Volume 10 Issue 4 - December 2004

for music students to improvise with
a Chim:se pipa soloist, pertormances
by the Dunhuang Ensemble of
traditional Chinese instruments, a
ltl\:ture by Alice Ho and Law Wingfai
on "East meers West", and a final
concert of works by Canadian
composers Alice Ho and Chan Ka
Nin alongside several works by Law
Wing-fai. The concen portion of the
lt:stival then travels to Toronto January
L4th at the Music Gallery and
then Montreal. For details, visit
www. mus1cgallery .org.
(It should also be noted that the
Pcnderecki arc soon off to Turin,
luily to pt:rlorm two concerts that
include works by Canadian composers
Peter Hatch, Alice Ho and John
Oswald. Before they head overseas,
they will test some of their Italian
repertoire on Canadian audiences,
namely Giacinto Scelsi's Quarte1 No.
4. This performance takes place on
January 8th at the Music Gallery, as
pan of a Scelsi Centenary concert
co-presented by Music Umbrella
and the Music Gallery. The Pend-
-,,, /
ONTARIO REGION
- --
Canadian composers and
professional musicians
showcase contemporary
works in development
· November
ereckis appellr in place of the Madawaska
Quartet, who were to perform
Scelsi's Quartet No. 3.
On January 22nd, Ensemble Noir
will launch their 2004/2005 Sonic
Revival concert series at the Winchester
Theatre. The opening concert,
titled "Contact". features the
work of Alice Ho and African composer
Kevin Volans. as well as pieces
by Volans' teacher, European
avant-garde pioneer Karlheinz
Stockhausen. This programme
promises the sort of cross-cultural
intersections that the Toronto new
music scene could create as its hallmark.
where Africa meets Europe
meets Asia. For more details visit
www .ensemblenoi r. org
(Jason van Eyk is the CMC's Oniario
Regional Director. He can be
reached at 416-961-6601 x. 207 or
jasonv@musiccemre.ca.)
New Music Quick Picks,
David Olds' shortcut to new music
in WholeNote's concert listings,
appears on page 68
a unique
chance to see
the creative
process in
action
2004 to March 2005
ifulr. details at www.musiccentre.ca 416.961.6601
* THC ONT .. IUO L" FONOATION
TRILLIUM l,: TIULt..IUM
FOUNOA'tlON 1 oa L'ONTAftlO
!
News Roundup
Coalition of New Music Presenters
by Keith De1111i11g
DECEMBER 1s A VERY busy time for musicians in Toronto. A number or
years back I was ai a friend's pany in December, and he was gening
alarmed because it was geuing late and very few people had arrived. All
at once, a large number of well-dressed n1usicians arrived. They had all
been involved in one or another of the legion performances of Handel's
Messiah rhat happen in the holiday season!
Now I love Handel's Messiah, but my ears. like yours, I hope, crave
something a bit more challenging from time to time. So, in this edition
of the roundup, may I humbly submit ....
Earshot Concrts embarks on its exciting new project around the end
of tfle month, which is a presentation and recording of Michael Hynes'
improvised suite ''Believe Everything You Hear." After two performances
in Quebec in late November, Hynes and the Earshot Ensemble.
joined by members of New Brunswick's Mocion Ensemble and others '
will perform and record Hynes work for release in 2005. Toronto
performances are at the Music Gallery, 197 John St.. on Friday,
December 3 at 8:00, with a pre-concert talk ar 7: 15. A second concert
takes place at the Montreal Bistro, 65 Sherbourne St., on Sunday,
December 5 ac 7:00.
Right in between thes.e shows is Arraymusic's concert "The
Composer Improviser". Arraymusic, with special guest clarinetisc Lori
Freedman, will perform new works by Freedman, Robert W.
Stevenson, Stephen Clarke, Cam McKittrick and John Abram. This
concert takes place at the Music Gallery on Saturday, December 4, at 8:00.
On December 9th, the U of T Percussion Ensemble performs a
concerc at the Music Gallery featuring works by Kagel. Rick Sacks,
Payton MacDonald, Eric Richards, and American master Lou Harrison.
Now, most new music groups do not presenc concens in the few
weeks surrounding Christmas. The year-end parties, the last-minute
shopping, eighteen performances of Handel's Messiah, the endless
rivers of eggnog, the sleep-inducing turkey, it's all too much! But,
refreshed and revitalized, and resolved to pur yourself more in the
cultural forefront in 2005, you march forward into a new year ...
January is a busy month for New Music Concerts. At the Glenn
Gould Studio on Sunday January 9th, NMC presents Japanese sho
virtuoso Mayumi Miyata premiering works by Toshio Hosokawa,
Kazuhiko Suzuki and John Cage. (The sho, for those of you who don't
kn.ow, is one of a number of traditional Japanese flutes.) Ms. Miyata
will be joined on stage by Robert Aitken, accordionist Joseph Macerollo
and the Accordes string quartet.
Later in the month, NMC presents Tim Brady's chamber opera
"Three Cities in the Life of Norman Bethune" featuring baritone
Michael Donovan and the Bradyworks Ensemble. The concert is
rounded out with Tim Brady performing solo works for electric guitar
by himself, Wende Bartley, R. Murray Schafer and Rene Lussier. Two
performances of this chamber opera will be held at the Music Gallecy on
Saturday and Sunday, January 22 and 23. Both performances start at 8:00.
On January 14th, NUMUS presents the NUMUS Chinese Festival t
the Music Gallery, featuring works by Chinese and Chinese-Canadian
composers including Alice Ho, Richard Tsang, Xiagang Ye and Erhai
Liang. 'fhe program will be performed by the Pentaedre Wind Quintet,
the Penderecki String Quartet and others.
On January 18th. Soundstrearns Canada presents Gravity and
Grace, with Amici Chamber Ensemble and others performing a
program of works by Canadian composer Allan Gordon Bell and
Estonian composer Erk.Id-Sven Tuur. The concert is at 8:00, and is
preceded at 7:00 by the Young Anist Overture. The Young Artist
Overture series is a terrific initiative from Soundstreams in which young
musicians and composers have the opportunity to perform repertoire in
a concert before the 'main event'. Gravity and Grace takes place at the
Glenn Gould Studio.
28 WWW.THEWHOLENOTE.COM DECEMOER 1 2004 -FE8RUARV 7 2005