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.
Orchestra; Krista
Orchestra; Krista Rhodes, piano; Andrew Adair, organ; John Brownell, percussion; Shawn Grenke, conductor; Emily Taub, VOX Choir Conductor. 35 Lytton Blvd. 416-481-1141 esgunited.org. ; (st). ●●4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Jazz Vespers: Ellington’s Nutcracker. Brian Barlow Big Band. 1570 Yonge St. 416-920-5211. Freewill offering. Religious service. ●●4:30: Church of the Holy Trinity. The Christmas Story. See Dec 7. Also Dec 21(7:30); 22(4:30); 23(4:30 & 7:30). CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT SUN., DEC. 16, 4:30pm NINE LESSONS & CAROLS SUN., DEC. 23, 4:30pm Yorkminster Park Baptist Church yorkminsterpark.com ●●4:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Carols by Candlelight. A traditional candlelight choral presentation featuring choirs and musicians. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Goodwill offering. Religious service. ●●5:30: National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. See Dec 8. Also Dec 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30. Times vary. ●●7:00: Civic Theatres Toronto. To All A Good Night – With Art of Time Ensemble. Alternative holiday concert with the best wintery tunes, holiday songs and readings. Art of Time Ensemble. Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge St., North York. 1-855-985-2787. .50. ●●7:00: Metropolitan United Church. Annual Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols. Metropolitan United Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x26. Free; donations welcome. Religious service. A. Concerts in the GTA Annual Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols SUN, DECEMBER 16, 7pm ●●7:30: Victoria Scholars. Welcome Christmas. Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 3055 Bloor St. W., Etobicoke. 416-761-7776. /(adv); (sr/st)/(adv). ●●8:00: Georgetown Bach Chorale. Christmas That Choir CAROLS conducted by Craig Pike DECEMBER 16 | 8PM St. Andrew’s Church 73 Simcoe St., Toronto ON Tickets: Pay What You Can thatchoir.com from Ol’ Blighty. Traditional English Christmas music. Vaughan Williams: Fantasy on Christmas Themes. The Piano Hall, 157 Main St., Georgetown. 905-873-9909. . Also Dec 14,15. Culinary treats follow the concert. ●●8:00: That Choir. That Choir Carols. St. Andrew’s Church (Toronto), 73 Simcoe St. 416-706-5221. PWYC. Suggested: ; (sr); (st). Monday December 17 ●●12:15: Sacred Music in a Sacred Space. A Continental Christmas. Music by Phillips. Peter Drobac and friends. Trinity College Chapel, U of T, 6 Hoskin Ave. 647-378-6607. Free. ●●8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Messiah. Handel: Messiah. Claire de Sévigné, soprano; Alyson McHardy, mezzo; Andrew Haji, tenor; Tyler Duncan, baritone; Toronto Mendelssohn Choir; Johannes Debus, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416- 598-3375. -5. Also Dec 18, 19, 21, 22, 23(mat). Tuesday December 18 ●●1:00: Cathedral Church of St. James. Music at Midday. Imre Oláh, organ. 65 Church St. 416-365-7865. Free. Donations welcome. ●●7:00: National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. See Dec 8. Also Dec 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30. Times vary. ●●7:00: The Heart’s Obsession. Christmas Concert. Tonia Cianciulli, soprano; Eugenia Dermentzis, mezzo; Trevor Chartrand, piano; Andrea Rebello, choral conductor; Erika Nielson, cello; and others. Islington United Church, 25 Burnhamthorpe Rd. wisharts. ca. ; free(child). Proceeds to Eric’s Rise. Reception to follow. ●●7:30: Orpheus Choir of Toronto. A Child’s Christmas in Wales. Geraint Wyn Davies, narrator; Robert Cooper, artistic director; Edward Moroney, accompanist. Eglinton St. George’s United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd. 416-530-4428. ; (sr); (under 30). HANDEL MESSIAH Dec 18-21, 2018 Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre tafelmusik.org ●●7:30: Tafelmusik. Handel Messiah. Sherezade Panthaki, soprano; Krisztina Szabó, mezzo; Charles Daniels, tenor; Drew Santini, baritone; Tafelmusik Chamber Choir; Ivars Taurins, conductor. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. and up. Also Dec 19, 20, 21. Non-perishable food donations accepted at all performances. ●●8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Messiah. See Dec 17. Also Dec 19, 21(7:30), 22, 23. Wednesday December 19 ● ● 12:00 noon: Roy Thomson Hall. Noon-Hour Concert Series: Orpheus Choir of Toronto. Sounds of the Season. 60 Simcoe St. 416-872- 4255. Free. Welcome Save with advance ticket purchase Christmas Sunday, 16 december 2018 | 7:30pm Our Lady Of SOrrOwS church 3055 Bloor St W (1/2 block west of Royal York subway) General Admission Seniors & Students www.victoriascholars.ca 56 | December 1, 2018 – February 7, 2019 thewholenote.com
22 nd Annual Noon Hour Choir & Organ Concerts ORPHEUS CHOIR OF TORONTO Sounds of the Season WED DEC 19 ◆ 12 PM FREE ROYTHOMSONHALL.COM 147 Danforth Ave. 416-872-4255. .50. ●●8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Messiah. See Dec 17. Also Dec 21(7:30), 22, 23. Thursday December 20 ●●7:00: National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. See Dec 8. Also Dec 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30. Times vary. ●●7:30: Tafelmusik. Handel Messiah. See Dec 18. Also Dec 21. ●●8:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre. The Andy Kim Christmas. Guests: Ron Sexsmith, Sarah Slean and others. Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Community Studio Theatre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. 905-681- 6000. .50-.50. Proceeds to BPAC’s Golden Ticket program which provides complimentary access to underserved schools and students. SING-ALONG MESSIAH Dec 22, 2018 NEW VENUE Roy Thomson Hall tafelmusik.org ●●12:30: Organix Concerts/All Saints Kingsway. Kingsway Organ Concert Series. Christmas performance. Gordon Mansell, organ; Emily Canning, soprano; Michael Barth, trumpet. All Saints Kingsway Anglican Church, 2850 Bloor St. W. 416-571-3680. Freewill offering. 45-minute concert. ●●12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Noonhour Organ Recital. Rashaan Allwood, organ. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Free. ●●7:00: National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. See Dec 8. Also Dec 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30. Times vary. ●●7:30: Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts. A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. 150 voices from the vocal program. St. Francis of Assisi Church, 72 Mansfield Ave. 416- 393-5556. . ●●7:30: Tafelmusik. Handel Messiah. See Dec 18. Also Dec 20, 21. ●●8:00: Massey Hall. Good Lovelies: Christmas Concert. Danforth Music Hall, TONIA CIANCIULLI presents The Heart’s Obsession Christmas Concert TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 7PM Uplifting and family-friendly holiday music with guest soloists and a childrens’ chorus. Islington United Church Proceeds to ERIC’S RISE Eugenia Dermentzis Trevor Chartrand NATALIE MACMASTER AND DONNELL LEAHY A Celtic Family Christmas THU DEC 20 ◆ 8 PM Performance Sponsor ROYTHOMSONHALL.COM ●●8:00: Roy Thomson Hall. Natalie Mac- Master and Donnell Leahy: A Celtic Family Christmas. 60 Simcoe St. 416-872-4255. .50-.50. Friday December 21 ●●7:00: National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. See Dec 8. Also Dec 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30. Times vary. ●●7:30: Church of the Holy Trinity. The Christmas Story. See Dec 7. Also Dec 22(4:30); 23(4:30 & 7:30). ●●7:30: Tafelmusik. Handel Messiah. See Dec 18. ●●7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Messiah. See Dec 17. Also Dec 22, 23. Saturday December 22 ●●2:00: National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. See Dec 8. Also Dec 23, 27, 28, 29, 30. Times vary. ●●2:00: Toronto International Ballet Theatre & Bolshoi Ballet. The Nutcracker. Featuring Anastasia Stashkevich and Vyacheslav Lopatin of the Bolshoi Ballet. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E. 1-855-872- 7669. -2. Also 7pm. ●●2:00: Tafelmusik. Sing-Along Messiah. Handel: Messiah. Sherezade Panthaki, soprano; Krisztina Szabó, mezzo; Charles Daniels, tenor; Drew Santini, baritone; Tafelmusik Chamber Choir; Mr. Handel, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-872-4255. and up. ●●3:30: York Symphony Orchestra. YSO Holiday Spectacular. Trinity Anglican Church (Aurora), 79 Victoria St., Aurora. 416-410- 0860. ; (sr); (st). Also 8pm and Dec 14, 8pm, Richmond Hill. ●●4:30: Church of the Holy Trinity. The Christmas Story. See Dec 7. Also Dec 23(4:30pm & 7:30pm). ●●4:30: Christ Church Deer Park & North York Temple Salvation Army Band. Joy to the World: A Community Carol-Sing. Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-920- 5211. Freewill donation of . The Vocal Program of ●●7:00: National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. See Dec 8. Also Dec 23, 27, 28, 29, 30. Times vary. ●●7:30: Quintessence Ensemble. Buon Natale: A Multilingual Christmas. Corelli: Christmas Concerto; Handel: Messiah (excerpts); and favourite Christmas carols. Cossette Gritter, soprano; Abigail Cacciacarro, violin; Miriam Cacciacarro, violin; Hannah Cacciacarro, cello. Mimico Baptist Church, 80 Hillside Ave. 647-459-2882 or eventbrite.com/e/buonnatale-a-multi-lingual-christmas-with-soprano-cossette-gritter-tickets-51690070392. ; (child); (family). presents A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols Wednesday December 19 th 2018 @ 7:30pm St. Francis of Assisi Church 72 Mansfield Avenue, Toronto (South of College St., off Grace St.) GENERAL ADMISSION thewholenote.com December 1, 2018 – February 7, 2019 | 57
