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Volume 17 Issue 5 - February 2012

  • Text
  • February
  • Toronto
  • Jazz
  • Theatre
  • Symphony
  • Arts
  • Musical
  • Orchestra
  • Bloor
  • Quartet

European cities where

European cities where baroque music and art intersect. Stunningimages, paintings and a concert played from memory make this trulya tour de force.• February 17: “Anger Management,” in the hands of I Furiosi,means subtle procedures such as calling up the spirits of the dead toexact revenge on one’s enemies. With guest, mezzo Laura Pudwell,this will be “a concert of anxiety and discord” — butundoubtedly with some exquisitely performedand lovely music.• February 18: “Fresh Baroque” arealmost the first words to appear in theAradia Ensemble’s website. Their Februaryconcert is no exception, combining gloriousinstrumental and vocal music from 17th- and18th-century Venice with newly-composedworks by Rose Bolton and Chris Meyer(winner of last season’s Baroque Idol competition).As well, the freshness of youth appearsin the participation of the Toronto YouthChamber Orchestra, led by violinist ElyssaLefurgey-Smith.• February 18: Another of early music’s shininglights is in town, for Scaramella’s concert “TheAngel and the Devil.” Gambist Liam Byrnecurrently resides in England and is professor ofviola da gamba at London’s Guildhall School ofMusic and Drama. He’s also in great demandas soloist and ensemble musician. Scaramella’sprogramme features music by rival viol playersfrom the French Baroque — Marin Marais (who played “like anangel”) and Antoine Forqueray (possessing the virtuosity of “thedevil”). Liam’s collaborators are harpsichordist Sara-Anne Churchilland gambist Joëlle Morton.• February 18: Intriguing mini-dramas, stories of the interaction ofnymphs and shepherds, make for a delightful programme of duetsand dialogues from the 16th and 17th centuries as the Musicians InOrdinary presents “When Tircis Met Chloris.” Soprano Hallie Fisheland theorbist John Edwards are joined by guest tenor and baroqueguitarist, Bud Roach.• February 19 in Kitchener: Spiritus Ensemble, dedicated to theperformance of great religious music, presents an “All-BachConcert” of two cantatas, the Magnificat in D, and the Sinfoniafrom Cantata 29.• February 19: In their programme “The Art of Conversation,” theWindermere String Quartet, on period instruments, explores Goethe’scomment on the string quartet: “One hears four rational peopleconversing with one another.” They’ll illustrate this thought withworks by Haydn, Mozart and Boccherini.• February 24: Two of the Canterbury Tales areinterspersed with lively English songs and instrumentalpieces, and also music by the Frenchman Machaut andhis contemporaries, in Sine Nomine Ensemble’s “TheRoad to Canterbury: Music for Chaucer’s Pilgrims.”• February 26: A programme of early 17th-centuryGerman chamber music is presented by Toronto EarlyMusic Centre’s Musically Speaking series, featuringviolinists Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith and ChristopherVerrette, and harpsichordist Sara-Anne Churchill.• March 1 in Toronto, March 2 in Kitchener: Theseconcerts, (at Koerner Hall and Perimeter Institute,respectively), by world-renowned gambist/scholar/conductor Jordi Savall and his group Hespèrion XXILiam Byrne,Scaramella.take place, in spite of the death of Savall’s partnerin life and in music, soprano Montserrat Figueras.• March 3: Tallis Choir recreates the passion of HolyWeek in “Stabat Mater: Music for Passiontide.”A brilliant six-voice Monteverdi mass, Missa inIllo Tempore (“Mass In That Time”) interweavesthemes from an earlier motet by Gombert. Lotti’sCrucifixus and settings of the Stabat Mater by Palestrina andScarlatti, along with plainsong for Holy Week, will also be heard.• March 3: “God give you good morrow my masters, past threeo’clock and a fair morning …” The street cries of Gibbons’ Londoncontrast with his magnificent music for the cathedral, when theToronto Chamber Choir presents “Gibbons: Canticles and Cries.”With organ, lute and the viols of the Cardinal Consort, they’llperform Renaissance canticles, anthems, madrigals and vendors’cries by Gibbons, Byrd and others.Simone Desilets is a long-time contributor to The WholeNotein several capacities who plays the viola da gamba.She can be contacted at earlymusic@thewholenote.com.Jeanne Lamon | Music DirectorIvars Taurins | Director, Chamber ChoirBaroque Summer InstituteI Furiosi Baroque Ensemble presentsanger managementFridayFebruary 17,2012Angry Guest :Laura Pudwell,mezzo-sopranoTafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute SponsorJune 3-16, 2012At the Faculty of MusicUniversity of TorontoToronto, CanadaA 14-day residency ininstrumental and vocalperiod performance.For advanced students,pre-professional andprofessional musicians.Application Deadline:March 21, 2012tafelmusik.org/tbsiCalvin Presbyterian Church, 8pm26 Delisle Avenue(Yonge & St. Clair) / Tickets only at the door.ifuriosi.com22 thewholenote.comFebruary 1 – March 7, 2012

COBA at Kuumba GetsBHM Under WayANDREW TIMARThe collective of black artists (COBA) kicks off BlackHistory Month with a concert titled “Les Rythmes de la Forêt,”running from February 3 to 5, at the Fleck Dance Theatre,Harbourfront Centre. Founded 19 years ago, COBA has been at thelocal forefront of the creation and production ofstage works that reflect Africanist social themesand perspectives. Using storytelling, music anddrama interwoven with dance, the programmepresents a suite of dances from sub-SaharanAfrica accompanied by traditional drumming andsinging. The production aims to represent socialand ritual events in peoples’ lives including ritesof passage, initiations, harvest, and moments ofjoy and celebration.Harbourfront Centre itself joins in celebratingthe African experience in its Kuumba festival byexploring “African roots through a 21st-centuryperspective.” This year the festival highlights theessential role women have played in shaping Blackculture. For three days, February 3 to 5, the festivaloffers storytelling, fashion, film, dance, roundtable discussions, food, exhibitions, workshops(some musical) and children’s activities. And, ofcourse, concerts.A sampling: On the afternoon of February 4,join instructor Lua Shayenne in a workshop oftraditional African and Afro-contemporary danceand music. Later that evening join Dr. Jay deSoca Prince on the Centre’s rink for “DJ SkateNight”— a novel Toronto combination of Trini and“skate culture.” If Ice T is more your speed than ice skating however,check out Jamaican DJ and Dub pioneer Clive Chin’s “Celebrationof Jamaica’s 50th Anniversary of Independence Through Reggae”next door at Harbourfront’s Lakeside Terrace. Later, at 9:30pm, themusic gets “urban” with the Known (Un)Known, a showcase offresh local talent embracing various current African American musicstreams, including singer Rochelle Jordan. Vibe Magazine dubbedher the “female version of Drake.”Kuumba continues on Sunday, February 5. At 1pm you have arare opportunity to explore Guinean drum-playing techniques ina workshop with Alpha Rhythm Roots, a Toronto-based companyintroducing the music, dance, traditions and culture of the WestRhythms of Guinea – learndrumming with Alpha RhythmRoots, at Kuumba.African country of Guinea to Canada. Then at 3:30pm, join theaward-winning Pan Fantasy steelband in “Trinidad and Tobago’s50th Anniversary of Independence Celebration.” Playing strong for26 years, North York’s Pan Fantasy, directed by Wendy Jones, willbe performing a repertoire of “classic” and contemporary calypsos.As T & T’s musical gift to the world, steel pan’s worth is possiblymatched only by the calypso musical tradition. Pan Fantasy willfeature homage to the patriarch calypsonian, The Mighty Sparrow,justly dubbed “King of the Calypso World.”EMBERS: From February 9 to12, across the Harbourfront parkinglot at the Fleck Dance Theatre, Toronto’s Arabesque DanceCompany and Orchestra presents its production of “Jamra,” Arabicfor “embers.” The live 12-piece Arabic orchestra features the richvoice of Bassam Bishara. It provides a lush musical underpinningfor Arabesque’s newest production that includesover a dozen dancers. The company is led by thedistinguished dancer, veteran choreographer andartistic director, Yasmina Ramzy. Among ourcity’s prime movers on the world dance scene,Ramzy has established what is arguably Canada’sleading Middle Eastern dance and music ensemble.Critics have praised her for taking “bellydance to another level.”LATIN GUITAR: Playing the February Valentinecard, Latin guitarist Johannes Linstead andhis group join forces with flamenco guitaristAntonitas D’Havila in a concert titled “ValentineFiesta Romantica.” The “romance and Latinpassion” will be on display on February 8 atCoconuts Restaurant & Lounge Night Club andagain on February 10 at the Latin Fever NightClub. Johannes Linstead, awarded the title ofCanada’s Guitarist of the Year, has earned internationalrecognition for his best selling albums inthe instrumental and world music sales categories.His partner on the bill, Antonitas D’Havila, is arenowned Romany flamenco guitarist, specializingin an intense, bravura style. If you miss thoseconcerts you can still redeem your Valentine mojowith your beloved a few days later when D’Havilaperforms at the Trinity-St. Paul’s Church, on February 17.YASMIN: On February 11, the Royal Conservatory presents aconcert by Yasmin Levy and Omar Faruk Tekbilek at Koerner Hall.The headliner is the Israeli Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) singer YasminLevy who has won high praise for her vocalism that also engagesthe fiery heart of flamenco. Songlines wrote, “every colour andpitch in her remarkable range and the resulting vocal pyrotechnicsare unforgettable.” The brilliant Turkish born multi-instrumentalistOmar Faruk Tekbilek’s 40-year career has taken him on a globaljourney. His nonstop recording and touring activities place himamong a small cohort of pioneer “world musicians.” I performedwith Omar years ago, but distinctly recall the intimate bond heValentine Fiesta Romantica8-Feb Coconut Night ClubN.E. Corner Steeles & Keele - TorontoSolo Flamenco Guitar RecitalTrinity St. Paul’s Centre - Toronto10-Feb Latin Fever Night ClubN.E. Corner Hwy#7 & Keele - TorontoJohannes Linstead Antonitas D’HavilaandoN .1 World Latin GuitarYamaha Guitars Influential Artist#1 on eMusic.com Jazz/Blues charts#1 on eMusic.com World Music chartsFour "Top Ten" Billboard-charting albumsSix "Best Album" awards"World Artist of the Year" ~ T.O.M.A Awards"Guitarist of the Year" - Canadian Smooth Jazz Awardspurchase ticketsat www.uofttix.ca416-978-8849FOR TORONTO VENUESFREE CD17-Feb - Antonitas D’HavilaoN .1 Gypsy Flamenco GuitarAcclaimed as“The greatestliving originaland authenticRomany Gypsyflamencoguitarist”HARBOURFRONT CENTREFebruary 1 – March 7, 2012thewholenote.com 23

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