KAREN YOUNG - CANADA
BORN 19 JUNE
BORN 19 JUNE
Karen Young is a singer, lyricist, composer and arranger from Quebec, Canada who has explored several different musical styles. Starting in folk music with a medium chart hit Garden Of Ursh (1971) in the late 1960s, she switched to jazz in the mid-1970s with the successful bebop vocal group, Bug Alley. She was a member from 1975 to 1979. She played lead roles in the musical theatre productions Mata Hari and Angel, written by David Rimmer and Edward Knoll, in the early 1980s. In the later 1980s, she was part of the renowned bass and voice duo, Young and Donato. Their album Young & Donato was nominated for a Juno Award 1985. The following album Contredanse won a Félix Award in category Best jazz album in Quebec in 1988. The duo had 4 times 1987-90 tours in France and 1989-90 in the USA, and also some gigs in 1989 in England. She played lead roles in musicals Mata Hari and Angel, written by David Rimmer and Edward Knoll, in the early 1980s.
Her eclecticism and familiarity with world, classical and jazz styles allow her to present works ranging from traditional, Latin and contemporary jazz to, more recently, medieval (album Âme, corps et désir, 2007 ) and electro jazz (album Electro-Beatniks, 2009). Young established her own independent record label in 1991, Les Disques URSH. Since then, she has released nine records featuring combinations of artists from different musical backgrounds and traditions.
Young composed the musical soundtracks for Joseph’s Daughter, a film by Ilana Schwartz, The Road from Kampuchea by Anne Henderson and for Revoir Julie by Jeanne Crepeau. She was awarded another Félix Award in 2008 for Âme, Corps et Desir in the category "best classic vocal album". She has been touring also with jazz musicians Michel Donato (bass), Norman Lachapelle (bass), Éric Auclair (bass).
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Sanz cuer m'en vois, dolens et esploures by Karen Young
KAREN FREMAR - USA
BORN 19 JUNE
American composer Karen Fremar is a recognized composer of works for accordion, orchestra, chamber ensemble, accordion orchestra, string quartet, brass ensemble, woodwind quintet, solo voice, choir, piano, and electronically prepared tape. She holds the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Music Theory from the University of Kansas, Master of Music-Philosophy from KU, Master of Music-Composition from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and Bachelor of Music-Accordion Performance (with distinction) from the same institution. Dr. Fremar studied composition with Gerald Kemner, John Pozdro and Milton Babbitt. She was an Assistant Instructor of Music Theory at KU and an instructor in the Electronic Music Studio headed by Dr. James Rothwell at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Karen began playing the accordion at age two, as a student of her mother, Margie Fremar, and first performed publicly at the age of 2½. Her family operated the Fremar Music Studio for over 50 years training more than 500 music students in Fort Scott, Kansas. Karen is also an accomplished pianist and percussionist, and has taught students in accordion, piano, and percussion. While very young, she began writing arrangements for the Fremar Music Studio ensembles, and made her television debut at age 14 in New York. She first toured internationally at age 16, as featured accordionist and percussionist with the All-Students Groups U.S.A., sponsored by the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in Virginia.
Fremar performs regularly on accordion and keyboards, is active in the recording studio, and has written and produced two albums with the mixed ensemble, Vivant! She is a member of A.S.C.A.P. and the American Federation of Musicians. Her compositions have been performed worldwide. She often serves as an adjudicator for several musical organizations. Fremar gave the New York premiere of her American Accordionists' Association commissioned work, Herricks Road, to honor Faithe Deffner, and has premiered and performed her composition, Night at the Pla-Mor, commissioned by the Courtney S. Turner Trust, on tour in the Midwest.
Dr. Fremar is Chairman of the Board and President of the Fremar Foundation for Accordion Arts, a Kansas City based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports accordion performance, new works for the instrument, and historic preservation of the instrument's heritage. She is listed in the World Who’s Who of Women-Fifth Edition, Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, Who’s Who in American Music, and the Dictionary of International Biography.
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