CHORAL Scene After a summer of choral activities around the province and overseas, I'm back in the Toronto area, getting centred in preparation for the year ahead. Sound familiar? Highs and lows High: I managed to watch a fair amount of the pop music extravaganza called Live8 on July 2. I thought it was a phenomenal collection of bands and solo acts, together to raise consciousness of ever-growing poverty in Africa and the G8 leaders' seeming lack of real commitment to stem the tide. The several moments of pure magic for me involved communal crowd singing, which immediately struck me as being uniquely and movingly choral. From the hymns that greeted Nelson Mandela in South Africa to the chanting and warbling from time to time in the audiences in London, Philadelphia and Barrie, it was thrilling to see people singing together, if only for a verse of something: powerful sound. Low: I participated in what I hope will be my last "Last Night at the Proms" concert this summer. These thematic concerts are proliferating, like a mini-Messiah outbreak, and it struck me this year that they are quite offensive, once you start taking them at all seriously. From~ to ll.-oadway An evening of popular arias, duets, romances and Broadway tunes presented by ~9/okAf; featuring Vaguif Kerimov, tenor Barbara Goldman, soprano Christine Chan, soprano Tatiana Kapelush, soprano Cecilia Song, pianist 20 Sat., October 22, 7:30 p.m. Christ Church Deer Park 1570 Yonge Street ( one block north of St. Clair) Tickets: .00 416-225-4091 Part of the proceeds will be donated to The Hos ital for Sick Children Back to Ad Index by Larry Beckwith The Proms at Royal Albert Hall For the uninitiated, they originated at the Royal Albert Hall , over 100 years ago, overseen by Sir Henry Wood, the culmination of his summer-long "proms" concerts. The program is filled with light bonbons, alternated with grandiose, nationalistic ditties like Land of Hope and Glory and Rule Britannia. "It's an opportunity for the British, and particularly the English, to show the rest of the world that we can be unbuttoned, eccentric and openly enjoy ourselves" the Proms website opines. "We don' t even mind that some people are waving flags from other nations instead of the Union Jack or the English Cross of St George-it all adds to the fun". In the program I participated in, we sang nostalgic "war songs" , all eminently familiar and hummable. I couldn' t help but remember, though, that Britain is at war this very minute, with an unknown enemy, and has suffered a high number of casualties. Somehow, BOSLEY REAL ESTATE BOSLE Y :
• arnaaeus cnoir LYDIA ADAMS, CONDUCTOR AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR 2005-2006 Concert Season Hear the Difference! Join Lydia Adams and the spectacular Amadeus Choir as they present the best in choral music - Handel's glorious Messiah, the hauntingly beautiful music of Aaron Copland, Brahm's charming Liebeslieder Waltzes, the newest of Carols and Chanukah Songs, and a joyous celebration of Doris McCarthy, Canadian artist extraordinaire, featuring an all-Canadian programme by Eleanor Daley, Srul Irving Glick, Harry Somers, Peter Togni and more - much more! Don't miss a note of this 31st season of excellence! Amadeus and the Artist - A Portrait of Doris McCarthy Saturday October 22nd, 2005, 7:30 p.m. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church Compliments of the Season! Saturday December 17th, 2005, 7:30 p .m . Yorkminster Park Baptist Church Messiah Saturday April 1st, 2006, 7:30 p .m . Yorkminster Park Baptist Church Simple Gifts Saturday June 3rd, 2006, 7:30 p.m. George Weston Recital Hall Toronto Centre for the Arts Subscribe now and save up to 20% on single ticket prices! For more information or to request a brochure please call 416-446-0188. www.amadeuschoir.com Canada Council ~ Conseil des Arts ~'~.Art,! 0: :~ :::d:b OU n Ci I ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL CONSEIL DES ARTS DE L'ONTARIO An arm's l ength body of th e C ity of Toronto SEPTEMBER 1 - O CTOBER 7 2005 WWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM Back to Ad Index
