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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

BLUE PAGES

BLUE PAGES 2014/15piano, the Bach Children’s Chorus premiering anew Hockey Cantata by Dean Burry, the JorgeMiguel Flamenco Ensemble and then Mike Murley,also premiering a new composition by PeterTogni. Our December concert, “The Snowman”will feature Jarrett McCourt, tuba, our concertocompetition winner as well as some holiday treatsand our ever-popular Instrument Petting Zoo. Newthis year is the RBC Student Fellowship Programwhere young musicians receive instruction fromour professional principal players and a chanceto play with the orchestra.Samantha Little, executive director1-855-987-2787info@orchestratoronto.caorchestratoronto.ca●●ORGANIX Concerts Inc.ORGANIX Concerts Inc., a wholly owned subsidiaryof Glionna Mansell Corporation, is the producerof important musical events specific toorgan performance and education. The musicalhighlight of the year is the annual internationalORGANIX music series showcasing Toronto’s finestpipe organs. This series offers the public anopportunity to hear and experience rarely performedrepertoire, brilliantly executed on magnificentinstruments by passionate Canadian andinternational artists.ORGANIX 15 is the 10th Anniversary Seasonand will present international and Canadian artists,including new music organ and percussionduo, Duo Zsigmond (Germany), Jens Korndörfer(Germany/USA), organ and violin duo RomanPerucki and Maria Perucka (Poland) and RenéeAnne Louprette (USA). Canadian artists include:Christopher Dawes and saxophonist DanielRubinoff, Aaron Tan, Jennifer Loveless, GordonMansell, and William O’Meara with cellist WilliamFindlay. There will also be a free Organ SkillsDevelopment workshop in collaboration with theRoyal Canadian College of Organists. As is ourtradition, all who are 18 years of age and youngerattend every ORGANIX concert free.ORGANIX is a music series unlike any other!Gordon Mansell, presidentand artistic director416-769-5224; 1-877-769-5224gdmansell@sympatico.caorganixconcerts.ca●●ORIANA Women’s ChoirORIANA Women’s Choir is an auditioned, amateurensemble of about 35 female singers. Underartistic director Mitchell Pady, ORIANA promoteschoral music in Canada by striving for excellenceand versatility in performing compositions forwomen’s voices. The choir works to expand therepertoire for women’s choirs by commissioningnew works from Canadian composers. The singersdelight in supporting each other, improvingtheir technique and expressing their enjoymentof beautiful music, beautifully performed.ORIANA is now in its 43rd season and is currentlyinviting new members. Rehearsals takeplace on Tuesdays, 7:30pm to 10pm, at NorthToronto Collegiate Institute. ORIANA presentsthree subscription concerts every year, usuallyin November, March and May, at Grace Churchon-the-Hill. In addition, next spring ORIANA isbooked to perform at Roy Thomson Hall, andwill also be hosting a workshop and concert forhigh school choirs.Julia LeeBox Office: 416-978-8849info@orianachoir.comorianachoir.com●●Orpheus Choir of TorontoThe Orpheus vision is “to celebrate the transformationalpower of choral music as an agentof social change and a passionate medium of artisticexpression.”Celebrating its 51st season of innovative musicmaking,the Orpheus Choir, under the charismaticdirection of artistic director Robert Cooper,champions the rare and different in choral performance,both pioneering new treasures andperforming neglected gems.Our 2014/15 season includes a commemorationof the 100th Anniversary of the Great War;festive Christmas favourites with the HannafordStreet Silver Band; John Rutter’s Requiem and theToronto premieres of Ten Thousand Rivers of Oilby Canadian Leonard Enns and Sunrise: A SymphonicMass by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo.Through our successful Sidgwick Scholars program,Orpheus provides invaluable opportunitiesfor aspiring young professional singers to gainexperience as soloists and section leaders.The Orpheus Choir is a vital and inclusivechoral community meeting Tuesday evenings atYorkminster Park Baptist Church. Rehearsals areopen and we welcome enthusiastic singers for an“expect something different” experience!Helen Coxon416-530-4428info@orpheuschoir.comorpheuschoirtoronto.com●●Pax Christi ChoraleKnown for presenting rarely heard choralmasterpieces, Pax Christi Chorale has a reputationfor passionate singing and performance ofdramatic masterworks with professional soloistsand orchestra. Their concerts bring peopletogether in a musical community without borders,in an artistic experience that deeply touches performersand audience alike.Under the artistic direction of Stephanie Martinsince 1997, the choir has performed ambitiousworks including Handel’s Solomon, Britten’sSaint Nicolas and Elgar’s The Kingdom in KoernerHall. In addition to their annual community concert,“The Children’s Messiah,” Pax Christi Choralewill present three concerts in 2014/15: “BlestPair of Sirens - A Celebration of Voice & Verse”;“Winter Nights,” featuring Bach’s Christmas OratorioPart II and Stephanie Martin’s cantata WinterNights; and the North American premiere ofC.H.H. Parry’s oratorio Judith at Koerner Hall.The choir has a chamber choir, a choral scholarshipprogram and an active school outreachprogram. The choir rehearses on Mondaynights in North York. Auditions are held in Mayand August.Jennifer Collins, general managerjennifer.collins@paxchristichorale.orgDaniel Norman, assistantconductor and auditionsdaniel.norman@paxchristichorale.orgpaxchristichorale.org●●Penthelia SingersA vibrant ensemble of women, Penthelia Singersis a chamber choir committed to excellencein performing a culturally diverse and musicallysophisticated repertoire spanning the Renaissanceto the 21st century. Founded in 1997,the choir is named after the ancient Egyptianpriestess-musician, Penthelia. Entering its 18thseason, Penthelia Singers has earned a reputationfor presenting innovative concerts of fourtoeight-part choral repertoire in a multitude oflanguages. Guest artists, dance, creative themesand unique programming make attending a Pentheliaperformance an original and engagingconcert experience. Penthelia Singers aimsto demonstrate the diversity of choral musicand to cross ethnic and cultural boundaries byreaching out and connecting with our communitythrough music.Penthelia Singers rehearses Wednesdaysfrom 7:30pm to 9:30pm at Rosedale PresbyterianChurch (129 Mt. Pleasant Rd., Toronto). Choiradmission is by audition in August or January.Strong sight-singing and/or choral experiencerequired.Our major concerts for the 2014/15 seasoninclude “Frozen Landscapes” (Sunday,November 23, 2014, 3pm) and “Music of theAmericas” (Sunday, June 7, 2015, 7:30pm).Alice Malach, artistic director416-579-7464pentheliasingers@yahoo.capenthelia.com●●Peterborough SingersThe Peterborough Singers, under the energeticand creative leadership of founder and music directorSyd Birrell, is an auditioned 100-voice choirof all ages that attracts audiences from Peterborough,the Kawarthas, Northumberland and locationsalong the lakeshore. The annual five-concertseason includes a diverse musical repertoirefrom gospel to sacred to pop to oratorio. Classicalhighlights have included St. Matthew Passion, Elijah,Carmina Burana and Bach’s B Minor Mass.Concerts in 2014/15 include “Yuletide Cheer,”B18 | theWholeNote 2014/15 PRESENTER PROFILES

featuring the choral compositions of Len Ballantineand the Yorkminster Citadel Band, “Soul,” tohelp celebrate Black History Month, and Haydn’s“Creation,” which will spotlight emerging youngsoloists. Rehearsals are Wednesdays 7:30pm to9:30pm at Murray St. Baptist Church, 175 MurraySt., Peterborough.Peg McCracken705-745-1820singers@peterboroughsingers.competerboroughsingers.com●●RCCO TorontoNationally, the RCCO (Royal Canadian College ofOrganists) offers opportunities for professionalcertification, publishes the magazine Organ Canada/OrgueCanada, publishes new compositionsfor organ and/or choir and organizes workshopsand annual conventions.RCCO Toronto is a community in the GTA forprofessional and amateur organists, churchand synagogue musicians, choral conductorsand others who value the “King of Instruments.”In September we will host another Used MusicSale (mostly music for organ and piano) – makesure students know about this! In October, RCCOToronto will co-sponsor a concert with ORGA-NIX, featuring organist Elizabeth Ullmann. Ourannual free Halloween concert, “Phantoms ofthe Organ,” takes place on October 31 at 10pm,at Metropolitan United Church. A stunning organperformance is expected in November with IsabelleDemers, co-sponsored with Lawrence ParkCommunity Church. In February, an Organ Skillstraining session is in the planning stages, whileduring March break, another fun and informative“Pipes, Pedals, and Pizza” will be offered forkids and teens. Finally, we are teaming up with thePax Christi Chorale for an examination of C.H.H.Parry’s choral works (particularly Judith).For details for all events, please visitour website.David Weind, president416-789-1175Hazel Ogilvie, membership secretary905-881-7266rccotoronto.ca●●Roy Thomson Hall2014/15 welcomes a diverse lineup of internationallyrenowned orchestras, musicians, speakers andmore at Roy Thomson Hall. Violinist Itzhak Perlmanreturns with pianist Rohan De Silva, the LondonPhilharmonic Orchestra takes the stage underthe baton of Vladimir Jurowski with 2014 Nomineefor Gramophone Artist of the Year, pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, and Evgeny Kissin makes his firstsolo recital appearance at Roy Thomson Hall in 15years. Roy Thomson Hall opens its doors for the18th season of free “Noon Hour Choir and OrganConcerts” and National Geographic Live returnswith a new season of outstanding presentationsby photographers and filmmakers from NationalSINFONIA TORONTOGeographic, introducing a new 2pm Sunday Matineeshow in addition to the standard two eveningpresentations for each speaker. Other highlightsinclude Bobby McFerrin in a performance dedicatedto Toronto entitled “Bobby Meets Canada:Toronto!”, Pink Martini, the Blind Boys of Alabamaand many more.Meghan McCready416-593-4822 x330Box Office: 416-872-4255roythomson.comsoundboard.ca@SoundboardTO●The ● Royal ConservatoryTake in a concert by international classical, jazz,pop and world music stars at one of the world’sfinest concert halls, Koerner Hall, or one of theConservatory’s two other concert venues. Artistsrange from Yo-Yo Ma, Mavis Staples and BruceCockburn to Max Raabe, Gilberto Gil, AngeliqueKidjo and Angela Hewett, plus the Conservatory’sown world-renowned faculty. Koerner Hall is “thegreatest venue in this city” and “magnificent in itsacoustics, as much as in its design.” (Toronto Star)416-408-0208tickets@rcmusic.caperformance.rcmusic.ca●●ScaramellaScaramella presents chamber music concerts onperiod instruments, showcasing accomplishedand artful musicians from Canada and abroad inintimate, one-of-a-kind performances of the highestcalibre, with the roster changing from concertto concert, enabling a wide range of musicalstyles and periods. Focusing on the beguilingcharacter and immediacy of period instruments,we revel in the exploration of lesser-known butsumptuous music that evokes bygone cultures,traditions and eras.For 2014/15, our theme is “Foursomes,” andones that comprise unusual combinations ofinstruments. We begin with a program centredon the music of William Lawes, with remarkableand engaging pieces for an ensemble ofharp, violin, bass viol and theorbo (December 6,“Lawes Unto Himself”). After that, we cross theChannel to focus on luscious Germanic music ofchurch and chamber for countertenor, two obbligatoviols and continuo (January 31, “In Paradisum”).And lastly, a program based on Telemann’sflamboyant Paris Quartets and the four Frenchmusicians who first performed them (March 7,“Telemania”). Do please join us for this “quadressential”early music celebration!Tickets available at the door or for advance purchaseusing the order form on the website.Joëlle Morton416-760-8610bm120@columbia.eduscaramella.ca●●Scarborough PhilharmonicOrchestraThe Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, in its35th season, is a community orchestra led bymusic director Ronald Royer. We offer fulfilling,and convenient live entertainment experiencesat affordable prices with performances by manyamazing artists. SPO is fertile ground for youngup-and-coming performers and composers, too.It is part of SPO’s commitment to providing thecommunity and performers with the opportunityto enjoy the very best the music world has to offer.For SPO’s 2014/15 concert season, the traditioncontinues. In addition to SPO’s impressive rosterof Canadian composers featured this season, weare always proud to spotlight many Canadian performersat every concert.It’s an exciting lineup for our 2014/15 season!Visit our website for complete concert details andonline ticketing.Sue PaynetheWholeNote 2014/15 PRESENTER PROFILES | B19

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Volumes 6 - 10 (2000 - 2006)

Volumes 1-5 (1994-2000)