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Volume 17 Issue 2 - October 2011

  • Text
  • Choir
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  • Toronto
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  • Choral
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Blue PagestheWholeNote

Blue PagestheWholeNote 2011-2012 PRESENTER PROFILES●●ART OF TIME ENSEMBLEThe Art of Time Ensemble, under the leadership of artisticdirector Andrew Burashko, is one of Toronto’smost innovative and artistically resonant music ensembles.The Ensemble has attracted the interest andparticipation of some of Canada’s best performers increating new and exciting opportunities for collaborationsbetween the performing arts, provoking, entertainingand breaking down barriers, revealing thevibrancy of classical music as a contemporary artisticexpression and appealing to a range of audiences.Past projects include the North American premiereof Mauricio Kagel’s multi-media Varieté, called a “landmarkin interdisciplinary arts in Toronto” (NationalPost), which played to sold-out houses over five performancesand received a 2004 Dora Mavor MooreAward for Outstanding Sound Design/Compositionon behalf of Kagel.416-880-7693info@artoftimeensemble.comwww.artoftimeensemble.com●●ASSOCIATES OF THE TORONTOSYMPHONY ORCHESTRAMembers of the Associates of the Toronto SymphonyOrchestra (ATSO), a registered charitable organization,appreciate classical music and organize musicalevents featuring members of the Toronto SymphonyOrchestra (TSO) and the Toronto Symphony YouthOrchestra (TSYO). Our “Five Small Concerts” presentsaffordable chamber music and the ATSO’s“Grass Roots Concerts” brings free chamber musicconcerts to senior citizens’ homes. We also fund twoFeldbrill Scholarships annually for TSYO members.ATSO volunteers work on engaging musicians, publicizingconcerts, ensuring that concerts run smoothlyand fundraising to make these concerts possible.The dates for the 2012 “Five Small Concerts” are:January 30, Church of the Redeemer; February 27,Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre; March 19, Trinity-St. Paul’sCentre; April 30, Church of the Redeemer; and May 30,Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre. In addition, members attendSunday evening “Informals” — performances by invitedmusicians or presentations by informative speakers.These are held on seven Sunday evenings betweenSeptember and June.If you would enjoy working with people whopromote an interest in classical music, please jointhe ATSO.416-282-6636www.associates-tso.org●●ATTILA GLATZ CONCERTPRODUCTIONSEnjoy two New Year’s Celebrations concerts at RoyThomson Hall: “Bravissimo! Opera’s Greatest Hits”and “Salute to Vienna — New Year’s Concert 2012,”December 31, 2011 and January 1, 2012.Quickly becoming a New Year’s tradition for manyTorontonians, “Bravissimo!” is a dazzling performanceof the most beloved opera excerpts includingTosca, La Traviata, Romeo and Juliet, Carmen, DonCarlo and more. This fifth season, the all-star cast includesCanadian talents mezzo-soprano Wallis Giuntaand tenor David Pomeroy, sopranos Sabina Cvilak(Slovenia) and Virginia Tola (Argentina) and baritoneAris Argiris (Greece). Italian conductor Bruno Aprealeads the Opera Canada Symphony.“Salute to Vienna,” a stunning tribute to Vienna’sworld-famous Neujahrskonzert, returns for its 18thseason with a new program. Seventy-five musicians,stellar singers and dancers transport audiences tothe world of Johann Strauss Jr. and the city of Vienna.Maestro András Deák leads the Strauss Symphony ofCanada and Viennese singers Renée Schüttengruberand Wolfgang Gratschmaier, along with dancers fromKiev-Aniko Ballet of Ukraine, to uplift and inspire.A lighthearted afternoon the whole family can enjoy!Box Office: 416-872-4255; www.roythomson.comwww.glatzconcerts.comOriginal word count: 190●●AURORA CULTURAL CENTREThe Aurora Cultural Centre welcomes you to ourbeautifully converted 1886 schoolhouse located inthe heart of the town, just one block east of YongeSt. Established as a centre for arts, culture and heritage,the Centre is home to the beautiful Brevik Hallperformance venue and its resident Yamaha C7 piano.With numerous art gallery spaces and multi-purposerooms, the Centre hosts concerts, arts classes, workshops,heritage lectures, displays, gallery exhibitions,art sales and more. Fully accessible throughout, thefacility was recognized as part of the Prince of WalesHeritage Prize awarded to the town of Aurora in 2008.Contact us today to inquire about rental space and todiscover our vibrant calendar of events.905-713-1818info@auroraculturalcentre.cawww.auroraculturalcentre.ca●●AURORA PERFORMING ARTS GROUPAurora Performing Arts Group is York region’s premiereaward winning stage production company. For17 seasons, APAG has targeted excellence in musicalsand opera stage productions, choral performancesand education in voice and drama. We are committedto fostering a lifelong enjoyment of performing.Since its first season, over 2,000 people have performedwith the Aurora Performing Arts Group inover 80 productions.APAG is supported annually by volunteers fromacross York Region who assist in designing and buildingsets, fundraising and marketing, sewing costumesand helping with all the little extras which bringtogether a community spirit for the arts. Look forwardto continued excellence in our upcoming productions!APAG also welcomes new performers; pleasecontact us to audition. This season APAG presents theBroadway musical A Christmas Carol (November 25 to27, 2011), Beauty and the Beast (February 10 to 12, 2012)and Sweeney Todd (May 10 to 12, 2012) at NewmarketTheatre (www.newtix.ca).Sarah Langford Kyle, general directorkeepsinging@rogers.comwww.auroraperformingartsgroup.com●●BACH CHILDREN’S CHORUSBCC consists of 190 auditioned singers in choirsat differing levels of ability: three treble choirs forchildren aged 6-16 and an SATB choir for boys withchanged voices and girls aged 16 and up. Choristersare drawn from across the Greater Toronto Area. Eachchoir rehearses weekly in east Scarborough and participatesin weekend excursions involving festivals,workshops and concerts with other youth choirs andworld-renowned clinicians. Educational programmesemphasize vocal technique, theory, ear training andmusic reading. The BCC is a company-in-residenceat the Toronto Centre for the Arts where this season’sconcerts will be held on Saturday December 10 andSaturday May 12.This fall, BCC will release its sixth CD. BCC haswon several provincial and national choral awards,including the prestigious CBC/ACCC Competitionfor Amateur Choirs (2004 and 2010) and the ElmerIseler Award for Best Choir at the Toronto KiwanisFestival. Founder and artistic director Linda Beaupréis well-known throughout Toronto as a guest conductorand clinician and is a winner of the Leslie Bellaward for conducting.Jane Greenwood416-431-0790bachchildrenschorus@bellnet.cawww.bachorus.org●●BEL CANTO SINGERSThe Bel Canto Singers, directed by Linda Meyer, isa 35-voice community-based SATB choir that providesgood music, fun and fellowship. Auditionsare required for new members, to determine vocalrange. We perform two concerts per year in the falland spring. We also sing for senior residences and infundraisers for other organizations. Repertoire is variedand includes folk and movie music, swing, spirituals,Broadway and classical selections. Rehearsalsare 7:30pm to 10pm on Tuesdays at St. NicholasAnglican Church, Birchcliff. This season our first concertwill be on Sunday December 4, with two concerttimes — one at 2:30pm and the second at 7:30pm.Please check our website for our spring concert, dateTBA, which will take place in May. Tickets are andwill be sold at the door.Elaine, membership416-699-4585www.belcantosingers.ca●●BELL’ARTE SINGERSBell’Arte Singers has an exciting season planned withinspirational director Dr. Gerard Yun. There are threevaried but related concerts:“Traditional: Ways of Remembering” (November 26,2011). Half Remembrance Day and half Christmas season,this concert explores personal, family and communitytraditions as ways of remembering.“Classical: Ways of Seeing” (March 3, 2012). Bell’Arteperforms some of the most “classical” of works sideby side, allowing reflection on some of life’s mostimportant questions. Music of Bach, Barber, Mozartand Brahms are interspersed with classics from othermusical traditions.“Communal: Ways of Being” (May 12, 2012). Forthis special concert, Bell’Arte brings together musicalensembles directed by members past and present,through live and cyber-linked performances, in anewly commissioned work by Canadian composerMark Sirett.All concerts begin at 8pm at The Churchof St. Simon-the-Apostle, 525 Bloor St. E., Toronto,just east of Sherbourne. Interested in an audition?Bell’Arte Singers rehearses at the TorontoUnited Mennonite Centre, 1774 Queen St. E. onSaturday mornings.Tug Williamsbas.manager@gmail.comMembership: 416-269-5044;christinshmanka@hotmail.comwww.bellartesingers.ca● ● BROTT MUSIC FESTIVALEntering its 25th year, the Brott Music Festival isCanada’s largest orchestral music festival and is basedin Hamilton, Ontario. Most notably, it is home to theNational Academy Orchestra of Canada, the country’sonly professional training orchestra. Both werefounded by visionary conductor Boris Brott and featureperformances by orchestral musicians and soloistsof the highest calibre. The festival’s main activitytakes place from May through August with additionalperformances in the fall and winter.Brott Music Festival presents over 40 performancesincluding symphonic, chamber, pops, jazz, opera andeducation concerts.Tickets and information:905-525-7664; 1-888-475-9377www.brottmusic.com

●●CANADIAN CHILDREN’SOPERA COMPANYThe Canadian Children’s Opera Company is one ofonly a few in the world in its category. It commissions,produces, records and tours new operas and choralmusic, with children as both the principal performersand main audience. The Company also regularlycollaborates with other leading arts organizations andprominent individual performers, conductors and directors.The Company comprises six divisions, withover 200 children and youth ages 3 to 19.The 2011/12 main opera production is a new commissionfrom the creative team behind the successfulA Dickens of a Christmas. Laura’s Cow: The Legend of LauraSecord is by Errol Gay and Michael Patrick Albano, andcommemorates the bicentennial of the War of 1812(June 7 to 10, 2012, Harbourfront Centre).Other highlights of this season include our “WinterCelebrations Across the Ages” on November 27, 2011,the Canadian Opera Company production of Toscaand a guest appearance with the Hannaford StreetSilver Band. If you are interested in auditioning forthe CCOC, call us or download an application formfrom our website.Ann Cooper Gay, executive artistic director416-366-0467info@canadianchildrensopera.comwww.canadianchildrensopera.com●●CANADIAN MEN’S CHORUSAfter a highly successful inaugural season, theCanadian Men’s Chorus and artistic director GregRainville will present three concerts at the GlennGould Studio in its 2011/12 season. “Honour: Love,Memorial and Peace,” will be a tribute to veteransand those currently in uniform, on Sunday, October 16,2011, at 4pm. At this concert, the CMC will present theworld premiere of Canadian composer John Laing’ssong cycle A Paean of Honour and the Canadian premiereof Timothy Takach’s Luceat Eis, a tribute to thevictims of 9/11. “A Gentlemen’s Christmas: Winter’sChill,” takes place on Saturday, December 10, 2011,at 8pm, featuring the world premiere of A New Star,a choral work by Toronto composer Avalon Rusk. Athird concert will be held in May, 2012.The CMC performs works from the classical repertoirewith an emphasis on premiering at least onenew Canadian composition at each concert. By providingmen with choral experience and vocal traininga new opportunity to perform TTBB repertoire,the CMC raises the profile of this music within theexisting choral landscape.Greg Rainville, artistic directorBox Office: 416-872-4255; www.roythompson.comAuditions: grainville@canadianmenschorus.cawww.canadianmenschorus.ca●●CANADIAN OPERA COMPANYWith an international reputation for artistic excellenceand creative innovation, the Canadian OperaCompany (COC) is the largest producer of opera inCanada and one of the largest in North America.The COC’s 2011/12 mainstage season is: Iphigeniain Tauris, Rigoletto, Tosca, Love from Afar, The Tales ofHoffmann, A Florentine Tragedy/Gianni Schicchi and Semele.A not-for-profit organization since 1950, theCOC relies on charitable giving, sponsorship, specialevents and ticket revenue to offset all costs.More than 140,000 patrons annually attend mainstageperformances.The COC presents full operas and about 80 freeconcerts at Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre for thePerforming Arts.The Four Seasons Centre features R. Fraser ElliottHall, a traditional five-tiered, horseshoe-shaped auditoriumwith excellent acoustics and unparalleledAURORA PERFORMING ARTS GROUPintimacy between the audience and performers.The COC encourages the creation of operatic works,and fosters the training and development of young artists.The COC Ensemble Studio is Canada’s pre-eminenttraining program for young singers, directorsand coaches. World-recognized alumni from this programinclude Ben Heppner, Wendy Nielsen, GidonSaks, John Fanning and Isabel Bayrakdarian.Alexander Neef, general directorAdministration: 416-363-6671Box Office: 416-363-8231info@coc.cawww.coc.ca●●CANADIAN SINFONIETTAThe Canadian Sinfonietta is a professional chamberorchestra led by father-daughter duo, Tak-Ng Lai(artistic director and founder) and Joyce Lai (concertmaster).This year, the orchestra’s season consistsof four subscription concerts: three full orchestraconcerts performed at the Glenn Gould Studio andone intimate chamber players wine and cheese concertat Heliconian Hall.The orchestra’s mission is to bring live chambermusic back to the GTA with a focus on multi-culturaland youth outreach. To engage a new generationof concert goers, concerts are known to be “traditionalwith a twist.” Ethnic music, interdisciplinaryarts concerts, intimate salon style music, and newCanadian music are all interspersed with traditionalrepertoire.Highlights this season include a celebration of themovie music of Nino Rota performed by clarinetistJulian Milkis and violinist Joyce Lai, a guest chamberorchestra from Mexico with returning pianistAlexander Tselyakov and Canada Council InstrumentBank winner cellist Rachel Mercer playing on theBonjour Stradivarius.Tak-Ng Lai, artistic director and conductorJoyce Lai, concertmaster416-221-3623canadiansinfonietta@gmail.comwww.canadiansinfonietta.com●●CANTEMUS SINGERSCantemus Singers, conducted by Michael Erdman,performs mainly renaissance and early baroque repertoire.Our 16-voice group gives equal time to religiousand secular compositions of the period in a varietyof languages and highlights the rich, complex fiveto eight part repertoire. Our choristers are a mix ofenthusiastic, well-trained amateurs and semi-professionals,all sharing a common interest in early music.Membership is by audition.Our 2011/12 season begins September 24 and 25with an all-English programme featuring works byTaverner, Byrd and Purcell, along with Arne’s RuleBritannia. At our Christmas concert on November 26and 27, we join forces with the Community BaroqueOrchestra of Toronto to perform Georg PhilippTelemann’s Magnificat, plus seasonal carols and motets.Our final programme of the season on March 24and 25 will present music from 17th and 18th centuryPoland, including a Requiem by Damian Stachowicz(1658 to 1699).Performances are at Hope United Church (Mainand Danforth), Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields(Keele and Bloor area) and Church of the Holy Trinity(Eaton Centre). Consult our website for times/locationsby concert.Michael Erdman, conductor416-578-6602cantemus.ca@gmail.comwww.cantemus.ca●●CATHEDRAL BLUFFSSYMPHONY ORCHESTRACathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) hasbeen one of Toronto’s premiere community orchestrassince 1985. CBSO concerts take place in the state-ofthe-artP.C. Ho Theatre in the Chinese Cultural Centreof Greater Toronto, 5183 Sheppard Ave. E.Under the baton of Maestro Norman Reintamm, theCBSO will present a thrilling and unique seven-concertseason including five subscription series concertswith an amazing lineup of guest artists. The orchestrais noted for facilitating performance opportunities foryoung musicians and always welcomes new members.Norman Reintamm, artistic directorand principal conductorInes Pagliari, concertmasterPeggy Wong, orchestra managerBox Office: 416-879-5566cbsoboxoffice@gmail.cominfo@cathedralbluffs.comwww.cathedralbluffs.com● ● CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. JAMESThe Cathedral Church of St. James has two choirswhich enhance worship every week. The Parish Choir,a group of volunteers assisted by four section leads,sings weekly at the 9am Sung Eucharist. Its repertoiretheWholeNote 2011-2012 PRESENTER PROFILES

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