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Volume 16 Issue 7 - April 2011

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  • April
  • Toronto
  • Symphony
  • Jazz
  • Orchestra
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  • Violin
  • Recording
  • Arts
  • Vocal

More To It ThanThe

More To It ThanThe MusicJACK MACQUARRIEMy long personal involvement with community musicalensembles has prompted me, in this issue, to ponder someof the non-musical elements essential for the health ofsuch groups. I sat down to list what they might be, and was apotential activities that might arise and require someone’s attention.Where to start? Obviously with number one on the list – anexecutive. In one organization of which I am a member, due to unforeseencircumstances there had not been an election of an executive for anunusually long time. It was time for an election. When the presidentcalled for nominations, there were none. OK, let’s ask for volunteers.None! Similarly for all positions except vice-president and treasurer.in the past and preferred his present position as “member.” Most amateur musical organizations pay an honorarium to theirconductor, a lesser amount to an assistant conductor, and, if they’rereally enlightened, to their librarian. But the many other duties arehandled by conscripted volunteers who tend to experience so-called“burnout” after years of unrecognized dedication to their groups.Most of these people are in the “baby boomer” or older age groups.For many of the younger members, rehearsal night is an escape fromwork and family responsibilities. More paper work has no appeal. most groups, next to the conductor and assistant, by far the mostrehearsal? If you are a regular member of an ensemble, are you everconsulted about repertoire? How should the repertoire be decided?Is that the sole prerogative of the conductor or done in consultationthan I care to count, I can recall only one type of situation whereI had any say in the music selection, namely in those situationstimes I have suffered through a rehearsal of music that I thoroughlydisliked, consoling myself with the rationalization that it was goodreading practice. No better spot from which to change what I suspect month. In the meantime, please drop us a line with your commentson any of the many such tasks required for the successful operationof a community ensemble. I am sure there are others to add to the20 on my list. can a group determinewhat would appeal to their audiences? For many years I acted asto conduct ad hoc surveys of audience opinion during intermissionreaction. For concert band performances, the one comment whichsurprised most conductors was the desire on the part of audiencemembers to hear more marches. For most conductors, the perceptionwas that their “concert band” had risen above the level of a paradeband. By contrast, most audience members came to hear a band,and considered that marches should be an integral part of such amilitary band might perform on parade, not concert marches.One band thathas mastered theart of wrappingdiverse repertoirein an appealingunifying themeis London’sPlumbing FactoryBrass Band underHenry Meredith.It has comeup with a veryappealing themefor two identicalPlumbing Factory Brass Band.Railway Station which was used for many years by trains of theMichigan Central Railroad en route between Detroit and Buffalo.Explorations – Movements, Moods and MythsAbound; Sights, and Sites Described in Sound, and features somefamiliar band compositions as well as several rarely heard works. The Ideal Railway, will be dedicated atboth concerts to the Michigan Central Railroad Employees Bandtrain station and heralds the opening of a special exhibit on thehistory of the MCR Employees Band, all sponsored by the station’sPHOTO KIM GOORApril is Gibson Guitar Month at Long & McQuadeNOW IT’S EASIER THANEVER TO OWN A GIBSON!30 thewholenote.comApril 1 - May 7, 2011

The tubas just won’t go away.month’s issue, there was going to be little mention of these musicalbrutes in this issue. However, they are not going away quietly.First we received an email message from local tuba player HughWallis telling us of a few tuba concerti we hadn’t mentioned, as wellas a work for tuba and piano. We then learned that the HannafordStreet Silver Band’s “Festival of Brass: Rising Stars Concert” onSheridan.Definition Department frugalhorn: a sensible and inexpensive brassinstrument.We invite submissions from readers.Coming EventsPlease see the listings section for full details. Milton Concert Band presents its spring will feature an eclectic mix of light classics, world music andmovie tunes, with a few surprises along the way! Plumbing Factory Brass Band, HenryMeredith, conductor presents Explorations Hannaford Street Silver Band Rising Stars performing with the HSSB on Sunday. In “Community Showcase,”the HSSB welcomes community bands from across Ontario andbeyond. Some ensembles will compete for the honour to receive theLexington Brass Band from Kentucky with trumpet virtuosoVincent DiMartino. Low Blows with tubasoloist Patrick Sheridan. Opera Week | May 5-11presented in celebration of the reopening of La Scalaby Toscanini, May 11, 1946 byThe International Resource Centre for Performing Artistsin collaboration withThe Toronto Centre for the Arts,The Italian Cultural Institute, The New Classical 96.3FM& Remenyi House of MusicCall to Opera Singers,Coaches, Pianists, Conductors, DirectorsSTART YOUR SUMMER WITH OPERA WEEKHere’s a great chance to work with coachesVincenzo Scalera, Teatro alla Scala (May 5/6)Joan Dornemann, Metropolitan Opera (May 7/9/10)Applicants: Please send audition tape or DVDbefore April 10 to: IRCPA, 43 Bright Street,Toronto ON M5A 3H5Information: 416-362-1422, sumintl@rogers.com, orInternationalResourceCentreForPerformingArtists.comObservers welcome per session, at the door,Gallery Theatre Space, Toronto Centre for the ArtsOpera WeekCelebration Concertpresenting top artists from Opera Weekcoaching sessionsWEDNESDAY, MAY 11 at 8 PMToronto Centre for the Arts5040 Yonge Street, seniors/studentsBox Office 416-872-1111www.ticketmaster.caYou can write to us at bandstand@thewholenote.com.INDEX OF ADVERTISERSABA Music and Arts 58Academy Concert Series 38Adam Sherkin 34Aldeburgh Connection 45Alexander Kats 58Alexander Singers and Players 47All Saints’ Kingsway Anglican Church41, 42Amoroso 62Annex Singers 35Associates of the TSO 36ATMA 5Bach Children’s Chorus 50Bach Consort 49Birthday Series 49Black Creek Summer Festival 57, 72Bloor Cinema 67Bryson Winchester 59Canadian Flute Association 44Canadian Opera Company 16Canadian Sinfonietta 44Cantemus 17Cathedral Bluffs SymphonyOrchestra 35Centre for Opera Studies in Italy 16Chamber Music Society ofMississauga 11, 38Christ Church Deer Park Jazz Vespers 29Church of St Mary Magdalene 39Classical 96.3fm 69Cosmo Music 19Counterpoint Community Orchestra 49Darren Sigesmund 19Denise Williams 59Eglinton St. George’s United Church 50Elora Festival 14Ermanno Mauro Young ArtistsConcert Series 34Exultate Chamber Singers 24Gallery 345 28Gallery Players of Niagara/ Eybler Quartet 37George Heinl 22Glionna Mansell Corporation 7Grand Philharmonic Choir 18Guelph Musicfest 52Halcyon String Quartet 46Hannaford Street Silver Band 70Hear Toronto 65Heliconian Hall 61I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble 47International Resource Centrefor the Performing Arts 31John Laing Singers 23Kindred Spirits Orchestra 44Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony 47, 53Lake Field Music Camp 56Leon Belov 59Les Amis Concerts 42Live Nation Canada 43Liz Parker 58LIZPR 60Lockwood ARS 59Long & McQuade 30Masterworks of Oakville Chorusand Orchestra 37Metropolitan United Church 18Mississauga Festival Choir 47Mississauga Symphony 48Mooredale Concerts 15Music at Sharon 26Music Gallery 22Music Toronto 9,39Music Toronto 36Musicians in Ordinary 38New Adventures in Sound Art/ Penderecki String Quartet 43New Music Concerts 10, 35Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation 41No Strings Theatre 57Norm Pulker 59Oakham House Choir 45Off Centre Music Salon 49Open Ears Festival 51Orchestra Toronto 39Organix 7Oriana Women’s Choir 48Orpheus Choir 50Pandora’s Box 39Pasquale Bros 61Pattie Kelly 59Pax Christi Chorale 40Peter Mahon 24Philharmonic Music LTD. 58Reaching Out Through Music 44Remenyi House of Music 25Royal Conservatory 27Samantha Chang Productions 4, 17, 38Sine Nomine 43Sinfonia Toronto 37Soundstreams 42Southern Ontario Chapter of theHymn Society 57St. Philip’s Anglican ChurchJazz Vespers 29St. Thomas’ Church 36Stephen Satory 45Steve’s Music Store 2Studio 92 59Sue Crowe Connolly 59Summer Voice Programme forAdult Singers 56Syrinx Sunday Salons 33, 46Tafelmusik 2, 3Talisker Players 46Tallis Choir 47The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral,Oxford 34The Sound Post 30Toronto Beach Chorale 40Toronto Children’s Chorus 48Toronto Classical Singers 45Toronto Consort 13Toronto Jazz Festival 28, 29Toronto Masque Theatre 13Toronto Mendelssohn Choir 41Toronto Operetta Theatre 11Toronto Philharmonia 34Toronto School for Strings 57Toronto Summer Music Festivaland Academy 20Toronto Symphony Orchestra 71Tryptych Concert and Opera 14, 40U of T Faculty of Music 36Virginia Barron 15Visual and Performing ArtsNewmarket 45Vocal Horizons Chamber Choir 38Wish Opera 11Women’s Musical Club 21Yamaha Music School 59April 1 - May 7, 2010 thewholenote.com 31

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