"Come" seems to be the verb that knits this month's issue together. Sondra Radvanovsky comes to Koerner, William Norris comes to Tafel as their new GM, opera comes to Canadian Stage; and (a long time coming!) Jane Bunnett's musicianship and mentorship are honoured with the Premier's award for excellence; plus David Jaeger's ongoing series on the golden years of CBC Radio Two, Andrew Timar on hybridity, a bumper crop of record reviews and much much more. Come on in!
Nice Bistro, The 117
Nice Bistro, The 117 Brock St. N., Whitby. 905-668-8839 nicebistro.com (full schedule) Old Mill, The 21 Old Mill Rd. 416-236-2641 oldmilltoronto.com The Home Smith Bar: No reservations. No cover. food/drink minimum. All shows: 7:30pm-10:30pm November 3 In Concert & Conversation with Gene DiNovi. November 5 Micah Barnes (voice, piano) Trio with Russ Boswell (bass), Daniel Barnes (drums). November 6 Colina Phillips (voice) Quartet with Stacie McGregor (piano), Mike Milligan (bass), Ted Warren (drums). November 7 Drew Jurecka (violin, sax, voice) Trio with Mark Kieswetter (piano), Clark Johnston (bass). November 12 Whitney Ross-Barris (voice) Quartet with Mark Kieswetter (piano), Ross MacIntyre (bass), John MacMurchy (sax). November 13 Tom Szczesniak (piano) Trio with Neil Swainson (bass), Ethan Ardelli (drums). November 14 Vern Dorge (sax) Trio with Nancy Walker (piano), Paul Novotny (bass). November 19 The Satin Dolls: Karen Bell, Donna Green, Liz Tansey, Ilana Waldston (voices), Mark Kieswetter (piano). November 20 Mike Cadó (guitar) Trio with Patricia Wheeler (sax), Ross MacIntyre (bass). November21 Maureen Kennedy (voice) Trio with Bernie Senensky (piano), Steve Wallace (bass). November 26 Terra Hazelton (voice) Trio with Richard Whiteman (piano), Drew Jurecka (violin, sax, voice). November 27 Shirantha Beddage (bari sax) Trio with Mike Downes (bass), Mark Kelso (drums). November 28 Russ Little (trombone) Quartet with Tom Szczesniak (piano), Scott Alexander (bass), David DiRenzo (drums). Only Café, The 972 Danforth Ave. 416-463-7843 theonlycafe.com (full schedule) Nov 11, 25 Lazersuzan. Paintbox Bistro 555 Dundas St. E. 647-748-0555 paintboxbistro.ca (Full schedule) November 8 1pm Moo’d Swing Concert & CD Launch (adv)/(door). Pilot Tavern, The 22 Cumberland Ave. 416-923-5716 thepilot.ca All shows: 3:30pm. No cover. November 7 Pat LaBarbara Quartet. November 14 Mike Murley Quartet. November21 Bob Brough Quartet. November 28 Barry Elmes Quartet. Poetry Jazz Café 224 Augusta Ave. 416-599-5299 poetryjazzcafe.com (full schedule) All shows: 9pm Reposado Bar & Lounge 136 Ossington Ave. 416-532-6474 reposadobar.com (full schedule) Every Wed Spy vs. Sly vs. Spy. Every Thurs, Fri 10pm Reposadists Quartet: Tim Hamel (trumpet), Jon Meyer (bass), Jeff Halischuck (drums), Roberto Rosenman (guitar). C. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz) Reservoir Lounge, The 52 Wellington St. E. 416-955-0887 reservoirlounge.com (full schedule). Every Tue 9:45pm Tyler Yarema and his Rhythm. Every Wed 9:45pm Bradley and the Bouncers. Every Thu 9:45pm Mary McKay. Every Fri 9:45pm Dee Dee and the Dirty Martinis. Every Sat 9:45pm Tyler Yarema and his Rhythm. Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar, The 194 Queen St. W. 416-598-2475 therex.ca (full schedule) Call for cover charge info. November 1 12pm Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band; 3:30pm Club Django; 7:30pm Scott Kemp Trio; 9:45pm New York’s Ari Hoenig with Jacam Manricks Trio. November 2 6:30pm University of Toronto Student Jazz Ensembles; 9:30pm Mike Malone & The Writers Jazz Orchestra. November 3 6:30pm Jordana Talsky’s Standard Deviation; 9:30pm Classic Rex Jazz Jam hosted by Chris Gale. November 4 6:30pm The Cookers Quintet; 9:30pm Laura Swankey. November 5 6:30pm Kevin Quain; 9:45pm Mark Eisenman Quintet. November 6 4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 6:30pm Artie Roth Quartet; 9:45pm Mark Eisenman Quintet. November 7 12pm Rachel Piscione Rhythm & Blues; 3:30pm Swing Shift Big Band; 7pm Sara Dell; 9:45pm Mark Kelso’s Jazz Exiles. November 8 12pm Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band; 3:30pm Red Hot Ramble; 7pm Scott Kemp Trio; 9:30pm Greg DeDenus Trio. November 9 6:30pm University of Toronto Student Jazz Ensembles; 9:30pm Edmonton’s Jenie Thai. November 10 6:30pm Jordana Talsky’s Vintage Pop; 9:30pm Classic Rex Jazz Jam hosted by David Diao. November 11 6:30pm Ryan Oliver Trio; 9:30pm Lorne Lofsky Quartet. November 12 6:30pm Kevin Quain; 9:30pm Lorne Lofsky Quartet. November 13 4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 6:30pm Artie Roth Quartet; 9:45pm Alison Young. November 14 12pm The Sinners Choir; 3:30pm Advocats Big Band; 7:30pm Justin Bacchus; 9:45pm Kiki Misumi Sextet. November 15 12pm Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band; 3:30pm Dr. Nick & The Rollercoasters; 7pm Bugaloo Squad; 9:30pm James Brown Quartet. November 16 6:30pm University of Toronto Student Jazz Ensembles; 9:30pm Brampton’s Jazz Mechanics Big Band. November 17 6:30pm Jordana Talsky’s Mixed Bag; 9:30pm Classic Rex Jazz Jam hosted by Chris Gale. November 18 6:30pm Ryan Oliver Trio; 9:30pm New York’s Greg Osby with Luis Deniz Quintet. November 19 6:30pm Kevin Quain; 9:30pm New York’s Greg Osby with Luis Deniz Quintet. November 20 4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 6:30pm Artie Roth Quartet; 9:45pm Alex Pangman. November21 12pm The Sinners Choir; 3:30pm Laura Hubert Band; 7:30pm Justin Bacchus; 9:45pm Al Henderson Quintet. November 22 12pm Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band; 3:30pm Mr. Rick’s Tin Pan Alley; 7pm Bugaloo Squad; 9:30pm Three Blind Mice. November 23 6:30pm University of Toronto Student Jazz Ensembles; 9:30pm Taylor Cook Quintet. November 24 6:30pm Jordana Talsky’s Cabaret Jazz; 9:30pm Classic Rex Jazz Jam hosted by Chris Gale. November 25 6:30pm Ryan Oliver Trio; 9:30pm Ken McDonald Quartet. November 26 6:30pm Kevin Quain; 9:30pm Mike Murley Quartet. November 27 4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 6:30pm Artie Roth Quartet; 9:45pm New York’s Russ Nolan Quartet. November 28 12pm The Sinners Choir; 3:30pm George Lake Big Band; 7:30pm Sara Dell; 9:45pm Humber Faculty Nonet. November 29 12pm Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band; 3:30pm Freeway Dixieland Band; 7pm Bugaloo Squad; 9:30pm Sammy Jackson Group. November 30 6:30pm University of Toronto Student Jazz Ensembles; 9:30pm University of Toronto Jazz Orchestras. Salty Dog Bar & Grill, The 1980 Queen St. E. 416-849-5064 (full schedule) Sauce on the Danforth 1376 Danforth Ave. 647-748-1376 sauceondanforth.com All shows: No cover. Every Mon 9pm The Out Of Towners: Dirty Organ Jazz. Every Tue 6pm Julian Fauth. Seven44 (Formerly Chick n’ Deli/The People’s Chicken) 744 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-489-7931 seven44.com (full schedule) November 2 7:30pm Advocats Big Band No cover. November 9 7:30pm The Big City Big Band No cover. November 16 7:30pm George Lake Big Band No cover. November 23 7:30pm Mega City Swing Band. Stori Aperitivo 95 King St. E 416-361-0404 stori.ca (full schedule) Competitions ●●NUMUS. Student Curator Competition 2015. Open to all undergraduate students currently enrolled at accredited Canadian universities or colleges, up to a maximum age of 25. The winner will curate a concert in NUMUS’ MIX Music Series in the 2015-2016 concert season, to be presented on Sunday, April 10, 2016 at The Block 3 Brewery in St. Jacobs. Winners will receive financial support from NUMUS (up to a maximum of 0) to cover programming costs such as artist fees, tech fees, and equipment rentals if applicable. Winners will also receive advertising and marketing support from NUMUS and mentorship from NUMUS’ artistic director. numus.on.ca Deadline: November 27 2015. ●●Orchestra Toronto. Marta Hidy Concerto Competition 2016. This year’s prize awarded to a percussionist. For Canadian virtuosos aged 23 and younger. Prize includes a scholarship of ,000 and an opportunity to perform as a soloist with Orchestra Toronto at its December 2016 youth-oriented concert at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. For full history and registration form: orchestratoronto.ca Deadline for mailing the application form and registration fee: February 1 2016. ●●Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Choral Composition Competition for emerging composers. Winner receives 00, Debbie Fleming Prize for Choral Composition, and TMC premiere of work at the January 20th D. The ETCeteras Tattoo 567 Queen St. W 416-703-5488 tattooqueenwest.com (full schedule) Nov 25 8pm Galen Weston CD Release: Plugged In (adv)/(door). Toni Bulloni 156 Cumberland St. 416-967-7676 tonibulloni.com (full schedule) No cover. Saturday shows: 9pm. food/ drink minimum. Sunday shows: 6pm. food/drink minimum. Tranzac 292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137 tranzac.org 3-4 shows daily, various styles. Mostly PWYC. Every Mon 10pm Open Mic Mondays. Every Thurs 7:30pm Bluegrass Thursdays: Houndstooth. Every Fri 5pm The Foolish Things (folk). This month’s shows include: November 1, 15 5pm Monk’s Music. November 2 7:30pm Jeremy Cunningham (drums) Quartet with Jeff Parker (guitar), Josh Johnson (sax), Matt Ulery (bass). November 3 7:30pm Ali Berkok; 10pm Peripheral Vision. November 8 10pm The Lina Allemano Four. November 10 7:30pm Aurochs; 10pm Bedroom. November 15 7:30pm Diane Roblin. November 17 10pm The Ken McDonald Quartet. November 24 10pm Nick Fraser Presents. November 27 10pm The Ryan Driver Sextet. Symposium concert. For more info and submission requirements: tmchoir.org/ new-choral-composition-competition-foremerging-composers/ Deadline for submissions: November 13 2015. Festivals, Fairs, Festivities ●●Nov 15: Iceland Naturally. An Evening in Iceland. Interactive ticketed event showcasing the best cuisine Iceland has to offer. Join chef Helgadóttir along with Oliver & Bonacini’s Anthony Walsh and Michael Wilson for a meet and greet cocktail reception, followed by a four-course tasting menu. Chefs will walk guests through the menu while they dine at communal tables and are treated to a musical performance throughout the night. Luma Restaurant, 330 King St. W. icelandnaturally.com. 5. Lectures, Salons, Symposia ●●Nov 01 2:30-5:30: International Resource Centre for Performing Artists. Who’s Who in the Industry. William Littler moderates a high-voltage session that examines the challenges and advantages of the present day, through the perspectives of music presenters, managers, performers, journalists, publicists and more. Panelists include Annette Sanger, Women’s Musical Club; Anthony Sargent, Luminato Festival; Stan Passfield, Orillia Concert Society; Faye Perkins, Real World Management/Records; Kathy Domoney, Domoney Artists Management; and others. Performing Arts Lodge, 110 The Esplanade. 58 | Nov 1 - Dec 7, 2015 thewholenote.com
416-362-1422; http://ircpa.net IRCPA members; non-members ●●Nov 02 – 23, Mondays at 1:30: Miles Nadal JCC. Four of the Greatest Scenes from Four of the Greatest Operas. With opera educator Iain Scott. Does the stage director make a difference? Iain will examine the ways in which all-time great scenes from Carmen, Don Giovanni, Aida and Tosca have been interpreted in widely different productions. 750 Spadina Ave. To register: 416-924-6211 x0. (4-week series); drop-in. ●●Nov 05 – 26 1:00-3:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Music Appreciation Course: Music of the North. This course will survey Sibelius’ wonderful seven symphonies – works that are famous for their evocations of mists, hoar frosts and bleak, austere landscapes. Instructor: Rick Phillips. 273 Bloor St. W. For information and to register: 416-408-2825; rcmusic.ca/musicappreciation 5. ●●Nov 06 12:30: Queen’s University. Queen’s Music: New Directions for Sociology of Music Education. Colloquium Presentation by Dr. Roberta Lamb. Harrison-LeCaine Hall, Rm. 124, 39 Bader Lane, Kingston. 613-533-2066; queensu.ca/music Free. ●●Nov 07 7:00: The Toronto Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Quiz ’n Kaye. Fun prevails with a riotous quiz on all things Victorian. Plus, hear Danny Kaye and Nelson Eddy sing G&S, through recordings, with Canon Michael Burgess providing context, a bit of bio, and ‘answers oracular.’ St. Andrew’s United Church, 117 Bloor Street E. 416-763-0832. Guests: . ●●Nov 08 2:00–5:00: Classical Music Club Toronto. A gathering place for all lovers of classical music. Originally started over 20 years ago as a gay social club, we now warmly welcome both gay and gay-positive visitors. Monthly sessions offer a prepared program and feature audio and video recordings and informal discussion with refreshments. This month’s program covers Swedish pianist Peter Jablonski who appears with Music Toronto on Nov. 10. For information and location, contact John Sharpe at 416-597-1924 or info@classicalmusicclubtoronto.org Annual membership: ; first-time visitors free. ●●Nov 08 2:00: Toronto Opera Club. Aging and Creativity in Verdi, Strauss, Messiaen and Britten. Guest speakers Linda and Michael Hutcheon discuss their latest book Four Last Songs. Room 330, Edward Johnson Bldg., Faculty of Music, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-924- 3940. . ●●Nov 12 7:00: Soundstreams Salon 21. Directing an Opera. Canadian Stage artistic director and Julie director Matthew Jocelyn gives us a sneak peek into his creative process for directing contemporary opera. A first chance to hear excerpts from Philippe Boesmans’s opera, Julie, before its North American premiere on Nov 17. Berkeley Street Theatre, Upstairs, 26 Berkeley Street. 416-504-1282. Free; PWYC preferred seating available. ●●Nov 13 12:30: Queen’s University. Queen’s Music: The Language of Music. Colloquium Presentation by Robert Aitken, flutist. Harrison-LeCaine Hall, Rm. 124, 39 Bader Lane, Kingston. 613-533-2066; queensu.ca/music Free. ●●Nov 17 11:30am: Queen’s University. D. The ETCeteras Queen’s Music: Overcoming Obstacles in Performance: Strategies to Combat Performance Anxiety. Colloquium Presentation by Dina Namer. Harrison-LeCaine Hall, Rm. 124, 39 Bader Lane, Kingston. 613-533-2066; queensu.ca/music Free. ●●Nov 17 1:30: Oakville Opera Guild. Opera Gems on Film. Features Dean Perry, musician and classic movie aficionado. Oakville Public Library Central Branch, 120 Navy St. Oakville. 905-827-5678; Oakville. Opera.Guild@ outlook.com (proceeds go towards our scholarship fund, to be awarded to a student attending the Faculty of Music at the U of Toronto, and support our annual donation to the Canadian Opera Company. ●●Nov 18 7:00: North York Central Library. Elvis is King: Costello’s My Aim is True. Richard Crouse delves into the story of the creation of the groundbreaking album, focusing on Costello’s musical upbringing, the recording of the legendary songs, and the marketing behind the music that would redefine youth culture. Auditorium, 5120 Yonge St. To register: 416-395-5639. Free. ●●Nov 19 1:30: Miles Nadal JCC. Big Band Jazz: Gershwin to Goodman and Beyond. Learn how songwriters from Tin Pan Alley and musicians George Gershwin and Benny Goodman changed the face of American Jazz. Includes an historical overview, film/music clips and live clarinet music. With musician Jonno Lightstone. 750 Spadina Ave. For more information: 416-924-6211 x155 or lisar@ mnjcc.org . ●●Nov 20 12:30: Queen’s University. Queen’s Music: Brave New World: The Twentieth Century Begins. Colloquium presentation by Philip Adamson, pianist. Harrison-LeCaine Hall, Rm. 124, 39 Bader Lane, Kingston. 613- 533-2066; queensu.ca/music Free. ●●Nov 25 & Dec 02 2:00-4:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Music Appreciation Course: Christmas by Bach: The Christmas Oratorio. Explore the joy, mystery, contemplation and awe of this 6-part masterpiece in preparation for the performance by the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, directed by Ivars Taurins. Instructor: Rick Phillips with special guest, Ivars Taurins. 273 Bloor St. W. For information and to register: 416-408- 2825; rcmusic.ca/musicappreciation . ●●Nov 26 1:30: Miles Nadal JCC. Big Band Jazz: Gershwin to Goodman and Beyond. Learn how songwriters from Tin Pan Alley and musicians George Gershwin and Benny Goodman changed the face of American Jazz. Includes an historical overview, film/music clips and live clarinet music. With musician Jonno Lightstone. 750 Spadina Ave. For more information: (416) 924-6211 x155 or lisar@ mnjcc.org . ●●Second Tuesday of every month (excluding December & June/July): Duke Ellington Society, Toronto chapter. Meeting dedicated to learning more about Ellington’s music. Montgomery’s Inn, 4709 Dundas St. W. For membership details: 416-239-2683. ●●Every Wednesday to Nov 30: Majlis Arts. Artists in the Library residency: Pneuma Ensemble. Medieval music events, including lecture/demos, kids and adult programs, and an anglo-norman werewolf theatrical extravaganza just after Halloween. Fairview Library, 35 Fairview Mall Dr. torontopubliclibrary.ca/search. jsp?Ntt=pneuma+ensemble Free. Master Classes ●●Nov 03 and 04 10:00am-1:00 and 2:00- 5:00: International Resource Centre for Performing Artists. Encounter with Measha Brueggergosman. Soprano Measha Brueggergosman works with young professional singers in opera, oratorio or recital, in matters such as repertoire, performance, stagecraft, style and career essentials. Applications must be received no later than October 20. Alliance Française, 24 Spadina Road. 416-362-1422; ircpa.net Observers welcome: IRCPA members (or for the day); non-members ( for the day). ●●Nov 05 2:00-5:00: International Resource Centre for Performing Artists. Encounter with Maestro Marco Guidarini. Guidarini will give advice to five Canadian singers on their Italian style and pronunciation in performance. Alliance Française, 24 Spadina Road. 416-362-1422; ircpa.net for IRCPA members; non-members . ●●Nov 07 10:00am-12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan. Organ Master Class with Stefan Engels. Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331. Free. ●●Nov 20 2:10: University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Flute Master Class with Lorna McGhee, principal flutist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Bldg., 80 Queen’s Park. 416-978- 3744. Free ●●Dec 01 2:00: University of Toronto Faculty of Music. The Riki Turofsky Master Class in Voice. With soprano Sondra Radvanovsky. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Bldg., 80 Queen’s Park. 416-978-3744. Free Screenings ●●Nov 08 4:00 and 7:30: Toronto Jewish Film Society/ Royal Conservatory/Goethe- Institut Toronto. Wunderkinder. The moving story of three musical prodigies - two Jewish and one German - set in 1941, during the Nazi invasion of Poltava/Ukraine. In a war-torn, grown-up world gone mad, the three children provide the light of music and, ultimately, salvation. Guest speaker: author/artist Bernice Eisenstein. Miles Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina Ave. 416-924-6211 x606. ; (young adults 18-35). Spoken Word, Performance Art ●●Nov 12 8:00: Massey Hall. Torn from the Pages: author Nino Ricci. Also featuring Nobu Adilman, Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers), Oh Susanna, Corin Raymond, Lucas Silveira and Michael Winter. Each will perform newly-commissioned songs, stories, poems and more, evoked and inspired by Ricci’s latest novel, Sleep. Ricci, too, will participate, reading his own work. Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 231 Queens Quay W.416-872- 4255; masseyhall.com .50 - .50. ●●Dec 04 – 06, 11 – 13, 18 – 20: Church of the Holy Trinity.The Christmas Story. Professional musicians and a volunteer cast present this charming hour-long Nativity play. Matinee and evening performances: please see website for exact times. 19 Trinity Square. 416-598-4521 x301; thechristmasstory.ca Suggested donation: adults; children. Workshops ●●Nov 07 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Vocal Percussion Workshop. Rodrigo Chavez, leader. Northern District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd. 905-877-0671. ; (members). ●●Nov 13 7:30: CAMMAC Recorder Players’ Society. Amateur recorder players are invited to join in the playing of early music. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-597-0485 or cammac.ca (non-members). Refreshments included. ●●Nov 14 10:30am-1:00: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Singsation Saturday Choral Workshop. Join guest conductor Mervin Fick of the MCS Chorus and Toronto Beach Chorale, members of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and an enthusiastic community of singers for a program of Handel’s stirring Coronation Anthems. Bring your voice, we’ll provide the scores. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-598-0422 x223; tmchoir. org/singsation-saturdays/ . ●●Nov 22 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Reading of C.P.E. Bach: Die Israeliten in der Wuste, for singers and instrumentalists. David Passmore, conductor. Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-482-6562. ; (members). ●●Dec 04 7:30: CAMMAC Recorder Players’ Society. Amateur recorder players are invited to join in the playing of early music. Guest coach Avery MacLean. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-597-0485or cammac.ca (non-members). Refreshments included. ●●Dec 05 2:00-4:30: Musikay. How to Handle Messiah. An exploration of the performance practices of baroque music and a discussion on different interpretations of Handel’s masterwork. Grace Lutheran Church, 304 Spruce St. Oakville. To reserve: 905-825- 9740; musikay.ca . PASQUALE BROTHERS PURVEYORS OF FINE FOOD CATERING (416) 364-7397 WWW.PASQUALEBROS.COM thewholenote.com Nov 1 - Dec 7, 2015 | 59
July/August issue is now available in flipthrough HERE, bringing to a close 25 seasons of doing what we do (and plan to continue doing), and on stands early in the week of July 5. Not the usual bucolic parade of music in the summer sun, but lots, we hope, to pass the time: links to online and virtual music; a full slate of record reviews; plenty new in the Listening Room; and a full slate of stories – the future of opera, the plight of small venues, the challenge facing orchestras, the barriers to resumption of choral life, the challenges of isolation for real-time music; the steps some festivals are taking to keep the spirit and substance of what they do alive. And intersecting with all of it, responses to the urgent call for anti-racist action and systemic change.
"COVID's Metamorphoses"? "There's Always Time (Until Suddenly There Isn't)"? "The Writing on the Wall"? It's hard to know WHAT to call this latest chapter in the extraordinary story we are all of a sudden characters in. By whatever name we call it, the MAY/JUNE combined issue of The WholeNote is now available, HERE in flip through format, in print commencing Wednesday May 6, and, in fully interactive form, online at thewholenote.com. Our 18th Annual Choral Canary Pages, scheduled for publication in print and flip through in September is already well underway with the first 50 choirs home to roost and more being added every week online. Community Voices, our cover story, brings to you the thoughts of 30 musical community members, all going through what we are going through (and with many more to come as the feature gets amplified online over the course of the coming months). And our regular writers bring their personal thoughts to the mix. Finally, a full-fledged DISCoveries review section offers cues and clues to recorded music for your solitary solace!
After some doubt that we would be allowed to go to press, in respect to wide-ranging Ontario business closures relating to COVID-19, The WholeNote magazine for April 2020 is now on press, and print distribution – modified to respect community-wide closures and the need for appropriate distancing – starts Monday March 30. Meanwhile the full magazine is right here, digitally, so if you value us PLEASE SHARE THIS LINK AS WIDELY AS YOU CAN. It's the safest way for us to reach the widest possible audience at this time!
FEATURED: Music & Health writer Vivien Fellegi explores music, blindness & the plasticity of perception; David Jaeger digs into Gustavo Gimeno's plans for new music in his upcoming first season as music director at TSO; pianist James Rhodes, here for an early March recital, speaks his mind in a Q&A with Paul Ennis; and Lydia Perovic talks music and more with rising Turkish-Canadian mezzo Beste Kalender. Also, among our columns, Peggy Baker Dance Projects headlines Wende Bartley's In with the New; Steve Wallace's Jazz Notes rushes in definitionally where many fear to tread; ... and more.
Visions of 2020! Sampling from back to front for a change: in Rearview Mirror, Robert Harris on the Beethoven he loves (and loves to hate!); Errol Gay, a most musical life remembered; Luna Pearl Woolf in focus in recordings editor David Olds' "Editor's Corner" and in Jenny Parr's preview of "Jacqueline"; Speranza Scappucci explains how not to reinvent Rossini; The Indigo Project, where "each piece of cloth tells a story"; and, leading it all off, Jully Black makes a giant leap in "Caroline, or Change." And as always, much more. Now online in flip-through format here and on stands starting Thurs Jan 30.
Welcome to our December/January issue as we turn the annual calendar page, halfway through our season for the 25th time, juggling as always, secular stuff, the spirit of the season, new year resolve and winter journeys! Why is Mozart's Handel's Messiah's trumpet a trombone? Why when Laurie Anderson offers to fly you to the moon you should take her up on the invitation. Why messing with Winterreisse can (sometimes) be a very good thing! And a bumper crop of record reviews for your reading (and sometimes listening) pleasure. Available in flipthrough here right now, and on stands commencing Thursday Nov 28. See you on the other side!
On the slim chance you might not have already heard the news, Estonian Canadian composing giant Udo Kasemets was born the same year that Leo Thermin invented the theremin --1919. Which means this is the centenary year for both of them, and both are being celebrated in style, as Andrew Timar and MJ Buell respectively explain. And that's just a taste of a bustling November, with enough coverage of music of both the delectably substantial and delightfully silly on hand to satisfy one and all.
Long promised, Vivian Fellegi takes a look at Relaxed Performance practice and how it is bringing concert-going barriers down across the spectrum; Andrew Timar looks at curatorial changes afoot at the Music Gallery; David Jaeger investigates the trumpets of October; the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution (and the 20th Anniversary of our October Blue Pages Presenter profiles) in our Editor's Opener; the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir at 125; Tapestry at 40 and Against the Grain at 10; ringing in the changing season across our features and columns; all this and more, now available in Flip Through format here, and on the stands commencing this coming Friday September 27, 2019. Enjoy.
Vol 1 of our 25th season is now here! And speaking of 25, that's how many films in the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival editor Paul Ennis, in our Eighth Annual TIFF TIPS, has chosen to highlight for their particular musical interest.
Also inside: Rob Harris looks through the Rear View Mirror at past and present prognostications about the imminent death of classical music; Mysterious Barricades and Systemic Barriers are Lydia Perović's preoccupations in Art of Song; Andrew Timar reflects on the evolving priorities of the Polaris Prize; and elsewhere, it's chocks away as yet another season creaks or roars (depending on the beat) into motion. Welcome back.
What a range of stuff! A profile of Liz Upchurch, the COC ensemble studio's vocal mentor extraordinaire; a backgrounder on win-win faith/arts centre partnerships and ways of exploring the possibilities; an interview with St. Petersburg-based Eifman Ballet's Boris Eifman; Ana Sokolovic's violin concert Evta finally coming to town; a Love Letter to YouTube, and much more. Plus our 17th annual Canary Pages Choral directory if all you want to do is sing! sing! sing!
Arraymusic, the Music Gallery and Native Women in the Arts join for a mini-festival celebrating the work of composer, performer and installation artist Raven Chacon; Music and Health looks at the role of Healing Arts Ontario in supporting concerts in care facilities; Kingston-based composer Marjan Mozetich's life and work are celebrated in film; "Forest Bathing" recontextualizes Schumann, Shostakovich and Hindemith; in Judy Loman's hands, the harp can sing; Mahler's Resurrection bursts the bounds of symphonic form; Ed Bickert, guitar master remembered. All this and more in our April issue, now online in flip-through here, and on stands commencing Friday March 29.
Something Old, Something New! The Ide(a)s of March are Upon Us! Rob Harris's Rear View Mirror looks forward to a tonal revival; Tafelmusik expands their chronological envelope in two directions, Esprit makes wave after wave; Pax Christi's new oratorio by Barbara Croall catches the attention of our choral and new music columnists; and summer music education is our special focus, right when warm days are once again possible to imagine. All this and more in our March 2019 edition, available in flipthrough here, and on the stands starting Thursday Feb 28.
In this issue: A prize that brings lustre to its laureates (and a laureate who brings lustre to the prize); Edwin Huizinga on the journey of Opera Atelier's "The Angel Speaks" from Versailles to the ROM; Danny Driver on playing piano in the moment; Remembering Neil Crory (a different kind of genius)' Year of the Boar, Indigeneity and Opera; all this and more in Volume 24 #5. Online in flip through, HERE and on the stands commencing Thursday Jan 31.
When is a trumpet like a motorcycle in a dressage event? How many Brunhilde's does it take to change an Elektra? Just two of the many questions you've been dying to ask, to which you will find answers in a 24th annual combined December/January issue – in which our 11 beat columnists sift through what's on offer in the upcoming holiday month, and what they're already circling in their calendars for 2019. Oh, and features too: a klezmer violinist breathing new life into a very old film; two New Music festivals in January, 200 metres apart; a Music & Health story on the restorative powers of a grassroots exercise in collective music-making; even a good reason to go to Winnipeg in the dead of winter. All this and more in Vol 24 No 4, now available in flipthrough format here.
Reluctant arranger! National Ballet Orchestra percussionist Kris Maddigan on creating the JUNO and BAFTA award-winning smash hit Cuphead video game soundtrack; Evergreen by name and by nature, quintessentially Canadian gamelan (Andrew Timar explains); violinist Angèle Dubeau on 20 years and 60 million streams; two children’s choirs where this month remembrance and living history must intersect. And much more, online in our kiosk now, and on the street commencing Thursday November 1.
Presenters, start your engines! With TIFF and "back-to-work" out of the way, the regular concert season rumbles to life, and, if our Editor's Opener can be trusted, "Seeking Synergies" seems to be the name of the game. Denise Williams' constantly evolving "Walk Together Children" touching down at the Toronto Centre for the Arts; the second annual Festival of Arabic Music and Arts expanding its range; a lesson in Jazz Survival with Steve Wallace; the 150 presenter and performer profiles in our 19th annual Blue Pages directory... this is an issue that is definitely more than the sum of its parts.
In this issue: The WholeNote's 7th Annual TIFF TIPS guide to festival films with musical clout; soprano Erin Wall in conversation with Art of Song columnist Lydia Perovic, about more than the art of song; a summer's worth of recordings reviewed; Toronto Chamber Choir at 50 (is a few close friends all it takes?); and much more, as the 2018/19 season gets under way.
PLANTING NOT PAVING! In this JUNE / JULY /AUGUST combined issue: Farewell interviews with TSO's Peter Oundjian and Stratford Summer Music's John Miller, along with "going places" chats with Luminato's Josephine Ridge, TD Jazz's Josh Grossman and Charm of Finches' Terry Lim. ) Plus a summer's worth of fruitful festival inquiry, in the city and on the road, in a feast of stories and our annual GREEN PAGES summer Directory.
In this issue: our sixteenth annual Choral Canary Pages; coverage of 21C, Estonian Music Week and the 3rd Toronto Bach Festival (three festivals that aren’t waiting for summer!); and features galore: “Final Finales” for Larry Beckwith’s Toronto Masque Theatre and for David Fallis as artistic director of Toronto Consort; four conductors on the challenges of choral conducting; operatic Hockey Noir; violinist Stephen Sitarski’s perspective on addressing depression; remembering bandleader, composer and saxophonist Paul Cram. These and other stories, in our May 2018 edition of the magazine.
In this issue: we talk with jazz pianist Thompson Egbo-Egbo about growing up in Toronto, building a musical career, and being adaptive to change; pianist Eve Egoyan prepares for her upcoming Luminato project and for the next stage in her long-term collaborative relationship with Spanish-German composer Maria de Alvear; jazz violinist Aline Homzy, halfway through preparing for a concert featuring standout women bandleaders, talks about social equity in the world of improvised music; and the local choral community celebrates the life and work of choral conductor Elmer Iseler, 20 years after his passing.
In this issue: Canadian Stage, Tapestry Opera and Vancouver Opera collaborate to take Gogol’s short story The Overcoat to the operatic stage; Montreal-based Sam Shalabi brings his ensemble Land of Kush, and his newest composition, to Toronto; Five Canadian composers, each with a different CBC connection, are nominated for JUNOs; and The WholeNote team presents its annual Summer Music Education Directory, a directory of summer music camps, programs and courses across the province and beyond.
In this issue: composer Nicole Lizée talks about her love for analogue equipment, and the music that “glitching” evokes; Richard Rose, artistic director at the Tarragon Theatre, gives us insights into their a rock-and-roll Hamlet, now entering production; Toronto prepares for a mini-revival of Schoenberg’s music, with three upcoming shows at New Music Concerts; and the local music theatre community remembers and celebrates the life and work of Mi’kmaq playwright and performer Cathy Elliott . These and other stories, in our double-issue December/January edition of the magazine.
In this issue: conversations (of one kind or another) galore! Daniela Nardi on taking the reins at "best-kept secret" venue, 918 Bathurst; composer Jeff Ryan on his "Afghanistan" Requiem for a Generation" partnership with war poet, Susan Steele; lutenist Ben Stein on seventeenth century jazz; collaborative pianist Philip Chiu on going solo; Barbara Hannigan on her upcoming Viennese "Second School" recital at Koerner; Tina Pearson on Pauline Oliveros; and as always a whole lot more!
In this issue: several local artists reflect on the memory of composer Claude Vivier, as they prepare to perform his music; Vancouver gets ready to host international festival ISCM World New Music Days, which is coming to Canada for the second time since its inception in 1923; one of the founders of Artword Artbar, one of Hamilton’s staple music venues, on the eve of the 5th annual Steel City Jazz Festival, muses on keeping urban music venues alive; and a conversation with pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, as he prepares for an ambitious recital in Toronto. These and other stories, in our October 2017 issue of the magazine.
In this issue: a look at why musicians experience stage fright, and how to combat it; an inside look at the second Kensington Market Jazz Festival, which zeros in on one of Toronto’s true ‘music villages’; an in-depth interview with Elisa Citterio, new music director of Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra; and The WholeNote’s guide to TIFF, with suggestions for the 20 most musical films at this year’s festival. These and other stories, in our September 2017 issue of the magazine!
CBC Radio's Lost Horizon; Pinocchio as Po-Mo Operatic Poster Boy; Meet the Curators (Crow, Bernstein, Ridge); a Global Music Orchestra is born; and festivals, festivals, festivals in our 13th annual summer music Green Pages. All this and more in our three-month June-through August summer special issue, now available in flipthrough HERE and on the stands commencing Thursday June 1.
From science fact in "Integral Man: Music and the Movies," to science fiction in the editor's opener; from World Fiddle Day at the Aga Khan Museum to three Canadians at the Cliburn; from wanting to sashay across the 401 to Chamberfest in Montreal to exploring the Continuum of Jumblies Theatre's 20-year commitment to the Community Play (there's a pun in there somewhere!).
In this issue: Our podcast ramps up with interviews in March with fight director Jenny Parr, countertenor Daniel Taylor, and baritone Russell Braun; two views of composer John Beckwith at 90; how music’s connection to memory can assist with the care of patients with Alzheimer’s; musical celebrations in film and jazz, at National Canadian Film Day and Jazz Day; and a preview of Louis Riel, which opens this month at the COC. These and other stories, in our April 2017 issue of the magazine!
On our cover: Owen Pallett's musical palette on display at New Creations. Spring brings thoughts of summer music education! (It's never too late.). For Marc-Andre Hamelin the score is king. Ella at 100 has the tributes happening. All; this and more.
In this issue: an interview with composer/vocalist Jeremy Dutcher, on his upcoming debut album and unique compositional voice; a conversation with Boston Symphony hornist James Sommerville, as as the BSO gets ready to come to his hometown; Stuart Hamilton, fondly remembered; and an inside look at Hugh’s Room, as it enters a complicated chapter in the story of its life in the complex fabric of our musical city. These and other stories, as we celebrate the past and look forward to the rest of 2016/17, the first glimpses of 2017/18, and beyond!
In this issue: a conversation with pianist Stewart Goodyear, in advance of his upcoming show at Koerner Hall; a preview of the annual New Year’s phenomenon that is Bravissimo!/Salute to Vienna; an inside look at music performance in Toronto’s health-care centres; and a reflection on the incredible life and lasting influence of the late Pauline Oliveros. These and more, in a special December/January combined issue!
In this issue: David Jaeger and Alex Pauk’s most memorable R. Murray Schafer collabs, in this month’s installment of Jaeger’s CBC Radio Two: The Living Legacy; an interview with flutist Claire Chase, who brings new music and mindset to Toronto this month; an investigation into the strange coincidence of three simultaneous Mendelssohn Elijahs this Nov 5; and of course, our annual Blue Pages, a who’s who of southern Ontario’s live music scene- a community as prolific and multifaceted as ever. These and more, as we move full-force into the 2016/17 concert season- all aboard!
Music lover's TIFF (our fifth annual guide to the Toronto International Film Festival); Aix Marks the Spot (how Brexit could impact on operatic co-production); The Unstoppable Howard Cable (an affectionate memoir of a late chapter in the life of of a great Canadian arranger; Kensington Jazz Story (the newest kid on the festival block flexes its muscles). These stories and much more as we say a lingering goodbye to summer and turn to the task, for the 22nd season, of covering the live and recorded music that make Southern Ontario tick.
It's combined June/July/August summer issue time with, we hope, enough between the covers to keep you dipping into it all through the coming lazy, hazy days. From Jazz Vans racing round "The Island" delivering pop-up brass breakouts at the roadside, to Bach flute ambushes strolling "The Grove, " to dozens of reasons to stay in the city. May yours be a summer where you find undiscovered musical treasures, and, better still, when, unexpectedly, the music finds you.
INSIDE: The Canaries Are Here! 116 choirs to choose from, so take the plunge! The Nylons hit the road after one last SING! Fling. Jazz writer Steve Wallace wonders "Watts Goode" rather than "what's new?" Paul Ennis has the musical picks of the HotDocs crop. David Jaeger's CBC Radio continues golden for a little while yet. Douglas McNabney is Music's Child. Leipzig meets Damascus in Alison Mackay's fertile imagination. And "C" is for KRONOS in Wende Bartley's koverage of the third annual 21C Festival. All this and as usual much much more. Enjoy.
From 30 camp profiles to spark thoughts of being your summer musical best, to testing LUDWIG as you while away the rest of so-called winter; from Scottish Opera and the Danish Midtvest, to a first Toronto recital appearance by violin superstar Maxim Vengerov; from musings on New Creations and new creation, to the boy who made a habit of crying Beowulf; it's a month of merry meetings and rousing recordings reviewed, all here to discover in The WholeNote.
2016 is off to a flying start! We chronicle the Artful Times of Andrew Burashko, the violistic versatility of Teng Li, the ageless ebullience of jazz pianist Gene DiNovi and the ninetieth birthday of trumpeter Johnny Cowell. Jaeger remembers Boulez; Waxman recalls Bley's influence, and Olds finds Bowie haunting Editor's Corner. Oh, and did we mention there's all that music? Hello (and goodbye) to the February blues, and here's to swinging through the musical vines of the Year of the Monkey.
What's a vinyl renaissance? What happens when Handel's Messiah runs afoul of the rumba rhythm setting on a (gasp!) Hammond organ? What work does Marc-Andre Hamelin say he would be content to have on every recital program he plays? What are Steve Wallace's favourite fifty Christmas recordings? Why is violinist Daniel Hope celebrating Yehudi Menuhin's 100th birthday at Koerner Hall January 28? Answers to all these questions (and a whole lot more) in the Dec/Jan issue of The WholeNote.
"Come" seems to be the verb that knits this month's issue together. Sondra Radvanovsky comes to Koerner, William Norris comes to Tafel as their new GM, opera comes to Canadian Stage; and (a long time coming!) Jane Bunnett's musicianship and mentorship are honoured with the Premier's award for excellence; plus David Jaeger's ongoing series on the golden years of CBC Radio Two, Andrew Timar on hybridity, a bumper crop of record reviews and much much more. Come on in!
Vol 21 No 2 is now available for your viewing pleasure, and it's a bumper crop, right at the harvest moon. First ever Canadian opera on the Four Seasons Centre main stage gets double coverage with Wende Bartley interviewing Pyramus and Thisbe composer Barbara Monk Feldman and Chris Hoile connecting with director Christopher Alden; Paul Ennis digs into the musical mind of pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, and pianist Eve Egoyan is "On the Record" in conversation with publisher David Perlman ahead of the Oct release concert for her tenth recording. And at the heart of it all the 16th edition of our annual BLUE PAGES directory of presenters profile the season now well and truly under way.
Paul Ennis's annual TIFF TIPS (27 festival films of potential particular musical interest); Wu Man, Yo-Yo Ma and Jeffrey Beecher on the Silk Road; David Jaeger on CBC Radio Music in the days it was committed to commissioning; the LISTENING ROOM continues to grow on line; DISCoveries is back, bigger than ever; and Mary Lou Fallis says Trinity-St. Paul's is Just the Spot (especially this coming Sept 25!).
