Squamish's youth are encouraged to experience classical music by attending a duet performed by two young musicians, violinist Jinjoo Cho and pianist Justyna Maj, at St. John's Anglican Church next Friday (Oct. 17) at 8 p.m.Tracey Stuchbery, president of the Howe Sound Performing Arts Association (HSPAA) says this is a perfect opportunity for young people to listen to classical music."We really want to encourage young people and families to come because these musicians are really incredible and you would be paying up to $80 to hear Jinjoo Cho at the Orpheum," said Stuchbery.In order to cement this encouragement, the HSPAA is now offering free admission to students who are 18 and under. All they have to do is come to the door of St. John's Church, where the performance will be held, and show their student card. Stuchbery said that university students from Quest and Capilano receive a discounted ticket of $5 when they show their student card.Twenty-year-old Jinjoo Cho has been described as a phenomenon, winning the First Grand Prize at the 2006 Montreal International Musical Competition and the gold medal at the 2005 Stulberg International String Competition. She has performed all over the world and has coached workshops for string students. She has also played with veteran artists such as Robert McDuffie, Peter Oundijian and Kent Nagano. Currently she is working towards her Bachelor's Degree in Music at the Cleveland Institute of Music.At 29 years of age, Polish-Canadian Maj has performed throughout the world and is scheduled to appear at Carnegie Hall this fall. She was the first prize winner in the International Chopin Competition and the second prize winner in the Canadian Chopin Competition in 1999. Maj performed during the 2004 season with the Vancouver Academy String Orchestra and between 2001-2004 taught piano at the British Columbia Conservatory of Music. This September she joined the piano faculty at the Bergen Academy of Music and Arts in New Jersey. For the past three years the HSPAA has collaborated with Festival Vancouver in order to bring high-calibre artists to Squamish. Stuchbery said that without the festival's help artist's fees, like Cho's and Maj's, are usually too steep for the HSPAA to afford. "[Festival Vancouver will] look for an arts group such as ourselves to produce the concert and all of the proceeds benefit our organization so we can then continue to bring other artists throughout the year, which we do," said Stuchbery. Last year the Amanda Tosoff Quartet was the feature performance organized by Festival Vancouver and the HSPAA, which attracted not only Squamish music lovers but also people from Whistler, Lions Bay and North Vancouver, said Stuchbery."These artists are so well known that people seek them out and go to see them," she said.The Cho and Maj duet will be performed at St. John's Anglican Church Friday (Oct. 17) at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at Mostly Books, Billie's Bouquet and the Adventure Centre.
