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Volume 14 - Issue 5 - February 2009

FRIDAY, MARCH 27,

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2009 AT 8 : 00 PM&3 I iron > , c Too·ontoEast Meets WestRichard Sparks, Guest ConductorExultate welcomes guest conductor Richard Sparksto share his musical passion with us. Richard isconductor and artistic director of Pro Coro Canada,Edmonton's professional choir. In this concert,Richard leads Exultote in music from Alberta, as wellas choral treasures old and new from England andother parts of Canada.This concert is generously supported through specialfunding from the Canada Council for the Arts.TICKETS Regular , Senior , Student To order or for more information: 416.971.9229www.exultate.net exultate@exultate.netThe UofT Faculty of Music offers us Choirs in Concert- VoxFemi11a (Feb 13) in which the University Women's Chorus sharesan evening with the University of Guelph Women's Choir. On thesame day , in Cambridge, Ben Heppner will add his voice to the HeritageAlumni Choir, with the Cambridge Community Orchestra inOpera and Oratorio - a Benefit Concert.How much more romantic can you get than the French Romanticcomposer Hector Berlioz? Would you sell your soul to the Devil inreturn for great knowledge? Dare to find out! Charles Dutoit conductsthe Toronto Symphony Orchestra, The Toronto MendelssohnChoir, the Toronto Children's Chorus and a luminoussolo line-up in The Damnation of Faust (Feb.26 & 28).In commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Daythe Bach Elgar Choir will perform Oratorio Terezi11 (Hamilton, Feb28) , with the Hamilton Children's Choir, the Talisker PlayersOrchestra and some fine solo singers. This full length work by RuthFazal uses children's poetry which miraculously survived from theghetto of Terezin, woven together with passages from the Hebrewscriptures: powerful and unique .On the same evening, in Toronto, the Jubilate Singers will heat upthe night as they invite us to An Evening in Spain with guitaristMichael Savona and dancer Esmerelda Enrique. And as we sing ourway through the slush to March ! ,Toronto Mass Choir is back invitingus all to Power Up - this massed choir concert is the grand finaleof a two day gospel workshop.Thursday, January22, 2009, Noel Edisonwas invested intothe Order of Ontario.With him is The HonourableDavid C.Onley, LieutenantGovernor of Ontario.Noel Edison is thefounder of the EloraFestival Singers, andhas been the principalconductor of the TorontoMendelssohnChoir since 1999 . Hehas a number of recordingsto his credit,and is a regular juror for the CBC, the OAC and the Juno awards.Noel Edison also serves on the board of directors of the Associationof Choral Conductors of Canada. The Order of Ontario is the highestindividual honour bestowed by the province, and Noel Edison is theonly member of the arts community to be recognized this year.B1fs Canada Council Conseil des Arts© for the Arts du Canada to ro ntdartsbo u n ci IAn arm 's length body ol the City of TorontoPA ONTARIO ARTS COUNCILM coNsm DES A RTs CE rnNTARIO20Wishing you felt chirpier?Did you know that singing actually triggers therelease of endorphins - those fabulous little hormonesthat make you feel good? What better way to chasethe February blues than by joining a choir?WholeNote's 2008 directory of choirs, "The Canary Pages"is still available for you to look at online. It's easy! Justgo to www.thewholenote.com on your computer. You'llfind the Canary Pages with our other online Directories.In May 2009, we'll be publishing a brand-new Canary Pages in printand online.Even more to sing about!WWW.THEWHOLENOTE.COM

World ViewSmall world, big differenceby Karen AgesSince 1997, Alan Davis, curator of Small World Music, has been introducingToronto audiences to some of the finest non-Western musicians from aroundthe world. We missed acknowledging Small World's tenth anniversary season,but there's no time like the present to have a chat with Alan about what'sbeen, and what's coming up.How did Small World Music come into being?Small World grew out of my love of forms of music from outside the culture Igrew up with. Rock and jazz had always been my 'world' and remain veryimportant to me, but somewhere around the early 80's my ears were opened,largely by some very influential 'mainstream' artists - Peter Gabriel and BrianEno. Without a doubt, Gabriel's creation of WOMAD, the festival which stilltakes place in various locations around the globe each year, was a sea changein music for many people. The festival 's presence in Toronto for several yearsat Harbourfront was a huge revelation to me and many others, who discovereda world of sounds that, while sung in languages we didn't understand, toucheda spiritual place that resonated deeply.My work at the Music Gallery during those years gave me a platform tobegin to 'share' the music. In those days, the notion of 'world music' was stillpretty obscure and it was a tremendous pleasure discovering local musicianswho were playing under the radar in Toronto, and putting them on stage infront of wider audiences. We were able to present many Toronto firsts duringthat time. When things changed at the Music Gallery, I stumbled into a situationwhere I took it upon myself to continue that activity.Fortunately, the idea coincided with a gradual awakening on the part ofinstitutions like the funding agencies and CBC, that to represent Canadianculture meant going beyond supporting 'white culture' and including a widerspectrum of communities. Obviously, that support has been key in the growthof the organization and has enabled us to survive over ten years and more than300 presentations.What was the very first concert you presented, and what were some of thechallenges in making it happen?The Vancouver-based Vietnamese ensemble Khac Chi at Harbourfront. OftenI think of the projects I embarked on and what it took to do them on my ownand I think, 'damn I must've been crazy' . Well, I certainly had more energythen, anyway!How do you select groups/artists that you'd like to perform, and how doyou go about contacting them? What are some of the challenges you facewhen booking international artists?Our profile internationally generates a lot of approaches from artists andagents from around the world, so there's a fair degree of 'push' . The 'pull'side of the equation includes our special projects like the Canadian CrossculturalCollaborations that have been presented in the last three fall festivals .With these, we've taken Canadian artists from a variety of traditions and giventhem time to create new repertoire, offer public workshops and a concert.Drum Nation, World on a String and last year's One Voice, have focused onvarious instrument groupings. These have been tremendously satisfying on avariety of levels. The music has been outstanding and it addresses what'sbecome increasingly important for me, the fostering of intercultural exchange.Without being too cliche or naive, the future has to be about breaking downthe barriers which still exist in the multi-cultural mosaic that Toronto's soproud of. In terms of the logistics of getting people into the country to play,let's just say it's not getting any easier. We've had significant challengesgetting entry for South Asian and Iranian artists in particular in recent years.All we can do is try our best within the existing rules and systems.Small World concerts take place in all kinds of venues, from the LulaLounge to Roy Thomson Hall. What's the most unusual venue you'veused?Hmm ... A toss-up between the 'Fermenting Cellar' at the Distillery Districtfour or five years ago, when it was still a very raw industrial space, or ourcollaboration with the local Afrobeat band Mr. Something Something, whoperformed on their bicycle-powered stage at the Don Valley Brickworks thisfall.Looking back over the years, is there a particular concert or two thatstands out for you as being particularly memorable?Well, with over 300 to choose from, it's not exactly easy to say! There'vebeen so many great moments. The vast majority of concerts are of incrediblyhigh quality, so it's the combination of great music and great audience responsethat really resonates with me. Just in the last year, there's the Bajofondoand Tinariwen nights at the Mod Club - full houses and fantasticvibes. Working with an artist over the years as they grow is very fulfilling -Mariza's February 13th performance at Massey Hall will be the fifth timeF EB RUAR Y 1 - M ARC H 7 2009we' ve been luckyenough to work withher and the crowdshave gone from 500to 2,000 in that time.Tell me more aboutthe fundraiser beforethe Feb. 26show, and how canour readers reserveVIP reception tickets?February 26th is anight to celebrateThird appearance by the Dhoad Gypsies in townSmall World as itenters its second decade and acknowledge its contribution to Toronto and toSouth Asian culture. The fundraiser, including the VIP reception and silentauction is in support of our annual South Asian series in the spring. It's goingto be a great party and concert. This is the third appearance by the DhoadGypsies in town and they put on a spectacular show. Tickets and info can befound at www.smallworldmusic.com.What else do you have coming up this season that we should definitelynot miss?Attend all shows! But maybe that's asking too much - there's lots of goodstuff, including Mali's Habib Koite as part of la Semaine de Francophonie onMarch 26th, the return of Japan's amazing Yoshida Brothers June 2nd andthree days later, Iran's rising star singer, Homayoun Shajarian doing his firsttour as soloist.Can you give us a glimpse into what you've got planned, or who's onyour "wish list" for the 2009/10 season or beyond?More free programming when we can, more family programming in associationwith a new Putumayo kid 's project in fall of 2010. A possible worldmusic conference to coincide with the fall festival. Onward and upward!*****Other events this period, in brief: From Mali, west Africa, kora masterBallake Sissoko gives a solo concert February 5 at York University's TributeCommunities Recital Hall. York's music department also presents a WestAfrican drum and dance showcase at Founders Assembly Hall, February 28.Persian musician and composer Reza Manbachi, along with several musiciansfrom the Chakavak Ensemble give a CD release concert February 7 atthe Arbor Room, Hart House. Harbourfront Centre presents KUUMBA,African Heritage Month festival , February 7,8 and 14,15(www.harbourfrontcentre.com). Latin-jazz singer Eliana Cuevas and herband perform February 15 at the Lula Lounge. Autorickshaw performsFebruary 19 at the RCM, and March 7 at the Toronto Symphony afterconcertparty. COBA (Collective of Black Artists) celebrates Black HistoryMonth with Banta, a program of dance and live music including a tribute tothe late South African singer Miriam Makeba, February 20-22 at the FleckDance Theatre. Nagata Shachu (Japanese Taiko ensemble) performs March6 at McMaster University's Convocation Hall. The Toronto Classical TurkishMusic Ensemble performs March 7 at the Noor Cultural Centre. See ourlistings for more information.' ,.-_,: ••",•:I' ' .' .J ),,{ ·, .• j t·,WWW, THEWHOLENOTE,COM., f '":-,, (Violins, violas, cellos, and bowsComplete line of strings and accessoriesExpert repairs and rehairsCanada's largest stock of string musicFast mail order service

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