MONTREAL/January 5, 2001—
Concordia University's Department of Music has received a much-anticipated gift from Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson - an Otari Radar digital recorder that was expected to arrive at the University earlier this year. The $40,000 24-track recorder had originally been sent from Dr. Peterson's home in Mississauga, Ontario, on October 2, 2000, when it was lost in transit while being shipped by Federal Express.
Dr. Peterson quickly took it upon himself to remedy the situation when, after several conversations with FedEx, it became apparent that the equipment was most likely lost for good. "It's not just a lost package, it's a personal embarrassment and an inconvenience to me," he said in a Montreal Gazette story published October 21. "I'm going to take care of this one way or the other." Dr. Peterson contacted his own insurance company to replace the recorder and further pursue the matter with the couriers.
The Otari Radar will share its new residence in the concert hall recording studio alongside another donation from Canada's living legend of jazz. Shortly after the inauguration of the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall in October 1999, Dr. Peterson donated a Tascam TMD-8000 digital audio mixing console to the Department of Music. Both the console and the recorder were previously components of Dr. Peterson's home recording studio, and will be used by Music students to produce high-quality digital recordings of their performances in the hall.
One student in particular has recently been assisted by Dr. Peterson's contributions to Concordia. On December 12, the Faculty of Fine Arts presented the first Dr. Oscar Peterson Jazz Scholarship during the Jazz Improvisation I concert directed by Professor RÈmi Bolduc. Saxophonist and second-year Music student David Jolin received the $2000 award, which was established in honour of Dr. Peterson's 75th birthday by Verve Music Group Canada. The scholarship will continue to be awarded annually to a student of the Jazz Performance program whose commitment and spirit towards music reflect the values exemplified by Dr. Peterson.
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