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Volume 15 Issue 6 - March 2010

  • Text
  • Toronto
  • April
  • Jazz
  • Arts
  • Symphony
  • Orchestra
  • Theatre
  • Recital
  • Concerts
  • Concerto

SATURDAY, MARCH 6RED

SATURDAY, MARCH 6RED CHAMBERVancouver-based Chinese classical ensembleplays string music from a variety of traditionsTHURSDAY, MARCH 11DAVID DANIELL ANDDOUGLAS MCCOMBS(TORTOISE)With guest Debashis SinhaSATURDAY, MARCH 13FLUX QUARTETNew York City’s avant-garde present and pastFRIDAY & SATURDAY, MARCH 19-20L’ORCHESTRED’HOMMES-ORCHESTRESPERFORM THE MUSIC OFTOM WAITSPart of the Free Fall FestivalSATURDAY, MARCH 27LUKAS LIGETISolo percussion + marimba luminaWith guest Princess CenturyTUESDAY, APRIL 13BABY DEE +JOSEPHINE FOSTER(DOUBLE BILL)SATURDAY, APRIL 24CUNI AND DURAND(FROM BERLIN)Ancient Trends & New Traditions in Indo-European MusicBECOME A MUSIC GALLERY MEMBER AND SAVEON TICKET PRICES! Email info@musicgallery.orgThe Music GalleryJohn Cage in New York City at a concert of Anton Webern’s music.This odd inspirational spark allows the quartet to explore traces ofinfluence from Webern to groundbreaking works from the 1950s and60s, and on to some of today’s most exciting and radical composer/performers who are remaking the NYC cultural landscape. Includedalong with the works by Cage and Feldman are two Canadian premieres:Lightheaded and Heavyhearted (2002) by the much-hailedAnnie Gosfield and Elegies For The Afterland (2009) by eclecticcomposer and punk-era innovator David First. Tickets are availableonline at www.musicgallery.org or by phone at 416-204-1080. Furtherdetails about the highly prolific flux Quartet can be found atwww.fluxquartet.com.We get another dose of the New York downtown sound whencomposer and performer Lukas Ligeti – yes, the son of the legendarycomposer György Ligeti – returns to Toronto on March 27. WhenLigeti the younger visited a few years back it was as an improvisingpercussionist in concert with some of our own local greats, but thistime he’s back to offer us an earful of his own brand of new music,which melds experimentalism, contemporary classical, jazz, electronicand world music (particularly from Africa) into a style thatis all his own. With commissions already completed for the AmericanComposers Orchestra, Bang on a Can, Vienna Festwochen, andthe Kronos Quartet, as well as several solo CD releases to his credit,Ligeti’s composing career is already well off to a strong start. Forthis concert, he will be performing his own works for solo percussionand pieces for the rare electronic instrument, the marimba lumina.Tickets are available through the Music Gallery, as are furtherdetails about Lukas Ligeti and his music.To conclude, I’d be remiss if I didn’t draw attention to TapestryNew Opera Works’ Opera To Go experience, which runs March 24-26 in the Fermenting Cellar at the Distillery Historic District. Thisyear’s concept is one of revival, as Tapestry brings back some of thebest loved works from their 30-year history of creating exciting, newCanadian opera. The bill is full of some of the best new opera I’vehad the pleasure of experiencing; and they all pack a big punch eventhough they clock in at just 15 minutes apiece. I personally can’t waitto revisit these remounts by the Tapestry creative team, including thehumorous Ice Time by Mark Brownell and Chan Ka Nin, the sensualyet bittersweet Ashlike on the Cradle of the Wind by Jill Battsonand Andrew Staniland, and the equally emotionally and musicallygripping Rosa by Camyar Chai and James Rolfe. Tickets and moreinformation are available through the Tapestry website at www.tapestrynewopera.comor by phone by calling 416-537-6066 ext. 243.As always there’s much more new music on offer this month – sobe sure to get in with the new via The WholeNote’s concert listingsand online at www.thewholenote.com.Jason van Eyk is the Ontario Regional Director of the CanadianMusic Centre. He can be contacted at: newmusic@thewholenote.com.CANADA’S STRING SHOPViolins, violas, cellos, and bowsComplete line of strings and accessoriesExpert repairs and rehairsCanada’s largest stock of string musicFast mail order servicewww.thesoundpost.cominfo@thesoundpost.com93 Grenville St., Toronto M5S 1B4tel 416.971.6990 fax 416.597.992322 WWW.THEWHOLENOTE.COMMarch 1 - April 7, 2010

T is for Tuareg,Tuvan and TangKAREN AGESMarch opens with two promising Small World Music presentationsin as many days. On March 4, a band of Taureg rockmusicians from the Sahara Desert region of Mali, Tinariwen,performs at the Phoenix Concert Theatre (410 Sherbourne).The group was formed in 1979, and since the beginning of last decadehas gained prominence outside of Africa, appearing in festivalsin Europe and the US. Their songs deal with the exile and sufferingof their people, the Kel Tamashek of the southern Sahara, and thebeauty of their desert homeland.On March 5, the vocal group Huun Huur Tu performs at theMod Club (722 College). If you’ve never heard this group of Tuvanthroat singers, do not miss this concert! I remember standing rivetedto the spot when I first heard them on CBC radio around 13years ago (remember the show “Global Village”?) This group ofmale singers/instrumentalists chants at the very base of their vocalrange, producing celestial-sounding overtones. They’ll be collaboratingwith electronic musician Carmen Rizzo, presenting musicfrom their new CD “Eternal.” For more information on both ofthese groups, visit www.smallworldmusic.com.The next evening, March 6, the Vancouver-based Chinese instrumentalensemble Red Chamber performs a programme titled“Secret of the Chinese, Passion of the World” at the Music Gallery.Constisting of four women on traditional plucked instruments,their repertoire spans music from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to thepresent, including styles such as Bluegrass and Jazz. Led by internationallyrenowned musician Mei Han, featured instruments includethe zheng (zither), pipa and ruan (lutes). Their website, completewith musical samples, is worth a visit: www.mei-han.com/redchamber.html.Cuba’s Havana-based dance company “Dance Cuba” is on tourin Canada this month. The 17-member all female troup, choreographedby Lizt Alfonso and accompanied by six musicians, fusesflamenco with classical ballet, Afro-Cuban dance, and jazz. They’llbe at the David S. Howe Theatre (Brock University) in St. Catharineson March 6, the Capitol Arts Centre in Port Hope on March14, Markham Theatre on March 16, and the Oakville Centre for thePerforming Arts on the 17th.If you haven’t yet been to the Royal Conservatory’s KoernerHall, do pay it a visit! This stunning concert hall right in downtownRed Chamber performs at theMusic Gallery.Toronto has superb acoustics.Not only does it servethe Conservatory’s needs, butit also boasts a concert seriesin its own right. World musicevents coming up includeGypsy fiddler Roby Lakatosand ensemble on March 10,and Senegalese vocalist BaabaMaal with band on April6. Visit http://performance.rcmusic.ca for the Conservatory’sfull concert line-up.In the spirit of St. Patrick’sDay, a number of Celticthemedevents are scheduledfor March 20. The SouthernOntario Dulcimer Associationpresents a festival of traditionalIrish culture and folkmusic from 1:00 to 10:00 pmin Alton Village, Caledon (themusic part is in the evening).Featured performers include Steafan and Saskia Hannigan (checkthem out on YouTube), Les Starkey, Jason Pfeiffer and others. Formore info, go to www.town.caledon.on.ca.The same evening, Echo Women’s Choir presents a Ceilidh(pronounced Kay-lee), at Church of the Holy Trinity, a “Down-EastKitchen Party,” complete with fiddles, singing, Irish and Scottishdancers, and a “proper jam session to close out the evening!”Guest performers include members of Bold Steps Dance Studio,Bob Davis (piano), Judith Nancekivell (voice/guitar), and SarahShepherd (dance demonstration). Still on March 20, the HamiltonPhilharmonic presents Celtic Traditions, a ceilidh with championfiddler Pierre Schryer and his band, performing in styles from Irishto Scottish to Québécois.March 27, Toronto based Indian-jazz fusion band Autorickshawperforms with the Jubilate Singers at Eastminster United Church.Says Autorickshaw’s lead vocalist, Suba Sankaran, “This is a veryspecial collaboration, featuring the premiere of my Indo-choralcomposition Kannamma, commissioned by the Jubilate Singers.”The commission is in celebration of Jubilate’s 40th anniversaryseason.The universities hold their end-of-term World Music ensemblesconcerts this month. York’s take place on March 11, 12 and 15; andU of T’s are March 13 and 18. Please see the daily listings for moreinfo on these and other concerts.Karen Ages can be reached at worldmusic@thewholenote.comSince 1959, Remenyi House of Music has been a proud supporter ofToronto’s musical community. Providing musicians at every level qualityinstruments and expert service to help them perform their personal best.www.remenyi.comMarch 1 - April 7, 2010 WWW.THEWHOLENOTE.COM 23

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