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Volume 12 - Issue 3 - November 2006

  • Text
  • Theatre
  • Toronto
  • November
  • Jazz
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CHORAL Sceneby Larry

CHORAL Sceneby Larry BeckwithAs usual, November is a monthof intriguing, innovative programming.Not quite holiday season andfar enough from Thanksgiving andYorn Kippur, it's a time to try outunusual repertoire and to presentexciting visiting choirs.The month begins with SoundstreamsCanada's UniversityVoices Festival. Some of the country'sfinest University choirs (includingManitoba, Laurier andMcGill) descend for a weekend ofworkshops, massed choir rehearsalsand concerts, the centerpiecebeing November 3 when, under theformer choirmaster of WestminsterAbbey, Martin Neary, they performthe Canadian premiere ofJames MacMillan's Sun-Dogs andthe world premiere of the latest choralwork by Canadian James Rolfe.The Czech Boys Choir, currentlytouring Canada, stops inBarrie on November 4. Foundedin 1982, the choir has grown inleaps and bounds and, under PavelHorak and Jakub Martinec, garneredinternational recognition. Call705-728-8679 for tickets.There are several RemembranceDay programs from the city's topchoirs, beginning November 8 withthe Amadeus Choir, with the HannafordStreet Silver Band, performingRequiem Mass for a CharredSkull, by Bramwell Tovey. Toveywill conduct. The Toronto ChoralSociety, under Geoffrey Butler,presents The Larks, Still BravelySinging on November 10, featuringpieces that will offer a catharticopportunity to honour the fallen.Also November 10, the Universityof Toronto Women'sChoir, performs under RobertCooper, at Victoria Chapel.On November 11 , the day itself,All the King's Voices perform theMozart Requiem at WillowdaleChurch, while the Guelph ChamberChoir perform the same pieceat the River Run Centre in Guelph.The Mendelssohn Singers participatein a special presentation of RuthFazal's celebrated Oratorio Terezinat the George Weston Recital Hall.The Hamilton Children's Choir(the only choir from all of NorthAmerica to earn a spot in the upcomingworld-renowned 2006 TolosaInternational Choral Competitionin Spain) and a pick-up groupof adult choristers perform KarlJenkins' Requiem under ZemfiraPoloz at Centenary United Churchin Hamilton.Perhaps this year, more than most,these concerts will give us an opportunityto look into our souls andconsider the high price of war.Elsewhere in these pages you'llread a complete preview of OperaAtelier's upcoming performances ofMozart's The Magic Flute. It doesn'thave a lot of choral music , but whatis there is sublime, and David Fallisalways does great work preparing achorus . Performances at the ElginTheatre begin November 17.Another Kevin Komisaruk vehicleis test-driven on November 18.The dynamic and innovative conduc-BOSLEYREAL ESTATEJsOSLEY ;!EAL ESTATE LTC! .. REALTO RPETER MAHONSales Representative416-322-8000pmahon@trebnet.comwww.petermahon.comtor and entrepreneur presents KausBorealis, a group of singers andinstrumentalists specializing in earlymusic performance. Their inauguralprogram features French Baroque.For information, kausborealis.comOut of town on November 19,the Oakville Symphony presents Mozart'sRequiem with the MississaugaChoral Society, and the EloraFestival Singers present one of their"soup concerts", focusing on contemporaryCanadian repertoire.One of the world's greatest choirscomes to town for two concerts underthe auspices of SoundstreamsCanada, the RIAS KammerchorBerlin. They make a rare appearancein Toronto on November 24for a joint concert with ChristopherJackson's splendid Montreal-basedStudio Musique Ancie.nne deMontreal. The program honoursgreat contemporary Russian composerSofia Gubaidulina in honour ofher 75th birthday, and includes herJetzt Immer Schnee for choir and orchestra.Also on the program is apremiere by Brian Cherney and expansiveRenaissance choral works.Gubaidulina will attend. Two dayslater (Nov 26), the RIAS Kammerchoron its own performs works byRomantics Brahms, Mahler, Schumann,and Schubert, as well aspieces.for choir and organ by Gubaidulinaand Gyorgy Ligeti.On November 25, Doreen Raoleads a rare performance of Stravinsky'sLes Noces at MacMillan Theatre.Stravinsky wrote Les Noces a"dance ballet" for four soloists, choirand percussion, in 1923. I was heartenedto hear of this performance, asI was to hear of the Exultate ChamberChoir's early December performanceof Schoenberg's Friede aufErden. These are challenging worksby composers who pushed the envelopeof choral technique and whoselegacies have become undervalued.It's high time they became "standardrepertoire", especially for our professionalchoirs , who seem to beshying away from challenging 20thand 21st century works.Pentfieliti Sin~er5'Jr\f".,r11 Le11e, A-rti5tic. Pirec.tork~eltic~vl5ticell'i/// guest perfiJm1crs.. lngeliL'

Tafelmusik Chamber Choir,under guest director Richard Egarr,presents Henry Purcell's The FairyQueen, beginning on November 29.This is one of Purcell's charming"semi-operas", which Tafel is presentingin concert, featuring impressivesoloists and narrators. Visitwww.tafelmusik.org for details.Seasonal concerts get underway onDecember 2, with intriguing showsfrom three important choirs. TheCantores Celestes Women's Choirhas donated a large portion of ticketrevenues to local charities over theyears; indeed, director Kelly Galbraithdeserves a medal for her altruisticfeats. They perform Eastern Europeantreats for pre-Christmas andChanukah.York University Chamber ChoirNovemher 14-, 7:30pmMotelJ; Madrigatr and Caro& Ji-om EnglandWorks by William Byrrl, Thomas Weelkcs. Thomas Tallis,Henry Purcell. Robert Pearsall, John Tavener,Benjamin Britten and others.York University Concert ChoirNovember 20, 7:30 p111Wollg-ang Amadeus MozarL's Requiemwith Talisker Players orchestra and soloislsYork University Women's Chorm'fovembcr 28, 7:30 p111Smsonal Mwk/or Chn:srma.rBenjamin Britten's Ceremony of Caro/rand works byPel er Cornelius, James Wrighl and Eleanor DaleyWith harpist Caroline LeonardelliYork University Malt Vocal EnsembleNovcmber29, 12:30pmWorks by Morten Lauridsen, bnani Aguiar.John Cardner, Wendall WhaJurn, William Henry Smith,Vincent Persi.cheLti and othersThe same night, the OrianaWomen's Choir presents Cinnamonand Cedar, featuring "holiday favourites", at the Jane Mallett Theatre-not a traditional venue forchoirs, but an interesting one, witha top-notch band of instrumentalists.Should be great fun. The group hasan excellen t website atwww .orianachoir.com.On December 2, Forte-The TorontoMen's Chorus gets seriouswith a new setting of excerpts fromHamlet, by music director Ed Connell.Also featured is music by Biehl,Mozart and Faure.Next month is a crazy one. Staytuned to this spot for advice on gettingto as many holiday concerts asyou can.~J~(I/~Lydia Adams, Conductor 28th Season2006-2007 Concert SeriesREQUIEM - Mozart; Mass No. 2 in G - SchubertFriday, November 10, 2006 8:00 pmMetropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. E., TorontoSoloists: Rebecca Whelan, sopranoAndrea Ludwig, mezzo-sopranoMark Dubois, tenorNelson Lohnes, basswith orchestraHANDEL'S MESSIAHFriday, December 1, 2006 8:00 pmMetropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. E., TorontoSpecial Guest Artists: THE AMADEUS CHOIRSoloists: Monica Whicher, sopranoChristine Stelmacovich, mezzo-sopranoDavid Pomeroy, tenor; Alexander Dobson, bassRobert Venables and Robert DiVito, trumpetsPatricia Wright, OrganWith OrchestraCELEBRATION with True North BrassFriday, February 2, 2007 7:30 pmGlenn Gould Studio, 250 Front Street West, TorontoCelebrating Howard CableSpecial Guest Artists: Jim Gardiner, trumpetRaymond Tizzard, trumpet; Alastair Kay, tromboneJoan Watson, French horn; J. Scott Irvine, tubaCONCERTOF100CANDLESFriday, April 27, 2007 8:00 pmSt. Mary Magdalene Church, Manning and UlsterWorld premiere of Lamentations of Jeremiah,new major work by Canadian composer andJuno nominee, Peter Togni.Special Guest: Jeff Reilly, bass clarinetThe Recilal I TallAccolade Easl Bllilding, York Universily4,7()() Keele St. TorontoMidday concerts Freehening concerts $12. students Box oflice 416 736 5888 or www yorku.ca/perlormYork University Concert ChoirNovember 19, 3:00 pmWollg-ang Am ad ells Mozal't's Requiemwith T,J isker Players orchestra and soloistsMetropolitan United Church56 Queen St East (at Church SL) TorontoArimission . scudcnLs and seniors$ l 5Jnl(1 -1· 16 736 5186YORK11 NEA

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