Musical Duo Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer to Open Chan Centre Season, 9/16

The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is thrilled to open its 2014/15 Chan Centre Presents series with renowned musician/composers Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at 8pm in the Chan Shun Concert Hall. The award-winning MacArthur "Genius" Fellows and longtime collaborators will present a high-flying, fast-picking evening of largely original music that blurs boundaries between bluegrass, classical, and pop lyricism.

Thile and Meyer have previously collaborated on several critically acclaimed projects including the GRAMMY Award-winning Goat Rodeo Sessions with Yo-Yo Ma (2011), a recording of original compositions (2008), and Thile's 2013 solo recording of Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol. 1, produced by Meyer.

"Both artists are Chan Centre favourites - although they initially came to perform on the Chan Shun stage from very different backgrounds. Chris first performed in the Vancouver debut of Punch Brothers in 2012 and Edgar first performed at the Chan Centre in 2009 as part of an eclectic musical trio of acclaimed banjoist Béla Fleck and tabla master Zakir Hussain," said Joyce Hinton, Co-Managing Director of the Chan Centre. "I am very excited to hear their latest collaboration and to welcome them back to the Chan Centre."

Chris Thile, best known for his work with experimental quintet Punch Brothers and bluegrass ensemble Nickel Creek, is hailed by London's Independent as "the most remarkable mandolinist in the world." As a soloist he has released four albums, conquering a dizzying range of instruments, songwriting challenges and musical styles. A frequent collaborator, in addition to Meyer he has worked with artists such as Béla Fleck, Mike Marshall, Dolly Parton, Emanuel Ax, the Dixie Chicks, and Sam Bush.

Edgar Meyer is untouchable in technique and musicianship on double bass and is revered as "a virtuoso in the relatively unchronicled history of his instrument" (The New Yorker). As a performer, he has recorded, played, and collaborated with incredible artists including the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (conducted by Hugh Wolff), Joshua Bell, Yo-Yo Ma, Mark O'Connor (who collaborated on the chart-topping Appalachia Waltz), and many more. As a composer, his works have been performed and recorded by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa, Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin, Emerson String Quintet, and violinist Hilary Hahn.

Together, the dynamic duo-who have extensive, combined backgrounds in classical, jazz, folk, bluegrass, world, and more-have been in the studio cooking up an album of original compositions. Due out September 9, the recording is sure to stretch far beyond traditional musical territory. Touring in support of this new album, the Chan Centre stop is their only Canadian date on their highly anticipated North American tour.