eat by beat: world
eat by beat: world musicA climate changeBy Karen AgesGlobal village: Muhtadi International Drum Festival, June 6,7While many music presenters celebrate the close of their concertseasons, others are just starting up. And with the arrival of warmerweather, it’s nice to know that there is at least one outdoor venueoffering a series of free concerts. The Toronto Music Garden(475 Queens Quay West) is in its tenth year of presenting concertson Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons, running June 28 toSeptember 20. Glancing at the schedule of events (curated by artisticdirector Tamara Bernstein), it’s interesting to see the way in which“world music” has seeped into the fabric of general concert programming,without necessarily being labelled as such. Perhaps we’ve becomeless self-conscious of our own multiculturalism, something weincreasingly take for granted in the “global village” that is our city.The first Music Garden concert will feature cellist Shauna Rolstonand cello students from U of T’s Faculty of Music in works by Elgar,Massenet and others; the concert will open with a piece titled Callingfrom Different Directions by native-Canadian composer BarbaraCroall, who will also play cedar flutes and First Nations drum, withAnita McAlister (trumpet and conch shell). The next concert, July 2,features Samulnori!, a traditional Korean drumming and dance ensemblefrom Toronto. Stay tuned for more in our July/August issue,or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com/torontomusicgarden forthe full schedule.Another free concert series, presented by the Canadian OperaCompany, is the noon-hour series at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,also known as a venue for “world music” events. June9 come and hear “A Celebration of World Drumming” with Taikodrums and other percussion instruments, featuring both the Onnano-Ko and Torq percussion ensembles. Yet another free lunchtime concertseries, Music on the Hill, presents the Yiddish Swingtet withJonno Lightstone (winds), Tony Quarrington (guitar/mandolin) andJordan Klapman (piano), June 19 at St. John’s York Mills Church.Small World Music has one concert left in its Sounds of Persiaseries, June 5 at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Classical Persianvocalist Homayoun Shajarian performs with the Dastan Ensemble, afive-member Persian classical instrumental ensemble. Also presentedby Small World, singer-songwriter Joanna Moon celebrates the releaseof her first CD, June 17 at the Lula Lounge. Inspired by Spanishflamenco artists, she sings in French and Spanish with instrumentalaccompaniment. As well, the Swar Sadhana Music LoversClub presents the final round of its Indian vocal music competition,July 4 at the Rose Theatre in Brampton.Last but not least, the Canadian Folk Music Awards announcesits call for submissions; the awards ceremony will take place November21 at the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Québec. Thedeadline for submissions is July 3 and forms and eligibility guidelinescan be found at www.folkawards.ca. 16 WWW.THEWHOLENOTE.COM JUNE 1 - JULY 7, 2009
