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8 years ago

Volume 5 Issue 4 - December 1999/January 2000

  • Text
  • Toronto
  • December
  • Theatre
  • Choir
  • January
  • Symphony
  • Arts
  • Choral
  • Singers
  • Orchestra

'I oncert Notes

'I oncert Notes VVednesday,~oven1ber 24 the Toronto City Council n1eeting began with a "n1usical statenlent" by n1en1bers of the ISO brass and percussion sections perfofnling AaroJ!l Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. 1'S(J S]'llllll! 1VO'l'IIS (I arrived just in tinle to help pull a kettle drun1 fron1 the lobby to the coimcil chan1ber elevator. that would take us up to the council chan1ber. Once there, and while waiting, I had a chat with the ISO n1usicians' spokesperson, violist, Gary Labovitz.) The council n1eeting began, after fanfare, with a staten1ent by Councillor Kyle Rae, who was, pun intended, instrunlental in bringing the ISO players to this n1eeting. The staten1ent con1n1enced as follows: "For the past nine weeks concert halls in Toronto have been silent etc. etc .... " . City Council then proceeded to pass a n1ohon to send a n1essage to both parties urging then1 to return to the bargaining table and bring the strike to an end. So the City Hall performance has worked at least this n1uch: Mayor Mel Lastnlan will be n1eeting bo.th parties in the dispute in an atten1pt to bnng then1 back to the negotiating table. Leaving aside (for the n10n1ent) Councillor Rae's "silent concert halls" ren1ark, how good are the chances that the Mayor can help things along? The Musicians' side Gary Labovitz was cautiously optimistic that if the two sides can get back to the bargaining ~ble an agreen1ent ~ be reached, but only 1f the ISO board Will ren1ove the "fmal fmalness" fron1 its latest offer. And the other problen1 with the Board's latest offer ~ccording to Labovitz, is that it spre;ds salary mcreases over five years when all the negotiations have been centred around a three-year contract. . The real issue, according to Labovitz, IS the orchestra's artistic standard. Can a city of Toronto's size and cultural and econon1ic stature afford to have a third rate orchestra which is what it will have in a few years if the sal~es it pays its n1usicians do not keep pace With those of the first rate orchestras in con1parable cities in North Anlerica? VVhat of the argun1ent that the disparity in ren1uneration between the ISO and Anlerican SYnlphony orchestras is that the price you have to pay for having to live in a city like Detroit? As far as Gary Labovitz was concerned this is nothing n1ore than arrogant Toronto provincialisn1. Gary used to study with a Detroit SYnlphony n1usician who lived in a beautiful hon1e a n1ere twenty nlinutes fron1 where he worked and only an Please see STRIKE NoTEs, page 37 ORCHESTRAS If the Toronto SYnlphony Orchestra strike continues into Decen1ber there will continue to be fewer orchestral concerts than one would expect nlid-season. There are, nevertheless, enough orchestral concerts to keep at least the average orchestral n1usic addkt off the critical list. On Decen1ber 4 the Mississauga Symphony and Toronto pianist, Peter Longworth, will perform Rachnlaninotf's 3rd Piano Concerto in the responsive acoustical environn1ent of the Mississauga Performing Arts Centre's HSnlnlerson Hall. On Decen1ber 18 the same orchestra will present a pops concert with the Mississauga Children's Choir. This will be followed by a carol sing-alo~g . The Toronto Philharmonia will also be presenting a seasonal concert on Decen1ber 12 at which they will be joined by the Yo;kminster Citadel Songsters. Another orchestra that has recently con1e to our attention is the National Acaden1y Orchestra, the creation of renowned conductor, Boris Brott. Their concert on Decen1ber 12 at the Royal Botanical Gardens Ballroon1 will con1bine the orchestra and solo violinist Martin Beaver, in a performance of Prokofiev's Violin Concerto #2 in g minor and Beethoven's Romances for violin and orchestra. CHAMBER ORCHESTRAS The Royal Conservatory of Music's Glenn Gould Professional School now has a chan1ber orchestra, The Acaden1y Chan1ber Orchestra, which will present its first regular season performance on Decen1ber II at the Ettore Mazzoleni Concert Hall. The next afternoon, Decen1ber 12 at 2:00 Sinfonia Mississauga chan1ber orchestra with guest artist, tenor, Darryl Edwards, will perform Gerald Finzi's exquisite Cantata, Dies Nata/is, Holst's St. Paul Suite and a selection of seasonal n1usic. Looking ahead to February we see that Sinfonia Toronto will present a progran1 of n1usic for lovers on February 6. MUSICIANS OF THE TSO The T.S.O. n1usicians are perfofnling frequently during their strike, but without n1uch advance publicity because their ad hoc season could end at any n10n1ent if they reach a settlement with the T.S.O. board of directors. Their next event, which we think will be a go because it is quite soon, they describe as "an afternoon of n1usical treasures, tea and delicacies". It is scheduled for December 5 at 3:00 at Ten1ple En1anuel, 120 Old Colony Road - call first, however - 416- 449-3880. You can find out about other upcon1ing events by phoning 416-322- by Allan Pulker 2728.or visiting www.tsoinusicians.con1. CHAMBER MUSIC One ofTororito's fme young pianists, Andrew Burashko, is adding his voice to the artistic nlix with a series/ensen1ble he calls "Chan1ber Music Unlirnited!The Art ofTinle Ensen1ble", which he intends ''to stretch the boundaries of the traditional chan1ber n1usic recital whille retaining its intinlacy", cn'!ating "innovative, cpp.ceptually-rich ... progran1s . while fo1!tering collaborations between n1usicians and artists in other disciplines". The next concert in the series, "All That Jazz?" which will feature jazzsaxophonist/ clarinettist, Phil Dwyer, ·violinist, Mark Fewer. and Andrew Burashko takes place at the Glenn Gould Studio on January 9. Mooredale Concerts' next event will be a progran1 of n1usic by Dvorak performed by Mooredale Artistic Director (and, incidentally, Sinfonia Toronto p!jncipal cello) Kristine Bogyo with son1e of the best of the younger generation of n1usicians - Jennifer Lin1, piano, Erika Ralln1 and Julian Kuerti violins and Katalina MacDonald, viola. Thls concert will be presented twice, on January . 22 at VVillowdale United Church and on January 23 at VValter Hall. CONCERTS WITH A CAUSE On Decen1ber 6 LOFT Community Services brings together such pron1inent Canadian performers as Michael Burgess, Collective of Black Artists, Linda Maguire, Richard · Ouzounian, .Jan Overduin, Doug Riley, the · St. Jan1es' Cathedral Choir and the Tril~ium Brass in a performance which it is hoped will raise ,000 to provide food, clothing and essential services for those who are vulnerable and at risk in our COnlnlunity. The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts will welcon1e back Alan Frew and· Friends on February 5 for their fifth annual concert to benefit children and fan1ilies living with cancer and other life lin1iting or lifethreatening illnesses. And Canadian superstar, tenor, Richard Margison along with a nlln1ber of other pronlinent n1ilsicians, including GrSnlnly Award Wmner, Alannah Miles, will perform on Decen1ber 6 at HSnlnlerson Hall to benefit the Collaborations chan1ber n1usic series. OTHER VOICES You can hear another of our superstar tenors, Michael Schade, on Decen1ber 19, when he performs with the outstanding n1ale voice choir, The Victoria Scholars, winner of two consecutive first prizes in the CBC's an1ateur choir con1petition. (It n1ay be an an1ateur choir but it sure doesn't sound like one.) On CoNCERT NoTEs continues on a e 8

TORONTO . NURHAN ARMAN Music Director * ':t . ' •' I, * * * * * The best way to :begin:your next thousand yearst~. j ··- , . o~J l! ' ' * * MUSIC FOR LOVERS * * Mozart: Eine Kleine'Nachtmusik · Suk: Serena(te * * Elgar: Serenade * Brahms: Liebeslieder Waltzes Sunday,.February 6, 2:30pm .;; 'd * ** * ** * * * * DANCES FROM 'tHE OLD WORLD * * Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances Wieniawski: Fa:ntaisie Brillante on Themes fin~ Gotinod's Faust STEPAN ARMAN, violinist Bartok: Divertimento Bartok: Roum,anian Dances Saturday, April 8, 8 pm . * ** ** * ** * * * * * * * * FOREVER MOZART Symphony No. 17 Symphony No. 29 Piano Concerto No. 9 MICHAEL KIM, pianist Andonian - In Memoriam World Premiere Sunday, March12, 2:30 pm *** Holst: St Paul's Suite Britten: Les illuminations * NATHALIE PAUIJN, soprano Warlock: Capriol Suite Britten: Simple Symphony Elgar: Introduction and Allegro Saturday, May 6, 8 pm * * BRITISH AIRS ** Sinfonia Toronto wishes you a year of health, happiness and music Adults , Seniors , Students Glenn Gould Studio Monday to Friday 11-6 205-5555 * *.,•

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