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Volume 20 Issue 3 - November 2014

  • Text
  • November
  • Toronto
  • December
  • Jazz
  • Theatre
  • Arts
  • Musical
  • Bloor
  • Orchestra
  • Choir

REMEMBERING . . . .

REMEMBERING . . . . .Massimo NosettiMUSICAL LIFEMy MusicalJourneyLESLIE ASHWORTHNovember 12, 2014 commemorates the one-year anniversary ofMassimo Nosetti’s sudden death. He was diagnosed only one monthearlier with pancreatic cancer so when the news came, shock wasfelt around the world. Massimo was very much in demand andperformed frequent solo and orchestral concerts in many of theworld’s important performance venues. He was a wonderful friend,a great organist, composer and educator. In dealing with the shockand grief of this news, there was a common theme running throughall the comments that were shared among friends. Massimo was softspoken,courteous and unassuming. For someone with such amazingmusicianship, there was never a hint of arrogance coming from him.Rather, he was humble, elegant and always understated. He was ashining example of how we should all conduct ourselves, knowingthat life has a way of creating circumstances that could change everything.He was confident without being obnoxious or pretentious. Tohis friends and acquaintances alike, he was always supportive andgracious.For me personally, Massimo was generous with his time, his music,and his support of Organix. He was world class and at this level, hecould name his price and get it. Yet for me, he always said “Don’tworry about it.” He considered me one of his friends and treatedme with much love and respect. He knew the challenges facing anindependent producer of organ concerts in the “new world” butencouraged me to continue. He said that it was a jewel among musicfestivals, and “Organix is a fantastic music box where you find a hugeamount of the most beautiful and varied music for the organ.” Hewent on to say, “It’s a perfect organization with the possibility forthe performer to present music not very often heard.” With suchan endorsement, his last performance in Toronto was a magnificentconcert of Rheinberger and Bossi works for organ and orchestra. Thisconcert can be heard on the Organix website. Organix 12 presentedMassimo with a 33-piece orchestra under the direction of PhilipSarabura. There was also solo trumpet and trumpet and organ withMichael Barth. All in all, that very special evening was a sparklingevent, and while I had communicated with him often since then, itwas the last time I saw him. What a great memory to hold!On November 12, 2014, Organix will commemorate this anniversarywith a very special gala concert featuring three organists and achoir. Maxine Thévenot from Albuquerque and Eugenio Fagiani andOmar Caputi, both from Italy, will perform organ segments while theToronto Ecumenical Chorale under my direction will perform choralmusic, including a premiere of a piece that I wrote and dedicated tothe memory of my friend.For program details, please visit the website at organixconcerts.ca.Gordon Mansell is the president, artistic directorand organist of Organix Concerts Inc.The last few years havebeen very exciting and busyfor me in the world of music.Since first connecting withWholeNote magazine inJanuary 2011, I can’t begin totell you about the wonderfulpeople I have met, musiciansI have played with, andorchestras that have helpedme expand my love of music.I continue to be inspired bythe amazing experiences Iam grateful to have: fromperforming on beautiful stagesto fundraising for variouscharities and not-for-profitorganizations through music;from composing originalLeslie Ashworthpieces of music to producingtwo CDs and giving aportion of the proceeds to Free The Children; and from participatingin international summer music festivals to developing my own musicprogram for rehabilitation patients (which I will tell you about alittle later).I have enjoyed performing in Carnegie Hall as the gold medalwinner of the American Association for the Development of the Giftedand Talented – what a gorgeous, historic hall. I also have played inmany other beautiful venues such as Koerner Hall in Toronto, IsabelBader Theatre, Walter Hall at the University of Toronto, HamiltonPlace, Mississauga Living Arts Centre, George Weston Recital Hall,Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Rolston Recital Hall in Banff,Conservatoire de musique in Montreal, Vancouver Convention Centreand Convocation Hall at the University of Alberta.This past summer, I participated in the prestigious Banff MasterclassProgram in addition to the Aspen Music Festival and School, where Istudied with Paul Kantor. Previous summer programs included theYoung Artists Program at the Summer Music Institute of the OttawaNational Arts Centre, the Banff Centre’s Strings Masterclass Programand the Summit Music Festival in Pleasantville, New York.I am currently studying with Barry Shiffman, in my eighth year as ascholarship student in the Phil and Eli Taylor Academy for PerformingArtists of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. I am alsostudying the viola in the Academy with Eric Nowlin and the piano(Licentiate Level of the RCM) with Dianne Werner. I am always greatlyinspired by my incredible teachers and I adore being in the Academy– making music with fellow colleagues, playing for world-renownedartists (such as Donald Weilerstein, Victor Danchenko, Paul Kantor,Sylvia Rosenberg, Leon Fleisher, Brian Lewis, James Ehnes, SoovinKim and James Boyd), and developing the musical foundation knowledgewith ear training, theory and music history. It really is such anurturing environment!SUITE MELODY CAREThere is research which demonstrates the therapeutic value ofmusic. Music and medicine go hand in hand as music creates magicalmoments that can calm, excite, and bring joy to those listening. Musiccan reach deeply inside people. It brings people together from all68 | November 1 - December 7, 2014 thewholenote.com

ages and backgrounds, activates emotions, relieves symptoms, andoverall gives patients something to focus on other than their healthchallenges.For more than two years I have enjoyed giving very successfulthemed performances for patients on the rehabilitation floor at theOakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. When I first began to performat the hospital, I believed I was going to be playing background musicfor patients doing crafts. However, as I began to play, the patientsbecame distracted from their crafts, in a good way; they wanted tosit and listen to the music. After a few sessions, word spread aboutthe enjoyable music and patients began fighting for front row seats inthe audience! Hearing and seeing firsthand how much the patientsenjoyed the performances, I thought it would be wonderful to createa program so that other youth could do the same – the idea for SuiteMelody Care was born! In the second semester of my Grade 11 year inhigh school, I decided to take Grade 11 online Leadership and Grade 12online Entrepreneurship and further developed my idea – to create aventure plan, website, logo, slogan, and more for Suite Melody Care.Suite Melody Care’s purpose is to inspire youth to give back, tocreate positive change through music, and to bring joy to those experiencingdifficult times during their recovery. As a result, Suite MelodyCare will encourage talented, young musicians across the country togive back to their communities by performing in their local hospitals:taking patients on themed, musical journeys and sharing fun triviawith them. In addition, Suite Melody Care will also be available inDVD and CD formats as a product, in the near future.Positioned as a not-for-profit program for rehabilitation patients,Suite Melody Care’s target market will be patients in hospitals, theirfamilies, and their friends. People of any age can enjoy this programthat brings talented, young musicians to perform for those whoare unwell, in rehabilitation, or recovering from major illnesses orsurgeries.My goal is to establish Suite Melody Care in hospitals first inOntario, and then across Canada – and maybe the world?! I wouldlike musically talented youth to be activelyinvolved in the program. I also hope to makethe Suite Melody Care DVD/CD productssuccessful – I will be donating a portion of theproceeds of the Suite Melody Care DVD/CDs tohospitals.To all of those young aspiring musiciansout there, I challenge you to take part in SuiteMelody Care. By showcasing your musicaltalent in the community, we can raise thespirits of patients in hospitals, put smiles ontheir faces, assist patients in their rehabilitationand bring them musical performances toenjoy!! Contact me for more information onhow to participate: ashworthproductions@gmail.com.A LOOK INTO THE FUTUREWith the time having travelled so swiftlysince my first time appearing in WholeNoteback in January 2011, it is exciting to thinkof all of the memorable opportunities I havealready experienced on my musical journey.Looking into the future, I have some excitingplans – I am already planning my third CD(which will include some special and differentthings, including some of my own originalcompositions!), linking up with another charitableorganization in addition to my workwith Free The Children and some more funsurprises to come!The WholeNote first crossed paths withLeslie Ashworth as one of the 2011 TorontoSinfonietta Concerto Competition winners.Leslie Ashworth’sin The WholeNote,February 2011.presentsSchoolyardcarmenBUY POSTEROR DONATEmusicmakesus.caA feisty opera for families, featuringthe music of Bizet’s Carmen anda story about bullying and being yourselfSaturday November 22, 2pmFREECosburn United Church, 1108 Cosburn Avenueat Greenwood Avenue in East YorkInformation: 416-214-1660 oradmin@music-toronto.comMusic TORONTO is committed to the presentation of music that enriches society as awhole, including quality performances for the younger members of our community.thewholenote.com November 1 - December 7, 2014 | 69

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