University of New Brunswick Chamber Music and All That Jazz Festival

University of New Brunswick Chamber Music and All That Jazz Festival

University of New Brunswick Chamber Music and All That Jazz Festival. Annual festival of concerts and workshops, organized in 1966 by Joseph Pach and Arlene Pach and held annually until 1983. Originally a three day festival, it grew to two weeks of events in various locations including Memorial Hall (on campus), the Fredericton Playhouse, and Christ Church Cathedral. At the first four festivals R. Murray Schafer served as host, and the Toronto Woodwind Quintet (in 1966), the Aeolian String Quartet (in 1967), and the mezzo-soprano Phyllis Mailing (in 1968) were among the featured performers. Jazz was introduced in 1969 by Phil Nimmons and remained an integral part of the festival; among others who took part were Ed Bickert, Jim Galloway, Moe Koffman, Rob McConnell, Kathryn Moses, Nimmons himself, and Oscar Peterson (who premiered the orchestral version of his Canadiana Suite there with Nimmons' band in 1970). Chamber musicians included Robert Aitken, Walter Babiak, Nicholas Fiore, Erica Goodman, the English classical guitarist John Mills, the violinist Mischa Mischakoff (remembered as Toscanini's concertmaster), Mary Morrison, and David Zafer. Festival participants presented an eclectic mix of music and many workshops in both jazz and chamber music. The final festival was held in June 1983. Over its 18 seasons the University of New Brunswick resident groups, the Duo Pach and the Brunswick String Quartet, were mainstays.