Chris Haile: If I were
Chris Haile: If I were writing my column as usual I would havenoted the strange fact that among the 135 offerings of that most populistof festivals, the Toronto Fringe, there are two operas! The 1781version of Handel's Acis and Galatea will be presented by the ClassicalMusic Consort at the Factory Theatre July 3-12 and a remountof David Ogborn's environmental Opera on the Rocks, presented bythe Ambient Opera Society, will be mounted at Paupers Pub July 2-13.Frank Nakashima (wearing another hat) as composerVirg ii Thomson in the upcoming feature filmadaptation of John Greyson 's "Fig Trees", a videoopera collaboration with Toronto composer DavidWall about AIDS activists Zackie Achmat and TimMccaskell.Frank Nakashima:Don't miss theworld-famous EnsembleClement Janequin,singing a programof "ParisianChansons of theRenaissance" (July26) as part of theToronto SummerMusic Festival. Noone can do it betterthan these guys!Also, Montreal'sEnsemble Capricemakes a rare appearancein these parts (atthe Elora Festival),performing music byVivaldi, Sammartini,Handel, Caldara and Bach (July 27). And some Toronto Music Gardenconcerts may be of interest to early music lovers: "Fanfares bythe Lake" (July 3); "The Secret of the Good Life" illustrating theevolution of the chaconne (July 10); "The Sunniest of All Keys" -music by Haydn and Mozart in my favourite key (July 17); "Blowing/Bowing in the Wind" -music from 17th-century Italy and Germany(July 27); and "A Tale of Two Lutes" (August 24), presenting theEuropean lute and the Chinese pipa.Richard Marsella: On Thursday June 26 The Music Gallerypresents a night of fine experimental electroacoustic music featuringGordon Monahan, Olivia Block and Joda Clement. Two nights later,on June 28 at The Music Gallery, be sure not to miss Feuermusikfeaturing Jeremy Strachan (woodwinds) and Gus Weinkauf (percussion)as they release their second CD No Contest with special guestsNeptune. On Tuesday August 5, the Toronto Summer Music Festival2008 presents the world premiere of Christos Hatzis' In the Fireof Conflict (for percussion, and cello) at Walter Hall, U of TKaren Ages: Harbourfront has some interesting programming comingup. Tiragn: Iranian Festival (July 17-20) showcases Persian culture,including eleven concerts, most of which are free (seewww .tirgan.com). Most of the concerts feature classical Persianmusic on traditional instruments, while others feature electronic musicand jazz with Persian influence. "What is Classical" (July 25-27)attempts to stretch the boundaries of what we commonly refer to as"classical" music. This series features eight concerts, covering aspectrum of genres; in the "world music" category, there's a BeijingOpera demoand workshop, andRiffat Sultana andParty performPakistani folk andclassical songs,both on July 26.Jack MacQuarrie:Since in my columnI usually talkabout things thathave already happened,for me Icould not possibly Jack MacQuarrie'sfavourite road trip music:have left out my Le Kiosque a Musiqueimpressions of asingle week in late May when I was treated to performances of nofewer that seven new compositions performed by very diversegroups.First, the final concert of the season for the Hannaford StreetSilver Band featured three Overtures, the winning entries in theBand's recent competition for new compositions. Composer MichaelSnelgrove had journeyed to Toronto from his home in Newfoundlandto hear his composition performed at that concert.Later that week, the annual spring concert for the students of Dr.Norman Bethune Collegiate of Scarborough featured four originalworks commissioned for the occasion. The school has a very highpercentage of students of Chinese ancestry, and as a music project,the students were asked to submit their favourite Chinese folk songs,which were then presented to noted American composer Elliot DelBorgo. From this melange of material the composer produced a mostengaging suite for the Senior Band, Five Songs of China. With thecomposer conducting, we were captivated by music which bridgedthe gap from the ancient Eastern traditions to a work ideally suitedfor the modern concert band.What CD would you take on a summer road trip?Richard Marsella: Captain Beefheart's Clear Spot .Jim Galloway: A composite CD with some ballads by Ben Websterincluding This ls All I Ask, Peace Piece played by Bill Evans, I'dClimb The Highest Mountain by Pee Wee Russell, one by JohnColtrane, maybe Easy To Remember, and to be unashamedly romantic,the first movement of Brahms's Concerto for Violin and Orchestrain D major (Op. 77). Is there room for all of that on a CD?Jack MacQuarrie: My CD of choice transports me back musicallyone hundred years. It is Kiosque 1900 performed by Le Kiosque aMusique under the direction of Alain Trudel. This seven-memberBrass & WoodwindInstrumentsflAccessories forall InstrumentsflGuitars & AmpsDrums &KeyboardsflSheet Musicfor al/ levelsflWWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM
virtuoso ensemble recreates the spirit of the times with a variety ofgenres including the overture to the opera La Rose Nuptial by CalixaLavallee, composer of O Canada. It transports me to a shaded parkbench near a typical gazebo-style bandstand such as the one I rememberin the Halifax Public Gardens.Chris Haile: I've taken to listening to spoken-word downloads. I'mworking my way through the complete short stories of Saki (i.e.H.H. Munro) and I like the satirical Times-Online broadcasts of TheBugle. Road noise is not so hard on dance band music of the 1920sand '30s and I have at least four CDs of Max Raabe and his PalastOrchester that I haven't had a chance to listen to yet.Allan Pulker: A couple of years ago I acquired the six-CD set calledThe Music of Armenia. I would take it for the sublime choral musicand the music for duduk.Karen Ages: My cousin, Freida Abtan, is in the midst of a doctoratein electronic music. She recently had a piece involving video/soundmanipulation performed at Montreal's Mutek festival, and her workhas also been employed by Canadian installation artist Janet Cardiff.Freida's first CD, Subtle Movements, is a collection of electroacousticpieces composed over the last few years-hard to describe inwords, but quite the sonic adventure! It's available fromwww .jnanarecords.com.Frank Nakashima: I'd take The Skye Consort's Traditional CelticMelodies, a fusion of early music and folk, with countertenor MatthewWhite, on the ATMA label (ACD 2 2236). It's a wonderfullyfresh-sounding collaboration, charming and infectiously joyful.\'cOSmo>L .nusicFine quality instruments & accessories to suit any budget- Woodwinds, Brass, Strings & PercussionExpert Instrument Repairs in one of North America'slargest and best-equipped facilitiesComprehensive Band & Orchestra Rental Programwith over 9,000 instruments in inventoryYork Region's Largest Music Schoolserving over 1,200 studentsSALES • RENTALS • REPAIRS • LESSONS • PRINT MUSICAnd where would you go for this road trip?Jack MacQuarrie: My personaljourney would bealong the Eastern shore ofNova Scotia to visit themany small communitiesalong that stretch of Canada'scoastline which I usedto visit regularly during mynavy days. There would bestops at Lawrencetown,Musquodoboit Harbour,Owl's Head, Clam Harbourand many others along theroad to Ecum Secum.Richard Marsella: I'd take adrive through Steyr, Austria,one of the prettiesttowns I've seen.Jack MacQuarrie on deck with his tuba lastwinter. Now mobile again, he'd like to taketo the open road and visit some of his oldNavy haunts along the southeastern shore ofChris Haile: In my other Nova Scotia .guise as a theatre critic, I cover everything at both the StratfordShakespeare Festival and at the Shaw Festival, so nearly all of myroad trips have Stratford or Niagara-on-the-Lake as their destination!Karen Ages: I hope to take in a play at the Stratford Festival, then I'llbe participating once again in Murray Schafer's "Wolf Project" inthe Haliburton Forest.August 14-1 7, 2008York University Department ofMusic is hosting a piano sale oncampus in association withY.C. Chau & Sons Piano Inc.More than 100 pianos will beavailable: uprights, grands, digitalpianos available in many sizes andfinishes. This event is held only oncea year. Don't miss this oppurtunity toown a piano atINCREDIBLE PRICES!Call now to makean appointment.416-461-1237York University 4700 Keele St.Accolade East Building Rooms 23 l & 235YOUNG CHANG - STEINWAY - MASON & HAMLIN -WEBER - HEINTZMAN - YAMAHA- KAWAI - KURZWEILJ ULY 1 - SEPT 7 2008 WWW. TH EWHOLENOTE.COM 21
