Genius in a Bo le

PRICELESS!
Vol 21 No 6
MARCH 1 – APRIL 7, 2016
LISTINGS | FEATURES | RECORD REVIEWS
Genius in a Bottle
Scottish Opera’s
The Devil Inside
Ben McAteer
UPCOMING CONCERTS
BENJAMIN ALARD
SOLO HARPSICHORD
BACH
GOLDBERG
VARIATIONS
ZELENKA
AND BACH
IVARS TAURINS
DIRECTOR
DOROTHEE MIELDS
SOPRANO
Apr 28 – May 1
TRINITY-ST. PAUL’S CENTRE, JEANNE LAMON HALL (TSP)
TAFELMUSIK BAROQUE ORCHESTRA AND CHAMBER CHOIR
GRÉGOIRE JEAY JEANNE LAMON CHRISTINA MAHLER
FLUTE
VIOLIN
CELLO
WITH WINNERS OF THE TAFELMUSIK VOCAL COMPETITION
Mar 31-Apr 3
Czech composer Jan Dismas Zelenka’s exuberant
and uplifting Missa Omnium Sanctorum is perfectly
suited for the intimate setting of Trinity-St. Paul’s,
especially when paired with Bach’s Wedding Cantata,
as sung by the luminous German soprano Dorothee
Mields. The remaining solo roles in the Zelenka
mass will be sung by the winners of the inaugural
Tafelmusik Vocal Competition: Kim Leeds,
mezzo-soprano, Jacques-Olivier Chartier,
tenor, and Jonathan Woody, bass-baritone.
TRINITY-ST. PAUL’S CENTRE, JEANNE LAMON HALL (TSP)
Apr 5 TORONTO CENTRE FOR THE ARTS (TCA)
Bach’s famous Goldberg Variations are a showpiece
for the artistry and virtuosity of keyboard players.
Taking up the challenge is the brilliant young French
harpsichordist Benjamin Alard in his Tafelmusik debut.
The concerts also include Bach’s masterful Trio sonata
from The Musical Offering, with Grégoire Jeay (flute),
Jeanne Lamon (violin) and Christina Mahler (cello).
SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
PERFORMANCE SPONSOR
TCA CONCERT
SUPPORTED BY
Margaret
and Jim Fleck
TSP: 416.964.6337
TCA: 1.855.985.2787
tafelmusik.org
KOERNER HALL IS:
“A beautiful space for music“
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
Songmasters:
Le travail
du peintre
SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2PM
MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL
An exciting concert based on
works inspired by paintings
and painters. Mireille Asselin
(soprano), Brett Polegato
(baritone), and pianists Peter
Tiefenbach and Rachel Andrist
perform works by Poulenc,
Debussy, Fauré, Wolf, Heggie,
and others.
Augustin Dumay & Louis Lortie
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 8PM KOERNER HALL
“Both musicians explore the elegance and poetry in this music
without flash or dazzle. These performances are passionate
and intense as well as supple and refined.” (CBC Music)
Program includes works by Beethoven, Strauss, and Franck.
Rebanks Family
Fellowship Concert
Taylor Academy
Showcase Concert
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 7:30PM
MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL
Hear artists on the cusp of major careers.
This concert features solo and chamber
works performed by Rebanks Fellows
currently enrolled in the one-year Rebanks
Family Fellowship and International
Performance Residency Program.
Generously supported by
the Rebanks Family and
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation
SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 4:30PM
MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL
FREE (TICKET REQUIRED)
The Phil and Eli Taylor
Performance Academy for
Young Artists presents a
concert by the leading young
classical musicians in Canada.
Hear the stars of tomorrow!
Cameron Carpenter
FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 8PM
KOERNER HALL
“Extravagantly talented... everything
he touches turns fantastical and
memorable.” ((The New York Times)
Cameron Carpenter returns to
Koerner Hall, this time with his
fabulous new custom-designed
organ! “Alternatingly dazzling
and subtle, and always fired by
a profound musical intelligence.”
(The Wall Street Journal
Journal)
Orlando Consort:
La passion de Jeanne d’Arc
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 3PM KOERNER HALL
Hear a live vocal soundtrack to an iconic film: Carl-Theodor Dreyer’s
acclaimed masterpiece, La passion de Jeanne d’Arc (1928), with the
Orlando Consort singing live. An extraordinary experience for
cinephiles and early music lovers alike!
TICKETS START AT ONLY $25! 416.408.0208 www.performance.rcmusic.ca
273 BLOOR STREET WEST
(BLOOR ST. & AVENUE RD.)
TORONTO
TURNTABLES
+ SYMPHONY
Toronto’s cutting-edge contemporary music festival
March 5–12, 2016
Co-curated by Brett Dean and TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian
with an explosive finale by Toronto’s own DJ Skratch Bastid.
Fragile Absolute
March 5, 8:00PM
$30
FESTIVAL PASS
Two Memorials:
Anton Webern & John Lennon
March 9, 8:00PM
Knocking at the Hellgate
March 12, 7:30PM
NewCreationsFestival.com
PRESENTED BY
Volume 21 No 6 | March 2016
JANINA FIALKOWSKA
FEATURES
6. OPENER | Two Intersections and a Watershed | DAVID PERLMAN
8. ON OPERA Genius In a Bottle | LYDIA PEROVIĆ
60. WE ARE ALL MUSIC’S CHILDREN | Lucas Harris | MJ BUELL
78. CBC RADIO TWO: The New Music Festival Phenomenon| DAVID JAEGER
BEAT BY BEAT
11. Classical & Beyond | PAUL ENNIS
14. In with the New | WENDALYN BARTLEY
17. Choral Scene | BRIAN CHANG
22. Art of Song | HANS DE GROOT
24 World View | ANDREW TIMAR
26. Jazz Stories | ORI DAGAN
ACD2 2699
20. Early Music | DAVID PODGORSKI
28. Bandstand | JACK MacQUARRIE
49. Mainly Clubs, Mostly Jazz! | BOB BEN
46. C | Music Theatre
With this new ATMA recording,
Janina Fialkowska immerses into
Franz Schubert’s music with performances
of his Four Impromptus, Op. 142, D.935
and the Piano Sonata No. 7 in E flat major,
Op. 122, D. 568.
51. E | The ETCeteras
» Available from March 11, 2016
LISTINGS
30. A | Concerts in the GTA
43. B | Concerts Beyond the GTA
48. D | In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz)
54-59. SPECIAL FEATURE: Summer Music Education
To mark her 65th birthday,
Janina Fialkowska will embark on a major
concert tour that will bring her to more than
15 Canadian cities.
ACD2 2681
MORE
6. Contact Information & Deadlines
7. Index of Advertisers
48. Classified Ads
Cover Photograph Bill Cooper
ACD2 2666
ACD2 2682
DISCOVERIES: RECORDINGS REVIEWED
62. Editor’s Corner | DAVID OLDS
63. Strings Attached | TERRY ROBBINS
65. Keyed In | ALEX BARAN
67. Vocal
69. Classical & Beyond
70. Modern & Contemporary
72 Jazz & Improvised
74. Pot Pourri
76. Something in the Air | KEN WAXMAN
77. Old Wine, New Bottles | BRUCE SURTEES
“…her thoughtful virtuosity and Schubert’s
poetic spirit merge as one”. — CLASSICS TODAY
Félix Award
2015
AVAILABLE IN HD AT
ATMACLASSIQUE.COM
CD
STUDIO
MP3
QUALITY
QUALITY
F O R O P E N E R S | DAV I D P E R L M A N
Two Intersections and a Watershed
I
Pauk agrees with Adams’ assessment of the
ntersection 1: Esprit and the Iselers.
Iselers’ readiness, referencing their “full virtuThere’s a slight pause at the other end of the
osic capabilities” and comparing their spirited
line and then, “Put it this way, I could not
open-mindedness to that of his own orchestra.
have written this earlier,” he says. The speaker
“Ready to give it the full go” is how he describes
is composer Alex Pauk, founding artistic
it; “always singing the music not the notes.”
director and conductor of the Esprit Orchestra.
As to what to call the work, genre-wise, Pauk
The “this” he is referring to is his Soul and
is understandably reluctant to be too categorPsyche, a 30-minute, five-movement “devoical. At one point in the literature about the
tional” work for choir and orchestra that will
piece, it’s referred to as “contemporary mass in
be performed March 31 at Koerner Hall, by
five movements.” At another, it’s referred to as
the combined forces of Esprit and the Elmer
“spiritual and uplifting in nature without being
Iseler Singers, under Pauk’s baton. It will be
strictly religious,” a description borne out by
the final work in the final concert of Esprit’s
the inclusion of texts ranging from Inuit poetry
33rd season. For the Iselers, in this, their 37th
to ancient Chinese poetry, a fragment from
year, there are two concerts to go after this.
Goethe’s Faust, a Balinese prayer for departing
But this is one that they are approaching with
souls, Biblical passages and the composer’s
a particular gusto. “We do all kinds of music,”
own words.
Iseler conductor Lydia Adams says. “But this
Had Pauk written the piece when the
choir absolutely relishes the opportunity to take
idea was first presented to him, he tells me,
on a new work. They are completely dedicated
it would have been a mass by name and
to their craft, absolutely open to whatever a
nature. “It was Niki Goldschmidt who suggested
new work brings.”
Our Niki Goldschmidt cover, May 2002
I write a mass,” he says “right after the very
And new this work certainly will be! With a
first Toronto International Choral Festival in 1989” (a festival that
month to go, the proverbial ink is not yet dry on the fifth movement,
included repertoire as diverse as The Death of a Buddha by R.
and Pauk confesses on the phone to tinkering with the text of the
first movement, which is based on “Taoist writings on the life force of
Murray Schafer, commissioned by the BBC for the BBC Singers, Songs
the universe,” sneaking in a topical reference to gravitational waves.
of Creation by Srul Irving Glick, commissioned for the Toronto
The WholeNote™
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6 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
THANKS TO THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS
Beat Columnists
Paul Ennis, Wendalyn Bartley, Brian Chang, David
Podgorski, Hans de Groot, Andrew Timar, Ori
Dagan, Jack MacQuarrie, Bob Ben, mJ buell,
David Olds,
Features
David Perlman, Lydia Perović, mj Buell,
David Jaeger
CD Reviewers
Alex Baran, Allan Pulker, Andrew Timar, Bruce
Surtees, Daniel Foley, Dianne Wells, Elliot Wright,
Hans de Groot, Janos Gardonyi, Ken Waxman,
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke, Raul da Gama, Richard
Haskell, Robert Tomas, Roger Knox, Stuart
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Proofreading
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Volume 21 No 7 covers
April 1 - May 7, 2016
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thewholenote.com
thewholenote.com
Mendelssohn Choir, and a performance of Verdi’s Requiem at Roy
Thomson Hall.) But it didn’t happen at that time, or at any time since
(although Pauk and Jessie Iseler talked about it often enough over the
years, he says, at the level of “we really should do that mass we keep
talking about.”)
Simply put, it was something that Pauk had to be ready to do.
“Ready technically, ... musically, ... spiritually?” I ask. And then comes
that pause on the line. “Put it this way,” he says. “I could not have
written this earlier.”
I am looking forward to this particular concert, not just for the
premiere of Pauk’s piece, but for the pleasure of watching these two
pioneering musical organizations intersect and interact.
Intersection 2: Winter’s Summer
This is the time in the year when thoughts of summer are either
a scourge or a solace: scourge, if all they bring are pangs of longing
for the unattainable; solace, if used as an opportunity to put plans in
place for what to do during that other season that seems, amid the
slush, unattainably far away. You will find our annual summer music
education resource guide tucked away on pages 54 to 59. It is, as usual,
an extraordinarily suggestive compilation of 32 summer music educational opportunity, for all ages and levels and ability. It makes no
grand claims to comprehensiveness (although, as in previous years,
it will likely continue to grow online at thewholenote.com/resources,
as the summer draws nearer.) So seize the day! Take action now to
make 2016 a musical summer worth spending the winter looking
forward to.
It’s a Watershed Moment – Ask LUDWIG!
LUDWIG, for the uninitiated, is an acronym for Listings Utility
Database for WholeNote Information Gathering. It was Colin Eatock,
during his time here as Managing Editor/Listings Coordinator who
coined the phrase to describe our painstaking multi-year project to
reinvent the way we gather and repurpose the live musical listings that
are the backbone of what we are and what we do. Much of the work
that has gone into LUDWIG to this point has been invisible to readers,
Ask LUDWIG
revolving around the way we process listings, rather than how we
supply them to you. Simply put, we used to word-process everything;
now our listings gathering is based on data entry. It’s been a challenge
and a big change; but over time, LUDWIG has made the task of listings
generation a lot easier.
But you have still had no easy way of hunting down the particular
listings you’re interested in, short of searching through the listings day
by day; no way easily to search the listings by keyword, by artist or
presenter, by genre, by date or date range, by geographic zone ... .
BIG NEWS is that very soon you will! In fact, you already can, if
you are willing to help us! You can participate in public testing of Ask
LUDWIG by going to thewholenote.com. Find the listings tab, then
scroll down to Ask LUDWIG and click.
Watershed moment? You tell us what, for you, would make it so.
[email protected]
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
Academy Concert Series 36
Adam Sherkin 31, 43
Aga Khan Museum 79
Amadeus Choir 42
Arcadia Academy of Music 52
Arraymusic 42
Art of Time Ensemble 25
ArtsMedia Projects 53
Associates of the TSO 14, 32
ATMA Classique 5
Aurora Cultural Centre 33, 40
Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund 61
Canadian Opera Company 46, 47, 80
Cantemus Singers 36
Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra 34
Christ Church Deer Park Jazz Vespers 26
Claude Watson Secondary Arts Program 59
David Garrett/Terracotta Financial Group 33
entertainmentOne 27
Esprit Orchestra 16, 40
Exultate Chamber Singers 40
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre 46
Galen Weston 25
Glionna Mansell Corporation 52
Grace Church on-the-Hill 19
High Notes Inc. 24
Horizon Tax (Norm Pulker) 53
Humbercrest United Church 38
Jubilate Singers 31
Kindred Spirits Orchestra 39
thewholenote.com
Li Delun Music Foundation 13
Listening Room/Decca 69
Listening Room/Alma Records 67
Listening Room/Analekta 63
Listening Room/Bridge 69
Listening Room/collectif9 63
Listening Room/Deutsche Grammophon 63, 65
Listening Room/ECM 67
Listening Room/InSound Records 67
Listening Room/Navona Records 69
Listening Room/Naxos 65, 67
Listening Room/Surkalen 69
Long & McQuade 28
MasterPerforming 53
Mike Herriott 49
Mississauga Festival Choir 41
Mississauga Symphony 41
Montreal Chamber Music Society 11, 33
Mooredale Concerts 35
Mozart Project, The 37
Music at Metropolitan 39
Music at Metropolitan / Noon at Met 31
Music Toronto 9, 30, 33, 35, 43
Musicians in Ordinary 36
Nagata Shachu 41
New Music Concerts 35, 42
Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation 38
North Toronto Players 31, 47
Opera Atelier 21, 43
Orpheus Choir 18
Pasquale Bros. 51
Remenyi House of Music 29
Royal Canadian College of Organists 20
Royal Conservatory 3, 10, 32, 35, 39
Saluki Music 53
Scarborough PhilharmonicOrchestra 40
Shen Yun 78
St. Philip's Jazz Vespers 27
St. Thomas' Church 19
Steinway Piano Gallery 13
Syrinx Concerts 11, 32, 42
Tafelmusik 2, 40
Tapestry Opera 22
Toronto Chamber Choir 34
Toronto Concert Orchestra 23
Toronto Consort 23, 34, 52
Toronto Early Music Centre 34
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir 38
Toronto Symphony 4, 34, 40
U of T Faculty of Music 10, 37
Univox Choirs 19
Voicebox: Opera in Concert 15, 47
Women's Musical Club 43
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church 17, 37
Zephyr Piano Trio 42
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 7
Beat by Beat | On Opera
Genius in a Bottle
Scottish Opera’s
The Devil Inside
A
lyricism in each of his characters.” Nothing will stand out or distract:
“During the show, you may not even think about the music. MacRae
allows the listener to be completely lost in the story.”
The Devil Inside will be Tapestry Opera’s first time presenting an
international company. “I hope to do more of this at Tapestry, and also
look forward to bringing our great Canadian artists to Scotland and
the world. The boldness and the immediacy of chamber opera provide
a powerful incentive to find and create more works of this size.”
The Devil Inside plays at Harbourfront Centre Theatre
March 10 and 13.
Opera Atelier is bringing Mozart’s early work Lucio Silla home to
Toronto (April 7-16, Elgin Theatre), after notable Salzburg and La Scala
runs with one of the best- known period orchestras in the world, Les
Musiciens du Louvre,
under one of today’s bestknown practitioners of
HIP (historically informed
performance), conductor
Marc Minkowski. And
with this, some good
news: the company has
secured a recurring
engagement with the
Royal Opera of Versailles,
which will host an Opera
Atelier production every
second year. Marshall
Pynkoski directs and
Jeanette Lajeunesse-Zingg
is in charge of choreography, with a new set and
costumes by resident OA
designer, Gerard Gauci.
(The production seen in Salzburg and La Scala was designed by Antoine
Fontaine, French designer of baroque opera with a series of notable
credits like Ivan Alexandre’s recent Hyppolite et Aricie at the Paris
Opera and Sofia Coppola’s Marie-Antoinette among many other films.)
International collaborations of this kind can only be good for a
company which is rather conservative in its instincts–faithful to its
dance-focused “baroque gesture” aesthetics for 30 years now, whether
it’s staging Lully or von Weber or anything in between, and faithful
to a core group of returning artists (in Toronto, for example, the
company’s performances with Tafelmusik are only ever conducted
by David Fallis). Baroque operas are being staged around the world in
all kinds of ways today, from those in modern clothes (Wieler’s and
Morabito’s Alcina, for example) to spare and abstract (Pierre Audi’s
Castor et Pollux, Robert Carsen’s Les Boréades) to fantastic reinvention (Laurent Pelly’s Platée, Jonathan Kent’s Hippolyte et Aricie) to,
more rarely, those indeed in Antoine Fontaine-like stylized reconstruction aesthetics (Michel Fau, Ivan Alexandre). But Opera Atelier
remains true to its 30-year-old blueprint.
And continues to divide baroque lovers in Toronto: there are its
core fans and donors who like what it does and come back for exactly
the familiar, and then there are those who, like myself, are wishing
it would be bolder and stray from where it’s most comfortable –
beautiful costumes, muscular dancers, stock gestures. One of the
most memorable operas I’ve seen was a Charpentier’s Médée at the
Frankfurt Opera set in present day, in a wealthy businessman’s penthouse that hosts Medea’s refugee family. Charpentier and the period
band under Andrea Marcon went along just fine with a very modern
interpretation by the director David Hermann. Why can’t I see
productions like this at home, I wondered then. And I still do.
How much of the OA rulebook will be honoured in Lucio Silla, and
whether the production will surprise us, remains to be seen in – there
are a few clips from the La Scala performance on YouTube to whet
the appetite. Krešimir Spicer (Lucio) and Inga Kalna (Cinna) of the
original cast join Mireille Asselin (Celia), Peggy Kriha Dye (Cecillio)
and Meghan Lindsay (Giunia). Trouser role lovers, rejoice: there are
two in this production, Cecilio and Lucio Cinna. Tafelmusik Baroque
LY D I A P E R O V I Ć
n unusual consensus is
emerging in British media
large and small, dailies
and blogs, around the Scottish
Opera and Music Theatre Wales
co-produced opera The Devil
Inside that premiered in January
in Glasgow and that Tapestry
Opera is bringing to Toronto this
month thanks to the Scottish
Government’s International
Touring Fund. The Guardian and
the Telegraph, The Scotsman
and the Financial Times, Opera
Britannia and the Boulezian
Blog alike are heaping praise on
the Stuart MacRae and Louise
Welsh adaptation of a Faustian
Michael Mori
bargain story by R.L. Stevenson,
The Bottle Imp, set in present
day with a cast of four and a
14-member band. Said bottle central to the plot will grant any wish
to its owner, but if it remains in his possession at the time of death,
his soul will spend eternity in hell. The bottle changes hands and
makes many a wish true, but the fever of greed grows and, with it,
complications.
Michael Mori, artistic director of Tapestry Opera, has no doubt the
work will resonate equally well with Toronto audiences. “The offer
of making it rich, retiring at 30, living the high life without earning
a cent–basically the temptations of the pseudo-American dream–are
at the heart of this story, and a compelling examination of the fantasies we still hold dear today,” he explains. The adaptation is both loose
and very faithful: the librettist Louise Welsh, one of Scotland’s greatest
crime novelists, “has a great hand for animating characters that are
both classic and clearly defined in the present,” he says.
Mori, a self-avowed fan of short stories with a touch of the supernatural by the likes of Edgar Allan Poe, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov
and R.L. Stevenson himself, first heard of The Bottle Imp while collaborating on an Edinburgh Fringe Festival pitch with Scottish Opera.
“We were working with Scottish Opera to pitch what was to become
The Devil Inside, along with our own M’dea Undone, as a double bill
for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The arrangement fell through, but
the Scottish Opera team of MacRae/Welsh continued working on it
independently. In the meantime I read up on the story and really fell
in love with its dark magic…a little bit of Faust, and a little bit of Poe.
The plot is intensely driven by human dynamics, not only of love but
also of the struggle against greed and temptation.”
By all accounts, the director Matthew Richardson managed to
create a visually rich production with fairly pared-down means.
Michael Rafferty will conduct the 14 instrumentalists of the Scottish
Opera Orchestra in the score by a composer Torontonians haven’t
had a chance to hear before. Stuart MacRae works in the tradition
of European modernism, so don’t expect the familiar, the well-travelled, the tonal or the melodic, but his music blends in with the
drama and is genuinely operatic. Mori describes it as “energized and
driven, managing to hold a shimmering tension while capturing vocal
8 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
collectif9
Orchestra under
David Fallis will
be in the pit.
Trouser roles:
Speaking of
gender-bending
trouser roles,
there will be two
more on offer in
Handel’s Alcina,
the Glenn Gould
School Opera’s
spring performance at Koerner
Danika Lorèn
Hall, March 16 and
18. The romantic lead Ruggiero is a trouser role usually sung by a
mezzo, and the small role of the boy Oberto often goes to a young
light soprano. The opera also has one en travesti role in Bradamante,
who is disguised as a man for most of the proceedings. Although
March
at 8 pm
arguably10
Handel’s
best and most popular opera–okay, together with
Giulio Cesare and a couple others–Alcina is all too rarely performed
in Toronto. The long-time chorus master of Tafelmusik Choir, Ivars
Taurins, will conduct the Royal Conservatory Orchestra on modern
instruments, while as usual a selection of GGS students is cast in
lead roles. Soprano Meghan Jamieson will be Alcina, while coloratura soprano Irina Medvedeva as her sister Morgana gets to sing what
is probably the best known aria of the opera, Tornami a vagheggiar.
Bradamante and Ruggiero will be interpreted by the mezzos Lillian
Brooks and Christina Campsall respectively. The semi-staged Alcina
will be directed by Leon Major, the artistic director of The Maryland
Opera Studio for the University of Maryland, College Park.
Bunyan: Over at the Toronto’s other opera school, Sandra Horst
will conduct the Britten-Auden operetta Paul Bunyan as part of
the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Opera Series, March 10
to 13 in the MacMillan Theatre. The cast is large and varies between
performances, but some names will already be known to operagoing Torontonians: mezzos Megan Quick and Emily D’Angelo and
soprano Danika Lorèn, for example, who have joined the Canadian
Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio this year. The greater pleasure of
attending student performances is of course discovering unknown
talent, and the complete cast list can be found on the U of T Opera’s
Paul Bunyan web page (uoftopera.ca/paul-bunyan). This fully staged
production will be directed by Michael Patrick Albano and designed
by Lisa Magill and Fred Perruzza.
Quick Picks
November
10
8 pm
March
at at
8can
pm
Megan17
Quick
also be heard in Mahler’s Das Lied von der
Erde in the Schoenberg-Riehn arrangement for chamber orchestra
on Mar 21 in Walter Hall, with the University of Toronto Faculty of
Music Artist Ensemble, and Andrew Haji singing the tenor part. The
mezzo will also sing Die Waldtaube from Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder,
another piece rarely performed in Toronto.
Collectif Toronto is a new addition to the alternative operatic scene
in the city, an ensemble formed by the singers Danika Lorèn, Whitney
O’Hearn and Jennifer Krabbe. On Mar 20 at 7:30pm in Haliconian
Hall,pianists
the three singers and Tom King on piano will perform As a
Stranger, a dramatized and adapted but complete Winterreise,
Schubert’s sombre song cycle. Concept by Whitney O’Hearn, direction
and videography by Danika Lorèn.
Canadian Opera Company’s midday Vocal Series is getting interactive on Mar 15, in a concert of operatic arias and sing-along choruses featuring young artists of the COC Ensemble Studio and Kyra
Millan, soprano and opera educator. Love the tenor voice? There’s a
COC Vocal Series performance for that. In the “Four Tenors” concert
on Mar 29 Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure, Aaron Sheppard, Andrew Haji
and Charles Sy join forces in a program of tenor arias and ensembles.
Soprano Teiya Kasahara will collaborate with the drumming
ensemble Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers and percussionist/
flutist Heidi Chan on a program titled “Crooked Lines: Stories in
Between,”
Mar811pm
to 13. Kasahara is a 2010 COC Ensemble Studio
April
5 at
TORONTO
collectif9
Thursday, March 10 at 8 pm
QUATUOR EBÈNE
TORONTO
QUATUOR
EBÈNE
Thursday, March 17 at 8 pm
DUO TURGEON, pianists
TORONTO
DUO TURGEON
thewholenote.com
Tuesday, April 5 at 8 pm
at
www.music-toronto.com
Canadian Patrimoine
Heritage canadien
416-366-7723 1-800-708-6754
order online at www.stlc.com
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 9
TICKETS:
music.utoronto.ca
or 416-408-0208
Benjamin Britten’s
Paul Bunyan
March 10 - 13
MacMillan Theatre
Norma Winstoney
March 17 @ 7:30 pm
Walter Hall
The iconic jazz vocalist performs
with the University of Toronto
Jazz Orchestra, 11 O’Clock Jazz
Orchestra and Dave Liebman.
UofT Opera presents Britten’s
delightful operetta. Featuring
guests The MacMillan Singers.
Lucia Cesaroni and Ernesto Ramirez: Isis and Osiris
Faculty Artist Ensemble
with Andrew Haji
March 21 @ 7:30 pm
Walter Hall
graduate whose career is expanding to Germany: in May of this year,
she returns to Aalto-Musiktheater Essen to resume the role of Fata
Morgana in Prokofiev’s Love of Three Oranges.
And a new Canadian work to conclude with: Isis and Osiris: Gods
of Egypt (music by Peter Anthony Togni, libretto by Sharon Singer)
will premiere in concert at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.
Soprano Lucia Cesaroni and tenor Ernesto Ramirez sing the title roles,
with mezzo Julie Nesrallah as Nephtis and baritone Michael Nyby
as Seth, Stuart Graham as The Grand Vizier, Christopher Wattam as
Imhotep and Leigh-Ann Allen as Sennefer. The soloists, the chorus
and the 11-piece orchestra will be conducted by Robert Cooper on
Apr 1 and 3.
Cecilia String Quartety
April 4 @ 7:30 pm
Walter Hall
Faculty chamber orchestra for works
by Schoenberg with vocal soloists
Andrew Haji and Megan Quick.
The powerful local quartet, the
Faculty’s Ensemble in Residence,
return for pieces by Agócs,
Mendelssohn and Brahms.
Lydia Perović is an arts journalist in Toronto. Her
new book of fiction–a novella All That Sang–is
coming out in April with Véhicule Press.
And many more!
George Frideric
Handel’s Alcina
Ivars Taurins, conductor
Leon Major, director
The Glenn Gould School Opera 2016
WedneSday, MarcH 16
& FrIday, MarcH 18, 7:30pM
KOerner HaLL
The extraordinary artists of The Glenn
Gould School vocal program and the
royal conservatory Orchestra perform
Alcina – a story of lust, love games,
and betrayal – directed by Leon Major
and conducted by Ivars Taurins.
TICKETS START AT273ONLY
$25! 416.408.0208 www.performance.rcmusic.ca
Bloor Street WeSt
(Bloor St.
& Avenue
rd.)
237 Bloor
Street
WeSt
toronto
(Bloor St. & Avenue rd.) toronto
10 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
Beat by Beat | Classical & Beyond
Toast to the
Danish
in recital:
PA U L E N N I S
T
NIKOLAJ LUND
Maxim Vengerov
he youthful and
adventurous Danish
Ensemble Midtvest
(EMV) makes its Canadian
debut, March 13, as part
of Mooredale Concerts’
current season.
Mooredale’s artistic
director, cellist Adrian
Fung told me via email
how he first met the group:
“My Afiara Quartet tours
Denmark every two years,
each time playing over
20 cities. It was on one of
these trips that I met the
EMV, which is managed
by the same energetic
gentleman (Oliver Quast)
who builds our successful
Danish tours.”
Based in Herning,
which is in the centre of west
Ensemble Midtvest
Jutland (hence the “midwest”
reference), in the Herning Museum of Contemporary Art (HEART),
EMV consists of five string players, a pianist and a wind quintet. As
Fung pointed out, “They bring an incredible flexibility to their playing,
as the size of their ensemble shrinks and expands to the benefit of
the repertoire and their programming. Think of a team of chefs that
each have their specialty, but only called to the fore when the menu
calls for it.”
Their Walter Hall concert will see six members of EMV joined by
American clarinet virtuoso, Charles Neidich, “a celebrated luminary
of the clarinet” as Fung dubbed him, in a program that focuses on
the ensemble’s piano-wind nexus. Danish composer Carl Nielsen’s
Fantasy: Pieces for Oboe and Piano Op.2 opens the recital and I was
able to get a sense of it by sampling EMV’s cpo CD, Neilsen: Complete
Chamber Works for Winds. I was struck by the richness of Peter
Kristein’s singing tone on the oboe in the Romance and look forward
to hearing him and pianist Martin Qvist Hansen live. Mozart’s Quintet
for Piano and Winds in E-Flat Major K452 stands at the pinnacle of
writing for piano, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn. I have been in
love with it since childhood when my father introduced me to the
Angel LP with pianist Walter Gieseking and the Philharmonia Wind
Quartet that included the legendary hornist Dennis Brain.
Two months after Schubert finished writing Die schöne Müllerin,
■ Toronto
Roy Thomson Hall
Friday, March 11th 2016 at 8 p.m.
416 872-4255
roythomson.com
Maxim Vengerov - violin
Patrice Laré - piano
Program:
Brahms, Ysaÿe, Franck, Paganini
Sponsored by:
Heliconian Hall 35 Hazelton Ave
www.syrinxconcerts.ca 416.654.0877
Prestige • Series
Narmina Afandiyeva
& Lisa Tahara pianists
March 6, 3pm
thewholenote.com
www.smcm.ca
Ensemble
Made In Canada
April 3, 3pm
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 11
Maxim Vengerov
he took the 18th song in the cycle (Faded
Flowers) and used it as the basis of a set
of variations, Introduction and Variations
on “Trockne Blumen” for Flute and Piano
D802 Op posth.160. A solemn introduction leads into the gentle bucolic theme
and as the variations progress the flutist is
called on to convey beauty, tempestuousness,
vulnerability and propriety. Flutist Charlotte
Norholt, who will perform the work here in
March, said before EMV’s first appearance
at Carnegie Hall in 2012 (in a Danish video
available on YouTube) that “the quest for
musical excellence is the driving force of this
ensemble.”
For Brahms’ Clarinet Trio in A Minor
Op.114, cellist Jonathan Slaatto joins pianist
Hansen to welcome back special guest
Neidich for this enduring late-in-life masterpiece that was inspired by the same clarinetist (Richard Mühlfeld) who led Brahms to
write his equally memorable clarinet quintet
and sonatas. Slaatto, in that same YouTube
video from 2012, expressed part of what
makes EMV (and any good ensemble) tick
when he said, referring to finding a suitable
tempo, that your own view of any piece is subordinate to the view of
the group as a whole.
Fung told me that he “was lucky to nab EMV on the same trip they
are playing New York’s Carnegie Hall (their third appearance with
them).” I suspect the Mooredale audience will agree after hearing
their March 13 concert.
Maxim Vengerov. On March 11, the universally acclaimed violinist,
the extraordinary Maxim Vengerov, makes his first recital appearance in Toronto since a right shoulder injury and recovery from
surgery forced him to suspend playing for four years in 2007. His Roy
Thomson Hall concert with pianist Patrice Laré, presented by the
Montreal Chamber Music Society, will include Franck’s emotionally
rich classic, Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, Ysaÿe’s devilishly
difficult, unaccompanied Sonata for Violin No.6 as well as music by
Brahms and Paganini.
I got a sense of Vengerov’s journey back, which involved an
assiduous rehab and reinvention of his violin technique from much
reportage on the Internet, particularly Laurie Niles’ revelatory
violinist.com interview published on January 9, 2013. In that interview, Vengerov also spoke of his close relationship to cellist/conductor
Mstislav Rostropovich and pianist/conductor Daniel Barenboim, both
of whom he got to know as a teenager.
Of Rostropovich, Vengerov says he was “like a musical father, he was
so close to my heart; I think it was his great musicianship and also
12 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
DANYLÖ BÖBYK
understanding of the violin
repertoire, of the stringed
instruments, that helped
us to build an incredible
chemistry that I had with
no one else.”
Barenboim, Vengerov
says, would “view a piece
of music as an instrumentalist, as a pianist,
from the harmonic point
of view, from the orchestration, colouring,”
whereas Rostropovich
had an “instant connection with the composer,
with the soul of the
composer,” imagining he
was the composer himself
performing the music.
Of course Vengerov
himself has conducted
successfully (as anyone in
the audience in October
of 2012 at Roy Thomson
Hall was only too aware,
for his historic double role
as soloist/conductor with
the TSO in an exceptional
performance of RimskyKorsakov’s Scheherazade),
but the violin remains his
“first source of communication with the audience –
no doubt my first love.”
Vengerov looked at the
time when he couldn’t play
as beneficial to deepening
his musical knowledge. “I
think I have more colours
to my violin playing than
before, for the fact that I
hear it somehow differently.” He also discovered,
after surgery, that he had to
change his technique so that he moves much less; he had been putting
too much physical effort into his playing. Working with quite a lot of
pain forced him to relax his playing. “If I had pain, that meant I was
doing something wrong,” he said.
All in the service of the music, of “the great heritage Beethoven,
Brahms, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky left for us. We have to deliver
these great works in the best possible way that we can. We have to
find a very personal approach to them. Every soloist nowadays has to
try to say something unique, something personal. Otherwise, if you’re
playing just another performance of Brahms’ concerto, why do we
need to hear that? That is the great lesson that Barenboim taught me…
Just study the score…I want to really hear your Sibelius, your discovery,
based on your new, detailed knowledge of the musical score.”
Takemitsu in Kyoto. An unexpected delivery of a DVD recently
rekindled memories of Toru Takemitsu, who won the Glenn Gould
Prize six years before Pierre Boulez. The DVD, Kyoto, is a quasi-documentary, part travelogue, atmospheric portrait of a place and a lifestyle, made in 1968 by the Japanese master filmmaker Kon Ichikawa
(The Makioka Sisters) with a soundtrack by Takemitsu, then in his
late 30s. Its 37 minutes are densely packed with artfully composed
images that treat a rock garden, a Buddhist temple and a royal villa
with the same aesthetic respect as that given to the people who walk
the city’s streets. Takemitsu’s music, mysterious and quietly surprising
but always filled with a deep humanity, acts as the foundation
collectif9
that illuminates these images. With a modernist sensibility always
conscious of a cultural past, his score is an essential component of this
fascinating piece of cinematic art. The handsomely packaged DVD is
available from martygrossfilms.com. Many years ago, I was fortunate
to be invited to watch Takemitsu at work one afternoon supervising
the marriage of music, sound design and image in Marty Gross’
exquisite Bunraku film, The Lovers’ Exile. Takemitsu’s attention to
detail, personal warmth and humility made a lasting impression.
QUICK PICKS
Music Toronto: If you’re quick off the mark you may be fortunate
enough to hear the eminent British pianist Steven Osborne Mar 1. On
Mar 10 the exuberant Montreal string ensemble, collectif9, performs
a diverse program including Geof Holbrook’s Volksmobiles, from
collectif9’s CD of the same name which Strings Attached DISCoveries’
columnist Terry Robbins praises elsewhere in these pages. Mar 17
the ebullient Quatuor Ébène’s strong program begins with Mozart’s
delightful Divertimento K136, moves to Debussy’s Quartet in G Minor
(a piece they own) before concluding with Beethoven’s immortal
String Quartet No.14 Op.131. Apr 5 Duo Turgeon, husband-andwife duo pianists, perform a heavyweight program that includes a
new arrangement of Ravel’s Second Suite from Daphnis and Chloe
by Vyacheslav Gryaznov, Lutoslawski’s Variations on a Theme by
Paganini and Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Haydn as well as
pieces by the Russian Valery Gavrilin and the Canadian Derek Charke.
Royal Conservatory: I wrote in my last column about the talented
young Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang and her Koerner Hall debut
Mar 2. She’s followed Mar 4 by Canadian violinist Karen Gomyo,
Swiss cellist Christian Poltéra and Finnish pianist Juho Pohjonen in
an appealing program of Mittel-European fare. On Mar 20 Paul Lewis
performs his first solo recital in this city since his remarkable Toronto
debut with the Women’s Musical Club in the fall of 2013. In this
upcoming Koerner Hall concert, he focuses on Brahms (Four Ballades
Op.10; Three Intermezzi Op.117), Liszt (the transformative Après
une lecture du Dante, fantasia quasi una sonata, “‘Dante Sonata”
from Années de pèlerinage, Italie) and Schubert (the enchanting
Sonata D575). On Mar 29 the current crop of Rebanks fellows are on
display in a recital in Mazzoleni Hall, which is also the venue Apr 7
for chamber music by Haydn, Berg (the uber-Romantic Lyric Suite)
and Dvořák (the charming Piano Quintet No.2 Op.81) performed by
the Musicians from Marlboro. In Koerner Hall on Mar 30 violinist
Augustin Dumay and pianist Louis Lortie bring their powerful musical
gifts to sonatas by Beethoven (“Spring”), Franck and Richard Strauss.
Perimeter: Best known as artistic directors of the Chamber Music
Society of Lincoln Center, husband-and-wife cellist David Finckel and
pianist Wu Han bring their considerable performing talents to the
Perimeter Institute Mar 10, in a program of music by Richard Strauss,
Chopin, Messiaen, Glazunov and Albéniz.
Nocturnes in the City: Pianist Adam Zukiewicz plays Beethoven and
Liszt Mar 13. (One evening earlier, Mar 12, Zukiewicz plays a similar
program at St. Basil’s Church.) The Czech-based Epoque Quartet
plays Vivaldi, Jezek and others at the Praha restaurant Mar 27. Notable
Czech pianist and Smetana specialist, Jan Novotný, makes a welcome
visit to Toronto for a recital that includes music by Smetana, Schubert
and Mozart.
Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society: The final weekend of
the Attacca Quartet’s Haydn 68 series takes place Mar 18, 19 and 20;
since their last appearance in the KWCMS Music Room, the quartet
has a new violist, Nathan Schram. (My Q & A with the KWCMS’ Jean
and Jan Narveson and interview with former Attaca violist Andrew
Fleming appeared in The WholeNote’s November 2013 issue as the
complete Haydn string quartet cycle began.) Mar 24 cellist Rachel
Mercer and pianist Angela Park perform the complete Mendelssohn
works for cello; on Apr 3 they join violinist Elissa Lee and violist
Sharon Wei, their partners in Ensemble Made in Canada, for a Syrinx
concert of music by Beethoven, Schumann and Omar Daniel.
Academy Concert Series presents Mozart’s masterful Sinfonia
Concertante K364 for violin, viola and orchestra, and Beethoven’s
first sonata for cello and piano, Op.5 No.1, transcribed by nineteenthcentury arrangers for string sextet and cello quintet, respectively,
thewholenote.com
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 13
Beat by Beat | In with the New
Mar 19. Also Mar 19, Jeffery Concerts presents the TSO Chamber
Soloists – Nora Shulman, flute, Teng Li, viola, Jonathan Crow,
violin, Heidi Van Hoesen Gorton, harp, and Joseph Johson, cello,
in a program of music by Françaix, Saint-Saëns, Debussy, Ravel
and Jongen.
The TSO: Stéphane Denève, principal conductor of the Philadelphia
Symphony Orchestra, leads the TSO in a crowd-pleasing program
Mar 23 and 24 that features the charismatic Jean-Yves Thibaudet
as soloist in Saint-Saëns’ exotic Piano Concerto No.5 “Egyptian.”
On Mar 31 the TSO presents the Victoria Symphony conducted by
Tania Miller with Stewart Goodyear as soloist in Grieg’s lyrical Piano
Concerto. Soprano Carla Huhtanen, poet Dennis Lee and narrator
Kevin Frank join conductor Earl Lee in two afternoon Young People’s
Concert performances Apr 2 of Abigail Richardson-Schulte’s musical
treatment of Lee’s iconic children’s classic, Alligator Pie. It would
be a surprise if Gabriela Montero didn’t improvise her own cadenza
in Mozart’s sublime Piano Concerto No.20 K466 when she appears
as soloist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra under its new
conductor Alexander Shelley Apr 2; two of Richard Strauss’ most
exciting tone poems, Don Juan and Death and Transfiguration open
and close the concert.
Massey Hall/Roy Thomson Hall presents Chopin champion Yundi
in his first Toronto recital in a decade Mar 19; the famously conductorless Orpheus Chamber Orchestra features Pinchas Zukerman as soloist
in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.3 K216, a masterpiece of gallantry and
lightness, and in Beethoven’s tender First Romance, Mar 20.
Canzona presents the XIA Quartet – Edmonton Symphony
Orchestra concertmaster Robert Uchida and Toronto Symphony
Orchestra members, violinist Shane Kim, assistant principal violist,
Theresa Rudolph, and principal cellist, Joseph Johnson, playing music
by Bartók, Debussy and Schubert, Mar 20 at St. Andrew by-the-Lake,
on Toronto Island, repeated Mar 21 on the mainland.
Three years ago, Rashaan Allwood was the very rare recipient of
a perfect 100 in his ARCT Royal Conservatory exam. Now he’s a U
of T student with an upcoming free recital Mar 26 at Walter Hall of
piano music inspired by birdsong and nature – Messiaen, Ravel, Liszt,
Granados and others.
Last month I wrote about Andrew Burashko, Art of Time
Ensemble’s founder and artistic director; the group’s unmissable next
concert, “Erwin Schulhoff: Dada, Jazz and the String Sextet: Portrait
of a Forgotten Master,” takes place Apr 1 and 2 at Harbourfront
Centre Theatre.
Following their playing of Mendelssohn’s engaging String Quartet
No.2, U of T Faculty of Music ensemble-in-residence, the Cecilia
String Quartet is joined by James Campbell for a performance
of Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet, a cornerstone of the clarinet repertoire, Apr 4.
The COC orchestra’s top two violinists, Marie Bérard and Aaron
Schwebel, give a free noontime concert featuring music by Ysaÿe and
Leclair, in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Apr 5.
Performing with
Image and Sound
T
W E N D A LY N B A R T L E Y
he month of March begins in a big way this year with the annual
New Creations Festival presented by the Toronto Symphony.
In last month’s issue I introduced the main features of what is
being planned for the three concerts happening on March 5, 9 and
12, including the presence of guest composer, conductor, violist and
co-curator Brett Dean from Australia. One of the three commissioned works for this year’s festival is a unique collaboration between
composer Paul Frehner and filmmaker Peter Mettler. I had an opportunity to speak with both of these creators to find out how their piece
for orchestra and film came into being and what we can expect to
experience on March 9, the night of the performance.
I began by asking Frehner how the commission came to be and
wondered if the two artists had worked together before. As it turned
out, the project began when Frehner was approached by Gary Kulesha
on behalf of the TSO with a request to be involved in the writing of a
work for orchestra and film. According to Frehner, Mettler was then
approached on a recommendation from film director Atom Egoyan.
The two artists had never met before, so right from the beginning, they
started with a dialogue that involved examples of each other’s work
being sent back and forth, and engaging in conversations exploring
various ideas that each were drawn to.
Writing music for film often takes a predictable path, where the
composer writes to a set sequence of images. Not so with the way
Mettler works. He has spent the last 12 years developing software
that functions as an instrument for editing and mixing both image
and sound to create a film “on the spot.” He can use this instrument
to both improvise and create, providing a personal challenge that is
“far more exciting than just pushing play.” In the early stages of their
collaboration, Mettler sent Frehner up to 90 minutes of raw footage,
some of which were extended sequences. Frehner latched onto a few
of these and wrote music inspired by those scenes. Using music software to create an orchestral rendering of the music, Frehner sent his
sketches back to Mettler, who then began to improvise using his bank
of 2000 or more images, finding visual complements to what the
music was doing. Gradually a shape began to emerge as the dynamic
exchange continued and in the end, many of the image sequences that
Mettler chose were not related to those that Frehner was originally
inspired to write music for.
In their initial dialogues, they discovered that they shared a mutual
interest in science and physics. Beginning with conversations on
particle physics, they eventually decided to focus the piece on ideas of
Paul Ennis the managing editor of The WholeNote.
THE ASSOCIATES OF THE
TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Monday, March 7, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
ENSEMBLES FROM THE
TORONTO SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Franz Schubert
Felix Mendelssohn
Antonin Dvořák
Aaron Copland
Eckhard Kopetzki
Christopher Weait
Octet in F major, D.803*
String Quartet No.2, Op.13*
String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96 “American”*
Fanfare for the Common Man
Le Chant Du Serpent
Rainy River
*Selected movements from each will be performed.
Tickets $20, Seniors & Students $17
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor Street W.
Box Office 416-282-6636
www.associates-tso.org
14 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
Brett Dean rehearsing his Viola Concerto with the Royal
Stockholm Philharmonic conducted by Sakari Oramo.
Paul Frehner (left) and Alex Pauk
cyclical rotation – orbits, tidal rhythms, and natural cycles, ending up
with the title From the Vortex Perspective. Structurally, the music has
both cyclical elements and abrupt changes. Several ideas return, each
time with variations in orchestration.
Frehner’s compositional style can be described as eclectic, integrating such influences as Brit and American rock, jazz pianists Oscar
Peterson and Keith Jarrett, early music, as well as the music of a range
of composers including Grisey, Vivier and Nancarrow. In this project
with Mettler, Frehner chose to feature the brass instruments prominently in various places, incorporating unison writing and the low
register instruments. In other places, the string section has the main
idea, whereas at other times, strings provide a textural background.
Visually, the film begins with images of an abstracted forest environment, moving into reflections on water. At one point when the music
becomes heavily punctuated, the viewer is taken through a sequence
of different grasses and reeds with the sunlight bursting through to
create complementary accents. Some of the slowly evolving scenes
created opportunities for Frehner to linger longer with some of his
musical ideas, taking his time to explore them rather than looking for
other directions.
For the performance, the images will be projected onto three
screens – two smaller monitors surrounded by a larger screen, with
the spatial aspect of the three image sources becoming an aspect of
the overall composition. And just as the conductor and musicians
interpret the musical score, Mettler has created his own guiding score
as an aid for his real-time performance during which he will respond
to the subtleties of the music to create a live version of the film. Thus
this work is a true performance in both mediums of image and sound.
As mentioned above, Brett Dean is this year’s guest of the New
Creations Festival. As it turns out, Frehner and Dean crossed paths
over ten years ago on two different occasions – in 2002 at the
Winnipeg New Music Festival where Dean was the featured composer
and Frehner had a composition; and a few years later at the Malaysian
Philharmonic Orchestra’s International Composers Competition
where Dean was the judge and Frehner was one of the composers
present. Dean’s role as curator for the New Creations Festival includes
the programming of three of his own works, each substantial pieces
for orchestra, as well as works by fellow Australians Anthony Pateras
and James Ledger.
New Music for Orchestra: The New Creations Festival is not the only
chance to hear new orchestral work this next month. The Toronto
Symphony will perform works by three Canadian composers: “Home”
from New World by Michael Oesterle on March 31, Alligator Pie by
Abigail Richardson-Schulte on April 2 in matinee performances,
and Ringelspiel by Ana Sokolović, performed by the evening’s guest
performers – the National Arts Centre Orchestra – on April 2. On
March 31, Esprit Orchestra teams up with the Elmer Iseler Singers for
their last concert of the season to perform two newly commissioned
works with mythic themes: Soul and Psyche for choir and orchestra,
composed by Esprit’s founder and conductor Alex Pauk, and Sirens
by Canadian Douglas Schmidt. The program also includes Hussein
Janmohamed’s choral work Nur: Reflections on Light, which weaves
together Ismaili Muslim melodies, Quranic recitation and Indian
ragas, and the classic orchestral dance score La création du monde by
Darius Milhaud, infamous for its combination of jazz and classical
rhythms from the early 1920s.
Soundstreams: Soundstreams is cooking this month with several
events. Starting off in early March, they will present three concerts
of the music of Scottish composer James MacMillan in three cites:
Kingston (March 4), Kitchener (March 6) and Toronto (March 8). The
program will highlight MacMillan’s masterpiece, Seven Last Words
from the Cross, as well as selections from Schafer’s The Fall into Light.
The Toronto concert will include additional works by MacMillan
thewholenote.com
WORLD PREMIERE!
ISIS AND OSIRIS
ISIS AND OSIRIS, Gods of Egypt
by Peter-Anthony Togni and Sharon Singer
Finally, an opera on one of the world’s most
enigmatic and controversial love stories
in all mythology. Transformation, redemption
and the triumph of good over evil are
brought forth with melody and words
of transcendent beauty.
Lucia Cesaroni Julie Nesrallah
Michael Nyby
Robert Cooper C.M., Conductor
Stuart Graham, Leigh-Ann Allen, Christopher Wattam
and The VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert Chorus
Friday, April 1, 2016
at 8:00 pm
Sunday, April 3, 2016
VOIC E B OX
at 2:30 pm
OPERA IN CONCERT
416-366-7723
| 1-800-708-6754 |
www.stlc.com
Guillermo Silva-Marin,
General Director
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 15
installation and listening salon opening on March 11 celebrating their
partnership with Musicworks Magazine. The magazine has a long
tradition of including recordings with their print issues, first released
as cassettes and now as CDs. Past and present editors and contributors
to the cassette legacy will be speaking of their memories and experiences at the opening event.
New Music Concerts: New Music Concerts is also busy with two
upcoming concerts. On March 11 (in Kitchener) and March 13 (in
Toronto) in a co-presentation with the Music Gallery, the Quasar
Saxophone Quartet performs music by five Quebecois composers
writing for saxophone quartet and electronics, including video in one
of the works. The quartet is dedicated to the creation of contemporary
works with their interests ranging from instrumental music to improvisation and electronics. On April 3, the electronic theme continues
with their concert entitled Viva Electronica. It will be an evening of
three world premieres, all of them NMC commissions from composers
Anthony Tan, Keith Hamel and Paul Steenhuisen. Each of these artists
has done significant research in the world of electronics, live electroacoustics and music software programming, as well as taught the ins
and outs of working with music technology at various universities.
Additional New Music Events:
Mar 6: John Laing Singers perform works by Glen Buhr and
Eric Whitacre.
Mar 6: Junction Trio hosts Schola Magdalena performing works by
Stephanie Martin.
Mar 10: Canadian Music Centre; “Truth North Stories” with piano
works by Anhalt and Morawetz.
Mar 18 Canadian Music Centre; “Canadian Art Song Showcase”
with works by Alice Ho, John Beckwith, Sylvia Rickard and Hiroki
Tsurumoto.
Apr 2: Nagata Shachu with TorQ, performing works for Japanese,
Western and world percussion.
Wendalyn Bartley is a Toronto-based composer and electro-vocal
sound artist. [email protected].
(The Gallant Weaver) and Schafer (In Memoriam Alberto Guerrero),
along with a performance of James Rolfe’s When Lilacs Last in the
Dooryard Bloom’d, a Soundstreams commission from 2006 based on
Walt Whitmans’s elegy written after the assassination of U.S. President
Abraham Lincoln.
Then in mid-month, Soundstreams will kick off a series of events
being planned to celebrate the 80th birthday of minimalist pioneer
Steve Reich culminating in a gala concert on April 14. Getting the ball
rolling will be their second Ear Candy event on March 19 featuring
Reich’s first major work It’s Gonna Rain, created from a surprise
discovery made while fiddling about with out-of-sync tape loops.
The phasing technique he developed from these experiments paved
the way for the birth of his minimalist aesthetic. It’s also an opportunity to hear his Electric Counterpoint which has been recorded by
such artists as Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, whose Water will have
its Canadian premiere in the New Creations Festival on March 12. The
Ear Candy evening also features a diverse array of local artists, each
of whom has been influenced by the minimalist aesthetic. Four of
these performers, including DJ SlowPitchSound and Brandon Valdivia,
will also be performing the previous evening on March 18 at the
Soundstreams’ Salon 21, which offers a historical look at the development of minimalism.
Music Gallery: The performance of Reich’s music continues over at
the Music Gallery in a concert on March 17 featuring composer and
performer Michael Century. In his earlier days, Century founded The
Banff Centre for the Arts Media Arts program in 1988, a program that
helped initiate new media practice in Canada. In this concert, Century
will perform Reich’s Piano Counterpoint, an arrangement for solo
piano and tape of Reich’s classic Six Pianos, as well as premieres of
his own works for piano, accordion and live electronics. These works
use open software and an eight-channel immersive speaker array.
Additional pieces by American composers Julia Wolfe, John Cage and
Morton Feldman will be heard in the second half of the evening.
The Music Gallery continues to mark their 40-year history with an
we’re not voting for our bank balance.
Thursday March 31, 2016
Darius Milhaud – La création du monde
Hussein Janmohamed – Nur: Reflections on Light for choir
Douglas Schmidt – Sirens*
Alex Pauk – Devotions** for choir and orchestra
Alex Pauk – conductor
The Elmer Iseler Singers / Lydia Adams – conductor
*World Premiere – commissioned by Esprit with generous support from The Koerner Foundation
**World Premiere - commissioned by The Koerner Foundation through The Elmer Iseler Singers
ESPRIT ORCHESTRA
Alex Pauk, Founding Music Director & Conductor
Season Sponsor
Concert Sponsors
Timothy & Frances Price
8:00pm, Koerner Hall | Tickets 416 408 0208 | espritorchestra.com |
The Koerner
Foundation
16 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
The Mary-Margaret
Webb Foundation
#EspritO
The Max Clarkson
Family Foundation
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Beat by Beat | Choral Scene
Gamers and
Easter? Choral
Strands
BRIAN CHANG
“…It’s important that we also treat games as art, and when the
opportunity comes along to engage with games as works of art that
we take advantage of that opportunity” – Matt Sainsbury, Editor-inChief, Digitally Downloaded
aster marks the second busiest time of the year for the choral
community, second only to Christmas. But even though much of
this month’s column will be devoted to these wonderful musical
opportunities, I thought I’d start out by focusing on something not
often written about in Toronto – video game music.
The Legend of Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses – Master Quest
arrives for one night, March 19, 8pm at the Sony Centre on its international tour. This updated show returns with some of the most iconic
video game music ever written, including music from the newest
game, “Tri Force Heroes.” It is a massive entertainment event that
always sells out, so it doesn’t need our help. But I am highlighting it
here for a number of reasons: it is a chance to see a talented female
conduct a major work in Toronto; there is a lot of choral music in it
and not all of it is English; I have friends who have sung it and really
enjoy the energy of the music; normally, travelling shows like this
won’t even bother to hire a choir; they’ll just record sung chords to
a synthesizer and use that; so this is a nice treat; oh, and it’s really,
E
Amy Andersson
really fun.
Japan has long embraced both gaming and music, having done
live performances of video game music as early as 1991. In 2005,
the very first video game concert by the LA Philharmonic in the
Hollywood Bowl saw 11,000 attendees. In 2011 and 2012, the London
Philharmonic recorded The Greatest Video Game Music, volumes one
and two. These were huge hits and topped classical charts. The widely
popular German Symphonic Game Music Concerts take place annually in the Cologne Philharmonic Hall. This is a major art form and an
incredible source of new performance opportunities for both choirs
and orchestras.
In Zelda, composer Koji Kondo’s music has been arranged into a
full four-movement symphony for choir and orchestra with a host
of smaller pieces representing 18 games over 30 years. Conductor
Amy Andersson touring along with executive producer Jason Michael
Paul, leads the Tallis Choir and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony
Silent Movie iMproviSation ConCert
“King of Kings”
Palm Sunday, march 20, 7:00 Pm
Yorkminster Park BaPtist ChurCh
A special screening of Cecil B. DeMille’s 1928 black and white classic.
Featuring the improvisations of internationally renowned
david BriggS at the Yorkminster Park organ.
Free Will Offering for Choir Fund
Yorkminster Park BaPtist ChurCh 1585 Yonge Street (two blocks north of St. Clair Ave.) 416-922-1167
For more information on our lent and Easter Services visit www.yorkminsterpark.com
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March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 17
Coronation Mass in St Peter’s Basilica (1985).
Orchestra.
Those familiar with the Roman Catholic Mass,
Andersson, a former conducting fellow
or who went to Catholic school, are acquainted
at the Aspen Music School, led the previous
with the tradition and ritual of the mass, and
Symphony of the Goddesses – Second Quest
how music often accompanies specific actions
on its international tour. A conducting
and rituals during the liturgy. Most people
veteran of Colorado Light Opera and the
who attend classical music concerts, specificNational Theatre of Mannheim, Andersson
ally, those of a requiem or a mass, are disconwas married to the late Yakov Kreizberg
nected from the history and the context of
(formerly of the Netherlands Philharmonic
these important works. I wonder when a full
Orchestra) and is sister-in-law to Semyon
mass was last played with symphony and choral
Bychkov (BBC Symphony Orchestra).
forces in Toronto.
Andersson attended Mannes School of Music
This year the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
at the New School with both Bychkov and
presents “Sacred Music for a Sacred Space”
Kriezberg.
Wednesday, March 23, and Good Friday,
As I mentioned, this ever-popular event is
March 25. Look for me in the tenor section.
sure to sell out. Fair warning, this isn’t your
TSO’s Mozart Requiem: I believe Joel Ivany,
typical performance; hooting and hollering
the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Amadeus Choir,
is expected. Part symphony, part celebraand the Toronto Symphony Orchestra were able
tion, it’s jovial, fun and full of amazing
to bridge some of the disconnect of hearing
instrumental and choral music. And definsacred music in secular settings with the recent
itely dress up; green tunics and fairies
remarkable reimagining of the Mozart Requiem
will abound.
in January during the Mozart @261 Festival.
Easter
Spectacular music making occurred in those
One of the highlights of every Good Friday
Sir James MacMillan
performances and the TSO’s efforts to reach out
in the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir season is the
“Sacred Music for a Sacred Space” concert that takes place annually in to a younger and more diverse audience were noticeable and very
St Paul’s Basilica. This year several pieces will be highlighted including welcome in the filled Roy Thomson Hall. Ivany focused our eyes on
the grief and feelings of loss that come with death. These are universal
Eric Whitacre’s stunning Her Sacred Spirit Soars, a tribute to Queen
core values that are relatable to many people. What may often be
Elizabeth I; Patrick Hawe’s Quanta Qualia for alto saxophone and
forgotten when listening to requiem masses is that they were created
choir; and a new commission, Leonard Enns’ I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes
to accompany actual passing, ending, finality – the ultimate Christian
for alto saxophone, soprano saxophone and choir. Topping the list
passage for the faithful.
is the 2013 TMC commission by Timothy Corlis, God So Loved the
Ivany’s staging reminded me that there does exist a place for a
World. This work is a textured soundscape that is both passionate and
secular mass and ritual in our daily lives and that the same emotions
stark. The words are simple but powerful; some of the most poignant
that drive these ancient masses continues to provide important
from the entire Passion of the Christ. “Pater, dimitte illis, non enim
experience and context to us centuries after they were written.
sciunt quid faciunt”: “Father, forgive them for they know not what
If you wish to see a more conventional Mozart Requiem, your
they do” opens the seven-movement piece. “Eloi, eloi, lama sabachchance comes with the massed skills of the Guelph Symphony
thani”: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” – in Aramaic
Orchestra and the University of Guelph Choirs on March 20 at the
and set to a dissonant C-minor chord in the fourth movement of this
Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate, Guelph.
piece – is particularly moving.
Soundstreams Canada features Scotland’s most celebrated
As I have mentioned before, I sing with the TMC, and while
composer, Sir James MacMillan, with “The Music of James MacMillan.”
rehearsing this Corlis song I found myself musing about the place of
The Grand Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the University of Waterloo
religious music in the context of our secular world. Classical music
Chamber Choir, Choir 21 and the Virtuoso String Orchestra perform
is largely played outside of the context it was created for; masses,
MacMillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross and other works on
for example, form the bulk of grand symphonic choral work – but
March 6 at St Peter’s Lutheran Church, Kitchener. Soundstreams
not everyone can be present at a Herbert Von Karajan-led Mozart
2015-2016
Making a
Robert Cooper, C.M., Artistic Director
Scene!
Edward Moroney, Accompanist
SOUND OF ETERNITY Bach Mass in B Minor
Sunday March 6, 2016 4:30 p.m.
Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St E.
Rediscover Bach’s majestic Mass in B Minor with German filmmaker Bastian Clevé’s dramatic
film Sound of Eternity, a lush visual interpretation of Bach’s masterpiece. Mirroring the grand
emotional span of the Mass, Clevé’s 27 short episodes move from alpine mountains to glaciers
to peaceful valleys and pulsating metropolitan cities. A Canadian premiere, this breath-taking
choral and cinematic tour-de-force offers a powerful meditation on the circle of life.
Anita Krause, mezzo • Geoff Sirett, baritone • Jennifer Krabbe, soprano • Charles Sy, tenor
Orpheus Choir • Chorus Niagara • The Talisker Players
Tickets: $35; $30 senior; $10 student
www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com
an Ontario government agency
un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario
18 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
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Mass in B Minor concurrent to the Bastian Clevé film The Sound of
Eternity by the Orpheus Choir and Chorus Niagara in St Catherines,
Mar 5, or in Toronto Mar 6, at Metropolitan United Church. For a more
conventional performance, the Grand Philharmonic Chamber Choir
presents the Bach Mass in B Minor on Mar 25, at the Centre in the
Square, Kitchener.
Metropolitan United Church has a lovely Mar 25 lineup titled
“Requiem: In a Time of Sorrow.” Featuring Bach’s Cantata No.78,
Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody and Requiem, with several soloists I enjoy,
including Claudia Lemcke, Jordan Scholl and the clear, strong tenor of
Charles Davidson. I’d be at this performance if I weren’t performing
“Sacred Music for a Sacred Space” with the Mendelssohn Choir.
And finally, Mar 31 at Koerner Hall, the Elmer Iseler Singers and
Esprit Orchestra present a concert titled “La création du monde,” after
the instrumental work of the same name by Darius Milhaud which
opens the program. Highlight of the evening is Soul and Psyche, a
new creation for choir and orchestra by Esprit music director, Alex
Pauk – a five-movement “contemporary mass” with influences from
Inuit poetry, Balinese prayer, and more. This is also a rare chance to
catch Hussein Janmohammed’s Nur: Reflections on Light, a collection of choral miniatures inspired by the Ayat an-Nur-Verse of Light
from the Qu’ran. Janmohammed’s work was commissioned for the
opening of the Aga Khan Museum and the Ismaili Centre and had its
world premiere there in 2014, performed by the Elmer Iseler Singers,
conducted by Lydia Adams.
presents a similar program with Choir 21 and Virtuoso String
Orchestra in Kingston, March 4, at the Isabel Bader Centre for the
Performing Arts. And in Toronto on March 8, at Trinity-St. Paul’s
Centre. MacMillan conducts each performance.
Quick Picks
The York University Chamber Choir performs “Musick to Heare”
in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building on
Mar 9. Featuring music inspired by Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies
and sonnets, Robert Cooper leads the choir in George Shearing’s jazzy
Songs and Sonnets, Ralph Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music, and
other inspired works by Canadian composers Allan Becan, Berthold
Carriere and Michael Coghlan.
The Queen’s University Symphony and Choral Ensemble and the
Perth Choir perform Schubert’s Mass in C D462 and other works on
Mar 18 in Grant Hall, Queen’s University, Kingston, in celebration of
Queen’s 175th anniversary and the Town of Perth’s 200th.
The Kingston Symphony performs Beethoven’s Symphony No.9
on Mar 19 and 20, at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts,
Kingston. The first half of the concert will examine sections of the
work, its poetic source and inspiration, the influence it has had and
explore “Why is this symphony so good?” all hosted by KSA conductor
Evan Mitchell.
Voices Chamber Choir presents “Light Eternal” including Duruflé’s
Quatre motets sur des thèmes Grégoriens, Gounod’s Ave Maria, SaintSaëns’ Quam dilecta, and Fauré’s Requiem and Cantique de Jean
Racine on Mar 19, at the Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. This is a
lovely chance to catch a wonderful collection of French masterworks.
Last month I mentioned the multimedia presentation of the Bach
Follow Brian on Twitter @bfchang Send info/media/
tips to [email protected]
St. Thomas’s Anglican Church, 383 Huron St.
Baroque Music by Candlelight
for Holy Week
A time for quiet reflection
A period ensemble performs
in a historic setting
presents
Christ Church Cathedral Choir,
Oxford UK
Monday, March 21 at 8 pm
with Dr. Stephen Darlington, conductor in a
programme of Sacred English Choral Music – the
concluding concert of their 2016 Canada and US tour.
Sunday April 10, 7pm
Tickets $30 • 416-488-7884 or
online at gracechurchonthehill.ca
florivox
Gillian Stecyk, Conductor
presents
Pay what you can
www.stthomas.on.ca
univox
choirs
Shadows
&
Light
Sun. April 3 at 3pm
Grace Church On­the­Hill
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univox
Tahirih Vejdani, Conductor
presents
Everything
Beautiful
The Music of Broadway
univoxchoir.org/tickets
Sat. April 2 at 8pm
Eastminster United Church
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 19
Beat by Beat | Early Music
S
To answer this question, one need look no
further than the very interesting life of one Benjamin
Bagby who has made a
career as (to my knowledge) the world’s only
bard, meaning he travels
the world performing
ancient epic poetry and
accompanies himself on
the Anglo-Saxon harp.
Yes, this is literally his day
job. Bagby claims he was
captivated by the Beowulf
saga from the day he read
it at the age of 12, and I
for one am prepared to
completely believe him.
Since he first read it, Bagby
taught himself to perform
the epic in the original Old
English, and has since been touring Beowulf around the world as a
solo performance for the last decade. If there is any justification for
Beowulf’s place in the literary canon, Bagby’s performance is it, and
this month, he’ll be performing the epic poem (with English surtitles)
in Toronto at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, courtesy of Toronto Consort,
on March 11 and 12. I can’t think of any better reason for historically
inspired performance than to revive classic musical or literary works
and present them to the public in a manner as close to the original as
modern scholarship will let us get. We still have no idea who wrote
Beowulf, but if he knew his poem was still being performed over a
thousand years later to sold-out concert halls, he’d be gobsmacked.
Swan of Avon: Some literary classics are more accessible than
others, some because they’re written in modern English, and some
because, unlike Bagby’s Beowulf, tickets haven’t already almost sold
out a month in advance. So, while you still can, avail yourself of
tickets to the Musicians in Ordinary who are in the midst of a threeconcert series devoted to Shakespeare, featuring ornate poetry and
elaborate musical arrangements (albeit fewer monster fights than
Bagby’s Beowulf). But, like Bagby, “Sweet Swan of Avon” attempts to
take the audience into the language of Shakespeare’s time, rendering
Shakespeare’s words more the way people would have said them
at the time, rather than, as is more customary these days, like a
modern dude who happens to have studied Shakespeare. March 19
at 8pm, in the intimate surrounds of the Heliconian Hall, the MiO
The Boy Who
Cried Beowulf
DAV I D P O D G O R S K I
o. Is there any point in reading Beowulf anymore? It has the
distinct honour of being the first work of literature from a nonGreek or Latin source text, but while a quick glance at U of T’s
course calendar would seem to indicate that the Viking Age epic will
likely show up on an Old English literature course, you could very
easily complete an entire English undergraduate degree without ever
having to read it. In fact, reading it may well be entirely unnecessary.
The poem has also undergone countless adaptations and updates to
appeal to a modern audience, including Sci-Fi film versions, operas,
comic books (there is a Beowulf: The Graphic Novel if you care to read
it), novels (including the Michael Crichton bestseller Eaters of the
Dead) and, currently, a made-for-TV mini-series created for British
television and starring a cast of complete unknowns.
It’s also well worth asking if Beowulf, being over a thousand years
old, still holds up as literature. For practical purposes, reading it in the
original Old English is effectively impossible. And despite numerous
translations into modern English spanning over two centuries
(including a very fine, if overly creative, adaptation by the Irish poet
Seamus Heaney), Beowulf is, as I mentioned, no longer required
reading. As poetry – in the sense of an exploration of language and
wordplay – it probably won’t impress a modern audience. If you’ve
read it, you will probably recall that the poet’s technique of choice
was alliteration not rhyme, and rhythm not metre – not particularly
impressive in a digital age. Besides, the plot is next to non-existent
and focuses on a series of fights between the titular hero and increasingly large and dangerous monsters. What’s up with that? as they say
these days. I also doubt if too many potential readers are at all interested in the period in which Beowulf is set – that is, Northern Europe
between the 8th and 11th centuries. I’m no historian, but I take historians’ word for it when they call the period the Dark Ages. (And we
haven’t even touched on the issue of whether the Beowulf poet’s own
audience would or could have even read the poem themselves.) What
were literacy levels like in eighth-century Denmark? What was their
book publishing industry like? I’m guessing not very robust. So does
the literary canon still need Beowulf, or should it be stricken from the
roster of classic literature?
2016 Happy Birthday Bach Walk
SATURDAY MARCH 19, 2016
Celebrate Johann Sebastian Bach’s 331st Birthday!
Starting at St. Paul’s Anglican Church at 2:00pm. We will walk to
St. Simon’s Anglican, arriving for 3:00pm, and Rosedale Presbyterian
Church, arriving for 4:00pm.
20 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
2:00 pm
St. Paul’s Anglican Church (Bloor Street at Jarvis),
Thomas Bell, organist
3:00 pm
St. Simon’s Anglican Church (Bloor St. East of Sherbourne)
Robin Davis, Johan van’t Hof, organists
4:00 pm
Rosedale Presbyterian Church (Mount Pleasant at South Dr.)
Duets from Bach Cantatas featuring Rebecca Genge (sop.),
Nancy Olfert (alto), with oboists Vicky Hathaway and
Gillian Howard, cellist Jill Vitols, and organist Dan Bickle
Birthday Cake and
Coffee will end the day!
FREE ADMISSION
(donations welcome)
INFO 416-489-1551 ext 28
RCCOToronto.ca
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!
A
S
IS PER SON
M
A
’T ’S O SE
N O E
O T
D N TH
RO OF
O
T NT
E
EV
April 7 - 16, 2016
Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge st.
Passion, intrigue and redemption take centre
stage in this Canadian premiere of Mozart’s first
masterpiece. Opera Atelier’s staging created a
sensation at the Salzburg Festival and Milan’s
La Scala opera house.
TICKETS START AT $38!
Season Underwriter
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Season Presenting Sponsor
Season Supported by
Photo by Matthias Baus
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ca or 1-855-622-ARTS (2787)
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 21
STEPHANIE BERGER
it through the day without making themselves lovesick. Soprano Iris
Krizmanic joins the Cantemus singers for a program of music by aristocrat, composer and murderer Carlo Gesualdo and the undisputed
father of the musical Renaissance, Claudio Monteverdi, as well as by
two lesser-knowns – Monteverdi’s contemporary Luca Marenzio, and
the composer/nun Vittoria Aleotti (apparently a nun of the time could
write sordid love songs and none of her colleagues seemed to mind).
This sounds like a thoughtful, in-depth exploration of the Italian
renaissance vocal repertoire by a group that has made madrigals their
specialty. Be sure to check this concert out.
Polyphonic grand tour: For the more contemplative, the Oratory at
Holy Family Church has a special concert for Lent that features sacred
music from the Renaissance that transcends the everyday world of
the secular. There, on March 16 at 8pm, you can hear a sung compline
and a choral concert which includes choral pieces and arias by Bach,
two settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah by Byrd and Tallis, and
motets by Victoria and Cristóbal de Morales. It’s a grand tour of sacred
polyphony by some of the greatest composers of the Renaissance
performed by some exceptional singers.
Alard’s Goldberg: Finally, Tafelmusik is presenting a special concert
of chamber music featuring the French harpsichordist Benjamin
Alard that is sure to delight Bach aficionados. Alard is just 30 years
old but is already working his way through the master’s repertoire
for solo harpsichord. This month, Alard comes to Trinity-St. Paul’s,
March 31 to April 3, to play the Goldberg Variations. He’ll be joined by
Grégoire Jeay, Jeanne Lamon and Cristina Mahler to play the masterful
trio sonata from The Musical Offering. Alard is a Bach specialist who
already established that he has what it takes to make it as a soloist
before his 30th birthday, so it will definitely be worth it to hear his
take on Bach’s masterpiece.
David Podgorski is a Toronto-based harpsichordist, music teacher
and a founding member of Rezonance. He can be contacted at [email protected].
present the second of
this three-concert series,
“Shakespeare’s Saints
& Sinners,” featuring
excerpts from Hamlet,
Macbeth and Romeo
and Juliet read by U of
T prof David Klausner,
along with lute songs by
Dowland and Thomas
Campion, and motets
with strings composed
by Orlando Gibbons.
Violinist Chris Verrette
leads a string band along
with soprano Hallie Fishel
and lutenist John Edwards
for a concert that’s 100
percent Shakespearean.
Check it out, as well as the
Benjamin Bagby
third concert in the series,
“Shakespeare’s Sorrows,”
which takes place at the same venue on April 23, the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death.
Sweet Kisses: Shakespeare still too serious? If you’re looking to
enjoy a concert that that’s passionate, emotional and exciting, but
demands less gravitas than (say) Shakespeare or Old English epics,
consider checking out a concert by the Cantemus Singers instead.
“Sweet Kisses/Baci Soavi” is a concert of Italian madrigals on March 19
at one of the hidden gems of Toronto’s downtown core – the Church
of the Holy Trinity. By the end of the Renaissance in Italy, poetry and
music went from romantic and refined to a roller coaster of emotions.
One really wonders how Italians of the 16th century were able to make
Beat by Beat | Art of Song
Songmasters at
Mazzoleni with
Asselin and
Polegato
R
HANS DE GROOT
achel Andrist and Monica Whicher jointly direct the Mazzoleni
Songmasters Series which consists of three vocal concerts each
season. Andrist is a member of the music staff at the Canadian
Opera Company. Her first appointment as a vocal coach was at the La
Monnaie in Brussels. Since then she has held similar positions with
the Salzburg Festival, with Glyndebourne, with the English National
Opera, with the Bavarian State Opera, with Netherlands Opera and
with Scottish Opera. She is also a collaborative pianist and she finds
both kinds of work support each other. As she points out, one meets
a singer as a vocal coach and that opens up the possibility of a joint
recital. Whicher is a soprano well known for her work in recitals
(including a number of appearances with the Aldeburgh Connection)
and her part in opera productions by the Canadian Opera Company
and Opera Atelier. Both Andrist and Whicher also teach in the Glenn
Gould School at the Royal Conservatory.
When Andrist and the pianist-composer John Greer began the
Recitals at Rosedale series two seasons ago, the time seemed just
right for such an undertaking. The Aldeburgh Connection had
ceased to exist and a real vacuum developed. Yet the concerts were a
mixed success. Although Rosedale Presbyterian is not all that difficult to get to, it would seem off the mental map of many, so that audiences were disappointing. Another problem was that the space at
Rosedale was small and the acoustics very live. Not all singers were
able to scale their voices down to an appropriate level. The move this
season to Mazzoleni Hall at the Royal Conservatory seems a wise
one. The hall is familiar, the acoustics are good and the series, now
retitled Songmasters (with a punning reference to the already existing
Mazzoleni Masters) now has the backing of the Conservatory with its
good publicity.
Their next concert takes place March 6. The singers are the soprano,
Mireille Asselin, and the baritone, Brett Polegato. The pianists are
Andrist and Peter Tiefenbach. Andrist believes strongly that for a
recital to make sense it must be structured round a central theme.
The theme chosen for this concert is the way in which composers
have been inspired by paintings. The major work in the program is
Poulenc’s Le travail du peintre. These are settings of poems by Paul
Éluard and evoke the work of seven contemporary painters: Picasso,
Chagall, Braque, Gris, Klee, Miró and Villon. The program also
includes Debussy’s Fêtes galantes. These are based on the Commedia
dell’ arte but mediated by Watteau’s painting. Two Schumann songs
from the collection Aus dem Liederbuch eines Malers follow. The next
group contains settings of four poems from William Blake’s Songs
of Innocence: two of them by British composers (Walton, Britten);
and two by Walter MacNutt (1910-96), a composer now chiefly
remembered as the music director at St. Thomas’s Anglican Church
in Toronto.
Asselin was a student at the Glenn Gould School (where Monica
Whicher was one of her teachers) and subsequently was a member of
the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio. She has performed
with the Metropolitan Opera, with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
and (many times) with Opera Atelier. Along with the tenor Lawrence
Wiliford, she sings in Ash Roses, the CD of music by Derek Holman
22 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
- The Guardian
NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT OF
SCOTTISH OPERA
THE DEVIL IN S IDE
LIBRETTO BY LOUISE WELSH | MUSIC BY STUART MACRAE
A Co-commission & Co-production by Scottish Opera & Music Theatre Wales
North American Premiere Presented by Tapestry Opera
Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Bottle Imp
March 10 – 13, 2016 | Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 231 Queens Quay West
FEATURING STARS OF THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE AND SCOTTISH OPERA
Harbourfront Centre Box Office:
416-973-4000
www.tapestryopera.com
thewholenote.com
MATTHEW FRIED
Mireille
issued by the
Asselin
Canadian Art Song
Project. You will also
be able to hear her
in Opera Atelier’s
production of
Mozart’s Lucio Silla,
starting on April 7.
I first heard
Polegato in the
wonderful CD, To
a Poet, settings by
several composers of
poems by Flecker, de
la Mare, Housman
and Hardy (CBC; not
currently available).
The first time I heard
him live was in a
Tafelmusik performance of Handel’s Messiah. I thought then that I had never heard the
bass solos better sung and I have not changed my mind since. Polegato
is now much in demand. One of the roles that he has made very much
his own is that of Kurwenal in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. This
spring he will again be singing it in Paris.
Bach and Brahms at Metropolitan United: In the Christian
calendar Good Friday is the holiest day of the year. This year it falls
on March 25. In the evening I intend to go to Metropolitan United
Church for a performance of three works: the Brahms Requiem (with
the soprano Gisele Kulak and the baritone Jordan Scholl as soloists), Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody (with Laura Pudwell, mezzo) and
Bach’s Cantata No.78 (with soloists Alison Campbell, Claudia Lemcke,
Charles Davidson and Jordan Scholl).
Lunchtime at the Richard Bradshaw Auditorium: The free lunchtime recitals at the Richard Bradshaw Auditorium in the Four Seasons
Centre resume on Mar 15 when Kyra Millan, soprano and opera
educator, presents a concert of arias and sing-along choruses, with
artists from the COC Ensemble Studio. On Mar 17 Bob Anderson will
conduct “Choral Journeys,” from the Renaissance to contemporary
Canadian works, with Charles Sy, tenor. On Mar 29 you can hear four
tenors: Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure, Aaron Sheppard, Andrew Haji,
Charles Sy.
University of Toronto (Walter Hall): Megan Quick, contralto, and
Andrew Haji, tenor, will sing, on Mar 21, in Schoenberg’s arrangement
of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. Quick will also sing Die Waldtaube
from Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder. Mar 31 you can hear a free recital
by the winners of the Jim and Charlotte Norcop Prize in Song and the
Gwendolyn Williams Prize in Accompanying. “The Art of the Prima
Donna” on Apr 1 is a staged and costumed program of romantic opera
with works by Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi and others. The recital by the
Cecilia Quartet on Apr 4 includes a new work by the composer and
soprano Kati Agócs.
Quick Picks: Ilana Zarankin, soprano, and Laura McAlpine,
mezzo, are the soloists in the Talisker Players presentation of “Spirit
Dreaming: Creation Myths from Around the World” at Trinity-St.
Paul’s Centre, Mar 1 and 2. The program includes works by Somers,
Kuyas, Beckwith, Tanu, Ravel, Villa-Lobos and Jaubert. Paula
Arciniego, mezzo, will sing works by composers ranging from Grieg to
Theodorakis in Heliconian Hall, Mar 4. Alliance Française de Toronto
presents Guy Smagghe in a selection of songs from Félix Leclerc to
Francis Cabrel, Mar 5. Evelina Soulis celebrates her 50th birthday with
mezzos Maria Soulis and Katerina Utochkina in music by Monteverdi,
de Falla and others in Heliconian Hall, Mar 13. Bruce Ubukata will
give a vocal master class at York University’s Tribute Communities
Recital Hall, Mar 15. Xin Wang, soprano, and Derek Kwan, tenor, will
sing an all-Canadian program with songs by Ho, Beckwith, Rickard
and Tsuromoto on Mar 18 at the Canadian Music Centre. On Apr 7 the
Women’s Musical Club of Toronto presents a program by the violist
Steven Dann and family, including soprano Ilana Zarankin.
And beyond the GTA: Bach’s Mass in B Minor can be heard in the
Centre in the Square in Kitchener on Mar 25. The soloists are Carla
Huhtanen, soprano, Allyson McHardy, mezzo, Colin Ainsworth,
tenor, and James Westman, baritone. Ainsworth will also give a free
noon-hour recital at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo
on Mar 23.
Hans de Groot is a concertgoer and active listener
who also sings and plays the recorder. He can be
contacted at [email protected].
thewholenote.com
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 23
Beat by Beat | World View
I
Higgins was still at the very start
of a remarkable career, he had
already concertized, broadcast
and recorded a Carnatic music
LP with renowned musicians
in India. (Spoiler alert: Higgins
became a teacher and a mentor of
mine at York.)
There is a back story here which
Beckwith helpfully sketched for
me. Mantle Hood’s groundbreaking
ethnomusicology program at
UCLA, established in 1960, came
complete with performing ensemR. Sterling Beckwith
bles, and produced Robert Brown the
person who in turn kick-started the World Music program at Wesleyan
University. Through Brown, we can trace the teacher-student lineage
to Higgins. Brown served as Higgins’ PhD thesis advisor at Wesleyan.
“I consider other American university ethnomusicology programs
such as those at Washington University also direct descendants of
Hood’s groundbreaking efforts at UCLA,” Beckwith added.
“Yet another defining pre-York U. experience was the discussion
I had with the late Ravi Shankar about introducing applied Indian
music studies at York. He was intrigued and recommended his sitar
disciple Shambhu Das, who as it turned out, was already living in
Toronto. All of that was in my head when I arrived here in 1969.”
Beckwith continued, “I was determined to implement the paradigm-altering gamelan experiences I had with Hood and the inspiring
conversations I had with Seeger, as well as doing what I could to bring
Higgins to York. As events would have it, my last official act as Music
Department chair was to be able to hire Jon Higgins, which made it
possible in turn to hire the gifted percussionist Trichy Sankaran a
little later.”
Trichy Sankaran: One of Beckwith’s first world music hires, in 1971
– and significantly also one of the longest serving – was a mridangam
and kanjira player with an international career, Trichy Sankaran.
Sankaran passed a significant milestone last fall, retiring from York
in September 2015 after an illustrious career spanning 44 years as
a professor of music, researcher and textbook author. As well as
serving as a co-founding director of its Indian music studies, one of
Canada’s first university-based world music performance programs,
he also developed hybrid Carnatic and Western pedagogical practices.
Certainly one of Sankaran’s most significant contributions at York was
his marked influence on a couple of generations of students, many of
whom have gone on to become established musicians, composers and
educators. His outstanding achievements as an educator were recognized with the OCUFA Award, given by the Ontario Confederation of
University Faculty Associations for teaching excellence.
Along with Beckwith, I and many other Sankaran friends,
colleagues and students were present at York’s Tribute Communities
Recital Hall last September. Few there doubted that the event marked
York Music's
World Class
Role
ANDREW TIMAR
’ve weighed in on numerous occasions, in this column and in my
WholeNote album reviews and blogs, about the vast scope of world
music as a topic: its misty origins; the limits and problems associated with continued use of what was originally an academic idea,
and then became a marketing term. It’s a notion that’s so hard to pin
down with any precision, that some would argue not to bother.
Undaunted, I’ve endeavoured to chart its multifaceted presence at
key regional venues and among presenters such as the Music Gallery,
Small World Music, Royal Conservatory’s Koerner Hall and at the Lula
Music and Arts Centre, as performed by its practitioners, and enjoyed
– some might use the word consumed – by its myriad audiences. On
a couple of occasions I have highlighted stories about its educational
role at our regional institutions of higher learning. For instance, my
column in the April 2014 issue of The WholeNote featured the flourishing Balinese Gamelan ensemble course offered at Conrad Grebel
University College at the University of Waterloo.
For some mysterious reason, perhaps Freudian or Jungian, however,
I have so far neglected to explore world music’s abiding 47-year presence at my alma mater, York University’s Music Department. Luckily
this March arms me with several reasons to fill that lacuna: ten backto-back upcoming concerts; two recent conversations; and the retirement of one of York’s key world music animators, Trichy Sankaran.
The first conversation: I turned first to world music's prime initiator
at York, the man with the plan, York U. professor emeritus R. Sterling
Beckwith. He’s the person I credit with introducing world music
ensembles in Canadian universities as continuing credit courses. As
York U. Music Department’s founding chair surely he could shed light
on its fundamentals. He didn’t disappoint; his trenchant views and
passion on the topic were as keen as ever.
“World music along with jazz has now been taken up by many
American and Canadian universities; they have become fixtures
there,” he began. “Long gone are the days when they considered it
beneath their interest,” he added.
“Well before I arrived at York, I took [pioneering] ethnomusicologist Mantle Hood’s Javanese gamelan class at Harvard. I also spent
time with the retired senior musicologist Charles Seeger. Among
other things, he praised the American Carnatic singer and ethnomusicologist Jon Higgins whose bi-musical [a term coined by ethnomusicologist Mantle Hood] reputation preceded him.” Even though
24 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
weston_printad_wholenote3.56x4.95.qxt_Layout 1 2/21/16 3:29 AM Page 1
The Rose Room Media Group presents the World Premiere of
THE YELLOW
GUITAR
THE GALEN WESTON BAND
the closing of a long and
important first chapter in
the music department’s
grand – and continuing –
adventure in world music
education.
The occasion was celebrated in style with a
formal concert in which
Sankaran was joined
on stage by his vocalist
daughter Suba Sankaran,
leader of the JUNOnominated Indo-jazzfunk fusion ensemble
Autorickshaw, and her
bandmates, bass guitarist
Trichy Sankaran
and singer Dylan Bell, and
tabla player Ed Hanley. The musicians gave authoritative performances
of solo and ensemble works, the repertoire including original compositions by the senior Sankaran. As well as signalling the passing on of
an intergenerational musical torch, it additionally asserted (at least
my awareness of) the emergence of a specific family-centered kind of
Indo-Canadian hybrid music-making, echoing the venerable Indian
tradition of guru-shishya parampara. As for the continuity of Carnatic
music education at York pioneered by Sankaran, that subject appears
to be moot.
The second conversation: Throughout its first three decades, York’s
world music ensemble courses remained relatively constant and few.
It was only around the very early 2000s that I became aware of a
dramatic increase in the number of world music ensembles. The trend
only crossed my personal radar after, in 1999, I was hired, by Michael
Coughlan, the incoming Music Department chair, as the founding
course director of the Javanese Gamelan (ensemble) course. During
the years I taught the course, the number and range of music ensembles seemed to grow almost exponentially, and the students attracted
to them likewise swelled.
What’s the current state of the university’s world music ensemble
program? I spoke to the ethnomusicologist, singer and instrumentalist
Irene Markoff, whose research and performing activities centre on the
musical traditions of Bulgaria, Turkey and the Balkans. “I began to
teach there in 2001,” she told me. “At one point I taught global musicianship to music majors. Placed in the context of performance rather
than listening to recorded musical examples, my approach was well
received by the students.” Her ensemble courses however also include
non-music major students. Markoff gave an example, “I currently
have a number of students of Chinese heritage in my ensemble who
can sing complex metrical parts, despite being non-music majors.
They sometimes outstrip music majors in mastering some of these
[perceived difficult] performing skills.”
While generally bullish on York’s music course offerings, she did
express a wish: “That our music students would be required to take a
world music ensemble.” Why? “For the simple reason that we live in
a multicultural society and I believe such study will broaden students’
musical horizons. Also with musical hybridities [being a regular fact
of musicians’ lives today], it’s important for learners to be exposed
to the broad spectrum of metres, multi-part singing styles and tonal
modes,” all benefits afforded by learning music outside of the Western
mainstream.
I asked Markoff about the future of the world music ensembles. “I
have proposed the production of ensemble music videos hosted on the
department’s website as a means of attracting future students. As for
their relevance, I believe these ensemble courses will continue to well
serve music students, exposing them to ‘other’ musical practices and
to increase their appreciation and understanding of peoples.”
In a nutshell, Markoff believes such educational ensembles, which
allow students to experience the musical diversity of cultures, tend to
“build bridges rather than erecting walls between cultures.”
York University’s World Music Festival runs March 17, 18 and 21 at
various venues, all in the Accolade East Building.
thewholenote.com
starring
Animation by Stephen Weston
A one of a kind evening of animated live music brilliance
SATURDAY
MARCH 26TH
The Berkeley Street Theatre
26 Berkeley Street 8:00pm showtime
Tickets: $50-$58
at canadianstage.com or Canadian Stage box office
GALENWESTON.ORG
FACEBOOK.COM/GALENWESTONBAND
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 25
Beat by Beat | Jazz Stories
Mar 17 the World Music Festival kicks off with the Cuban Ensemble
conducted by Rick Lazar and Anthony Michell, followed by West
African Drumming, Ghana, led by Kwasi Dunyo. That afternoon
Lazar’s Escola de Samba rules the Sterling Beckwith Studio, followed
by West African Mande, Anna Melnikoff, conductor.
Mar 18 Irene Markoff conducts the Balkan Music Ensemble at
7:30pm at the Tribute Communities Recital Hall. Earlier that day
performances by the Celtic Ensemble conducted by Sherry Johnson,
Chinese Classical Orchestra directed by Kim Chow-Morris, Caribbean
Ensemble conducted by Lindy Burgess and Charles Hong’s Korean
Drum Ensemble will echo in various Accolade East Building halls.
It’s a World Music Festival wrap Mar 21 with the World Music
Chorus conducted by Judith Cohen, a course I greatly enjoyed a few
years ago when I returned (yet again!) to my music studies at York.
Please consult The WholeNote listings for times and venue details.
University of Toronto Faculty of Music: York University is certainly
not the only world music game in town. Apr 7 the U of T Faculty of
Music presents its World Music Ensembles in concert at Walter Hall.
Featured are the African Drumming and Dancing Ensemble, LatinAmerican Percussion Ensemble and Steel Pan Ensemble. I’ve been
attending these concerts since their inception and have never failed to
be inspired by the enthusiasm and musical skill demonstrated.
Quick Picks
Mar 2 the COC’s noon-hour World Music Series presents Avataar.
Directed by saxophonist and composer Sundar Viswanathan the allstar Toronto group often includes Michael Occhipinti (guitar), Justin
Gray (bass), Felicity Williams (voice), Ravi Naimpally (tabla) and
Giampaolo Scatozza (drum set). They’ll be playing selections from
their recently released album Petal. Arrive early.
BRASH: It is just the sort of weather, however unseasonable,
for “BRASH! A Badass Brass Festival,” presented by Lemon Bucket
Orkestra (LBO) and Small World Music, on Mar 11 and 12 at the Opera
House on Queen St. E. LBO with its high hipster street cred needs no
further introduction in these pages. Ratcheting up the badass quotient
a notch will be Toronto’s Rambunctious and Montreal’s Gypsy Kumbia
Brass Band.
Mar 11, 12 and 13 at the Betty Oliphant Theatre the Raging Asian
Women (RAW) Taiko Drummers perform an evening of stories from
the drummers’ lives, in collaboration with Asian Canadian performers
Teiya Kasahara (voice) and Heidi Chan (percussion and flute).
"Crooked Lines: Stories in Between" involves video vignettes along
with the taiko drummers' trademark ferocity and spirit.
Mar 26 the Small World Music Centre presents a smaller, more intimate and reflective musical experience, though in no way any less
passionate: the Dilan Ensemble directed by Shahriyar Jamshidi, a
kamancheh (bowed lute) player, composer and vocalist, now settled
in Canada. "In the Shadow of the Fatherland" is a cross section of
the repertoire the Iranian Kurdistan native has devoted his career to
preserving and transmitting. Jamshidi is joined by the tombak (goblet
drum) master Pedram Khavarzamini.
Apr 2 and 3 The Aga Khan Museum continues its impressively inclusive concert programming, partnering with the venerable presenter
Raag-Mala Music Society of Toronto in two concerts titled Raags of the
Gharana Tradition. Apr 2, Maihar gharana (musical school, lineage)
sitarist Anupama Bhagwat and Agra gharana singer Waseem Ahmed
Khan render a selected few of the vast set of Hindustani evening raags.
Apr 3 at 3pm it’s time for a much rarer section of afternoon raags;
many “classical” ragas/raags are associated with four three-hour timeframes and for maximum effect are performed at those prescribed
times. Sarangi player Ramesh Mishra, a disciple of Ravi Shankar (of
the Maihar gharana), shares the concert with the vocalist Devaki
Pandit who has studied with gurus of both Jaipur and Agra gharanas.
Also on Apr 2 Nagata Shachu, with Kiyoshi Nagata as its music
director, joins one of the city’s leading percussion ensembles TorQ
in concert at the Brigantine Room, Harbourfront Centre. Expect
an engaging, polished Japanese, Western and world percussion
music mix.
D
Changing
Directions
ORI DAGAN
ollars to doughnuts Amanda Tosoff will win jazz piano fans
in a flash with her stupendously swingin’ version of Rodgers
and Hart’s There’s a Small Hotel from 2013’s Live at the Cellar
with Jodi Proznick on bass and Jesse Cahill on drums. But aside
from the odd standard or bandmate’s original tune, most of Tosoff’s
recordings to date have focused on her own original compositions,
including 2008’s Wait and See which was followed by the prestigious
General Motors Grand Jazz Award at the Festival International de Jazz
de Montréal.
Designed to showcase some of Toronto’s finest local jazz talent,
the TD Discovery Series is a year-long initiative of music and educational performances created by Toronto Downtown Jazz, producers of
the Toronto Jazz Festival, and supported by TD Bank Group. This year,
Amanda Tosoff’s Words Project is the first of four TD Discovery Series
Special Projects. It finds the pianist, composer and arranger echoing a
welcome tradition in Canadian jazz and creative music: setting poetry
to music with stunning results. As great as the sum of its parts, the
project features the following artists: Felicity Williams, voice; Amanda
Tosoff, piano; Alex Goodman, guitar; Jon Maharaj, bass; Morgan
Childs, drums; Rebekah Wolkstein, violin; Amy Laing, cello. As is
always the case, this will be an evening not to be missed, and advance
tickets are highly recommended.
Amanda Tosoff is a daring improviser and gifted composer. Words,
her fifth release, is a bold move, as evidenced by words taken directly
from her website. “The desire to challenge oneself (and the audience)
is a key component of the DNA of a true artist.” The concept of setting
music to poetry was not planned; it was itself an improvised result of
a composition exercise:
“One day I just decided to find a poem and write a melody to it
– the song on the record called Owl Pellet by Tim Bowling. I had
such a great time doing this that I decided to continue on with this
idea, eventually choosing a bunch of poems that resonated with me.
I have to admit that I hadn’t really checked out much poetry since
high school, but this project has definitely made me more interested in poetry, and how poems can provide a great starting point for
composition. They give you moods, images, emotions and phrasing
to start with. I definitely feel that this has expanded my composition
skill and also my approach to style. I really look forward to exploring
this more.”
May the fans of William Wordsworth worldwide check out the
opening track Daffodils – it is available for listening on Tosoff’s
YouTube channel. Other sources of text include Canadian poets Carole
Glasser Langille and Laura Lush and song lyrics from talented songsmiths (and members of Tosoff’s family), Melissa Mansfield and Lloyd
and Ted Tosoff.
At first listen, and very much at the forefront of this project’s
Andrew Timar is a Toronto musician and music writer. He
can be contacted at [email protected].
26 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
Amanda Tosoff and Galen Weston
success, is vocalist Felicity Williams, a musician who shines consistently. Much admired within the communities of creative music, jazz,
pop and beyond for her pure, unaffected sound, intense vocal range
and endlessly inventive improvisational ability, the York University
Music alumna has worked with a wide range of projects, from
Bahamas to Hobson’s Choice.
“Felicity is amazing,” says Tosoff. “She’s such a great musician
and was perfect for this project. As soon as I wrote the first piece I
heard her singing it. I think it is her beautiful pure tone, but also,
perhaps, her range too. I have to admit that when I was writing these
pieces I was singing a lot to figure out how I wanted my melodies
and phrasing to go. I think that her voice was most similar to mine
in range and the way I wanted the melodies sung – so I guess I wrote
these pieces for myself, but needed a fantastic singer to bring the
songs to life!
Says Felicity Williams:
“Amanda found a way to make the music spring up through the
words, as though both music and words were flowing from the same
point of origin. I think that’s what you have to do when you take
someone else’s poems and set them to music. If you make yourself
receptive to the rhythm and the phrasing of the words themselves, you
can get on their wavelength. And then you extend the creative process,
by making something new.”
Amanda Tosoff’s Words CD release concert takes place at the Music
Gallery on March 10 at 8pm, $20 or $18 in advance; and March 11 at
8:30pm at The Jazz Room in Waterloo.
Readers who find the setting of poetry to jazz interesting will
want to check out a previous TD Discovery, the Sarah Yeats Project, a
contemporary chamber jazz group that features the poetry of William
Butler Yeats. With original music and arrangements by Sarah Jerrom,
the featured poems are arranged for nine-piece instrumentation
comprised of strings, woodwinds, brass and a traditional jazz rhythm
section. This is a highly ambitious project and Jerrom invites you to
join her crowd funding campaign to complete the recording of The
Yeats Project through her Kapipal page: visit sarahjerrom.com.
Plugged-In Weston: Meanwhile, at galenweston.org you can find
Plugged In, the latest recording from innovative fusion jazz guitarist
Galen Weston (“Not that Galen Weston,” jokes his publicist, citing no
“Hawke gives a riveting performance
from first scene to last.”
ETHAN
HAWKE
CARMEN
EJOGO
St. Philip’s Anglican Church
Sunday, March 6, 4:00 PM | Jazz Vespers
Barbra Lica Quartet with Barbra (vocals), Joel Visentin (piano),
Tom Fleming (guitar), Marc Rogers (bass)
Sunday, March 20, 4:00 PM | Jazz Vespers
Lou Pomanti Trio with Lou (piano), Marc Rogers (bass),
Davide Direnzo (drums)
Sunday, April 3, 4:00 PM | Jazz Vespers
Tribute to Duke Ellington with Mike Murley (saxophone),
Mark Eisenman (piano), Pat Collins (bass), Barry Elmes (drums)
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thewholenote.com
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 27
ROGER HUMBERT
ORI DAGAN
relation to the current executive chairman
and president of Loblaw Companies
Limited). This Galen Weston, owner of a
beautiful new recording studio called the
Rose Room (roseroom.ca) has an extensive
business background, although the music
came first:
“I graduated from Humber College in
1997; they were nice enough to introduce
me to jazz and ruin my life,” he jokes.
“Prior to that I was rocking it out, twohand tapping. I loved instrumental rock –
Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, I was a huge guitar
fan - then I got there and I had to learn all
this vocabulary, speak this new language –
but I fell in love with it.
I never achieved what I wanted to achieve in college – I wasn’t
getting out there and getting to tour with Gary Burton – or anyone,
for that matter. So I wasn’t sure what I would do because I had this
desire to play jazz and fusion and that’s what I wanted to do, but my
ability wasn’t in line with my desire at the point of doing it professionally. My reading was strong, so I would have been good enough to
lose my mind in a pit band or something, but I was broke, too. Student
loan debts meant that a good paying job for me at that time was eight
dollars an hour at a gas station. And I wanted to stay in Toronto so I
needed a job to make money.”
As a determined self-taught, self-made entrepreneur, Weston went
from making 350 phone calls a day selling penny stocks to becoming
RBC’s most successful rookie.
“The whole company came in and they made me talk about how I
got so successful, and then the next day I quit, it just wasn’t me. I had
enough money to pay off my student debt, but I needed another plan.
I liked Lead Generation and working with the internet, and I really
Beat by Beat | Bandstand
worked hard…seven years later, while the US market tanked, everyone
wanted safe money so they bought annuities, and I had my entire
engine set up for Lead Generation.”
Weston is considered a financial Internet marketing pioneer. His
company AdvisorWorld.com has helped tens of thousands to obtain
successful professional relationships with trusted advisors.
Success has allowed Weston to recently come back to music full
circle, spending his time practising, writing and recording at the
Rose Room Studio. The Galen Weston Band is comprised of David
Woodhead on bass, Al Cross on drums, Matt Horner on keyboards,
Richard Underhill on alto sax and appearances by Rick Lazar on
percussion. The band’s beautifully produced Plugged In album has
been slowly picking up steam online; Song For Daphne has been
played over 136,000 times on SoundCloud as of this writing. As for
gaining exposure in the Toronto music scene, unsurprisingly, Weston
has a plan.
“I’ve always been thinking it’s hard to get Torontonians to music in
general, it’s almost like you have to drag them out by the earlobe. So
I thought, how do I get them there? I had to do something that opens
me up to a theatre audience. I needed to make my show more theatrical – I don’t like speaking and I’m not very good at it – so this was
kind of inspired by U2 and Pink Floyd – adding a visual element that
people aren’t used to.”
On March 26 at the Berkeley Street Theatre, the Galen Weston
Band will be appearing live – and animated! In collaboration with his
uncle, award-winning animator Stephen Weston, the concert experience will take audience members to a world where “Fantasia meets
Guitar Hero” and where the animations tell the story of the guitarist’s
own journey, or as he puts it: “a tongue-in-cheek meditation on the
struggle for identity in a genre-obsessed world.”
Kudos to the artists who take risks and the audiences who honour
them with ears and cheers.
From CBA to ABC
Sounding Brass
I
JACK MACQUARRIE
n last month’s issue I mentioned that, for the first time, Canadian
Band Association, Ontario would be holding a Community Brass
Band Weekend, February 19 to 21. Unlike previous Community
Band Weekends this one was devoted to the music of the British brass
band movement. For those not familiar with these weekends, this is
not a gathering of bands. Rather it is a weekend of music-making by
individuals who enjoy playing music of the type featured, in this case,
the British Brass Band style. The host band for this weekend was the
Oshawa Civic Band with conductor Rita Arendz.
Most participants were members of such CBA-member bands as
the Weston Silver Band, the Metropolitan Silver Band, the Whitby
Brass Band, the Oshawa Civic Band and others. There were also some
participants without any particular brass band affiliation. As in other
such weekends, participation was open to any brass and percussion
players. The rehearsal and public concert provided an opportunity for
brass musicians not familiar with the genre to experience the unique
sound and some of the repertoire of the brass band movement. Since
there appears to be a resurgence of interest in brass bands and their
music, this might be a suitable time to probe into the world of the
brass band music, its performers and its devotees.
The Characteristics: For starters, let’s look at the differences
between the brass band and what is generally referred to as the
modern day concert band. The principal difference is that a brass band
has no woodwind instruments, i.e. no flutes, clarinets, saxophones,
oboes or bassoons. As well, the brass band has no French horns. The
early brass bands generally had only a single drummer. Nowadays,
many have a larger percussion section including timpani and, in some
cases, melodic percussion.
As for instrumentation, cornets are used rather than trumpets. Of
those, the soprano cornet plays the sort of high register part which
would be played by a flute in a concert band. The E-flat horns (sometimes called alto and sometimes called tenor) fill in between the
cornets and the baritone horns and trombones. The bass section has
both E-flat and B-flat instruments. Since all of these instruments
except the trombones have a conical bore rather than cylindrical, the
tone has a more mellow quality. The tone is even more mellow for the
flugelhorn which has a much more conical bore.
So what is the difference between a brass band and a silver band?
Silver instruments are brass instruments which have been silver
plated. In the early days, silver instruments were considerably more
expensive than the brass ones, and thus had some snob value for
those bands which could afford them. Today the price difference is not
significant.
Another major difference between brass bands and concert bands
is the musical notation. With the exception of percussion, bass trombone and some tenor trombone music, all parts are transposed and
written in the treble clef. This means that for every instrument, from
the basses right up to the soprano cornet, the fingering is the same.
So, for beginner classes, group instruction on all of the instruments
is possible. My introduction to band music was in a boys’ brass band,
and our instructional classes always had the range of instruments
from cornets to basses in one class. With this system, if necessary,
players are able to switch more easily between instruments. Thus it is
easier to cover parts when a particular instrument is missing.
As I mentioned, my first band was a boys’ band. That was the norm
then. Girls were usually not permitted in bands. In our band there was
an exception. We actually had two girls. (Since their father happened
to be the bandmaster, that might have made a difference.) It was as
late as 1947 that the student council of the University of Toronto called
Ori Dagan is a Toronto-based jazz musician, writer and
educator who can be reached at oridagan.com.
28 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
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thewholenote.com
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 29
BARNABY SOUTHGATE
The NBBC remains the principal competition in
the British brass band world. Generally speaking, the
importance of contests has a been a major factor in
the development of top-notch players throughout
the entire brass band movement. Cornetist Herbert L.
Clarke is one shining example of the talent spawned
by such groups. Another that I had the pleasure of
hearing at Massey Hall some years ago was French
virtuoso Maurice André. He started in a company
band in a coal mining town in France.
A New Award: Every once in a while I stray a bit
from the band world to either praise or vilify some
event in the musical world which I have either been
thrilled or appalled by. This month it’s the latter. In
recent years, when major sports events are being televised, it has become the norm to have some musical
celebrity sing the national anthem rather than play
it so that the audience can sing it in the way that
The 2016 Spode Thundermug
ABC Award
was intended. Some of these soloists have the intelligence to lead the singing in that spirit. Some of them
a special debate to finally permit a girl to play in the university band.
have decided that their personal styling is far more important than
Fast forward to 2016 and this band weekend. Two of the most promauthenticity. For me, the anthem sank to the bottom of a new crevasse
inent brass bands in Southern Ontario have women as conductors.
recently at the beginning of the National Basketball Association’s
Rita Arendz leads the host Oshawa Civic Band and Fran Harvey has
All-Star Game in Toronto. The “guest artist,” whose facial contortions
been leading the Metropolitan Silver Band since 2002.
matched those of her voice, inflicted considerable pain on all of her
Brass bands first appeared in Britain in the early part of the 19th
victims from coast to coast. O Canada will never be the same.
century. With the Industrial Revolution and urbanization, employers
Be it hereby proclaimed that henceforth, every February, this
were happy to finance ways to decrease political activity and minicolumn will award the ABC (the Anthem Butchery Cup) for egotistical
mize the amount of time the workers spent in the pubs. Along with
desecration of the national anthem. Nelly Furtado wins the inaugural
that Industrial Revolution came a vast improvement in technology and
award hands down. Nominations for next year’s award are now being
mechanical skills. Fortuitously these factors coincided with the invenaccepted. Send video links to support your case.
tion of valves for brass instruments. Now brass instruments, other
than the trombone, could play chromatically.
Jack MacQuarrie plays several brass instruments and
It was now possible to produce, in quantity, brass instruments with
has performed in many community ensembles. He can
good musical quality. There were some other reasons for the rapid
be contacted at [email protected].
growth in the popularity of brass instruments. Not only was it possible
to mass produce these much more inexpensively than the woodwinds,
but a three-valved, easy-to-hold instrument is much more userfriendly than a keyed instrument or a stringed instrument.
Company Bands: Employers were now willing and able to provide a
recreational outlet for their workers. In particular, mining companies
and mills fostered company bands. It has been estimated that by
1860 there were over 750 brass bands in England. It would be difficult to determine which bands still performing have been the longest
running. However, no one is likely to match the claim that the Black
Dyke Mills Band, founded by that name in 1855, has one of the longest
traditions. It has been reported that there are now thousands of brass
bands in the UK.
Since playing a musical instrument was deemed to be an acceptable social activity, if for no other reason than it kept people from the
pubs and other corrupt activities, abstinence groups began forming
temperance bands. Then in 1878, albeit only as a quartet, the first
Salvation Army band was formed. Since the Salvation Army frequently
took their message to the streets, the portability and weather resistance of brass instruments had considerable appeal. If a brass instrument is rained on, simply dry it off. That won’t do for a clarinet or a
violin. While some Salvationist bands did manage to keep their activities separate from the general brass band movement, there was some
cross-pollination. Long before it became acceptable in the general
band movement, the Salvation Army actively recruited women for
their bands.
Contests: Over time, local contests involving a few neighbouring bands grew into larger events with more bands. Then, with
the backing of Sir Arthur Sullivan, the first National Brass Band
Championship took place at the Crystal Palace in 1900 with twentynine bands competing. The test piece was an arrangement of Sullivan’s
compositions and Sullivan conducted the final massed band concert.
Sullivan’s name certainly gave the event an element of respectability;
calls for original music were soon answered by such composers as Sir
Edward Elgar and Gustav Holst.
A. Concerts in the GTA
LISTINGS
IN THIS ISSUE: Ajax, Aurora, Brampton, Etobicoke, Markham,
Mississauga, Newmarket, North York, Oshawa, Richmond Hill,
Scarborough, Toronto Island.
The WholeNote listings are arranged in four sections:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Tuesday March 1
GTA (GREATER TORONTO AREA) covers all of Toronto
plus Halton, Peel, York and Durham regions.
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Chamber Music Series: Beauty of Baroque.
Featuring chamber music from England,
France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. Richard Bradshaw
Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the
Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-3638231. Free.
●● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation/
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Lunchtime Chamber Music. Rising Stars Recital.
Featuring performance students from the
UofT Faculty of Music. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-241-1298.
Free. Donations welcome.
●● 1:00: Cathedral Church of St. James.
Midday Organ Series. David Briggs, organ.
65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Free.
●● 7:00: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Student Composers Concert. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University
of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-978-0492.
Free.
BEYOND THE GTA covers many areas of Southern
Ontario outside Toronto and the GTA. Starts on page 43.
MUSIC THEATRE covers a wide range of music types:
from opera, operetta and musicals, to non-traditional
performance types where words and music are in some
fashion equal partners in the drama. Starts on page 46.
IN THE CLUBS (MOSTLY JAZZ)
is organized alphabetically by club.
Starts on page 48.
THE ETCETERAS is for galas, fundraisers, competitions,
screenings, lectures, symposia, masterclasses, workshops,
singalongs and other music-related events (except
performances) which may be of interest to our readers.
Starts on page 51.
A GENERAL WORD OF CAUTION. A phone number is provided
with every listing in The WholeNote — in fact, we won’t publish
a listing without one. Concerts are sometimes cancelled or postponed; artists or venues may change after listings are published.
Please check before you go out to a concert.
Music TORONTO
STEVEN
OSBORNE
HOW TO LIST. Listings in The WholeNote in the four sections above
are a free service available, at our discretion, to eligible presenters.
If you have an event, send us your information no later than the
8th of the month prior to the issue or issues in which your listing is
eligible to appear.
Pianist
LISTINGS DEADLINE. The next issue covers the period from
April 1 to May 7, 2015. All listings must be received by
Midnight Sunday March 8.
LISTINGS can be sent by e-mail to [email protected] or
by fax to 416-603-4791 or by regular mail to the address on page 6.
We do not receive listings by phone, but you can call 416-323-2232
x27 for further information.
LISTINGS ZONE MAP. Visit our website to see a detailed version
of this map: thewholenote.com.
March 1 at 8 pm
●● 8:00: Music Toronto. Steven Osborne,
piano. Schubert: Impromptus D935 Nos.1 &
4; Debussy: Masques; Images, Book 2; L’ile
joyeuse; Rachmaninoff: Études-Tableaux,
Op.33 Nos.1, 3, 6, 7, 8; Études-Tableaux Op.39:
Nos.2, 5, 7, 8, 9. Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416366-7723. $55, $50; $10(st); age 18 to 35 – pay
your age.
●● 8:00: Talisker Players. Spirit Dreaming: Creation Myths from Around the World.
Somers: Kuyas; Beckwith: Tanu; Ravel: Chansons Madécasses; Villa-Lobos: Suite for
voice and violin; Jaubert: Chants sahariens;
and other works. Ilana Zarankin, soprano;
Laura McAlpine, mezzo; Andrew Moodie,
reader. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor
St. W. 416- 978-8849. $40; $30(sr); $10(st/
un(der)employed). Pre-concert talk at 7:15.
Also Mar 2.
Wednesday March 2
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
World Music Series: Petal. Avataar marries Hindustani raag and taal, hardbop
jazz, Brazilian lyricism, electronica, atmospheric textures and ambiance, Javanese
gamelan and contemporary improvisation.
Sundar Viswanathan, woodwinds and director. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free.
●● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recitals. Conrad Gold, organ.
1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Free.
●● 6:00: Cathedral Church of St. James.
Cantatas in the Cathedral. Excerpts from
Bach: St. Matthew Passion BWV244; St.
John Passion BWV245. Soloists from the
Cathedral Choir of St. James; David Briggs,
organ. 65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Entry by
donation.
●● 6:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Vivaldi Concerto for Two Trumpets. Rossini: Overture to La gazza ladra; Paganini:
Sonata per la Gran Viola; Vivaldi: Concerto
for Two Trumpets; Haydn: Sinfonia concertante in B-flat Hob.I/105. Sarah Jeffrey, oboe;
Michael Sweeney, bassoon; Steven Woomert;
Ask LUDWIG
Georgian
Bay
Lake
Huron
8
7
3 4
2
6
1 City of Toronto
Lake Ontario
5
If you prefer NOT to read through all 356 listings in this section
looking for Pandora Topp or Koerner Hall or
Early Music or Syrinx or Zone 3 then don't.
Lake Erie
TheWholeNote.com/index.php/listings/ask-ludwig
30 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
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trumpet; James Gardiner, trumpet; Jonathan Crow, violin and other soloists; Earl Lee,
RBC Resident Conductor; Tom Allen, host;
Peter Oundjian, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. $29.50-$83.75.
●● 8:00: Living Arts Centre. The Trews
Acoustic. Living Arts Centre, Hammerson
Hall, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. 905306-6000. $45-$55.
●● 8:00: Royal Conservatory. String Concerts: Vilde Frang and Michall Lifits. Schubert: Fantasy in C for Violin and Piano D934;
Lutosławski: Partita; Fauré: Violin Sonata
No.1 Op.13. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $30-$65.
●● 8:00: Talisker Players. Spirit Dreaming: Creation Myths from Around the World.
See Mar 1.
●● 9:00 and 10:15: Mezzetta Restaurant.
Wednesday Concert Series: Brazilian Jazz.
Bill McBirnie, flute; Bernie Senensky, piano.
681 St. Clair Ave. W. 416-658-5687. $10 cover.
Reservations recommended.
80 Queen’s Park. 416-923-7052. $45.
●● 7:30: Opera York. Don Pasquale. Donizetti.
Michael Robert Broder (Don Pasquale); Dion
Mazerolle (Dr. Malatesta); Anne Marie Ramos
(Norina); and others; Geoffrey Butler, artistic director; Renee Salewski, stage director. Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing
Arts, 10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. 905787-8811. $40-$50; $110(gala package). With
supertitles. Also Mar 5.
●● 7:30: Toronto City Opera. L’Elisir d’Amore.
Donizetti. Beatrice Carpino, artistic director;
Adolfo De Santis, conductor. Bickford Centre
Theatre, 777 Bloor St. W. 416-978-8849. $28;
$20(sr); $15(st). Sung in Italian with English
TCOtitles. Also Mar 5.
●● 8:00: York University Department of
Music. Improv Soiree. An evening of improvisation in a participatory “open mike” set-up,
hosted by the improv studios of Casey Sokol.
Sterling Beckwith Studio, 235 Accolade East
Building, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free.
Performers and observers welcome.
Thursday March 3
Friday March 4
416-239-5665. $30; $25(sr); $15(st).
An Original
Gilbert & Sullivan
Operetta
Chelsea Moor Castle
(or, The Contract to Marry)
March 4 - 13
www.northtorontoplayers.com
●● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
●● 12:00 noon: Adam Sherkin. Rachmanin-
off: Preludes of the North. Rachmaninoff:
Preludes Op.32 (excerpts); ​Sherkin: ​​Postludes from Adlivun (2014). Adam Sherkin,
piano. Bluma Appel Lobby, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723.
Free. Presented in partnership with Steinway
Piano Gallery.
●● 12:00 noon: Encore Symphonic Concert
Band. In Concert: Classics and Jazz. John
Edward Liddle, conductor. Wilmar Heights
Centre, 963 Pharmacy Ave., Scarborough.
416-346-3910. $10. Incl. coffee and snack.
●● 12:15: Metropolitan United Church. Noon
at Met. Sergio Orabona, organ. Metropolitan
United Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416363-0331 x26. Free.
●● 12:30: York University Department of
Music. Faculty Spotlight: Patricia Wait, clarinet and Mark Chambers, cello. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building,
YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free.
●● 1:30: Women’s Musical Club of Toronto.
Music in the Afternoon. Sibelius: String
Quartet in d Op.56 “Voces intimae”; MacMillan: Tuireadh; Brahms: Clarinet Quintet in b
Op.115. Daedalus Quartet; Romie DeguiseLanglois, clarinet. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
thewholenote.com
●● 8:00: North Toronto Players. Chelsea
Recital: Melody Chan, piano. St. Andrew’s
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600 x231.
Free.
●● 1:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Piano Potpourri. Classics, opera, operetta, musicals,
ragtime, pop, international and other genres.
Gordon Murray, piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-631-4300. PWYC.
Concert in chapel; lunch and snack friendly.
●● 7:00: University Settlement Music & Arts
School. End of Term Student Concert. St.
George the Martyr Church, 197 John St. 416598-3444 x243. PWYC. Proceeds in support
of Music & Arts School programming.
●● 7:30: Heliconian Hall. All Aboard on a
Musical Tour of Norway, Australia, Estonia,
Spain, Greece and Russia. Grieg: Songs;
Sculthorpe: Djilile; Works by Pärt, Mompou,
Theodorakis. Paula Arciniega, mezzo; Louise
Morley, Ruth Kazdan, Suzanne Yeo, piano; Rita
Greer, clarinet; Jane Blackstone, voice/piano;
Velma Ko, violin. 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-9223618. $25; free(child).
●● 7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Diane
Roblin. Featuring all-original, jazz-funk compositions. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W.
416-588-0307. $15; free(before 8:00).
●● 7:30: Opera by Request. La Traviata. Verdi.
Allison Arends, soprano (Violetta); Ryan
Harper, tenor (Alfredo); Andrew Tees, baritone (Germont); soloists and chorus of U of T
Scarborough Concert Choir (Lenard Whiting,
conductor); William Shookhoff, conductor
and piano. Trinity Presbyterian Church York
Mills, 2737 Bayview Ave. 416-455-2365. $20.
●● 7:30: Toronto City Opera. Die Fledermaus.
Strauss. Beatrice Carpino, artistic director;
Adolfo De Santis, conductor. Bickford Centre
Theatre, 777 Bloor St. W. 416-978-8849. $28;
$20(sr); $15(st). Sung in English. Also Feb 25,
27, Mar 6(mat).
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. New Chamber Competition Concert.
Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade
East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 416-7365888. $15; $10(sr/st).
●● 8:00: Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra. The Bold and the Beautiful. Shostakovich:
Festive Overture; Chopin: Piano Concerto;
Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture. David Jalbert, piano. Martingrove Collegiate Institute, 50 Winterton Dr., Etobicoke.
Moor Castle. Book and Lyrics by Barb Scheffler and Michael Harms. Selections from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, The
Mikado, HMS Pinafore, The Gondoliers, and
Iolanthe. Justin Ralph, tenor; Laurie Hurst,
mezzo; Barb Scheffler, soprano; Alison Boudreau, soprano; Julius Fulop, bass. Jubilee
United Church, 40 Underhill Dr. 416-481-4867.
$25; $22(sr); $15(st); free(children under 14).
Also Mar 5 (Gala - 7:00); 6 (2:00); 11 (8:00); 12
(2:00 and 8:00); 13 (2:00).
●● 8:00: Royal Conservatory. Chamber
Music: Karen Gomyo, Christian Poltéra and
Juho Pohjonen. Haydn: Piano Trio in E Hob.
XV:28; Janáček: Pohádka (Fairy Tale), Violin
Sonata JW7/7; Dvořák: Piano Trio in f Op.65.
Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
416-408-0208. $35-$75.
Saturday March 5
●● 3:00: Annex Singers Chamber Choir.
Camerata. Chamber works by Byrd, Victoria, Morley, Chatman, Gjeilo and The Beatles. Guest: Mark Chambers, cello; Maria Case,
conductor. St. Andrew’s United Church (Bloor
St.), 117 Bloor St E. 416-968-7747. $25; $20(sr);
$15(under 30); free(12 and under). Also 7:30.
●● 4:30: Beach United Church. Jazz and
‘NOON
AT MET’
Free concerts
Music
at Metropolitan
at 12:15 pm
Mar. 3 Sergio Orabona, Organist
der St. Nikolaus Kirche,
Stuttgart
Mar. 10 Michael Fitzgerald,
baritone
Mar. 17 Emily Chiang, pianist
Mar. 24 NO CONCERT
Mar. 31 Sarah Svendsen, organist
Apr. 7 Joshua Ehlebracht,
organist
Metropolitan United Church
56 Queen Street E.,Toronto
416-363-0331 (ext. 26)
www.metunited.org
Reflection: Gospel Jazz - Down By the Riverside. Jake Hiebert Trio. 140 Wineva Ave. 416691-8082. Freewill offering.
●● 7:00: North Toronto Players. Chelsea
Moor Castle - Gala Event. See Mar 4 (8:00);
Also Mar 6 (2:00); 11 (8:00); 12 (2:00 and
8:00); 13 (2:00).
●● 7:30: Annex Singers Chamber Choir. Camerata. See 3:00.
●● 7:30: Canadian Men’s Chorus. A Celtic Ceilidh. Celtic music from around the world.
Mark Sirett: When You Are Old (premiere);
Eleanor Daley: Skye Boat Song; Lake Isle of
Innisfree; and others. Greg Rainville, director;
Christina Faye, piano; Julie Ourceau, fiddle;
Amy O’Neil, flute; Bill Kervin, bodhran; Thomas
Power, guitar. The Music Gallery, 197 John St.
519-305-1351. $35/$30(adv); $30/$25(under
30)(adv).
●● 7:30: Counterpoint Community Orchestra. Inside Out: Living Our Passion. Schubert:
Unfinished Symphony; Rodgers & Hammerstein: The King and I; E. Bernstein: Magnificent Seven; Beethoven: Egmont Overture;
Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana (Intermezzo).
Guest: Andrew Chung, conductor. St. Luke’s
United Church, 353 Sherbourne St. 647-9776058. $20/$18(adv); $15(st).
●● 7:30: Jubilate Singers. Winter Warmth:
Latin American Voices. Works by VillaLobos, Ramirez, Guastavino and Moruja;
traditional songs and rhythms. Guest: Rodrigo Chavez, charango, guitar and Latin percussion. St. Simon-the-Apostle Anglican
Church, 525 Bloor St. E. 416-485-1988. $25;
$20(sr/st).
●● 7:30: Opera by Request. Così fan tutte.
Mozart. Ontario Opera Collaborative; Morgan
Strickland, soprano (Fiordiligi); Heidi Jost,
mezzo (Dorabella); Jeffrey Boyd, tenor (Ferrando); Kyle Merrithew, baritone (Guglielmo);
Misty Banyard, soprano (Despina); Norman Brown, baritone (Don Alfonso); Frederic La Croix, conductor and piano. College
Street United Church, 452 College St. 416455-2365. $20.
Jubilate
singers
Winter
Warmth
L AT I N
AMERICAN
VOICES
Featuring some
with a brief re
featuring works by
HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS
Sunda
Joe Se
Paul N
guest instrumentalist
Sunday, March 6 at
RODRIGO CHAVEZ
RUSS LITTLE QUINTE
Christ
Church
Saturday
March
5, 7:30 Deer
pm Park, 15
(north of St. ClairChurch
at Heath St.)
St. Simon-the-Apostle
www.thereslifehere.org
jubilatesingers.ca
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 31
Admissi
A. Concerts in the GTA
●● 7:30: Opera York. Don Pasquale. See
Mar 3.
●● 7:30: Tallis Choir. Palestrina, Prince of
Music. A recreation of the Papal Office of
Compline as it may have been celebrated
by Pope Clement VIII in the Sistine Chapel
on September 7, 1593, sung by candlelight.
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli; O Magnum Mysterium; Salve Regina. Peter Mahon,
conductor. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
(Toronto), 131 McCaul St. 416-286-9798. $30;
$25(sr); $10(st).
●● 7:30: Toronto City Opera. L’Elisir d’Amore.
See Mar 3.
●● 7:30: York Chamber Ensemble. Bring
Home Beethoven. Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Symphony No.7. Michael Adamson,
violin. Trinity Anglican Church (Aurora),
79 Victoria St., Aurora. 905-727-6101. $20;
$15(sr/st).
●● 8:00: Acoustic Harvest. Anne Walker:
Down the Horseshoe Valley Road CD Release.
Multi-media, with images and vintage photos.
Anne Walker, vocals/guitar; Paul Mills, guitars; Shane Cook, fiddle; and others. St.
Nicholas Anglican Church, 1512 Kingston Rd.
416-264-2235. $25/$22(adv). Wheelchair
accessible; free parking.
●● 8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto.
Through the song: From Félix Leclerc to
Francis Cabrel. Welcome Soleil (Guy Smagghe, vocals; Bernard Dionne, bass; Philippe
Lafaury, guitar/mandolin; Paddy Morgan, percussion). 24 Spadina Rd. 416-922-2014. $15;
$10(sr/st/members).
●● 8:00: Jazz Performance and Education
Centre. Jazz ‘n’ Pizazz: Jane Fair Rosemary
Galloway Quintet. Jane Fair, saxophone; Rosemary Galloway, bass; Nancy Walker, piano;
Lina Allemano, trumpet; Nick Fraser, drums.
Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge St.,
North York. 416-461-7744. $30; $20(st).
●● 8:00: Roy Thomson Hall/Massey Hall. Matt
Andersen. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St.
416-872-4255. $29.50-$59.50.
●● 8:00: Royal Conservatory. TD Jazz: Brian
Blade and The Fellowship Band. Koerner Hall,
Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208.
$40-$80.
●● 8:00: Scaramella. Délices de la solitude.
Mélisande Corriveau, pardessus; Joëlle Morton, basse de viole; Eric Milnes, clavecin.
Victoria College Chapel, 91 Charles St. W. 416760-8610. $30; $25(sr); $20(st).
●● 8:00: Sinfonia Toronto. The Four Seasons: Vivaldi and Shostakovich. Vivaldi: Four
Seasons; Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony
Op.110a. Mary-Elizabeth Brown, violin; Xiaohan Guo, violin; Alex Toskov, violin; Tanya
Charles, violin. Toronto Centre for the Arts,
5040 Yonge St., North York. 416-499-0403.
$42; $35(sr); $19(arts/non-profit worker).
●● 8:00: Somewhere There/Arraymusic.
Triple CD Release Party. Array Space,
155 Walnut Ave. 416-532-3019. $10 or PWYC.
●● 8:00: St. Barnabas Anglican Church.
Old Wood - New Seeds. CD launch and concert. Appalachian Colours; Fallstaffe’s
Lament and Charade; Ancient Waters. William Beauvais, guitar; Guest: Joseph Apong,
guitar. 361 Danforth Ave. 416-653-2205.
$25(includes CD); $20; $15(sr/st).
●● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Fragile Absolute. Kurtág: The Answered Unanswered Question; Dean: Viola Concerto;
Pateras: Fragile Absolute; Lau: Concerto
32 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
Newmarket Theatre, 505 Pickering Cres.,
Newmarket. 905-953-5122. $30; $25(sr);
$10(st).
●● 3:00: Kingston Road Village Concert Series. Toronto Violin Summit. Celtic fiddling,
Norwegian Hardanger and jazz. Rebekah
Wolkstein, Chris McKhool, Anne Lederman
and Drew Jurecka. Kingston Road United
Church, 975 Kingston Rd. 416-699-6091. $20;
$10(st); free(under 13).
●● 3:00: Orchestra Toronto. Shamrocks at
the Symphony. Celebration of Irish music.
Grainger: Country Derry (Londonderry Air);
Molly on the Shore; Hardiman (arr. Moore):
Music from Lord of the Dance; Whelan: Riverdance Suite. Guest conductor, William Rowson; guest performers, Irish Folk Dancers.
George Weston Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge St.
1-855-985-2787. $43; $37(sr); $15(child/OTopus 14-29). 2:15: pre-concert chat.
●● 3:00: St. Paul’s Bloor Street. Organ
Recital. Works by Bach. Matthew Whitfield,
organ. 227 Bloor St. E. 416-859-7464. Free.
Retiring collection.
Grosso for Orchestra, String Quartet, and
Turntables (world premiere/TSO Commission). Afiara Quartet, string quartet; Skratch
Bastid, turntables and effects; Peter Oundjian,
conductor and host; Brett Dean, conductor
and viola. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St.
416-598-3375. $33.75-$148.
●● 8:30: Hugh’s Room. Songs Are Like Tattoos: Tribute to Joni Mitchell. Ryan GranvilleMartin, Chris Gartner, Joel Schwartz, Joan
Besen and Ernie Tollar; Mia Sheard, host.
Guests: Ben Gunning, Brenna MacCrimmon,
Jocelyn Barth, Steven Foster and Felicity Williams. 2261 Dundas St. W. 416-531-6604.
$27.50/$25(adv).
Sunday March 6
●● 1:00: Spadina Museum. From the Home
Front to the Western Front. Patriotic ditties,
marching songs and instrumental selections
from the First World War. Ian Bell, piano/
concertina/banjo/button accordion/guitar.
285 Spadina Rd. 416-392-6910. $15; $10(sr/
youth); $8(child). Light refreshments. Preregistration required.
●● 2:00: North Toronto Players. Chelsea
Moor Castle. See Mar 4 (8:00); Also Mar 11
(8:00); 12 (2:00 and 8:00); 13 (2:00).
●● 2:00: Pickering Community Band. Here
Comes Spring. Barry Sears, vocalist. Forest
Brook Community Church, 60 Kearney Dr.,
Ajax. 905-427-5443. $15; $10(sr/under 18).
Pianists: 4 hands
Lisa Tahara
Narmina Afandiyeva
Sunday March 6, 3pm
Heliconian Hall
SyrinxConcerts.ca
●● 4:00: Vivace Vox. Choral Concert: High-
lights from Les Misérables. Linda Eyman,
music director. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre,
427 Bloor St. W. 416-455-9238. $20; $15(sr/
st).
●● 4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Jazz Vespers. Russ Little Quintet. 1570 Yonge St. 416920-5211. Free. Donations welcome.
●● 4:30: Orpheus Choir of Toronto. Sound
of Eternity. Bach: Mass in b; Bastian Clevé:
Sound of Eternity (film: Canadian premiere).
Jennifer Krabbe, soprano; Anita Krause,
mezzo; Charles Sy, tenor; Geoffrey Sirett,
baritone; Chorus Niagara; Orpheus Choir; Talisker Players. Metropolitan United Church
(Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416-530-4428. $35;
$30(sr); $10(st). Also Mar 5 (St. Catharines).
●● 6:00: Teo Milea. My Piano Stories. Original
piano works. Milea: Agony and Ecstasy; Sarabanda; Cathedral. Teo Milea, piano. Music Gallery, 197 John St. 647-877-2607. $20; $15(st).
●● 7:00: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Shine! A
concert to support the Shine Music Bursary
for youth. Julian Taylor, Simone Denny and
others. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. 416588-0307. $25.
●● 7:00: Steven Taetz. Stevie Swings Softly: A
Tribute to Rosemary Clooney. Steven Taetz,
vocals; Ewen Farncombe, piano; Scott Neary,
guitar; Irene Harrett, bass; Andrew Miller,
drums. Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. 416-3635299. $12.
●● 8:00: Somewhere There/Arraymusic.
Jeffrey Roberts, Quoin. Array Space,
155 Walnut Ave. 416-532-3019. Price not
available.
●● 8:30: Hugh’s Room. Enter the Haggis. 2261 Dundas St. W. 416-531-6604.
$25/$22.50(adv).
Monday March 7
●● 3:00: Syrinx Concerts Toronto. 4 Hands
Songmasters: Le
travail du peintre
for Fun. Chopin: Scherzo No.3 in c-sharp;
Scriabin: Fantasy Op.28; works by Dvořák,
Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Piazzolla and Menzefricke. Narmina Efendiyeva and Lisa Tahara, piano. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave.
416-654-0877. $25; $20(st). Post-concert
reception.
●● 3:30: Junction Trio. Evensong with Schola
Magdalena. Works by Orlando di Lasso,
Hildegard of Bingen and Stephanie Martin.
Guests: Schola Magdalena; Junction Trio:
Jamie Thompson, flute; Ivana Popovic, violin;
Raphael Weinroth-Browne, cello. St. Anne’s
Anglican Church, 270 Gladstone Ave. 416536-3160. PWYC. Refreshments.
●● 4:00: Cathedral Church of St. James.
Twilight Organ Series. Ian Sadler, organ.
65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Free.
●● 4:00: Church of St. Mary Magdalene.
Organ music by César Franck. Andrew
Adair, organ. Church of St. Mary Magdalene
(Toronto), 477 Manning Ave. 416-531-7955.
Free.
●● 4:00: St. Philip’s Anglican Church. Jazz
Vespers: Barbra Lica Quartet. Barbra Lica,
vocals; Joel Visentin, piano; Marc Rogers,
bass; Tom Fleming, guitar. 25 St. Phillips Rd.,
Etobicoke. 416-247-5181. Freewill offering.
SUNDAY, MARCH 6, 2PM
MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL
TICKETS 0N SALE NOW: 416.408.0208
WWW.PERFORMANCE.RCMUSIC.CA
●● 2:00: Royal Conservatory. Mazzoleni Mas-
ters: Le travail du peintre. Works by Poulenc,
Debussy, Fauré, Wolf, and others. Mireille
Asselin, soprano; Brett Polegato, baritone;
Peter Tiefenbach and Rachel Andrist, piano.
Mazzoleni Concert Hall, Royal Conservatory,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $25.
●● 2:00: Thin Edge New Music Collective/
Arrraymusic. Pop-Up Afternoon Concert.
Works by Bartók, Stravinsky, Feldman and
Bunch. Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave. 416-9704162. $10.
●● 2:00: Toronto City Opera. Die Fledermaus.
See Mar 4.
●● 2:00: Visual and Performing Arts Newmarket (VPAN). Campbell/Afiara. Works
from Mozart to Brazilian choros new urban
music. James Campbell, clarinet; Graham
Campbell, guitar; Afiara String Quartet.
Ensembles from
THE TORONTO
SYMPHONY
YOUTH ORCHESTRA
March 7
www.associates-tso.org
●● 7:30: Associates of the Toronto Sym-
phony Orchestra. Ensembles from the
Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. Schubert: Octet in F D803; Mendelssohn: String
Quartet No.2 Op.13; Dvořák: String Quartet
No.12 in F Op.96 “American”; Copland: Fanfare
for the Common Man; Kopetzki: Le Chant du
Serpent; Weait: Rainy River. Trinity-St. Paul’s
Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-282-6636. $20;
$17(sr/st).
●● 8:00: Blythwood Winds. The New World
(in four acts). Examining four different
thewholenote.com
musical voices born from the common legacy of European colonization. D’Rivera:
Aires Tropicalis; Carter: Wind Quintet; Running: Aria and Quodlibet; Estacio: Sinfonietta.
Tim Crouch, flute; Elizabeth Eccleston, oboe;
Anthony Thompson, clarinet; Michael Macaulay, bassoon; Curtis Vander Hyden, horn.
Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave. 647-5677906. $20/$15(adv); $10(sr/st).
Tuesday March 8
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
World Music Series: Music of Ireland. The
Danforth Four. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free.
Late seating is not available.
●● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation/
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Lunchtime Chamber Music. Rising Stars Recital. Featuring students from the Glenn Gould School.
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge
St. 416-241-1298. Free. Donations welcome.
●● 1:00: Cathedral Church of St. James. Midday Organ Series. Matthew Whitfield, organ.
65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Free.
●● 7:30: The Social Mystics. CD Release Concert: Coming out of Darkness. Tranzac Club,
292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137. PWYC;
$10(suggested). CDs $15. CD sales support
Creative Works Studio.
●● 8:00: Soundstreams. The Music of James
MacMillan. MacMillan: Seven Last Words
from the Cross; The Gallant Weaver; Schafer:
In Memoriam Alberto Guerrero; Three
Hymns (from The Fall into Light); Rolfe: When
Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d; Nystedt: Immortal Bach. Choir 21; Virtuoso String
Orchestra. Guest: Sir James MacMillan, conductor. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St.
W. 416-408-0208. $22-$67.50. 7:00: pre-concert chat.
●● 8:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Isn’t
Life Grand. CD Release. Mike Herriott; Off The
Road Band. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W.
416-588-0307. $20.
Wednesday March 9
●● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recitals. Thomas Fitches,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Free.
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. York University Chamber Choir. Robert Cooper, interim conductor; Ted Moroney,
accompanist. Tribute Communities Recital
Hall, Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele
St. 416-736-5888. $15; $10(sr/st).
●● 8:00: The Oratory, Holy Family Church.
Oratorium Saeculare. Byrd: Lamentations
of Jeremiah; Tallis: Lamentations of Jeremiah, Parts I and 2; Lenten Meditation by a
Father of the Oratory; Sung Compline (Da Victoria (attrib.): Nunc Dimittis a 5; Morales: Ave
Regina a 5). Simon Honeyman and Jessica
Wright, altos; Jamie Tuttle and Michael Pius
Taylor, tenors; and others; Philip Fournier,
conductor. Oratory, Holy Family Church,
1372 King St. W. 416-532-2879. Free: donations welcomed. Free parking.
●● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Two
Memorials: Anton Webern and John Lennon. Ledger: Two Memorials (for Anton Webern and John Lennon); Frehner/Mettler: New
Work for Film and Orchestra; Dean: Dramatis
personae for Trumpet and Orchestra. Håkan
Hardenberger, trumpet; Peter Oundjian, conductor and host; Brett Dean, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
thewholenote.com
Hindemith and others. Jane Mallett Theatre,
St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St.
E. 416-366-7723. $21.50; $10(st).
●●8:00: Music Gallery/Amanda Tosoff.
Words CD Release. Amanda Tosoff, piano;
Felicity Williams, vocals; Alex Goodman, guitar; Jon Maharaj, bass; Morgan Childs,
drums; and others. Music Gallery, 197 John St.
416-204-1080. $20; $18(adv); $10(st/members). Also Mar 11(Waterloo).
●● 8:00: Tapestry Opera/Scottish Opera/
Music Theatre Wales. The Devil Inside. Based
on Stevenson: The Bottle Imp. Rachel Kelly,
Ben McAteer, Steven Page; Nicholas Sharatt;
Players of the Scottish Opera Orchestra; Louise Welsh, libretto; Stuart MacRae, composer;
Matthew Richardson, director. Harbourfront
Centre Theatre, 235 Queens Quay W. 416-9734000 x1. $29-$105. Also Mar 12, 13(mat).
$33.75-$148.
●● 9:00 and 10:15: Mezzetta Restaurant.
Wednesday Concert Series. Ted Quinlan, guitar; Mike Downes, bass. 681 St. Clair Ave.
W. 416-658-5687. $10 cover. Reservations
recommended.
Thursday March 10
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Chamber Music Series: Brass Brilliance. Brass
chamber works from the past 100 years.
National Ballet Brass Quintet. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for
the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-3638231. Free. Late seating is not available.
●● 12:10: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Thursdays at Noon: Oregano Percussion. Works by Colton, Satie, Antonio
Lauro, Miles Wright, Ben Whalund and Dan
Moore. Michelle Colton and Alejandro Cespedes, percussion; Emily Chiang, piano. Walter
Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of
Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free.
●● 12:15: Metropolitan United Church. Noon
at Met. Michael Fitzgerald, baritone. Metropolitan United Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St.
E. 416-363-0331 x26. Free.
●● 12:30: York University Department of
Music. World at Midday: Alanna and Colleen Jenish Ensemble. Martin Family Lounge,
Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St.
647-459-0701. Free.
●● 7:30: Canadian Music Centre. Truth North
Stories. Works by Anhalt and Morawetz. Adam
Sherkin, piano. 20 St. Joseph St. 416-961-6601
x202. $20; $15(CMC members/arts workers).
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Opera Series: Paul Bunyan. By Benjamin Britten. University of Toronto Opera; MacMillan Singers (Hilary Apfelstadt, director);
Michael Patrick Albano, director; Fred Peruzza
and Lisa Magill, design; Sandra Horst, conductor. MacMillan Theatre, Edward Johnson
Building, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. $40;
$25(sr); $10(st). Also Mar 11, 12, 13(mat).
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. Faculty Concert Series: Michael Coghlan and Friends. Michael Coghlan, piano;
Leslie Fagan, soprano; Elgin String Quartet; Red Zone Percolators. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 416-736-5888. $15; $10(sr/st).
●● 8:00: Music Toronto. collectif9. Works
by Brahms, Shostakovich, Bartók, Schnittke,
Great Artist
Music Series
presents
Soyeon
Kate Lee, piano
Friday, March 11,
8 pm
auroraculturalcentre.ca
905 713-1818
●●8:00: Montreal Chamber Music Soci-
ety. Maxim Vengerov In Recital. Works
by Brahms, Ysayë, Franck and Paganini.
Maxim Vengerov, violin; Patrice Laré, piano.
60 Simcoe St. 416-872-4255. $50-$100.
●● 8:00: Terra Cotta Financial Group. An
Evening with David Garrett & Band. Jackson:
Smooth Criminal; Coldplay: Viva La Vida; and
other works. David Garrett, violin; and others;
Orchestra accompaniment. Roy Thomson
Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-872-4255. $95-$250.
●● 8:30: Hugh’s Room. Steve Hill and Paul
Reddick. 2261 Dundas St. W. 416-531-6604.
$25/$20(adv).
Friday March 11
●● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital: Jordan Klapman, jazz piano. St.
Andrew’s Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-5935600 x231. Free.
●● 1:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Piano Potpourri. Classics, opera, operetta, musicals,
ragtime, pop, international and other genres.
Gordon Murray, piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-631-4300. PWYC.
Concert in chapel; lunch and snack friendly.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Opera Series: Paul Bunyan. See
Mar 10; Also Mar 12, 13(mat).
●● 8:00: Barry Livingston Group. CD Release:
Jazz at Oscar’s. Barry Livingston, piano; Suba
Sankaran, vocals; Colleen Allen, sax; George
Koller, bass; Paul Fitterer, drums. Hart House,
Arbor Room, 7 Hart House Circle. 416-9782452. Free.
●● 8:00: Aurora Cultural Centre. Great Artist Music Series: Soyeon Kate Lee, Piano.
22 Church St., Aurora. 905-713-1818. $34;
$28(sr/st).
Maxim Vengerov
in recital
Roy Thomson Hall
March 11th 2016 at 8 p.m.
www.smcm.ca
●●8:00: North Toronto Players. Chelsea
Moor Castle. See Mar 4 (8:00). Also Mar 12
(2:00 and 8:00); 13 (2:00).
●● 8:00: Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers. Crooked Lines: Stories in Between.
Japanese Taiko drumming with video
vignettes. Miyake; Yatai Bayashi; Isamigoma;
Sempu (Ontario premiere). Guests: Teiya
Kasahara, voice; Heidi Chan, flute and percussion. Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis
St. 416-671-7256. $25; $15(st/income challenged). Also Mar 12, 13(mat).
●● 8:00: Toronto Consort. Beowulf. Epic tale
of the European bardic tradition, the battle
between the hero Beowulf and the monster
Grendel. Benjamin Bagby, voice and AngloSaxon harp. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne
Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-6337.
$24-$57; $22-$52(sr); $10(st/30 and under).
7:00: pre-concert talk. Also Mar 12.
●● 10:00: BRASH Festival. Lemon Bucket Orkestra and More! Opera House, 735 Queen St.
E. 416-466-0313. $30/$20(adv). Also Mar 12.
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 33
A. Concerts in the GTA
Saturday March 12
●● 2:00: North Toronto Players. Chelsea
Moor Castle. See Mar 4 (8:00). Also 8:00
and Mar 13.
●● 4:30: Royal Conservatory. Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists:
Showcase Concert. Mazzoleni Concert Hall,
Royal Conservatory, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-4080208. Free - ticket required.
Grendel. Benjamin Bagby, voice and AngloSaxon harp. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne
Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-6337.
$24-$57; $22-$52(sr); $10(st/30 and under).
7:00: pre-concert talk. Also Mar 11.
●●8:00: Guitar Society of Toronto. Johannes
Moller. Works by Barrios, Giuliani and Moller.
Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-9648298. $30; $25(sr/st).
●●8:00: North Toronto Players. Chelsea
Moor Castle. See Mar 4 (8:00). Also Mar 13
(2:00).
●● 8:00: Ontario Philharmonic. Pops Series:
Lighthouse/Ontario Philharmonic Strings.
Regent Theatre (Oshawa), 50 King St. E.,
Oshawa. 905-721-3399 x2. $45-$56. Benefit concert.
●● 8:00: Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers. Crooked Lines: Stories in Between. See
Mar 11; Also Mar 13(mat).
●● 8:00: Tapestry Opera/Scottish Opera/
Music Theatre Wales. The Devil Inside. See
Mar 10; Also Mar 13(mat).
●●10:00: BRASH Festival. Lemon Bucket Orkestra and More! See Mar 11.
Mar 10; Also Mar 13(mat).
●● 8:00: Aga Khan Museum/Rumi Canada.
Reflections on Hafiz. Ostad Saeed Farajpoori,
kamancheh; Fariba Davodi, vocals; Bamdad Fotouhi, tombak/daf; Ehsan Gaffari, tar;
Sheniz Janmohamed, English translations;
Farzad AttarJafari, dance. Aga Khan Museum
Auditorium, 77 Wynford Dr. 416-646-4677. $45
and up, $40.50(members); $36(sr/st).
●● 8:00: Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra. Mozart and Mendelssohn. Mozart: Concerto for Flute and Harp; Mendelssohn:
Symphony No.2 “Lobgesang” Op.52. Esther
Choi, flute; Angela Schwarzkopf, harp; University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Choir;
Ensemble Tryptych Concert Choir; Redeemer
University College Concert Choir; Norman
Reintamm, conductor. P.C. Ho Theatre, Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto,
5183 Sheppard Ave. E., Scarborough. 416879-5566. $34; $29(sr/st); free(under 12).
7:15: Pre-concert talk.
Sunday March 13
KNOCKING
AT THE TE
GN,ABARITONE
LAU
HEELLL BR
●● 1:15: Mooredale Concerts. Music and Truf-
fles: Ensemble MidtVest. Interactive version
for children ages 5 to 11; adults welcome. Nielsen: Fantasy Pieces for Oboe and Piano Op.2;
Mozart: Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat
K452; Schubert: Introduction and Variations on “Trockne Blumen” for Flute and Piano
D802 Op.posth.160; Brahms: Clarinet Trio in a
Op.114. Martin Qvist Hansen, piano; Charlotte
Norholt, flute; Peter Kristein, oboe; Charles
Neidich, clarinet; Yavor Petkov, bassoon; and
others. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building,
University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416922-3714 x103. $13. 3:15: main performance.
●● 2:00: North Toronto Players. Chelsea
Moor Castle. See Mar 4 (8:00).
●● 2:00: Roy Thomson Hall/Attila Glatz Concert Productions. Vienna Mozart Orchestra.
Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik; The Turkish
RUSS
O.CA
MAR 12 | TS
●● 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Knocking at the Hellgate. Jonny Greenwood: Water; Dean: Knocking at the Hellgate;
Skratch Bastid: Festival Remix. Russell Braun,
baritone; Skratch Bastid, turntables; Peter
Oundjian, conductor and host; Brett Dean,
conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St.
416-598-3375. $33.75-$107.
●● 7:30: Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir.
Choral Concert. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church (Markham), 143 Main St. N., Markham. 905-294-4736. $25.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Opera Series: Paul Bunyan. See
TORONTO
EARLY
MUSIC
CENTRE
●●8:00: Toronto Consort. Beowulf. Epic tale
of the European bardic tradition, the battle
between the hero Beowulf and the monster
Cathedral
Bluffs
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Norman Reintamm
Artistic Director/Principal Conductor
Musically
Speaking
Saturday March 12, 2016 8 pm
MOZART: Concerto for Flute & Harp
Sun Mar 13, 2:30pm
Guest Soloists: ESTHER CHOI flute ANGELA SCHWARZKOPF harp
MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 2
Celebrate the arrival
of spring with
(Lobgesang or Hymn of Praise)
University of Toronto Scarborough Concert Choir
Ensemble TrypTych Chamber Choir
Michael Franklin
& Andrea Gerhardt!
SUBSCRIPTION CONCERT 4 | TICKETS: REGULAR – $34 adult $29 senior/student
PREMIUM – $54 adult $44 senior/student (under age 12, free)
P.C. HoTheatre
Music for recorder, flute,
harp and sruti box.
5183 Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough
St. David’s Anglican Church,
49 Donlands Avenue
The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an
agency of the Government of Ontario
cathedralbluffs.com | 416.879.5566
34 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
March; overtures and duets from Marriage of
Figaro and Magic Flute; and other works. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-872-4255.
$49.50-$125.00. Period costumes.
●● 2:30: Toronto Early Music Centre. Musically Speaking. Works by Von Bingen; and
other related works. Andrea Gerhardt and
Michael Franklin: vocals, harp, flute, recorders, reed pipe and other instruments. St.
David’s Anglican Church, 49 Donlands Ave.
416-464-7610. PWYC.
●● 2:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Opera Series: Paul Bunyan. See
Mar 10.
●● 3:00: Evelina Soulis. Concert and Cake.
Evelina Soulis Celebrates Her 50th Birthday. Brahms: Rhapsody No.2, Op.79; Duo
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op.78; Debussy:
Estampes; De Falla: Siete Canciones Populares Españolas; Monteverdi: Pur ti miro;
Bizet: piano duets. Maria Soulis and Katerina Utochkina, mezzos; Emily Sun, violin; David
Barker, piano. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton
Ave. 647-739-9844. $20. Proceeds go to Tapestry’s ‘Youth Inside Opera’ program.
●● 3:00: Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers. Crooked Lines: Stories in Between. See
Mar 11(eve).
●● 3:00: Toronto Chamber Choir. Kaffeemusik: A Voice of Her Own. Prof. Katherine
R. Larson, narrator. Guest: Elizabeth Anderson, conductor. Church of the Redeemer,
162 Bloor St. W. 416-763-1695. $30; $25(sr);
$12.50(under 30). Coffee and refreshments.
Donations to support Plan Canada.
●● 3:15: Mooredale Concerts. Ensemble
MidtVest: Canadian Debut. Nielsen: Fantasy
Pieces for Oboe and Piano Op.2; Mozart: Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat K452; Schubert: Introduction and Variations on “Trockne
Blumen” for Flute and Piano D802 Op. posth.
160; Brahms: Clarinet Trio in a Op.114. Martin
Qvist Hansen, piano; Charlotte Norholt, flute;
Peter Kristein, oboe; Charles Neidich, clarinet; Yavor Petkov, bassoon; and others. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University
torontoearlymusic.org
thewholenote.com
●● 8:00: Oratory, Holy Family Church. Ora-
Tuesday March 15
torium Saeculare. Bach: Coros and Arias;
Lenten Meditation by a Father of the Oratory; sung Compline. Ellen Macateer and
Bronwyn Thies-Thompson, soprano; Jessica
Wright and Peter Mahon, altos; and other
singers and instrumentalists; Philip Fournier,
cembalo and direction. 1372 King St. W. 416532-2879. Free: donations welcomed. Free
parking.
●● 11:30am: York University Department of
of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-922-3714
x103. $30; $20(under 30). 1:15: Music and
Truffles family concert.
●● 4:00: Cathedral Church of St. James.
Twilight Organ Series. Ian Sadler, organ.
65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Free.
●● 4:00: Tapestry Opera/Scottish Opera/
Music Theatre Wales. The Devil Inside. See
Mar 10.
●● 5:00: Nocturnes in the City. Adam
Zukiewicz, piano. Works by Chopin, Liszt
and Dvořák. St. Wenceslaus Church,
496 Gladstone Ave. 416-481-7294. $25;
$15(st).
QUASAR QUARTET
Sun. Mar. 13 | The Music Gallery
www.NewMusicConcerts.com
●● 8:00: New Music Concerts/Music Gal-
lery. Quasar Saxophone Quartet. Laporte:
Incantation; LeBlanc: Fil Rouge; Edwards:
Predator Drone MQ-1; A. Hamel: Brumes
matinales et textures urbaines; P.A. Tremblay:
Les pâleurs de la lune. Music Gallery, 197 John
St. 416-961-9594. $35; $25(sr/arts workers);
$10(st). 7:15: Introduction.
Monday March 14
●● 12:30: York University Department of
Music. Music @ Midday: Classical Instrumental Concert featuring Student Soloists.
Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade
East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-4590701. Free.
thewholenote.com
Music. Vocal Masterclass: Bruce Ubukata.
Young singers from classical vocal performance studios of Catherine Robbin, Stephanie
Bogle, Norma Burrowes, Michael Donovan and Karen Rymal. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free.
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Vocal Series: Opera Interactive. Interactive
concert of arias and sing-along choruses.
Young artists of the COC Ensemble Studio; Kyra Millan, soprano and opera educator. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free. Late
seating is not available.
●● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation/
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Lunchtime Chamber Music. Rising Stars Recital.
Featuring performance students from the
UofT Faculty of Music. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-241-1298.
Free. Donations welcome.
●● 1:00: Cathedral Church of St. James. Midday Organ Series. John Paul Farahat, organ.
65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Free.
Michael Century. Music Gallery, 197 John St.
416-204-1080. $15/$13(adv); $10(members).
Thursday March 17
●● 11:00am: York University Department of
Music. World Music Festival: Cuban Ensemble. Rick Lazar and Anthony Michelli, conductors. Martin Family Lounge, Accolade East
Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701.
Free. Festival runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Vocal Series: Choral Journeys – Then and
Now. Renaissance to contemporary Canadian works. Cawthra Park Chamber Choir;
Charles Sy, tenor; Bob Anderson, conductor.
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free. Late
seating is not available.
●● 12:10: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Thursdays at Noon: Piano Music.
Schubert: Military March Op.51 No.1; Brahms:
Hungarian Dances and Waltzes (selections);
Wilberg: Carmen Fantasy for Two Pianos,
Eight Hands. Steven Philcox, Lydia Wong,
Melisande Sinsoulier, Lara Dodds-Eden,
pianos. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building,
University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416408-0208. Free.
●● 12:15: Metropolitan United Church. Noon
at Met. Emily Chiang, piano. Metropolitan
United Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416363-0331 x26. Free.
●● 12:15: York University Department
of Music. World Music Festival: Klezmer
Ensemble. Brian Katz, conductor. Martin
Family Lounge, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. Festival
runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 1:00: York University Department of
Music. World Music Festival: West African
Drumming, Ghana. Kwasi Dunyo, conductor.
Sterling Beckwith Studio, 235 Accolade East
Building, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free.
Limited seating. Festival runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 3:00: York University Department of
Music. World Music Festival: Escola de
Samba. Rick Lazar, conductor. Sterling Beckwith Studio, 235 Accolade East Building,
4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. Limited
seating. Festival runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 4:00: York University Department of
Music. World Music Festival: West African
Mande. Anna Melnikoff, conductor. Martin
Family Lounge, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. Festival
runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. In Concert. U of T Jazz Orchestra and
11 O’Clock Jazz Orchestra with Norma Winstone and Dave Liebman. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. $20; $10(st).
●● 8:00: Canada-Israel Cultural Foundation. Spotlight on Israeli Culture Festival: A
World of Piano - An Evening with Guy Mintus.
Gallery 345, 345 Sorauren Ave. 416-822-9781.
$20; $10(st).
●● 8:00: Music Gallery/Michael Century.
Wednesday March 16
●● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recitals. Michael Bloss,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Free.
●● 7:30: Opus 8. Tous Les Reqretz. Opus
8 Choral Octet; Andrew Adair, organ.
Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto),
477 Manning Ave. 416-531-7955. Free.
●● 7:30: Royal Conservatory. Glenn Gould
School Opera: Handel - Alcina. Leon Major,
stage director; Ivars Taurins, conductor.
Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
416-408-0208. $25-$40. Also March 18.
George Frideric
Handel’s Alcina
IVARS TAURINS, CONDUCTOR
LEON MAJOR, DIRECTOR
THE GLENN GOULD SCHOOL OPERA 2016
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 &
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 7:30PM
KOERNER HALL
TICKETS 0N SALE NOW: 416.408.0208
WWW.PERFORMANCE.RCMUSIC.CA
●● 7:30: Toronto Shape Note Singing Com-
munity. Toronto Sacred Harp Singing. Selections from The Sacred Harp, 1991 Denson
Edition. Bloor Street United Church,
300 Bloor St. W. 647-838-8764. PWYC. Singing is participatory; songbooks to borrow.
●● 8:00: Mezzetta Restaurant. Wednesday
Concert Series: Flamenco Show. Dino Toledo,
guitar; La Mari, flamenco dancer. 681 St. Clair
Ave. W. 416-658-5687. No cover.
●● 8:00: Music Toronto. Quatuor Ébène. Moz-
art: Divertimento in D K136; Debussy: Quartet in G; Beethoven: Quartet in c-sharp Op.131.
Pierre Colombet, violin; Gabriel Le Magadure,
violin; Adrien Boisseau, viola; Raphaël Merlin,
cello. Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723.
$55, $50; $10(st); age 18 to 35 – pay your age.
Friday March 18
●● 11:30am: York University Department of
Music. World Music Festival: Celtic Ensemble. Sherry Johnson, conductor. Martin
Family Lounge, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. Festival
runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 12:00 noon: York University Department of Music. World Music Festival: Chinese Classical Orchestra. Kim Chow-Morris,
conductor. Sterling Beckwith Studio,
235 Accolade East Building, 4700 Keele St.
647-459-0701. Free. Limited seating. Festival
runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital: Lisa Tahara, piano. St. Andrew’s
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600 x231.
Free.
●● 1:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Piano Potpourri. Classics, opera, operetta, musicals,
ragtime, pop, international and other genres.
Gordon Murray, piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-631-4300. PWYC.
Concert in chapel; lunch and snack friendly.
●● 1:30: York University Department of
Music. World Music Festival: Caribbean
Ensemble. Lindy Burgess, conductor. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East
Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701.
Free. Festival runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 3:00: York University Department of
Music. World Music Festival: Korean Drum
Ensemble. Charles Hong, conductor. Sterling
Beckwith Studio, 235 Accolade East Building,
4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. Festival
runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 3:30: Sony Centre/Attila Glatz Concert
Productions. Pixar in Concert. Performed
to video clips from Pixar’s feature films.
You’ve Got a Friend In Me, When She Loved
Me, If I Didn’t Have You, and other songs.
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 35
A. Concerts in the GTA
Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Sony Centre
for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E. 1-855872-7669. $40-$105. Also 8:00.
●● 5:30: Canadian Music Centre. Canadian
Art Song Showcase. Works by Alice Ho, John
Beckwith, Sylvia Rickard and Hiroki Tsurumoto. Xin Wang, soprano; Derek Kwan, tenor;
Steven Philcox, piano; University of Toronto
emerging artists. 20 St. Joseph St. 416-9616601 x202. $20; $15(CMC members/arts
workers).
●●7:30: Musicians In Ordinary. Byrd – Mass
for Four Voices and Dowland – Sacred Ayres.
Out of Life. CD release celebration. Kevin
Laliberte, Attila Fias, Mark Kelso, Drew Birston, Drew Jurecka and Chris Gale. Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299. $20. Also
Mar 19(9:00).
Works by Byrd, Taverner and others. Christopher Verrette, baroque violin; Hallie Fishel,
soprano; vocal consort and choir of St.
Michael’s Schola Cantorum (Christina Labriola, conductor). St. Basil’s Church, University
of St. Michael’s College, 50 St. Joseph St. 416926-7148. Free. Donations welcomed.
●● 7:30: Brampton Folk Club. Friday Folk
Night: Jory Nash with Brian MacMillan. St.
Paul’s United Church (Brampton), 30 Main St.
S., Brampton. 905-874-2800. $15; $12(sr/st).
●● 7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. David
Buchbinder Trio. Michael Herring, bass; Dave
Restivo, piano. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St.
W. 416-588-0307. $15; free(before 8:00).
●● 7:30: Royal Conservatory. Glenn Gould
School Opera: Handel - Alcina. See March 16.
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. World Music Festival: Balkan Music
Ensemble. Irene Markoff, conductor. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East
Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701.
Free. Festival runs Mar 17 and 18.
●● 8:00: Angela Blumberg. Creation.
Domenic Jarlkaganova: Creation; Evolution; Norbert Palej: Veni Creator Spiritu. Irvin
Chow, Sarah Fregeau, Jillian Peever and Kaitlin Standeven, dancers; Angela Blumberg,
dancer/choreographer. Trinity-St. Paul’s
United Church, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-4204345. $20. Also Mar 20(mat).
●● 8:00: Sony Centre/Attila Glatz Concert
Productions. Pixar in Concert. See 3:30.
●● 9:00: Eliana Cuevas. In Concert. Hart
House, Arbour Room, 7 Hart House Circle.
416-978-2452. Free.
●● 9:00: Rebecca Binnendyk. Some Fun
Saturday March 19
●● 2:00: RCCO Toronto Centre. Bach Birth-
day Recitals and Walk. Thomas Bell, organ. St.
Paul’s Bloor Street, 227 Bloor St. E. 416-4891551 x28. Free. Donations welcome. Other
“Bach Birthday Recitals and Walk” events:
3:00 (St. Simon’s Church); 4:00 (Rosedale
Church).
●● 3:00: RCCO Toronto Centre. Bach Birthday Recitals and Walk. Robin Davis and Johan
van’t Hof, organ. St. Simon-the-Apostle Anglican Church, 525 Bloor St. E. 416-489-1551
x28. Free. Donations welcome. Other “Bach
Birthday Recitals and Walk” events: 2:00 (St.
Paul’s Church); 4:00 (Rosedale Church).
●● 4:00: RCCO Toronto Centre. Bach Birthday
Recitals and Walk. Rebecca Genge, soprano,
Nancy Olfert, alto; Vicky Hathaway, oboe; Gillian Howard, oboe; Jill Vitols, cello and Dan
Bickle, organ. Rosedale Presbyterian Church,
129 Mt. Pleasant Rd. 416-489-1551 x28. Free.
Donations welcome.
●● 7:30: Cantemus Singers. Sweet Kisses/
Baci Soavi. Madrigals on love by Italian laterenaissance composers. Gesualdo: Ardo
per te; Marenzio: Due rose fresche; Aleotti:
Baciai per aver vita; Monteverdi: Baci soavi
e cari; Lasciatemi morire (for solo soprano).
Guest: Iris Krizmanic, soprano. Church of the
Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Sq. 416-578-6602. $20.
Wheelchair accessible. Also Mar 20(mat).
●● 7:30: Tim Tamashiro. Come to the Jazz
Side: Tim Tamashiro Meets Ben Heppner.
Jazz and Broadway tunes, conversation
and bad jokes. Tim Tamashiro; Ben Heppner, tenor; Don Thompson; Reg Schwager.
Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. W. 416-6459090. $55.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. U of T Wind Ensemble. Estacio: Bootlegger’s Tarantella (arr. Michalak); Mahr:
Endurance; Colgrass: Arctic Dreams. Gillian Mackay, conductor. MacMillan Theatre,
Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park.
416-408-0208. $30; $20(sr); $10(st).
●● 8:00: Academy Concert Series. Mozart
and Beethoven Transformed. Beethoven (arr.
Ferd Ries): Grande quintuor concertante
Op.5 No.1; Mozart: Grande Sestetto (Sinfonia)
Concertante in E-flat K364 (K320d). Christopher Verrette, Ashley Vandiver, violins; Emily
Eng, Shannon Knights, violas; Alastair Eng,
Kerri McGonigle, cellos. Eastminster United
Church, 310 Danforth Ave. 416-629-3716. $20;
$14(sr/st).
●● 8:00: Alliance Française Toronto. Hassan El Hadi Concert: Moroccan Shaabi. Quebecois-Moroccan singer-songwriter mixes
traditional Moroccan, Andalusian, Arabic and
Bender rock, jazz and rai. Alliance Française
de Toronto, 24 Spadina Rd. 416-922-2014 x37.
$15; $10(mem/sr/st).
●● 8:00: Jazz Performance and Education
Centre. Sonoluminescence Trio. David Mott,
baritone sax; Jessie Stewart, percussion;
William Parker, bass. Toronto Centre for the
Arts, 5040 Yonge St., North York. 416-4617744. $30; $20(st).
●● 8:00: Musicians in Ordinary. Sweet Swan
of Avon: Words and Music. Shakespeare’s
Saints & Sinners. Readings from Macbeth,
Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet. Music by Byrd,
Dowland and East. David Klausner, reader;
Mozart and Beethoven
Transformed
March 19, 2016 at 8pm
Location:
Eastminster United Church
310 Danforth Ave. (Chester)
Featuring:
Christopher Verrette, violin
Ashley Vandiver, violin
Emily Eng, viola
Shannon Knights, viola
Alastair Eng, cello
Kerri McGonigle, cello
Concert Series
AcademyConcertSeries.com
416.629.3716
Buy online:
SINGLE TICKETS:
$20 / $14 Sen. & Student
36 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
3 TIX FLEX PACK:
$49 / $32 Sen. & Student
thewholenote.com
Hallie Fishel, soprano; John Edwards, lutenist; Musicians In Ordinary Violin Band; Christopher Verrette, conductor. Heliconian Hall,
35 Hazelton Ave. 416-535-9956. $30; $20(sr/
st).
●● 8:00: Roy Thomson Hall. Yundi. Chopin: Ballade No.1 in g Op.23; Ballade No.2 in
F Op.38; Ballade No.3 in A-flat Op.47; Ballade No.4 in f Op.52; 24 Preludes Op.28.
Yundi, piano. 60 Simcoe St. 416-872-4255.
$39.50-$99.50.
●● 8:00: Royal Conservatory. Music Mix:
Bluebird North. Conservatory Theatre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $25.
●● 8:00: Sony Centre For The Performing
Arts. Symphony of the Goddesses. New
scores and favourites accompanied by gameplay and cinematic imagery from Legend
of Zelda games. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E. 1-855-872-7669.
$30.00-$115.00.
●● 8:00: Soundstreams. Ear Candy: Electric Counterpoint. Reich: Electric Counterpoint; Nagoya Marimbas; It’s Gonna Rain; new
works by SlowPitch Sound, Mas Aya, Prince
Nifty and Germaine Liu. Germaine Liu, percussion; Dan Morphy, percussion; Matt Smith
aka “Prince Nifty”, guitar and electronics;
SlowPitch Sound, DJ; Brandon Valdivia aka
“Mas Aya”, percussion and electronics. Theatre Centre Incubator, 1115 Queen St. W. 416504-1282. $20/$15(adv).
●● 8:00: Voices Chamber Choir. Light Eternal. Duruflé: Quatre motets sur des thèmes
grégoriens; Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine;
Requiem; and works by Gounod and SaintSaëns. Victor Cheng, baritone; John Stephenson, organ; Ron Ka Ming Cheung,
conductor. Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields,
151 Glenlake Ave. 416-519-0528. $20; $15(sr/
st). Cash only.
●● 9:00: Rebecca Binnendyk. Some Fun
out of Life. CD release celebration. Kevin
Laliberte, Attila Fias, Mark Kelso, Drew Birston, Drew Jurecka and Chris Gale. Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299. $20. Also
Mar 18(9:00).
$15(st).
●● 3:00: Angela Blumberg. Creation. See
Mar 18(eve).
●● 3:00: Cantemus Singers. Sweet Kisses/
Baci Soavi. See Mar 19(eve).
●● 3:00: Roy Thomson Hall. Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Pinchas Zukerman, violin.
60 Simcoe St. 416-872-4255. $39.50-$129.50.
●● 3:00: Royal Conservatory. Invesco Piano
Concerts: Paul Lewis. Brahms: Three Intermezzi; Four Ballades; Schubert: Piano Sonata
No.9 in B; Liszt: Dante Sonata (from Années
de pèlerinage). Koerner Hall, Telus Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $35-$85.
●● 4:00: Cathedral Church of St. James.
Twilight Organ Series. David Briggs, organ.
65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Free.
●● 4:00: St. Philip’s Anglican Church. Jazz
Vespers: Lou Pomanti Trio. Lou Pomanti,
piano; Davide Direnzo, drums; Marc Rogers,
bass. 25 St. Phillips Rd., Etobicoke. 416-2475181. Freewill offering.
●● 4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Jazz Vespers. 1570 Yonge St. 416-920-5211. Free.
Donations welcome.
●● 7:00: Hart House Singers. In Concert.
Bruckner: Mass in e; Purcell: motets (with
orchestra). David Arnot-Johnston, conductor.
Hart House, Great Hall, 7 Hart House Circle.
416-978-2452. Free; donations for food banks
welcomed.
Sunday March 20
Featuring
●● 10:15am: Church of the Ascension. Palm
Sunday. Blessing of Palms and procession
into the church. Works by C. Tuttle, G. Kendrick, J.S. Bach, R. Gillard, and N. Richards.
33 Overland Dr. 416-444-8881. Freewill offering. Religious Service.
●● 2:00: Canzona Chamber Players. XIA
String Quartet. Works by Bartók, Debussy,
Schubert and McPherson. Robert Uchida,
violin; Shane Kim, violin; Theresa Rudolph,
viola; Joseph Johnson, cello. St. Andrew
by-the-Lake Anglican Church, Cibola Ave.,
Toronto Island. 416-203-0873. $20.
●● 2:00: Toronto Mozart Players. Mozart Project. J.S. Bach: Jauchzet Gott in allen
Landen, BWV51; J.C. Bach: String Quartet in F B54; Mozart: Five Fugues after Bach
K405; Vespers K321 and K339 (excerpts);
Ave verum corpus K618; Church Sonatas for
organ and strings K263 and K328. Church of
the Redeemer, 162 Bloor St. W. 416-922-4948.
$35; $15(st).
●● 2:30: Maureen Batt. Crossing Borders:
Realities Blurred. Works by Höstman, Harman, Glaser, Lustig, Sharman and others.
Maureen Batt, soprano; Cheryl Duvall, piano.
Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 647-2907970. $25/$15(adv); $20(arts workers);
thewholenote.com
Monday March 21
●● 3:30: York University Department
of Music. World Music Festival: World
Music Chorus. Judith Cohen, conductor.
245 Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele
St. 647-459-0701. Free. Festival also runs
Mar 17 and 18.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Faculty Artist Ensemble with Guest
Artists. Works for voice and chamber orchestra. Schoenberg: Die Waldtaube (from
Gurre-Lieder); Mahler (arr. Schoenberg):
Das Lied von der Erde. Andrew Haji, tenor;
Megan Quick, contralto. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. $40;
$25(sr); $10(st).
●●7:30: Canzona Chamber Players. XIA
String Quartet. Works by Bartók, Debussy,
Schubert and McPherson. Robert Uchida,
violin; Shane Kim, violin; Theresa Rudolph,
viola; Joseph Johnson, cello. First Unitarian Congregation of Ontario, Sutherland Hall,
175 St. Clair Ave. W. 416-822-0613. $20. Also
Mar 20 (Toronto Island).
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. Jazz Festival: Jazz Combos. Roy Patterson, Lorne Lofsky and Mark Eisenman,
conductors. Martin Family Lounge, Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-4590701. Free. Festival runs Mar 21-24.
●● 8:00: St. Thomas’s Anglican Church. Baroque Music by Candlelight for Holy Week.
St. Thomas’s Anglican Church (Toronto),
383 Huron St. 416-979-2323. Free.
Tuesday March 22
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Andrew Haji & Megan Quick
Tenor and mezzo-soprano soloists
join a chamber orchestra of faculty
members for pieces by Schoenberg.
March 21, 2016
Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park
$40, $25 senior, $10 student
music.utoronto.ca
416-408-0208
Dance Series: Excerpts from Sleeping Beauty.
Ballet Jörgen. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free.
Late seating is not available.
●● 12:30: York University Department of
Music. Jazz Festival: Jazz Vocal Ensemble.
Mike Cadó, conductor. Martin Family Lounge,
Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St.
647-459-0701. Free. Festival runs Mar 21-24.
●● 1:00: Cathedral Church of St. James.
Midday Organ Series. David Briggs, organ.
65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Free.
“King of Kings”
Silent Movie
iMproviSation ConCert
Mozart Project presents sacred music of
Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Christian
Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
performed by the Toronto Mozart Players
featuring soprano Whitney Mather, winner of
the Toronto Mozart Vocal Competition,
trumpeter Andrew McCandless and the
Cantabile Chamber Singers.
DaviD Briggs
palM Sunday, MarCh 20, 7:00 pM
yorkMinSter park
BaptiSt ChurCh
●● 7:00: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
JS Bach
David Briggs/Cecil B. DeMille: King of Kings.
Screening of the 1928 black and white classic with organ improvisations. David Briggs,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Free.
●● 7:30: Echo Women’s Choir. Equal Night: A
Dialogue for the Equinox. Fundraising event
featuring words and music. Anne Michaels,
poet; David Sereda, singer-composer; Becca
Whitla and Alan Gasser, conductors. Church
of the Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Sq. 416-278-2968.
$35 (includes three wine tastings). Silent
auction and finger food.
●● 8:00: Canada-Israel Cultural Foundation/
Ashkenaz Foundation. Spotlight on Israeli
Culture Festival: A-WA. Three sisters sing in
the style of their Yemeni roots, contemporary funk, electronic and hip-hop grooves.
Songs in Hebrew, English and Yemeni-Arabic.
Mod Club, 22 College St. 416-979-9955.
$25/$20(adv).
JC Bach
WA Mozart
Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen,
BWV 51
String Quartet in F Major,
Opus 8 W. B 54
Five Fugues after JS Bach, K 405
Excerpts from Vespers, K 321 and K 339
Ave verum corpus, K 618
Church Sonatas for organ and strings,
K 263 and K 328
Sunday, March 20
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Church of the
Redeemer
162 Bloor Street West
(Avenue Road & Bloor)
www.mozartproject.ca
$35
(students $15)
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 37
A. Concerts in the GTA
●● 7:00: York University Department of
Music. Jazz Festival: Jazz Choirs. Mim
Adams, conductor. Tribute Communities
Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. Festival
runs Mar 21-24.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Jazz Vocal Ensemble. Christine Duncan, conductor. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson
Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s
Park. 416-408-0208. Free.
●● 8:00: York University Department of
Music. Jazz Festival: Jazz Combos. Artie
Roth, Anthony Michelli and Kelly Jefferson,
conductors. Martin Family Lounge, Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-4590701. Free. Festival runs Mar 21-24.
Sacred Music
for a Sacred Space
WEDNESDAY, MAR 23 | 7:30 PM
GOOD FRIDAY, MAR 25 | 7:30 PM
ST. PAUL’S BASILICA 83 POWER STREET
Experience sublime choral music – from the
Renaissance to contemporary choral masters
Wednesday March 23
BYRD Mass for four voices
CORLIS God So Loved the World
WHITACRE Her Sacred Spirit Soars
TICKE TS
$ 35 – $ 50
●● 7:15: Ruach Singers. Crossroads. Hebrew
vocal music in new contemporary settings,
celebrating the Jewish holiday of Purim. Cantor Eric Moses. Beth Sholom Synagogue,
1445 Eglinton Ave. W. 416-783-6103. Free. CD
launch at the conclusion of the service.
●● 7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Sacred
Music for a Sacred Space. Byrd: Mass for
four voices; Corlis: God So Loved the World;
Whitacre: Her Sacred Spirit Soars. Noel Edison, conductor. St. Paul’s Basilica, 83 Power
St. 416-598-0422 x221. $20-$50. Also Mar 25.
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. Jazz Festival: Jazz Combos. Kevin Turcotte, Jim Vivian and Frank Falco, conductors.
Martin Family Lounge, Accolade East Building,
YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. Festival runs Mar 21-24.
●● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Scenes of the Mediterranean. Berlioz: Roman
Carnival Overture; Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No.5 “Egyptian”; Ibert: Escales (Ports
of Call); Respighi: Pines of Rome. Jean-Yves
Thibaudet, piano; Stéphane Denève, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416598-3375. $33.75-$148. Also Mar 24.
●● 9:00 and 10:15: Mezzetta Restaurant.
Wednesday Concert Series. Maureen Kennedy, vocals; Ben Bishop, guitar. 681 St. Clair
Ave. W. 416-658-5687. $10 cover. Reservations recommended.
VOX TIX
$ 20
FOR 30 AND UNDER
TMC BOX OFFICE
416-598-0422
ext
221
www.tmchoir.org/boxoffice
NiNe SparrowS artS FouNdatioN
& YorkmiNSter park BaptiSt ChurCh
present
The Good Friday
ConCerT
Music and Readings for a Most Holy Day
Thursday March 24
Yorkminster Park BaPtist ChurCh
march 25, 2016, 4pm
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Chamber Music Series: Exquisite Chamber. Young artists from The Glenn Gould
School. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free. Late
seating is not available.
●● 12:10: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Thursdays at Noon: Percussion Concert. Works for viola, percussion, marimba
and audio. Works by Duggan, Golijov and
Sammut. Mark Duggan and John Rudolph,
percussion; Theresa Rudolph, viola. Walter
Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University
of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208.
Free.
●● 12:30: York University Department of
Music. Jazz Festival: Jazz Vocal Ensembles.
Martin Family Lounge, Accolade East Building,
YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. Festival runs Mar 21-24.
●● 7:00: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Singing For Love. A fundraiser in support of arteducational workshops for children who have
special Guest
John Johnson, saxophone
Featuring:
amina Holloway, cello
the YpBc choir
William Maddox, music director
the Hedgerow singers
eric robertson, music director
elizabeth anderson, organ
narrators:
colleen Burns
rev. Dr. peter Holmes
ADMISSION FREE - DONATIONS WELCOME
38 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
lived with domestic violence. Rosy Cervantes,
vocals. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. 416588-0307. $15.
●● 7:30: Church of the Ascension. Maundy
Thursday. Celebration of the Last Supper and
the traditional washing of feet. Works by P.
Aston, D. Hallis, G. Kendrick and C. Tambling.
33 Overland Dr. 416-444-8881. Freewill offering. Religious Service.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Wind Symphony. Gorb: Awayday; Calvert: Romantic Variations; Whitacre: October; Reed: La Fiesta Mexicana; Grainger: Irish
Tune; Shepherd’s Hay; Ticheli: Blue Shades.
Jeffrey Reynolds, conductor. MacMillan Theatre, Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s
Park. 416-408-0208. $30; $20(sr); $10(st).
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. Jazz Festival: York U Jazz Orchestra.
Mike Cadó, conductor. Martin Family Lounge,
Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St.
647-459-0701. Free. Festival runs Mar 21-24.
●● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Scenes of the Mediterranean. See Mar 23.
●● 8:30: Hugh’s Room/Mariposa Folk Festival. Sugar Brown and Madagascar Slim.
Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W. 416-5316604. $22.50/$20(adv).
Friday March 25
GOOD FRIDAY LITURGY
March 25 at 11am
Solemn Mass in A
by César Franck
Humbercrest
United Church
16 Baby Point Road, Toronto
●● 11:00am: Humbercrest United Church.
Solemn Mass. Franck: Solemn Mass in A with
harp, cello and organ. Jennifer Krabbe, soprano; Matthew Dalen, tenor; Jason Lamont,
tenor; Dennis Zimmer, bass; The Chancel
Choir; Melvin J. Hurst, conductor. 16 Baby
Point Rd. 416-767-6122. Free. Religious
service.
●● 10:30am: Lawrence Park Community
Church. Listen, Lord: A Prayer and the Crucifixion (God’s Trombones). By Gordon Myers.
Kimberley Briggs, soprano; Michele Bogdanowicz, mezzo; Alastair Smyth, baritone; Lawrence Park Community Church Choir; Mark
Toews, conductor. 2180 Bayview Ave. 416489-1551. Freewill offering. Church Service.
●● 11:00am: Church of the Ascension. Good
Friday/The Cross of Christ. Works by Telemann, Schumann, Franck, J. Stainer, Britten,
O. Gibbons and J.S. Bach. 33 Overland Dr. 416444-8881. Free.
thewholenote.com
●● 4:00: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation/
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Music
and Readings for a Most Holy Day. Amina Holloway, cello; Yorkminster Park Baptist Church
Choir (William Maddox, conductor); Hedgerow Singers (Eric Robertson, conductor);
Colleen Burns and Rev. Peter Holmes, narration. Guest: John Johnson, saxophone. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St.
416-922-1167. Free.
●● 7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Alexis
Baro Quartet. Rhythm-driven jazz funk. Alexis
Baro, jazz trumpet. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas
St. W. 416-588-0307. $15; free(before 8:00).
●● 7:30: Metropolitan United Church.
Requiem: In a Time of Sorrow. Bach: Cantata No.78; Brahms: Alto Rhapsody; Requiem.
The Metropolitan Festival Choir and Orchestra; Soloists: Alison Campbell, Claudia Lemcke, Charles Davidson, Jordan Scholl (Bach);
Laura Pudwell (Alto Rhapsody); Gisele Kulak,
Jordan Scholl (Requiem). Metropolitan
United Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416363-0331 x26. $30; $10(under 19).
●● 7:30: Toronto Beach Chorale. Good Friday
Concert. Fauré: Requiem; Cantique de Jean
Racine; other works by Gounod and Poulenc.
Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston
Rd. 416-699-6091. $25/$20(adv); $12(718)/$10(adv); free(under7).
●● 7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Sacred
Music for a Sacred Space. See Mar 23.
●● 8:00: Kindred Spirits Orchestra. From
Darkness to Light. Mahler: Symphony No. 4;
Neilsen: Concerto for Flute and Orchestra;
Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain. Alastair Thorburn-Vitols, descant; Rodney Gray,
flute; Kristian Alexander, conductor; Alexa
Petrenko, host. Flato Markham Theatre,
171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-3057469. $15-$35.
Saturday March 26
●● 7:30: Church of the Ascension. Easter
Vigil. Lighting of the Pascal Flame and Candle. 33 Overland Dr. 416-444-8881. Freewill
offering. Wine and cheese reception. Religious service.
●● 7:30: Rashaan Allwood. The Birds of
Spring Which Awaken. Piano music inspired
by birdsong and nature. Works by Messiaen,
thewholenote.com
Ravel, Liszt, Granados and others. Rashaan
Allwood, piano. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson
Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s
Park. 416-978-0492. Free.
●● 8:00: Galen Weston Band. In Concert.
Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley St. 416368-3110. $50-$58.
●● 8:00: Shahriyar Jamshidi. Dilan Ensemble:
In the Shadow of the Fatherland. Two Iranian
artists from different musical backgrounds
present music of the Kurds. Pedram Khavarzamini, Tombak player; Shahriyar Jamshidi, Kamancheh player and vocals. Small
World Music Centre, Artscape Youngplace,
180 Shaw St. 416-536-5439. $20.
●● 8:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Piano
Soiree. Scriabin: Select Etudes; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.2 Mov.1 (arr. G.
Murray); Novello: We’ll Gather Lilacs (from
Perchance To Dream) (arr. G. Murray); and
other works. Gordon Murray, piano. TrinitySt. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-6314300. $15; $10(st). In the Chapel.
Tuesday March 29
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Vocal Series: Four Tenors. Jean-Philippe Fortier-Lazure, Aaron Sheppard, Andrew Haji and
Charles Sy, tenors. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231.
Free. Late seating is not available.
●● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation/
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Lunchtime Chamber Music. Rising Stars Recital.
Featuring students from the Glenn Gould
School. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church,
1585 Yonge St. 416-241-1298. Free. Donations
welcome.
●● 12:30: York University Department of
Music. Music @ Midday: York U Chamber
Strings. Mark Chambers, conductor. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East
Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701.
Free.
●● 1:00: Cathedral Church of St. James.
Midday Organ Series. David Briggs, organ.
65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Free.
●● 7:30: Royal Conservatory. Rebanks Family
Fellowship Concert. Mazzoleni Concert Hall,
Royal Conservatory, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-4080208. Free (ticket required).
●● 8:00: Roy Thomson Hall/Massey Hall. An
Intimate Evening with Jonathan Goldstein.
Winter Garden Theatre, 189 Yonge St. 416872-4255. $29.50-$49.50.
●● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. On
Broadway. Betsy Wolfe, vocalist; Darren
Criss, vocalist; Steven Reineke, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-5983375. $33.75-$107(eve); $29.50-$83.75(mat).
Also Mar 30 (2:00 and 8:00).
Sunday March 27
●● 10:30am: Church of the Ascension. Easter
Sunday. Glory of the Resurrection. Works by
F. Campbell-Watson, J.R. Foley, G. Kendrick, J.
Hayford and Handel. 33 Overland Dr. 416-4448881. Freewill offering.
●● 4:00: Cathedral Church of St. James.
Twilight Organ Series. David Briggs, organ.
65 Church St. 416-364-7865. Free.
●● 5:00: Nocturnes in the City. Epoque Quartet from Prague. Works by Vivaldi, Jezek and
others. Restaurant Praha, Masaryktown,
450 Scarborough Golf Club Rd. 416-481-7294.
$25; $15(st). Special concert menu.
Monday March 28
Wednesday March 30
●● 12:30: York University Department of
●● 12:00 noon: York University Department
Music. Music @ Midday: R&B Ensemble.
Mike Cadó, conductor. Martin Family Lounge,
Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St.
647-459-0701. Free.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Student Brass Chamber Ensembles
Concert. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park.
416-408-0208. Free.
of Music. Music @ Midday: York University
New Music Ensemble. Matt Brubeck, conductor. Tribute Communities Recital Hall,
Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St.
647-459-0701. Free.
●● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recitals. William Maddox,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Free.
●● 2:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. On
Broadway. See Mar 29(8:00); Also 8:00.
●● 8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto. Jean
Rondeau Classical Concert: Bach in Progress.
Harpsichord works by Bach. Alliance Française de Toronto, 24 Spadina Rd. 416-922-2014
x37. $15; $10(mem/sr/st).
Augustin Dumay
& Louis Lortie
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 8PM
KOERNER HALL
TICKETS 0N SALE NOW: 416.408.0208
WWW.PERFORMANCE.RCMUSIC.CA
●● 8:00: Royal Conservatory. String Con-
certs. Beethoven: Violin Sonata No.5 in F;
Strauss: Violin Sonata in E-flat; Franck: Violin Sonata in A. Augustin Dumay, violin; Louis
Lortie, piano. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $40-$85.
●● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. On
Broadway. See Mar 29.
●● 9:00 and 10:15: Mezzetta Restaurant.
Wednesday Concert Series. Ron Davis,
piano; Mike Downes, bass. 681 St. Clair Ave.
W. 416-658-5687. $10 cover. Reservations
recommended.
Thursday March 31
●● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Dance Series: Jackie Burroughs is Dead (and
what are you going to do about it?). Preview.
Danielle Baskerville, artistic producer; DA
Hoskins, choreographer. Richard Bradshaw
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 39
A. Concerts in the GTA
Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the
Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-3638231. Free. Late seating is not available.
●● 12:10: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Thursdays at Noon: Winners Recital.
Winners of the Jim and Charlotte Norcop Prize
in Song and the Gwendolyn Williams Koldofsky
Prize in Accompanying. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free.
●● 12:15: Metropolitan United Church. Noon
at Met. Sarah Svendsen, organ. Metropolitan
United Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416363-0331 x26. Free.
●● 12:30: York University Department of
Music. Music @ Midday: Classical Piano
Showcase. Students from the studio of Christina Petrowska Quilico. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free.
BENJAMIN
ALARD
SOLO
HARPSICHORD
●● 2:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Vic-
toria Symphony. Oesterle: “Home” from
New World; Grieg: Piano Concerto; Copland:
Suite from Appalachian Spring; Stravinsky:
Suite from The Firebird. Victoria Symphony,
guest orchestra; Stewart Goodyear, piano;
Tania Miller, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. $29.50-$83.75.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. U of T Concert Orchestra. Paul Widner, conductor. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson
Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s
Park. 416-408-0208. Free.
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. York U Symphony Orchestra. Mark
Chambers, conductor. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 416-736-5888. $15; $10(sr/st).
BACH
GOLDBERG
VARIATIONS
Mar 31-Apr 3, 5
416.964.6337
tafelmusik.org
TANI
O.CA
MAR 31 | TS
La
création
du
monde
●● 8:00: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
Bach Goldberg Variations. Bach: Goldberg
Variations; Trio Sonata from “The Musical
Offering”. Benjamin Alard, solo harpsichord;
Grégoire Jeay, flute; Jeanne Lamon, violin; Christina Mahler, cello. Trinity-St. Paul’s
Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W.
416-964-6337. $40 and up; $37 and up(sr);
$20-$83(35 and under). Also Apr 1, 2, 3(mat),
5(George Weston Recital Hall).
Recital: Matthew Li, piano. St. Andrew’s
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600 x231.
Free.
●● 12:30: York University Department
of Music. Music @ Midday: York University Brass and Percussion Ensembles. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East
Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701.
Free.
●● 1:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Piano Potpourri. Classics, opera, operetta, musicals,
ragtime, pop, international and other genres.
Gordon Murray, piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-631-4300. PWYC.
Concert in chapel; lunch and snack friendly.
●● 5:00: University of Toronto Faculty of
8:00pm Concert
Koerner Hall
ESPRIT ORCHESTRA
espritorchestra.com
●● 8:00: Esprit Orchestra/Elmer Iseler
Singers. La création du monde. Pauk: Soul
and Psyche (world premiere); Janmohammed: Nur: Reflections on Light; solo orchestra selections. Elmer Iseler Singers; Esprit
Orchestra; Lydia Adams and Alex Pauk, conductors. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. 416-217-0537. $40; $35(sr); $15(st).
Friday, April 1, 2016,
8pm
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE – ROMEO & JULIET
APRIL 2, 2016, 8 P.M.
SALVATION ARMY SCARBOROUGH CITADEL
2021 LAWRENCE AVENUE EAST (AT WARDEN)
383 Huron Street, Toronto
416-971-9229
www.exultate.net
TICKETS: AT THE DOOR OR ONLINE; EMAIL [email protected] OR PHONE 416 429-0007
an ontario government agency
un organisme du gouvernement de l’ontario
VISIT US AT SPO.CA
40 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
presents
with Reid Jamieson &
Michael Louis Johnson
Friday April 1
●● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Stories of
Love & Longing
Featuring
Bissell’s A Song of Longing,
Chatman’s Remember,
and works by Britten,
Brahms and Mechem
John Sheard
The American
Songbook
Thursday
March 31
2016
VICTORIANY
OUCTOR
PR,H
SYA M
ND
CO
MILLE
Music. The Art of the Prima Donna. Staged
and costumed program of romantic opera.
Works by Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi and others.
Paul Widner, conductor. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. $20; $10(st).
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. York U Gospel Choir. Karen Burke,
conductor. Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre, Accolade East Building, 4700 Keele St.
416-736-5888. $15; $10(sr/st). Also Apr 2.
●● 8:00: Art of Time Ensemble. Erwin Schulhoff. Dada, Jazz and the String Sextet: Portrait of a Forgotten Master. Harbourfront
Centre Theatre, 235 Queens Quay W. 416-9734000. $25-$59. Also Apr 2.
Friday, April 1, 8pm
auroraculturalcentre.ca
905 713-1818
●● 8:00: Aurora Cultural Centre. John
Sheard Presents The American Songbook.
Reid Jamieson and Michael Louis Johnson. 22 Church St., Aurora. 905-713-1818.
$30/$25(adv).
●● 8:00: Etobicoke Community Concert
Band. April Fools. Songs by Sinatra, Bennett, Martin, Darrin and others. Andy DeCampos, vocals. Etobicoke Collegiate Auditorium,
86 Montgomery Rd., Etobicoke. 416-4101570. $15.
●● 8:00: Exultate Chamber Singers. Stories of Love and Longing. Sjolund: Love Lost;
Brahms: Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op.52; Palestrina: Sicut Cervus; Enns: Like as the Hart;
Bissell: A Song of Longing; works by Chatman,
Britten, Mechem and Stroope. St. Thomas’s
Anglican Church (Toronto), 383 Huron St.
416-971-9229. $25; $20(sr); $10(st).
●● 8:00: Opera in Concert/Voicebox. Isis and
Osiris: Gods of Egypt. Music by Peter Anthony
Togni. Libretto by Sharon Singer. Lucia Cesaroni (Isis); Ernesto Ramirez (Osiris); Julie
Nesrallah (Nephtis); Michael Nyby (Seth); Stuart Graham (The Grand Vizier); and others;
Orchestra and Chorus of Voicebox: Opera
In Concert; Robert Cooper, conductor and
chorus director. St. Lawrence Centre for the
Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723. $52 and
$73. Also Apr 3 (2:30).
●● 8:00: Royal Conservatory. Cameron Carpenter, Organ. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $35-$75.
●● 8:00: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
Bach Goldberg Variations. See Mar 31; Also
Apr 2, 3(mat), 5(George Weston Recital Hall).
●● 8:00: Toy Piano Composers/Bicycle
thewholenote.com
Opera Project. TPC Curiosity Festival: Travelogue. Works by Monica Pearce, August
Murphy-King/Colleen Murphy-King, Elisha
Denburg, and Tobin Stokes. Members of the
Bicycle Opera Project. Arts and Letters Club,
14 Elm St. 647-829-4213. $30(festival pass).
Also Apr 2. Festival runs until Apr 9.
●● 9:00: Skule Music. In Concert. Hart House,
Arbor Room, 7 Hart House Circle. 416-9782452. Free.
Saturday April 2
●● 2:00: Toronto Northern Lights Chorus.
Genius of Music. Barbershop choral music.
Guest: Toronto All-Star Big Band. George
Weston Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge St. 1-866744-7467. $25-$30; $15(st); free(student
ticket with purchase of adult ticket);
free(under 3). Also 7:30.
●● 2:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Alligator Pie. Abigail Richardson-Schulte: Alligator Pie. Carla Huhtanen, soprano; Dennis Lee,
poet; Kevin Frank, narrator; Earl Lee, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416598-3375. $20.50-$32.75. Also at 4:00.
●● 4:00: Toronto Children’s Chorus/Cawthra Park Chamber Choir. Good Vibrations.
Michel Ross and Alex Wang, piano; Elise Bradley and Bob Anderson, conductors. Church of
the Redeemer, 162 Bloor St. W. 416-932-8666
x231. $25; $20(sr/st); $10(child).
●● 4:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Alligator Pie. Abigail Richardson-Schulte: Alligator Pie. Carla Huhtanen, soprano; Dennis Lee,
poet; Kevin Frank, narrator; Earl Lee, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416598-3375. $20.50-$32.75. Also at 2:00.
●● 4:30: Beach United Church. Jazz and
Reflection: New Beginnings. Laura Fernandez, vocals; Don Naduriak, piano; Joaquin
Nunez Hidalgo, drum. 140 Wineva Ave. 416691-8082. Freewill offering.
●● 7:00: Aga Khan Museum/Raag-Mala
Music Society of Toronto. Raags of the
Gharana Tradition. Evening Raags with
Anupama Bhagwat and Waseem Ahmed
Khan. Aga Khan Museum Auditorium,
77 Wynford Dr. 416-646-4677. $45 and up;
$41(members). Two-concert pkg avail. Also
Apr 3(mat).
●● 7:30: Etobicoke Centennial Choir. When
Daffodils Begin to Peer. Holst: Choral Hymns
from the Rig Veda Op.26 No.1; Six Songs of
Early Canada (arr. Patriquin); Halley: Love
Songs for Springtime; Shearing: Songs and
Sonnets from Shakespeare. Henry Renglich, conductor. Guests: Unionville Montessori
School Appassionata Singers. Humber Valley
United Church, 76 Anglesey Blvd., Etobicoke.
416-769-9271. $25.
●● 7:30: Music On The Donway. Retro Ramblers Quartet. Music of the 50s, 60s, 70s and
Jamie Drake, and Daniel Morphy; Kiyoshi
Nagata, music director. Brigantine Room,
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W.
416-973-4000. $35/$30(adv); $20(sr/st).
●●8:00: Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. Spring. Copland: Appalachian Spring;
Debussy: Danse sacrée et profane; Dvořák:
Symphony No.6. Erica Goodman, harp;
Denis Mastromonaco, conductor. Hammerson Hall, Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living
Arts Dr., Mississauga. 905-306-6000.
$30-$65.
●● 8:00: Scarborough Philharmonic
Orchestra. Shakespeare in Love: Romeo and
Juliet. Salvation Army Scarborough Citadel,
2021 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough. 416429-0007. $30; $25(sr); $15(st); $10(child).
●● 8:00: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
Bach Goldberg Variations. See Mar 31; Also
Apr 3(mat), 5(George Weston Recital Hall).
●● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
National Arts Centre Orchestra. R. Strauss:
Don Juan; Mozart: Piano Concerto No.20
K466; Sokolović: Ringelspiel; R. Strauss:
Death and Transfiguration. Gabriela Montero, piano; National Arts Centre Orchestra,
guest orchestra; Alexander Shelley, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416598-3375. $33.75-$148.
●● 8:00: Toy Piano Composers/Bicycle
Opera Project. TPC Curiosity Festival: Travelogue. See Apr 1. Festival runs until Apr 9.
●● 8:00: Univox Choir. Everything Beautiful. Tahirih Vejdani, conductor. Eastminster
United Church, 310 Danforth Ave. 416-4632179. $25/20 (sr, st, adv).
beyond. Donway Covenant United Church,
230 The Donway W. 416-444-8444. $20;
free(under 13).
●● 7:30: Opera by Request. Weber’s Abu Hassan and Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle. Semistaged with piano accompaniment. Henry
Irwin, baritone (Abu Hassan); Michele
Danese, soprano (Fatima); Steven Henrikson, baritone (Omar); Deena Nicklefork,
soprano (Judith); Larry Tozer, baritone (Bluebeard); Gregory Finney, stage director; William Shookhoff, piano/conductor. College
Street United Church, 452 College St. 416455-2365. $20.
●● 7:30: Toronto Concert Orchestra. Piaf
Encore. La Vie en Rose, I Love Paris, Rien de
rien, Pauvre Jean, Milord and other songs.
Pandora Topp, vocals (Piaf); Kerry Stratton,
conductor. The Extension Room, 30 Eastern
Ave. 647-352-7041. $45.
●● 7:30: Toronto Northern Lights Chorus.
Genius of Music. See 2:00.
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. York U Gospel Choir. Karen Burke,
conductor. Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre, Accolade East Building, 4700 Keele St.
416-736-5888. $15; $10(sr/st). Also Apr 1.
●● 8:00: Art of Time Ensemble. Erwin Schulhoff. See Apr 1.
●● 8:00: Mississauga Festival Chamber
Choir. Spring Serenade. Gjeilo: Sunrise
Mass; other works. First United Church (Port
Credit), 151 Lakeshore Rd W., Mississauga.
905-278-3714. $25; $15(child).
Sunday April 3
●● 12:30: Harmonia Hungarica. Spring Con-
cert. Works by Aichinger, Lassus, Brahms,
Bartók, Kodály and others. Katalin Végh, conductor. First Hungarian Presbyterian Church,
439 Vaughan Road. 416-971-9754. Freewill
offering.
●● 1:30: Payadora Tango Duo. In Concert.
Music of Buenos Aires exploring the past and
present of Argentinian Tango. Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation,
79 Hiawatha Rd. 416-686-6809. $25(family);
$15; $10(sr/child/artist).
●● 2:30: Opera in Concert/Voicebox. Isis and
Osiris: Gods of Egypt. See Apr 1 (8:00).
●● 2:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Heart Songs. Corlis: Heart Songs of
the White Wampum; Beethoven: Choral Fantasy; and other works. University of Toronto
Symphony Orchestra; Women’s Chamber Choir; Men’s Chorus; Beverley Johnston, marimba; Hilary Apfelstadt, Elaine Choi,
Tracy Wong and Mark Ramsay, conductors.
MacMillan Theatre, Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. $30;
$20(sr); $10(st).
●● 3:00: Aga Khan Museum/Raag-Mala
Music Society of Toronto. Raags of the
Gharana Tradition. Afternoon Raags with
Ramesh Mishra and Devaki Pandit. Aga Khan
Museum Auditorium, 77 Wynford Dr. 416-6464677. $45 and up; $41(members). Two-concert pkg avail. Also Apr 2(eve).
●● 3:00: Florivox. Shadows and Light. Gillian Stecyk, conductor. Grace Church on-theHill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. 416-488-7884. $25/20
(sr, st, adv).
DENIS MASTROMONACO
MUSIC DIRECTOR &
C O N D U C T O R
MSO
Maerwks
●● 8:00: Nagata Shachu with TorQ. In Con-
cert. Japanese, Western and world percussion. TorQ: Richard Burrows, Adam Campbell,
Spring
Serenade
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
D AV I D A M B R O S E
COPLAND
Appalachian Spring
DEBUSSY
Danse sacrée et profane
DVORÁK
Symphony No. 6
Saturday, April 2, 2016 / 8:00 pm / First United Church, Port Credit
Music inspired by the season of beginnings and rebirth featuring
the stunning Sunrise Mass by Ola Gjeilo with string ensemble.
Tickets: [email protected] and at the door
f themississaugafestivalchoir.com l mfchoir / mfchoir.com
thewholenote.com
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 41
A. Concerts in the GTA
●● 3:00: Royal Conservatory. Orlando
Consort: Le passion de Jeanne d’Arc.
Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
ZEPHYR PIANO TRIO
416-408-0208. $30-$55. With a film screening of La passion de Jeanne d’Arc (1928).
MENDLESSOHN
Ensemble
Made In Canada
Angela Park, piano
Sharon Wei, viola
Elissa Lee, violin
Rachel Mercer, cello
S M E TA N A
03 APRIL 16 | Humbercrest United Church
●● 3:00: Zephyr Piano Trio. In Concert.
Sunday April 3, 3pm
Works by Mendelssohn, Smetana and Piazzolla. Ilona Beres, Terry Holowach and Edward
Hayes. Humbercrest United Church, 16 Baby
Point Rd. 416-694-8923. $20; $15(sr/st);
free(under 12).
●●3:00: York University Department of
Music. York U Wind Symphony. William
Thomas, conductor. Tribute Communities
Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 416-736-5888. $15; $10(sr/st).
●● 3:30: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
Bach Goldberg Variations. See Mar 31; Also
Apr 5(George Weston Recital Hall).
●● 4:00: Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto.
Carmina Burana. Orff: Carmina Burana; Dello
Joio: Psalm of David. Leslie Fagan, soprano;
Christopher Mayell, tenor; Peter MacGillivray, baritone; Amadeus Choir; Buffalo Master Chorale; Bach Children’s Choir; Shawn
Grenke, piano. Toronto Centre for the Arts,
5040 Yonge St., North York. 416-446-0188.
$45; $40(sr); $35(under 30); $20(st).
●● 4:00: Church of St. Mary Magdalene.
Organ Fireworks. Andrew Adair, organ.
Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto),
477 Manning Ave. 416-531-7955. Free.
●● 4:00: Hart House Chorus. Spring Concert. Haydn: Missa in tempore belli (Mass in
Time of War); Gjeilo: Dark Night of the Soul.
Daivd Eliakis, accompanist; Daniel Norman,
conductor. Hart House, Great Hall, 7 Hart
House Circle. 647-774-0755. Free. Donations
accepted on behalf of Sistema Toronto.
●● 4:00: St. Philip’s Anglican Church. Jazz
SyrinxConcerts.ca
●● 3:00: Syrinx. Ensemble Made in Canada.
Works by Beethoven, Schumann, and Omar
Daniel. Angela Park, piano; Sharon Wei, viola;
Elissa Lee, violin; Rachel Mercer, cello. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-922-3618.
$25; $20(st). Post-concert reception.
viva electronica
Sun. Apr. 3 | Oliphant Theatre
www.NewMusicConcerts.com
with The Buffalo
MasTer Chorale
doreen rao, Conductor
Vespers: Tribute to Duke Ellington. Mike Murley, saxophone; Mark Eisenman, piano; Pat
Collins, bass; Barry Elmes, drums. 25 St. Phillips Rd., Etobicoke. 416-247-5181. Freewill
offering.
●● 4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Jazz Vespers. 1570 Yonge St. 416-920-5211. Free.
Donations welcome.
●● 5:00: Nocturnes in the City. Jan Novotný,
piano. Works by Smetana and Schumann. St.
Wenceslaus Church, 496 Gladstone Ave. 416481-7294. $25; $15(st).
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Percussion Ensemble Concert. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University
of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208.
Free.
●● 8:00: New Music Concerts. Viva Electronica. Tan: On the Sensations of Tone II; K.
Hamel: New Work; Ahn: LOL-a; Steenhuisen:
ATOM TYPE OPAL MELT. NMC Ensemble; Robert Aitken, conductor. Betty Oliphant Theatre,
404 Jarvis St. 416-961-9594. $35; $25(sr/arts
workers); $10(st). 7:15: Introduction.
Monday April 4
●● 12:30: York University Department
of Music. Music @ Midday: Instrumental
Masterclass in Concert. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Cecilia String Quartet. Agócs: Commissioned piece; Mendelssohn: String Quartet in e Op.44 No.2; Brahms: Clarinet Quintet
in b Op.115. Cecilia String Quartet; Kati Agócs,
soprano; James Campbell, clarinet. Walter
Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University
of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208.
$40; $25(sr); $10(st).
●● 7:30: York University Department of
Music. York University Concert and Chamber
Choir. Robert Cooper, interim conductor, Ted
Moroney, accompaniment. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU,
4700 Keele St. 416-736-5888. $15; $10(sr/st).
Tuesday April 5
●● 5:00 and 5:30: Toronto Mendelssohn
Choir. Free Pop-Up Concert. Noel Edison,
conductor. Allan Lambert Galleria, Brookfield Place, 181 Bay St. 416-598-0422. Free.
Also at 5:30.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Student Woodwind Chamber Ensemble Concert. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson
Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s
Park. 416-408-0208. Free.
and The BaCh
Children’s Chorus
linda Beaupré, Conductor
Sunday, April 3 | 4:00pm | Toronto Centre for the Arts
carmina Burana orff | Psalm of DaviD dello Joio
LesLie Fagan, soprano | Christopher MayeLL, tenor
peter MaCgiLLivray, Baritone
shawn grenke & raChaeL kerr, pianists
TickeTs: $45 adults, $40 seniors, $35 ‘under 30’, $20 students
416-446-0188 | aMadeusChoir.CoM
42 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Guitar Orchestra Concert. U of T Art
Centre, 15 King’s College Cir. 416-408-0208.
Free.
●●Apr 05 8:00: Array Music. 4 New Works.
Hostman: Yet, the Rain Falls; Newsome:
Capsule;Scime: Scivias - Know the Ways; S.
Wilson: untitled. Array Ensemble; guest: Carla
Huhtanen, soprano. Array Space, 155 Walnut
Ave. 416-532-3019. $20.
●● 7:30: Opera Atelier. Lucio Silla. Mozart.
Thursday April 7
April 7 - 16, 2016
Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge St.
OPER A ATELIER.COM
Kresimir Spicer (Lucio); Inga Kalna (Cinna);
Mireille Asselin (Celia); Peggy Kriha Dye
(Cecillio); Meghan Lindsay (Giunia); Marshall
Pynkoski, stage director; Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, choreograper; Artists of Atelier
Ballet; Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra; David
Fallis, conductor. Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge
St. 1-855-622-2787. $38-$181; $15(under 30).
Media Night. Runs Apr 7-16; start times vary.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. World Music Ensembles. African
Drumming and Dancing Ensemble; LatinAmerican Percussion Ensemble; Steel Pan
Ensemble. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson
Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s
Park. 416-408-0208. Free.
DON’T MISS
TORONTO’S OPER A
EVENT OF THE SEASON!
B. Concerts Beyond the GTA
●● 12:00 noon: Adam Sherkin. Chopin: Fan-
●● 8:00: Music Toronto. Duo Turgeon. Valery
Gavrilin: Sketches; Ravel: Second Suite from
Daphnis and Chloe, Vyacheslav Gryaznov:
new arrangement for two pianos; Lutoslawski: Variations on a theme by Paganini. Anne
Louise-Turgeon, piano; Edward Turgeon,
piano. Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence
Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-3667723. $55, $50; $10(st); age 18 to 35 – pay
your age.
●● 8:00: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
Bach Goldberg Variations. George Weston
Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge St. 1-855-985-2787.
$37 and up; $32 and up(sr); $15-$70(35 and
under). See Mar 31 (Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre).
IN THIS ISSUE: Alliston, Ancaster, Barrie, Belleville, Brantford, Coburg,
Collingwood , Dundas, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener, Lindsay,
London, Orangeville, Orillia, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Waterloo.
tastic Jest. Chopin: Fantasy in f Op.49;
Scherzo No.3 in c-sharp Op.39; S​ herkin: ​new
work. Adam Sherkin, piano. Bluma Appel
Lobby, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts,
27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723. Free. Presented
in partnership with Steinway Piano Gallery.
●● 12:15: Metropolitan United Church. Noon
at Met. Joshua Ehlebracht, organ. Metropolitan United Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St. E.
416-363-0331 x26. Free.
●● 1:30: Women’s Musical Club of Toronto.
Music in the Afternoon. Works by Biber, Lieberson, Schumann, Brahms and Di Castri (premiere). Danthology: Steven Dann,
viola; Nico Dann, percussion; Robin Dann,
voice; Lucas Dann, piano; Ilana Zarankin, soprano; Joel Quarrington, double bass. Walter
Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of
Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-923-7052. $45.
Tuesday March 1
●● 12:00 noon: Marilyn I. Walker School of
Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University. RBC Foundation: Music@Noon. Piano
and guitar students. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St.
Catharines. 905-688-5550. Free.
●● 12:00 noon: Sanderson Centre for the
Performing Arts. In Concert. Taiko drums.
Yamato Drummers of Japan. 88 Dalhousie
St., Brantford. 519-758-8090. $49; $20(st);
$5(eyeGO).
Wednesday March 2
●● 12:00 noon: Midday Music with Shigeru.
Women’s Musical Club of Toronto
Jazz Pianist Lance Anderson. Works by
Gershwin, Peterson and McCartney. Hi-Way
Pentecostal Church, 50 Anne St. N., Barrie.
705-726-1181. $5; free(st).
●● 12:30: University of Waterloo Department of Music. Noon Hour Concert: Afternoon’s Night Music. Andrew Chung, violin;
Ben Bolt-Martin, cello; Catherine Robertson, piano. Conrad Grebel University College,
140 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo. 519-8850220 x24226. Free.
●● 7:00: Kaleid Choral Festival. A Kaleidoscope of Voices with Rajaton. Finnish a cappella group Rajaton with more than 300 high
school students from the Kitchener/Waterloo Region. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church,
49 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-584-5757.
$25. Also Mar 3.
Music in the Afternoon
Wednesday April 6
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Vocalis Master’s/DMA Series. Emmanuel College Chapel, 75 Queen’s Park Cr. E. 416408-0208. Free.
●● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. gamUT Contemporary Music Ensemble. Wallace Halladay, director. Walter Hall,
Edward Johnson Building, University of
Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208.
Free.
●● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Beethoven: Piano Concerto 4. Agócs: Perpetual Summer; Beethoven: Piano Concerto
No.4; Sibelius: Symphony No.1. Francesco Piemontesi, piano; Thomas Søndergård, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St.
416-598-3375. $33.75-$148. Also Apr 8(7:30).
●● 8:00: Toy Piano Composers. TPC Curiosity
Festival: Playback. Nancy Tam, curator. Canadian Music Centre, 20 St. Joseph St. 647829-4213. $30(festival pass). Festival runs
until Apr 9.
thewholenote.com
STEVEN DANN, viola
and friends
Thursday
Thursday March 3
April 7, 1.30 p.m.
●● 12:00 noon: University of Guelph Col-
Tickets $45
416-923-7052
www.wmct.on.ca
lege of Arts. Thursday At Noon: Ribbon
of Extremes with Philippe Hode-Keyser.
Drums and electronics. Goldschmidt Room,
107 MacKinnon Bldg., 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph.
519-824-4120 x52991. Free.
●● 7:00: Kaleid Choral Festival. A Kaleidoscope of Voices with Rajaton. Finnish a cappella group Rajaton with more than 300
high school students from the Kitchener/
●● 7:00: Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.
Tsumugu. Amami Island folk songs, Tsugaru
shamisen, taiko drumming. Anna Sato, vocals;
Chie Hanawa, Tsugaru shamisen; Keita
Kanazashi, taiko drum and Japanese flute.
6 Garamond Ct. 416-441-2345. $30; $25(JCCC
members).
Waterloo Region. St. Peter’s Lutheran
Church, 49 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-5845757. $25. Also Mar 2.
●● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. Marie-Josée Lord and Quartango:
Tangopéra. 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722. $52.
Friday March 4
●● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Fri-
days @ 12:30 Concert Series. Works by
Brahms, Martinů and others. Sharon Wei,
viola; Stephan Sylvestre, piano. Von Kuster
Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767.
Free.
●● 1:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Voice
Fridays: Canadian Composers of Song. Patricia Green. Talbot College, University of Western Ontario, Room 100, 1151 Richmond St. N.,
London. 519-661-3767. Free.
●● 3:00: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine
and Performing Arts. Music Ed Plus Vocal &
Woodwind Chamber Ensemble. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre lobby, 250 St. Paul
St., St. Catharines. 905-688-5550. Free.
●● 7:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Ensemble Series: Soundstreams Canada. MacMillan: Seven Last
Words From the Cross; Schafer: The Fall into
Light (selections); Nystedt: Immortal Bach.
Soundstreams Canada’s Choir 21; Virtuoso
String Orchestra. Guest: Sir James MacMillan, conductor. 390 King St. W., Kingston.
613-533-2424. $27 and up; $13.50 and up(st);
$22 and up(faculty/staff).
●● 8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Jeremy Bell, Violin; Shoshana
Telner, Piano. Grieg: Violin Sonata No.1;
Beethoven: Sonata No.7 in c Op.30 No.2; Robert Ward: Lamentation and Scherzo; Alkan:
Le Festin d’Aesop. KWCMS Music Room,
57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673.
$30; $20(st).
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 43
B. Concerts Beyond the GTA
Saturday March 5
●● 1:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Lon-
don Music Scholarship Foundation Competition, Second and Final Round. Von Kuster
Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767.
Free. Also 8:00.
●● 2:00: Kawartha Concerts. Little Big Frog.
Masks, puppetry, poetry, music and dance.
Faustwork Mask Theatre. Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, 140 Charlotte St., Peterborough. 705-878-5625. $15; $5(youth/child).
Also Apr 3(Lindsay).
●● 7:00: Ryerson Community Concert Series. Concert Classics: Solo Piano Music with
Alexei Gulenco. Alexei Gulenco, piano; Hamilton Choir Project. Ryerson United Church,
265 Wilson St. E., Ancaster. 905-648-2731.
Admission by donation ($20 suggested).
●● 7:30: Cellar Singers. Light Perpetual
2. Duruflé: Requiem and Motets. Jennifer
Enns Modolo, mezzo; Matthew Cassils, baritone; Children’s Community Choir of Midland;
Mitchell Pady, conductor. St. James’ Anglican
Church (Orillia), 58 Peter St. N., Orillia. 705481-1853. $25; $10(st).
●● 7:30: Chorus Niagara. Eternity: Bach Mass
in B Minor. Featuring 27 dialogue-free short
films created to mirror the 27-part musical
structure of Bach’s work. Bastian Clevé:
Sound of Eternity (film; Canadian premiere).
Jennifer Krabbe, soprano; Anita Krause,
mezzo; Charles Sy, tenor; Geoffrey Sirett,
baritone; Chorus Niagara; Orpheus Choir;
Talisker Players. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722. $40; $38(sr); $25(under 30);
$15(st); $12(child). 6:30: Pre-concert chat.
Also Mar 6 (Toronto).
●● 8:00: DaCapo Chamber Choir. Blow, Blow,
Thou Winter Wind. An all-Shakespeare choral
concert. Archer: In Sweet Music (world premiere); Shearing: Songs and Sonnets by
Shakespeare; Chatman: Blow, Blow Thou
Winter Wind; Freedman: Songs from Shakespeare; Mäntyjärvi: Four Shakespeare Songs.
Catherine Robertson, piano; Greg Prior,
double bass. St. John the Evangelist Anglican
Church, 23 Water St. N., Kitchener. 519-7257549. $25; $20(sr); $15(st); $5(child/eyeGO).
Also March 6 (mat).
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. London Music Scholarship Foundation Competition, Second and Final Round. Von Kuster
Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767.
Free. Also 1:00.
Sunday March 6
●● 2:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Trad-
itions. Western University Jazz Ensemble.
Mocha Shrine Centre, 468 Colborne St., London. 519-661-3767. Free.
●● 2:00: McMaster School of the Arts.
Ensemble Concerts Series. Flute Ensemble.
Convocation Hall, UH213, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton. 905-5259140 x27671. Free.
●● 2:00: University of Guelph College of Arts.
Young At Heart. University of Guelph Choirs;
Eramosa Children’s Choir; Marta McCarthy,
conductor. Harcourt Memorial United
Church, 87 Dean St., Guelph. 519-824-4120
x52991. $15; $10(sr/st).
●● 2:30: Kingston Symphony. Rosauro and
44 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
Thursday March 10
Mendelssohn. Boccherini: Cello Concerto;
Mendelssohn: Konzertstück No.2 for Two
Clarinets; Symphony No.4; Hétu: Bassoon
Concerto; Rosauro: Marimba Concerto. Wolf
Tormann, cello; Gordon Craig, clarinet; Linda
Craig, clarinet; Ben Glossop, bassoon; Evan
Mitchell, marimba; Glen Fast, conductor. Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts,
390 King St. W., Kingston. 613-530-2050.
$20-$50.
●● 3:00: DaCapo Chamber Choir. Blow, Blow,
Thou Winter Wind. An all-Shakespeare choral
concert. Archer: In Sweet Music (world premiere); Shearing: Songs and Sonnets by
Shakespeare; Chatman: Blow, Blow Thou
Winter Wind; Freedman: Songs from Shakespeare; Mäntyjärvi: Four Shakespeare Songs.
Catherine Robertson, piano; Greg Prior,
double bass. St. John’s Lutheran Church,
22 Willow St., Waterloo. 519-725-7549. $25;
$20(sr); $15(st); $5(child/eyeGO). Also March
5 (eve).
●● 3:00: Grand Philharmonic Chamber
Choir. Sawatsky Visiting Scholar: The Music
of James MacMillan. MacMillan: Seven Last
Words from the Cross; Schafer: The Fall into
Light (selections); Nystedt: Immortal Bach.
Soundstreams Canada’s Choir 21; University of Waterloo Chamber Choir; Grand Philharmonic Choir; Virtuoso String Orchestra.
Guest: Sir James MacMillan, conductor. St.
Peter’s Lutheran Church, 49 Queen St. N.,
Kitchener. 519-578-6885. $30; $14(university/college st and under 30); $5(high school
st and younger).
●● 3:00: John Laing Singers. Resplendent
and Romantic. Featuring music for choir
and virtuoso piano. Works by Beethoven,
Buhr, Brahms, Berg, Rossini, Schubert and
Whitacre. Guest: Paul Thorlaksen, piano. St.
Paul’s United Church (Dundas), 29 Park St. W.,
Dundas. 905-628-5238. $25; $20(sr); $5(st);
free(child).
●● 3:00: University of Waterloo Department
of Music. Sawatsky Visiting Scholar: Music of
Sir James MacMillan. Choir 21; UW Chamber
Choir; Grand Philharmonic Choir. St. Peter’s
Lutheran Church, 49 Queen St. N., Kitchener.
519-885-0220 x24226. $30; $14(st/under30);
$5(youth/child).
●● 8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Heidi Wall, piano. Bach: Prelude and Fugue from Bk.1 No.21 in b-flat; Liszt:
Transcendental Etudes Nos.11 and 12; Haydn:
Sonata No.52 in E-flat Hob.XVI:52; Alexander
Stankovski: Traumprotokoll. KWCMS Music
Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-8861673. By donation. Fundraising concert (tax
receipts over $20).
●● 12:00 noon: University of Guelph College
of Arts. Thursday At Noon: Jason Wilson and
The Perennials. Global roots project incorporating the reggae canon, Scottish and English folk revival and NYC bebop. Goldschmidt
Room, 107 MacKinnon Bldg., 50 Stone Rd. E.,
Guelph. 519-824-4120 x52991. Free.
●● 2:00: Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts. Celtic Nights. Celebration of
Irish independence with Spirit of Freedom,
marking the centennial of the Easter Rising of
1916. Theatrical production featuring music
and dance. Pat Macelwain, director; Claire
Crehan, music director; Richard Griffin, choreographer. 88 Dalhousie St., Brantford. 519758-8090. $52; $20(uGO); $5(eyeGO).
●● 7:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western Performs! Concert Series Finale: Oikos.
Collaborations with multiple faculties at
Western, emphasizing the theme Oikos
(Greek for “home”). Atrium, International and
Graduate Affairs Building, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-6613767. Free.
●● 7:30: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.
Celebrate a Rising Star. Works by Beethoven,
Brahms, Weber, Schubert and Martin. Mason
Pomeroy, flute; Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser,
conductor. Conrad Centre for the Performing
Arts, 36 King St. W., Kitchener. 519-745-4711.
$45; $10(st).
●● 7:30: Perimeter Institute. Classical World
Artists Series. Strauss: Sonata in F Op.6; Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Mvt. 5:
Louange à l’éternité de Jésus); Albéniz: Suite
espagnole Op.47 for piano; Glazunov: Song of
a Minstrel; Chopin: Sonata in g Op.65. David
Finckel, cello; Wu Han, piano. Mike Lazaridis Theatre of Ideas, Perimeter Institute,
31 Caroline St. N., Waterloo. 519-883-4480.
$83; $55(st). Valid ID needed for student rate.
Friday March 11
●● 3:00: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and
Performing Arts, Brock University. Music
Ed Plus Vocal & Woodwind Chamber Ensemble. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
lobby, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905688-5550. Free.
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music.
Scenes from Opera and Musical Theatre. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519661-3767. $15; $10(sr/st). Also Mar 12.
●● 8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Möller-Fraticelli Guitar Duo.
Three Argentinian tangos; Mertz: three duos;
Wassrfahrt am Traunsee; Tarantella; Möller:
Five Chinese Impressions; Shenandoah Fantasy; Night Flame; Möller-Fraticelli: RASALILA. KWCMS Music Room, 57 Young St. W.,
Waterloo. 519-886-1673. $30; $20(st).
●● 8:00: NUMUS. Quasar Saxophone Quartet. Jean-François Laporte: Incantation for 4
trompe-sac; Wolf Edwards: Predator Drone
for saxophone quartet and electronics; André
Hamel: Brumes matinales textures urbaines
for saxophone quartet and electronics; Pierre
Alexandre Tremblay: Les pâleurs de la lune
for saxophone quartet and electronics; Alexander Schubert: Hello for saxophone quartet
and electronics. Presented with video. Registry Theatre, 122 Frederick St., Kitchener. 519896-3662. $30; $20(sr/arts); $10(st).
●● 8:30: Amanda Tosoff. Words CD Release.
Wednesday March 9
●● 12:30: University of Waterloo Department
of Music. Noon Hour Concert: Stealth in Concert. Kathryn Ladano, bass clarinet; Richard
Burrows, percussion. Conrad Grebel University College, 140 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo.
519-885-0220 x24226. Free.
●● 2:30: Seniors Serenade. Patricia Wait with
York University Music Students. Grace United
Church (Barrie), 350 Grove St. E., Barrie.
705-726-1181. Free. 3:30: tea and cookies $5.
●● 7:00: Guitar Hamilton. Johannes
Möller and Laura Fraticelli Classical Guitar Duo. Church of St. John the Evangelist,
320 Charlton Ave. W., Hamilton. 905-8074792. $15-$25.
Amanda Tosoff, piano; Felicity Williams,
vocals; Alex Goodman, guitar; Jon Maharaj,
bass; Morgan Childs, drums; and others. Jazz
Room, Huether Hotel, 59 King St N., Waterloo. 519-886-3350. $20; $10(under 30). Also
Mar 10(Toronto).
Saturday March 12
●● 7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic Orches-
tra. Cirque de la Symphonie. Circus acts performed to classical music. Gemma New,
conductor. Hamilton Place, 10 MacNab St. S.,
Hamilton. 905-526-7756. $10-$67.
●● 7:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Autorickshaw: Bollywood and
Beyond. 390 King St. W., Kingston. 613-5302050. $29; $24(faculty/staff); $15(st).
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music.
Scenes from Opera & Musical Theatre. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519661-3767. $15; $10(sr/st). Also Mar 11.
Sunday March 13
●● 2:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Per-
forming Arts. A Magical Night Featuring Violin, Viola and Piano. Works by Schumann,
Piazzolla and others. Gisèle Dalbec-Szcsesniak, violin; Eileen Beaudette, viola; Michel
Szcsesniak, piano. 390 King St. W., Kingston.
613-530-2050. $10-$30.
●● 2:30: Orchestra Kingston. Masterworks
for Orchestra. Works by John Williams, J.
Strauss and Dvořák; new works by John
Palmer and Daniel McConnachie. Salvation
Army Citadel, 816 Centennial Dr., Kingston.
613-634-9312. $20-$25.
●● 3:00: McMaster School of the Arts.
Ensemble Concerts Series. Chamber Orchestra. Convocation Hall, UH213, McMaster
University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton. 905525-9140 x27671. Free.
●● 8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Katie Schlaikjer and Patricio Andrés Gutiérrez Vielma, Cellos. Kodály:
Sonata for solo cello Op.7; Bach: Suite No.4 for
solo cello; works by Barriere and Boismortier
for two cellos. KWCMS Music Room, 57 Young
St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673. By donation.
Tax receipts for $20 and up.
Monday March 14
●● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music.
Contemporary Music Studio. Von Kuster
Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767.
Free.
Tuesday March 15
●● 12:00 noon: Marilyn I. Walker School of
Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University. RBC Foundation: Music@Noon. Instrumental Students. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St.
Catharines. 905-688-5550. Free.
●● 7:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Ensemble Series: House of
Dreams. Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra;
Jeanne Lamon, conductor; Alison Mackay,
creator; Marshall Pynkoski, stage director.
390 King St. W., Kingston. 613-530-2050.
From $13.50.
Wednesday March 16
●● 12:00 noon: Music at St. Andrews. Noon-
time Recital: Organist Jeffrey Moellman
with Jonathan, Clara and Paul Moellman.
thewholenote.com
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (Barrie), 47 Owen St., Barrie. 705-726-1181. $5;
free(st).
Thursday March 17
●● 12:00 noon: University of Guelph Col-
lege of Arts. Thursday At Noon: McMaster
Trio. A recital tracing the evolution of the
piano trio, from Haydn to Canadian composer
Kelly-Marie Murphy. Goldschmidt Room,
107 MacKinnon Bldg., 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph.
519-824-4120 x52991. Free.
Friday March 18
●● 12:00 noon: Marilyn I. Walker School of
Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University.
Brock University Wind Ensemble in Market
Square. Brock students and community volunteers perform. Zoltan Kalman, conductor.
Market Square (St. Catharines), 91 King St.,
St. Catharines. 905-688-0722. Free.
●● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Fridays @ 12:30: Andrew Aarons, piano. Von
Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-6613767. Free.
●● 12:30: University of Waterloo Department
of Music. Noon Hour Concert: Haydn String
Quartet. Attacca Quartet. Conrad Grebel University College, 140 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo. 519-885-0220 x24226. Free.
●● 7:30: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine
and Performing Arts, Brock University.
ENCORE! Professional Concert Series: Beverley Johnston, percussion and Marc Djokic,
violin. Partridge Hall, First Ontario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St.
Catharines. 905-688-0722. $29; $23(sr/st);
$5(eyeGo).
●● 7:30: Queen’s University School of Music.
Queen’s Symphony and Choral Ensemble. Schubert: Mass in C D462; other works.
Queen’s Symphony; Queen’s Choral Ensemble; Perth Choir. Grant Hall, 43 University Ave,
Kingston. 613-530-2050. $10-$30.
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western University Jazz Ensemble: Honours. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519661-3767. Free.
●● 8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society. Haydn Quartets, Final
Weekend, Concert No. 21. Haydn: Quartets
Op.17 No.1; Op.54 No.3; Op.77 No.1. Attacca
String Quartet. KWCMS Music Room,
57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673.
$35; $20(st).
●● 8:00: McMaster School of the Arts.
Valérie Milot, harp and Antoine Bareil, violin.
Convocation Hall, UH213, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton. 905-5259140 x27038. $20; $15(sr); $5(st).
Hamilton. Sonoluminescence Trio and Dave
Gould. Art Gallery of Hamilton, 123 King St. W.,
Hamilton. 905-525-7429. $15.
●● 2:30: Kingston Symphony. Beethoven:
Symphony No. 9. Tracy Cantin, soprano;
Emma Parkinson, mezzo; Ernesto Ramirez,
tenor; Geoffrey Penar, baritone; Evan Mitchell,
conductor. Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, 390 King St. W., Kingston. 613530-2050. $20-$50. Also Mar 19 (eve).
●● 3:00: Amaranth Chamber Choir. St. John
Passion. Chilcott: St. John Passion. Amaranth
Chamber Choir, Brandon Leis, John Dodington, Robert Hall, soloists; Keiko Yoden-Kuepfer, organ; and others. All Saints’ Anglican
Church (Collingwood), 32 Elgin St., Collingwood. 705-445-3841. $15. Also Mar 19
(Orangeville) and Mar 20 (7:30) in Alliston.
●● 3:00: McMaster School of the Arts.
Ensemble Concerts Series. McMaster
Women’s Choir and Chamber Choir. Christ
Church Cathedral, 252 James St. N., Hamilton. 905-525-9140 x27671. Free.
●● 3:00: McMaster School of the Arts.
Ensemble Concerts Series. Concert Band.
Convocation Hall, UH213, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton. 905-5259140 x27671. Free.
●● 3:00: University of Guelph Choirs/Guelph
Symphony Orchestra. Mozart’s Requiem at
The Basilica. Marta McCarthy, conductor.
Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate, 25 Norfolk
St., Guelph. 519-763-3000. $25; $17(under
30); $10(child); $5(eyeGO).
●● 4:00: Folk Under the Clock. Amelia Curran: Song on the Radio. Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, 140 Charlotte St.,
Peterborough. 705-749-1146. $35; $25(st).
●● 4:30: St. Thomas' Anglican Church (Belleville). Intemporal Choral Easter Festival. Service, anthems and hymns for Easter; audience
sing-a-long. St. Thomas' Choir. 201 Church
St., Belleville. 613-962-3636. Freewill offering. Reception to follow.
●● 7:30: Amaranth Chamber Choir. St. John
Passion. Chilcott: St. John Passion. Amaranth
Chamber Choir, Brandon Leis, John Dodington, Robert Hall, soloists; Keiko Yoden-Kuepfer, organ; and others. St. John’s United
Church (Alliston), 56 Victoria St. E., Alliston.
705-434-1846. $15. Also Mar 19 (Orangeville)
and Mar 20 (3:00) (Collingwood).
●● 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. NorthAtlantic Drift. North-Atlantic Drift: Dan
Saturday March 19
●● 2:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Cham-
ber Music Society. Haydn Quartets, Final
Weekend, Concert No.22. Haydn: Quartets Op.20 No.6; Op.33 No.6; Op.76 No.5.
Attacca String Quartet. KWCMS Music Room,
57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673.
$35; $20(st).
●● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. Haydn Quartets, Final Weekend,
Concert No. 23. Haydn: Seven Last Words of
Christ on the Cross. Attacca String Quartet.
St. Matthews Lutheran Church, 54 Benton St.,
Kitchener. 519-886-1673. $20.
●● 7:30: Amaranth Chamber Choir. St. John
Passion. Chilcott: St. John Passion. Amaranth
Chamber Choir, Brandon Leis, John Dodington, Robert Hall, soloists; Keiko Yoden-Kuepfer, organ; and others. Westminster United
Church (Orangeville), 247 Broadway Ave.,
Orangeville. 519-925-6149. $15. Also Mar 20
(Alliston) and Mar 20 (7:30) (Collingwood).
●● 7:30: Kingston Symphony. Beethoven:
Symphony No. 9. Tracy Cantin, soprano;
Emma Parkinson, mezzo; Ernesto Ramirez,
tenor; Geoffrey Penar, baritone; Evan Mitchell,
conductor. Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, 390 King St. W., Kingston. 613530-2050. $20-$50. Also Mar 20 (mat).
●● 8:00: Jeffery Concerts. Toronto Symphony Orchestra Chamber Soloists. Nora
Shulman, flute; Teng Li, viola; Jonathan Crow,
violin; Heidi Van Hoesen Gorton, harp; Joseph
Johnson, cello. Wolf Performance Hall,
251 Dundas St., London. 519-672-8800. $35;
$30(sr); $15(st).
Sunday March 20
●● 2:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Haydn Quartets, Final Concert. Haydn: Op.1 No.1; Op.103; audience
choice piece. Attacca String Quartet. KWCMS
Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519886-1673. $50; $30(st).
●● 2:00: Zula Music & Arts Collective
MacDonald, Ross Griffiths, Brian Taheny.
Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., London. 519473-2099. $18/$15(adv).
Monday March 21
●● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Per-
cussion Ensemble. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767.
Free. Also 8:00.
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Percussion Ensemble. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767.
Free. Also 12:30.
Tuesday March 22
●● 12:00 noon: Marilyn I. Walker School of
Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University.
RBC Foundation: Music@Noon. Voice Students. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-5550. Free.
●● 12:30: McMaster School of the Arts.
Lunchtime Concert Series. Drew Henderson,
guitar. Convocation Hall, UH213, McMaster
University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton. 905525-9140 x27671. Free.
●● 12:30: McMaster School of the Arts. Drew
Henderson, Guitar. Convocation Hall, UH213,
McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton. 905-525-9140 x27038. $20; $15(sr);
$5(st).
●● 7:30: Queen’s University School of Music.
Queen’s Jazz Ensemble. Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, 390 King St. W.,
Kingston. 613-530-2050. $15; $7(sr/st).
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Student Composers Chamber Music Concert.
Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519661-3767. Free.
Wednesday March 23
●● 12:30: University of Waterloo Depart-
ment of Music. Noon Hour Concert: Immortal Beloved. Colin Ainsworth, tenor; William
Aide, piano. Conrad Grebel University College,
140 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo. 519-8850220 x24226. Free.
●● 7:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Aldo López-Gavilán. Jazz
piano. 390 King St. W., Kingston. 613-5302050. $20/$15(adv)/$12(adv st). Portion of
Ask LUDWIG
Georgian
Bay
Lake
Huron
8
7
6
If you prefer NOT to read through this whole section looking for
your Town or for Chamber Music or NUMUS or Boismortier
or Quartango or Zone 5 then don't.
2
1 City of Toronto
Lake Ontario
5
Lake Erie
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3 4
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 45
B. Concerts Beyond the GTA
proceeds in support of Cuban and Canadian
student exchange.
Thursday March 24
●● 12:00 noon: University of Guelph College
of Arts. Thursday At Noon: Student Soloist Day. Goldschmidt Room, 107 MacKinnon
Bldg., 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph. 519-824-4120
x52991. Free.
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Les
Choristes and Chorale Choirs: Full Circle. Von
x52991. Price TBA.
●● 7:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Joie-de-Vivre-Brazileiro!
Bombolessé. 390 King St. W., Kingston. 613530-2050. $29; $24(faculty/staff); $15(st).
●● 7:30: Oriana Singers of Northumberland. Operetta 101. Works by Lehar, Bernstein, Sondheim, and Gilbert & Sullivan.
Virginia Hatfield, vocals. Trinity United Church
(Cobourg), 284 Division St., Cobourg. 613392-7423. $25; $22(sr); $10(st).
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Symphony Orchestra. Featuring the winner of
2015 Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition. Danbee Ko, piano. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767.
Free.
●● 8:00: Public Energy. Dollhouse. Coleman. Bill Coleman, dancer; Gordon Monahan,
sound design/stage design; David Gaucher,
set design; Pierre Lavoie, lighting. Market Hall
Performing Arts Centre, 140 Charlotte St.,
Peterborough. 705-745-1788. $17-$24.
Hall, First Ontario Performing Arts Centre,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-6880722. $8; $5(eyeGO); free(current students
with ID).
Wednesday March 30
●● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Cen-
tre. Cameron Carpenter, Organ. Traditional
and non-traditional works. 250 St. Paul St.,
St. Catharines. 905-688-0722. $55.
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Symphonic Band: Folk and Fantasia. Works by
Giannini, Grainger, Suchan and Dello Joio.
Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London.
519-661-3767. Free.
●● 8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Martin Söderberg, Piano.
Soler: three sonatas in D, F-sharp and g;
Albeniz: Cadiz; Mallorca; Cordoba; Granados:
Spanish Dance No.5; Allegro de Concierto;
Mompou: Song and Dance No.5; Infante: Variations on El Vito; and other works. KWCMS
Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519886-1673. $30; $20(st).
Sunday April 3
●● 2:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Sym-
Thursday March 31
phony Orchestra. Featuring a finalist of
2015 Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition. Rachelle Li, violin. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767.
Free.
●● 2:00: Kawartha Concerts. Little Big Frog.
Masks, puppetry, poetry, music and dance.
Faustwork Mask Theatre. Glenn Crombie
Theatre, Fleming College, 200 Albert Street
S., Lindsay. 705-878-5625. $15; $5(youth/
child). Also Mar 5(Peterborough).
●● 2:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Not Your Grandma’s Organist. Works by Bach, Chopin, Shostakovich
and Carpenter. Cameron Carpenter, organ.
●● 12:00 noon: University of Guelph College
MARCH 30
CAMERON CARPENTER
FirstOntarioPAC.ca | St. Catharines
Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-6613767. Free.
●● 8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Rachel Mercer, Cello; Angela
Park, Piano. Complete music of Mendelssohn
for cello & piano. Mendelssohn: two sonatas;
several short pieces. KWCMS Music Room,
57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673.
$30; $20(st).
Friday March 25
●● 7:30: Grand Philharmonic Chamber Choir.
Bach: Mass in B Minor. Carla Huhtanen, soprano; Allyson McHardy, mezzo; Colin Ainsworth, tenor; James Westman, baritone;
Grand Philharmonic Choir; Kitchener Waterloo Symphony; Mark Vuorinen, conductor.
Centre in the Square, 101 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-1570. From $25.
Monday March 28
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Early
Music Studio. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767. Free.
Tuesday March 29
●● 12:00 noon: Marilyn I. Walker School of
Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University. RBC Foundation: Music@Noon. Piano
& Guitar Students. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St.
Catharines. 905-688-5550. Free.
●● 7:30: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and
Performing Arts, Brock University. University Wind Ensemble. University and high
school students join the Niagara musical
community to perform original and arranged
works. Zoltan Kalman, conductor. Partridge
46 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
of Arts. Thursday At Noon: Student Soloist Day. Goldschmidt Room, 107 MacKinnon
Bldg., 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph. 519-824-4120
x52991. Free.
●● 7:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Queen’s Wind Ensemble.
390 King St. W., Kingston. 613-530-2050. $15;
$7(sr/st).
●● 8:00: Zula Music & Arts Collective Hamilton. Michael Vlatkovich Quartet. Michael
Vlatkovich Quartet (Michael Vlatkovich,
trombone/percussion; David Mott, baritone
saxophone; Jonathan Golove, electric cello;
Christopher Garcia, drums/percussion);
Guests: Ken Aldcroft, guitar; Mike Gennaro,
drums. Workers Arts and Heritage Centre,
51 Stuart St., Hamilton. 905-522-3003. $15.
390 King St. W., Kingston. 613-530-2050.
From $13.50.
●● 3:00: University of Guelph College of Arts.
Chamber Music Recital. University of Guelph
Chamber Ensembles; Henry Janzen, conductor. Goldschmidt Room, 107 MacKinnon
Bldg., 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph. 519-824-4120
x52991. Free; donations welcome.
Monday April 4
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Con-
temporary Music Studio Concert. Von
Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-6613767. Free.
Tuesday April 5
●● 6:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Elec-
troacoustic Music: Student Composers Concert. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767. Free.
●● 7:00: McMaster School of the Arts.
Ensemble Concerts Series. Percussion
Ensemble. Robinson Memorial Theatre,
McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W.,
Hamilton. 905-525-9140 x27671. Free.
Wednesday April 6
●● 8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Pierre Beaudre, Classical
Guitar. Works by Rodrigo, Brouwer, VillaLobos and Domeniconi. KWCMS Music Room,
57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673.
$30; $20(st).
Thursday April 7
●● 7:00: University of Guelph College of
Arts. Jazz Concert. University of Guelph Jazz
Ensemble; Ted Warren, conductor. Manhattan’s Pizza Bistro and Music Club, 951 Gordon
St., Guelph. 519-824-4120 x52991. $2 cover or
donation at the door.
C. Music Theatre
MUSIC THEATRE covers a wide range of music types: from opera,
operetta and musicals to non-traditional performance types where
words and music are in some fashion equal partners in the drama.
These listings are sorted alphabetically BY PRESENTER. This section
is still in development. We welcome your comments and suggestions
to [email protected].
Friday April 1
●● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. West-
ern University Singers: Jubliant Song. Von
Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-6613767. Free.
●● 7:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. St.
Cecilia Singers in Concert with McMaster
Women’s Chorus: Voices In Splendour. St.
Peter’s Cathedral Basilica, 196 Dufferin Ave.,
London. 519-661-3767. Free.
●● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Wind
Ensemble Concert: I Pity the Fool. Bernstein:
Overture to Candide; H.O. Reed: La Fiesta
Mexicana; and other works. Paul Davenport
Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767.
Free.
●● 8:00: University of Guelph College of
Arts. Emotion and Commotion. University of Guelph Concert Winds; John Goddard, conductor. Guelph Youth Music Centre,
75 Cardigan St., Guelph. 519-824-4120
x52991. $10; $5(sr/st).
●●Brampton Music Theatre. Jesus Christ
Superstar. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber,
lyrics by Tim Rice. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre
Lane, Brampton. 905-874-2800. $35, $28(sr/
st), $22(children). Opens Mar 31, 7:30pm.
Runs to April 9. Days and times vary. Visit
bramptonmusictheatre.com for details.
●●Canada’s Ballet Jörgen. Sleeping Beauty.
Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Oakville
Centre for the Performing Arts, 130 Navy
St, Oakville. 1-888-489-7784. $35. Mar 18,
2:00pm and 7:00pm.
●●Canada’s Ballet Jörgen. Sleeping Beauty.
Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St. 1-888-6559090. $34-$80. Opens Mar 24, 7:30pm. Runs
to Mar 27. Days and times vary. Visit balletjorgencanada.ca for details.
●●Canadian Opera Company. Carmen. Music
by Georges Bizet. Joel Ivany, stage director;
Paolo Cariganini, conductor. Opens Apr 12.
7:30pm. Runs to May 15. Days and times vary.
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
Saturday April 2
●● 1:30: University of Guelph College of Arts.
Conducting Masterclass Concert. University
of Guelph Choirs. Harcourt Memorial United
Church, 87 Dean St., Guelph. 519-824-4120
CARMEN
Bizet
APRIL 12
to MAY 15
coc.ca
thewholenote.com
145 Queen St. W. $50-$435. 416-363-8231.
Visit coc.ca for details.
MAOMETTO II
Rossini
APRIL 29
29
APRIL
to MAY
MAY 14
14
to
coc.ca
●●Canadian Opera Company. Maometto II.
Music by Gioachino Rossini. David Alden,
stage director; Harry Bicket, conductor.
Opens April 29. 7:30pm. Runs to May 14. Days
and times vary. Four Seasons Centre for the
Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. $50-$435.
416-363-8231. Visit coc.ca for details.
●●Canadian Opera Company. Vocal Series: Opera Interactive. Interactive concert of
arias and sing-along choruses. Young artists
of the COC Ensemble Studio; Kyra Millan, soprano and opera educator. Richard Bradshaw
Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the
Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-3638231. Free. Mar 15, 12:00pm. Late seating is
not available.
●●Canadian Stage. Torobaka. New dance
work mixing Indian kathak and Spanish flamenco. Akram Khan and Israel Galván, creators and performers. Bluma Appel Theatre,
27 Front St. E. 416-368-3110. $69-99. Opens
Mar 9, 8:00pm. Runs to Mar 12 (Mar 11
7:00pm).
●●City Centre Musical Productions. Jekyll
and Hyde. Music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics
by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse, book
by Leslie Bricusse. Meadowvale Theatre,
6315 Montevideo Rd, Mississauga. 905-6154720. $26.50; $24.50(sr/st). Opens Mar 11,
8:00pm. Runs to Mar 20. Days and times vary.
Visit ccmpmusic.com for details.
●●Civic Light Opera Company. Two by Two.
Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Martin Charnin, book by Peter Stone. Joe Cascone, director/designer. Zion Cultural Centre,
1650 Finch Ave. E. 416-755-1717. $28. Opens
April 6, 7:00pm. Runs to April 17. Days and
times vary. Visit civiclightoperacompany.com
for details.
●●FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Marie-Josée Lord and Quartango: Tangopéra. Featuring classics of opera, Bizet to
Piazzolla. 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722. $52. Mar 3, 7:30pm.
●●Lower Ossington Theatre. Avenue Q. Music
and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx,
book by Jeff Whitty. Seanna Kennedy, stage
director. The Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A
Ossington Ave. 416-915-6747. $49.99-$59.99.
Opens Mar 10, 7:30pm. Runs to April 3. Days
thewholenote.com
Boudreau, soprano; Julius Fulop, bass. Jubilee United Church, 40 Underhill Dr. 416-4814867. $25; $22(sr); $15(st); free(children
under 14). Opens Mar 4, 8:00pm. Runs to
Mar 13. Days and times vary. Visit northtorontoplayers.com for details.
and times vary. Visit lowerossingtontheatre.
com for details.
●●Lower Ossington Theatre. Disney’s
The Little Mermaid: A Broadway Musical.
Music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard
Ashman and Glenn Slater, book by Doug
Wright. Alan Kinsella, stage director. Randolph Theatre, 736 Bathurst St. 416-9156747. $39.99-$69.99. Opens April 2, 12:00pm.
Sat 12:00/3:30pm; Sun 12:00/3:30pm to
April 24.
●●Mirvish. Kinky Boots. Music and lyrics by
Cyndi Lauper, book by Harvey Fierstein. Jerry
Mitchell, stage director and choreographer.
Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St.W. 416872-1212. $35-$130. Ongoing. Tues-Sat(8pm),
Wed/Sat/Sun(2pm).
●●Mirvish. Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles. Music and lyrics by John Lennon, Paul
McCartney and George Harrison. Princess
of Wales Theatre, 300 King St.W. 416-8721212. $32-$119. Opens Mar 15, 8:00pm. Runs
to Mar 20. Times vary. Visit mirvish.com for
details.
●●National Ballet of Canada. La Sylphide.
Music by Herman Severin Løvenskjold. Johan
Kobborg, choreographer. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St.
W. 416-345-9595. $55-$235. Opens Mar 2,
7:30pm. Runs to Mar 6. Times vary. Visit
national.ballet.ca for details.
●●National Ballet of Canada. Cacti & Rubies
& The Four Temperaments. Music by Joseph
Haydn, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Andy Stein and Gustav Mahler. Alexander Ekman, choreographer. Four Seasons
Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen
St. W. 416-345-9595. $55-$235. Opens Mar 9,
7:30pm. Runs to Mar 13. Times vary. Visit
national.ballet.ca for details.
●●National Ballet of Canada. Romeo and
Juliet. Music by Sergei Prokofiev. Alexei Ratmansky, choreographer. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St.
W. 416-345-9595. $68-$265. Opens Mar 16,
7:30pm. Runs to Mar 20. Times vary. Visit
April 7 - 16, 2016
Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge St.
OPER A ATELIER.COM
DON’T MISS
TORONTO’S OPER A
EVENT OF THE SEASON!
●●Opera Atelier. Lucio Silla. Music by Wolf-
gang Amadeus Mozart, libretto by Giovanni de
Gamerra. Kresimir Spicer (Lucio); Inga Kalna
(Cinna); Mireille Asselin (Celia); Peggy Kriha
Dye (Cecillio); Meghan Lindsay (Giunia); Marshall Pynkoski, director; Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, choreographer; Artists of Atelier
Ballet; Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra; David
Fallis, conductor. Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge
St. 1-855-622-2787. $38-$181; $15(under 30).
Opens April 7, 7:30pm. Runs to April 16. Days
and times vary. Visit operaatelier.com for
details.
●●Opera by Request. La Traviata. Music by
Giuseppe Verdi, libretto by Francesco Maria
Piave. Allison Arends, soprano (Violetta);
Ryan Harper, tenor (Alfredo); Andrew Tees,
baritone (Germont); soloists and chorus of
U of T Scarborough Concert Choir (Lenard
Whiting, conductor); William Shookhoff, conductor and piano. Trinity Presbyterian Church
York Mills, 2737 Bayview Ave. 416-455-2365.
$20. Mar 4, 7:30pm.
●●Opera by Request. Così fan tutte. Music by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, libretto by Lorenzo
Da Ponte. Ontario Opera Collaborative; Morgan Strickland, soprano (Fiordiligi); Heidi Jost,
mezzo (Dorabella); Jeffrey Boyd, tenor (Ferrando); Kyle Merrithew, baritone (Guglielmo);
Misty Banyard, soprano (Despina); Norman
Brown, baritone (Don Alfonso); Frederic La
Croix, conductor and piano. College Street
United Church, 452 College St. 416-455-2365.
$20. Mar 5, 7:30pm.
●●Opera by Request. Weber’s Abu Hassan and Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle. Music
by Carl Maria von Weber and Béla Bartók,
libretti by Franz Carl Hiemer and Béla Balázs.
Henry Irwin, baritone (Abu Hassan); Michele
Danese, soprano (Fatima); Steven Henrikson,
baritone (Omar); Deena Nicklefork, soprano
(Judith); Larry Tozer, baritone (Bluebeard);
Gregory Finney, stage director; William
Shookhoff, piano/conductor. College Street
United Church, 452 College St. 416-455-2365.
$20. April 2, 7:30pm.
VOICEBOX | Opera in Concert
and the Board of Directors
cordially invite you to
CARING
by Anton Cetin
SPRING OF SONGS
A benefit concert in support the
World Premiere of
Isis and Osiris - Gods of Egypt
An Original
Gilbert & Sullivan
Operetta
by composer Peter-Anthony Togni
and librettist Sharon Singer
Monday, March 7, 2016
7 pm-10 pm
Starring: Leigh-Ann Allen,
Lucia Cesaroni, Julie Nesrallah,
Michael Nyby, Christopher Wattam
Pianist Narmina Afandiyeva
and
OIC’s Founder Stuart Hamilton, C.M.
Honorary Guest Speaker
Reception to follow.
Chelsea Moor Castle
Ticket: $25
early bird price
$35 at the door
(or, The Contract to Marry)
Concert, Reception and Cash Bar
March 4 - 13
Silent Auction includes 3 works by
renowned Croatian-Canadian artist
Anton Cetin.
www.northtorontoplayers.com
Please RSVP by March 4 (Early Bird Deadline)
via email : [email protected]
national.ballet.ca for details.
●●North Toronto Players. Chelsea Moor
Gallery 345*
Castle. Music by Arthur Sullivan, book and
lyrics by W.S.Gilbert, Barb Scheffler and
Michael Harms. Justin Ralph, tenor; Laurie
Hurst, mezzo; Barb Scheffler, soprano; Alison
345 Sorauren Ave., Toronto, ON M6R 2G5
*wheelchair accessible. Please call for more details:
(416) 922-2147
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 47
C. Music Theatre
●●Opera in Concert/Voicebox. Isis and
Osiris: Gods of Egypt. Music by Peter Anthony
Togni, libretto by Sharon Singer. Lucia Cesaroni (Isis); Ernesto Ramirez (Osiris); Julie
Nesrallah (Nephtis); Michael Nyby (Seth); Stuart Graham (The Grand Vizier); and others;
Orchestra and Chorus of Voicebox: Opera
In Concert; Robert Cooper, conductor and
chorus director. St. Lawrence Centre for the
Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723. $52 and
$73. April 1, 8:00pm and Apr 3 (2:30pm).
●●Opera York. Don Pasquale. Donizetti.
Michael Robert Broder (Don Pasquale); Dion
Mazerolle (Dr. Malatesta); Anne Marie Ramos
(Norina); and others; Geoffrey Butler, artistic director; Renee Salewski, stage director. Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing
Arts, 10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. 905787-8811. $40-$50; $110(gala package). With
supertitles. Mar 3, 7:30pm. Also Mar 5.
●●Oriana Singers of Northumberland. Operetta 101. Music by Lehar, Bernstein, Sondheim, Gilbert and Sullivan. Virginia Hatfield,
soloist. Trinity United Church, Division Street
at Chapel Street, Cobourg. 613-392-7423. $25;
$22(sr); $10(st). April 2, 7:30pm.
●●Royal Conservatory. Glenn Gould School
Opera - Handel: Alcina. Ivars Taurins, conductor. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. 416-408-0208. $25-$40. Mar 16,
7:30pm. Also Mar 18.
●●Sanderson Centre for the Performing
Arts and Two Beans Productions. Alexander
Who’s Not Not Not Not Not Not Going to Move.
Music by Shelly Markham, lyrics and book by
Judith Viorst. Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts, 88 Dalhousie Street, Brantford. 1-800-265-0710. $25; $20(st). Mar 15,
3:00pm and 6:30pm.
●●Sony Centre and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Sony Centre for the
Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E. 1-855-8727669. $69-$99. Opens Mar 4, 8:00pm. Also
Beatrice Carpino, artistic director; Adolfo De
Santis, conductor. Bickford Centre Theatre,
777 Bloor St. W. 416-978-8849. $28; $20(sr);
$15(st). Sung in English. Mar 4, 7:30pm. Also
Mar 6(2:00pm).
●●Toronto Concert Orchestra. Piaf Encore.
La Vie en Rose, I Love Paris, Rien de rien,
Pauvre Jean, Milord and other songs. Pandora Topp, vocals (Piaf); Kerry Stratton, conductor. The Extension Room, 30 Eastern Ave.
647-352-7041. $45. April 2, 7:30pm.
●●Toronto Consort. Beowulf. Epic tale of the
European bardic tradition, the battle between
the hero Beowulf and the monster Grendel. Benjamin Bagby, voice and Anglo-Saxon
harp. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon
Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-6337. $24-$57;
$22-$52(sr); $10(st/30 and under). Mar 11-12,
8:00pm.
●●Toronto Symphony Orchestra. On Broadway. Betsy Wolfe, vocalist; Darren Criss,
vocalist; Steven Reineke, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
$29.50-$107. Mar 29, 8:00pm and Mar 30
2:00pm and 8:00pm.
●●Toy Piano Composers/Bicycle Opera Project. TPC Curiosity Festival: Travelogue.
Works by Monica Pearce, August MurphyKing/Colleen Murphy-King, Elisha Denburg,
and Tobin Stokes. Members of the Bicycle
Opera Project. Apr 1 & 2, 8:00pm. Festival
runs to Apr 9. Arts and Letters Club, 14 Elm St.
647-829-4213. $30(festival pass).
Mar 5(2:00/8:00).
●●Sony Centre. Dancing in the Streets. Celebration of Motown’s Greatest Hits. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. 1 Front St. E.
1-855-872-7669. $49.50-$79.50. Mar 26,
7:30pm.
●●Sony Centre and Attila Glatz Concert Productions. Pixar in Concert. Works include
“You’ve Got a Friend In Me,” “When She Loved
Me” and the Oscar-winning “If I Didn’t Have
You.” Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Sony
Centre for the Performing Arts. 1 Front St. E.
1-855-872-7669. $40-$105. Mar 18(3:30pm
and 8:00pm).
●●Talisker Players. Spirit Dreaming: Creation Myths from Around the World. Somers: Kuyas; Beckwith: Tanu; Ravel: Chansons
Madécasses; Villa-Lobos: Suite for voice
and violin; Jaubert: Chants sahariens; and
other works. Ilana Zarankin, soprano; Laura
McAlpine, mezzo; Andrew Moodie, reader.
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W.
416- 978-8849. $40; $30(sr); $10(st/un(der)
employed). Pre-concert talk at 7:15. Mar 1,
8:00pm. Also Mar 2.
●●Tapestry Opera/Scottish Opera/Music
Theatre Wales. The Devil Inside. Music by
Stuart MacRae, libretto by Louise Welsh.
Based on Stevenson: The Bottle Imp. Rachel
Kelly, Ben McAteer, Steven Page; Nicholas Sharatt; Players of the Scottish Opera
Orchestra; Matthew Richardson, director.
Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 235 Queens
Quay W. 416-973-4000 x1. $29-$105. Mar 10,
8:00pm. Also Mar 12, 13(4:00pm).
●●Toronto City Opera. L’Elisir d’Amore.
Music by Gaetano Donizetti, libretto by Felice
Romani. Beatrice Carpino, artistic director; Adolfo De Santis, conductor. Sung in Italian with English TCOtitles. Bickford Centre
Theatre, 777 Bloor St. W. 416-978-8849. $28;
$20(sr); $15(st). Mar 3, 7:30pm. Also Mar 5.
●●Toronto City Opera. Die Fledermaus. Music
by Johann Strauss II, libretto by Ruth Martin.
Opera Series: Paul Bunyan. Music by Benjamin Britten, libretto by W.H. Auden. University
of Toronto Opera; MacMillan Singers (Hilary
Apfelstadt, director); Michael Patrick Albano,
director; Fred Peruzza and Lisa Magill, design;
Sandra Horst, conductor. MacMillan Theatre,
Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park.
416-408-0208. $40; $25(sr); $10(st). Opens
Mar 10, 7:30pm. Also Mar 11 to 13(2:30pm).
●●University of Toronto Faculty of Music.
The Art of the Prima Donna. Staged and costumed program of romantic opera. Works by
Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi and others. Paul Widner, conductor. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson
Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s
Park. 416-408-0208. $20; $10(st). April 1,
5:00pm.
●●Victoria College Chorus. Patience. Music
by Arthur Sullivan, libretto by W.S. Gilbert.
Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St.W. 416978-8849. $20; $15(sr); $10(st). April 1,
8:00pm. Also April 2, 3:00pm.
●●Victoria College Drama Society. Rent.
Music, lyrics and book by Jonathan Larson.
Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St.W. 416978-8849. $15; $10(sr/st). Mar 10-12, 8:00pm.
●●Young People’s Theatre. The Wizard of
Oz. Music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and
E.Y.Harburg, book by L. Frank Baum. Young
People’s Theatre, 165 Front St.E. 416-8622222. $10-$55. Opens April 4, 10:15am. Runs
to May 15. Days and times vary. Visit youngpeoplestheatre.ca for details.
D. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz)
IN THE CLUBS covers mainly performances taking place in clubs
and restaurants where food and beverages are part of the mix but
the music is not just part of the decor. Our focus is mostly jazz, with
a more generous listings policy towards venues where jazz is at least
part of the mix. Send club listings to [email protected]
120 Diner
120 Church St. 416-792-7725
120diner.com (full schedule)
March 1 6pm Ahi; 8pm Arlene Paculan.
March 3 6pm Lilly Mason; 8:30pm Melissa Lauren & Nathan Hiltz; 10:30pm Lucas
DiPasquale. March 4 6pm John MacMurchy.
March 5 6pm Ros Kindler; 8:30pm Carlos
Morgan; 10pm Laura Hubert. March 6 5pm
Broadsway $20; 8pm Mim Adams & Carolyn Credico. March 10 6pm James Dunbar;
8:30pm Angela Turone & Chris Platt; 10:30pm
Lucas DiPasquale. March 11 6pm Annie Bonsignore. March 12 6pm Kate Unger. March
13 6pm Debbie Fleming; 8pm Caitlin Holland.
March 15 8pm Tony Quarrington. March 17
6pm Janet Whiteway. March 18 6pm Amber
McLean. March 19 6pm Denielle Bassels &
Ori Dagan; 8:30pm Brother Neil. March 20
6pm Gary Krawford. March 22 6pm Leslie Huyler. March 24 6pm Davis-Brough Trio.
March 25 6pm Ragwax. March 29 8pm Heather Luckhart. March 31 Vocal Jazz Workshop with Sheila Jordan (details TBA).
If You Love Nights Out At The Theatre—
Then The Next One’s On Us.
In the past year, HalfTones readers have
won over $2000 worth of tickets to opera
and music theatre events by Soundstreams,
CanStage, Acting Up Stage and the COC—plus
tickets to dozens of other concerts, events and
shows across the GTA. Delivered once a month
to your email inbox, HalfTones is your place
to find out the latest local music news, access
brand-new concert listings, and enter to win.
Scroll down on thewholenote.com to our
“Newsletter Signup” box to sign up for
HalfTones, and keep an eye on your inbox midMarch for the next round of prizes—because
there are going to be opera tickets, and they’re
going to be good.
48 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
●●University of Toronto Faculty of Music.
Alleycatz
2409 Yonge St. 416-481-6865
alleycatz.ca
All shows: 9pm unless otherwise indicated.
Call for cover charge info.
March 3, 17, 31 Solo & Duets Concert Series.
March 4 Jamesking. March 5, 12 Soular.
March 10, 24 The Flow with Carlos Morgan.
March 11 Poutine 5. March 18 Rock Therapy.
March 19, 25, 26 Lady Kane.
Artword Artbar
15 Colbourne St., Hamilton. 905-543-8512
artword.net (full schedule)
March 3 8pm Jazz double bill: Tom Altobelli Group, Scott Taplay Group $10. March
10 8pm Jazz vocal jam with Sue Ramsay Trio
$10. March 12 8pm Koopa Troop: jazz meets
video games $10. March 18 7:30pm Brenda
Brown Quartet $10.
Bloom
2315 Bloor St. W. 416-767-1315
bloomrestaurant.com
All shows: 19+. Call for reservations.
March 31 7pm Genevieve “Gigi” Marentette
$45 (includes dinner).
Blue Goose Tavern, The
1 Blue Goose St. 416-255-2442
Thebluegoosetavern.com
Every Sun 4pm Blues At the Goose with
the Big Groove Rhythm Section and special guests.
Burdock
1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033
burdockto.com
thewholenote.com
Beat by Beat | Mainly Clubs, Mostly Jazz
Barlow and Vetro
Backline Leaders
A
Brian Barlow
BOB BEN
rtie Roth once said to me – and I’m paraphrasing – that the
drummer is the encyclopedia of the ensemble, the player who
knows the repertoire most intimately, who can most immediately call up what happened on this chorus of that recording in
Febtober of 19whenever. It’s a generalization, of course; all musicians
should know these things. And of course, there’s a chance that Artie
was saying that so that I’d go home and study the repertoire more. But
when I think of drummers like Morgan Childs, or the guy who sits
behind that giant bass drum at Grossman’s on Saturday evenings, it
fits perfectly.
What doesn’t fit perfectly, however, is how few drummers you’ll
find leading groups in town in any given month. As far as I know, the
only drummer-led groups in the clubs this month are those led by
Harrison Vetro, a young talent with a sound that can best be described
as crisp, and Brian Barlow. Barlow is someone I’ve only heard live
once, with his own big band at the Jazz Festival in 2011. He is a thoroughly seasoned professional drummer and arranger with experience
all over the field, having worked with everyone from Ella Fitzgerald
and Tony Bennett to Alanis Morrisette and Shania Twain to the
Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Canadian Opera Company. He’s
played on dozens of film scores and musical theatre productions. He
was a member of Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass. I could go on and on.
Barlow’s gigantic beat is something I haven’t forgotten in the five
years since I heard him play in person. His big band was on the main
stage in Nathan Phillips Square and his drums were amplified a bit
too much. The band opened with some standard tune (I want to say
Satin Doll?) at a relaxed medium tempo swing – somewhere around
130 to 140 beats per minute. Barlow played the swing beat on the
hihat while feathering with the bass drum, authoritatively, almost but
not quite aggressively. It’s said that a drummer’s feathering should be
“felt not heard.” Due to the almost indecent amplification, every note
played on the bass drum shook my entire body. So, yes, it was felt.
Thoroughly felt.
Anyways, I’m looking forward to hearing that huge beat again
in a smaller, more intimate, less amplified setting, with a smaller
ensemble, at the cozy Home Smith Bar at the Old Mill.
Harrison Vetro, the only other drummer-as-leader I’m aware of
in the clubs this month, was a classmate of mine at York University.
Walking around the halls in York’s music building, you can always
hear people practising, because those doors, thick though they may
be, are not soundproof by any stretch of the imagination. Drummers
who used the rooms at York could be divided into two categories:
those who play, and those who practise. Sometimes, you could walk
by and hear someone blazing around the drums with (or, you know,
without) remarkable speed and accuracy. That was a player. Someone
who was in there to keep playing what they already do well. Or just to
blow off steam.
Then, there were practisers. If a practiser was in the room, you
would know it because you’d walk by and hear them either messing
up or playing really slowly or both. You’d hear them playing the swing
beat at 40 or fewer beats per minute, or playing some impossible
pattern and being slightly less uncomfortable with it after repeating it
relentlessly for longer than you could even pay attention.
Someone once said that if you sound good while practising, you’re
doing it wrong. That might be a slight exaggeration, but you can see
their point: instead of bolstering your strengths (which is also a valid
and valuable way to spend your time), the majority of your practice
time should be spent attacking your weaknesses. The players who did
that, and remained truly disciplined and focused in the practice room,
and tolerated not always sounding like a beast, almost invariably
thewholenote.com
grew into the players who sounded more professional, cleaner, more
comfortable and more individual than the rest.
Harrison was a practiser. And the cool thing about having been
at York, and having known him as long as I have, is that I watched
that progress happen. He sounded better every time I heard him.
Noticeably better. Even after we no longer went to school together,
when I would occasionally hear him on a gig (like when he led the
house band at the no longer extant jam at Habits), there would be
enough time in between that I would hear that improvement in leaps
and bounds, while he, as each individual player does, only heard it in
increments.
Harrison Vetro’s group can and should be heard on the evening of
March 7 at the Emmett Ray.
Sheila Scats: One more thing to get ahead of, jazz lovers: Sheila
Jordan will be in Toronto for at least three nights, starting on the last
day of March at 120 Diner with a workshop, and the first two nights
of April at the Jazz Bistro. Book it off now, and I’ll see you folks in the
clubs, more likely than not.
Bob Ben is The WholeNote’s jazz listings editor. He
can be reached at [email protected].
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 49
D. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz)
Castro’s Lounge
2116e Queen St. E 416-699-8272
castroslounge.com (full schedule)
All shows: No cover/PWYC
C’est What
67 Front St. E (416) 867-9499
cestwhat.com (full schedule)
March 5, 19 3pm The Boxcar Boys. March 12,
26 3pm The Hot Five Jazzmakers.
De Sotos
1079 St. Clair Ave. W 416-651-2109
desotos.ca (full schedule)
Every Sun 11am Sunday Live Jazz Brunch
No cover.
Emmet Ray, The
924 College St. 416-792-4497
theemmetray.com (full schedule)
All shows: No cover/PWYC
March 3 9pm John-Wayne Swingtet: Wayne
Nakamura (guitar), Abbey Sholzberg (bass),
John Farrell (guitar). March 7 7pm Harrison
Vetro Group; 9:30pm Jesse Malone Quintet.
March 10 9pm Bossa Tres: Victor Monsivais
(guitar), Abbey Sholzberg (bass). March 13,
27 6pm Monk’s Music.
Fat City Blues
890 College St. 647-345-8282
Every Sun 8:30pm Fraser/Melvin Band.
Every Wed 8:30pm The Mercenaries. Every
Thurs 8:30pm Tyler Yarema & The Fat Boys.
March 1 Robert Davis Trio.
Gate 403
403 Roncesvalles Ave. 416-588-2930
gate403.com
All shows: PWYC.
March 2 9pm Julian Fauth Blues Night.
March 3 5pm Bruce Chapman Blues Duo with
feature guests; 9pm Darcy Windover Band.
March 4 5pm Joanne Morra & The France
St. Jazz Ensemble; 9pm David Rubel Music.
March 5 5pm Bill Heffernan and His Friends;
9pm Melissa Boyce Jazz & Blues Band.
March 6 5pm Grateful Sunday featuring
Trevor Cape and The Field; 9pm Célia Karocque Jazz Trio. March 7 5pm Mike and Jill
Daley Jazz Duo. March 9 5pm Michelle Rumball with friend; 9pm Julian Fauth Blues Night.
March 10 9pm Kevin Laliberté Jazz & Flamenco Trio. March 125pm Bill Heffernan and
His Friends; 9pm Julian Fauth Blues Quartet.
March 13 5pm Hello Darlings. March 14 9pm
Chris Staig Trio. March 15 5pm Sarah Kennedy and Matt Pines Jazz Duo. March 16 5pm
Rick Maltese: Rick’s Three in One; 9pm Julian Fauth Blues Night. March 17 5pm Concord
Jazz Quintet. March 18 9pm Tiffany Hanus
Jazz Band. March 19 5pm Bill Heffernan and
His Friends; 9pm Sweet Derrick Blues Band.
March 20 5pm Rob Thaller & Joanna Reynolds Jazz Duo. March 22 9pm Kalya Ramu
Jazz Band. March 23 9pm Julian Fauth Blues
Night. March 25 5pm Whitney Ross Barris
Jazz Band; 9pm Fraser Melvin Blues Band.
March 26 5pm Bill Heffernan and His Friends;
9pm Donné Roberts Band. March 30 9pm
Julian Fauth Blues Night. March 31 9pm
Annie Bonsignore Jazz Duo or Trio.
Grossman’s Tavern
379 Spadina Ave. 416-977-7000
50 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
Anthony Terpstra Seventet $15. March 25,
26 8:30pm(Fri)/10:30pm(Sat) Colin Hunter
(voice) and The Joe Sealy (piano) Quartet with Paul Novotny (bass), Alison Young
(sax), Daniel Barnes (drums) $15. March
27 7pm The Judy Marshak (voice) Quartet
with Jordan Klapman (piano), Bucky Berger
(drums), Bob Cohen (guitar) $20. March 30
8pm Hump Day Blues with Michael Jerome
Browne $10.
grossmanstavern.com (full schedule)
All shows: No cover (unless otherwise noted).
Every Sat The Happy Pals Dixieland jazz jam.
Harlem Restaurant
67 Richmond St. E. 416-368-1920
harlemrestaurant.com (full schedule)
All shows: 7:30-11pm (unless otherwise
noted). Call for cover charge info.
Jazz Room, The
Hirut Cafe and Restaurant
Located in the Huether Hotel, 59 King St. N.,
Waterloo. 226-476-1565
kwjazzroom.com (full schedule)
All shows: 8:30pm-11:30pm unless otherwise
indicated. Attendees must be 19+.
March 11 Amanda Tosoff Group $20. March
12 Bristles Trio $16. March 18 Derek Hines
Big Band $20. March 19 Ross Wooldridge:
Tribute to Artie Shaw $18. March 25 Andriy
Tikhonov $15. March 26 Myriad3 $18.
2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560
Home Smith Bar – See Old Mill, The
Hugh’s Room
2261 Dundas St. W. 416-531-6604
hughsroom.com
All shows: 8:30pm (unless otherwise noted).
March 3 6:30pm The Back Roads Country Talent Search $18(adv)/$20(door).
March 4 Melanie Doane – One Night Only!
$28.50(adv)/$30(door). March 5 Songs are
Like Tattoos – Tribute to Joni Mitchell $25
(adv)/$27.50(door). March 6 Enter the Haggis $22.50(adv)/$25(door). March 8 De
Danann $47.50(adv)/$50(door). March 9
8pm The JAZZ.FM91 Songwriters Series – The
Jewish Experience in Hollywood $40. March
10 Steve Hill $20(adv)/$25(door). March
11 A Man called Wrycraft presents The 4th
Annual Live Concert Tribute – The Carole
King Songbook $25 (adv)/$30(door). March
12 Judy Collins $90(adv)/$100(door). March
13 Steve Forbert $27.50(adv)/$30(door).
March 15 Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project
$30(adv)/$35(door). March 17 St. Patrick’s Day with Rant Maggie Rant $25
(adv)/$27.50(door). March 18 The Kruger
Brothers $30(adv)/$32.50(door). March
19 Anthony Gomes $25 (adv)/$30(door).
March 24 Sugar Brown & Madagascar Slim
$20(adv)/$22.50(door). March 30 Stephanie
Martin – CD Release $30(adv)/$33(door).
March 31 So Long Seven
$22.50(adv)/$25(door)/$15(students).
Joe Mama’s
317 King St. W 416-340-6469
joemamas.ca
Every Tue 6pm Jeff Eager. Every Wed 6pm
Thomas Reynolds. Every Thurs 9pm Blackburn. Every Fri 10pm The Grind. Every
Sat 10pm Shugga. Every Sun 6:30pm
Organic: Nathan Hiltz (guitar); Bernie
Senensky (organ); Ryan Oliver (sax), Morgan
Childs (drums).
KAMA
214 King St. W. 416-599-5262
kamaindia.com (full schedule)
Every Wed 5:30pm Jazz with the Kama
House Band.
Local Gest, The
424 Parliament St. 416-961-9425
Lula Lounge
1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307
lula.ca (full schedule)
March 4 7:30pm Diane Roblin $15 (free
before 8pm); 10:30pm Changui Havana
$15 (free for women before 10pm). March
5 10:30pm Salsotika $15. March 6 7pm
SHINE! $25. March 8 8:30pm Mike Herriott $20. March 11 7:30pm Eliana Cuevas $15
(free before 8pm); 10:30pm Roberto Linares
Brown $15. March 18 7:30pm David Buchbinder Trio $15. March 19 11pm El Quinto $15.
March 24 7pm Singing for Love $15. March
25 7:30pm Alexis Baro Quartet $15 (free
before 8pm); 10:30pm Café Cubano $15 (free
for women before 10pm). March 30 7:30pm
AVATAAR $20(adv)/$25(door).
Jazz Bistro, The
251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299
jazzbistro.ca
Every Wed 6pm Solo Blues Piano with James
Dunbar No cover. Every Sun 12pm Sunday Brunch Solo Piano with Eli Pasic $5.
March 3, 4, 5 9pm Dave Young and Michael
Dunston – The Donny Hathaway Show
$15(Thurs)/$20(Fri, Sat). March 6 7pm
“Stevie Swings Softly” – A tribute to Rosemary Clooney with Steven Taetz (voice),
Ewen Farncombe (piano), Scott Neary (guitar), Irene Harrett (bass), Andrew Miller
(drums) $12. March 10, 11, 12 9pm Stephanie
Trick and Paolo Alderighi $15(Thurs)/$20(Fri,
Sat). March 18, 19 9pm Rebecca Binnendyk
and her debut release of Some Fun Out of Life
with Attila Fias (piano), Kevin Laliberte (guitar), Drew Birston (bass), Chris Gale (horns),
Anthony Michelli (drums), Drew Jurecka (violin) $20(Fri)/$15(Sat). March 20 7pm Daniela Nardi’s (voice) Espresso Manifesto with
special guest Lina Allemano (trumpet) and
Ron Davis (piano), Mike Downes (bass), Steve
Heathcote (drums, percussion) $20. March
22 7pm Sounds of Italy Jazz FM Piano Series with Giovanni Guidi. March 23 8pm Hump
Day Blues with Jake Chisholm’s CD Release
$10. March 24 8:30pm Colin Hunter and the
Manhattans Pizza Bistro & Music Club
951 Gordon St., Guelph 519-767-2440
manhattans.ca (full schedule)
All shows: PWYC.
March 2, 16 Jamie ‘Giggles’ Mitges. March
3 Dan Austin Quartet. March 17 Lucas Rogerson Band.
Mezzetta Restaurant
681 St. Clair Ave. W 416-658-5687
mezzettarestaurant.com (full schedule)
All shows: 9pm, $8 (unless otherwise noted).
March 2 Bill McBirnie (flute) & Bernie
Senensky (piano). March 9 Ted Quinlan (guitar) & Mike Downes (bass). March 16 8pm
Dino Toledo (guitar) & La Mari (flamenco dancer) No cover. March 23 Maureen Kennedy
(voice) & Ben Bishop (guitar). March 30 Ron
Davis (piano) & Mike Downes (bass).
Monarch Tavern
12 Clinton St. 416-531-5833
themonarchtavern.com (full schedule)
March 14 7:30pm Martin Loomer & His
Orange Devils Orchestra $10.
Morgans on the Danforth
1282 Danforth Ave. 416-461-3020
morgansonthedanforth.com (full schedule)
All shows: 2pm-5pm. No cover.
March 27 Lisa Particelli’s Girls Night Out
Jazz Jam.
Musideum
401 Richmond St. W., Main Floor
416-599-7323
musideum.com (full schedule)
Nawlins Jazz Bar & Dining
299 King St. W. 416-595-1958
nawlins.ca
All shows: No cover/PWYC.
Every Tue 6:30pm Stacie McGregor. Every
Wed 7pm Jim Heineman Trio. Every Thu 8pm
Nothin’ But the Blues w/ Joe Bowden (drums)
and featured vocalists. Every Fri, Sat 8:30pm
N’awlins All Star Band. Every Sun 7pm
Brooke Blackburn.
Nice Bistro, The
117 Brock St. N., Whitby. 905-668-8839
nicebistro.com (full schedule)
March 30 Farrucas Latino Duo $39.99 (dinner included).
Old Mill, The
21 Old Mill Rd. 416-236-2641
oldmilltoronto.com
The Home Smith Bar: No reservations. No
cover. $20 food/drink minimum. All shows:
7:30pm-10:30pm
March 3 Terra Hazelton (voice) Trio with
Richard Whiteman (piano), Drew Jurecka
(violin, sax). March 4 Canadian Jazz Quartet & Friends with Frank Wright (vibes), Ted
Quinlan (guitar), Neil Swainson (guest bassist), Don Vickery (drums), showcasing William
Carn (trombone). March 5 Ron Davis (piano)
Trio with Mike Downes (bass), Ethan Ardelli
(drums). March 10 Brian Barlow (drums)
Trio with Robi Botos (piano), Scott Alexander
(bass). March 11 Bob Brough (sax) Trio with
Adrean Farrugia (piano), Artie Roth (bass).
March 12 Lisa Martinelli (voice) Quartet
with Kevin Turcotte (trumpet) Nancy Walker
(piano), Kieran Overs (bass). March 17 Sherie
Marshall (voice) Trio with Mike Cado (guitar), Steve Lucas (bass). March 18 Brian
O’Kane (trumpet, flugelhorn) Trio with Ted
Quinlan (guitar), Mike Downes (bass). March
19 Jay Danley (guitar) Trio with Mark Kieswetter (piano), Richard Whiteman (bass).
March 24 Brigham Phillips (piano) Trio with
Nathan Hiltz (guitar), Jon Maharaj (bass).
March 26 David Buchbinder (trumpet) Trio
with Dave Restivo (piano), Artie Roth (bass).
March 31 Sharon Smith (voice) Trio with Jordan Klapman (piano), Shelley Miller (bass).
Only Café, The
972 Danforth Ave. 416-463-7843
theonlycafe.com (full schedule)
All shows: 8pm unless otherwise indicated.
March 9, 23 Lazersuzan.
thewholenote.com
Paintbox Bistro
555 Dundas St. E. 647-748-0555
paintboxbistro.ca (Full schedule)
Pilot Tavern, The
22 Cumberland Ave. 416-923-5716
thepilot.ca
All shows: 3:30pm. No cover.
March 5 Kelly Jefferson Quartet. March
12 Landen Vieira (sax) CD Release party with
Adrean Farrugia (piano), Malcolm Connor
(bass), Ethan Ardelli (drums).
Poetry Jazz Café
224 Augusta Ave. 416-599-5299
poetryjazzcafe.com (full schedule)
Reposado Bar & Lounge
136 Ossington Ave. 416-532-6474
reposadobar.com (full schedule)
Every Wed Spy vs. Sly vs. Spy. Every Thurs,
Fri 10pm Reposadists Quartet: Tim Hamel
(trumpet), Jon Meyer (bass), Jeff Halischuck
(drums), Roberto Rosenman (guitar).
Reservoir Lounge, The
52 Wellington St. E. 416-955-0887
reservoirlounge.com (full schedule).
All shows: 9:45
Every Tue, Sat Tyler Yarema and his Rhythm.
Every Wed The Digs. Every Thu Stacey
Kaniuk. Every Fri Dee Dee and the Dirty
Martinis.
Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar, The
194 Queen St. W. 416-598-2475
therex.ca (full schedule)
Call for cover charge info.
March 1 6:30pm Tonight @ Noon; 9:30pm
Classic Rex Jazz Jam hosted by Chris Gale.
March 2 6:30pm Ernesto Cervini Trio;
9:30pm JV’s Bugaloo Squad. March 3 6:30pm
Kevin Quain; 9:30pm Andrew Boniwell &
Uncertainty Principle. March 4 4pm Hogtown
Syncopators; 9:45pm Chuck Jackson’s Big
Bad Blues Band. March 5 12pm The Sinners
Choir; 3:30pm Swing Shift Big Band; 7:30pm
Justin Bacchus; 9:45pm Way North. March 6
12pm Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band; 3:30pm
Club Django; 7pm Ken Aldcroft’s Convergence
Ensemble; 9:30pm Ben Ball Quartet. March
7 6:30pm University of Toronto Student Jazz
Ensembles; 9:30pm Humber College Student Jazz Ensembles. March 8 6:30pm
Tonight @ Noon; 9:30pm Classic Rex Jazz
Jam hosted by Chris Gale. March 9 6:30pm
Ernesto Cervini Trio; 9:30pm Scott Marshall.
March 10 6:30pm Kevin Quain; 9:30pm Montreal/Brooklyn/Japan’s Split Cycle. March 11
4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 9:45pm Lorne
Lofsky. March 12 12pm The Sinners Choir;
3:30pm Chris Hunt Tentet +2; 7:30pm Justin
Bacchus; 9:45pm John MacMurchy Septet.
March 13 12pm Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band;
3:30pm Red Hot Ramble; 7pm Ken Aldcroft’s
Thread Ensemble; 9:30pm Stacey Y’s Dovira.
March 14 6:30pm University of Toronto Student Jazz Ensembles; 9:30pm Humber College Student Jazz Ensembles. March 15
6:30pm Tonight @ Noon; 9:30pm Classic Rex
Jazz Jam hosted by Chris Gale. March 16
6:30pm Ernesto Cervini Trio; 9:30pm Mike
Janzen Trio. March 17 6:30pm Kevin Quain;
9:30pm N.O.J.O.: Neufeld Occhipinti Jazz
Orchestra. March 18 4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 9:45pm Dave Young Quintet. March
E. The ETCeteras
19 12pm The Sinners Choir; 3:30pm Jerome
Godboo; 7:30pm Justin Bacchus; 9:45pm
New York’s Dave Liebman with Mike Murley
Quartet. March 20 12pm Excelsior Dixieland
Jazz Band; 3:30pm Jake Chisholm Quartet; 7pm Ken Aldcroft’s Hat & Beard: Monk
Tribute; 9:30pm New York’s Eric Divito Trio.
March 21 6:30pm University of Toronto Student Jazz Ensembles; 9:30pm Humber College Student Jazz Ensembles. March 22
6:30pm Tonight @ Noon; 9:30pm Classic Rex
Jazz Jam hosted by Chris Gale. March 23
6:30pm Ernesto Cervini Trio; 9:30pm New
York’s John Raymond Trio. March 24 6:30pm
Kevin Quain; 9:45pm Columbus, Ohio’s Tony
Monaco Organ Trio. March 25 4pm Hogtown
Syncopators; 9:45pm Columbus, Ohio’s Tony
Monaco Organ Trio. March 26 12pm The Sinners Choir; 3:30pm George Lake Big Band;
7:30pm Justin Bacchus; 9:45pm William &
William Sextet. March 27 12pm Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band; 3:30pm Freeway Dixieland
Jazz Band; 7pm Ken Aldcroft; 9:30pm Three
Blind Mice. March 28 6:30pm University of
Toronto Student Jazz Ensembles; 8:30pm
John MacLeod’s Rex Hotel Orchestra. March
29 6:30pm Tonight @ Noon; 9:30pm Montreal’s Sam Dickinson Trio. March 30 6:30pm
Ernesto Cervini Trio; 9:30pm Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprob feat. New York’s Joel Frahm.
March 31 6:30pm Kevin Quain; 9:30pm
Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprob feat. New York’s
Joel Frahm.
THE ETCETERAS covers a diverse range of musical
events that don’t fit comfortably into our other,
performance-based listings. The ETCeteras are sorted
alphabetically by category, such as Lectures, Master
Classes and Workshops. We welcome submissions.
Please send listings to [email protected].
Benefits/Fundraisers
●●March 07 7:00-10:00: Join VOICEBOX-
Opera in Concert for a benefit concert,
“Spring of Songs,” at Gallery 345, in celebration of the world premiere of Isis and Osiris
– Gods of Egypt. Sneak preview of the opera
performed by Lucia Cesaroni, Julie Nesrallah
and Michael Nyby and others; opportunity to
bid on paintings by artist Anton Cetin; silent
auction, post-concert reception and cash
bar. Space is limited, so please RSVP via email
to [email protected] by March 4
to receive the early-bird price of $25. Door
price $35.
Festivals, Festivities
●●March 20: Canadian Music Therapy Trust
Fund (CMTTF) / Canadian Association for
Music Therapy (CAMT). 3rd Annual March
for Music Therapy. A grassroots, family and
community focused event. 1:00: Check-in at
The Music Therapy Centre, 1175 Bloor St. W.;
1:30: March commences with music for 2 km
to the Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W.; ends
with a fun community event in celebration of
the CMTTF’s efforts to provide music therapy
services to underserved populations. Online
registration for individuals and teams:
www.musictherapytrust.ca $25 per adult;
children pledge what you can.
●●April 02 7:00: Toronto Gilbert and Sullivan Society. April Meeting. Join us for song,
snacks and cheer, with spectacular performers. St. Andrew’s United Church, 117 Bloor St.
E. 416-763-0832. $5 for non-members.
●●April 15 (deadline): Coalition for Music
Education. 12th annual Music Monday. All
music makers are invited to submit videos
that showcase learning and making music
in their schools and communities. All videos
received by the deadline April 15, 2016 will be
considered for inclusion in the Music Monday - Coast2Coast (#MMC2C) powered Music
Monday webcast. For more information:
www.musicmonday.ca
Salty Dog Bar & Grill, The
1980 Queen St. E. 416-849-5064 (full
schedule)
Sauce on the Danforth
1376 Danforth Ave. 647-748-1376
sauceondanforth.com
All shows: No cover.
Every Mon 9pm The Out Of Towners: Dirty
Organ Jazz. Every Tue 6pm Julian Fauth.
Seven44
(Formerly Chick n’ Deli/The People’s Chicken)
744 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-489-7931
seven44.com (full schedule)
All shows: 7:30pm
March 7 Advocats Big Band. March
21 George Lake Big Band. March 28 Mega
City Swing Band.
Toni Bulloni
156 Cumberland St. 416-967-7676
tonibulloni.com (full schedule)
No cover. Saturday shows: 9pm. $30 food/
drink minimum. Sunday shows: 6pm. $25
food/drink minimum.
Lectures, Salons, Symposia
●●March 08 1:30: Oakville Opera Guild.
Wounded Animals, Tragic Heroes and Flawed
Figures – Exploring the Dark and Distinctive Artistry of Jon Vickers. Lecture by Wayne
Gooding, editor of Opera Canada magazine.
Tranzac
292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137
tranzac.org
3-4 shows daily, various styles. Mostly PWYC.
Every Mon 10pm Open Mic Mondays. Every
Thurs 7:30pm Bluegrass Thursdays: Houndstooth. Every Fri 5pm The Foolish Things
(folk). This month’s shows include: March 1
7:30pm Ali Berkok; 10pm Peripheral Vision.
March 6, 20 5pm Monk’s Music. March 7
7:30pm Continental Shift with the Blythwood
Winds. March 11 10pm ZimZum. March 15
10pm The Ken McDonald Quartet. March 20
7:30pm Diane Roblin. March 25 10pm The
Ryan Driver Sextet. March 29 10pm Nick Fraser Presents.
PASQUALE B
PASQUALE
BROTHERS
ROTHERS
PURVEYORS OF FINE FOOD
(416) 364-7397
thewholenote.com
Oakville Public Library Central Branch,
120 Navy St. Oakville. 905-827-5678; Oakville.
[email protected] $10 (proceeds go
towards our scholarship fund, to be awarded
to a student attending the Faculty of Music
at the U of Toronto and support our annual
donation to the Canadian Opera Company). ●●March 10 7:30: Darchei Noam Synagogue.
Jews’ Muse: Felix Mendelssohn. A mix of lecture, music and discussion with lecturer Rick
Phillips as he explores the music of Mendelssohn - the influences that shaped his music,
the impact he left on his times and his lasting
legacy. 864 Sheppard Ave. W. 416-638-4783;
darcheinoam.ca/event/JewishComposers
$20 or $45 for all four dates.
●●March 11 6:00: The Music Gallery / Musicworks Magazine / OCADU Student Gallery.
Musicworks: The Cassette Years. Opening of exhibition and listening salon bringing
the public into contact with cassette tapes
distributed with each issue of Musicworks
between 1983 and 1997. Covering a diversity of voices, music, field recordings and
sound collections from across the country. To
March 13: 197 John St.; March 14 to 18: OCAD’s
Open Gallery, 49 McCaul. 416-204-1080;
musicgallery.org Free.
CATERING
WWW.PASQUALEBROS.COM
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 51
E. The ETCeteras
●●March 13 2:00: The Toronto Consort. BEO-
WULF: A Lecture by Benjamin Bagby.
The
lecture and Q&A will be followed by a reception with cash bar and complimentary nibbles. Alliance Française, 24 Spadina Road.
416-966-1045; eventbrite.ca $40 (fundraiser
in support of the Toronto Consort).
●●March 18 7:00: Soundstreams Salon 21.
Minimalism Remixed. Learn about minimalism, the musical movement that has inspired
artists from Radiohead to DJ Spooky, through
discussion and performances. Gardiner
Museum, 111 Queen’s Park. 416-504-1282.
Free, PWYC preferred seating available.
●●March 20 2:00: Toronto Opera Club. The
Three Queens. Guest speaker Iain Scott,
opera reviewer, lecturer and director of
Opera-Is, discusses operas of Donizetti. Room
330, Edward Johnson Bldg., Faculty of Music,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-924-3940. $10.
●●March 21 1:30: Miles Nadal JCC. Opera
Appreciation – It’s All in the Family. From ferociously protective mothers to fraternal bonds
that lead to murderous tensions, discover the
panoply of family, friendships, rivalries and
loyalties in some of the greatest operas. Lecturer: Opera educator Iain Scott. 750 Spadina
Ave. To register: 416-924-6211 x0.
$22.
●●March 31 1:30: Miles Nadal JCC. What is an
Operetta? Lecturer Guillermo Silva, general
director of Toronto Operetta Theatre; inside
information on this musical art form filled
with humour, romance, comedy, dance, satire
and fun. 750 Spadina Ave. For more information: 416-924-6211 x155; [email protected]. $4.
●●April 07 7:30: Darchei Noam Synagogue.
Jews’ Muse: Gustav Mahler. See March 10.
Screenings
●●March 22 6:30: Istituto Italiano di Cultura.
Screening of Verdi’s Falstaff (2001). Director: Ruggiero Cappuccio; starring: Ambrogio Maestri, Roberto Frontali, Juan Diego
Flores, Barbara Frittoli; conductor: Riccardo
Muti; Orchestra & Coro del Teatro Alla Scala.
Hosted by the Opera House in Busseto with
original scenography from 1913. Alliance
Française Theatre, 24 Spadina Rd.
iictoronto.esteri.it/IIC_Toronto/Menu/
Istituto/ Free.
●●April 03 4:00 and 7:30: Toronto Jewish
Film Society/ Ashkenaz Foundation. Rock
in the Red Zone (Israel, 2015). Documentary.
War, music, love and fate come together. Director Laura Bialis travels to Siderot, the small
town that revolutionized Israeli rock music
and whose proximity to the Gaza Strip puts
it on the front lines of the current conflict. Al
52 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
View Blvd. To register (before Feb 28): 416386-0258. $30; $25(members). ●●March 10 6:45-8:45: World Fiddle Day
Toronto. Workshop led by musician Anne
Lederman. Join players of bowed string
instruments to learn world folk repertoire for
our community event at Fort York on May 21.
Long & McQuade Clinic Space, 935 Bloor
St. W. For more information and repertoire:
worldfiddledaytoronto.ca; 647-217-4620.
Practice sessions by donation.
●●March 11 7:30: CAMMAC Recorder Players’ Society. Amateur recorder players are invited to join in the playing of early
music. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church,
527 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-597-0485 or
cammac.ca $15 (non-members). Refreshments included.
Green Theatre, Miles Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina
Ave. 416-924-6211 x606. $15; $10 (age 18-35).
Master Classes
●●March 04, 05, April 01, 02 10:00-12:00;
2:00-4:00. The Royal Conservatory. Leon
Fleisher, piano. Mazzoleni Hall, 273 Bloor St.
W. 416-408=0208. Observers welcome. Free.
●●March 04 1:00-5:00. The Royal Conservatory. Libby Larsen, composer. Conservatory Theatre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208.
Observers welcome. Free.
●●March 10 10:00-12:00. The Royal Conservatory. Håkan Hardenberger, trumpet. Mazzoleni Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208.
Observers welcome. Free.
●●March 11 10:00-12:00; 2:00-4:00. The Royal
Conservatory. Ronan O’Hora, piano. Mazzoleni Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208.
Observers welcome. Free.
●●March 11. The Royal Conservatory. Atar
Arad, violin. 10:00-12:30 Conservatory Theatre.;2:00-4:30, Classroom 319. 273 Bloor St.
W. 416-408-0208. Observers welcome. Free.
●●March 18 10:00-12:30; 2:00-4:00. The Royal
Conservatory. John Perry, piano. Mazzoleni
Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. Observers welcome. Free.
●●March 18 10:00-1:00; 2:00-5:00. The Royal
Conservatory. Joel Quarrington, double
bass. Classroom 310, 273 Bloor St. W. 416408-0208. Observers welcome. Free.
●●March 20 10:00-12:30; 1:30-4:00. The Royal
Conservatory. Don Liuzzi, timpani. Conservatory Theatre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208.
Observers welcome. Free.
●●April 03 2:00: North York Music Festival. Open Violin Master Class. Violinist Moshe
Hammer will coach six senior level students.
Open to auditors. Lawrence Park Community Church, 2180 Bayview Ave. 416-788-8553;
northyorkmusicfestival.com/ $20.
●●March 20 1:00–3:30: World Fiddle Day
Toronto. Workshop led by musician Anne
Lederman. See March 10.
●●March 20 2:00-4:30 CAMMAC Toronto
Region. Reading of Mendelssohn’s Elijah for singers and instrumentalists. Joan
Andrews, conductor. Christ Church Deer
Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-781-4745. $10; $6
(members).
●●April 01 7:30: CAMMAC Recorder Players’ Society. Amateur recorder players are invited to join in the playing of early
music. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church,
527 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-597-0485; cammac.ca $15 (non-members). Refreshments
included.
●●April 03 1:00–3:30: World Fiddle Day
Toronto. Workshop led by musician Anne
Lederman. See March 10.
Canadian Vocal Ensemble
Looking for a musical experience unlike any
other? Want to tour with a great bunch of
singers? Consider joining MOSAIC today!
MOSAIC Canadian Vocal Ensemble directed by Gordon Mansell
was formed in 2012 as a touring concert choir in advance of its
first performance tour to Italy
and the Vatican in 2013. The
vocal ensemble rehearses at Our
Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church
in the Etobicoke area of Toronto
every Tuesday night. In addition
to its concerts and tours,
MOSAIC often collaborates with
the music program at OLS on special events. However, it is not a
church or liturgical choir and is accepting of all beliefs. MOSAIC
has a varied contemporary and classical repertoire that mixes Karl
Jenkins, Ruth Watson Henderson, Mark Hayes and Stephen
Chatman with Palestrina, Mozart, Bach and Fauré.
Workshops
●●March 05 10:30am-1:00: Toronto Men-
delssohn Choir. Singsation Saturday: Choral
Workshop with Guest Conductor Caron
Daley. Join members of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, conductor Caron Daley and an
enthusiastic community of singers to read
through Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St.
416-598-0422 x223;
tmchoir.org/singsation-saturdays/ $10.
●●March 05 2:00-4:30: CAMMAC Toronto
Region. Sight-Singing Workshop. Led by Art
Levine. Northern District Library, 40 Orchard
If you are interested in learning more about
MOSAIC and want to tour with us, drop the
director a note today at
[email protected]
or tweet him @gdmansell.
You can also phone or text him at 416-571-3680
thewholenote.com
Classified Advertising | [email protected]
WholeNote CLASSIFIEDS can help you
recruit new members for your choir or
band / orchestra or find a new music
director! Advertise your help wanted
needs or promote your services starting
at only $24/issue. Inquire by March 22 for
APRIL. [email protected]
AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES
Available pro bono positions with the
KINDRED SPIRITS ORCHESTRA: 1st Horn;
2nd Trumpet; 1st, 2nd and 3rd Trombones;
Principal Pianist; sectional Violins, Violas,
Cellos and Contrabasses. The KSO is
an auditioned-based civic orchestra in
residence at Flato Markham Theatre.
Weekly rehearsals are held on Tuesday
evening at Cornell Recital Hall. For more
information visit ksorchestra.ca/about/
auditions.html or e-mail Jobert Sevilleno at
[email protected]
The Celtic Fiddle Orchestra of Southern
Ontario is looking for additional musicians:
violin, viola, cello, bass and flute. We practice
twice a month on Sunday afternoons from
1:30 to 4:00 at the QEPCCC in Oakville. Please
contact Jill Yokoyama at 905-635-8079 or
email [email protected]
COUNTERPOINT COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA
(www.ccorchestra.org) welcomes volunteer
musicians for Monday evening rehearsals
at the 519 Church Street Community Centre
in downtown Toronto. No audition. We’re
especially looking for harp, trombone and
strings players. Email [email protected].
DO YOU LOVE TO SING? Are you looking for
a choir that performs every type of sacred
music, from Byrd to Britten, Howells to
Hogan? The Anglican Church of St. John the
Baptist seeks all voice types to enhance their
Mass Choir. Services take place on Sundays
at 10:30 AM in the Beaches, one of Toronto’s
most active and artistic neighbourhoods. For
more information, contact
[email protected] or
(647) 302-2074
NORTH YORK CONCERT ORCHESTRA is
interested in welcoming new players. We
are a community orchestra which rehearses
throughout the year on Weds. nights, York
Mills Collegiate in Don Mills. There are four
subscription concerts and several outreach
opportunities. Especially interested in
hearing from first violinists and string bass
players. Please contact personnel@nyco.
on.ca for further information
Introducing
BUSINESS
CLASSIFIEDS!
Ideal for ongoing promotion
of your services and products
to the WholeNote’s musically
engaged readership, in print and on-line.
Book by March 22, 2016 for our April edition!
[email protected]
thewholenote.com
washouts and nervous learners especially
welcome. Lovely Cabbagetown studio. “Best
teacher ever!” - Beaches tween. “Beats
studying with those Quebec nuns!” - Rosedale
senior. Peter Kristian Mose, 416.923.3060.
www.MoseMusicalArts.com. My students
have never won any prizes, except for love of
music. (And loyalty.)
INSTRUCTION & COURSES
FLUTE LESSONS. Classical flute lessons for
all ages and levels. Located near DavenportLansdowne. Contact Meghan at 647-2265488, [email protected]
www.meghancornett.com
FLUTE, PIANO, THEORY LESSONS. RCM
exam preparation. RCM certified advanced
specialist. Samantha Chang, FTCL,
FLCM, Royal Academy of Music PGDip,
LRAM, ARCT. Toronto, Scarborough 416-2931302, samantha.studio@gmail. com
www.samanthaflute.com.
FOR SALE / WANTED
CLASSICAL RECORD AND CD COLLECTIONS
WANTED. Minimum 350 units. Call, text or
e-mail Aaron 416-471-8169 or [email protected].
FRENCH HORN suitable for advanced student
or working musician. One owner since 1978,
excellent condition. [email protected]
LESSONS FOR ALL! Friendly and firm I’m an experienced musician and mom
teaching piano and singing to children (and
young at heart) in my Toronto home (East
Leslieville). To discuss your child’s need for
music-making please contact [email protected].
SAXOPHONE Bundy Selmer alto student
model; BASSOON Linton student
model; EUPHONIUM Besson four valve
compensating with laquer finish.
Phone 416-964-3642.
SPRING CLEANING TIME! Is that accordion
gathering dust in your closet? Are your
band days just a hazy memory? Someone
out there would love to give your nice old
musical instrument a new life. Advertise your
unused instruments or find one for sale with
a WholeNote classified ad! Contact classad@
thewholenote.com.
PIANO LESSONS WITH CONCERT PIANIST
EVE EGOYAN eveegoyan.com All ages,
all levels welcome, at Earwitness Studio,
Artscape Youngplace (downtown Toronto).
Eve’s own exposure to exceptional teachers
during her developmental years makes her a
communicative, intuitive and creative teacher
with over 25 years teaching experience
(private lessons, masterclasses, adjudication)
Each student is an individual. Email Eve to
set up a free introductory meeting at eve.
[email protected]
STOLEN FROM CAR – Lorée OBOE
& ENGLISH HORN: $700 reward for
information leading to return. Serial #’s:
oboe TA 78, English horn HV 25. Please call
Karen 416-656-4312 or 416-323-2232 x.26
PRIVATE VIOLIN LESSONS: All ages
welcome! Beginner to professional. Lessons
in English and French, music studio in the
Annex. [email protected]
MUSICIANS AVAILABLE
SWEETHEART PARTY BAND? Do you provide
live music for weddings? Maybe also for
wakes, roasts & retirements, and all kinds of
occasions? Advertise your ensemble right
here for as little as $24 plus tax!! Contact
[email protected] by March 22 for
the April edition!
PRIVATE VOICE/PIANO/THEORY
LESSONS: Experienced, BFA Certified
Teacher located at Christ Church Deer
Park (Yonge & St. Clair). Prepares you or
your child for RCM exams, competitions &
auditions. Contact Jessika: [email protected] (647) 214-2827.
SERVICES
ACCOUNTING AND INCOME TAX SERVICE
for small business and individuals, to save
you time and money, customized to meet
your needs. Norm Pulker, B. Math. CMA.
905-251-0309 or 905-830-2985
CD LINER NOTES, PROMO MATERIAL,
CONCERT PROGRAMS, LIBRETTI, WEB SITE
CONTENT AND MEMOIRS need proofreading
and editing for correct spelling and grammar,
clarity and consistency. Contact Vanessa
Wells, [email protected], for a copy editor
with a music background. Quick turnaround
and reasonable rates! wellsreadediting.ca
VENUES AVAILABLE / WANTED
ARE YOU PLANNING A CONCERT OR
RECITAL? Looking for a venue? Consider
Bloor Street United Church. Phone: 416-9247439 x22. Email:
[email protected].
PERFORMANCE / REHEARSAL / STUDIO /
OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE: great acoustics,
reasonable rates, close to Green P Parking,
cafés & restaurants. Historic church at
College & Bellevue, near Spadina. Phone
416-921-6350. E-mail
[email protected].
DO YOU DRIVE?
Do you love
The WholeNote?
Share the love and earn a little
money! Join The WholeNote’s
circulation team: 9 times a year,
GTA and well beyond. Interested?
Contact:
[email protected]
VegasNorth’s 2016 BIG BAND WORKSHOPS
These big band workshops focus on teaching
intermediate/advanced musicians how to
rehearse/perform in a big band ensemble
while having a ton of fun rehearsing
great charts. 12 sessions - Noon - 2 PM on
Sundays from April - June 2016 Location The Rehearsal Factory 330 Geary. Toronto
Registration is now open.
[email protected]
RESTORE & PRESERVE
YOUR MEMORIES
Press kits,
image consulting,
& social media
for performers
www.lizpr.com
WARMHEARTED PIANO TEACHER with
sterling credentials, unfailing good humour,
and buckets of patience. Royal Conservatory
Recital and gig tapes | 78’s
& LPs | VHS and Hi8 | 35mm
Slides |News clippings | Photos
& more, transferred to
digital files: CD’s, DVD’s,
or Video slideshow
ArtsMediaProjects
416.910.1091
NEED HELP WITH
YOUR TAXES?
Ace your Auditions
Specializing in personal
and business tax returns
including prior years
and adjustments
Mental Skills for
Performing Artists
HORIZON TAX SERVICES INC.
• free consultation • accurate work
For CRA stress relief call:
1-866-268-1319
Lisa Chisholm
www.masterperforming.ca
[email protected]
www.salukimusic.com
[email protected]
www.horizontax.ca
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 53
Summer
time and
the Learnin'
is Easy!
●●
AlgomaTrad Family Camp
for Traditional Music,
Dance and Heritage Arts
St. Joseph Island, Richards Landing, Ontario
August 14 to 20, 2016
Contact: Julie Schryer
705-257-6106
[email protected]
www.algomatrad.ca
Deadline: August 1, 2016
Cost: $300 - $650 (bursaries available)
Residential program (day
camper options available)
JVL SUMMER SCHOOL FOR PERFORMING ARTS
!! AlgomaTrad is a not-for-profit arts organization that is dedicated to the sharing, celebration
and learning of traditional music, dance, arts
and craft that embraces our Canadian heritage.
AlgomaTrad practises inclusivity and nurtures
joyous, intergenerational community through
its annual Family Camp – a week of classes in a
wide variety of instruments, singing, theatre,
dance, arts and heritage craft. Each day offers
community gatherings, great food and evening
contra/square/ceili dances and concerts.
Renowned professional, vibrant, communityoriented staff are invited to teach and perform.
Oral/aural traditions are the foundation of the
curriculum and are shared with learners with
respect to those traditions.
Summer is often a time of departure
from our regular schedules, a time to
devote energies toward activities and
passions in a focused way. If you are
thinking about music programs for
yourself, your children or your whole
family, our annual Summer Music
Education directory is a significant
resource. Whether you are an amateur
musician or an emerging professional,
there are many options to choose
from. The profiles below, submitted
by the organizations themselves, display a wealth of opportunities to hone
your skills and make valuable friendships and connections. The offerings
are varied: some are geared toward
classical musicians and vocalists, with
performance opportunities at the culmination of the programs, and others
offer such diverse sessions as songwriting, jazz, rock, music theatre and
guitar. There are even programs for
kids and toddlers! Residential camps
will get you out of the city (or province) and day camps are available for
those of you who prefer something
closer to home. We’ve also included
programs for which the application
deadline may have passed: we want
you to be aware of what’s out there,
if not for this summer, then for the
future. We’ll be updating the directory
online, so check back at thewholenote.
com under resources for updates.
54 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
●●
Arcadia Academy of Music
- Summer Programs
Bolton, Maple, Newmarket, North Brampton,
Richmond Hill, South Brampton, West
Brampton, Woodbridge, Ontario
June to August, 2016
Contact: 905-850-3701
[email protected]
www.arcadiaacademyofmusic.com
!! Arcadia Academy of Music is an awardwinning franchise music school with eight
locations in the GTA. The Arcadia Academy of
Music concept is simple yet effective – providing
a personalized approach to delivering music
education programs through quality and vision. This concept amalgamated with honesty,
integrity and transparency has provided our
longevity for the last 30 years. We believe that
every child should be given the opportunity to
be exposed to music, enriching their lives inside
and outside the classroom and delivering music
programs that revolutionize the way music is
TheWholeNote 2016 Summer Music
Education Directory Team
Project Coordinator: Karen Ages
Project Editor: Kevin King
Proofreading: Vanessa Wells, Karen Ages
taught and learned. Some of our exciting summer programs include: band program, theory
course and $180 two-month music lessons ($200
vocal lessons). Visit www.arcadiaacademyofmusic.com to learn more or contact an Arcadia
school near you.
●●
CAMMAC Music Centre
Harrington, Quebec
June 26 to August 14, 2016
Contact: Margaret Little
1-888-622-8755
[email protected]
www.cammac.ca
Cost: $500 - $1,300 per week
(bursaries available)
Residential program
!! Seven weeks of music for all tastes, ages and
levels! Come with friends and family: choose
your favourite week (or two) this summer and
join in the pleasure of making music with others. Choir, orchestra, chamber music, Broadway,
jazz, Celtic, early music – a full menu to suit your
fancy! At CAMMAC, you can make music in a
relaxed and non-competitive atmosphere, meet
people who share your interests, learn from
passionate teachers and discover new repertoire
both in class and in concert. It is not surprising that so many new participants tell us that
CAMMAC has changed their lives! No matter
your skill level or age, our outstanding teachers
will help you take that next step in your musical
journey.
●●
Canadian Opera Company
Summer Opera Camps
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W., Toronto, Ontario
July 4 to 8 (grades 1-3), July 11 to 15 (grades
4-6), July 18 to 22 (grades 7-8), July 25 to 30
(grades 9-12)
Contact: COC Box Office
416-363-8231
[email protected]
www.coc.ca/Camps
Cost: $310 (grades 1-6), $320 (grades 7-8),
$360 (grades 9-12)
Camp Hours: 9am - 3:30pm (grades
1-8) and 9am - 4pm (grades 9-12)
!! This July, the Canadian Opera Company’s
Summer Opera Camps offer children and youth
entering grades 1 to 12 an immersive operatic
experience. Participants playfully explore opera
as both creators and performers, while developing their skills in a fun, yet intensive, one-week
camp. Weekly activities include story creation,
singing, composition, acting, improvisation,
and costume, props and set design. Each week
ends in a special rehearsal open to family and
friends.
How To Join The Wholenote
Summer Music Education Directory
Missed the print edition? Your camp or program can still be part of our online directory.
Please e-mail [email protected] or call 416-323-2232 x26 for information.
thewholenote.com
Centauri Arts Camp
LE DOMAIN FORGET INTERNATION MUSIC AND DANCE ACADEMY
●●
Wellandport, Ontario
July 3 to August 21, 2016 (1 or 2
week sessions)
Contact: Julie Hartley
416-766-7124
[email protected]
www.centauriartscamp.com
Cost: $995 - $1,840
Residential program
!! Centauri Summer Arts Camp is an overnight
centre for the arts based in the Niagara Region.
We offer more than 40 intensive arts programs,
many of them music-based: songwriting, musical theatre, garage band, rock/pop/jazz music
and “How to Be a Musician in the Real World.”
Young people aged 9 to 18 are immersed in the
unique atmosphere of overnight camp while
working with industry professionals to improve
their music skills and participating in varied
arts electives. The atmosphere is collaborative,
and all campers take part in concerts and performances on the final day. Be part of a unique arts
community this summer and make memories
and friends to last a lifetime.
●●
Connecting Through
Song at Westben
Westben Arts Festival Theatre,
36 Front St. S., Campbellford, Ontario
June 25 to July 3, 2016
Contact: Donna Bennett
705-653-5508
[email protected]
www.westben.ca
Deadline: June 1, 2016
Cost: Varies from Free to $20-$50 per session
!! Connecting Through Song is a nine-day
exploration of the themes of human connection
as inspired by Brian Finley’s opera The Pencil
Salesman, premiered at Westben in June 2016.
Seminars, chats, workshops and studio tours
investigate various connections between people
and technology, society and multiple generations. Events offer hands-on opportunities using
music to explore and connect through solo and
choral singing, technology, recording and improvisation. A vocal intensive led by Dr. Michael
Warren, DMA, is a powerful three-day immersion
experience designed for all levels and genres of
singers, age 16 and older. Participants work oneon-one with Dr. Warren in half-hour lessons that
are observed by the other participants, allowing
all to share vocal strengths and benefit from
each other’s progress.
●●
Le Domaine Forget International
Music and Dance Academy
Saint-Irénée, Quebec
June 5 to August 21, 2016
Contact: Rachel Tremblay
418-452-8111
[email protected]
www.domaineforget.com/en/1/music-anddance-academy
Deadlines: February 15, 2016, except Guitar
and Dance (April 1, 2016) and Choir and Vocal
thewholenote.com
Jazz (May 1, 2016)
Cost: $375 - $3,215
●●
!! Le Domaine Forget Academy offers serious
students the opportunity to perfect their skills
under the auspices of world-renowned artists.
The beauty and tranquility of the setting at
Domaine Forget inspire creativity and the
facilities are perfectly suited to the needs of
both students and teachers. Whether you are
a young professional or an advanced student,
you will benefit from the opportunity to further
your musical training through the tutelage of
established teachers and the participation in
master classes given by distinguished international artists.
●●
Don Wright Faculty of Music
Summer Programs
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N.,
London, Ontario
Programs for all ages June 27 to July 24, 2016
Contact: Program Coordinator
519-661-2043
[email protected]
www.music.uwo.ca/outreach
Deadlines: open
Cost: $339 - $2,600
Day programs
!! The Don Wright Faculty of Music is pleased to
offer several musical workshops this summer
tailored to musicians of various ages and experience levels. Our Kodály Certification Program (2
weeks) engages music educators in an innovative pedagogical workshop, strengthening their
musicianship and enhancing their teaching
ability. Music Theatre on the Thames (4 weeks) –
a unique intensive, ideal for the emerging musical theatre professional – integrates learning in
singing, acting and movement and will present
a full-scale production of Stephen Sondheim’s
Company. Percshop (grades 9 to adult) provides
more than 30 hours of hands-on instruction and
playing, culminating in a final concert. Musical Futures (2 weeks) provides tools to create
sustainable, student-centred, 21st-century music
learning experiences using informal learning
and non-formal teaching. Kodály Certification
Program (July 3 to 15, $695); Music Theatre on
the Thames (June 27 to July 24, $2,600); PercShop
(July 4 to 8, $339); Musical Futures Workshop
(July 4 to July 15; $695).
DownTown Summer Strings
Lord Lansdowne P.S., 33 Robert St., Toronto,
Ontario
Monday - Friday, July 20 to July 31
Contact: Rebecca Kurtis-Pomeroy and Ian
Guenther
416-712-1329 (Ian Guenther)
[email protected]
www.tdsb.on.ca/AboutUs/Innovation/
SummerPrograms/TDSBMusicCamps/
DownTownSummerStrings.aspx
Deadline: First day of camp. Walk-ins are
accepted on first day provided there are still
spaces left.
Cost: $240
Camp Hours: 8:30am - 12pm
!! DownTown Summer Strings benefits students
who have at least one year experience playing
the violin, viola, cello or double bass. Instructors will provide master classes, coach small
ensembles and conduct a string orchestra.
DownTown Summer Strings concludes with a
concert open to the public. It is open to all students in Grades 3 to 8 and enrolls a maximum of
80. Register early to guarantee your spot! There
is a $10 material fee per session to be paid to the
instructor on the first day. Instruments are not
provided. Students should consult with their
school’s string instructor/teacher to borrow an
instrument for the summer. Please indicate on
the registration form which instrument(s) you
play. Walk-in registrations are welcome starting
the first day of camp!
●●
Guitar Workshop Plus
San Diego, CA: June 19 to 24, 2016
Nashville, TN: July 31 to August 5, 2016
Toronto, ON: session 1, August 7 to 12; session
2, August 14 to 19, 2016
Contact: 905-567-8000
www.guitarworkshopplus.com
For ages 10 to 90, beginner to professional
!! Guitar Workshop Plus offers week-long
workshops in a musical environment at superb
facilities. Professional music faculty and worldfamous guest artists teach and perform for
our participants. Guitar, bass, drum, keyboard,
songwriting and vocal courses are offered for all
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 55
levels, ages and styles including rock, blues, jazz,
acoustic and classical. Our top-ranked summer
music program provides the opportunity to participate in daily classes, clinics, ensemble and
student performances, and evening concerts.
Participants also take away a DVD of their live
performances! Past guest instructors include
Steve Vai, Alex Lifeson, John Scofield, Robben
Ford, Tommy Emmanuel, Andy Summers, Billy
Sheehan and many others! GWP is much more
than just a guitar camp or summer music camp.
You’ve seen the rest…now come learn from the
best!
●●
Interprovincial Music Camp
Camp Manitou, McKellar, Ontario
August 21 to September 4, 2016
Contact: Anne Fleming-Read
416-488-3316
[email protected]
www.campimc.ca
Cost: $799 - $998
Residential program
!! IMC offers programs for orchestra, band,
rock, jazz, choir, musical theatre, songwriting
and sound engineering. The camp has been
providing young musicians exceptional musical training and unforgettable summer-camp
experiences since 1961. Campers fine-tune skills
as musicians, develop friendships and forge a
lifelong love of music while enjoying the setting
of one of Canada’s finest camp facilities. The
IMC experience includes housing, meals, master
classes, sectionals, large and small ensembles,
faculty concerts, recreational activities and
evening programs. Each session IMC concludes
with performances for family and friends. Our
faculty includes Canada’s finest performers and
educators. For more information, visit www.
campIMC.ca. IMC - the highlight of a young
musician’s summer!
●●
JVL Summer School for
Performing Arts International
“Music in the Summer” Festival
Geneva Park on Lake Couchiching, Orillia,
Ontario
July 2 to 12, 2016
Contact: Jacob Lakirovich
416-735-7499
[email protected]
www.musicinthesummer.com
Deadline: May 2, 2016
Residential program
!! The Festival will feature a full program of
master classes, concerts and competitions. The
programs of the School encompass private
instrumental lessons with internationally
renowned teachers, master classes and workshops, chamber music classes, orchestral and
ensemble classes, concert solo performances
with the Academy orchestras, solo and chamber
music recitals, as well as special seminars for
Ear Training, Composition and Theory of Music.
Performances in an acoustically superb concert
hall and Serenade Concerts under the moon-
56 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
light shore of Lake Couchiching will mesmerize
our audiences and guests. Participation in the
Festival is incredibly valuable for musicians
of all ages and levels. The extensive musical
training they will receive during this period will
inevitably have a great impact on their personal
growth as musicians and as individuals.
●●
Kincardine Summer
Music Festival
Huron Heights Public School, 785 Russell St.,
Kincardine, Ontario
August 8 to 12, 2016
Contact: John Schnarr
519-396-9716
[email protected]
www.ksmf.ca
Deadline: early discount June 30
Cost: $180 - $200
Camp Hours: 9am - 3:50pm
!! Our 25th anniversary! Daytime music classes
combine with the renowned KSMF Concert
Series to produce a unique musical event. We offer beginner, junior, senior and adult classes in
guitar, bands and strings programs. Many adult
students register for all levels. Our teachers
are experienced professionals. Free recreation
program supervises young students. After class,
enjoy the free KSMF 4 O’Clock in the Park Concert
Series in nearby Victoria Park. Registration
includes tickets to the fabulous KSMF Evening
Concert Series featuring jazz, blues, classical,
world and chamber music concert performances August 8 to 11. The Concert Series artists
will also be featured in free, short afternoon
outreach performances for registrants. A great
fun family music opportunity on beautiful Lake
Huron!
●●
Kingsway Conservatory
Summer Music
Kingsway Conservatory of Music,
2848 Bloor St. W., Toronto, Ontario
Weekly programs from July 4 to August 19,
2016
Contact: Sharon Burlacoff
416-234-0121
[email protected]
www.kingswayconservatory.ca
Deadlines: open; early-bird discount deadline
April 15, 2016
Cost: various
Camp Hours: various
Day Programs
!! Committed to “Inspired Learning,” the
Kingsway Conservatory of Music provides summer programs for various ages and experience
levels that engage, challenge and excite on
many levels. Offerings for summer 2016 include:
Kingsway Chamber Music Festival (1 week) for
string players (min RCM Gr 3 for Intermediate
/ Gr 5 for Senior) and pianists (min RCM Gr 5
for Intermediate / Gr 7 for Senior) including
chamber coachings, orchestra rehearsals, group
composition, workshops and guest artists; Alice
in Wonderland Jr. Musical Theatre Camp (2 weeks)
for youth and teens, preparing and presenting
a fantastic, full-scale musical production; TripleThreat Arts Discovery Camp (4-8 years) inspiring
self-expression through music, art and drama;
Suzuki/Traditional Strings Camp (4-10 years)
for string players in their beginning years; and
Private Instruction on all instruments.
●●
Lake Field Music Camp
Lakefield College School, Lakefield, Ontario
August 7 to 14, 2016
Contact: Andrew Wolf
647-692-3463
[email protected]
www.lakefieldmusic.ca
Deadline: June 30, 2016
Residential programs
!! Lake Field Music camp brings together adult
amateur musicians of all ages with intermediate
to advanced skills in a friendly and supportive
environment. The one-week program focuses on
classical and jazz with a sampling of world and
popular music. Participants build their own program from more than 50 workshops, technique
and master classes, choirs and instrumental
ensembles coached by 20 experienced instructors specializing in vocals, strings, woodwinds,
brass, piano, guitar, bass and percussion. Classes
for beginners are also offered for those wanting
to try something new. Evening concerts provide
performance opportunities and a chance to
hear the instructors. The beautiful waterfront
campus includes air-conditioned classrooms
and a theatre. Dormitory (air-conditioned and
fresh-air) and meal plans are available.
●●
Little Voices, Dancing Feet
2171 Queen St E., Toronto, Ontario
Baby, Toddler & Pre-school Classes: June 28
to July 28; Camps: (JK-Gr 1): July 11 to 15,
July 18 to 22; (Gr 1-3) July 25 to 29, 2016
Contact: Jodie Friesen
416-461-9989
[email protected]
www.littlevoices.ca
Cost: Classes: $85, Camps: $198/wk
Camp Hours: 1pm - 3:45/4pm
!! Quality classes and camps with an experienced and enthusiastic Master Orff teacher.
Integrated Arts Camps include musical exploration with xylophones and a multitude of
multicultural percussion instruments (pretty
much anything that can be struck, rubbed or
shaken to make sound!), art (painting, drawing,
sculpture, collage), drama, dance, stories, and
even a themed snack! Camps are limited to 12
participants, in an air-conditioned space.
The weekly, active and interactive parent/caregiver and child (newborn to preschool) music
classes are also in small, age-specific groups and
led by Jodie. They feature age-appropriate material (traditional, global, classical and original)
and instruments (drums, tambourines, shakers,
bells, castanets, rhythm sticks, etc.), and songs
and rhymes for clapping, tickling, peekaboo,
bouncing, swinging, dancing and rocking.
Almost 25 years in the Beach!
thewholenote.com
●●
Marjorie Sparks Voice
Studio Summer Program
!! The Marjorie Sparks Voice Studio is offering an
intensive vocal program for soloists and choral
singers. Each singer is immersed in daily master
classes, private lessons and performances. Six
singers are accepted per week. Small classes
equal greater participation. There are no formal
auditions. Entry requirements are several selections of well-prepared songs and arias as well
as some performance experience. The course
facility is located near the subway and has excellent rooms and pianos. The staff are innovative
and professional. The program aims to enhance
your vocal skills and bring out the best in your
performances.
●●
Music at Port Milford
Prince Edward County, Ontario
July 10 to August 7, 2016
Contact: Meg Hill
914-439-5039
[email protected]
www.mpmcamp.org
Deadline: rolling admissions
Cost: $900/week
Residential programs
!! 2016 marks Music at Port Milford’s 30th year
of bringing internationally renowned artist
faculty and students with a passion for chamber
music together to create an inspiring summer
music experience. Throughout July and August,
this experience is proudly shared with Prince
Edward County, as the students and faculty
bring the highest calibre of chamber music to
Ontario. 2016 Faculty Artists include Canadian
ensembles: The Afiara and Tokai string quartets,
Ensemble Made in Canada and select members
of the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto Symphony Orchestra and National Ballet of Canada.
●●
NAC Orchestra Young
Artists Program
University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
June 6 to 25, 2016
Contact: Kelly Symons
613-947-7000 x302
[email protected]
www.nac-cna.ca/en/summermusicinstitute/
youngartists
Deadline: February 8, 2016
Cost: $930 and $540
Residential program
!! The Young Artists Program, founded by
Pinchas Zukerman in 1999 and now in its 18th
thewholenote.com
INTERPROVINCIAL MUSIC CAMP
2848 Bloor St. W., Toronto, Ontario
August 12 to 15 and August 20 to 23, 2016
Contact: Marjorie Sparks
416-893-8648
[email protected]
www.marjoriesparksvoicestudio.com
Deadline: June 6, 2016
Cost: $525
Camp Hours: 1pm - 6pm
edition, offers outstanding private instruction
and chamber music coaching with additional
career-related sessions and mentoring as well as
performance opportunities – including public
chamber music concerts, public master classes,
closed works-in-progress sessions and recitals. Seventy exceptionally talented, classically
trained young artists from around the world,
keen to steep themselves in individual instruction and to explore “musical conversation”
within a chamber music community of peers,
will be selected to study with an internationally
renowned faculty in a comprehensive program
in Ottawa. Senior and Pre-college students will
be immersed in music playing and networking with like-minded young artists, all at the
University of Ottawa School of Music and at the
National Arts Centre nearby.
●●
No Strings Theatre
Summer Programs
601 Christie St., Toronto, Ontario
July 11 to August 7, 2016
Contact: Denise Williams
416-551-2093
[email protected]
www.nostringstheatre.com
Deadline: March 30 Early Bird, June 15 for
Summer Intensive
Cost: $300/week
Camp Hours: 9am – 5pm
!! Whether you are an aspiring musical theatre
star or a social musical theatre enthusiast, No
Strings Theatre’s Summer Intensive will challenge
you to be the best that you can be. Artistically,
students will flourish with advanced universityprep-styled workshops in fundamental musical
theatre techniques in acting, singing and
dancing, including seminars and master classes
with industry professionals. The training and
fun culminates with the staged performance
of Alan Menken’s “Little Shop of Horrors.” No
Strings Theatre also introduces two new weeklong summer workshop programs: Acting for the
Camera – an introduction to acting on camera
for commercials, film and television, and Comedia Dell’Arte – discovering your skills of acting,
creating, improv, playwriting, improvisation,
storytelling and mask work.
●●
Royal Conservatory School
273 Bloor St. W., Toronto, Ontario
July to August, 2016
Contact: 416-408-2825
[email protected]
www.rcmusic.ca/camps
Day programs
!! Looking for a vibrant summer camp to
explore creative potential while meeting new
friends? Whether new to music or a seasoned
young artist, the Royal Conservatory School
is the place to be. We offer engaging full- and
half-day camps for all ages and musical abilities:
RCS Summer String Institute (ages 4 – 17) July 4
to 8, 9am – 4pm; From Toot to Flute (ages 4 – 7)
July 4 to 8, 9am – 11am; Instrument Exploration
(ages 4 – 7) July 11 to 15 & 25 to 29, 9am – 4pm;
Keyboard Exploration, July 4 to 8, (ages 4 and 5)
9am – 12pm, (ages 6 and 7) 1pm – 4pm; Twist &
Shout Children’s Choir (ages 7 – 11) July 18 to 22
and 25 to 29, 9am – 4pm; RCS Beginning Band
(ages 9 – 13) August 8 to 12, 9am – 4pm; Cabarazz
– Vocal Ensemble! (ages 14 – 20), July 6 to 9, 1pm
– 4:15pm; RCS Summer Camps en français in
partnership with Alliance Française! (ages 5 – 15)
July 4 to 15 & 18 to 29, August 2 to 12 & 15 to 26.
Join the fun! Register online at
www.rcmusic.ca/camps, by phone at 416-4082825, or in person at 273 Bloor St. W.
●●
SICA Singers
Miles Nadal JCC,
750 Spadina Ave., Toronto, Ontario
July 11 to 15, 2016
Contact: Deanna Di Lello
416-924-6211 x250
www.mnjcc.org
Cost: $400
Camp Hours: 9:30am - 4:30pm
!! Want a singing staycation? Our goal is to
excite participants about what they can do with
their voice, determination and exposure to different musical genres. Experience over 25 hours
of musical instruction, including group work
and master classes in vocal production, choral
singing, jazz, cabaret, opera, a cappella, performance strategies and more. Classes are hands-
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 57
on. Great faculty include Micah Barnes, Dylan
Bell, Adi Braun, Ori Dagan, Kobi Hass, Aaron
Jensen, Heather Bambrick and Gillian Stecyk. All
teachers love to work with adult learners. Some
amateur choral/singing experience is required
to ensure you enjoy your time to the fullest.
Andante (recreational experience) and Allegro
(intensive training) levels.
●●
Southwestern Ontario
Suzuki Institute (SOSI)
Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave.
W., Waterloo, Ontario
Students August 7 to 12;
Teachers August 6 to 14, 2016
Contact: Tracy Jewell, administrative
coordinator
519-240-6995
[email protected]
www.mysosi.ca
Deadline: Early Bird May 1, 2016
Cost: Varies by program
Camp Hours: Classes begin at 8:30 am; many
optional evening activities available.
Day programs but accommodation
on campus available.
!! Canada’s largest Suzuki institute offers student programs for all ages and a wide range of
Teacher Development courses at Wilfrid Laurier
University in Waterloo, Ontario . Participate in
master classes, group classes and enrichment
activities in Suzuki violin, viola, cello and piano,
including our one-day Viola Fest. For advanced
students, we offer university-calibre Young Artist Programs. There are optional classes such as
handbells, fiddling, improvisation, flute, percussion, string/piano duo, operetta and more! We
have a special seminar on Alexander Technique
with optional private lessons, a morning Mini
Institute and a Suzuki Baby & Toddler Class.
When you’re not in classes, enjoy the many free
concerts, soccer, swimming, crafts and our annual Barn Dance! Come to SOSI for the ultimate
family summer experience!
●●
TorQ Percussion Seminar
Stratford Central Secondary School,
Stratford, Ontario
July 30 to August 7, 2016
Contact: Jamie Drake
[email protected]
www.torqpercussion.ca/tps
Deadline: March 31, 2016
Cost: $600 (partial scholarships available)
Camp Hours: 9am - 5pm (tbc)
Day Camp but accommodation can
be arranged for an extra cost
!! TorQ Percussion Quartet was formed by four
Canadian percussionists looking to add new vitality to percussion repertoire and performance.
Renowned for their engaging performances and
repertoire, members Richard Burrows, Adam
Campbell, Jamie Drake and Daniel Morphy are
committed to making new music accessible to
audiences that span generations and geography.
Join the members of TorQ Percussion Quartet
along with special guests percussionist Beverley
Johnston and composer Christos Hatzis and a
community of like-minded percussionists for
a week of chamber music rehearsals, master
classes, discussions and performances. Now in
58 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
its fifth year, TPS has developed a reputation as
one of the finest percussion seminars in North
America. Scholarships are available. Accommodation is also available for an extra cost. Please
contact Lana at 519-271-2101 for more information.
●●
Stratford Summer Music
Vocal Academy
Stratford, Ontario
August 11 to 21, 2016
Contact: Lana Mau
519-271-2101
[email protected]
www.stratfordsummermusic.ca
Deadline: March 31, 2016
Cost: $1,000
Camp Hours: 10am - 5pm
Lodging available
!! The Vocal Academy at Stratford Summer Music will offer intensive training in professional
preparation (opera, oratorio, art song) and
in-performance skills for up to eight graduate,
postgraduate and early professional-level singers, and for two pianists pursuing a career in
vocal accompaniment. Participants will receive
daily individual sessions with the internationally renowned faculty – Michael Schade, Phillip
Addis and Emily Hamper – and will take part
in master classes which will be open to the
public. The program will culminate in a public
performance by all participants. Applicants
may request scholarships of $500 to help with
expenses. Lodging can be arranged by Stratford
Summer Music. Daily meals are the responsibility of each participant. Go to website for more
information and to apply.
●●
Summer@Eastman
Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New
York
June 26 to August 5, 2016 (varies by program)
Contact: Andrea Schuler
585-274-1074
[email protected]
www.summer.esm.rochester.edu
Deadline: June 1, 2016
!! The Eastman School of Music's Summer at
Eastman program offers students and the community an individualized and world-class music
education experience. Choose between residential music programs and camps for middle- and
high-school students (Summer Jazz Studies,
Music Horizons, and Eastman@Keuka), weeklong institutes devoted to various instruments
or specialties (for students and adults), half-day
music workshops for youth, and collegiate
classes in music education, music history and
music theory. Please visit www.summer.esm.
rochester.edu for course information, schedules
and registration details!
●●
Suzuki Music Camp
Miles Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina Ave., Toronto,
Ontario
July 4 to 8, 2016
Contact: Gretchen Paxson-Abberger
416-924-6211 x0
[email protected]
www.mnjcc.org
Camp Hours: 9am - 4pm (Extended
care 8-9am, 4-6pm)
!! Our 2016 MNjcc Suzuki Summer Music Camp,
running July 4 to 8, is open to all violin, viola,
cello and piano students who study by the Suzuki method. We offer all levels, from those who
have learned Twinkles with fingers to beyond
Suzuki Book 8. Along with a basic daily foundation of semi-private lessons and Suzuki group
repertoire lessons, campers will also participate
in three enrichment classes. All camp activities
will take place within the MNjcc facility. Please
check the MNjcc website. Alternatively, if you
would like more information and/or would like
to be mailed a brochure with registration forms,
please contact camp director Gretchen PaxsonAbberger at [email protected] Registration can
also be done in person at the MNjcc Info Desk.
●●
Tafelmusik Baroque
Summer Institute
University of Toronto, Ontario
June 5 to 18, 2016
Contact: Caitlin Cross
416-964-9562 x241
[email protected]
www.tafelmusik.org/tbsi
Deadline: March 11, 2016
Cost: $1,350
Day program
!! The Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute
(TBSI) is a world-renowned training program in
instrumental and vocal baroque-performance
practice, led by some of the world’s finest
musicians in the field. This comprehensive
training program includes orchestra and choir
rehearsals, master classes in solo repertoire,
chamber ensembles, opera scene study for
singers, private lessons, lectures and workshops,
classes in baroque dance and concerts by both
participants and faculty. The Institute is held
at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto.
Advanced students and professional musicians
are invited to apply. Visit
www.tafelmusik.org/TBSI for details.
●●
Toronto School for Strings
and Piano (TSSP) Summer
Music and Arts Day Camp
Deer Park Public School,
23 Ferndale Ave., Toronto, Ontario
July 18 to July 29, 2016
Contact: Mary Fisher
416-968-0303
[email protected]
www.torontoschoolforstrings.com
Deadline: June 15, 2016
Cost: $445
Camp Hours: 9am to 4pm
!! The TSSP Summer Music and Arts Day Camp
offers children ages 4 to 12 an enriched artistic
experience featuring strings (Suzuki, traditional
and fiddling), piano and guitar, as well as art,
Orff music and movement, theory, orchestra,
chamber music, African drumming, dance, rap
and choir. The faculty are highly trained, experienced professionals. Each week concludes with
a concert showcasing what the children have
learned. Friendships are made which continue
from year to year. Teenagers are welcome to
thewholenote.com
apply to volunteer to receive community service
hours. The camp has been running for seven
years.
●●
Toronto Summer Music
Community Academy
Edward Johnson Building,
University of Toronto, Ontario
July 31 to August 7, 2016
Contact: Natasha Bood
647-430-5699
[email protected]
www.torontosummermusic.com/communityacademy
Deadline: June 1, 2016
Cost: $500 - $750
Day programs
!! Are you an advanced amateur musician looking for an opportunity to connect with other
musicians who share your passion? The TSM
Community Academy invites you to play and
sing for pleasure and to push your abilities to a
new level, while spending a week with artists of
the Toronto Summer Music Festival. The Community Academy offers advanced amateur musicians a unique opportunity to hone their skills
and take part in Toronto’s premier summer
classical-music festival. Participants will enjoy
access to all mainstage TSM Festival Concerts,
lectures and events (July 31 to August 7), and the
program includes the possibility of a performance onstage at Walter Hall. Choose from
three programs: Chamber Choir with Matthias
Maute, Piano Master Class with David Jalbert, or
Chamber Music with TSO Principals.
●●
●●
The Tuckamore Festival
St. John’s, Newfoundland
August 8 to 21, 2016
Contact: Krista Vincent
709-330-4599
[email protected]
www.tuckamorefestival.ca
Deadline: February 15, 2016. Late applications
may be considered.
Cost: $1,000 tuition, $800 meals and
accommodations; scholarships available.
Residential program
!! Since 2001, the Young Artist Program has offered an opportunity for talented musicians to
immerse themselves in chamber music and solo
repertoire. Each year, up to 25 string players and
pianists are selected for this intensive two-week
program that offers private lessons, chamber
music coachings, workshops and master classes
at Memorial University’s School of Music in
historic St. John’s, Newfoundland. Led by artistic
directors Nancy Dahn and Timothy Steeves of
Duo Concertante, guest faculty has included: the
Gryphon Trio, Antares Ensemble, André Laplante, Janina Fialkowska, Jon Kimura Parker and
the Shanghai, Fitzwilliam and Borromeo String
Quartets. In addition to providing professionallevel performance and mentorship opportunities, the Festival offers participants a chance to
experience a truly unique region of Canada.
Vancouver Symphony Orchestral
Institute at Whistler
Whistler, BC
June 26 to July 5, 2016
Contact: VSO Education Department
604-684-9100 ext 246
[email protected]
www.vsoinstitute.ca
Deadline: March 13, 2016
Cost: $1,325 (incl. tuition and lodging)
Residential program
!! The second annual Vancouver Symphony
Orchestral Institute at breathtakingly beautiful
Whistler, BC will be presented from June 26 to
July 5, 2016. Offering young musicians a one-ofa-kind educational experience, the VSO Institute
at Whistler brings together the GRAMMY®- and
JUNO®-award winning VSO with one of the
world’s finest mountain resorts. Students will
be mentored by the VSO during an intensive
ten-day program, culminating in a performance
of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and R. Strauss’
Don Juan by the Whistler Institute Orchestra, led
by the VSO’s Maestro, Bramwell Tovey. We are
currently accepting applications from advanced
students, ages 15 to 25.
The VSO Institute features: a faculty comprised
of VSO musicians; a comprehensive chamber
music program; master classes, seminars,
faculty recitals, student recitals; individual and
group lessons; attendance at rehearsals and
performances of the entire VSO; performance
opportunities; and talented young musicians
from around the globe.
C L AU D E WAT S O N M U S IC P R O G R A M
High School
Musicality
Come and study at Toronto’s
specialized High School of the Arts
MUSIC PROGRAMS IN:
Strings | Woodwinds | Brass |
Percussion | Piano | Voice | Composition
Choral Night
April 18, 7pm
Grace Church-on-the-Hill
Symphony-Band Night
May 3, 7:30pm
Cringan Hall, Earl Haig Secondary School
PHOTO: CINDY CHIN
The Earl Haig Singers
Claude Watson Secondary Arts Program, Earl Haig Secondary School
100 Princess Avenue, North York, ON | (416) 395-3210 x20137
Other Claude Watson Programs: DANCE | VISUAL ARTS | DRAMA | FILM
thewholenote.com
Tickets and info
416- 395-3210 x 20141
claudewatson.ca
For more information visit
www.earlhaig.ca
View our YouTube channel
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March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 59
WE ARE ALL MUSIC’S CHILDREN
March’s Child
Lucas Harris
HEATHER HOLBROOK
I
NEW CONTEST
Who is April’s child?
MJ BUELL
and master classes at
n Lucas’ studio you’ll
several universities. He’s
find one theorbo, two
been guest music director
archlutes, three renaiswith the Pacific Baroque
sance lutes (8, 10 and 12
Orchestra, the Ohio State
courses), two 13-course
University Opera program,
baroque lutes, two baroque
Vox Angelica and Les Voix
guitars, a bandora, a
Baroques. He recently
cittern, a renaissance
created and directed a
guitar. Also an Ibanez jazz
program of Austrian sacred Ready to follow her star, Quispamsis (near
guitar, plus eventually an
St. John), New Brunswick circa 1993.
music with the Toronto
1831 Guadagnini classical
Consort and is the artistic
guitar now being restored.
• COC Ensemble 2011/12, Toronto
director of the Toronto
One of North America’s
Summer Music Academy
Chamber Choir.
busiest early-music
Fellow 2012;
If you could travel back
performers, Lucas Harris
through time and meet the
grew up in Tempe, Arizona,
• stepped in for an ailing soprano in
young person in that childwhere his father worked
the role of Adele, opening night of
hood photo? I’d say “Stop
in computer technology
the Met’s December 2015 Die
watching television and use
and later taught computer
Fledermaus;
your time to learn someclasses at a community
• has a March 6 recital featuring
thing that could be useful
college. His mother was
works evoking paintings;
to somebody someday.” I
the director of a social service
Lutenist and conductor Lucas Harris
want those hours back.
agency and a marriage/family
• sings “Strider sento la procella …” in
has made Canada his home for the
Earliest memories of
therapist. Harris studied early
April – invoking hope and love to
past 12 years. He lives in Toronto’s
music? I remember my
music in Italy at the Civica
overcome tyranny (with a little help
east end with his spouse (Tafelmusik
Scuola di Musica di Milano (as
mother occasionally playing
from fabulous costumes and a period
violinist) Geneviève Gilardeau, their
a Marco Fodella Foundation
the upright piano in our
orchestra).
daughter Daphnée (age 4) and
scholar) and in Germany at
their Irish doodle Ciaccona (named living room. I think she
Know our Mystery Child’s
the Hochschule für Künste
stopped completely when I
after the ground bass pattern).
name? WIN PRIZES!
Bremen. He was based in
started taking piano lessons. I
New York City for five years before relocating
remember a weekly music class in elementary
Send your best guess by
to Toronto.
school. I have one flashback of being invited to
midnight on March 23.
In Southern Ontario you have probably seen
improvise on the xylophone while the teacher
[email protected]
and heard him in regular engagements with
played some chords on the piano. I suppose
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, the Toronto
that was my first jam over a ground bass.
Consort and I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble. He’s
First instruments? I didn’t have a great fit with my piano teacher and at around age 12
a founding member of the Toronto Continuo
asked if I could quit. My mother insisted I should take up another instrument and so I
Collective, the Vesuvius Ensemble (dediasked (obviously!) if I could take electric guitar. They found a really unique teacher who did
cated to Southern Italian folk music) and the
both electric and classical guitar, Chris Hnottavange. I studied with Chris for six years (age
Lute Legends Ensemble (a multiethnic-trio
12 to 18), starting with AC/DC Back in Black. I soon moved into playing in jazz combos/big
of lute, pipa and oud). He’s also played with
bands and finished that period with a full-on classical guitar recital which featured works
several modern-instrument groups, including
by Bach and Couperin. I do feel it’s amazing that all of that was with the same teacher.
the Boston, St. Louis and Montreal Symphony
A first performance? I sang the role of Fasttalk Freddy in my school musical The
Orchestras, the Metropolitan Opera, the
Amazing Snowman. He was a greasy agent trying to get rich from managing a
Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Via Salzburg.
talking snowman.
Harris is on the faculty of Tafelmusik’s
And right after high school? I tried to get away from music and started college as a
Baroque Summer Institute, the Vancouver Early
literature major. I imagined myself as a humanities professor who would give inspiring
Music Festival’s Baroque Vocal Programme and
lectures that flit between literature, philosophy, art and music. Halfway through college I
Oberlin Conservatory’s Baroque Performance
changed my mind and threw myself into the core music-major courses…
Institute, and in ongoing demand for lectures
Please read the full-length interview at thewholenote.com
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS!
March 13, 3pm “A Voice Of Her Own”: The Toronto Chamber Choir’s Kaffeemusik premieres a new program created by Lucas
Harris about women composers (from Hildegard von Bingen to Clara Schumann), with guest conductor Elizabeth Anderson
and Katherine R. Larson, narrator. TICKETS! Joan Rosenfield
April 23, 8pm “I’ll Be Watching You”: I FURIOSI Baroque Ensemble presents stalking, before harassment laws were
conceived, with guests: Marco Cera, oboe and guitar; Lucas Harris, lutes and guitar. TICKETS! a pair each for Mary Ella
Magill and Matthew Benenson
May 6 and 7, 8pm and May 8, 3pm “Monteverdi Vespers Of 1610”: The Toronto Consort with
tenor Charles Daniels (UK), tenor Kevin Skelton, and Montreal’s premier cornetto and sackbut
ensemble, La Rose des Vents. TICKETS! Marilyn Turner
60 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
JOIN US IN RAISING FUNDS
AND AWARENESS FOR MUSIC THERAPY!
VANCOUVER
CALGARY
TORONTO
MONTRÉAL
MARCH
s
FOR
MUSIC
s
r
THERAPY MARCH
More information: [email protected]
SUND
AY
22010
6
GO TO MUSICTHERAPYTRUST.CA
TO REGISTER + DONATE
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In partnership with
DISCOVERIES | RECORDINGS REVIEWED
I
DAV I D O L D S
t was my mother’s record collection that whetted my appetite for a
broad spectrum of music at a young age, from the warhorses of the
classical repertoire on her Reader’s Digest boxed set of LPs, to such
“modern fare” as Ferde Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite, through the New
Orleans jazz of Louis Armstrong and Pete Fountain (my introduction
to St. James Infirmary Blues), and a gamut of what we now call roots
music. Of particular note were albums by Carl Sandburg (including
the memorable My name is Yon Yonson), Burl Ives (Goober Peas),
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee (Rock Island Line), Pete Seeger
with and without the Weavers (too numerous to mention), Woody
Guthrie (ditto) and Lead Belly (Pick a Bale of Cotton). Mom is now
well into her ninth decade and still an active concertgoer and “record”
collector, as well as a devotee of public television.
It was this latter that provided her introduction to the late Leon Bibb and his son Eric
some years ago. She spoke so enthusiastically of this blues duo that when I realized Eric
Bibb was coming to Hugh’s Room in January,
accompanied by Michael Jerome Browne
(whose CD Sliding Delta I discussed in this
column last March), I knew it was time for a
family outing. Now as I mentioned, mother is getting on in years and
mostly prefers matinee performances, but that evening she happily
stayed for both sets. Bibb is a storyteller-singer-songwriter who picks
a mean guitar – fingerstyle, no actual picks – and has a powerful and
gruff, yet melodic voice. His own compositions span a variety of styles
but his repertoire also encompasses acoustic blues and roots standards of the last century from field calls to gospel (and he does a mean
James Brown).
Bibb’s most recent project focuses on the seminal work of Huddie
Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly. On Lead Belly’s Gold (Stony
Plain Records SPCD 1387 stonyplainrecords.com) Bibb is joined by
French harmonica wizard JJ Milteau whose credits include work with
Yves Montand and Charles Aznavour but whose main focus is the
Blues, an idiom in which he is very well versed. What strikes me most
about his playing is the way he incorporates a world of styles into
these classic tunes, from the blue note-bending that we’ve come to
expect in the genre to sounds that mimic Zydeco accordion produced
on his tremolo harmonica.
There are a few Bibb original tunes dedicated to Lead Belly in the
mix, but mostly we are presented with songs written by or associated
with Lead Belly, including Grey Goose, Midnight Special, Pick a Bale
of Cotton, Rock Island Line, Goodnight Irene and House of the Rising
Sun. The CD features both live (at the Sunset) and studio recordings,
with Bibb and Milteau joined on some tracks by drummer Larry
Crockett and bassist Gilles Michel with backing vocals by Big Daddy
Wilson and Michael Robinson. If you didn’t have the opportunity to
hear these songs thanks to your mother in your formative years –
thanks, Mom! – or even if you did, this tribute to one of the true
originals of roots music is a great introduction/reminder of where it
all began.
in a lively and convincing rendition which sees Andrews in duet with
fellow Newfoundlander, violinist Mark Fewer. As a matter of fact all
four members of the string quartet who make up the band here are
originally from Newfoundland: Lynn Kuo, violin; Angela Pickett, viola
and Amahl Arulanamdam, cello.
Not all of the music is in the swing style and fittingly there are some
Newfoundland-inspired tunes including Andrews’ Gigues plus traditional Reels and Otto Kelland’s Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary’s. The
quartet members all have strong careers in classical music (although
not to the exclusion of other musical forms – they are remarkably
eclectic) and we find nods to the world of composed music in the
form of the Lullaby from Stravinsky’s Firebird and a suite of
Improvisations on Chopin’s Op.64, No.2. The darkly impressionistic
title track, another Andrews original, is a stark portrayal of the landform, presumably in the dead of winter. But we are not left out in the
cold – the disc ends with a sunny, breakneck version of Sweet Georgia
Brown. Highly recommended!
Quebec harp virtuoso Valérie Milot’s latest
CD Orbis (Analekta AN 2 9880) is an eclectic
release of 20th century fare. Minimalist offerings by Marjan Mozetich and Steve Reich are
featured along with works of John Cage and
Antoine Bareil plus Bareil’s arrangements
of music by Gentle Giant and Frank Zappa.
Mozetich’s El Dorado for harp and strings
opens the disc in a dramatic performance
with Les Violons du Roy under Mathieu Lussier’s direction. The quiet,
almost ominous, opening gradually builds like an ancient steam locomotive coming into town – you can almost see the smoke chuffing
into the sky on the horizon – but over the 15 minutes of the work the
textures gradually lighten and change into what Mozetich describes
as a dreamscape. Commissioned by New Music Concerts for Erica
Goodman back in 1981, El Dorado has become something of a modern
classic and this is the third recording that I’m aware of. Goodman’s
performance with the Amadeus Ensemble and Caroline Léonardelli’s
with the Penderecki String Quartet are available from the Canadian
Music Centre (musiccentre.ca).
The locomotive relentlessness of the opening of the Mozetich is
mirrored in a gentler way in Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint.
Originally written for jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, the work is scored for
solo guitar, 12 guitars and two bass guitars. As in many works by Reich
it can be played by an ensemble or by a single musician overdubbing the multiple parts. In her arrangement for harps, it is this latter
approach taken by Milot, giving her an opportunity to showcase “the
distinctive colours of the harp’s different registers and its exceptional
resonance.” The result is very effective and the hypnotic rhythms are
tantalizing in this performance.
John Cage’s In a Landscape is hypnotic in a different way, with
dreamlike arpeggiated melodies spiralling gently and only occasionally punctuated by belling chords in the bass. Composed in 1948 for
the choreography of Louise Lippold it was conceived for performance
on either piano or harp. Milot’s depiction of the meditative landscape
is exquisite.
Composer/violinist Antoine Bareil’s Castille 1382 continues the
mood with a meditation on Jacob de Senleches’ fourteenth-century
virelai La harpe de mélodie. Bareil’s title recalls the year of the
death of Eleanor of Aragon, Queen of Castile. It is in two sections,
an extended harp solo in which the medieval melody is presented
unadorned and then in a harmonized rendition; and in the final
minutes the haunting soprano voice of Marianne Lambert joins the
harp in canon. It’s otherworldly.
One of the discs to cross my desk over
the holiday season was the latest from
Newfoundland jazz and swing guitarist Duane
Andrews entitled Conception Bay (duaneandrews.ca). The shadow of Django Reinhardt
looms large, as it always does in Andrews’
repertoire, both in the form of Reinhardt
covers and original compositions in the Hot
Club style. I was delighted to find Reinhardt’s Swing 39, which I first
heard on a Quintet of the Hot Club of France LP some 40 years ago,
62 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
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At this point the disc takes a hard left turn and we are immersed
in the world of pop music. But the transition is seamless as the solo
harp introduction of Bareil’s arrangement of the Gentle Giant song As
Old as You’re Young is in a lilting folk idiom. Harp is soon joined by
an edgier violin statement of the melody (played by Bareil) and as the
piece develops it gets harder and harder with the addition of marimba
and raunchy bowed double bass. This sets us up for the culminating
storm, Frank Zappa’s iconic G-Spot Tornado. Zappa initially conceived
it as an electronic piece for his album Jazz from Hell because he felt
that live musicians could simply not perform its complexities at the
desired tempo. He was later proved wrong and there is YouTube video
of an athletically choreographed performance with modern dancers
and the Ensemble Modern conducted by Zappa in 1992. Since that
time G-Spot Tornado has received myriad live performances and here
it is vigorously and very effectively played by Milot and Bareil with
Jocelyne Roy, flute, François Vallières, viola, and Raphaël Dubé, cello,
providing a tornadic finale to a very fine disc.
Concert Note: Valérie Milot and Antoine Bareil can be heard in
recital on March 18 at Convocation Hall, McMaster University in
Hamilton. On March 19 at 5pm they will give a free performance at
the Consulate of the Republic of Poland, 2603 Lake Shore Blvd W. here
in Toronto (limited seating, first come first served). Soundstreams will
present a performance of Electric Counterpoint and other works by
Steve Reich on March 19 at the Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St. W.
While the first disc purports to comprise Petrowska Quilico’s
“favourite” selections, no less care or enthusiasm is given to the
remaining six etudes on Glass Houses Volume 2. Here’s what Dr. Réa
Beaumont had to say in her review in June 2014: “The pianist and
production team have given careful thought to the order that the
pieces appear on the album. From a shimmering opening to intense,
driving movements, there are also playful moments with unexpected
jazz riffs. Petrowska Quilico’s recording exemplifies the artistry and
physical endurance that are required to create this seamless musical
vision for one of Ann Southam’s masterpieces.”
If you didn’t take our word for it first time round, this new edition
is a cost effective ($20 at musiccentre.ca) way to rectify that and to get
the whole collection.
We welcome your feedback and invite submissions. CDs and
comments should be sent to: DISCoveries, WholeNote Media Inc.,
The Centre for Social Innovation, 503 – 720 Bathurst St. Toronto
ON M5S 2R4. We also encourage you to visit our website thewholenote.com where you can find added features including direct links
to performers, composers and record labels, “buy buttons” for online
shopping and additional, expanded and archival reviews.
David Olds, DISCoveries Editor
[email protected]
Glass Houses Volumes 1 & 2 (Centrediscs
CMCCD 22215) is a simple repackaging of
two previous releases featuring Christina
Petrowska Quilico. As I said in my original
review in 2011, “Glass Houses Revisited is a
reworking of Ann Southam’s ‘fiendishly difficult etudes’ the pianist was working on with
the composer at the time of her death in
November 2010. Originally composed in 1981, the title Glass Houses
refers to minimalist composer Philip Glass, the best-known proponent
of this style at the time of writing, and to choreographer Christopher
House with whom Southam worked extensively. The mostly ebullient, busily joyful pieces were revised in 2009 for Petrowska Quilico
and further edited by her with the composer’s permission for this
recording in 2010. The disc features nine ‘favourite’ selections from
the set, arranged with four lively pieces on either side of the solitary ‘broody and moody’ track, Glass House No.13. Overall they
are a weaving and embroidering of various melodic motifs that, in
Ann Southam’s words ‘reflect the nature of traditional women’s
work – repetitive, life-sustaining, requiring time and patience.’ One
can only imagine the patience and diligence required of Petrowska
Quilico to master these complex and exhilarating gems, and master
them she has.”
TERRY ROBBINS
V
olksmobiles is the quite fascinating first CD from collectif9
(collectif9.ca), the Montreal string ensemble that made its debut
in 2011 and is composed of four violins,
two violas, two cellos and a bass. The players
met through their studies at McGill University
and the Université de Montréal, and their
assertion that the ensemble size enables them
to combine the power of an orchestra with the
crispness of a chamber ensemble is more than
justified by the results here.
Two arrangements by the group’s bass
player Thibault Bertin-Maghit open the program: a simply dazzling
version of Brahms’ Rondo alla zingarese (check out the video on their
website!) and a short but effective transcription of the Allegretto from
Alfred Schnittke’s Violin Sonata No.1.
The central work on the disc is the title track, a short three-part
piece commissioned by the group from the Guelph composer Geof
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Orbis is an album through which
contemporary works are given a
new and vibrant life. The harp like
you’ve never heard it before!
collectif9:
Volksmobiles
Winner of the 17th International
Fryderyk Chopin Piano
Competition.
The #1 best-seller in his native
South Korea! Incl. the Préludes and
the Piano Sonata No. 2
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 63
Holbrook. Its opening movement has more than a hint of Marjan
Mozetich about it (no bad thing!) and the third movement is a clever
mixture of percussive effects and pizzicato.
A condensed Allegro assai from Bartok’s Divertimento is a more
substantial piece played with a great sense of style, and André
Gagnon’s really short but exuberant Petit concerto pour Carignan, an
homage to the legendary Quebecois fiddler Jean Carignan, rounds out
the disc with a wicked cross-mixture of Bach and fiddle music.
I have only one complaint, and although it’s a big one it’s also
a positive one: clocking in at just over 29 minutes for the seven
tracks, the disc feels more like a sampler CD than a debut disc, and it
certainly leaves you really wanting to see what the group does with a
more substantial program. Hopefully we will be hearing a great deal
more – in both quantity and length – from this dynamic ensemble in
the not-too-distant future.
Concert Note: You can hear collectif9 live courtesy of Music Toronto
at Jane Mallett Theatre on March 10. The program will include the
Holbrook mentioned above and works by Brahms, Shostakovich,
Bartók, Schnittke, Hindemith and Prokofiev.
is at times!
The two concertos, written in 1872 and 1902, must have been
welcome additions to the solo cello orchestral repertoire, which was
still quite thin on the ground by the late 1800s. Concerto No.1 in A
Minor Op.33 is a three-movement work with a lovely Allegretto as
the middle movement, while the Concerto No.2 in D Minor Op.119 is
a shorter two-movement work with equally beautiful lyricism in the
slower passages. Mørk plays with a warm tone and fine sense of style
throughout both concertos.
The additional works on the CD offer ample proof of the composer’s all-round ability. Pianists Louis Lortie and Hélène Mercier join
Alasdair Malloy on glass harmonica and members of the orchestra for
a joyous performance of Le Carnaval des animaux, Grande Fantaisie
zoologique for Two Pianos, Flute, Clarinet, Glass Harmonica,
Xylophone and Strings. The work grew out of a cello solo – Le Cygne
– which the composer wrote for a cellist friend in 1886, but while
the famous Swan was soon published Saint-Saëns never allowed the
entire work to be performed outside of a small circle of his friends;
it remained unpublished until 1922, after the composer’s death. Not
surprisingly, Mørk shines in his famous solo turn.
Two concert pieces for piano and orchestra complete a diverse and
highly entertaining CD: the well-known Caprice-Valse Op.76
“Wedding Cake,” and the fantasia Africa Op.89, both of them showcasing the terrific talents of Louis Lortie.
The Swiss-based Argentinian cellist
Sol Gabetta is simply stunning in Vasks
Presence, the world premiere recording of the
Concerto No.2 for Cello and String Orchestra,
“Klātbūtne – Presence,” which was written
for her by the Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks
(Sony 88725423122). The work, premiered
in October 2012, was commissioned by the
Amsterdam Sinfonietta, which is conducted
here by Candida Thompson.
The concerto is described as portraying the hope that the individual
may find peace and purification in a conflict-ridden here and now,
and consequently has passages of both great beauty and dissonant
struggle. There’s a glorious build-up throughout the opening Cadenza
– Andante cantabile, a tough and choppy Allegro moderato with
distinct shades of Shostakovich, and another lovely build through
the Adagio final movement, Gabetta adding a really lovely and almost
Bachian vocalise at the end, as the cello soars to the highest and
quietest of endings.
Grāmata čellam – The Book is a two-movement work for solo cello,
with a strong, percussive and impassioned Fortissimo followed by a
Pianissimo that again requires Gabetta to add a vocalise. Written in
1978, it was the first work of Vasks that Gabetta heard and led directly
to their ongoing friendship.
For Musique du soir for Cello and Organ, Gabetta is joined by her
mother, the organist Irène Timacheff-Gabetta. Vasks has said that the
evening of the title refers to the evening both of the day and of life; it’s
a strongly tonal and very effective work.
The standard of Gabetta’s playing and interpretation throughout a
challenging program is quite astonishing, especially in view of the
amount of solo writing and the remarkably high and demanding
technical level of the music. It is the Cello Concerto that really stands
out here though, and as Vasks assisted with the recording this is
clearly a definitive performance of what is a significant addition to the
contemporary cello concerto repertoire. It’s a simply indispensable CD
for anyone interested in the genre.
The outstanding Hyperion series The
Romantic Violin Concerto reaches Volume 19
with three works by Max Bruch – the Violin
Concerto No.1 in G Minor Op.26, the Romance
in A Minor Op.42 and the Serenade in A
Minor Op.75 – in performances by the English
violinist Jack Liebeck and the BBC Scottish
Symphony Orchestra under Martyn Brabbins
(CDA68060).
Bruch wrote three works officially designated as violin concertos,
but that wasn’t the full extent of his compositions in that form; both
the Scottish Fantasy and the Serenade included here are four-movement works that are concertos in all but name. The former was
coupled with the Violin Concerto No.3 on Volume 17 of this series in
performances by the same personnel.
Bruch was constantly exasperated by the popularity of the G minor
concerto at the expense of his other – and in his opinion, better –
violin concertos, but it remains probably the most popular of all the
Romantic violin concertos. It’s given a lovely performance here.
Bruch’s other violin concertos are much better served by recordings now than they used to be, but even if you do know the other two
concertos and the Scottish Fantasy the chances are that the Serenade
will be new to you; if so, you’re in for a real treat. It’s a lengthy work
from 1899, when the composer was 61 but still had more than 20
years left in his life. Written for and at the prompting of the Spanish
virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate, it’s a simply beautiful work by a mature
composer in complete control of his craft; the third movement
Notturno in particular is absolutely gorgeous.
The single-movement Romance dates from 1874, some six years
after the first concerto, and was intended as the opening movement
of what Bruch thought would be a second concerto. The booklet notes
describe it as “rather uneventful, although very beautiful,” the latter a
word that regularly seems to crop up in discussions of Bruch’s music.
The noted English musicologist Sir Donald Tovey once said that “it
is not easy to write as beautifully as Max Bruch.” That’s quite true –
and it’s not easy to play as beautifully as Jack Liebeck, either. Add the
outstanding orchestral support and the lovely recorded sound and you
have a supremely satisfying CD.
Johannes Brahms was notoriously self-critical, often ruthlessly
destroying early compositions as well as his ongoing revisions of
existing works. As a result, musicologists rarely have the opportunity to observe the compositional process and to make comparisons
between initial and final versions of Brahms’ works.
One welcome exception to this is the Piano Trio No.1 in B Major
There’s another excellent cello CD this
month, this time with cellist Truls Mørk as
soloist in the Cello Concertos Nos.1 and 2
of Saint-Saëns on a Chandos Super Audio
CD (CHSA 5162). Neeme Järvi conducts the
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
Saint-Saëns was an astonishingly gifted
musician whose life spanned a period of enormous musical change – he was born eight
years after Beethoven’s death and was still alive three years after
the end of the First World War – but his music was often regarded
as out-of-date almost as soon as it was written. Still, what music it
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Op.8, presented in its original 1854 version along with the Piano
Quartet No.3 in C Minor Op.60 on a new harmonia mundi CD by the
Trio Wanderer (HMC 902222).
Trio Wanderer is joined by Christophe Gaugué on viola for
the piano quartet, a work whose seeds were sown in 1855 in an
unfinished quartet in C-sharp minor, two of the three movements
being extensively reworked for the completed Op.60 in 1875.
The period of the work’s gestation, covering his relationship with
Clara Schumann, together with Brahms’ comments to the publisher
Simrock in which he likened himself to Goethe’s Romantic poet
Werther (who committed suicide over an unrequited love) have led
to suggestions that the quartet embodies Brahms’ unfulfilled love for
Clara; certainly the passion and yearning – not exactly uncommon
traits in Brahms’ music, it must be said – would seem to make it much
more than a mere possibility.
Trio Wanderer performers – violinist Jean-Marc PhillipsVarjabédian, cellist Raphaël Pidoux and pianist Vincent Coq – all
graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in
Paris in the 1980s and went on to study at the Juilliard School in New
York. The trio was formed in 1987, and the lineup has been unchanged
since Phillips-Varjabédian replaced the initial violinist in 1996. Their
sensitive and beautifully recorded performances here make this new
release a welcome addition to their impressive discography of some
two dozen discs.
The trio was completed in early 1854, when
Brahms was still only 20. By the time it was
accepted by the Leipzig publisher Breitkopf
and Härtel, Brahms was already having
serious doubts about the work and considered
withdrawing it, as he “would certainly have
made changes in it later.” Although he did
not prevent its publication he had nothing
to do with the work’s premiere. When he did finally revisit the
work 35 years later his revisions were so all-encompassing that they
amounted to a virtual recomposition of the piece, and the admittedly
more focused and structured result is the version usually performed
today. The original version, though, is a delightful and by no means
lightweight snapshot of the young Brahms, and makes us wonder
again what we may have lost in the large number of destroyed early
string quartets.
KeyedIn
W
sparkling. In the closing track, Alpers holds nothing back in La Valse
and its devastation of the old order.
Six bonus tracks add homages to Ravel by composers like Honegger
and Casella. This 2-CD set is a wonderful and complete document for
all enthusiastic Ravellians.
ALEX BARAN
e have the pleasure this month to consider two laureates of
the Honens Piano Competition, Hinrich Alpers from 2006
and Gilles Vonsattel from 2009. Their discs, part of the prize
intended to help launch their professional careers, are remarkably
unlike each other.
The ambitious Hinrich Alpers Complete
Piano Works of Ravel (Honens 201502CD)
will have been several years in preparation
before its extensive recording sessions at The
Banff Centre in 2015. There’s so much that’s
superb about this recording and virtually no
space in this column to say even a fraction of
it. We’ll settle then, for some praise lavished
on a few of the many exceptional tracks.
Pavane pour une infant défunte has never been more lovingly
played, perched just on the threshold of deep melancholy. Alpers’
touch and tone are impeccable. Oiseaux tristes from Miroirs also
benefits from Alpers’ tactile genius at the keyboard where the gentlest of hammer strokes evoke unimaginable bird calls. His Gaspard
de la nuit is entirely brilliant but its Ondine is especially fluid and
The 2009 laureate takes a very different
direction in Gilles Vonsattel, Shadowlines
(Honens 201501CD). The central and title
work of the recording is George Benjamin’s
Shadowlines, around which Vonsattel
programs related material. Three Scarlatti
sonatas open the CD. They’re crisp, emphatically punctuated and use every performance advantage the modern piano offers.
With tonality and rhythm established, the Messiaen Quatre etudes
de rythme: No.4 moves sharply toward a new form that along with
the Webern Variations Op.27 influenced George Benjamin’s work.
Vonsattel thus far proves himself capable of both incisive playing and
introspective repose.
In Shadowlines, Vonsattel opens beautifully to freer form before
returning to Messiaen whose Préludes are a perfect bridge to the
closing tracks by Debussy. It’s a very satisfying and well-constructed
program that Vonsattel holds together both intellectually and artistically. His particular gift seems to be understanding how best to
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This release presents a selection
of the Italian-Jewish 20th c.
composer Mario CastelnuovoTedesco’s works for piano, a small
but appealingly evocative and
tuneful oeuvre.
thewholenote.com
Culled from recent concerts in
Warsaw, Pianist Magazine says
"the word 'divinely' probably sums
it up best". Includes Schubert
Impromptus and Beethoven's
"Hammerklavier"
Saffo is full of surprising & striking
elements, with a strong musical
realisation of the text, supportive
string and woodwind writing and
vivid choral effects.
Jan Lisiecki performs the complete
works of Robert Schumann for
piano and orchestra with Antonio
Pappano leading the Orchestra
dell'Accademia Nazionale di S.
Cecilia
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 65
highlight the stylistic differences of each composer.
He’s an adventurous and intelligent musician who brings obvious
rationale to a convincingly expressive keyboard style.
South Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho won the 17th International
Chopin Piano Competition last year, taking top prize after five rounds
of competitive performance. 163 pianists began the odyssey that is
now the world’s oldest piano competition – six emerged as finalists.
Winning this event is a career-making achievement, especially
at age 21.
tenderness flowing through the Sehr langsam
movement. It is, however, his playing of three
movements from Stravinsky’s Petrouchka that
really tempts one to reach for superlatives.
While many pianists begin the Danse
Russe at full throttle, Huebner holds back
throughout this section and saves his energy
for the maniacal marathon of playing required
for La semaine grasse. His clarity and endurance are truly impressive. Better still is the intervening movement, Chez Petrouchka, which
I have never heard played with such impish energy and mysticism. He
uses the silence between notes to powerful effect and adds unexpected
hesitations to rests. It’s a brilliant performance.
The recording also includes the rather dense Night Fantasies by
Elliott Carter. Huebner is very much at home with this material. It’s
unstructured and leaves the performer to create an episodic map that
makes interpretive sense for the listener. Its length requires intellectual discipline to sustain interest and Huebner has no difficulty doing
this, effectively conveying Carter’s world of half wakefulness in the
middle of the night.
This recording, Seong-Jin Cho – Winner
of the 17th International Chopin Piano
Competition (Deutsche Grammophon 479
5332) is Cho’s live performance at the Warsaw
Philharmonic Concert Hall in October last
year. He delivers all the bombast and meets
the blazing technical demands of the repertoire with confidence. It’s also a very moving
listening experience for its mature approach
to the familiar fragilities that Chopin requires. Cho spends critically
important fractions of seconds delaying passing notes and dissonances to intensify each moment of uncertainty.
The Préludes Op.28 contain a universe of emotions beautifully
portrayed with complete conviction. The Piano Sonata No.2 in B-flat
Minor Op.35 demonstrates Cho’s command of Chopin’s rich vocabulary. This is particularly evident in his treatment of the third movement’s central passage where the simple melody moves slowly,
unhurried and with minimal accompaniment. Cho lingers courageously creating a powerful contrast to the gravity of the surrounding
Marche funèbre.
The recording ends appropriately with the Polonaise in A-flat Major
Op.53 (Polonaise héroïque) upon whose closing chord the audience
erupts in cheers and applause.
The dynamism of dual piano performance asserts itself powerfully in American
Intersections (Two Pianists Records
TP1039220). Nina Schumann and Luis
Magalhäes have performed together since
1999. Their latest recording seeks to reflect
the melting pot of influences that defines
American music, Blues, Latin, Ragtime, etc.
Souvenirs Op.28 is Samuel Barber’s collection of dances for piano
four hands. Schumann and Magalhäes, however, play an arrangement for two pianos and take advantage of the opportunity for the
richer performance that this offers. They adhere faithfully to Barber’s
strong romantic leaning without neglecting his frequent modernist
flirtations.
William Bolcom’s Recuerdos is a three-part set of homages to
composers like Nazareth and Gottschalk. The Paseo opens and closes
with a sublime Latin-influenced rag that is utterly captivating. But the
show-stealer is the final homage to Delgado Palacios, in which the duo
brings explosive energy to Bolcom’s Valse Venezolano.
When Leonard Bernstein arranged Copland’s El Salón México for
two pianos in 1941, it soon eclipsed the version for single keyboard.
This recording of the piece captures every orchestral nuance and turn
of phrase. It’s a terrific performance.
Frederic Rzewski echoes the powerful pulse of American industry
in Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues. The pounding episode that opens
the piece surrenders to a mildly dissonant blues segment beautifully
played, which then blends back into a combined machine-pulsed
blues to close the piece.
Hallelujah Junction by John Adams is a complex and difficult piece.
Schumann and Magalhäes perform this superbly. There’s a devilishly
complex rhythm just before the slower middle section which they
handle flawlessly. The work’s relentless drive to its finish seems no
challenge at all to this very gifted pair.
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco occupies that
sparse region of Italian composers whose
works were not principally operatic. Perhaps
best known for his guitar and film works, his
small body of piano compositions is often
overlooked. Claudio Curti Gialdino’s recent
disc, Castelnuovo-Tedesco Piano Music
(Brilliant Classics 94811) offers a fine example
of how this composer blended his own voice
with the French and Russian influences of the early 20th century. The
repertoire represents the composer’s early work before he fled fascist
Italy in 1939, to settle in the US.
Alt Wien Op.30 has a strong feel of Ravel’s La Valse about it. While
it’s not nearly as deconstructionist, it does share a similar scale and
language. The work’s unique feature is the anti-rhythmic way the
composer has cast the dances of the opening and closing movements.
Gialdino captures this wonderfully by holding back the Waltz and
Fox-Trot, never letting them emerge as quite the dances we expect.
Despite its programmatic title, Le danze del Re David Op.37 is a
freely impressionistic collection of eight rhythmic caricatures. It’s
clever writing and fine playing. Gialdino brings a distinctive bounce
to this set that is very appealing. He goes even further in his performance of Piedigrotta Op.32 (Rapsodia napoletana). Here, an underlying
sense of Russian grandness supports a series of five colourful vignettes
that concludes with some serious keyboard muscle.
Gialdino plays a Kawai in this recording, and I suspect it might be
less than full concert size. It’s brightly voiced and delivers the
music well.
Peter Hill’s latest recording project is
JS Bach – The French Suites (Delphian
DCD34166). Hill is perhaps best known for
his recordings of contemporary repertoire, his
books on Stravinsky and Messiaen, and his
master classes at major music schools around
the world. His recording of the Bach French
Suites is, therefore, especially interesting.
Hill plays this music with a great deal of
affection. While Bach’s pedagogical intent is always clear in the twoand three-voice counterpoint, Hill reaches further to find the beauty
in every melodic fragment. He’s not the least shy about using the
piano’s expressive potential to colour the main ideas. He’s quite disciplined about the regulated speed at which this baroque repertoire
Eric Huebner is a versatile musician with eight recordings to
his credit. Many of them are ensemble performances of contemporary music, so it’s a thrill to hear what he does on this new solo
CD Eric Huebner Plays Schumann, Carter and Stravinsky (New
Focus Recordings FCR159). Huebner’s performance of the Schumann
Kreisleriana Op.16 is competent and direct with memorable
66 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
needs to proceed and reserves his subtle ritardandos exclusively for
phrase endings. He also makes a practice of lightening up on the touch
at the same time. The combined effect of these creates a reverent and
respectful closing punctuation. Hill’s ornamental technique is tasteful
and well considered. It’s always clean and of just the right length.
His playing overall is somewhat understated and he makes the
directors have not been altogether consistent
as that chorus is a later addition and is generally thought to have been added in 1739.
The record also includes a substantial bonus in the cantata Sarei troppo
felice (1707), beautifully sung by soprano
Amanda Forsythe.
Hans de Groot
VOCAL
Handel – Acis and Galatea
Boston Early Music Festival; Paul O’Dette;
Stephen Stubbs
CPO 777 877-2
!!There have been
Steinway concert grand sound both delicate and fragile. He rarely
rises beyond mezzo forte, even in the Gigue of Suite No.5 in G Major
where it could credibly happen. This is also true of the Mozart Suite
in C K399 which many have played much more aggressively. Hill’s
performance is beautifully articulate, completely unpedalled and has
a meditative quality about it.
several fine recordings
of Acis and Galatea
in the recent past. I
myself am especially
fond of the recording
conducted by John
Eliot Gardiner with
Norma Burrowes and
the late Anthony Rolfe Johnson in the main
parts (on Archiv). Still, this new recording is
something else. It is fast-paced and light on
its feet. The singing and the playing are exceptional. I especially enjoyed the tenor Jason
McStoots, who sings Damon, the lovely oboe
playing by Gonzalo X. Ruiz and the virtuoso
sopranino recorder obbligato by Kathryn
Montoya in Hush, ye pretty warbling quire! It
was also a pleasure to hear our own Dominic
Teresi, the principal bassoon of Tafelmusik.
The recording seeks to reconstruct the
first performance of 1718 and uses not a
choir in the modern sense of the word but
a group of six singers, five of whom are also
soloists. The minimum number of orchestral players needed is seven; this recording
uses ten, presumably because an archlute, a
theorbo and a double bass have been added.
The recording includes the chorus Wretched
lovers, which signals the arrival of the Cyclops
Polyphemus and marks the shift from rural
innocence to impending violence. Here the
Johann Simon Mayr – Saffo
Brown; Schafer; Yun; Papenmeyer;
Ruckgaber; Preis; Bavarian State Opera;
Franz Hauk
Naxos 8.660367-68
!!Johann Simon
Mayr was born in
Bavaria in 1763
but moved to the
northern Italian city
of Bergamo in 1787.
He spent the rest
of his life there and
in Venice. Saffo was his first opera: it was
commissioned by the then new La Fenice
in Venice and first performed there in 1794.
From our perspective Mayr can be seen
as a transitional figure, transitional that is
between the reforms of Gluck and the revolutions of Rossini.
That Mayr is to some extent still working
in the opera seria tradition is most obviously
seen in the fact that the role of the male
protagonist was written for a castrato, in
this case the famous Girolamo Crescentini.
On these CDs it is beautifully sung by the
soprano Jaewon Yun. The plot would seem to
lead logically to Sappho’s suicidal leap from
a rock but in the opera she is saved at the last
moment by the lover who had previously
rejected her. The happy ending is also a standard item in most, though not all, opere serie.
On the other hand, gone are the da
capo and exit arias. The tenor has become
important (as had already been the case in
Mozart’s Idomeneo and La clemenza di Tito),
the chorus is now more substantial and many
of the recitatives are given orchestral accompaniments (there are precedents for that,
including, again, Idomeneo).
Mayr wrote almost 70 operas. Someday I
would like to hear some of the others, especially if they are as well sung and played as
Saffo is on this recording.
Hans de Groot
Rossini – Il Signor Bruschino
de Candia; Lepore; Aleida; Alegret;
Orchestra Sinfonica G Rossini; Daniele
Rustioni
Opus Arte OA 1109 D
!!For your next vacation, why not go to
Pesaro on the sunny
beaches of the Adriatic
and if you are an opera
lover, to the Rossini
festival, a really fun
destination judging by
this video. Venice is
not too far away either
where the 20-year-old
Rossini spent his first
creative period writing
operas for a near bankrupt theatre company
that took a chance on the young fellow with
no previous experience in writing anything,
let alone opera. Amusingly, the elders of the
Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro did much the
You can find enhanced reviews of all discs below the yellow line in The WholeNote listening room.
The reissue of an all-but-forgotten
album of music from revered
conductor Gerard Schwarz, made
in his earliest days as a stunning
trumpet virtuoso.
thewholenote.com
Ches Smith: The Bell
"This dazzling debut album features
pure, emotionally eloquent vocals,
refreshingly eclectic selections
and stylistic arrangements that are
sure to leave you smiling."
Dynamic chamber music
compositions written for masterful
improvisers. With drummer Ches
Smith, pianist Craig Taborn and
violist Mat Manieri.
Critically acclaimed world-jazz
group AVATAAR explores rhythmic
hypnotism, cinematic sonic
landscapes and soaring melody
through a seamless marriage
of ancient and modern musical
sounds.
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 67
same thing in trusting this revival of Il Signor
Bruschino to a young theatre group, Teatro
Sotteraneo, with no previous experience in
opera. The directors of the group are all in
their 20s and full of ideas, energy and fun.
The scene for this one-act farsa giocosa is a
modern-day theme park complete with Coke
machines, popcorn, balloons and silly hats.
Tourists of all ages wander in and out snapping photos and are invited to join in the
even sillier plot where everyone lies except
the poor put-upon protagonist, Bruschino. In
fact they confuse him so much that he ends
up wondering who he is and there is typical
Rossinian mayhem, except for the wonderful
music and the singing. The polished cast are
mainly young people such as the soprano,
Maria Aleida, spectacular in her high register,
and her suitor, David Algret, a fine tenor.
The principal baritones: Roberto de Candia
(Signor Bruschino) and Carlo Lepore, the
guardian of the bride, who arrives on a
Segway, singing his cavatina riding on it
up and down the stage, are a bit older and
undoubtedly best in show. In charge of it all is
the conductor Daniele Rustioni who is barely
out of his teens, just like the composer.
Janos Gardonyi
Verdi – Macbeth
Zeljko Lucic; Anna Netrebko; René Pape;
Joseph Calleja; Metropolitan Opera; Fabio
Luisi
Deutsche Grammophon 073 5222
!!For me the most
sublime moment in
Macbeth is the Gran
concertato just after
the murder of King
Duncan when out
of the anguished a
cappella chorus the
orchestra finally joins
in with a melody
direct from heaven
(and how beautifully did Sinopoli do
it!), but that was nothing compared to the
intense joy and outburst of the Met audience following Vieni! T’affretta, Anna
Netrebko’s first salvo as Lady Macbeth. And
that Sleepwalking Scene! Oh my! It was
an inspired decision to revive Macbeth for
the 2014 season with Netrebko as the lead
soprano. The woman had never sung the
role before, her voice more suited to the
lyrical and coloratura repertory or so people
thought. But they didn’t know Netrebko!
After 2007, when she sang a few bel canto
roles at the Met, she went back to Europe
scoring triumph upon triumph in the most
challenging prima donna roles: Manon in
Berlin, Anna Bolena in Vienna, Donna Anna
at La Scala. Nevertheless, here she is, Lady
Macbeth in New York, seductive in her silk
chiffon dress, packing the house again to
capacity, her voice extending to a high D flat
and also extending the Met’s sagging profits.
68 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
Fortunately, the rest of the cast is not
outclassed by Netrebko’s radiance. The great
basso René Pape (Banquo) is a distinguished
credit to a rather short role (as he gets killed
quickly) and so is the tenor, Joseph Calleja
(Macduff), but at least he survives. Serbian
baritone Zeljko Lucic (Macbeth) is a fine
character actor with a strong voice, but no
match for the great Italian baritones (e.g.
Leo Nucci or Renato Bruson) of yesteryear.
Exciting yet sensitively refined conducting
by new Met principal conductor Fabio Luisi
amply compensates for the still unsurpassed
legendary Sinopoli reading.
Janos Gardonyi
Szymanowski – Król Roger
Kwiecień; Jarman; Pirgu; Chorus and
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House;
Antonio Pappano
Opus Arte OA 1151 D
!!It took almost
a century from its
premiere in Warsaw
in 1926 for Król Roger
(King Roger) to reach
the stage of the Royal
Opera House, Covent
Garden, in London.
Belated though it is,
this debut is nothing
short of a triumph.
It is by far the finest
production of this modernist opera that I have
seen. The great strength of Szymanowski’s
music is its exuberant, ecstatic orchestral colour, making it more neo-romantic
than modernist. Mariusz Kwiecień, whose
portrayal of King Roger may be a careerdefining moment, put it like this: “To
compose this music, you must be either
on drugs or mad.” Think Ravel, Scriabin,
Bartók, but also Górecki. In the past, infrequent as they were, many productions of the
opera faltered on stage because of its halting
rhythms. The work jumps from bacchanal
celebration to a standstill oratorio within its
slim, 90-minute timeframe. Director Kasper
Holten brilliantly unites the two polar opposites, with some help from the gorgeous set
designed by Steffen Aarfing. Among the many
charms of this work are wonderful choral
passages and showcase arias for the female
protagonist, Queen Roxana, masterfully delivered by Georgia Jarman. Saimir Pirgu as the
Shepherd is beguiling and free. All the cast
benefit from having a native Polish speaker
(Kwiecień) on hand – the language coaching
is well beyond the typical, cringe-inducing
sound imitation that plagues the productions
of many Czech, Polish and Russian operas in
the West. Antonio Pappano not only conducts
the work, he breathes Szymanowski’s music.
This production will likely propel King Roger
into the sphere of interest of the major opera
houses in the world. Bravi!
Robert Tomas
Cloud Light – Songs of Norbert Palej
Bogdanowicz; McGillivray; Wiliford;
Woodley; Philcox
Centrediscs CMCCD 22315
!!The song or
chanson or lied
died with Benjamin
Britten – or that is the
impression you might
have gotten by visiting
your neighbourhood
record store or any
concert hall. While
Brahms, Strauss, Schubert and Mahler song
cycles are everywhere, very little in that genre
seems to have originated since the middle of
the 20th century. It is more that the song itself
has changed, rather than disappeared. Pianist
Steven Philcox and tenor Lawrence Wiliford,
directors of the Canadian Art Song Project,
summed it up succinctly in the liner notes
to this recording: “…the experimentation of
the 20th century avant-garde rejected the
intimacy that is inherent to the genre…”
Enter Norbert Palej (Pah-Lay), a Polishborn composer, still in his 30s, currently
teaching at the University of Toronto. He
restores to the song what for centuries was
its golden measure: the intricate relationship
between poetry and music, the latter being
an emotional outgrowth of the former. All
cycles included on this disc evoke an earlier
era, with respect for the text and an intimacy
of interpretation. Cloud Light, not written
for any specific voice, invites comparisons
with les nuits d’été by Berlioz. Most surprisingly, despite being an homage to the 19thand early 20th-century tradition of song,
the work sounds utterly contemporary and
modern. It is as if after 50 years in the wilderness, the genre is coming back into its own. A
welcome return!
Robert Tomas
Sacred Reflections of Canada – A Canadian
Mass
Canadian Chamber Choir; Julia Davids
Independent (canadianchamberchoir.ca)
!!The working style
of the Canadian
Chamber Choir
is unique; with
members spread
across the country,
they convene at least
twice a year for short
projects after learning
their parts at home. A rehearsal period of
a few days is hosted by a school, choir or
community and the choir then returns the
favour by providing workshops before they
embark on tour. Their mandate, therefore, is
not just to perform, but to build community
by educating and engaging as many singers
as possible on each tour while introducing
the works of established as well as emerging
Canadian composers.
thewholenote.com
This recording, nominated for the 2016
JUNO Awards Classical Album of the Year, is
organized into the format of a mass, incorporating 19 works by 17 Canadian composers.
Amongst the five movements of the Mass
Ordinary (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and
Agnus Dei) are interspersed a number of
other reflective sacred pieces in exquisite a
cappella renderings. For example, composerin-residence Jeff Enns’ O magnum mysterium
begins with the purist soprano solo by Megan
Chartrand; Robert Ingari’s beautiful and rich
setting of Ave Maria is contrasted by another,
mysterious and dissonant, by James Fogarty.
Director Julia Davids has chosen the pieces
well, and woven the parts into a flowing and
cohesive whole, whilst directing the itinerant
choir in a stunning performance.
Dianne Wells
Voices of Earth
Amadeus Choir; Lydia Adams; Bach
Children’s Chorus; Linda Beaupré
Centrediscs CMCCD 21915
!!Lydia Adams’
the sea, with musical undercurrents evoking
the awesome power therein. Eleanor Daley’s
pieces are of a different character altogether
and contrast nicely; her Salutation of the
Dawn and Prayer for Peace are essentially
quiet, heartfelt devotionals. I Will Sing Unto
the Lord by Imant Raminsh is joyful and jubilant, rounding out the program nicely. It is,
as always, truly wonderful to experience the
convergence of excellent singers, instrumentalists, conductor and composers who are
unequivocally passionate about choral music.
Dianne Wells
CLASSICAL AND BEYOND
Schubert & Beethoven
Grigory Sokolov
Deutsche Grammophon 479 5426
!!Although not the
Amadeus Choir
has produced its
eighth CD, featuring
the music of four
Canadian composers,
two of whom
perform on the
recording. The title
piece is composed and played by pianist
Ruth Watson Henderson, joined by a percussion ensemble along with another featured
composer, Eleanor Daley, playing the celeste.
This, and others on the recording, afford
another opportunity for the choir to partner
with the Bach Children’s Chorus, celebrating 28 years of collaboration. Voices of
Earth is a multi-movement work with a
great variety of harmonic colour and everchanging rhythms which mirror the dynamic
character of nature and creation. Similarly,
the next piece, Of Heart and Tide by Sid
Robinovitch, portrays another force of nature,
most recognized
figure by the record
buying public, to
pianophiles Sokolov
is an icon on the same
short list that would
include Richter,
Argerich and few others. A first prize winner
of the 1966 International Tchaikovsky Piano
Competition, it was Emil Gilels, who headed
the jury that unanimously awarded him the
Gold Medal. This new release is his second on
DG, following the sensational Salzburg Recital
issued last year which included an unequalled
performance of the 24 Chopin Preludes (DG
4784342, 2 CDs). As he does in that first set,
he transforms each and every track into a
listener’s instantaneous personal favourite.
Sokolov is capable of making the piano sing
in a very particular way. He demonstrates
breathtaking sensitivity, a seamless pianistic
style and a low key projection that sweeps the
listener away.
Sokolov’s Schubert Impromptus Op.90
D899 are quite different from the same music
in other hands. If one listens without any
distractions there are feelings of the realization of his mortality and his struggles against
it. Simple but profound in spirit. Similarly
the Three Piano Pieces D946 convey the same
story. These performances were recorded in
concert in Warsaw on May 12, 2013.
All Sokolov’s unique qualities make his
performance of the Hammerklavier a breathtaking event, and I am curious to hear him
in the other 31 sonatas of Beethoven. This
performance and the Rameau and Brahms
encores were recorded at the Salzburg Festival
on August 23, 2013. The Rameau encores
are very interesting as Sokolov maintains a
quasi-Romantic approach that happens to
work very well. A splendid choice exposing
his versatility. The Brahms Intermezzo Op.117
No.3 takes us home.
Mention must be made of the astonishing dynamic sound from both concerts.
Although the engineers are different the
sound is remarkably similar. As realistic as
I’ve ever heard.
Bruce Surtees
Schumann
Jan Lisiecki; Orchestra dell’Accademia
Nazionale di Santa Cecilia; Antonio
Pappano
Deutsche Grammophon 4795327
!!There are so many
recorded versions
available of the
Piano Concerto in
A Minor Op.54 that
any newcomer has
to be extraordinary
to justify itself. This
enticing performance
is just that. Jan Lisiecki, the 20-year-old born
in Calgary, came into prominence as a child
prodigy, making his orchestral debut aged
nine. Today he is internationally acclaimed
and is one of the most respected pianists of
this generation.
The first hearing was most disappointing.
Lisiecki seemed to be uninvolved and
Visit TheWholeNote.com/Listening
Surkalén is returning to the stage
to present a new album, "EthnoCharango". An original creation. A
journey to the confines of the world.
thewholenote.com
Brahms String Quartets, Op. 51
Nos. 1 & 2
New Orford String Quartet
"A flawless interpretation."
Classical Music Sentinel
neworford.com
Special limited edition 35 CD set
celebrating Charles Dutoit and
the Orchestre symphonique de
Montréal. Incl. Holst, Ravel, Debussy
and much more.
The complete piano works of
African-descent composer
Nathaniel Dett recorded for the
first time. Enjoy Dett’s wonderful
melodies, harmonic colours, and
narratives.
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 69
somehow unresponsive to the score…a nonstarter. Easy to understand, as we are so
firmly imprinted with the usual bravura
performances that anything less energetic
sounds injudicious and/or simply wrong.
The following week listening again to make
sure, I heard a very convincing performance, thoughtful and searching. Lisiecki’s
Schumann is so natural and unforced that
his playing does not come between composer
and listener.
Also, I was playing it softly at the “audition”
level and now, at a more robust volume, the
true character emerged.
There are many attributes of this performance; excitement, communication, delicacy
and tonal beauty. It is such a perfect blend
and unanimity of soloist and orchestra that
it sounds as if were executed by one mind.
There is cross inspiration between piano and
the solo instruments of the orchestra, particularly the creamy winds that, in spite of perfect
ensemble, still sound spontaneous. The
recording is a model of a naturally balanced
soloist and these delectable orchestral
textures. The two shorter and less familiar,
later-concerted works – Introduction and
Allegro appassionato Op.92, Introduction
and Concert Allegro Op.134 – receive similarly attentive performances, making this
release even more attractive. Time stands still
during the little encore, Träumerei, adding a
thoughtful adieu on this attractive CD.
Bruce Surtees
Mahler – Symphony No.6
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen
Rundfunks; Daniel Harding
BR Klassik 900132
!!Daniel Harding
makes all the right
moves in this new
recording of Mahler’s
mighty Sixth
Symphony, scrupulously following the
letter of the score and
observing every indicated tempo fluctuation with considerable
élan, but what really caught my attention was
the magnificent, totally committed playing of
the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. It
more than compensates for the missed opportunities (particularly in the first movement)
for Harding to set his stamp on this work as
decisively as a Bernstein or Kubelik. My only
frustration is that this recording uses the New
Critical Edition of the score, which swaps
places between the Andante and Scherzo
of the middle movements. Though there
are good historical arguments for doing so,
musically I prefer Mahler’s original conception. Perhaps in his own performances of the
work Mahler found it less taxing for the musicians of the day to perform the slow movement second; or possibly he was keen to
stress the traditional symphonic order as
a purely musical structure, though it is far
70 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
more than that. Nonetheless thematically
the scherzo serves as a relentless expansion
of the previous movement in a relationship
consistent with that of the first two movements of his Fifth Symphony.
The four movements have been shoehorned into a single disc for this release and
the applause excised from the live performances recorded in Munich in March of 2014.
The mixing is superb and finely detailed.
The booklet oddly features electrocardiac
diagrams of the response of the percussion section and the conductor at the second
cataclysmic hammer blow of the finale. Big
spike from the musicians, flat line from
the conductor. That sums it up nicely. As a
member of the Vienna Philharmonic once
remarked of a certain music director, “We like
him. He doesn’t get in the way.”
Daniel Foley
Bucoliques: French Album III
Richard Sherman; Minsoo Sohn
Blue Griffin Records BGR 379
(bluegriffin.com)
!!Kudos to flutist
Richard Sherman
and pianist Minsoo
Sohn for this selection of little-known
music for flute and
piano by four more
or less forgotten
20th-century
composers. Sherman’s readings are disciplined and spirited. Sohn’s, to my ears
anyway, somehow capture the French-ness of
the music.
The title Bucoliques raises questions about
the composers, their intentions and the world
in which they lived. Neither the lives of the
composers, Gabriel Grovlez (1879-1944),
Raymond Gallois Montbrun (1918-1994),
Louis Durey (1888-1979) and Alfred Desenclos
(1912-1971), nor Paris, the city where they
lived and worked, were bucolic. “Bucoliques”
is borrowed from the title of the work by
Desenclos. The program notes suggest that
“the classical titles of its movements recall
those of 19th-century academic forebears,
such as Théodore Dubois, and reflect the
academic rigour of his work.” I don’t quite
get the connection between Arcadian allusion
and academic rigour, although it may reflect
a taste for irony and self-deprecating humour!
The notes also bring to light something of
Desenclos’ approach to composition: “...I do
not deny the past on the pretext of creating
the future.” The turbulence of Durey’s
career is hinted at, with the references to
his involvement in left-wing politics and
the French Resistance; and we are also told
of Montbrun’s rise “to the top of the French
musical establishment.”
Bucolic or not, their music gives us a
glimpse into the ideals and accomplishments
of another time, so close and yet so remote.
Allan Pulker
The French Influence: Music for Trumpet
and Piano
Gerard Schwarz; Kun Woo Paik
Delos DE 1047
!!Celebrated
trumpet virtuoso and
conductor Gerard
Schwarz revisits his
roots in this release
– a 1971 New York
concert with collaborative pianist Kun
Woo Paik. Schwarz has woven together an
attractive series of works and explained in
excellent program notes the interrelated
developments of trumpet performance,
composition, and manufacture in 19th- and
20th-century France. A limitation is the disc’s
length of only 42 minutes.
The recording opens with Arthur
Honegger’s Intrada, a staple of the trumpet
repertoire in which Schwarz demonstrates
excellent tone and technique. George Enescu’s
Légende is the disc’s highlight for me. Wellknown as a virtuoso violinist, Enescu remains
underrated in composition, which he studied
with Fauré and Massenet in Paris. The work’s
originality shows in an atmospheric and
meditative opening, soft trumpet filigree
passages, and a complex yet effective piano
part. Eugène Bozza’s Caprice is idiomatic to
the instrument, as is always the case with this
prolific composer. Schwarz is more than equal
to sprightly technical passages including challenging triple tonguing, but the duo also
capture mysterious Debussy-like flavours
elsewhere in the piece, including muted and
echoed fanfares. Brief pieces represent other
well-known 20th-century French composers:
Jacques Ibert (Impromptu) and André Jolivet
(Air de Bravoure). The two earlier works on
the disc are Theo Charlier’s Solo de Concours
and Henri Senée’s Concertino; I particularly like Senée’s composition for the cornet,
especially the Romance movement, whose
attractive melody is capped with a sudden
pianissimo climax that Schwarz achieves
impeccably.
Roger Knox
MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
Ives – Symphonies Nos.3 & 4; Unanswered
Question; Central Park in the Dark
Seattle Symphony; Ludovic Morlot
Seattle Symphony SSM1009
(seattlesymphony.org)
!!Charles Ives had
a beautiful musical
mind, far ahead
of his time. In my
youth I watched a
televised performance by Stokowski
with the American
Symphony of Ives’
thewholenote.com
Symphony No.4 (1910-16). Each subsequent hearing magnifies my appreciation of
this masterpiece. Conductor Ludovic Morlot
and the Seattle Symphony seem comfortable with the work’s contradictions. Ethereal
high strings evoke night uncannily in the
short Prelude yet orchestral interruptions
are harsh; meanwhile a hopeful chorus sings
the hymn Watchman. Is it right to have all
of this going on? Ives would say, “Sure – why
not?” Then a complex movement, Comedy,
goes much further. It opens with quarter-tone
string glissandi, the quiet soon intruded on
by other material including marches and full
brass, sentimental tunes, a piano waltz and a
violin solo, often with different simultaneous
tempi. Conductor, orchestra and engineer still
manage to keep everything in balance in this
musical funhouse! The following strict hymntune-based Fugue could not contrast more
vividly. In the visionary Finale, despite diverse
interruptions, Morlot maintains the unifying
sense of a parade bookended by percussionalone passages that emerge from and return
to silence.
The classics The Unanswered Question
(1908) and Central Park in the Dark (18981907) receive scrupulous, loving treatment,
with impeccable intonation. In Symphony
No. 3, “The Camp Meeting” (1901 - 14) a
different side of Ives appears, as turn-of-thecentury classical music language combines
seamlessly with nineteenth-century
American hymnody; this recording presents a
persuasive case for the result.
Roger Knox
Prokofiev – Symphonies Nos. 4, 6, & 7;
Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5
Alexei Volodin; Sergei Babayan; Mariinsky
Orchestra; Valery Gergiev
Mariinsky MAR0577
!!The Swiss
composer Arthur
Honegger once
claimed that
Prokofiev would
“remain the greatest
figure of contemporary music.”
These were strong
words of praise indeed and whether or not
one agrees, this splendid two-disc set on
the Mariinsky label offers the listener ample
opportunity to decide. The collection is the
first in a series the label is issuing to honour
the 125th anniversary of Prokofiev’s birth and
features the piano concertos Four and Five
and symphonies Four, Six and Seven, appropriately performed by the Orchestra of the
Mariinsky Theatre with soloists Alexei Volodin
and Sergei Babayan all under the direction of
Valery Gergiev.
The set opens with the Piano Concerto
No.4 for the left hand, music completed in
1931, and the second concerto written for
the pianist Paul Wittgenstein who had lost
his right arm in the Great War (Ravel had
thewholenote.com
provided the first). The opening movement
– the first of four – is sprightly and virtuosic,
with Alexei Volodin easily handling the technical demands for the left hand that would
challenge all but the most competent of
artists. An expansive and introspective second
movement follows a quirky Moderato before a
lickety-split finale where soloist and orchestra
prove a formidable pairing.
The Fifth Concerto from 1932 also presents
considerable technical challenges. Its five brief
movements are true studies in contrasts, from
the cheeky and extroverted opening to the
calm Larghetto. Throughout, Sergei Babayan’s
dexterity and keyboard style are much in
evidence; the virtuosic demands are conveyed
with great finesse.
Judging from the relatively small number
of recordings of the Symphony No.4 – originally composed in 1930 but expanded 17 years
later – it would seem to be the most underappreciated of all seven symphonies. The
light and playful mood attests to its origins in
the ballet The Prodigal Son on which it was
based. Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra
provide a spirited and thoroughly convincing performance, bringing together a wealth
of timbres and colours. Symphony No.6
was completed in 1947 and has long been
regarded as the darker twin of the more optimistic No.5. Nevertheless, Gergiev draws a
sensitive performance from the orchestra
throughout the solemn march-like opening
movement, the anguished and lengthy Largo
and the optimistic and rambunctious Vivace,
performed with panache. To a degree, the
ballet spirit is also found in Symphony
No.7 from 1952. The gracious second movement waltz and elegiac andante are further
enhanced by the warmly resonant strings,
while the spirited finale seems meant to be
danced to! A surprisingly placid ending brings
the symphony – and the set – to a satisfying
conclusion.
In all, these are exemplary performances
and the collection is destined to be a staple in
the catalogue.
Richard Haskell
social sounds
Catherine Lee
Teal Creek Music TC-2035
(catherinemlee.com)
!!The difficulty
and excitement of
a solo instrumental
performance arises
from the fact that
the entire sound
envelope is, from
beginning to end,
from top to bottom, exposed. A note’s attack,
its approach towards silence, the sound of
keys, the performer’s breath – all these come
under the listener’s scrutiny, amplified by
the surrounding stillness. On social sounds,
Portland oboist Catherine Lee, instead of
merely navigating these choppy waters,
makes them her destination. Almost all of the
pieces feature an improvisatory aspect, tools
which Lee uses to prod the boundaries of her
instrument’s sound.
The first such piece presented here is
Jérôme Blais’ Rafales. Scored for solo oboe
and piano with depressed sustain pedal, the
work is this disc’s standout. Inspired by the
composer’s encounters with Nova Scotian
wind, Blais supplies the performer only with
loosely defined long-tone gestures, leaving
their lengths at the performer’s discretion.
These, combined with the timbral shifts
caused by the choreographed movement of
the oboe in relationship to the microphone,
result in a gripping tension: Lee’s tone, at
first pushed and pulled along its edges, finally
disintegrates into the murk of sympathetic
vibrations with the piano.
A similar effect is achieved in Emily
Doolittle’s Social sounds from whales at
night, only here it’s improvised timbral
fingerings and pitch bends which cause the
tension, and pre-recorded whale sounds
rising to the ocean’s surface which give
release. The sum of these is a CD as compelling as it is eminently listenable.
Elliot Wright
Mangabeira
Trio Virado
Soundset Recordings SR1075
(triovirado.com)
!!Trio Virado
was created after
member guitarist
João Luiz heard the
Leo Brouwer piece
Paisajes, Retratos y
Mujeres in a Brazilian
concert at the Leo
Brouwer Festival.
So enthralled was the musician with its
successful instrumentation that he asked
his manager to bring flutist Amy Porter and
violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez together for
a concert of this piece and Luiz’s arrangement of three Astor Piazzolla tangos. The
musical chemistry clicked with a permanent trio, more concerts, more pieces and this
debut release.
The unusual instrumentation works as each
instrument and each performer can convincingly take on lead or accompaniment roles in
various styles. The above-mentioned Brouwer
piece is given a clear, energetic performance in its subtle three note ideas, unison
sections and stylistic shifts from Renaissance
to minuet dance rhythms. Likewise the three
Luiz-arranged Piazzolla tracks are spirited,
tight, rhythmic, and true to the bandeonist/
composer’s musical vision. The other three
works by Sergio Assad, Hermeto Pascoal and
Luiz are well-played good pieces in a more
popular music genre – for example Luiz’
theme and variations work Todas as Manhas
draws on the familiar Luiz Bonfa song Manha
de Carnaval, and showcases the trio’s ability
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 71
to transcend lighter styles.
Trio Virado’s musicianship is world class
yet the group still feels slightly like a work in
progress before it is fully grounded. But this
is a first release which still needs to be heard
and appreciated. And the future should be
exciting for them!
Tiina Kiik
Thirst – Ana Sokolović; Julia Wolfe
Turning Point Ensemble; musica intima
Vocal Ensemble
Redshift Records TK442
(redshiftrecords.org)
!!Thirst. The name
of this CD evokes a
primal human need
and fear – our absolute reliance on
water for survival.
The album offers
four works by two
composers – Ana
Sokolović from Montreal and Julia Wolfe from
New York City – whose composing styles
share some similarities while also exhibiting
quite contrasting approaches. The four works
on the album are expertly performed by two
Vancouver-based groups, the Turning Point
Ensemble and musica intima.
Beginning with three works by Sokolović,
one immediately is struck by her compelling
and driving use of rhythm. This feature can in
part be attributed to her Serbian background
and the influence of traditional Balkan music
with its characteristic irregular rhythms.
The first track is inspired by songs from a
Serbian rock band, whereas the third track
Vez, a Serbian word for embroidery, creates
an atmosphere of furious and energetic
patterns and gestures for solo cello. Her other
work Dring, dring plays with both sounds
and words associated with the experience of
using a telephone. Humourous and dramatic
exchanges are tossed amongst the singers in
four different languages.
Wolfe’s epic work Thirst immediately casts
a spell upon the listener with its long expansive and timeless gestures, all the while maintaining a driving movement forward. Using
text from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah,
the composer creates an intense drama, plunging the listener into an act of contemplating
the precious need for and precarious presence of water.
Wendalyn Bartley
JAZZ AND IMPROVISED
Forest Grove
Allison Au Quartet
Independent AA-15 (allisonau.com)
!!Saxophonist and composer Allison Au’s
aptly titled Forest Grove is a lush and inviting
recording that takes the listener on a journey
through a suite-like series of tunes. The
72 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
compositions retain
a remarkable unity of
purpose despite the
obvious sonic and
stylistic differences
between them. Au’s
writing embodies an
approach that blends
arrangement with improvisation in a way that
seems perfectly natural. One idea flows seamlessly into the next, regardless of whether the
ideas are improvised or composed. The addition of vocalist Felicity Williams on three of
the nine tunes ties the record together and
helps to deepen its compelling mood.
The opening track, Tides, establishes
many of the hallmarks of Au’s writing and
the band plays through them with ease
and assurance. Complex harmonies are
played over unexpected rhythmic shots and
melodies are doubled with bass and Fender
Rhodes piano. Drummer Fabio Ragnelli and
bassist Jon Maharaj mesh effortlessly on the
tricky arrangement, providing both groove
and conversation. Au solos confidently,
displaying a rich alto tone and a sophisticated
linear concept.
Bolero features bassist Maharaj, improvising
a lyrical solo over Au’s and Williams’ ethereal
melody. The post-bop-tinged Aureole showcases the band’s convincing, hard swinging
up-tempo chops. Au’s strong sense of the
tradition is highlighted by Todd Pentney’s
bluesy B-3 playing. They Say We Are Not Here
closes the journey with Felicity Williams’
voice spinning textures over its gorgeous,
hypnotic, two-chord vamp.
Ted Quinlan
Manifesto
Linsey Wellman
Independent (linseywellman.com)
!!Recent publi-
city suggests that alto
saxophonist Linsey
Wellman is at the
pinnacle of his improvisational powers.
That remains to be
seen (he may scale
greater heights in the future) but even if he
never achieves anything better than this
album he has ample reason to be proud.
This set of seven songs, Manifesto, carves
its own niche in the realm of solo alto saxophone performances. The opener, la culture
is a joyous, dancing piece which engages
you and gets the album off to a decidedly
flying start. It is followed by dans laquelle
on investit (literally, In Which It Invests)
a profound, slow and slightly mysterious
ballad edged with a rueful feel. This chart
features some thoughtful, melodic soloing by
Wellman as does avec laquelle (With Which),
which reminds me a little of the work of Greg
Osby, another great and unjustly overlooked
experimentalist.
The fact that the titles of the songs in
French and English have a distinct phrase-like
abruptness to them suggests the interconnectedness of the music on the album. This extraordinary linearity continues to intrigue and
delight as Wellman rings in the changes in
mood, structure and tempo, making for a
constantly interesting program. The degree
of balance, integration and melody, harmony
and rhythm, of composition and improvisation, of exploration, individuality and tradition is impressively maintained throughout
the program. It’s a manifesto that truly sings.
Raul da Gama
Thanks…
Linton Garner
Cellar Live CL062402 (cellarlive.com)
!!The late, great
pianist Linton
Garner spent the
last 30 years of his
life as a beloved and
respected member
of the Vancouver jazz
scene. Garner relished
his younger brother
Erroll’s success, but focused his own musical
career on orchestral, ensemble and small
venue performance work – often sharing the
stage with jazz luminaries, including Billy
Eckstein, Nancy Wilson, Lester Young, Dizzie
Gillespie and Miles Davis – all the while
acting as a treasured teacher and mentor to
several generations of Vancouver-centric jazz
musicians.
This superb project is the brainchild of Don
Fraser, who acts as producer here. Fraser
enjoyed a long professional and personal relationship with Garner and was the drummer
in his trio for more than six years. Thanks…
is a labour of love for Fraser, and as Garner
would have wanted – all proceeds from the
project are earmarked for the Linton Garner
Scholarship Fund at Capilano University in
North Vancouver.
The album itself is comprised of remastered CBC recordings, from 1993 through
2002 (featuring Fraser on drums, Stewart
Loseby on sax and bassist Peter Trill) as well
as live tracks from a memorable B.C. concert
performance (I Never Said Goodbye) dedicated to Garner’s late brother, Erroll.
Highlights of this fine recording and
tribute include the gospel-infused piano solo
Pittsburgh Blue; the evocative I Never Said
Goodbye and the elegant trio tune Won’t You
Come Dance With Me. The final track on the
CD is saxophonist Loseby’s deeply moving
Lament for Mr. G, which features Miles Black
on piano and was recorded following Garner’s
passing in 2004.
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
The Bell
Ches Smith; Craig Taborn; Mat Maneri
ECM 2474
!!Ches Smith is a young American
thewholenote.com
percussionist/
composer whose
CV criss-crosses a
musical landscape
in which jazz, rock
and experimentation have tumbled
into one another,
working with musicians like John Zorn, Tim
Berne, Mark Ribot and Mr. Bungle. For his
ECM debut, his musical language is shaped
by impulses from post-serial classical music
to free improvisation. He’s joined here in his
longstanding trio by pianist Craig Taborn and
violist Mat Maneri to play a series of pieces
that consistently blur the lines between the
composed and the improvised.
From the opening clang of a bell on the
title track, there’s an air of high drama and
mystery emerging from the muffled undercurrent of the piano and Maneri’s vibrant
sustained tones. Repeating motifs may
temporarily stabilize the pieces, but it’s an
illusion, as patterns either disappear or build
to menacing intensity amidst a maelstrom of
sound. The furies loosed on I’ll See You on the
Dark Side of the Earth give way to the subtle,
almost random prettiness of the vibraphone
and piano beginnings of I Think. Moods turn
subtly from joyous to pensive in a piece like
It’s Always Winter (Somewhere).
Smith’s music succeeds on its mix of
unlikely elements and its own internal
tension patterns, its successively reimagined drives to order and freedom, but it could
only arise from the trio’s instrumental brilliance. Smith can wittily deploy assorted rock
and jazz beats, as well as reveal the beauty
of a bowed vibraphone; Taborn can bring a
precise and distinguishing touch to individual
notes in the most complex flurry; while
Maneri practises an exemplary combination
of passion and control.
Stuart Broomer
One Night in Indy
Wes Montgomery
Resonance HCD-2018
(resonancerecords.org)
!!In October 1959,
Wes Montgomery
recorded his debut LP,
The Wes Montgomery
Trio, for Riverside
Records. It would
rapidly make him
the most eminent
guitarist in jazz,
famed for his sheer invention and drive as
well as his unorthodox thumb-picking and
improvised lines in unison octaves. The
previous January, when this was recorded,
Montgomery was a 35-year-old Indianapolis
factory worker who regularly played in
local bars and astonished visiting stars.
Documenting a performance in an unnamed
venue put on by the Indianapolis Jazz Club, a
loose association of fans, One Night in Indy
thewholenote.com
presents the Chicago-based trio of pianist
Eddie Higgins with Montgomery as a special
local guest.
Passed down by members of the club until
it reached Resonance Records (even the
name of the bass player is unknown), the
tape documents a great set of club jazz from
a year when the modern mainstream was in
full flower. It’s a joyous meeting of musicians
who speak the same idiom with fluency and
imagination, no doubt with spirits raised by
the sheer surprise of Montgomery’s creative
energy and distinctive approach, complete
with runs executed in chords. The program
begins and ends with standards – Give Me
the Simple Life, You’d Be So Nice to Come
Home To – and relies on classic jazz anthems
in between, delivering liquid beauty to
Ellington’s Prelude to a Kiss and plenty of
momentum to Stompin’ at the Savoy and the
Basie hit Li’l Darlin’.
It’s all carried forward by the masterful
drumming of Walter Perkins and that
solid, anonymous bassist, with Higgins
and Montgomery matching one another in
swing, invention and sheer elan. One of the
most special moments comes on Thelonious
Monk’s subtly dissonant ballad Ruby, My
Dear, with Higgins supplying an abstract,
bell-like introduction.
Stuart Broomer
The Fictive Five
Larry Ochs
Tzadik TZ 4012 (rova.org)
!!Clues to saxophonist Larry Ochs’
expansive cinematic approach to
composition are
that three of four
lengthy tracks here
salute filmmakers
Wim Wenders, Kelly Reichardt and William
Kentridge. Just as those cineastes advanced
diverse takes on the language of film, so Ochs
references the free music breakthroughs of
John Coltrane and Albert Ayler. More crucially
though, in the same way that none of these
filmmaker’s work replicates earlier productions – or each other’s ideas – so too is The
Fictive Five project a step beyond the visions
of Ayler and Trane. Plus like filmmaking
this project is a group effort, the concepts of
Ochs as writer-director are interpreted by
a cast of Nate Wooley’s truculent trumpet
sneers, drummer Harris Eisenstadt’s irregular
splashes and snare splatters, the dynamolike pressure that emanates from dual bassists Ken Filiano and Pascal Niggenkemper,
and like auteurs such as Orson Welles or John
Cassavetes, a role for jagged abrasions that
make up Ochs’ outlay on tenor and sopranino
saxophone on the CD.
Take By Any Other Name, the appropriately animated salute to South African
artist and animator Kentridge, for instance.
Here the bassists reveal their Internet-era
adaptation of experimental music, judiciously
tinging the thumping interchange with virtuosic strumming and twanging amplified by
preparations and effects. As excitement is
intensified via crying reed split tones, rimshot pitter-patter and bugle call-like brassiness from Wooley, the bass lines eventually
divide, with one bassist ruggedly advancing
the theme while the other comments on it
with an archer’s bow-like vibrations.
It’s this sort of intuitive communication that characterizes the rest of the CD
as well. But expressiveness doesn’t have to
mean stringent discordance. Translucent for
example, dedicated to Reichardt, begins with
Eisenstadt’s metal garbage-can lid approximating commotion intersecting with slobbering puffs and smears from the horns as
the bassists put a choke hold on their instruments’ necks for more percussive pummelling. But by its climax – and the CD’s
completion – tongue slaps and snarls turn
to gnarly harmonies aided by banjo-like
rhythmic plinks from the bassists.
Like the themes engendered in a well-made
film, the sounds here highlight affinity, as
well as agitation, for proper dramatic effects.
Ken Waxman
Live at Literaturhaus
The Living Room; Barry Guy
Ilk 239 CD (ilkmusic.com)
!!Demonstrating the
distinction between
fission and fusion,
veteran British bassist
Barry Guy partners the Danish
Living Room trio in
a timbre-suturinglike program that sounds like three improvisations from an integrated quartet rather
than from a trio plus one. Sophisticated in the
use of multifold string techniques, Guy has
spent a half century intersecting with improv
visionaries, so the challenges advanced by
reedist Torben Snekkestad, keyboardist Søren
Kjærgaard and drummer Thomas Strønen
don’t faze him.
However Live at Literaturhaus doesn’t
become a Guy quartet session. Strønen’s
cross-cut cymbal scratches and percussive
buzzing; Kjærgaard’s high-frequency piano
chording and judicious electric keyboard
interjections; plus Snekkestad’s timbres from
soprano and tenor saxophones and reed
trumpet which often seem to be aggressively
forced through a stainless steel strainer, are
just as prominent. These pared guttural blows
alongside the telephone static-like crackling from the other two Living Roomers in
Part 1 bring out staccato stops from Guy, that
alternate between lowing and squeaking.
Before the 51-minute performance wraps up
with an evocative yet muscular finale at the
completion of Part 3, it’s only one strategy
advanced by the four. Midway through Part 2,
for instance, Snekkestad’s tenor timbres
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 73
turns boudoir-like sensuous with equivalent hedonistic splashes from Kjærgaard’s
piano. While Part 3 eventually locks together
winnowing reed draughts, bass string
pounding and drum ruffs, the first part of the
last selection is as belligerent as a declaration
of war. Triple-stopping sul ponticello strokes
from the bassist, crowded, circularly breathed
pitch alternations bubbling from Snekkestad’s
horns and swelling dynamics from the
keyboard(s), and descending accents and
pauses from the drummer, lead to a narrative that slowly disappears, leaving echoes of
peace and power.
Ken Waxman
From the Attic of My Mind
Sam Most
Xanadu Master Edition 906074
(elemental-music.com)
!!Herbie Mann may
have been the most
prolific; Pail Horn
the most mystical;
and Moe Koffman the
one who composed
the tune most closely
identified with the
instrument, but the
musician who assuredly created a niche
for the flute in modern jazz was Sam Most.
Most (1930-2013) was an unprepossessing
journeyman who spent most of his career
in Hollywood studios and Las Vegas show
bands. But by the early 1950s, his rhythmic
overblowing and expanded colour palette
fully confirmed the flute’s improvisationary
dexterity. Backed matchlessly by pianist
Kenny Barron, bassist George Mraz, drummer
Walter Bolden and percussionist Warren
Smith, the reissued 1978 session, From the
Attic of My Mind, is doubly valuable since it’s
the only CD made up completely of Most’s
compositions.
With an economy of phrasing and an
extravagance of taste, Barron amplifies Most’s
tonal strategies, whether it’s moderato lowpitched sonority on the bossa nova-like
Breath of Love or the funky boogaloo of Keep
Moving. In the latter, the flutist’s Rahsaan
Roland Kirk-like note popping coupled
with unison throat vocalizing is given extra
impetus by Smith’s swiveling pulses and
ratcheting pressures. Most also demonstrates
his flexibility by transforming a romantic
introduction that evolves from Mraz’s bowed
bass lines into a jumping romp on Child of
the Forest, and performing a similar feat
with You Are Always the One that expands
from a backwards turning ballad to a finger
snapper with a solo that encompasses a quote
from Manhattan, ornamental cadenzas and
peeping beats. But it’s the simplicity of the
blues that best showcase Most’s balance
of passion and precision. His low-pitched
rhythmic stutters intensify the earthy mood
that a groove engendered by locked double
bass and piano chording on Blue Hue begins;
74 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
while Out of Sight in Mind contrasts his
muscular flute lines with Barron’s most delicate pianism.
Like an author whose freshness of style
grew out of his initial ingenuity, and is recognized only after it has been put in the context
of others’ prose that this CD confirms Most’s
historical importance as a pioneering flutist
while also preserving high-quality sounds.
Ken Waxman
POT POURRI
Blackout
Worst Pop Band Ever
Independent (wpbe.bandcamp.com/music)
!!The satirically
named Worst Pop
Band Ever (WPBE)
has been crafting its
eclectic blend of jazz,
pop, funk, dance,
soundtrack music
and humour for a
decade. Blackout is a
fresh and successful take on a genre-hopping
approach to music making that has seen a
growing number of exponents in recent years.
The two-keyboard mix of Dafydd Hughes and
Adrean Farrugia combine with DJ LEO37’s
turntables to create varied and unique
textures over the rhythm section of Tim
Shia and Drew Birston on drums and bass.
Saxophonist Chris Gale is a powerful voice
and the de facto singer in a group that doesn’t
have one but certainly could.
The group grafts wide-ranging musical
elements onto each other that serve to
subtly or not so subtly transform the source
materials. Peachy Keen features modern jazz
piano comping over a reggae feel that creates
a surprisingly ideal setting for Chris Gale’s
soulful saxophone solo. The abrupt switch to
a full-out rock groove with electronica for the
tune’s ending somehow seems completely
appropriate.
Satie-like chords float in from the crowd
noise of Group Scene. The evocative piano
melody gives way to Drew Birston’s melodic
bass solo and synth textures heighten the
atmosphere. Electric piano and Hammond
B3 provide a classic backdrop for Adrean
Farrugia’s funky Gospel. Farrugia and Gale
solo exuberantly in the spirit of the tune.
WPBE veers between being ironic and overt
but it always wears its pop influences proudly.
Ted Quinlan
Some Fun Out of Life
Rebecca Binnendyk
Alma Records RBM63052
(almarecords.com)
!!Emerging Canadian jazz/pop-influenced
vocalist/composer Rebecca Binnendyk has
fired her opening
professional salvo
with an impressive
and eclectic collection of standards from
the Great American
Songbook, contemporary pop tunes
and original compositions. Equally impressive are her chosen collaborators, including
exceptional producer/engineer John “Beetle”
Bailey and yeoman musicians of her core
group, Attila Fias on piano, Kevin Laliberte on
guitar, bassist Drew Birston, drummer Davide
Direnzo and dynamic percussionist Rosendo
“Chendy” Leon. The tasty arrangements are
credited to pianist Steve Wingfield, vocalist/
keyboardist Don Breithaupt and pianist/
composer/arranger (and Elton John alum),
Charles Cozens.
Thankfully, no gratuitous, uninformed scat
singing will be found here – but what the
listener will happily find is a pure, appealing
vocal instrument, interesting musical choices,
and a refreshingly forthright skill with the
interpretation of a lyric – whether that lyric
emanates from her own tunes, Tin Pan Alley
or the mind of Jon Bon Jovi.
As a composer, Binnendyk contributes two
gorgeous offerings here: Stars, inspired by
the untimely passing of troubled music icon
Amy Winehouse, and also the inspiring Live
Now. Additional standouts include the zesty
title track (featuring a historically correct,
depression-era arrangement) and Corinne
Baily Rae’s mega-hit, Put Your Records On.
Presented here as a horn-infused, soulful
anthem of youth and longing, this performance works – whether sung in Waterloo,
Ontario or Manchester, U.K. Another gem is
a moving take on Joni Mitchell’s Night Ride
Home, which features the masterful William
Sperandei on trumpet.
The eloquent closer is Charlie Chaplin’s
Smile – simply presented – crystalline, classic
and without artifice, not unlike a mine-cut
diamond solitaire.
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
Rock Bach
Double-Double Duo
Independent (doubledoubleduo.com)
!!Think and listen
before you make any
assumptions about
the musical combination of accordion
and clarinet. DoubleDouble Duo is more
than a sweet sugary
sound. The imaginative musical mastery,
unorthodox arrangements/transcriptions
and tight ensemble playing of accordionist/
pianist Michael Bridge and clarinettist/pianist
Kornel Wolak stretches boundaries in both
the acoustic and electronic realms in this
release featuring works from their live concert
repertoire.
thewholenote.com
The Brahms Rondo alla Zingarese is a
more traditional transcription and exciting
performance. In contrast, the four Scarlatti
keyboard sonatas are given an eclectic transcription with the clarinet leading the contrapuntal lines and the free bass accordion
offering harmonic and contrapuntal support.
The title track Rock Bach is a musical stretch
as J.S. Bach’s baroque style is shoved into
modern-day sound machinations, complete
with drum-kit crashes from the Roland electronic accordion. One may wonder what
happened to the accordion in Petit Fleur
(Bechet) and Flying Home (Goodman),
as a flip of a switch and press of a button
have Bridge’s Roland accordion emulate
guitars, drums, keyboards etc. while Wolak
wails through his clarinet leads. A traditional Bulgarian piece and Vivaldi’s Summer
complete the package.
Kudos for taking risks with listener favourites – one may not like the sound but there
is so much care, energy, compassion and
knowledge of divergent styles that their ideas
must be respected. Detailed liner notes and
more than the 35 minutes of music included
here would be appreciated though. Looking
forward to the next “refill” release!
Tiina Kiik
strings muted with one hand, thus rendering
a remarkably Hungarian cimbalom-like
sonority and non-metric rhythmic density.
Botos masterfully builds themes and textures
with two hands aboard the keyboard. He’s
joined by Viswanathan’s sax and Williams’
vocals in twinned melodic lines, sometimes in unison, while other times diverging
into harmony with the rest of the band in
supporting roles.
Enhancing listening satisfaction is the
initial sprinkling of atmospheric sounds in
Agra, opening up the track’s soundscape to
a glimpse of the world outside the Toronto
studio. The pre-recorded spoken texts woven
into the uplifting jazz hymn-like Petal
(Ephemerata) are also handled skillfully.
These are not just any words, but those which
reflect the evanescence of human life spoken
by Mahatma Gandhi, Osho, the Dalai Lama,
Alan Watts, Swami Vivekananda and others,
spiritual seekers all. They greatly amplify the
positive emotion many listeners will experience in this music.
Andrew Timar
Petal
Avataar
InSound Records IS003
(sundarmusic.com)
!!Surkalén is a
!!For years before
this first CD release,
the Toronto worldjazz band Avataar
paid its dues in workshops and gigs across
Ontario. Reflecting
the interest in the
album, recently Petal
received the 2016 Toronto Jazz Festival’s
Special Projects Initiative award. What’s the
buzz about? Avataar is led by the multiple
JUNO-nominated jazz saxophonist, bansurist and composer Sundar Viswanathan.
He’s solidly supported by an all-star band
including local jazzers and world music
heroes (several of whom lean heavily on
Hindustani musical accents): Michael
Occhipinti (guitar), Justin Gray (bass), Felicity
Williams (voice), Ravi Naimpally (tabla) and
Giampaolo Scatozza (drums).
There are numerous solos by all concerned
I could cite for praise, starting with wispy
long lyrical melodies and searing hard bop
gestures in the sax solos by Viswanathan.
I also want to earmark the superb, always
sensitive and sometimes exploratory guitar
work throughout by Occhipinti – but
each musician gets a solo to command in
the album.
Outstanding performances abound in
the title track Petal (the space between).
In it, guest Toronto keyboardist Robi Botos
begins quietly by playing the grand piano’s
thewholenote.com
Ethno-Charango
Surkalén
Independent (surkalen.ca)
Quebec quartet of
relatively recent
vintage, which identifies its music as
“ethno-fusion.”
Three members of
the band are Chileans
who met in 2006 in Montreal. Claudio Rojas
plays plucked strings, flutes and electric
bass, the vocalist Sanda Ulloa also specializes on cuatro and percussion, while bass
player Rony Dávila also plays guitar, cuatro
and flutes. In 2009 the Russian-Canadian
violinist Maria Demacheva joined them and
Surkalén was born.
The album title refers to the charango, a
small guitar-like instrument of the Andes,
whose sound permeates the entire album. As
the group explains it, their name is derived
from several languages. The “Sur” stands
for their South American birthplaces, and
“kalén” means “different” in the Selk’nam
language of the indigenous people of the
Patagonian region of southern Argentina and
Chile, a culture referenced on the last track.
While their geographies of origin define a
significant part of their work here (particularly that of South America), Surkalén also
embraces musical features of Europe, Africa,
North India and the Middle East. These manifold transcontinental influences are at times
startling, if not jarring, in their superimposition. For example the work Patagonia…,
which at its core is almost new-age-y in its
violin-led lyricism – played by Demacheva,
who exhibits beautiful, secure classicallytrained tone – is at one point disturbed by
an aggressive rock-like fuzz-toned electric
bass solo.
After repeated listing, it seems to me that
despite referencing multiple geographically diverse musical performance aesthetic
sources, Surkalén’s unifying feature is best
characterized as a mix of vernacular music
vocabularies and contemporary popular
music studio values. It’s that approachable quality which probably accounts for
most of the group’s warm reception and
popular success.
Andrew Timar
Kalo-Yele
Aly Keïta; Jan Galega Brönnimann; Lucas
Niggli
Intakt CD 261 (intaktrec.ch)
!!This record marks
a kind of homecoming for the Swiss
drummer Lucas Niggli
and reed player Jan
Galega Brönnimann.
The two became
childhood friends
in Cameroon and
later played together in numerous bands in
Switzerland and France during their teenage
years. In the 30 years since, Niggli has
focused on free jazz and composition while
Brönnimann has played electronic jazz and
world music. Presented with an opportunity
to work with Aly Keïta, Côte d’Ivoire master of
the balafon, a marimba-like instrument with
calabash resonators, Niggli invited his old
friend to make this a trio.
The musical results are consistently
remarkable. Niggli is at once one of the
world’s most precise percussionists and
one of the most creative, exploring a host of
sounds from drums, cymbals and gongs while
layering complex patterns and interacting
with his partners. Aly Keïta has transformed
the traditional balafon, crafting a chromatic
version of the hyper-resonant instrument.
Emphasizing his bass and contrabass clarinets, Brönnimann is as apt to play rhythmic
patterns as traditional melodies. The parts
all course together into a series of highly
distinctive pieces, from the jazz-like beats of
Niggli’s Bean Bag, to the piquant sweetness
of Brönnimann’s wriggling soprano saxophone on Keïta’s joyously complex Abidjan
Serenade, which gains layer upon layer of
rhythm. Other fine moments include the
sudden contrast of scraped cymbals and gritty
contrabass clarinet on Brönnimann’s Bafut
and the explosive riffing of Keïta’s Adjamé
Street that concludes the CD.
The music resounds with the discovery of a
new world, an Africa of the imagination that
has coalesced in a Bern recording studio.
Stuart Broomer
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 75
Something in the Air
on…ce que le ver est a la pomme as phrasing ranges from those replicating wind-shaking trees to fortissimo porcine snorts. Elaborating
the tune as they deconstruct it, the saxophonist’s squeaks, runs and
the drummer’s press rolls move in and out of bop emulation before
torrid trumpet toots thrust the piece back to swing underpinnings.
Other performances include players lobbing divergent sequences until
a melody connects as if plopping pieces in winning order in a game of
Chinese checkers. Dribbling reed vibrations, smoothly bowed bass
strings and focused paradiddles suggest calming cool jazz swing on
every bird must be catalogued; or an unexpected foot-tapping melody
can arise after bellicose brass plunger tones and body tube sax growls
are regularized into an upbeat theme on le musician est au son.
Young Blood Still Pumps in Jazz
KEN WAXMAN
Child prodigies really don’t exist in improvised music. Occasionally
there may be some youngster known for jazz playing. But unlike other
musics which depend on a performer having a cute image or being
able to copy what’s on the score paper, improvising demands full
exposure of an inner self. Lacking maturity, the majority of these tyros
soon disappear. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t young improvising musicians. But to create notable works, like the skills of exceptional actors or visual artists, true musical talent is almost always
refined during the player’s 20s or 30s.
Another musician who has created his own
sound is French violinist/violist Théo Ceccaldi,
29, whose quartet on Petit Moutarde (ONJazz
JP-001 onj.org), performs music he composed
inspired by French director René Clair’s 1924
Dadaist short film Entr’acte. The CD is twice
the length of the movie, but its initial tracks
are crafted organically enough to accompany
the film. (Try it yourself with a muted Internet version of Entr’acte).
But Petit Moutarde is much more than that. Balancing his superior
training in notated music with the jazz sophistication of Alexandra
Grimal, 35, who plays tenor, soprano and sopranino saxophones plus
vocalizes wordlessly here, the music isn’t some hybrid jazz/classical
soundtrack but a melange that stands on its own. With drummer
Florian Satche both time-keeping and layering the tracks with cymbal
scratches and other unconventional percussion techniques plus
bassist Ivan Gélugne alternating between string slaps and rubbing arco
concordance with Ceccaldi or Grimal, visuals aren’t necessary.
Although some portions of the tracks are purposefully as herky-jerky
as the movements in Clair’s film, overall blistering modernism overcomes bal musette-like nostalgia. Bowed bass strings make a proper
backing for the fiddler’s Paganini-like display on Petit Wasabi for
instance, as curbed and cantilevered swipes fly with upwards
enthusiasm. Double counterpoint from violin and saxophone complement one another like steak and frites on Petit Chipotle, as Grimal’s
fragile stutters are reflected by Ceccaldi’s delicate stops. Swing can also
be displayed at breakneck speed as on Petit Harissa, when tenor saxophone tonal squirts and fused staccato rubbing from double bass and
violin strings join focused press rolls to produce limitless excitement.
Take German percussionist Christian
Lillinger, 31, for instance. An in-demand
sideman and leader of smaller bands for the
past few years, the septet he assembles on
Grund (Pirouet PIT 3086 pirouet.com) allows
him to craft interlocking arrangements for the
11 tunes he composed. Except for his singular
incisive drum beats which underline or put
into bold face the cumulative sound, Grund is an exercise in parallelism. There are two saxophonists, Pierre Borel and Tobias Delius; two
double bassists, Jonas Westergaard and Robert Landfermann; while
Christopher Dell’s vibraphone and Achim Kaufmann’s piano are the
chordal instruments. Like a well-drilled military unit this is a group
effort. Lean and taut, each of the drummer’s tunes is directed from
behind via stick-slapping nerve beats, cymbal taps or positioned rolls,
allowing Kaufmann’s piano or tongue-slapping reeds to create the
declarative theme statement, with Dell’s vibes scattering reflective
tone colours like new paint glittering on a surface. Most reflective of
the moods the seven engender are the adjoining Blumer and Malm.
The latter is pitched so that it sounds like a Jazz Messengers LP played
at 45 rpm with Delius’ sharp clarinet tones adding atonality, while the
vibes lighten the mood. When barroom piano-styled pumps and dual
horn flutter tonguing threaten to derail the narrative, regular drum
thwacks push the theme back on track. In contrast Blumer is organized like a gentle chamber piece with first vibes, then piano and
finally swaying horns voicing the melody. What could be jejune is
transformed as the low-energy narrative is agitated by a clip-clop
drum beat. Buzzing dual bass lines, rolling piano chords or atonal sax
explorations are prominent elsewhere. But whether the results are
balladic or bombastic, the spackle-like fills from Lillinger’s percussion
patterns consistently and distinctively glue the parts together.
More excitement is apparent on Green Light
(MultiKulti MPTO 12 multikulti.com), where
Poles, clarinetists Wacław Zimpel, 32, and
percussionist Hubert Zemler 35, play on equal
terms with well-known American new music
improvisers, clarinetist Evan Ziporyn and
guitarist Gyan Riley. Beginning as if the tracks
present a sonic slide show of someone’s recent
travels, tambura, frame drum and bell-like echoes intermingle with
Western chamber music tropes including delicate guitar plinks and
reed tone layering. The CD reaches an early climax with the instant
composition Chemical Wood, as Ziporyn pecks out spangled bent
notes through the harsh continuum created by Zimpel blowing both
melody and drone from an alghoza or Punjabi woodwind. Since the
idea of Green Light is cooperative not solipsistic, the American clarinetist joins in congruent improvisation with his Polish counterpart on
tunes like Melismantra. Backed by hard strokes from Riley’s guitar,
reed tones are tensely intermingled, with Ziporyn’s clear tones puffing
out lines in unison with Zimpel’s rugged altissimo gulps. Even more
cross-culturally cooperative is Gupta Gamini, the Zimpel-composed
final track. Processional, with echoes of Polish as well as subcontinent
folk music, the narrative is kept in motion by tremolo layering from
the two horns. Using electric guitar, Riley’s corrosive licks reverberate
like torn electrical wires adding a barbed interface. After a pause, the
theme finally relaxes into a coda that is a dual showpiece for the reeds’
spectacular upward flutter tonguing.
There's more "... In the Air" at thewholenote.com
French alto saxophonist Pierre Borel, 28, is
also one of the voices in the Berlin-based
quartet Die Hochstapler, along with fellow
Gaul, trumpeter Louis Laurain, 31; Italian
bassist Antonio Borghini, 38; and German
drummer Hannes Lingens 35. Dedicated to
aleatoric strategies that mix notation and
improvisation, Die Hochstapler’s The Music of
Alvin R. Buckley (Umlaut ub007 umlautreords.com) is inspired by the probability theory of researcher and
musician Buckley (1929-1964) who apparently abandoned music after
an encounter with Karlheinz Stockhausen. Never particularly jazzy,
although the concluding Playing Cards easily fits into that idiom with
walking bass and parry-and-thrust movement from the horns as if
participants in a speed-chess match, the CD’s five tunes are instead
concerned with how many unexpected strategies can be teased out of
an initial theme statement. Lingens’ rhythm accents are placed with
clocklike regularity or expressed in free metre to intensify the
steaming emotionalism from Laurain and Borel. A further trope slyly
combines martial-like beats with oblique exaggerations related to
modern chamber recitals. Layered horn tones are particularly evident
76 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
Old Wine, New Bottles | Fine Old Recordings Re-Released
Thinking Inside the Box
T
BRUCE SURTEES
he Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal was known as the best
French orchestra outside France, thanks to their conductor,
Charles Dutoit and Decca Records. With the death of Ernest
Ansermet in 1969 Decca had lost their man-about-French-repertoire and were very concerned about having no long-term exclusive replacement. Ray Minshull, a producer for Decca was visiting
an artist in Montreal in February 1980 and, fortuitously, attended a
rehearsal with the Montreal Symphony. “Immediately” he writes, “it
was apparent that our search was over and that I had stumbled upon
the solution to our problem. Within two days an exclusive contract
was agreed and the following July we recorded the OSM in a CD of
violin concertos with Kyung-Wha Chung, another of Rodrigo’s guitar
concertos and Ravel’s complete Daphnis and Chloe. When the new
recordings were launched, the reception from both critics and public
was so enthusiastic…especially in France and Great Britain that we
knew that, at last, we had found what we had missed for so long.”
Decca has issued a boxed set of their recordings, simply titled Dutoit
Montreal (4789466) comprised of 35 CDs in replicas of the original
cover art, an 83-page booklet with recording details, two essays by Ray
Minshull and an appreciation by Andrew Stewart.
Decca proceeded with its original intention, recording the orchestra playing mainly
works by French composers while leaving the
German repertoire to others in their stable.
In this really impressive collection, therefore, there is no Bach, Beethoven or Brahms
although there are four Mendelssohn overtures from 1986 and a 1983 reading of Orff’s
Carmina Burana.
The discs are arranged by date of recording and here are but some
of the highlights. The complete Daphnis et Chloé (1980); Boléro,
Rapsodie Espagnole and La Valse (1981); The Three-Cornered Hat
and El Amor Brujo (1981); Saint-Saëns Symphony No.3 (1982)
and Chausson Symphony in B-Flat Op.20 (1995); the two Ravel
Piano Concertos with Pascal Rogé (1982); Respighi Pines of Rome,
Fountains of Rome and Roman Festivals (1982); Rimsky-Korsakov’s
Scheherazade (1983); Gaîté Parisienne (1983); Le Sacre du Printemps
[1921 version], The Firebird, etc. (1984) and Petrouchka (1986); the
Fauré Requiem with Kiri Te Kanawa and Sherrill Milnes (1987); The
Planets (1986); Bartók Concerto for Orchestra and Music for Strings,
Percussion and Celesta (1987); Debussy Images and Nocturnes (1988);
Franck Symphony in D Minor and D’Indy Symphony on a French
Mountain Air with Jean-Yves Thibaudet (1989); two Tchaikovsky
complete ballets, Swan Lake (1991) and The Nutcracker (1992);
Piazzolla Tangazo (2000), etc.
In addition to the above, there are other major works and about 50
other pieces ranging from Hugo Alfrén’s Swedish Rhapsody No.1 to
Ambroise Thomas’ once-popular Raymond Overture. A most desirable and attractive collection. Last year Decca signed a five-year
contract with Kent Nagano and the OSM.
made his North American debut in 1955 when
he played the Tchaikovsky B-Minor Concerto
(surprise!) with Eugene Ormandy and the
Philadelphia Orchestra. His debut in Britain
was in 1959.
Acclaimed for his astonishing power
and stupendous technique, the depth of
his artistry and interpretive insights went
unrecognized for a time. He made recordings in Russia and after taking the West by storm in 1955 his name
appeared on many labels including EMI, RCA and Westminster (whose
issues were of Soviet origin). However, his very best recordings were
made with DG who consistently provided the best venues and associates and engineers. They are all in this boxed set, Emil Gilels, The
Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon (4794651) with 24
CDs and a 68 page booklet telling all.
The superiority of these mighty performances and the dynamics of
the recordings immediately put these releases in a class by themselves
and they happily remain so in these flawlessly engineered reissues.
Here are some examples.
All but six of the Beethoven Piano Sonatas. The two Brahms Piano
Concertos with Jochum and the BPO; Brahms’ First Piano Quartet
with members of the Amadeus Quartet; Chopin, Sonata No.3 and
three Polonaises; 20 Grieg Lyric Pieces; Mozart’s Piano Concerto
No.27 and Concerto No.10 for two pianos with daughter Elena, both
with Karl Böhm and the VPO; Schubert’s Trout Quintet with the
Amadeus Quartet.
The last seven discs contain recordings derived from the
Westminster copies of the Melodiya originals from which the highlight
for me is a sparklingly articulate, Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto with
Kondrashin and the USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra recorded in
March 1955. As an aside, in 1946 the New York Philharmonic
Symphony performed the Prokofiev Third under Artur Rodzinski with
pianist Nadia Reisenberg who was the only one of the big name pianists prepared to do so. Other disc-mates include an Emperor Concerto
with Kurt Sanderling from Leningrad and Kabalevsky’s Piano
Concerto No.3 conducted by the composer. Also a wealth of encoretype solos, sonatas and trios with Leonid Kogan, Rostropovich and
Rudolf Barshai.
Known for his poetic approach, pianist
Dino Ciani remains a cult figure since his
untimely death at the age of 32 in a car accident in Rome in 1974. Ciani’s recordings for
DGG are available on CD and, as is usual with
cult figures, his followers seek out releases
of his live performances. Following Doremi’s
Volume One which includes live performances of the Beethoven First and Third Piano
Concertos, Volume Two features a newly discovered live performance
in excellent stereo sound from the French radio archives of Chopin’s
First Piano Concerto with Aldo Ceccato conducting the ORTF
orchestra in the Salle Pleyel in 1971. The performance is very much his
own, sensitive and communicating.
The rest of this edition (DHR-8044-6, 3 CDs) includes works by
Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Tchaikovsky,
Bartók and Beethoven…all new to CD. His performances of three
Beethoven sonatas live from Verona in 1973 reveal Ciani to be an
outstanding Beethoven performer.
Emil Gilels (1916-1985) was one of the very greatest pianists of the
20th century. He was born in Odessa the legendary city that produced
so many other extraordinarily gifted musicians. Arthur Rubinstein,
after hearing the 16-year-old Gilels play in Odessa, proclaimed that
“If that boy ever comes to America I might just as well pack my bags
and go.” As the liner notes mention, Gilels did and Rubinstein didn’t.
Gilels graduated from the Odessa Conservatory in 1935 and moved to
the Moscow Conservatory where he studied with Heinrich Neuhaus
and later became a teacher there. He won competitions galore and
thewholenote.com
March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 77
CBC Radio Two: The Golden Years
Brett Dean, James MacMillan and the
New Music Festival Phenomenon
T
DAV I D J A E G E R
he presence of both Australian
composer/conductor/violist Brett
Dean and Scottish composer/
conductor Sir James MacMillan in Toronto
for concerts the same week (March 5 to
12) creates the possibility of the artistic
equivalent of a seismic event. Dean is the
curator of this year’s TSO New Creations
Festival at Roy Thomson Hall and MacMillan
conducts Soundstreams’ Choir 21 at the
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, as well as concerts
in Waterloo and Kingston. Dean and
MacMillan, both in their mid-50s, are both
prolific composers and winners of major
international honours. They’re also in great
demand, conducting their music around the
world; it’s a fortunate coincidence that they
should both be in Toronto the same week. It’s
also fortunate that the concert dates do not
conflict: the New Creations dates are March 5,
9 and 12; the Soundstreams Toronto concert
is March 8.
Another interesting coincidence is the
fact that both these artists came into prominence in the early 1990s, the same time as
many Canadian orchestras seized upon the
new music festival format as a way of introducing audiences to contemporary repertoire.
This happened first in Winnipeg, and in fact,
this past January, the Winnipeg Symphony
Orchestra celebrated the 25th anniversary of
their New Music Festival. The WSO’s festival
has been so successful that it remains one of
their signature events, one that has contributed
to the rebranding of the orchestra, so much
so that its last two music directors, Andrey Boreyko and Alexander
Mickelthwate, were both attracted to Winnipeg on
the reputation of the New Music Festival. The WSO’s
concept of presenting new orchestral music in a
festival format was copied soon after by orchestras in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton
and other communities. The music of Dean and
MacMillan was first heard in Canada in such
festivals.
The significance of the WSO’s bold initiative in
1992 cannot be overstated. It was the first time a
major Canadian orchestra had committed its full
organizational resources to the production of a
week-long contemporary music festival, one that
featured both new Canadian orchestral works
as well as important international works. Music
director Bramwell Tovey, composer-in-residence
Glenn Buhr and the late executive director Max
Tapper had contacted me in 1991 to ask whether I,
as executive producer of Two New Hours on CBC
Radio Two, would be interested in broadcasting
music from the contemporary music festival they
were planning. I saw this as an exciting opportunity and immediately promised that not only
would we broadcast as many concerts from their
festival as the Two New Hours budget could
afford, but I would also be prepared to contribute
an event which we would broadcast live, to show
our support for the WSO’s innovative programming approach.
On Sunday night, January 19th, 1992, Two
New Hours presented a contemporary piano
recital by Christina Petrowska Quilico, live to air
on CBC Radio Two, from the Centennial Concert
Hall in Winnipeg. The recital included music by
Canadians Omar Daniel, Steven Gellman, Peter
Paul Koprowski, Sid Robinovitch and Ann Southam and acclaimed
Let your journey through 5,000 years of civilization begin…
®
78 | March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016
thewholenote.com
The success of the Winnipeg festival
international composers Frederic Rzewski
proved that a well-programmed and
and Toru Takemitsu. The WSO’s production
properly promoted new music festival
team, not sure how best to market a recitalist
could draw substantial audiences. It
in their 2,500-seat hall, decided to put up
also made for exciting, irresistible
risers on the stage, as the main seating area,
radio programming. Brett Dean, this
in case the attendance was small. Those 700
year’s TSO New Creatons curator,
riser seats filled quickly, and the WSO’s
was featured as both viola soloist and
management team watched in amazement
composer in the 2003 edition of the
as another 1,000 people then took “overflow”
WSO’s festival, including a showseats in the main section of the hall. It was
stopping performance of Styx, the
clear from that moment that the New Music
dramatic viola concerto by Georgian
Festival would be a great success. And needcomposer Giya Kancheli. Dean had
less to say, Christina played a brilliant program,
been introduced to Canadian radio
cheered on, as she was, by the enthusiastic mob
listeners when we programmed his
of listeners who surrounded her, which
clarinet concerto, Ariel’s Music, on
in turn made a wonderfully sparkling
Two New Hours in 1995, after it
live broadcast.
was selected at the International
The early success of the WSO’s festival
Rostrum of Composers in Paris.
attracted more than just ticket buyers.
At that time Dean was just emerComposers, publishers, arts councils,
Tovey
Bramwell
ging as a composer, having spent
soloists and indeed other CBC Radio
14 years in the viola section of the Berlin
Two network music programs also took
Philharmonic Orchestra.
notice. By the next year, the WSO’s New
But now, Dean and the aforementioned Sir James
Music Festival could already call itself
MacMillan are both recognized as mature composers, and
an international festival, thanks to the
we’ll have excellent examples of their best works during
worldwide distribution of our CBC
their respective appearances here, thanks to Soundstreams
Radio broadcasts over the programand the TSO. MacMillan will conduct a choral program
exchange protocol managed by the
with Soundstreams’ Choir 21 that includes his profound
European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
and powerful Seven Last Words from the Cross and his
Through an alliance I built with other
lovely setting of Robbie Burns’ The Gallant Weaver, along
CBC radio music shows, we were able
with works by Canadians James Rolfe and Murray Schafer
to broadcast all the festival concerts
and Norwegian Knut Nystedt. Dean and the TSO, with
for the next several seasons. By the
music director Peter Oundjian, will bring us Dean’s Viola
time the WSO’s New Music Festival
Concerto (with Dean as viola soloist), his trumpet concerto,
celebrated its tenth anniversary the
Glenn Buhr
Dramatis Personae (Hakån Hardenberger, trumpet soloist)
list of international “star” composers
and the cantata, Knocking at the Hellgate (Russell Braun,
who had been featured incuded
The New Music Festival: the Early Years.
baritone soloist), along with world premieres by Canadian
Americans John Corigliano, Aaron
All photographs courtesy Don Anderson from
composers Kevin Lau and Paul Frehner and other interJay Kernis, David Del Tredici and
his book Tuning the Forks - A Celebration
national repertoire.
Christopher Rouse; Estonian
of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
March 5 to 12 promises to be a sublimely raucous and
Arvo Pärt, Englishmen Gavin
exciting week of new music in the community. I’ll definitely be going
Bryars and Mark-Anthony Turnage; Dutchman Louis Andriessen and
to it all!
Austrian HK Gruber. Literally hundreds of Canadian works had been
performed. A memorable moment at the end of the 1996 New Music
David Jaeger is a composer, producer and
Festival was the spectacle of the usually taciturn Arvo Pärt, receiving
broadcaster based in Toronto.
an ovation on stage, and crying out, “Thank you, Winnipeg.”
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March 1, 2016 - April 7, 2016 | 79
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