Vancouver Straight: “Vancouver Opera and the Banff Centre (VO’s coproducer on the project) have spared no expense on the production design, which looks consistently handsome. Among the biggest challenges is the fact that Jimmy’s pickup truck must appear and disappear from a shed door on the lower stage.”
North American governments kick in over $10 million for math centre in Banff
Winnipeg Free Press: The Banff International Research Station has received an additional $10 million over five years from the United States, Canadian, Alberta, and Mexican governments.
The Banff Protocols
Geist: Stephen Osborne discusses his experience attending the In(ter)ventions literary conference in at The Banff Centre. “The writers’ conference went on for three days of talks, from morning to night: readings, performances, presentations, plenary sessions. The schedule was not as burdensome as it might have been elsewhere, for in Banff there is nothing to call you away from wherever you are: in Banff you are always already there.”
The Banff Centre Loves You
Black Heart Magazine: Heather Clitheroe, on her ninth session at The Banff Centre in a self-directed writing residency, reflects on her stay. “The first rule of the Banff Centre is that it’s okay to call yourself an artist.”
Calgary, Banff theatre mentor among Order of Canada honourees
Calgary Herald: “A total of 53 Canadians were honoured at the ceremony, including four companions, 19 officers and 30 members of the Order of Canada. Among those honoured was Bob White of Calgary, who was installed as a member of the Order. White has been instrumental in nurturing the development of Canadian playwrights. As a dramaturge and artistic director with the Playwrights Workshop of Montreal, the Factory Theatre in Toronto, Banff Playwrights Colony and Alberta Theatre Projects, White has discovered and mentored many new and established writers.”
“You do it because you just love it” [BISQC]
The Globe and Mail: “Nine string quartets have converged on the Banff Centre this week to compete for more than $100,000 in cash, concert dates, recordings and matched bows. We asked the Canadian contenders – the Afiara and Cecilia quartets – about the thrills and chills of the 10th Banff International String Quartet Competition.”
Jan Ingram invested into the Order of Canada
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.”
California university-linked quartets vying in prestigious competition
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.”
Music will “jump off the stage” as string quartets compete in Banff
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.”
Rolston’s spirit lives on in songs of strings [Banff International String Quartet Competition]
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.”