Views
8 years ago

Volume 8 Issue 8 - May 2003

  • Text
  • Choir
  • Toronto
  • Singers
  • Theatre
  • Choral
  • Concerts
  • Musical
  • Choirs
  • Jazz
  • Festival

WholeNote's Special

WholeNote's Special Editorial Focus and Publication Schedule for June, July, & August, 2004 JUNE 1 TO JULY 7 Editorial focus: Oveiview of Summer Music .Festivals Published: Thursday, May 29, 2003 Festivals ·that were in The WholeNote last· June will be contacted. If your festival is new or was not in the magazine last . year, please contact us to be added to the summer festival list. Deadline for editorial inclusion is Monday, May 12, 6 pm. To count your festival in, e-mail summer@thewholenote.com or call 416-603-3786. · JULY 1 TO SEPTEMBER 7 Editorial focus: Detailed Listing~ of Summer Music Festivals · · Published: Friday, June 27, 2003 CONTACTS: Listings: Simone Desilets listings@thewholenote.com or 416-323-2232 Advertising Reservations: Allan Pulker or Karen Ages 416-32.3-2232 Editorial: David Perlman 416-603-3786 editorial@thewholenote.com 'kxmi Cormr SERIES-29 ArAooo OF MUSIC 19 kKJJAT MJSIC 48 Al.OOUUi Cammi27 Awwm SltmS & P!AYERS 22 AMAorus Ct«JiR cs3, 30 Mm8,28 AMPttoN ()>[RA 33 JlJlN:N.. ENsEMai.E 40 AmAYM.JSK:l 5, 38 . AssooATES Of TllE T alONTO SMmv36 BACll CH1LOREI{] s CHOOUS cs4, 34 BETH TIKVAH SYNAooooE 36 BSS ERIN GH .. MCX.llARrs WOOHFAMILY Pl.AVERS32 ~~30 SINFONIA TORONTO 9 Sou~r12 SRl4 Sr. JAMES' CATliEDRAL 25 Sruo10 A-MIRADOR 49 SusAN CRo\{ CONNEllV 43 SvMPHoNv 0RcttESTRA Of CANADA 40 T AFELMUSIK 3, 32 . T AllSKER PLAYERS cs 13, 38 T OOOOOR REcOROs 46 TORONTO All STAR BMl BAND 19, 34 . TORONToCAMERATA cs13 T alONTO CHORAL Socm CoMMUNITV CHOIR 39 TORONTO MooassoHN CHOIR cs 16 T OOONTO ()>[RA fmRTOIRE 20 TalONlo'OPERETTA THEATRE20 · TORONTO Sam FOi! Srat«;S 45 . T alONTO Sam Of MUSIC 44 T alONTO SltfONIITTA 34 .T QlONTO SVMPOONV ORCHESTRA 55 T QlONTO WasH MALE VOICE CHOIR 37 TORONTO YOUTH ., OVER TORY OIV 'TUE FOCfl~ Singing in the Moment ~th Ruth ,Watson Henderson by Larry Beckwith· "/am amazed at lww the clwral scene in ToronJo has just blossolnedand flourished. There are so many fine clwirs out there now, " · I lwpe that WholeNote readers, es- Composer and pianist Ruth Watson pecially tlwse active, as participants Hender~

ed there was really nothing. If you look arounl now, there is an abundance of fire children's choirs, including several right here in the Toronto area. I'm certain this is due to ·Jean's hard work and influence, not to mention the high standards that she sets for her choirs." OIER1HE VEAR.5, Ruth has written many works for the Toronto Children's Chorus, iocludingMusicoJ,AnimaJ Tales,BamyardCm.ols, Come Ye Makers of Song and the well-loved Christmas cantata The Lost Straw. As her stature as a composer grew steadily in the 1980s and 90s, the comulissions abounded. She's written for the American Guild of Organists, the Elora Festival, the Bach Children's Chorus, the Amadeus Choir, the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir, the Oriana Singers and many choirs from the United States. Ironically, one of the only major Toronto-area choirs not to have commissioned a piece from Ruth is the Elmer lseler Singers, though she wrote In Memoriam Elmer lseler.in 1998, a work that's been in the choir's repertoire ever since. RUTH ~ED 70 last November 23 and she's been enjoying a season full of birthday concerts in her honour. She shows no signs of slowing down her hectic pace of writing, accompanying and touring and while she enjoys telling stories of past experierx:es, she clearly and profoundly lives in the moment. "My favourite piece or choir really is the one rm working on or with at any given moment. I enjoy working with the children ... they're so inspiring, soconfidentandpositive. Still, I think it would be boring to work with one choir or just to write for one choir, which is why I'm glad to get commissions for different types of choirs." She gives examples of recent works she's written, iocluding To Every Thing There is.a Season for the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir, Five Fat Fleas for the Children in 'Harmony Festival at DisneyWorld ("like Spem inAlium for children!") and Make Me a World, a piece with a text from the story of creation by the early important black American writer, James Weldon Johnson. This last work will be on the program on May 4 when the Ebner Iseler Singers pay tribute to Ruth with perfonnaoces oflnany of her compositions. They will subsequently record the program for CBC Records, the first complete CD of Ruth's works. · The following week, on May 10, the Amadeus Choir performs her Voices of F.arth alongside Orff's oft-per- May 1 - June 7 2003 ELMER lsELER: "/wouldn't be doing what l 'm doing today if I hadn't hooked up with him. " formed Carmina Burana with Ruth herself and Eleanor Daley performing the two piano parts in both works. Wo ma TO IRllllE her compositional style and considerable craft as a composer, Ruth cites some pretty impressive models. "To me, it's a language that helps me express myself nanirally. I'm steeped in Palestrina and Willan, and Bach is still my desert island composer. I have to admit that I get bored with strictly homophonic writing, so I love a good contrapuntal workout! A lot of it depends on the choir you 're writing for." And she's written for many. As she departs for her rehearsal, she lets me peruse several scrapbooks of clippings, cards and pictures she's c;ollected over the years. Two recent birthday cardS from young choristers exemplify her impact on the young singers of the TCC. One reads: "thank you for being an accompanist." The other says "your music has really inspired me to fulfill my musical dreamS and reach my goals." Ruth Watson Henderson has made a unique double impact on the choral life ofToronto. As an unassuming and consummate accompanist, she's personally come in contact with and touched the lives of many generations of singers. And as a compose!'., she's built an enviable catalogue of approachable and direct works of varying degrees of difficult}' that stay with you lo~ after you'.ve sung or listened to them. For 35 years, through much change and growth, the choral community of Toronto has enjoyed the talents, dependability and good nature of a great lady. Ruth Watson Henderson continues to enjoy "the moment" and look forward to the next rehearsal,' next concert and next inspiration for , the next piece. ~TORONTO 2003-04 SEASON CHAMBER MUSIC DOWNTOWN QUARTETS Oct 16 Nov. 6 Nov. 20 Jan. 15 Feb. 5 · Mar. 18 Apr. 1 Apr. 15 PIANO Oct. 14 Nov. 25 Dec. 9 Jan. 20 Mar. 2 THURSDAYS Kodaly Quartet Brentano Quartet Zehetmair Quartet ·St. Lawrence Quartet Berlin Philharmonic Quartet Vogler Quartet . with pianist Angela Cheng Petersen Quartet Tokyo Quartet Richard Goode Claire-M~rie LeGuay Marc-Andre Hamelin Duo Turgeon Simon Trpceski TUESDAYS ENSEMBLES-IN-RESIDENCE TUESDAYS Oct. 21 Music TORONTO Chamber Society Dec. 2 Gryphon Trio Feb. 17 Music TORONTO Chamber Society Ma.r. 23 Gryphon Trio DISCOVERY Jan. 29 Feb. 12 Mar. 11 THURSDAYS Barbara Hannigan, soprano Lara St. John, violinist Berenika Zakrzewski, pianist CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS Nov. 6 Brentano String Quartet Jan. 20 Duo Turgeon Jan. 29 . Barbara Hannigan, soprano Mar. 23 Gryphon Trio AFFORDABLE + ACCESSIBLE + INTIMATE + EXHILARATING GREAT CLASSICAL MUSIC IN A PERFECT SMALL CONCERT HALL DOWNTOWN SUBSCRIPfIONS FROM · ' • ~~Jane Mallett Theatre r,1/(jp__ ~. St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts ffE:/U@_J AT www.stlc.com NTO 416-366-7~23 • 1-800-708-6754 www.m,.ic-toronto.com order online at www.stlc.com www.thewholenote.c.om 7

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)