In this issue: an interview with composer/vocalist Jeremy Dutcher, on his upcoming debut album and unique compositional voice; a conversation with Boston Symphony hornist James Sommerville, as as the BSO gets ready to come to his hometown; Stuart Hamilton, fondly remembered; and an inside look at Hugh’s Room, as it enters a complicated chapter in the story of its life in the complex fabric of our musical city. These and other stories, as we celebrate the past and look forward to the rest of 2016/17, the first glimpses of 2017/18, and beyond!
St. N., Kitchener.
St. N., Kitchener. 519-745-4711 or 1-888-745- 4717. -. Also Feb 25(mat, eve). ●●8:00: River Run Centre. Robert Michaels, Guitar. 35 Woolwich St., Guelph. 519-763- 3000. ; (sr/st); (uGO); (eyeGO). Saturday February 25 ●●2:00: Peterborough Singers. Canadian Women of Song. Songs by female Canadian singers or songwriters. Mitchell: Big Yellow Taxi; Twain: Man! I Feel Like a Woman; Jepsen: Call Me Maybe. Kate Suhr, Tonya- Leah Watts and Victoria Pearce, vocals; Barry Haggarty, guitar; Rob Phillips, piano; Andrew Affleck, bass guitar; Curtis Cronkwright, drums; Steve McCracken, saxophone; Linda Kash, master of ceremonies; Pam Birrell, conductor. Calvary Pentecostal Church, 1421 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough. 705- 745-1820. ; (under 30); (st). ●●2:30 and 8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Music From the Movies. See Feb 24. Sunday February 26 ●●3:00: La Jeunesse Youth Orchestra. In the Spotlight. Michael Lyons, conductor. Port Hope United Church, 34 South St., Port Hope. 1-866-460-5596. ; (st); free(child). ●●3:00: Stratford Concert Band. Remembering a Friend: Andy Hoe. Guest: Edward Payne, commentator. Avondale United Church, 194 Avondale Ave., Stratford. 519- 301-2516. ; (st). ●●7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. Runa. Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., London. 519-473- 2099. /(adv). ●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society. Chamber Music Recital. Dvořák: Slavonic Dances; Mozart: Sonata in C; Gavrilin: Sketches; Ravel: Mother Goose; Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue. Turgeon Piano Duo. KWCMS Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673. ; (st). Tuesday February 28 ●●12:00_noon: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University. RBC Foundation Music@Noon. Devon Fornelli, percussion; Karin Di Bella, piano. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688- 5550 x3817. Free. Wednesday March 1 ●●12:00_noon: Midday Music with Shigeru. Catherine Robbin with Music Students of York University. Hi-Way Pentecostal Church, 50 Anne St. N., Barrie. 705-726-1181. ; free(st). ●●7:00: Stratford Concert Band. 1 Bandarama 2017. Guests: Bands from area high schools. Northwestern Secondary School, 428 Forman Ave., Stratford. 519- 301-2516. Admission by donation to The Local Community Food Centre. Thursday March 2 ●●7:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western Performs! Concert Series: Jazz Ensemble. Aeolian Hall, 795 Dundas St. E., London. 519-661-3767. Free. Friday March 3 ●●12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Fridays at 12:30 Concert Series: What Is a Song? Dr. Marc Neufeld, composer; Gabrielle Heidinger B. Concerts Beyond the GTA Baerg, mezzo; Ted Baerg, baritone; and Daniel Baerg, percussion. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767. Free. ●●7:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Ensemble Series: Cecilia String Quartet. Purcell (arr. Britten): Chacony in G; Rubbra: Amoretti for tenor and string quartet Op.43; Mozetich: On the Beach at Night; Schubert: String Quartet D810 “Death and the Maiden.” Guest: Lawrence Wiliford, tenor. 390 King St. W., Kingston. 613-533-2424. - ; -(faculty/staff); (st). ●●8:00: Jeffery Concerts. Simon Aldrich, Clarinet and Janelle Fung, Piano. Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances; Mahler: Five Lieder; Glick: Suite Hébraïque; Guastavino: Cantilène; Brahms: Sonata in F Minor Op.120 No.1; and other works. Wolf Performance Hall, 251 Dundas St., London. 519-672-8800. ; (sr); (st). Saturday March 4 5 at the First — PRESENTS — Sound the Trumpet … and Violin! SAT MARCH 4, 3PM Hamilton WWW.5ATTHEFIRST.COM ●●3:00: 5 at the First Chamber Music Series. Sound the Trumpet...and Violin! Works by Biber, Barnes, Ewazen and Piazzolla. Bethany Bergman, violin; Michael Fedyshyn, trumpet; Angela Park, piano; Rachel Mercer, cello. First Unitarian Church of Hamilton, 170 Dundurn St. S., Hamilton. 905-399-5125. ; (sr); (st/unwaged); free(under 12). ●●7:30: Chorus Niagara. The Farthest Shore: A Celtic Celebration. Paul Mealor: The Farthest Shore. Guests: Chorus Niagara Children’s Choir; Airfid Celtic Ensemble; Flohertyh De Menezes Academy Irish Dancers. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 1-855-515-0722 or 905-688- 5550 x0722. ; (sr); (under 30); (st); (child) (high school). ●●7:30: Grand Philharmonic Choir. Bellows and Brass. Works by Gabrieli, Schutz, Halley, Gilliland and others. Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Brass Quintet; Mark Vuorinen, conductor. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 49 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-6885. . Sunday March 5 ●●2:00: Chamber Music Hamilton. Trio con Brio Copenhagen. Sven-David Sandstrom: 4 pieces; Schumann: Piano Trio in G Minor Op.110; Schubert: Piano Trio in B-flat Op.99. Art Gallery of Hamilton, 123 King St. W., Hamilton. 905-525-7429. ; (sr); (st). ●●2:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Studies in Motion 2017: Dance Showcase. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519- 661-3767. . ●●2:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Jazz Ensemble Concert: Traditions. Mocha Shrine Centre, 468 Colborne St., London. 519-661- 3767. Member and non-member pricing. ●●3:00: Musicata - Hamilton’s Voices. Tales of the Unconscious. Church of St. John the Evangelist, 320 Charlton Ave. W., Hamilton. 905-628-5238. ; (sr); (st); free(child). Pre-concert talk at 2:30. ●●3:00: Wellington Winds. In the European Tradition. Guilmant: Morceau Symphonique for Trombone; Mahler: Symphony No.3 1st mvt (transcription); works by Mendelssohn, Tull and Arnold. Rachel Thomas, trombone; Daniel Warren, conductor. Knox Presbyterian Church (Waterloo), 50 Erb St. W., Waterloo. C. Music Theatre 519-669-1327. ; (sr); free(st). Also Mar 12(Kitchener). ●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society. Mozart’s “Great” Quartets Concert 1. Mozart: Quartets K387, K458 and K465. Aviv String Quartet. KWCMS Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673. ; (st). Tuesday March 7 ●●12:00_noon: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University. RBC Foundation Music@Noon. Walker String Quartet: Vera Alekseeva and Anna Hughes, violins; Andrée Simard, viola; Gordon Cleland, cello. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-5550 x3817. Free. ●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society. Mozart’s “Great” Quartets Concert 2. Mozart: Quartets K421, K499, K589 and K575. Aviv String Quartet. KWCMS Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886- 1673. ; (st). These music theatre listings contain a wide range of music theatre types including opera, operetta, musicals and other performance genres where music and drama combine. Listings in this section are sorted alphabetically by presenter. ●●Acting Up Stage/Obsidian Theatre Company. Passing Strange. Music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, lyrics and book by Stew, created in collaboration with Annie Dorsen. The Opera House, 735 Queen St. E. 1-888-324-6282. -. Runs to Feb 5. Tues-Sun(8:00pm). ●●Canadian Children’s Opera Company. Brundibár. Music by Hans Krása; additional music by Robert Evans. Members of the Canadian Children’s Opera Company; Teri Dunn, music director; Joel Ivany, stage director. Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 235 Queens Quay W. 416-973-4000. ; (sr/st); (child). Opens Mar 3, 7:30pm. Also Mar 4(2:00pm/7:30pm), 5(2:00pm). ●●Canadian Opera Company. The Magic Flute. Music by W.A.Mozart, libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. Bernard Labadie, conductor. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. -5; $22(under 30). English Surtitles. Runs to MOZART THE MAGIC FLUTE JAN 19 – FEB 24 coc.ca Feb 24. Days and times vary. Visit coc.ca for details. FEB 2 – 25 coc.ca GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG WAGNER ●●Canadian Opera Company. Götterdämmerung. Music and libretto by Richard Wagner. Andreas Schager, tenor (Siegfried); Christine Goerke, soprano (Brünnhilde); and others. Tim Albery, director. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416- 363-8231. -5; $22(under 30). English Surtitles. Opens Feb 2, 6:00pm. Runs to Feb 25. Days and times vary. Visit coc.ca for details. ●●Don Wright Faculty of Music. Opera: The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). Music by W.A.Mozart, libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767. ; (sr/st). Feb 3 and 4(8:00); Feb 5(2:00pm). 54 | February 1, 2017 - March 7, 2017 thewholenote.com
●●Flato Markham Theatre. Some Enchanted Evening. Ben Heppner, tenor; Jean Stilwell, mezzo; Rebecca Caine, soprano; Gary Relyea, bass; David Warrack, music director. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469. - . Feb 3, 8:00pm. ●●Grand Theatre/Catalyst Theatre. Vigilante. Music, lyrics and book by Jonathan Christenson. Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond St, London. 519-672-8800. .95- .50. Opens Feb 7, 7:30pm. Runs to Feb 11. Tues-Thurs(7:30pm), Fri/Sat(8:00pm), Sat(2:00pm). ●●Hart House Theatre. Carrie: The Musical. Music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, book by Lawrence D. Cohen, based on the novel by Stephen King. Richard Ouzounian, director. Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Circle. 416-978-8849. ; (sr); (st). Runs to Feb 4. Wed- Sat(8:00pm), Sat Feb 4(2:00pm/8:00pm). ●●Mirvish. Stomp. An inventive and invigorating stage show that’s dance, music and theatrical performance blended together in one electrifying rhythm. Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St. 416-872-1212. - . Runs to Feb 5. Tues-Sat(8:00pm), Sat/ Sun(2:00pm), Sun(7:00pm). ●●Mirvish. Saturday Night Fever. Music and lyrics by the Bee Gees, book by Nan Knighton (with Arlene Phillips, Paul Nicholas and Robert Stigwood), based on the 1977 film. Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St. W. 416-872-1212. -0. Opens Feb 7, 8pm. Runs to Feb 12. Tues-Sat(8:00pm), Wed/Sat/ Sun(2:00pm). ●●Mirvish. The Bodyguard. Written by Alexander Dinelaris, based on the film, featuring songs recorded by Whitney Houston. Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St. 416-872- 1212. -5. Opens Feb 11, 2:00pm. Runs to March 26. Tues-Sat(8:00pm), Wed/Sat/ Sun(2:00pm). ●●Mirvish/Roundabout Theatre Company. Cabaret. Music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, based on the book by Christopher Isherwood. Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St.W. 416-872-1212. -9. Opens Feb 14, 8:00pm. Runs to Feb 19. Tues-Sat(8:00pm), Wed/Sat/Sun(2:00pm). ●●Mirvish. The Book of Mormon. Music, lyrics and book by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone. Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St.W. 416-872-1212. -0. Opens Feb 28, 8:00pm. Runs to Apr 16. Tues- Sat(8:00pm), Sat(2:00pm), Sun(1:30pm, 7:30pm). ●●North Toronto Players. Iolanthe. Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan, lyrics and book by W. S. Gilbert. Jubilee United Church, 40 Underhill Dr. 416-481-4867. ; $22(sr); (st); free(ch). Opens Mar 3, 8:00pm. Runs to Mar 12. Fri-Sat(8:00pm), Sun(2:00pm). Also Mar 11(2:00pm). ●●Opera by Request. Lohengrin. Music and libretto by Richard Wagner. Christopher Mac- Rae, tenor (Lohengrin); Michele Cusson, soprano (Elsa); Andrew Tees, baritone (Telramund); Kristine Dandavino, soprano (Ortrud); Michael Robert-Broder, baritone (Herald); William Shookhoff, conductor/piano. College Street United Church, 452 College St. 416- 455-2365. . Feb 4, 7:00pm. ●●Opera by Request. Così fan tutte. In Concert with Piano Accompaniment. Music by W. A. Mozart, libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Chantal Parent, soprano (Fiordiligi); Avery Krisman, tenor (Ferrando); Kim Sartor, mezzo (Dorabella); Austin Larusson, baritone (Guglielmo); and others. William Shookhoff, piano and conductor. College Street United Church, 452 College St. 416-455-2365. . Feb 18, 7:30pm. ●●Opera by Request. La Damnation de Faust. In Concert with Piano Accompaniment. Music by Hector Berlioz. Dillon Parmer, tenor (Faust); Michael Robert-Broder, baritone (Méphistophélès); Sarah Christina Steinert, mezzo (Marguerite); Mark Peacock, baritone (Brander); Annex Singers (Maria Case, conductor). William Shookhoff, pianoand conductor. College Street United Church, 452 College St. 416-455-2365. . Feb 25, 7:30pm. ●●Opera by Request. Mozart Mania. Excerpts from Così fan tutte, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Die Zauberflöte; complete performance of Der Schauspieldirektor. Ontario Opera Collaborative (Misty Banyard and Jennifer Fontaine, sopranos; Tara St. Pierre, mezzo; Antonio Dirienzo, tenor; Thomas Franzky, bass; D. Kai Ma, piano and conductor). College Street United Church, 452 College St. 416-455-2365. . Mar 4, 7:30pm. ●●Opera York. L’Elisir d’amore. Music by Gaetano Donizetti, libretto by Felice Romani. Fully staged opera with chorus and orchestra. Carla-Grace Colaguori, soprano (Giannetta); Michael Broder, baritone (Dr. Dulcamara); Geoffrey Butler, artistic director; Renee Salewski, stage director. Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. 905-787-8811. 0(Gala package); -. With supertitles. Opens Mar 2, 7:30pm. Also Mar 4. Some Enchanted Evening Sun. Feb. 5, 3pm showplace.org ●●Peterborough Symphony Orchestra. Some Enchanted Evening. Music from Carmen, The Merry Widow, Showboat, South Pacific and Phantom of the Opera. Rebecca Caine, soprano; Jean Stilwell, mezzo; Ben Heppner, tenor; Gary Relyea, bass-baritone. Showplace Performance Centre, 290 George St. N., Peterborough. 705-742-7469. . Feb 5, 3:00pm. ●●Scarborough Music Theatre. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Music and lyrics by David Yazbek, book by Jeffrey Lane, based on the film written by Dale Launer, Stanley Shapiro and Paul Henning. Scarborough Village Community Centre, 3600 Kingston Rd. 416-267-9292. ; (sr/st); (ch). Opens Feb 9, 8:00pm. Runs to Feb 25. Thurs-Sat(8:00pm), Sun(2:00pm). Note: Feb 25 show at 2:00pm. ●●Soulpepper Concert Series. Manhattan Concert Cycle Vol 1: Downtown – The Melting Pot. Immigration, innovation, vaudeville, organized crime, and the birth of American song. Due to audience demand, the full Manhattan Concert Cycle returns, featuring Albert Schultz as conductor on a journey through the history, culture, and rhythms of the original neighbourhoods of Manhattan. Led by director of music, Mike Ross, and an all-star lineup of talent. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane. 416-866-8666. -. Mar 4, 1:30pm. Also Mar 18, 1:00pm. ●●Soulpepper Concert Series. Manhattan Concert Cycle Vol 2: Midtown – 42nd Street and Broadway. Grand Central Station, Times Square, Broadway and the Brill Building. Due to audience demand, the full Manhattan Concert Cycle returns, featuring Albert Schultz as conductor on a journey through the history, culture, and rhythms of the original neighbourhoods of Manhattan. Led by director of music, Mike Ross, and an all-star lineup of talent. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane. 416-866-8666. -. Mar 7, 7:30pm. Also Mar 18, 4:00pm. ●●St. Anne’s Music & Drama Society. The Grand Duke. Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan, lyrics by W. S. Gilbert. St. Anne’s Parish Hall, 651 Dufferin St. 416-922-4415. ; $22(sr/ st). Runs to Feb 5. Thurs/Fri(7:30pm), Sat/ Sun(2:00pm). ●●Tapestry Opera. Songbook VII. Krisztina Szabó, mezzo; Keith Klassen, tenor; Steven Philcox, piano; Michael Hidetoshi Mori, dramatic clinician. Ernest Balmer Studio (315), Distillery District, 9 Trinity St. 416-537-6066. . Limited seating. Opens Feb 23, 7:30pm. Also Feb 24(7:30/10:00). ●●Teatro Proscenium Limited Partnership/ Garth Drabinsky. Sousatzka. Music and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr and David Shire, book by Craig Lucas, based on the novel by Bernice Rubens. Set in London, England in 1982, a musical prodigy is torn between two powerful women from vastly different worlds: his mother, a political refugee from South Africa and his piano teacher, a brilliant eccentric with a shattered past. Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge St. 1-855-985-5000. -5. Previews begin Feb 25 8:00pm. Runs to Apr 9. Tues-Sat(8:00pm), Wed/Sat/Sun(2:00pm). ●●Theatre Passe Muraille. John and Waleed. Created and Performed by John Millard and Waleed Abdulhamid. This documentary-style concert-storytelling hybrid is a multidisciplinary journey down a path of exploration, cultural philosophy and, ultimately, kinship. Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 16 Ryerson Ave. 416-504-7529. ; (sr); (under 30). Opens Feb 16, 7:30pm. Runs to Mar 5. Thurs-Sat(7:30pm), Sun(2:00pm). ●●Theatre Sheridan. Footloose. Music by Tom Snow, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, with additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins and Jim Steinman. Book by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, based on the screenplay by Dean Pitchford. Macdonald-Heaslip Hall, 1430 Trafalgar Rd, Oakville. 905-815-4049. . Opens Feb 14, 7:30pm. Runs to Feb 26. Days and times vary. Visit tickets.sheridancollege.ca for details. ●●Theatre Sheridan. Floyd Collins. Music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, with additional lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Tina Landau, book by Tina Landau. Studio Theatre, 1430 Trafalgar Rd, Oakville. 905-815-4049. . Opens Feb 16, 7:30pm. Runs to Feb 26. Tues-Sat(7:30pm), Sat-Sun(2:00pm). Note: No show Feb 19. ●●Toronto City Opera. Merry Widow. Music by Franz Lehár, libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein. Fully staged opera. Bickford Centre Theatre, 777 Bloor St. W. 416-576-4029. ; (sr); (st). Opens Feb 18, 8:00pm. Also Feb 24, 26(2:00pm), Mar 4. ●●Toronto City Opera. Carmen. Music by Georges Bizet, libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. Fully staged opera. Bickford Centre Theatre, 777 Bloor St. W. 416- 576-4029. ; (sr); (st). Opens Feb 19, 2:00pm. Also Feb 25(8:00pm), Mar 3(8:00pm), Mar 5(2:00pm). ●●University of Toronto Faculty of Music. New Music Festival: Opera in Concert - The Killing Flower (Luci mie traditrici). Music and libretto by Salvatore Sciarrino. Geoffrey Sirett, Shannon Mercer and Scott Belluz, singers; Wallace Halladay and Toronto New Music Projects, producers. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Bldg., UofT, 80 Queen’s Park. 416- 408-0208. ; (sr); (st). Feb 1, 7:30pm. Festival runs to Feb 5. ●●University of Toronto Faculty of Music. New Music Festival: Composing for Dance Concert. UofT Composition students collaborate with Toronto’s choreographers. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Bldg., UofT, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. Feb 2, 7:30pm. Festival runs Jan 29-Feb 5. ●●University of Toronto Faculty of Music. New Music Festival: Prima Zombie - The Diva That Just Wouldn’t Stay Dead. Libretto by Michael Patrick Albano. Opera Student Composer Collective; Sandra Horst, conductor. MacMillan Theatre, Edward Johnson Bldg., UofT, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. 2:00: Opera Talk pre-performance lecture, Rm. 130. Feb 5, 2:30pm. Festival runs Jan 29-Feb 5. ●●University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Thursdays at Noon: Opera Spotlight. A preview of UofT Opera’s production of Handel’s Imeneo. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Bldg., UofT, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. Mar 2, 12:10pm. ●●Voicebox/Opera in Concert. L’Isola disabitata (The Deserted Island). Music by Joseph Haydn, libretto by Pietro Matastasio. Valérie Bélanger, soprano (Silvia); Marjorie Maltais, mezzo (Constanza); Alexander Dobson (Enrico); Aradia Ensemble; Kevin Mallon; conductor. St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723. -. Feb 5, 2:30pm. ●●Well Seasoned Productions. Can’t Get Enough. Musical revue exploring Valentine’s Day themes as we age. Aki Studio Theatre, Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas St. E. 416-531- 1402. ; (sr). Opens Feb 17, 8:00pm. Also Feb 18(8:00pm), Feb 19(2:00pm). ●●Young People’s Theatre. James and the Giant Peach. Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, book by Timothy Allen McDonald, based on the book by Roald Dahl. Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front St. E. 416- 862-2222. -41. Opens Feb 6, 10:15am. Runs to Mar 18. Days and times vary. Visit youngpeoplestheatre.ca for details. thewholenote.com February 1, 2017 - March 7, 2017 | 55
"COVID's Metamorphoses"? "There's Always Time (Until Suddenly There Isn't)"? "The Writing on the Wall"? It's hard to know WHAT to call this latest chapter in the extraordinary story we are all of a sudden characters in. By whatever name we call it, the MAY/JUNE combined issue of The WholeNote is now available, HERE in flip through format, in print commencing Wednesday May 6, and, in fully interactive form, online at thewholenote.com. Our 18th Annual Choral Canary Pages, scheduled for publication in print and flip through in September is already well underway with the first 50 choirs home to roost and more being added every week online. Community Voices, our cover story, brings to you the thoughts of 30 musical community members, all going through what we are going through (and with many more to come as the feature gets amplified online over the course of the coming months). And our regular writers bring their personal thoughts to the mix. Finally, a full-fledged DISCoveries review section offers cues and clues to recorded music for your solitary solace!
After some doubt that we would be allowed to go to press, in respect to wide-ranging Ontario business closures relating to COVID-19, The WholeNote magazine for April 2020 is now on press, and print distribution – modified to respect community-wide closures and the need for appropriate distancing – starts Monday March 30. Meanwhile the full magazine is right here, digitally, so if you value us PLEASE SHARE THIS LINK AS WIDELY AS YOU CAN. It's the safest way for us to reach the widest possible audience at this time!
FEATURED: Music & Health writer Vivien Fellegi explores music, blindness & the plasticity of perception; David Jaeger digs into Gustavo Gimeno's plans for new music in his upcoming first season as music director at TSO; pianist James Rhodes, here for an early March recital, speaks his mind in a Q&A with Paul Ennis; and Lydia Perovic talks music and more with rising Turkish-Canadian mezzo Beste Kalender. Also, among our columns, Peggy Baker Dance Projects headlines Wende Bartley's In with the New; Steve Wallace's Jazz Notes rushes in definitionally where many fear to tread; ... and more.
Visions of 2020! Sampling from back to front for a change: in Rearview Mirror, Robert Harris on the Beethoven he loves (and loves to hate!); Errol Gay, a most musical life remembered; Luna Pearl Woolf in focus in recordings editor David Olds' "Editor's Corner" and in Jenny Parr's preview of "Jacqueline"; Speranza Scappucci explains how not to reinvent Rossini; The Indigo Project, where "each piece of cloth tells a story"; and, leading it all off, Jully Black makes a giant leap in "Caroline, or Change." And as always, much more. Now online in flip-through format here and on stands starting Thurs Jan 30.
Welcome to our December/January issue as we turn the annual calendar page, halfway through our season for the 25th time, juggling as always, secular stuff, the spirit of the season, new year resolve and winter journeys! Why is Mozart's Handel's Messiah's trumpet a trombone? Why when Laurie Anderson offers to fly you to the moon you should take her up on the invitation. Why messing with Winterreisse can (sometimes) be a very good thing! And a bumper crop of record reviews for your reading (and sometimes listening) pleasure. Available in flipthrough here right now, and on stands commencing Thursday Nov 28. See you on the other side!
On the slim chance you might not have already heard the news, Estonian Canadian composing giant Udo Kasemets was born the same year that Leo Thermin invented the theremin --1919. Which means this is the centenary year for both of them, and both are being celebrated in style, as Andrew Timar and MJ Buell respectively explain. And that's just a taste of a bustling November, with enough coverage of music of both the delectably substantial and delightfully silly on hand to satisfy one and all.
Long promised, Vivian Fellegi takes a look at Relaxed Performance practice and how it is bringing concert-going barriers down across the spectrum; Andrew Timar looks at curatorial changes afoot at the Music Gallery; David Jaeger investigates the trumpets of October; the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution (and the 20th Anniversary of our October Blue Pages Presenter profiles) in our Editor's Opener; the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir at 125; Tapestry at 40 and Against the Grain at 10; ringing in the changing season across our features and columns; all this and more, now available in Flip Through format here, and on the stands commencing this coming Friday September 27, 2019. Enjoy.
Vol 1 of our 25th season is now here! And speaking of 25, that's how many films in the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival editor Paul Ennis, in our Eighth Annual TIFF TIPS, has chosen to highlight for their particular musical interest.
Also inside: Rob Harris looks through the Rear View Mirror at past and present prognostications about the imminent death of classical music; Mysterious Barricades and Systemic Barriers are Lydia Perović's preoccupations in Art of Song; Andrew Timar reflects on the evolving priorities of the Polaris Prize; and elsewhere, it's chocks away as yet another season creaks or roars (depending on the beat) into motion. Welcome back.
What a range of stuff! A profile of Liz Upchurch, the COC ensemble studio's vocal mentor extraordinaire; a backgrounder on win-win faith/arts centre partnerships and ways of exploring the possibilities; an interview with St. Petersburg-based Eifman Ballet's Boris Eifman; Ana Sokolovic's violin concert Evta finally coming to town; a Love Letter to YouTube, and much more. Plus our 17th annual Canary Pages Choral directory if all you want to do is sing! sing! sing!
Arraymusic, the Music Gallery and Native Women in the Arts join for a mini-festival celebrating the work of composer, performer and installation artist Raven Chacon; Music and Health looks at the role of Healing Arts Ontario in supporting concerts in care facilities; Kingston-based composer Marjan Mozetich's life and work are celebrated in film; "Forest Bathing" recontextualizes Schumann, Shostakovich and Hindemith; in Judy Loman's hands, the harp can sing; Mahler's Resurrection bursts the bounds of symphonic form; Ed Bickert, guitar master remembered. All this and more in our April issue, now online in flip-through here, and on stands commencing Friday March 29.
Something Old, Something New! The Ide(a)s of March are Upon Us! Rob Harris's Rear View Mirror looks forward to a tonal revival; Tafelmusik expands their chronological envelope in two directions, Esprit makes wave after wave; Pax Christi's new oratorio by Barbara Croall catches the attention of our choral and new music columnists; and summer music education is our special focus, right when warm days are once again possible to imagine. All this and more in our March 2019 edition, available in flipthrough here, and on the stands starting Thursday Feb 28.
In this issue: A prize that brings lustre to its laureates (and a laureate who brings lustre to the prize); Edwin Huizinga on the journey of Opera Atelier's "The Angel Speaks" from Versailles to the ROM; Danny Driver on playing piano in the moment; Remembering Neil Crory (a different kind of genius)' Year of the Boar, Indigeneity and Opera; all this and more in Volume 24 #5. Online in flip through, HERE and on the stands commencing Thursday Jan 31.
When is a trumpet like a motorcycle in a dressage event? How many Brunhilde's does it take to change an Elektra? Just two of the many questions you've been dying to ask, to which you will find answers in a 24th annual combined December/January issue – in which our 11 beat columnists sift through what's on offer in the upcoming holiday month, and what they're already circling in their calendars for 2019. Oh, and features too: a klezmer violinist breathing new life into a very old film; two New Music festivals in January, 200 metres apart; a Music & Health story on the restorative powers of a grassroots exercise in collective music-making; even a good reason to go to Winnipeg in the dead of winter. All this and more in Vol 24 No 4, now available in flipthrough format here.
Reluctant arranger! National Ballet Orchestra percussionist Kris Maddigan on creating the JUNO and BAFTA award-winning smash hit Cuphead video game soundtrack; Evergreen by name and by nature, quintessentially Canadian gamelan (Andrew Timar explains); violinist Angèle Dubeau on 20 years and 60 million streams; two children’s choirs where this month remembrance and living history must intersect. And much more, online in our kiosk now, and on the street commencing Thursday November 1.
Presenters, start your engines! With TIFF and "back-to-work" out of the way, the regular concert season rumbles to life, and, if our Editor's Opener can be trusted, "Seeking Synergies" seems to be the name of the game. Denise Williams' constantly evolving "Walk Together Children" touching down at the Toronto Centre for the Arts; the second annual Festival of Arabic Music and Arts expanding its range; a lesson in Jazz Survival with Steve Wallace; the 150 presenter and performer profiles in our 19th annual Blue Pages directory... this is an issue that is definitely more than the sum of its parts.
In this issue: The WholeNote's 7th Annual TIFF TIPS guide to festival films with musical clout; soprano Erin Wall in conversation with Art of Song columnist Lydia Perovic, about more than the art of song; a summer's worth of recordings reviewed; Toronto Chamber Choir at 50 (is a few close friends all it takes?); and much more, as the 2018/19 season gets under way.
PLANTING NOT PAVING! In this JUNE / JULY /AUGUST combined issue: Farewell interviews with TSO's Peter Oundjian and Stratford Summer Music's John Miller, along with "going places" chats with Luminato's Josephine Ridge, TD Jazz's Josh Grossman and Charm of Finches' Terry Lim. ) Plus a summer's worth of fruitful festival inquiry, in the city and on the road, in a feast of stories and our annual GREEN PAGES summer Directory.
In this issue: our sixteenth annual Choral Canary Pages; coverage of 21C, Estonian Music Week and the 3rd Toronto Bach Festival (three festivals that aren’t waiting for summer!); and features galore: “Final Finales” for Larry Beckwith’s Toronto Masque Theatre and for David Fallis as artistic director of Toronto Consort; four conductors on the challenges of choral conducting; operatic Hockey Noir; violinist Stephen Sitarski’s perspective on addressing depression; remembering bandleader, composer and saxophonist Paul Cram. These and other stories, in our May 2018 edition of the magazine.
In this issue: we talk with jazz pianist Thompson Egbo-Egbo about growing up in Toronto, building a musical career, and being adaptive to change; pianist Eve Egoyan prepares for her upcoming Luminato project and for the next stage in her long-term collaborative relationship with Spanish-German composer Maria de Alvear; jazz violinist Aline Homzy, halfway through preparing for a concert featuring standout women bandleaders, talks about social equity in the world of improvised music; and the local choral community celebrates the life and work of choral conductor Elmer Iseler, 20 years after his passing.
In this issue: Canadian Stage, Tapestry Opera and Vancouver Opera collaborate to take Gogol’s short story The Overcoat to the operatic stage; Montreal-based Sam Shalabi brings his ensemble Land of Kush, and his newest composition, to Toronto; Five Canadian composers, each with a different CBC connection, are nominated for JUNOs; and The WholeNote team presents its annual Summer Music Education Directory, a directory of summer music camps, programs and courses across the province and beyond.
In this issue: composer Nicole Lizée talks about her love for analogue equipment, and the music that “glitching” evokes; Richard Rose, artistic director at the Tarragon Theatre, gives us insights into their a rock-and-roll Hamlet, now entering production; Toronto prepares for a mini-revival of Schoenberg’s music, with three upcoming shows at New Music Concerts; and the local music theatre community remembers and celebrates the life and work of Mi’kmaq playwright and performer Cathy Elliott . These and other stories, in our double-issue December/January edition of the magazine.
In this issue: conversations (of one kind or another) galore! Daniela Nardi on taking the reins at "best-kept secret" venue, 918 Bathurst; composer Jeff Ryan on his "Afghanistan" Requiem for a Generation" partnership with war poet, Susan Steele; lutenist Ben Stein on seventeenth century jazz; collaborative pianist Philip Chiu on going solo; Barbara Hannigan on her upcoming Viennese "Second School" recital at Koerner; Tina Pearson on Pauline Oliveros; and as always a whole lot more!
In this issue: several local artists reflect on the memory of composer Claude Vivier, as they prepare to perform his music; Vancouver gets ready to host international festival ISCM World New Music Days, which is coming to Canada for the second time since its inception in 1923; one of the founders of Artword Artbar, one of Hamilton’s staple music venues, on the eve of the 5th annual Steel City Jazz Festival, muses on keeping urban music venues alive; and a conversation with pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, as he prepares for an ambitious recital in Toronto. These and other stories, in our October 2017 issue of the magazine.
In this issue: a look at why musicians experience stage fright, and how to combat it; an inside look at the second Kensington Market Jazz Festival, which zeros in on one of Toronto’s true ‘music villages’; an in-depth interview with Elisa Citterio, new music director of Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra; and The WholeNote’s guide to TIFF, with suggestions for the 20 most musical films at this year’s festival. These and other stories, in our September 2017 issue of the magazine!
CBC Radio's Lost Horizon; Pinocchio as Po-Mo Operatic Poster Boy; Meet the Curators (Crow, Bernstein, Ridge); a Global Music Orchestra is born; and festivals, festivals, festivals in our 13th annual summer music Green Pages. All this and more in our three-month June-through August summer special issue, now available in flipthrough HERE and on the stands commencing Thursday June 1.
From science fact in "Integral Man: Music and the Movies," to science fiction in the editor's opener; from World Fiddle Day at the Aga Khan Museum to three Canadians at the Cliburn; from wanting to sashay across the 401 to Chamberfest in Montreal to exploring the Continuum of Jumblies Theatre's 20-year commitment to the Community Play (there's a pun in there somewhere!).
In this issue: Our podcast ramps up with interviews in March with fight director Jenny Parr, countertenor Daniel Taylor, and baritone Russell Braun; two views of composer John Beckwith at 90; how music’s connection to memory can assist with the care of patients with Alzheimer’s; musical celebrations in film and jazz, at National Canadian Film Day and Jazz Day; and a preview of Louis Riel, which opens this month at the COC. These and other stories, in our April 2017 issue of the magazine!
On our cover: Owen Pallett's musical palette on display at New Creations. Spring brings thoughts of summer music education! (It's never too late.). For Marc-Andre Hamelin the score is king. Ella at 100 has the tributes happening. All; this and more.
In this issue: an interview with composer/vocalist Jeremy Dutcher, on his upcoming debut album and unique compositional voice; a conversation with Boston Symphony hornist James Sommerville, as as the BSO gets ready to come to his hometown; Stuart Hamilton, fondly remembered; and an inside look at Hugh’s Room, as it enters a complicated chapter in the story of its life in the complex fabric of our musical city. These and other stories, as we celebrate the past and look forward to the rest of 2016/17, the first glimpses of 2017/18, and beyond!
In this issue: a conversation with pianist Stewart Goodyear, in advance of his upcoming show at Koerner Hall; a preview of the annual New Year’s phenomenon that is Bravissimo!/Salute to Vienna; an inside look at music performance in Toronto’s health-care centres; and a reflection on the incredible life and lasting influence of the late Pauline Oliveros. These and more, in a special December/January combined issue!
In this issue: David Jaeger and Alex Pauk’s most memorable R. Murray Schafer collabs, in this month’s installment of Jaeger’s CBC Radio Two: The Living Legacy; an interview with flutist Claire Chase, who brings new music and mindset to Toronto this month; an investigation into the strange coincidence of three simultaneous Mendelssohn Elijahs this Nov 5; and of course, our annual Blue Pages, a who’s who of southern Ontario’s live music scene- a community as prolific and multifaceted as ever. These and more, as we move full-force into the 2016/17 concert season- all aboard!
Music lover's TIFF (our fifth annual guide to the Toronto International Film Festival); Aix Marks the Spot (how Brexit could impact on operatic co-production); The Unstoppable Howard Cable (an affectionate memoir of a late chapter in the life of of a great Canadian arranger; Kensington Jazz Story (the newest kid on the festival block flexes its muscles). These stories and much more as we say a lingering goodbye to summer and turn to the task, for the 22nd season, of covering the live and recorded music that make Southern Ontario tick.
It's combined June/July/August summer issue time with, we hope, enough between the covers to keep you dipping into it all through the coming lazy, hazy days. From Jazz Vans racing round "The Island" delivering pop-up brass breakouts at the roadside, to Bach flute ambushes strolling "The Grove, " to dozens of reasons to stay in the city. May yours be a summer where you find undiscovered musical treasures, and, better still, when, unexpectedly, the music finds you.
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.
From 30 camp profiles to spark thoughts of being your summer musical best, to testing LUDWIG as you while away the rest of so-called winter; from Scottish Opera and the Danish Midtvest, to a first Toronto recital appearance by violin superstar Maxim Vengerov; from musings on New Creations and new creation, to the boy who made a habit of crying Beowulf; it's a month of merry meetings and rousing recordings reviewed, all here to discover in The WholeNote.
2016 is off to a flying start! We chronicle the Artful Times of Andrew Burashko, the violistic versatility of Teng Li, the ageless ebullience of jazz pianist Gene DiNovi and the ninetieth birthday of trumpeter Johnny Cowell. Jaeger remembers Boulez; Waxman recalls Bley's influence, and Olds finds Bowie haunting Editor's Corner. Oh, and did we mention there's all that music? Hello (and goodbye) to the February blues, and here's to swinging through the musical vines of the Year of the Monkey.
What's a vinyl renaissance? What happens when Handel's Messiah runs afoul of the rumba rhythm setting on a (gasp!) Hammond organ? What work does Marc-Andre Hamelin say he would be content to have on every recital program he plays? What are Steve Wallace's favourite fifty Christmas recordings? Why is violinist Daniel Hope celebrating Yehudi Menuhin's 100th birthday at Koerner Hall January 28? Answers to all these questions (and a whole lot more) in the Dec/Jan issue of The WholeNote.
"Come" seems to be the verb that knits this month's issue together. Sondra Radvanovsky comes to Koerner, William Norris comes to Tafel as their new GM, opera comes to Canadian Stage; and (a long time coming!) Jane Bunnett's musicianship and mentorship are honoured with the Premier's award for excellence; plus David Jaeger's ongoing series on the golden years of CBC Radio Two, Andrew Timar on hybridity, a bumper crop of record reviews and much much more. Come on in!
Vol 21 No 2 is now available for your viewing pleasure, and it's a bumper crop, right at the harvest moon. First ever Canadian opera on the Four Seasons Centre main stage gets double coverage with Wende Bartley interviewing Pyramus and Thisbe composer Barbara Monk Feldman and Chris Hoile connecting with director Christopher Alden; Paul Ennis digs into the musical mind of pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, and pianist Eve Egoyan is "On the Record" in conversation with publisher David Perlman ahead of the Oct release concert for her tenth recording. And at the heart of it all the 16th edition of our annual BLUE PAGES directory of presenters profile the season now well and truly under way.
Paul Ennis's annual TIFF TIPS (27 festival films of potential particular musical interest); Wu Man, Yo-Yo Ma and Jeffrey Beecher on the Silk Road; David Jaeger on CBC Radio Music in the days it was committed to commissioning; the LISTENING ROOM continues to grow on line; DISCoveries is back, bigger than ever; and Mary Lou Fallis says Trinity-St. Paul's is Just the Spot (especially this coming Sept 25!).
