SoME THING NewBY }ASO N
SoME THING NewBY }ASO N VAN EYKAs the leaves turn colour and the days become colder, we pauseonce again to reflect on life's natural cycles - of change, of loss,and of those larger events beyond our control. In turn, we are inspiredto think of the influence that one human being can have onthese seemingly immutable cycles and the amazing power one canexert through a unique voice. These potent themes permeate thismonth's upcoming concerts, which reflect back on many lives richlylived.Soundstreams continues its 25th anniversary season on Nov. 6at Metropolitan United Church with the premiere of a new work, AnUnfinished Life, a setting by Montreal composer Brian Cherney ofexcerpts from the wartime letters and diaries of Dutch author EttyHillesum, who died at Auschwitz in 1943. Her writings are classicsof 20th-Century spirituality, exploring how the author experiencedGod in the context of persecution. The performers will be theHilliard Ensemble in collaboration with the Tafelmusik ChamberChoir and a chamber orchestra, conducted by Ivars Taurins. AYoung Artist Overture, the Cawthra Park Chamber Choir singingworks by Canadian composers Srul Irving Glick, Sid Rabinovitchand Ben Steinberg, will precede the 8 p.m. concert.CBC radio personality, Tom Allen, will weave his unique styleof storytelling into the Hannaford Street Silver Band's November11 program of music that builds on the history, myth and legendsthat arise from human conflict. A highlight of the programme will bea new work from composer Barbara Croall titled Gi-Giiwe Na? (AreYou Going Home?), a lament for Native Canadian soldiers fallen inwar.The Talisker Players' November 20th and 2lst programme atTrinity-St. Paul's focuses on the music and writings of Indian poet,mystic, musician and peacemaker Rabindranath Tagore on the beautyof art and its importance in fostering peace and understanding. Specialfeatures of the event will be a selection of Tagore's songs arrangedfor the Taliskers by Indian-Canadian composer SuddhaseelSen and works for various chamber music configurations, includingSongs of Tagore II and Three Songs from Gitanjali , by the acclaimedPunjabi-British composer Naresh Sohal. Completing theprogramme will be other Tagore-inspired pieces from Arthur Shepherd,Andre Caplet, Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov, and John Foulds.November 23 , 24 & 25 the new music community devotes threedays at the Music Gallery to reflect upon a great and recent loss,that of composer James Tenney, whose work is a microcosmichistory of the past twenty-five years of avant-garde music. Accordingto composer and writer Kyle Gann, Tenney was a "hard-coreconceptualist driven by theoretical curiosity;" and tells us that whenJohn Cage was asked in 1989 with whom he would study if hewere young, he replied "James Tenney." a powerful testament tothe incredible influence that this one composer has had upon thedevelopment of contemporary music and musical thought.As a teacher at YorkUniversity in Toronto, Tenneyinfluenced several generationsof Canadian composers,performers and teachers.After his imposed retirementfrom York in 1999, he wasinvited to return to Ca!Arts,where he had begun hiscareer, to become the Chairin Composition. But at thatpoint, his mark on Toronto' s new music communityhad become indelible , as wecan see by this long-plannedcelebration of his work.Composer James TenneyThe retrospective weekend begins on November 23rd with Arraymusic's season opener, a programme of works created by Tenneyfor the ensemble or premiered by its performers under his supervision.The following night, NUMUS assembles an all-star ensemble -pianists Eve Egoyan and Casey Sokol, violinist Malcolm Goldstein,and the Toronto Percussion Quartet - to perform some of his betterknownsolo and chamber works. NUMUS will present this sameconcert in Waterloo on November 23 under a different name, Inmemoriam: James Tenney, at Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, WilfridLaurier University. On November 25th, Evergreen Club GamelanEnsemble recreates one of Tenney's famous home salons. TheEnsemble will perform Road to Ubud, and discuss the score; composersand performers will share, show or talk about works andworking with James Tenney; and there will be demonstrations onfour pianos of alternate tuning systems used by Tenney.The community is invited to talk, eat, drink, and share ideas andmusic inspired by one of Toronto's great teachers . All events in theTenney retrospective weekend are co-presented with the Music Galleryat St. George the Martyr Church. For more info and links to theindividual ensembles' websites, visit www.musicgallery.org. Fortickets call 416-204-1080.So come out and explore a change of musical seasons. Celebratethe long-living power of creation through some thing new .(Jason van Eyk is the Canadian Music Centre's Ontario RegionalDirector. He can be reached at 416-961 -6601 x. 207 orjvaneyk@musiccentre. ea).Violins, violas, cellos, and bowsComplete line of strings and accessoriesExpert repairs and rehai•sCanada's largest stock of string muc.icFast mail order service18 WWW. THEWHOLENOTE. COMBack to Ad Index
Jazz Notesby Jim GallowayThis is the time of year when I usually send my article in from Europeand this being no exception, I'm writing from Vienna. Ithought that a 'good news' story about a jazz club would make arefreshing change after all the gloom and doom surrounding the clubscene in Toronto.The club is called Jazzland and it is in the heart of old Vienna andas is so often the case the story of the club is really a story of loveand dedication on the part of Axel Melhardt and his wife, Tilly.Jazzland opened its doors in March of 1972 which makes it one ofthe longest running clubs with the same ownership and with jazz sixnights a week anywhere in the world.Axel's father Edgar was a successful actor with the Vienna Volkstheaterand his mother, Ilse Glarys was a well-known singer-actresswho, at age 34 was encouraged by a vocal teacher to studyopera because she was a natural coloratura soprano and in 1938 wasgiven a five year contract with the Vienna State Opera. But at dawnon Saturday, March 12, 1938 Hitler invaded Austria. Ilse never gotto sing a note with the Opera Company because 'she looked tooJewish.' It was the end of her singing career, although they didhonour her contract.Axel was born in 1943 and grew up in an environment of classicalmusic. His mother took piano lessons from a woman who hadbeen a pupil of Gustav Mahler and who also earned some extramoney by baby-sitting the young Axel. He also took piano lessonsand was steeped in the music of Mozart with absolutely no awarenessof jazz.In fact, the connection to classical music ran deep. Axel's great,great uncle on his father's side of the family was Antonin Dvorak!The way in which jazz entered the young Axel's life is one of thosefunny twists of fate. He had a date to go out with a girl and theyarranged to meet in front of a movie house near where she lived -not to go to the movies, but the cinema was simply a convenientmeeting place. He waited and waited but the girl never arrived. Tooembarrassed to go home and admit he had been stood up, he decidedto go into the cinema, not even bothering to look at what was showing.The film was The Benny Goodman Story and Axel was transfixed.He sat through the movie three times and went back the nextday. The following week he sold all his rock 'n roll records andbegan buying jazz. He never saw the girl again.Jazz was not exactly a household word in those days; in fact itwas relatively unknown as was another of his passions - sciencefiction. But Axel is clearly a man who likes a challenge and he tookup writing science fiction, is a published author and for a time createda literary magazine showcasing emerging writers which gained aFri. Nov. 2Sat. Nov. 3Fri. Nov. 9Sat. Nov. 17Fri. Nov. 23Sat. Nov. 24Fri. Nov. 30Sat. Dec. 1Fri. Dec. 7Linda Carone TrioRuss Little TrioStevie Gee DuoBill McBirnie TrioBryan Toner TrioShawn Bray TrioHarris Mark DuoJoAnne Tudor TrioKevin Turcott TrioFridays & SaturdaysJazz Sets begin8:30 pm - 11 :30 pmLimited Seating availableNo reservationsCover: .00 per personLight menu availableFree onsite parkingCome relax and unwind inthe intimate surroundings ofThe Home Smith Bar. Enjoy themellow and soulful soundsthat emanate from theN OVEMBE R1 - D ECEMB ER 7 2007Back to Ad IndexWWW.THEWHO LENOTE.COM19
