunday, March 21 | Studio Theatre
11am Admission by wristband.

Annette Coffin is a native of Sydney, Cape Breton, NS. She grew up in a family of singers surrounded by a community of nurturing parents, teachers and fine musicians. She began her songwriting sitting at the piano in a practice room while studying music at Dalhousie University in Halifax. A close friend and writer asked her for help writing music for a children’s play, sparking a life-long interest in songwriting.

Annette is thrilled to be involved in this project with Loreta and Tina. As director of Novisingers, the youngest members of the Coastal Sound Music Academy’s Training Choirs, Annette is proud to have her singers present a world premiere of a song she wrote for them.

Bill Thomson

Artists Trading Cards Workshop, Sunday, March 21 | Studio B
noon – 3pm Admission by wristband.

Bill Thomson has been a practicing artist for over 20 years. His mixed media, colorful and eclectic assemblage art works are highly recognizable and prized in local exhibitions. Bill is also well known for his passion for the creation, trading and collecting of Artist Trading Cards (ATC).  Bill’s ATC workshops are fun and energized. Want to create original, small art works for trade or visual pleasure?  Be sure to check out Thomson’s hands-on ATC making workshop and trading session at Water’s Edge.  Drop-in workshop is for all art skill levels and includes all materials.

 

Brad Turner

Main Stage Concert: Saturday, March 20 | Studio Theatre
7:30 pm  Advance: $20/$18.  At the door: $25/$20.

Brad Turner’s phenomenal talents as a trumpeter, pianist, drummer and composer make him one of Canada´s most in-demand musicians. Brad is known mainly for his trumpet playing, (in 2007 Downbeat Magazine named Brad as one of the Top Trumpeters in Jazz) but he is proficient on three instruments: trumpet, piano and drums, and has recently been gaining more recognition as a world-class composer and producer. At the 2008 National Jazz Awards, Brad won Trumpeter and Producer of the Year honours for Small Wonders, his latest album with his quartet, which was also nominated for Traditional Jazz Album of the Year at the 2009 JUNO Awards.

Other accolades include, 1997 and 1998  JUNO Awards for Best Contemporary Jazz Album recognizing his work in the internationally established electric jazz group Metalwood. Winner of National Jazz Awards for Jazz Trumpeter of the Year (1999), Jazz Composer of the Year (2000 and 2002), and Musician of the Year for 2005.

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Brian Tate

Gospel Workshop: Sunday, March 21 | Rehearsal Studio
10:30 am  Admission by wristband.

An award-winning composer, as well as an accomplished and versatile musician, choir director, and educator, Brian Tate attributes the success of his multifaceted career to a love of working with people and a passion for the arts.

Brian received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia, and went on to further music studies in London, England, and Toronto. His love for music of many kinds has led to a diverse career that includes orchestral and choral conducting and performing, musical theatre, and composing music for film, television, stage, and the concert hall. Brian has twice received Vancouver’s Jessie Richardson Award for original theatre music, and his choral music is performed worldwide.

As a vocalist, Brian performs with his jazz quartet at festivals, clubs, and in concert. He also performs a solo unaccompanied vocal show entitled “Head Full of Voices,” in which he creates layers and textures using live digital looping.

For eight seasons, Brian directed Vancouver’s popular multi-faith Universal Gospel Choir. Currently, he directs the 100-voice Island Soul Choir in Parksville, BC, two choirs at Mt. Seymour United Church in North Vancouver, and the City Soul Choir in Vancouver. Brian is known far and wide for his lively choir workshops, excellent conducting skills and gift for bringing out the best in choirs, and for his exhilarating and inspiring choral compositions.

Brian is on the faculty of Studio 58, Langara College’s professional theatre school. He is also on the faculty at The Banff Centre for Leadership Development, where he uses music and theatre as tools for organizational training.

www.briantatemusic.com

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Coastal Sound Adult Choir

Gospel Workshop: Sunday, March 21 | Rehearsal Studio
10:30 am Admission by wristband

Twelve years ago, parents of Coastal Sound singers joined with other music-loving adults to create the Coastal Sound Adult Choir.  This 50+ voice choir is a non-auditioned SATB community choir, where singers have fun through learning challenging repertoire. The professional-sounding choir balances classical works such as Durufle’s Requiem and Orff’s Carmina Burana with gospel and secular music. Singers in the choir come from diverse backgrounds- from individuals who have sung professionally to those with no previous formal music training, but for all, the love of singing shines through in performance! The choir hosts a bi-annual sell-out cabaret where smaller groups within the ensemble entertain. Criteria for joining the Adult Choir are a love of singing and a commitment to attend weekly rehearsals. New members are accepted throughout September and January.

www.coastalsoundmusic.com

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Coastal Sound Children’s Touring Concert Choir

Performance: Saturday, March 20 | Rehearsal Studio
3:00 pm  Admission by wristband.

The Children’s Touring Concert Choir has been the flagship choir for 21 years at Coastal Sound Music Academy.  This choir has entertained and brought joy to audiences and communities throughout BC, Canada and the world.  The treble-voice ensemble of singers consists of dedicated young people from many cultural heritages, ages 8-16 years old.  These children demonstrate the fun and artistry of music making and the focus, self-discipline and hard work necessary for successful performances.  The choir’s repertoire includes classical, popular, newly composed modern, folksongs in diverse languages, and spirited inspirational music.  Vocal excellence, joy of singing and flexibility of performance are the core values of this group.

The choir has toured extensively to acclaim throughout Europe, Cuba and China.  This season brings Diana Clark to the podium as Artistic Director, and they are currently working towards a tour to Ottawa this summer.  In February and March, this choir will be featured performers at a number of Olympic Celebration sites, as well as at Water’s Edge festival- their own Cultural Olympiad presentation in partnership with Vancouver 2010.

At Water’s Edge, the Coastal Sound Children’s Touring Concert Choir will present a “concert in surround sound”, where the listener is seated in the middle of the circle of singers.  This unique live acoustical experience will surely be one to be remembered!

www.coastalsoundmusic.com

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Coastal Sound Youth Choir

Main Stage Concert: Sunday, March 21 | Studio Theatre
3:00 pm  Advance: $20/$18.  At the door: $25/$20.

Listeners say they get goose bumps, well up and laugh out loud- and all during the same concert performance- of the Coastal Sound Youth Choir! These 15-24 year old auditioned singers, under the direction of Carrie Tennant, pride themselves in the emotional connection that they make with audiences through their music. Artistic excellence, communication and connection through singing are the goals for this choir. Indeed, the Youth Choir helps young musicians “discover who they really are”, while learning to be global citizens in the process.

Carrie Tennant, Youth Choir Director
Carrie Tennant is fast becoming well known in the choral community for her energetic and creative approach to working with youth. She values artistic excellence combined with an emotional connection between student, music and audience. Carrie works hard to foster a sense of leadership and caring in the singers she works with and firmly believes that singing makes you a nicer person all around.

www.coastalsoundmusic.com

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Elektra Women’s Choir

Main Stage Concert: Friday, March 19| Studio Theatre
8:00 pm  Advance: $20/$18.  At the door: $25/$20.

Vancouver’s Elektra Women’s Choir, founded in 1987 by co-conductors Morna Edmundson (new Artistic Director) and Diane Loomer, C.M. (Conductor Emerita) is regarded as an international leader in the classical women’s choir movement. Its mandate is to inspire and lead in the choral art form through excellence in performance and through the creation, exploration and celebration of women’s repertoire. Elektra is known for its adventurous programming, seeking out music written specifically for women and frequently commissioning new works. These are some of the qualities that have allowed Elektra to maintain its place among the choral elite nationally and internationally. In its 22 years, Elektra has commissioned and premiered nearly 50 compositions and arrangements, some of which are now performed by choirs around the world.  For its Water’s Edge appearance, Elektra will present an evocative and engaging program of recent compositions by Canadian and international composers, closing with some of its favorite arrangements of Canadian folk songs.

Morna Edmundson, Artistic Director
Morna Edmundson is one of Canada’s best-known choral conductors, with special interests in the areas of tone colour, language, and interpretation. As a conductor, singer, and administrator, her professional music career spans over twenty-five years, including eight years as a professional singer in the Vancouver Chamber Choir. Ms. Edmundson is best known for her 22 years of accomplishment as Co-Founder and Co-Conductor of Elektra’s Women’s Choir, with which she has received numerous honours and awards. At the end of the 2008/2009 season, Morna was appointed Artistic Director of Elektra at the same time as her long-time colleague Diane Loomer, C.M. stepped into the Conductor Emeritus role.

www.elektra.ca

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George Chung

Piano Showdown: Saturday, March 20 | Studio Theatre
11:00 am  Admission by wristband

George Chung enjoys playing the piano and the violin, having received an ARCT from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto) for both instruments.  He performs on the violin with the Solaris Piano Trio, a group he and his two middle school friends formed.  He also enjoys composing original music on the piano.  In addition to his musical endeavors, George began his MSc program at the University of British Columbia in September 2008.  He is an alumnus of Port Moody Secondary School and Simon Fraser University.

In his 11 years with the Coquitlam District Chorus and Coastal Sound Music Academy, George has been the regular accompanist for the intermediate choir, the junior girlchoir, the boychoir, Kiaro! and the youth choir.  He has also been a guest accompanist for the children’s choir, the chamber choir and the adult choir.

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Liz Summerfield

Lantern Workshop: Saturday, March 20 | Studio B
10:30 am  Admission by wristband.

Liz Summerfield, a visual arts and drama instructor, is well-known for her innovative community-based workshops that are usually tailored to the themes of festivals and special events. She has led public workshops all over the Lower Mainland, Whistler and Victoria and is a seasonal instructor at Place des Arts in Coquitlam.  Lantern-making is one of her most popular hands-on workshops and she enjoys showing both children and adults how to easily transform milk cartons and glass jars into cool lanterns. Liz’s other themed workshops include, snail and salmon art, papier maché bugs and bees, masks, puppets and paper bag heritage hats. 

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Loreta Giannetti

Inspired Arts: Watercolour in Poetry & Song, Sunday, March 21 | Studio Theatre
11:00 am – 11:45 am  Admission by wristband.

Following her retirement from the Canadian Foreign Services, Loreta Giannetti has returned to her first passion: painting. In her role as cultural counsellor at the Canadian Embassy in Rome, Loreta had the opportunity to meet and promote Canadian artists in Italy. Living in Rome provided the opportunity to rediscover her Italian roots and the beautiful hills and mountains of her native “Molise”, more specifically her home town, Casacalenda.  Loreta uses her paintings to communicate emotions and a certain nostalgia for a lost paradise. She has studied with well-known artists in Ottawa and Montreal.

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Milton Randall

Drum Circle: Saturday, March 20 | Rehearsal Studio
5pm Admission by wristband

Milton Randall began playing drums for socials and weddings at 13 years old. He received a B. Mus. Ed. from the University of Texas at El Paso (1985) and a M. Ed. (Music) from the University of North Texas in 1995.

Between degrees, Milton performed with the Winnipeg Symphony and numerous jazz and pop music venues and taught in St. Boniface School District in Winnipeg, MB. In 1995, Milton studied with master drummer Godwin Agbeli in his home village of Kopeyia in Ghana on a scholarship from the University of North Texas.

He completed his Ph.D. coursework at The University of British Columbia but put his graduate studies on hold in order to perform and give hand with drumming workshops in schools and public venues. From 2001 to 2008, Milton taught workshops in over 600 schools in Alberta, BC, Hong Kong and has introduced over 200,000 students to hand drumming.

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musica intima

Main Stage Concert: Sunday, March 21 |Studio Theatre
3:00 pm Advance: $20/$18. At the door: $25/$20

Internationally renowned for performances and recordings that sparkle with fresh insight and vibrant musicality, musica intima has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s most exciting vocal ensembles. The twelve professional singers rehearse and perform without a conductor. In rehearsal, they exchange ideas freely while exploring their own musical creativity. In performance, they engage the audience with a spontaneity and freshness all their own.

A distinctly Canadian ensemble, musica intima’s members hail from coast to coast. They regularly commission and perform works by Canada’s leading composers and perform throughout the country. The twelve members all have busy careers contributing to Canada’s cultural life as teachers, soloists, music directors, composers and arrangers.

www.musicaintima.org

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Night Street

Main Stage Concert: Friday, March 19 | Studio Theatre
8:00 pm   Advance: $20/$18. At the door: $25/$20

Night Street is a high energy a cappella group featuring Steve Maddock - bass, Siri Olesen – Soprano, Tia Turner – alto and Carman J. Price – tenor.  Although formed under this name, these singers have been working together for years in notable ensembles such as Voca Java, Nite Cap, Vancouver Chamber Choir and musica intima.  With extensive backgrounds in Jazz, Pop, Classical and Musical Theatre these four bring effortless expertise to all styles.  They have performed with many high caliber ensembles and individuals including the Vancouver Symphony, CBC radio Orchestra, Dal Richards Orchestra, Kurt Elling, Linton Garner and Kenny Werner just to name a few and have been featured on both Bravo and CBC television.  Expect to be entertained with everything from swinging jazz to the Beatles and from Billy Joel to the rhythms of Cuba!

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Tina Biello

Inspired Arts: Watercolour in Poetry & Song, Sunday, March 21 | Studio Theatre
11am Admission by wristband.

Tina Biello was born in Lake Cowichan, BC. She is the child of immigrants from Casacalenda, Italy. One of four Italian families in this small logging town, Tina grew up very aware of her lineage and her roots. She has been writing poetry for many years and is delighted at this opportunity to write poems on a subject that is near to her heart, Casacalenda. Tina’s poems for this performance flowed naturally out of a common heritage, language and familial background with the artist, Loreta. She has worked with many fine poets from BC including Patrick Lane and Kate Braid. She has published a book of poetry titled “Mometi” with Leaf Press.

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Vincent Lo

Piano Showdown: Saturday, March 20 | Studio Theatre
11:00 am  Admission by wristband

Vincent Lo is a pianist-composer based in Coquitlam, BC. He studied piano and theory for 8 years with Henry Waack and achieved an ARCT performer’s diploma in 2005. In 2008, Vincent’s Five Intermezzi (Op. 28) won first place in the BC provincial and national judging of the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Association Canada Music Week Music Writing Competition. Vincent has also been presented the Carillon Music Award, the Rudy Rozanski Shield, and several recognition awards from the Coquitlam—Maple-Ridge Branch of the British Columbia Registered Music Teachers Association.

Vincent’s musical output includes several piano solos, art songs, chamber music, and incidental/film music. He is particularly interested in Baroque counterpoint and cross-genre innovation; a notable example is his Nokia Fugue (Op. 31), which has attracted much attention in online communities. Since 2006, Vincent has been performing with the Solaris Piano Trio together with violinist George Chung and cellist Jerry Yon. Vincent is also active in the SFU Chamber Orchestra and in the SFU Recital Society. Currently, he studies at SFU, majoring in computing science and
minoring in music. Vincent also works with Coastal Sound Music Academy as a piano accompanist and clinician.