The Banff Centre: Communications

The Governor General of Canada: “Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will preside over an Order of Canada investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall, on Friday, September 3, 2010. The Governor General, who is Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order, will bestow the honour on four Companions, 19 Officers and 30 Members.”

Among the new Members is Jay Ingram, who “has pioneered programs devoted entirely to science on both national radio and television, and has been sought out to train new generations of journalists as chair of the Banff Centre’s science communications program.”

SignOn San Diego: “The Cecelia String Quartet, which completed the two-year artist-in-redisence program at San Diego State University’s School of Music and Dance last year, is a finalist in a prestigious international competition in Banff this week. But it is competing against the Hausmann Quartet, which just moved to San Diego to take over the artistic residency.”

Calgary Herald: “‘If you like music, you’re going to love this,’ says Barry Shiffman. That’s the way Shiffman, director of the prestigious event and its biggest one-man band, sees the triennial Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC), whose 10th edition gets underway Monday at the Banff Centre.”

Calgary Herald: “A nurturing spirit is not what you would ordinarily associate with a music competition.

“But then, the Banff International String Quartet Competition, worth a cool $100,000 in cash and prizes to the three top foursomes, is not your run-of-the-mill, win-or-lose, gimme-my-money-and-I’m-outta-here kind of musical contest.

“On the contrary, thanks to the vision of Tom Rolston — who, together with his wife Isobel, was the longtime founding architect of music programsat the Banff Centre — the prestigious Banff competition (BISQC, for short) has become as renowned for its generosity of purpose as for the generosity in the heft of its purse.”

Calgary Herald: “Not since its opening more than 80 years ago has The Banff Centre hosted such a gathering of notable guests as it did over three days last weekend, from philanthropists and federal ministers, to CEOs, founders, builders, presidents and a prince.”

Banff Centre program puts young dancers through intense training in preparation for the ‘real world’

Choreographer Kevin O’Day’s career given boost by Baryshnikov

Review: Dance Masters offers mixed bag in Banff

Calgary Herald: “Cloudless blue sky and sun, the awe of aerial dance, the magic of violin, and the thrill of brass heard amidst the splendour of the surrounding mountains.

“Such was the scenario of light, sound and spectacle that greeted the guest of honour, HRH Prince Edward, and assorted VIPs and dignitaries gathered on the occasion of the official opening on Saturday of the Banff Centre’s brand new Kinnear Centre for Creativity & Innovation, a $100 million ecologically responsible, environmentally friendly facility that brings together training in leadership development and the arts across three floors of studio, presentation, meeting and classroom space.”

Calgary Herald: “A $100-million, state-of-the-art learning centre received a royal blessing in Banff on Friday.

“Prince Edward, the 46-year-old third son of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, was invited to the inauguration of the new Kinnear Centre building by its namesake. Calgarian James Kinnear, who along with a group of investors, provided $10 million of seed money toward completion of the six-year project — a 21,000 sq. ft. multidisciplinary learning centre. The connection between Kinnear and the Royal Family stems from Kinnear’s financial support of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, a worldwide foundation dedicated to at-risk youth.

“The prince took a half-hour tour of the facility with Kinnear, architect Jack Diamond, and members of the Banff Centre board and staff.”

Calgary Herald: “A patch of turf at The Banff Centre, between Glyde Hall and the Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Building, holds one of Canada’s most unusual works of art. It is a living entity that grows, changes and dies, only to experience rebirth. It sustains life. It has healing properties. It requires weeding, watering, digging and planting. Designed and planted by Mike MacDonald, an artist of Mi’kmaq, Boethuck, Irish, Portuguese and Scottish ancestry, it is a garden of native plants that attract butterflies.”

Calgary Herald: “Sir Elton John has given Alberta Ballet’s Love Lies Bleeding two thumbs up and his blessing to take the show on the road. The critically acclaimed and hugely popular multi-media production, based on 14 Elton John songs and choreographed by Alberta Ballet artistic director Jean Grand-Maitre, premiered in Calgary in early May. A North American tour for Love Lies Bleeding is planned for September 2011.”

The Globe and Mail has more information.

Most of the costumes for Love Lies Bleeding were built at The Banff Centre’s theatre department.