The centrepiece of the visit is the launch of the world tour of chamber music ensemble, Camerata Pacifica, in Los Angeles on 22 April and the Sacramento Highland Games on 26 April.
Several high level meetings have also been arranged with studio executives to promote Northern Ireland as an attractive filming location.
In addition, the Minister will delve into the realm of sport during meetings with the LA Galaxy Football Club and when he tours world-class sports venues such as the Home Depot Centre.
Speaking before his departure, the Minister said: “For a small country, Northern Ireland has an abundance of talented people and my mission is to promote that talent in the United States. My short programme is packed but the aim is to encourage decision makers in the US to consider Northern Ireland as a location for their type of business, be that music, film or sport. I want them to visit us, to sample our lifestyle and enjoy the vast range of arts, cultural and sporting activities we have to offer.”
The Minister said that he was looking forward to launching Camerata Pacifica’s concert tour. He said: “High quality events such as this provide the perfect platform for our musicians to perform with equally talented people from other parts of the world and it highlights that Northern Ireland is an exporter of extraordinary musical talent.”
Camerata Pacifica’s tour takes the ensemble from LA to Washington and on to New York, London, Dublin and Londonderry, arriving in Belfast on 3 May where the Minister will join them for the final concert in St Anne’s Cathedral.
“This imaginative concert tour is due to the foresightedness of Adrian Spence, a native of Northern Ireland, who founded the ensemble and Ian Wilson, also from Northern Ireland, whose music will be performed by Camerata Pacifica,” the Minister said.
Still in Los Angeles the Minister will meet LA Galaxy officials to discuss the potential for a friendly match with the Northern Ireland Football team in 2009.
The Minister’s fact-finding mission will then take him to Hollywood, California for discussions with film industry representatives from Lionsgate, Henson and Paramount Pictures, on filming opportunities in Northern Ireland. The Minister will also attend the LA premier of BBC’s Cranford Chronicles which has been nominated for Emmy Award consideration.
The Minister continued: “I intend to make a pitch for Northern Ireland as a location for film production. We have the ability, drive, enthusiasm and now the track record to attract Hollywood blockbusters and our landscape, scenery and friendly people, make a wonderful backdrop for film makers.
“I will also be visiting the Sacramento Valley Scottish Games and Festival, where six young Drum Majors from Northern Ireland will take part in the a competition under the direction of Brian Wilson, a former world champion Drum Major. I look forward to seeing them in action and I wish them well for the competition.”
Notes to Editors:
- Camerata Pacifica is a chamber music ensemble based in Santa Barbara, California, which was founded in 1990 by Adrian Spence, a native of Newtownards. The group is composed of the finest performers of chamber music from around the world including musicians from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
- The ensemble will perform The Messenger Concerto by Belfast composer Ian Wilson with Cork-born Catherine Leonard, Camerata’s Principal Violinist.
- The Sacramento Valley Scottish Games and Festival is held at the Yola County Fair in Woodland, California. One of the aims of the project is to serve as an education experience for the people of California about Ulster Heritage and Ulster Scots culture.
- Six young Drum Majors from Northern Ireland will take part in the Drum Major competition under the direction of Brian Wilson, a former world champion Drum Major. He has been a competitor at the Sacramento Valley Games for 10 years and has worked extremely hard to build and maintain the cultural link between Ulster and Sacramento.
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