Banff, Alberta, August 5, 2015 – Thanks to a $500,000 commitment by TD Bank Group (TD), emerging jazz artists will continue to have access to training, mentorship, and performance experiences as part of the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music (Banff Jazz). This ongoing investment in the TD Music Fellowships in Jazz and TD Music Scholarships in Jazz builds on a 34-year legacy of support for The Banff Centre.
As lead supporters of Banff Jazz, TD’s investment will continue to provide critical financial support. This will include scholarships for Banff Jazz participants to allow them to develop their skills under the guidance of world renowned faculty as well as research, conceive, and produce new work.
"Music programs and talented performers like those involved in Banff Jazz all contribute to keeping our communities culturally vibrant," said Brian Gervais, Senior Vice President Prairie Region, TD Canada Trust. "We're excited to continue working with Banff Jazz and we have seen firsthand how much music means to Canadians."
Led by critically-acclaimed musician, Vijay Iyer, Banff Jazz is three-week intensive program that brings participants from around the world together to take part in master classes, lectures, workshops, informal sessions and collaborative concerts under the mentorship of world-renowned faculty. The program has shaped the careers of internationally prestigious artists like Esperanza Spalding, winner of the Best New Artist award at the 53 annual Grammy Awards and Kristin Fung, the only Canadian vocalist in the cast of "Trillium J", a contemporary opera by composer Anthony Braxton.
"Jazz at The Banff Centre has a long history of providing emerging jazz artists the opportunity to share, develop, and challenge their own ideas and abilities under the mentorship of internationally acclaimed faculty,” says Carolyn Warren, Vice-President, Arts at The Banff Centre. “With the support of TD, we can continue to champion the genre and cultivate new works in a truly collaborative atmosphere.”
This year’s program runs August 4-22, 2015, and features 20 performances across four venues including concerts in the Margaret Greenham Theatre, Jazz Club in The Club, Late-Night Jazz in Maclab Bistro, and a grand finale in the Eric Harvie Theatre.
For more information about Banff Jazz, and to see the full schedule of events, visit banffcentre.ca
About The Banff Centre: The Banff Centre’s mission is inspiring creativity. Thousands of artists, leaders, and researchers from across Canada and around the world participate in programs at The Banff Centre every year. Through its multidisciplinary programming, The Banff Centre provides them with the support they need to create, to develop solutions, and to make the impossible possible.
TD Community Giving: TD Bank Group invests in communities in order to effect positive change in the places where it operates and where its customers and employees live and work. In 2014, TD donated more than $82 million to community organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In Canada, TD focuses on education and financial literacy, creating opportunities for young people and the environment. For further information, please visit www.td.com/corporate-responsibility.