Friday, December 9, 2011

Opus 32 - Christmas Fundraising Concert for the Anne Burrows Foundation

A musical foundation that’s helped elevate the careers of such local prodigies as Angela Cheng to international status will be holding its 32nd annual festive recital this month. The Opus 32 – Christmas Fund Raising Concert, a fundraiser for the Anne Burrows Music Foundation, takes place Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Giovanni Yamaha Concert Hall (10528 Mayfield Road).

The Opus concerts provide the foundation the opportunity to showcase the talents of the scholarship recipients, create public awareness of the foundation's mission, and provide an important fundraising opportunity. Artists slated to perform will consist of current and previous recipients of assistance from the foundation, including vocalists Alexandra von der Ohe and Carrie Dimaculangan, violinists Angelina Weber and Ewald Cheung, double bassist Taddes Korris and percussionist Karl Schwonik. The event’s music director, Michael Massey, will also perform with the participating recipients.

The Opus 32 – Christmas Fund Raising Concert is a testament to the work of Edmonton Journal and CBC Radio arts critic Dr. Anne Burrows, frequently hailed as “the first lady of Edmonton’s musical past.” Burrows was also a musician, music teacher, arts philanthropist and recipient of such honours as the Order of Canada (1992) and the Alberta Centennial Arts Medal (2005), and has been instrumental in helping gifted musical artists achieve their dreams via the foundation she started in 1979. Although Burrows, who was blind since the age of six, died in 2007, a dedicated group of cultural devotees continues her work today.

Tickets for the show are $25 and available at the door or by contacting Fran Armstrong at 780-487-5567 or via email to farmstrong@shaw.ca. In the spirit of the season, the owners of the Giovanni Yamaha Concert Hall are not charging the foundation for the use of the facility, but ask patrons to bring a non-perishable item for the Edmonton Food Bank.

The foundation also accepts tax-deductible donations, which can be mailed to P.O. Box 76115, RPO Southgate, Edmonton, AB T6H 5Y7 or online via canadahelps.org and entering Anne Burrows Music Foundation in the search window.

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