Young Artists' Showcase at Christ Church Cathedral - Concert will feature an assembly of talented Rising Stars

OTTAWA, Jan. 31, 2013 /CNW/ - In honour of Black History Month, 2013, Cathedral Arts, the arts programme at Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa, will present a "Young Artists' Showcase" on Saturday, February 16^th at 2:00PM, at the Cathedral, 420 Sparks Street (near Bronson).  This wonderful event will be hosted by Special Guest, New York bass, Gregory Sheppard, who has performed in opera, concerts and recitals throughout the United States, Europe and Canada.  The concert will feature a multicultural representation of Ottawa's finest rising talents.

Award-winning cellist, 15-year old, Bryan Cheng, will perform in memory of his recently deceased teacher, the late Yuli Turovsky, Officer of the Order of Canada. He will play the last two pieces they worked on together - solo cello suites by Bach and Kodaly. Turovsky, who had come to Canada as an immigrant in the 1970's, founded the famous chamber orchestra "I Musici de Montréal" and, became a revered figure in Canada's classical music world. Bryan began lessons with Turovsky when he was 8 years old, and they soon developed a special relationship.  This led to Bryan being asked to play and offer a eulogy at his teacher's funeral in January, 2013.  Bryan has performed at Carnegie Hall and has won local, provincial and national honours in music festivals.

The programme will also feature a variety of music composed or arranged by black composers. Gospel and jazz vocalist, Welile Nxumalo, will perform songs written by Luther Vandross and Prince, and, noted pianist and Carleton University alumnus, John Dapaah, who recently returned to Ottawa from a successful year of study in Austria, will perform his own arrangement entitled "Improvisations on Over the Rainbow", "Canon" and, "I've got Rhythm".   Host Gregory Sheppard will perform songs written or arranged by black composers, Leslie Adams and Leo Edwards, and the title song from the Kurt Weill's musical, "Lost In The Stars", which was inspired by the novel ,"Cry, the Beloved Country" - a story built on historical racial themes in South Africa.

Rounding out the performers on the programme are: Ottawa Kiwanis Festival 2012 Vocal Open Trophy winner, soprano Keena Eloise; outstanding young saxophonist Jacob Armstrong; and, two very talented young Ottawa opera singers, soprano Maria Gubbels and bass Gabriel Sanchez Ortega.

TICKETS: $20 (General); $10 (Students)
PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE: www.cathedralarts.ca
TICKET INFORMATION: Telephone [phone]; Email: [email protected]
CATHEDRAL ARTS BOX OFFICE: Lauder Hall, Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa, 439 Queen Street Entrance
OFFICE HOURS: Monday to Friday from 11:00am to 1:00pm.

SOURCE: Cathedral Arts & Christ Church Cathedral

David MacAdam
Showcase Coordinator
613-276-5367

John Dennison
Cathedral Arts 
613-567-1787