The Church ofSt Mary MagdaleneMusic for Holy Week 200816 Mar. 11 am - Palm SundayProcession & Solemn MassByrd: Mass for five voicesGibbons: HosannaMartin: Drop slow tearsBach: 0 Mensch bewein deinsiinde19 Mar. Wed. 8 pm - TenebraeWillan: Tenebrae Set #1Allegri: Miserere20 Mar. 6 pm - Maundy Thurs.Washing of Feet &Solemn Mass8:30 pm - TenebraeWi llan: Tenebrae Set #2Allegri: Miserere21 Mar. 12 pm - Good FridaySolemn LiturgyWillan: Reproaches8 pm - TenebraeWillan: Tenebrae Set #3Allegri: Miserere22 Mar. Sat. 9 pm - Easter VigilWillan: Missa Brevis #8Taverner: Oum TransissetSabbatum23 Mar. 11 am - Easter DayVictoria: Missa Vidi SpcciosamByrd: Haec DiesLes Yeux Brass477 Manning AvenueToronto, ON M6G 2V8416-531-7955www.stmarymagdalene.caGeo. 11 ~ DEARLY Musicby Frank NakashimaWouldn't it be great to live in aworld where everyone knows theanswer to the question, "What isearly music? " and understands thatit isn 't associated with early childhoodeducation? Why isn 't earlymusic seen as an essential elementof the history of Western civilizationcourses? Puzzling, though itseems that most people are quiteremoved from things of the past.For instance , it seems that many ofus are obsessed with new thingsfashion, cars, computers, movies,shoes, and technology. At the otherextreme, one might suggest that"classical" musicians (obsessedwith old music?) are stuck in thepast! However, performing historical,or early music (as we like tocall it) on an appropriate historicalinstrument could probably lead to anew understanding of the music .Most of you have probably heardGlenn Gould's performance ofBach's Goldberg Variations. Comparewith Sara-Anne Churchill'sperformance, on a harpsichord(March 9) , which is also likely totitillate and thrill you , not necessarilybecause she plays like Gould, oris using a harpsichord, but becauseit is a special music which wasoriginally inspired by , and meantfor, the harpsichord.The Hart House Viols are original(that is , antique, not replica)instruments dating from the 17thand 18th centuries and are beingused to play music of the Renaissancethrough to modern day in theprogram entitled Musica lnstrumentalis:Variations and Enigmas(March 15). This program featuressoprano Katherine Hill with SheilaSmyth, Kate Bennett Haynes,Justin Haynes, and Joelle Morton,violas da gamba. This is yourchance to experience musical timetravel from the perspective of thesehistorical instruments. Website:www.scaramella.ca~ & Co. LimitedCONSERVATORS & PURVEYORSOF Fine & Rare Violins201 Churd1 St., Tornmo, ON. MSB 1Y7 Email: ghcl@idircct.comTel: 416-363-0093, F.n: -116 -?.6:HJ053www.georgeheinl.comCanada•s foremost violin experts.Proud of our heritage. Excited about the future .There's a rareopportunity comingup to hear BeethovenSymphonies No. 7 ~and No. 8 performedon historical instruments. With theenthusiastic responseto their performancesof No. 5 and No.6 a few years ago,and their resultingJuno Award-winningCD, Tafelmusikreturns to theclassics with moreBeethoven under thedirection of BrunoWeil (March 27-30,also April 1). OnTafelmusik's periodinstruments, youwill experience boththe subtlety and theDetail of one of the Hart House Viols. Theboldness withwhich Beethovenutilized the array oftonal colours availableto him. Website:www.tafelmusik.org.The Windermere String Quartet,also on period instruments, performJoseph Haydn 's Seven LastWords of Christ on the Crossalong with readings related to thethemes of the work (March 16).www .windermere.braveform.comThe ancient Hebrew poem, TheSong of Songs has inspired beautifulmusic by composers throughouttime. Tafelmusik explores suchmusic by Purcell , Monteverdi , theBach family and Healey Willan , aswell as Arabic music sung byMaryem Tollar, not to mention anew work by Canadian composerChristos Hatzis (March 6-9).The medieval labyrinth, foundin many of the great Gothic cathedralsof Europe , remains to be amystical symbol of the path of life,if you will , to the centre, andback. Just as visiting pilgrimsdanced in this sacred space, theToronto Consort celebrates thisancient custom in presenting medievaldance-songs, Renaissancepolyphony by Josquin Desprez,and even music by J.S. Bach!(March !). This is part of theSacred Spaces, Sacred Circles ArtsFestival , a celebration of musicand architecture.The Golden Age of TudorMusic was definitely one of themost glorious periods in musicalviols, original instruments dating from thel 7th and J 8th centuries, are being used toplay music of the Renaissance through tomodern day in Musi ea lnstrumentalis: Variationsand Enigmas (March 15)history. It seems that, these days,the Tudors are everywhere, and itshouldn't be a surprise. Listen foryourself to the Toronto ChamberChoir's program (March 29) ofmusic by John Taverner, ThomasTallis (including his famous 40-part Spem in alium) and WilliamByrd. Website:www. torontochamberchoir. eaThe Toronto Consort's seasonfinale features the music of FrancescoCavalli, Monteverdi's successorat St. Mark 's in Venice, and inparticular his Missa Concertata forvoices, strings, brass and continua.Using every corner of theirToronto venue, Trinity-St. Paul 's,they will attempt to recreate thespacious St. Mark's surroundsoundexperience.In Toronto, we can certainly bethankful that so many fine musiciansare giving historical performancesome thoughtful consideration.Frank T. Nakashima(franknak@interlog. com) is thePresident of the Toronto EarlyMusic Centre, a non-profit charitableorganization which promotesthe appreciation of historicallyinformedperformances of earlymusic www.interlog.com/ -temc20 WWW, TH EWHOLENOTE,COM M ARCH 1 - A PRIL 7 2008
World Viewby Karen AgesBefore delving into this month's offerings, I'd like to mention aperformance I recently attended at a sold-out Jane Mallett Theatre.The very first Cree opera ever written, "Pimooteewin" (TheJourney), draws on the vast and rich storehouse of Native mythologyto present the story of Trickster and his friend Eagle, who travel tothe island of the Dead in an attempt to bring them back to the land ofthe living. Sung entirely in Cree (with English surtitles and someEnglish narration), the work featured the Elmer Iseler Singers, tenorand soprano soloists, dancers, and a small chamber orchestra, withlibretto by Tomson Highway and stunning music by Melissa Hui.Congratulations to Lawrence Cherney and Soundstreams Canada forhaving the vision to produce this extraordinary work. Andcongratulations also to tenor soloist Bud Roach, who has onlyrecently made the career switch from oboist to vocalist!March 1 marks the return to Toronto of Trio Joubran, threePalestinian brothers who perform on oud (Arabic lute). Over the lastten years, the brothers have performed in Europe, at Carnegie Hall(2006), the Jerusalem Festival (2007) and were invited by conductorDaniel Barenboim to perform at a concert in Spain. Presented bySmall World Music and the Canadian Arab Federation, they'll be atHarbourfront's Enwave Theatre. Proceeds of the event will go tosupport children in the West Bank/Gaza.As I write this, Canadian vocalist Kiran Ahluwalia, singerof Indian ghazals and Punjabi folk songs, is in the midst of a crosscountrytour, accompanied by her five-piece ensemble. In addition,her most recent album, Wanderlust , has just been nominated for aJuno award (World Music Album of the year). Kiran will beperforming in Ontario, sharing the stage with Ndidi Onokwulu andTanya Tagak, as part of a "Women of the World" tour, March 5 inGuelph, March 6 in Oakville, March 7 in Barrie, and March 8 in St.Catharines.She' ll also be at U of T's Hart House March 9, and willperform as part of Jane Bunnett's Global Divas at Glenn GouldStudio on March 26. This event, subtitled "An InternationalCelebration of Women and Song" will benefit St. Stephen'sCommunity House, and will also feature singers BrennaMacCrimmon (Turkish folk songs), Maria Farinha (Brazilian Jazzand Bossa Nova) and Uitsile Ndlovu (Afro-Jazz) and of coursemusical director Jane Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana.Fresh from the Flying Bulgars' 20th anniversary concert lastmonth, David Buchbinder's other ensemble, Odessa/Havanaperforms at the Lula Lounge on March 9. This Jewish/Cuban/Jazzfusion band's debut CD was named #1 Jazz CD of2007 (TorontoLife). The band consists of David Buchbinder (trumpet/fluegelhorn),Quinsin Nachoff (winds), Aleksander Gajic (violin), Luis Guerra(piano), Roberto Occhipinti (bass), Mark Kelso (drums) and RickLazar (percussion). Also on March 9, Mike Anklewicz's klezmer/rock fusion band KlezFactor will perform at the "Bella, did ya eat?"brunch at the Free Times Cafe, and at the Trane Studio on March19. Currently working on their second CD, KlezFactor is: MikeAnklewicz (winds), Ali Berkok (keyboards), Jaro Dabrowski(guitars) , Michael Smith (bass) , Ben Plotnick (fiddle), and DavidMacDougall (drums). And, back at the Lula Lounge on March 28,Toronto's Latin/jazz sensation Eliana Cuevas performs with herband, one set only, 8 pm sharp!York University's Department of Music is holding itsWorld Music Festival, March 12- 16. There are nine events, all free,each featuring one or two of the school 's world music ensembles,including Mideast, Klezmer, Balkan, Flamenco guitar, worldchorus, Chinese, Japanese , Korean, African American, Cuban,Caribbean, Samba, and west African. (That's a lot of ensembles!)Please check our listings for full details. As well , U of T's Facultyof Music is holding its World Music ensembles concert March 25 inMacMillan Theatre, featuring the African drum/dance, folk roots,Balinese gamelan, Klezmer, and Steel Pan ensembles.U of T's Faculty of Music's World Music ensembles concert March25 in MacMillan Theatre features drumming and other instrumentalensembles from around the worldIn celebration of the Jewish holiday of Purim, Musica BethTikvah presents a new musical comedy, Miss Persia: The Musical,March 16 at Beth Tikvah Synagogue. Both music and lyrics are byBeth Tikvah's music director Eyal Bitton, with Michele Tredger inthe lead role. "I thought, there weren't many musicals with femaleleads", says Bitton, "so I decided to draw upon the story of Esther,one of the greatest heroines in Jewish tradition and give it aDisneyesque approach." The musical will be presented in concertformat (no costumes or sets).March 28 and 29, M-DO and the Toronto Tabla EnsembleCentre for World Music and Dance presents Horizans 2, part of aseries of performances highlighting emerging talent in Indianclassical dance. Featured performers are Hiroshi Miyamoto(Bharatanatyam dance) and Chad Walasek (Kathak dance), withchoreography/musical direction by Hari Krishnan, live music, andspoken text recited by Katherine Duncanson. The event takes place atthe Church of St. Stephen' s in the Field (Bellevue/College). Note: anew beginner tabla session begins March 5. Call 416-504-7082 orvisit www.tablaensemble.com. And still on the theme of Indianmusic, the Sitar School of Toronto is holding a "Friendship concert,to bring the people of the two rival nations India and Pakistan togetherin friendship. Both enjoy the same music, culture, food and way oflife" writes Toronto sitarist Anwar Khurshid, who will beperforming alongside Ustad Tari Khan on tabla. The concert takesplace March 29 at U of T's Medical Sciences auditorium.Karen Ages can be reached at worldmusic@thewholenote.comViolins, violas, cellos, and bowsComplete line of strings and accessoriesExpert repairs and rehairsCanada's largest stock of string musicFast mail order serviceM AR CH 1 - A PRI L 7 2008 WWW. TH EWHO LENOTE. COM 21
