CHORAL SCENE Augmented
CHORAL SCENE Augmented forces: choirs plus ANGUS MACCAULL Early birds The early bird gets the worm, and the early WholeNote reader gets ... death! On November 1, Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto brings accordionist Michael Bridge, who’s been described by CBC Music as “a wizard of the accordion,” to the stage, along with aerial tango dancer Elizabeth Snell. They’ll be celebrating the Day of the Dead. The session begins with a friendly tango session you can either join or watch. It’s at The Playground on Carlaw Avenue Also on November 1, Guelph Chamber Choir presents Tango to Death, featuring another accordionist, Matti Pulkki. There will be a salsa dance to close the evening. And to celebrate Remembrance Day on November 11, the Toronto Choral Society presents “The Larks Still Bravely Singing.” This is a different take on death, commemorating the men and women who died protecting our freedoms. It’s an interesting time to think about the importance of the military. On the one hand, there are violent nationalist conflicts around the world. But on the other, we face a pressing need to define our sovereignty in Canada. Big works The fall is often a time when choirs take on challenging repertoire. This is the juicy stuff that choristers love to sing. Soundstreams tackles Mass for the Endangered on November 22. This piece about climate change, which first premiered in 2018, provides a powerful reflection and a requiem of sorts for an event that has not yet happened. David Fallis conducts at Trinity St Paul’s United Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts. In addition to the mass by Sarah Kirkland Snider, the program contains work by R. Murray Schafer, Olivier Messiaen, Arvo Pärt, Andrew Balfour, and Chris Hutchings. I think I might go to this one! On November 26, over in Hamilton, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra stages Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard, with The Elora Singers. This work is also a requiem, one for the murder of a young gay man in the late 1990s that sparked a wave of anti-hate activism, ultimately resulting in legislation in the U.S. The piece first premiered in 2016. It’s a narrative work depicting the actual events surrounding the murder and contains direct quotes referencing extreme violence and hate. As a powerful political piece, it will leave you thinking about how you can make a difference. Sound the trumpet ... and harp ... and jazz trio! As November moves into December, holiday concerts dominate the listings. It’s a special time of year when choirs often join forces with orchestras and instrumentalists. And what’s a holiday season without a brass quintet. The Peterborough Singers bring the Venabrass Quintet on stage for “Yuletide Cheer” on November 29. I love the sounds of brass at Christmas. This concert also features the Singers founder Syd Birrell on the organ. It’ll be his last concert with the Singers, and there’s been a special work commissioned to commemorate his retirement. Three groups of singers combine with the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, also on November 29, for “Festive Fables.” It’ll be an evening of carols and music inspired by winter stories. The Canto Singers, Serenata Singers, and the SPO Women’s Choir sing fun music, including Believe from The Polar Express. The Cantorei sine Nomine, or the singers without name, tackle a large holiday piece November 30 with Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. They’ll be singing the newer English translation by Neil Jenkins. The concert takes place in Uxbridge, which, as hikers may know, is a trail mecca. Why not pop up for one last weekend hike in the fall season and then take in the concert at 7pm? Brass quintets aren’t the only instruments that enjoy a holiday niche. Christmas is also the season of harps. Harpist Jacqueline Goring joins the Mississauga Chamber Singers for “Christmas Joy” on December 6. The concert features soprano Leanne Kaufman, who, when she’s not singing, likes to bake; and baritone Alexander Hajek, who paints miniatures for the game Warhammer in his spare time. The Toronto Children’s Chorus comes to Roy Thompson Hall on December 14 with “Songs of the Season: Nostalgic Movie Moments.” If Let it Go from Frozen has finally fallen out of your head, now is a great chance to get it back in there! Though overplayed for a while, it’s a great song. The TCC will be singing the modern classic along with Carol of the Bells from Home Alone and You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. A jazz trio joins for 16 | November & December 2025 thewholenote.com
Clockwise from left: Toronto Choral Society; Michael Bridge (Amadeus Choir); Venabrass (Peterborough Singers), Jacqueline Goring (Mississauga Chamber Singers); and Herr Handel himself (Tafelmusik). the concert at 2pm. If you’re itching to sing some carols, come by at 1:15pm for caroling in the lobby before the concert. Finally, the Hannaford Street Silver Band takes the stage on December 16 for “Merry & Bright,” a holiday celebration in voice and brass, which includes a world premiere by Haitian conductor and composer Christopher Ducasse. The Orpheus Choir of Toronto joins the band for what promises to be an unforgettable concert. The American Record Guide has billed Hannaford as “the finest brass band on the continent.” They are much bigger than a quintet and the only professional ensemble of their kind in Canada. Classic Messiahs Pax Christi Chorale performs a “Children’s Messiah” on November 29 at 4pm. It will feature solo and choral excerpts from Handel’s well-known work in an interactive, relaxed setting intended for families. A student orchestra, the Arts Unionville Strings, joins Pax on stage. Admission is free. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra brings its Messiah to Roy Thompson Hall on December 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21. This grand holiday tradition, a collaboration with Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, is a local favorite. TSO Musical Director Gustavo Gimeno has noted how the Messiah doesn’t have many markings for dynamics or articulations. A conductor needs to have their own vision for this piece. This means that every conductor’s Messiah is different. The TSO invites a different conductor each year, and so audiences who come back hear something that’s both familiar and new. This year the guest conductor is Michael Francis. Meanwhile, “Herr Handel” himself will conduct Tafelmusik’s sing-along Messiah on December 21. It’s an annual tradition as well—this will be the first sing-along in the newly renovated Massey Hall. It sold out early last year, so get your tickets now! If you’d like to hear the Messiah without singing along, Tafelmusik will be performing it the three preceding nights, December 18, 19 and 20 at Koerner Hall. Mr. Handel won’t be present for those. It’ll be Ivars Taurins, sans wig and period togs, conducting. Angus MacCaull is a Toronto-based journalist and poet. He is currently at work on a memoir about coming to terms with tinnitus as a promising young clarinettist. ST. ANDREW’S GALLERY CHOIR DAN BICKLE PIANO/ORGAN JORDAN KLAPMAN PIANO On This An Evening Shining of Music For the Soul Night FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12 | 7:30 PM FOR CONCERT INFO TICKETS: EVENTBRITE | AT THE DOOR KING & SIMCOE, TORONTO (416) 593-5600 X220 MEDIA SPONSOR thewholenote.com November & December 2025 | 17 3102_Features_fixed.indd 17 2025-11-17 1:54 PM
