The JUNO was awarded for the CBC recording of violin concertos by Walton, Korngold and Barber, the same record that received the GRAMMY award in a similar category. The VSO's win was announced Saturday night at the Calgary Saddledome.

A four-time JUNO Award winner and 10-time nominee, Canadian violinist James Ehnes is considered one of classical music's biggest names on the world stage. He has performed in over 20 countries on four continents with virtually every renowned orchestra and conductor. His recording of concertos by Korngold, Barber and Walton is the 20th title in an already impressive discography. The 2007-2008 season takes him on major tours of South America, Australia, New Zealand, Berlin, Prague, Glasgow, Paris, New York and more.

Acclaimed conductor Bramwell Tovey has been music director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra since 2000, leading the country's third largest orchestra to consistently successful seasons. A great champion of new music, he is regularly conducts educational concerts, Pops, and classical concerts. This is Maestro Tovey's second JUNO award, and the first for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

BIOGRAPHIES

Bramwell Tovey, conductor: A musician of striking versatility, Bramwell Tovey is acknowledged around the world for his artistic depth and warm, charismatic personality on the podium. Tovey's career as a conductor is uniquely enhanced by his work as a composer and pianist, lending him a remarkable musical perspective.

His tenures as Music Director of the Vancouver Symphony, Luxembourg Philharmonic and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestras have been characterized by his expertise in the opera, choral, and British repertoire. Tovey recently garnered a 2007 Grammy Award for his recording with violinist James Ehnes and the Vancouver Symphony. Recently named Principal Guest Conductor for the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, he works frequently with the Toronto Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Royal Philharmonic and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras, among many others. He has presided as host and conductor of the New York Philharmonic's Summertime Classics series at Avery Fisher Hall since its founding in 2004.

A champion of contemporary music, Tovey developed the highly regarded New Music Festival in Winnipeg, during his tenure as Music Director. As a composer, he was honored with the Best Canadian Classical Composition Juno Award in 2003 for his Requiem for a Charred Skull. Upcoming new works include a co-commission for the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics' respective 2008 summer seasons as well as a full-length opera for the Calgary Opera, The Inventor, to premiere in January of 2011.

Tovey has been awarded honorary degrees, including a Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Music in London, honorary Doctorates of Law from the universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba, and Kwantlen University College, as well as a Royal Conservatory of Music Fellowship in Toronto. In 1999, he received the M. Joan Chalmers National Award for Artistic Direction, a Canadian prize awarded to artists for outstanding contributions in the performing arts.

James Ehnes, violinist: "One of the most gifted and sincerely expressive artists to have emerged in recent times" (The Daily Telegraph, London), James Ehnes has established an international career of rare distinction.

He has performed in over 20 countries on four continents with internationally renowned orchestras under such celebrated conductors as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Sir Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, Iván Fischer, Richard Hickox, Paavo Järvi, Lorin Maazel, Sir Charles Mackerras, David Robertson, and Christian Thielemann.

The 2007-2008 season sees James conduct and perform the five Mozart violin concertos in Winnipeg, Brandon and Vancouver. The year also features a tour of South America as well as concerts and recitals throughout Europe and North America. In the Fall he releases two new recordings: Elgar's Violin Concerto (Onyx) and a disc of works by Paul Schoenfield with pianist Andrew Russo (Black Box).

James's extensive discography includes award-winners for the CBC, Analekta, Black Box, Chandos, Telarc, and Sony Classical labels in repertoire ranging from Bach to John Adams.

James Ehnes plays the "Ex Marsick" Stradivarius of 1715 and gratefully acknowledges its extended loan from the Fulton Collection. -- www.vancouversymphony.ca