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Volume 21 Issue 8 - May 2016

  • Text
  • Toronto
  • Jazz
  • Festival
  • Arts
  • Symphony
  • Quartet
  • Choir
  • Theatre
  • Musical
  • Bach
INSIDE: The Canaries Are Here! 116 choirs to choose from, so take the plunge! The Nylons hit the road after one last SING! Fling. Jazz writer Steve Wallace wonders "Watts Goode" rather than "what's new?" Paul Ennis has the musical picks of the HotDocs crop. David Jaeger's CBC Radio continues golden for a little while yet. Douglas McNabney is Music's Child. Leipzig meets Damascus in Alison Mackay's fertile imagination. And "C" is for KRONOS in Wende Bartley's koverage of the third annual 21C Festival. All this and as usual much much more. Enjoy.

CANARY PAGES

CANARY PAGES theWholeNote 2016/17 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY us for a Masterworks concert! You will enjoy a concert experience of the highest quality with compositions seldom performed outside major metropolitan centres. CHARLES DEMUYNCK 905-399-9732 charlesdemuynckvideo@gmail.com www.masterworksofoakville.ca ● Menno Singers Founded in 1955, Menno Singers is a 40-voice, auditioned community choir based in Kitchener- Waterloo. While rooted in the thriving Mennonite community of KW, membership is open to all interested singers. Four regular concerts are offered each season with repertoire ranging from the Renaissance through the present day. Menno Singers also sponsors Mennonite Mass Choir every two years. Mass choir alternates performances of the Messiah at Centre in the Square with other monuments of the oratorio repertoire. The choir is under the direction of awardwinning conductor Dr. Peter Nikiforuk. PETER NIKIFORUK 519-571-8113 pniki@stpeterskw.ca www.mennosingers.com ● Metropolitan United Church Choir The auditioned 35-member Metropolitan United Church Choir has eight lead singers, rehearses Thursday evenings and sings on Sunday mornings and special occasions, September through June. Repertoire is medieval through 21st-century. Singers must have sightsinging ability. A waiting list exists; contact our director in late spring or early fall to join. The Festival Choir adds 10 to 15 singers to the core choir and rehearses Sunday afternoons for six weeks prior to Good Friday. Past concerts have featured Bach, Mozart, Fauré, Duruflé, Gilles and others. The Metropolitan Sparklers (ages 4 to 6), Choristers (7 to 11), Great Heart Ensemble (vocal and instrumental, ages 12 and up) and Metropolitan Handbells are groups open to all. DR. PATRICIA WRIGHT 416-363-0331 x26 patriciaw@metunited.org www.metunited.org ● Milton Choristers This dynamic, auditioned, four-part community choir has entertained audiences in Halton Region and beyond for 48 years. The 40 member choir performs two concerts annually, often including premier guest soloists and musicians. We also enjoy performing at numerous local events. Our director, Sheena Nykolaiszyn, is expanding our already varied repertoire. From classical to contemporary, sacred to secular, we do it all. Rehearsals are Tuesdays, 7:30pm to 10pm, from September to June. A love of singing, some sight reading and a sense of humour are all you need to become a Milton Chorister. BILL MCLEAN 905-875-1730 info@miltonchoristers.com www.miltonchoristers.com ● Mississauga Festival Choir Founded in 1984, Mississauga Festival Choir (MFC) is a 150-member non-auditioned community choir whose mission is to be a “community choir enriching lives through music by performance, education and outreach” to the people of Mississauga. Led by artistic director David Ambrose, MFC hosts three subsidiary choirs: Mississauga Festival Chamber Choir, an auditioned group launched in 2008, which explores intimate and challenging works; Raising Voices: an intergenerational choir of music lovers, launched in 2015 to provide the therapeutic value of music to people with Alzheimers and dementia and their caregivers; and Resonance (www.resonance.mfchoir.com), a non-auditioned choir launched in January 2016 to provide a much-needed choral opportunity for youth and young adults in Mississauga ages 15 to 25. AGNES CARLONE 905-403-8415 acarlone@mississaugafestivalchoir.com www.mfchoir.com ● MNjcc Adult Daytime Choir Love to sing? Prefer rehearsing during the day? Join the MNjcc’s Adult Daytime Choir. No experience or sight reading necessary. Join us, and fill your life with the joy of singing in harmony! A fun-filled, relaxed environment. Meets Tuesday afternoons, 1pm to 2:30pm. Includes some performances! Runs all year long. Join for the whole year or ‘drop in’ and pay as you go. Conductor: Gillian Stecyk. Conveniently located near Spadina TTC station. HARRIET WICHIN 416-924-6211 music@mnjcc.org www.mnjcc.org ● MNjcc Community Choir Tackle world, jazz, classical, Jewish, folk, Canadian, gospel and pop music. Our 75-member auditioned SATB choir meets Wednesday evenings, September to June. Rehearsals are well-structured and singers learn skills in different musical genres, expression, blend, vocal production and reading. A wonderful community of dedicated singers. By audition only. Annual Spring Concerts in the Al Green Theatre, with other informal performances. Conductor: Harriet Wichin. Conveniently located near Spadina TTC station. HARRIET WICHIN 416-924-6211 music@mnjcc.org www.mnjcc.org ● MNjcc Specialty Choirs Fall Broadway Choir! Winter Jazz Choir! Spring Motown Choir! Eight weeks devoted to each genre. Enjoy diverse repertoire and vocal technique, and train your ear to harmony. Men and women welcome. No experience or audition required. Conductor: Gillian Stecyk. Meets Thursday evenings, 7pm to 8:30pm. Conveniently located near Spadina TTC station. HARRIET WICHIN 416-924-6211 music@mnjcc.org www.mnjcc.org ● Nathaniel Dett Chorale The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is a 21-voice SATB professional choir based in Toronto, dedicated to performing Afrocentric music of all genres, including classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues. Founded by artistic director D. Brainerd Blyden-Taylor in 1998, the Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada’s premier performer of Afrocentric composers and a touchstone for the education of audiences and communities regarding the full spectrum of Afrocentric choral music. The mission of the chorale is to build bridges of understanding, appreciation and acceptance between communities of people through the medium of music. The chorale has a three-concert subscription series in Toronto, tours extensively each season and has released several CDs and DVDs. Membership is by audition. KAREN SCOVELL, ensemble coordinator 416-736-2100 x33068 info@nathanieldettchorale.org www.nathanieldettchorale.org ● Oakham House Choir Oakham House Choir of Ryerson University was founded in 1986. It is led by music director Matthew Jaskiewicz and specializes in large oratorio and choral masterworks. Oakham House Choir is one of the few Toronto choirs in which amateur singers perform with a professional orchestra – the Toronto Sinfonietta. The choir has more than 70 members, including students, alumni, Ryerson faculty and staff and community members. Rehearsals begin in early September and take place on Monday evenings from 7pm to 9pm at Oakham House, 63 Gould St. Concerts are planned for November 2016 and April 2017. Please check our website for details on past programs. Experienced community choristers are invited to contact us (email preferred) for more information. MATTHEW JASKIEWICZ, music director 416-763-8746 choir@ryerson.ca www.oakhamchoir.ca ● Oakville Children’s Choir The Oakville Children’s Choir is a welcoming, professional and inclusive community that provides exceptional music education, leadership development and performing opportunities to a diverse group of children and youth between the ages of 4 and 25. The OCC provides world-class choral, musical and performance training to young people in Halton through its various choir programs. It is a comprehensive music education program where choristers develop creativity, self-esteem, self-confidence and leadership skills. A love and appreciation of choral music is instilled through participation and outreach in the community. Developing leaders one voice at a time! C10

KATHERINE HAMILTON 905-337-7104 info@oakvillechildrenschoir.org www.oakvillechildrenschoir.org ● Oakville Choral Society The Oakville Choral Society has been an integral part of the Oakville community since 1960. Directed by David Bowser, we are a community-based choir of 60 to 80 members who love music, possess a true passion for singing and enjoy contributing culturally to the community. No auditions are required, however, a love of music and a willingness to learn are important. We perform a wide repertoire, and are often joined by professional soloists and orchestra. Rehearsals are Tuesdays from 7:45pm to 10pm at St. Aidan’s Anglican Church, 318 Queen Mary Dr., Oakville, and registration is held in September and January. We hold two performances annually, in late April/early May and early December. LYNDA STURGEOFF, president 905-338-3823 oakvillechoral@gmail.com www.oakvillechoral.com ● Oasis Vocal Jazz Oasis Vocal Jazz, Toronto’s longest running close harmony ensemble, has been making a unique contribution to the city’s artistic life since 1985. Influenced by pioneers Lambert, Hendricks and Ross and inspired by modern-day masters of the genre such as New York Voices, Take 6 and Toronto’s own Cadence, we enjoy sharing our love of vocal jazz with a wide range of audiences. Whether performing in community or corporate events and charitable fundraisers, or putting on our own concerts backed by some of the city’s top jazz instrumentalists, we have always valued both the pursuit of musical excellence and the joy of making music with each other. For more information, why not become a fan of our Facebook page? ALAN GOTLIB 416-466-7040 info@oasisvocaljazz.com www.oasisvocaljazz.com ● Ontario Heartland Chorus Women’s a cappella chorus – contemporary and barbershop styles. We thrive on learning and have a lot of fun doing it! We bring in coaches to help us gain the wide variety of skills that go into giving a truly moving performance that changes audience lives for better. New members always welcome. Drop us an email before stopping by, just in case we’ve got a performance that evening rather than being at our usual rehearsal hall. Find us on Facebook and Meetup, and look for our Culture Days event each September! Proud chapter of Sweet Adelines International. JENNIFER 647-269-3174 ohc@ontarioheartlandchorus.ca www.ontarioheartlandchorus.ca ● Oriana Singers of Northumberland The Oriana Singers of Cobourg are the choral jewel in the crown in Northumberland County. Based out of Cobourg, this 65-voice SATB choir performs varied repertoire from Bach to Bacharach. Our concerts thrill audiences, and keep the standard of music excellence in the county at the highest level. Led by artistic director Markus Howard, and accompanied by Robert Grandy, the ‘Orianas’ welcome new singers who are looking to add some quality art into their Monday evenings! HEATHER STUBBS 289-252-0798 hgstubbs@gmail.com www.orianasingers.com ● ORIANA Women’s Choir ORIANA Women’s Choir is an auditioned, amateur ensemble of about 36 female singers. Under artistic director Mitchell Pady, ORIANA promotes choral music in Canada by striving for excellence and versatility in performing compositions for women’s voices. Since 1972 the choir has expanded the repertoire for women’s voices by commissioning new works from Canadian composers. The singers delight in supporting each other and expressing their enjoyment of beautiful music, beautifully performed. ORIANA presents three subscription concerts every year, usually in November, March and May, at Grace Church on-the-Hill. The 2016/17 repertoire includes jazz-inspired Christmas music, a major Estonian work and several new Canadian commissions. ORIANA is currently inviting new singers. Rehearsals are on Tuesdays, 7:30pm to 10pm, at North Toronto Collegiate Institute. JULIA LEE 416-461-7410 info@orianachoir.com www.orianachoir.com ● Orpheus Choir of Toronto The Orpheus vision is to celebrate the transformational power of choral music as an agent of social change and a passionate medium of artistic expression. The 65-voice choir, under artistic director Robert Cooper, champions the new and unusual in choral performance, commissioning and introducing new works and performing neglected masterpieces. With repertoire ranging from classical to jazz, a cappella to full orchestra, Orpheus has introduced audiences to many fascinating and accessible works from the current generation of leading composers. Our 53rd season includes five premieres, a TSO collaboration, a Christmas spectacular and a performance at Koerner Hall. Orpheus supports young emerging vocal talent through its highly respected Sidgwick Scholars Program. We welcome enthusiastic singers for an “expect something different” experience! ROBERT COOPER, artistic director; LISA GRIFFITHS, managing director 416-807-6312 Auditions: info@orpheuschoirtoronto.com www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com ● Pax Christi Chorale Entering its 30th season, Pax Christi Chorale is a 100-voice oratorio choir attracting singers from across the GTA. Artistic director Stephanie Martin is known for imaginative programming, delighting Toronto audiences with rarely-heard and fresh interpretations of choral masterworks. Concerts feature outstanding soloists and orchestra. Our 2016/17 season includes: a reimagining of Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Parry’s Ode on the Nativity at Christmas; the Children’s Messiah community concert; and Elgar’s The Apostles. Paid positions exist for choral scholars. JENNIFER COLLINS 416-786-2509 gm.paxchristichorale@gmail.com Auditions: Daniel Norman, associate conductor daniel.norman@paxchristichorale.org www.paxchristichorale.org OASIS VOCAL JAZZ theWholeNote 2016/17 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY C11

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