Volume 21 Issue 1 - September 2015

and is a perfect concert
Thierry Tidrow
companion in this program.
Hieroglyphs consists of definitions
of nine words drawn
from dictionaries dating from
1859, 1906 and 1939. The list
of words and definitions was
assembled by Elissa Poole and
Linda C. Smith and will be sung
by Danielle MacMillan. The
Arraymusic ensemble accompanies
both works. Hannigan
conducts: In the February issue
of TheWholeNote, I interviewed
soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan regarding her upcoming
vocal performances in the TSO’s New Creations Festival. During the
interview, Barbara spoke about breaking new ground as a conductor,
another field predominantly occupied by men. Part of her own unique
twist on taking up this new professional path was to do away with
the traditional conductor attire and wear clothing that allowed her to
be fully expressive with her bare arms as she conducts. On October 7
and 8, she returns to Toronto to conduct the Toronto Symphony in
a program of works that span from Mozart and Haydn to Stravinsky
and Ligeti. She will begin the program by singing Luigi Nono’s
Djamila Boupacha before turning to the orchestra to conduct Haydn’s
Symphony No. 49 “La Passione.”
Lorca to Lludgar: Another Canadian soprano who has been making
international waves with her “impeccably pure and iridescent” voice
is also returning to Toronto to perform in Soundstreams first concert
of the season on September 29. In “Beyond the Aria,” Adrianne
Pieczonka will take the stage along with Toronto-based mezzosoprano
Krisztina Szabó to perform a collection of works, including
one of my personal favourites, George Crumb’s virtuosic Ancient
Voices of Children, composed
in 1970. Drawing on the evocative
poetry of Federico García
Lorca, the piece uses a variety
of sonic techniques, such as
the soprano singing into the
piano strings, and incorporates
temple bells, musical saw and
toy piano to convey Crumb’s
essential vision: a request
to God to “give me back my
ancient soul of a child.” Other
pieces on the program include
selections from Crumb’s
American Songbook, Luciano
Berio’s arrangements of songs by Lennon and McCartney and a world
premiere by Argentinian-Canadian composer Analia Llugdar. A Jules
Léger Prize winner in 2008, Llugdar’s works frequently incorporate
singing and speaking voices while pursuing her aesthetic vision
of a search for “the core of the sound.” Her piece in this program,
Romance de la luna, luna is inspired by the Lorca poem of the same
name. Soundstreams’ press release is in sync with the theme of this
month’s column: “a concert celebrating the soaring voices and talents
of Pieczonka, Szabó and Lludgar, three exceptional musical women.”
Companion events: At a companion event to the September 29
concert, Soundstreams will present one of their popular Salon evenings
on September 18 further exploring the poetry of Lorca as interpreted
by poet Beatriz Hausner. Krisztina Szabó will perform new
compositions by Anna Atkinson, Juliet Palmer, James Rolfe and
Christopher Thornborrow, each of which was written using the
same Lorca excerpt. Other events that offer insight into the concerts
mentioned above include a discussion of the sources that inspired
Barbara Monk Feldman’s opera on September 24 at U of T’s Faculty of
Music. Arraymusic will present a talk on Linda Smith’s Heiroglyphs
Introductions @ 7:15
Concerts @ 8:00
Subscriptions: 416.961.9594
www.NewMusicConcerts.com
new music concerts 2015~2016
Robert Aitken artistic director
SAT. OCT. 17, 2015 | TURNING POINT ENSEMBLE
TPE performs works by Morlock, Sokolovic, Chang, LC Smith and Louie • Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St.
SUN. NOV. 8, 2015 | R. MURRAY SCHAFER: LOVING/TOI
Preview of NMC’s latest CD (non-subscription event) • Gallery 345, 345 Sorauren Ave. RESERVATIONS 416.961.9594
SUN. DEC. 6, 2015 | A PORTRAIT OF PHILIPPE LEROUX
Music by Leroux, Grisey, Rubin and Carter • Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St.
THURS. JAN. 14, 2016 | JACK STRING QUARTET
NMC + Music Toronto present works by Adams, Otto, Zorn and Xenakis • Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front St. E. TICKETS 416.366.7723
MON. FEB. 15, 2016 | BOULEZ AND BASHAW
Honouring Pierre Boulez in his 90 th year plus a premiere by Howard Bashaw • Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St.
SUN. MAR. 13, 2016 | QUASAR SAXOPHONE QUARTET
Recent Canadian works composed for the virtuoso Montréal ensemble • The Music Gallery, 197 John St.
SUN. APR. 3, 2016 | VIVA ELECTRONICA
Premieres by Tan, Hamel, Ahn and Steenhuisen • Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St.
SUN. APR. 24, 2016 I FLUTES GALORE !
Programmes subject to change without notice
➲
➲
➲
➲
➲ ➲
➲
➲
Music for 24 flutes by Aitken, Pauk, Mather and Butterfield • Saint Luke’s United Church, 353 Sherbourne St.
thewholenote.com Sept 1 - Oct 7, 2015 | 21