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Volume 13 - Issue 2 - October 2007

World Viewby Ka ren

World Viewby Ka ren AgesThrough Yiddish to Sephardic,by way of Milton BarnesAs I write this, the 6th annual fall Small World Music Festival(see last month's column) is well under way, with performances inmany different venues throughout the city. The festival runs toOctober 5 and details can be found at www.smallworldmusic.com,and in our listings. I hope to head out tonight to see Amazones, thewomen's drum/dance ensemble from Guinea.The Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre presents somenoteworthy concerts this month. October 6, A Song is Bornfeatures Yiddish music presented by actor/singer Mitch Smolkin andan international roster of musicians, in preparation for an up-comingCD . Most at home in musical theatre, Smolkin was also artisticdirector of Toronto's Ashkenaz Festival for six years . Argentina's"Klezmer en Buenos Aires" musicians Cesar Lerner and MarceloMoguilevsky will be there, blending klezmer, folk music, tango andjazz, on a variety of wind instruments, accordion, piano andpercussion. Originally from the Ukraine, multi-instrumentalist BorisSichon, living in Canada since 2004 after spending five years inIsrael working with Habima National Theatre among other pursuits,arrives from BC to lend his talents. Also featured are trumpet playerPaul Brody, living in Berlin for the past ten years, Toronto vocalistAviva Chernick, and originally from Lebanon, Toronto guitaristLevon lchkhanian (feature article in WholeNote April 06) who willbe producing the album. For a sampling of music, visitwww. mitchsmolkin. corn.Also at Miles Nadal JCC on October 22 A Tribute to MiltonBarnes, the late Canadian Jewish composer, features performersDaniel and Micah Barnes, Trio Lyra, pianist Marilyn Lerner andvocalist Dave Wall (Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band) , Brian Katz,Lenka Lichtenberg and others. And closing off the month at theJCC, mother and daughter team of Judith Cohen and Tamar IlanaCohen Adams present a concert of Sephardic music, October 28 ,4pm. I remember hearing Tamar years ago, as a precocious 7-yearold,singing with her ethnomusicologist mother's Balkan Women'sChorus at U of T. Today, she's in her last year there, completing ajoint major in Biology and Spanish, dancing flamenco and singing/drumming with a Maracatu group. Judith meanwhile continues herresearch and performance of Sephardic music, while teaching parttime at York University. She usually spends about 3 to 4 months ayear in Spain and Portugal, and the past summers have includedconcerts and conferences there as well as in Turkey, Bosnia andBulgaria. Judith and Tamar will present songs learned over Judith'syears of fieldwork with Sephardic communities in various countriesas well as from Spanish and Portuguese villages, accompanyingthemselves on percussion and medieval bowed fiddle ; they ' ll bejoined by Geoff Clarfield, also on percussion and oud. For moreabout Judith Cohen's research and recordings, visit www.yorku.ca/judithc.And if your craving for Jewish music is still not sated, you canhead over to Beth Tikvah Synagogue later the same evening (Oct28 , 7:30) forYababai - A Chassidic Concert, hosted by musicologistVelvel Pasternak, starring tenor, Cantor Tibor Kovari. With musicalarrangements by Beth Tikvah's music director Eyal Bitton, theconcert will feature music of the Moditzer, Bobover, Lubavitcherand Gerer sects of Chassidic Judaism.Roy Thomson Hall presents a couple of concerts this monthunder its Eastern Expressions banner. October 12, the AlimQasimov Ensemble, Bardic Divas and Badakhshan Ensemblepresent Spiritual Sounds of Central Asian Nomads, Mystics andTroubadours . 18 musicians from six countries perform in this multimediaevent which includes brief documentary films, and super-titlespresenting the lyric texts of Rumi, Hafez and others. And , October23, famed Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar performs with his daughterAnoushka Shankar, accompanied by tabla player Tanrnoy Bose.The Canadian OperaCompany's Richard BradshawAmphitheatre hosts a couple offree world music events thismonth. October 3, worldrenowned tabla master IlmasHussain Khan, currently Artistin Residence at U of T's worldmusic program, plays a soloconcert. Khan is head of thetraditional Lucknow school ofNorth Indian tabla playing. AndNovember 6, the BalineseGender Wayang Quartet, SekaRat Nadi, comprised of JohnCarnes, Jim Kippen, AnnetteSanger and Albert Wong,performs traditional repertoire forgamelan, stemming from thatwhich would accompany shadowJudith Cohen (pictured) anddaughter Tamar present a concert ofSephardic music, October 28puppet plays (wayang kulit) and religious ceremonies.Juno-award winning Latin guitarist Oscar Lopez, and Junoawardwinning folk musician James Keelaghan perform together asCompadres . Their concert at Hugh's Room on October 16 is part ofa Canada-wide CD release tour, and marks Lopez's return to touringafter a four year hiatus due to depression.York University's department of music is holding a mini worldmusic festival on November 7, with noon and evening performancesfeaturing the Klezmer, Middle Eastern, Balkan, Chinese, Japanese,and Korean music ensembles, in the Tribute Communities RecitalHall, Acolade East building.On the educational front, Worlds of Music Toronto launches itsfall season of classes in various world traditions. These includeZimbawean Marimba Music, Georgian Singing, Klezmer MusicEnsemble, Dumbek Drumming, Canadian Fiddling, and AfricanDrumming. There are probably spots still available (most of theworkshops started in late September). Call 416-588-8813 (ext. I) orvisit www .worldsofmusic.ca for details .Karen Ages is an oboist who has also been a member of severalworld music ensembles. She can be reached atworldmusic@thewholenote.com .GUITARSET-UP DAYSaturday, October 13, 2007,at all Long & McQuade locations.Buy 2 sets of any Gibson·· guitar stringsand get a FREE basic guitar setup.Offer limited to one gui/JJr per customer.1/2 PRICERENTAL DAYSaturday, October 20, 2007,at all Long & McQuade locations.Available on Yorkville manufacturedor distributed products rented onOctober 20, 2007.Maximum one month, neiv rentals only.-~GIBSOSG STANDARDHeritage Cherry Finish w/Chrome Hardware 1sGs-HccH)Buy one at$1395.00and receivea gift card!..,.., ~:!:vm. ~I Long & McQuade ~ibsoq. l\PEx- MUSICAL INSTRUMEf\JTS,I. - A R T @K.w w w . I o n g - m c q u a d e . c o m ....... .,, ........,.....,.,.,_,._....,...,.. --To download the complete sale flyer and to find the location nearest you,visit www.long-mcquade.com16 WWW.THEWHOLENOTE.COM OCTOBER 1 - NOVEMB ER 7 2007Back to Ad Index

EARLY Musicby Frank NakashimaB is for Buxtehude, C for ClavycytheriumAncient theories and ideals, such as Pythagoras' belief that music(and its link to the "harmony of the spheres") could heal the bodyand elevate the soul, have often provided inspiration for artists andmusicians throughout history. In fact, his harmonic ideals havesurvived to this day as a source of musical inspiration for music byBach, Buxtehude and Purcell, and 20th century Canadian works onthe next Scaramella program, "Musica Mundana: CelestialHarmony" (October 13) for historical instruments. Website:www .scaramella.caThe Pax Christi Chorale, Toronto's Mennonite Choir,under the direction of Stephanie Martin, presents "The BuxtehudeSuper Concert" (October 21) - Dietrich Buxtehude's rarely heardMissa Brevis and Magnificat, sonatas for violas da gamba, ciaconafor organ, and harpsichord suite . Guests will be Bruce KirkpatrickHill, organ, and Joelle Morton and Justin Haynes, violas da gamba.Along with choral conducting, Stephanie Martin is an early musicspecialist, noted harpsichordist, and as newly appointed musicdirector at Church of St. Mary Magdalene, plays host to one ofMorton's varied gamba ensembles. So the concert brings many ofMartin's talents into play . Known mostly for his organcompositions, Buxtehude's music is a model of beauty and integrity.See www.paxchristichorale.org for more details.Opera Atelier presents Canada's first fully-staged periodproduction of Claudio Monteverdi's The Return of Ulysses (October27, 28, 30, November 1, 2, 3). This deeply moving opera, featuringOlivier Laquerre as Ulysses and Stephanie Novacek as Penelope,recounts the story of Ulysses ' return to his homeland after a longabsence fighting in the Trojan War. The cast includes OperaAtelier's favourite singers, including Alain Coulombe, CarlaHuhtanen, Laura Pudwell, Vicki St. Pierre, Michie! Schrey, KevinSkelton, Jennie Such, Curtis Sullivan, Lawrence Williford, andArtists of Atelier Ballet accompanied by Canada's finest Renaissanceensemble, The Toronto Consort, conducted by OA's residentconductor David Fallis. Website: www .operaatelier.comA reminder about the Musicians in Ordinary (sopranoHallie Fishel and lutenist John Edwards) and their program (October6) Songs to the guitar from the 16th to 19th century, a musicaljourney from the Spanish Renaissance through the English Baroqueand Early Classical French and Italian music. Visit their websitewww .musiciansinordinary .ea for more details.The Toronto Early Music Centre's program "Through aDistant Mirror" (October 26) is a fascinating Mediaeval songbook ofJove and lament - music from 1000-1420, featuring singer MichaelCollver who accompanies himself with clavycytherium and positivorgan, in music of Francesco Landini, Johannes Ciconia, Guillaumede Machaut and others more ancient and modern. Not to be missed!DANCE & DANCE-ABILITYA l 9th Century English Country Dance WorkshopFriday, Oct. 19, 7:30-10 p.m.Historic Fort York100 Garrison RoadFree Parking416-392-6907 Ext 100• Dances fun & easy to learn• Authentic period setting• No partners required• Beginners welcome. • Pre-registration required:.,;_,,,.;;.:.;.,.< • per person includeslight historic refreshmentsllJill. TORONTO Culturewww.toronto.ca/museumsOh, if you've ever thoughtyou'd like to "get your handsdirty," so to speak, and learnto play some early music,you might want to considertrying one of the followingworkshops (see theWorkshops section of"Announcements" ETC "onpage 49.):The Toronto Early MusicPlayers Organization(otherwise known asT.E.M.P.O.) is sponsoringan All-Day SaturdayWorkshop (October 14) onearly music for winds and Conductor Stephanie Martin,strings . The session leaderPax Christi Choralewill be Francis Colpron, a teacher at the Universite de Montreal;artistic director and recorder player in the ensemble Les Boreadeswhich records on the ATMA label. First, register, then, bring yourearly wind or string instruments, plus music stand, to the workshop .Scores (music) will be provided. There is also another workshop(November 4) , again for winds and strings, with Susie Napper,gambist and 'cellist with Les Voix Humaines, Ensemble Stradivaria(France), Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montreal, Les Boreades(Montreal), and the Trinity Consort of Portland.The Toronto Early Music Centre's "vocal circle" meets once amonth for "recreational" reading of early choral music (October 29) .Ability to read music is, of course, desirable, but not essential. Youare also welcome to come and listen. And we mustn't forget theRecorder Players' Society which provides an opportunity forrecorder and/or other early instrument players to play Renaissanceand Baroque music in groups (October 5) .Frank T. Nakashima (franknak@interlog.com) is president of theToronto Early Music Centre, a non-profit charitable organizationwhich promotes the appreciation of historically-informedpeiformances of early music www.interlog.com/-temcNeed a Pian o?"Hri11g111g /wine concaf stm1dnrd with over 30 yenrs of Excellence"We can help... - Uprig h ts & Grands- Home & Studio- Concert Gran d Renta lsSteinway - Baldwin - Heintz man - Bechste1nSchimmel - Besendorfer - Yamaha - KawaiOfficial Tuning & Service Certre fo·TttENATIONAL,rnw.T l1e Piano Callery·""570 King Street West Toronto OntarioI, 16-8GG-Tl '\ EO CTOBER 1 - N OVE MB ER 7 2007 WWW, THEWHOLENOTE, COM 17Back to Ad Index

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