SoME THING NewBY JASON VAN EYKOf Byzantium and the Molson PrizeWith the pre-season becoming larger and more interesting, there'ssimply no excuse not to experience current, creative music; especiallywhen it provides a good preparation for the adventurous seasonahead. This is particularly true of the Music Gallery's recent X Avantfestival, which built up some intriguing evenings of multi-genremusic.Take for example Night Two of X Avant, which featured an improvand electroacoustic through-line. The evening opened withCONTACT, who created a real downtown feel, mixing in DavidLang and Philip Glass alongside Canadian Jordan Nobles. Whiletheir set had no improv or electracoustics, the band did bring somearrangements of Bowie/Eno and Richard D. James (better known asintelligent techno pioneer Aphex Twin), which were backed_ by hvevideo from Noir and Patricia Rodriguez. I'm personally a big fan ofthis current crossover between electronica and concert music, whereacoustic groups re-arrange and perform electronic works. AphexTwin is a clear favourite, with groups like NYC's Alarm Will Soundtackling the more rhythmically complex works, while greats likeGlass have orchestrated the more ambient pieces. For this concert,CONTACT gave us their take on Blue Cab: from James' early ambientworks. The band made a good attempt, capturing the original' slong lines and expansive textures. However, I felt they missed thespaciousness and long decay that gives Blue Cab: it's remarkablequalities.CONTACT was much more impressive in Lang's harshly pareddownStick Figure, which makes me anticipate their next Music Galleryconcert on <strong>October</strong> 28h, where they will tac_kle Elevated .- acomplete David Lang programme matched by videos from big nameartists Bill Morrison, William Wegman and Doug Aitken. For moredetails visit www.contactcontemporarymusic.ca or call 416-902-7010.While I write, neither Tapestry's Opera Briefs nor Nuit Blanchehave taken place. Both were profiled in last month' s column. Luckily,I was treated to some sneak peeks. This year' s Oµ_era Briefs aresure to please those that like their humour dark. The librettist~ haveturned out some playfully twisted pieces, which have been_sk1~lfullyset by their musical collaborators. Even better, these combmat10nshave inspired some delicious performances from ~he 1:a~estry Company.Meanwhile, over at the CM_C, compose_r B~ll G1ll1~m ~dimage artist Gera Dillon tested their collaborative 1~stallat10n piece,Memory Vision . This audiovisual event, accomparned by contentfrom sound poet Penn Kamp, truly captures the energy of the city atnight, while also creating a flexible sense of time ... perfect contentBack to Ad IndexViolins, violas, cellos, and bowsComplete line of strings and accessoriesExpert repairs and rehairsCanada's largest stock of string musicFast mail order service@,~www.thesoundpost.cominfo@thesoundpost.com93 Grenville St., Toronto MSS 184tel 416.971.6990 fax 416.597.9923for an all-night art thing.But <strong>October</strong> is when new music really gets going in Toronto,with the city' s numerous presenters launching their annual series.<strong>2007</strong>-2008 is set to be a particularly momentous season, as two ofour leading new music organizations celebrate their silver anniversaries.Soundstreams launches their 25m anniversary season with the Byzantinemini-festival. A recurring interest for Artistic Director LawrenceCherney (who also developed Byzantine-based concerts in1995 and 2002), the mystical mysteries and cultural monopoly thatthis medieval empire held for over a thousand years will be exploredby some of the best creators and performers Soundstreams couldamass.On <strong>October</strong> l2 1 h at Walter Hall, the opening concert will compareand contrast how the medieval rituals and early music of the Byzantineperiod continue to inspire today's c?mposer_s. ~ont~eal-?ased.Michael Oesterle offers the world prem1ere of his Beg Ccty, llttle City,written for viola soloist Steven Dann and chamber orchestra. Oesterledescribes his personal meaning of Byzantium as "Black Death,Feudalism, monastic illuminations, extraordinary mosaics, ornatecrosses and the great vaulted ceilings that overarched the religiousschizophrenia of the crusades, witch-hunts and the Inquisition". Thissounds like an evocative place from which to create. Dann will alsoappear in the North American premiere of Jonathan Harvey's Jubilus,inspired by a medieval Italian monk's chant. Enriching the programmewill be Patricia Rozario's performance of 12'h-c_entury chantsby Hildegard von Bingen and Oesterle's Chaucer Canticles .Patricia Rozario's unique voice - which has been described asradiant, phenomenally dexterous and totally expressive - will alsograce the following night' s festival-closing concert. On <strong>October</strong> <strong>13</strong>at St. Anne's Anglican Church, Rozario will be joined by the ElmerIseler Singers for the North American premiere of The Troparion ofKassiani by Toronto composer Christos Hatzis . The work, whicht1-~~::~f ~~ -September 27 to <strong>October</strong> 28, <strong>2007</strong>Performances, Screenings, Installations, Artist talks, WorkshopsSept 27 - Oct 28 Videomusic installation@ Gladstone FREEOct 2 - 27 Videomusic & Sound installations@ NAISA Space PWYCPerformance Weekend Pass: $45/35/25Oct 26th Monique Jean I Michael Snow trio I Franc;ois GirouardMichelle Irving @ Latvian House $20/15/10Oct 27th Text of Light (Lee Ranaldo I Alan Licht I Ulrich Krieger)@ Latvian House, 491 College $20/15/10Oct 28th Elevated by David Lang with CONTACT contemporarymusic ensemble@ Music Gallery $20/15/10Presenting partners include: the Gladstone Hotel, Pleasure Dome, GoetheInstitute, CONTACT contemporary music, Music Gallery & Bradyworksfor more info 416-910·7231 ; naisa@naisa.cawww . soundplay . caGLADSTONEII O T r. Lttl:11 C11t1ll'I,,,,.,WWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM O CTOBE R 1 - N OVEMB ER 7 <strong>2007</strong>
was premiered with Rozario as the soloist at the 2004 ByzantineFestival in London, is based on a text by Kassia, a ninth-centurypoet, abbess and the first woman composer for whom any work isknown to survive. Completing the programme are North Americanpremieres of Ode of St. Andrew of Crete and Lamentation, LastPrayer and Exaltation by Sir John Tavener and Jonathan Harvey'sCome Holy Ghost. For complete details, please visitwww.soundstreams.ca or call 416-504-1282.The Esprit Orchestra follows shortly with their silver anniversaryseason opener on <strong>October</strong> 19 at the Jane Mallett Theatre. Back in1983, Esprit was given a two-year survival prognosis. Now enteringits twenty-fifth, the Orchestra is highly regarded world-wide for itsdedication to offering increasingly larger audiences the finest of today'smusic as performed by some of the most talented soloists andorchestral players to be found anywhere.This season's opening programme brings back some of the bestlovedEsprit pieces, including Dutch composer Tristan Keuris' Sinfonia,Toronto-based Alexina Louie' s Shattered Night, Shivering Starsand Colin McPhee's Tabuh-Tabuhan. A special anniversary momentwill take place when Esprit founder and Music Director Alex Paukpublicly receives the prestigious <strong>2007</strong> Molson Prize in the Arts. The$50,000 prize is awarded every year to distinguished citizens whomake outstanding achievements and ongoing contributions to thecultural life of Canada. In selecting Alex as this year's recipient, thejury called him "a cutting-edge leader in the cultivation and presentationof contemporary music, in Canada and abroad." I for one willbe there to congratulate him on the well-deserved honour.So come out and celebrate a history of innovation. Discover music'screative longevity through some thing new.(Jason van Eyk is the Canadian Music Centre's Ontario RegionalDirector. He can be reached at 416-961-6601 x. 207 orjvaneyk@musiccentre. ea).Thursday Oct. 4ROBERT LIPPOK (DE) +DEBASHIS SINHAFriday Oct. 5STEPHEN CLARKE, solo pianoSaturday Oct. 6GREAT AUNT IDA + KIMBARLOW + TIM VESELYThursday Oct. 18MUSIC GALLERY SALONFUNDRAISER @ Gallery 345Sunday Oct. 21NEW MUSIC CONCERTS -Friday Oct. 26CONTINUUM -Utter MostBolcom for Two PianosSaturday Oct. 27NADJA + PLOTKIN/WYSKIDA DUO (US)Sunday Oct. 28DAVID LANG: ELEVATED (US)Co-presented with CONTACT contemporary music,Bradyworks, NAISA + Pleasure DomeSunday Nov. 2JOHN KAMEEL FARAH + HAUSCHKA (DE)the Music Gallery• 197 John St., Toronto ON, MST IX6416-204-1080 • www.musicgallery.orgPiano & Keyboard CentreRepresenting the largest collectionof Restored Steinway Pianos in Canada.Genuine Steinway parts used.Restoration by Wayne Chen, German Steinwayfactory trained technician.Here is our partial Steinway inventory:Steinway Model K - Pol/Ebony SOLDSteinway Model K - Sat/MahoganySteinway Model S - Sat/WalnutSteinway Model S - Sat/EbonySteinway Model M- Sat/Ebony (w/QRS Player)Steinway Model O - Sat/Walnut SOLDSteinway Model L- Sat/MahoganySteinway Model A - Sat/EbonySteinway Model B - Sat/EbonySteinway Model D - Sat/Ebony$ 11 ,995$ 11 ,995$29,000$28,000$29,995$34,000$34,000$29,995$55,000$65,000We offer top price to buy and trade Steinway pianos.For a particular model, finish, style, or forSales, Service & Concert or Recording Rentals,please call 905-709-2771 or 1-866-879-6741.70 East Beaver Creek Road (Hwy. 7/404)www.pianokeyboard.comO CTOBER 1 - N O VEMBE R 7 <strong>2007</strong>Back to Ad IndexWWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM23
- Page 1 and 2: AftIIIVIIIIPILAYlNG LIKE THEPED.SOt
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EPO is also keeping the young at ar
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The church has just finished amajor
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