“A Feast for the Earsand the Eyes!”- Classical 96.3FMSCHAROUN ENSEMBLE OFTHE BERLIN PHILHARMONICFri. Mar. 11, 2011 8:00pmKoerner Hall CANADIAN DEBUTOne of the world’s most exquisiteoctets, comprised of woodwind andstring members of the incomparableBerlin Philharmonic, will play Mozart,Dvorák, and Beethoven.Presented in association withthe Goethe-Institut Toronto.GLENN GOULD SCHOOL OPERAMAURICE RAVEL: L’HEURE ESPAGNOLEGEORGES BIZET: LE DOCTEUR MIRACLEWed. Mar. 23 & Fri. Mar. 25, 20118:00 pm Koerner HallThe Glenn Gould School Vocal Programand the RCO perform two charmingone-act operas, conducted by Uri Mayerand Directed by Brent Krysa.Generously supported by theD&T Davis Charitable FoundationTHE KING’S SINGERSSat. Mar. 12, 20118:00pm Koerner Hall“Enchanting the ear from firstto last note” (Gramophone)Internationally recognisedfor their work in early music,the ensemble performs aprogram of works by Palestrina,Saint-Saëns, and others.LEON FLEISHER,PIANOSun. Apr. 3, 2011 3:00pmKoerner HallBeloved teacher andlegendary pianist,Leon Fleisher performsa program of Bachand Schubert.ANDREW MCCANDLESS,GORDON WOLFE& THE GGS BRASS ENSEMBLESun. Mar. 13 2011, 4pm Mazzoleni Concert HallTrumpeter Andrew McCandless is joinedby fellow GGS faculty and TSO colleague,trombonist Gordon Wolfe, and otherGGS brass faculty members, in anafternoon performance of spectacularbrass ensemble works.NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLEFri. Apr. 8, 2011,7:30pmMazzoleni Concert HallAward-winning composerBrian Current directs twoprograms of cutting-edgecontemporary music by livingcomposers influenced by today'ssociety and the the soundsaround us.MUSICIANS FROM MARLBOROSat. Apr. 9 2011, 7:30pmMazzoleni Concert HallThe touring ensemble from theMarlboro Music Festival (MFM) andviolinist Scott St. John will performJanácek’s “Kreutzer Sonata” Quartet,Mozart’s String Quintet in E-flat Major,and Mendelssohn’s Octet in E-flat Major.Concert made possible through the generosityof Dr. Günes N. Ege-Akter.ROYAL CONSERVATORYORCHESTRA CONDUCTEDBY URI MAYERFri. Apr. 15, 20118:00pm Koerner HallUri Mayer conducts the talentedGlenn Gould School students ofthe RCO and a 2010 GGS ConcertoCompetition winning soloist, in aprogram of classic pieces by Rossini,Mozart, Hindemith, and Ravel.TICKETS ON SALE NOW! rcmusic.ca 416.408.0208273 Bloor St. W. (Bloor & Avenue Road) Toronto
The Kodo Drummers of Japan marks its 30thanniversary this year bringing its show to theSony Centre For The Performing Arts on March11. I saw them years ago and their interpretationsdazzled the audience with feats of astoundingpercussive speed, dexterity, and muscularendurance.The Musideum is a unique and fun downtownto the ceiling with musical instruments fromaround the world. Its Friday 7pm series continuesMarch 11 with the FreePlay Duo in which SubaSankaran and Dylan Bell (of Autorickshaw fame)sing a capella songs accompanied only by adigital looping station. On March 25 local worldmusic diva Maryem Hassan Tollar performs withmusicians Ian De Souza and Chris Church.Hindustani classical music will take thestage on March 17 at the Toronto Centre forthe Arts. Presented by Small World Music, theconcert presents the leading younger generationsitarist Nilandri Kumar (whose father was theprominent sitarist Pandit Kartick Kumar) with thecelebrated tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. Zakirthe honoured late tabla virtuoso Allah Rakha,though many would say Zakir with his brillianttechnique and crowd-pleasing musicianship hasoutstripped his guru’s international fame throughhis expeditions across once-forbidding musicalboundaries.Readers may be surprised to see the name ofToronto’s ViaSalzburg Chamber Orchestra in thiscolumn. They owe this distinction to the specialguests for their Glenn Gould Studio concert onMarch 24 and 25: Canada’s pioneer EvergreenClub Contemporary Gamelan. (Full disclosure:I have been composing for and performing withEvergreen since its inception in 1983). Theprogramme will include the epic Beethoven StringQuartet Op. 131, Montreal composer MichaelOesterle’s piece for gamelan degung and stringquartet, and Evergreen Club’s performance of“Ibu Trish” (1989), its signature work by Americancomposer Lou Harrison for gamelan.Kicking off its New World Series on March25, the Music Gallery and Batuki Music Societypresent ETHIO T.O. This concert, describedas “Ethiopian and Eritrean pentatonic jazz-funk”features two bands. Ethio Fidel is led by the localWolde Michael. The group Canaille on the otherhand is directed by the multi-instrumentalistEthiopian horn arrangements and tonality. Torontohas the second largest population of people fromEthiopia and Eritrea in North America. Kudos toThe Music Gallery which has thought to bring themusic of Ethiopia’s “Golden Age” of the ’60s and’70s to its venue just north of Queen St.The next day on March 26 the Echo Women’sChoir and Mariposa In The Schools present Davidand Goliath: An Earth Hour Evening of Song andStory at the historic Church of the Holy Trinity,that bring music to diverse communities. Thisspirited evening of international songs and storieswill feature artists such as Ken Whiteley, the80-voice Echo Women’s Choir, David Anderson,Njacko Backo, Jowi Taylor and the CubanPercussion Ensemble.Brampton’s spiffy Rose Theatre is stepping upto challenge T.O.’s hold on touring world musicianson March 31. Debashish Bhattacharya, among thepre-eminent Hindustani slide guitarists today, willappear accompanied by Shubhasis Bhattacharyaon tabla. The duo will bring the classical raag andtaal based music of northern India to Flowertown.Finally, this is the time of year for newbeginnings. Nowruz marks the Iranian New Year,celebrated on the vernal equinox by Iraniansall over the world. The youthful Sarv Ensemblepresents two concerts on April 1 and 2 calledEidaneh: A Celebration of Persian New Year andArrival of Spring. They perform Iranian classicaland folk music at the Beit Zatoun House on 612Markham St. in downtown Toronto. Just one yearold, this new venue is a large open gallery thataims to serve as a platform for social justice andhuman rights events. “When we share the artand culture of another then there is no room forinjustice or hatred.” A noble vision indeed. Andrew Timar is a Toronto musician and musicwriter. He can be reached at worldmusic@thewholenote.com.345 SoraurenAvenue[south of DundasW, east ofRoncesvalles]please visitgallery345.comfor monthlyperformances &exhibitions416.822.9781for reservationsToronto’s FinestPiano Salon JONATHAN HARVEY artmusicpromotion MALAYSIAN VOICESwww.newmusicconcerts.comReservations 416.961.9594March 1 - April 7, 2010 thewholenote.com 21
