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Volume 20 Issue 2 - October 2014

  • Text
  • October
  • Toronto
  • Choir
  • November
  • Concerts
  • Jazz
  • Musical
  • Arts
  • Orchestra
  • Theatre
Includes the 2014 Blue Pages Member Directory

REMEMBERING. . . . .Paul

REMEMBERING. . . . .Paul WillisCounterpoint Community Orchestra LosesFormer ConcertmasterThere is an empty seat at rehearsals these days as CounterpointCommunity Orchestra (CCO) starts its 31st season. The group ismissing one of its long-standing members, former concertmaster andformer CCO Chair, Paul Willis.For 28 years, Paul brought passion, respect and talent to the group.He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and succumbed to hisillness on July 21, ending a life of giving to the community and to hisloving partner, Alex.Paul was CCO’s biggest advocate and gathered immense communitysupport with his friendly and persuasive manner. On June 7, Paulwas invited on stage by music director Terry Kowalczuk to honour hiscontributions at the 30th anniversary concert. It meant a lot to Paul tolive to see CCO turn 30 and take part in WorldPride 2014 in Toronto.Paul left Counterpoint a generous bequest to hire a young person tofill the concertmaster chair for many years to come.The orchestra is celebrating the life of Paul Willis on Saturday,November 8, 7pm, location TBA, where his favourite piece, Méditationfrom the opera Thaïs, will be performed by current concertmasterEmma Vachon-Tweney.The concert will be a fitting tribute by the orchestra to a memberwho played with his heart at every concert. Paul studied violin andgraduated from the University of Western Ontario’s music program.He went on to law school and ran a successful law practice with hislegal assistant Deborah Visconti for 25 years.Paul was a proud gay man and helped to build Toronto’s LGBTQcommunity in the 1980s. He was a member of “The Body Politic”collective that regularly published a newspaper that united LGBTQpeople and helped them stand up for equal rights. His commitmentand contributions resonated with the LGBTQ community.Paul joined Counterpoint soon after it was founded as a safe spacefor gay musicians in 1984, having set aside his violin for a short time.It was a powerful experience for Paul and he thrived in a communityof acceptance.“In the early years of Counterpoint, he participated in our firstexecutive committee and instilled the openness and love of ourcommunity in theCounterpoint constitution.During one seasonwhen we didn’t havea conductor, he evenconducted the seasonfrom the concertmaster’schair, which he occupiedfor many years,” said BillMcQueen, one of CCO’sfounding members.Paul rallied communitysupport for CCO for manyyears and served on CCO’sfirst orchestra board in2005. As CCO’s chair from2007 to 2009, Paul helpedbuild the orchestra into astrong community organizationand set the stage for current chair, Lana Chou Hoyt.“I saw Paul’s passion and drive while he built Counterpoint fromthe ground up. Paul’s leadership helped pave the way for Counterpointfor many years to come. Building a community group takes teamwork.Paul Willis was certainly the glue that kept the team together for closeto 30 years,” she said.Paul is also fondly remembered for his open and cheerfulpersonality.“Many members of the orchestra and the audience find our earlymemories of this orchestra are inextricably linked to Paul, who gracedthe first chair not only with his playing, but also his unrelenting smileand gracious manner,” said CCO member David Beattie.As a great example of Paul’s giving spirit, he donated his violin tohis alma mater, the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Music, sothat its melody, and indirectly Paul’s musical spirit, will live on.By Counterpoint musicians: Trish Tervit, Lana Chou Hoytand Bill McQueen. Trish Tervit is a violinist, a Torontobasedwriter who began her career as a print journalist andnow works as a public relations professional. Lana ChouHoyt is a flutist and current CCO chair. Bill McQueen is aclarinetist, founding member of CCO and former chair.BILL MCQUEENClassified Advertising | classad@thewholenote.comTHE SONG SANCTUARY Private & Semi-Private Sessions in Voice, Performance,and Songwriting. Group Workshops andRoundtables. Visit rosemaryphelan.commightywrenproductions@gmail.comVOICE LESSONS – experienced, professional& supportive teacher. All ages & levels, adultbeginners welcome. Contact: Grant AllertB.mus. 416-910-9605, grantallert@hotmail.comWARMHEARTED PIANO TEACHER withsterling credentials, unfailing good humor,and buckets of patience. Royal Conservatorywashouts and shy or overwroughtteens/adults especially welcome. LovelyCabbagetown studio, with German grandand Kleenex. Testimonials: “Best teacherever!” - Riverdale girl, age 14. “Bach ismore affordable than talk therapy!” -Beaches fellow, 40s. “Beats studying withthose Quebec nuns!” - Rosedale lady, agewithheld. Peter Kristian Mose, 416-923-3060. www.MoseMusicalArts.com. Mystudents have never won any prizes, exceptfor love of music. (And loyalty.)INSTRUMENTS: FOR SALE / WANTEDFRENCH HORN FOR SALE: One-of-a-kinddouble horn (Reynolds prototype for Selmer),one owner since 1978, excellent condition.Suitable for advanced student or workingmusician. jack@thewholenote.com*Lorée OBOE & ENGLISH HORN stolenfrom car on Sept 11 2014, Bloor/Bathurstarea. 0 reward for information leadingto return of these instruments. Serial #’s:oboe TA 78, English horn HV 25. Please callKaren 416-656-4312 or 416-323-2232 x.26*WHILE YOUR GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS:Garage band days just a hazy memory? Yourlovely old guitar / violin / clarinet is cryingout to be played! There’s someone outthere who’d love to love it, and give it newlife. Sell your unused instruments with aWholeNote classified ad: contact classad@thewholenote.com.MUSICIANS AVAILABLEARE YOU A PARTY ANIMAL? TheWholeNote gets inquiries from readersseeking musicians to provide live music forall kinds of occasions. We can’t recommendyour ensemble, but YOU can! Contactclassad@thewholenote.com by October 24and book your ad for the November edition!BARD – EARLY MUSIC DUO playing recorderand virginal available to provide backgroundatmosphere for teas, receptions or otherfunctions – greater Toronto area. For ratesand info call 905-722-5618 or email us atmhpape@interhop.net.TRUMPET PLAYER AND SINGER seeksensemble (standards/jazz/soul/blues/pop).Phone Mark at 416-803-5531.Email: mark@markwalkermw.comSERVICESACCOUNTING AND INCOME TAX SERVICEfor small business and individuals, to saveyou time and money, customized to meetyour needs. Norm Pulker, B. Math. CMA.905-251-0309 or 905-830-2985.*DO YOU HAVE PRECIOUS MEMORIESLOST ON OLD RECORDS, TAPES, PHOTOSetc.? Recitals-gigs-auditions-air checksfamilystuff. 78’s-cassettes-reels-35mmslides-etc. ArtsMediaProjects will restorethem on CD’s or DVD’s. Call George @416-910-1091.MUSIC ENGRAVING/COPYING: FORPERFORMANCES, RECORDINGS, ETC.:well-laid-out, publisher-quality scores andparts; also transposition, piano reductions,proofreading. info@gregorymillar.net; www.gregorymillar.netVENUES AVAILABLE / WANTEDARE YOU PLANNING A CONCERT ORRECITAL? Looking for a venue? ConsiderBloor Street United Church. Phone: 416-924-7439 x22. Email: tina@bloorstreetunited.org.PERFORMANCE / REHEARSAL / STUDIO/ OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE: greatacoustics, reasonable rates, close toGreen P Parking, cafés & restaurants.Historic church at College & Bellevue,near Spadina. Phone 416-921-6350. Emailststepheninthefields@gmail.com62 | October 1 - November 7, 2014 thewholenote.com

WE ARE ALL MUSIC’S CHILDRENOctober’s ChildChristopher VerretteMJ BUELLNEW CONTEST!Who isNOVEMBER’S CHILD?Violinist Christopher Verrette lives in the Lawrence/Bathurst area of Toronto with his daughter,Eleanor Verrette, a violist, and occasionally other itinerant musicians and strays. Some of his othercurrent interests include reading, crossword puzzles, live jazz and taking long walks, especiallywhen on tour in new places.Born and raised in Exeter, New Hampshire,U.S.A., Christopher Verrette completed aBachelor of Music degree and a Performer’sCertificate at Indiana University in Bloomington.He was a founding member of the ChicagoBaroque Ensemble and Ensemble Voltaire(Indianapolis), and has been a guest directorwith the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra. Amember of the violin section of Tafelmusik since1993, Verrette is a frequent soloist and leaderwith the orchestra. He’s a busy collaborator withnumerous ensembles around North America,including Toronto-based The Musicians inOrdinary. Verrette comfortably performs musicfrom seven centuries on violins, viola, rebec,vielle and viola d’amore, and collaborated withSylvia Tyson on the companion recording to hernovel, Joyner’s Dream.What about that childhood photo? I don’tspecifically remember the photo being taken,but I certainly remember it being released asthe cover for a brochure for the New HampshireYouth Orchestra: I was too embarrassedat the time to feel honoured.It also brings back memories ofthose carpools to rehearsal everySaturday morning – it was anhour away; I haven’t seen any ofthose people in over 30 years! Anddonuts, we always looked forwardto the donuts at break.If you could speak with thatyoung person …?I think I would ask if he wasthere because he wanted to be, andnot because he was forced to (orjust for the donuts?). He might betoo shy to answer, but would probablysay: “Yup.” Then I would tellChristopher Verrette (right)at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary,near Brisbane.him it’s actually okay to smile when you playthe violin. (This is something I have gotten betterat over the years, but some people tell me I stillneed to do it more.)Early memories of music? Music alwaysseemed to be there – radio, LPs, or sometimeslive since my father was a musician. The radiotended to be on most of the day; mostly Top 40, Ithink. But my father liked to leave classical radioon all night, much to the chagrin of my mother.We had lots of LPs and I got to know classicalrepertoire through those. Also, my fatherbrought me to lots of concerts at the universitywhere he taught, and to family-friendly jazzevents. He also played organ at our church.Musicians in your family? My father was apianist. One brother plays cello and the otherstudied piano briefly. My mother played piano asa child but not as an adult. She did whistle alongwith the radio a lot, though. My local family inToronto are all musicians, so we practice andrehearse at home and attend concerts. We donot tend to put music on at homeas background music though; itis almost always specifically tolisten to it.First memories of making musicyourself? Singing along with theradio or banging on kitchen utensils.I began on piano. I startedviolin when I was nine, after ademonstration at my school, butI had always wanted to play it. Iwish I had known I could havestarted sooner …Read the full-length interviewwith Christopher Verrette atthewholenote.com.Paragon Park, in Waterloo ON, 1964.Scholarship informsher every noteas a composer,collaboratorand conductor.In medieval polyphony,18th-century chamber music,Victorian oratorio,or in new compositions ofher own, knowing themusicology score makes oldmusic leap –lively and new –off the page!See concert listings:October 19; October 24.Know our Mystery Child’s name?WIN PRIZES! Send your best guess,by October 24, tomusicschildren@thewholenote.com.CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS! HERE’S WHAT THEY WON …The Musicians in Ordinary present “Motets With Symphonies” on Oct 24: Monteverdi, Grandi and Marini. Christopher Verrette leads the consort withHallie Fishel, soprano, and John Edwards, lute & theorbo. A pair of tickets awaits Robert Lescoe (Brampton).and in 2015 …Paul Kay (Toronto) will launch the new year in Italian high baroque style with The Musicians in Ordinary at “A New Year’s Day Concert”: Hallie Fishel,soprano, and John Edwards with their guests Christopher Verrette and Patricia Ahern, baroque violins, Borys Medicky, harpsichord, archlute (Jan 1and Jan 2, 2015).Tafelmusik presents “Theatre of Magic | Music of the English Baroque” ( Nov 19 to 23) with PavloBeznosiuk, violinist and guest director – works by Locke/Banister, Purcell, Handel, Tartini and Boyce.There’s a pair of tickets for Maruta Freimuts (Etobicoke).“The French Connection” (Dec 4 to 7) with Amandine Beyer, violinist and guest director, features worksby Rameau, Corrette, Campra, Leclair and Rebel. There’s a pair of tickets for Sharon Barclay (RichmondHill).Music’s Children gratefully acknowledges Linda, Tim, Paul & Fran, Abner & Shirley.thewholenote.com October 1 - November 7, 2014 | 63

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