U of S President Commissions Quartet in Residence

Posted August 14, 2003


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 14, 2003 2003-08-08-OTHER

U of S President Commissions Quartet in Residence

University of Saskatchewan president Peter MacKinnon today announced the
appointment of four renowned musicians as the University of Saskatchewan
Amati Quartet in Residence.

The Quartet will feature Marla Cole and Michael Swan on violin, Geoff Cole
on viola and Linda Bardutz on cello. The musicians have earned an
impressive reputation playing on the Amatis under the name Cole Quartet.

"This initiative is a unique way to celebrate both our ties to the past and
our confidence in the future," MacKinnon said. "It is my expectation that
the U of S Amati Quartet will play an important role in the upcoming 100th
anniversary celebrations of the University, the City of Saskatoon and the
Province of Saskatchewan."

Lorraine Omness, granddaughter of the late Steven Kolbinson, said: "Creation
of the Amati Quartet in Residence is a tribute to the spirit and vision of
my grandfather, the original collector of the instruments, and all who have
supported such an initiative over the years."

Under the new residency, the Quartet will perform a recital series of four
public concerts during the 2003-04 academic year, with the debut concert
scheduled for September 8 at the Diefenbaker Canada Centre. The University
community will be encouraged to seek opportunities to engage the Quartet
through performances and demonstrations at special events, such as
conferences, symposia, alumni events, Convocation and College functions, and
for visiting delegations.

Patrick Browne, Acting Head of the Department of Music, said: "These
instruments are a priceless resource for the University and for the
Saskatoon community at large. It is our hope that in addition to the
performance aspect, we will see an increase in musical scholarship connected
with the Amatis via this initiative."

It is anticipated that the program will be expanded in future years to
include a lecture series, Chamber Music courses through the Department of
Music, a Celebration Series for the grand re-opening of Convocation Hall and
the production of compact disc recordings.

"To my knowledge, this is the only string quartet in residence in the world
to enjoy the privilege of playing on four Amati instruments. The fact that
we are affiliated with the University of Saskatchewan - my alma mater - and
with this particular collection of instruments, makes it all the more
significant for me," said Marla Cole on behalf of the Quartet.

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For further information, please contact:

Peter MacKinnon
President
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6612


Amati Instrument History

This collection of world famous Amati instruments was assembled by Stephen
Kolbinson during the 1950's, and was sold to the University of Saskatchewan
for a nominal fee in 1959.

Stephen Kolbinson homesteaded in the Kindersley area in 1908. He sold a
bicycle to buy his first violin. He taught himself to play, and performed at
community concerts and dances.

Mr. Kolbinson's love of music led him to a passion for collecting fine
instruments. He became internationally known as a collector. His
acquaintances included the noted musicians Zubin Mehta, and Itzhak Perlman,
as well as the famous comedian/musician Jack Benny.

Mr. Kolbinson's first Amati purchase was a violin, which had been made in
1607. It was obtained from the then Concertmaster of the London Philharmonic
Orchestra. It had been part of a private collection which had been smuggled
out of France during World War II.

His second purchase was also a violin, created in 1670. It was obtained from
the internationally known concert violinist Daisy Kennedy. Mr. Kolbinson
traveled to London and, it is claimed, out bid three hundred others for the
instrument.

The Amati cello, made in 1690, was the third purchase. It had been found
abandoned in the attic of the Earl of Plymouth's home in England. The cello
bears the joint seal of the Clive and Plymouth families.

The Amati viola, crafted in 1607, was obtained from a private collection in
France. It had been commissioned by Pope Paul V, a member of the famous
Italian Borghese family. It has a painting of the Borghese family coat of
arms on its back. The Borghese family art collection was taken by Napoleon
when he invaded Italy. It is believed that is how the viola found its way to
France.

The instruments purchased in 1959 have been played by a number of Saskatoon
ensembles, Saskatoon Symphony members, and University Department of Music
members in lectures, concerts and recitals. In 1992 they were loaned to
Victoria's Lafayette Quartet, and traveled extensively. They were returned
in 1998 and are stored in the climate-controlled vaults at the Diefenbaker
Canada Centre, on the University of Saskatchewan campus.


Biographies of Performing Artists


Marla Cole received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Violin Performance with
Distinction from the University of Saskatchewan in 1989. As a prize winning
and scholarship student at the Royal College of Music in London, England she
received the ARCM Performers Diploma in 1994 and Master of Music degree in
Violin Performance in 1996 studying with Peter Manning of the Britten
Quartet, and with the Chilingirian String Quartet. Marla was supported in
her studies with generous funding from the Saskatchewan Arts Board, the
Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund and the Countess of Munster Musical
Trust in England. As a founding member of the Capriccio String Quartet and
the McLennan Piano Trio she performed extensively throughout the United
Kingdom and Europe. Marla appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras,
and also freelanced with many of the major London orchestras including the
English Symphony Orchestra and English Touring Opera. Marla recorded live
for British television, as well as for commercial and film studio recordings
As a young student Marla studied extensively in Canada and the United States
participating in summer festivals and master classes at Courtenay Youth
Music Centre with David Zafer; Johannesen International School of the Arts
in Victoria with Taras Gabora; Orford Centre of the Arts in Quebec with
Rodney Friend and Mauricio Fuks; The Congress of Strings in Dallas, Texas
with Arkady Fomin and Joseph Silverstein and the Banff Centre for the Arts
with Lorand Fenyves and Sylvia Rosenberg. She also studied in Hungary with
Istvan Guerman.
As an Artist-in-Residence Marla spent the 1992-93 year on a full scholarship
at the Banff Centre for the Arts immersed in chamber music and solo
performance, studying with a number of visiting guest artists such as Andrew
Dawes, Thomas Brandis, Jaap Schroeder, Robert Aitken, and Edgar Meyer. She
also played for the Banff Centre Opera, Music Theatre, and Dance
productions.
While living in England Marla was invited to attend the Britten-Pears School
for Advanced Musical Studies as a soloist studying with Franco Gulli in
1994, with the McLennan Piano Trio studying with the Beaux Arts Trio in 1994
and with the Capriccio String Quartet studying with members of the Amadeus
String Quartet in 1995.
Marla currently lives in Saskatoon with her husband, Geoff Cole, and their
two young children, where she is active as a private violin teacher and
chamber musician, and also plays in the Saskatoon Symphony.

Michael Swan was born in Saskatoon in 1963. He studied with the
world-renowned violin virtuoso Aaron Rosand at the Curtis Institute of Music
in Philadelphia, supported by the Canada Council, where he graduated in 1984
with a Bachelor of Music Degree. He has been concertmaster of the Saskatoon
Symphony Orchestra (including the Saskatoon Symphony Chamber Players and the
Saskatchewan Chamber Orchestra) since 1984.
Michael has been a guest concertmaster with Regina Symphony Orchestra, the
Royal Winnipeg Ballet Orchestra, and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. As
soloist he has performed with the Symphony Orchestra of the Curtis Institute
of Music, the Carmel Bach Festival Orchestra, the Saskatoon Symphony
Orchestra, and the Saskatchewan Chamber Orchestra.
Recent accomplishments include Michael's professional conducting debut in
Saskatoon in 2001 for the premiere of the concert version of 'Return to St.
Petersburg', an opera/musical that he co-authored with James Schultz. In
2002 as soloist with the Saskatchewan Chamber Orchestra Michael recorded
Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' for a CBC compact disc recording.
In addition to performing in orchestral, chamber and solo capacities he has
produced several musical compositions.

Geoff Cole studied with Sophie Langdon, Diana Cummings, Stephen Tees, and
the Gould Trio at the Trinity College of Music, London, England where he was
a scholarship and prize-winning student. Geoff performed as soloist with
orchestra on numerous occasions while at Trinity, and he received a
Performance Diploma with Merit in 1994, and a Postgraduate Diploma with
Distinction in 1995. He attended the Britten-Pears School for Advanced
Musical Studies as a soloist studying with Yuko Inoue and with the Capriccio
String Quartet, studying with members of the Amadeus String Quartet.
Geoff has extensive experience as a freelance musician performing with many
major London symphony orchestras. He was also a full-time member of the
English String Orchestra. Geoff spent many years playing with the Capriccio
String quartet. This highly successful group toured the UK and Europe
performing, as well as recording for BBC television.
Geoff currently lives in Saskatoon with his wife, Marla Cole, and their two
young children, where he works full time in the computer industry as a
network support analyst, as well as playing in the Saskatoon Symphony
Orchestra.


Linda Bardutz is a graduate of Indiana University where she was a student of
Janos Starker. She received Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees
in Violoncello Performance, both with High Distinction. She was an
Associate Instructor of cello at Indiana University as well as a recipient
of the School of Music's prestigious Performer's Certificate, awarded in
recognition of outstanding musical performance. Other awards include first
prize in the Regina Symphony Concerto Competition (the only cellist to have
won this competition) and a Fellowship in Violoncello at the Tanglewood
Music Centre.
Ms. Bardutz's other private teachers include Malcolm Tait, Gary Hoffman, and
Helga Winold. She has performed in the masterclasses of Yo Yo Ma, Paul
Tortelier, Zara Nelsova, Aldo Parisot, Anner Bylsma, Ronald Leonard, Zoltan
Szekely, Timothy Eddy, and Joel Krosnick.
Linda has been Principal Cellist for the Saskatoon Symphony since 1989 and
is regularly featured as soloist. She has also appeared as soloist with the
Regina Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic Players, Saskatchewan Chamber
Orchestra, and Prairie Virtuosi. During the 1997-98 season Linda was a
tenured member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and also performed with
the CBC Vancouver Orchestra. She has performed in the Colorado Music
Festival in Boulder, Colorado, and as Solo Cellist with the Royal Winnipeg
Ballet on recent tours to the United States.
Ms. Bardutz is active as a private cello teacher in Saskatoon. Outside of
her duties with the SSO, she is a founding member of Prairie Virtuosi (a
conductorless chamber orchestra). In addition to her career as a musician,
Linda is an accomplished luthier and bowmaker.