~~ UNIVERSITY OF
~~ UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO¥ FACULTY oF MUSICUpcoming EventsNOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTSSteven lsserlis, celloThe Lorand Fenyves Resident Artist performs sonatas by Brittenand Poulenc, Mendelssohn's Variations concertantes, Schumann'sAdagio and Allegro, and Violin Sonata No. 3 arranged for cello.Connie Shih, piano.11/3 - 7:30 pm. Walter Hall. (.)Master Classes: 11/4 & 5 -1 pm. Walter Hall. FreeAlberto GrauThe Michael and Sonja Koerner Distinguished Visitor in Compositionpresents a lecture. 11/6-12:10 pm. Walter Hall. FreeSherrill Milnes Master ClassesThe John R. Stratton Visiting Artist hosts two voice master classesfeaturing Faculty of Music vocalists.11/7 - 7:30 pm & 11/8 - 2 30 pm. Walter Hall. FreeRussian NightsSoprano Lorna MacDonald and pianist Che Anne Loewen reprisethe 1958 Moscow recitals by Lois Marshall in celebration of the50th anniversary of the historic event.11/14 - 7:30 pm. Walter Hall. (•)In with the New (Continued from page 15)son, who now directs the prestigious Aspen Colorado Music Festival."Winnipeg-born composer Sydney Hodkinson feels himself very mucha Canadian in spite of having spent his professional career south of theborder" says Aitken. Recently a number of musicians have suggestedvarious works of his so we made the effort to seek out the pieces. Theyare indeed fascinating works, highly crafted and original - a marvellouscontrast to the fine music of Lee and Eagle."Finally, be sure to catch the premiere performances of AndrewStaniland's new piece for symphony orchestraentitled Voyageur. "Voyageur was commissionedfor the TSO's Northern Residencytour in 2007," says Staniland, "as part of aprogram to also feature Beethoven's venerable5th, penned in the early 1800s in Austria- a time and place that was producing whatwe now call the classical canon, but also apoint in time at which Canada was so youngwe had yet to traverse it by water. In Europe,composers were defining and exploring thesymphonic form; in North America, voyageursAndrew Stanilandwere searching for a water route over theRocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean-an interesting comparison. Iwas inspired by the adventurous, boisterous spirit that these early voyageursmust have had. Composers at their best embody this very spirit:exploring the new and unfamiliar, charting new courses of statementand expression."The new work will be performed October 30, November 1 and 2, byAlain Trudel and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy ThomsonHall.And there is much more in the listings: Nov I at the Royal OntarioMuseum, do not miss works by Michael Pepa and Philip McConnell,as part of Holocaust Education Week; Nov 20, 21, and 22, at theWinchester Street Theatre, Toronto Masque Theatre presents "Masquesof War", music by Monteverdi and Stravinsky - both compositionalvoyageurs in their time. It's a great month to explore!Wind EnsembleGillian MacKay, conductor. Wallace Halladay, saxophone soloist.Music by Karel Husa, Aldo Forte, Michael Daugherty, Wagner,and John Barnes Chance.11 /22 - 7:30 pm. MacMillan Theatre. $14 ( o·)Vocal .Jazz Ensemble& 11 O'Clock Orchestra11/27 - 7 30 pm. Walter Hall. $14 (•)U of T Symphony OrchestraBernstein Candide Overture, Brahms Violin Concerto, and DvorakSymphony No. 9 ("From the New World" ).David Briskin, conductor. Luri Lee, violin solo11/28 - 730 pm. MacMillan Theatre. (·)Wind SymphonyFolk music from around the world. Jeffrey Reynolds, conductor11 /29 - 7 30 pm. MacMillan Theatre. $14 ( o·)'Senior/student price in brackets416.978.3744BOX OFFICEWalter Hall and MacMillan Theatre are located in the Edward JohnsonBuilding, 80 Queen's Park (Museum subway stop).www.music.utoronto.ca. 'MASQUES OF WAR:Two provocative, entertaining andengaging works of conflict and struggle.Claudio Monteverdin Combattimento di Tancredi et Clorinda (1624)with baritone Nathaniel Watson, soprano Teri Dunnand baritone Andrew Mahonand a period instrument ensemble led by Larry BeckwithIgor StravinskyA Soldier's Tale (1918)with narrator Derek Boyes and an instrumentalensemble conducted by Eric PaetkauDesigned by Caroline Guilbault with choreography by Marie-NathalieLacoursiere and lighting design by Gabriel CropleyWhat shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world,and lose his own soul?416-410-4561 www.torontomasquetheatre.ca16WWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM NOVEMBER 1 - D ECEMBER 7 2008
EARLY MusicWhen Old is Newby Frank NakashimaOur desire for up-to-the-minute information and technology-like theBlackBerry, high-speed internet, instant noodles, text messaging-suggeststhat finding listeners for early music might be a daunting proposal.Not so for this city's many outstanding crusaders of historical performance.When I ask Opera Atelier's choreographer,Jeannette Zingg, who has prepared sixteendancers for their next production The Abductionfrom the Seraglio, how she managesto find both the authenticity and freshness inthat which, to many, is old and unfamiliar,she informs me that her inspiration comes fromMozart's music.Mozart wrote dance music, or certainlymusic that suggests dance in his operas. Zinggis like an archeologist who has discoveredbones and now wonders with excitement whatkind of dinosaur she has found . She concedesOpera Atelier's choreographer, Jeanette Zinggthat the storyline or drama often dictates whatkind of dance might be used or that she might even use dance during thechoruses."The choreography largely depends on which opera we're talkingabout. Sometimes I will choreograph the choruses, something that Gluckdeveloped, where the singers move offstage and then the dancers taketheir place onstage."I am curious to know what kind of dance was used. Zingg acknowledgesthat dance had evolved beyond 'baroque' at this point in history."Actually, yes, baroque dance in Mozart's time was developing alittle bit into the ballet as we know it today. But I use baroque and veryearly ballet steps to make dances that are always, hopefully, part of theaction, driving the drama forward, expressing joy, or anguish, or whateveris happening at that time."What about staging? Mozart's references to Turkish music are aclue, as is the Commedia dell' Arte style of the 18th century, to thestaging and costumes, not to mention architecture of the period."Although [Vienna] still had diplomatic ties with the Turks, I don'tthink they tried to make authentically-Turkish dances." Zingg states."So I use baroque and pre-romantic ballet steps, but add some curvesto the movement. You know the architecture has a lot of curves, andthat is very much reflected in the sets, and of course, I'm trying toreflect that in the choreography as well."I note that her inspiration for the dance seems to come from beyondthe immediate vicinity of Vienna. At that time, she confirms, they wereaware of many other cultures."There is one scene where we enter to herald the entrance of thePasha, and we're playing finger-cymbals, small hand cymbals and castanets,another nod to the Middle East. And we open with the men doinga wonderful martial-arts-based wushu sword dance which was actuallydeveloped by one of our dancers."Obviously, it's human nature to enjoy action, movement, and newthings in Mozart's time as well as in the present. Co-directors, JeannetteZingg and Marshall Pynkoski, certainly prove that to be true inOpera Atelier's presentation of The Abduction from the Seraglio. DavidFallis conducts Tafelmusik in the North American stage premiere onperiod instruments (November 8, 9, 11, 12). www .operaatelier.comIn a comparison of the old with the not-so-old, both rarely heard, theToronto Masque Theatre presents Monteverdi's Il Combattimento diTancredi et Clorinda (1624) with baritone Nathaniel Watson, sopranoTeri Dunn, baritone Andrew Mahon, and a period instrument ensembleled by Larry Beckwith, along with Stravinsky's A Soldier's Tale(1918) with narrator Derek Boyes, conducted by Eric Paetkau (November20, 21 , 22). (www.torontomasquetheatre.ca)You will hear the adventurous spirit that one finds in the pursuit ofnew things, in the music of Johann Adam Reincken (Scaramella, Nov.29), characterized by unpredictable melodic turns and surprising harmonies.His improvisational skills were known to have dazzled andstartled. He inspired later works by J.S. Bach. Catch the spirit withElizabeth Blumenstock, Kathleen Kajioka, Borys Medicky, and JoelleMorton. (www.scaramella.ca)Haydn's genius as a composer inspired generations of musicians,including Mozart and Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges. These three brilliantclassical composers are honoured in this Tafelmusik concert featuringprincipal cellist Christina Mahler, and violinists Aisslinn Noskyand Julia Wedman (December 4, 5, 6, 7). Genius and virtuosity providea winning combination. (www.tafelmusik.org)The Tallis Choir marks the 250th anniversaryof Handel's death with a re-creationof a baroque vespers service as it might havebeen celebrated on Christmas Eve, 1720, inRome (December 6). (www.tallischoir.com)Jan Dismas Zelenka (1670-1745) wasknown to have been admired by both Bach andTelemann. What does that tell you? His workis bold, stunning, and obviously, highly-regarded.The Toronto Chamber Choir performshis Magnijicat, also cantatas by Bach,in what is described as "an evening of discovery''(December 6) Website:www. torontochamberchoir .eaSpeaking of new, this month, a new choral ensemble dedicated to theperformance of early choral music, Cantemus, makes its debut. Theirentirely a cappella program consists of 16th century madrigals (English,French, German and Italian) and sacred choral music (November29).Frank T. Nakashima (franknak@interlog.com) is the President of theToronto Early Music Centre, a non-profit charitable organization whichpromotes the appreciation of historically-informed peiformances of earlymusic.presentsHEPMEfORWSCHR!STMASVESPERSDecember 12 & 13, 2008 at 8Singers, violins, cornetti, sackbuts, theorbos andkeyboards arranged around the balconies and stage ofTrinity-St. Paul 's Church, recreating the joyfulcelebration of Christmas Vespers as it might have beenheard under the direction of Michael Praetorius inl 7th-century Germany - this lavish Toronto ConsortYuletide offering has become a beloved Torontotradition. In the spirit of celebration, the audience willjoin with the assembled musical forces in singingfavourite Christmas carols.A Christmas concert like no other!Order online at www.torontoconsort.orgN OVEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 7 2008WWW. THEWHO LENOTE.COM
