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Volume 19 Issue 2 - October 2013

  • Text
  • October
  • Toronto
  • Choir
  • Concerts
  • Jazz
  • November
  • Arts
  • Orchestra
  • Musical
  • Symphony

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BLUE PAGES 2013/14anne.yardley@universitysettlement.camichelle.simmons@universitysettlement.cauniversitysettlement.ca●●Univox ChoirUnivox is a mixed-voice community choir foryoung adults that focuses on creating wonderfulmusic in a fun and uplifting environment, withrelationship building, social responsibility andmusical excellence at its core. Performed worksare primarily a cappella and come from a widevariety of styles and languages, including musicfrom the Renaissance, choral classics, contemporarymusic, spirituals and international folksongs. Univox aims to fill the niche for youngadults who wish to continue to have a rewardingchoral experience with others in their age group.The choir’s season runs September to June withperformances in December, March and June.The name “Univox” has Latin origins and means“one voice.” Music is a universal language whichspans all classes, cultures and faiths. Univoxcelebrates diversity and the cultural mosaic ofour community. We use our voice as a vehiclefor the improvement of the quality of life for ourselvesand those around us, touching and openingthe hearts of our listeners and overcomingthe obstacles that separate us.Tara Shusterpresident@univoxchoir.orgunivoxchoir.org●●Upper Canada ChoristersThe Upper Canada Choristers is a mixed voicecommunity choir in Toronto committed tomusical excellence and community service, with ahistory of collaboration with both local and internationalchoirs. The choir’s diversity is reflectedin its wide range of repertoire and the variety ofits guest artists. Cantemos is the auditioned Latinchamber ensemble of the Choristers. Foundingartistic director and conductor Laurie Evan Fraserand accompanist Blair Salter provide the professionalleadership for this vibrant organization.The choir performs three programs annually invarious community venues.Our 2013/14 season opens with “Voices Fromthe Whirlwind,” a Holocaust Education Week concertin collaboration with the Toronto Jewish FolkChoir and the Temple Sinai Ensemble Singers,presented on November 6, 2013, at Grace Churchon-the-Hill and again on November 15 at TempleSinai. Our holiday concert featuring Vivaldi’sGloria with Christopher Dawes playing organ willtake place at Grace Church on December 6. InMay 2014, the Choristers celebrate their 20thanniversary at their spring concert, “Turn theWorld Around,” including the premiere of a newcommission by Stephen Hatfield.Laurie Evan Fraser, artistic director416-256-0510uppercanadachoristers.org●Vesnivka ● ChoirFounding director Halyna Kvitka Kondracki establishedVesnivka Choir in 1965. This award-winning40-member women’s ensemble has delightedaudiences around the world with its rich repertoireof Ukrainian classical, sacred, contemporaryand traditional folk music. Vesnivka, together withToronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir, beginsits season on October 6, 2013, with a concert ofromantic music and dance, joined by Ron Cahute,area musicians and Barvinok Dance Ensemble.On November 10, Vesnivka presents a concertcommemorating the 100th anniversary of thedeath of Lesia Ukrainka, Ukraine’s beloved poetess,featuring music set to her beautiful poetry,with guests Katherine Semcesen (soprano) andOlenka Slywynsky (mezzo). Vesnivka brings in theNew Year with its ever-popular annual UkrainianChristmas concert on January 12, 2014. OnMarch 23, 2014, Vesnivka joins other Ukrainiancommunity choirs in a gala tribute to Ukraine’sgreatest poet, Taras Shevchenko, commemoratingthe 200th anniversary of his birth, featuringinternational operatic bass-baritone PavloHunka and the Gryphon Trio. Vesnivka also singsChristmas and Easter Liturgies on January 7 andApril 20, 2014, at St. Nicholas Ukrainian CatholicChurch in Toronto.Halyna Kvitka Kondracki,artistic directorNykola Parzei, administrator416-763-2197nykola@vesnivka.comvesnivka.com●Victoria ● ScholarsThe namesake of the Victoria Scholars, TomásLuis de Victoria, was an outstanding renaissancecomposer whose music is renowned forits spirituality and emotional expressiveness. TheVictoria Scholars bring the clarity and balanceof sound so characteristic of renaissance musicto all their repertoire, encompassing medievalplainchant, works from the baroque, classical,romantic and contemporary eras and newlycommissionedworks.Past winners of the Healey Willan Grand Prizein the CBC Radio National Competition for AmateurChoirs, the Victoria Scholars have performedwith many exceptional arts organizations (includingthe Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the KievChamber Choir) and vocal soloists (including SondraRadvanovsky, Michael Schade, Russell Braun,and Norine Burgess). They have toured nationallyand internationally and are heard regularlyon CBC Radio 2 and Classical 96.3 FM. Their fourrecordings are widely acclaimed and their mostrecent release, O Night Divine, reached number6 on the 96.3 FM Classical Charts in 2012.The 2013/14 concert series includes “O NightDivine” (December 22), “Male Voices – Masterpiecesof the 19th and 20th Centuries” (March 2)and “Those Opera Composers” (June 1).Jerzy Cichocki, music director416-761-7776info@victoriascholars.cavictoriascholars.ca●Village ● VoicesVillage Voices is a non-profit, adult mixed-voicecommunity choir of over 70 voices, now in its 25thseason. Under the direction of Joan Andrews, thechoir provides fellowship for its members andperforms all types and eras of choral music: classical,sacred and secular. Rehearsals are held onWednesday nights at the Cornell Community Centrein Markham.Village Voices raises its artistic level andexpands its repertoire through vocal workshopsand by including professional guest soloists andinstrumentalists. The choir performs at variousvenues in Markham and the surrounding area. Itcontinues to honour its commitment to the communityby entertaining at local retirement andgroup homes.On November 30 Village Voices will performVivaldi’s Gloria and Part 1 of Handel’s Messiah,and on December 14 will appear as guests of theKindred Spirits Orchestra in a complete performanceof Messiah. Sing carols with the choir onDecember 18 and enjoy a Valentine’s theme onFebruary 12! On May 3 the choir celebrates its25th anniversary with a gala concert featuringfavourite selections from the past.Joan Andrews,conductor and artistic directorinfo@villagevoices.cavillagevoices.ca●Visual ● and Performing ArtsNewmarketVisual and Performing Arts Newmarket wasorganized in 1988 with the aim of bringingtogether arts lovers and campaigning for a performingarts facility. In 1997, VPAN was able totake advantage of a new state-of-the-art theatrein Newmarket and created “Three for the Show,”a three-concert series of classical music on Sundayafternoons during the winter months. Mostrecent artists to appear include Janina Fialkowska,the Gryphon Trio, André Laplante, QuartettoGelato, Toronto Children’s Chorus, Elmer IselerSingers, Bach Children’s Chorus, Mary Lou Fallis,Penderecki String Quartet, Grand PhilharmonicChoir and TorQ Percussion Quartet.Thirteen years ago, VPAN added a popularfourth concert, “Young Artists’ Showcase.”In 2013/14 VPAN celebrates its 17th season bypresenting pianist Mauro Bertoli on October 27,2013, mezzo Wallis Giunta on March 2, 2014, andTwist Instrumental Quintet on May 4, 2014.All concerts take place Sundays at 2pm at thefully accessible Newmarket Theatre, 505 PickeringCres., with ample free parking. Subscriptiontickets are (adults), (seniors) and (students).B30 | theWholeNote 2013/14 PRESENTER PROFILES

Judy Craig905-895-8713art_judycraig@rogers.comvpan.caBox Office: 905-953-5122newmarkettheatre.ca●VIVA! ● Youth Singers of TorontoLeading innovators in choral education, VIVA!Youth Singers of Toronto is a vibrant choralorganization for children and youth aged 4 toyoung adults. VIVA!’s unique Inclusion Programprovides specialized support for youth with disabilitiesin all choirs.2013/14 marks VIVA!’s 14th season as a downtown,non-profit group of choirs providing childrenand youth with artistically excellent musicalopportunities in a supportive, inclusive environment.VIVA!’s diverse programming features ageappropriatechoral training through instructionin vocal technique, private vocal instruction andcomprehensive theory. Through a valuable mentoringprogram, singers learn from university andhigh school students. VIVA! has five choirs: PreparatoryChorus, Junior Choir, Main Chorus, ECS(Everyone Can Sing) Chorus and the SATB ChamberYouth Choir. This season includes Mondayrehearsals; “Brother Heinrich’s Christmas” concertat Trinity-St. Paul’s on December 1; the FifthAnnual City Carol Sing on December 7; “Carolsby Candlelight” on December 15 at TSP; 23 holidayperformances with the National Ballet ofCanada’s Nutcracker; the annual Gala Dinner onApril 9; and The Mikado on June 1. The ChamberYouth Choir’s season includes an a cappella concertand Mozart’s Requiem.Carol Woodward Ratzlaff,founder/artistic directorSusan Suchard, general manager416-788-8482info@vivayouthsingers.comvivayouthsingers.com●VOCA ● Chorus of TorontoThe VOCA Chorus of Toronto is a mixed-voice,auditioned ensemble performing eclectic repertoire(including several premiers of arrangementsby our artistic director, Jenny Crober) incollaboration with other artists. Our season consistsof two concerts and performances at benefitsand community events. Our very talented,versatile accompanist is Elizabeth Acker.VOCA guest artists have included some of Canada’sfinest performers: guitarists Michael Occhipintiand Charlie Roby; Latin band Cassava; cellistWendy Solomon; violinist Mary-Elizabeth Brown;saxophonist Daniel Rubinoff; bassists Rob Cluttonand Louis Simão; percussionists Ray Dillard,Nick Coulter, Andy Morris and Larry Graves; storyteller/dancerAdwoa Badoe; and Celtic musiciansLoretto Reid, Sharlene Wallace and RoseBolton. We were broadcast on CBC Radio’s VinylCafé in January, 2009.WOMEN’S MUSICAL CLUB OF TORONTOOur “Songs of Joy and Peace” concert on SaturdayDecember 7, 7:30pm (Eastminster UnitedChurch), will feature J.S. Bach’s extraordinaryMagnificat. Guests include Talisker PlayersOrchestra; Jennie Such and Claire de Sévigné,sopranos; Marion Newman, mezzo; Andrew Haji,tenor; and Alexander Dobson, baritone. We’ll alsobe presenting an eclectic mix of medieval, jazz,blues, contemporary and gospel selections.We rehearse Monday evenings at EastminsterUnited Church (Chester subway).Jenny Crober, artistic director416-463-8225vocachorus.ca/contactvocachorus.ca●Voicebox: ● Opera in ConcertVoicebox: Opera in Concert is a unique Canadiancompany dedicated to Canadian artistsand innovative programming. Defying traditionaloperatic presentation, our performancesrely only on the power and beauty of the humanvoice accompanied by orchestra or piano.Our 40th anniversary season features “Raritiesin Performance.” The season opens withThe Stressed-Out Impresario, a spoof based onMozart’s one-act satire and starring GuillermoSilva-Marin as the Impresario. Benjamin Britten’sGloriana is next on November 24, featuringsingers Betty Waynne Allison, Jennifer Sullivan,Adam Luther and Jesse Clark, with pianist andmusic director Peter Tiefenbach. The seasoncontinues February 2 with Rameau’s Hippolyteet Aricie, featuring Colin Ainsworth, MeredithHall, Allyson McHardy and Alain Coulombe. Theseason closes March 23 with Verdi’s Stiffelio, featuringErnesto Ramirez, Laura Albino, GeoffreySirett and Guillermo Silva-Marin, along with pianistMichael Rose as music director.Robert Cooper leads OIC’s renowned chorusand Iain Scott hosts the pre-show chat “The Backgrounder.”Performances are held at the St. LawrenceCentre.Guillermo Silva-Marin, general director416-922-2147Box Office: 416-366-7723; 1-800-708-6754guillermo@operainconcert.comoperainconcert.com●Windermere ●String QuartetThe Windermere String Quartet was formed inthe spring of 2005 to perform the music of Mozart,Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and their contemporarieson period instruments. The quartetis known for its dynamic performances and distinctiveapproach to well-known and rarely-heardrepertoire as well as its regular commissions ofnew works. The Windermere String Quartet’sconcert series takes place in the warm acousticand intimate atmosphere of St. Olave’s AnglicanChurch in Toronto’s west end and concertsfrom the series have been recorded for broadcastby CBC Radio.The quartet’s first CD, The Golden Age of StringQuartets, was released in the 2011/12 season tocritical acclaim. In addition to its own concertseries, the quartet has also performed at theToronto Music Garden, Nuit Blanche, MusicallySpeaking, Stratford Chamber Music, the LakeMacDonald Music Centre, Music at Port Milfordand New Hamburg Live!, and is regularlyappointed as the quartet-in-residence at summerfestivals.416-769-0952info@windermerestringquartet.comwindermerestringquartet.com●Women’s ● Musical Club of TorontoThrough its Music in the Afternoon concertseries, the 116-year-old Women’s Musical Clubof Toronto presents chamber music concertsfeaturing musicians on the threshold of internationalrecognition, as well as established artistsand ensembles.theWholeNote 2013/14 PRESENTER PROFILES | B31

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