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Volume 16 Issue 9 - June 2011

  • Text
  • Jazz
  • Toronto
  • Festival
  • Concerts
  • Musical
  • Summerfestivals
  • Symphony
  • Orchestra
  • Arts
  • Trio

Sheridan stunned all in

Sheridan stunned all in the audience, not just with his mastery of theinstrument, but with a range of tonal colours and rapid execution mostof us had never before heard coming from a tuba. During a brief postconcertconversation, I learned from Patrick about a new programanother great of the tuba world. It’s called The Breathing Gym. It’sa course of breathing exercises for band, chorus, and orchestralwinds. I hope to have more information about the 2009 EMMY awardwinning DVD version of this program for a future issue.Two awards in the community ensemble domain have recentlycome to our attention. The most recent saw the Newmarket Citizens’Band awarded a Platinum rating at the annual Music Alive festival.Rather than being a competitive type festival, this is a festivalwhere a group’s performance is rated against a set of standards ofperformance. The other award was not for a band or orchestra, butfor a radio documentary about Resa’s Pieces, a community band forbeginners and those rediscovering their instruments. CBC Radio’sThe Sunday Edition received a 2011 Gabriel Award for Watch MyStick, PLEASE! Here is what the award stands for: “The singleupholds universally-recognized human values such as community,creativity, tolerance, justice, compassion and the dedication to excellence.”Congratulations to Alisa Segal and Karen Levine. Look for itat www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/2010/06/watch-my-stickplease.html.Over the past few months I have mentioned the formation of thewhen a small group met and were introduced, by Dan Kapp, tothe family of instruments used in a concert band. Comments suchas “how do I hold it,” were prevalent. A week later, on a weekdayinformed that the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio had been booked forISABEL BAYRAKDARIANSUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OPERASunday, July 24th at 2:00 pmInternationally renowned soprano, andfour-time Juno Award winner IsabelBayrakdarian, appears in concert with lifeand musical partner, Serouj Kradjian.SOLD OUT! Meadow Passesavailable, weather permitting.weeks, word had spread and there was pressure from people stillholding down day jobs for a new band with evening rehearsals.Responding to that pressure, a second band took shape in Januarywith evening rehearsals. By now, the combined bands, rehearsingsome identical repertoire and some different, numbered 49 members.With a concert looming on the horizon, the program was takingshape. However nobody had selected trombone as their new musicalcompanion. Guess what? Yours truly and a fellow ringer wererecruited for that performance.The rest is history. I had expected a small token audience offamily and friends. Instead, the hall was almost full with an enthusiasticaudience. The concert went off without a hitch and the lobbywas crammed full at the reception after. Congratulations to DanKapp and all members of the group who had the will to believe thatthey could pull it off. A great beginning. Now, stand by for anotherstartup group: Resa’s Pieces Strings will present their Debut GalaPerformance on June 5. See the listings for details.DEFINITION DEPARTMENTThis month’s lesser known musical term is: Gregorian champ:The title bestowed on the monk who can hold a note the longest.We invite submissions from readers.COMING EVENT QUICK PICKS (See the Concert Listings for details) Debut Gala Performance.Ric Giorgi, music director. Richmond Hill Centre for thePerforming Arts. Broken Mirror Concert. Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Bernstein. Keith Reid,conductor. Lawrence Park Community Church. Twelfth GalaPerformance. Resa Kochberg, music director. Richmond HillCentre for the Performing Arts. Scottish Splendour.Barrie Hodgins, music director. Featuring the sounds of brass withpipes and drums. Memorial Park (corner of John St. andSimcoe St.), Oshawa. In Concert. Rotary Park,Queen St., Bowmanville. Borrowed Treasures.Wind Ensemble concert featuring 2010/2011 artist-in-residence Immaculate Roman Catholic Church, Richmond Hill. Mozart’sCoronation Mass Glenn Gould Studio. A Canadian Salute.Barrie Hodgins, music director. Concert in honour of Canada Day.Memorial Park (corner of John St. and Simcoe St.), Oshawa.Jack MacQuarrie plays several brass instruments andhas performed in many community ensembles. He canbe contacted at bandstand@thewholenote.com.LISZT AT 200July 7th to 10thCelebrate Liszt’s 200th birthday with four days of music featuringsoprano Donna Bennett, pianists Brian Finley, Philip Thomson,William Aide, André Laplante, and The Adorno Quartet.OUT OF THIS WORLD! THE SWINGLE SINGERSThursday, August 4th at 2:00pmAn unforgettable afternoon with the multi-Grammy Award winningensemble of a capella singers from London, England, performingtheir arrangements of classical, jazz and popular music.EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCES, EXTRAORDINARY SETTING1-705-653-5508SUMMER 2011July 31-August 7 &August 7-August 14music camp for adults and familiesmake music your destinationwww.lakefieldmusic.ca24 thewholenote.comJune 1 – July 7, 2011

Capital One BlackCreek Summer FestivalMaking Sound SenseFRANK LOCKWOODThe Capital One BlackCreek Summer Music Festival is presentinga fantastic and diverse series of concerts, featuring stars fromthe worlds of classical music and opera, jazz, Broadway, gospel,country and mainstream pop. All concerts will be presented at theRexall Centre at 1 Shoreham Driveon the York University Campus.Given that this facility was designedprimarily for staging major tenniscompetitions, it’s not unreasonableto wonder just what the sound qualitywill be like for the average concertgoer. It was with these questionsin mind that I met with JohnSwallow, of Swallow AcousticConsultants Ltd. (www.swallowacoustic.ca),and Jamie Howieson,Production and TechnicalManager of the Rexall Centre.John was quick to point out that the round, bowl shape of thevenue, as well as its size, is very similar to the classical amphitheatresof Greek and Roman times – some of which are still usedtoday for concerts with great success. The lack of a roof eliminatesabove which arrives after the direct sound from the stage, degradingthe clarity and muddying the sound.The process of optimizing the concert sound began with a simpletest of a sound system set up by Jamie in the basic, untreated arena.Encouraged by what was heard, John went on to perform a fullsound which could be heard as an interfering echo by someonesitting in the house, easily managed with sound absorbing materialsso that the only sound perceived by an audience member will be thestep was to design the sound system to provide even coverage forevery seat in the house.The stage will be housed in a massive structure located at oneend of the playing surface, with its front edge located roughly atthe service line of the tennis court. Since the venue was designedto provide uninterrupted sight lines from all seats to the entireplaying surface, it follows that every audience member will havean unobstructed view of the performers. Those sitting closest to thestage will be hearing the direct sound from the performers primarily.At greater distances, the sound reinforcement system will come intoplay so that every seat in the house will experience a comparablevolume level so that everyone, wherever they are sitting, will hearclear, evenly balanced sound, that is not unreasonably loud.The majority of seats are within45 metres (150 feet) of the front ofthe stage and the distance to thefurthest seat in the top bleachers,is 68 metres (223 feet). Thesedimensions are comparable withthe typical “performer to audience”distances found in a Broadwaytheatre, so the concert experienceis going to be very intimate. Johngoes on to say, “The idea ofintimacy and thousands of peoplewould seem to be at odds with oneanother … [however] it’s much moreintimate than anyone would imagine and that’s because that tenniscourt surface is actually very small.” This is in a venue that can seatupwards of 12,000 people.Jamie sums it up: “The combination of a sound design that’sdesigned for the venue, that isn’t going in and out every day (likethat with an acoustic design that is tailored for the venue – it’s going togive our listeners a seamless event. Close your eyes, no sound system.”“I’m excited. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I thinkJohn and I have come up with a great solution … With a combinationthat this is going to be a great experience for people.”The opening concert of the BlackCreek Summer Music Festivalwill feature Plácido Domingo with special guest soprano, SondraRadvanovsky, Saturday, June 4 at 8:00pm.Information about other concerts in the series can befound in the pages of The WholeNote magazine as well as online atwww.blackcreekfestival.com.Artist’s rendering of stage and array;inset: Jamie Howieson and John Swallow.Frank Lockwood is an audio recording engineer and producer,specializing in classical and acoustic music for over twenty years.In the 90s, he wrote a series of articles for The WholeNotedetailing the acoustics of various concert venues throughoutthe Toronto area. More information can be foundonline at www.LockwoodARS.com.June 1 – July 7, 2011 thewholenote.com 25

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