Volume 30 Issue 3 | December 2024 & January 2025

After the second break,

After the second break, the choir came back for Oscar Peterson’sCivil Rights anthem Hymn to Freedom, with lyrics by HarrietHamilton. “When every heart joins every heart and together yearnsfor liberty,” the choir sang, “that’s when we’ll be free.” A message stillpainfully relevant.The Love of the Sea by Nova Scotia music teacher DonnaRhodenizer Taylor followed – the first piece Burton ever sang in achoir, he told us. Choir member Jessica Black stepped down from therisers and picked up a clarinet to play along with collaborative pianistDuvall for the piece. The final song of the evening was Cape Breton’sunofficial anthem, We Rise Again by Leon Dobinski, one of the manyEast Coast songs I first learned via the Rankin Family. As Sarah Mole,one of a handful of young professionals in RESOUND’s Choral ScholarProgram, stepped forward to sing a solo part, I thought of car rides asa kid from my hometown in mainland Nova Scotia across the CansoCauseway to my mother’s hometown in Cape Breton.The flowers on the after-concert refreshment table at the backsmelled wonderful. I picked up a piece of cake and a glass of bubbly.As I enjoyed them, I chatted with Burton. He emphasized how excitingit is that the choir is singing at a high level, with innovative projectsas well as large classical works. And they don’t seem to have troubleselling concert tickets. “People kind of flock to us,” he said.It doesn’t surprise me, if my own experience is anything to go by. Afterall, music, like many aspects of life, is ultimately rooted in the specificityof place, lived and remembered, both our own and that of other people. Itwas exciting to hear a concert based on this awareness, and an audiencewilling, in that particular moment, to embrace the idea.Next up for RESOUND is Handel’s Messiah in December, followedby “In Queer Company” in March, and to close the season, a collaboration,Verdi’s Requiem, with Orpheus Choir – where Burton isalso artistic director – in June. I recommend you get your tickets forthat one soon.And if you’d like to hear Thomas Burton’s work with other groups(and are quick off the mark), he joins the University of Toronto Facultyof Music for “Choral Concert” on December 1 at 2:30pm. ConductorsKathleen Allan, Jamie Hillman, and Maria Conkey will also lead piecesfeaturing U of T’s Chamber Chorus, the MacMillan Singers, and the Uof T Soprano-Alto and Tenor-Bass choruses. Burton also takes the stagewith his other main choir, Orpheus Choir of Toronto, on December 17 at7:30pm for “A Ceremony of Carols,” which will feature Reena Esmail’s AWinter Breviary alongside Christmas and Hanukkah favourites.And elsewhereThe Annex Singers have a promising program on December 7 at7:30pm at Grace Church-on-the-Hill, called Stargazers. There will beworks by Mendelssohn, Poulenc, Dove, Ešenvalds, and Cree Canadiancomposer Andrew Balfour, whose piece Ambe I recently so enjoyed atthe RESOUND concert. There will be a pre-concert talk by astronomerRenée Hložek with guided outdoor stargazing (weather permitting).Gift- Concert: Jack Layton in December 2006at the 8th annual Messiah for the CitySoundCrowd performs Scott Pietrangelo’s arrangement of Elton John’s“I’m Still Standing” at the Paradise Theatre (Toronto, January 20, 2024)Handel’s Messiah: Of course, as always, you have your choice ofMessiah productions this holiday season – 22 performances by 15presenters, by my count, involving 19 different choirs. (Visit “Just Ask”on The WholeNote website and type in “Messiah” as your keywordand you can see for yourself.)A special shout-out, though, for “Messiah for the City,” at KnoxPresbyterian Church on December 21, featuring Toronto BeachChorale the Mississauga Chamber Singers, St. Anne’s Anglican ChurchChoir, and musicians from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.It was launched in the late 1990s as “Messiah for our City” by thelate Jack Layton, because he believed music and art should be accessibleto everyone. To this day, you still can’t buy a ticket to the performance.Instead, they are distributed by the United Way and its partneragencies to Torontonians who wouldn’t normally have access to suchan event.Peppy New Year: Finally, for another direction in the New Year,consider SoundCrowd’s performances of “Spice Girls vs BackstreetBoys” on January 25 at 3pm and 8pm at the Paradise Theatre. Thisauditioned acapella choir features peppy numbers with brilliantharmonies and choreography under the direction of artistic directorScott Pietrangelo and choreographer Ashley Medeiros-Felix.Angus MacCaull is a Toronto-based journalist and poet. He iscurrently at work on a memoir about coming to terms with tinnitusas a promising young clarinetist.St. Anne’sMusic & DramaSociety presentsGilbert and Sullivan’sThe Yeomenof the GuardDirected by Laura SchatzMusical Direction by Kate CarverChoreography by Jennie GardeJan 31, Feb 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 & 9,2025St. Anne’s Auditorium651 Dufferin St., TorontoTICKETS: stannesmads.comDANIEL ABRAHAMSON20 | December 2024 & January 2025 thewholenote.com

MAINLY CLUBSMAINLY CLUBSJudithLander atthe JeanDarleneORI DAGANORI DAGANMany artists trace others’ footsteps, while certain standoutsMany develop artists their trace own others’ paths. footsteps, Similarly, while certain many standoutslive musicdevelop venues stick their to own a familiar paths. Similarly, formula, occasionally while many a live space musiccomes along venues with stick its own to a distinct familiar vision, formula, vibe occasionally and style. Jean a spaceDarlenecomes in the Dundas along with & Ossington its own distinct neighbourhood vision, vibe is one and of style. the Jean latter, Darleneofferingin a unique, the Dundas memorable & Ossington experience neighbourhood to its clientele. is one of the latter, offeringa unique, The first memorable time you go, experience be warned: to the its clientele.entrance is not where youthink The it first is, as time is explained you go, be in warned: the QR the code entrance on the door is not at where 1203 Dundas youthink West. Follow it is, as the is explained instructions: the walk QR west, code on turn the left door at the at 1203 KFC, Dundastake theWest. alley all Follow the way the to instructions: the end and walk take west, the stairs turn down; left at the check KFC, your take coat, thealley pay your all the cover way and to the take end the and stairs take up the and stairs you’ll down; arrive check at your your destination:your The cover Jean Darlene and take Piano the stairs Room. up and you’ll arrive at your destina-coat,pay tion: “Where The Jean am Darlene I?” you will Piano wonder: Room.the lighting is dim and mysterious;a disco “Where ball am illuminates I?” you will the wonder: air; a golden the lighting grand piano is dim sparkles and mysterious;in thea corner; disco ball a bartender illuminates mixes the a air; martini; a golden you grand have never piano been sparkles here in and theyetcorner; it feels as a bartender warm and mixes inviting a martini; as an old you friend’s have never apartment. been here and yetit feels The brainchild as warm and of Ossington inviting as entrepreneurs an old friend’s Joseph apartment.Eastwood (ParisParis), The brainchild Fadi Hakim of (The Ossington Lakeview), entrepreneurs and rock band Joseph Platinum Eastwood Blonde’s (ParisParis), Mark Holmes, Fadi Hakim The Jean (The Darlene Lakeview), has and quickly rock become band Platinum a trendy Blonde’shotspot,Mark particularly Holmes, on The Thursdays, Jean Darlene Fridays has and quickly Saturdays become for a its trendy “Singalonghotspot,particularly Piano Karaoke on Open Thursdays, Mic.” Fridays On these and nights, Saturdays hired for musicians its “Singalongaccompanyguests Karaoke as inhibition Open Mic.” flies On out these the nights, window hired and musicians cheers ring accom-Piano pany guests as inhibition flies out the window and cheers ringThe first Broadway Bash at the Jean Darlene PianoThe first Room Broadway starring Bash Charlotte at the Moore Jean Darlene and Friends. PianoRoom starring Charlotte Moore and Friends.through the air. “The concept is actually pretty simple: everyone at Thethrough Jean Darlene the air. is made “The concept to feel like is actually a star” says pretty Mark simple: Holmes, everyone who leads at TheJean the house Darlene band is made through to feel everything like a star” from says ABBA Mark to Holmes, Zappa. “That’s who leadswhatthe it’s all house about. band And through it keeps everything people coming from ABBA back.” to Zappa. “That’s whatit’s all about. And it keeps people coming back.”I stumbled onto the Jean Darlene myself just over a year ago and,I enchanted stumbled by onto the the space, Jean I Darlene found myself asking just over the a owners year ago if and,they wereenchanted looking for by any the other space, music I found to be myself curated. asking They the were owners receptive if they to werelooking the idea for and any asked other me music what to music be curated. I would They want were to bring receptive in on tootherthe nights. idea Inspired and asked by me the what dearth music of cabaret I would spaces want on to the bring current in on Toronto othernights. live music Inspired landscape by the I pitched dearth of a monthly cabaret spaces Broadway-inspired on the current series. Torontolive “When music the landscape crowd is I pitched hopping a and monthly the folks Broadway-inspired are appreciative, series.the JeanDarlene “When is the an awesome crowd is hopping venue,” and says the Canadian folks are musical appreciative, theatre the iconJeanDarlene Charlotte is Moore, an awesome who was venue,” the first says artist Canadian booked musical in the theatre Broadwaythemedseries. Moore, “The who funky was the décor first and artist excellent booked staff in the add Broadway-to the ambi-iconCharlotte themed ence. I especially series. “The enjoyed funky getting décor and the audience excellent to staff sing add along to the to ambi-theirence. favourites, I especially and introducing enjoyed getting them the to some audience new to ones. sing A along terrific to place theirtofavourites, strut your stuff!” and introducing them to some new ones. A terrific place tostrut Other your vocal stuff!”artists who have graced the venue so far include veterancrooner Other John vocal Alcorn, artists who award-winning have graced actor the venue Gabi Epstein so far include and ubersoulfulsinger John Alcorn, Robert Ball. award-winning Coming up actor next in Gabi the Epstein series: on and Monday uber-veterancrooner soulful singer Robert Ball. Coming up next in the series: on Mondaycontinued on page 40continued on page 40JUSTIN JUSTIN HOLMES HOLMESST. ANDREW’SGALLERY ST. ANDREW’SCHOIRGALLERY CHOIRDAN BICKLEDAN ORGANORGAN BICKLEORGANJORDAN KLAPMANJORDAN PIANOPIANO KLAPMANPIANOAIDAN MASONAIDAN GUITAR MASONGUITARGUITARFri. Dec. 67:30 p.m.PAY WHAT YOU CANPAY WHAT YOU CANMEDIA SPONSORMEDIA SPONSORMEDIA SPONSORFORKingKing & Simcoe,Simcoe, TorontoTorontoKing (416)(416)& 593-5600593-5600Simcoe, Torontox220x220(416) 593-5600 x220INFOINFOINFOCONCERT CONCERTCONCERTFORFOR FORFORthewholenote.com December 2024 & January 2025 | 21thewholenote.com December 2024 & January 2025 | 21