was in Canada that she first entered the world of show dogs. 'I went up to the Scotia Festival to perform. Chris Wilcox, who runs the festival, had a Hungarian Vizsla, and I fell in love with it. I thought that if I could ever have a dog, as crazy as that would be, I would want a dog just like this one. So Chris found a Vizsla puppy for me.' 'I really enjoy this aspect of my life a lot, although it's not always easy. You meet people from all walks of life. Musicians tend to socialize within their own musical world, so it's important to have a departure from music. We have accom- Opus One: (l to r) cellist Peter Wiley, pianist Anne-Marie McDennott, violist Steven Tenenbom and Ida Kavafian. Quo o Li bet by Allan Pu Iker Good summer on the classical front -- - -·--------- I ATTENDED the late April launch of Professor Ezra Schabas' new history of the Royal Conservatory of Music. I found it well researched but never dry, and reading it has been a reminder that music has been an important part of life in Toronto for a very long time. Even the visionary pioneers of the RCM would be astonished at today's profusion of musical activity, burgeoning not only in Toronto but also across the province. plished a lot in such a short time - our big winner, Billie Holiday, Urban In most respects, it's a good time was Number One Vizsla in the U.S. in 2003. for festivals in Toronto. The diapa- 'There are a few weekends a year when there are dog son's reverberation has barely faded shows that my manager knows I will not miss. The dogs are family at the close of Organix 06, the members. The new puppy has gotten a lot of attention from my SoundaXis Festival of music, husband, and he's named her Popcorn. He isn't as much into the acoustics and architecture rises to fill competitive aspect, so that's mostly been my proje~t: I'm more outgo- all sorts of spaces, ~oth traditional ing, I have all this energy, and I do have a compet1t1ve streak. When and non-traditional, m t~e firs~ half I get in the ring I like to win.' . of June .... I ,wo~'t recite a list of 'I want to win best of breed at the W estmmster Kennel the rest. They re m our Green Pag- Club in Madison Square Gardens in New York. This is the only goal es a few pages on from ~ere,_ and in my life I've still not been able to achieve. I've come so close so overall reflect the burg_eorung d1vermany times, but never yet won the big prize with my dogs.' sity I talked a_bout earher. In the classical area, though, summer Women's Musical Club of Toronto in the city has been very sub dued over the past decade. This summer? Signs that the tide may have turned: not one but two classical Subscribe to J11/u6ic in lhe-..A/temoon music festivals right in town (and 2006-200 7 Sea6on with very similar names). The second annual Toronto Summer Five great concerts for 5 Chamber Music Festival runs July Thursday afternoons at 1 30 p.m 4-7 at Glenn Gould Studio; the first Pre-concert lecture 12.15 p.m. Toronto Summer Music Academy and Festival runs July 24 to I .Musici de Montreal, chamber orchestra August 20 at the MacMillan Theatre. October 26, 2006 (I will write more about the lat ter next issue.) Susan Yi-Jia Hou, violin, Daniel Spicgal, piano The July 4-7 Toronto Summer November 23, 2006 Chamber Music Festival, once again Jane Coop, piano under the artistic direction of Belgian Shirin Eskandani, mezzo-soprano violinist Michael Guttman, february 8, 2007 serves up three refreshingly various OCTA .. GON: Andrew Dawes, violm; Patricia Shih, concerts at the Glenn Gould Studio. The opening concert on July 4th, violin; Rivka Golani, viola; Carole Sirois, cello; "Composers in Exile", will feature Joel Quarrington, double bass, James Campbell, a variety of ensembles performing clarinet; Kenneth MacDonald, French horn; works by Georges Onslow, Bela George Zukerman, bassoon Bart6k, Lukas Foss and Hans Eisler. March 15, 2007 July 5th, Montreal pianist, Ri chard Raymond with "friends", will 1\ Iarion N cwman, mezzo-soprano perform works by Reubke, Wagner, Liszt and Chopin. July 7th will Gregory Oh, piano April 26, 2007 be an "All Schubert Concert" for octets, quintets and quartets followed Walter Hall, FJward Johnson Bmldmg by the roots/blues band "Pork Belly I
Back to Ad Index and baritone, Jesse Clark in a program of songs by Noel Coward and Ivor Novello . Orchestras with Special Guests It is definitely the time of year for the region's symphony orchestras to relax and celebrate the season's achievements. On June 17, tenor Michael Burgess, who needs no introduction, will headline with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by guest conductor, Rosemary Thomson. And on June 28 hockey and TV personality, Don Cherry will high stick his way through the theme of Hockey Night in Canada as guest conductor with the Oshawa-Durham Symphony Orchestra at its fundraising gala, "Jazz it Up." We trust that Cherry will then be sent off so that Maestro Marco Parisotto, the band's usual leader, can take over with his usual dash and drive, in this final concert of the hardy orchestra's 49th season! Honours I was delighted to learn that Joseph Petric, whom I interviewed in the February issue, has been awarded the 2005 Canadian Music Centre Friends of Canadian Music Award, in recognition of his extensive commissioning of new works, including eleven concerti, and his long history of programming contemporary music. Bravo Joseph! Editor's note: There's Music in These Walls: A History of the Royal Conservatory of Music by Ezra Shabas wit be reviewed in WholeNote in July's Summer BookShelf EARLY Music by Frank Nakashima Free is good .... WHO WAS THE ONE who said, "The best things in life are free"? Well, it looks to me that, if you don't already believe this statement, there will soon be good reason to agree with it. There's a first-come, first-served, no tickets required, free summer concert series with Tafelmusik, which takes place as part of the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, an intensive 14-day residency in baroque period performance at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. The first event is a concert (June 9) of "Baroque Delights" featuring Institute faculty members Ann Monoyios, soprano, and Rufus Miiller, tenor, as well as the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, directed by Jeanne Lamon and Ivars Taurins - a selection of the baroque "greatest hits" that made Tafelmusik famous! Free! Later, the faculty performs a program of baroque chamber music (June 13), described as a "casual noon-hour recital." Well, hey, it's free! Then, in yet another (June 17), the talented Institute participants (comprised of advanced students, pre-professional and also professional musicians) - essentially the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute Orchestra and Choir - have a chance to strut their stuff in a concert of baroque orchestral and choral works under the direction of Jeanne Lamon and Ivars Taurins. Again, free! The "Grand Finale" (June 20) combines the musical forces of stu- dents and staff for an event not to be missed. Tickets are required for this one - they are free, but limited - and can be picked up at the Tafelmusik box office. Check www .tafelmusik.org for PHOTO S USA N VA N G ELDER details. "Marais 1656-1756 Mozart" is the theme of Anotherfreeevent(okay, this year's Festival de Musique Montreal Baroque, June 22-25. The streets of Montreal okhay' it's readily_ p_ay-) w at-you-can a m1ss10n is the Toronto Early Music Centre's monthly "Musically Speaking" presentation. This month (June11), it features the Windermere String Quartet's whose program will consist of Mozart's Quartet in F, K. 168, and Beethoven's "Harp" Quartet in E-flat, Op. 74. Both composers were deeply affected by Haydn. You will hear the influence of Haydn in the string quartet written by the young 17-year-old Mozart as well as Beethoven who was mourning the death of his friend Haydn. Violinists Rona Goldensher and Genevieve Gilardeau, violist Anthony Rapoport, cellist Laura Jones. Visit their website: www.windermere. braveform.com And now that you know you're going to be saving pots of money on the free stuff, prepare to dip into your pockets to watch the smoke rise when the I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble is joined by baritone Sean Watson in a musical exploration of the darker side of the nobility in the Baroque era and their evil smoking habits (June 10). There's a silent are old enough to have known both. auction fundraiser as part of the evening too. Check out www.ifuriosi.com Once you're nicely warmed up, head on down to the Grand River Baroque Festival Friday June 16 for more smoke - Kevin Mallon's Aradia performing Handel's Music.for the Royal Fireworks (yes, the Water Music is also on the program). Saturday June 17 the Festival is an allday affair:bassoonists Nadina Mackie Jackson and Fraser Jackson, together with oboists James Mason and Kathy Halvorson in a program of wind music by Pasch, Boismortier, Corrette and Zelenka. That evening, a celebration (yet another) of Mozart's 250th birthday, featuring the Aradia Ensemble performing the 40th Symphony and Divertimento in D major, and with soprano Carla Huhtanen singing Mozart opera arias and the famous Exsultate Jubilate. Frank T. Nakashima (franknak@interlog.com) is the President of the Toronto Early Music Centre MICHEL CORRETTE ,, t..J >l
