By Communications Staff

 American violin virtuoso Sarah Chang will perform at the Isabel in February 2015 (photo: Seihon Cho)

A world-renowned American violinist, a passionate French pianist and a quartet of performers from two established orchestras will be among those taking the stage as part of the inaugural classical season at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts.

Sarah Chang, Cédric Tiberghien and the New Orford String Quartet, whose members are principal players with the Montreal and Toronto symphony orchestras, will be featured among eight concerts designed to showcase the university’s dynamic new concert hall.

“These exceptional artists will help us launch the Isabel in a fitting fashion,” says Principal Daniel Woolf. “It’s particularly exciting to know that our students will be able to benefit directly from their presence on campus through academic programming and workshops.”

Designed by the internationally recognized architecture firm Snøhetta with N45 Architecture, the Isabel will be home for the creative arts at Queen’s and a hub of vibrant artistic study, creation and exhibition when it officially opens in September 2014.

The inaugural concerts will take place in Kingston’s first purpose-built performance hall, a 566-seat acoustically superb gem enhanced by the expertise of Arup and Theatre Project Consultants.

 Pianist Céderic Tiberghien will take to the Isabel's stage in January 2015 (photo: Benjamin Ealovega)

“In announcing the first season at the Isabel, we are thrilled to invite students, audiences and visiting artists to breathe life into this building,” says Jerry Doiron, Director of the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. “Our inaugural Soloists and Ensembles series will bring some of the world’s finest artists to Kingston to perform in the outstanding acoustics of our performance hall.”

The 2014-2015 season of concerts is presented in two distinct series: The Ensembles and The Soloists. It will include performances by The Afiara Quartet and pianist Maxim Bernard, Quebec’s Les Violons du Roy, cellist Jakob Koranyi, the Zukerman Chamber Players, and soloist Jeanine De Bique, among others.

The season will also feature two theatrical presentations: the Salzburg Marionette Theatre, one of the oldest marionette theatres in the world, and Theatre Kingston’s presentation of Venus in Fur, by David Ives.

Additional offerings for the 2014-2015 season will include the Queen’s School of Music Faculty Artists Series and concerts by School of Music student ensembles.

For more information, visit the website for the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts.