FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 26, 2019

“ROAD TRIP! A PAN-CANADIAN TOUR” COMING TO ATLANTIC CANADA

HALIFAX, NS – meagan&amy, a vibrant Canadian duo formed by violinist Amy Hillis and pianist Meagan Milatz, share an intense passion for innovative programming and fearless music-making. Praised for their energy, sensitivity, and musical maturity, meagan&amy are about to embark on the first ever Pan-Canadian tour, a partnership between Debut Atlantic, Jeunesses Musicales Canada, and Prairie Debut. The duo will launch this exciting initiative in Atlantic Canada for Debut Atlantic with seven concerts including three concerts in Nova Scotia, one in New Brunswick, one on Prince Edward Island, and two in Newfoundland and Labrador. From September 13-29, 2019, the duo will enthrall audiences with a program that cleverly pairs Canadian composers including Jocelyn Morlock, André Mathieu, and Nova Scotia’s own Dinuk Wijeratne with well-known icons such as Mozart, Fauré, and Bartók. Exploring a uniquely Canadian soundscape, their program simultaneously reflects our past, our present, and our future.

The tour will include a new commission by Jocelyn Morlock. A joint commission for the Pan-Canadian partnerships, Atlantic Canadian audiences will be the first to enjoy this exciting work titled Alba.

In addition to concert engagements, meagan&amy will be working with young students and performing at schools throughout the region. They will also participate in a video conferencing session hosted by Newfoundland’s Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI), which will be available for public viewing around the world at a date to be announced soon.

Debut Atlantic wishes to recognize the partners and sponsors that come together to bring these incredible artists to communities and venues of all sizes across our region. Touring these artists would not be possible without the generous support of sustaining partners, including Canada Council for the Arts, Arts Nova Scotia, and the Province of New Brunswick. Debut would also like to thank its educational partner, the Nova Scotia Department of Education; and its season partners, including the Halifax Regional Municipality, The Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation, Support4Culture, the Craig Foundation, Pink Larkin, Halcraft Printers, Strategic Arts Management, and InnVest Hotels (Comfort Inn).

Please see the enclosed list of tour dates and artist biography and come share in a unique performance, rich with passion and exploration.

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As one of Canada’s most prestigious classical music organizations, Debut Atlantic is committed to developing young artists and establishing new initiatives that enhance the cultural life of Atlantic Canada. Since 1979 it has treated Atlantic audiences to Canada’s most promising young musicians. Celebrating 40 years, Debut Atlantic has featured over 400 artists, gracing the stages of venues from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

Full details on Debut Atlantic’s concert seasons and educational programs can be found at www.debutatlantic.ca.

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For further information, please contact:

Erin Sparks – Executive Director

Debut Atlantic

902-429-6812

erin@debutatlantic.ca

 

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Elizabeth Upson Perez – Program Officer

Debut Atlantic

902-429-6812

elizabeth@debutatlantic.ca

 

TOUR SCHEDULE—MEAGAN&AMY

 

Antigonish, Nova Scotia

7:30pm, September 14, 2019

Antigonish Performing Arts Series

Immaculata Hall, St. F.X. University

2360 Notre Dame Ave.

902-867-3909

people.stfx.ca/msteinit/schedule.htm

 

Indian River, Prince Edward Island

3:00pm, September 15, 2019

Indian River Festival

St. Mary’s Church

1374 Hamilton Rd., Kensington

1-866-856-3733

www.indianriverfestival.com

 

Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

5:00pm, September 17, 2019

Musique Royale

Cecilia’s Retreat

1199 Oakland Rd. RR#2

musiqueroyale.com

 

Moncton, New Brunswick

8:00pm, September 20, 2019

Capitol Theatre

811 Main St.

506-856-4379

capitol.nb.ca

 

Wolfville, Nova Scotia

2:00pm, September 22, 2019

Sunday Music in the Garden Room

Garden Room, KC Irving Environmental Science Centre

32 University Ave.

artsacadia.acadiau.ca/Sunday_Music_in_the_Garden_Room.html

 

Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador

7:30pm, September 24, 2019

Lawrence O’Brien Arts Centre

15-21 Voisey Dr.

709-896-4027

www.obrienartscentre.ca

 

Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador

7:30pm, September 27, 2019

Rotary Arts Centre

5 Park St.

709-630-0012

www.rotaryartscentre.ca

 

BIOGRAPHY—MEAGAN&AMY

meagan&amy, a vibrant Canadian duo consisting of violinist Amy Hillis and pianist Meagan Milatz, shares an intense passion for innovative programming and fearless music-making. Praised for their energy, sensitivity, and musical maturity, they were awarded the first ever “Pan-Canadian Partnership” recital tour by Jeunesses Musicales Canada, Debut Atlantic and Prairie Debut. As a result, they will perform in over forty Canadian cities as part of the 2019-2020 season. meagan&amy’s recent performance highlights include a recital at the Festival International de Lanaudière, and a national broadcast of their complete recital on CBC’s In Concert in 2018. They are regularly featured on other CBC Music programs such as Tempo with Julie Nesrallah and Backstage with Ben Heppner.

meagan&amy began their partnership in 2011 at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University and have since performed regularly for audiences in eastern and western Canada. With the generous support of the Jeunesses Musicales du Canada AIDA fund, meagan&amy studied Québécois and French repertoire in December 2017 as part of a residency at La Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. As individual artists, they are both winners of the McGill Concerto Competition and the Sylva Gelber Foundation Award. Hillis performs on the 1902 Enrico Rocca violin, on loan from the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank.

Both hailing from Saskatchewan, meagan&amy are currently based in Montreal, presenting recitals in venues such as Pollack Hall, Chapelle Historique du Bon Pasteur and Redpath Hall. Performances “back home” continue to be of special importance to them. Saskatchewan highlights have included a duo recital as part of the Regina Musical Club Concert Series in January 2015 as winners of the Regina Musical Club Recital Competition. Their individual strengths – Milatz’s proficiency on the fortepiano and Hillis’s aptitudes for contemporary music – inform the wide range of repertoire which they present. The duo enjoys sharing music by composers from Québec and Saskatchewan such as André Mathieu and David McIntyre with audiences around the world. meagan&amy have worked with esteemed chamber musicians such as Svetlin Roussev, Olivier Charlier, Eugen Indjic, Axel Strauss, Wolfgang Redik, Martin Chalifour, and Denise Lupien.