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Volume 10 Issue 5 - February 2005

  • Text
  • Toronto
  • February
  • Jazz
  • Theatre
  • Arts
  • Symphony
  • Orchestra
  • Musical
  • Ensemble
  • Baroque

REFLECTIONS ON CULTURE

REFLECTIONS ON CULTURE Quoolibet by Allan Pulker In a recent conversation, clarinetist and Academy Concert Series artistic director, Nicolai Tarasov, cold me about his November trip co St. Petersburg in Russia, performing in a period orchestra. While there he asked an old music school friend, now a bass player in the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, to get him a ticket to a concert (of Russian music) by that orchestra. "I would be happy co if I could," said his friend, "but it is impossible since the concert sold out months ago - even standing room." When did something like that last happen here in Toronto, we wondered. Then, beginning of last week, the COG announced that they had raised 3 million (three quarters of the way there) for its new opera house - well done! Later in the week, at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's annual general meeting, musical director Peter Oundjian observed, a mite ruefully perhaps, that it is easier to raise money for bricks and mortar than for the activities that must continue to go on inside the arts buildings, to give ongoing meaning and significance to the bricks and mortar. Perhaps the reluctance of patrons of the arts to support the day to day activity of "producing art" is part of what Toronto's poet laureate, Pier Giorgio Di Cicco, had in mind when he said at the Mayor's Roundtable on Arts and Culture early in December: "Toronto has succeeded at just about everything except looking glamorous to itself; and by glamour I mean a city's attraction to its own uniqueness, ... the conviction that there is a style of creativity that can only be done here." Gee, I guess that- makes Whole­ Note a glamour magazine! Di Cicco went on to express optimism that this is aqout to change; certainly there are signs of an increased collective interest in the place of art in life. A four month series of talks on this tbpic will be presented by Harbourfront Centre the first Thursday of each month, beginning Feb 3 with American musician and activist, Jane Sapp, who is calling her presentation, "Someone Sang for Me: Building Community through Music." Two festiv'als, the Prokofiev Festival (Feb 3-7) and the Metamorphosis Festival (launching Jan 26) will each in its way also explore this question. Returning to the Russian connection touched on in Tarasov's remarks, we will get a taste of the Russian commitment to music on February 27, when Show One Productions presents seven Russian musical prodigies, all proteges of the Vladimir Spivakov International Charity Foundation, along with three Canadian guest artists. Do .get out to this concert if you possibly can. ORCHESTRAL MUSIC The Swiss flutist, Emmanuel Pahud, at the age of 22 was appointed principal flute of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which he left in 2000 to pursue a solo career. His contract with EMI makes him the only flutist in the world to have a solo recording contract with a major record label, and he is coming to Toronto to perform the Ibert flute concerto with the TSO on February 3, the same night, alas, as the Jane Sapp lecture and the Prokofiev Festival launch! Sinfonia Toronto keeps the ball rolling, as it were, Feb 5 with a program entitled Bel Canto Violin, which will include Felix Mendelssohn's beautiful Violin Concerto in d minor, played by Judy Kang. Sinfonia Toronto's second concert of the month, a program for young people on February 26, repeated on March 5 as part of the regular series, will feature guest artist, Italian flutist, Mario Carbotta. A new string orchestra, the Koffler Chamber Music Society, conducted by TSO concertmaster, Jacques lsraelievitch, will perform music by Britten, Dvorak and Bart6k in its inaugural concert at 8:00 on Feb 15 at Leah Posluns Theatre. · On February 18 the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, conducted by Canadian Opera Company artistic director, Richard Braclshaw, will perform Rachmaninoffs Piano Concerto #3 in d Op.30 with pianist, Jean­ Philippe Sylvestre, and Mahler's Symphony #1 in D at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Orchestra Toronto, which began in 1954 as the Bennington Heights Community Orchestra, changing its name in 1967 to the East York Symphony Orchestra and in 1998 to its current name, will be celebrating its 50th season with a concert on February 20, followed by a "Homecoming Reception" for all alumni/ae of the ensemble. If you have ever played in, conducted, been a board member or supporter of the East York Orchestra, please call them at 416-467-7142 or e-mail them at otoronto@on.aibn.com about attending this event. JUST A LITTLE LOOK AT CHAMBER MUSIC Jacques Israelievitch will give a solo recital, accompanied by pianist Jeffrey Kahane, the conductor of the February 3 TSO concert, on February 6 at Temple Sinai. That afternoon the Chrylark Series presents the Veritas Piano Quartet in a program of music by Mozart, Brahms and Morawetz; and on February 7 the Associates of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra present a program of string quartets. There are solo saxophone recitals by Daniel Rubinoff in Waterloo on February 11 and Paul Brodie in Mississauga on February 12. February 13 will be a busy day, with a,remarkable tribute concert to the late Lorand Fenyves, a vocal recital presented by Off Centre, a recital by mezzo soprano, Eva Blahova, Les Amis Chamber Ensemble, performing, among other things, Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time and a Valentine's Day concert by the energetic new "Artrage" Ensemble. On February 16 the Talisker Players perform music on the theme of the place of humans in the natural world, by contemporary and 20th century composers with guest artists, soprano Tamara Hummel, mezzo, Vilma Indra Vitals and pianist, Peter Longworth. Violinist and pianist, Tamara Svanidze will give a solo recital Feb 18. Feb 19 the Academy Concert Se ries wil) present chamber music by Chopin, while at the same time Mooredale Concerts presents music by Mozart, Chopin, Ravel and Kodaly. The U of T Faculty of Music Faculty Artist Series will present violinist, Scott St. John and pianist Lydia Wong in recital on February 25. Music Director/Organist Calvin Presbyterian Church Violins, violas, cellos, and bows Complete line of strings and accessories Expert repairs and rehairs Canada's largest stock of string music Fast mail order service We are seeking a Music Director/Organist who provides music that supports and enhances worship, creatively uses a broad knowledge base of liturgical music (traditional and contemporary) and collaborates with the Worship Committee and choir to plan worship that meets the needs of a diverse congregation. This is a part time position - approximately 12 hours per week. We offer competitive pay based on experience, starting at .00 per hour; a professionally trained choir committed to excellence in music; a positive and supportive work environment. Please include education and experience in your resume. The Church is conveniently located steps away from the St. Clair station on the Yonge subway line. Contact by E-mail at searchcommittee@ calvinpc.com For more information visit www.calvinpc.com Application deadline: February 11, 2005. FEBRUARY 1 - MARCH 7 2005

EARLY Music That's Amore by Frank Nakashima In Leopold Mozart's 1756 Treatise 011 the Fu11dame11- tal Principles of Violin Playing, he distinguishes many different kinds of fiddles, the eleventh of which is the Viola d'amore: "a distinctive kind of fiddle, especially charming in the stillness of the evening. Above, it is strung with six gut strings of which the lower three are covered (wire- Joelle Morton and Thomas Georgi wound), while below the fingerboard are stretched six steel strings. neither plucked nor bowed but there merely to duplicate and prolong the sound of the upper strings." The Rose and the Violet (Sunday Feb 13 at 2:30) is a concert built around the music of Attilio Ariosti (1666-1729) for the viola d'amore, as performed by one of that instrument's outstanding practitioners, Thomas Georgi. (The title comes from a cantata, for soprano and obligato viola d'amore by Ariosti.) In this program, the works of Corelli, the most famous violinist-composer of the Baroque era, will be juxtaposed with those of Ariosti, the allbut-unknown champion of the viola d'amore. Thomas Georgi, violin and viola d'amore, Lucas Harris, theorbo and guitar, Joelle Morton, viofa da gamba and Michele DeBoer, soprano will represent the towering figure of Corelli with movements from his famous Opus 5 sonatas for violin, in various settings for voice, violin, lute and gamba; and Georgi will present three works of Ariosti, especially composed for the viola d'amore. This ensemble is currently preparing to record a three-CD set of the complete works of Ariosti, featuring the viola d'amore, for BIS Records: The Cantata (mentioned above), the Collection of Lessons for the Viola d' amore, and the Stockholm Sonatas, all previously unrecorded. ·In fact, it is believed that the Lessons have never been played in Canada. This February 13 concert is part of the Toronto Early Music Centre's "Musically Speaking" series and will be recorded for broadcast by CBC Radio. Admission is by donation. For more information about the fascinating viola d'amore, visit the website: www.violadamore.com. And if you would like to hear examples of the Ariosti Stockholm Sonatas, they can be heard at the website: www.violadamore.com/Ariosri One of the truly unique events of this month is WholeNote's Salon (February 7) "Old Music/ New Ideas," in essence, an early music variety show, medieval to baroque, by some of the city's finest early music specialists including, among others, Sine Nomine Ensemble, L'Intempo- . rel (Mylene Guay & David Sandall), Maresca (Michael Franklin & Jennifer Francisco), and The Ariosti Project (Thomas Georgi, Lucas Harris, Michele de Boer, and Joelle Morton). The Toronto Consort's very own recorder virtuoso, Alison Melville, stars in a program of delights (The Flute's Pleasure Garden - February 11 &12) for recorder and flute. To-· gether with the Consort, she'll play music by John Dowland, Diego Ortiz and John Playford, with divisions, diminutions, dance music, and lute songs from Holland, England, Germany, France, Denmark, Spain and Italy. You can be sure you' II be getting your money's worth of notes! Website: www .torontoconsort.org CBC OnStage, February 18, presents the Montreal-based viola da gamba ensemble, Les Voix Humaines (Susie Napper and Margaret Little) with long-tii;ne collaborator, soprano Suzie LeBlanc, along with theorboist (it's a big lute) Lucas Harris. In addition to the airs de cours of l 7th century French composer Michel Lambert, the program will include music for viol consort by Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe and others. On February 18 as well, L'lntemporel (the core musicians of which are Mylene Guay, historical flutes and David Sandall, harpsichord) presents "Once Upon a Time ... in Dresden", a program of CONTINUES PAGE 18 FEBRUARY 1 - MARCH 7 2005 WWW, THEWHOLENOTE.COM Geo . ,_,11111""'"'-- & Co. Limited CONSERVATORS & PURVEYORS OF Fine & Rare Violins 20 I Church St.. Toronto, ON. MSB I Y7 Tel: 416-363-0093 •Fax: 416-363-0053 Email: ghcl@idirect.com www.georgeheinl.com Canada's foremost violin experts. Proud of our hcritugc. Excited about 1hc future.

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