(SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – March 22, 2016): Algoma University’s music program will be hosting a fundraiser, titled “From the Sublime to the Ridiculous II”, on Saturday, April 16th at the Baldwin Theatre at the Tech. The evening will feature special performances from Duo Turgeon, the Comedics, Wendell Ferguson, and Katherine Wheatley. The doors open at 7:00pm and guests can enjoy fellowship and a cash bar. Performances are slated to begin at 7:30pm.
Duo Turgeon is a world-renowned husband and wife piano duo. Drs. Anne Louise-Turgeon and Edward Turgeon, two members of Algoma U’s music faculty, have established themselves as one of the North America’s prominent piano duos, having performed hundreds of concerts around the world. Duo Turgeon is the only North American piano duo to have taken first prizes in both the International Schubert Competition for Piano Duos (Czech Republic) and the Murray Dranoff International Two Piano Competition (Miami).
The Comedics are a group of doctors and associates who specialize in keeping their audience in stitches, and follow the motto that “laugher is the best medicine”. In the past 15 years, they have donated their time and talent to events that have raised over two million dollars for local charitable groups. The Comedics is comprised of Gene Turgeon (vocals and lyrics), Bob Maloney (vocals, electric, acoustic guitar), John Pearson (vocals, acoustic guitar), Rob Askin (bass guitar), Denise Lacroix (vocals, acoustic guitar), Colette Chiarello (vocals), Phil Greco (percussion), Frank Greco (keyboard), Tony Kajnar (electric guitar), Mike Lacroix (sound), and Rob Rock (lights).
Inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2014, Wendell Ferguson has years of touring, radio, and television appearances and recording with some of the biggest names such as George Fox, Duane Steele, Shania Twain, The Wilkinsons, The Dixie Chicks, Michelle Wright, Deana Carter, Gary Allen, Patty Loveless, Tracy Byrd, Gordon Lightfoot, Sylvia Tyson, along with many more. In addition to co-hosting the 2005 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards with Paul Brandt, Ferguson has received CCMA Awards for Guitar Player of the Year, Backup Band of the Year, and has received nominations for the CCMA Vocal Collaboration of the Year, Album of the Year, and was nominated for a JUNO award for Country Duo or Group in 1995 with Coda the West.
In addition to touring across Canada, the U.S. and Europe as a solo singer-songwriter, Katherine Wheatley is a member of the Toronto super group Betty and The Bobs, plays regularly in the hilarious and moving duo Wendell and Wheat, and tours every winter with Jude Vadala and Tannis Slimmon in the trio Boreal. Wheatley won the Duke Ellington Award for arranging, the Gordon Delamont Award for Composition and the CMPA award for songwriting at Humber College. Her solo show in Charlottetown was awarded Performance of the Year 2010 by the Guardian.
Money raised from this fundraiser will go toward creating scholarships for students studying music at Algoma U, and also outfitting the program with more instruments for students to perform with.
“We are very excited to be performing in this music fundraising event,” said Dr. Edward Turgeon, a member of Duo Turgeon, and Chair of the Music Department. “This event will help bring recognition to the growing program at Algoma University as well as showcase the musical talent within the city. It is sure to be an entertaining evening that will help benefit the University and the City of Sault Ste. Marie. This show will be akin to the variety shows of days gone by with classical, folk, country, and contemporary music, and a little humour. It will be one of the first major events to occur in the newly renovated 1921 Baldwin Theatre, a Sault Ste. Marie landmark which retains the elegance of a bygone era.”
Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Tech, the Kiwanis Community Theatre Box Office, or online at www.kctc.ca. Tickets are $40.00 per person.
This event may not be suitable for children.
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