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Volume 24 Issue 1 - September 2018

  • Text
  • September
  • Jazz
  • Toronto
  • Musical
  • Symphony
  • Quartet
  • Orchestra
  • Festival
  • Theatre
  • Violin
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.

I I T T C H O R A L E C

I I T T C H O R A L E C H O R L A E P A X • C H R I S T • C H O R A L E I PAX CHRISTI CHORALE’S 2018–19 SEASON Slavic Devotion David Bowser Artistic Director Stirring music of devotion by great Russian and Ukrainian composers Saturday, October 27 2018, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, October 28 2018, 3:00 p.m. Grace Church on-the-Hill England’s Golden Age A capella masterpieces from the reign of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I Sunday, December 16 2018, 3:00 p.m. Grace Church on-the-Hill Miziwe... (Everywhere...) The world premiere of the oratorio by Barbara Croall Sunday, March 31 2018, 3:00 p.m. Koerner Hall in the Telus Centre for Performance & Learning SUBSCRIBE TODAY PAXCHRISTICHORALE.ORG concert. Other homages include Fallis leading Healey Willan’s three Marian motets. Elizabeth Anderson, a frequent guest conductor of the choir, began rehearsing the concert in March. Harris describes her as “a seasoned church musician with amazing ears (and perfect pitch) and is brilliant at firing up the group to learn music quickly.” As they head back to rehearsals, they’ve already got a head start. “Because it’s a best of/greatest hits… it’s a lot of repertoire we already know. We started last season when we had some down time,” shares David Barber, a longtime singer in the choir. Barber has also created a new work for the choir, Gaudeamus, adding something new to the mix. It is meant to feel old, though, and fits right into the mix of the flavours that make up the typical repertoire of the choir. “It starts with the Introit of the Gregorian chant and actually goes through the history of the music that this choir sings, all in about five minutes,” continues Barber. He describes the song as including flavours and techniques akin to Machaut, Tudor, Byrd, Tallis, Purcell and much more. This combination of the old and the new fits well for the choir. It’s a unique value proposition that TCC offers that other choirs don’t. Barber describes the versatility: “We’re one of the few choirs that specializes in early music, with a bridge to the contemporary when we can find a connection. Certainly, it’s been a speciality of this choir.” Harris has further thoughts on the longevity of the choir and what it has to offer. “I think that the most important factor keeping our music-making fresh is the enormous amount of repertoire there is to explore … even just within Baroque and Renaissance music,” says Harris. Much can be said about the bridging of the old and the new in creative ways. Under Harris’s leadership, the ensemble is embracing some innovative programming. With a modernization of the “Kaffeemusik” format, the choir’s Sunday afternoon performances have taken on a new life with multimedia, narrators and actors. The goal is “to explore something broader than just the music … to add historical and/or social context to the music,” shares Harris. He’s excited about previous forays into Eastern European and Scandinavian music, and a special focus on female composers prior to Clara Schumann. “We’re also partnering with more diverse artists in order to explore beyond our usual repertoire,” he continues. The list of upcoming guests is impressive and exciting. The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, soprano/conductor Teri Dunn, tenor Charles Daniels, musicologists, and even First Nations language specialists are part of the plans. Harris continues to look both to the old and the new in programming. “There is still so much more music out there to explore … I’m keenly aware of this every time I visit a good music library and just pull volumes of music off the shelves. Even after two decades of specializing in early music, I humbly realize that I have only experienced the tip of an iceberg,” he says. The rest of the season will include many more collaborations and explorations of new and challenging programs. For now though, it’s a chance for the ensemble to take 50 years of history and have a great time. “The goal is to bring the TCC family together and celebrate its history,” says Harris. “It is really about celebrating the TCC’s extended family by bringing together as many former members, directors, soloists/section leads and other friends.” It’s a big family too, with over 400 members from seasons past and 17 years of an apprentice program with the Rosedale School for the Arts. Alumni of the choir have been invited to join in the program, and will beef up some of the performances in the second half of the concert. “Even more than the music itself, I’m looking forward to this as a community event,” says Harris. “It will be a gathering of people whose love of early music caused them to be connected to this extraordinary organization at some point in their lives.” Fifty years ago, all it took was a few friends around Annegret Wright to start a new choir. 177 concert programs and 1500 works performed later, the Toronto Chamber Choir begins its 50th anniversary season in fine style and esteemed company – with the prospect of much more ahead. The Toronto Chamber Choir presents “Music & Friendship” September 29 at 8pm at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Toronto. See more 34 | September 2018 thewholenote.com

Fifty years ago, all it took was a few friends around Annegret Wright (far left) to start a new choir. about upcoming performances of the Toronto Chamber Choir at torontochamberchoir.ca. Honorary Mention The Toronto Symphony Orchestra opens its season with a rarely heard choral presentation of Fantasy on Shakespeare’s The Tempest from Lélio, or The Return to Life by Hector Berlioz. The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir joins the TSO under interim artistic director Sir Andrew Davis. September 20 and 22 at 8pm; September 21 at 7:30pm. Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto. A choir for you! At the start of every season I always encourage readers to get out there and join. Whether you sing or not, there’s a choir for you in this city. The WholeNote maintains a database of choirs across the region known as the Canary Pages – available on thewholenote.com under the “Who’s Who” tab. Here are just some of the many options: !! Accessible Community – City Choir !! Adult Female – Penthelia Singers !! Adult Male – Forte - Toronto Gay Men’s Chorus !! Barbershop – Toronto Northern Lights !! Casual – Choir! Choir! Choir! !! Chamber Choir – Exultate Chamber Singers !! Contemporary – That Choir !! Early Music – Toronto Chamber Choir !! East York – VOCA Chorus of Toronto !! Etobicoke – Etobicoke Centennial Choir !! Everyone – Univox !! Gospel – Toronto Mass Choir !! Inclusive – Singing Out! !! Mississauga – Mississauga Festival Choir !! Opera – Toronto City Opera Chorus !! Richmond Hill – Chorus York !! Rock – newchoir !! Scarborough – Ruckus: the UTSC Alumni and Community Choir !! Social Justice – Echo Women’s Choir !! Youth (Mississauga) – Resonance Youth Choir (See Mississauga Festival Choir) !! Youth (Toronto) – Toronto Youth Choir Follow Brian on Twitter @bfchang. Send info/media/ tips to choralscene@thewholenote.com. thewholenote.com September 2018 | 35

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