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Volume 27 Issue 6 | April 15 - May 27, 2022

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Vol 27 No. 6. Here’s some of it: “Growing up in a house full of riches” – the Kanneh-Masons; “As if the music knows what it is doing” – J.S. Bach; “Better experienced than described” – Women from Space; “Stories set in prehistoric times are notoriously difficult to pull off without invoking nervous laughter” – Orphan Song; “To this day when I look at an audience, there’s some part of me that sees a whole bunch of friendly teddy bears wearing bow-ties” – Boris Brott. …. etc

2607_May_cover.indd 1 2607_May_cover.in d 1 2608_JulyAugcover.in d 1 2608_JulyAugcover.in d 1 2701_Sept_cover.in d 1 2701_Sept_cover.indd 1 2021-05-04 12:32 PM 2021-05-04 12:32 PM 2021-06-24 6:54 PM 2021-06-24 6:54 PM 2021-09-16 3:45 PM 2021-09-16 3:45 PM BACK BACK IN IN FOCUS Previously covered in Previously covered in The WholeNote, The WholeNote, and topical again and topical again Remembering Boris Brott (1944-2022) We were already deep in production on this edition when Boris Brott was killed in a hit-and-run accident, steps away from his home in Hamilton. The disbelief, shock and dismay from the arts community and beyond has been followed by a wave of affectionate stories on television, in mainstream print media and digital/social media – expressions of admiration and gratitude, reflecting Brott’s lifetime of enthusiasm and commitment, energetically making many kinds of great music accessible to all kinds of people. In light of this – with very little time and space before publishing – rather than dilute, in re-telling, what is now being said, so eloquently, by so many, in the wake of his death, we thought we would share with you somethings from a past issue of The WholeNote that gives a taste of how he spoke and lived life. The year 2007 was the Brott Summer Music Festival’s 20th anniversary, and they had some pretty special events planned, including Boris Brott conducting a performance of Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand, a massive tour-de force dedicated to the nearly 1,000 students the National Academy Orchestra had graduated to date. Just imagine how many more there have been since then! So in May of that year Boris Brott agreed to be the “Mystery Child” in new page tk our regular contest, “We Are All Music’s Children”. Brott had provided two different photos of himself, but playfully asserted that we should run the one with the violin rather than the baton, so that people would have to “put their thinking caps on” – not instantly know that mystery child grew up to be a conductor. The clues we ran with the photo went like this: This little fellow’s mother used to dress up his teddy bears with bow ties for an audience. He would later become known for his fondness for bow ties, and currently owns 64 of them. Apparently the reference was a no-brainer, because we had a record number of correct responses, and were able to offer some fine prizes – tickets and recordings – to a few lucky readers. In the June edition we revealed Brott’s identity, along with a brief profile based on a phone interview. As per usual, as the contest’s writer, I asked some questions about childhood musical experiences, and vividly remember the pleasure and pain of having to transcribe and boil down a generous and engaging 45 minute conversation into a half-page of print. Here’s an excerpt: Born in Montreal ( 1944), Boris Brott studied violin first with his father, Alexander Brott, and performed at the age of five with the orchestra of Le concerts symphoniques de Montréal (MSO) at a young people’s matinee. “My earliest musical memory,” he said, “is standing in a crib watching my par ents rehearse a string quartet. We lived in a room in my grandparents’ house. I’d have been 18 months or two years old. My cellist mother encouraged me to enjoy performing. To this day when I look at an audience, there’s some part of me that sees a whole bunch of friendly teddy bears wearing bow-ties. “I was always in the company of accomplished musical people. It was a very enriched childhood. But at nine or ten I became aware that I had little or no communication with my peers, and I stopped playing violin for about a year. I learned hockey and football. I also learned that it was not really my thing (hey .. I really am a nerd!), redoubled my efforts with the violin, and never looked back.” If you could time-travel – meet face-to-face with the little boy in that photo, is there anything you would like to tell him ? “Yes! I’d tell him to really enjoy kindergarten and spend time learning to relate to people of his own age. I was around adults so much – this cost me dearly later on. The little boy in the photo was allowed to be creative and I am so grateful to my parents for that. But everything I needed to learn I should have learned in kindergarten – interactive skills. Musicians tend to be loners as learners. We tend to be insecure, introverted. Often we learn to hide insecurity by being overly assertive. “So I’d tell little Boris to stick around. Get along with the other children in the playground. I’d say make the extra effort to get to know them, let them get to know you, and in so doing you will get to know yourself.” Our musical playground is a richer place because he took his own very good advice. MJ (Jack) Buell BOB HATCHER Need Need a back back issue? issue? circulation@thewholenote.com circulation@thewholenote.com or call 416-323-2232 ext 33. or call 416-323-2232 ext 33. Never miss another subscribe now! Never miss another – subscribe now! subscriptions@thewholenote.com subscriptions@thewholenote.com Volume 26 No 5 FEBRUARY 5 TO MARCH 19 2021 Music by date, live and livestreamed Recordings - 81 recent DISCoveries Volume Stories 26 & No Interviews 5 FEBRUARY 5 TO MARCH 19 2021 Music by date, live and livestreamed Recordings - 81 recent DISCoveries Stories & Interviews SO, how much ground would a groundhog hog? SO, how much ground would a groundhog hog? Volume 26 No 6 MARCH 20 TO MAY 7 2021 Music by date, live and livestreamed Recordings reviewed - 96 recent DISCoveries Stories, interviews, listening room. Volume 26 No 6 MARCH 20 TO MAY 7 2021 Music by date, live and livestreamed Recordings reviewed - 96 recent DISCoveries Stories, interviews, listening room. 2605_Feb_cover.in d 1 2021-02-03 6:14 PM 62 | April 15 - May 27, 2022 thewholenote.com 62 | April 15 - May 27, 2022 thewholenote.com SPRINGING FORWARD AND OTHER FALLBACKS Volume 26 No 7 MAY AND JUNE 2021 Women From Space Musical Playgrounds The Virtues of Necessity Women Teaching From Up Space Close & Impersonal Musical When SHHH!! Playgrounds means “Listen!” The … and Virtues moreof Necessity Teaching Up Close & Impersonal When SHHH!! means “Listen!” … and more SPRINGING FORWARD AND OTHER FALLBACKS Volume 26 No 7 MAY AND JUNE 2021 Meet The Makers Meet The Makers Volume 26 No 8 SUMMER 2021 Events by date, live and livestreamed Stories & interviews 100 recordings reviewed Listening Room Events by date, live and livestreamed Stories & interviews 100 recordings reviewed Listening Room Edana Higham and Zac Pulak 2606_March_cover.in d 1 2021-03-13 8: 2 AM 2605_Feb_cover.in d 1 2021-02-03 6:14 PM Volume 26 No 8 SUMMER 2021 Edana Higham and Zac Pulak Music by date, live and livestreamed Recordings reviewed - 101 recent DISCoveries Stories, interviews, Music by listening date, live room. and livestreamed Recordings reviewed - 101 recent DISCoveries Stories, interviews, listening room. Volume 27 No 1 SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021 IT’S QUESTION TIME IT’S QUESTION TIME Blue pages, orange shirts? R. Murray Schafer’s complex legacy? What Blue pages, makes orange theatre shirts? necessary? R. Murray Schafer’s Live complex music: legacy? ready or not? What makes theatre necessary? Live music: ready or not? Events by date, live and livestreamed Stories & interviews 100 recordings reviewed Listening Room Events by date, live and livestreamed Stories & interviews 100 recordings reviewed Listening Room 2607_May_cover.indd 1 2021-05-04 12:32 PM 2606_March_cover.in d 1 2021-03-13 8:22 AM Volume 27 No 1 SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021 “ MUSIC “ MUSIC MAKES US” Zorana Sadiq FESTIVALS Volume 27 No 2 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 2701_Sept_cover.in d 1 2021-09-16 3:45 PM 2608_JulyAugcover.in d 1 2021-06-24 6:54 PM 2607_May_cover.in d 1 2021-05-04 12:32 PM MAKES US” Zorana Sadiq FESTIVALS Volume 27 No 2 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 2608_JulyAugcover.in d 1 2021-06-24 6:54 PM Music by date, live and livestreamed Stories & interviews Record reviews, listening Music room by date, live and livestreamed Stories & interviews Record reviews, listening room Volume 27 No 3 DECEMBER 2021 / JANUARY 2022 Many Happy Returns! Many Happy Returns! Music by date, live, and livestreamed Record reviews Stories, interviews Music listening by date, room live, and livestreamed Record reviews Stories, interviews listening room 2703_Dec_cover.indd 1 2021- 1-30 2:53 PM 2703_Dec_cover.indd 1 2021-11-30 2:53 PM 2702_Nov_cover.in d 1 2021-10-27 10:16 PM 2702_Nov_cover.in d 1 2021-10-27 10:16 PM 2701_Sept_cover.indd 1 2021-09-16 3:45 PM Volume 27 No 3 DECEMBER 2021 / JANUARY 2022 Volume 27 No 4 FEBRUARY 2, 2022 Record reviews Listening Room Music Volume by date, 27 No live 4 and FEBRUARY livestreamed 2, 2022 Stories Record & interviews reviews Listening Room Music by date, live and livestreamed Stories & interviews Beyond the shadow ... live music ahead! Beyond the shadow ... live music ahead! Scaling Gould’s Wa l • Buying into hope • Beyond the music theatre lockdown blues • Charlotte Siegel - watershed moments • Deep Wireless at 20 • Towards fu l capacity, with fingers crossed Scaling Gould’s Wa l • Buying into hope • Beyond the music theatre lockdown blues • Charlotte Siegel - watershed moments • Deep Wireless at 20 • Towards fu l capacity, with fingers crossed

United For BENEFIT FOR CANADA-UKRAINE FOUNDATION THURS APRIL 28 • 7:30 PM • MERIDIAN HALL, TORONTO TICKETS: TOLIVE.COM OR 416-366-7723 With Performances by Vasyl Popadiuk // Sonia Rodriguez and Principal Dancers of The National Ballet of Canada Guillaume Côté, Heather Ogden, Svetlana Lunkina, Brendan Saye, Jurgita Dronina, Harrison James, and Spencer Hack // Red Sky Performance // Vesnivka Ukrainian Women’s Choir // Lara Ciekiewicz, Soprano // Natalya Gennadi, Soprano // James McLennan, Tenor // Barvinok Ukrainian Dance School CONCEIVED AND CURATED BY: SONIA RODRIGUEZ, HEATHER OGDEN, EVELYN HART, AND ATTILA GLATZ PRESENTED BY: ATTILA GLATZ CONCERT PRODUCTIONS AND TO LIVE, IN COOPERATION WITH THE EMBASSY OF UKRAINE

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