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.
Arts Guild and
Arts Guild and Pan4Christ Steel-Pan Band. St. Olave’s Anglican Church, 360 Windermere Ave. 416-769-5686. Contributions appreciated. Also 4pm Choral Evensong. ●●7:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre. John McDermott Christmas. Guests: Dala. Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Community Studio Theatre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. 905-681-6000. .50; .50(members). ●●7:00: Echo Chamber Toronto. Transfigured Night; An Evening of Chamber Music and Contemporary Ballet. Beethoven: String Quartet Op.18 No.1; Schoenberg: Second String Quartet “Entrückung”; Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night); Hindemith: Gottes Tod. Lauren Eberwein, soprano; Aaron Schwebel and Sheila Jaffe: violin; Theresa Rudolph and Keith Hamm, viola; and others. Artscape Sandbox, 301 Adelaide St. W. 647-780-9040. -. Also Dec 1. ●●7:00: Runnymede United Church. A Reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Choirs of Royal York Road and Runnymede United; Jeff Douglas, Robin Duke, Mary Lou Fallis, Barbara Gordon, Anwar Knight, Nancy Palk and William Webster, readers. 432 Runnymede Rd. 416-767-6729. . All proceeds in support of The Stop Community Food Centre. Refreshments for everyone in Memorial Hall will follow. ●●7:00: St. Thomas’s Anglican Church. Advent Carols. Matthew Larkin, music director. St. Thomas’s Anglican Church (Toronto), 383 Huron St. 416-979-2323. Free. ●●7:30: Gallery 345. Payadora. Tango and Argentine folk music. Rebekah Wolkstein, violin; Drew Jurecka, bandoneon; Robert Horvath, piano; Joe Philips, bass; Elbio Fernandez, vocals. 345 Sorauren Ave. 416-822-9781 or info@gallery345.com. ; (st). Cash only. Tickets available online at Eventbrite.ca. ●●7:30: Toronto Beach Chorale. Great Joy. J.S.Bach Cantata 147, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben; Buxtehude Magnificat, music by Hassler, Bruckner, Reger and Rachmaninov, and carols. Virginia Hatfield, soprano; Lillian Brooks, mezzo-soprano; Charles Davidson, tenor; Ryan Moilliet, bass; Mervin Fick conductor. Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston Rd. 416-699-6634. .50-.00. ●●8:00: Music Gallery. Emergents I: Grace Scheele + Xuan Ye. The Music Gallery, 918 Bathurst St. 416-204-1080. -. ●●8:00: New Music Concerts. Celebrating Michael Koerner: Michael Koerner’s Choice. A. Concerts in the GTA Celebrating Michael Koerner @ 90 KOERNER’S CHOICE Sunday December 2 BETTY OLIPHANT THEATRE www.NewMusicConcerts.com Carter: Rigmarole; Stravinsky: Octet; Ives: selection of songs; Schafer: String Quartet No.6 “Parting Wild Horse’s Mane”; Milhaud: La création du monde. Ben Heppner, tenor; John Hess, piano; David Hetherington, cello; Max Christie, bass clarinet; Accordes String Quartet; Jonathan Krehm and Evonne Tan, tai chi chuan performers; New Music Concerts Ensemble; Robert Aitken, director. Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St. 416-961-9594. ; (sr/arts workers); (st). 7:15pm: pre-concert talk. Monday December 3 ●●12:30: York University Department of Music. Music@Midday: Instrumental Masterclass in Concert. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 416-736-5888. Free. ●●7:30: Chorisma. Joy of Christmas. Susan Ryman, soprano; Alexa Ball, flute; Damon Richard, percussion; Robert Richardson, conductor; Lona Richardson, accompaniment. Thornhill United Church, 25 Elgin St., Thornhill. 905-731-8318. Food donation and freewill offering. In aid of Thornhill Christmas Assistance Program. ●●7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Guitar Orchestra. Jeffrey McFadden, director. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. Tuesday December 4 ●●12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company. Vocal Series: Wirth Vocal Prize In Recital. Anna-Sophie Neher, soprano; Magdalena von Eccher, piano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free. First come, first served. No late seating. ●●12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation/ Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Lunchtime Chamber Music. Gillian Chreptyk, trumpet. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-241-1298. Free. Donations welcome. ●●1:00: Cathedral Church of St. James. Music at Midday. Nick Veltmeyer, organ. 65 Church St. 416-365-7865. Free. Donations welcome. Toronto Mendelssohn Choir FESTIVAL OF CAROLS Guest Conductor Howard Dyck December 4 & 5 tmchoir.org ●●7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Festival of Carols. Stephanie Martin: An Earthly Tree; Alban Berg: Es ist ein Reis enstsprungen; Mendelssohn: Ave Maria; Maria durch ein Dornwald ging (arr. Stefan Claas); and audience sing-along of popular Christmas carols. Toronto Mendelssohn Choir; Canadian Staff Band of the Salvation Army; Toronto Youth Choir; Howard Dyck, guest conductor. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-408-0208. -; (Voxtix for patrons 30 and under). Also Dec 5. ●●7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Contemporary Music Ensembles. Wallace Hallady, director. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. ●●8:00: Civic Theatres Toronto. Jazz at the George: Dianne Reeves - Christmas Time Is Here. Holiday music. Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge St., North York. 1-855-985- 2787. -. ●●8:00: Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall. Chris Botti, Trumpet. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-872-4255. .75-9.75. EL EC T R IC MESSI A H IV DECEMBER 4–6 THE DRAKE HOTEL UNDERGROUND WWW.SOUNDSTREAMS.CA ●●8:00: Soundstreams. Electric Messiah IV. Handel’s great masterpiece with inspir- EM Wholenote ad.indd 1 2018-11-19 5:10 PM ations from jazz, gospel, blues, hip hop and of course, classical. Jonathan MacArthur, tenor; Aviva Chernick, vocals; Alex Samaras, baritone, jazz-singer; Adam Scime, music director; Christopher Bagan, analog and electric harpsichord; Jeff McLeod, electric organ; Joel Schwartz, electric guitar; SlowPitchSound, turntablist and resident DJ; Lybido, dancer. The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen’s St. W. 416-504-1282. /(adv). Also Dec 5, 6. Wednesday December 5 ● ● 12:30: Organix Concerts/All Saints Kingsway. Kingsway Organ Concert Series. Aaron James, organ. All Saints Kingsway Anglican Church, 2850 Bloor St. W. 416-571-3680. Freewill offering. 45-minute concert. 48 | December 1, 2018 – February 7, 2019 thewholenote.com
●●12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Noonhour Organ Recital. Imre Olah, organ. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Free. ●●5:30: Canadian Opera Company. Jazz Series: Music from the Claudia Quintet Playbook. McGill Jazz Sextet; John Hollenbeck, director. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free. First come, first served. No late seating. ●●7:00: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Festival of Carols. Stephanie Martin: An Earthly Tree; Alban Berg: Es ist ein Reis enstsprungen; Mendelssohn: Ave Maria; Maria durch ein Dornwald ging (arr. Stefan Claas); and audience sing-along of popular Christmas carols. Toronto Mendelssohn Choir; Canadian Staff Band of the Salvation Army; Toronto Youth Choir; Howard Dyck, guest conductor. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-408-0208. -; (Voxtix for patrons 30 and under). Also Dec 4. ●●7:30: Nathaniel Dett Chorale. An Indigo Christmas: Black Virgin…Great Joy. Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre, Accolade East Building, 4700 Keele St. nathanieldett.org. ; (sr); (st). ●●7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Rebanks Family Fellowship Concert. Mazzoleni Concert Hall, Royal Conservatory, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. Free (ticket required). ●●7:30: Toronto Choral Society. Navidad Nuestra (Our Christmas). Ramirez: Misa Criolla. Geoffrey Butler, conductor; Cassava (Latin ensemble); Ernesto Cárdenas, tenor. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. -. ●●8:00: Harbourfront Centre. Asheq: Ritual Music to Cure a Lover. Music by Sina Bathaie. Habib Meftahboushehri and Mohsen Sharifian, musicians; Shahin Sayadi, artistic director. Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 235 Queens Quay W. 416-973-4000. .85- $24.50. Also Dec 6, 7, 8(4pm & 7pm). ●●8:00: Soundstreams. Electric Messiah IV. Handel’s great masterpiece with inspirations from jazz, gospel, blues, hip hop and of course, classical. Jonathan MacArthur, tenor; Aviva Chernick, vocals; Alex Samaras, baritone, jazz-singer; Adam Scime, music director; Christopher Bagan, analog and electric harpsichord; Jeff McLeod, electric organ; Joel Schwartz, electric guitar; SlowPitchSound, turntablist and resident DJ; Lybido, dancer. The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen’s St. W. 416-504-1282. /(adv). Also Dec 4, 6. Thursday December 6 ●●2:00: Northern District Public Library. YC Lee in Solo Recital @ OrchardViewers Fall 2018. Art Song & Opera. YC Lee, tenor; Ann Sublett, piano. Room 224, 40 Orchard View Blvd. 416-393-7610. Free. Seating is limited, arrive early. ●●7:00: University of Toronto Faculty of Music. PianoFest. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. Also Dec 8(7pm) & 9(2:30pm). ●●7:30: Canadian Music Centre. CMC Presents: Germaine Liu and Sarah Hennies, Percussion. Works by Liu and Hennies. 20 St. Joseph St. 416-961-6601 x201. General: /(adv); CMC Members/arts workers: /(adv); Students: /(adv). ●●7:30: Gallery 345. Chelsea McBride’s Socialist Night School’s Annual Holiday Spectacular! 345 Sorauren Ave. 416-822-9781. ; (st). Cash only. ●●7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Home Alone in Concert. Resonance Youth Choir; Constantine Kitsopoulos, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. -6. Also Dec 7, Dec 8(mat), Dec 8(eve). ●●8:00: Harbourfront Centre. Asheq: Ritual Music to Cure a Lover. See Dec 5. Also Dec 7(8pm); 8(4pm & 7pm). December 6 at 8pm GRYPHON TRIO ●●8:00: Music Toronto. Gryphon Trio. Frehner: Bytown Waters (Toronto premiere); Brahms: Piano Trio in C Op.87; and works by Mozart, Silvestrov and Pärt. Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723. .50- ; (st). ●●8:00: Soundstreams. Electric Messiah IV. Handel’s great masterpiece with inspirations from jazz, gospel, blues, hip hop and of course, classical. Jonathan MacArthur, tenor; Aviva Chernick, vocals; Alex Samaras, baritone, jazz-singer; Adam Scime, music director; Christopher Bagan, analog and electric harpsichord; Jeff McLeod, electric organ; Joel Schwartz, electric guitar; SlowPitchSound, turntablist and resident DJ; Lybido, dancer. The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen’s St. W. 416-504-1282. /(adv). Also Dec 4, 5. Friday December 7 ●●12:00 noon: University Settlement Music & Arts School. End of Term Student Concert. St. George the Martyr Church, 30 Stephanie St. 416-598-3444 x243. Free; donations welcome. Charitable Tax receipts available for all donations over .00. Also Dec 8(11am; 1:30pm). ●●7:30: Brampton Folk Club. Friday Folk Night: A Very Foggy Christmas. Coffee-housestyle folk music concert. The Foggy Hogtown Boys. St. Paul’s United Church (Brampton), 30 Main St. S., Brampton. 647-233-3655. ; (sr/st). ●●7:30: Burlington Performing Arts Centre. The Nutcracker. Music by Tchaikovsky. National Ballet Theatre of Odessa. Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Community Studio Theatre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. 905-681-6000. .50; .50(members); (18 and under). Also Dec 8(2:30 & 7:30). ●●7:30: Church of the Holy Trinity. The Lage Lund, guitar. 345 Sorauren Ave. 416-822- 9781. ; (st); Cash only. ●●8:00: Harbourfront Centre. Asheq: Ritual Music to Cure a Lover. See Dec 5. Also Dec 8(4:00 & 7:00). ●●8:00: Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. Tartan Terrors Christmas. 130 Navy St., Oakville. 905-815-2021 or 1-888-489-7784. -. ●●8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Classical Concerts Series: Paquito D’Rivera with the Harlem Quartet. Bolcom: Three Rags for String Quartet; Debussy: String Quartet in g Op.10 Mvt 2 - Assez vif et bien rythmé; Weber: Clarinet Quintet in B-flat Op.34; D’Rivera: Suite aires tropicales, A Farewell Mambo and others. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. -. ●●8:00: Upper Canada Choristers/Cantemos Latin Ensemble. Christmas Cheer. Works by Britten, Rutter, Courtney, Zéspedes, Velasco and others. Valerie Abels, narrator; Christian Sharpe, bassoon; Hye Won Ceilia Lee, piano, Laurie Evan Fraser, conductor. Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. 416-256-0510. ; Free(teen/child acc. by adult). Saturday December 8 ●● Christmas Story. Hour-long Christmas 1:30: Oakville Choir for Children and HTCS_WholeNote_2018_FNL_01.indd 2018-11-23 1 1:48 PM pageant. 19 Trinity Sq. 416-598-4521 x301. Suggested donation: ; (child). Also Dec 8(4:30), 9(4:30), 14(7:30), 15(4:30), 16(4:30), 21(7:30), 22(4:30 & 7:30), 23(4:30 & 7:30 pm). ●●7:30: County Town Singers. Jingle Alleluia. Sacred and secular Christmas music. Trinity Pentacostal, 900 King St. E., Oshawa. 647- 981-2205. ; ; . Also Dec 8(mat). ●●7:30: Surinder Mundra. A Choral Christmas from Across Europe. St. George’s Anglican Church (Pickering Village), 77 Randall Dr., Ajax. 905-683-7981. . Reception post concert, cash bar. ●●7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Home Alone in Concert. See Dec 6. Also Dec 8(2:00 & 7:30). ●●7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of Music. University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Ridout: Jubilee; De Falla: Siete canciones populares españolas; Glazunov: Violin Concerto No.1 in a Op.82; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.1 in g Op.13 “Winter Dreams”. Gena van Oosten, mezzo; Julia Mirzoev, violin; Uri Meyer, conductor. MacMillan Theatre, Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. ; (sr); (st). ●●8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto. The Soul of the Cello: Tribute to Pablo Casals. Works by Bach, Casals and Cassado. Christian-Pierre La Marca, cello. Spadina Theatre, 24 Spadina Rd. 416-922-2014 x37. ; (sr/ st); (members). ●●8:00: Etobicoke Community Concert Band. A Classic Christmas. Jean Augustine, reader; Andrew Scott, guest MC. Etobicoke Collegiate Auditorium, 86 Montgomery Rd., Etobicoke. 416-410-1570. ; Free(child under 12). ●●8:00: Exultate Chamber Singers. Winter’s Night with You. Quartel: A Winter Day; Raminsh: In the Night We Shall Go In; Webb: The Winter Lakes; Lightfoot: Song for a Winter’s Night. Mark Ramsay, artistic director. St. Thomas’s Anglican Church (Toronto), 383 Huron St. 416-971-9229. ; (sr); (st). ●●8:00: Gallery 345. Hide the Moon and Stars Album Release Concert. Bryn Roberts, piano; Youth. Community Carol Concert. Guest: Lianne Tan, organ. St. John’s United Church (Oakville), 262 Randall St., Oakville. 905-337- 7104. ; (sr); (under 13). Also 4pm. ●●2:00: County Town Singers. Jingle Alleluia. Sacred and secular Christmas music. Trinity Pentacostal, 900 King St. E., Oshawa. 647- 981-2205. ; ; . Also Dec 7(eve). ●●2:00: National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with libretto by James Kudelka. James Kudelka, choreographer/librettist. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-345-9595. and up. Opens Dec 8, 2pm. Runs to Dec 30. Days and times vary. Visit national.ballet.ca for details. ●●2:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Home Alone in Concert. See Dec 6. Also Dec 8(7:30). ●●2:00: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Annual City Carol Sing. Alex Pangman & Her Alleycats; Hogtown Brass Quintet; Yorkminster Park Baptist Church Choir; VIVA! Youth Singers of Toronto; That Choir; Hedgerow Singers; Kevin Frankish, host; and others. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Free. A collection • THE ANNUAL CITY • CAROL SING In collaboration with City SATURDAY, DEC. 8 - 2:00 PM YORKMINSTER PARK BAPTIST CHURCH WITH SPECIAL GUESTS ALEX PANGMAN & HER ALLEYCATS KEVIN FRANKISH FREE ADMISSION thewholenote.com December 1, 2018 – February 7, 2019 | 49
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!).
