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Volume 26 Issue 4 - December 2020 / January 2021

  • Text
  • Choir
  • Composer
  • Jazz
  • Symphony
  • Recording
  • Toronto
  • Orchestra
  • Musical
  • January
  • December
In this issue: Beautiful Exceptions, Sing-Alone Messiahs, Livingston’s Vocal Pleasures, Chamber Beethoven, Online Opera (Plexiglass & All), Playlist for the Winter of our Discontent, The Oud & the Fuzz, Who is Alex Trebek? All this and more available in flipthrough HERE, and in print Friday December 4.

BLUE PAGES

BLUE PAGES 2020/21 SECTION I: PRESENTERS & PERFORMERS Art of Time Ensemble ●● Art of Time Ensemble Founded in 1998 by renowned pianist Andrew Burashko, Art of Time Ensemble is a collective of some of Canada’s leading musicians from the worlds of classical music, jazz, pop, electronica, gospel and more. The ensemble celebrates great music in all forms through its genrebending collaborations. Past collaborators include Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis, Tony Award-winning singer Brent Carver, Chris Murphy of the Canadian rock band Sloan, American jazz vocalist Madeleine Peyroux and Gemini Award-winning singer Jackie Richardson among others. Since 2006, Art of Time Ensemble has released six records under their label Art of Time Recordings. The group’s most recent album, “Ain’t Got Long”, features a host of guest artists including Gregory Hoskins, Madeleine Peyroux, Jessica Mitchell and Sarah Slean performing song arrangements by longtime collaborator Jonathan Goldsmith. Art of Time Ensemble recently announced their 2020/21 “Virtually Live” season, which sees the ensemble presenting five digital concerts available for free streaming on YouTube. Each event features archival footage from standout shows over the years, interspersed with newlyfilmed commentary from the artists that bring these performances to life. Nikki Joshi 540-645-0527 www.artoftimeensemble.com www.facebook.com/ theartoftimeensemble www.twitter.com/artoftime ●● Canadian Opera Company Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. The company enjoys an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation. The company typically presents six fully-staged productions at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts annually. In light of current health guidelines around the spread of COVID- 19, the company has created “Opera Everywhere” - a new slate of digital opera experiences that can be shared and enjoyed safely. The COC’s repertoire spans the history of opera from the Baroque to the 21st-century and includes several commissioned works and Canadian premieres. The COC engages professional opera artists from all over the world, including a significant number of Canadian singers, directors, conductors and designers. The company performs with its own professional chorus and orchestra. The company also fosters emerging Canadian talent through its Ensemble Studio, Orchestra Academy and company-in-residence programs. Alexander Neef, general director 416-363-8231 info@coc.ca www.coc.ca www.facebook.com/ canadianoperacompany www.twitter.com/CanadianOpera ●●Canzona Chamber Players The Canzona Chamber Players concert series is a volunteer community group, founded in 2002 by Jacob Stoller and Jonathan Krehm. Prior to COVID-19, live concerts were produced for St. Andrew by the Lake church, on Toronto Island by Roger Sharp and Jonathan Krehm, and beginning in 2012 for venues in downtown Toronto, most recently the St. George the Martyr church. Many of the live concerts were documented by Alison Gray (video) and John Gray (audio) and are available to watch on Canzona’s YouTube Channel or on our website. Since the onset of the pandemic, Canzona Chamber Players have been safely broadcasting recitals, recorded to the highest standard, made possible by technical wizardry of Evan Mitchell (video), and John Gray (audio). These performances can be viewed on our youtube channel. The concerts are free to view, and Canzona Chamber Players asks for any amount to be made to the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation COVID-19 Courage Fund at http://smh.convio.net/ couragefund. Jonathan Krehm 416-822-0613 canzonatoronto@gmail.com www.canzona.org www.facebook.com/ CanzonaChamberPlayers ●●Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra is a volunteer community orchestra that has been based in Scarborough since 1986. The orchestra presents seven concerts each season, including a subscription series of five concerts. Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra brings to life some of the greatest musical masterpieces, presents internationally-acclaimed performers, and helps introduce some of Canada’s rising stars in their debut performances with a symphony orchestra. Looking for an orchestra to play in? Send your inquiries to us via email. Peggy Wong 416-879-5566 info@cathedralbluffs.com www.cathedralbluffs.com www.facebook.com/CathedralBluffsSy mphonyOrchestra www.twitter.com/cathedralbluff ●●Counterpoint Community Orchestra Counterpoint Community Orchestra has been operating as a community orchestra in downtown Toronto for 36 years. Formed in 1984, it was the first LGBTQ+ orchestra in Canada and in the world. Counterpoint is a full symphony orchestra with repertoire drawn from the Baroque through to the contemporary periods. Counterpoint Community Orchestra performs three concerts during the season in December, March and June and participates in “Nuit Rose”. Kevin Uchikata 647-970-8057 www.ccorchestra.org 32 | theWholeNote 2020/21 PRESENTER PROFILES

●●Ken Page Memorial Trust, The The Ken Page Memorial Trust is a non-profit charitable fund supporting jazz and the artists who create such lasting memories for all of us. The aims of the Trust are to encourage emerging talent, foster an understanding of the evolution of the music, promote jazz education through workshops, masterclasses and outreach programs conducted by established professionals, and to provide financial aid to jazz musicians on an emergency basis. The KPMT holds annual jazz fundraisers featuring some of the world’s leading jazz artists and honours jazz professionals with its Lifetime Achievement Award; it also presents seasonal performances of Jim Galloway’s Wee Big Band. Most recently, the Trust provided grants to the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, Springboard to Music, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival and the Ken Page Memorial Trust Scholarship Award in memory of Ron Collier established at Humber College. Donations are our lifeline; our board members are unpaid and every dollar is dedicated to furthering our mission. Contributions are gratefully received, and if you are currently a donor we extend our sincere appreciation. If you would like to help us make a difference please visit our website. Anne Page 416-515-0200 anne@kenpagememorialtrust.com www.kenpagememorialtrust.com ●●Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society In its 47th season, Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society is one of Canada’s busiest presenters of chamber music concerts with over 60 concerts per year, ranging from solo recitals to octets. Programs range from medieval to contemporary; most feature both classics and recent music. Almost all of our concerts take place at our Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo, in a private home - it holds a maximum of about 85 people. A superb Steinway piano, good acoustics, a supportive audience and an intimate but informal atmosphere make for great concert experiences. Notable performers have included pianists Janina Fialkowska, Till Fellner, André LaPlante, Sofya Gulyak, and many more; the Penderecki, New Orford, Alcan, and many other quartets; the AYR and Andromeda trios and many more. This year we complete our “Beethoven String Quartets” series featuring the Penderecki String Quartet, with four remaining concerts at First United Church, December 16 and 18 and February 3 and 5. We hope to present three to four concerts per month, all at the church unless the pandemic ends and we can resume in our Music Room. Jan Narveson 519-569-1809 jnarveson@uwaterloo.ca www.k-wcms.com/KWCMS/Home.html Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra ●● Mississauga Festival Choir With over 150 singers, Mississauga Festival Choir is the largest and most spirited community choir in our city. We first came together in 1984 to celebrate Mississauga’s 10th anniversary, and we stayed together to celebrate the joy of singing in a choral community like no other. Our spirited singing springs from our no-audition policy. Everyone who loves to sing is welcome to join us, and audiences hear the joy in every song. Under the leadership of David Ambrose, MFC performs many concerts, raises money for local charities, records professional CDs, holds an annual choral competition and tours the world. Jenny Johnston 416-986-5537 info@mfchoir.com www.mfchoir.com www.facebook.com/ TheMississaugaFestivalChoir ●●Music at Metropolitan Music at Metropolitan has a long history of presenting a variety of choral and instrumental concerts and special events. During this time, we are planning online events; please visit our website and watch for Wholenote listings. Our planning includes “Friday Noon at Met” livestreamed concerts featuring our Casavant pipe organ - the largest in Canada - as well as our various singers and instrumentalists. Stay tuned! And please stay safe and well. Patricia Wright 416-363-0331 patriciaw@metunited.org www.metunited.ca www.facebook.com/MetUnitedMusic ●● St. James Town Community Arts (formerly Reaching Out Through Music) Since 2007, St. James Town Community Arts (formerly Reaching Out Through Music) has been providing free arts education programs to the children and youth of St. James Town, one of North America’s most densely populated and ethnically diverse communities. We are well aware that early access to artistic expression is important in enhancing well-being and community engagement, providing enrichment that lasts a lifetime. We offer a range of programs, including choral and instrumental ensembles that provide productive social engagement, refinement of vocal and instrumental skills, performance opportunities and arts appreciation more generally. Although music remains our primary focus, we are slowly adding drama, dance, and visual arts to our program offerings. Aside from the pleasure that we bring to children and their families, especially in these pandemic times when our lessons and rehearsals are mostly virtual, our programs, led by talented and sensitive professionals, have a broad impact on children’s self-esteem, resilience, interpersonal skills and aspirations for the future. Virginia Gallop 416-421-8518 ed.rotm@gmail.com www.reachingoutthroughmusic.org www.facebook.com/ ReachingOutThroughMusic ●●Symphony In The Barn The critically-acclaimed Symphony In The Barn Festival at Glencolton Farms, Canada’s leading biodynamic farm, brings together music, and the tastes and sounds of idyllic farm life as an immersive backdrop for a three-day theWholeNote 2020/21 PRESENTER PROFILES | 33

Volumes 26-29 (2020- )

Volumes 21-25 (2015-2020)

Volumes 16-20 (2010-2015)

Volumes 11-15 (2004-2010)

Volumes 6 - 10 (2000 - 2006)

Volumes 1-5 (1994-2000)