Volume 22 Issue 4 - December 2016/January 2017

PRICELESS 

Vol 22 No 4 

DECEMBER 1, 2016 - FEBRUARY 7, 2017 

LISTINGS | FEATURES | RECORD REVIEWS 

OUT WITH THE OLD 

IN WITH THE NEW 

COMBINED ISSUE 

DECEMBER/JANUARY 

Stewart 

Goodyear

“Tafelmusik owns this town when it 

comes to Handel’s seasonal classic.” 

– The Globe and Mail 

TAFELMUSIK’S ORIGINAL MESSIAH 

Amanda Forsythe, soprano, Krisztina Szabó, mezzosoprano, 

Colin Balzer, tenor, Tyler Duncan, baritone 

HANDEL MESSIAH 

Directed by Ivars Taurins 

December 14–17 at 7:30pm 

Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. 

(416) 408-0208 

SING-ALONG MESSIAH 

Directed by “Herr Handel” 

December 18 at 2pm 

Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. 

(416) 872-4255 

Tickets 

selling 

fast! 

INTIMATE GERMAN BAROQUE 

Featuring Peter Harvey, baritone 

Long-time Tafelmusik collaborator Peter Harvey joins 

Music Director Emeritus Jeanne Lamon and a chamber 

ensemble of musicians for this exploration of the richly 

passionate music written in Germany in the decades 

before J.S. Bach. 

January 19–21 at 8pm, January 22 at 3:30pm 

Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre 

427 Bloor St. W. 

(416) 964-6337 

Discounts available for music lovers 35 and under. 

tafelmusik.org 

LIVE EMOTION 

16/17

KOERNER HALL IS: 

“ 

A beautiful space for music “ 

THE GLOBE AND MAIL 

Rebanks Family Fellowship Concert 

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 7:30PM MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL 

Free (ticket required) 

Hear artists on the cusp of major careers. These concerts feature solo and 

chamber works performed by Rebanks Fellows currently enrolled in the one-year 

Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency Program 

at The Glenn Gould School. 

Generously supported by the Rebanks Family and The W. Garfield Weston Foundation 

Diana Doherty 

and Dennis Kim 

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2PM 

MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL 

Tickets are $25 

Australian oboist Diana Doherty, known 

for her “brilliant playing,”(The Australian) 

is currently Principal Oboe with the Sydney 

Symphony Orchestra. Canadian violinist 

Dennis Kim was recently appointed 

Concertmaster with the Buffalo 

Philharmonic Orchestra. They will perform 

works by Bach, Mozart, and others. 

Academy Chamber Orchestra 

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 7:30PM MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL 

Free (ticket required) 

String students from the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy 

for Young Artists come together as the Academy Chamber Orchestra 

to perform two special concerts. 

JCT Trio 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 8PM 

KOERNER HALL 

Tickets start at only $25 

A sizzling new ensemble features 

Stefan Jackiw (violin), Jay Campbell 

(cello), and Conrad Tao (piano). They 

will perform trios by Ives and Dvořák, 

as well as one early and one late trio 

by Mozart. 

Generously supported by David G. Broadhurst 

Part of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra 

Mozart Festival 

The Glenn Gould School 

Concerto Competition Finals 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 10AM KOERNER HALL Free (ticket required) 

Hear the talented solo performers of The Glenn Gould School compete for 

the opportunity to perform a concerto with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra 

during the 2017-18 season. 

Gidon Kremer and 

Kremerata Baltica 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 8PM 

PRE-CONCERT CHAT 7:15PM 

KOERNER HALL Tickets start at only $45 

Violinist Gidon Kremer his Kremerata Baltica 

perform a program entitled “Russia – 

Masks and Faces” with works by Weinberg, 

Tchaikovsky, Pärt, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures 

at an Exhibition accompanied by visuals 

by Soviet era artist Maxim Kantor. 

Generously supported by David G. Broadhurst 

TICKETS & GIFT CERTIFICATES ARE GREAT GIFTS! 

TICKETS & ROYAL SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW! 416.408.0208 www.performance.rcmusic.ca 

273 BLOOR STREET WEST 

(BLOOR 237 BLOOR ST. & AVENUE STREET RD.) WEST 

TORONTO (BLOOR ST. & AVENUE RD.) TORONTO

New Year’s Eve • 7:00 pm 

Roy Thomson Hall 

OPERA CANADA SYMPHONY 

OPERA CANADA CHORUS 

Marco Guidarini, conductor 

Donata D’Annunzio Lombardi, soprano 

Diletta Rizzo Marin, mezzo soprano 

Leonardo Caimi, tenor 

Lucio Gallo, baritone 

TICKETS: 416.872.4255 

roythomson.com 

Co-produced by: 

Sponsored by: 

Celebrate with Strauss Waltzes and Operetta Excerpts, 

featuring European Singers, Dancers and Full Orchestra! 

Strauss Symphony of Canada 

Matthias Fletzberger, conductor (Vienna) 

Polina Pasztircsák, soprano (Budapest) 

Alexander Kaimbacher, tenor (Vienna) 

Featuring dancers from Kiev-City Ballet & 

International Champion Ballroom Dancers 

Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017 at 2:30 pm 


Artists and programme subject to change

Volume 22 No 4 | December 2016/January 2017 

FEATURES 

6. OPENER | Bangs and Whimpers 

8. Two Tales: Goodyear and Parr | DAVID PERLMAN 

10. All That Glitters Must Be Glatz | DAVID PERLMAN 

12. Singing Along with Herr Handel | HEATHER WRIGHT 

65. Musical Practice in Health-Care Communities: Five Case Studies | ANDREW TIMAR 

66. Remembering: Pauline Oliveros | WENDALYN BARTLEY 

67. WE ARE ALL MUSIC’S CHILDREN | MJ BUELL 

93. CBC RADIO TWO: New Year Brings New Music Festival Season | DAVID JAEGER 

BEAT BY BEAT 

12. Classical & Beyond | PAUL ENNIS 

18. Jazz Stories | ORI DAGAN 

20. In with the New | WENDALYN BARTLEY 

24. World View | ANDREW TIMAR 

26. On Opera | CHRISTOPHER HOILE 

28. Art of Song | HANS DE GROOT 

30. Choral Scene | BRIAN CHANG 

33. Early Music | DAVID PODGORSKI 

35. Bandstand | JACK MacQUARRIE 

64. Mainly Clubs, Mostly Jazz! | BOB BEN 

LISTINGS 

36. A | Concerts in the GTA 

58. B | Concerts Beyond the GTA 

62. C | Music Theatre 

64. D | In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz) 

66. E | The ETCeteras 

DISCOVERIES: RECORDINGS REVIEWED 

72. Editor’s Corner | DAVID OLDS 

74. Strings Attached | TERRY ROBBINS 

76. Keyed In | ALEX BARAN 

79. Vocal 

81. Classical & Beyond 

83. Modern & Contemporary 

85 Jazz & Improvised 

88. Pot Pourri 

90. Something in the Air | KEN WAXMAN 

91. Old Wine, New Bottles | BRUCE SURTEES 

h 

ATMA Classique is delighted 

to reissue Simphonies des noëls, 

the very first recording made 

by Les Violons du Roy 

and Bernard Labadie. 

Featuring instrumental works 

celebrating the nativity by 17th 

and 18th century composers, this 

album includes Corelli’s famous 

Christmas Concerto in G minor. 

h 

MORE 

6. Contact Information & Deadlines 

7. Index of Advertisers 

68. Classified Ads 

G R I G O R I A N . C O M 

Cover Photography | Bryson Winchester

FOR OPENERS | DAVID PERLMAN 

Bangs and Whimpers 

At some times of the year (and in some years more than 

others) I find myself thinking about my dear former neighbour, 

Ida Carnevali, founder of the Kensington Carnival Arts 

Society (KCAS). 

As I wrote in this spot, back in May 2006, the various projects of 

KCAS over the decades were “a living example in the art of throwing 

some transforming activity into the path of the ordinary, nowhere 

more dramatically and effectively than in the annual Kensington 

Festival of Lights which to this day takes the form, at sunset every 

winter solstice, of a hand-made lantern-lit Market-wide march, from 

scenario to scenario, re-enacting all the world’s yearning for light.” 

“Scenario ambulante,” she called it, organizing various scenes to be 

performed along the route of the march, enlisting everyone she could 

round up to participate and then leading the audience on a journey to 

discovery the story. 

As I wrote back then, “It is that potential for accidental discovery 

that I yearn for in the urban context. Urban art, it seems to me, should 

be judged by the extent to which it can be ‘come across’ by people 

engaged in the ordinary. And even more so by the extent to which 

the artists themselves are willing to go beyond ‘business as usual’ by 

availing themselves of the opportunities for chance encounters and 

spontaneous collaboration.” 

In the KCAS Festival of Lights solstice drama, during the Ida years, 

there were great battles in the streets between giant puppets representing 

forces of darkness and light, sometimes Hannukah scenes, 

always on a Market rooftop a Nativity (which annoyed the hell out of 

the solstice purists). Always there were real people, bystanders, simply 

going about the ordinary, stumbling across the extraordinary, being 

amazed, and by their amazed presence becoming, in turn, part of the 

spectacle. 

Most especially, always at the end, and usually in some empty 

wading pool in one or another local park, surrounded by hundreds 

and sometimes thousands of young and old, there was a giant 

fire sculpture representing the old year, which after a period of 

frantic drumming and dancing was set ablaze, sending the sparks 

flying upward. 

(I remember one year, sometime before global warming, we made 

snowballs, shivering round the wading pool as the sculpture burned, 

and on impulse threw them into the fire. “Why are you doing that?” 

someone asked. “It’s making a wish for the new year,” we answered. 

“It’s for luck.” So the person who had asked the question made a 

snowball and threw it into the fire. And someone asked them “Why 

are you doing that?” and they answered “It’s making a wish for the 

new year. It’s for luck.”) 

And after that it snowballed effortlessly into a tradition which 

rekindles without discussion every time there is snow at the solstice. 

It’s interesting to read what I wrote ten years ago about urban 

art and the need for accidental discovery, and about artists being 

willing to go beyond the ordinary. Much more than I felt back then, it 

seems as though these are things that willy-nilly are under way, and 

somehow they make more easily described sense this time round. 

Take the World View column in this issue (page 24), as an example, 

with its description of secret concerts, and how they have the potential 

to breathe life into ordinary space. “Ida knew that,” I say. 

But I have to confess that what got me thinking about Ida on 

this particular day was a gloomier thought – that sometimes a year 

The WholeNote 

VOLUME 22 NO 4 | DECEMBER 1, 2016 - FEBRUARY 7, 2017 

Centre for Social Innovation 

720 Bathurst St., Suite 503, Toronto ON M5S 2R4 

PHONE 416-323-2232 | FAX 416-603-4791 

Publisher/Editor In Chief | David Perlman 

publisher@thewholenote.com 

Chairman of the Board | Allan Pulker 

directors@thewholenote.com 

EDITORIAL 

Managing Editor | Paul Ennis 

editorial@thewholenote.com 

Recordings Editor | David Olds 

discoveries@thewholenote.com 

Digital Media Editor | Sara Constant 

editorial@thewholenote.com 

Listings Editor | John Sharpe 

listings@thewholenote.com 

Club Listings Editor | Bob Ben 

jazz@thewholenote.com 

SALES, MARKETING & MEMBERSHIP 

Concerts & Events/Membership | Karen Ages 

members@thewholenote.com 

Record Industry Sales/Marketing | Thom McKercher 

thom@thewholenote.com 

Advertising/Production Support/Operations 

Jack Buell | adart@thewholenote.com 

Classified Ads | classad@thewholenote.com 

Website/Systems | Bryson Winchester 

systems@thewholenote.com 

Website/Systems Support | Kevin King 

kevin@thewholenote.com 

Circulation/Subscriptions | Chris Malcolm 

circulation@thewholenote.com 

SUBSCRIPTIONS 

$35 per year + HST (9 issues) 

THANKS TO THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS 

Beat Columnists 

Paul Ennis, Wendalyn Bartley, Christopher Hoile, 

David Podgorski, Hans de Groot, Andrew Timar, 

Jack MacQuarrie, Ori Dagan, mJ buell, Bob Ben, 

Brian Chang 

Features 

David Perlman, Wendalyn Bartley, 

Andrew Timar, David Jaeger, Heather Wright 

CD Reviewers 

Alex Baran, Alison Melville, Allan Pulker, Andrew 

Timar, Barry Livingston, Bruce Surtees, Daniel 

Foley, David Olds, Dianne Wells, Hans de Groot, 

Janos Gardonyi, Ken Waxman, Lesley Mitchell- 

Clarke, Max Christie, Michael Schwartz, Raul da 

Gama, Richard Haskell, Robert Tomas, Roger 

Knox, Sharna Searle, Stuart Broomer, Ted 

Quinlan, Terry Robbins, Tiina Kiik, Vanessa Wells 

Proofreading 

Vanessa Wells, Jennifer Liu, John Sharpe, 

Paul Ennis, Sara Constant 

Listings 

John Sharpe, Bob Ben, Tilly Kooyman, Ruth 

Atwood, Simone Desilets, Jennifer Liu, Katie White 

Circulation Team 

Abram Bergen, Beth Bartley / Mark Clifford, Bob 

Jerome, Dagmar Sullivan, Dave Taylor, Garry 

Page, Gero Hajek, Jack Buell, James Harris, John 

Dodington, Jeff Hogben, Jonathan Spencer, Lorna 

Nevison, Manuel Couto, Micah Herzog, Patrick 

Slimmon, Paul Ennis, Robert Faulkner, Sharon 

Clark, Tiffany Johnson, Tom Sepp, Vanita 

Butrsingkorn, Wende Bartley 

Layout & Design 

Bryson Winchester 

an Ontario government agency 

un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario 

Upcoming Dates & Deadlines 

Free Event Listings Deadline 

6pm Sunday January 8 

Display Ad Reservations Deadline 

6pm Sunday January 15 

Classifieds Deadline 

6pm Sunday January 22 

Advertising Materials Due 

6pm Wednesday January 18 

Publication Date 

Wednesday January 25 (Online) 

Thursday January 27 (Print) 

Volume 22 No 5 covers 

February 1, 2017 - March 7, 2017 

WholeNote Media Inc. accepts no responsibility or 

liability for claims made for any product or service 

reported on or advertised in this issue. 

Printed in Canada 

Couto Printing & Publishing Services 

Circulation Statement 

December 2016: 30,000 printed & distributed 

Canadian Publication Product Sales Agreement 

1263846 

ISSN 14888-8785 WHOLENOTE 

Publications Mail Agreement #40026682 

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 

WholeNote Media Inc. 

Centre for Social Innovation 

503–720 Bathurst Street 

Toronto ON M5S 2R4 

COPYRIGHT © 2016 WHOLENOTE MEDIA INC 

thewholenote.com 

6 | December 1, 2016 - February 7, 2017 thewholenote.com

deserves to go out without any fanfare, especially a year as loud and 

globally destabilizing and politically topsy-turvy as 2016 has been. 

Maybe instead it should be sent slinking into the night with neither a 

wish nor a prayer, nor even a snowball hurled after it. 

“Not with a bang but a whimper,” as T.S. Eliot said? 

Well, maybe. But then again, maybe not. If I look around this room, 

change goes on here at The WholeNote, in lots of quietly methodical 

and interesting ways. 

One example: last month you could have accessed a flip-through 

edition of this print magazine three days before the print edition hit 

the street, and within a couple of days of the print magazine hitting 

the street you could have gone to the online listings on our website 

and used the Ask Ludwig search engine there for listings in any genre, 

geographic zone and date range we cover. 

(Ten years ago, by contrast, if you wanted to look at our live concert 

listings you would have waited for a copy of the magazine to arrive at 

one of the hundreds of places to which it was distributed in the thousands, 

by a dedicated crew of drivers and hoppers, most of them 

music lovers themselves. Just for you, dear reader, to pick up, free 

of charge.) 

We still do that, so you still can. (And a quiet thank you to all 

the drivers and hoppers who make that fact possible, month in and 

month out.) 

But this month if you’d known about it, you could have accessed the 

searchable online listings for December/January a full week before we 

went to press. And, all going as planned, if you go back to the website 

to Ask Ludwig for help at the beginning of January, you will find 

hundreds of listings already on line, clear through to the end of the 

season. More than ever, when the world feels dauntingly big, everything 

that adds to the potential for accidental discovery of art and 

music on a human scale is a victory of sorts. 

Throw a snowball in a fire and make a wish. 

publisher@thewholenote.com 

Ask LUDWIG! 

LUDWIG enables you, the reader, to better search our 

live concert listings. On our website you can search for 

specific text (like a performer’s or composer’s name). 

You can also refine your search to geographic zones or 

genres or date range. 

LUDWIG online! is brand new and still in what we call a 

"Beta" trial. This means there may be some bugs or 

errors that we are not yet aware of. We thank you for 

helping us "kick the tires" on this new service and 

apologize in advance for any problems you may 

encounter. 

Find what you like online at 

TheWholeNote.com/Ask-Ludwig 

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 

5 at the First Chamber Music Series 62 

All Saints Kingsway Anglican Church 31, 38 

Alliance Française 53 

Amadeus Choir 46 

Analekta 77, 81 

Annex Singers 45 

ArtsMedia Projects 68 

Associates of the TSO 16, 54 

ATMA 5, 73, 75, 79 

Attila Glatz Concert Productions 4, 50, 61 

Aurora Cultural Centre 53, 55 

Bach Children’s Chorus/Chamber Youth Choir 42 

Bassoon Out Loud 39, 48, 54 

Bridge Records 81, 83 

Canadian Opera Company 53, 56, 96 

Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts 44 

Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra 46 

Chor Leoni Choir 73 

Christ Church Deer Park Jazz Vespers 66 

Church of the Holy Trinity 40 

City of St. Catharines 59 

Continuum Ensemble 81 

Counterpoint Community Orchestra 41 

Divine Art 75, 79 

Don Wright Fac Mus Western U 63 

Eglinton St. George’s United Church 43 

Ensemble Vivant 17, 40, 49, 58, 59, 60 

Exultate Chamber Singers 41 

Flute Street 46 

Grand Philharmonic Choir 59 

Horizon Tax 68 

I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble 51 

Iain Scott (Opera IS) 28 

Kindred Spirits Orchestra 46 

Li Delun Music Foundation 51, 67 

Living Arts Centre 25 

Long & McQuade 17 

Mississauga Symphony 47 

Mooredale Concerts 54, 75 

Music at Metropolitan 30, 32 

Music at Metropolitan Noon at Met 40 

Music at St. Andrew’s 50 

Music Toronto 9, 15, 45, 51, 54, 57 

NAC Young Artists Program 67 

Nerossa Music 48 

New Music Concerts 20, 37, 51, 57 

No Strings Theatre 47 

Ontario Philharmonic 13 

Opus 8 49 

Orpheus Choir/Hannaford Street Silver Band 19, 44 

Pasquale Bros. Downtown 68 

Pax Christi Chorale 11, 42, 45 

Peggy Baker Dance Projects 21 

Remenyi House of Music 17 

Rhodes Piano 68 

Roy Thomson Hall 15, 44, 47, 56 

Royal Conservatory 3, 52, 54 

Scarborough Philharmonic 37, 57, 95 

Sony Centre 50 

Soundstreams 23, 39, 56 

St. Anne’s Music and Drama Society 26, 55 

St. Michael’s Choir School 38 

St. Michael’s College / Musicians In Ordinary 40 

St. Olave’s Church 57 

Stand Up Guy 68 

Steinway Piano Gallery 15 

Syrinx Concerts 22, 43 

Tafelmusik 2, 37, 45, 53 

Talisker Players 18, 55 

Tarragon Theatre/Volcano Theatre 29 

Temple Sinai 52 

That Choir 48 

Toronto Chamber Choir 45 

Toronto Choral Society 44 

Toronto Consort 23, 33, 41, 56 

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir 40 

Toronto Operetta Theatre 27 

Toronto Symphony 52, 53, 93 

U of T Faculty of Music 22 

Universal Music 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, 83 

Univox / Florivox Choirs 41 

Victoria Scholars Men’s Choral Ensemble 48 

VISHWAS THOKE 83 

VOCA Chorus of Toronto 42 

Voicebox - Opera in Concert 27 

Whitney Smith 67 

Windermere String Quartet 52 

Yip’s Music Festival 67 

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church 32, 43, 49 

thewholenote.com December 1, 2016 - February 7, 2017 | 7

BRYSON WINCHESTER 

Two Tales: Goodyear and Parr 

DAVID PERLMAN 

Parallels can be an interesting way of 

chamber musicians, and then [moving] on to 

laying down the tramlines of a story, 

their particular field, whether as a soloist, a 

as long as one doesn’t try to force 

teacher, or a recording artist… The experience 

them to intersect! Around the time I 

of sharing musical goals, the rapport you 

was planning to get together for what seems 

establish with your colleagues, and the 

to be becoming an annual (podcast) chat with 

insights you receive from playing with them 

concert-pianist Stewart Goodyear, I received 

have always elevated my artistry, filling me 

in the mail, courtesy Prism Publishers, a justpublished 

memoir titled Above Parr: Memoir 

with the greatest satisfaction…” 

As her memoir reveals, that satisfaction 

of a Child Prodigy by pianist Patricia Parr, due 

reached its peak in her work, for 20 years 

to be launched on December 1 at Hazelton 

starting in 1988, as a founding member of the 

Place in Toronto (the same day this issue of 

Amici ensemble in partnership with clarinetist 

Joaquin Valdepeñas and cellist David 

our magazine hits the streets). 

Growing up in Toronto features prominently 

in Patricia Parr’s story, as it does in 

Hetherington – an ensemble which by its 

instrumental make-up dictated from the start 

Stewart Goodyear’s. So too does the challenge 

of what one might call “the downside 

that they would have to invite “amici” into 

every concert they performed. Whether she 

of the upside” – namely how the individual 

found this niche thanks to the Curtis years or 

artist deals with being labelled a child 

in spite of the Curtis years, readers of Above 

prodigy very early on, in a culture that takes 

Parr will have to decide for themselves. 

nearly as much delight in falling stars as it 

Stewart Goodyear’s arc as a performing 

does in rocket-like rises to fame. 

artist is still very much on the ascendant – 

Patricia Parr’s rise was particularly 

who can say how far he will continue to rise? 

meteoric. She had played her first solo 

Stewart Goodyear recording a recent – so it makes sense that he has no particular 

concert at the Royal Conservatory of Music 

podcast at The WholeNote offices. reason to dwell on the kind of end-of-career 

in Toronto in 1944, at the age of seven, 

self-reflection that Parr’s memoir engages in. 

attracting plaudits from the music critics of 

So let’s just say for now that it is interesting, 

all three Toronto papers. 

in terms of biographical parallels, that he, like 

“‘Genius,’ ‘wonder child,’ ‘prodigy.’ On 

Parr, found himself, at the age of 15 (albeit 

it went: a litany of accolades,” she writes. 

decades apart) also enrolled at Curtis, at the 

“From the age of eight onwards, I was 

very moment when precocious talent sometimes 

starts to flower or else to wither on the 

performing as soloist with the Toronto 

Symphony Orchestra in Massey Hall; 

vine. 

the Toronto Philharmonic at the ‘Prom 

Curtis, for Parr, had meant five years 

Concerts’ in Varsity Arena; the Rochester 

of study with Vengerova, her “Beloved 

Philharmonic Orchestra in the Eastman 

Tyranna,” as well as, for a lesser time, with 

Theatre, and the New York Philharmonic 

Rudolf Serkin, after Vengerova’s retirement. 

in Carnegie Hall. I held the distinction of 

Goodyear’s equivalent mentor was Leon 

being the youngest artist ever to be engaged 

Fleisher. In our recent podcast interview, as 

with these orchestras – although for the 

in earlier conversations, Goodyear describes 

life of me I don’t know how, or why, any of 

(with what seems, to the outsider, almost 

this materialized.” 

incomprehensible relish) the rigours of the 

By 14, Parr had been taken on as a piano 

pedagogical process he went through with 

student by Isabelle Vengerova in New York, 

Fleisher. Basically it entailed bringing to 

planning to fly back and forth to New York 

class performance-ready (i.e. committed 

for monthly lessons. But Vengerova was 

to memory), in its entirety, one Beethoven 

having none of it, and by the age of 15 Parr 

sonata a week for 32 weeks – “Well, 33 weeks 

was living with an aunt and uncle in a 

actually,” he says. “I had two weeks for the 

suburb of Philadelphia, on full scholarship 

[close-to-50 minute] Hammerklavier.” 

at Philadelphia’s famed Curtis Institute, “the 

As important as laying down early in his 

equivalent of attending Harvard to study 

career the physical and intellectual stamina 

law,” as Parr puts it. Vengerova had taught 

to absorb, process and perform new repertoire at a punishing rate, the 

at Curtis from its inception in 1924, whipping into pianistic shape 

exercise also gave permission, in Goodyear’s approach to his art, for 

“the likes of Gary Graffman, Leonard Bernstein, Jacob Lateiner, and 

something that seems to have been a key part of his musical makeup 

Lucas Foss.” 

from his earliest days: the desire and ability to see individual pieces 

Parr’s life journey after the Curtis years is the story of a gradual, and 

within the larger stories they are part of. In our recent podcast conversation 

he cites, as an early example of this, listening to The Beatles’ 

in parts very painful, journey away from the solo piano careers that 

Curtis (and perhaps most conservatories and the students that attend 

White Album. Even though it was multiple tracks on two records, he 

them) sees as the highest form of their art. It’s fascinating, though, to 

explains, for him it was one album, a single story. 

see how the earliest steps on what was to become her primary musical 

One can see this fascination with narrative and emotional throughlines 

brought to giddying heights in his grand projects, such as his 

path can still be traced back to those formative Curtis days. 

“In the mind of my mother,” she writes, “you needed to be a soloist 

Beethoven “Sonatathon” which entails playing all 32 sonatas, in order 

to be considered successful. However there are many fine musicians 

of composition, in three sessions over the course of a single day. Or, 

who simply do not thrive under the solo limelight and choose other 

as he did recently with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra two days in 

ways of revealing their talents…[establishing] themselves first as 


a row, playing all five Beethoven piano concerti in a single concert. 

Discussing the Niagara concert, I challenged his commitment to 

chronological order, pointing out that he had played No.2 before No.1. 

He was quick to set me straight, pointing out that No.2 was in fact 

composed before No.1 was. 

It’s as though he commits the the pieces he performs to logical and 

emotional memory, by accessing the emotional and historical narrative 

of a given composer’s life as it reveals itself, moment by moment 

in the works that give expression to that life. Goodyear will freely 

admit that his approach to the music he plays is very emotional, and 

he’s never shy of letting loose dynamically to express it. “I don’t mind 

making an ugly sound,” I remember him saying, “but it has to be what 

the composer was feeling.” 

Autobiography: It is also possible to see how he applies that same 

storytelling rigour to the mixed programs he puts together for recitals. 

Take his upcoming concert December 4 at Koerner Hall. There are telltale 

fingerprints of his musical relationship, past and present, with 

Toronto, his home town, all over the program. 

It starts with the first piece on the program, Bach’s Partita No.5 in 

G Major BWV 829 which was, as Goodyear explains, on the very first 

recital that Glenn Gould gave, in 1955, at the Phillips Collection in 

Washington, DC. That particular Gould recital captured Goodyear’s 

imagination to such an extent, that he reconstructed the same 

program last year at the Phillips Collection, in celebration of the 60th 

anniversary of Gould’s original landmark recital (and will repeat it 

again later this spring on February 5 for the Women’s Musical Club of 

Montreal). 

The program continues with Beethoven’s Sonata No.32 in C Minor 

Op. 111, one of the first three that the 15-year-old Goodyear had to 

learn for Fleisher at Curtis, and the triumphant finale of his first 

one-day Beethoven Sonatathon as part of Luminato, at Koerner Hall, 

in 2012. The program then continues with a work of his own, Acabris! 

Acabras! Acabram! a world premiere based on a rather diabolical 

French Canadian fable and commissioned from Goodyear by Phil and 

Eli Taylor (name sponsors of the young artist program at the RCM) in 

celebration of the sesquicentennial. 

Two diabolically difficult pieces by Fryderyk Chopin follow 

(Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp Minor Op. 66 and the Ballade No. 

4 in F Minor Op. 52) after which the program concludes with what 

he calls the “dessert after the main course” selections from his own 

concert-length arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker (which incidentally 

he will take to the Phillips Collection this year December 18, 

in a return visit “after his noteworthy re-creation of Glenn Gould’s 

iconic 1955 recital last season.” 

On the road: Interesting as this one program is, the range (both 

geographical and in terms of repertoire) that he will cover over the 

course of the winter and spring tells the story of a solo artist, not 

content with a particular niche, continually bent on both discovery 

and rediscovery. 

In addition to the performances already mentioned, he will do 

Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2 in Memphis on January 14 and 

15; Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 with the Toronto Symphony 

Orchstra, in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto (January 24, 25 and 27); 

and then a recital program at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre 

on February 3, 2017. 

After that it’s Grieg’s Piano Concerto in Halifax February 9, 

Mussorgsky’s original solo piano version of Pictures at an Exhibition 

in Prague on February 15, Poulenc and Prokofiev in Omaha on 

March 17 and 18, and to top it off, a performance of the Beethoven 

Sonatathon on March 28 at the Savannah Music Festival, in Georgia. 

“Goodyear’s commitment to classical music began at age three 

when he was introduced to Beethoven’s piano sonatas through recordings 

by Vladimir Ashkenazy, which he listened to in a single day,” the 

notes for the festival inform us… 

Two Tales: Parr and Goodyear: parallels can be an interesting way 

of laying down the tramlines of a story, as long as one doesn’t force 

them to intersect. The world allows for many different iterations of a 

fulfilling musical life. 

David Perlman can be reached at publisher@thewholenote.com 

Gryphon Trio 

great chamber music downtown 

www.music toronto.com 

music-making at its most communicative 

Tue sday, December 15th 

Sean Chen 

making his 

Toronto debut 

Tuesday 

January 10th 

St. Lawrence Quartet 

irresistible exuberance 

Thursday, January 26th 

at the Jane Mallett Theatre 

St. LAWRENCE CENTRE 

416-366-7723 

 

Canadian 

Heritage 

FOR 

THE 

ARTS 

Patrimoine 

canadien 


All That Glitters Must Be Glatz 

DAVID PERLMAN 

Twenty-two winters ago, Toronto-based impresarios 

Attila and Marion Glatz took the plunge. 

The previous year they had acted on a hunch 

and rented the George Weston Recital Hall in North 

York for a New Year’s Day performance of “Salute to 

Vienna” (the “salute” of the title being a nod to the 

Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert from the 

Golden Hall in Vienna’s Musikverein, these days, 

broadcast to over 90 countries all over the world and 

watched by more than 50 million viewers). 

The cautionary wise had told the Glatzes they were 

crazy - that attempting to get Torontonians to go out 

to such a thing on New Year’s Day was folly. Short 

version, they sold out the Weston that very first year. 

“Just a fluke,” the pundits continued to warn. 

“Take our word for it. We know the city. After the 

last Handelian ‘Amen’ has subsided, the musical 

Night falls Silent around here, except for drinking 

songs and increasingly raucous rounds of Auld Lang 

Syne followed by hungover remorse and resolution 

writing. Nothing happens till around the tenth 

of January, after which it’s serious musical business 

again.” 

Being cautious incrementalists and prudent business 

people, the Glatzes listened to the advice and 

immediately switched the event from the 1100- 

seat Weston to 2,500-seat Roy Thomson Hall for 

the following year. They sold that one out too, as 

they have done pretty much ever since. Tickets for 

this year’s iteration are scarce as hens’ teeth, as 

the saying goes – it’s easier to get tickets to Hamilton 

(Hamilton Place in Hamilton, Ontario, that is, where 

the same cast will perform “Salute” a day later). 

Flagship and Fleet: Now in its 23rd year, the RTH “Salute to Vienna” 

is arguably still their flagship event (although the on-the-ground team 

organizing the January 1 Lincoln Center version might argue differently). 

In any case, the sheer size of the fleet is now as impressive as 

the flagship. This year, “Salute” will be staged in 24 North American 

cities over the first few days of January, seven of them Canadian, and 

six in Florida alone, according to Andrea Warren, affable VP Marketing 

and Project Development for Attila Glatz Concert Productions, Inc. 

Around one third of the Florida attendees are Canadian Snowbirds, 

Warren tells me, as indeed the Glatzes themselves tend to be these 

days! Nor is “Salute to Vienna” the only show on the Glatz book. At 

RTH it has, for the past eight years, been paired with a New Year’s Eve 

operatic extravaganza titled “Bravissimo,” which starts at 7pm and 

offers the guarantee that you will be out by 10. 

And the Glatz name crops up all over the calendar as presenter or 

co-presenter of a wide range of potential crowd-pleasing concerts and 

touring shows. For example, if you type the word Glatz into our “Ask 

Ludwig” listings search engine at thewholenote.com, for the period 

October 2016 to January 2017, it yields twelve results, ranging from 

an October 28 RTH performance titled “Magnificat” by the touring 

KlangVerwaltung Orchestra and Chorgemeinschaft Neubeuern 

Chorus, to Sony Centre film presentations with live accompaniment 

(“Amadeus Live” in October and “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Live in 

Concert” in late December to the aforementioned upcoming performances 

of “Salute to Vienna” and “Bravissimo.” 

Bravissimo! Of all these, it was “Bravissimo” that was top of 

Warren’s agenda when we chatted on November 24 (US Thanksgiving). 

Speaking by phone from the organization’s Toronto headquarters, 

she confided that the south-of-the-border Thanksgiving holiday 

was proving to be “a lovely reprieve,” from the chaos of coordination 

among the various casts and cities involved in this year’s round of 

“Salutes.” 

Baritone Lucio Gallo, RTH, December 31, 2015 

As mentioned, “Bravissimo” is the New Year’s Eve prequel to 

“Salute” (albeit featuring an entirely different cast of soloists, a 

different conductor, and very different repertoire from “Salute’s” 

Viennese diet of light opera and operetta). It tends to be an operatic 

highlight reel – overtures, choruses, arias, duets, etc – usually 

featuring four soloists. They’ve played with the formula from year 

to year, sometimes matching rising “name” local soloists with Glatz 

favourites from Europe, sometimes bringing in a purely European cast 

of soloists. This year it’s the latter, but with, as Warren puts it, “a fun 

twist. We’re bringing two sets of operatic couples, on and off stage, to 

kick up the realism in opera’s larger-than-life emotions.” 

The “real life” couples are Donata D’Annunzio Lombardi, soprano, 

Diletta Rizzo Marin, mezzo soprano, Leonardo Caimi, tenor, and 

Lucio Gallo, baritone. Fittingly enough, it’s the tenor and the soprano 

(Caimi and Lombardi) who are real-life partners, as are the mezzo and 

the baritone (Marin and Gallo). Judging from the announced repertoire, 

audiences will be regaled with everything from the tender to the 

tortured to the titillating, ranging through arias, duets, trios, quartets, 

choruses, overtures and preludes, by Mozart, Puccini, Bizet, 

Leoncavallo, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Offenbach, Mascagni, Bellini…you 

get the picture. Rest assured, you won’t have to attend a pre-concert 

chat to figure out whether you’re enjoying yourself (although host for 

the evening, opera buff Rick Phillips, would be fully capable of delivering 

one!). Both the chorus and orchestra for the evening, although 

hired individually for the event (rather than as pre-existing ensembles), 

will be comprised of seasoned local musical specialists in the 

repertoire on display. 

Baritone Lucio Gallo, a returnee from last year’s event, Warren 

informs me, is probably the main reason for this year’s formula. 

“He brought the house down last year,” Warren says, “with a largerthan-life 

rendition of the quack doctor in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, 


I 

C H O R A L E 

C 

H O 

R 

L 

A 

E 

singing “Udite, udite, o rustici,” strutting across the stage with an 

enormous bottle of his famous cure-all (in fact, a bottle of cheap 

Bordeaux), touting it to the village people as a cure for everything 

from asthma to wrinkles to loneliness.” 

It might be a bit rash to tout “Bravissimo” as a New Year’s Eve “cureall” 

since it will likely precede most of the evening’s hangovers. But 

very likely a good time will be had by all! 

P A X 

• 

C H R 

I S T 

• 

C H O R A L E 

I 

Stephanie Martin 

Artistic Director 

New Year’s Concert 2017 

The Vienna Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel 

At the top of this story I mentioned that the Glatzes’ “Salute to 

Vienna” paid homage to the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s gala 

concert from the Golden Hall in Vienna’s Musikverein. 

GABOR EKECS 

Gustavo Dudamel 

Just announced, the 2017 Vienna New Year’s Concert will be 

conducted by Venezuelan-born, 35-year old El Sistema-trained and 

Los Angeles-based Gustavo Dudamel, the youngest ever conductor 

to lead the event. It will be his debut at this event, but by no means 

his first outing with the Vienna Phil, with whom he has appeared 

as a regular guest conductor, starting as far back as 2007. (He is also 

in his 18th season as music director of the entire El Sistema project, 

and continues to lead the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra 

in Venezuela.) 

At first glance, Dudamel and the light-opera-fuelled, Golden Hall 

New Year’s Day event seem an odd match. As the release about the 

event pointed out, Dudamel has through the years carried a social 

force mandate with him wherever he goes: guest-conducting youth 

orchestras, encouraging socially motivated music projects, or ensuring 

that young people from disadvantaged communities have access to his 

concerts. His response to recent events in Venezuela may have somewhat 

diminished the glow, but entering his eighth season as music 

director of the LA Phil (and with a contract extended to the end of 

2021-22), he has nevertheless been instrumental in dramatically 

expanding the scope of its community outreach programs, including 

most notably through the creation of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles 

(YOLA), and related local educational initiatives, which bring music to 

children in underserved communities of Los Angeles. 

With the Vienna Philharmonic regarding the New Year’s Concert as 

“a musical greeting to the world that is offered in a spirit of hope, of 

friendship and of peace at the start of the New Year,” it will be interesting 

to hear (and see) what happens when the spirit of Dudamel and 

the spirit of Vienna meet. 

The live recording of the 2017 New Year’s Concert will be available 

(via Sony) on CD and as a download (international release on 

January 9), as well as on DVD and Blu-ray (January 27), on vinyl 

(March 3) and as a digital long-form video (February 17). 

David Perlman can be reached at publisher@thewholenote.com. 


Singing 

Along with 

Herr Handel 

HEATHER WRIGHT 

For the last 25 years, my favourite day of the year has been the 

last Sunday before Christmas. That is the day when, along with 

thousands of other choral enthusiasts, and conducted by George 

Frideric Handel himself, I get to sing the wondrous choruses of 

the Messiah. 

Herr Handel 

(Ivars Taurins) 

The first time I participated in the sing-along, I was eight months 

pregnant with our first son. I like to think that his musicality and 

perfect pitch owe something to this first concert experience, albeit in 

utero. That first time I went by myself, but over the years I have gone 

with many others, settling over the last decade into a pattern with 

a treasured friend with whom I regularly sing classical duets. For 

the past three years, I have had the added pleasure of initiating my 

daughter-in-law and my granddaughters into this wonderful tradition. 

Indescribable pleasures of the sing-along: the soloists, the other 

singers, the wonderful period instruments used by the Tafelmusik 

players, their beautiful playing of this amazing piece of music, and the 

thrill of singing it together, culminating with the exhilaration of the 

Hallelujah chorus. Even the line-up in the cold outside Massey Hall 

manages to beguile. Everyone is in high spirits, ready to launch into 

rousing song once in the warmth of the hall. And those of us who have 

been doing it for decades know how to dress and when to come…. 

But, for me, Herr Handel himself (Ivars Taurins), alone, is worth 

the planning, the lining-up, the practising and then singing the hard 

soprano runs. I believe in his performance. It manages to take us back 

to that first performance of Messiah in 1742, to live the extraordinary 

power of the music, while also offering satiric glances at the topical 

issues du jour. For one afternoon, every year, on the stage of one of 

the best concert halls in the world, George Frideric Handel lives and 

transports us to a celestial realm with a comic dimension. 

Heather Wright, a civil servant working for the Government of 

Ontario, is a WholeNote reader who loves to sing. For more on 

Handel’s Messiah in this, and other, productions, see Choral Scene 

on page 30. 

Beat by Beat | Classical & Beyond 

Life-Changing 

Musical Moments 

PAUL ENNIS 

Charles Richard-Hamelin 

It is said that making your mark in a prestigious international 

competition changes your life and for Charles Richard-Hamelin that is 

exactly what happened when he was 25. “There is something magical 

about this legendary hall [Warsaw Philharmonic Hall] that somehow 

made it possible for me to be myself on stage, and be able to say what 

I wanted to say, at least most of the time,” he wrote on the Scene and 

Heard International website. 

Richard-Hamelin won the silver medal at the International Chopin 

Piano Competition in 2015 as well as the Krystian Zimerman Prize 

for best performance of a sonata and his career took off. “This silver 

medal was of course incredibly unexpected and has single-handedly 

changed my whole life,” he said. “I’ve never performed professionally 

outside of Canada before the Chopin and now I have confirmed 

engagements in Canada, the USA, Poland, France, Spain, Mexico, 

Japan and South Korea.” 

By May 2016 when he spoke to Yves Leclerc (Journal de Québec) 

he had already given 40 concerts that calendar year with 40 more 

to come. One of those concerts is his upcoming Sinfonia Toronto 

performance, December 9, of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.23 in A 

Major K488 conducted by Nurhan Arman. The pattern continues 

in 2017 when he joins Christian Reif and the Kitchener-Waterloo 

Symphony January 13 and 14 for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.20 in D 

Minor K466. The following evening he gives a recital for the Kitchener- 

Waterloo Chamber Music Society that mirrors most of the repertoire 

Analekta captured on the CD of his May 2016 Quebec City concert – 

two Beethoven Rondos, Enescu’s Suite No.2 and Chopin’s “Heroic” 

Polonaise No.6. There his playing sparkled, his confidence was clearly 

evident, his musicianship mature and engaging. 

“I love this new life, even if it is a bit tiring,” he said to Leclerc. “I 

am not in a position, however, where I can afford to refuse offers 

that arrive on my table. This is what will enable me to secure a future 

abroad. I have contracts for the next two years and we will see if it will 

continue and open doors.” 

A mere five months before his Chopin Competition success, he 

was awarded the prestigious Career Development Award by the 

Women’s Musical Club of Toronto. That venerable institution will 

reap the benefits of their prescience when Richard-Hamelin returns 

May 4, 2017, for his first Toronto solo recital since winning the Chopin 

Competition prizes. 

Isabelle Faust and the Mozart @ 261 Festival. 

When German violinist Isabelle Faust was 11, she played in a string 

quartet. “That was in Stuttgart, where I grew up,” she told Jeff Kaliss 

(San Francisco Classical Voice, May 28, 2012). “That was my father’s 

brilliant idea. It was even more unusual than now that young 

kids would get together and try to do chamber music. My brother 

Boris also played in this, the viola part. And the parents had a very 

important role to play, driving everybody from one rehearsal to the 

other. We played for five years, every weekend rehearsals and lessons 

and competitions, national and international, and we started, slowly, 

to play little concerts. At age 15, we stopped with that. I wanted to 

make an impression with my solo playing, [to learn] where I actually 

stood internationally. So I went to participate in this Leopold Mozart 

Competition in Augsburg, and I was so lucky, I won it right away. So 

that opened a new chapter in my musical life.” 

Winning led to her playing Dvořák under Yehudi Menuhin, 

an experience she found to be special since “if you play the standard 

repertoire, you can see that the conductor knows every little 

corner, and whether technical difficulties require a bit of attentive 

conducting.” 


WOJCIECH GRZEDZINSKI 

Known for her pristine sound and incisive approach, Faust will be 

the soloist in Mozart’s Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 3 in Koerner Hall 

January 18 and 20, part of the TSO’s Mozart @ 261 Festival. All five of 

the composer’s concertos for violin were completed during the year 

he turned 19 (1775) but none is so universally loved as the elegant, 

playful and joyous Third which is particularly tuneful and buoyant. 

When Faust spoke with Aart van der Wal for the Dutch website 

Opus Klassiek in April 2011, she talked about keeping an open mind 

(and open ears) about different performances of familiar repertoire: 

“Music must be enjoyed without prejudice. I notice so often 

that people have made up their minds already before really listening 

to a piece. They know it all, they have heard it so many times, and 

they know exactly which recordings are fabulous and which are 

not. It happens often that one is so deeply engaged with one specific 

recording or interpretation that each and everything else is compared 

to and diminished by it. I was at a concert where a Beethoven 

symphony was performed. One of the critics recognized me and, 

already before the performance, started to explain to me which 

specific very old recording he thought was the one and only version 

of this symphony…I advised him not to go to any concert anymore 

because he would never be happy with any living conductor, or any 

live performance for that matter…” 

Mozart @ 261 begins January 11 and 12 under Peter Oundjian, with 

wunderkind Leonid Nediak (b.2003) playing Mozart’s final piano 

concerto on a program that also includes Mozart’s moving Symphony 

No.40 K550. The festival continues January 13 and 14 when Emanuel 

Charles Richard-Hamelin 

at the Chopin Piano 

Competition (2015) 

Ax brings his pianistic 

geniality to the 

spirited Concerto 

Isabelle Faust 

No.16 K451 and the 

effervescent Concerto No.22 K482. Mozart’s vigorous Symphony No.33 

K319 opens the program with the TSO led by Michael Francis. Bernard 

Labadie leads the orchestra in the grand Symphony No.38 K504 

“Prague” which concludes the January 18 and 20 concerts. 

The Heath Quartet. The Heath Quartet – making their Canadian 

debut in concerts in Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto in January – is 

a young British ensemble whose star has recently risen considerably 

since their recording of Tippett’s string quartets won Gramophone 

magazine’s 2016 Chamber Music Award. It was their debut recording. 

A slew of adjectives like “vibrant, adventurous, irresistible energy” 

has followed in their wake over the last few years. First violinist 

Oliver Heath, violist Gary Pomeroy and cellist Chris Murray originally 

met at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music. Five years 

after getting together, they moved to London in 2009 where they met 

Cerys Jones, freshly returned from graduate studies at Juilliard. She 

became their second violinist, and their career path ascended. Now, 

November 2016, she has announced that she is stepping down from 

the quartet to devote more time to her family. 

“We had eight wonderful years with Cerys,” Ollie Heath told me via 

email. “But that chapter has now closed and we are looking forward to 

the next stage in the future of the quartet.” I asked what qualities he 

was looking for in a new violinist. “To be a great second violinist you 

FELIX BROEDE 

Sat. Jan. 28, 2017 8pm UOIT’s 

Regent Theatre (Oshawa) 

Call: 905-721-3399 x 2 

Online: tickets.regenttheatre.ca 

Sun. Jan. 29, 2017 3pm RCM’s 

Koerner Hall (Toronto) 

Call: 416-408-0208 

Online: performance.rcmusic.ca 

DVORAK Cello Concerto 

with William Molina-Cestari 

Masters Series 

Headliner - extraordinary cellist, William Molina-Cestari, 

joins internationally renowned MAESTRO MARCO 

PARISOTTO & OP for the Cello Concerto in B minor, 

Op. 104, B. 191 in this rousing masterwork in Part II. 

In Part I, OP debuts the Canada 150 Mosaic Series 

(in collaboration with TSO), Launch! For Orchestra 2016, by 

Canadian composer, Vivian FUNG. LIZST’s Les Préludes, 

S 97 (Symphonic Poem No. 3) and DVORAK’s Slavonic 

Dance No. 2, Op. 72 in E minor continue the momentum. 

www.ontariophil.ca 

Marco Parisotto, Music Director 

William Molina-Cestari 

thewholenote.com December 1, 2016 - February 7, 2017 | 13 

ONP 004 PerformanceMagAD_Nov22 1/3pg_FNL.indd 1 

2016-11-24 12:16 PM

need many different qualities,” 

he said. “To be a firstrate 

violinist and musician, 

of course, and to have the 

ability to be the glue of the 

ensemble, but most importantly 

you need a strong 

fire in your belly! Our first 

teacher said a good second 

violinist is always on the 

brink of revolution.” 

I asked how he would 

characterize the ensemble’s 

approach to quartet playing. 

“We try to be as truthful to 

the composer’s intentions 

as possible,” he said. “To 

discover the way of speaking 

each composer’s language 

in a way that communicates 

most dynamically the 

emotional core of the work. 

Also we are very communicative 

with one another 

when we perform – there is 

a lot of energy that flows between the members of the quartet. We are 

also open to things being different from performance to performance 

– we never try to create a definitive way to interpret a work.” 

The programs in Toronto for Mooredale Concerts January 22 and 

for the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society January 20 are 

somewhat similar, with Bartók’s First and Dvořák’s 13th in each, but 

opening with Bach Organ Preludes in Toronto and Beethoven’s Op.18 

No.3 in Waterloo. 

I asked how he constructs a program. “Nearly always we begin a 

concert with a piece from earlier in the repertoire,” Heath said. “The 

simpler, cleaner textures and conversational aspects of these pieces is 

a good way of bringing everyone ‘into the room,’ and introducing the 

possibilities of what a string quartet can do. The second work is often 

more complex – more demanding on both listener and player. We 

then fill the second half with a more generously sized work – from one 

of the Romantic, nationalist composers or one of the big Beethoven 

quartets.” 

Ergo Bartók’s masterful String Quartet No.1 Op.7 which is formally 

modelled on Beethoven’s unsurpassable String Quartet No.14 Op.131 

(the movements of each are played without a break, for example). And 

Dvořák’s String Quartet No.13 Op.106, with its joyous opening, poetic 

slow movement, idiomatic third, and ebullient conclusion, one of the 

composer’s most expressive chamber works, emblematic of his return 

home in 1895 after his American sojourn. 

Till Fellner. Viennese-born Till Fellner has spoken elsewhere of his 

pleasure working with Kent Nagano and the Montreal Symphony on 

their ECM recording of Beethoven’s Fourth and Fifth Piano Concertos, 

mentioning the orchestra’s ability to play softly and transparently. In 

our conversation for The WholeNote’s March 2015 issue, I asked about 

his own transparent approach with its focus on the music’s singing 

lines. He confirmed that transparency (clarity) and a singing way of 

playing the piano are essential goals of his. He told me that when he 

played for his teacher Alfred Brendel in 1990, it was the first movement 

of Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata that started the teaching 

process. Brendel told him that the beginning of a Beethoven sonata 

was crucial, that everything is there. Brendel also said that your 

playing should be so clear that a musical person would be able to 

write down the score just by listening. 

Fellner’s subtle approach and the apparent ease with which he 

and the OSM carry it off augurs well for their appearance performing 

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.4 Op.58 at Roy Thomson Hall 

December 8. In a brief interview (available on YouTube) with Jim 

Cunningham of Classical 89.3 in Pittsburgh, Fellner talked about the 

character of that same concerto which he was about to perform with 

the Pittsburgh Symphony in 

late November 2013: 

“It’s a very poetic piece, a 

lyrical piece – even pastoral – 

so it’s very different from the 

other Beethoven concertos. 

The second movement is 

an Andante con moto so 

it shouldn’t be played too 

slowly. It’s a traumatic scene 

between the orchestra and 

the piano, a very tragic 

movement. The music kind 

of dies away at the end of this 

movement. There are lyrical 

elements in the third movement 

but there is also this 

joy and enthusiasm. It’s like 

seeing a person you haven’t 

seen for a very long time.” 

December 13, Fellner 

turns his musical artistry 

to Brahms (Four Ballades 

Op.10) and Schumann 

Heath Quartet members (from left) Oliver Heath, Gary Pomeroy and Chris Murray 

(Humoreske in B-flat Major 

Op.20 and Fantasie in C Major Op.17) in a recital presented by the 

Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society. 

Music Toronto. The invigorating sounds of the St. Lawrence Quartet 

will again fill the Jane Mallett Theatre, January 26. The exuberant 

Geoff Nuttall leads the quartet in their continuing examination of the 

treasure trove that is the music of Haydn, this time with his Quartets 

Op.20 Nos.1 and 5. The two Haydn quartets bookend works by 

Rachmaninoff and Jonathan Berger. On his website, Berger describes 

Swallow, commissioned by the St. Lawrence String Quartet in celebration 

of their 25th year: “My daughter taught me that swallows 

communicate in a rich sonic repertoire that humans categorize as 

chirps, whines, and gurgles. These sounds – lowered in pitch and 

stretched in time – inspire the musical materials of my sixth quartet. 

In addition to chirps, whines, and gurgles, the work pays homage to 

blues musician Mance Lipscomb, as well as Haydn, (in the scherzo of 

the third movement), and Schubert (in the elegiac fourth movement).” 

Young American pianist Sean Chen, who finished an impressive 

third in the most recent Cliburn Competition makes his Toronto debut 

January 10 with an ambitious program primarily devoted to his piano 

transcriptions of larger works. He sets the stage with one of Ligeti’s 

Musica Ricercata and L’escalier du diable (Étude No.XIII) before 

beginning a series of his own transcriptions: Mozart’s Offertorium 

from his Requiem and Madamina (Catalogue Aria) from Don 

Giovanni and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No.2 mvt.3. Beethoven- 

Liszt’s Symphony No.2 mvts.3 and 4 completes what promises to be a 

wild ride. 

Dec 4: The highly skilled artistry of Toronto’s own Stewart Goodyear 

is on display at Koerner Hall in a typically ambitious program that 

includes Bach’s Fifth Partita, Beethoven’s final piano sonata, two 

Chopin favourites, selections from his own concert-length piano 

arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker (’Tis the season) and 

the world premiere of Acabris! Acabras! Acabram! commissioned in 

honour of Canada’s 150th birthday. Jan 28: Goodyear returns home 

to perform Tchaikovsky’s evergreen Piano Concerto No.1 with Peter 

Oundjian and the TSO after their mini-tour to Montreal and Ottawa. 

Dec 11: Simone Dinnerstein links Schubert’s Impromptus and Philip 

Glass’ Metamorphosis at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing 

Arts in Kingston. If you’re wondering what these two composers 

share besides a common birthday (January 31), pianist Hans Pålsson 

shed light on their musical kinship on the Swedish TV series I döda 

mästares sällskap (In the company of dead masters). One example: 

they both have an economical way of composing; they use simple 

harmonics, few tones and a limited amount of musical material. 

Dec 11: Syrinx Concerts showcases clarinetist Shalom Bard in trios 

KAUPO KIKKAS 


Photo: Chris Lee 

BOSTON SYMPHONY 

ORCHESTRA 

Andris Nelsons, Conductor 

Emanuel Ax, Piano 

SUN MAR 5 ◆ 3 PM 

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.2 

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique 

Photo: Lisa Marie Mazzucco 

Presented by Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Roy Thomson Hall 

FOR TICKETS CALL 

416-872-4255 

OR VISIT 

ROYTHOMSON.COM 

The incomparable Marc-André Hamelin in recital 

Only appearance in 

Toronto this season 

Thursday 

March 23, 2017 

at 8 pm 

An evening of piano 

sonatas including 

Beethoven’s 

“Appassionata” 

and Chopin’s 

No. 2 in B-Flat Minor 

Tickets on sale to December 31st $45 

Tickets after January 1st $60 

at the Jane Mallett Theatre 

St. LAWRENCE CENTRE 

416-366-7723 

FOR 

THE 

ARTS 

$10 full-time students, 

$35 accompanying non-students 

 

Canadian 

Heritage 

Patrimoine 

canadien 


y Brahms and Beethoven. Feb 5: Syrinx presents 

two pianists: Walter Buczyinski performing his 

own Sonatas Nos.13 and 14; and Richard Herriot 

playing works by Chopin, Albéniz, Ravel and 

Turina. The octogenarian Buczyinski, a Canadian 

icon, is an accomplished pianist whose devotion 

to the classical repertoire has informed his 

compositions. 

Dec 13: The Cameron House, once home to 

Handsome Ned and countless other musicians, 

atypically plays host to “A Winter’s Night” with 

works by Bach, Schumann and Mozart performed 

by the Duo Mechant (Joseph Nadurata, viola; 

Linda Shumas, piano) and James Petry, clarinet. 

Dec 13: Ukrainian-Canadian Dmitri Levkovich’s 

Heliconian Hall recital includes such staples of 

the piano repertoire as Chopin’s Sonata No.2 

and12 Études. 

Dec 19: The amazing talents of Nadina Mackie 

Jackson are on display in her traditional “Vivaldi 

Christmas Concert,” six festive and rarely heard 

bassoon concerti performed by Toronto’s top 

professional bassoonists, including Michael 

Sweeney, Catherine Chen and Jackson, with chamber strings and 

harpsichord. Jan 22: Jackson’s Bassoon out Loud series continues with 

a recital by Chen, the TSO’s new associate principal, accompanied 

THE ASSOCIATES 

OF THE 

TORONTO 

SYMPHONY 

ORCHESTRA 

2017 SEASON 

January 23, 2017, 7:30 p.m. 

Happy Birthday/Happy Anniversary 

James Wallenberg, Peter Heidrich, 

Edward Elgar 

February 13, 2017, 7:30 p.m. 

Paris en mille notes 

Francis Poulenc, Igor Stravinsky, Maurice Ravel 

March 6, 2017, 7:30 p.m. 

Classics from Vienna meet Voices of Britain 

Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus 

Mozart, Benjamin Britten 

May 29, 2017, 7:30 p.m. 

Schubert “tacitly speaking” and Beethoven 

Franz Schubert, Ludwig van Beethoven 

June 5, 2017, 7:30 p.m. 

From Johannes to Iron John 

Joseph Haydn, Raymond Luedeke, 

Astor Piazzolla, Johannes Brahms 

Nadina Mackie Jackson 

by pianist Rachael Kerr, performing works by Jeanjean, Elgar and 

Boudreau, as well as a two-bassoon concerti with Jackson herself. 

Jan 13: If you’re in London, don’t miss the vibrant, musically 

mature playing of the Dover Quartet in works by Mozart, Britten and 

Shostakovich (in which they are joined by pianist Arthur Rowe). 

Jan 14: Pocket Concerts’ latest presentation of quality chamber 

music in an intimate setting features violinist Csaba Koczó and pianist 

Emily Rho performing two musical pillars, Beethoven’s Sonata No. 9 

Op. 47 “Kreutzer” and Brahms’ Sonata No. 3 in D Minor Op. 108. 

Jan 15: The Royal Conservatory presents Canadian violinist Dennis 

Kim, who was recently appointed concertmaster with the Buffalo 

Philharmonic Orchestra, and Diana Doherty, currently principal oboe 

with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, in works by Bach and Mozart, 

among others, in Mazzoleni Hall. Jan 21: Stefan Jackiw (violin), Jay 

Campbell (cello) and Conrad Tao (piano) – the JCT Trio – perform an 

early and a late trio by Mozart as well as music by Ives and Dvořák 

in this unusual program in Koerner Hall. Feb 4: Gidon Kremer and 

his Kremerata Baltica return to Koerner Hall, thanks to the RCM, in 

a program with an Eastern European tilt: works by Pärt, Weinberg, 

Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Silvestrov. 

Jan 18: The COC free noontime Piano Virtuoso Series continues 

with the talented, young (20-year-old) Chinese pianist, Jingquan Xie, 

performing Bach’s magnificent Partita No.6 and Chopin’s Sonata No.2 

with its famous funeral march. 

Jan 27: Armenian-born Kariné Poghosyan returns to Sinfonia 

Toronto to play Schumann’s impulsive and passionate Piano Concerto 

in A Minor. 

Jan 28: 5 at the First Chamber Music Series presents pianist Angela 

Park, violinist Yehonatan Berick and cellist Rachel Mercer – the AYR 

Piano Trio – in a Saturday afternoon Hamilton recital. The program 

by the three high-powered musicians includes works by Ysaÿe, Haydn 

and Sigesmund but the icing on the cake is Schubert’s luminous 

Trio Op.100 in E-flat Major. Jan 29: the “Star Canadian Trio” travels 

to the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society’s Music Room for 

a reprise. 

Feb 7: Nineteen-year-old violinist Kerson Leong – First Prize-winner 

in the Junior Category of the 2010 Menuhin Competition – and collaborative 

pianist Philip Chiu perform works by Ravel, Poulenc, Fauré, 

Debussy and Dompierre in this free noontime concert at the Richard 

Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Leong can also be heard Jan 11 and 12 with 

the TSO, launching Mozart @ 261 with the Rondo for Violin K373. 

BO HUANG 

TICKETS 

NOW ON 

SALE! 

Tickets $22, Seniors and Students $20 

Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 

Box Office 416-282-6636 

www.associates-tso.org 

Paul Ennis is the managing editor of The WholeNote. 



Gorzhaltsan and Disterheft: 

How Humber Helped 

ORI DAGAN 

As in jazz, in writing this 

column it’s sometimes 

delightful how one small 

thing can lead into another. 

Mid-November, publisher David 

Perlman and I found ourselves 

in attendance at the Ken Page 

Memorial Trust gala at the Old 

Mill (see last month’s column), 

where each guest received a 

jazz recording tucked under the 

napkin on their table. Mine was 

courtesy of Humber College from 

their “New Standards” series. 

All recordings on the Humber 

Beat by Beat | Jazz Stories 

Jacob Gorzhaltsan on sax 

Records label feature performances by Humber students and faculty; 

making the recordings is not only a priceless experience for all 

involved, but also a neat way to archive the talent that goes through 

the program. 

Speaking of talent, and how one thing leads to another, one of the 

musicians featured on track two of said New Standards collection was 

someone I was planning to write about in this month’s column. Ladies 

and gentlemen, there are three chances this month for you to see 

and hear rising star clarinetist-saxophonist Jacob Gorzhaltsan, who 

recently graduated from Humber College’s prestigious jazz program. 

As it happens, I got a chance to ask him a few questions, this 

month, including of course, why in the world he would choose the 

clarinet as his main instrument. 

JG: My mother had a lifelong dream that her son would be a clarinet 

player, and at age eight (after about a year and a half of playing 

recorder) I finally received my first clarinet to try out. Although the 

clarinet was almost twice my size and I had to play it while sitting 

down, with the bell propped up on my feet, I felt immediately 

compelled to continue pursuing music and, in particular, the clarinet. 

While in my early studies, I was influenced first by many traditional 

clarinetists/classics, such as Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, 

Pee Wee Russell, Woody Herman, and, of course, Buddy DeFranco. 

About two years after I began playing clarinet (at age ten), I would 

attend a life-changing workshop in Toronto with the one and only 

Buddy DeFranco, with whom I would jam on Moonglow - which I 

remember was one of the few tunes I really knew at the time. In this 

one masterclass, Buddy DeFranco gave me so much of the encouragement 

and support I needed in order to continue seriously pursuing a 

career in performance with a focus on clarinet/woodwinds. Studying 

privately with Vladimir Belov and Peter Stoll, I eventually began to 

pick up the other woodwinds (alto first, followed by tenor saxophone) 

and now am equally at home switching between the various doubles. 

In the midst of my studies, I would be influenced greatly by Eddie 

Daniels and Canadian clarinetist, James Danderfer. Both these clarinetists 

are highly inspirational, as they push the sonic boundaries of 

contemporary jazz clarinet while also being exceptional saxophonists/composers 

and arrangers. They would have a huge influence in 

shaping my perception of what it means to be a jazz clarinetist in the 

21st century. 

OD: You’ve included two vocal pieces in your album, performed by 

Denzal Sinclaire. Tell me a bit about this experience and working with 

singers in general and what that means to you. 

JG: The album features two vocal pieces sung by Denzal Sinclaire. 

He is an incredible musician and, in my opinion, is easily one of the 

greatest male jazz vocalists in Canada, not to mention an incredibly 

warm and kind-hearted, supportive human being. I had the pleasure 

of performing with him around a year ago at a few Soulpepper Cabaret 

concerts and instantly thought his voice would be the perfect fit for a 

couple of my original songs. It was a real thrill to have him join us in 

the studio, and I am so thankful for the opportunity and experience. 

I have always had an interest in lyrics and songs, and it is an absolute 

delight to be in Toronto where there is such a vast wealth of singers 

and songwriters. I have been honoured to have shared the stage with so 

many great Toronto singers, such as Jackie Richardson, Divine Brown, 

Sophie Milman, Julie Michels, Don Francks, Laura Hubert, Denzal 

Sinclaire, Denielle Bassels, Andrew Penner, Big Rude Jake and many 

more. It is such a delight to be surrounded by so many strong and 

compelling voices, and they have all helped in their own way to shape 

my playing, expression, and exploration into song/lyric writing. 

OD: Tell me a bit about your experience studying at Humber 

College. What were your favourite aspects of this post-secondary 

program, and what are the most important lessons you learned there? 

JG: While at Humber, I received music lessons and attended classes/ 

ensembles under the tutelage of some of the top musicians in the 

city and country, such as Pat LaBarbera, Neil Swainson, Geoff Young, 

Mark Promane, Kirk MacDonald, Drew Jurecka and so many more. 

The environment of the school welcomes musical exploration and 

creativity while honing the theoretical, rudimentary and technical 

skills of jazz and contemporary idioms of music. It was an honour 

to be surrounded by so many knowledgeable teachers, as well as a 

prosperity of talented up-and-coming musicians, so many of whom 

will become the voice of the next generation of professional musicians 

in Toronto’s music industry. The strong sense of community 

within Humber provides an incredible support for creative development/collaboration 

and experimentation. This environment (and 

the amazing musicians within it) was truly a great setting for me 

to explore my personal musical ambitions and further pursue my 

interest in composition and original music. 

Jacob Gorzhaltsan’s Fly Softly CD release is December 1 , at Jazz 

Bistro at 9pm; he’s also at the Emmett Ray on December 19 at 7pm 

‘S WONDERFUL 

The best of the Gershwin songbook 

JAN. 29, 3:30 PM & JAN. 31, 8 PM 

Erin Bardua, soprano | Aaron Durand, baritone 

Trinity St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor Street West 

tickets: 416-978-8849 | uofttix.ca 

www.taliskerplayers.ca 


and at the Burdock Music Hall on 

December 30 at 8:30pm. 

Disterheft: Composer, vocalist 

and JUNO-winning jazz bassist, 

Brandi Disterheft has released four 

records since graduating from 

Humber College. She also speaks 

about her time there fondly: 

“Humber College taught me 

the importance of memorizing a 

plethora of jazz standards; I also 

learned how to rhythm read at 

brisk tempos. Lenny Boyd taught 

me Miles Davis solos. Don Thompson allowed me to believe that it 

is possible to change and revolutionize jazz, as he is one of the great 

innovators of the double bass. If he could be potently lyrical and 

play those peaking, clear lines that made your stomach sink, then I 

also could somehow contribute to the art form via exploration and 

hard work.” 

Disterheft is currently on tour celebrating her latest Justin Time 

release, Blue Canvas, featuring 80-years-young piano legend Harold 

Mabern with dazzling drummer Joe Farnsworth. Always one to choose 

her collaborators carefully, Disterheft reflects upon the experience of 

working with these two particular musicians: 

“Harold’s piano playing reflects that potent, romantic nostalgia 

one can only achieve from a lineage of years of living and hearing the 

music. His focus while entering that “dream world” when performing 

reminds me of when I had the opportunity to play with Hank Jones. It 

seems nothing can get in the way of their music, and it’s their special 

place. Harold is also a gracious human being who innately supports 

people. Joe and I have been a rhythm section team as sidemen for 

numerous records under the bandleader and alto hard-bop player 

Vincent Herring (Smoke Sessions Records) with other world-class 

Brandi Disterheft 

players such as Cyrus Chestnut and 

Jeremy Pelt. Playing with time with 

Joe is to effortlessly soar across the 

sky while holding onto an oversized 

helium balloon gliding over a 

raging river. His finesse and power 

is something I experienced when I 

was in my early 20s when Laila Biali 

and I opened for Pharoah Sanders 

at the Toronto Jazz Festival. Joe was 

playing drums, and you never forget 

hearing him live for the first time.” 

The very same can be said of 

Disterheft’s own approach to music. 

In her hands the acoustic bass drips gloriously with a well-oiled liquid 

groove, and what makes her exciting to watch is that she always goes 

for it, with each solo resulting in surprising smiles, nods or hollers, 

depending on the audience. 

In his review of Blue Canvas in the September WholeNote, Raul 

da Gama wrote that “listening to her is like putting your finger into a 

naked power-socket,” later adding that she “handles her bass violin 

with as much visceral audacity as the great Charles Mingus once 

did…A particular highlight of the recording is Disterheft’s vocals 

which play off her bass, but in an altogether different palette of 

thrilling, luminous colours.” 

If you get this memo in time, catch Brandi Disterheft on December 3 

at Jazz Bistro where she will be celebrating Blue Canvas with Mabern 

and Farnsworth on the bandstand – do not miss this gifted composer 

whose interpretations of standards are always fresh. Cheers to Brandi, 

Jacob, everyone at Humber College and most of all to you, live music 

lovers, who keep us all going! 

Ori Dagan is a Toronto-based jazz musician, writer and 

educator who can be reached at oridagan.com. 

JOANNE KLIMASZEWSKI 

HANNAFORD STREET 

SILVER BAND 

2016-17 Season 

Identities 

Traditions Welcome Christmas! 

Tues., Dec. 13, 2016 7:30 p.m. 

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church 

1585 Yonge St. 

Orpheus Choir and the Hannaford Street Silver 

Band ring in Christmas with the eagerly-anticipated 

return of glorious jazz and gospel songstress Jackie 

Richardson. Revel in our tidings of great joy in this 

beloved concert of magnificent seasonal music. 

Guest: JUNO-nominated songstress, 

Jackie Richardson 



Tickets: $40; $30 senior; $10 student 

www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com www.hssb.ca 


Beat by Beat | In with the New 

Looking Anew at 

Listening 

WENDALYN BARTLEY 

Recent world events, and particularly what’s 

happening to our southern neighbours in the 

US, have had a great impact on most of us. I’ve 

been reflecting on the question that always seems to 

resurface throughout the ages during times of chaos 

and disturbance: how can music (and other creative 

arts) affect and support social change, transformation 

and even revolution? I agree with the notion 

that pursuing the creative act itself is one form of 

resistance. Yet I wonder what these times are asking 

of us regarding the creative process itself. 

On November 23, I attended the Rainbow Nation 

concert presented by Soundstreams. It was a tribute 

to the legacy of Nelson Mandela and included a 

beautiful array of artistic styles and performers from 

South Africa, Canada and the US. During one of 

the short theatre skits that functioned as interludes 

between musical numbers, a conversation between 

a father and daughter brought home a profound truth. The father 

was distraught that his daughter was involved in student protests, 

particularly since his generation had struggled so much for the right 

to education. Her ringing reply was “Just listen.” The importance of 

listening is a message I’ve seen written over and over again in the 

numerous articles that have flooded my social media pages since the 

US election. 

Warbler’s Roost 

In my September column, I wrote about New Adventures in Sound 

Art (NAISA)’s programming of three sound installations as part of the 

in/future Festival at Ontario Place, noting how the practice of creating 

site-responsive works requires attention to the multi-layered elements 

of any given environment. 

A few weeks ago, I travelled to a place called Warbler’s Roost to 

participate in a listening and soundscape weekend. A small group of 

sound artists gathered at this artist retreat and performance space, 

located about one hour north of Huntsville, to engage in the process 

of listening, recording and creating. Organized by the Toronto 

Soundhackers Meetup group in tandem with Darren Copeland, 

artistic director of NAISA, we began early on Saturday morning with 

a soundwalk – a collective act of walking in silence and listening to 

the environment. We then spent time both individually and in small 

groups making recordings of both the soundscape and of our sonic 

interactions with the environment. Back in the Warbler’s Roost studio, 

we listened to the recordings and then, again collectively, created a 

short composition from them that was performed later that evening as 

part of a NAISA concert. Within one day, we went from the simple act 

of being present with the sounds around us to a form of witnessing 

through recording and interacting to the act of 

creation and sharing. In a sense, this is the heartbeat 

Stephen Clarke 

that drives the musical creative act: cultivating presence 

and witnessing through creativity. These simple 

actions point to a way forward in generating listening 

behaviours that can inform and model how to live in 

a complex and diverse world. 

I often find myself writing in this column about 

the culture and practice of listening. For example, 

in the October column, I spoke about the listening 

legacies of both R. Murray Schafer and Pauline 

Oliveros, along with the next-generation approach of 

Oliveros’ collaborator Doug Van Nort. 

Dealing with these larger questions of social 

impact is an ongoing process of paying attention 

to what is emerging from the grist of what is being 

offered by those committed practitioners involved in 

the day to day music-making world. So with these 

thoughts as a background, let’s turn now to what is happening locally 

in the upcoming months of December and January. 

Stephen Clarke 

Early in the new year, at Gallery 345 on January 8, Arraymusic 

Ensemble member Stephen Clarke will present a concert of solo piano 

works by four composers, each of whom has a very distinctive voice: 

Giacinto Scelsi (Italy) Udo Kasemets (Canada), Horatiu Rădulescu 

(Romania/France) and Gerald Barry (Ireland). I talked with Clarke 

about the repertoire and his interest in the music of these composers, 

two of whom he has had personal friendships with. 

It is the more mystical approach that both Scelsi and Rădulescu 

share that intrigues Clarke, as both these composers incorporate 

different influences from Eastern philosophies and religions. In fact 

it was Rădulescu’s interest in Hindu and Byzantine music and the 

way it works with natural resonances that sent him in the direction 

of pursuing what is known as spectral composition, a style that 

focuses on working with the overtone or harmonic series. Clarke will 

be performing Rădulescu’s 1968 piano sonata, Cradle to Abysses, a 

tightly structured atonal work with a mystical atmosphere, which 

GREG EDWARDS 

Friday Dec. 2, 2016 

SLOWIND 

Slovenian Woodwind Quintet 

@ The Music Gallery 

Saturday Jan. 7, 2017 

Conducting the Ether 

Carolina Eyck theremin, Penderecki Quartet 

@ The Music Gallery 

Sunday Feb. 5, 2017 | Salvatore Sciarrino 

In collaboration with the University of Toronto New Music Festival 

Branko Džinović accordion, NMC Ensemble @ Walter Hall 

Sunday March 26, 2017 (non-subscription event) 

Kurtág’s “Kafka Fragments” 

Tony Arnold soprano | Movses Pogossian violin 

345 Sorauren Ave. | RSVP 416.961.9594 

Introductions @ 7:15 | Concerts @ 8:00 

www.NewMusicConcerts.com 

Friday April 28, 2017 

celebrating beckwith 

NMC Ensemble @ Trinity St. Paul’s Centre 


Salvatore Sciarrino 

was written just before the composer made his shift to spectral-based 

music. It is often thought that spectral composition began in the mid 

1970s with French composers such as Grisey and Murail. However, 

Rădulescu’s forays into working with overtones, which can take 

one into a deeper relationship 

with the natural acoustic world, 

predate the French school. 

To highlight the contrast 

between spectral and non-spectral 

approaches, Clarke chose 

to include Udo Kasemets’ 

Feigenbaum Cascades (1995) 

in the program. Hence the title 

of the concert: “Cascades and 

Abysses.” The Kasemets piece, 

a spectral work written originally 

for Clarke, works with the 

harmonic series in a “beautifully 

pure mathematical way 

that speaks for itself.” In sharp 

contrast to this simplicity, Clarke 

will perform two works by 

Gerald Barry, a composer known for his more hyperactive and ironic 

approach as demonstrated in his ability to use banal material and 

infuse it with a highly charged energy. In Humiliated and Insulted, 

Barry’s piece written for Clarke in 2013, the audience will hear a work 

that sounds like a congregation singing a hymn, yet something has 

gone terribly wrong. Everyone is singing together, but not from the 

same spot in the score and, to make it more pronounced, no one even 

seems to notice. 

Other opportunities to hear Clarke perform include a concert in 

early March where he will present a complete program of Rădulescu’s 

music on the Bosendorfer piano at St. Andrew’s Church. This piano 

comes equipped with extended lower notes, which are called for 

by the composer in these works. This concert will give fans of spectral 

composition ample opportunity to hear Rădulescu’s masterful 

approach. Clarke will also be performing on February 5 in a concert 

of works by Italy’s Salvatore Sciarrino, this year’s visiting composer 

at the University of Toronto’s New Music Festival. This final concert of 

the festival is a collaboration with New Music Concerts during which 

four of Sciarrino’s works spanning 1981 to 2015 will be heard. 

U of T New Music Festival 

Sciarrino, one of Europe’s leading composers, writes music that 

seeks to portray the fragility of life, often creating pieces that are on 

the edge of audibility and pushing the instruments to their extreme 

limits. In his biography, he describes his style as “leading to a different 

way of listening, a global emotional realization, of reality as well as 

of one’s self.” Sciarrino’s music can also be heard during the festival 

at a concert featuring music for piano on January 30, which will also 

include works by Nono, Fedele and Berio. 

Carolina Eyck 

The festival highlight will be 

the performance on February 1 

of Sciarrino’s opera The Killing 

Flower (Luci mie traditrici) 

produced by Wallace Halladay 

and Toronto New Music Projects. 

The libretto is based upon the 

play Il tradimento per l’onore, 

which was first performed in 

Rome in 1664. A story of intrigue, 

love, betrayal and murder, the 

opera has become Sciarrino’s 

most often performed work out 

of his 14 music-theatre pieces 

composed to date. He recognizes 

the influence cinema plays in the 

creation of works for the stage 

and approaches his own creative 

process with this in mind. He openly declares that what he really 

wants through his composing is “to change the world.” Additional 

festival events include the performance of the Karen Kieser Prizewinning 

work by Sophie Dupuis, Perceptions de La Fontaine, a noontime 

lecture by Sciarrino on February 2, and a concert of music by 

contemporary Italian composers on February 4. 

Electroacoustic Technologies 

Turning now to innovative performers using electroacoustic technologies, 

two women making waves in this field will be visiting 

Toronto over the next two months. First, American composer and 

CHRISTIAN HÜLLER 


sound artist Andrea Parkins, along with her ensemble, will be 

performing at the Music Gallery on December 20, using interactive 

electronics to create relationships and contrasts between the real and 

the ephemeral. She will collaborate in this performance with local 

artists Lina Allemano, Germaine Liu and Jason Doell. On January 7, 

theremin virtuoso Carolina Eyck from Germany will perform the 

world premiere of her latest composition as part of a New Music 

Concerts program. She will also be in town to celebrate the release 

of hew new CD, Fantasias for Theremin and String Quartet. Other 

composers whose works will be presented at the NMC event include 

Canadians D. Andrew Stewart and Omar Daniel, Bohuslav Martinů 

from Czechoslovakia and Maurice Ravel. 

Two events that Soundstreams will be offering will be the return 

of the popular “Electric Messiah,” December 5 to 7, featuring wild 

and wacky renditions of Handel’s classic with singers Christine 

Duncan, Carla Huhtanen, Gabriel Dharmoo and Jeremy Dutcher, 

2016.2017 

NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL 

January 29 to February 5, 2017 

The 2017 New Music Festival 

centres around the work of Italian 

composer Salvatore Sciarrino, 

Roger D. Moore Distinguished 

Visitor in Composition. Partnering 

with New Music Concerts, the 

festival offers insight into the rich Italian culture 

of contemporary music, alongside the creativity 

emerging from Toronto and U of T. 

.chamber .opera 

.vocal .dance 

.jazz .orchestral 

.electroacoustic 

@uoftmusic 

music.utoronto.ca 

The Faculty of Music gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our presenting sponsors 

Sean Chen at The Cliburn (2013) 

with electronic backup from Cheldon “Slowpitch” Paterson on turntables, 

Jeff McLeod on organ and John Gzowski on guitar. Moving 

ahead to February, Soundstreams is celebrating 100 years of Estonia’s 

independence by bringing the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir 

to town on February 2, performing world premieres by Canadian 

composers Omar Daniel and Toronto-born Riho Esko Maimets (who is 

of Estonian heritage), along with compositions by Arvo Pärt. 

QUICK PICKS 

Canadian Music Centre 

Dec 12: Centrediscs CD Launch: Canadian Flute Masterpieces. 

Dec 15: “Class Axe” – a concert of new works for classical guitar 

by M. Côté, J. Denenberg, M. Horrigan, A. Jang, T. Kardonne and 

S. Marwood. 

Canadian Opera Company 

Jan 5: “Vocal Series” – First Nations mezzo-soprano Marion 

Newman presents a concert on the theme of reconciliation, featuring 

works by Canadian composers. 

Feb 1: “Dance Series” – Peggy Baker Dance Projects; music by 

Debashis Sinha. 

Other 

Dec 12: Toronto Masque Theatre – No Tongue Will Tally by Harry 

Somers and Claude Bissell. 

Jan 10: Music Toronto – Sean Chen plays two works by Ligeti, as 

well as his own piano transcriptions. 

Jan 21: Music Gallery – “The New Flesh.” 

Wendalyn Bartley is a Toronto-based composer and electrovocal 

sound artist. sounddreaming@gmail.com. 

ELLEN APPEL/MIKE MORELAND 

22 | December 1, 2016 - February 7, 2017 thewholenote.com

NEW DIRECTIONS IN MUSIC 

NEW DIRECTIONS IN MUSIC 


Beat by Beat | World View 

Sofar Sounds 

Musical Placemaking 

ANDREW TIMAR 

There’s a new music 

presenter on the block 

which also chooses to 

keep details of its concerts 

on the down-low. It’s the 

Toronto iteration of the 

Sofar Sounds international 

franchise, begun in 2009 

in London, UK, a sort of a 

Meetup for music concerts. 

It initially came to my attention 

because the series has 

significant world music 

content, and it’s the primary reason I’m visiting it in this column. 

Meet Jonathan Campbell of Sofar Sounds Toronto (SST). He began 

to organize covert alternate space concerts in the city’s core last year. 

“SST has regular concerts twice a month. Our secret, intimate shows 

in alternative locales showcasing the talent and diversity of the city 

aspire to bring the magic back to live music. We advertise online a 

[concert] date and the neighbourhood in which it will take place. Yes, 

we keep the artists secret but [I feel] they will definitely be up the alley 

of many WholeNote readers.” SST intends to stay: “We’re booked well 

into 2017.” 

I asked about SST’s mission. Campbell explained, “It’s the local 

branch of the global Sofar Sounds movement, now in nearly 300 cities 

worldwide. We produce our concerts in alternative locales – offices, 

studios, galleries, living rooms, backyards and more – celebrating the 

wealth, diversity, breadth and depth of the artists working and living 

in or passing through our city.” 

By choosing hyperlocal venues with individual curators - they sign 

up on the SST website for the experience of “hosting a gig”– rather 

than more typical mainstream halls or commercial pubs, Campbell 

identifies an important feature of his endeavour: the honouring 

of cozy “spaces, neighbourhoods and places.” Rather than being a 

secondary element, a lifestyle soundtrack, he argues that in such 

intimate, personalized settings, music can be savoured for its own 

sake. He explicitly referred in our interview to placemaking, a multifaceted 

approach used by urban planners and human geographers 

to the planning, design and management of public spaces with the 

intention of creating spaces that promote people’s health, happiness 

and wellbeing. 

Placemaking is a philosophy and a process with political resonance 

due to its close relationship to the notion of place identity. Place identity 

is not purely a theoretical issue, however. It informs a worldwide 

movement to protect places of significant local heritage in the face 

of the powerful forces of cultural globalization. Interestingly, it has 

direct parallels themes in musical themes I occasionally explored in 

this column: local and regional vs. transnational identities as reflected 

in music performance, production, mediation, and in audience and 

critical reception. SST is exploring aspects of this in Toronto. It’s about 

the room and how the audience feels in it, as much as about the music 

being performed. 

I asked Campbell about SST’s core audience and its incorporation 

of various global musics. He referred to programming goals including 

a commitment to ethnically diverse music and raising SST’s profile 

among world music audiences. 

“I think these two issues are deeply related. Geographically, we’ve 

been downtown directed, but that reflects the nature of our core 

demographic. The typical person that has signed up [to attend our 

concerts] is a hip young urbanite in their 20s or 30s, a person whose 

experience of live music [has been mainly relegated] to the bars, clubs 

and other venues of the indie, rock, punk and folk scenes. On one 

hand we love the idea of having performers of every colour, shape, 

size, musical style, form, discipline. But, because the bulk of our audience 

feels at home in the indie, rock, punk and folk genres, it’s been 

a harder sell to book artists outside of those scenes. On the up side, I 

think that the more people hear about or experience what our rooms 

feel like, the more that’s going to change, leading to greater variety in 

the music genres on offer.” 

Campbell’s programming, 

in line with most 

Sofar Sounds events around 

the world, as reflected in 

their numerous YouTube 

videos (more on that 

later), primarily appears 

to reflect mainstream 

vernacular music. Great Lake 

Swimmers, Royal Wood and 

The O’Pears have presented 

polished sets. On the other 

The Dilan Ensemble: (from left) Richard Robeson, Sina Khosravi and Shahriyar Jamshidi. 

hand, SST has also sought to 

stretch preconceived hipster notions of the live music experience by 

expanding what’s on offer. For example, Pocket Concerts presented an 

authoritatively played program of J.S. Bach string trios. Last December, 

indigenous cellist/composer Cris Derksen, a 2016 Instrumental Album 

JUNO nominee, singlehandedly built from layers of powwow-ready 

sounds with her cello, Western classical music chops and new school 

electronics. 

To ramp up audience anticipation, SST has fun holding back the 

names of the musical acts it presents, yet it does something few other 

presenters do: it sends follow-up messages to individual ticket holders. 

Titled “Thanks for Coming! You were watching...” the email messages 

offer a thumbnail of each artist on the roster. Campbell notes that “we 

also track alumni artists’ future gigs and link to them on our Facebook 

page for the benefit of our followers.” 

I’m not at liberty to disclose the identity of future performers – 

remember the lure of the “secret” concert, the cultivated air of mystery 

and the element of exploration in SST’s mandate? I can, however, 

speak about a few of the world music performers who have animated 

its low-keyed venues. On a hot July 2015 evening in the backyard of a 

private Toronto home, the Rajasthani Barmer Boys raised their voices 

in praise to perform songs steeped in the Manganiyar Sufi music tradition. 

Earlier this year Burkina Faso griot Amadou Kienou animated 

the dreary March weather in a downtown walkup with songs accompanied 

by kora and jembe. Sections of all these sets can be viewed on 

the SST YouTube channel. 

A few weeks ago the Dilan Ensemble directed by kamancheh 

specialist Shahriyar Jamshidi played a program of Kurdish music. On 

another show, the ten-piece Toronto band Zuze, mashing up Iranian 

folk melodies with Afrobeat rhythms, shared the snug Small World 

Music Centre space (eschewing its modest stage for floor space under 

the spacious windows) with IVA, aka Kathleen Ivaluarjuk Merritt. 

The Inuk singer-songwriter was accompanied by the Southern 

Ontario indie-folk band Ptarmigan in a set combining Inuktitut song 

and poetry. 

In another concert, the accomplished Toronto-based Arabic and 

Jewish musician-singers Maryem Tollar and Aviva Chernick joined 

Iranian percussionist Naghmeh Farahmand in a new music project 

dubbed Walking East Trio. In addition, sharing the bill with two 

other acts, singer-songwriter Dieufaite Charles sang, accompanying 

himself on guitar, music reflecting a mix of Haitian roots and African 

rhythms. That concert, held in a private home in the Trinity Bellwoods 

neighbourhood (yes, marked “secret!” in the invitation), was also part 

of Toronto’s Third Annual Festival of House Culture, yet more evidence 

of several layers of placemaking in action. 

Campbell confirms that “of the three or four acts at every show, at 

least one will be a surprise to many in our audience – and that’s our 


intention. I can’t emphasize enough 

how awesome it’s been to watch audiences 

react to something clearly 

completely out of their wheelhouse. 

Whether it’s Bach played by a chamber 

trio, a griot singing traditional Burkina 

Faso songs accompanied by a kora, 

a rapper backed by live musicians, 

experimental electronic post-rock, 

or a solo singer-songwriter, audiences 

recognize that these are amazing 

musicians. Before SST, they might see 

a listing in a magazine or walked by 

a venue with a sign, but would never 

imagine going to their concerts. But the 

in-person experience is a powerful one. It says ‘this is for anyone who 

wants to hear it.’ It’s been so rewarding for us to be able to introduce 

artists who don’t generally have access to audiences outside of 

their own ethnicities. We [imagine that we] live in a city that houses 

every ethnicity, culture, or tradition on earth, yet we [nevertheless] 

tend to live in our own local worlds. What’s been amazing to behold 

is that by creating an air of mystery around audiences not knowing 

who they’re going to see, we’re able to demonstrate how silly it is that 

we’re not [culturally] more intermingled. Because great music is great 

music. Period.” 

That’s why, he says, a well-known artist like Lena (aka Anastasia 

Tchernikova) of Musica Reflecta can entrance a room full of people 

with a program of solo minimalist piano pieces by Philip Glass 

and Arvo Pärt as much as a well-known folk group like Great Lake 

Swimmers, who followed that performance. “There is so much 

going on in this city, and, to use the old adage, there’s so much that 

people don’t even know they don’t know about. We want to help 

change that.” 

While Campbell makes a strong case for an era of post-genre 

Kathleen Ivaluarjuk Merritt (IVA) 

concert experiences, what’s in it for 

the individual musician or group? SST 

promises an attentive audience, an 

unusual, unexpected, fun, intimate 

venue with social media follow-ups 

on Facebook and Instagram. Each act 

gets a very modest honorarium. More 

valuable perhaps, SST provides a highquality 

edited video of an item in 

their performance, uploaded directly 

to the international Sofar Sounds 

YouTube channel. 

For newly formed groups, it’s 

an opportunity to connect with an 

enthusiastic young adult audience in 

an attentive listening “quiet room” environment. For bands used to 

gigging in noisy bars where the focus is not necessarily on the music 

they’re making, the latter is a precious quality. For more established 

musicians, SST facilitates a connection with a young adult audience 

demographic, to listeners who may not be familiar with their careers, 

repertoire or even the genre of music they play. 

While mum’s the word on the identity of the global musicians 

appearing in SST’s December and January concerts, I can divulge two 

of the locations it has already announced. One is the hip Boxcar Social 

at Harbourfront Centre overlooking Lake Ontario and the other is “a 

secret location” in Evergreen Brick Works nestled in the neo-bucolic 

post-industrial setting of the Don River Valley. 

After speaking with SST producer Campbell, I am confident that 

SST’s programming will continue towards its goal of genre diversity. 

Gongs, ukuleles and dulcimers will undoubtedly share future SST 

rooms with guitars, drum kits and keyboards. 

Andrew Timar is a Toronto musician and music writer. He 

can be contacted at worldmusic@thewholenote.com. 

THE LIVING ARTS CENTRE presents 

DANCE 

FEB 

18 

7:30 PM 

RÉMI BOLDUC 

Jazz Ensemble 

Swingin’with Oscar 

MAR 

2 

7:30 PM 

SEASON SPONSOR 

ORDER YOUR TICKETS NOW! 

www.livingartscentre.ca 

905.306.6000 or 1.888.805.8888 


Beat by Beat | On Opera 

Sticking to the 

Tried and True 

CHRISTOPHER HOILE 

The past two years have seen 

Toronto opera companies 

unveil exciting new works 

or new interpretations of older 

works in December and January. 

This season, both large and 

smaller companies are saving 

these kinds of productions 

for spring 2017. In April 2017, 

the Canadian Opera Company 

presents a new production 

of Harry Somers’ Louis Riel 

(1967). In the same month, 

Opera Atelier revives Marc- 

Antoine Charpentier’s Médée 

(1693), which it will then take 

to Versailles. Tapestry Opera will 

present its grandest new opera 

since Iron Road (2001) in the form of Aaron Gervais’s Oksana G. in 

May. And Toronto Masque Theatre will present the world premiere of 

The Man Who Married Himself by composer Juliet Palmer. The reason 

for all this activity in 2017 is that companies are pulling out all the 

stops in celebration of Canada’s sesquicentennial that year. 

For this December and January, however, most companies are 

sticking to the tried and true, and, given the general sense of unease 

in the world, perhaps that is not a bad thing. For professional, fully 

staged productions, Toronto Operetta Theatre is first off the mark 

with Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance (1879), the work 

by the duo most often staged by professional opera companies and 

the only one to be staged regularly in non-English-speaking countries. 

Since 2014, there have been productions of Pirates in Münster, 

Luxembourg, Caen and Saarbrücken. 

TOT’s Pirates 

This year’s Pirates will give audiences a chance to hear two 

performers who are better known for their work with Opera 

Atelier, sing in a genre far removed from Baroque opera. Tenor Colin 

Ainsworth, who will sing Jason for Opera Atelier in next year’s Médée, 

sings the role of Frederic, the young lad mistakenly apprenticed to 

a pirate. Bass-baritone Curtis Sullivan, who has sung La Haine in 

Armide and Samiel in Der Freischütz, will take on the role of Major- 

General Stanley. TOT favourite Elizabeth Beeler will sing Ruth, the 

“piratical maid of all work,” and Vania Chan will sing the Donizettilike 

role of Mabel. Austin Larusson and Anthony Rodrigues will share 

the role of Sergeant of Police, and Nicholas Borg and Janaka Welihinda 

will share the role of the Pirate King. Derek Bate, resident conductor 

for the COC, will conduct and TOT artistic director Guillermo Silva- 

Marin will direct. The operetta runs December 27, 30, 31, 2016, and 

January 6, 7 and 8, 2017. 

Mozart’s Flute 

The winter season at the Canadian Opera Company begins 

January 19 with Mozart’s The Magic Flute. This will be the first revival 

of the COC’s own production, designed by Myung Hee Cho and 

directed by Diane Paulus, that had its premiere in January 2011. For 

the revival, Ashlie Corcoran will recreate Paulus’ direction. 

Tenors Andrew Haji and Owen McCausland will alternate in the 

role of Tamino. Sopranos Elena Tsallagova and Kirsten MacKinnon 

will share the role of Tamino’s beloved Pamina. Baritones Joshua 

Hopkins and Phillip Addis will alternate as Tamino’s bird-selling sidekick 

Papageno. And bass-baritones Goran Juric and Matt Boehler will 

share the role of the magician Sarastro, accused of having kidnapped 

Pamina. Coloratura soprano Ambur Braid, recently seen as Dalinda 

in Handel’s Ariodante at the COC, will sing the demanding role of 

Pamina’s mother, the Queen of the Night, at all 12 performances. 

Tenor Michael Colvin is Pamina’s guard Monostatos. The conductor 

will be Bernard Labadie, best known as the founding conductor of the 

Montreal-based period instrument ensemble Les Violons du Roy. The 

opera runs from January 19 to February 24. 

Street Scene by Request 

If one is looking for more unusual fare, Kurt Weill’s American 

opera Street Scene (1947) is 

coming back to town for the 

first time since Voicebox/ 

Opera In Concert mounted it 

Feb 1, 2015, at the Jane Mallett 

Theatre. This time, Opera by 

Request is taking the ambitious 

project on. With lyrics by 

the poet Langston Hughes and 

a book by the playwright Elmer 

Rice, based on his own play, 

the action takes place outside 

a multi-ethnic tenement on 

the East Side of Manhattan 

over two hot days in 1946. The 

opera has two plots involving 

the Maurrant family. One plot 

line follows young Rose Maurrant 

and her romance with a neighbour Sam Kaplan, though she is being 

harassed both by her boss and by another neighbour. The other 

follows Rose’s parents, Anna and Frank, and Anna’s affair with the 

milkman Steve Sankey. Subsidiary stories deal with a woman about to 

have a baby and the eviction of a couple who can’t pay the rent. 

One impediment to the opera being produced is that it has 19 

named singing roles, ten named speaking roles and other roles for 

children and dancers. The cast is headed by soprano Shannon Mills 

as Rose, soprano Kellie Masalas as Anna, baritone Austin Larusson as 

Frank and Avery Krisman as Sam. 

Music director and pianist for the opera, William Shookhoff, 

provided me with some background to the production. “Street Scene 

came about as a project envisioned by Shannon Mills, who works with 

a number of the COC children, and Brandon White, whose specialty 

is collaborative theatre and design. It was their feeling that this piece 

was as relevant now as ever (perhaps more so since November 8) and 

that, to do it justice, it needed to be presented in a more descriptive 

format than the usual concert arrangement. The church will be 

transformed by use of backdrops, suggesting tenement apartment 

Toronto Operetta Theatre’s Pirates of Penzance 

St. Anne’s G & S 

Presents 

Gilbert & Sullivan’s 

The Grand Duke 

Artistic Director - Laura Schatz 

Musical Director - Brian Farrow 

2pm, Jan. 28, 29; Feb. 4, 5 & 

7:30pm, Jan. 27, 28; Feb 2, 3 

St. Anne’ 

s Parish Hall 

651 Dufferin Street, Toronto 

416-922-4415 saintanne.ca 


MICHAEL COOPER 

A scene from the 2011 COC production of The Magic Flute 

windows, and various minimal set pieces. Dress will indicate hot 

summer and there will be no music stands, with far more interaction 

than concert format allows.” Street Scene runs December 2 and 3 at 

the College Street United Church. 

Opera by Request has two other concert performances slated for 

January. On January 14, it presents Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel 

(1891) with Kate Carver as the pianist; and on January 27, Mozart’s 

Don Giovanni (1787) with William Shookhoff as the pianist. 

St. Anne’s G&S Treat 

For Gilbert and Sullivan fans there is a real treat coming up in 

January. The amateur company St. Anne’s Music and Drama Society 

(MADS) will present a fully staged production, with an 18-piece 

orchestra, of The Grand Duke (1896), the final comic opera written 

together by the famous duo. In its day, it was the partnership’s only 

financial failure, unlike the equally rare Utopia, Limited 

(1893) that preceded it. Like G&S’s first collaboration 

Thespis (1871), it concerns a theatrical troupe that takes 

on political power. The Central European setting allows 

Sullivan the chance to imitate Viennese music extensively 

for the first time. The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company did 

revive Utopia, Limited once for the company’s centenary 

in 1974, but it never revived The Grand Duke, even though 

it recorded both. This neglect only helped reinforce 

the view elsewhere that these two were undeserving 

of revival. 

Productions by other companies such as MADS, 

however, have found that with cuts mostly to Gilbert’s 

unusually extensive dialogue, The Grand Duke is 

eminently enjoyable. MADS, first launched in 1963 by 

pianist Clifford Poole, wife Margaret Parsons, and Roy 

Schatz, has placed The Grand Duke in its regular cycle of 

G&S operas, meaning it is performed every 11 or 12 years. 

It was previously staged in 1996 and 2007. 

Roy Schatz’s daughter Laura, the stage director, informed 

me of the challenges and rewards of the piece: “I very much like The 

Grand Duke and think it deserves to be performed more often. One of 

the challenges for any group who wishes to perform it is the number 

of leads necessary – 14 to be precise. It should not have come up in our 

rotation for another couple of years, but our group recently had an 

influx of very talented singers and I wanted to be able to feature them 

as well as our regular wonderful leads. We have a cast of over 50 and 

they are enjoying the challenge of learning one of the G&S operas that 

is seldom performed.” The Grand Duke will be staged at the Parish 

Hall of St. Anne’s Anglican Church from January 27 to February 5 for 

four evening and four matinee performances. 

Christopher Hoile is a Toronto-based writer on opera and 

theatre. He can be contacted at opera@thewholenote.com. 

www.operainconcert.com 

VOICE 

B OX 

OPERA IN CONCERT 

Guillermo Silva-Marin, General Director 

On a deserted island, two pairs 

of lovers are shipwrecked and 

victims of piracy, reunited to 

melodic strains of incomparable 

charm and grace. 

The Deserted Island 

L’isola disabitata 

by Joseph Haydn in Italian with English Surtitles 

Kevin Mallon, Conductor 

ARADIA ENSEMBLE 

A Holiday Treat! Gilbert & Sullivan’s 

Piracy has never been more fun and so outrageous! 

Vania Chan 

Elizabeth Beeler 

Colin Ainsworth 

Curtis Sullivan 

Valérie 

Bélanger 

Marjorie 

Maltais 

Asitha 

Tennekoon 

Alexander 

Dobson 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5 AT 2:30 P.M. 

Derek Bate, Conductor, 

Guillermo Silva-Marin, Stage Director 

Dec. 27, 30 & Jan. 6 at 8 pm 

Dec. 31 & Jan. 7, 8 at 3 pm 

416-366-7723 | 1-800-708-6754 | www.stlc.com 

Guillermo Silva-Marin 

General Director 

416-366-7723 | 1-800-708-6754 | www.stlc.com 


Beat by Beat | Art of Song 

The Taliskers’ 

Eclectic Niche 

HANS DE GROOT 

Many years ago, in the mid-90s, I sang 

in the Toronto Classical Singers. When 

an orchestra was needed, the choir as 

often as not engaged a newly formed group, 

the Talisker Players Chamber Music Orchestra, 

to accompany us. Talisker was set up under 

the leadership of the violist Mary McGeer and 

violinist Valerie Sylvester to provide amateur 

choirs with needed instrumental accompaniment. 

Within ten years, the Players were 

accompanying between 20 and 30 choirs a 

year and they maintain an active schedule 

to this day, with McGeer still active in the 

ensemble. Important as the orchestra is on the 

choral scene, within five years of its founding, 

the Talisker Players Chamber Ensemble had 

also come into being, and it is for the latter 

that the group is now best known, particularly 

for their ongoing series of chamber 

concerts (four or five a year) at Trinity-St. Paul’s 

Aaron Durand (top); 

Erin Bardua (right) 

Centre, which almost always offer carefully curated thematic explorations 

of the relationship between poetry/spoken word and a widely 

eclectic and challenging range of music. 

Their concert on January 29 is their second for this season and is 

a bit of a departure from the norm, in that the words and music are 

not separate. Titled “’S Wonderful,” it presents the music of George 

and Ira Gershwin, who gave us some of the most memorable songs 

of the 20th century. The soloists are Erin Bardua, soprano, and Aaron 

Durand, baritone. 

The Talisker Players’ two remaining concerts this season are “Land 

of the Silver Birch” and “A Mixture of Madness.” Both are more 

reflective of the Players’ trademark style. 

“Land of the Silver Birch” on March 28 and 29 is an exploration of 

folk song reflective of British and French settlement in Canada over 

time, with music ranging from Ludwig von Beethoven’s Scottish Folk 

Songs to Four Canadian Folk Songs for flute, viola, cello and piano, 

a new work by Alexander Rapoport. Whitney O’Hearn, soprano, 

and John Allison, baritone, will be the soloists, and John Fraser is 

the reader. 

“A Mixture of Madness” on May 16 and 17 is trademark Talisker. 

Featuring rising soprano Ilana Zarankin, and Bruce Kelly, baritone, as 

soloists, and with Andrew Moodie as actor/reader, it promises to be 

an erudite and yet entertaining romp from Aristotle to Peter Maxwell 

Davies’ Eight Songs for a Mad King, by way of Purcell, Vaughan 

Williams and (a new commission) Alice Ping Yee Ho’s The Madness of 

Queen Charlotte (for flute, violin cello and piano). 

Looking back (and looking forward): The Canadian Opera 

Company has announced the winners in its annual vocal competition. 

Top prize went to the mezzo Simone McIntosh, while Samuel 

Chan and Gregory Schellenberg (both baritones) received the second 

and third prizes respectively. The audience 

prize went to the soprano Myriam Leblanc 

(and that marks the first occasion, as far 

as I can recall, that the first prize awarded 

by the jury and the audience prize did not 

coincide). Winning a prize does not automatically 

guarantee entrance to the COC 

Ensemble Studio but most prizewinners are 

offered a place there and I look forward to 

hearing them in opera or in concert. 

Anyone who has ever sung in a Canadian 

church choir will be familiar with Healey 

Willan’s anthems, but the November 18 

concert presented by the Canadian Art 

Song Project presented us with a much less 

familiar part of his compositions. Willan 

composed over 100 art songs, 

most of them now out of print. 

They were beautifully sung by 

Martha Guth, soprano, Allyson 

McHardy, mezzo, and Peter 

Barrett, baritone. A particular 

pleasure was to hear Guth 

sing O Littlest Hands, a song 

composed in 1920 for Willan’s 

baby daughter Mary. Mary, 

now Mary Mason and in her 

mid-90s, was in the audience 

and the concert provided the 

first occasion for her to hear 

the song. The Canadian Art 

Song Project intends to make 

a new volume of Willan’s art 

songs available. Will there 

eventually also be a CD? I certainly hope so. I recommend the Project’s 

next concert: on May 17 you will be able to hear Dawn Always Begins 

in the Bones, a newly commissioned work by Ana Sokolović. 

Canadian Opera Company Free Vocal Concerts: 

Dec 1: Chelsea Rus, soprano, the winner of the Schulich School of 

Music’s Wirth Vocal Prize, performs. 

Jan 5: Marion Newman, mezzo, sings in Echo/Sap’a by Dustin 

Peters among other works. 

Jan 24: Goran Jurić, bass, sings works by Tchaikovsky and Sviridov. 

Travel and Learning 

with Iain Scott 

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR 

THE GREAT OPERA HOUSES 

OF CENTRAL EUROPE 

~ discover Ceský Krumlov, 

Bratislava, Esterháza 

and more. 

MARCH 10 – 18, 2017 

EASTER IN SALZBURG AND 

GERALD FINLEY IN VIENNA 

~ great operas and 

concerts in two of 

Europe’s musical capitals. 

APRIL 11 – 18, 2017 

VERDI’S ITALY – 

A PILGRIMAGE 

~ five operas in four 

great Italian opera 

houses. 

APRIL 19 – MAY 1, 2017 

ST. PETERSBURG TO 

MOSCOW LUXURY 

RIVER CRUISE 

~ a voyage of discovery and 

a sumptuous experience. 

JUNE 22 – JULY 6, 2017 

Full details 

available at 

www.opera-is.com 

Or call Iain at 

416-486-8408 


Healey Willan 

Jan 26: Jacqueline Woodley, soprano, sings Baroque music with 

members of the COC Orchestra Academy. 

Jan 31: Philip Addis, baritone, and Emily Hamper, piano, perform 

works by Ross, Ravel and others. 

Feb 2: The soprano Elizabeth Polese sings Debussy and Stravinsky. 

U of T Faculty of Music Free Concerts: 

Jan 19: Colin Ainsworth, tenor, and William Aide, piano, perform 

works by Duparc, Schumann and Liszt. 

Jan 25: Singers from the faculty of music will perform as part of the 

Singer and the Songs Series. 

QUICK PICKS 

Dec 1: Music Toronto presents a recital by Suzie LeBlanc, soprano, 

and Robert Kortgaard, piano, with recently commissioned settings of 

poems by Elizabeth Bishop. The program, at the St. Lawrence Centre, 

will also include works by Schumann and Villa Lobos. 

Dec 2: Toronto Early Music Centre presents Emily Klassen, soprano, 

and Meagan Zantingh, mezzo, in “Stella di Natale: A Journey from 

Advent to Christmas,” in a concert featuring a cantata by Scarlatti and 

other works, at St. David’s Anglican Church. 

Dec 3: Kelsey Taylor, soprano, and Eugenia Dermentzis, 

mezzo, will be the soloists in an Oakham House Choir Society 

concert. The main works to be performed are Vivaldi’s Gloria and 

Mendelssohn’s Christmas cantata From Heaven on High, at Calvin 

Presbyterian Church. 

Dec 10: Soulpepper presents “What the World Needs Now (Songs 

of Love and Hate),” a musical journey through the Mad Men era. The 

singers are Wendy Lands and Jim Gillard, at theYoung Centre for the 

Performing Arts. 

Dec 11: OriginL Concert Series presents Brenda Enns and Susan 

Suchard, sopranos, and Hubert Razack, countertenor, in “Celebrate 

Life!” at Lawrence Park Community Church. 

Dec 11: The Aga Khan Museum presents Maryem Tollar in “Arabica 

Coffee House Concert” featuring traditional songs from Syria’s Arabic 

classical and popular repertoire. 

Dec 12: Andrea Ludwig, alto, and Bud Roach, tenor, will sing in 

“O Tannenbaum: The Tree of Life,” presented by the Toronto Masque 

Theatre at The Atrium at 21 Shaftsbury Avenue. 

Dec 13 to Dec. 23: Coal Mine Theatre presents Louise Pitre singing in 

A Coal Mine Christmas which includes Dylan Thomas’ story A Child’s 

Christmas in Wales read by Kenneth Welsh. 

Dec 31: Attila Glatz Concert Productions and Roy Thomson Hall 

present “Bravissimo! Opera’s Greatest Hits.” The soloists are Donata 

D’Annunzio Lombardi, soprano, Diletta Rizzo Marin, mezzo, Leonardo 

Caimi, tenor, and Lucio Gallo, baritone (Roy Thomson Hall). 

Dec 31: Free Times Cafe presents Sue and Dwight, Michelle Rumball 

and Tony Laviola in a concert celebrating the folk songs of Pete Seeger, 

Joan Baez, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Woody Guthrie. 

Jan 19 to 22: The baritone Peter Harvey will perform with 

Tafelmusik, at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, in a concert of German 

Baroque music that will include the lament Wie bist du denn, o Gott? 

by Johann Christoph Bach and the cantata Ich habe genug by J. S. 

Bach. Jan 21: Harvey will give a free masterclass beginning at 1pm in 

the same location. 

Jan 20: John Greer will give a free vocal masterclass at York 

University’s Tribute Communities Recital Hall. 

Jan 20: Lorna McDonald, soprano, will sing songs from New France 

at the Alliance Française, as well as selections from the opera The Bells 

of Baddeck (libretto by Macdonald, music by Dean Burry). Jan 29: 

Alliance Française presents Judith Cohen leading a concert of medieval 

songs of courtly love, with Michael Franklin, Andrea Gerhardt 

and others. 

Feb 1 and 2: Karina Gauvin, soprano, and Russell Braun, baritone, 

are the soloists with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in Fauré’s 

Requiem by and Detlev Glnert’s orchestration of Brahms’ Four Serious 

Songs by Brahms. 

Hans de Groot is a concertgoer and active listener 

who also sings and plays the recorder. He can be 

contacted at artofsong@the wholenote.com. 


Beat by Beat | Choral Scene 

Season of Staples 

and So Much More 

BRIAN CHANG 

Festive! Festive! Festive! 

Holiday music is inseparable from the joy of the season. Every choir 

has a performance in the next few weeks and while you check out 

your favourites and traditional hits, try something new and different. 

There are a host of options in my column this month. Financially, 

these concerts can help solidify revenue for arts organizations. Just 

like Indigo sells more in the holiday season than the rest of the year 

combined, choirs rely on the revenue from holiday concerts to be 

in the black. The National Ballet of Canada does this with an entire 

month of productions of The Nutcracker. Arts organizations are 

desperately in need of solid sales so that new and innovative programming 

continues to fill the rest of our months. So here we go. Onward 

into a season of staples! 

Oh Lord, Messiah: 

Ask a chorister about Handel’s Messiah and you will get a lot of 

opinions, mostly favourable. Some scathing. Some complicated. This 

time of year, almost every choir will perform Messiah in its entirety or 

at least the iconic Hallelujah movement. 

Along the way, something is often forgotten – Messiah is not easy. 

It’s long and technical. It is nuanced and requires diligence and a 

strong artistic interpretation. It requires musical instinct for appropriate 

accents and separation, stresses and vowel placement on fugal 

runs. Sure, an average singer can jump in and go for it and muddy 

their way through the music but the result is just that – mud. I’ve 

heard so many versions of choirs belting out Hallelujah at the top of 

their lungs without regard for blend or nuance. I admit that this is a 

thrill and a delight to sing, but let’s not get carried away. 

Any chorister who tells you they can do the runs of For unto Us a 

Child Is Born flawlessly every single time is probably not a very good 

listener. His Yoke Is Easy is another challenging number. Try saying 

the vowel “ee”. Now try saying it 12 times in four seconds. Then add 

various rhythms and try to get 20 people in a section to sing it all the 

same way. Another continuous sore spot is the tuning in the exposed 

Graves of Since by Man Came Death. Exposed chorales like this are 

tuning death for unprepared and undisciplined choirs. It is challenging! 

But also, incredibly fun. 

Handel’s writing is also quite forgiving of mistakes. Since by Man 

Came Death, if heading towards tuning death, is suddenly whipped 

back into shape with a very loud Allegro from the orchestra. There 

are very few parts in which the various voicings of the choir are not 

supported by instrumentation. 

I have sung over 20 performances of Messiah over the last few years, 

a rare chance to get to know a piece of music so intensely that I’ve 

developed my own personal approach to performing it. For me, the 

songs mark out a roadmap for the evening. After the doors close, latecomers 

are permitted to enter again usually after And the Glory of the 

Lord, which is about eight minutes into the whole performance. So I 

don’t usually relax until the bass soloist begins For Behold, Darkness 

Shall Cover the Earth. It isn’t the first time we hear the bass, but when 

he begins so quietly and begins a build over the 16ths, the effect is 

exquisite. The second half is my favourite. Getting to the Hallelujah 

isn’t even the highlight for me. My favourite aria The Trumpets Shall 

Sound usually hails the end of the final chorus. (Sometimes, Worthy Is 

the Lamb follows; however, it depends on the edits of the conductor.) 

For me, there is no greater movement than Worthy Is the Lamb 

followed by the epic Amen. The grand D-major chord is a powerful 

opener to the end of the masterwork. On the very last page, the 

sopranos hit a high A followed by the tenors a few bars later. This is 

always the flashing exit gate to the song. For choirs, this is a moment 

of collective inhalation and exhalation that brings the grand work to 

an authoritative close. Pure joy when done right! 

Oh Lord, Recorded Messiahs: 

Toronto has played home to two iconic recordings 

of Messiah and may well add a third to the 

mix. Tafelmusik under Ivars Taurins released 

a recording of the work on period instruments 

in 2012. For many, this is a gold standard for 

Messiah interpretations. In 1987 (the year I was 

born), Sir Andrew Davis recorded a modern 

interpretation of the work including the forces of 

the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Toronto 

Symphony Orchestra. This recording has long 

been a staple of Messiah listeners across the 

world. Little did I know that I would then be 

part of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir for a new 

recording to be released for the 2016 holidays. 

(See David Olds’ review in this month’s Editor’s 

Corner.) This new version (in which Worthy Is 

the lamb, by the way, is the final chorus) is the 

grandest interpretation of the work ever. These 

are all very different interpretations of the work 

and show the diversity of sound with the same 

music. (Tafelmusik doesn’t have a lost sheep 

braying though). 

Oh Lord, Big Messiahs: 

This year is unusual for the two biggest Messiahs. Normally 

Tafelmusik and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra productions overlap. 

This year, they barely do, with Tafelmusik all but done before the TSO 

starts. Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and the Tafelmusik Chamber 

Choir perform a period interpretation on period instruments 

under the baton of perennial favourite Ivars Taurins at Koerner Hall 

December 14 to 17. The ever-popular “Sing-Along Messiah” celebrates 

its 30th anniversary December 18 at Massey Hall. 

The biggest game in town is always the Toronto Symphony 

Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir at Roy Thomson Hall, 

December 18 to 21 and 23. Notably, the conductor changes every 

year. This year it’s Nicholas McGegan, conductor of the Philharmonia 

Baroque Orchestra and Chorale who leads. 

Oh Lord, More Messiahs: 

Elmer Iseler Singers and the Amadeus Choir: December 2, 8pm at 

Metropolitan United Church. 

Soundstreams presents “Electric Messiah,” a stripped-down fourvoice, 

guitar and electronics concept. Vocal improv goddess Christine 

Duncan is one of the featured soloists: December 5 to 7, 8pm at the 

Drake Underground. 

London Pro Musica and the #WePlayOn (former musicians of 

Orchestra London) re-create the Dublin Messiah: December 7, 7:30pm 

Special Advent and Christmas Events 

at Metropolitan United Church 

Services on Sundays at 11 a.m 

S unday, December 4 , 1:30 pm 

Deck the Halls: Downtown Carol Sing 

with the Metropolitan Silver Band and Organ 

Donations benefit our 

Community Services Ministry 

Sunday, December 18 , 11:00 am 

Cantata #10 “ My Soul Magnifies the Lord” 

by J. S. Bach, with the Metropolitan Choir 

and members of the Talisker Players 

Sunday, December 18 , 7:00 pm 

Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols 

Saturday, December 24 , 5:00 pm 

Pageant on the Front Steps 11 :00 pm: 

Christmas Eve Communion 

Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen Street E .,Toronto 

416-363-0331 (ext. 26) www.metunited.org 

Music 

at Metropolitan 


Pax Christi Children’s Messiah (2012) 

at First St. Andrew’s United Church, London. 

Chorus Niagara is joined by the Talisker Players: December 10, 

7:30pm at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, St. Catharines. 

Oh yeah, there’s other music this season! 

The Upper Canada Choristers and Cantemos present a different take 

on holiday music with “Noche de Paz: an Old World and New World 

Christmas.” The feature is Argentianian composer Ariel Ramirez’s 

Navidad Nuetra representing a distinctly Latin American sound and 

rhythm. Cantemos, an 11-voice Latin ensemble made up of members 

of the Choristers, will perform a few smaller carols from Colombia 

and Peru: December 2, 8pm at Grace Church on-the-Hill. 

The Tallis Choir of Toronto presents “Monteverdi: Vespers of 

Christmas Eve.” Artistic director Peter Mahon promises a period interpretation 

and performance that will evoke a Renaissance Christmas 

Eve in St. Mark’s, Venice: December 3, 7:30pm at St. Patrick’s 

Church, Toronto. 

Singing OUT! presents “Not Another Fa La La.” There’s always choreography! 

Saturday December 3, 7:30pm at Jane Mallett Theatre, 

St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. 

The Oakville Children’s Choir presents three different sets of 

concerts. The first is “Stories, Songs, and Snow” featuring Lineage by 

Andrea Ramsey and Ngoma by Moira Stanley. Both composers workshopped 

with the choir on their visit to the Pacific International 

Choral Festival earlier this year: December 3, 7pm at St. John’s United 

Church, Oakville. The second, “Community Carol Concerts,” also at 

St. John’s United Church, takes place December 10 at 1:30pm and 

4pm. The choir then joins the Oakville Symphony Orchestra to 

perform carols and the fun Suite from John Williams Christmas in the 

14th annual “Family Christmas Concert”: December 11, 1:30pm and 

4pm at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. 

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir presents “Festival of Carols” with 

the Salvation Army Canadian Staff Band. (I’ll be in the tenors!): 

December 7, 7:30pm at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. 

Exultate Chamber Singers present “A Time for Celebration: 

A Canadian Christmas.” University of Toronto professor Hilary 

Apfelstadt’s Exultate Chamber Singers are always a delight. Featuring 

Ring Wild Bells by Stephanie Martin, O Magnum Mysterium by 

Timothy Corlis and a premiere of a new arrangement of Silent Night 

by Exultate singer/composer J. Scott Brubacher: December 9, 8pm at 

St. Thomas’s Anglican Church. 

Univox presents “Serenity, Hope, Light” celebrating all the various 

holidays of the season. The feature is Bach’s Lobet den Herrn alle 

BRYSON WINCHESTER 


Carols by 

Candlelight 

Sunday, december 11, 4:30pm 

a traditional candlelight choral 

presentation featuring choirs and 

musicians of yorkminster Park. 

nine lessons 

& Carols 

Sunday, december 18, 4:30pm 

Following the historic tradition 

of King’s College in Cambridge. 

Admission is FREE for both events. 

Doors open at 3:30pm. 

Child care for children 5 years and under. 


1585 Yonge St., (1 block north of St. Clair Ave. 

(416) 922-1167 | yorkminsterpark.com 

Heiden (Praise the Lord, all ye nations): December 9, 8pm at Christ 

Church Deer Park. 

Pax Christi Chorale presents Ode on the Nativity by C.H.H. Parry 

with the Aslan Boys Choir and other guests: December 10, 7:30pm 

and December 11, 3pm at Grace Church on-the-Hill, as well as their 

eighth annual Children’s Messiah, at 4pm December 17 at Church of 

St. Mary Magdalene. 

Echo Women’s Choir celebrates its 25th anniversary with “Ain’t 

Life Sweet.” Special guest Annabelle Chvostek joins the choir with 

a special arrangement of her song Black Hole. The choir will feature 

songs and arrangements by Vermont artist Brendan Taafe and 

Penny Lang among others: December 11, 7:30pm at Church of the 

Holy Trinity. 

The super accessible and diverse City Choir presents “This 

Shining Night, a Bright-Hearted Concert.”: December 13, 7:30pm at 

St. Peter’s Church. 

Incontra Vocal Ensemble (which I also sing in) performs “O Nata 

Lux:” December 14, 7:30pm at Regis College, University of Toronto. 

That Choir: “Carols.” Most fun a choir can have, legally. ’Nuff said: 

December 18, 8pm at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Toronto. 

The huge conglomeration of the Toronto Children’s Chorus ensembles 

(nine of them!) come together for their annual Roy Thomson 

Hall concert – “A Child’s Christmas.” Special guest, Stratford Festival 

veteran Geraint Wyn Davies will narrate the evening. A variety 

of instrumentalists including TSO musicians will join in the fun: 

December 17, 2pm at Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto. 

The JUNO award-winning Toronto Mass Choir presents “A 

Gospel Christmas,” featuring special guests and a truly uplifting 

concert experience: December 17, 7pm at Bayview Chapel, Tyndale 

University College. 

Oh Lord, a New Year! 

Our double listing for December 2016 and January 2017 would be 

remiss without some highlights early in 2017. 

Every year the Toronto Mendelsohn Choir hosts five or six emerging 

conductors in a weeklong intensive. This culminates with a free 

concert featuring the choir and the Elora Festival Singers: January 28, 

3pm at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. 

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is joined by the Amadeus Choir 

and the Elmer Iseler Singers in a performance of Fauré’s Requiem: 

February 1 and 2, 8pm at Roy Thomson Hall. 

Soundstreams presents the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir 

featuring Rachmaninoff’s Vespers and more. February 2, 8pm at 

St. Paul’s Basilica. 

Follow Brian on Twitter @bfchang. Send info/media/ 

tips to choralscene@thewholenote.com 

The Mystery of the Partimento 

at Metropolitan United Church 

Friday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. 

Rezonance Baroque Ensemble 

Lutenists Lucas 

Harris , Benjamin 

Stein and other 

guests explore a 

lost tradition in 

Early Music 

performance 

Secrets of 

Improvisation in 

Renaissance and 

Baroque Music 

Music 


Admission: $20; 

Metropolitan United Church 

ages 18 and under : $ 10 

56 Queen Street E .,Toronto 

416-363-0331 (ext. 26) www.metunited.org 


Beat by Beat | Early Music 

Heed the Road 

Less Taken 

DAVID PODGORSKI 

It’s a bit of a shame that, with all the marketing behind Christmas, 

no one ever remembers – let alone observes – Advent anymore. The 

pre-Christmas season has a rich repertoire of music behind it that 

often gets ignored in favour of Messiahs, Nutcrackers and Christmas 

carols, but a few Toronto-based artists are mining this hard-to-market 

season for interesting music that will keep audiences entertained 

throughout the month of December. 

Musicians in Ordinary have been mentioned in this column before 

as a group that’s known for doing interesting programs of a seasonal 

nature throughout the year, and I’m pleased to say they’ll be doing 

just that this month. On December 9 at 7:30pm, the group will bring 

a concert of Monteverdi, Gibbons and Byrd to St. Basil’s Church. 

They’ll also be joined by the Pneuma Ensemble, a new group specializing 

in medieval music, for some Advent tunes from 13th-century 

Portugal. Besides being seasonally appropriate (especially if, like many 

people out there, you’re already sick of hearing Christmas music by 

the time December rolls around), it’s a concert that won’t be done by 

any other groups in town any time soon. There’s scarcely any chance 

to hear any pre-Renaissance music in Toronto, and medieval music 

is hardly heard anywhere, so I’ll be very interested to hear what the 

Pneuma Ensemble can bring to the music scene. If you’re looking for 

a chamber concert in early December, the Musicians in Ordinary and 

Pneuma sounds like an excellent choice. 

The Oratory: If you’re not particularly into medieval or chamber 

music, there’s another Advent-themed concert worth checking out 

The Pneuma Ensemble: 

Tricia Postle, Eleanor 

Verrette, Gaven Dianda 

before Christmas. The Oratory at Holy Family has a regular series 

of concerts of vocal and chamber music, but this December, the 

venue has decided to feature a soloist who is one of the music scene’s 

best-kept secrets. Toronto-based organist Phillip Fournier brings a 

distinctly Lutheran flavour to Holy Family Church on December 7 at 

8pm with a solo concert that includes Buxtehude, Bach and Scheidt. 

Fournier is a great organist and improviser who plays Bach particularly 

well, and hearing him play solo is positively delightful. 

For some actual Christmas music over the Christmas season, 

consider a few groups that are willing to explore somewhat lessplayed 

music for the holidays: 

The Toronto Consort will be putting on an interesting program 

devoted entirely to Christmas music from the Middle Ages that will 

feature the work of two notable women from the period. The posthumous 

legacy of the German abbess, writer, composer and mystic 

Hildegard of Bingen has already been revived with a slew of CD 

recordings from the mid-90s onward. Judging from the fact that 

most of the albums had titles like Canticles of Ecstasy, Heavenly 

Revelations, and Vision, the artists and record labels were trading on 

the mystic aspect of Hildegard’s life as much as the music she wrote. 


One wonders what the undoubtedly erudite and pious 12th-century 

nun would make of the new age marketing of her records, but no 

matter. The music remains extraordinary. Less well-known than 

Hildegard is a later mystic and nun, Anna of Cologne, who, as a 

16th-century compiler of hymns and songs from a non-cloistered 

community, collected songs in both Latin and Middle German by 

other composers, who, with some very rare exceptions, remain 

completely unknown to us. The result is a uniquely spiritual take on 

the Christmas holidays, and where other musical groups emphasize 

the festive side of the holidays, Hildegard’s and Anna’s music shows 

us a more somber side of the darkest days of the year. Check out the 

Consort at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, December 9 through 11. 

Cantemus: Still, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to celebrate, 

and if you’d rather listen to a choral ensemble for a dose of 

holiday cheer, consider going to a concert by the Cantemus Singers in 

December. Their concert, “In Dulci Jubilo,” will be a lively and joyful 

celebration of the music of Praetorius, Hassler, Schütz and Bach. 

Cantemus is an a cappella group devoted to Renaissance madrigals 

and chansons, and they will do a fine job with repertoire that’s upbeat 

and festive. Catch them in two performances, at the Church of the 

Holy Trinity on December 3 at 7:30pm, and at St. Aidan’s Anglican 

Church on December 4 at 3pm. 

Haydn Operatic Gem in Concert: Among the Classical composers, 

it’s generally agreed that Mozart is the father of modern opera 

and Haydn the founder of the instrumental music we enjoy today. 

But besides composing on an exhausting schedule that included 

symphonies, chamber music and solo performances specifically 

tailored to the tastes of one Prince Nikolaus Esterházy, one of the most 

powerful aristocrats in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Haydn was also 

responsible for managing an opera troupe for the amusement of his 

employer. In addition to two concerts a week of instrumental music, 

Haydn was contractually obliged to put on a different opera every 

week at the Esterházy palace. And although there was no way Haydn 

could have composed 52 operas a year, he did manage to write about 

15 (that we know of) while employed by the prince, although unfortunately, 

none of them are performed more than occasionally. But on 

February 5 at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts at 2:30pm, Opera 

in Concert and the Aradia Ensemble will be presenting one of these 

forgotten gems by the founding father of the Classical canon. 

L’Isola disabitata was an opera written by Haydn in 1779 based on a 

libretto by Metastasio and is an excellent example of the mature style 

of a prolific composer whose works were just starting to circulate 

around Europe. Although we don’t associate Haydn with opera today, 

he was more than capable of writing great vocal music, and Aradia 

and Opera in Concert will give this work the level of excitement and 

interpretive insight it needs. Get to this concert if you possibly can. 

Beauséjour in Belleville: Outside the city, Belleville audiences can 

look forward to hearing a gifted solo musician in the new year. The 

talented Quebecois harpsichordist Luc Beauséjour has an encyclopedic 

catalogue of albums behind him and will be coming to play in 

St. Thomas’s Church in Belleville for a pay-what-you-can concert. No 

word yet on the program, but Beauséjour is a veteran of solo Baroque 

keyboard music and a technically flawless musician. If you’re in the 

Belleville area, you should definitely try to make it to his show on 

January 15 at 4:30pm. 

Taylor’s TEM: Closer to the city, countertenor Daniel Taylor has 

made a name for himself as a soloist and opera singer, but lately his 

choir and chamber music performances have been gaining both notice 

and acclaim. Led by Taylor, the Choir of the Theatre of Early Music 

is made up mainly of younger Montreal-based singers. January 21 at 

8pm, St. Jude’s Celebration of the Arts presents the group in a concert 

of contemporary and Renaissance a cappella vocal works by some 

great English choral composers, including Thomas Tallis, William Byrd 

and John Tavener. Taylor is a gifted singer with a glorious voice who 

has a fine ear for young talent, and the TEM choir is an exceptional 

group of voices. 

David Podgorski is a Toronto-based harpsichordist, music 

teacher and a founding member of Rezonance. He can 

be contacted at earlymusic@thewholenote.com. 

Beat by Beat | Bandstand 

Newmarket 

Citizens’ Band 

Sesquicentennial 

JACK MACQUARRIE 

With Canada’s sesquicentennial year only one month away, 

municipalities and organizations all over the country are 

searching their archives for records of significant events over 

the past 150 years which could stimulate community interest in this 

year of reflection and celebration. Unfortunately, in the band world, 

there are few bands whose history goes back even half that 150-year 

time span. One band which does have some good material in their 

archives is the Newmarket Citizens’ Band. In a recent exploration of 

the band’s archives, they found a photograph of the band taken in the 

year 1883. With the sesquicentennial year approaching, what better 

time to show off this picture, to show the citizens of the community 

that their band has been there to provide music for town events for all 

but five years of Confederation. 

The Newmarket Citizens Band in front of Old Town Hall, Newmarket. 

At an evening meeting of council, several members of the band, 

wearing their red blazers, arrived for the presentation. In the 

announcement of their deputation to council, the band pointed out 

that “Since 1872, the Newmarket Citizens’ Band has been an integral 

part of the cultural and social landscape of the town of Newmarket.” 

To commemorate the opening of the newly restored Old Town Hall 

they presented a large framed photograph of the town band taken 

in August 1883 just a few weeks after the original opening of the Old 

Town Hall on July 1, 1883. 

The photo of the band was taken during the Firemen’s Excursion 

to Niagara Falls on the Civic Holiday, August 8, 1883. An article about 

the event, including this photo, was published in the Newmarket Era 

of the day. Approximately 250 residents travelled by train and then 

steamship to Niagara Falls and the band went along to provide entertainment. 

It is a prime example of the band’s long involvement in the 

social and cultural life of the town. The write-up of the trip mentioned 

that the band, reinforced by two gentlemen from Sharon and Bolton, 

“enlivened the trip by music on the fore deck; good music is never so 

pleasing as on the water.” 

A formal public unveiling of the photo was scheduled to take 

place at the band’s “Simple Gifts” Concert at the Old Town Hall on 

Botsford Street, Friday, December 2, 2016. (On a personal note, some 

35 years ago, I played there for a few years in monthly concerts of The 


JACK MACQUARRIE 

“…under the big elm in 1883.” 

Newmarket Jazz Appreciation Society, and our small Dixieland group 

was known as “The Botsford Street Ramblers.”) 

Since it is rare to find this much information about a band’s activities 

almost 150 years ago, it is worth including here some of the 

historical information about the band recently presented to the 

Newmarket mayor and council. “The band formed in 1872 with roots 

going back to as early as 1843. Walter W. Roe, son of the town’s postmaster 

and fur trader, William Roe, circulated a petition among 

the local business community to raise funds. The 12 band members 

contributed $5 each and along with 69 other contributors raised the 

sum $319 to purchase instruments.” 

To quote the petition: “Whereas we, the undersigned, think it a 

disgrace to the inhabitants of Newmarket that they should have, on all 

festive occasions, to send to the small villages of Aurora and Sharon 

for a band, we have determined, with the consent and assistance of 

our fellow-townsmen, to form one of our own.” 

The timing of the recent presentation could not have been better 

from a number of perspectives. For one, the band delegation met 

with the mayor and council within a few days of the reopening of the 

beautifully restored Old Town Hall, which is now destined to be a 

prime performance venue. For another, it has only been a few weeks 

since the band was informed that they would now have an excellent 

permanent rehearsal home complete with storage in a large town 

recreation centre. Wandering from place to place for rehearsals has 

been the norm since their former rehearsal space was destroyed by 

arsonists many years ago. Last but not least, it just also happened 

a few days after the band paraded, as it has for years, in the town’s 

annual Santa Claus parade. 

Just outside of the council chambers, in the lobby of the town hall, 

there is a large imposing mural depicting “The Newmarket Citizens’ 

Band gathered under the big elm in 1883.” 

New Horizons. By now it should not be a surprise, but I just 

received a note about yet another New Horizons group that we had not 

previously heard from. Lynda Shewchuk, music director of Lakeshore 

New Horizons Bands in Bowmanville, tells us that the band is now in 

its sixth year. She says that the thriving group is “not very large” with 

only 60 members! They have a senior band, intermediate band and a 

beginners class. They also have a small jazz band. She states that “our 

members are very active and enthusiastic, with many playing in two 

or even three bands. Quite a few of our members play two different 

instruments, one in each concert band.” 

Recent Events: In early November the Milton Concert Band lost one 

of its long time members, Rev. Christopher Snow. On November 6 “A 

Memorial Concert for Chris Snow” was presented to proclaim “A life 

celebrated through music.” 

On November 20 the Wychwood Clarinet Choir concert continued 

to amaze with their unique arrangements of works for orchestra and 

concert band. This time it was the Holst Second Suite in F for concert 

band. In the early 1920s the leaders of Britain’s Royal Military School 

of Music at Kneller Hall lamented the lack of larger serious works for 

concert band. Until then, if bands wanted to play longer multi-movement 

works they had to rely on transcriptions of orchestral works. 

They commissioned Gustav Holst to write two suites for concert band. 

Since then these suites have been part of the concert band repertoire. 

This transcription maintained all of the highlights and nuances 

contained in the original. Local composer Fen Watkin also contributed 

a fine version of Villanesca, Spanish Dance No.4 by Granados. In 

a conversation after the concert, Watkin mentioned that, for sesquicentennial 

year 2017, he might like to write some arrangements of 

Canadian works. I did not mention it then, but I would like to suggest 

Calixa Lavallée’s La rose nuptiale. 

Initiatives. Every once in a while, we hear of initiatives taken by 

bands to either help with their finances or otherwise enhance their 

relationship with their communities. In November, the Aurora Band 

held its annual holiday market where shoppers could find one-of-akind 

gifts from 38 unique local vendors. For their Canada 150 festivities, 

the band has commissioned a composition from professor Bill 

Thomas of York University. The band will give the premiere performance 

of this number at its concert on Canada Day, 2017. 

On the fundraising front, the Strings Attached Orchestra has 

become a registered charity to provide some financial incentive for 

donors so that they may continue to bring music into the community. 

Coming Events 

Dec 5: Resa’s Pieces will present “A Tribute to the Beatles and Beach 

Boys,” 7:30pm at York Mills Collegiate. 

Dec 6: Silverthorn Symphonic Winds present the next concert in 

their series, 59 Minute Soiree. These mini-concerts feature a variety 

of lighter music, perfect for unwinding after a day at work. At 7:30, 

Wilmar Heights Event Centre – Concert Hall. 

Dec 9: The Aurora Community Band will present holiday entertainment 

like no other – its “Heroes and Monsters: A Holiday Concert” – 

at 7:30, Trinity Anglican Church, 79 Victoria St., Aurora. 

Dec 10: For their annual holiday concert, “The Bells of Christmas,” 

the Milton Concert Band will not only include the traditional musical 

favourites but will feature, as guests, Eden Bells A-Peel, a long-established 

handbell choir from Eden United Church in Mississauga. In 

Victorian times, it was very fashionable to go carol singing with small 

handbells to play the tune of the carol. Sometimes there would be 

no singing, just the music of the handbells. Handbell ringing is still 

popular today and if you have never heard a handbell choir, then this 

is a concert well worth a visit: 8pm Milton Centre for the Arts, 1010 

Main St. East, Milton. 

Dec 11: The Clarington Concert Band presents their “Most 

Wonderful Time Of The Year” featuring singers Father Paul, Kelly 

Robertson and Lisa Heitzner, 2pm at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 127 

Liberty St. South, Bowmanville. 

Dec 11: The Strings Attached Orchestra presents their third annual 

“Friends and Family Holiday Concert,” 2pm at Congregation Ban’s 

Torah, 465 Patrician Ave., Toronto. 

Jack MacQuarrie plays several brass instruments and 

has performed in many community ensembles. He can 

be contacted at bandstand@thewholenote.com. 


LISTINGS 

The WholeNote listings are arranged in five sections: 

A. 

GTA (GREATER TORONTO AREA) 

covers all of Toronto plus Halton, Peel, York and 

Durham regions. 

B. 

BEYOND THE GTA 

covers many areas of Southern Ontario outside Toronto 

and the GTA. Starts on page 58. 

C. 

MUSIC THEATRE 

covers a wide range of music types: from opera, operetta 

and musicals, to non-traditional performance types 

where words and music are in some fashion equal partners in the 

drama. Starts on page 62. 

D. 

IN THE CLUBS (MOSTLY JAZZ) 

is organized alphabetically by club. 

Starts on page 64. 

E. 

THE ETCETERAS 

is for galas, fundraisers, competitions, screenings, 

lectures, symposia, masterclasses, workshops, singalongs 

and other music-related events (except performances) which may 

be of interest to our readers. 

Starts on page 66. 

A GENERAL WORD OF CAUTION. A phone number is provided 

with every listing in The WholeNote — in fact, we won’t publish 

a listing without one. Concerts are sometimes cancelled or postponed; 

artists or venues may change after listings are published. 

Please check before you go out to a concert. 

HOW TO LIST. Listings in The WholeNote in the four sections above 

are a free service available, at our discretion, to eligible presenters. 

If you have an event, send us your information no later than the 

8th of the month prior to the issue or issues in which your listing is 

eligible to appear. 

LISTINGS DEADLINE. The next issue covers the period from 

February 1, 2017 to March 7, 2017. All listings must be received by 

Midnight Sunday January 8. 

LISTINGS can be sent by e-mail to listings@thewholenote.com or 

by fax to 416-603-4791 or by regular mail to the address on page 6. 

We do not receive listings by phone, but you can call 416-323-2232 

x27 for further information. 

LISTINGS ZONE MAP. Visit our website to see a detailed version 

map of our zones: thewholenote.com. 

A. Concerts in the GTA 

IN THIS ISSUE: Aurora, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon East, 

Etobicoke, Georgetown, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Newmarket, 

North York, Oakville, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, 

Sharon, Thornhill, Toronto, Whitby. 

Thursday December 1 

●●12:00 noon: Adam Sherkin. Involuntary 

Genius II. Sonata in D K311, Rondo in F K494; 

Sherkin: Amadeus A.D. Adam Sherkin, piano. 

St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. 

E. 416-366-7723. Free. Also 5:30. 

●●12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company. 

Vocal Series: Wirth Vocal Prize. Chelsea Rus, 

soprano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, 

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 

145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free. First 

come, first served. Late seating not available. 

●●12:00 noon: Encore Symphonic Concert 

Band. In Concert: Classics and Jazz. John 

Edward Liddle, conductor. Wilmar Heights 

Centre, 963 Pharmacy Ave., Scarborough. 

416-346-3910. $10. Includes coffee and 

snack. 

●●12:10: University of Toronto Faculty of 

Music. Thursdays at Noon: Nexus Percussion 

and Guests. Hardin: Moondog Suite 

(arr. Hartenberger); Hartenberger: Birth 

of Time (premiere). Nexus (Bob Becker, Bill 

Cahn, Garry Kvistad, Russell Hartenberger); 

Suba Sankaran and Kathy Armstrong, vocals. 

Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University 

of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408- 

0208. Free. 

●●12:30: York University Department of 

Music. Music at Midday: Classical Piano 

Showcase. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, 

Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 

647-459-0701. Free. 

●●5:30: Adam Sherkin. Involuntary Genius II. 

Sonata in D K311, Rondo in F K494; Sherkin: 

Amadeus A.D. Adam Sherkin, piano. St. Lawrence 

Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416- 

366-7723. Free. Also 12:00. 

●●6:30: Ron Davis and SymphRONica. SymphRONica 

Poetry Slam. Jazz/world/groove 

music and spoken word. George Elliott 

Clarke, poetry; Shelley Hamilton, vocals; Aria 

Umezawa, director. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas 

St. W. 416-588-0307. $25/$20(adv). 

●●6:30: Songwriters Association of Canada/Solroc 

Music. Acoustic Soul Concert 

Series. Carlos Morgan; guest: Ray Robinson. 

Harmony Lounge, SOCAN, 41 Valleybrook Dr, 

North York. 416-961-1588. $5(members); 

$10(non-members). 

●●7:30: St. Anne’s Anglican Church/Singing 

OUT. World AIDS Day Vigil. Candlelight vigil. 

St. Anne’s Anglican Church, 270 Gladstone 

Ave. 416-536-3160. Freewill offering. 

●●7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Lord 

of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring In 

Concert. Kaitlyn Lusk, soprano; Alastair 

Thorburn-Vitols, boy soprano; Toronto Mendelssohn 

Choir; Canadian Children’s Opera 

Company; Ludwig Wicki, conductor. Roy 

Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. 

$46-$75. Also Dec 2, 3. 


Music. World Music Ensembles. Iranian 

Music Ensemble; Klezmer Ensemble; 

Japanese Drumming Ensemble. Walter 

Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University 

of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. 

Free. 


Music. York University Symphony Orchestra. 

Mark Chambers, conductor. Tribute Communities 

Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, 

YU, 4700 Keele St. 416-736-5888. $15; $10(sr/ 

st). 

●●8:00: Aurora Cultural Centre. East Coast 

Family Christmas with The Ennis Sisters of 

Newfoundland. Holiday songs and traditional 

Irish folk tunes. 22 Church St., Aurora. 905- 

713-1818. $35/$30(adv). 

●●8:00: Canadian Music Centre. Paul Pulford 

and Cheryl Duvall: In Concert. Smith: Ballad; 

Storring: Vale; Waller: Lines; Anthems; 

Simms: wires at rest (tend to tangle). Paul 

Pulford, cello; Cheryl Duvall, piano. 20 St. 

Joseph St. 416-961-6601. $15; $10(sr/st/arts 

worker). Also on Jan 13. 

●●8:00: Live at Massey Hall. Half Moon Run. 

Guests: Plants and Animals. Massey Hall, 

178 Victoria St. 416-872-4255. $18.94-$39.50. 

In support of Native Youth Sexual Network. 

●●8:00: Music Toronto. Suzie LeBlanc. 

Alasdair MacLean: The silken water is weaving 

and weaving; John Plant: Sunday 4am 

(Elizabeth Bishop); Villa Lobos: String Quartet 

No.1 mvts I–III; Ivan Moody: Paris 7am (Elizabeth 

Bishop)(world premiere); Schumann: 

Six Songs Op.107; and other works. Suzie 

LeBlanc, soprano; Robert Kortgaard, piano; 

Blue Engine String Quartet. Jane Mallett 

Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 

27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723. $55; $10(st). 

●●8:00: Royal Conservatory/Istituto Italiano 

50,000 FREE 

CONCERT LISTINGS. 

AND COUNTING. 

Help The WholeNote grow. To contribute, visit www.patreon.com/thewholenote 


di Cultura. Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on 

Stage. Laila Biali and Pilar. Koerner Hall, 

Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. 

From $40. 

LIVE 

EMOTION 

A GRAND TOUR OF ITALY 

December 1–4 

Trinity St-Paul’s Centre 

December 6 

George Weston Recital Hall 


●●8:00: Tafelmusik. A Grand Tour of Italy. 

Corelli: Christmas Concerto; works by Castello, 

Uccellini and Marini. Cristina Zacharias, 

violin; Rodolfo Richter, violin and guest director. 

Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon 

Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-6337. $39 and 

up; $31 and up(sr); $15 and up(under 36). Also 

Dec 2, 3, and 4(3:30); Dec 6(8:00; George 

Weston Recital Hall). 

●●9:00: Argento Productions. Tango 

Urbano. CD release party. El Nene Argento; 

guest artists/musicians; and more. Lula 

Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307. 

$35/$30(adv). Empanadas argentinas, wine 

and prize giveaway. 

Friday December 2 


Music. Music at Midday: York University 

Brass and Percussion Ensembles. James 

MacDonald and John Brownell, conductors. 

Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade 

East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459- 

0701. Free. 

●●1:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Piano Potpourri. 

Featuring classics, opera, operetta, 

musicals, ragtime, pop, international 

and Christmas/Holiday music. Gordon Murray, 

piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre (Chapel), 

427 Bloor St. W. 416-631-4300. PWYC. Lunch 

and snack friendly. 

●●7:30: Leonard Music Services/Shaw Percussion. 

Lori Cullen and David Matheson In 

Concert. Works from jazz covers, pop songs, 

original tunes and Lori’s album Sexsmith 

Swinghammer Songs. Lori Cullen, vocals; 

David Matheson, piano/vocals. Sharon-Hope 

United Church, 18648 Leslie Street, Sharon. 

905-722-5449. $25/$20(adv). 

●●7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Hannah 

Burgé. Modern jazz and world music city 

sounds. Selections from Green River Sessions 

and upcoming 2017 recording. Lula 


$15; free before 8:00. 

●●7:30: Newmarket Citizens Band. Simple 

Gifts. Classical and seasonal songs. Guests: 

Take Note Vocal Ensemble. Old Town Hall, 

460 Botsford St., Newmarket. 905-726-2641. 

$15; $10(sr/st). 

●●7:30: Opera by Request. Street Scene. 

Kurt Weill. Semi-staged performance. Shannon 

Mills, soprano (Rose Maurrant); Kellie 

Masalas, soprano (Anna Maurrant); Austin 

Larusson, baritone (Frank Maurrant); Avery 

Krisman, tenor (Sam Kaplan); Greg Finney, 

baritone (Abraham Kaplan); and others; William 

Shookhoff, piano/music director. College 

Street United Church, 452 College St. 416- 

455-2365. $20. Also Dec 3. 

●●7:30: St. Basil’s Catholic Parish. Awake, 

the Voice is Calling Us: A Musical Invitation 

to Humanism in Christianity. Reger: 

Choralphantasie und Fuge über den Choral 

Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme; Mendelssohn: 

Organ Sonata No.6 I. Vater unser im 

Himmelreich; Bruhns: Nun komm, der Heiden 

Heiland; Dupré: Variations sur un vieux 

Nöel. Rashaan Allwood, organ; chorales will 

be sung by the audience before each piece. 

St. Basil’s Church, University of St. Michael’s 

College, 50 St. Joseph St. 416-926-7110. Freewill 

offering. 7:00: pre-concert lecture on 

Humanism and Christianity and its implications 

in Advent hymnody. 

●●7:30: Toronto Early Music Centre. Stella di 

Natale: A Journey from Advent to Christmas. 

Scarlatti: Cantata pastorale per la natività di 

nostro Signore Gesu Cristo; and other works. 

Ensemble Alloro (Emily Klassen, soprano; 

Meagan Zantingh, mezzo); Rezonance Baroque 

Ensemble (Rezan Onen-Lapointe and 

Jimin Shin, baroque violin; David Podgorski, 

harpsichord). St. David’s Anglican Church, 

49 Donlands Ave. 416-464-7610. Suggested 

donation $15. 


of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 






$46-$75. Also Dec 1, 3. 


Music. Wind Symphony. Applebaum: Three 

Stratford Fanfares; Suite of Miniature Dances; 

Tchesnokov: Salvation is Created; Cable: Point 

Pelee; Scottish Rhapsody; Gryc: Evensong; 

and other works. Gillian Chreptyk, trumpet; 

Jeffrey Reynolds, conductor. MacMillan Theatre, 

Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s 

Park. 416-408-0208. $30; $20(sr); $10(st). 

●●8:00: China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra. 

Enchanting China: Masterpieces of Chinese 

Music. Beijing ensemble. Peking Opera, 

classical and folk music on authentic instruments 

of the traditional Chinese orchestra. 

Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front 

St. E. 1-855-872-7669. $28-$128. Also Dec 3. 

●●8:00: Elmer Iseler Singers. Messiah. Handel. 

Guests: Allison Angelo, soprano; Andrea 

Ludwig, mezzo; Zach Finkelstein, tenor; Peter 

McGillivray, baritone; Amadeus Choir; Lydia 

Adams, conductor. Metropolitan United 

Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416-217- 

0537. $55; $50(sr); $20(st). 5:30: Pre-concert 

dinner at Albany Club, 91 King St. ($60). 

●●8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Quinn Sullivan. 

171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905- 

305-7469. $49-$54. 

●●8:00: Gallery 345. Queen Mab Trio. Improvised 

music drawing on the musicians’ 

influences of jazz, musique actuelle, rock, 

new music, early music and 20th century 

classical music. Ig Henneman, viola; Lori 

Freedman, clarinets; Marilyn Lerner, piano. 

345 Sorauren Ave. 416-822-9781. $25; $10(st). 

●●8:00: New Music Concerts/Music Gallery. 

Slowind Wind Quintet. Niels Rosing-Schow: 

Five Studies; Ivan Fedele: Flamen; Salvatore 

Sciarrino: Il silenzio degli oracoli; Nina Šenk: 

New Work (2016); Toshio Hosokawa: Ancient 

Voices; Robert Aitken: Folia. Music Gallery, 

197 John St. 416-961-9594. $35; $25(member/arts 

worker); $10(st/adv). 7:15: Pre-concert 

talk. 

●●8:00: Royal Conservatory. World Music 

Concert. Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca. 

Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor 

St. W. 416-408-0208. From $45. Also Dec 3. 

●●8:00: Tafelmusik. A Grand Tour of Italy. See 

Dec 1. Also Dec 3(8:00), 4(3:30); Dec 6(8:00; 

George Weston Recital Hall). 

●●8:00: Upper Canada Choristers. Noche 

de Paz: An Old World and New World Christmas. 

Ramirez: Navidad Nuestra; European 

and North American carols: Il est né, le 

divin enfant; Infant Holy, Infant Lowly; Jesus 

Christ the Apple Tree; and other works. Cantemos 

Latin Ensemble; Laurie Evan Fraser, 

conductor. Grace Church on-the-Hill, 

300 Lonsdale Rd. 416-256-0510. $25; free(st/ 

child). 

●●10:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Yani 

Borrell. Salsa. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. 

W. 416-588-0307. $15; women free before 

10:00. 

Saturday December 3 

●●1:00: Royal Conservatory. Family Concert. 

Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca. 

Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 

416-408-0208. From $25. 

●●2:00: Tafelmusik. Close Encounters…of the 

Italian Kind. Works by Geminiani, Vivaldi and 

Boccherini. Temerty Theatre, 273 Bloor St. 

W. 416-408-0209. $93. Introductions by the 

performers. 

●●2:00: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. 

Carol Sing. Guests: Alexis Gordon, Kenneth 

Welsh, True North Brass; Bach Children’s 

Chorus; That Choir; Hedgerow Singers; 

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church Choir. 

1585 Yonge St. 416-241-1298. Free. Donations 

accepted. In support of food banks across 

Canada. 

●●2:30: Bel Canto Singers. The First Breath 

of Winter. Scarborough Bluffs United Church, 

3739 Kingston Rd., Scarborough. 416-286- 

8260. $20. Also 7:30. 

●●3:00: Singing Out. Not Another Fa La La! 

Jane Mallett Theatre, 250 Front St. W. 416- 

366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754. $25; $20(st); 

$15(child). Also 7:30. 

●●3:00: St. Michael’s Choir School. Christmas 

at Massey Hall. Guests: Matt Dusk, vocalist; 

True North Brass; SMCSAA Choir; Vincent 

Cheng, Dr. Jerzy Cichocki, Marie Conkey, 

Terri Dunn, conductors; William O’Meara, 

Joshua Tamayo, accompanists. Massey Hall, 

178 Victoria St. 416-872-4255. $20-$60. Also 

Dec 4. 

●●4:30: Beach United Church. Jazz 

and Reflection: Season of Giving. Saxophone, 

vocals and more. Alison Young Trio. 

140 Wineva Ave. 416-691-8082. Freewill 

offering. 

●●7:00: Oakville Children’s Choir. Stories, 

Songs, and Snow. St. John’s United Church 

(Oakville), 262 Randall St., Oakville. 905-337- 

7104. $25; $20(sr); $15(under 13). 

ORDER TICKETS ONLINE AT SPO.CA OR CALL 416 429-0007 

A CANADIAN FAMILY 

HOLIDAY CONCERT 

DECEMBER 3, 2016: 7:30PM 

SALVATION ARMY SCARBOROUGH CITADEL 

2021 LAWRENCE AVENUE EAST (AT WARDEN) 





●●7:30: Bel Canto Singers. The First Breath 

of Winter. Scarborough Bluffs United Church, 

3739 Kingston Rd., Scarborough. 416-286- 

8260. $20. Also 2:30. 

●●7:30: Cantemus Singers. In Dulci Jubilo. 

Works by Praetorius, Hassler, Schütz and 

Bach. Church of the Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Sq. 

416-578-6602. $20. Also Dec 4(3:00 - St. Aidan’s 

Church). Proceeds to Centre 55 Share-A- 

Christmas Program. 

●●7:30: Georgetown Choral Society. Simply 

Christmas. A new Christmas Cantata 

by artistic director A. Dale Wood, and 

other traditional Christmas songs. Chris 

Dawes, accompanist. Georgetown Christian 

Reformed Church, 11611 Trafalgar Rd., 

Georgetown. 905-877-7795. $20; $10(st); 

$50(family of 4); $10(additional child under 

12). Refreshments and desserts provided. 

●●7:30: Milton Choristers. A Fireside Christmas. 

Sheena Nykolaiszyn, artistic director. 

Guest: Dave Hadfield. Milton Centre for the 

Arts, 1010 Main St. E., Milton. 905-875-1730. 

$25; $5(st/child). 

●●7:30: Music at St. Andrew’s. Charles 

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Readings with 

musical interludes. Brian Stewart, Rick Phillips, 

Florence MacGregor, readers; Jordan 

Klapman, jazz piano; St. Andrew’s Choir; 

St. Andrew’s Choristers; and others. St. 

Andrew’s Church (Toronto), 73 Simcoe St. 

416-593-5600 x231. Freewill offering. Gingerbread 

reception. In aid of St. Andrew’s refugee 

support program. 

●●7:30: Oakham House Choir Society. Ringing 

cantata); Handel: Messiah (excerpts); seasonal 

favourites for bell choir; Christmas 

carol sing-along. Kelsey Taylor, soprano; 

Eugenia Dermentzis, mezzo; Toronto Sinfonietta; 

Bells of St. Matthew’s; Matthew Jaskiewicz, 

conductor. Calvin Presbyterian Church, 

26 Delisle Ave. 416-960-5551. $30/$25(adv); 

$15(st); free(under 13). 

●●7:30: Opera by Request. Street Scene. 

Kurt Weill. Semi-staged performance. Shannon 

Mills, soprano (Rose Maurrant); Kellie 

Masalas, soprano (Anna Maurrant); Austin 

Larusson, baritone (Frank Maurrant); Avery 

Krisman, tenor (Sam Kaplan); Greg Finney, 

baritone (Abraham Kaplan); and others; William 

Shookhoff, piano/music director. College 


455-2365. $20. Also Dec 2. 

●●7:30: Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra. 

A Canadian Family Holiday Concert. 

Ronald Royer, conductor. Salvation Army 

Scarborough Citadel, 2021 Lawrence Ave. E., 

Scarborough. 416-429-0007. $30; $25(sr); 

$15(st); $10(child). 

●●7:30: Singing Out. Not Another Fa La La! 

Jane Mallett Theatre, 250 Front St. W. 416- 

366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754. $25; $20(st); 

$15(child). Also 3:00. 

●●7:30: Tallis Choir. Monteverdi: Vespers of 

Christmas Eve. A recreation of Christmas 

in St. Mark’s, Venice by period instruments 

with choir. Monteverdi: Magnificat Primi Toni; 

Beautus Vir; Exulta Filia; instrumental works 

by Cavalli, Rovetti, and Grandi. Guests: Talisker 

Players; Lucas Harris, lute; Felix Deak, 

(Toronto), 131 McCaul St. 416-286-9798 or 

416-978-8849. $30; $25(sr); $10(st). 

●●7:30: Toronto Northern Lights Chorus. 

Christmas at the Met. Guests: The Ault Sisters; 

Mallory Smith, vocalist. Metropolitan 

United Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416- 

363-0331. $25-$40; $20-$35(st); free(under 

4). 


of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 






$46-$75. Also Dec 1, 2. 


Music. Wind Ensemble. Maslanka: Hell’s Gate; 

Shostakovich: The Story of the Priest and 

his Servant Balda Op.36; Mackey: Sheltering 

Sky; Davie: Variation and Fugue on “The Wee 

Cooper of Fife.” Lucas MacPhail, Samantha 

Etchegary and George Liu, saxophones; Gillian 

MacKay, conductor. MacMillan Theatre, 

Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park. 

416-408-0208. $30; $20(sr); $10(st). 

●●7:30: York Chamber Ensemble. Christmas 

with the Great Composers. Handel: Messiah 

(excerpts); and works by Bach and Vaughan 

Williams. Trinity Festival Chorus; Trevor Dearham, 

conductor. Trinity Anglican Church 

(Aurora), 79 Victoria St., Aurora. 905-727- 

6101. $20; $15(sr/st). 

●●8:00: Acoustic Harvest. A Christmas Carol. 

Dickens. John Huston; The MadriGALS. St. 

Nicholas Anglican Church, 1512 Kingston Rd. 

and Singing Bells. Vivaldi: Gloria in D; Men- 

viola da gamba; Philip Fournier, harpsi- 

theWholeNote_Quarter-Page_4cAd_01F.pdf 1 2016-10-17 4:25 PM 416-729-7564. $25/$22(adv). 

delssohn: From Heaven on High (Christmas chord/organ. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church ●●8:00: Aga Khan Museum. Classical Music 

Series: Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan. 

Traditional Indonesian and Western 

gamelan repertoires. 77 Wynford Dr. 416-646- 

4677. $35 and up/10% discount(members). 

●●8:00: Array Ensemble. Formless. Cassandra 

Miller: For Mira, for solo violin; Joanna 

Bailie: On and Off 2, for 3 radios, 3 radio/CD 

players; John Abram: Woods, for cello and 

marimba; Laurence Crane: Sparling, for clarinet 

and piano; André Cormier: Kala-azar, for 

quartet; Nicole Lizée: Sculptress, for amplified 

septet. Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave. 416- 

532-3019. $20. PWYC. Pre-concert talk 7:30. 

DECEMBER 3-4, 2016 

●●8:00: China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra. 

Enchanting China: Masterpieces of Chinese 

Music. Beijing ensemble. Peking 

AT 3PM 

Opera, 

A TORONTO CHRISTMAS TRADITION FEATURING 

ST. MICHAEL’S CHOIR SCHOOL 

WITH 

MATT DUSK 

SPECIAL 

TICKETS $20 TO $60 

MASSEY HALL 416.872.4255 

www.christmasconcert.ca 

GUESTS 

True North Brass 

SMCSAA Choir 

CONDUCTORS 

Vincent Cheng, Dr.Jerzy Cichocki 

Maria Conkey, Teri Dunn 

ACCOMPANISTS 

William O’Meara, Joshua Tamayo 

classical and folk music on authentic instruments 

of the traditional Chinese orchestra. 

Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front 

St. E. 1-855-872-7669. $28-$128. Also Dec 2. 

●●8:00: Mississauga Festival Choir. A Mississauga 

Christmas. ’Twas the Night Before 

Christmas and others; annual sing-along. 

Guests: Mississauga Symphony; Hazel McCallion, 

narrator. Hammerson Hall, Living Arts 

Centre, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. 

905-306-6000. $37; $32(st); $15(child). 

●●8:00: Music Gallery. Moondog 100. Nexus 

Percussion; Mike Smith Company. 197 John 

St. 416-204-1080. $17/$13(adv); $10(st/ 

members). 

●●8:00: Ontario Pops Orchestra. Holiday 

Sing-Along. Handel: Hallelujah Chorus; 

arr. Snyder and Moss: Holiday Sing-Along; 

Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas; arr. 

Brubaker: How the Grinch Stole Christmas; 

Schubert: Ave Maria; and other works. 

Andrea Rebello, soprano; Etobicoke Centennial 

Choir; orchestra. Humber Valley United 

Church, 76 Anglesey Blvd., Etobicoke. 416- 

543-9891. $20. 7:00: Silent auction and 

refreshments. 


Concert. Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca. 

Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor 

St. W. 416-408-0208. From $45. Also Dec 2. 

●●8:00: Tafelmusik. A Grand Tour of Italy. See 

Dec 1. Also Dec 4(3:30); Dec 6(8:00; George 

Weston Recital Hall). 

●●9:00: Alliance Française de Toronto. A 

Tribute to Miriam Makeba. South-African 

jazz. Lorraine Klaasen. 24 Spadina Rd. 416- 

922-2014 x37. $20/$15(adv). 

●●10:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Manny 

Cardenas y Su Orchesta. Merengue, bachata 

and a wide variety of Latin rhythms. Lula 


$15. 

Sunday December 4 

●●11:00am: Harmonia Hungarica. Winter 

Concert. Works by Victoria, Monteverdi, and 

Bárdos sung during the Sunday morning service. 

First Hungarian Presbyterian Church, 

439 Vaughan Road. 416-971-9754. Freewill 

offering. 

●●1:15: Mooredale Concerts. Music and Truffles: 

Bach and Forth. Interactive concert for 

young people age 5-11; adults welcome. Stephen 

Prutsman, piano. Walter Hall, Edward 

Johnson Building, University of Toronto, 

80 Queen’s Park. 416-922-3714 x103. $20. 

3:15: Main performance. 

●●1:30: Music at Metropolitan. Deck the 

Halls: Downtown Carol Sing. Metropolitan 

Silver Band. Metropolitan United Church 

(Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x26. 

Free. Donations benefiting Community Services 

Ministry. 

●●2:00: Caledon Concert Band. Christmas 

Spirit. Wenceslas Variations; Fantasy on the 

Huron Carol; As a Wind from the North; Polar 

Express; Anderson: Sleigh Ride; other works. 

Caledon East Community Complex, 6215 Old 

Church Rd., Caledon East. 416-276-7852. 

$15; $10(sr/st); free(child with adult). Familyfriendly 

cafe seating and free refreshments. 

●●2:00: Royal Conservatory. Sunday Interludes: 

Miriam Fried. Works by Bach. Miriam 

Fried, violin. Mazzoleni Concert Hall, Telus 

Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. Free 

(ticket required). 


●●2:30: Live at West Plains. Frankie and the 

Fairlanes: A Very ‘50s Christmas. Five-piece 

rock and roll revue. I’ll Be Home for Christmas; 

Merry Christmas Baby; White Christmas; 

Jingle Bell Rock; Little Saint Nick. West 

Plains United Church, 549 Plains Rd. W., Burlington. 

905-529-4871. $22; $10(under 13). 

Advance tickets only. 

●●2:30: University of Toronto Faculty 

of Music. Make We Joy! Seasonal celebration. 

Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus, 

Women’s Chamber Choir and MacMillan 

Singers. Guests: Young Voices Toronto. 

MacMillan Theatre, Edward Johnson Building, 

80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. $30; 

$20(sr); $10(st). 

●●3:00: Cantemus Singers. In Dulci Jubilo. 

Works by Praetorius, Hassler, Schütz and 

Bach. St. Aidan’s Anglican Church (Toronto), 

70 Silver Birch Ave. 416-578-6602. $20. 

Also Dec 3(7:30 - Church of the Holy Trinity). 

Proceeds to Centre 55 Share-A-Christmas 

Program. 

●●3:00: Penthelia Singers. Carols and Lullabies. 

Susa: Carols and Lullabies - Christmas 

in the Southwest; A Ceremony of 

Carols (selections); and other holiday songs. 

Guests: Angela Schwartzkopf, harp; Étienne 

Levesque, percussion; Anton Apostol, guitar; 

Alice Malach, conductor. Rosedale Presbyterian 

Church, 129 Mt. Pleasant Rd. 647-248- 

5079. $20; pay your age(under 13). 2:30: Meet 

the Instrumentalists (for kids). 

●●3:00: Royal Conservatory. Invesco Piano 

Series: Stewart Goodyear. Works by Bach, 

Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Goodyear 

(world premiere). Koerner Hall, Telus 

Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. From 

$35. 

●●3:00: St. Michael’s Choir School. Christmas 

at Massey Hall. Guests: Matt Dusk, vocalist; 

True North Brass; SMCSAA Choir; Vincent 

Cheng, Dr. Jerzy Cichocki, Marie Conkey, 

Terri Dunn, conductors; William O’Meara, 

Joshua Tamayo, accompanists. Massey Hall, 

178 Victoria St. 416-872-4255. $20-$60. Also 

Dec 3. 


Music. York University Wind Symphony. 

James McDonald and David Lum, conductors. 

Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade 

East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 416-736- 

5888. $15; $10(sr/st). 

●●3:15: Mooredale Concerts. Bach and Forth: 

Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2. Interspersed 

with short works from different 

genres and cultures. Wagner (arr. Liszt): 

Isoldes Liebestod aus Tristan und Isolde for 

Piano; Debussy: Ondine (from Préludes for 

Piano Bk.II); Schoenberg: Musette (from 

Suite for Piano Op.25); other works arranged 

by Prutsman. Stephen Prutsman, piano. 

december 5, 7pm 

KICK-ASS MUSIC for 

BASSOON AND PIANO 

Stellar pianist Stephan Sylvestre 

and Nadina Mackie Jackson play 

Prokofiev’s Sonata in D Major, op. 94 

and the mysterious, magnificently 

tortured Skalkottas Sonata Concertante. 

Bassoon Out Loud at HELICONIAN HALL 

35 Hazelton Avenue, Toronto $30 / $20 

nadinamackiejackson.com 


of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-922- 

3714 x103. $30; $20(under 30). 1:15: Music 

and Truffles family concert. 


See Dec 1. Also Dec 6(8:00; George Weston 

Recital Hall). 

●●4:00: All Saints Kingsway Church. Jazz 

Vespers. Mark Kelso Trio. 2850 Bloor St. 

W. 416-247-5181. Freewill offering. Religious 

service. 

●●4:00: Alliance Française de Toronto. The 

Delights of Christmas. Works from Fauré to 

Schubert; American and French classics; 

Spanish Christmas songs. Christina Tannous, 

soprano; Dominic Boulianne, piano. 

24 Spadina Rd. 416-922-2014 x37. Free. 

●●4:00: Cathedral Church of St. James. 

Organ Recitals: David Briggs. 65 Church St. 

416-364-7865. Free. Donations welcomed. 

●●4:00: Church of St. Mary Magdalene 

(Toronto). Eftestøl: 7 allegorical pictures 

on ‘Kling no, klokka’. Andrew Adair, organ. 

477 Manning Ave. 416-531-7955. Free. 

●●4:00: Oriana Women’s Choir. A Debbie 

Fleming Christmas: Jazz Music for the Season. 

Choral arrangements and original works 

by Debbie Fleming. Debbie Fleming, vocalist. 

Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale 

Rd. 416-978-8849. $25; $20(sr/under 35); 

$10(st). 

●●4:00: Toronto Classical Singers. Making 

a Joyful Noise. Handel: Messiah (selections). 

Sheila Dietrich, soprano; Shauna 

Yarnell, mezzo; Asitha Tennekoon, tenor; 

Paul Grambo, baritone; Talisker Players; Jurgen 

Petrenko, conductor. Christ Church Deer 

Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-920-5211. $30. 

●●7:00: Knox Presbyterian Church. Our Confidence 

and Joy. Dearden: world premiere; 

works for Christmas by Bach, Willan, Mendelssohn 

and others. Choir and Soloists of 

Knox Presbyterian Church. Knox Presbyterian 

Church (Toronto), 630 Spadina Ave. 

416-921-8993. Freewill offering. Reception 

to follow. 

●●7:30: Leaside United Church. Lessons and 

Carols. Carols and readings for Christmas. 

Sirett: Thou Shalt Know Him; Schelat: The 

Angel Gabriel; Parotta: Just One Child; Rutter: 

Candlelight Carol; Raabe: Sparkling Stars, 

Shining in the Night; and other works. Leaside 

United Chancel Choir (Sharon L. Beckstead, 

director); Junior Choir (Nancy Stewart, director); 

C Flats Jazz Band (Cynda Fleming, director). 

822 Millwood Rd. 416-425-1253. Freewill 

offering in support of Out of the Cold. 

●●7:30: Toronto Beach Chorale. John Rutter’s 

Gloria and Festive Favourites. Rutter: Gloria; 

Hymn to the Creator of Light; What Sweeter 

Music; and other works. Guests: brass 

ensemble, timpani, percussion and organ. 

Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston 

Rd. 416-686-7358. $25/$20(adv); 

$12/$10(adv)(7-18); free(under 7). 


Music. gamUT: Contemporary Music Ensemble. 

Wallace Halladay, director. Walter Hall, 

Edward Johnson Building, University of 

Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. 

Monday December 5 


Music. Music at Midday: Instrumental 

Masterclass in Concert. Tribute Communities 

Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU, 

4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. 

●●7:00: Bassoon Out Loud. Kick-Ass Music 

for Bassoon and Piano. Prokofiev: Sonata 

in D Op.94; Skalkottas: Sonata Concertante. 

Stephan Sylvestre, piano; Nadina 

Mackie Jackson, bassoon. Heliconian Hall, 

35 Hazelton Ave. 416-453-7607. $30; $20(st). 


Music. Guitar Orchestra. Jeffrey McFadden, 

conductor. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson 

Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s 

Park. 416-408-0208. Free. 

●●7:30: Y.C. Lee. Solo Debut Concert. Art 

songs and opera arias. Y.C. Lee, tenor; Irina 

Klimova, piano. Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave. 

416-532-3019. $15(suggested donation). 

●●8:00: Soundstreams. Electric Messiah. 

Handel’s Messiah stripped down to 

its essentials; its most popular movements 

will be explored. Gabriel Dharmoo, Christine 

Duncan, Jeremy Dutcher and Carla Huhtanen, 

vocals; John Gzowski, guitar. Drake 

Hotel, 1150 Queen St. W. 416-504-1282. 

$20/$15(adv). Also Dec 6, 7. 

Tuesday December 6 


Chamber Music Series: Italian Masterworks. 

Works by Geminiani, Boccherini, Vivaldi and 

others. Members of Tafelmusik Baroque 

Orchestra. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, 




●●12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation/ 

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Lunchtime 

Chamber Music: Laurel Swinden, Flute. 

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge 

St. 416-241-1298. Free. Donations accepted. 




●●7:00: Bach from the Heart. Divine Frustration. 

Bach: Sonata for Solo Violin in G Minor; 

Prokofiev: Sonata for Two Violins (excerpts); 

Beethoven: String Quartet in C Minor 

Op.18 No.4 (excerpts); String Quartet in B-flat 

Op.130 (excerpts); Mozart: Duo for Violin and 

Viola in B-flat; Kurtág: Fragments (excerpts). 

Sheila Jaffé, violin/viola; Catherine Cosbey, 

violin; Brenna Hardy-Kavanagh, viola; Peter 

Cosbey, cello. Creeds Coffee Bar, 390 Dupont 

St. 306-570-7435. $30. Also Dec 8(Juice and 

Java Bar). 

●●7:30: Silverthorn Symphonic Winds. 

59 Minute Soiree. Wilmar Heights Centre, 

963 Pharmacy Ave., Scarborough. 416-301- 

5187. $10. Refreshments, conversation with 

the musicians and open rehearsal to follow. 

Free parking; wheelchair accessible. 


Music. Woodwind Chamber Ensembles. 



0208. Free. 








$20/$15(adv). Also Dec. 7. 


See Dec 1. George Weston Recital Hall, 

5040 Yonge St. 1-855-985-2787. $38 and up; 

$33 and up(sr); $15 and up(under 36). 


Music. VOCALIS Masters/DMA Series. Liederabend 

in partnership with the Goethe 

Institute. Victoria Chapel, 91 Charles St. W. 

416-408-0208. Free. 

Wednesday December 7 

●●12:30: Organix Concerts/All Saints Kingsway. 

Kingsway Organ Concert Series. Quirino 

Di Giulio, organ. All Saints Kingsway 

Anglican Church, 2850 Bloor St. W. 416-769- 

5224. Freewill offering. 


Organ Recital. Imre Olah, organ. 1585 Yonge 

St. 416-922-1167. Free. 

●●7:30: Royal Conservatory. Rebanks Family 

Fellowship Concert. Mazzoleni Concert Hall, 


Free (ticket required). 

●●7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Festival 

of Carols. Biebl: Ave Maria; Poulenc, O magnum 

mysterium; Evans: Ring-a the news; Chilcott: 

Gaudete; The Sussex Carol; and other 

works. Elora Singers; Canadian Staff Band; 

David Briggs, organ; Noel Edison, conductor. 


St. 416-408-0208. $35-$76; $35-$70(sr); 

$20(30 and under). 


Music. PianoFest. Students from the piano 

area perform. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson 


Park. 416-408-0208. Free. Also Dec 8, 9. 

●●8:00: Oratory, Holy Family Church. Oratorium 

Saeculare. Organ Music for Advent. Buxtehude: 

Praeludium in G Minor; Nun komm 

der Heiden Heiland; Bach: Nun komm der 

Heiden Heiland (1st, 2nd and 3rd settings 


from the Great 18); Prelude and Fugue in D 

BWV532; Scheidt: Veni Redemptor gentium. 

Philip Fournier, organ. 1372 King St. W. 416- 

532-2879. Free. Donations accepted. Includes 

a talk given by one of the Fathers of the Oratory. 

Free parking. 








$20/$15(adv). 

●●8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. All 

Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky: Overture to Hamlet; 

Piano Concerto No.1; Symphony No.5. 

Lukas Geniušas, piano; John Storgårds, conductor. 

Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416- 

598-3375. From $33.75. 


●●12:15: Music at Metropolitan. Noon at Met. 

Stefani Bedin, organ. Metropolitan United 


0331 x26. Free. 

●●5:30: Canadian Music Centre. Canada 

Council Instrument Bank Winners. 


Festival 

of Carols 

20th-century Canadian works for solo violin; 

classical works contemporary with their 

instruments. Andréa Tyniec, violin; Aaron 

Schwebel, violin. 20 St. Joseph St. 416-961- 

6601 x202. $20; $15(members/arts workers). 

●●7:00: Bach from the Heart. Divine Frustration. 

Bach: Sonata for Solo Violin in G Minor; 

Prokofiev: Sonata for Two Violins (excerpts); 

Beethoven: String Quartet in C Minor 

Op.18 No.4 (excerpts); String Quartet in B-flat 

Op.130 (excerpts); Mozart: Duo for Violin and 

Viola in B-flat; Kurtág: Fragments (excerpts). 

Sheila Jaffé, violin/viola; Catherine Cosbey, 

violin; Brenna Hardy-Kavanagh, viola; Peter 

Cosbey, cello. Juice and Java Bar, 2102 Queen 

St. E. 306-570-7435. $30. 





Park. 416-408-0208. Free. Also Dec 9. 

●●8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. 

Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. 

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.4; Dutilleux: 

Symphony No.2 “Le Double”; Ravel: La valse. 

Till Fellner, piano. Guests: Orchestre symphonique 

de Montréal; Kent Nagano, conductor. 

Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598- 

3375. From $39.75. 

Join the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir for this 

annual joyous celebration of music for the 

season, and add your voice to the audience 

carol sing-along with jubilant brass 

accompaniment. 

CANADIAN STAFF BAND 

DAVID BRIGGS, ORGANIST 

Wednesday, December 7 

at 7:30 PM 


(just north of Yonge and St. Clair) 

Tickets start at $35 

$20 VoxTix for 30 years and under. 

Tickets: www.tmchoir.org 

or call RCM TICKETS at 416.408.0208 









●●3:30: Tafelmusik/Aga Khan Museum. Tales 

of Two Cities: The Leipzig-Damascus Coffee 

House. Multimedia creation from Alison 

Mackay. Jeanne Lamon, director; Alon 

Nashman, narration; and others. Guests: 

Trio Arabica (Maryem Tollar, vocals/qanun; 

Demetri Petsalakis, oud; Naghmeh Farahmand, 

percussion). Aga Khan Museum, 

77 Wynford Dr. 416-646-4677. $25. Audience 

participation in live recording for an upcoming 

Tafelmusik Media CD and DVD release. 

●●7:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The 

Twelve Days of Christmas: Family Holiday 

Concert. Colin Mochrie, narrator; Highland 

Creek Pipe Band; Resonance Youth Choir; Tha 

Spot Holiday Dancers; Earl Lee, RBC Resident 

Conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 

416-598-3375. From $26. Also Dec 11(3:00). 

●●7:30: Canadian Men’s Chorus. Not Another 

Christmas Concert. A Little Christmas Medley; 

Here We Come A-Wassailing; Enns: Winter 

Uplands. Adria McCulloch, soprano; 

Christina Faye, piano; Greg Rainville, artistic 

director. Music Gallery, 197 John St. 

519-305-1351. $35/$30(adv); $25(st/under 

30)/$20(adv). 15% WholeNote reader discount 

with code CMC1025. 

●●7:30: Church of the Holy Trinity. 

The Christmas Story. Nativity pageant. 

‘NOON 

AT MET’ 

Free concerts 

at 12:15 pm 

Dec. 1 

Dec. 8 

Dec. 15 

Music 


No concert – 

World AIDS Day 

concert preparation 

Stefani Bedin, organist 

Thomas Fitches, 

organist – Noels 

for Christmas 

Metropolitan United Church 

56 Queen Street E .,Toronto 

416-363-0331 (ext. 26) 

www.metunited.org 

Professional musicians and volunteer cast. 

10 Trinity Sq. 416-598-4521 x301. Entry by 

donation. Also Dec 10, 16, 17, 22, 23(all 7:30); 

10, 11, 17, 18, 24(all 4:30); 24(1:30). 

●●7:30: Ensemble Vivant. Christmas Tidings: 

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” 

Catherine Wilson, piano/conductor. Guests: 

Upper Canada Chorus (Andrea Donais, 

conductor). George Weston Recital Hall, 

5040 Yonge St. 416-733-9388/1-855-985- 

2787. $50-$65; $30-$45(child). Also Dec 11(St. 

Catharines), 16(Mississauga), 18(London), 

21(Richmond Hill), 22(Kingston), 23(Nepean). 


●●7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. 

Jim Heineman Trio. Jazz. Lula Lounge, 

1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307. $15; free 

before 8:00. 

●●7:30: Musicians in Ordinary. Renaissance 

and Medieval Music for Advent. Plainchant, 

Cantigas de Santa Maria from 13th century 

Galicia/Portugal, and works by Monteverdi, 

Gibbons, Byrd, and others. Musicians in 

Ordinary with Christopher Verrette; Ensemble 

Pneuma; St. Michael’s Schola Cantorum; 

Michael O’Connor, conductor. St. Basil’s 

Church, University of St. Michael’s College, 

50 St. Joseph St. 416-926-7148. Free; donations 

welcomed. 

●●7:30: Oakville Choral Society. ’Twas the 

Night before Christmas. Mendelssohn: Hymn 

of Praise; Simeone: ’Twas the Night before 

Christmas. Clearview Christian Reformed 

Church, 2300 Sheridan Garden Dr., Oakville. 

905-338-3823. $30/$25(adv); $15(st); 

free(under 13). Also Dec 10. 





Park. 416-408-0208. Free. 

●●8:00: Caliban Arts Theatre/Trane Live 

Events. In Concert. The All-Star Ritual Trio 

(David Murray, saxophone; Sir Kahil El’Zabar, 

drums; Harrison Bankhead, acoustic bass). 

Remix Lounge, 1305 Dundas St. W. 647-722- 

4635. $45. Also 10:30. 

●●8:00: Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Holiday Spectacular. C.T. Smith (arr.): 

A Rhapsody on Christmas Carols; Tchaikovsky: 

“March” from the Nutcracker; Handel: 

Water Music (excerpts); seasonal vocal selections. 

Paul Anthony Williamson, tenor. Humber 

Valley United Church, 76 Anglesey Blvd., 

Etobicoke. 416-239-5665. $30; $25/$22(sr/ 

adv); $15(st). 

●●8:00: Exultate Chamber Singers. A Time 

for Celebration: A Canadian Christmas. 

Chatman: Christmas Joy; works by Daley, Sirett, 

Washburn, Willan, Somers and Stokes; 

carol sing with audience participation. Hilary 

Apfelstadt, conductor. St. Thomas’s Anglican 

Church (Toronto), 383 Huron St. 416-971- 

9229. $25; $20(sr); $10(st). 

●●8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Maceo Parker. 


305-7469. $69-$74. 

●●8:00: Matt Dusk Presents. Old School 

Yule: A Matt Dusk Christmas. Rose Theatre, 

1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. 905-874-2800. $37 

and up. 

univox 

Dallas Bergen, Conductor 

presents 

Serenity, Hope, 

Light 

●●8:00: Sinfonia Toronto. Transfigured Night. 

Hindemith: Five Pieces; Mozart: Piano Concerto 

No.23 in A; Schoenberg: Transfigured 

Night. Charles Richard-Hamelin, piano; 

Nurhan Arman, conductor. Glenn Gould Studio, 

250 Front St. W. 416-499-0403. $42; 

$35(sr); $15(st). 

●●8:00: Toronto Consort. A Medieval Christmas. 

Works by Hildegard of Bingen, Anna of 

Cologne, and others. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 

Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964- 

6337. $27-$67; $22-$61(sr); $15(st/35 and 

under). Also Dec 10; 11(3:30). 

●●8:00: Univox Choir. Serenity, Hope, Light. 

Music for Christmas, Hanukkah and the winter 

season. Works by Bach, Stroope, Gjeilo, 

Whitacre, Guillaume and Jacobson. Rachel 

Pomedli, cello; Dallas Bergen, conductor; 

Susanne Maziarz, piano. Christ Church 

Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-697-9561. 

$25/$20(adv); $20(sr/st). 

●●10:30: Caliban Arts Theatre/Trane Live 

Events. In Concert. The All-Star Ritual Trio 

(David Murray, saxophone; Sir Kahil El’Zabar, 

drums; Harrison Bankhead, acoustic bass). 

Remix Lounge, 1305 Dundas St. W. 647-722- 

4635. $45. Also 8:00. 

●●10:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Marta 

Elena and Salsa Star. Traditional Cuban 

rhythms merged with contemporary music 

and salsa. Marta Elena Perez Vallin, vocals; 

Larry Mesa Benitez, piano. Lula Lounge, 

1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307. $15; 

women free before 10:00. 

univox 

choirs 

univoxchoir.org/tickets 


●●1:30 and 4:00: Oakville Children’s Choir. 

Community Carol Concerts. Guest: Lianne 

Tan, organ. St. John’s United Church (Oakville), 

262 Randall St., Oakville. 905-337-7104. 

$25; $20(sr); $15(under 13). Also 4:00. 

●●4:30: Church of the Holy Trinity. The 

Christmas Story. See Dec 9. Also Dec 16, 17, 

22, 23(all 7:30); 11, 17, 18, 24(all 4:30); 24(1:30). 

●●6:30: NAChorale. Glory to God. Handel: 

Hallelujah Chorus; Glory to God in the Highest; 

Bach: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme; 

Morricone: Gabriel’s Oboe; works by Mozart 

and others. Imre Olah, organ; New Apostolic 

Church Concert Choir; French African 

Choir; Caribbean Choir, Children’s Choir and 

others. New Apostolic Church (Rexdale), 

6484 Finch Ave. W. 647-893-2171. Free. Donations 

accepted for the CP24 CHUM Christmas 

Wish. Accessible entrance. Free parking. 

●●7:00: Bayfair Baptist Church. Toronto 

Mass Choir. 817 Kingston Rd, Pickering. 905- 

839-4621. $20. 

●●7:30: Bach Children’s Chorus and 

Bach Chamber Youth Choir. Make You 

Merry. Linda Beaupré, conductor; Eleanor 

Daley, piano. Toronto Centre for the Arts, 

5040 Yonge St., North York. 1-855-985-2787. 

$35-$40. 

●●7:30: Counterpoint Community Orchestra. 

Hot, Spicy and Fabuloussss. Gershwin: Cuban 

Overture; Bizet: Suite No.1 from Carmen; Marquez: 

Danzon No.2; Bernstein: Overture from 

ccorchestra.org 

Saturday 

Dec. 10, 

7:30pm 

Candide; West Side Story (selections). Leonidas 

Varahidis, conductor. St. Luke’s United 

Church, 353 Sherbourne St. 647-977-6058. 

$20/$18(adv); $15(st); $10(under 13). 

●●7:30: Chorus York. Our First Nowell. Traditional 

carols from around the world. Stéphane 

Potvin, conductor; Rachael Kerr, 

accompanist. Richmond Hill Presbyterian 

Church, 10066 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. 905- 

884-7922. $25; $15(sr/st). Reception follows. 

Also Dec 11(mat, Thornhill). 



22, 23(all 7:30); 11, 17, 18, 24(all 4:30); 24(1:30). 

●●7:30: Etobicoke Centennial Choir. Sacred 

Traditions 2016. Britten: A Ceremony of Carols; 

Gosse: carols; Biebl: Ave Maria; carol 

sing-along. Shana Brown, soprano; Erin 

Ronningen, alto; and other singers; Angela 

Schwarzkopf, harp; Carl Steinhauser, piano; 

Henry Renglich, conductor. Guests: Etobicoke 

School of the Arts Chamber Choir. Humber 

Valley United Church, 76 Anglesey Blvd., 

Etobicoke. 416-769-9271. $25. 6:00: Christmas 

Marketplace. 

●●7:30: Korean Canadian Chamber Concerts. 

An Instrumental Christmas. Mozart: 

A Canadian 

Christmas 

Friday, December 9, 

2016, 8pm 

Celebrating Canadian 

music and customs, featuring 

Stephen 

Chatman’s Christmas Joy 

with brass, and 

seasonal music by Daley, 

Sirett, Washburn, 

Willan, and Stokes. 

383 Huron Street, Toronto 

416-971-9229 

www.exultate.net 



florivox 

Joshua Tomayo, Conductor 

presents 

Joy to the World 

Fri. Dec. 9 at 8pm 

Christ Church Deer Park 

Sun. Dec. 11 at 3pm 

All Saints Kingsway 


BACH CHILDREN’S CHORUS 

BACH CHAMBER YOUTH CHOIR 

Linda Beaupré, Conductor 

Eleanor Daley, Pianist 

SATURDAY DECEMBER 10, 2016 AT 7:30PM 

$40 and $35 at the Toronto Centre box office 

or TicketMaster at 1-855-985-2787 (ARTS) 

Toronto Centre for the Arts 5040 Yonge Street 

Design by David Kopulos 

www.davidkopulos.com 

facebook.com/BCCandBCYC bachchildrenschorus.ca 

Viola Quintet; Ginastera: Argentinian Dances; 

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite. Sunny Choi, 

violin; Yegee Lee, violin; Yoon Woo Kim, 

viola; Woosol Cho, viola; Yoona Jhon, cello; 

and others. St. George Anglican Church, 

5350 Yonge St. 416-737-0521. $20; $10(st). 

●●7:30: Oakville Choral Society. ’Twas the 

Night before Christmas. Mendelssohn: Hymn 

of Praise; Simeone: ’Twas the Night before 

Christmas. Clearview Christian Reformed 

Church, 2300 Sheridan Garden Dr., Oakville. 

905-338-3823. $30/$25(adv); $15(st); 

free(under 13). 

Ode on 

the Nativity 

December 10 & 11 

Pax Christi Chorale with 

Shannon Mercer, Soprano 

and the Aslan Boys Choir 

●●7:30: Pax Christi Chorale. Ode on the Nativity. 

Parry: Ode on the Nativity; Palestrina: 

Hodie Christus natus est; Matthew Emery: 

new commissions; and works by Holst, Pärt, 

and Poulenc. Shannon Mercer, soprano; 

Aslan Boys Choir. Grace Church on-the-Hill, 

300 Lonsdale Rd. 416-488-7884. $45; $40(sr); 

$25(st). Also Dec 11(3:00). 


Music. U of T Symphony Orchestra. Dvořák: 

Scherzo Capriccioso Op.66; Palej: Symphony; 

Bartók: Concerto for orchestra. Uri Mayer/ 

Samuel Tam, conductors. MacMillan Theatre, 

Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park. 

416-408-0208. $30; $20(sr); $10(st). 6:30: 

Symphony Talk, a pre-performance chat with 

professors and graduate students, rm 130. 

●●7:30: Village Voices. Glad Tidings. Rutter: 

Gloria; Manor: Unto Us a Son Is Born; Helvey: 

O lux beatissima; Grant: Breath of Heaven; 

Willcocks: Carols. Mira Slovianenko, soprano; 

Joan Andrews, flute; Oksana Vignan, 

conductor; Albury Gardens Brass Quintet. 

Markham Missionary Church, 5438 Major 

Mackenzie Dr. E., Markham. 905-763-4172. 

$28; $25(sr); $10(st); free(under 12). Also 

Dec 11(mat). 

●●7:30: VOCA Chorus of Toronto. Northern 

Lights. Gjeilo: Tundra, Prelude, Ubi 

Caritas III, and other works; also works 

by Whitacre, Berlioz, and others. Elizabeth 

Loewen-Andrews and Laurel Mascarenhas, 

violin; Rory McLeod, viola; Wendy Solomon, 

cello; Jenny Crober, conductor; Elizabeth 

Acker, piano. Eastminster United Church, 

310 Danforth Ave. 416-947-8487. $25; $20(sr); 

$10(st). 

●●8:00: Aga Khan Museum. Classical Music 

Series: Vesuvius Ensemble. Southern 


Italian music influenced by Arabic traditions. 

Francesco Pellegrino, Romina Di 

Gasbarro, Marco Cera and Lucas Harris. 

77 Wynford Dr. 416-646-4677. $35 and up/10% 

discount(members). 

●●8:00: Dell’Alto Productions. A Christmas 

Dream. O Holy Night; You Raise Me up; 

Nella Fantasia; other holiday songs. Alessandra 

Paonessa, soprano; Michael Ciufo, 

tenor; My Pops Choir. Fairview Library Theatre, 

35 Fairview Mall Dr. 647-505-2537. 

$35/$30(adv). Proceeds in support of Emily’s 

House. 

●●8:00: Harbourfront Centre Theatre. Good 

Lovelies. Christmas concert. 235 Queens 

Quay W. 416-973-4000 x1. $29.50-$49.50. 

Also Dec 11(mat). 

●●8:00: Royal Conservatory. TD Jazz: The 

Art of the Trio. Joey DeFrancesco Trio and 

Jensen/Restivo/Vivian Trio. Koerner Hall, 


From $40. 




Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964- 

6337. $27-$67; $22-$61(sr); $15(st/35 and 

under). Also Dec 11(3:30). 

●●8:00: Voices Chamber Choir. At Midnight. 

Charpentier: Messe de Minuit; Ohrwall: Yule 

Music; and other music for Christmas. John 

Stephenson, organ; Ron Cheung, conductor. 

Guest: Flautas del Fuego flute duo. St. Martinin-the-Fields 

Anglican Church, 151 Glenlake 

Ave. 416-519-0528. $20; $15(sr/st). 

●●8:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Christmas 

Carol Sing-along. A one-hour hand-clapping, 

feet-stamping sing-along carols and Christmas 

songs. Gordon Murray, piano. Trinity-St. 

Paul’s Centre (Chapel), 427 Bloor St. W. 416- 

631-4300. PWYC. Song sheets to be provided. 

●●8:30: Soulpepper Weekend Cabaret Series. 

What the World Needs Now (Songs of 

Love and Hope). A musical journey through 

the Mad Men era. Wendy Lands, vocals; Jim 

Gillard, drums/trumpet/vocals; Steve Hunter, 

piano/guitar; Russ Boswell, bass. Young Centre 

for the Performing Arts, Distillery District, 

50 Tank House Ln. 416-866-8666. $25; 

$20(st). 

●●10:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Conjunto 

Lacalu. Cuban sonora tradition. Lula 


$15. 


●●1:30: Oakville Symphony Orchestra. Family 

Christmas. Oakville Children’s Choir. Oakville 

Centre for the Performing Arts, 130 Navy 

St., Oakville. 905-815-2021 or 888-489-7784. 

$13-$65. Also 4:00. 

●●2:00: Harbourfront Centre Theatre. Good 

Lovelies. Christmas concert. 235 Queens 

Quay W. 416-973-4000 x1. $29.50-$49.50. 

●●2:30: Chorus York. Our First Nowell. Traditional 

carols from around the world. Stéphane 

Potvin, conductor; Rachael Kerr, 

accompanist. Thornhill Presbyterian Church, 

271 Centre St., Thornhill. 905-884-7922. $25; 

$15(sr/st). 

●●2:30: Festival Wind Orchestra. Holiday 

Portraits 2016. Keith Reid, conductor. Isabel 

Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St. W. 416-585- 

4498. $20; $15(sr/st); free(under 13). 

●●2:30: Toronto Gilbert and Sullivan Society. 

A Christmas Carol. Dickens. John Huston; G 


& S Christmas Carol Quartet. St. Andrew’s 

United Church (Bloor St.), 117 Bloor St E. 416- 

763-0832. $20. Refreshments included. 

●●2:30: Village Voices. Glad Tidings. Rutter: 

Gloria; Manor: Unto Us a Son Is Born; Helvey: 

O lux beatissima; Grant: Breath of Heaven; 

Willcocks: Carols. Mira Slovianenko, soprano; 

Joan Andrews, flute; Oksana Vignan, 

conductor; Albury Gardens Brass Quintet. 

Markham Missionary Church, 5438 Major 

Mackenzie Dr. E., Markham. 905-763-4172. 

$28; $25(sr); $10(st); free(under 12). 

●●3:00: Blessed Trinity Church. Sing Along 

with Us: Traditional Holiday Favourites. Lauridsen: 

O nata lux, Handel: Hallelujah Chorus; 

Rutter: All Bells in Paradise; Sing-along carols 

with orchestra. Blessed Trinity Choirs (John 

Holland, conductor); The Margaritas Ensemble; 

TDSB Youth Orchestra. 3220 Bayview 

Ave. 416-496-8575. $10; $20(family). Proceeds 

to support Catholic parishes in Kenya. 

●●3:00: Florivox of Univox Choirs. Joy to 

the World. Works by Arnesen, Martin and 

Blane, Rutter, the Pentatonix and Handel. 

Joshua Tamayo, conductor; Victor Cheng, 

accompanist. All Saints Kingsway Anglican 

Church, 2850 Bloor St. W. 416-697-9561. 

$20/$15(adv); $15(sr/st). 

●●3:00: Harmony Singers. Winter Song. Seasonal 

favourites. Christmas Eve; Cool Santa; 

Christmas Lullaby; Jerusalem. Harvey Patterson, 

conductor; Bruce Harvey, accompanist. 

Humber Valley United Church, 76 Anglesey 

Blvd., Etobicoke. 416-239-5821. $20; $15(sr/ 

st); free(under 10). Refreshments. 

●●3:00: Orchestra Toronto. Youth at the Holidays. 

Britten: Young Person’s Guide to the 

Orchestra; Respighi: The Adoration of the 

Magi (from Three Botticelli Pictures); Vivaldi: 

Concerto No.4 in F minor Op.8 “Winter”; 

Higdon: Percussion Concerto. Trevor Rines, 

narration; Michael Murphy, percussion; 

Marta Hidy; Corey Gemmell, violin; Kevin Mallon, 

conductor. George Weston Recital Hall, 

5040 Yonge St. 1-855-987-2787. $43; $37(sr); 

$15(youth/OTopus). Long & McQuade Petting 

Zoo. 2:15: pre-concert chat. 

●●3:00: Pax Christi Chorale. Ode on the 

Nativity. Parry: Ode on the Nativity; Palestrina: 

Hodie Christus natus est; Matthew 

Emery: new commissions; and works by 

Holst, Pärt, and Poulenc. Shannon Mercer, 

soprano; Aslan Boys Choir. Grace Church onthe-Hill, 

300 Lonsdale Rd. 416-488-7884. $45; 

$40(sr); $25(st). 

●●3:00: Royal Conservatory. Vocal Concert: 

The King’s Singers @ Christmas. Works 

by Tchaikovsky, Lawson and Pärt; traditional 

seasonal songs. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 

273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. From $40. 

●●3:00: St. Anne’s Anglican Church. Fourth 

Annual St. Anne’s Community Cantate. 

Neighborhood Christmas concert. Mississauga 

Children’s Choir; St. Anne’s Jazz Quintet. 

270 Gladstone Ave. 416-536-3160. $15; 

$10(sr/st); free(under 12). In support of the 

Youth Scholarship Program of the Community 

Police Liaison Committee of Toronto Police 

Division 14. 

●●3:00: St. Elizabeth Scola Cantorum Hungarian 

Choir. Christmas Concert. Vivaldi: 

Magnificat; Christmas songs. Ian Sandler, 

organ; adult and children choirs; Imre 

Olah and Christa Lazar, conductors. St. Elizabeth 

of Hungary Roman Catholic Church, 

432 Sheppard Ave. E. 416-300-9305. $20; 

$10(st). Post-concert reception. 

Jeanie 

Chung 

piano 

Shalom 

Bard 

clarinet 

Thomas 

Wiebe 

cello 

Sunday Dec. 11, 3pm 

Heliconian Hall 

SyrinxConcerts.ca 

●●3:00: Syrinx Concerts Toronto. Season 

Opening Concert. Kenins: Duo for clarinet 

and piano; Beethoven: Trio Op.11; Brahms: 

Trio Op.114. Jeanie Chung, piano; Shalom 

Bard, clarinet; Thomas Wiebe, cello. Heliconian 

Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-654-0877. $30; 

$20(st). Post-concert reception. 


Twelve Days of Christmas: Family Holiday 

Concert. Colin Mochrie, narrator; Highland 

Creek Pipe Band; Resonance Youth Choir; Tha 

Spot Holiday Dancers; Earl Lee, RBC Resident 

Conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 

416-598-3375. From $26. 




Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416- 

964-6337. $27-$67; $22-$61(sr); $15(st/35 

and under). 


Organ Recitals: Ian Sadler. 65 Church St. 416- 

364-7865. Free. Donations welcomed. 

●●4:00: Eglinton St. George’s United Church. 

Never a Brighter Star. Christmas celebration 

with carols, choir, orchestra and organ. 

Hayes: Gloria; Forrest: Never a Brighter Star; 

works by Handel, Whitacre and Willcocks. 

Eglinton St. George’s Choir; Mary Lou Fallis, 

special guest host; Andrew Adair, organ; 

Krista Rhodes, piano; Shawn Grenke, conductor. 

35 Lytton Blvd. 416-481-1141. $35. 

●●4:00: Oakville Symphony Orchestra. 

Family Christmas. Oakville Centre for the Performing 

Arts, 130 Navy St., Oakville. 905-815- 

2021 or 888-489-7784. $13-$65. Also 1:30. 

●●4:00: OriginL Concert Series. Celebrate 

Life! Classics and original music for choral 

and solo voices. Brenda Enns, soprano; Susan 

Suchard, soprano/conductor; Hubert Razack, 

tenor; Jinne Kim, violin; Lizzie Lavado, piano/ 

organ. Lawrence Park Community Church, 

2180 Bayview Ave. 416-410-7109. $30. 

●●4:00: St. Philip’s Anglican Church. Jazz 

Vespers. Gershwin/Cole Porter Songbook. 

John Alcorn, vocalist; Reg Schwager 

and Steve Wallace. 31 St. Phillips Rd., Etobicoke. 

416-233-1125. Freewill offering. Religious 

service. 

●●4:00: University Settlement Music and 

Arts School. End of Term Student Concert. 

St. George the Martyr Church, 197 John St. 

416-598-3444 x243/244. Free. Also 6:00; 

Dec 12(7:00). 

●●4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Christmas 

Vespers. Ellington: Nutcracker Suite. Brian 

Barlow Big Band. 1570 Yonge St. 416-920- 

5211. Freewill offering. 



22, 23(all 7:30); 17, 18, 24(all 4:30); 24(1:30). 

Carols by 

Candlelight 

Sun., Dec. 11, 14, 4:30pm 

nine lessons 

& Carols 

Sun., Dec. 18, 21, 4:30pm 

Yorkminster Park 

Baptist Church 

yorkminsterpark.com 


Carols by Candlelight. Choirs and musicians 

of Yorkminster Park. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922- 

1167. Free. 

●●5:00: Nocturnes in the City. Pre-Christmas 

Jazz Medley. Works by Gershwin, Jezek and 

others. Jan Musil, keyboard; Lenka Nováková, 

singer. Restaurant Praha, Masaryktown, 

450 Scarborough Golf Club Rd. 416-481-7294. 

$25; $15(st). 

●●6:00: Aga Khan Museum. Arabica Coffee 

House Concert. Traditional songs from Syria’s 

Arabic classical and popular repertoire in 

a traditional coffee house setting. Al Qahwa 

Ensemble; Maryem Tollar. 77 Wynford Dr. 416- 

646-4677. $40; $36(Friends). In Diwan. Coffee 

included in ticket price. 


Arts School. End of Term Student Concert. 


416-598-3444 x243/244. Free. Also 4:00; 

Dec 12(7:00). 

●●7:00: Mississauga Big Band Jazz Ensemble. 

Annual Christmas Concert. Cooksville 

United Church, 2500 Mimosa Row, Mississauga. 

905-270-4757. $20; $10(sr/child). 

●●7:30: Echo Women’s Choir. 25th Anniversary 

Concert: Ain’t Life Sweet. Chvostek: 

Black Hole; Taafe: I Cross Till I Am Weary; 

Barnwell: We Are; Small: Everything Possible; 

Dalglish: Song of Solstice; and other songs. 

Becca Whitla, piano/conductor; Alan Gasser, 

conductor. Guest: Annabelle Chvostek, vocals. 

Church of the Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Sq. 416- 

779-5554. $20/$15(adv); $10(sr/child/un(der) 

waged). Wheelchair accessible. 

●●7:30: Tranzac Club. GUH in Concert. 

292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137. PWYC. 


Music. Percussion Ensemble. Walter Hall, 


Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. 

Free. 

●●7:30: We Sing For Their Supper. Seasonal 

Concert. The Detours, Donne Roberts, Elis 

Legrow, Clay Tyson, Selina Martin and others; 

Puffy Codpiece and orchestra, hosts. Lula 


$25/$20(adv). 6:30: doors open. Dinner reservations 

guarantee seating. In support of 

Daily Bread Food Bank. Includes silent auction 

and raffle. 

●●8:00: Blythwood Winds. Holidays...In 

Space! Music from Star Wars and holiday 

songs. Tim Crouch, flute; Elizabeth Eccleston, 

oboe; Anthony Thompson, clarinet; Kevin 

Harris, bassoon; Curtis Vander Hyden, horn. 

Free Times Cafe, 320 College St. 647-567- 

7906. PWYC. 

●●8:00: Snaggle. Christmas Single Release 

Show Featuring Brownman Ali. Nick Maclean, 

synth; Graeme Wallace, tenor sax; Michael 

Murray, guitar; Tom Grosset, drums; Doug 

Moore, bass. Guest: Brownman Ali, trumpet. 

Mây Cafe, 876 Dundas St. W. 416-389- 

2643. $10. Attendees on the ‘advance list’ will 

receive a free download of ‘Christmas Tune’. 

Email snaggle251@gmail.com. 

SUNDAY December 11 th 

NEVER 

4:00 

A 

p.m. 

Star 

Brighter 

Sunday 

december 11 th 4 pm 

eSG chOIr and 

chamber OrcheStra 

Celebrate an ESG Christmas with 

Carols, Choir, Orchestra and Organ. 

Featuring Hayes’ Gloria, Forrest’s 

Never a Brighter Star and works by 

Handel, Whitacre and Willcocks. 

Krista Rhodes, Piano; 

Andrew Adair, Organ; 

Shawn Grenke, Conductor 

Tickets $35 

Special 

GueSt HoSt 

mary LOu 

FaLLIS 

35 Lytton Blvd., Toronto 

416.481.1141 

www.esgunited.org 


20 TH ANNUAL 

FREE NOON 

HOUR CHOIR 

& ORGAN 

CONCERTS 

Enjoy an hour of beautiful 

music performed by outstanding 

Canadian choirs and organists, 

spotlighting Roy Thomson Hall’s 

magnificent Gabriel Kney pipe 

organ. 

AMADEUS CHOIR 

OF GREATER 

TORONTO 

The Season of Joy 

Mon Dec 12, 2016 12 noon 

◆ 

Lydia Adams, conductor 

Shawn Grenke, organ 

FREE ADMISSION 

ROYTHOMSON.COM/CHOIRORGAN 

Suitable for ages 6 and up. 

For Elementary and Secondary 

school groups of 20 or more, 

contact: groups@mh-rth.com 

416-872-4255 

Made possible by the generous 

support of Edwards Charitable 

Foundation 

●●8:30: Hugh’s Room. Sultans of String: 

Christmas Caravan. Original songs, world 

music-inspired classics and seasonal selections. 

Chris McKhool, violin; Kevin Laliberté, 

violin; Drew Birston, bass; Eddie Paton, guitar; 

Chendy Leon, percussion; Guest: Rebecca 

Campbell, vocals. 2261 Dundas St. W. 416-531- 

6604. $30/$25(adv). 


●●10:30am: Humbercrest United Church. 

Music and the Word. Handel: Messiah (Christmas 

portion) with strings, trumpet and 

organ. Jennifer Krabbe, soprano; Whitney 

O’Hearn, alto; Matthew Dalen, tenor; Daniel 

Thielmann, bass; Chancel Choir; Melvin Hurst, 

conductor. 16 Baby Point Rd. 416-767-6122. 

Freewill offering. 

●●12:00 noon: Roy Thomson Hall/Amadeus 

Choir of Greater Toronto. The Season of Joy. 

Seasonal songs and winning entries from the 

Choir’s annual Seasonal Song-Writing Competition. 

Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto; 

Shawn Grenke, organ; Lydia Adams, conductor. 


872-4255. Free. 

●●5:30: Canadian Music Centre. Centrediscs 

CD Launch: Canadian Flute Masterpieces. 

Susan Hoeppner, flute. 20 St. Joseph St. 416- 

961-6601 x202. Free (RSVP). 


Arts School. End of Term Student Concerts. 


416-598-3444 x243/244. Free. 

●●7:30: Toronto Masque Theatre. O Tannenbaum: 

The Tree of Life. Somers/Bissell: No 

Tongue Will Tally; and other seasonal songs 

and stories. Alison Melville, recorder; Andrea 

Ludwig, alto; Bud Roach, tenor; and others. 

Atrium, 21 Shaftesbury Ave. 416-410-4561. 

$25. 

●●8:00: The Double Cuts. Let Us Be 

Frank: The Music of Frank Sinatra. Lula 


$20/$15(adv). 



Chamber Music Series: Aventures. Shahi: 

new work (world premiere); Lindberg: 


Aventures; Ron Smith: Four Movements. 

Glenn Gould School New Music Ensemble; 

Brian Current, conductor. Richard Bradshaw 

Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the 

Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363- 

8231. Free. First come, first served. Late seating 

not available. 

●●12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation/ 

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Lunchtime 

Chamber Music: Rising Stars Recital. 

Students from the Glenn Gould School. Yorkminster 

Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 

416-241-1298. Free. Donations accepted. 


Organ Recitals: Thomas Fitches. 65 Church 

St. 416-364-7865. Free. Donations welcomed. 

●●7:30: Dmitri Levkovich. In Recital. Franck: 

Prélude, Choral et Fugue FWV21; Chopin: 

Sonata No.2 in B-flat Minor Op.35; Mozart: 

Sonata No.17 in B-flat K570; Chopin: 12 Études 

Op.25. Dmitri Levkovich, piano. Heliconian 

Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-453-7607. $40; 

$20(st). 

●●7:30: Orpheus Choir of Toronto/Hannaford 

Street Silver Band. Traditions: Welcome 

Christmas! Jackie Richardson, vocals. 

Traditions 

Welcome Christmas! 

December 13, 2016 

HANNAFORD STREET 

SILVER BAND 


St. 416-530-4428. $40; $30(sr); $10 (st). 

●●7:30: Duly Noted. Love Lost. A cappella 

music from madrigals to Lady Gaga. TELUS 

House, 3rd Floor, 25 York St. 416-360-1432. 

$15; $10(st). 

●●7:30: Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir. 

Christmas Concert. Calvin Presbyterian 

Church, 26 Delisle Ave. 905-727-6101. $25; 


●●8:00: Cameron House. A Winter’s Night. 

Bach: Sonata No.1 for viola da gamba and keyboard; 

Schumann: Märchenerzählungen 

(Fairy Tales) Op.132 for clarinet, viola and 

piano; Mozart: Kegelstatt Trio K498 for clarinet, 

viola and piano. Duo Mechant (Joseph 

Nadurata, viola; Linda Shumas, piano); James 

Petry, clarinet. 480 Queen St. W. 416-703- 

0811. PWYC. 

●●8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. A 

Jann Arden Christmas. Jann Arden, vocalist; 

Etobicoke School of the Arts Chorus; Steven 

Reineke, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 

60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $39.75. 

Also Dec 14(2:00, 8:00). 



Organ Recital. Rashaan Allwood, organ. 

1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167. Free. 





60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $33.50. 

Also 8:00. 

●●7:30: ACTA Recorder Quartet. Festivities 

for Four. Early and modern-era music 

for the holiday season. Corelli: Christmas 

Concerto; Handel: Hallelujah Chorus; Britten: 

Alpine Suite; S. Davis: Chanukah Medley; 

and other holiday fare. ACTA Recorder 

Quartet: Anne Massicotte, Colin Savage, 

Tatsuki Shimoda and Alison Melville. Heliconian 

Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-588- 

4301. $25/$20(adv); $18/$15(sr/st)(adv); 

$10/$8(under 12)(adv). 

●●7:30: Cardinal Carter Academy for the 

Arts Music Department. A Festival of Nine 

Lessons and Carols. St. Clare Church, 1118 St. 

Clair Ave. W. 416-393-5556 x0. $15. 

Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts 

presents its 10th annual... 

A Festival of 

Nine 

Lessons 

Carols 

and 

General 

Admission $15 

Wednesday 

Dec 14, 2016 

7:30 pm 

St. Clare Parish 

1118 St. Clair Ave W 

THE TORONTO CHORAL SOCIETY 

P R E S E N T S 

Christmas in Italian 

featuring 

Gloria (Vivaldi) 

Lauda per la Natività (Resphigi) 

Wednesday, December 14, 2016, 7:30 p.m. 

Eastminster United Church 

310 Danforth Avenue 

Tickets $21 

www.torontochoralsociety.org 


TAFELMUSIK’S ORIGINAL MESSIAH 

Handel Messiah 

December 14-17 at 7:30pm 

Koerner Hall, (416) 408-0208 

Sing-Along Messiah 

December 18 at 2pm 

Massey Hall, (416) 872-4255 


●●7:30: Tafelmusik. Messiah. Handel. Amanda 

Forsythe, soprano; Krisztina Szabó, mezzo; 

Colin Balzer, tenor; Tyler Duncan, baritone; 

Ivars Taurins, director. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 

273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $39 and 

up; $30 and up(under 36). Also Dec 15, 16, 17. 

●●7:30: Incontra Vocal Ensemble. O Nata 

Lux. Works by Chilcott, Gjeilo, Lauridsen, 

Runestad, Sixten and others. Matthew Otto, 

conductor; Sarah Maria Leung, assistant conductor. 

St. Joseph Chapel, Regis College, 

100 Wellesley St. W. 416-922-5474 x266. $35. 

●●7:30: Toronto Choral Society. Buon Natale!: 

Christmas in Italian. Vivaldi: Gloria; Respighi: 

Lauda per la Natività; and other works. Eastminster 

United Church, 310 Danforth Ave. 

416-463-2179. $21. 

●●7:30: Village Voices. Sing-Along Carols. 

Traditional Christmas carols; audience participation. 

Robert Horvath, piano; Oksana 

Vignan, conductor. Cornell Recital Hall, 

3201 Bur Oak Ave., Markham. 905-763-4172. 

PWYC. Donations to Markham Food Bank 

welcomed. 





60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $39.75. 


●●12:15: Music at Metropolitan. Noon at 

Met. Noels for Christmas. Thomas Fitches, 

organ. Metropolitan United Church (Toronto), 

56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x26. Free. 

●●12:30: Miles Nadal JCC. Puttin’ on the Ritz. 

Dance to 1920s and 30s cabaret and jazz classics. 

Ted Atherton and Tanya Wills, vocals; 

Wintergarten Orchestra. 750 Spadina Ave. 

416-924-6211 x0. $15 (includes latke lunch). 

Advance registration required. 

●●7:00: National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. 

Tchaikovsky. James Kudelka, choreographer/librettist. 

Four Seasons Centre for 

the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416- 

345-9595. $39-$175. Also Dec 11, 18, 24, 27, 28, 

30, 31(all 1:00); Dec 10, 17(all 2:00); Dec 11, 18, 

28, 29, 30(all 5:30); Dec 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21, 

22, 23(all 7:00). 

●●7:00: Torrent Productions. Robin Hood: 

A Merry Magical Pantomime. Royal Canadian 

Legion #001, 243 Coxwell Ave. 1-800- 

838-3006. $35; $25(under 12). Preview 

show. Opens Dec 16, 7:00. Runs to Dec 24. 

Tues-Fri(7:00), Wed/Thurs(1:00), Sat/ 

Sun(2:00). 

●●7:30: Tafelmusik. Messiah. See Dec 14. Also 

Dec 16, 17. 

●●8:00: Canadian Music Centre. Class Axe: 

New Works for Classical Guitar. New works 

by M. Côté, Denenberg, Horrigan, A. Jang, 

Kardonne and S. Marwood. Rob MacDonald, 

Adam Batstone and Graham Banfield, classical 

guitar. 20 St. Joseph St. 416-961-6601 

x202. Free; register in advance. 7:15: Pre-concert 

chat. 

●●8:00: Corktown Chamber Orchestra. With 

Bells On. Selected Christmas songs with singalong 

carols. Paul McCulloch, conductor. Little 

Trinity Anglican Church, 425 King St. E. 

647-528-7159. $10; free(child). 

Music TORONTO 

Gryphon Trio 

December 15 

at 8 pm 

●●8:00: Music Toronto. Gryphon Trio. 

Brahms: Trio in B; Schoenberg: Verklärte 

Nacht (trio version). Jane Mallett Theatre, St. 

Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 

416-366-7723. $55; $10(st). 

●●8:00: Oakville Centre for the Performing 

Arts. Susan Aglukark: Dreaming of Home. 

130 Navy St., Oakville. 905-815-2021 or 

1-888-489-7784. $50. 









●●7:00: Imagine. Imagine: Christmas. Ellington: 

Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite; Guaraldi: 

Music from A Charlie Brown Christmas. 

Rebekah Wolkstein, violin; Michael Westwood, 

clarinet; Calum MacLeod, double bass; 

Andrew Rasmus, percussion; Raffi Altounian, 

guitar/musical director. St. Barnabas Anglican 

Church, 361 Danforth Ave. 416-528- 

5349. $30. 


Christmas Story. See Dec 9. Also Dec 17, 22, 

23(all 7:30); 17, 18, 24(all 4:30); 24(1:30). 

●●7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. A Tribute 

to Vince Guaraldi: The Sound of Charlie 

Brown. Robert Scott Trio. Lula Lounge, 


before 8:00. 


“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. 

Catherine Wilson, piano, conductor. Guests: 

Upper Canada Chorus (Lian Senior, conductor). 

Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts 

Dr., Mississauga. 905-306-6000/1-888-805- 

8888. $50-$60; $35-$45(under 13). Also 

Dec 18(London), 21(Richmond Hill), 22(Kingston), 

23(Nepean). 

●●7:30: SoundCrowd. SoundCrowd For the 

Holidays. A cappella concert. Carol of the 

Bells, This Christmas, Cool Yule, Green Christmas, 

Mele Kalikimaka. Bloor Street United 

Church, 300 Bloor St. W. 647-281-1397. $25. 

●●7:30: Tafelmusik. Messiah. See Dec 14. Also 

Dec 17. 

●●8:00: Etobicoke Community Concert Band. 

Christmas Sweater Swing. Harmony Singers; 

Angie Seth, narrator. Etobicoke Collegiate 

Auditorium, 86 Montgomery Rd., Etobicoke. 

416-410-1570. $15; free(under 12). 

●●8:00: Georgetown Bach Chorale. A 

Canadian Christmas. House Concert 

(Georgetown), 157 Main St., Georgetown. 

905-873-9909. SOLD OUT. Also Dec 17, 18. 

●●8:00: Rose Theatre. Quartette. Cindy 

Church, Caitlin Hanford, Gwen Swick and Sylvia 

Tyson. 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. 905-874- 

2800. $50. 

●●8:00: Soulpepper Concert Series. Rose 

(A Concert Presentation). Based on Gertrude 

Stein’s The World Is Round. Young 

Centre for the Performing Arts, Distillery District, 

50 Tank House Ln. 416-866-8666. $36; 

$25(st/child). Opening night. Also Dec 17 and 

22(both 2:00). 


Papiosco y Grupo Ritmicos de Toronto. Jorge 

Luis Torres (aka Papiosco), percussion; and 

others. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. 416- 

588-0307. $15; women free before 10:00. 


●●2:00: Roy Thomson Hall. Toronto Children’s 

Chorus: A Child’s Christmas. Thomas: 

A Child’s Christmas in Wales (with orchestral 

arrangements by Telfer); and seasonal songs. 

Guests: TCC Alumni Choir; Judy Loman, harp; 

Stan Klebanoff, trumpet; Andy Morris, percussion; 

members of the Toronto Symphony 

Orchestra; Geraint Wyn Davies, narrator. 

60 Simcoe St. 416-872-4255. $35.50-$45.50. 


(A Concert Presentation). Based on Gertrude 

Stein’s The World Is Round. Young 

Centre for the Performing Arts, Distillery District, 

50 Tank House Ln. 416-866-8666. $36; 

$25(st/child). Also Dec 22(2:00). 




●●4:00: Pax Christi Chorale. The Children’s 

The Annex 

Singers 

Saturday, December 17 

Pax Christi Chorale 

presents 

The 

Children’s 

Messiah 

Church of 

St. Mary Magdalene 

Pay what you can 

Messiah. For children and families. Handel: 

Messiah. Larissa Koniuk, soprano; Caitlin 

Wood, soprano; Maria Soulis, mezzo; Jacques 

Arsenault, tenor; Dion Mazerolle, baritone; 

with orchestra. Church of St. Mary Magdalene 

(Toronto), 477 Manning Ave. 416-488- 

7884. PWYC. 

Luminous seasonal 

carols & Charpentier’s 

Messe de Minuit 

December 17, 2016 

7:30pm 

Grace Church on-the-Hill 

300 Lonsdale Road 

www.annexsingers.com 



Christmas Story. See Dec 9. Also Dec 22, 

23(all 7:30); 18, 24(all 4:30); 24(1:30). 

●●6:30: VIVA! Youth Singers of Toronto. 

Carol of the Child. Choirs of VIVA!; Michelle 

Colton, percussion. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 

427 Bloor St. W. 416-788-8482. $20; 

$15(sr/st). 

●●7:00: Chinguacousy Concert Band. Chinguacousy 

Township Christmas Tradition. 

Chinguacousy Concert Band, Chinguacousy 

Swing Orchestra and guests. North Bramalea 

United Church, 363 Howden Blvd., Brampton. 

416-795-8458. $10. 

●●7:00: Toronto Mass Choir. A Gospel 

Christmas with Toronto Mass Choir and 

Friends. Tyndale Chapel, 3377 Bayview Ave. 


416-218-6757. $35-$45. 

●●7:30: Amadeus Choir. Winter Lullabies: 

Seasonal Music to Soothe the Soul. Bach Children’s 

Chorus (Linda Beaupré, conductor); 

Erica Goodman, harp; Shawn Grenke and 

Eleanor Daley, piano/organ; Lydia Adams, 

conductor. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 

1585 Yonge St. 416-446-0188. $40; $30(sr); 

$25(under 30); $20(st). 

●●7:30: Annex Singers. Noël. Charpentier: 

Messe de Minuit; carols set to music by Praetorius, 

Willan, Rutter, Sandström and others. 

Maria Case, conductor. Grace Church onthe-Hill, 

300 Lonsdale Rd. 416-968-7747. $25; 

$20(sr); $15(under 30); free(under 13). 



23(all 7:30); 18, 24(all 4:30); 24(1:30). 

Flute Street 

TORONTO’S PROFESSIONAL FLUTE CHOIR 

presents 

A FLUTE 

STREET 

CHRISTMAS 

A musical 

celebration 

of both the 

traditional and 

the unusual! 

Sat. Dec. 17 

7:30 pm 

●●7:30: Flute Street. A Flute Street Christmas. 

Works by Tchaikovsky, Victoria, Via, 

Bridge, Coakley and others. Christ Church 

Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-462-9498. $25; 

$20(sr); $10(st). 

●●7:30: Royal Conservatory. Academy Chamber 

Orchestra. Mazzoleni Concert Hall, Telus 

Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. Free 


●●7:30: Tafelmusik. Messiah. See Dec 14. 

●●8:00: Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra/Tryptych 

Concert and Opera. In Concert. 

Menotti: Amahl and the Night Visitors; 

Mozart: Piano Concerto No.21; Beethoven: 

Leonore Overture. Valerie Tryon, piano. 

P.C. Ho Theatre, Chinese Cultural Centre 

of Greater Toronto, 5183 Sheppard Ave. E., 

Scarborough. 416-879-5566. $35; $30(sr/st); 

free(under 12). 7:15: Pre-concert talk. 

●●8:00: Georgetown Bach Chorale. A Canadian 

Christmas. Exploring traditions 

brought to Canada by immigrants and from 

First Nations tribes. House Concert (Georgetown), 

157 Main St., Georgetown. 905-873- 

9909. SOLD OUT. Also Dec 18. 

●●8:00: Kindred Spirits Orchestra. Grand 

Romantics. Wagner: Overture to Rienzi; 

Brahms: Concerto for Violin, Cello and 

Orchestra; Berlioz: Harold in Italy. Conrad 

Chow, violin; Andrew Ascenzo, cello; Keith 

Hamm, viola; Alexa Petrenko, host; Kristian 

Alexander, conductor. Flato Markham Theatre, 


305-7469. $30-$40; $25(sr); $15(youth). 7:15: 

pre-concert recital and discussion. 


●●8:00: Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. 

Highlights from Messiah. Handel. Soloists; 

Mississauga Festival Chamber Choir; Denis 

Mastromonaco, conductor. Hammerson Hall, 

Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. 

905-306-6000. $50-$65. 

●●8:00: Music Gallery. Kith and Kin Holiday 

Wassail. 197 John St. 416-204-1080. 

$18/$16(adv); $12(members/arts); free(12 

and under). 

●●8:00: Ontario Philharmonic. Christmas at 

the Opera with Michael Ciufo. Gounod: Faust 

(excerpts); Romeo and Juliet; Verdi: La traviata: 

De miei bollenti spiriti; Handel: Comfort 

ye, ev’ry valley (from Messiah); Tchaikovsky: 

The Nutcracker Op.71 (excerpts); Christmas 

carols; and other works. Michael Ciufo, tenor; 

Marco Parisotto, conductor. IOUT Regent 

Theatre (Oshawa), 50 King St. E., Oshawa. 

905-721-3399 x2. $45-$56. 

●●8:00: Toronto Chamber Choir. A Tour 

of Carols. Christmas carols from various 

nations. Guest: Kirk Elliott. Calvin Presbyterian 

Church, 26 Delisle Ave. 416-763-1695. 

$30/$25; $12.50(under 30). 


Ricky Franco and P-Crew Orchestra. Salsa, 

bachata, bolero, cumbia and merengue. 

Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588- 

0307. $15. 

Seasons (Winter). Mississauga Symphony 

Youth Orchestra; Resonance Youth Choir 

(Robert Anderson, conductor); Denis Mastromonaco, 

conductor. Hammerson Hall, 

Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. 

905-306-6000. $35-$40. With 

instrument petting zoo. 

●●3:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Messiah. 

Handel. Yulia Van Doren, soprano; Abigail 

Lewis, mezzo; Isaiah Bell, tenor; Daniel 

Okulitch, bass-baritone; Toronto Mendelssohn 

Choir; Nicholas McGegan, conductor. 

Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598- 

3375. From $44.75. Also Dec 19, 20, 21, 

23(eves). 

Christmas lessons and carols in a jazz/gospel 

mood. 2850 Bloor St. W. 416-247-5181. Freewill 

offering. Religious service. 






23(all 7:30); 24(all 4:30); 24(1:30). 


Nine Lessons and Carols. Choirs and musicians 

of Yorkminster Park. 1585 Yonge St. 

416-922-1167. Free. 

●●7:00: Choir of Trinity-St. Paul’s United 

Church/VIVA! Youth Singers of Toronto. 

Carols by Candlelight. A seasonal service of 

music and candlelight. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 

427 Bloor St. W. 416-922-8435. Free. 

●●7:00: Jazz Bistro. A Mitch Smolkin Holiday 

Special. Gabi Epstein, Levon Ichkhanian, Wilson 

Laurencin, Attila Darvas and Robert Horvath. 

251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299. $30. 

●●7:00: Music at Metropolitan. Candlelight 

Service of Lessons and Carols. Metropolitan 


●●1:00: Hugh’s Room. The Ault Sisters 18th 

Annual “Celebrate the Season.” The Ault Sisters; 

Chris Bruder, piano; Tom Altobelli, bass; 

and Ethan Ardelli, drums. 2261 Dundas St. 

W. 416-531-6604. $25/$22.50(adv); $10(12 

and under). 

●●2:00: Tafelmusik. 30th Anniversary of 

Tafelmusik’s Sing-Along Messiah. Handel. 

Amanda Forsythe, soprano; Krisztina Szabó, 

mezzo; Colin Balzer, tenor; Tyler Duncan, baritone; 

Ivars Taurins, director. Massey Hall, 

178 Victoria St. 416-872-4255. $49; $45(sr); 

$30(under 36). Seating is assigned by voice 

parts. Families and friends may sit together in 

the mixed-voice section. 

●●3:00: Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. 

A Merry Little Christmas. Holiday songs 

and sing-a-longs. Sleigh Ride; Nutcracker 

Suite (excerpts); Skater’s Waltz; Vivaldi: Four 

●●4:00: No Strings Theatre. Denise Williams 

and Friends: Happy Holidays in the Hood! 

Crossover classical, music theatre and jazz. 

Maya Killtron, vocals; Jill Fillion, soprano; 

Karen Skidmore; mezzo; Steven Henrickson, 

baritone; Ben MacDonald, saxophone; and 

others including past, present and future students 

of No Strings Theatre; Patrick Maubert, 

stage director; William Shookhoff, music director. 

Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St. 416- 

551-2093. $25; $20(sr/st); $15(child). 

●●Over All Waters. Candlelight service of 


Choirs; Patricia Wright and Saya Ojiri, organ. 

Metropolitan United Church (Toronto), 

56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x26. Freewill 

offering. 


Concert: Le Vent du Nord and De Temps 

Antan. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor 

St. W. 416-408-0208. From $35. 

●●7:30: St. Anne’s Anglican Church/St. 

Andrew’s Anglican Church. Festival of Nine 

Lessons and Carols. Edward Moroney, organ. 

St. Anne’s Anglican Church, 270 Gladstone 

Ave. 416-536-3160. Freewill offering. 

●●7:30: Victoria Scholars. Welcome Christmas. 

Carols from Christmases past and 

present. Jerzy Cichocki, conductor. Our Lady 

Of Sorrows Catholic Church, 3055 Bloor 

St. W. 416-761-7776. $30; $25(sr/st). Also 

Dec 19(Blessed Sacrament Church). 

●●8:00: Georgetown Bach Chorale. A Canadian 

Christmas. Exploring traditions 

brought to Canada by immigrants and from 

First Nations tribes. House concert (Georgetown), 

157 Main St., Georgetown. 905-873- 

9909. SOLD OUT. 

●●8:00: That Choir. That Choir Carols. Works 

by Mealor, Gjeilo, Emery, and Lauridsen. Wexford 

Collegiate School for the Arts Chamber 

Choir; Craig Pike, conductor. St. Andrew’s 

Church (Toronto), 73 Simcoe St. 416-419-1756. 


$25; $15(sr/arts); $5(st). 

●●11:00: Music at Metropolitan. Choral Concert. 

Bach: Cantata No.10 “My soul magnifies 

the Lord.” Metropolitan Choir; Members 

of the Talisker Players. Metropolitan United 


0331 x26. Free. 


●●5:00: Bassoon Out Loud. Vivaldi Christmas 

Concert. Vivaldi: Six Bassoon Concerti. 

Michael Sweeney, Samuel Banks, Catherine 

Chen and Nadina Mackie Johnson, bassoons; 

with chamber strings and harpsichord. 

december 19, 5pm 

VIVALDI CHRISTMAS 

Six festive and rarely-heard 

bassoon concerti performed by 

Toronto’s top bassoonists, including 

Michael Sweeney, Catherine 

Chen, Samuel Banks and Nadina with 

chamber strings and harpsichord. 




Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-453- 

7607. $30; $20(st). 

●●7:30: Victoria Scholars. Welcome Christmas. 

Carols from Christmases past and 

present. Jerzy Cichocki, conductor. Blessed 

Sacrament Church, 24 Cheritan Ave. 416-761- 

7776. $30; $25(sr/st). 


See Dec 18(3:00). Also Dec 20, 21, 23. 





●●8:00: Music Gallery. Departures Series: 

Andrea Parkins and Ensemble. Andrea Parkins, 

electronics; Lina Allemano; Germaine 

Liu; Jason Doell; JOYFULTALK; Magic Hour. 

197 John St. 416-204-1080. $15/$13(adv); 

$10(members/st). 

NEROSSA MUSIC 

PRESENTS 

GETTING A HANDEL ON 

THE 

MESSIAH 

(excerpts) 

Dec 20, 8pm 

Lawrence Park 

Community Church 

Dec 21, 8pm 

Calvin Presbyterian Church 

nerossamusic@gmail.com 

●●8:00: Nerossa Music. Getting a Handel on 

the Messiah. Handel: Messiah (excerpts). Kira 

Welcome 

Christmas 

Sunday, december 18, 2016 | 7:30pm 

Our Lady Of SOrrOWS ChurCh 

3055 Bloor Street West (1/2 block west of Royal York subway) 

monday, december 19, 2016 | 7:30pm 

BLeSSed SaCrament ChurCh 

24 Cheritan Avenue (at Yonge St just south of Lawrence Av) 

$30 General Admission 

$25 Seniors & Students 

THAT CHOIR CAROLS 

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2016 | 8PM 

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church 

73 Simcoe Street, Toronto ON 

Subscribe and save 20% 

Visit thatchoir.com for more details 

MEALOR 

GJEILO 

EMERY 

LAURIDSEN 

STREISAND 


Braun, soprano; Madison Ryley Arsenault, 

mezzo; Paul Williamson, tenor; Steven Henrikson, 

bass-baritone; Paolo Busato, organ/conductor. 

Lawrence Park Community Church, 

2180 Bayview Ave. 416-786-3109. $20. Also 

Dec 21 (Calvin Presbyterian Church). 


See Dec 18. Also Dec 21, 23. 



Kingsway Organ Concert Series. 

Thomas Fitches, organ. All Saints Kingsway 




Arts Music Department. A Christmas Roundelay. 

Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, 

36 Greenfield Ave. 416-393-5556 x0. $15. 

Also Dec 22. 


“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. 

Catherine Wilson, piano/conductor; Guests: 

Upper Canada Chorus (Michelle Rawlins, conductor). 

Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing 

Arts, 10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. 

905-787-8811. $42-$47; $30-$35(under 13). 

Also Dec 22(Kingston), 23(Nepean). 

●●8:00: Nerossa Music. Getting a Handel on 

the Messiah. Handel: Messiah (excerpts). Kira 

Braun, soprano; Madison Ryley Arsenault, 

mezzo; Paul Williamson, tenor; Steven Henrikson, 

bass-baritone; Paolo Busato, organ/ 

conductor. Calvin Presbyterian Church, 

26 Delisle Ave. 416-786-3109. $20. 


See Dec 18..Also Dec 23. 

Thursday December 22 


(A Concert Presentation). A whimsical new 

musical presentation based on Gertrude 

Stein’s children’s book The World Is Round. 

Young Centre for the Performing Arts, Distillery 

District, 50 Tank House Ln. 416-866- 

8666. $36; $25(st/child). 


John McDermott Family Christmas. John 

McDermott, tenor. 1585 Yonge St. 416-922- 

1167. $20. Fundraiser on behalf of the House 

of Compassion. 


Arts Music Department. A Christmas Roundelay. 

Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, 

36 Greenfield Ave. 416-393-5556 x0. $15. 


The Christmas Story. See Dec 9. Also 

Dec 23(7:30); 24(1:30). 24(4:30). 











Dec 24(1:30); 24(4:30). 

●●7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Roberto 

Riveron Trio. Traditional Cuban forms, funk 

and avant garde jazz fusion. Lula Lounge, 


before 8:00. 

●●7:30: Opus 8. This World’s Joy: A Winter 

Concert. Yuletide music featuring new 

arrangements of popular seasonal melodies. 

Works by Holst, Warlock, Chilcott, Britten 

and Bax. St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, 

509 Dundas St. E. 416-821-7286. Free. Reception 

following. 


See Dec 18. 

●●10:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Café 

Cubano. Salsa and timba band. Jorge Betancourt, 

piano; and others. Lula Lounge, 

1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307. $15; 


OPUS 8 

8 VOICES, CENTURIES OF MUSIC 




Dec 24(4:30). 

●●4:00: All Saints Kingsway Church. 

Pageant and Family Christmas Celebration. 

2850 Bloor St. W. 416-247-5181. Freewill offering. 

Religious service. 


Christmas Story. See Dec 9. 

●●5:00: Music at Metropolitan. Pageant on 

the Front Steps. Metropolitan United Church 


Free. 

●●5:30: St. Anne’s Anglican Church. Christmas 

Eve Service. Christmas songs. Organ 

accompaniment; St. Anne’s Festival Brass. 

270 Gladstone Ave. 416-536-3160. Freewill 

offering. Also 10:30. 

●●7:00: All Saints Kingsway Church. Candlelight 

Christmas Celebration and Choral 

Eucharist. 2850 Bloor St. W. 416-247-5181. 

Freewill offering. Religious service. Also at 

11:00pm. 

●●7:00: St. Andrew’s Church (Toronto). 

Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols. St. 

Andrew’s Choir; Aldbury Garden Brass Quintet; 

Dan Bickle, organ. 73 Simcoe St. 416-593- 

5600 x220. Free. Religious service. 

●●10:30: St. Anne’s Anglican Church. Christmas 

Eve Service. Christmas songs. Organ 

accompaniment; St. Anne’s Festival Brass. 

270 Gladstone Ave. 416-536-3160. Freewill 

offering. Also 5:30. 

John McDermott 

Family Christmas 

December 22, 2016 7:00 pm 

YORKMINSTER PARK BAPTIST CHURCH 

1585 Yonge Street | YORKMINSTERPARK.COM 

GENERAL ADMISSION: $20 

EVENTBRITE: $21.80 www.eventbrite.com 

A fundraiser on behalf of the House of Compassion 

THIS WORLD’S JOY 

A feast of sumptuous wintery works 

by Holst, Warlock, Chilcott, Britten 

and Bax, and some new arrangements 

of popular yuletide fare 

Friday December 23, 7:30pm 

St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church 

And in 2017: 

January 21, March 31 and May 17 

opus8choir.com 


●●11:00: All Saints Kingsway Church. Candlelight 

Christmas Celebration and Choral 

Eucharist. 2850 Bloor St. W. 416-247-5181. 

Freewill offering. Religious service. Also at 

7:00pm. 

●●11:00: Music at Metropolitan. Christmas 

Eve Communion. Metropolitan United Church 


Free. Religious service. 

●●11:00: St. Andrew’s Church (Toronto). 

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. St. 

Andrew’s Choir; Dan Bickle, organ. 73 Simcoe 

St. 416-593-5600 x220. Free. Religious 

service. 


●●10:00: All Saints Kingsway Church. 


Christmas Day Celebration and Eucharist. 




●●2:00: North York Central Library. Cassava 

Latin Band. Clap, sing, dance to rhythms of 

Latin America: samba, salsa, bossa nova and 

more. 5120 Yonge St. 416-395-5639. Free; 

registration required. 

●●8:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. Pirates 

of Penzance. Gilbert & Sullivan. Colin Ainsworth, 

tenor (Frederic); Vania Chan, soprano 

(Mabel); Curtis Sullivan, baritone (Major General); 

Elizabeth Beeler, alto (Ruth); Derek Bate, 

conductor; Guillermo Silva-Marin, stage director. 

Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre 

BRING YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY TO THIS 

EXTRAORDINARY EVENT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON! 

A STEVEN SPIELBERG FILM 

IN CONCERT 

Experience John Williams’ epic 

score performed note for note by a 

live orchestra while the film is shown 

ON THE BIG SCREEN! 

DEC 29 & 30 • 7:30PM 

PRODUCED BY: 

MEDIA PARTNERS: 

FILM CONCERTS LIVE 

CO-PRESENTER: 

St_Andrews_Church_Dec2016.pdf sonycentre.ca 1 2016-11-15 8:05 AM 

1.855.872.SONY (7669) 

TM & © UNIVERSAL STUDIOS 

for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723 

or 1-800-708-6754. $49-$95. Also Dec 30, 

Jan 6(all 8:00); Dec 31, Jan 7, 8(all 3:00). 


●●7:30: Sony Centre/Attila Glatz Concert 

Productions. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Live in 

Concert. Motion Picture Symphony Orchestra; 

Evan Mitchell, conductor. Sony Centre for 

the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E. 1-855-872- 

7669. $49-$99. Also Dec 30. 


●●2:00 and 7:00: Flato Markham Theatre. 

The Nutcracker. Ballet Jörgen. 171 Town Centre 

Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469. $39-$44. 

Also at 7:00. 

●●7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Chris 

Bottomly. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. 

416-588-0307. $15; free before 8:00. 

●●7:30: Sony Centre/Attila Glatz Concert 

Productions. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Live in 

Concert. Motion Picture Symphony Orchestra; 

Evan Mitchell, conductor. Sony Centre for 

the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E. 1-855-872- 

7669. $49-$99. 

●●8:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. Pirates 

of Penzance. See Dec 27. Also Jan 6(8:00); 

Dec 31, Jan 7, 8(all 3:00). 


Roberto Linares Brown. Lula Lounge, 

1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307. $15; 



●●3:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. Pirates of 

Penzance. See Dec 27. Also Jan 6(8:00); Jan 7, 

8(all 3:00). 

●●7:00: Attila Glatz Concert Productions/ 

Roy Thomson Hall. Bravissimo! Opera’s 

Greatest Hits. Selections from Così fan tutte, 

Madama Butterfly, Rigoletto, Pagliacci, Tosca 

and other works. Donata D’Annunzio Lombardi, 

soprano; Diletta Rizzo Marin, mezzo; 

Leonardo Caimi, tenor; Lucio Gallo, baritone; 

Opera Canada Symphony; Opera Canada 

Chorus; Marco Guidarini, conductor. Roy 


$55-$145. 

●●7:00: Free Times Cafe. 60s Folk Revival: 

Where Have All the Folk Songs Gone. Works 

by Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Peter 

Paul and Mary, and Woody Guthrie. Sue and 

Dwight, Michelle Rumball, and Tony Laviola. 

320 College St. 416-967-1078. $50(buffet); 

$25(show). Reservations required. Songsheets 

provided. Champagne and party 

favours at midnight with prizes. 

●●10:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. New 

Year’s Eve Salsa Party with Yani Borrell. 


0307. $145(dinner and show); $45(dancing 

only)/$30(adv to Dec 10). 

Sunday January 1 

Tickets: 416.872.4255 


January 1 • 2:30 pm 



Roy Thomson Hall. Salute to Vienna New 

Year’s Concert. Strauss waltzes and melodies 

New Year’s Eve 7:00 pm 

Tickets: 416.872.4255 


Opera Stars, 

Chorus & Orchestra 


cANDLELIGHT 

Christmas Eve 

Services 

7 PM 

Lessons & Carols 

Organ, brass band & 

our renowned choir 

11 PM 

Worship & Carols 

Organ & our choir 


from operettas with full orchestra and dancers. 

Strauss Symphony of Canada; Polina 

Pasztircsák, soprano; Alexander Kaimbacher, 

tenor; dancers from Kiev-City Ballet; Matthias 

Fletzberger, conductor; and others. 

Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 1-855-872- 

5000. $65-$115. Also Jan 2 (Hamilton). 

Tuesday January 3 


World Music Series: The People’s King, A 

Musical Tribute to Bhutan. Lemish. Jazz 

quartet; recorded chanting of monks from 

the Dechen Phodrang Monastery in Thimphu. 

Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four 

Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 




Organ Recitals: Imre Oláh. 65 Church St. 416- 


Wednesday January 4 


Kingsway Organ Concert Series. 

Thomas Fitches, organ. All Saints Kingsway 



●●5:30: Canadian Opera Company. Jazz Series: 

Jetstreamin’ Jazz. Turboprop (Ernesto 

Cervini, drums; Kelly Jefferson, tenor sax; 

Adrean Farrugia, piano; Jim Vivian, bass; 

Tara Davidson, alto sax; William Carn, trombone). 





Thursday January 5 


Vocal Series: Echo|Sap’a. Peters: Echo|Sap’a; 

Newman: Kinanu; and other works. Marion 

Newman, mezzo; Adam Sherkin, piano; 

Kathleen Kajioka, violin. Richard Bradshaw 





Friday January 6 



musicals, ragtime, pop, international and 

other genres. Gordon Murray, piano. Trinity-St. 

Paul’s Centre (Chapel), 427 Bloor St. 

W. 416-631-4300. PWYC. Lunch and snack 

friendly. 

●●7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Ernesto 

Cervini Trio. Ernesto Cervini, drummer-composer; 

Kelly Jefferson, tenor saxophone; Artie 

Roth, bass. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. 

416-588-0307. $15; free before 8:00. 


Music. Jazz Faculty Concert with Dave Liebman. 

Mike Murley, saxophone; Jim Vivian, 

bass; Terry Clarke, drums. Upper Jazz Studio, 

90 Wellesley St. W. 416-408-0208. Free. 

●●8:00: Gallery 345. Elixir Baroque Ensemble. 

Sixth Annual ‘Elixir Mixer’ concert. Works 

by Bach, Graun, Mozart and others. Guests: 

Patricia Ahern, violin; Matt Antal, viola. 

345 Sorauren Ave. 416-822-9781. $20; $10(st). 


Penzance. See Dec 27. Also Jan 7, 8(all 3:00). 

●●10:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Charangón 

del Norte. Classic changüí with merengé, 

calipso, soca and latin jazz fusion. 

Wilver Pedrozo, bandleader. Lula Lounge, 

1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307. $15; 


Saturday January 7 


Penzance. See Dec 27. Also Jan 8(3:00). 

●●7:30: Li Delun Music Foundation. New 

Year’s Concert 2017. Tchaikovsky: Polonaise 

(from Eugene Onegin); Puccini: Turandot 

(selections); Verdi: Rigoletto (selections); 

Hong Hu Capriccio; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto 

No.1; and other works. Haochen Zhang, 

piano; Romulo Delgado, tenor; Donghua Feng, 

erhu; Toronto Festival Orchestra; Junping 

Qian, conductor. George Weston Recital Hall, 

5040 Yonge St. 416-250-3708. $30-$88. 

I FURIOSI 

BAROQUE ENSEMBLE 

PANTS 

ON 

FIRE 

GUESTS Ian Watson, 

harpsichord 

Graham Hargrove, 

percussion 

SAT. JAN. 7 TH , 2017, 8PM 

www.ifuriosi.com 

●●8:00: I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble. Pants 

on Fire. Works by Purcell, Stradella, LeClair 

and others. Guests: Ian Watson, harpsichord; 

Graham Hargrove, percussion. Calvin Presbyterian 

Church, 26 Delisle Ave. 416-923-9030. 

$15-$25. 

Conducting the Ether 

Sat. Jan. 7 | The Music Gallery 


●●8:00: New Music Concerts. Conducting 

the Ether. Carolina Eyck: New work 

(premiere); D. Andrew Stewart: Working 

song and the last dead leftover; Martinů: Fantasia; 

Omar Daniel: Regarding U.S. Patent 

1,661,058. Carolina Eyck, theremin; Penderecki 

String Quartet; Gregory Oh, piano; 

James Mason, oboe; D. Andrew Stewart, karlax 

DMI. Music Gallery, 197 John St. 416-961- 

9594. $35; $25(sr/arts worker); $10(st). 7:15: 

Pre-concert talk. 

●●10:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Manny 

Cardenas y Su Orchesta. Merengue, bachata 

and a wide variety of Latin rhythms. Lula 


$15. 



Penzance. See Dec 27. 

●●3:00: Vesnivka Choir. A Ukrainian Christmas. 

Guests: Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber 

Choir; soloists; orchestra. Islington 

United Church, 25 Burnhamthorpe Rd. 416- 

246-9880 or 416-763-2197. $25-$30. 





(Toronto). Organ Music for Epiphany. 

Andrew Adair, organ. 477 Manning Ave. 416- 

531-7955. Free. 

●●4:00: St. Philip’s Anglican Church. Jazz 

Vespers. Joe Sealy Trio. 31 St. Phillips Rd., 

Etobicoke. 416-233-1125. Freewill offering. 


●●7:30: Tranzac Club. GUH in Concert. 

292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137. PWYC. 

●●8:00: Gallery 345/Arraymusic. The Art 

of the Piano: Cascades and Abysses. Works 

by Rădulescu, Kasemets, Gerald Barry and 

Scelsi. Stephen Clarke, piano. Gallery 345, 

345 Sorauren Ave. 416-822-9781. $20/PWYC. 



Chamber Music Series: Chamber Offerings. 

Artists of The Glenn Gould School. Richard 

Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre 

for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 

416-363-8231. Free. First come, first served. 

Late seating not available. 


Organ Recitals. Organist TBA. 65 Church St. 


An East-Meets-West Concert 

of Favourite Classics 

SAT. JAN 7 TH , 2017 AT 7:30 PM 

TORONTO CENTRE FOR THE ARTS 

George Weston Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge St 

Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Puccini, Enescu, Strauss and more 

Toronto festival Orchestra 

with conductor Junping Qian, conductor of Berlin Pure Artistry Ensemble 

Piano 

Haochen 

Zhang 

1st Prize, Van Cliburn 

Int Piano Competition 

Tenor 

Romulo 

Delgado 

Music TORONTO 

Sean Chen 


at 8 pm 

●●8:00: Music Toronto. Contemporary Classics 

Series: Sean Chen, Piano. Toronto debut. 

Er-hu 

Donghua 

Feng 

Presented by: TICKETS: $88 VIP, $68, $50, $45,$40, $35, $30 

TCA box office 416-250-3708 

ticketmaster.ca 1-855-985-2787 

canadaticketbox.com, eventbrite.ca 

Enquiry: Li Delun Music Foundation 416-490-7962 info@lidelun.org 


Ligeti: Musica Ricercata; L’escalier du diable; 

Mozart-Chen: Offertorium from Requiem; 

Madamina (Catalogue Aria) from Don Giovanni; 

Rachmaninoff-Chen: Symphony No.2 

mvt 3; Beethoven-Liszt: Symphony No.2 mvts 

3 and 4. Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence 

Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366- 

7723. $55; $10(st). 



World Music Series: Bang the Drum! Spectrum 

Percussion Trio (Jay Mannion, Andrew 

Rasmus, Jonny Smith). Richard Bradshaw 






Organ Recital. William Maddox, organ. 


●●7:30: Tafelmusik. The Orchestra in Baroque 

Italy. Works by Caldara, Corelli, Cazzati, 

Locatelli, Torelli and others. Participants from 

the Tafelmusik Winter Institute. Trinity-St. 

Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. 

W. 416-964-6337. Free; donations welcomed. 

●●8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra/Royal 

Conservatory. Mozart@261 Festival: Magnificent 

Mozart. Mozart: Piano Concerto No.27 

K595; Rondo for Violin K373; Symphony No.40 

K550. Leonid Nediak, piano; Kerson Leong, 

violin; Peter Oundjian, conductor. Koerner 

Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-598- 

3375. From $39. 6:45: Performance by TSO 

Chamber Soloists.Also Jan 12. 



Music. Thursdays at Noon: Three. Works 

by Couperin, Kuhlau, Lussier and Shostakovich. 

Leslie Newman, flute; Nadina Mackie 

Jackson, bassoon; Guy Few, trumpet/piano. 



0208. Free. 


Conservatory. Mozart@261 Festival: Magnificent 

Mozart. Mozart: Piano Concerto No.27 

K595; Rondo for Violin K373; Symphony No.40 

K550. Leonid Nediak, piano; Kerson Leong, 

violin; Peter Oundjian, conductor. Koerner 


3375. From $39. 




musicals, ragtime, pop, international and other 

genres. Gordon Murray, piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s 

Centre (Chapel), 427 Bloor St. W. 416-631- 

4300. PWYC. Lunch and snack friendly. 

●●7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. JMondew. 

Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. 416- 

588-0307. $15; free before 8:00. 

●●7:30: Podium Concert Productions. The 

Secret Garden. Music by Lucy Simon, lyrics 

and book by Marsha Norman, based on the 

novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Trinity- 

St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. podiumconcerts.com. 

$39-$79. Opening night. Also 

Jan 14(7:30pm), Jan 15(6:30pm). 


Conservatory. Mozart@261 Festival: Emanuel 

Ax Plays Mozart. Mozart: Symphony No.33 

K319; Piano Concerto No.14 in E-flat K449; 


TS 

Toronto 

Symphony 

Orchestra 

Emanuel 

Ax Plays 

Mozart 

Jan 13 & 14 

Michael Francis, Conductor 

TSO.CA 

Piano Concerto No.22 in E-flat K482. Emanuel 

Ax, piano; Michael Francis, conductor. 


416-598-3375. From $39. Also Jan 14(8:00). 

●●8:00: Canadian Music Centre. Paul Pulford 

and Cheryl Duvall: In Concert. Smith: Ballad; 

Storring: Vale; Waller: Lines; Anthems; Simms: 

wires at rest (tend to tangle). Paul Pulford, 

cello; Cheryl Duvall, piano. 20 St. Joseph St. 

416-961-6601. $15; $10(sr/st/arts worker). 


●●2:00: Pocket Concerts. Pocket Concert 

in The Annex. Beethoven: Kreutzer Sonata; 

and other works. Csaba Koczó, violin; Emily 

Rho, piano. Private home on Palmerston, 

505 Palmerston Blvd. 647-896-8295. $48; 

$32(19-35); $15(under 19). 

●●7:30: Opera by Request. Hansel and Gretel. 

Humperdinck. Shannon Halliwell-McDonald, 

mezzo (Hanzel); Brittany Stewart, soprano 

(Gretel); Jake Flynn, baritone (Father); 

Erin Armstrong, soprano (Mother); Brigitte 

Bogar, soprano (Witch); Norita Portillo, mezzo 

(Sandman/Dew Fairy); Kate Carver, conductor/piano. 

College Street United Church, 

452 College St. 416-455-2365. $20. 






$39-$79. Also Jan 15(6:30). 


Conservatory. Mozart@261 Festival: Emanuel 

Ax Plays Mozart. Mozart: Symphony No.33 

K319; Piano Concerto No.14 in E-flat K449; 

Piano Concerto No.22 in E-flat K482. Emanuel 

Ax, piano; Michael Francis, conductor. 


416-598-3375. From $39. 

●●8:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Baroque 

to Blues. Songs by G. Murray, stylistically ranging 

from baroque to blues. Gordon Murray, 

voice and piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre 

(Chapel), 427 Bloor St. W. 416-631-4300. 

PWYC. Duration: 50 min. 


Ricky Franco and P-Crew Orchestra. Salsa, 

bachata, bolero, cumbia and merengue. 


0307. $15. 


Diana Doherty 

and Dennis Kim 

SunDay, January 15, 2pm 

mazzoleni ConCert Hall 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 416.408.0208 

WWW.pErfOrmANCE.rCmuSIC.CA 

●●2:00: Royal Conservatory. Mazzoleni Masters: 

Diana Doherty and Dennis Kim. Works 

by Bach, Mozart and others. Diana Doherty, 

oboe; Dennis Kim, violin. Mazzoleni Concert 


0208. $25. 

●●3:00: Windermere String Quartet. Heard 

in the Hanover Rooms. Pleyel: Trio for two 

violins and cello in E-flat; Haydn: Mermaid’s 

Song; Pleasing Pains; Arianna a Naxos; Quartet 

Op.64 No.3. Meredith Hall, soprano. St. 

Olave’s Anglican Church, 360 Windermere 

Ave. 416-769-0952. $25; $20(sr); $10(st). On 

period instruments. 




●●4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Jazz Vespers. 

Drew Jurecka Trio. 1570 Yonge St. 416- 

920-5211. Freewill offering. 

●●6:30: Chelsea McBride’s Socialist 

Night School. The Twilight Fall Album 

Release Party. Double big band event. Lula 


$20/$15(adv); $25(with CD)/$20(adv with 

CD); $15(sr/st/arts workers)/$10(adv); 

$20(sr/st/arts workers with CD)/$15(adv 

with CD). 






$39-$79. 

Monday January 16 

●●8:00: Temple Sinai Congregation of 

Toronto. MIR Trio. Music by Jewish composers 

inspired by Jewish culture and traditions. 

Works by Yefim Adler, Paul Schoenfield 

and Charles Osborne. Igor Gefter, cello; 

Mark Skazinetsky, violin; Rachael Kerr, piano. 

Temple Sinai, 210 Wilson Ave. 416-487-4161. 

Members: $15/$12(adv); Non-members: 

$18/$15(adv). 



Dance Series: Dance Ontario’s Dance Weekend 

Preview. Gadfly Dance. Richard Bradshaw 

Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre 

for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 

MIR Trio 

With Igor Gefter on cello, Mark Skazinetsky on violin, 

and Rachael Kerr on piano 

Monday January 16 at 8.00 p.m. 

Tickets in Advance: $15 | Tickets at the Door: $18 

with guest Meredith Hall 

January 15, 3:00 

210 Wilson Avenue 

416.487.4161 

www.templesinai.net 

To register, please visit www.templesinai.net or call 416.487.4161. 


416-363-8231. Free. First come, first served. 

Late seating not available. 

●●12:30: York University Music Student 

Association. Music Media Showcase. Martin 

Family Lounge, Accolade East Building, YU, 

4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. 





Music. Student Composers Concert. Walter 



Free. 



Piano Virtuoso Series: Partita Aplomb. Bach: 

Partita No.6; Chopin: Piano Sonata No.2 in 

B-flat Minor Op.35; and other works. Jingquan 

Xie, piano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, 

Four Seasons Centre for the 




●●12:00 noon: TO.U Collective/Music at St. 

Andrew’s. Chamber Music Recital. Fausto 

Romitelli: La lune et les eaux; Trash TV Trance; 

Laurence Crane: Bobby J; Matthew Shlomowitz: 

Logic Rock. Graham Banfield, guitar. 

St. Andrew’s Church (Toronto), 73 Simcoe St. 

416-593-5600 x231. Free. 

●●12:00 noon: York University Department 

of Music. Music at Midday: New Music 

Ensemble. Matt Brubeck, director. Martin 

Family Lounge, Accolade East Building, YU, 

4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. 


Kingsway Organ Concert Series. Gordon 

D. Mansell, organ. All Saints Kingsway 




Organ Recital. Andrew Adair, organ. 



Music. Instrumentalis Masters/DMA Series: 

Made in the Americas. Instrumental music 

from North and South America. Victoria 

Chapel, 91 Charles St. W. 416-408-0208. Free. 

TS 

Toronto 

Symphony 

Orchestra 

Mozart 

Prague 

Symphony 

Jan 18 & 20 

Isabelle Faust, violin 

TSO.CA 


Conservatory. Mozart@261 Festival: Mozart 

Prague Symphony. Mozart: Overture to 

Lucio Silla K135; Violin Concerto No.1 K207; 

Violin Concerto No.3 K216; Symphony No.38 

K504 “Prague.” Isabelle Faust, violin; Bernard 

Labadie, conductor. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 

273 Bloor St. W. 416-598-3375. From $39. 

Also Jan 20(7:30). 



Jazz Series: Green River Sessions. Works 

from Burgé’s debut and second albums. 

Hannah Burgé, vocals. Richard Bradshaw 






Music. Thursdays at Noon: Colin Ainsworth, 

Tenor and William Aide, Piano. Duparc: mélodies; 

Schumann: lieder; Liszt: Petrarch Sonnets 

(both vocal and piano settings). Walter 



Free. 

MOZART THE 

MAGIC 

FLUTE 

JAN 19 – FEB 24 

coc.ca 

●●7:30: Canadian Opera Company. The 

Magic Flute. Mozart. Bernard Labadie, conductor. 

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing 

Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. 

$35-$235; $22(under 30). English Surtitles. 

Also Jan 28, Feb 1, 3, 7, 10, 16, 18, 24(all 7:30); 

Feb 19(2:00); Feb 4(4:30). 

●●7:30: York University Music Student Association. 

Music Media Music Concert. Tribute 

Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East 

Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 416-736-5888. 

$15; $10(sr/st). 

●●8:00: Tafelmusik. Intimate German Baroque. 

J. Christoph Bach: Lament; Biber: 

sonata; and other works. Peter Harvey, baritone; 

Jeanne Lamon, violin; Julia Wedman, 

violin; Dominic Teresi, dulcian. Trinity-St. 

Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor 

St. W. 416-964-6337. $30 and up; $31 and 

up(sr); $15 and up(under 36). Also Jan 20, 

21, 22(mat). 








friendly. 


Music. Vocal Masterclass with John Greer. 

Young singers from the studios of Catherine 

Robbin, Stephanie Bogle, Norma Burrowes, 

Michael Donovan and Karen Rymal. Tribute 

Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East 

Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 416-736-5888. 

Free. Observers welcome. 

●●7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Roland 

Hunter. Roland Hunter, guitar; David Restivo, 

piano; Jim Vivian, bass. Lula Lounge, 


before 8:00. 


Conservatory. Mozart@261 Festival: Mozart 

Prague Symphony. Mozart: Overture to 

Lucio Silla K135; Violin Concerto No.1 K207; 

Violin Concerto No.3 K216; Symphony No.38 

K504 “Prague.” Isabelle Faust, violin; Bernard 

Labadie, conductor. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 

273 Bloor St. W. 416-598-3375. From $39. 

Recital of the 

songs and music 

of New France 

by Lorna McDonald 

Soprano 


●●8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto. Yesterday 

and Today. Songs and music of New 

France. MacDonald/Burry: The Bells of Baddeck 

(selections). Lorna McDonald, soprano. 

24 Spadina Rd. 416-922-2014 x37. $15; $10(sr/ 

st/member). 

INTIMATE GERMAN BAROQUE 

Featuring Peter Harvey, baritone 

Jeanne Lamon, violin 

January 19–21 at 8pm, 

January 22 at 3:30pm 

Jeanne Lamon Hall, 

Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre 


Great Artist 

Music Series 

presents 

Han Chen, 

piano 

Friday, Jan. 20, 

8pm 

auroraculturalcentre.ca 

905 713-1818 

●●8:00: Aurora Cultural Centre. Great Artist 

Music Series. Han Chen, piano. 22 Church St., 

Aurora. 905-713-1818. $34; $28(sr/st). 

●●8:00: Rose Theatre. Tartan Terrors. 

1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. 905-874-2800. $35 

and up. 


See Jan 19. Also Jan 21, 22(mat). 

●●10:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Café 

Cubano. Salsa and timba band. Jorge Betancourt, 

piano; and others. Lula Lounge, 

1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307. $15; 



●●2:00: Home Music Club of Toronto. An 

Afternoon of Chamber Music. Northern District 

Public Library, Room 224, 40 Orchard 

View Blvd. 416-393-7610. Free. 

●●7:30: Opus 8. Dona Nobis Pacem. Exploring 

the power and potential of the Agnus Dei over 

the past 700 years. Devotional pacifist music 

featuring the many interpretations of the 

‘Lamb of God’ text. Church of St. Mary Magdalene 

(Toronto), 477 Manning Ave. 416-821- 

7286. Free. Reception following. 

●●7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Canadian 

Legacy. Ridout: Fall Fair; Mercure: Kaléidoscope; 

Mathieu: Rhapsodie romantique; 

Coulthard: Introduction and Three Folk Songs 

from Canada Mosaic; Weinzweig: Barn Dance 

from Red Ear of Corn. Alain Lefèvre, piano; 

Tom Allen, host; Alain Trudel, conductor. Roy 


From $39.75. 


Music. Music Education 70th Anniversary 

Concert. Instrumental and choral works by 

alumni composers. Hilary Apfelstadt, Lori- 

Anne Dolloff and Gillian MacKay, conductors. 


80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. 

●●8:00: Acoustic Harvest. Winterfolk 

Showcase. St. Nicholas Anglican 

Church, 1512 Kingston Rd. 416-729-7564. 

$25/$22(adv). 

●●8:00: Music Gallery. The New Flesh. 

Sherri Hay, Jenn E. Norton, Katie Switzer, 

Paul Moleiro, Bruno Ribeiro and others. 

197 John St. 416-204-1080. $15/$13(adv); 

$10(members/st). 

●●8:00: Royal Conservatory. Chamber Music 

Concert: JCT Trio. Works by Ives, Dvořák and 

Mozart. Stefan Jackiw, violin; Jay Campbell, 


JCt trio 

Sat., Jan. 21, 8pm Koerner Hall 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 416.408.0208 

WWW.pErfOrmANCE.rCmuSIC.CA 

cello; Conrad Tao, piano. Koerner Hall, Telus 


$25. Part of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra 

Mozart@261 Festival. 

●●8:00: St. Jude’s Celebration of the Arts. 

Four Thousand Winter. A cappella choral 

works. Tallis, Tavener, Byrd, Britten and Larkin. 

Daniel Taylor, countertenor; Choir of the 

Theatre of Early Music. St. Jude’s Anglican 

Church, 160 William St., Oakville. 905-844- 

3972. $30. 


See Jan 19. Also Jan 22(mat). 

Sunday January 22 

●●1:15: Mooredale Concerts. Music and Truffles: 

Heath Quartet. Interactive concert for 

young people age 5-11; adults welcome. Host 

Joanna will help explore the music and set up 

a battle of the players with an audience vote. 


of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-922- 

3714 x103. $20. 3:15: Main performance. 

●●3:15: Mooredale Concerts. Heath Quartet. 

J.S. Bach (transcribed): Three Organ Preludes: 

Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier BWV731; 

Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr BWV662; In dulci 


jubilo BWV729; Bartók: String Quartet No.1 in 

A Minor Op.7; Dvořák: String Quartet No.13 in 

G Op.106. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, 

University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 

416-922-3714 x103. $30; $20(under 30). 1:15: 

Music and Truffles family concert. 


See Jan 19. 

●●4:00: All Saints Kingsway Anglican 

Church. Jazz Vespers. Drew Juecka, violin. 






●●5:00: Nocturnes in the City. George Grosman 

and Bohemian Swing. Restaurant Praha, 

Masaryktown, 450 Scarborough Golf Club Rd. 

416-481-7294. $25; $15(st). 

●●7:00: Bassoon Out Loud. Recital by Catherine 

Chen. Works by Jeanjean, Elgar, Boudreau 

and others. Catherine Chen and Nadina 

Mackie Johnson, bassoons; Rachael Kerr, 

piano. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416- 

453-7607. $30; $20(st). 


●●7:00: Royal Conservatory/Toronto Blues 

Society. Music Mix: Maple Blues Awards. 


416-408-0208. From $35. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY/ 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY 

January 23 

James Wallenberg, Peter Heidrich, 

Edward Elgar 

www.associates-tso.org 

●●7:30: Associates of the Toronto Symphony 

Orchestra. The Small Concerts: Happy 

Birthday/Happy Anniversary. Wallenberg: 

Sonata for violin and piano; Ivanovici: Waves 

of the Danube (Anniversary Waltz); Heidrich: 

Happy Birthday Variations for string 

january 22, 7pm 

CATHERINE CHEN 

Associate Principal Bassoonist 

of the Toronto Symphony in 

recital with pianist Rachael Kerr, 

performing works by Jeanjean, 

Elgar, Bourdeau and a two-bassoon 

concerto with Nadina Mackie Jackson. 




quartet; Elgar: Piano Quintet in A Minor 

Op.84. James Wallenberg, violin; Paul Meyer, 

violin; Douglas Perry, viola; Amy Laing, cello; 

Peter Longworth, piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s 

Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-282-6636. $22; 

$20(sr/st). 


Music. Oskar Morawetz Centenary Celebration. 

Audio and visual presentation. Claudia 

Morawetz, presenter; Radka Hanáková, 

James Parker and Gary Kulesha, piano; Annalee 

Patipatanakoon, violin; and others. Walter 



Free. 



Vocal Series: Lost in a Russian Forest. Works 

by Tchaikovsky, Sviridov and others. Goran 

Jurić, bass. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, 









Dance Series: Ylem (3 Eggs Ago)/Various 

Concert. Cruz: Ylem (3 Eggs Ago); 

Throwdown Collective: Various Concert. 

Throwdown Collective. Richard Bradshaw 






Organ Recital. Angus Sinclair, organ. 



Music. Singer and the Song Series. Singers 

from the Faculty of Music. Walter Hall, 


Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. 

Free. 



Chamber Music Series: Meet the Academy 

- Brilliant Baroque. Academy members perform 

alongside their mentors. Members 

of COC Orchestra Academy; COC Orchestra 

members; Jacqueline Woodley, soprano. 






Music. Thursdays at Noon: Asher Ian Armstrong, 

Piano. Works by Bach, Wagner, Liszt 

and Franck. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson 


Park. 416-408-0208. Free. 


Music. Jazz Composers Concert. Walter 



Free. 

●●8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. In Concert. 

Fernando Varela, tenor; Toronto Concert 

Orchestra; Kerry Stratton, conductor. 

171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305- 

7469. $59-$64. 

Music TORONTO 

St. Lawrence 

Quartet 

January 26 at 8 pm 

●●8:00: Music Toronto. St. Lawrence Quartet. 

Haydn: Quartet in E-flat Op.20 No.1; Berger: 

“Swallow” (2014); Haydn: Quartet in F 

Minor Op.20 No.5. Jane Mallett Theatre, St. 

Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 

416-366-7723. $55; $10(st). 








friendly. 


Music. Music at Midday: Aria with Me. Young 

singers from the studios of Catherine Robbin, 

Stephanie Bogle, Norma Burrowes, Michael 

Donovan and Karen Rymal. Tribute Communities 


4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. 

●●7:30: Lula Music and Arts Centre. Laura 

Fernandez. Jazz concert with compositions 

from her upcoming recording. Lula Lounge, 


before 8:00. 

●●7:30: Opera by Request. Don Giovanni. 

Mozart. Michael Robert-Broder, baritone, 

(Don Giovanni); Christopher Wilson, baritone 

(Leporello); Paul Williamson, tenor (Don 

Ottavio); Allison Arends, soprano (Donna 

Anna); Kathleen Promane, soprano (Donna 

Elvira); Brittany King, soprano (Zerlina); William 

Shookhoff, conductor/piano. College 


455-2365. $20. 

●●7:30: St. Anne’s Music and Drama Society. 

The Grand Duke. Music by Arthur Sullivan, 


St. Anne’s G & S 

Gilbert & Sullivan’s 

The Grand Duke 

January 27-29 

February 2-5 

St. Anne’ 

s Parish Hall 

651 Dufferin Street, Toronto 

416-922-4415 saintanne.ca 

lyrics by W.S. Gilbert. St. Anne’s Parish Hall, 

651 Dufferin St. 416-922-4415. $27; $22(sr/st). 

Opening night. Runs to Feb 5. Thurs/Fri(7:30), 

Sat/Sun(2:00). Also Jan 28 at 7:30. 

John Sheard 

presents 

A Night of 

Beatles 

Classics Two! 

with David Celia and 

Mia Sheard 

Fri. Jan. 27, 8pm 

auroraculturalcentre.ca 

905 713-1818 

●●8:00: Aurora Cultural Centre. John 

Sheard Presents A Night of the Beatles 

Classics Two! Guests: David Celia and Mia 

Sheard. 22 Church St., Aurora. 905-713-1818. 

$35/$30(adv). 

●●8:00: Rose Theatre. Fernando Varela and 

Kerry Stratton with The Toronto Concert 

Orchestra. 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. 905- 

874-2800. $46 and up. Dinner at The Rose: 

$35(sold separately). 

●●8:00: Sinfonia Toronto. Mozart and Schumann. 

Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor; 

Spanish Love Songs; Mozart: String Quartet 

No.17 K458 “The Hunt”. Kariné Poghosyan, 

piano; Nurhan Arman, conductor. Glenn 

Gould Studio, 250 Front St. W. 416-499-0403. 

$42; $35(sr); $15(st). 


Papiosco y Grupo Ritmicos ce Toronto. 

Bringing a contemporary sound to traditional 

Afro-Cuban rhythms. Jorge Luis Torres 

(aka Papiosco), percussion. Lula Lounge, 

1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307. $15; 




The Grand Duke. See Jan 27. Also Jan 28, 

Feb 2, 3(all 7:30); Jan 29, Feb 4, 5(all 2:00). 

●●3:00: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Choral 

Conductors’ Symposium Concert. Toronto 

Mendelssohn Choir; Elora Festival Singers; 

Michael Bloss, organ; Noel Edison, conductor; 

and other conductors. Yorkminster Park Baptist 

Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-598-0422. 

Free. First come, first seated. Concert will be 

webcast live. 

●●7:00: Vocal Mosaic and Celebration Choir. 

Winter Songs. Linda Eyman, conductor. Trinity-St. 

Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 

427 Bloor St. W. 416-455-9238. $20; $15(sr/ 

st). 

●●7:30: Aga Khan Museum. Mwashahat and 

Qudood. Canadian Arabic Orchestra; Canadian 

Arabic Choir. 77 Wynford Dr. 416-646- 

4677. $40; $36(Friends). 

●●7:30: Brampton Chamber Music Concert 

Series. Music for Violin and Piano. Corey 

Gemmell, violin; Eileen Keown, piano; young 

artists selected by audition: Ashlyn Chou and 

Renee Farrell, piano. St. Paul’s United Church 

(Brampton), 30 Main St. S., Brampton. 905- 

450-9220. PWYC. Re-scheduled from Nov 26. 

●●7:30: Canadian Opera Company. The Magic 

Flute. See Jan 19. Also Feb 1, 3, 7, 10, 16, 18, 

24(all 7:30); Jan 29, Feb 19(2:00); Feb 4(4:30). 


The Grand Duke. See Jan 27. Also Jan 28, 

Feb 2, 3(all 7:30); Jan 28, 29, Feb 4, 5(all 2:00). 


Music. U of T Symphony Orchestra at the 

New Music Festival. Morawetz: Carnival Overture; 

Prokofiev: Lieutenant Kijé Op.60 (Suite); 

Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No.2; Tchaikovsky: 

Symphony No.6 Op.74 in B Minor “Pathétique”. 

Vivian Chen, piano; Uri Mayer/François 

Koh, conductors. MacMillan Theatre, Edward 

Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408- 

0208. $30; $20(sr); $10(st). 6:30: Symphony 

Talk pre-performance chat in Room 130. 

●●8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto. “A 

chantar:” Medieval Songs of Courtly Love. 

Michael Franklin, Andrea Gerhardt and guest 

musicians, Judith Cohen, host. 24 Spadina Rd. 

416-922-2014 x37. $15; $10(sr/st/member). 

●●8:00: Guitar Society of Toronto. Bandini-Chiacchiaretta 

Duo (Italy). Tango music 

by Piazzolla, Pujol and others. Heliconian 

Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-964-8298. 

$35/$30(adv); $30(sr/st)/$25(adv). 

●●8:00: Ontario Philharmonic. Masters Series: 

Dvořák Cello Concerto with William Molina-Cestari. 

Liszt: Les Préludes S97; Dvořák: 

Slavonic Dance No.2 Op.72 in E Minor; Liszt: 

Hungarian Rhapsody No.1 in F Minor; Dvořák: 

Cello Concerto in B Minor Op.104 B191. William 

Molina-Cestari, cello. IOUT Regent Theatre 

(Oshawa), 50 King St. E., Oshawa. 

905-721-3399 x2. $45-$56; $25(youth). Also 

Jan 29(3:00) at Koerner Hall, Toronto. 

●●8:00: Royal Conservatory. Music Mix: Bluebird 

North. Blair Packham, host. Guests: TBA. 

Temerty Theatre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408- 

0208. $35. 

●●8:00: TO.U Collective/Music at St. 

Andrew’s. Chamber Music Recital. Helmut 

Oehring: Foxfire Eins “Natriumpentothal”; 

Simon Steen-Andersen: in-side-out-sidein; 

Arthur Kampela: Percussion Study I. Rob 

MacDonald, guitar. St. Andrew’s Church 

(Toronto), 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600 x231. 

$25. 

●●8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Tchaikovsky: 

Piano Concerto 1. Edward Top: New 

work (world premiere/TSO commission); 

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1; Dvořák: 

Symphony No.7. Stewart Goodyear, piano; 

Peter Oundjian, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 

60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $39.75. 



Flute. See Jan 19. Also Feb 1, 3, 7, 10, 16, 18, 

24(all 7:30); Feb 19(2:00); Feb 4(4:30). 


The Grand Duke. See Jan 27. Also Feb 2, 

3(all7:30); Feb 4, 5(all 2:00). 

●●3:00: Ontario Philharmonic. Masters Series: 

Dvořák Cello Concerto with William Molina-Cestari. 

Liszt: Les Préludes S97; Dvořák: 

Slavonic Dance No.2 Op.72 in E Minor; Liszt: 

Hungarian Rhapsody No.1 in F Minor; Dvořák: 

Cello Concerto in B Minor Op.104 B191. William 

Molina-Cestari, cello. Koerner Hall, Telus 

Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $30 

and up. Also Jan 28(8:00) at Regent Theatre, 

Oshawa. 

’S WONDERFUL 

The best of the Gershwin 

songbook 

JAN. 29, 3:30 PM & JAN. 31, 8 PM 

www.taliskerplayers.ca 

Talisker Players Music 

●●3:30: Talisker Players. ‘S Wonderful: The 

Best of the Gershwin Songbook. Selections 

from George and Ira Gershwin. Erin Bardua, 

soprano; Aaron Durand, baritone. Trinity-St. 

Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-466-1800. 

$45; $35(sr); $10(st). 3:00: Pre-concert chat. 

Also Jan 31(eve). 




●●4:00: Georgetown Bach Chorale. Romantic 

Duo for Violin and Piano. Works by Kreisler, 

Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Rubenstein. Edwin 

Huizinga, violin; Ronald Greidanus, piano. 

House concert (Georgetown), 157 Main St., 

Georgetown. 905-873-9909. $45 (advance 

only). Soups, cheeses and desserts following 

concert. 

●●4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Jazz Vespers. 

Chase Sanborn, trumpet; Mark Eisenman, 

piano. 1570 Yonge St. 416-920-5211. 

Freewill offering. 


Music. New Music Festival: Karen Kieser 

Prize Concert. Sophie Dupuis: Perceptions de 

La Fontaine; Sciarrino: String Quartet No.7; 

winning student piece of the 2016 University 

of Toronto String Quartet Composition Competition. 

Stacie Dunlop, soprano; Cecilia 

String Quartet; Dennis Patrick, presenter. 



0208. Free. Festival runs Jan 29-Feb 5. 


●●12:00 noon: University of Toronto Faculty 

of Music. New Music Festival: Onde Notturne. 

Works by Sciarrino, Nono, Fedele and 

Berio. Erika Crinò, piano. Walter Hall, Edward 


80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. Festival 

runs Jan 29-Feb 5. 


Music. Music at Midday: Classical Instrumental 

Recital. Student soloists. Tribute Communities 


4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. 


Music. Vocalis Masters/DMA Series: Songs 

with Guitar. Emmanuel College Chapel, 

75 Queen’s Park Cr. E. 416-408-0208. Free. 


Music. New Music Festival: Conservatorio G. 

Tartini (Trieste)/UofT Composition Student 

Exchange Concert. M2 Ensemble (Michael 

Bridge, accordion, Michael Murphy, percussion) 

and guests. Walter Hall, Edward 


80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. Festival 




Vocal Series: Poetry in Song. Ross: Waypoints; 

Ravel: Histoires Naturelles; and other 

works. Phillip Addis, baritone; Emily Hamper, 

accompaniment. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, 


Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. 

Free. First come, first served. Late seating 



of Music. New Music Festival: John Burge, 

Preludes for Solo Piano. John Burge, piano. 








Music. New Music Festival: Americas. Modern 

music of the Americas. Emmanuele 

Baldini, violin; Roberto Turrin, piano. Walter 



Free. Festival runs Jan 29-Feb 5. 

●●8:00: Talisker Players. ‘S Wonderful – The 

Best of the Gershwin Songbook. Selections 

from George and Ira Gershwin. Erin Bardua, 

soprano; Aaron Durand, baritone. Trinity-St. 

Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-466-1800. 

$45; $35(sr); $10(st). 7:30: Pre-concert chat. 


Music. Vocal Masterclass with Nathalie Paulin, 

Soprano. Young singers from the studios 

of Catherine Robbin, Stephanie Bogle, Norma 

Burrowes, Michael Donovan and Karen 

Rymal. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, 

Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 

416-736-5888. Free. Observers welcome. 


Wednesday February 1 

●●10:00am: Royal Conservatory. Aimia Discovery 

Series: Glenn Gould School Concerto 

Competition Finals. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 

273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. Free 



Dance Series: action/words. Peggy Baker 

Dance Projects; Debashis Sinha: soundtrack. 



145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Free. Firstcome, 

first-served. Late seating not available. 


Flute. See Jan 19. Also Feb 3, 7, 10, 16, 18, 24(all 

7:30); Feb 19(2:00); Feb 4(4:30). 


Music. New Music Festival: Opera in Concert 

- The Killing Flower (Luci mie traditrici). 

Sciarrino. Geoffrey Sirett, Shannon Mercer 

and Scott Belluz, singers; Wallace Halladay/Toronto 

New Music Projects, producers. 

20 TH ANNUAL 

FREE NOON 

HOUR CHOIR 

& ORGAN 

CONCERTS 

Enjoy an hour of beautiful 

music performed by outstanding 

Canadian choirs and organists, 

spotlighting Roy Thomson Hall’s 

magnificent Gabriel Kney pipe 

organ. 

VICTORIA SCHOLARS 

MEN’S CHORAL 

ENSEMBLE & THE CHOIRS 

OF ST. MICHAEL’S CHOIR 

SCHOOL 

Bach, Beethoven, 

Brahms … & the Boys 

thu feb 2, 2017 12 noon 

◆ 

Jerzy Cichocki, conductor 

William O’Meara, organ 

FREE ADMISSION 

ROYTHOMSON.COM/CHOIRORGAN 

Suitable for ages 6 and up. 

For Elementary and Secondary 

school groups of 20 or more, contact: 

groups@mh-rth.com 

416-872-4255 

Made possible by the generous 

support of Edwards Charitable 

Foundation 




0208. $30; $20(sr); $10(st). Festival runs 

Jan 29-Feb 5. 


Fauré: Requiem. Samy Moussa: A Globe Itself 

Infolding; Brahms/Detlev Glanert: Four Preludes 

and Serious Songs; Fauré: Requiem. 

Karina Gauvin, soprano; Russell Braun, baritone; 

Amadeus Choir; Elmer Iseler Singers; 

Jean-Willy Kunz, organ; Stéphane Denève, 

conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 

416-598-3375. From $39.75. Also Feb 2. 

Thursday February 2 


Piano Virtuoso Series: French and Russian 

Masterpieces. Solo piano works by 

Debussy and Scriabin; Debussy: Quatre 

chansons de jeunesse; Stravinsky: No Word 

from Tom (from The Rake’s Progress). Geoffrey 

Conquer, piano; Elizabeth Polese, soprano. 





●●12:00 noon: Roy Thomson Hall. Noon Hour 

Concerts: Bach, Beethoven, Brahms...and the 

Boys. Victoria Scholars; St. Michael’s Choir 

School Choirs; Jerzy Cichocki, conductor; William 

O’Meara, organ. 60 Simcoe St. 416-872- 

4255. Free. First-come, first-served seating. 

FEB 2 – 25 

coc.ca 

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG 

WAGNER 

●●6:00: Canadian Opera Company. Götterdämmerung. 

Wagner. Andreas Schager, 

tenor (Siegfried); Christine Goerke, soprano 

(Brünnhilde); and others; Tim Albery, director. 


Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. $35- 

$235; $22(under 30). English Surtitles. Also 

Feb 5(2:00), 8, 11, 14, 17(all 6:00), 25(4:30). 


The Grand Duke. See Jan 27. Also Feb 3(7:30); 

Feb 4, 5(all 2:00). 


Music. New Music Festival: Composing for 

Dance Concert. U of T Composition students 

collaborate with Toronto’s choreographers. 





Music. Faculty Concert Series: Avataar. Sundar 

Viswanathan, saxophone/flute/vocals; 

Felicity Williams, vocals; Michael Occhipinti, 

guitar; Justin Gray, bass; Ravi Naimpally, 

tabla; Max Senitt, drums. Tribute Communities 


4700 Keele St. 416-736-5888. $15; $10(sr/st). 

●●8:00: Soundstreams. Estonian Philharmonic 

Chamber Choir. Celebrating 

Estonia’s upcoming 100th year of independence. 

Rachmaninoff: Vespers; works by Pärt, 

Daniel and Maimets. Kaspars Putniņš, conductor. 

St. Paul’s Basilica, 83 Power St. 416- 

408-0208. $47.50-$67.50. 


Fauré: Requiem. Samy Moussa: A Globe Itself 

Infolding; Brahms/Detlev Glanert: Four Preludes 

and Serious Songs; Fauré: Requiem. 

Karina Gauvin, soprano; Russell Braun, baritone; 

Amadeus Choir; Elmer Iseler Singers; 

Stéphane Denève, conductor. Roy Thomson 

Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From 

$39.75. 

Friday February 3 

●●11:00am: Tafelmusik. Close Encounters 

of the Cross-Channel Kind. Works by Purcell, 

Leclair and Couperin. Heliconian Hall, 

35 Hazelton Ave. 416-964-6337. Prices TBA. 

Introductions by the performers. Also 

Feb 4(2:00, Conservatory Theatre). 







friendly. 


Flute. See Jan 19. Also Feb 7, 10, 16, 18, 24(all 

7:30); Feb 19(2:00); Feb 4(4:30). 


The Grand Duke. See Jan 27. Also Feb 4, 

5(all 2:00). 


Music. New Music Festival: Electroacoustic 

Music Concert. Works including live electronics 

and surround sound. Dennis Patrick, presenter. 

Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, 

University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416- 

408-0208. Free. Festival runs Jan 29-Feb 5. 

●●8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto. La 

trace de Satyr. Combining poetry with classical 

and jazz improvisation. Works by Legrand, 

Piaf, Fauré, Poulenc, Debussy and 

Messiaen. Patricia O’Callaghan, vocals; Marilyn 

Lerner, piano; Andrew Downing, double 

bass/cello. 24 Spadina Rd. 416-922-2014 x37. 

$15; $10(sr/st/member). 

●●8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Some 

Enchanted Evening. Ben Heppner, tenor; Jean 

Stilwell, mezzo; Rebecca Caine, soprano; Gary 

Relyea, bass; David Warrack, music director. 

171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305- 

7469. $64-$69. 

●●8:00: Royal Conservatory. Music Mix: 

Harry Manx and Friends. Koerner Hall, Telus 


$40. 

●●8:00: Toronto Consort. Kanatha/Canada: 

First Encounters. Beckwith: Wendake/ 

Huronia; and other works. Guests: Marilyn 

George, Shirley Hay and Georges Sioui. 

Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 

427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-6337. $24-$60; $22- 

$55(sr); $15(st/35 and under). Also Feb 4. 

Saturday February 4 


of Music. New Music Festival: Via Italia - Contemporary 

Italian Music. Works by Sciarrino, 

Donatoni, Stroppa, Francesconi, Romitelli 

and Scelsi. Enrico Elisi, piano; Wallace Halladay, 

presenter. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson 


Park. 416-408-0208. Free. Festival runs 

Jan 29-Feb 5. 


The Grand Duke. See Jan 27. Also Feb 5(2:00). 

●●2:00: Tafelmusik. Close Encounters of 

the Cross-Channel Kind. Works by Purcell, 

Leclair and Couperin. Conservatory Theatre, 


$93. Introductions by the performers. Also 

Feb 3(11am, Heliconian Hall). 


Flute. See Jan 19. Also Feb 7, 10, 16, 18, 24(all 

7:30); Feb 19(2:00). 

●●7:00: Opera by Request. Lohengrin. Wagner. 

Christopher McRae, tenor (Lohengrin); 

Michele Cusson, soprano (Elsa); Andrew Tees, 

baritone (Telramund); Kristine Dandavino, 

soprano (Ortrud); Michael Robert-Broder, 


aritone (Herald); William Shookhoff, conductor/piano. 


452 College St. 416-455-2365. $20. 

●●7:30: Royal Conservatory. Aimia Discovery 

Series: Glenn Gould School Vocal Showcase. 

An evening of art songs, arias and ensembles. 

Mazzoleni Concert Hall, Telus Centre, 

273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $15. 


Year of the Rooster: A Chinese New Year 

Celebration. Vincent Ho: New work; and 

other works. Wu Man, pipa; Mark Rowswell 

(“Dashan”), host/narrator; Long Yu, conductor. 


598-3375. From $39.75. 


Music. New Music Festival: Jazz Faculty 

with Special Guests. Improvisation and New 

Music. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, 



●●8:00: Acoustic Harvest. The Laws. John 

and Michele Law. St. Nicholas Anglican 

Church, 1512 Kingston Rd. 416-729-7564. 

$25/$22(adv). 


Northern Reflections. Coulthard: Canadian 

Fantasy; Grieg: Piano Concerto; other works. 

Christopher Goodpasture, piano. Oakville 

Centre for the Performing Arts, 130 Navy St., 

Oakville. 905-815-2021 or 888-489-7784. 

$25-$64. Also Feb 5(2:00). 

●●8:00: Royal Conservatory. String Concert: 

Russia - Masks and Faces. Pärt: Fratres; 

Weinberg: Chamber Symphony No.4 Op.153; 

Tchaikovsky: Sérénade mélancolique in B-flat 

Minor Op.26; Mussorgsky: Pictures at an 

Exhibition (arr. for string orchestra; Silvestrov: 

Serenade (for violin solo). Gidon Kremer, 

violin; Kremerata Baltica. Koerner Hall, Telus 


$45. 

●●8:00: Toronto Consort. Kanatha/Canada: 

First Encounters. Beckwith: Wendake/ 

Huronia; and other works. Guests: Marilyn 

George, Shirley Hay and Georges Sioui. 

Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 

427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-6337. $24-$60; $22- 

$55(sr); $15(st/35 and under). 

●●8:00: Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra. 

A Canadian Panorama: Concert and 

CD Launch. Beethoven: Octet for Winds 

Op.103; Royer: Travels with Mozart, Variations 

on a theme from The Magic Flute; Cable: 

Sun. 5th Feb. at 4 p.m. 

Evensong 

for the 

Queen’s Accession 

plus Royal Festive Tea and at 5: 

MUSIC FOR 

ROYAL 

OCCASIONS 

Our invited guest musicians 

present majestic music 

fit for the Queen, marking 

the eve of her accession 

65 years ago in February 1952. 

St. Olave’s Church 

Bloor and Windermere 

416-769-5686 stolaves.ca 

A CANADIAN 

PANORAMA 

A TRIBUTE TO CANADIAN MUSIC 

TO CELEBRATE OUR 150 TH BIRTHDAY 

McIntyre Ranch County; Eddington: Saturday 

Night at Fort Chambly; Gray: Allemande 

for Eleven; and other works. Winds of the 

SPO; Kaye Royer, clarinet; Ronald Royer, conductor. 

Salvation Army Scarborough Citadel, 

2021 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough. 416- 

429-0007. $30; $25(sr); $15(st); $10(child). 

Sunday February 5 

SPO.CA 

●●2:00: Canadian Opera Company. Götterdämmerung. 

Wagner. See Feb 2(6:00). Also 

Feb 8, 11, 14, 17(all 6:00), 25(4:30). 


Northern Reflections. Coulthard: Canadian 

Fantasy; Grieg: Piano Concerto; other works. 

Christopher Goodpasture, piano. Oakville 

Centre for the Performing Arts, 130 Navy St., 

Oakville. 905-815-2021 or 888-489-7784. 

$25-$64. 

●●2:00: Royal Conservatory. Sunday Interludes: 

Andrés Diaz. Works by Martinů, R. 

Strauss and Kevin Puts. Andrés Diaz, cello; 

Guests: Barry Shiffman and others. Mazzoleni 

Concert Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 

416-408-0208. Free (ticket required). 


The Grand Duke. See Jan 27. 


Music. New Music Festival: Prima Zombie 

- The Diva That Just Wouldn’t Stay Dead. 

Michael Patrick Albano, libretto. Opera Student 

Composer Collective; Sandra Horst, conductor. 

MacMillan Theatre, Edward Johnson 

Building, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. 

Free. 2:00: Opera Talk pre-performance lecture, 

Room 130. Festival runs Jan 29-Feb 5. 

●●2:30: Voicebox/Opera in Concert. L’Isola 

disabitata (The Deserted Island). Haydn. 

Valérie Bélanger, soprano (Silvia); Marjorie 

Maltais, mezzo (Constanza); Alexander Dobson 

(Enrico); Aradia Ensemble; Kevin Mallon; 

conductor. St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 

27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723. $29-$73. 

●●3:00: Greater Toronto Philharmonic 

Orchestra. Waltzes and Overtures. J. Strauss 

II: Eine Nacht in Venedig; Tales from the 

Vienna Woods; Mascagni: Overture to Cavalleria 

rusticana; Ponchielli: Dance of the 

Hours; Verdi: Overture to Il trovatore; arias 

by Puccini, Verdi and Lehár. Rocco Rupolo, 

tenor; Paolo Busato, conductor. Columbus 

Centre, 901 Lawrence Ave. W. 647-238-0015. 

$25; $20(sr/st). 

●●3:00: Syrinx Concerts Toronto. In Concert. 

Buczynski; Sonata No.13; Sonata No.14; works 

by Chopin, Albeniz, Ravel and Turina. Walter 

Buczynski and Richard Herriott, pianos. Heliconian 

Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-654-0877. 

$30; $20(st). Post-concert reception. 


(Toronto). Organ Fireworks. Andrew Adair, 

organ. 477 Manning Ave. 416-531-7955. Free. 

●●4:00: St. Olave’s Anglican Church. Choral 

Evensong for The Queen’s Accession. 

360 Windermere Ave. 416-769-5686. Contributions 

accepted. Religious Service. Royal 

festive tea follows. 

●●5:00: St. Olave’s Anglican Church. Music 

for Royal Occasions. Celebrating the accession 

of The Queen. 360 Windermere Ave. 416- 

769-5686. Contributions accepted. 

Salvatore Sciarrino 

Sun. Feb. 5 | U of T Walter Hall 


●●8:00: New Music Concerts. New Music 

Festival: A Portrait of Salvatore Sciarrino. 

Sciarrino: Introduzione all’oscuro for 

12 instruments; Vagabonde Blu for accordion; 

Trovare un equilibrio, è necessario? for 

flute and string quartet; Piano Sonata No.4; 

Archeologia del telefono, concertante for 13 

instruments. Branko Džinović, accordion; Stephen 

Clarke, piano; NMC Ensemble; Robert 

Aitken, director. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson 


Park. 416-961-9594. $35; $25(sr/arts workers); 

$10(st). 7:15: pre-concert talk. Festival 


Tuesday February 7 


Chamber Music Series: The Belle Époque. 

Works by Ravel, Poulenc, Fauré, Debussy and 

Dompierre. Kerson Leong, violin; Philip Chiu, 

piano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four 





Flute. See Jan 19. Also Feb 10, 16, 18, 24(all 

7:30); Feb 19(2:00). 

Music TORONTO 

Ilya Poletaev 

February 7 at 8 pm 

●●8:00: Music Toronto. Discovery Series: 

Ilya Poletaev, Piano. Bach: French Overture 

BWV831; Enescu: Sonata in F-sharp Minor 

Op.24 No.1; Schumann: Humoreske Op.20. 

Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre 

for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723. 

$55; $10(st). 

Search listings by genre online at 

thewholenote.com/ask-ludwig 


IN THIS ISSUE: Ancaster, Barrie, Belleville, Brantford, Cobourg, 

Collingwood, Dundas, Elmira, Elora, Fenwick, Fergus, Guelph, 

Hamilton, Innisfil, Jordan, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Nepean, 

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Orillia, Peterborough, Port Dover, Port 

Hope, St. Catharines, Stratford, Wasaga Beach, Waterloo. 


●●12:15: St. George’s Cathedral (Kingston). 

Advent Concerts: Cygnus Trio. Erica Jacobs- 

Perkins, violin; Benjamin Stuchbery, flute; 

Jonathan Stuchbery, guitar. 270 King St. E., 

Kingston. 613-548-4617. Free; voluntary offering 

collected. Thursdays through Dec 15. 

●●12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Wind 

Ensemble Concert: “Let us sing, let us dance.” 

Works by Navarro, Britten, Gorb and others. 

Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western 

University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 

519-661-3767. Free. 


It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! 

Ensemble Vivant; Catherine Wilson, piano/ 

conductor. Guests: Guelph Youth Singers 

(Markus Howard, conductor). River Run Centre, 

35 Woolwich St., Guelph. 519-763-3000/1- 

877-520-2408. $55(Prime); $50(Non-prime); 

$40(under 13 Prime); $35(under 13 Nonprime). 

Also Dec 3(Brantford), 9(Toronto), 

11(St. Catharines), 16(Mississauga), 18(London), 

21(Richmond Hill), 22(Kingston), 

23(Nepean). 

●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music 

Society. Cecilia Violin Duo. Bach: Six Two-part 

Inventions; Bartók: Six Duos; Daniel: Giuocolo 

delle coppie; Handel-Halvorsen: Passacaglia; 

Prokofiev: Sonata for two violins Op.56. 

Sarah Nematallah and Min-Jeong Koh, violins. 

KWCMS Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 

519-886-1673. $30; $20(st). 


●●12:30: Dan School of Drama and Music, 

Queen’s University. Chamber Ensemble Concert. 

Students within Queen’s perform in small 

ensembles. Rehearsal Hall, Isabel Bader Centre 

for the Performing Arts, 390 King St. W., 

Kingston. 613-533-2424. Free. 


Queen’s University. Annual Messiah Sing- 

A-Long. Informal gathering of voice and 

orchestra pays tribute to Handel’s music. All 

B. Concerts Beyond the GTA 

members of the Queen’s and Kingston communities 

and beyond invited to participate. 

Lobby, Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing 

Arts, 390 King St. W., Kingston. 613-533-2424. 

Free. Refreshments following. 

●●7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Les 

Choristes and Chorale Choirs. Britten: Ceremony 

of Carols; Mechem: The Seven Joys 

of Christmas; and other works. Kathleen 

Gahagan, harp. New St. James Presbyterian 

Church, 280 Oxford St. E., London. 519-661- 

3767. $10. 

●●7:30: Gallery Players of Niagara. Elements. 

Beauty and drama of Earth, Air, Fire and Water 

expressed through an original performance 

piece incorporating projected visuals, 

live music and interactive dance. Doug Miller, 

flute; Eric Mahar, guitar; Penner Mackay, percussion; 

Jena Slingerland, dance; Luke Gillet, 

video design. Film House, FirstOntario Performing 

Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 

905-468-1525. $5-$35. 

●●7:30: Melos Choir and Period Instruments. 

A Star in the East II. Advent and Christmas 

music from west to east, 12th-18th centuries, 

with period poetry readings. Coptic 

and Gregorian chants; Sufi dances; early 

Celtic and Armenian carols; works by Hildegard, 

Gesualdo, Gabrieli and Charpentier. St. 

George’s Cathedral (Kingston), 270 King St. E., 

Kingston. 613-767-7245. $25/$22(adv); $15(sr/ 

st); $5(child). 

●●8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western 

University Jazz Ensemble. Paul Davenport 

Theatre, Talbot College, Western University, 

1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661- 

3767. Free. 


●●4:00: Hammer Baroque. Stella di Natale: 

A Journey from Advent to Christmas. Scarlatti: 

Cantata pastorale per la natività di nostro 

Signore Gesu Cristo; and other works. 

Ensemble Alloro (Emily Klassen, soprano; 

Meagan Zantingh, mezzo); Rezonance Baroque 

Ensemble (Rezan Onen-Lapointe and 

Jimin Shin, baroque violin; David Podgorski, 

harpsichord). Church of St. John the Evangelist, 

320 Charlton Ave. W., Hamilton. 905-522- 

0602. Suggested donation $15. 

●●5:30: St. Andrew’s United Church (Hamilton). 

Indian Christmas Night in Hamilton. 

Keon Crosswell, guitar; Steve Hilbert, bass; 

Prem Tewari, tabla; Neeraj Prem, sitar; Kids 

Trio (Nirwan, cello; Anya, flute; Sajan Prem, 

tabla). 497 Upper Paradise Rd., Hamilton. 

905-383-7411 or 416-895-3624. $30/$20(adv). 

Concert and dinner; please book in advance. 

●●7:30: ChoralWorks Chamber Choir. Christmas 

Around the World. Christmas music in 

English, French, German, Latin, Estonian and 

Yoruba; audience sing-along. Brian Rae, conductor. 

Guests: Trillium Brass and Percussion. 

Trinity United Church (Collingwood), 

140 Maple St., Collingwood. 705-888-4454. 

$25; free(under 12). 

●●7:30: Chorus Hamilton. Magnificat. Works 

by Rutter and other traditional Christmas 

songs. Jocelyn Fralick, soprano; Erika Reiman, 

piano; Fredric DeVries, organ; David Holler, 

conductor. St. Paul’s United Church (Dundas), 

29 Park St. W., Dundas. 905-526-7938. $25; 

$20(adv). Christmas treats following concert. 


It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the 

Year! Catherine Wilson, piano/conductor. 

Guests:TBA. Sanderson Centre for the Performing 

Arts, 88 Dalhousie St., Brantford. 

519-758-8090/1-800-265-0710. $42-$47; 

$32-$37(child). Also Dec 9(Toronto), 11(St. 


21(Richmond Hill), 22(Kingston), 23(Nepean). 

●●7:30: Hamilton Children’s Choir. Annual 

Holiday Concert: Making Spirits Bright! Guest 

choirs: Ilumini, Esprimas, Esplori, Komenci 

and Lads and Gents. Ryerson United Church 

(Hamilton), 842 Main St. E., Hamilton. 905- 

527-1618. $45(choir families); $25; $20(sr); 

$15(st/alumni); $10(under 11). 

●●7:30: Lyrica Chamber Choir. Tidings of 

Great Joy. Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on 

Christmas Carols; works by Gjeilo, Rutter, Britten 

and Lauridsen. Guests: Tost String Quartet. 

Burton Avenue United Church, 37 Burton 

Ave., Barrie. 705-722-0271. $17; $14(sr/st). 

●●7:30: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and 

Performing Arts, Brock University. Viva 

Voce! Choral Series: Laudate - Praise! Works 

of Niagara composers. Works by Blake, Butler, 

Loewen, Phelan and Royal. Brock University 

Choirs. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario Performing 


905-688-0722 or 1-855-515-0722. $15; $10(sr/ 

st); $5(eyeGo). 

●●7:30: Northumberland Orchestra and 

Choir. Christmas in Northumberland. Rutter: 

Nativity Carol; Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring; 

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite; Anderson: 

Christmas Festival; and other works. Trinity 

United Church (Cobourg), 284 Division St., 

Cobourg. 905-376-0362. $60(family); $28; 

$15(sr); $12(st). 

●●7:30: Stratford Concert Choir. Concert 

II: Handel’s Messiah. Sharon Poelstra, conductor; 

Ian Sadler, organ. Guests: Blyth Festival 

Singers. St. James Anglican Church 

(Stratford), 6 Hamilton St., Stratford. 519- 

393-6879. $25/$20(adv). 


●●1:30: Attila Glatz Concert Productions. 

Daniel O’Donnell. Country, folk, oldies and 

Christmas melodies. Danny Boy, Rivers of 

Babylon, Stand beside Me, Moon over Ireland, 

and other songs. Guests: Mary Duff and Derek 

Ryan. Meridian Centre Arena, 1 IceDogs Way, 

St. Catharines. 1-855-985-5000. $60 and up. 

Also Dec 5(eve). 

●●2:00: St. John’s Anglican Church (Jordan). 

Stella di Natale: A Journey from Advent 

to Christmas. Scarlatti: Cantata pastorale per 

la natività di nostro Signore Gesu Cristo; and 

other works. Ensemble Alloro (Emily Klassen, 

soprano; Meagan Zantingh, mezzo); 

Rezonance Baroque Ensemble (Rezan Onen- 

Lapointe and Jimin Shin, baroque violin; David 

Podgorski, harpsichord). 2878 St. John’s Dr., 

Jordan. 905-562-7238. $20. Proceeds to St. 

John’s Refugee Initiative. Refreshments to 

follow. 

●●2:30: Guelph Chamber Choir. Carols for 

Christmas: Carols and Seasonal Readings for 

Christmas and Winter. A celebration of Christmas 

as done hundreds of years ago. Sharlene 

Wallace, harp; Ben Grossman, hurdy-gurdy/ 

percussion; Ron Korb, flute. St. George’s 

Anglican Church (Guelph), 99 Woolwich St., 

Guelph. 519-763-3000. $25; $10(st/under 30); 

$5(eyeGO/under 14). 

●●3:00: Jubilate Singers. Songs of Joy. 30th 

anniversary celebration. Works by Rutter; 

seasonal classics; carol sing-along with the 

choir. Brenda Carew, conductor. Polson Park 

Free Methodist Church, 139 Robert Wallace 

Dr., Kingston. 613-389-4974. Freewill offering. 

Proceeds in support of Martha’s Table. 

●●3:30: Kokoro Singers. Night of the Angel. 

Works by Ballantine, Biebl, Victoria, Rutter and 

Meader. Brenda Uchimaru, conductor. Grace 

Lutheran Church (Hamilton), 1107 Main St. 

W., Hamilton. 289-439-9447. $20; $15(sr/st); 


●●7:00: Barrie Concert Band. Christmas at 

the Beach. Lighthouse Community Church, 

800 Sunnidale Rd., Wasaga Beach. 705-526- 

4275. Admission by donation to local food 

bank. 


Mike Walker: Conway Twitty Remembered. 

Hits of late country music legend Conway 

Twitty. Mike Walker, vocals. Meridian Centre 

Arena, 1 IceDogs Way, St. Catharines. 1-855- 

985-5000. $40 and up. 


●●2:00: Attila Glatz Concert Productions. BJ 

Thomas. Suspicious Minds, Any Day Now, and 

Christmas songs. BJ Thomas, vocals. Meridian 

Centre Arena, 1 IceDogs Way, St. Catharines. 

1-855-985-5000. $50 and up. 


Daniel O’Donnell. Country, folk, oldies and 

Christmas melodies. Danny Boy, Rivers of 

Babylon, Stand beside Me, Moon over Ireland, 

and other songs. Guests: Mary Duff and Derek 

Ryan. Meridian Centre Arena, 1 IceDogs Way, 

St. Catharines. 1-855-985-5000. $60 and up. 

●●8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Contemporary 

Music Ensemble. Von Kuster 

Hall, Music Building, Western University, 

1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767. 

Free. 


●●12:00 noon: Marilyn I. Walker School of 

Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University. 

RBC Foundation: Music@Noon. Piano 

and guitar students. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario 

Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. 

Catharines. 905-688-0722. Free. 

●●12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Electroacoustic 

Music Compositions. Paul Davenport 

Theatre, Talbot College, Western 

University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519- 

661-3767. Free. 


Performing Arts, Brock University. University 

Wind Ensemble. Partridge Hall, FirstOntario 

Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., 

St. Catharines. 905-688-0722 or 1-855-515- 

0722. $10; $5(under 15/eyeGo); free(current 

students of MIWSFPA). 


●●12:00 noon: Midday Music with Shigeru. 

Christmas Concert. Works by Berlin, Marks, 

and Tormé and Wells. Janet Ness, vocals; 

Chris Ness, piano. Hi-Way Pentecostal Church, 

50 Anne St. N., Barrie. 705-726-1181. $5; 

free(st). 

●●6:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western 

University Symphony Orchestra. Works 

by Brahms, Mozart and Prokofiev. Paul 

Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western 



661-3767. Free. 

●●7:30: #WePlayOn/London Pro Musica 

Choir. Handel’s Dublin Messiah. A re-creation 

of the first performance of Messiah held in 

Dublin, Ireland. Janet Tavener, soprano; Vicki 

St. Pierre; mezzo; Zach Finkelstein, tenor; Giles 

Tompkins, bass; London Pro Musica Choir; 

#WePlayOn Musicians; Kevin Mallon, conductor. 

First St. Andrew’s United Church, 

350 Queens Ave., London. 519-914-5769. 

$45/$43(adv); $15(st). 

●●7:30: Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing 

Arts. Jazz Series: The World of Jazz - 

Steve Koven Trio. Steve Koven, piano; Anthony 

Michelli, drums; Rob Clutton, bass. 390 King 

St. W., Kingston. 613-533-2424. $28-$52; 

$24-$48(faculty/staff); $26(st). 


Society. Ethan Filner, Viola; Heather Taves, 

Piano. Brahms: Two Sonatas Op.120; Dale: 

Romance from Suite Op.2. KWCMS Music 

Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886- 

1673. $30; $20(st). 



Advent Concerts: Michael Capon, Organ. 

Works by Bach, De Grigny and Pärt. 270 King 

St. E., Kingston. 613-548-4617. Free; voluntary 

offering collected. Thursdays through Dec 15. 


●●7:30: Orchestra Kingston and the Kingston 

Choral Society. Messiah. Handel. Geoff 

Sirett, Charlotte Stewart-Juby, Katie Griffiths 

and Spencer Vasse, soloists. Sydenham Street 

United Church, 82 Sydenham St., Kingston. 

613-453-0053. $25/$20(adv); free(under 12). 


●●2:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. A 

Symphony of Stories. Family concert. Prokofiev: 

Peter and the Wolf; Blake: The Snowman. 

William Vickers, narrator; Karen Wood, narrator; 

Bradley Thachuk, conductor. FirstOntario 

Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul 

St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722 or 1-855- 

515-0722. $34; $14(st); $12(child); $5(eyeGO). 

Also Dec 11. 

●●7:30: Chorus Niagara. Messiah. Handel. 

Performed on period instruments. Elizabeth 

Polese, soprano; Lillian Brooks, mezzo; 

Jacques-Olivier Chartier, tenor; Joel Allison, 

bass-baritone; Talisker Players Baroque 

Orchestra. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 

250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 1-855-515- 

0722 or 905-688-5550 x0722. $40; $38(sr); 

$25(under 30); $15(st); $12(child). 6:30: Preconcert 

chat. 


Arts. Ensemble Series: Toronto Symphony 

Orchestra Chamber Soloists. Mozart: 

Clarinet Quintet; Messiaen: Quartet for the 

End of Time. Jonathan Crow, violin; Joaquin 

Valdepeñas, clarinet; and others,. 390 King 

St. W., Kingston. 613-533-2424. $28-$52; 

$24-$48(faculty/staff); $26(st). 

●●7:30: Peterborough Symphony Orchestra. 

A Nutcracker Christmas. Tchaikovsky: 

Nutcracker; Richardson-Schulte: The Hockey 

Sweater. Bob Gainey, narrator; Michael Newnham, 

conductor. Guest: Kawartha Youth 

Orchestra. Showplace Performance Centre, 

290 George St. N., Peterborough. 705-742- 

7469. $30; $10(st). 



Arts. Piano Series: Schubert and 

Glass in Dialogue. Schubert: Impromptus; 

Glass: Metamorphosis. Simone Dinnerstein, 

piano. 390 King St. W., Kingston. 613-533- 

2424. $28-$52; $24-$48(faculty/staff); $26(st). 

●●2:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. A 

Symphony of Stories. Family concert. Prokofiev: 

Peter and the Wolf; Blake: The Snowman. 

William Vickers, narrator; Karen Wood, narrator; 



Catharines. 905-688-0722 or 1-855-515-0722. 

$34; $14(st); $12(child); $5(eyeGO). 

●●3:00: Elora Festival Singers. Messiah. St. 

Joseph’s Catholic Church (Fergus), 760 St. 

David St. N., Fergus. 519-846-0331. $45; 

$17(st); $6(child). 

●●3:00: La Jeunesse Youth Orchestra. Home 

for the Holidays. Traditional and contemporary 

holiday favourites. Anderson: Sleigh 

Ride; A Christmas Festival; and other works. 

Michael Lyons, conductor. Port Hope United 

Church, 34 South St., Port Hope. 1-866-460- 

5596. $20; $15(st); free(child). 

●●3:30: Huronia Symphony Orchestra. 

Christmas Express. Burge: Rocky Mountain 

Overture; Silvestri: Polar Express Concert 

Suite; Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite; Anderson: 

A Christmas Festival; Waldteufel: Skaters’ 

Waltz; traditional Christmas songs and 

carol sing. Guest: Simcoe Youth Singers; Oliver 

Balaburski, conductor. Collier Street 

United Church, 112 Collier St., Barrie. 705-721- 

4752. $25; $10(st); $5(child). Also Dec 17(eve, 

Innisfil). 

●●6:30: First Baptist Church (Orillia). Toronto 

Mass Choir. 265 Coldwater Rd., Orillia. 705- 

326-3800. Free. 

●●7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. Ailie Robertson 

and Mairi Rankin. Members of The Outside 

Track. Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., 

London. 519-473-2099. $25/$20(adv). 


“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” 

Catherine Wilson, piano/conductor; Guests: 

Chorus Niagara Children’s Choir (Amanda 

Nelli, conductor.) FirstOntario Performing 


905-688-0722/1-855-515-0722. $47-$52; 

$32-$37(under 13). Also Dec 16(Mississauga), 

18(London), 21(Richmond Hill), 22(Kingston), 

23(Nepean). 

●●7:30: Grand Philharmonic Choir. Christmas 

Homecoming. Dove: There Was a Child (Canadian 

premiere); and other Christmas favourites. 

Jacqueline Woodley, soprano; Andrew 

Haji, tenor; Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony; 

Grand Philharmonic Chamber Singers; Grand 

Philharmonic Youth Choir (Amanda Brunk, 

conductor); and others; Mark Vuorinen, conductor. 

Centre in the Square, 101 Queen St. 

N., Kitchener. 519-578-1570 or 1-800-265- 

8977. $30-$78; $14(st and under 30s); $5(high 

school and younger). 

●●8:00: Wellington Winds. Carols, Arias 

and Surprising Treasures. Christmas carols, 

opera arias and other works. Trumpet, 

alto sax, clarinet, and tuba soloists from the 

ensemble; Daniel Warren, conductor. Knox 

Presbyterian Church (Waterloo), 50 Erb St. 

W., Waterloo. 519-669-1327. $20; $15(sr); 

free(st). 


●●7:00: London Pro Musica Choir. Charles 

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Readers from the 

Shaw and Stratford Festivals; Erin Bardua, 

soprano; Vicki St. Pierre; mezzo; London Pro 

Musica Choir; Dr. Charlene Pauls, conductor. 

Bishop Cronyn Memorial Centre, 442 William 

St., London. 519-914-5769. Free. Donations 

in support of El Sistema Music Program for 

Children. 


●●12:00 noon: City of St. Catharines. 26th 

Annual City of St. Catharines Civic Carol 

Concert. Laura Secord Secondary School 

Concert Choir (Dave Sisler, conductor); Holy 

Cross Catholic Secondary School Concert 

Choir (J.P. Dupont, conductor); St. Catharines 

Civic Brass Ensemble (Steve Fralick, conductor); 

Ross Stretton, organist; Steve Fralick, 

brass and percussion; Peter M. Partridge, 

conductor, massed choirs. St. Thomas’ Anglican 

Church (St. Catharines), 99 Ontario St., 

St. Catharines. 905-688-5601 x2160. Freewill 

offering. Proceeds to Community Care. 


Society. Till Fellner, Piano. Brahms: Four 


Ballades Op.10; Schumann: Humoresque; 

Fantasie Op.17 in C. KWCMS Music Room, 

57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673. $40; 

$25(st). 


●●2:30: Seniors Serenade. Christmas Concert. 

Mark Hathaway and students from Innisdale 

Secondary School. Grace United Church 

(Barrie), 350 Grove St. E., Barrie. 705-726- 

1181. Free. 3:30: tea and goodies $5. 


Queen’s University. Sistema Kingston Holiday 

Concert. First and second year Sistema 

Kingston students (grades 2-5) perform 

holiday songs in string ensemble, rhythm 

ensemble and choir. Molly Brant Public 

School, 30 Lyons St., Kingston. 613-533-2424. 

Free. 



Advent Concerts: Piano Duo Valery Lloyd- 

Watts and Clare Gordon. Works by Brahms, 

Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Bizet. 270 King 

St. E., Kingston. 613-548-4617. Free; voluntary 

offering collected. 



Society. Beethoven’s Birthday Program. 

Beethoven: Quartet No.4 in C Minor; String 

Quintet Op.29; Große Fuge Op.133. Penderecki 

String Quartet. Guest: Ethan Filner, viola. 


519-886-1673. $40; $25(st). 

●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Yuletide 

Spectacular. Screening of animated film 

The Snowman, based on the book by Raymond 

Briggs. Performed with original music and 

carol sing-along. Grand Philharmonic Choir; 

Grand Philharmonic Children’s Choir; Contemporary 

School of Dance Ltd; KWS Youth 

Orchestra; Bethany Horst, soprano; Daniel 

Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor. Centre 

in the Square, 101 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 

519-745-4711 or 1-888-745-4717. $19-$86. Also 

Dec 17(mat/eve); 18(mat). 

●●8:00: Theatre Ancaster Chorus. Jingle All 

the Way. Festive songs for the season. Old 

Firehall Arts Centre, 334 Wilson St. E., Ancaster. 

903-304-7469. $22; $20(sr); $12(st). Also 

Dec 17(mat/eve). 






Dec 16, 17(eves). 

●●2:30: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. 

Yuletide Spectacular. See Dec 16. Also 

Dec 17(8:00); 18(2:30) 

●●2:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. 

Dream of Christmas...Rêve de Noël: The Circus 

Is Coming to Town! Zacada Entertainment; 



Catharines. 905-688-0722 or 1-855-515- 

0722. $34; $14(st); $12(child); $5(eyeGO). Also 

Dec 17(7:30); 18(2:30). 

●●7:00: Huronia Symphony Orchestra. 

Christmas Express. Burge: Rocky Mountain 

Overture; Silvestri: Polar Express Concert 

Suite; Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite; Anderson: 

A Christmas Festival; Waldteufel: Skaters’ 


Waltz; traditional Christmas songs and carol 

sing. Guests: choirs from Alcona Glen Elementary 

and Lake Simcoe Public Schools; 

Oliver Balaburski, conductor. Innisfil Community 

Church, 1571 Innisfil Beach Road, Innisfil. 

705-721-4752. $25; $10(st); $5(child). Also 

Dec 11(mat, Barrie). 

●●7:00: Sanderson Centre for the Performing 

Arts. A Celtic Family Christmas - CD 

release. Natalie MacMaster, fiddle; Donnell 

Leahy, fiddle. 88 Dalhousie St., Brantford. 519- 

758-8090 or 1-800-265-0710. $49; $20(uGO); 

$5(eyeGO). 

●●7:30: Arcady. Messiah. Handel. Ronald 

Beckett, conductor. Lighthouse Festival Theatre, 

247 Main Street, Port Dover. 519-583- 

2221. $30. 

●●7:30: Guelph Chamber Choir. Handel’s 

Messiah. Charlene Pauls, soprano; Maude 

Brunet, alto; John Tessier, tenor; Daniel Lichti, 

bass-baritone; Music Viva Orchestra (on 

period instruments); Gerald Neufeld, conductor. 

River Run Centre, 35 Woolwich St., 

Guelph. 519-763-3000. $35; $10(st/under 30); 

$5(eyeGO/under 14). 

●●7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Home for the Holidays. Vince Guaraldi: A 

Charlie Brown Christmas; and other holiday 

music. Hamilton Place, 10 MacNab St. S., Hamilton. 

905-526-7756. $10-$67. 6:30: Pre-concert 

talk. 

●●7:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. Dream 

of Christmas...Rêve de Noël: The Circus Is 

Coming to Town! Zacada Entertainment; Bradley 

Thachuk, conductor. FirstOntario Performing 

Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. 


$69; $64(sr); $34(30 and under); $14(st); 

$12(child); $5(eyeGO). Also Dec 17(2:30); 

18(2:30). 


Yuletide Spectacular. See Dec 16. Also 

Dec 18(2:30) 





Dec 16, 17(mat). 



“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the 

Year.” Catherine Wilson, piano/conductor; 

Guests: Junior Amabile Singers (Wendy Landon 

and Jackie Norman, conductors.) Dundas 

Centre United Church, 482 Dundas St., 

London. 519-672-8800. $45; $28(under 13). 

Also Dec 21(Richmond Hill), 22(Kingston), 

23(Nepean). 

●●2:30: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Yuletide 

Spectacular. See Dec 16. 


Dream of Christmas...Rêve de Noël: The Circus 

Is Coming to Town! Zacada Entertainment; 

Bradley Thachuk, conductor. FirstOntario Performing 


905-688-0722 or 1-855-515-0722. 

$34; $12(child); $5(eyeGO). Also Dec 17(2:30 

and 7:30). 

●●4:30: Music At St. Thomas’. Carols by 

Candlelight. Festival of nine lessons and carols 

in the traditional style of King’s College, 

Cambridge. Christmas carols and songs with 

audience sing-along. St. Thomas’ Junior and 

Senior Choirs; Matthieu Latreille and Francine 

Nguyen-Savaria, conductors. St. Thomas’ 

Anglican Church (Belleville), 201 Church St., 

Belleville. 613-962-3636. PWYC. Reception 

follows. 


Service of Christmas Lessons and Carols. 

Christmas carols and songs. Cathedral 

Christmas, Teen, and Children’s Choirs; congregational 

singing. 270 King St. E., Kingston. 

613-548-4617. Freewill offering. 


●●7:30: Peterborough Singers. Handel’s Messiah. 

Ellen McAteer, soprano; Daniel Taylor, 

countertenor; Jacob Abrahamse, tenor; Alex 

Dobson, bass; Ian Sadler, organ; Paul Otway, 

trumpet; Sydney Birrell, conductor. George 

Street United Church, 534 George St. N., 

Peterborough. 705-745-1820. $30; $20(under 

30); $10(st). 


●●5:00 and 7:30: Elora Festival Singers. Festival 

of Carols. St. John’s Anglican Church 

(Elora), 36 Henderson St., Elora. 519-846- 

0331. $40; $17(st); $6(child). Also Dec 21. 


●●12:00 noon: Music at St. Andrews. 

Scrooge’s Christmas. By Ken Jones. Cast of 

sixteen from U of T Music Faculty (Scarborough); 

Ensemble TrypTych; Lenard Whiting, 

conductor. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church 

(Barrie), 47 Owen St., Barrie. 705-726-1181. 

$5; free(st). 

●●5:00 and 7:30: Elora Festival Singers. Festival 

of Carols. See Dec 20. 

Thursday December 22 

●●4:00: Gallery Players of Niagara. A Celtic 

Christmas. Music of Ireland, Wales and the 

Scottish Highlands. Douglas Miller, flute; 

David Braun, violin; Deborah Braun, harp; 

Guy Bannerman, narrator. Silver Spire 

United Church, 366 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 

905-468-1525. $5-$35. Also Dec 23(eve, 

Niagara-on-the-Lake). 


“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the 

Year.” Catherine Wilson, piano/conductor; 

Guests: Kingston Youth Choir (Emily McPherson, 

conductor.) Isabel Bader Centre for the 

Performing Arts, 390 King St. W., Kingston. 

613-533-2424/1-855-533-2424. $47; $35(st/ 

child). Also Dec 23(Nepean). 


●●7:30: Gallery Players of Niagara. A Celtic 

Christmas. Music of Ireland, Wales and the 

Scottish Highlands. Douglas Miller, flute; David 

Braun, violin; Deborah Braun, harp; Guy Bannerman, 

narrator. Grace United Church 

(Niagara-on-the-Lake), 222 Victoria St., Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

905-468-1525. $5-$35. Also 

Dec 22(mat, St. Catharines). 

●●7:30: Melissa-Marie Shriner. Sixth Annual 

Christmas in the Village Concert. Carol singalong 

and reading of ’Twas the Night before 

Christmas. The Christmas Song, I’ll Be Home 

for Christmas, O Holy Night, Mary Did You 

Know? and other works by Niagara composers. 

Melissa-Marie Shriner, vocals; Aidan 

Miller, piano; Clark Johnston, upright bass; 

Richard Crossman, emcee; Christmas in the 

Village Ensemble. Pelham Community Church, 

461 Canboro Rd., Fenwick. 905-941-6917. 

$20/$17(adv). Venue is accessible. 


“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of 

the Year.” Catherine Wilson, piano/conductor; 

Guests: Cross Town Youth Chorus 

(Kurt Ala-Kantti, conductor). Centrepointe 

Theatres, 101 Centrepointe Dr., Nepean. 


613-580-2700/1-866-752-5231. $44-$49; 

$30-$35(child). Also Nov 27(Orillia; sold out); 

Dec 1(Guelph), 3(Brantford), 9(Toronto), 11(St. 


21(Richmond Hill), 22(Kingston). 


●●8:30 and 10:30: Crystal Journey. New 

Year’s Eve Concert. Paiste gongs, Persian santoor, 

quartz bowls and vibraphone. Melrose 

United Church, 86 Homewood Ave., Hamilton. 

905-928-9706. $25; $40(couple/family). 

Please book ahead. Includes New Year’s Gong, 

tea and snacks. 


●●3:00: Stratford Symphony Orchestra. New 

Year in Vienna. Lehár: Gold and Silver Waltz; 

J. Strauss II: Blue Dragon Waltz, Voices of 

Spring Waltz, Wiener Blut Waltz; J. Strauss I: 

Radetzky March. Knox Presbyterian Church 

(Stratford), 142 Ontario St., Stratford. 519- 

271-0990. $40; $10(st). 


Tickets: 1.855.872.5000 

ticketmaster.ca 

January 2 • 2:30 pm 

Hamilton Place 


Roy Thomson Hall. Salute to Vienna New 

Year’s Concert. Strauss waltzes and melodies 

from operettas with full orchestra and dancers. 

Strauss Symphony of Canada; Polina 

Pasztircsák, soprano; Alexander Kaimbacher, 

tenor; dancers from Kiev-City Ballet; Matthias 

Fletzberger, conductor; and others. Hamilton 

Place, 10 MacNab St. S., Hamilton. 1-844- 

379-0370. From $39.50. Also Jan 1(Toronto). 

Post-concert complimentary Viennese apple 

strudel and café reception. 



Michael Adamson, Violin and Philip Adamson, 

Piano. Works by Mozart, Brahms and Debussy. 

Hi-Way Pentecostal Church, 50 Anne St. N., 

Barrie. 705-726-1181. $5; free(st). 


●●12:00 noon: Don Wright Faculty of Music. 

Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition Final 

Round. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western 


519-661-3767. Free. 


●●2:30: Georgian Music. Duo Turgeon. Gershwin: 

Rhapsody in Blue; works by Schubert, 

Mendelssohn and Brahms. Anne Louise 

and Edward Turgeon, pianos. Grace United 

Church (Barrie), 350 Grove St. E., Barrie. 705- 

726-1181. $65. 


●●2:30: Seniors Serenade. Mike Lewis, Jazz 

Piano. Performing pieces from his “E” list. 

Grace United Church (Barrie), 350 Grove St. 

E., Barrie. 705-726-1181. Free. 3:30: tea and 

goodies $5. 


Society. Contemporary Works for Cello and 

Piano. Simms: wires at rest (tend to tangle); 

Waller: Lines for cello and piano duo; Anthems 

in A Minor for cello and piano; Storring: Vale; 

Linda Catlin Smith: Ballad for cello and piano. 

Paul Pulford, cello; Cheryl Duvall, piano. 


519-886-1673. $20; $10(st). 


●●12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Fridays 

@ 12:30 Concert Series. French and 

Canadian music. Alexandre von Wartburg, 

bassoon; Allison Wiebe-Benstead, piano. Von 

Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University, 


3767. Free. 

●●8:00: Jeffery Concerts. Dover Quartet 

with Arthur Rowe, Piano. Mozart: Quartet 

in F K590; Britten: Quartet No.2 in C Op.36; 

Shostakovich: Piano Quintet in G Minor Op.57. 

Wolf Performance Hall, 251 Dundas St., London. 

519-672-8800. $35; $30(sr); $15(st). 

●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Chopin 

Medalist. Beethoven: Leonore Overture 

No.3; Schubert: Symphony No.3 in D; Mozart: 

Piano Concerto No.20 in D Minor; Prokofiev: 

Symphony No.1 “Classical.” Charles Richard- 

Hamelin, piano; Christian Reif, conductor. 

Centre in the Square, 101 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 

519-745-4711 or 1-888-745-4717. $19-$82. 

Also Jan 14. 



Paddington Bear’s First Concert. Narrated 

concert. Elgar: Wand of Youth Suite; Rimsky- 

Korsakov: Flight of the Bumblebee; and other 

works. Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor. 


N., Kitchener. 519-745-4711 or 1-888-745-4717. 

$18; $11(child). 1:15: Pre-concert activities 

(free with concert ticket). 

●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Chopin 

Medalist. Beethoven: Leonore Overture 

No.3; Schubert: Symphony No.3 in D; Mozart: 

Piano Concerto No.20 in D Minor; Prokofiev: 

Symphony No.1 “Classical.” Charles Richard- 

Hamelin, piano; Christian Reif, conductor. Centre 

in the Square, 101 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 

519-745-4711 or 1-888-745-4717. $19-$82. 


●●4:30: Music At St. Thomas’. Harpsichord 

Concert. Luc Beauséjour, harpsichord. 

St. Thomas’ Anglican Church (Belleville), 

201 Church St., Belleville. 613-962-3636. 

PWYC. Reception follows. 


Society. Piano Recital. Beethoven: Rondos 

Op.51 (No.1 in C; No.2 in G); Enescu: Suite No.2 

in D “Des cloches sonores”; Chopin: Polonaise- 

Fantaisie in A-flat Op.61; Polonaise No.4 in 

F-sharp Minor Op.44; Polonaise No.6 in A-flat 

Op.53 “Heroic.” Charles Richard-Hamelin, 

piano. KWCMS Music Room, 57 Young St. W., 

Waterloo. 519-886-1673. $30; $20(st). 


●●7:30: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. KW 

Glee. Pop hits from favourite artists including 

Michael Jackson, Sam Smith, Adele and many 

more. KW Glee; Steve Lehmann, KW Glee 

music director; Amanda Kind, KW Glee artistic 

director; Trevor Wagler, conductor. Centre in 

the Square, 101 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519- 

745-4711 or 1-888-745-4717. $36. Seated event. 

Also Jan 18. 


●●7:30: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. KW 

Glee. Pop hits from favourite artists including 

Michael Jackson, Sam Smith, Adele and many 

more. KW Glee; Steve Lehmann, KW Glee 

music director; Amanda Kind, KW Glee artistic 

director; Trevor Wagler, conductor. Centre in 

the Square, 101 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519- 

745-4711 or 1-888-745-4717. $36. Seated event. 


●●7:30: Perimeter Institute. Chamber Music 

Society of Lincoln Center. Brahms: Scherzo 

from “F-A-E” Sonata for Violin and Piano; 

Fauré: Quartet for Piano and Strings in G 

Minor Op.45; Brahms: Quartet for Piano and 

Strings in A Op.26. Alessio Bax, piano; Ani 

Kavafian, violin; Yura Lee, viola; Paul Watkins, 

cello. Mike Lazaridis Theatre of Ideas, Perimeter 

Institute, 31 Caroline St. N., Waterloo. 

519-883-4480. $85; $55(st). 



@ 12:30 Concert Series. Annette-Barbara 

Vogel, violin; Christine Tithecott, piano. 

Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University, 


3767. Free. 


Performing Arts, Brock University. Encore! 

Professional Concert Series. Bernstein: West 

Side Story; Calvert: Suite from the Monteregian 

Hills; and other works. Rondeau Brass 

Quintet; Laura Thomas, percussion. Partridge 

Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts 

Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905- 

688-0722 or 1-855-515-0722. $25; $20(st/st); 

$10(14 and under); $5(eyeGo). 


Society. Chamber Music Recital. Beethoven: 

String Quartet Op.18 No.3; Bartók: String 

Quartet No.1 in A Minor; Dvořák: String Quartet 

No.13 in G Op.106. Heath Quartet. KWCMS 

Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519- 

886-1673. $35; $20(st). 

●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Live 

By Request. Audience votes for selections to 

be performed live. John Morris Russell, conductor. 


N., Kitchener. 519-745-4711 or 1-888-745-4717. 

$19-$86. Also Jan 21. 


●●12:00 noon: Music at St. Andrews. Christopher 

Dawes, Organ. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian 

Church (Barrie), 47 Owen St., Barrie. 

705-726-1181. $5; free(st). 

●●7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Brilliant Beethoven. Haydn: Symphony 

No.16; Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.2; Mozart: 

Overture to The Marriage of Figaro; 

Beethoven: Symphony No.1. Hinrich Alpers, 

piano; Tim Hankewich, conductor. Hamilton 

Place, 10 MacNab St. S., Hamilton. 905-526- 

7756. $10-$67. 6:30: Pre-concert talk. 


Czech-Mates! Haydn: Symphony No.59 “Fire”; 

Martinů: Oboe Concerto; Morawetz: Divertimento 

for Strings; Mozart: Symphony No.38 

K504 “Prague.” Graham Mackenzie, oboe; 

Aisslinn Nosky, principal guest conductor. 

FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. 

Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722 or 

1-855-515-0722. $69; $64(sr); $34(30 and 

under); $14(st); $12(child); $5(eyeGO). Also 

Jan 22(2:30). 

●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Live 

By Request. Audience votes for selections to 

be performed live. John Morris Russell, conductor. 


N., Kitchener. 519-745-4711 or 1-888-745-4717. 

$19-$86. 

Sunday January 22 


Czech-Mates! Haydn: Symphony No.59 “Fire”; 

Martinů: Oboe Concerto; Morawetz: Divertimento 

for Strings; Mozart: Symphony No.38 

K504 “Prague.” Graham Mackenzie, oboe; 

Aisslinn Nosky, principal guest conductor. 

FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. 

Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722 or 

1-855-515-0722. $69; $64(sr); $34(30 and 

under); $14(st); $12(child); $5(eyeGO). 

●●3:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Faculty 

Concert Series. Milhaud: La création du 

monde; Dvořák: Serenade for Wind Instruments, 

Cello and Double-Bass in D Minor 

Op.44. Colleen Richardson, conductor. Von 



3767. Free. 




RBC Foundation Music@Noon. Vera 

Alekseeva, violin; Gordon Cleland, cello. 

FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, Cairns 

Recital Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 

905-688-0722 or 1-855-515-0722. Free. 

●●12:30: McMaster School of the Arts. Tuesday 

Lunchtime Concert. Steve Cowan, guitar. 

Convocation Hall, UH213, McMaster University, 

1280 Main St. W., Hamilton. 905-525-9140 

x27671. Free. 



Society. Guitar Recital. Weiss: Suite No.2; Torroba: 

Castles of Spain; Beaser: Shenandoah; 

Albéniz: Granada, Mallorca; Granados: Danza 

Espanola No.11; Kubica: Midsummer Suite. 

Robert Kubica, classical guitar. KWCMS Music 


1673. $30; $20(st). 


●●8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. 

2016 Winner of Fred Pattison Piano Competition: 

James Masschelein. Von Kuster 

Hall, Music Building, Western University, 

1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767. 

Free. 




@ 12:30 Concert Series. Marie Johnson, 

clarinet; Tina Yanchus, piano. Von 



3767. Free. 

●●7:30: Stratford Symphony Orchestra. 

Celtic Celebration. Recitations of poetry 

by Robbie Burns alternating with solo and 

accompanied music. Anderson: Irish Suite; 

Michael Flatley: River Dance Suite; Lord of the 

Dance; Chris Meyer: Celtic music arrangements; 

other works by Anne Lederman. 

Anne Lederman, fiddle; Stratford Police Pipe 

Band. Knox Presbyterian Church (Stratford), 

142 Ontario St., Stratford. 519-271-0990. $40; 

$10(st). 

●●8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. 

2017 Fred Pattison Piano Competition Final 

Round. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western 


519-661-3767. Free. 

●●8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Opera: 

The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). Mozart. 

Sung in German with English dialogue 

and Surtitles. Tyrone Paterson, music director; 

Theodore Baerg, stage director. Paul 

Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western 


661-3767. $30; $20(sr/st). Also Jan 28, Feb 3, 

4, 5(mat). 

●●8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber 

Music Society. Chamber Music Recital. Mozart: 

Three Sonatas for violin and piano K15 in 

B-flat; K304 in E Minor; K526; Debussy: Violin 

Sonata; Franck: Violin Sonata. Bénédicte Lauzière, 

violin; Angela Park, piano. KWCMS Music 


1673. $30; $20(st). 

●●8:00: McMaster School of the Arts. Friday 

Evening Concert. Shoshana Telner, piano; 

Penderecki String Quartet. Convocation Hall, 

UH213, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., 

Hamilton. 905-525-9140 x27671. $20; $15(sr); 

$5(st). 


●●10:00am and 11:00am: Kitchener-Waterloo 

Symphony. Bella the Tuba Gets Her Melody. 

KWS Brass Quintet. Conrad Centre for the 

5 at the First 

— PRESENTS — 

SAT JAN 28, 3PM 

Hamilton 

WWW.5ATTHEFIRST.COM 


AYR 

PIANO 

TRIO 

Performing Arts, 36 King St. W., Kitchener. 

519-745-4711 or 1-888-745-4717. $13; $11(child). 

9:00: Pre-concert activities. Post-concert 

meet the performers. Also Feb 4(Elmira), 

11(Conrad Centre, Kitchener). 

●●3:00: 5 at the First Chamber Music Series. 

AYR Piano Trio. Works by Ysaÿe; Haydn: Gypsy 

Trio; Sigesmund: Suite for solo cello; Schubert: 

Trio Op.100 in E-flat. Angela Park, piano; Yehonatan 

Berick, violin; Rachel Mercer, cello. First 

Unitarian Church of Hamilton, 170 Dundurn 

St. S., Hamilton. 905-399-5125. $20; $15(sr); 

$5(st/unwaged); free(under 12). 

●●7:30: Barrie Concerts. Sinfonia Toronto. 

Schumann: Piano Concerto; works by Mozart. 

Karine Poghosyan, piano; Nurhan Arman, conductor. 

Hi-Way Pentecostal Church, 50 Anne 

St. N., Barrie. 705-726-1181. $85. 


The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). See Jan 27. 

Also Feb 3, 4, 5(mat). 


●●2:00: Gallery Players of Niagara. 

Uncharted Waters. Works from Mediterranean 

instrumentals to traditional Scandinavian 

tunes. Kirk Elliott, violin/accordion/bagpipes; 

Margaret Gay, cello; Katherine Hill, voice/ 

nyckelharpa; Alison Melville, recorders/flute; 

Colin Savage, clarinets/recorders; Jeffrey Wilson, 

percussion/saw; David Woodhead, guitars. 

Cairns Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts 

Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905- 

468-1525. $5-$35. 


Society. Chamber Music Recital. Haydn: Trio 

No.25 “Gypsy”; Schubert: Trio No.2 in E-flat; 

and other works. Yehonatan Berick, violin; 

Rachel Mercer cello; Angela Park, piano. 


519-886-1673. $35; $20(st). 




RBC Foundation Music@Noon. Rob Mac- 

Donald, guitar. FirstOntario Performing Arts 

Centre, Cairns Recital Hall, 250 St. Paul St., 

St. Catharines. 905-688-0722 or 1-855-515- 

0722. Free. 

Wednesday February 1 


Marketa Ornova, Piano. Hi-Way Pentecostal 

Church, 50 Anne St. N., Barrie. 705-726-1181. 

$5; free(st). 

Thursday February 2 


Society. Wilfrid Laurier University Composers 

and Improvisers Association. Music for string 

quintet; and other works. Autumn Wascher, 

soprano; and others. KWCMS Music Room, 

57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673. $15; 

$10(st). 

Friday February 3 


@ 12:30 Concert Series. Schumann: Fantasie 

Op.17; works by Debussy and Ravel. Stéphan 

Sylvestre, piano. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, 

Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., 

London. 519-661-3767. Free. 



Also Feb 4, 5(mat). 

Saturday February 4 

●●10:30am: Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. 

Bella the Tuba Gets Her Melody. KWS Brass 

Quintet. Woolwich Memorial Centre, 24 Snyder 

St. S., Elmira. 519-745-4711 or 1-888-745- 

4717. $13; $11(child). 9:30: Pre-concert activities. 

Post-concert meet the performers. Also 

Jan 28(Conrad Centre, Kitchener), Feb 11(Waterloo 

Museum, Kitchener). 

●●2:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. Vivaldi’s 

Ring of Mystery. Family Concert. Classical 

Kids; Laura Thomas, conductor. FirstOntario 



$34; $14(st); $12(child); $5(eyeGO). Also Feb 5. 

●●4:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Song 

and Dance. Works for clarinet, saxophone and 

voice. Jana Starling, clarinet; Allison Benstead, 

piano; and others. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, 

Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., 

London. 519-661-3767. Free. 



Also Feb 5(mat). 

●●8:00: Jeffery Concerts. Cameron Crozman, 

Cello and Philip Chiu, Piano. Bridge: 

Cello Sonata H125; Britten: Cello Sonata Op.65; 

and other works. Wolf Performance Hall, 

251 Dundas St., London. 519-672-8800. $35; 

$30(sr); $15(st). 

Sunday February 5 



●●2:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. Vivaldi’s 

Ring of Mystery. Family concert. Classical 

Kids; Laura Thomas, conductor. FirstOntario 


C. Music Theatre 


$34; $14(st); $12(child); $5(eyeGO). Also Feb 4. 


Society. Piano Recital. Hummel: 24 grandes 

études; and other works. Shoshana Telner, 

piano. KWCMS Music Room, 57 Young St. W., 

Waterloo. 519-886-1673. $30; $20(st). 

Monday February 6 

●●12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Schumann 

Again with Gwen. Gwen Beamish, piano. 

Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University, 


3767. Free. 

●●8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Early 

Music Studio Concert. Von Kuster Hall, Music 

Building, Western University, 1151 Richmond St. 

N., London. 519-661-3767. Free. 

Tuesday February 7 



RBC Foundation Music@Noon. Voice students. 

FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, Cairns 

Recital Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 

905-688-0722 or 1-855-515-0722. Free. 

●●12:30: McMaster School of the Arts. Tuesday 

Lunchtime Concert. Sonia Vizante, violin; 

David Gerry, flute; Shoshana Telner, piano. 

Convocation Hall, UH213, McMaster University, 

1280 Main St. W., Hamilton. 905-525-9140 

x27671. Free. 


Arts. Global Salon Series: Evergreen 

Club Contemporary Gamelan. Traditional 

Sudanese music; Canadian and international 

commissions. 390 King St. W., Kingston. 613- 

533-2424. $29; $25(faculty/staff); $15(st). 

These music theatre listings contain a wide range of music theatre types including opera, 

operetta, musicals and other performance genres where music and drama combine. Listings 

in this section are sorted alphabetically by presenter. 

●●Acting Up Stage/Obsidian Theatre Company. 

Passing Strange. Music by Stew and 

Heidi Rodewald, lyrics and book by Stew 

Rodewald, created in collaboration with 

Annie Dorsen. The Opera House, 735 Queen 

St. E. 1-888-324-6282. $10-$55. Opens Jan 24, 

8:00pm. Runs to Feb 5. Tues-Sun(8pm). 

●●Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera. Up on a 

Tuesday. A non-stop, high energy, one-man 

show using original music and physical theatre 

to tell the parodied story of two brothers 

living the Hip Hop Life. Dec 6. Location 

and time TBA. Visit outreach@bcurrent.ca 

for details. 

●●Canadian Opera Company. The Magic 

Flute. Music by W.A.Mozart, libretto by Emanuel 

Schikaneder. Bernard Labadie, conductor. 


145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. $35-$235; 

$22(under 30). English Surtitles. Opens 

Jan 19, 7:30pm. Runs to Feb 24. Days and 

times vary. Visit coc.ca for details. 

●●Canadian Opera Company. Götterdämmerung. 

Music and libretto by Richard Wagner. 

Andreas Schager, tenor (Siegfried); Christine 

Goerke, soprano (Brünnhilde); and others; 

Tim Albery, director. Four Seasons Centre for 

the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416- 

363-8231. $35-$235; $22(under 30). English 

Surtitles. Opens Feb 2, 6:00pm. Runs 

to Feb 25. Days and times vary. Visit coc.ca 

for details. 

●●Civic Light Opera Company. Joseph and 

the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Music 

by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Tim Rice. 

Zion Cultural Centre, 1650 Finch Ave. E. 416- 

755-1717. $28. Opens Nov 30, 7:00pm. Runs 

to Dec 11. Days and times vary. Visit civiclightoperacompany.com 

for details. 

●●Coal Mine Theatre. A Coal Mine Christmas. 

Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in 

Wales, and holiday concert. Kenneth Welsh, 

actor. Louise Pitre, singer. Coal Mine Theatre, 

1454 Danforth Ave. coalminetheatre.com. 

$35. Opens Dec 13, 7:30pm. Runs to Dec 23. 

Tues-Sat(7:30pm), Sun(2:00pm). 

●●Don Wright Faculty of Music. Opera: The 

Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). Music by W. 

A. Mozart, libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. 

Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western 


519-661-3767. $30; $20(sr/st). Opens Jan 27, 

8:00pm. Also Jan 28, Feb 3, 4, 5(2:00pm). 

●●Drayton Entertainment. Sister Act. Music 

by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, book 

by Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner, 

based on the screenplay by Joseph Howard. 

Dunfield Theatre Cambridge, 46 Grand Ave. 

S., Cambridge. 1-855-372-9866. $26-$44. 

Runs to Dec 24. Days and times vary. Visit 

draytonentertainment.com for details. 

●●Flato Markham Theatre. Some Enchanted 

Evening. Ben Heppner, tenor; Jean Stilwell, 

mezzo; Rebecca Caine, soprano; Gary Relyea, 


ass; David Warrack, music director. 171 Town 

Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469. $64- 

$69. Feb 3, 8:00pm. 

●●Grand Theatre/Catalyst Theatre. Vigilante. 

Music, lyrics and book by Jonathan 

Christenson. Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond 

St., London. 519-672-8800. $29.95- 

$82.50. Opens Feb 7, 7:30pm. Runs to 

Feb 11. Tues-Thurs(7:30pm), Fri/Sat(8:00pm), 

Sat(2:00pm). 

●●Hart House Theatre. Carrie: The Musical. 

Music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, 

book by Lawrence D. Cohen, based 

on the novel by Stephen King. Richard 

Ouzounian, director. 7 Hart House Circle. 416- 

978-8849. $28; $17(sr); $15(st). Opens Jan 20, 

8:00pm. Runs to Feb 4. Wed-Sat(8pm), Sat 

Feb 4(2pm/8pm). 

●●Lower Ossington Theatre. The Little Mermaid. 

Music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard 

Ashman with Glenn Slater, book by Doug 

Wright. Randolph Theatre, 736 Bathurst 

St. 416-907-0468. $39.99-$69.99. Runs to 

Dec 18. Sat/Sun(12pm/4pm). Also Dec 2, 

7:30pm. 

●●Lower Ossington Theatre. Avenue Q. Music 

and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, 

book by Jeff Whitty. Lower Ossington Theatre, 

100A Ossington Ave. 416-907-0468. $49.99- 

$59.99. Opens Dec 1, 7:30pm. Runs to Dec 30. 

Thurs-Sat(7:30pm), Sat/Sun(3:30pm). Note: 

no show Dec 24/25. 

●●Lower Ossington Theatre. Sister Act. 

Music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, 

book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner with Douglas 

Carter Beane. Lower Ossington Theatre, 

100A Ossington Ave. 416-915-6747. $59.99- 

$69.99. Opens Dec 1, 7:30pm. Runs to Jan 29. 

Thurs-Sat(7:30pm), Sat/Sun(3:30pm). Note: 

No show Dec 24/25/31/Jan 1. 

●●Lower Ossington Theatre. It’s A Wonderful 

Life: A Live Radio Play. Written by Joe Landry. 

Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington 

Ave. 416-907-0468. $49.99. Opens Dec 8, 

7:30pm. Runs to Dec 30. Thurs-Sat(7:30pm), 

Sat/Sun(3:30pm). Note: no show Dec 25. 

●●Mirvish. Roald Dahl’s Matilda: The Musical. 

Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, book by Dennis 

Kelly, based on novel by Roald Dahl. Ed 

Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St. 416-872-1212. 

$38-$175. Runs to Jan 7. Tues-Sat(7:30pm), 

Wed/Sat/Sun(1:30pm). 

●●Mirvish. Come from Away. Music, lyrics 

and book by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. 

Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St.W. 

416-872-1212. $35-$150. Runs to Jan 8. Tues- 

Sat(8:00pm), Wed/Sat/Sun(2:00pm). 

●●Mirvish. The Man in Black: A Tribute to 

Johnny Cash. Shawn Barker (Johnny Cash). 

Panasonic Theatre, 651 Yonge St. 416- 

872-1212. $39-$79. Runs to Dec 11. Tues- 

Sat(7:30pm), Wed/Sat/Sun(1:30pm). 

●●Mirvish. Stomp. Matchboxes, brooms, garbage 

cans, Zippo lighters and more fill the 

stage with energizing beats at STOMP, the 

inventive and invigorating stage show that’s 

dance, music and theatrical performance 

blended together in one electrifying rhythm. 

Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St. 416-872- 

1212. $25-$99. Opens Jan 31, 8:00pm. Runs to 

Feb 5. Tues-Sat(8:00pm), Sat/Sun(2:00pm), 

Sun(7:00pm). 

●●Mirvish. Saturday Night Fever. Music and 

lyrics by the Bee Gees, book by Nan Knighton 

(with Arlene Phillips, Paul Nicholas and 

Robert Stigwood), based on the 1977 film. 

Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St. W. 

416-872-1212. $25-$150. Opens Feb 7, 8pm. 

Runs to Feb 12. Tues-Sat(8pm), Wed/Sat/ 

Sun(2pm). 

●●National Ballet of Canada. The Nutcracker. 

Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with 

libretto and choreography by James Kudelka. 


145 Queen St. W. 416-345-9595. $39-$175. 

Opens Dec 10, 2:00pm. Runs to Dec 31. Times 

vary. Visit national.ballet.ca for details. 

●●Next Stage Theatre Festival. Western: A 

Play with Music. Music by Gordon Bolan, text 

by Matthew Gorman. Factory Theatre, Studio. 

125 Bathurst St. 416-966-1062. $15. Opens 

Jan 5, 6:30pm. Runs to Jan 15. Days and times 

vary. Visit fringetoronto.com for details. 

●●No Strings Theatre. Denise Williams and 

Friends: Happy Holidays in the Hood! Crossover 

classical, music theatre and jazz. Maya 

Killtron, vocals; Jill Fillion, soprano; Karen 

Skidmore; mezzo; Steven Henrickson, baritone; 

Ben MacDonald, saxophone; current 

and alumni No Strings Theatre students. 

Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St. 416-551- 

2093. $25; $20(sr/st); $15(child). Dec 18, 

4:00pm. 

●●Opera by Request. Street Scene. Kurt Weill. 

Semi-staged performance. Shannon Mills, 

soprano (Rose Maurrant); Jaclyn Grossman, 

soprano (Anna Maurrant); Austin Larusson, 

baritone (Frank Maurrant); Avery Krisman, 

tenor (Sam Kaplan); Greg Finney, baritone 

(Abraham Kaplan); Deena Nicklefork, soprano 

(Olga Olsen); Jay Lambie, tenor (George 

Jones); Will Ford, tenor (Lippo Fiorentino); 

William Shookhoff, piano and music director. 

College Street United Church, 452 College 

St. 416-455-2365. $20. Opens Dec 3, 7:30pm. 

Also Dec 4. 

●●Opera by Request. Hansel and Gretel. 

Music by Engelbert Humperdinck, libretto by 

Adelheid Wette. Shannon Halliwell-McDonald, 

mezzo (Hansel); Brittany Stewart, soprano 

(Gretel); Jake Flynn, baritone (Father); 

Erin Armstrong, soprano (Mother); Brigitte 

Bogar, soprano (Witch); Norita Portillo, mezzo 

(Sandman/Dew Fairy); Kate Carver, conductor/piano. 


452 College St. 416-455-2365. $20. Jan 14, 

7:30pm. 

●●Opera by Request. Don Giovanni. Music 

by W.A.Mozart, libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. 

Michael Robert-Broder, baritone, (Don Giovanni); 

Christopher Wilson, baritone (Leporello); 

Paul Williamson, tenor (Don Ottavio); 

Allison Arends, soprano (Donna Anna); Kathleen 

Promane, soprano (Donna Elvira); 

Brittany King, soprano (Zerlina); William 

Shookhoff, conductor/piano. College Street 

United Church, 452 College St. 416-455-2365. 

$20. Jan 27, 7:30pm. 

●●Opera by Request. Lohengrin. Music and 

libretto by Richard Wagner. Christopher 

McRae, tenor (Lohengrin); Michele Cusson, 

soprano (Elsa); Andrew Tees, baritone (Telramund); 

Kristine Dandavino, soprano (Ortrud); 

Michael Robert-Broder, baritone (Herald); 

William Shookhoff, conductor/piano. College 


455-2365. $20. Feb 4, 7:00pm. 

●●Podium Concert Productions. The Secret 

Garden. Music by Lucy Simon, lyrics and book 

by Marsha Norman, based on the novel by 

Frances Hodgson Burnett. Trinity-St. Paul 

Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 

podiumconcerts.com. $39-$79. Opens 

Jan 13, 7:30pm. Also Jan 14(7:30pm), 

Jan 15(6:30pm). 

●●Soulpepper Concert Series. Rose (A Concert 

Presentation). A whimsical new musical 

presentation based on Gertrude Stein’s children’s 

book The World Is Round. Young Centre 

for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House 

Lane. 416-866-8666. $25-$60. Opens Dec 16, 

8:00pm. Also Dec 17(2:00pm), 22(2:00pm). 

●●Soulpepper Concert Series. A Very Soulpepper 

Christmas. A family concert celebrating 

the sounds of the season from around the 

globe. Featuring Mike Ross leading an all-star 

line-up of Toronto’s best musicians. St. Lawrence 

Centre for the Arts: Jane Mallett Theatre. 

27 Front St E. $25-$60. Dec 20(2:00pm 

and 7:30pm). 

●●St. Anne’s Music and Drama Society. 

The Grand Duke. Music by Arthur Sullivan, 

lyrics by W. S. Gilbert. St. Anne’s Parish Hall, 

651 Dufferin St. 416-922-4415. $27; $22(sr/st). 

Opens Jan 27, 7:30pm. Runs to Feb 5. Thurs/ 

Fri(7:30pm), Sat/Sun(2:00pm). Also Jan 28 

at 7:30pm. 

●●Theatre Ancaster Stage 2 Jr. Broadway. 

James and the Giant Peach Jr. Music and 

lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, book 

by Timothy Allen McDonald, based on the 

book by Roald Dahl. Ancaster High Auditorium, 

374 Jerseyville Rd. W., Ancaster. 905- 

304-7469. $15; $12(sr); $10(st). Opens Jan 20, 

7:00pm. Also Jan 21(2pm/8pm). 

●●Toronto Operetta Theatre. Pirates of Penzance. 

Music by Arthur Sullivan, libretto by 

W.S.Gilbert. Colin Ainsworth, tenor (Frederic); 

Vania Chan, soprano (Mabel); Curtis 

Sullivan, baritone (Major General); Elizabeth 

Beeler, alto (Ruth); Derek Bate, conductor; 

Guillermo Silva-Marin, stage director. Jane 

Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the 

Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723 or 1-800- 

708-6754. $49-$95. Opens Dec 27, 8:00pm. 

Runs to Jan 8. Days and times vary. Visit 

torontooperetta.com for details. 

●●Torrent Productions. Robin Hood: A Merry 

Magical Pantomime. Royal Canadian Legion 

#001, 243 Coxwell Ave. 1-800-838-3006. 

$35; $25(ch). Opens Dec 15, 7:00pm. Runs to 

Dec 24. Tues-Fri(7pm), Wed/Thurs(1pm), Sat/ 

Sun(2pm). 

●●University of Toronto Faculty of Music. 

New Music Festival: Opera in Concert - The 

Killing Flower (Luci mie traditrici). Music and 

libretto by Salvatore Sciarrino. Geoffrey Sirett, 

Shannon Mercer and Scott Belluz, singers; 

Wallace Halladay/Toronto New Music 

Projects, producers. Walter Hall, Edward 


80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. $30; 

$20(sr); $10(st). Feb 1, 7:30pm. Festival runs 

Jan 29-Feb 5. 


New Music Festival: Composing for Dance 

Concert. U of T Composition students collaborate 

with Toronto’s choreographers. 


of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416- 

408-0208. Free. Feb 2, 7:30pm. Festival runs 

Jan 29-Feb 5. 


New Music Festival: Prima Zombie - The Diva 

That Just Wouldn’t Stay Dead. Libretto by 

Michael Patrick Albano. Opera Student Composer 

Collective; Sandra Horst, conductor. 


80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free. 

2:00: Opera Talk pre-performance lecture, 

Room 130. Feb 5, 2:30pm. Festival runs 

Jan 29-Feb 5. 

●●Voicebox/Opera in Concert. L’Isola disabitata 

(The Deserted Island). Music by Joseph 

Haydn, libretto by Pietro Matastasio. Valérie 

Bélanger, soprano (Silvia); Marjorie Maltais, 

mezzo (Constanza); Alexander Dobson 

(Enrico); Aradia Ensemble; Kevin Mallon; 

conductor. St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 

27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723. $29-$73. Feb 5, 

2:30pm. 

●●Volcano Theatre/Tarragon Theatre. Infinity. 

A Dora award-winning play by Hannah 

Moscovitch with an original score by composer 

Njo Kong Kie. Paul Braunstein, Vivien 

Endicott-Douglas, Amy Rutherford, actors; 

Andréa Tyniec, viola; Ross Manson, stage 

director. Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman 

Ave. 416-531-1827. $60; $49(sr); $29(st). 

Opens Jan 4, 8:00pm. Runs to Jan 29. Tues- 

Sat(8pm), Sat/Sun(2:30pm). 

●●Young People’s Theatre. Seussical the 

Musical. Music and book by Stephen Flaherty, 

lyrics and book by Lynn Ahrens. Co-conceived 

by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Eric 

Idle, based on the works of Dr. Seuss. Young 

People’s Theatre, 165 Front St.E. 416-862- 

2222. $15-41. Opens Nov 14, 10:15am. Runs 


to Dec 31. Days and times vary. Visit youngpeoplestheatre.ca 

for details. 

●●Young People’s Theatre. James and the 

Giant Peach. Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek 

and Justin Paul, book by Timothy Allen 

120 Diner 

120 Church St. 416-792-7725 

120diner.com (full schedule) 

All shows: PWYC ($10-$20 suggested) 

Every Tue 6pm Leslie Huyler; 8pm Annie 

Bonsignore; 10pm Chris Brikett. Every 

Wed 6pm Whitney Ross Barris(7, 14, 28)/ 

Laura Hubert(21); 8pm Lisa Particelli’s GNO 

Jazz Jam. December 1 6pm Julie Michels & 

David Restivo. December 2 6pm Kevin Morris. 

December 3 6pm Sharon McLeod & 

Kevin Barrett. December 4 6pm Lana Carillo 

& Sarite Harris; 8:30pm Courtney Ch’ng 

Lancaster & Brittany Kay. December 8 6pm 

Donald Quan & Friends. December 9 6pm 

Carolyn Credico. December 10 6pm Hampton 

Avenue Four. December 11 6pm Lauren & 

Meredith Busteed and Chris Ning with John 

Pugh; 8:30pm Theresa Tova & David Warrack. 

December 15 6pm Beverly Taft Sings 

Frank Loesser. December 16 6pm Tomoko 

Abe. December 17 6pm Melissa Shriner. 

December 18 6pm Benefit for PAL; 8:30pm 

Nancy White Christmas Show. December 

22 6pm Pat Murray & Riley Murray. December 

23 6pm Discovery for the Arts Showcase. 

December 29 6pm Billy Newton Davis. 

December 30 6pm Parkside Drive. 

Alleycatz 

2409 Yonge St. 416-481-6865 

alleycatz.ca 

All shows: 9pm unless otherwise indicated. 

Call for cover charge info. 

December 2 Urban Jive. December 3 Soular. 

December 8 Uptown Soul Concert Series. 

December 9, 10, 17, 23 Lady Kane. December 

16 Universal Boogie Band. December 30, 

31 Jamesking. 

Artword Artbar 

15 Colbourne St., Hamilton. 905-543-8512 

artword.net (full schedule) 

Bloom 

2315 Bloor St. W. 416-767-1315 

bloomrestaurant.com 

All shows: 19+. Call for reservations. 

Blue Goose Tavern, The 

1 Blue Goose St. 416-255-2442 

thebluegoosetavern.com 

Every Sun 5pm Blues at the Goose with the 

Big Groove Rhythm Section. 

Burdock 

1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033 

burdockto.com (full schedule) 

All shows: 9pm 

December 15 8:30pm E.M.S.: Emergency 

Musical Services feat. Jocelyn Barth (voice) 

$10(adv)/$15(door). 

Cameron House, The 

408 Queen St. W. 416-703-0811 

thecameron.com (full schedule) 

December 11, 18 Candy Apple Jazz Band. 

C. Music Theatre 

McDonald, based on the book by Roald Dahl. 

Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front St.E. 416- 

862-2222. $15-41. Opens Feb 6, 10:15am. Runs 

to Mar 18. Days and times vary. Visit youngpeoplestheatre.ca 

for details. 

D. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz) 

Castro’s Lounge 

2116e Queen St. E. 416-699-8272 

castroslounge.com (full schedule) 

All shows: No cover/PWYC 

December 11 4pm Fraser & Daley. December 

12 8:30pm The Fraser Melvin Band. 

Cavern Bar, The 

76 Church St. 416-971-4440 

thecavernbar.ca (full schedule) 

December 9 9pm Brownman Ali. 

C’est What 

67 Front St. E. 416-867-9499 

cestwhat.com (full schedule) 

December 3 3pm The Boxcar Boys. December 

10, January 7, January 21, February 4 

3pm The Hot Five Jazzmakers. 

De Sotos 

1079 St. Clair Ave. W. 416-651-2109 

desotos.ca (full schedule) 

Every Sun 11am Sunday Live Jazz Brunch 

No cover. 

Emmet Ray, The 

924 College St. 416-792-4497 

theemmetray.com (full schedule) 

All shows: No cover/PWYC 

December 1 9pm John-Wayne Swingtet: 

John Farrell (guitar), Abbey Sholzberg 

(bass), Wayne Nakamura (guitar), Alexander 

Tikhonov (clarinet). 

Gate 403 

403 Roncesvalles Ave. 416-588-2930 

gate403.com 

All shows: PWYC. 

December 1 5pm Bruce Chapman Blues 

Duo; 9pm Darcy Windover Band. December 

2 5pm Ken Taylor: Fixin’s Jazz Trio; 9pm 

The Pearl Motel. December 3 5pm Bill Heffernan 

and His Friends; 9pm Tiffany Hanus Jazz 

Band. December 4 5pm Grateful Sunday feat. 

Trevor Cape & The Field; 9pm The Ault Sisters. 

December 5 5pm Mike and Jill Daley Jazz 

Duo; 9pm Drew Austin Jazz Band. December 

6 5pm Roots and Branches Blues Band; 

9pm Tomi Allen from Halifax. December 7 

5pm Marshall Jacklin Jazz Trio; 9pm Julian 

Fauth Blues Night. December 8 5pm Rosita 

Stone with Jazz Plazma; 9pm Kevin Laliberté 

Jazz & Flamenco Trio. December 9 5pm 

Evan Desaulnier Jazz Trio; 9pm Sean Bellaviti 

Latin Jazz Trio. December 10 5pm Bill Heffernan 

and His Friends; 9pm Julian Fauth Blues 

Quartet. December 11 5pm Heather Luckhart 

Blues/Roots/Jazz Band; 9pm L.A. Turcotte: 

Sultans of Soul. December 12 5pm Chris 

Reid & Nina Richmond, voice and guitar; 9pm 

Chris Staig Trio. December 13 5pm Grant 

Lyle Blues Music; 9pm Chelsea McBride Jazz 

Trio. December 14 5pm Michelle Rumball with 

friend; 9pm Julian Fauth Blues Night. December 

15 5pm Concord Jazz Quintet; 9pm Root 

Down Trio. December 16 5pm Mr. Rick Solo; 

9pm Jerry Quintyne Jazz Band. December 

Beat by Beat | Mainly Clubs, Mostly Jazz! 

Christmas From 

Latkes to Monk? 

BOB BEN 

I am not built for the cold. Not only am I unable to handle subzero 

temperatures – I’m also incapable of acclimating to all temperature 

shifts. Every winter I have this problem, and every winter I don’t 

know how to solve it: I walk around outside wearing layer upon layer 

of clothing. I’m talking multiples of everything: I’ve got sweatpants on 

under my jeans, regular socks on under my thermal socks, and under 

my sweater is at least one other sweater. And I’m still cold, so I go 

inside. All of a sudden, I’m frantically stripping off at least three layers 

of clothing, but by now I’m boiling hot and sweating bullets. It’s my 

least favourite thing about winter. 

My favourite thing about winter, on the other hand, is the 

irreverent stuff non-Christians do to poke fun at themselves for 

being the outsiders during the holiday season. One such example is 

Sam Broverman’s annual engagement, “A Jewish Boy’s Christmas,” 

happening at Jazz Bistro, in which he pokes gentle fun at the culture 

and the experience of being Jewish in a Christian-dominated North 

America. I’ve always known Broverman for his ability to write 

amusing alternate lyrics to tunes, which seem to work perfectly with 

17 5pm Bill Heffernan and His Friends; 9pm 

Sweet Derrick Blues Band. December 18 5pm 

Jeff Taylor & The SLT; 9pm Dennis Song Jazz 

Band. December 19 5pm Andy Malette Piano 

Solo; 9pm Linda Carone Vintage Jazz & Blues. 

December 20 5pm Sarah Kennedy & Matt 

Pines Jazz Duo; 9pm Rob Davis Blues Duo. 

December 21 5pm Levi Collins Trio; 7pm Gate 

403 Christmas Party; 9pm Julian Fauth Blues 

Night. December 22 5pm G Street Jazz Trio; 

9pm Toby Hughs: The Big Three. December 

23 5pm Sam Broverman Jazz Duo; 9pm Nick 

MacLean Quartet. December 27 9pm Kalya 

Ramu Jazz Band. December 28 9pm Julian 

Fauth Blues Night. December 29 9pm Denise 

Leslie Jazz Band. December 31 5pm Ken Taylor: 

Fixin’s Jazz Trio; 9pm Chris Staig & The 

Marquee Players New Year’s Eve Show. 

Gift Shop Gallery 

21 Rebecca St., Hamilton 

December 16 8pm HAVN Records Double 

Album Release feat. Lee/Palmer/Bennett Trio: 

David Lee (bass), Chris Palmer (guitar), Connor 

Bennett (reeds); BELLWETHER4: Emily 

Denison (trumpet), Anthony Argatoff (sax), 

Andrew Miller (percussion), Victor Vrankuli 

(bass); Susan Alcorn (pedal steel) $15/$10. 

Grossman’s Tavern 

379 Spadina Ave. 416-977-7000 

grossmanstavern.com (full schedule) 

All shows: No cover (unless otherwise noted). 

Every Sat The Happy Pals Dixieland jazz jam. 

Every Sun 10pm The National Blues Jam 

with Brian Cober. Every Wed 10pm Bruce 

Domoney. 

Harlem Restaurant 

67 Richmond St. E. 416-368-1920 

harlemrestaurant.com (full schedule) 

All shows: 7:30-11pm (unless otherwise 

noted). Call for cover charge info. 

December 2 JWT. December 17, 31 The 

Sean Stanley Trio & Sokhna-Dior. December 

23 Fibralou. 

Hirut Cafe and Restaurant 

2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560 

Every Sun 3pm Open Mic with Nicola 

Vaughan PWYC. December 2 8:30pm In the 

Round w/ Boris Buhot, Frank Wilks, Tony 

Newman PWYC ($10 suggested). December 

6, 20 8pm Fingerstyle Guitar Association 

PWYC. December 31, January 27 9pm Hirut 

Hoot Cabaret $5. January 6 8:30pm In the 

Round w/ Boris Buhot, Arlene Paculan, Nicola 

Vaughan PWYC ($10 suggested). 

Home Smith Bar – See Old Mill, The 

Hugh’s Room 

2261 Dundas St. W. 416-531-6604 

hughsroom.com 

All shows: 8:30pm (unless otherwise noted). 

December 1 Jeffrey Foucault 

$25(adv)/$30(door). December 2 8pm 

Canadian Folk Music Awards Nominee 

Showcase $29(adv)/$32.50. December 

3 11am Canadian Folk Music Awards 

Nominee Showcase $29(adv)/$32.50; 

8:30pm Elizabeth Shepherd & Jaron 

Freeman Fox $29.50(adv)/$33(door). 

December 4 1pm Rosie and the Riveters 

$20(adv)/$22.50(door); 8:30pm Kevin Fox 

$22.50(adv)/$25(door). December 7 8pm 

JAZZ.FM91 Presents Our President’s Choice 

Concert Series – Sophie Milman $50. December 

8 Jane Siberry – CD Release – Angels 

Bend Closer $35(adv)/$40(door). December 

9 Craig Cardiff $22.50(adv)/$25(door). 

December 10 Toronto All-Star Big Band – A 

Swinging Christmas $30(adv)/$35(door). 

December 11 Sultans of String’s Christmas 

Caravan! $25(adv)/$30(door). December 

14 Susan Aglukark $35(adv)/$40(door). 

December 15 A Quartette Christmas 

$45(adv)/$50(door). December 16 Dr. 

Draw $40(adv)/$45(door). December 

17 Maria Doyle Kennedy with Kieran Kennedy 

$27.50(adv)/$30(door). December 18 

1pm The Ault Sisters Celebrate the Season 


the pacing of the tune. The comedic effect is always impeccable. In “A 

Jewish Boy’s Christmas,” Broverman sings such charming lines as, to 

the tune of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, “Both my thumbs 

are numb from spinning dreidels / Kiss my gelt goodbye / I’ll be eating 

frozen latkes till July.” Broverman’s voice is unassuming and conversational. 

But the palpable relaxation in his sound speaks to his immense 

skill; singing is hard, and making it look easy is harder still. 

You can hear Broverman and his guests (among them, members of 

the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, with whom he has served as a chorister, 

and Whitney Ross-Barris, about whom I have written) at Jazz 

Bistro on the evening of December 11. 

Monk Is Here To Stay 

With a vast repertoire from which to draw, a revolving-door-style 

lineup and a fervent desire to explore, there’s very little risk of Toronto 

mainstay Monk’s Music going stale. As the name suggests, Monk’s 

Music is a project dedicated to exploring the music of Thelonious 

Monk. One of the project’s two co-founders, Dan Gauche, moved to 

the West Coast. The remaining co-founder, Michael Davidson, is a 

vibraphonist of remarkable dexterity and wit, whose fascination with 

Monk’s body of work has led to this weekly ongoing tribute to the jazz 

piano colossus. Davidson uses elements and trademark gestures of 

the Monkian style – playing with four mallets, in the tradition of Gary 

Burton, must help, I imagine, with the idiomatically pianistic phrases 

and textures he plays with – and he also channels the playful, curious 

spirit, the sense of humour and whimsy, for which Monk was known. 

Monk’s Music, a project that has been happening for about seven 

years now, plays every Sunday evening, alternating between the 

Tranzac at 5pm on the first and third Sunday of each month, and the 

Emmet Ray at 6pm on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. 

There are no cover charges, and no excuses! 

It’s getting really cold out there, friends. Bundle up, but don’t 

bundle up too much. 

Bob Ben is The WholeNote’s jazz listings editor. He 

can be reached at jazz@thewholenote.com. 

Sam Broverman 

MARIE BYERS 

$22.50(adv)/$25(door); 8:30pm Jane Siberry 

– ‘Angels Bend Closer’ CD Release – 2nd 

Show $35(adv)/$40(door). December 20 

A Bluesy Christmas $25(adv)/$30(door). 

December 21 Avalon’s Garden Swings for 

SickKids $35(adv)/$40(door). December 

23 The Arrogant Worms – Christmas Show 

$35(adv)/$40(door). December 28 Don Ross 

$35(adv)/$40(door). December 29 Suzie 

Vinnick $22.50(adv)/$25(door). December 

31 9:30pm New Year’s Eve with Chris 

Whiteley & Diana Braithwaite and Special 

Guests $135. January 7 The Al Lerman 

Band $22.50(adv)/$25(door). January 12, 

13, 14, 15 15th Annual “Way We Feel:” A Celebration 

of the Music of Gordon Lightfoot 

$38(adv)/$40(door). January 18 Jan Kudelka 

presents JANIS JOPLIN’S BIRTHDAY BASH! 

$22.50(adv)/$27.50(door). January 19 “In 

the Can” A Fundraising Concert for Children’s 

Aid Foundation $20(adv)/$25(door). 

January 20 Richard Sabsay Band Video and 

CD release No cover. January 27 Harpdog 

Brown $22.50(adv)/$27.50(door). January 

28 Peter Asher: A Musical Memoir of the 60s 

and Beyond – Featuring the Music of Peter 

and Gordon $40(adv)/$45(door). January 

29 2pm Ken Whiteley’s Sunday Gospel Matinee 

$20(adv)/$22.50(door). February 1 8pm 

JAZZ.FM91 Presents Our President’s Choice 

Concert Series – Guido Basso $50. 

Jazz Bistro, The 

251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299 

jazzbistro.ca 

December 1 9pm Jacob Gorzhaltsan (clarinet, 

sax) – CD Release ‘Fly Softly’ with Denzal 

Sinclaire (voice), Ewen Farncombe (piano), 

Scott Hunter (bass), Colin Adhikary (drums) 

$15. December 3 9pm Brandi Disterheft 

(bass) Trio with Harold Mabern (piano), Joe 

Farnsworth (drums) $20. December 4, 11, 18 

12pm(4, 18)/11:30am(11) Brunch with pianist 

Eli Pasic $5. December 5 8:30pm Matt Dusk: 

Old School Yule $40. December 11 7:30pm 

Sam Broverman: A Jewish Boy’s Christmas 

$15. December 14 8:30pm Cocktails & Candy 

Cabaret $15. December 17 9pm Hilario Duran 

& Robi Botos $20. December 18 7pm A Mitch 

Smolkin Holiday Special with Levon Ichkhanian 

(guitar), Wilson Laurencin (drums), Attila 

Darvas (bass), Robert Horvath (piano) $30. 

December 31 9:30pm New Year’s Eve with 

the Jeanine Mackie Band $150. 

Jazz Room, The 

Located in the Huether Hotel, 59 King St. N., 

Waterloo. 226-476-1565 

kwjazzroom.com (full schedule) 

All shows: 8:30pm-11:30pm unless otherwise 

indicated. Attendees must be 19+. 

December 2 Brandi Disterheft $20. December 

3 So Long Seven: Neil Hendry (guitar, 

mandolin), Tim Posgate (banjo), Ravi Naimpally 

(tabla), William Lamoureux (violin, voice) 

$18. December 9 Barbra Lica $20. December 

10 Alex Pangman (voice) & Her Alleycats: 

John MacLeod (cornet), Peter Hill (piano), 

Christopher Banks (bass), Glenn Anderson 

(drums) $20. December 16 Ted Gibbons 

(guitar) with John Zadro (piano), Dan Brennan 

(bass), Gary Tomlin (drums) $16. December 

17 The Carn/Davidson 9: William Carn 

(trombone), Tara Davidson (alto and soprano 

saxes, flute), Kelly Jefferson (tenor & soprano 

saxes), Perry White (bari sax & bass clarinet), 

Jason Logue, Brad Eaton (trumpet & flugelhorn), 

Alex Duncan (bass trombone), Dan 

Fortin (bass), Ernesto Cervini (drums) $25. 

December 23 Tom Nagy’s Christmas Experience 

$20. December 30 The Mary-Catherine 

Quintet: Mary-Catherine Pazzano (voice), 

Don Buchanan (piano), Jason Hunter (sax), 

Mike Grace (bass), Steve James (drums) $16. 

December 31 7pm NYE party feat. Elise LeGrow 

$35(adv). 

Joe Mama’s 

317 King St. W. 416-340-6469 

joemamas.ca 

Every Tue 6pm Jeff Eager. Every Wed 6pm 

Thomas Reynolds. Every Thu 9pm Blackburn. 

Every Fri 10pm The Grind. Every Sat 10pm 

Shugga. 

KAMA 

214 King St. W. 416-599-5262 

kamaindia.com (full schedule) 

Every Thu 5:30pm Jazz with the Kama House 

Band. 

La Revolucion 

2848 Dundas St. W. 416-766-0746 

larev.webs.com 

Every Tue 9pm Duets with Peter Hill and featured 

guests. Every Sat 7:30pm Saturday 

Night Jazz (lineup TBA). 

Local Gest, The 

424 Parliament St. 416-961-9425 

Local Pub, The 

396 Roncesvalles Ave. 416-535-6225 

localpub.ca (full schedule) 

December 3 9pm Candy Apple Jazz Band. 

Lula Lounge 

1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307 

lula.ca (full schedule) 

Manhattans Pizza Bistro & Music Club 

951 Gordon St., Guelph 519-767-2440 

manhattans.ca (full schedule) 

All shows: PWYC. 

December 1 University of Guelph Jazz Ensemble. 

December 2, 18 Stan Chang & Erick 

Bruck. December 3, 7, 21 Jamie ‘Giggles’ Mitges. 

December 5, 12, 19 Sandy MacDonald. 

December 6, 20 Brad Halls. December 8, 

22 Joe Lucchetta Trio. December 10 Bartosz 

Hadala Trio. December 14 Rob White. December 

23 Latin + Jazz. December 28 Paul Taylor. 

Mây Cafe 

876 Dundas St. W. 647-607-2032 

maytoronto.com (full schedule) 

Mezzetta Restaurant 

681 St. Clair Ave. W. 416-658-5687 

mezzettarestaurant.com (full schedule) 

All shows: 9pm, $8 (unless otherwise noted). 

December 7 Rob Piltch (guitar) & Neil Swainson 

(bass). December 14 Louis Simao (voice, 

guitar, accordion) & Pedro Joel (voice, guitar). 

December 21 Rebecca Enkin (voice) & 

Ron Davis (piano). 

Monarch Tavern 

12 Clinton St. 416-531-5833 

themonarchtavern.com (full schedule) 

December 12, January 9 7:30pm Martin 

Loomer & His Orange Devils Orchestra 

$10. January 25 Daniela Nardi’s Espresso 

Manifesto 

Morgans on the Danforth 

1282 Danforth Ave. 416-461-3020 

morgansonthedanforth.com (full schedule) 

All shows: 2pm-5pm. No cover. 

December 11 Jocelyn Barth & David Restivo. 

January 29 Lisa Particelli’s Girls’ Night Out 

East Jazz Jam. 

N’awlins Jazz Bar & Dining 

299 King St. W. 416-595-1958 

nawlins.ca 

All shows: No cover/PWYC. 

Every Tue 6:30pm Stacie McGregor. Every 

Wed 7pm Jim Heineman Trio. Every Thu 8pm 

Nothin’ But the Blues w/ Joe Bowden (drums) 

and featured vocalists. Every Fri, Sat 8:30pm 

N’awlins All Star Band. Every Sun 7pm 

Brooke Blackburn. 

Nice Bistro, The 

117 Brock St. N., Whitby. 905-668-8839 

nicebistro.com (full schedule) 

December 14 San Murata Duo $39.99 (dinner 


included). January 11 Farrucas Latino Duo 

$39.99 (dinner included). 

Old Mill, The 

21 Old Mill Rd. 416-236-2641 

oldmilltoronto.com 

The Home Smith Bar: No reservations. No 

cover. $20 food/drink minimum. All shows: 

7:30pm-10:30pm 

December 1 Colleen Allen (sax, flute) Trio 

with Mark Hukezalie (piano), Peter Telford 

(bass). December 2 Canadian Jazz 

Quartet: Frank Wright (vibes), Ted Quinlan 

(guitar), Pat Collins (bass), Don Vickery 

(drums) feat. Drew Jurecka (violin). December 

3 Micah Barnes (voice) Quartet with 

Michael Shand (piano), Russ Boswell (bass), 

Al Cross (drums). December 6 In Concert 

and Conversation with Gene DiNovi. December 

8 Steve McDade (trumpet, flugelhorn) 

Trio with Robi Botos (piano), Scott Alexander 

(bass). December 9 Sean Bray’s (guitar) 

Peach Trio with Mark Dunn (bass), David 

MacDougall (drums). December 10 Colina 

Phillips (voice) Quartet with Stacie McGregor 

(piano), Mike Milligan (bass), Ted Warren 

(drums). December 15 Bob DeAngelis (clarinet, 

sax) Trio with Phil Disera (guitar), Ron 

Johnston (bass). December 16 Julie Michels 

(voice) Trio with David Restivo (piano), 

Ross MacIntyre (bass). December 17 Dave 

Young (bass) Quartet with Jim Lewis (trumpet), 

John Sherwood (piano), Terry Clarke 

(drums). December 22 Russ Little (trombone) 

Trio with Tom Szczesniak (piano), 

Scott Alexander (bass). December 23 Julie 

Mahendran (voice) Trio with Adrean Farrugia 

(piano), Ross MacIntyre (bass). December 

31 New Year’s Eve Jazz Party hosted by June 

Garber, feat. Mark Kieswetter (piano) Trio 

with Ross MacIntyre (bass), Daniel Barnes 

(drums) $150(adv) (includes buffet dinner). 

Only Café, The 

972 Danforth Ave. 416-463-7843 

theonlycafe.com (full schedule) 

All shows: 8pm unless otherwise indicated. 

Paintbox Bistro 

555 Dundas St. E. 647-748-0555 

paintboxbistro.ca (full schedule) 

Pilot Tavern, The 

22 Cumberland Ave. 416-923-5716 

thepilot.ca 

All shows: 3:30pm. No cover. 

December 3 Bernie Senensky Quartet. 

December 10 Sugar Daddies. December 

17 Dave Young Quartet. 

D. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz) 

Poetry Jazz Café 

224 Augusta Ave. 416-599-5299 

poetryjazzcafe.com (full schedule) 

Remix Lounge 

1305 Dundas St. W. 

remixlounge.ca (full schedule) 

December 9 8pm David Murray (sax) with 

The All Star Ritual Trio: Sir Kahil El’Zabar 

(drums), Harrison Bankhead (bass). 

Reposado Bar & Lounge 

136 Ossington Ave. 416-532-6474 

reposadobar.com (full schedule) 

Every Wed Spy vs. Sly vs. Spy. Every Thu, 

Fri 10pm Reposadists Quartet: Tim Hamel 

(trumpet), Jon Meyer (bass), Jeff Halischuck 

(drums), Roberto Rosenman (guitar). 

Reservoir Lounge, The 

52 Wellington St. E. 416-955-0887 

reservoirlounge.com (full schedule). 

All shows: 9:45pm 

Every Tue, Sat Tyler Yarema and his Rhythm. 

Every Wed The Digs. Every Thu Stacey 

Kaniuk. Every Fri Dee Dee and the Dirty 

Martinis. 

Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar, The 

194 Queen St. W. 416-598-2475 

therex.ca (full schedule) 

Call for cover charge info. 

December 1 6:30pm Teri Parker Trio; 9:30pm 

Kiki Misumi Quintet. December 2 4pm Hogtown 

Syncopators; 6:30pm Artie Roth Quartet; 

9:45 Joe Bowden Sextet. December 

3 12pm The Sinners Choir; 3:30pm Swing 

Shift Big Band; 7pm Sammy Jackson Quintet; 

9:45pm Dave Young Quintet. December 4 

12pm Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band; 3:30pm 

Club Django; 7pm James Brown Guitar Trio; 

9:30pm Ilios Steryannis Quartet. December 

5 6:30pm U of T Jazz Ensembles; 9:30pm 

Steve Farrugia’s Big City Big Band. December 

6 9:30pm Brad Cheeseman Group. December 

7 6:30pm Brian de Lima’s Bud Powell Tribute; 

9:30pm Split Cycle (Montreal/Brooklyn/ 

Japan). December 8 6:30pm Peter Hill Quintet; 

9:30pm Split Cycle (Montreal/Brooklyn/ 

Japan). December 9 4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 

6:30pm Artie Roth Quartet; 9:45 John 

Raymond & Real Feels. December 10 12pm 

The Sinners Choir; 3:30pm The A/C Unit; 

7pm Sammy Jackson Quintet; 9:45pm Mark 

McLean. December 11 12pm Excelsior Dixieland 

Jazz Band; 3:30pm Red Hot Ramble; 7pm 

James Brown Guitar Trio; 9:30pm Jacob’s Cattle. 

December 12 6:30pm U of T Jazz Ensembles; 

9:30pm Tom Upjohn’s We Are All Big 

Band. December 13 6:30pm David Diao Group; 

Featuring some of Toronto’s best jazz musicians 

with a brief reflection by Jazz Vespers Clergy 

Sunday, December 11 at 4:30 pm 

(Christmas Vespers) Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite 

BRIAN BARLOW BIG BAND 

Sunday, January 15, 2017 at 4:30 pm 

DREW JURECKA TRIO 

Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 4:30 pm 

Chase Sanborn, trumpet; Mark Eisenman, piano 

Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-920-5211 

(north of St. Clair at Heath St.) 

www.thereslifehere.org Admission is free; donations are welcome. 

9:30pm Saorsa. December 14 6:30pm Brian 

de Lima’s Bud Powell Tribute; 9:30pm Virginia 

MacDonald. December 15 6:30pm Laura 

Hubert Group; 9:30pm Norbert Botos. December 

16 4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 6:30pm 

Artie Roth Quartet; 9:45 Brooklyn’s Huntertones. 

December 17 12pm The Sinners Choir; 

3:30pm Jerome Godboo Winter Blues Solstice; 

7pm Sammy Jackson Quintet; 9:45pm Brooklyn’s 

Huntertones. December 18 12pm Excelsior 

Dixieland Jazz Band; 3:30pm Dr. Nick & 

The Rollercoasters; 7pm James Brown Guitar 

Trio; 9:30pm Radiohead Jazz Project - 

T.J.O. Toronto Jazz Orchestra. December 19 

6:30pm Triple Bari Ensemble; 9:30pm Edmonton’s 

Jenie Thai. December 20 6:30pm Chris 

Gale Quartet; 9:30pm Jake Wilkinson’s Bebop 

Christmas. December 21 6:30pm Brian de 

Lima’s Bud Powell Tribute; 9:30pm Thrust 

(Ottawa). December 22 6:30pm Justin Bacchus; 

9:30pm Roberto Occhipinti. December 

23 4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 6:30pm Artie 

Roth Quartet; 9:45 Terry Promane & Dave 

Young Octet. December 26 8pm The Sinners 

Choir. December 27 6:30pm Chris Gale Quartet; 

9:30pm Leyland Gordon. December 28 

6:30pm Brian de Lima’s Bud Powell Tribute; 

9:30pm Gordon Hyland’s Augenblick. December 

29 6:30pm Bugaloo Squad. December 30 

4pm Hogtown Syncopators; 6:30pm Artie Roth 

Quartet; 9:45 Jabfung. December 31 1pm The 

Sinners Choir; 9:30pm The Rex NYE Bash w/ 

Grooveyard. 

Salty Dog Bar & Grill, The 

1980 Queen St. E. 416-849-5064 

thesaltydog.ca (full schedule) 

Every Tuesday Jazz with Greg Pilo. 

Competitions 

●●Jan 09 11:59pm: ORIANA Women’s Choir. 

2016/17 Canadian Choral Composition Competition. 

Open to Canadian citizens and 

landed immigrants; winning entry will be performed 

at ORIANA’s May 27 2017 concert. 

For complete rules, regulations and eligibility 

please see orianachoir.com and contact artistic 

director Mitchell Pady at 

competition@orianachoir.com Deadline for 

submission: January 09 2017. 

Festivals, Festivities 

●●Jan 07 7:00: Toronto Gilbert and Sullivan 

Society. Songfest. Musical extravaganza 

of Toronto Gilbert and Sullivan performing 

groups. St. Andrew’s United Church, 117 Bloor 

St. E. 416-763-0832. Non-members $5. 

Refreshments included. 

Lectures, Salons, Symposia 

●●Dec 01 1:30: Miles Nadal JCC. Gilbert & Sullivan 

TopsyTurvyDom. The masters of the 

Savoy Theatre took a cue from Strauss and 

Offenbach and ran with it. Their light operas 

conquered new audience all over the world. 

Find out the “whys and wherefores” with 

Guillermo Silva, general director of Toronto 

Operetta Theatre. 750 Spadina Ave. 416-924- 

6211 x155. $4 at the door. 

●●Dec 04 2:00: Toronto Opera Club. Great 

Singers of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi 

E. The ETCeteras 

Sauce on the Danforth 

1376 Danforth Ave. 647-748-1376 

sauceondanforth.com 

All shows: No cover. 

Every Mon 9pm The Out Of Towners: Dirty 

Organ Jazz. Every Tue 6pm Julian Fauth. 

December 3 Stephen Stanley. December 

17 Ike Cedar & The Daydrinkers. 

Seven44 

(Formerly Chick n’ Deli/The People’s Chicken) 

744 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-489-7931 

seven44.com (full schedule) 

All shows: 7:30pm 

December 5 Advocats Big Band. December 

12 Mega City Swing Band. December 

19 George Lake Big Band. 

Tranzac 

292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137 

tranzac.org 

3-4 shows daily, various styles. Mostly PWYC. 

Every Mon 10pm Open Mic Mondays. Every 

Fri 5pm The Friends of Hugh Oliver (folk). 

This month’s shows include: December 

2 10pm Emily Denison. December 4 5pm 

Monk’s Music. December 6 10pm Peripheral 

Vision. December 11 10pm The Lina Allemano 

Four. December 13 10pm Michael Davidson. 

December 18 7:30pm Diane Roblin. December 

20 10pm The Ken McDonald Quartet. 

December 27 10pm Nick Fraser Presents. 

December 30 10pm The Ryan Driver Sextet. 

Check back in early January 

on thewholenote.com for 

updates to our club listings. 

Theatres of Tsarist Russia. Stephen R. Clarke, 

guest speaker. Edward Johnson Bldg., Room 

330, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-924-3940. $10. 

●●Dec 07 10:00am: Istituto Italiano di Cultura. 

Music before Words: 400 Years of Italian 

Opera. The dawn of a new era: from 

Verism to Puccini’s Turandot. Lecture by 

Sebastiano Bazzichetto. 496 Huron St. 416- 

921-3802 x221. $20, $15 (IIC students). 

●●Jan 24 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. 

Opera Talk: Rebel Without a Cause: Is Siegfried 

really the hero of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung? 

Talk by Opera Canada editor Wayne 

Gooding. North York Central Library Auditorium, 

5120 Yonge St. Advance registration recommended 

by calling 416-395-5639. Free. 

●●Jan 24 7:00: University of Toronto Faculty 

of Music. Lecture by Richard Bronskill, Louis 

Applebaum, Distinguished Visitor in Film 

Composition. Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park. 

416-978-3750; music.utoronto.ca Free. 

●●Jan 26 1:30: Miles Nadal JCC. Singing 

for Social Change: Women Musicians of 

the 1960s & 70s. With folk singer Eve Goldberg. 

Learn how legendary female artists like 

Carole King, Aretha Franklin, Joan Baez and 

Joni Mitchell helped changed history, and 

sing along to some of their greatest songs. 

750 Spadina Ave. 416-924-6211 x155. $4 at 

the door. 

●●Jan 26 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. 

Opera Insights: Opera Trivia! Think you know 

opera? Team up with fellow opera geeks 


and test your opera knowledge over a pint 

in a round of opera trivia. Trivia master Russel 

Harder of Trivia Club! hosts this gameshow-inspired 

quiz night. The Fifth Pub 

House, 221 Richmond St. W. Reserve tickets in 

advance by calling 416-363-8231 or visit coc. 

ca/OperaInsights Free. 

●●Jan 28 9:00am-5:30: University of Toronto 

Faculty of Music / York University / Ryerson 

University. DM@X: Digital Media at the 

Crossroads. Examining the evolving digital 

media universe in Canada. Features panels 

on digital disruption in the music industry, 

the future of publishing in the digital age and 

more. Open to students, faculty and public. 

Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-978-3750; 

for information on speakers, conference fees, 

and registration: 

digitalmediaatthecrossroads.ca 

●●Feb 02 12:10: University of Toronto Faculty 

of Music. Thursdays at Noon: New Music 

Festival: Lecture by Salvatore Sciarrino. Walter 



Free. Festival runs Jan 29-Feb 5. 

●●Feb 02 3:30: University of Toronto Faculty 

of Music. Lecture by Suzanne G. Cusick, 

Professor of Music at the Faculty of Arts and 

Science at New York University. Room 130, 

Edward Johnson Bldg, 80 Queen’s Park. 416- 

978-3750; music.utoronto.ca. Free. 

●●Feb 06 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. 

Opera Insights: Götterdämmerung from 

Scratch: A Novice’s Guide. Join COC Music Director 

Johannes Debus as he leads participants 

through the score of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung. 

Playing excerpts from the score on piano, 

Debus shares fascinating musical insights into 

this complex and masterful work. No musical 

background required! Education Centre, Four 


145 Queen St. W. Reserve tickets in advance by 

calling 416-363-8231 or visit coc.ca/OperaInsights. 

Free. Registration begins on Jan 11. 

Masterclasses 

●●Dec 03 11:00am-1:00: Tafelmusik. Masterclass 

with violinist Rodolfo Richter. Join the 

audience to see Richter work with emerging 

artists, focusing on violin and viola repertoire 

of Baroque Italy. Open to the public. 

Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 

427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-9562 x241. Free ($10 

suggested donation). 

HAOCHEN ZHANG 

JAN 8 SUN, 4:00 PM 

Piano Master Class 

First Prize Winner, 

Van Cliburn Competition 

●●Jan 08 4:00: Li Delun Music Foundation. 

Haochen Zhang Piano Masterclass and Lecture. 

Steinway Piano Gallery, 2651 John St. 

Markham. 905-946-8040. $20, $15. 

●●Jan 21 1:00-3:00: Tafelmusik. Guest Artist 

Public Masterclass. Baritone Peter Harvey 

will work with emerging artists on German 

Baroque repertoire for voice. Jeanne Lamon 

Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. 

W. 416-964-9562 x241; www.tafelmusik.org/ 

Masterclass. Free admission (donations 

appreciated). 

●●Feb 01 10:00am: University of Toronto Faculty 

of Music. New Music Festival: Composition 

Master Classes with Salvatore Sciarrino. 




●●Feb 03 10:00am: University of Toronto 

Faculty of Music. New Music Festival: Composition 

Masterclasses with Salvatore Sciarrino. 

Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, 



Salons 

●●Jan 22 2:00-5:00: Classical Music Club 

Toronto. Haydn: A Celebration of Musical 

Genius. Recordings and videos will be presented. 

For information and location: 416- 

898-2549. $25 (annual membership fee); no 

charge for first-time visitors. Nominal donation 

to defray refreshment cost. 

Screenings 

●●Jan 31 6:30: Royal Conservatory of Music 

/ Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. A Todo Color. 

Through intimate interviews, some of Cuba’s 

leading artists chronicle their defiant personal 

journeys that changed the history of 

their country’s music. Two members from the 

all-female Cuban jazz sextet, Jane Bunnett 

and Maqueque, Jane Bunnett and Magdelys 

Savigne, will be in attendance for a postscreening 

performance and Q&A. 506 Bloor 

St. W. 416-408-2824; www.hotdocscinema.ca 

$16 (Hot Docs members: $12, $10, free). 

Spoken Word, Performance Art 

●●Dec 11 2:00: Toronto Gilbert and Sullivan 

Society. Dickens: A Christmas Carol. Oneman 

show by John Huston. Plus singalong 

carols. St. Andrew’s United Church, 117 Bloor 

St. E. 416-763-0832. $5 (non-members). 

Refreshments included. 

Tours 

●●Dec 04 10:30am: Canadian Opera Company. 

90-Minute Tour of the Four Seasons 

Centre. Led by a trained docent; includes 

information and access to the Isadore and 

Rosalie Sharp City Room, the Richard Bradshaw 

Amphitheatre and R. Fraser Elliott Hall, 

as well as backstage areas like wig rooms and 

dressing rooms, the orchestra pit, and other 

spaces that only a stage door pass could 

unlock. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing 

Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231; 

coc.ca $20 (adults); $15 (sr/st). Tours also 

available on Jan 08, 15, 22, 29 and Feb 05. 

Workshops 

●●Dec 04 1:30-4:00: Toronto Early Music 

Players Organization. Workshop coached by 

recorder player Avery MacLean. Bring your 

early instruments and a music stand. Armour 

Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue 

Road. 416-779-5750. $20. 

●●Dec 09 7:30: Toronto Recorder Players’ 

Society. Amateur recorder players 

are invited to join in the playing of early 

music. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 

527 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-597-0485; 

torecorder.wordpress.com $15 (non-members). 

Refreshments. 

●●Jan 08 1:30-4:00: Toronto Early Music 

Players Organization. Workshop coached 

by viol/cello player Laura Jones. Bring your 

early instruments and a music stand. Armour 

Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue 

Road. 416-779-5750. $20. 

●●Jan 13 7:30: Toronto Recorder Players’ 

Society. Amateur recorder players 

are invited to join in the playing of early 

music. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 

527 Mount Pleasant Rd. Guest coach: Anne 

Massicotte. 416-597-0485; torecorder. 

wordpress.com $20 (non-members). 

Refreshments. 

●●Jan 14 5:00-9:30: Canadian Opera Company. 

Youth Opera Lab: Opera for Musical 

Theatre Lovers – The Magic Flute. For young 

adults between the ages of 16 and 24. Activities 

include an interactive lecture with soprano 

and opera educator Kyra Millan; a 

backstage tour with assistant technical director 

Jake Gow; a behind-the-scenes glimpse 

of a working rehearsal of Mozart’s The Magic 

Flute. 416-363-8231 or education@coc.ca 

Application available at coc.ca/YOL. Registration 

opens Dec 05. Free. 

●●Jan 22 2:00-4:30: CAMMAC Toronto 

Region. Reading for singers and instrumentalists 

of Schubert’s Mass in G. Elaine 

Choi, conductor. Christ Church Deer 

Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-551-5183. $10; 

$6(members). 

●●Jan 24 5:00-9:30: Canadian Opera Company. 

Youth Opera Lab: Writing Text for 

Opera – Götterdämmerung. For young adults 

between the ages of 16 and 24. Participants 

will have the opportunity to take part in a 

libretto-writing (opera script) workshop with 

librettist Julie Tepperman and gain a behindthe-scenes 

glimpse at a working rehearsal of 

Wagner’s Götterdämmerung. 416-363-8231 

or education@coc.ca. Application available at 

coc.ca/YOL. Registration opens Dec 19. Free. 

●●Feb 05 1:30-4:00: Toronto Early Music 

Players Organization. Workshop coached 

by violin/keyboard player Larry Beckwith. 

Bring your early instruments and a music 

stand. Armour Heights Community Centre, 

2140 Avenue Road. 416-779-5750. $20. 

YOUNG ARTISTS 

PROGRAM 

Strings | Winds | Piano | Voice 

Ottawa 2017 

Canada’s 

National Arts 

Centre Orchestra 

Pinchas Zukerman 

Founder, Artistic Director 

Sara Vered 

Honorary Patron 

SENIORS JUNE 5–23 

PRECOLLEGE JUNE 10–24 

Auditions due: February 6, 2017 

For information and to apply: 

nac-cna.ca/yap 

SING CAROLS 

with your friends 

at your party 

accompanied by a 

professional pianist/ 

singer with carol lyric 

sheets. Piano req’d. 

647-823-1233 


Classified Advertising | classad@thewholenote.com 

WholeNote CLASSIFIEDS can help you 

recruit new members for your choir or 

band / orchestra or find a new music 

director! Advertise your help wanted needs 

or promote your services starting at only 

$24/issue. Inquire by JANUARY 25 for the 

FEBRUARY issue. 

classad@thewholenote.com 

AUDITIONS & OPPORTUNITIES 

AUDITIONS FOR SOLOISTS The Kindred 

Spirits Orchestra invites soloists to affirm 

their interest in performing one of the 

following concerti with the orchestra during 

its 2017.2018, 2018.2019 or 2019.2020 

concert seasons: VIOLIN CONCERTI by 

Schumann, Bartok, Shostakovich, or 

Britten; CELLO CONCERTI by Shostakovich, 

Prokofiev, Saint-Saëns, or Dvořák; PIANO 

CONCERTI by Rachmaninoff (Nos. 1 or 4; 

Rhapsody), Tchaikovsky (No. 2), Prokofiev, 

Stravinsky, Shostakovich (No. 2), Strauss 

(Burlesque), Chopin, Liszt (No. 2; Totentanz), 

Saint-Saëns, or Ravel (in G); SOLI SATB for 

Beethoven’s Ninth. For more information, 

e-mail GM@KSOrchestra.ca. 

Available positions with the KINDRED 

SPIRITS ORCHESTRA: 1st Horn, 2nd 

trumpet, 1st, 2nd and Bass Trombone, 

Pianist, sectional Violins, Violas, Cellos and 

Contrabasses. The KSO is an auditionedbased 

civic orchestra in residence at Flato 

Markham Theatre. Weekly rehearsals are 

held on Tuesday evening at Cornell Recital 

Hall (HWY 407 ETR and 9th Ln). For more 

information visit www.KSOchestra.ca or 

e-mail Jobert Sevilleno at 

GM@KSOrchestra.ca 

COUNTERPOINT COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA 

invites volunteer 1st & 2nd violinists and 

other musicians in all sections including 

percussionists to play with us in our 33rd 

Season. Monday evening rehearsals. 

Concerts are Dec 10, March 25 & June 10th 

Contact us at info@ccorchestra.org 

www.ccorchestra.org 

THE CELTIC FIDDLE ORCHESTRA OF 

SOUTHERN ONTARIO is looking for additional 

musicians: violin, viola, cello, bass and flute. 

We practice twice a month on Sunday 

afternoons from 1:30 to 4:00 at the QEPCCC 

in Oakville. Please contact Jill Yokoyama at 

905-635-8079 or email 

cfoso.exec@gmail.com 

YORKMINSTRELS SHOW CHOIR welcoming 

new SATB singers, especially men! Broadway 

and popular music repertoire performed 

off-book with simple choreography. 

Rehearsals: Wednesday evenings near 

Willowdale/Cummer. Interested? Contact 

Sandi: mail@yorkminstrels.com Website: 

www.yorkminstrels.com 

INSTRUCTION & COURSES 

CLARINET, SAXOPHONE, FLUTE, 

RECORDER, TRUMPET, TROMBONE, PIANO 

LESSONS. PhD in music from UofT, 28 years 

of experience. Leo 416-879-9679; 

yanalo1@yahoo.com 

FLUTE, PIANO, THEORY LESSONS. RCM 

exam preparation. RCM certified advanced 

specialist. Samantha Chang, FTCL, 

FLCM, Royal Academy of Music PGDip, 

LRAM, ARCT. Toronto, Scarborough 416-293- 

1302, samantha.studio@gmail.com. 

www.samanthaflute.com. 

PIANO, RUDIMENTS, VOICE. 29 years 

of experience. Russian and Suzuki Piano 

Schools. Kodaly Pedagogy. Prep for RCM 

exams. www.music4youand4me.ca. 

doremilounge@gmail.com. 416-831-8131 

Polina. 

LESSONS FOR ALL! Friendly and firm - 

I’m an experienced musician and mom 

teaching piano and singing to children (and 

young at heart) in my Toronto home (East 

Leslieville). To discuss your child’s need for 

music-making please contact kskwhite@ 

gmail.com. 

ON A HAPPY NOTE PIANO LESSONS 

Experienced teacher: classical, popular 

music, and theory. Students of all ages 

welcome, Bathurst and Eglinton area. 

416-783-9517 

PIANO LESSONS WITH CONCERT PIANIST 

EVE EGOYAN eveegoyan.com All ages, 

all levels welcome, at Earwitness Studio, 

Artscape Youngplace (downtown Toronto). 

Eve’s own exposure to exceptional teachers 

during her developmental years makes her a 

communicative, intuitive and creative teacher 

with over 25 years teaching experience 

(private lessons, masterclasses, adjudication) 

Each student is an individual. Email Eve to set 

up a free introductory meeting at 

eve.egoyan@bell.net 

PIANO, VOCAL and THEORY LESSONS, 

MUSIC THERAPY SERVICES and ADAPTED 

PIANO LESSONS at Larissa’s music studio in 

Mississauga. 416-574-0018 

TAILORING FLUTE/THEORY LESSONS TO 

YOUR NEEDS - all levels, ages. Experienced 

RCM Certified Teacher. Michelle Coon B.Mus 

Toronto West 416-784-4431 

westonflute@gmail.com. 

www.studiomichelle.ca 

www.MosePianoForAll.com - Friendly 

Cabbagetown teaching studio welcomes 

nervous adult hobby pianists, teen washouts, 

and normal kids. Uncommonly patient 

and encouraging piano teacher with loyal 

following. Peter Kristian Mose, 416-923- 

3060. “Now there’s a teacher!” R.D., age 13 

FOR SALE / WANTED 

BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE VIOLIN MADE 

AND SIGNED BY SEBASTIAN KLOTZ in 

MITTENWALD GERMANY, 1740. Very good 

playing condition. LEO: 416-879-9679; 

yanalo1@yahoo.com 

CLASSICAL RECORD AND CD COLLECTIONS 

WANTED. Minimum 350 units. Call, text or 

e-mail Aaron 416-471-8169 or A@A31.CA. 

FRENCH HORN in excellent condition for 

advanced student or working musician. 

Reynolds. mjbuell@gmail.com 

PIANO AND VOCAL SHEET MUSIC AND 

MUSIC BOOKS: classical, jazz, Broadway, 

Christmas etc. Also RCM teaching material 

(piano). Best offer. 905-477-1135 

sfowler6@icloud.com 

TRUMPET Bach Stradivarius model 37 

(never used; SAXOPHONE Bundy Selmer 

alto; BASSOON Linton; EUPHONIUM Besson 

four valve compensating with lacquer finish. 

Phone 416-964-3642. 

SKELETONS IN YOUR CLOSET BASEMENT? 

Does your old guitar gently weep? Are your 

band days just a hazy memory? Someone out 

there would love to give your nice old clarinet 

/ drum kit a new life. Buy or sell unused 

instruments with a WholeNote classified ad! 

Contact classad@thewholenote.com. 

MUSICIANS AVAILABLE 

KARAOKE FUN FOR EVERYONE! Try our 

on-site karaoke services for your company 

party or private party. All equipment provided 

plus a friendly helpful host to make everything 

run smoothly and help your guests feel like 

RESTORE & PRESERVE 

YOUR MEMORIES 

Recital and gig tapes | 78’s 

& LPs | VHS and Hi8 | 35mm 

Slides |News clippings | Photos 

& more, transferred to 

digital files: CD’s, DVD’s, 

or Video slideshow 

ArtsMediaProjects 

416.910.1091 

stars. Musical Theatre, Frank Sinatra and 

Billie Holiday to Beatles and Arctic Monkeys, 

and everything in between. For info contact 

jason@jasonrolland.com or call 416-809-4311. 

SING CAROLS AT YOUR PARTY accompanied 

by a professional pianist & singer. Piano req’d. 

bigsteamband.com/caroling. 

WEDDINGS, ROASTS & RETIREMENTS! Do 

you provide music services? Advertise right 

here for as little as $24 plus tax! Contact 

classad@thewholenote.com by January 25 

for the combined February edition! 

SERVICES 

ACCOUNTING AND INCOME TAX SERVICE 

for small business and individuals, to save 

you time and money, customized to meet 

your needs. Norm Pulker, B. Math. CMA. 

905-251-0309 or 905-830-2985 

CD LINER NOTES, PROMO MATERIAL, 

CONCERT PROGRAMS, LIBRETTI, WEB SITE 

CONTENT AND MEMOIRS need proofreading 

and editing for correct spelling and grammar, 

clarity and consistency. Contact Vanessa 

Wells, wellsread@editors.ca, for a copy editor 

with a music background. Quick turnaround 

and reasonable rates! wellsreadediting.ca 

VENUES AVAILABLE / WANTED 

ARE YOU PLANNING A CONCERT OR 

RECITAL? Looking for a venue? Consider 

Bloor Street United Church. Phone: 416-924- 

7439 x22. Email: 

tina@bloorstreetunited.org. 

PERFORMANCE / REHEARSAL / STUDIO 

SPACE AVAILABLE: great acoustics, 

reasonable rates, close to Green P Parking, 

cafés & restaurants. Historic church at 

College & Bellevue, near Spadina. Phone 

416-921-6350. E-mail 

ststepheninthefields@gmail.com. 

Rhodes 

Electric Piano 

Repair and Restoration 

victormio@sympatico.ca 

www.victormio.com 

PASQUALE BROTHERS 

PURVEYORS OF FINE FOOD 

CATERING 

(416) 364-7397 WWW.PASQUALEBROS.COM 

NEED HELP WITH 

YOUR TAXES? 

Specializing in personal 

and business tax returns 

including prior years 

and adjustments 

HORIZON TAX SERVICES INC. 

• free consultation • accurate work 

For CRA stress relief call: 

1-866-268-1319 

hts@horizontax.ca 

www.horizontax.ca 

UPRIGHT / CONTRA / DOUBLE 

BASS 

SALES • REPAIRS • ACCESSORIES 

We buy basses and take trade-ins 

Stand Up Guy 

standupguy@rogers.com 

www.standupguybasses.com 


MUSIC AND HEALTH 

Musical Practice in 

Health-Care Communities: 

Five Case Studies 

ANDREW TIMAR 

There’s a surprisingly active world of live music performance in 

Toronto – and it takes place in the city’s health-care centres. 

These concerts employ musicians, giving them the satisfaction 

of giving back to the community, and in turn their audiences, collectively 

numbering in the thousands, receive the many rich benefits 

that music can bestow on us all. Yet these musical events fly under 

the usual media promotional radar, hidden from public earshot and 

evaluation – and in many cases that’s just the way institutional representatives 

like it. 

Often institutionally filed under “therapeutic 

recreation services,” music 

performed in the health or long-term care 

context can provide a wide variety of benefits 

to patients and their families, as well 

as to their caregivers. Career music therapists 

talk about “modalities:” the ways in 

which music helps their clients, serving as 

a form of lifelong learning, creative expression, 

or accompaniment to expressive movement 

and physical fitness. Research has 

demonstrated that meaningful interactions 

with music can also facilitate brain fitness 

and plasticity, memory, meditation and 

coping strategies including stress and pain 

management. 

Anecdotally, musicians among us know 

the psycho-physical act of making music 

can provide useful sensory stimulation. 

Music can not only put us in our “happy 

place,” but also into our spiritual place. 

Those who make music in a band, ensemble, 

orchestra or choir can vouch for the perks 

of doing so – not least the powerful social 

connection that comes from engaging with like-minded peers in 

deeply meaningful sonic and emotional collaboration. 

Baycrest Health Sciences: Music therapy helps at end of life. North 

Toronto’s Baycrest Health Sciences, which brands itself as “a global 

leader in geriatric residential living, health-care, research, innovation 

and education, with a special focus on brain health and aging,” 

continues to foster research investigating this subject. Its senior music 

therapist/practice advisor Dr. Amy Clements-Cortes, for example, 

conducted a 2011 study that looked at the role of music in palliative 

care. Participants engaged in a variety of interventions including 

writing songs, recording music to leave as a legacy gift for families, 

improvising to music, singing and compiling musical autobiographies. 

Several motifs emerged, including that music therapy provides a safe 

place to express feelings, enhances communication and acts as a 

vehicle for reminiscence and revisiting memories.” 

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre: Financially supported by the 

Tauba and Solomon Spiro Family Foundation, Princess Margaret 

Cancer Centre’s Music in the Atrium provides weekly concerts to 

patients, families and staff through the months of September to May 

in downtown Toronto. They are held on Wednesdays at noon in the 

centre’s Main Floor Atrium. SarahRose Black, an accredited music 

therapist and registered psychotherapist, and Andrew Ascenzo, a 

Toronto-based professional cellist, program the concerts in collaboration 

with the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. Founded nearly 21 

years ago, the series is run by the hospital’s Department of Supportive 

Care. Performers take to the Atrium each week, offering a wide variety 

of styles and genres, including classical, Broadway, folk, world fusion, 

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre’s 

Music in the Atrium 

opera, funk and soul music. “The performers are generally professional 

Toronto-based musicians,” says Black. “However, the program 

often features highly trained musicians who have built careers in 

other areas but perform around the city.” 

During the warm summer months, the weekly concert series turns 

jazzy. Moving up to the Max Tanenbaum Roof Garden on the 16th 

floor, patients, families and staff gather on Fridays at noon for Jazz 

for the Soul, featuring professional jazz musicians of multiple stylistic 

affiliations from around the GTA and beyond. 

During its two decades of music programming, the hospital has 

hosted some of Toronto’s top musicians. They include jazz pianists 

Hilario Durán and Bernie Senensky, bassist Artie Roth, guitarist 

Joel Schwartz, and singers Jackie Richardson and Michael Burgess, 

as well as Justin Gray’s Indo-jazz ensemble Synthesis and students of 

the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Looking 

forward, on December 7 cantor Tibor Kovari celebrates Hanukkah, 

while on December 14 Princess Margaret’s own Dr. David Loach, a 

medical oncologist who also sings and plays keyboards, headlines a 

holiday concert alongside program directors Black and Ascenzo. 

Much of this music-making wouldn’t be out of 

place at Koerner Hall or the Jazz Bistro, but has 

for the most part flown under the mainstream 

media radar. Yet this is a space where many musicians 

pursue their careers, while staff, patients 

and families gain the many benefits from their 

musicking. 

Kensington Hospice: SarahRose Black also 

works as a music therapist at Toronto’s centrally 

located Kensington Hospice. Here, some of the 

current research on music’s power to comfort 

and aid people at end of life, as well as their loved 

ones, is put into practice. One of Black’s duties 

is to manage the hospice’s volunteer musician 

program, which hosts frequent live performances. 

In the recent past, concerts in this program have 

been held in conjunction with our next organization, 

the Health Arts Society of Ontario (HASO). 

Health Arts Society of Ontario: Established 

in 2011, HASO’s mandate is to bring the work 

of professional musicians to audiences sequestered 

in long-term care in Ontario (and through 

its other provincial partners, to all ten provinces). 

According to their website, “the largest audiences 

in health-care for arts programs are found in residences for elders.” 

The website also points out that many of these people would otherwise 

be unable to access live music or theatre arts for the rest of their 

lives, and that most public health authorities do not have mandated 

standards or budgets for providing quality of life programs for people 

living in chronic-care residences. This is where HASO wants to see this 

situation change and its concert program is an agent of that change. 

HASO hopes “to rapidly develop…along the lines [already] established 

by Health Arts Society (BC) and Société pour les arts en milieux 

de santé (Québec).” Its growth indeed appears to have been exponential. 

HASO already presents 200 concerts per year under the banner of 

Concerts in Care and, to date, over 10,000 concerts have been delivered 

to audiences in care in Canada by the Health Arts Societies, 

reaching a national audience of over 400,000. 

Those are impressive audience numbers by most metrics. And in 

terms of the quality of music on offer, on January 29, 2016, HASO 

appointed Jeanne Lamon, the former music director of the Tafelmusik 

Baroque Orchestra, as the society’s new artistic director. Her role 

includes guiding HASO’s Concerts in Care program of professional 

music concerts. The announcement was accompanied by a concert 

presented by Lamon (violin) along with colleagues Cristina Zacharias 

(violin), Christina Mahler (cello) and Lucas Harris (lute) at the 

Castleview Wychwood Towers long-term care home in Toronto. 

Michael Garron Hospital: Carol Kirsh, the volunteer concert music 

programmer at Michael Garron Hospital (formerly Toronto East 

General), is holding an ethnic musical mirror up to the multiple 

communities East General serves – and which serve it. In our recent 


telephone conversation and email exchange, Kirsh – who is herself 

an amateur musician – told me that she is attempting to stretch the 

cultural envelopes of the music and musicians she presents, to better 

reflect the cultural backgrounds of the hospital’s patients, health-care 

workers and surrounding east-Toronto community. 

“The catchment area of our hospital is the most diverse in Toronto,” 

Kirsh told me. “I am working with musicians to put on free noonhour 

concerts – about four per year – featuring the music of [our 

diverse] heritages. I want to reflect the soul of the community. [While 

the concerts are free,] we nevertheless recognize the importance of 

paying fees to professional musicians.” 

The first concert in the series was held November 15, featuring 

Toronto’s stylishly virtuoso Payadora Tango Ensemble. It performed 

repertoire drawn from the core Buenos Aires tango tradition, as well 

as signature compositions by Astor Piazzolla. “A Venezuelan hospital 

volunteer opened the concert with South American music,” said 

Kirsh. The series continues on January 17, 2017 with Toronto-based 

Demetri Petsalakis curating a concert of Greek music, reflecting the 

musical identity of the nearby Greektown on the Danforth. Petsalakis 

and his group will perform in a wide variety of styles, with an instrumental 

accent on his masterful Greek and Middle Eastern lute playing. 

What about the future of music programming at Michael Garron 

Hospital? Kirsh intends to extend the musical mix further, “to reflect 

the huge Filipino community at our hospital, particularly our healthcare 

workers.” She looks forward to the late spring, when she plans to 

hold a concert in an appropriate outdoor space on hospital grounds, 

with music provided by members of Toronto’s vibrant Filipino 

community. 

As each of these five examples show, the power of music to build 

social and emotional connections is already being put into practice 

in Toronto’s health-care spaces – and is finding resonance with the 

communities involved. 

Andrew Timar is a Toronto musician and music writer. He 

can be contacted at worldmusic@thewholenote.com. 

REMEMBERING 

Pauline Oliveros 

May 30, 1932 – November 24, 2016 

“In hearing, the ears take in all the sound waves and particles and deliver them to the audio cortex where the 

listening takes place. We cannot turn off our ears – the ears are always taking in sound information – but we 

can turn off our listening. I feel that listening is the basis of creativity and culture. How you’re listening is how 

you develop a culture and how a community of people listens is what creates their culture.” 

– Pauline Oliveros, from an interview with Alan Baker, American Public Media (2003) 

I 

first experienced American composer, electronic 

music pioneer and Deep Listener 

extraordinaire Pauline Oliveros at a concert 

she gave at the original Music Gallery sometime 

in the late 1970s. What I experienced was 

a revolution in the making that I had difficulty 

making sense of at the time. I had heard 

about Oliveros, in part through interviews with 

her in Musicworks magazine and also in Casey 

Sokol’s improvisation class at York University. I 

was anticipating a usual event – an audience sitdown-in-your-chair-and-be-quiet 

experience. 

But no, that’s definitely not what happened. The 

first piece, Tuning Meditation, was created by 

everyone lying on the floor with our heads in 

the centre, following these simple instructions: 

On breath one, make a tone that you are hearing inside yourself. On 

breath two, match a tone you are hearing in the room. Repeat this 

sequence until the ending occurs. No doubt many of you reading this 

have also participated in this piece as it is one of her most well-known 

and loved Sonic Meditations. It is a way of cultivating listening presence 

and awareness, both focal and global. 

The second piece on the program was Extreme Slow Walk. The task 

was to listen while walking extremely slowly. I remember Pauline 

teaching us how to walk – to pay attention to each and every micro 

movement required just to take a step. The group walked in a circle for 

at least 40 minutes and, if my memory is correct, we only made one 

rotation around the room. However, it is what I experienced during 

that walk that has stayed with me all these years. At one point, it was 

as if a veil had been lifted and something inside of me expanded. The 

tension in my body dropped away. And despite the fact that my mind 

was questioning whether or not this was really a proper concert, 

the experience itself communicated the truth that something more 

profound was occurring at another level within me. 

In the vast outpouring of tributes on social media in these last few 

days after Pauline’s passing, it was this quote from 1975 that spoke to 

my experience. When asked about the musical idea for Rose Mountain 

Slow Runner, Pauline said: “Well I haven’t been working with musical 

ideas for a while, but I’ve been working on my consciousness, on my 

mode of consciousness, and the result of the 

mode is the music.” 

And that is indeed what has evolved 

throughout her career. She has created a legacy 

that has profoundly altered the awareness and 

musical practices of so many people worldwide. 

For myself as a young student at the time of that 

initial encounter, it began a process of questioning 

the way things are defined in music. 

And as I look back on the many experiences I 

have had with her over the years, each one of 

these memories marks a significant moment 

of learning, of expanding and of questioning 

assumptions. This is the gift of the expanded 

listening process she has brought to the world. I 

Pauline Oliveros with a synthesizer in 1966. 

return again to her definition of Deep Listening: 

“listening in every possible way to everything possible to hear no 

matter what one is doing.” 

In closing, I would like to recount two short stories from my own 

personal encounters with Pauline. The first took place during one of 

her visits to Toronto, sometime in the 1990s. With a small group in 

a forest close to Gayle Young’s home in Grimsby, Pauline led us in a 

few different approaches to vocal soundmaking. After we concluded, 

she said: “It’s really important for the trees that we do this, that we 

communicate with them.” The second incident took place close to 

her home in Kingston, NY. I was visiting her and wanted to go on an 

excursion to a local cave to do some soundmaking. Before we even 

got to the cave, her instructions were to start listening as we walked 

along the path, to become aware of all the other beings living in the 

fields and skies above, to listen to their presence and become as nondisruptive 

as possible. We continued in this mode after arriving at the 

cave, and only towards the end of our stay did we add our own soundmaking 

as participants in the larger field of sound around us. 

Her gift to the world is so vast that it is almost impossible to sum 

it up in words. She affected and influenced so many because she 

herself treated each encounter as an opportunity to witness and be 

fully present. 

Wendalyn Bartley 

DAVID BERNSTEIN 


FRANK WANG 

WE ARE ALL MUSIC’S CHILDREN 

December’s Child 

Ambur Braid 

MJ BUELL 

Ambur Braid grew up in Terrace, BC, and graduated from Claremont High School in Victoria, 

where she worked for a year at the Italian Bakery “to gear up for my move to Toronto and my 

undergrad at the Glenn Gould School.” A graduate of the GGS, Royal Conservatory of Music and 

the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she was a member of the Canadian Opera Company 

Ensemble Studio during which time you may have seen her in the title role of Semele, as Adele in 

Die Fledermaus and Vitellia in La clemenza di Tito. With Opera Atelier you may have seen her as 

Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte. 

Braid recently debuted at Lisbon’s Teatro de São Carlos as Anne Truelove in a new production 

of The Rake’s Progress and made her UK debut as the Queen of the Night, to all accounts formidable, 

at the English National Opera, a role which she then sang for Opera Calgary. After a change 

of pace as Dalinda in the COC’s recent Ariodante, Braid will return to sing the Queen of the Night 

in all 12 performances of their upcoming January 2017 Magic Flute. 

Apparently undaunted by her demanding opera schedule, this coloratura without borders also 

has time and energy to prepare and sing collaborative concerts like “The Living Spectacle: Songs 

by Erik Ross and Libby Larsen” with the Canadian Art Song Project and solo recitals with titles 

that range from “La Favorita: Verdi, Mozart and Puccini Arias” to “Rachmaninoff and Ribs with a 

Side of Sibelius” 

Soprano Ambur Braid is a Torontonian who 

goes to Athens whenever possible. She has a 

poodle and a partner who both travel the world 

with her and for that she is incredibly grateful. 

Beyond music, some of her other pastimes and 

pleasures include cleaning, reading, eating, 

shopping and hosting dinner parties. 

Suppose a friendly fellow asks what you do 

for a living? I’m an opera singer. You’re right, I’m 

not fat, but here are my Viking horns. 

If you were driving alone and could sing along 

to any recording, what would you choose? 

Always David Bowie. 

About that childhood photo…? My smile 

hasn’t really changed, but my attire has. 

Your absolute earliest 

memory of music? My brother 

singing along to Billy Idol. He 

was super into it. 

Musicians in your childhood 

family? Everyone appreciated 

music in my family, and 

music was always playing in 

our house! My mother (a social 

worker) would sing to me after 

each bath (I still love baths), 

and my father (a notary public) 

attempted to sing in church. 

It wasn’t amazing. My older 

brothers played a lot of Bon 

Jovi, Billy Idol, Tiffany and the 

Georgia Satellites. And my eldest 

Ambur Braid, with Walter 

Bowen Braid, at the airport. 

brother had a blues band. 

A first recollection of making music? My 

debut, singing Jesus Loves Me in French and 

English, was as a three-year-old in church. 

Then singing Keep Your Hands to Yourself 

with my brother’s band as a five–year-old. 

There’s a video of it and it’s pretty great. 

A first instrument? Tambourine, drums, 

recorder and then, reluctantly, the piano. 

Early experiences of making music with 

other people? Choir tours and musical theatre 

camp – so much fun! 

What experiences helped form your appetite 

for staged works? Going to London and 

NYC with my parents to see musicals – I just 

stared at the conductor. I guess 

I still do! 

NEW CONTEST! 

Who is 

February’s Child? 

One of The WholeNote’s own, since 2008. 

~ ~ His own records offer fresh takes 

on other standards, and more. 

~ ~ An energetic promoter, producer 

and jazz journalist. 

~ ~ “Clap on the 2 and the 4” is toetappingly 

irresistible for even the 

stuffiest music expert. 

~ ~ Type “Googleable” into your 

YouTube search box for swinging 

proof that he can sing something 

catchy about absolutely anything. 

Know our Mystery Child’s name? 

WIN PRIZES! Send your best 

guess by January 25, to 

musicschildren@thewholenote.com 

When did you begin to think of yourself as a career musician? I don’t 

remember a time when I didn’t think of myself as a career musician. I did 

dabble in floristry and event planning, though. 

Does teaching/mentoring figure in your life? Only in an organic way. 

There are some young singers 

who stay in contact with me for 

guidance. Yikes. That’s terrifying 

when you think about it! 

Where does music fit into 

life at home? I’ve been known 

to dance along to my favourite 

overtures in the morning. 

Everyone needs a good dance 

party once in a while. 

Haifa, 1986, when Prokofiev’s 

Peter and the Wolf was his 

standard fare before he 

learned to swing, scat, croon 

and generally entertain. 

AMBUR BRAID 

RECENT / UPCOMING 

• Dalinda in Ariodante | The Canadian 

Opera Company | Oct/Nov 2016 

• Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute | 

Oper Frankfurt (debut)| Dec 2016 

• Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute 

| The Canadian Opera Company | Jan/ 

Feb 2017 

• Oksana in Oksana G. | Tapestry Opera 

(premiere) | May 2017 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS! HERE’S WHAT THEY WON 

Ambur Braid will be the Queen of the Night in the Canadian Opera Company’s 2017 production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute 

(Jan. 19 to Feb.24) and everyone else had better watch out for the fireworks! This includes Elena Tsallagova and Kirsten 

MacKinnon (Pamina); Andrew Haji and Owen McCausland (Tamino); Joshua Hopkins and Phillip Addis (Papageno); Goran 

Juric and Matt Boehler (Sarastro); Michael Colvin (Monostatos). Bernard Labadie conducts, Ashlie Corcoran directs. A pair of 

tickets for DEBORAH DAVIS. 

May 24 to 30 Ambur Braid will sing the title role in Tapestry Opera’s Oksana G., with Keith Klassen, Adam Fisher and Krisztina 

Szabó. This ambitious premiere production, with a full orchestra and chorus conducted by Jordan de Souza, will be directed 

by Tom Diamond. It’s the uncompromising and powerful story of a young Ukrainian woman lured into sex trafficking and her 

extraordinary battle to escape it. A pair of tickets each for SUSAN MIDDLETON and MARYLIN GILLESPIE. 


DISCOVERIES | RECORDINGS REVIEWED 

DAVID OLDS 

Ten days ago I thought I knew what I would write about in this 

month’s column, but so much has happened since then: the 

death of Leonard Cohen on the heels of the release of his final 

work You Want It Darker – darker indeed!; the change in the weather 

from beautiful, colourful days of unseasonably high temperatures to 

high winds, sub-zero thermometer readings, bare trees and the first 

sight of snow as I sit down to write this; and the last-minute arrival of 

a number of particularly interesting discs (most of which will have to 

wait until February). 

!! 

It is literally a case of “this just in” – couriered 

to me the afternoon before my deadline – 

with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s new 

recording Handel Messiah (Chandos CHSA 

5176(2)), with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir 

and soloists Erin Wall, Elizabeth DeShong, 

Andrew Staples and John Relyea. TSO 

Conductor Laureate Sir Andrew Davis not 

only conducts but is responsible for the new 

arrangement for full modern orchestral forces. In his booklet notes, 

Davis tells us that this labour of love, dedicated to the memory of 

his parents, took ten months to prepare in advance of 2010 performances 

with the TSO. I first became aware of the mammoth scope of 

this version when Davis and the TSO revisited it for the 2015 Messiah 

performances last December. At that time I needed to hire a contrabassoonist 

for New Music Concerts’ “Portrait of Philippe Leroux” and 

approached Fraser Jackson, the TSO musician who is our usual go-to 

guy for contra. Fraser said that although Messiah doesn’t usually 

require quadruple winds and brass, for Davis’ version it was all hands 

on deck as full orchestral resources, and then some, are called for. 

This recording was prepared from those live performances at Roy 

Thomson Hall last year so I knew not to expect a lean, historically 

informed approach and in fact was a little concerned about just how 

bombastic it would turn out to be. I am pleased to report that Davis 

achieves a nice balance between restraint in the accompaniment to 

the arias and larger forces in the choruses. Especially effective is the 

power of the Hallelujah Chorus toward the end of which Davis added 

sleigh bells “because this passage has always brought to my mind the 

picture of proudly rearing horses!” This is contrasted with the opening 

aria of Part Three where the soprano is accompanied only by clarinet 

and solo strings. The final chorus which begins in full voice is reined 

in for the “Amen” fugue which begins with organ accompaniment and 

gradually builds to a magnificent and triumphant finale that threatens 

to bring down the house. 

Producer Blanton Alspaugh and the engineers of Soundmirror Inc. 

have done an impressive job of capturing the TSO and Mendelssohn 

Choir in glorious full spectrum sound. The vocal soloists are in top 

form, although I must say that personally I find soprano Wall’s wide 

vibrato a little hard to take – it’s simply not a taste I have acquired. A 

highlight for me is the alto aria “But who may abide…” and the bass’ 

“The people who walked….” Personal tastes aside, this new recording 

does the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir 

and, indeed, Toronto itself proud. 

Concert notes: There are some two dozen opportunities to hear 

full performances of Messiah listed elsewhere in these pages, plus 

a number of concerts featuring excerpts from the iconic work. 

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra promises a somewhat different 

approach this year with famed early music expert Nicholas McGegan 

at the helm. The TSO offers five performances with the Toronto 

Mendelssohn Choir and soloists Yulia Van Doren, Abigail Lewis, 

Isaiah Bell and Daniel Okulitch at Roy Thomson Hall December 18 

(matinee), 19 through 21 and 23 at 8pm. 

!! 

If there was any doubt that the flute is a going concern in our fair 

city, activities in the last six months have certainly laid that to rest. My 

association with Robert Aitken has given me an insider’s view of some 

of these, including New Music Concerts’ “Flutes Galore” last April with 

an orchestra of 24 members of the flute family – piccolo to contrabass 

– featuring (many of) this city’s finest players. This came just days after 

the Canadian Flute Association’s Latin American Flute Festival which 

had involved some of the same musicians along with international 

guests. Since then, Soundstreams’ “Magic Flutes” included Aitken and 

fellow Torontonian Leslie Newman, with international stars Marina 

Piccinini, Claire Chase and Patrick Gallois. This was followed by “Flute 

Day” at the University of Toronto with workshops, masterclasses and a 

flute choir concert with Aitken, Newman, Nora Shulman, Stephen 

Tam, Camille Watts and faculty students, and the following week 

Esprit Orchestra’s presentation of R. Murray Schafer’s Flute Concerto 

with Aitken as soloist. Interspersed with this has been a series of flute 

showcases, demonstrations and concerts by internationally renowned 

flutists sponsored by Long & McQuade, hosted by Gallery 345. And 

this is all just in the realm of the classical flute tradition. Bill 

McBurnie’s Extreme Flute, Jamie Thompson’s Junction Trio and Jane 

Bunnett’s myriad activities are just a few examples of how diverse the 

local flute scene is. 

One of the other late arrival discs features 

another star in Toronto’s flute firmament, 

Susan Hoeppner. Following on their 

JUNO award-winning 2012 Marquis release 

American Flute Masterpieces, Hoeppner 

and pianist Lydia Wong have just released 

Canadian Flute Masterpieces, this time on 

the Centrediscs label (CMCCD 23116). The 

disc begins with Gary Kulesha’s Sonata for 

Flute and Piano, which is dedicated to Hoeppner who premiered it 

with the composer in 2014. The effective work is in three contrasting 

movements, a bright Allegro molto, a brooding Slowly, freely and the 

toccata-like Moderately fast finale. It is freely tonal but among the 

effects used are microtonal bending of notes, unpitched breath sounds 

and whistle tones in the flute line and small cluster chords in the 

piano part. This is followed by Michael Conway Baker’s moving Elegy 

in an arrangement for flute and piano. 

As in many of Srul Irving Glick’s works, Sonata for Flute and Piano 

is a tuneful secular piece which incorporates a traditional Hebrew 

melody, in this case a chant for the Jewish New Year. Oskar Morawetz 

wrote his Sonata for Flute and Piano in 1980 for another towering 

figure in the flute world, Jeanne Baxtresser, who served as principal 

flute for both the Montreal and Toronto Symphony Orchestras before 

accepting the position of solo flutist with the New York Philharmonic 

under Zubin Meta. Morawetz was a self-avowed traditionalist and this 

sonata is a good example of that with its charming melodic turns and 

the rhythmic intensity of its outer movements. 

An arrangement for flute and piano of Larysa Kuzmenko’s 

Melancholy Waltz from Suite of Dances provides a haunting contrast 

to both the preceding track and the final work, Arctic Dreams I, by 

Christos Hatzis, written for Hoeppner and percussionist Beverley 

Johnston. Hatzis explains that Arctic Dreams is a palimpsest of sorts, 

a piece written overtop material that was originally recorded for 

Footprints in New Snow, the third movement of the radio documentary 

Voices of the Land, about the Inuit and their culture, created 

with CBC producer Keith Horner. The work’s soundtrack opens with 

Inuit throat singing and the Arctic landscape of the title is effectively 


superimposed with melodic flute and vibraphone textures. 

I first met Hoeppner in my capacity as a concert recording producer 

at CJRT-FM and I can vouch for her dedication and concern that only 

first-rank performances be recorded for posterity. She and Wong 

have risen to the occasion on this project and both the performances 

and the production values of this Mazzoleni Hall recording are 

outstanding. While I might have called them Canadian “gems” rather 

than “masterpieces,” I have no qualms about recommending this fine 

recording. 

Concert note: On December 12 at 5:30pm Susan Hoeppner launches 

Canadian Flute Masterpieces at the Canadian Music Centre. 

!! 

I grew up understanding that John 

Weinzweig was the “Dean of Canadian 

Composers” but in my formative years came 

to the realization that, as with so many things 

Canadian, there are Two Solitudes and that 

Jean Papineau-Couture (1916-2000) was “The 

Dean” in La Belle Province. He was born into 

one of the most distinguished Quebec families 

and his forebears include the statesman Louis- 

Joseph Papineau and the composer Guillaume Couture, who was 

his paternal grandfather. As a matter of fact Papineau-Couture was 

named in honour of his grandfather’s masterwork, the oratorio Jean le 

Précurseur, John the Baptist. 

There are many parallels between the two “deans.” After studies at 

home in Toronto, Weinzweig went to the USA to study at the Eastman 

School and Papineau-Couture left his native Montreal to attend the 

New England Conservatory and later studied with the iconic Nadia 

Boulanger who spent the war years in America. Both moved back to 

Canada to establish careers as composers and university professors. 

They were founding members of the Canadian League of Composers 

(CLC) and the Canadian Music Centre (CMC) and enjoyed a friendly 

rivalry over the decades. I had the pleasure of meeting Papineau- 

Couture on several occasions and the privilege of interviewing him 

for my program Transfigured Night at CKLN-FM in the 1980s. He was 

a charming man and a generous soul, a fierce champion of the rights 

of artists and staunch defender of serious culture. He was also an 

active administrator serving as the president of the CLC, the Société de 

musique contemporaine du Québec and the Canadian Music Council, 

dean of the music faculty at the Université de Montréal and the 

director of the Montreal office of the CMC. 

I was delighted when I heard that Quatuor Molinari was recording 

his complete music for string quartet along with the string trio Slanó 

(ATMA ACD2 2751). And even more delighted to find that in addition 

to the String Quartets 1 and 2 with which I was familiar, there was a 

L/R 

third from 1996 and an incomplete fourth recently found among his 

papers. So we are effectively presented with works spanning nearly 

half a century and all the periods of his mature career. String Quartet 

No.1 dates from 1953 and shows the influence of French composers 

of the early 20th century. By the centennial year when he composed 

String Quartet No.2, although eschewing the serial school of composition, 

he was exploring an expanded tonality using all 12 tones. It is 

the string trio from 1975 that is the most experimental, with its elaborate 

use of extended techniques and layering of timbres. Quartet 

No.3 is a one-movement work which presents a sense of stylistic transition, 

moving away from the somewhat abrasive world of the string 

trio, embracing a certain lushness while at the same time approaching 

the sparse lyricism with which we are presented in the posthumous 

final work. Although unfinished, I must say that it does not give the 

impression of being incomplete. 

This is a wonderful retrospective of one of our most important 

composers on the occasion of his centennial and it includes two 

world premiere recordings. Kudos to founding first violinist Olga 

Ranzenhofer and the members of the Molinari Quartet for their 

ongoing commitment to the music of our time through recordings of 

some of the most significant works of the last half century and their 

efforts to develop new repertoire with the Molinari International 

Composition Competition, the sixth of which took place in 2015. 

Praise is also due to the designers of the attractive and informative 

package which includes some wonderful photos of Papineau-Couture 

throughout his life, from an adolescent in a sailor suit through to the 

pensive, but ever-smiling, grand old man. 

!! 

This month we say goodbye to 

another grand old man and icon of the 

Canadian music scene, Leonard Cohen. 

Much like David Bowie’s final offering 

Black Star, Cohen’s You Want It Darker 

(Columbia/Sony) seems a precursor, 

with such lyrics as “I’m ready my 

Lord,” “I’m leaving the table; I’m out 

of the game” and “I’m traveling light, 

it’s au revoir” recurring throughout the nine-song release. Produced 

by Adam Cohen, the disc features lyrics by his father set to music 

co-written with Patrick Leonard, Sharon Robinson and Adam himself. 

There is an overall consistent feel, mostly mellow and melancholy 

with Cohen’s haunting sprechstimme vocals, but with occasional 

upbeat respites such as Steer Your Way, with rhythmic fiddling from 

David Davidson and background vocals by Dana Glover and Alison 

Kraus. The orchestration is quite varied, from the title track with 

drums, two B3 organs and keyboard, cantor Gideon Y. Zelermyer and 

the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue Choir, to a quintet of accompanists 

Some reviews in this section have a little arrow like this above the cover: 

All these reviews (see ads below) have been enhanced online at TheWholeNote.com/Listening 

L/R 

Jean Papineau-Couture: String 

Quartets 1-4 

The Molinari Quartet celebrates 

the 100th anniversary of the 

birth of Canadian composer 

Jean Papineau-Couture with a 

new recording of his four string 

quartets. 

Sistine Chapel Choir / Palestrina 

Available at L’Atelier Grigorian, 70 

Yorkville Ave., Toronto 

& grigorian.com 

Chor Leoni / Wandering Heart 

Chor Leoni’s stunning new 

recording includes five world 

premiere recordings, and features 

Wandering Heart by Ēriks 

Ešenvalds, with texts by Leonard 

Cohen. 

Nemanja Radulovic / Bach 





in Leaving the Table who play between them drums, bass, nylonstring 

guitar, guitar, mellotron, celeste, keys, piano, electric and pedal 

steel guitars. One very effective juxtaposition is Treaty – “I wish there 

was a treaty we could sign; It’s over now, the water and the wine; 

We were broken then, but now we’re borderline; I wish there was a 

treaty; I wish there was a treaty; Between your love and mine” – with 

the final track, which is a revisiting entitled String Reprise/Treaty. 

This features an extended string prelude by Patrick Leonard which is 

somewhat reminiscent of another contextual anomaly, producer Jack 

Nitzsche’s String Quartet from Whiskey Boot Hill on Neil Young’s 

eponymous album back in 1968. 

On the credits page of the booklet, Cohen includes an extended 

tribute to his son, saying, in part “I want to acknowledge, with deep 

gratitude, the role my son Adam Cohen played in the making of You 

Want it Darker. Without his contribution there would be no record. 

At a certain point, after over a year of intense labour…the project was 

abandoned. Adam took over…and brought these unfinished songs to 

completion, preserving of course, many of Pat [Leonard]’s haunting 

musical themes. It is because of my son’s loving encouragement and 

skillful administration, that these songs exist in their present form. I 

cannot thank him enough.” We should all be thankful for this moving 

memento mori. 

We welcome your feedback and invite submissions. CDs and 

comments should be sent to: DISCoveries, WholeNote Media Inc., The 

Centre for Social Innovation, 503 – 720 Bathurst St. Toronto ON M5S 

2R4. We also encourage you to visit our website 

thewholenote.com where you can find added features including direct 

links to performers, composers and record labels, “buy buttons” for 

online shopping and additional, expanded and archival reviews. 

David Olds, DISCoveries Editor 

discoveries@thewholenote.com 

The outstanding Georgian violinist Lisa 

Batiashvili is back with simply ravishing 

performances of the Tchaikovsky and 

Sibelius Concertos with Daniel Barenboim 

leading the Staatskapelle Berlin (Deutsche 

Grammophon 479 6038). 

The recordings are the direct result of the 

artists’ collaboration in the final open-air 

free concert of the annual State Opera for All 

concert series in Berlin, initiated by Barenboim in 2006. For the past 

four years Batiashvili has been the guest artist, playing the Beethoven, 

Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius concertos – indeed, it was her televised 

performance of the latter with the Finnish Radio Symphony 

Orchestra that prompted Barenboim to make the initial contact. 

The Berlin studio recordings here were made within days of the 2015 

and 2016 Tchaikovsky and Sibelius concert performances, and they 

are simply stunning. Batiashvili has a rich, clear tone with wonderful 

depth and a brilliant top, and Barenboim supplies a perfectly judged 

accompaniment with an unerring instinct for when to hold back 

and linger awhile and when to forge ahead. It all makes for sensitive, 

thrilling and passionate interpretations that grab you from the 

opening bars and never let go. 

Add a simply outstanding orchestral and recording quality and 

these are performances that can hold their own with any on record. 

!! 

The English violinist Tamsin Waley- 

Cohen is the soloist in the Violin Concertos 

by American composers Roy Harris and John 

Adams on a new Signum Classics CD with 

the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Andrew 

Litton (SIGCD468). 

The Harris concerto was written in 1949 on 

a commission from the Cleveland Orchestra 

for its concertmaster Joseph Gingold, but 

the premiere was cancelled when numerous discrepancies between 

the score and the orchestral parts couldn’t be corrected in time for 

the concert. It was 35 years before Gregory Fulkerson and the North 

Carolina Symphony Orchestra gave the first performance in 1984, with 

Fulkerson’s recording the following year making the concerto available 

to a wider audience. 

It’s a work that is very much of its time, optimistic with a strong 

nostalgic feel and an American Western country folk feel throughout. 

Waley-Cohen consulted the manuscript source in the Library of 

Congress in Washington and was apparently enchanted by the rhapsodic 

solo writing. It certainly shows in her terrific performance here. 

TERRY ROBBINS 

The Adams concerto was completed in 1993, and while in the traditional 

three-movement form is described by the composer as having 

no sense of traditional competition between orchestra and soloist, 

the violin instead making its way unimpeded through the body of 

the orchestra, which remains below or behind it. There’s a tranquil 

Chaconne middle movement, and a Toccare finale that is right out of 

the same drawer as Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine. 

Outstanding performances make this a significant addition to the 

20th-century violin concerto discography. 

!! 

If you like your Bach bright, clean and with 

an abundance of energy, then you will really 

enjoy BACH, the new CD from the Serbian 

violinist Nemanja Radulović (Deutsche 

Grammophon 479 5933). It’s described as 

being in a way the continuation of his exploration 

of the Baroque repertory following his 

Vivaldi project, The Five Seasons, but it’s just 

as clearly a return to his roots and his earliest 

musical studies. 

His former fellow student Tijana Milošević joins him in a performance 

of the Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor BWV1043 in which 

the outer Vivace and Allegro movements are just about as fast as 

you’re likely to hear them. There is lovely clean playing throughout, 

though. The string ensemble Double Sens provides a crystal clear 

accompaniment. 

The Concerto in A Minor BWV1041 receives similar treatment, with 

a particularly lovely slow movement; Radulović really does have a 

beautiful tone. 

The other J. S. Bach works on the CD are a mixture. The short 

Gavotte from the Partita No.3 BWV1006, the only solo piece on the 

disc, is clean and bright. The remaining three works are all presented 

in arrangements for violin and strings by Aleksander Sedlar: the 

Toccata & Fugue in D Minor BWV565 (where Les Trilles du Diable 

provide the accompaniment); the Air in D Major from the Orchestral 

Suite No.3 BWV1068; and the Chaconne in D Minor from the 

Partita No.2 BWV1004. There is more than a hint of the old Leopold 

Stokowski transcriptions here. 

Radulović also learned the viola in his native Belgrade and studied 

the Viola Concerto in C Minor that was long thought to be by Johann 

Christian Bach but is now described as being “reconstructed” by Henri 

Casadesus. It is included here as a nod to his student days. 

!! 

Chora Brazil is the debut CD from the Toronto ensemble Tio 

Chorinho (tiochorinho.com), the only ensemble in Canada dedicated 

L/R 


to performing Brazilian choro music, the 

primarily instrumental musical form which 

originated in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro 

in the late 19th century and provided the 

foundation for several modern Brazilian 

musical styles. The group members are Eric 

Stein (mandolin), Avital Zemer (sevenstring 

guitar), Maninho Costa (percussion), 

Carlos Cardozo (cavaquinho) and Andre 

Valerio (guitar and cavaquinho). 

The 12 tracks are mostly compositions by the masters of the genre, 

including six by the mandolin virtuoso Jacob do Bandolim, two by 

Waldir Azevedo and two by Pixinguinha. It’s just an absolute delight 

from start to finish, with some outstanding playing by the core 

members and occasional guest performers. Stein’s mandolin work 

is particularly impressive, often having the same sort of sound as 

the Portuguese guitar in fado music. Check out the videos of their 

performances on their website. 

It’s a terrific debut CD; play it on a grey day and your room will be 

filled with sunshine! 

!! 

Concertango Grosso is a new CD from the 

ATMA Classique label featuring the music of 

the Quebec composer François Dompierre 

(ACD22739). 

The 2015 title track was commissioned by 

and is dedicated to the pianist Louise Bessette 

and also features Denis Plante on bandoneon, 

Kerson Leong on violin, Richard 

Capolla on bass and the Orchestre de chambre 

Appassionata under Daniel Myssyk. It’s a highly enjoyable four-movement 

piece, clearly – and inevitably – influenced by Astor Piazzola, but 

always more than just simple imitation or pastiche. The bandoneon 

certainly imparts an air of complete authenticity. 

Bessette is also the soloist in the Concerto de Saint-Irénée for piano 

and string orchestra, a classically structured work that takes its inspiration 

from popular music of North and South America, including jazz 

in the opening movement and Latin music in the third. 

The terrific Kerson Leong was in fine form in the Concertango 

Grosso, so it’s no surprise to hear him join Bessette and do some great 

fiddling in Les Diableries. The five short movements were originally 

written (for violin and orchestra) as the required violin work in the 

1979 Montreal International Music Competition, and the piece is heard 

here in a new arrangement for violin, piano and string orchestra. 

La Morte de Céleste, the final track on the disc, is a rich, romantic 

and simply lovely short piece for string orchestra. 

!! 

There’s more fine fiddling on Of Witches and Devils – works 

L/R 

by Paganini, Tartini and Locatelli played 

by violinist Luca Fanfoni and pianist Luca 

Ballerini on a new Dynamic CD (CDS 7749). 

Some strong playing in Fritz Kreisler’s 

version of Tartini’s Sonata in G Minor, known 

as the “Devil’s Trill,” opens the program, but 

things really get interesting with the first of 

three Paganini works – Introduction and variations 

in G Major MS44 on Nel cor più non mi sento (by Paisello). This 

was one of Paganini’s dazzling show pieces and features all the usual 

tricks: left-hand pizzicato; arpeggios and runs; multiple stops; runs in 

thirds, sixths, octaves and tenths. It no longer has us believing that the 

composer was in league with the devil, but it still has challenges that 

Fanfoni certainly does more than just surmount. 

The lyrical Adagio from the Concerto No.3 in E Major MS50 is next, 

followed by the Sonata a preghiera MS23, the work more commonly 

known as Variations on the G String on Moses’ Prayer from Rossini’s 

opera Mosé in Egitto. It’s noted here as the traditional version, by 

which they mean the one we’re used to hearing. More on that later. 

Locatelli’s Capriccio for solo violin (“Il Labirinto Armonico”) from 

L’Arte del violino Op.3 is a short but quite astonishing piece with a 

constant flurry of bowing interrupted by single notes ticking away. 

Then it’s back to Paganini for Le streghe, Variations on a theme by 

Franz Süssmayr MS19 followed by the fascinating final track. The 

Moses’ Prayer Variations, it turns out, are only the final part of the 

complete Sonata a preghiera. Not only is this the first recording of the 

unabridged original version, it is played on Paganini’s own violin and 

with the string tuned up a minor third, a trick that Paganini himself 

used to obtain an even higher sound. 

Fanfoni tends to favour speed over clarity, and the intonation seems 

a little less sure than in the traditional version, but it makes for a 

unique ending to a very interesting CD. 

!! 

Imagined Memories is a 2-CD issue 

featuring string quartets by Franz Schubert 

and Ralf Yusuf Gawlick in performances by 

Austrian ensemble the Hugo Wolf Quartett 

(musica omnia mo0704). 

Schubert’s String Quartet No.13 D804 

(Rosamunde) has a lovely brooding and 

delicate start, and a sensitive performance 

throughout, recorded with a fair amount of resonance. It’s included 

here because the start of the quartet is quoted at the beginning and 

the end of the Gawlick quartet, which the composer describes as 

“an autobiographical work that probes into the realms of a relationship 

that never was, a bond with my biological mother, whom I never 

met.” The opening also quotes quartets by Smetana, Borodin and 

Shostakovich. 

L/R 

Like the review? Listen to some tracks from all the recordings in the ads 

below at The WholeNote.com/Listening 

L/R 

Tchaikovsky String Quartets Nos. 

1 & 3 

The Heath Quartet make their 

Canadian debut January 22, 2017 

3:15pm at Walter Hall (UofT). 

Tickets $30, under 30 - $20. 

www.mooredaleconcerts.com. 

Francois Dompierre - Concertango 

Grosso 

ATMA Classique proudly presents 

the world premier recording of 

Concertango grosso performed 

by pianist Louise Bessette, who 

commissioned the work from 

composer François Dompierre. 

Russian Piano Music vol. 12: 

Sergei Bortkiewicz 

Rachmaninov, Chopin and 

Scriabin’s sound worlds peppered 

with wonderful individualism 

produce the great Romantic music 

of Bortkiewicz. 

Alice Sara Ott / Wonderland 





To say that Gawlick’s compositional process was complicated is an 

understatement: seven pages of booklet notes outlining thoughts, 

choices, graphic charts, Memory Triangles and spaces, Memory 

Footprints and numerical integers taken from various combinations of 

the initial letters of the composer’s and his birth mother’s names are 

almost impenetrable at times. Still, all that matters is the music – and 

there’s a great deal of tender, sensitive, beautifully effective writing 

here. Of the 17 short sections in the main body of the work, played 

without a break, most fall between one and two minutes in length and 

none reaches four minutes. It’s mostly quiet and soft, not difficult to 

listen to, although not traditionally tonal, and clearly quite personal 

and intimate. 

The work was commissioned by the performers and was recorded 

shortly after its Carnegie Hall premiere in April of this year. Their 

outstanding performance here can be considered definitive. 

Contemporary string quartets are also 

featured on Green Ground (Dacapo 8.226153), 

five works from 2011 by the Danish composer 

Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, who died 

just this past June at the age of 83. The works 

were written for and dedicated to the composer’s 

longtime collaborators the Kronos Quartet 

and also the vocal quartet Theatre of Voices 

under their director Paul Hillier. These world 

premiere recordings are of live concert performances in Copenhagen 

on December 4, 2012. 

The titles of the CD and the works are, at first sight, quite confusing: 

No Ground; Green; No Ground Green; New Ground and New Ground 

Green, but there is a clear logical progression here. Last Ground, the 

composer’s ninth string quartet from 2006, was supposed to be his 

last, but a tenth quartet, New Ground, and an eleventh, No Ground, 

were written in 2011 (three more were to follow in 2013). 

When PGH felt that the two new quartets needed to be connected, 

he wrote Green for four voices and wooden percussion, taking lines 

(“To the greenwood we must go”) from Desire, by the Renaissance 

English composer William Cornysh as his starting point. Green is 

then superimposed (a technique PGH had used before) on both New 

Ground and No Ground to produce, in effect, two new works. 

It’s certainly a fascinating soundscape, and quite difficult to 

describe. There are some extreme techniques employed and a basic 

lack of tonality, although there are beautiful moments in Green. Also, 

the New Ground quartet uses the ground from Pachelbel’s famous 

Canon, albeit with an extra bar and a chromatic twist thrown in for 

good measure. Don’t be fooled by the apparent easier access, though – 

things soon become more complicated. 

Again, a set of what must be definitive performances of some quite 

fascinating works. 

The German composer Karl Amadeus 

Hartmann wrote his Sonatas 1 and 2 and 

Suites 1 and 2 for solo violin in 1927 when he 

was only 22, but despite destroying a great 

deal of his early works chose to preserve these, 

going as far as burying them in a metal box in 

a friend’s garden during the years of the Third 

Reich. Never performed during his lifetime, the 

two suites were first performed in Spokane, 

Washington in 1984 and 1986, and the two sonatas were premiered 

by Thomas Zehetmair in Munich in 1987. At the time, Zehetmair 

called them “among the best things written for unaccompanied violin 

during the 20th century.” 

They are featured on a new CD by the German violinist Renate 

Eggebrecht on the Troubadisc label that she founded in 1991 (TRO-CD 

01447). They are uncompromisingly tough pieces, and the 72-year-old 

Eggebrecht’s somewhat dry tone and slow vibrato tend to make her 

playing sound a bit unsure at times. 

As the booklet essay points out, these works place enormous 

demands on both the technique and especially the musicality of the 

performer. At times, it’s hard to shake the feeling that the sheer effort 

to get through them limits the interpretation here, and a check of 

the audio samples of Ingolf Turban’s excellent and smoother recordings 

on the Claves label would seem to confirm this. If that wasn’t 

enough, the brilliant Russian violinist Alina Ibragimova included 

these unaccompanied works on her debut recital CD in 2007, and 

you can hear audio samples of her recordings on the Hyperion 

Records website. 

What’s really interesting, though, is that this CD is actually 

Volume 8 in a Violin Solo series that Eggebrecht has compiled, and the 

range of composers – Reger, Skalkottas, Honegger, Bacewicz, Milhaud, 

Bartók, Hindemith, Bloch, Stravinsky, Schnittke, Rodrigo among 

others – is quite astonishing. It sounds like a highly significant series 

that should be much more widely known. 

The music of the Uzbekistan composer 

Dilorom Saidaminova is performed by her son, 

the violinist Tigran Shiganyan and friends on a 

new Blue Griffin Recording CD (BGR414). It’s 

the first commercial recording of her works. 

The music here is essentially tonal and very 

pleasant. Saraton for solo violin, soprano and 

traditional instruments is a lovely, meditative 

piece; the two Sonatas for violin and piano 

are strong works; Umid for violin and piano and the two trios Where 

there is no time…for violin, clarinet and piano and Sabo for violin, 

cello and piano are all well-written and effective. 

The CD comes with a short DVD featuring Saidaminova talking 

about the works on the CD and a rather strange and pointless outdoor 

“performance” of Saraton which is poorly filmed and quite obviously 

mimed to a pre-recorded track. 

Keyed In 

ALEX BARAN 

Louis Lortie has added another recording 

to his list of more than 30 on the Chandos 

label. In Après un rêve: A Fauré Recital, 

Volume 1 (Chandos CHAN 10919) Lortie 

programs works from different periods in 

Fauré’s life. In the first volume of what will be 

a series, Lortie offers some of the early works 

that have easy and familiar appeal. He plays 

his own transcription of Pavane Op.50, originally for chorus and 

orchestra. It’s a clever treatment with the piano doing remarkably well 

at being a pizzicato string section at the same time as being a choir. 

He also includes a couple of nocturnes, barcarolles and the nostalgic 

Après un rêve Op.7 No.1 using Percy Grainger’s 1939 arrangement. 

Fauré’s Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande Op.80 brings the recital to 

the threshold of the 20th century. Its opening Prélude is exquisite as 

is Sicilienne. In both these sections as well as the closing La mort de 

Mélisande, Lortie astonishes with a frequent bell-like touch. 

Similarly he captures the modern flavour of the Nine Préludes 

Op.103 (1910) by emphasizing the angular rhythms and chordal 

patterns of the three very fast Préludes. The balance of the set is true 

to Fauré’s slightly wistful and lifelong melancholic nature. Lortie 

knows his composer’s voice and uses it as beautifully as ever. 

!! 

Divine Art’s growing Russian Piano Music Series has a new addition 

in Russian Piano Music Vol.12 – Sergei Bortkiewicz (dda 25142). 

It features Italian pianist Alfonso Soldano playing the music of 

Bortkiewicz (1877-1952), who produced a substantial body of works, 

both large and small scale. The majority was for piano but he also 

wrote for violin, cello and piano trio. He opposed modernism and 

evolved his musical language using the vocabulary of the late 19th 


L/R 

century. He demonstrated unwavering adherence 

to melody, harmony and structure. His 

piano writing reveals an affinity for Chopin 

and Liszt, yet there are occasional, if brief, 

references to 20th-century harmonies and 

resolutions of popular nature. 

Pianist Alfonso Soldano takes on this music 

for what it plainly is, a form that refused to 

budge with the changing currents of its time. 

What emerges is not an apology for the music but an argument for its 

credibility. Soldano argues from the keyboard, that Bortkiewicz had 

a voice of his own, that subtly reshaped the familiar late Romantic 

sound. Bortkiewicz placed great importance on how his inner 

voices moved to create a richness of colour too often lost to virtuosic 

imperatives. 

While this is evident in the short pieces on this disc, the Sonata 

No.2 in C-sharp Minor Op.60 is where the composer truly shows his 

respect for structure, applying his unique subtleties to show us that 

the late Romantics may have given up too soon. 

!! 

Nicholas Phillips is an energetic promoter 

of new music, specifically piano works of the 

last decade by American composers. He finds 

new works that have already been recorded 

and contributes to their longevity by giving 

them a second recording, hence, Impressions 

(Blue Griffin Records BGR409). The one 

exception, Keyboard of the Winds (2015) is 

by composer Stacey Garrop. She builds an impressive sonic picture 

of a Colorado mountain range using massive chordal patterns and 

angular melodies to evoke the jagged rock formations. Equally angular 

is Jonathan Pieslak’s Shards (2008). Phillips embraces the duality of 

this work shifting adeptly between its spikey opening and the quieter, 

extended moments of repose. 

Carter Pann’s White Moon Over Water (2011) draws inspiration 

from nocturnal kayaking on a wide river in Maine. Its central section 

depicting the expanse of starry sky is breathtaking with Phillips 

deeply in his element. 

Hommage à Trois (2005) by Mark Olivieri is a brilliant collection 

of three stylistic tributes to composers particularly meaningful to 

him. The tributes to Aaron Copland and James Brown, especially, are 

beautifully crafted and immediately evoke their dedicatee’s memories. 

This recording’s most effective work is Pann’s She Steals Me, a short 

Appalachian style waltz that lingers harmonically on many passing 

notes and unresolved progressions. The effect is profoundly touching 

and Phillips does a masterful job in leveraging its emotional potential. 

!! 

Originally recorded in 1978 and released in 1980, Edvard Grieg 

– Slåtter Op.72, Stimmungen Op.73 (Somm 

Recordings SOMMCD 0154) is a reissue that 

offers a glimpse of a remarkably gifted English 

musician in his early 40s. John McCabe (1939- 

2015) was a prolific composer and performer. 

His wife recounts McCabe’s abiding affection 

for the piano works of Grieg, Slåtter 

(Norwegian Peasant Dances) Op.72 in 

particular. Numerous searches in the late 1970s 

for the published score proved fruitless until he one day came upon a 

worn copy in an obscure secondhand book shop. It proved sufficient 

for the recording project with RCA. 

Stimmungen (Moods) Op.73 and Slåtter were Grieg’s final two 

works for solo piano. The latter is a collection of folk tunes and dances 

originally heard as regional fiddle melodies passed down through 

generations. Grieg first published these compositions along with 

their original fiddle scoring. McCabe’s playing captures Grieg’s rhythmically 

raw elements and gives the dances a characteristic fiddle 

drone while bringing forward the very brief melodic ideas of the 

folk material. There’s a very wide range of expression in McCabe’s 

playing. Stimmungen, especially, demonstrates his ability to probe 

the moody and introspective side of the composer’s writing. Folk 

Tune from Valders is an exquisite example of just how much mysticism 

McCabe can evoke at the keyboard. Studie (Hommage à Chopin) 

is also remarkable for its stylistic references so unerringly discerned 

and conveyed. 

!! 

Grieg’s mystical introspection is also 

pursued in a new recording by Alice Sara Ott, 

Wonderland – Grieg Piano Concerto; Lyric 

Pieces (Deutsche Grammophon 479 4631). By 

the time Ott made this recording, she’d had the 

Grieg Concerto in A Minor Op.16 in her repertoire 

for ten years. That’s enough time to come 

to own the music and weave its threads into 

the fabric of her own artistic being. 

Her personal stamp on this work shapes it in unique ways. 

Phrasings are often quite unusual and the pace of the work is 

slower than often heard. She very deliberately lets us know that 

she is exploring something of natural mysticism. She calls it Grieg’s 

“wonderland.” 

The orchestra too, under Essa-Pekka Salonen, is in full agreement 

with this approach. Nothing, absolutely nothing is hurried in this 

performance. Only the final movement is near the traditional tempo. 

The effect of this on the concerto is to take an already monumental 

piece to an even grander scale. 

Ott’s quest for Grieg the mystic continues through her playing of 

selections from the Lyric Pieces and Peer Gynt where Notturno and 

L/R 

L/R 



L/R 

Benjamin Grosvenor / Homages 




Murray Perahia / Bach: French 

Suites 




Sas Agapo 

With fervor and passion, the great 

pianist and composer Alain Lefèvre 

unveils Sas Agapo, an album 

inspired by the songs, moods and 

colors of Greece. Fascinating, 

picturesque and gorgeous music. 

Mahan Esfahani / Bach: Goldberg 

Variations 





Solveig’s Song, respectively, reflect this most poignantly. There’s plenty 

of raw folk energy as well though; March of the Trolls (Lyric Pieces 

Book V, Op.54) and In the Hall of the Mountain King (Peer Gynt Suite 

No.1) leave no doubt about the dark side of Nordic myths. 

!! 

This new recording Homages: Bach- 

Busoni; Mendelssohn; Franck; Chopin; Liszt 

(Decca 483 0255) by Benjamin Grosvenor is 

youthful, powerful and profoundly exciting. 

At age 24 Grosvenor seems already to have 

conquered everything. Completely unhindered 

by technical challenges, he probes 

the alternating quiet and explosive episodes 

of Romantic works that look to the past for 

inspiration. Busoni’s arrangement of Bach’s Chaconne from BWV1004 

is titanic yet floats soul searchingly through its many still moments. 

He plays Mendelssohn’s Fugue: Allegro con fuoco from Op.35 No.5 at 

an impossible speed with unbelievable clarity. Chopin’s Barcarolle in 

F-sharp Major Op.60 is voiced so superbly that it often sounds like 

two separate pianos. With selections from Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage, 

Grosvenor reaches the pinnacle of his Homages to conclude an 

astonishing program that sets the heart racing. 

!! 

Pianist Kirill Gerstein is as eloquent in 

interview as he is at the keyboard. The notes in 

Liszt – Transcendental Études (Myrios Classics 

MYR01) are insightful answers to questions 

about the transcendental nature of these 

études. Gerstein argues that their extreme 

difficulty leads to a heightened technique 

that transcends the traditional requirements 

of playing the instrument. He then describes 

Liszt’s intention that this transcendence go beyond the physical and 

technical. 

Likening the performance of the cycle to the disciplined movement 

of Tai Chi, Gerstein describes his own experience in overcoming the 

technical challenges of these pieces. For him, it was as if he combined 

the discipline and exertion of a martial art with meditation to find 

that the transcending experience lay not just in the music but in the 

actual execution. 

This becomes very clear as the performance reveals his virtuosic 

ease with the most difficult passages of Feux follets, Ricordanza and 

Wilde Jagd. And when Liszt’s moments of resolution or repose occur, 

Gerstein is so obviously playing from someplace deeply and internally 

transcendent that his assertions about the experience become 

remarkably credible. It’s a beautifully performed set of the Études and 

equally well recorded. 

!! 

Deeper quests for meaning are becoming 

less rare among performers of all ages. In 

Johann Sebastian Bach – French Suites 

(Deutsche Grammophon 479 6565) Murray 

Perahia titles his notes “A Personal Devotion” 

and describes his lifelong love of Bach ignited 

by a performance of the St. Matthew Passion 

under Pablo Casals in the early 1960s. What 

moved the young Perahia was the humanity of Casal’s approach. It 

rejected the strict mechanical conventions of the time and channelled 

the composer’s voice through more modern sensibilities. 

Perahia himself was greatly discouraged by the preference for the 

harpsichord and rejection of the piano as a legitimate instrument 

for Bach’s keyboard music. After two years of harpsichord study, he 

decided to return to his first keyboard love and bring to it some of the 

harpsichord technique he’d acquired. This hybridization has produced 

a style of Baroque piano playing that has all the lightness of the period 

instruments but brings to it the emotional palette of our present day. 

Perahia’s playing is consequently a product of considerable forethought. 

His application of the whole range of the piano’s expressive 

capability is carefully measured. He pedals very lightly, articulates 

L/R 

L/R 

immaculately and communicates superbly. 

!! 

Alain Lefèvre is one of Quebec’s best-selling 

recording artists. A recent stay in Greece was 

the inspiration behind his newest CD Sas 

Agapo (Analekta AN 2 9297). Lefèvre is widely 

known for his creative and improvisational gift 

as well as his formidable keyboard technique. 

Combined, they ensure that his performances 

are highly engaging and entertaining. Sas 

Agapo is a collection of programmatic expressions 

for the piano – a musical album of Aegean experiences. 

Lefèvre’s inspirations are both visual and emotional. Something 

as simple as watching an elderly couple enjoying a seaside picnic 

becomes the creative kernel for Promenade à Kavouri. The piece is 

melancholic yet light and drifts between numerous short episodes 

punctuated by beautifully placed dissonances. 

The opening track Sas Agapo is highly stylized to reflect the modal 

nature of traditional Greek music. Its charged rhythms are instantly 

captivating and Lefèvre’s repeated keyboard runs are part of the electrifying 

experience of listening to this piece. 

Romance, personal loss and the general future of humanity are 

some of the other musings that take shape in this recording. Its 

conclusion is the wonderfully colourful and impish character piece 

Grand Carnival in which Lefèvre shows off some of his most impressive 

skills as composer and performer. 

Concert note: On January 21 Alain Lefèvre is featured in André 

Mathieu’s Rhapsody romantique as part of the Toronto Symphony 

Orchestra’s “Canadian Legacy” concert at Roy Thomson Hall. 

!! 

The Goldberg Variations are most often 

heard performed on piano, and we’ve come to 

assume that new recordings of the work will, 

naturally, be played that way. So, while harpsichord 

performances have narrower appeal, 

it’s a delight to encounter one so completely 

engaging and satisfying as in Bach – Goldberg 

Variations, Mahan Esfahani (Deutsche 

Grammophon 479 5929). Here’s a performance 

with enough zest and colour to rival your favourite piano version. 

Esfahani achieves this several ways. He plays with a clean and agile 

technique. He is tastefully impressive with his elaborate ornamentations. 

His phrasings benefit from tempo relaxation at critical points 

in the melodic line. And perhaps most of all, he’s just not in a rush to 

get to the end. Esfahani loves to explore the inner voices of these variations, 

challenging enough on a harpsichord, but skillfully managed 

with clever use of changing registrations between the instrument’s 

two keyboards. 

The recording appears to be made with large parts of the work 

(possibly all of it) played direct to recording without stopping for more 

than a second or two between variations to change keyboard stops 

(sounds). Performers who do this argue for the impact of the interpretive 

continuity this creates. Efahani’s performance bears this out 

once again. 

A fascinating feature of this recording lies in a brief note from 

the harpsichord technician who describes his tuning approach and 

explains his choices for sweeter major thirds in the keys of G and D, 

the home for most of the variations. 

!! 

Before playing Nada in Hamburg – 

Johannes Brahms (MEII Enterprises 261 

43930) one has to accept Nada Loutfi’s stylistic 

premise that the young Brahms played 

very much lighter pianos while in Hamburg. 

This would require a distinct departure 

from conventional approaches. Accents 

would be shorter, there would be more staccato 

and a great deal less use of the sustain pedal. Loutfi argues that 

modern interpretations overload and misrepresent the sound Brahms 

L/R 

L/R 


imagined at the time of these compositions. 

As if to underscore her point, she programs two pieces for the left 

hand, where performers generally tend to pedal more generously in 

order to bridge the gaps the single hand is to required leap. The Bach 

Chaconne for the Violin, (Étude No.5) and the Étude for piano for the 

left hand after Franz Schubert (Étude No.6) both require a moment 

for the ear to adjust but quickly establish a credibility based on 

Loutfi’s sensitive and intelligent phrasings. The Schubert, especially, 

becomes an extraordinarily beautiful technical display. 

From Brahms’ Eleven Chorales for Organ Op.122, Loutfi plays 

No.s2, 4 and 8. The organ score is for manuals alone and the parts so 

intricately woven that it’s often impossible to solo the chorale over the 

surrounding accompaniment. Nevertheless Loutfi does a wonderful 

job using the piano’s dynamic advantage to achieve this very feat. 

The Sonata Op.1 No.1 in C Major takes on a very different feel 

from most other performances. Loutfi’s light detached style quickly 

becomes the norm and draws more attention to other aspects of her 

interpretation. Most noteworthy is her very introspective and raptured 

playing of the second movement, Andante. 

This is quite an unusual disc that intelligently challenges some of 

our conventional ideas about how Brahms should be played. 

VOCAL 

Palestrina – Missa Papae Marcelli; Motets 

Sistine Chapel Choir; Massimo Palombella 

Deutsche Grammophon 4796131 

L/R 

!! 

David Olds’ notes 

in the November 

Editor’s Corner set the 

historical backdrop 

for Palestrina’s Missa 

Papae Marcelli. This 

particular recording 

looks back to original 

Renaissance sources 

rather than existing editions. What is more, 

its authenticity is enhanced as it was recorded 

within the Sistine Chapel, the result being a 

more intimate sound. 

So it is, with the initial Kyrie eleison and 

Credo, as the young boys of the Chapel 

bring a human, almost relaxed interpretation. 

Incidentally, the recording notes include 

some enchanting photographs of the choir 

off-duty and clearly happy in their choral 

responsibilities. 

More solemn is the two-part Tu Es Pastor 

Ovium, taken from Matthew 16:19 and 

composed for the coronation of Pope Sixtus V 

in 1585. This motet has a dominant element of 

mercy, especially appropriate in the Holy Year 

of Mercy decreed by Pope Francis for 2016. 

The plea for mercy is reflected in Ad Te Levavi 

Oculos Meos, its second part expressing that 

plea at its most direct. 

Palestrina’s works do not have to be long or 

complex: O Bone Iesu, at under two minutes, 

conveys an intensely spiritual message in 

a simple structure. Equally uplifting is the 

Sistine Chapel’s interpretation of Benedixisti, 

Domine, with its theme of God’s forgiveness 

for His people’s iniquities. 

Last of the longer pieces in this selection 

is Jubilate Deo. This tests the abilities of the 

Sistine Chapel Choir – and its chief chorus 

master Massimo Palombella – more than any 

other piece on the CD. It goes without saying 

that its rendition of the Gloria Patri will 

revive even the most jaded of listeners. 

Michael Schwartz 

Canzonette Spirituali, e Morali 

Capella Intima; Bud Roach 

Musica Omnia mo0701 (musicaomnia.org) 

!! 

Capella Intima 

is a Canadian vocal 

ensemble led by 

tenor/baroque guitarist 

Bud Roach and 

includes singers Sheila 

Dietrich, Jennifer 

Enns Modolo and 

David Roth. Flawless intonation, excellent 

diction and infectious enthusiasm (including 

strummed guitar) mark the group as a major 

contributor to the Baroque music scene. 

As explained in Roach’s excellent program 

notes, Canzonette Spirituali, e Morali (published 

1657) includes canzonettas (here, spiritual 

songs in a popular vein), solo arias with 

recitative, and dialogues. Intended for the 

oratory rather than church worship, these 

musical exhortations for personal piety previously 

designated as anonymous are now 

attributed to the priest Francesco Ratis. 

Variety in the 22 works on this CD chosen 

from the Canzonette is demonstrated by some 

of my favourites. The opening Poverello, che 

farai? (Poor thing, what will you do?) is a 

simple strophic song warning us to change 

our ways. Capella Intima’s virtuosity shows 

in fast-tempoed Fuggi, fuggi, fuggi (“O run, 

run away [from this deceitful world]”). To La 

mala compagnia – “Bad company will lead 

you to the tavern, and if you don’t want to go, 

you’ll get a good beating” – Capella Intima 

adds slaps and moans! Other numbers are 

tender: Spera Anima (Place your hope, my 

soul) is emotionally affecting while Angiol del 

Ciel (O Heavenly Angel) lives up to its title. 

The accompanying booklet contains English 

translations but original Italian texts must 

be downloaded. I suggest listening to only a 

few pieces at a time as the texts’ meanings 

are crucial. 

Roger Knox 

Wandering Heart 

Chor Leoni 

Independent CLR 1611 (chorleoni.org) 

!! 

In the wake of a much-loved Canadian 

icon’s recent passing, it seems uncannily 

prophetic to have chosen settings of Leonard 

Cohen’s poetry for the centrepiece of this 

recording. Wandering Heart, by Latvian 

L/R 



L/R 

Lucie Horsch / Vivaldi: Recorder 

Concertos 




Daniil Trifonov / Transcendental 




Bruckner: Symphony No 2 

With the release of Symphony No. 

2 performed by the OM/YNS team, 

ATMA Classique continues its cycle 

of the complete symphonies of 

Anton Bruckner. 

Wind Blown 

Wind sonatas from the master of 

British light music, top arranger 

with the BBC for decades... 

beautiful, tuneful and fun. 


L/R 

composer Ēriks 

Ešenvalds, begins 

with Twelve O’Clock 

Chant, a selection 

from The Spice-Box of 

Earth, the 1961 publication 

which established 

Cohen’s reputation as a lyric poet. This 

is followed by I Lost My Way from the poet’s 

Book of Mercy, and the third, The Road Is Too 

Long, is from Cohen’s Book of Longing. 

Wandering Heart is also the first composition 

to be commissioned from the fund 

named in honour of Chor Leoni’s founding 

director, the late Diane Loomer. The choir 

does honour to the memories of these artists, 

with the melodic clarity and honesty of 

expression this group of men are known 

for. In addition to Wandering Heart and 

two other pieces by Ešenvalds, the album 

also features music by Mendelssohn, Paul 

Mealor, Robert Moran, Kim André Arnesen 

and Morten Lauridsen. Artistic director Erick 

Lichte describes a common theme, with the 

selections representative of distances physical, 

spiritual and emotional, especially focusing 

on those “separated by the vast distance of 

death and how love can bridge this expanse.” 

Very timely indeed. 

Dianne Wells 

Bellini – I Capuleti e i Montecchi 

Christof Loy; Joyce DiDonato; Olga 

Kulchynska; Opernhaus Zurich; Fabio Luisi 

Accentus Music ACC20353 

!! 

I Capuleti e i 

Montecchi gives us 

the story that we 

know as Romeo and 

Juliet. The libretto 

was written by 

Felice Romani for 

a musical setting 

by Nicola Vaccai in 

1825. Bellini took over 

that libretto for his 

opera in 1830. There 

are a number of points where Romani’s 

libretto differs from Shakespeare’s play. 

Tybalt (Tebaldo) is not Juliet’s cousin but 

her would-be lover. This has useful implications 

for the opera since it needs a tenor. That 

cannot be Romeo, since his part is sung by a 

mezzo. Romani also linked the family feuds 

in Verona to the historical warfare between 

the Guelfs (the Capulets) and the Ghibellines 

(the Montagues). The Zürich production adds 

a social dimension: the Capulets are posh 

in their dinner jackets; the Montagues are 

working-class yobs with cloth caps. 

But the most striking difference lies in 

the sequence of events in the final scenes 

of the two works. In Shakespeare’s play, 

Romeo travels back from Mantua to Verona, 

gains access to Juliet’s tomb where she lies 

in a drugged sleep and, thinking that she is 

dead, takes poison and dies. Juliet wakes up 

and finds Romeo dead besides her. But in 

the Romani libretto Romeo is dying but not 

yet dead when Juliet wakes up. This allowed 

Bellini to compose a heart-rending duet, 

surely the finest part of the opera. 

Joyce DiDonato is spectacular as Romeo 

and there are fine performances from the 

young Ukrainian soprano Olga Kulchynska 

as Giulietta and the French tenor Benjamin 

Bernheim as Tebaldo. 

Hans de Groot 

Wagner – Parsifal 

Schager; Kampa; Pape; Koch; Tómasson; 

Staatskapelle Berlin; Staatsopernchor; 

Daniel Barenboim 

BelAir Classics BAC128 

!! 

Dmitri 

Tcherniakov is one 

of the most original, 

phenomenally gifted 

directors of our 

time. His collaboration 

with Daniel 

Barenboim in Berlin 

has already produced 

happy results and this 

is his latest and his 

first effort in Wagner. 

The composer is at 

his most elusive, complex and spiritual here 

in a work that Liszt referred to as “a revelation 

in music drama” transcending everything 

written before. Harry Kupfer’s previous 

incarnation of Parsifal in Berlin was a postapocalyptic, 

stunningly beautiful staging, 

but Tcherniakov moves on an entirely 

different level. 

Briefly: The setting is a deserted, Gulag-like 

cold and forlorn place, wooden barracks lit 

by bare lightbulbs giving it an incandescent 

glow. The knights look like prisoners, sick and 

frustrated. Then suddenly the young Parsifal 

arrives like a hippie, in gym shorts, running 

shoes and a hood, with a backpack as the holy 

fool (fal parsi) who will undergo a spiritual 

transformation withstanding the temptation 

of Kundry, the eternal woman, and thereby 

able to retrieve the Holy Spear and cure the 

suffering Amfortas, redeem Kundry and 

restore the Order of the Holy Grail. 

Barenboim conducts the over-five-hours 

long monumental work completely from 

memory (Gatti did it too in New York!) and 

he certainly achieves the revelation Liszt was 

talking about. In the third act, time seems 

to stand still giving a meaning to the text 

of “here time turns into space” proven by 

Einstein some 50 years later. Add to this the 

glorious singing performances of Andreas 

Schager (Parsifal), unlikely looking but with 

a total empathy to the role and a powerful, 

flexible heldentenor voice; of soprano Anja 

Kampe, similarly endowed with a voice of 

subtlety and a most sympathetic, compassionate 

portrayal of the accursed Kundry. 

Wolfgang Koch (Amfortas), René Pape 

(Gurnemanz) and Tomas Tómasson (Klingsor) 

establish a world standard that will be hard to 

surpass for years to come. 

Arvo Pärt – The Deer’s Cry 

Vox Clamantis; Jaan-Elk Tulve 

ECM New Series ECM 2466 

Janos Gardonyi 

!! 

A mixture of the 

new and old recorded 

here by Estonian choir 

Vox Clamantis, this CD 

includes the worldrecording 

premiere 

of Habitare fratres in 

unum and the largely 

plainchant And One of 

the Pharisees, which had its world premiere 

in California in 1992. There is a variety of 

Pärt’s music here: from the innocenceevoking 

Drei Hirtenkinder aus Fátima to the 

ode to a gittern, Sei gelobt, du Baum. (Google 

the latter via leones.de!). 

Serendipitously, I started my day reading 

St. Patrick’s fourth-century prayer, The Deer’s 

Cry, and the title track contains a purity I 

would compare to David Lang’s I Lie. The 

Alleluia-Tropus is different than my recording 

by Vox Clamantis with Sinfonietta Riga: at 

a decade’s distance, this a cappella version 

is 25 seconds longer and less dance-like, 

perhaps the liturgical pace being more fitting 

for the intercession of St. Nicholas of Myra. 

Most notable to me, however, was Summa, a 

tintinnabulous piece containing the Apostle’s 

Creed in Latin. While it is recorded here a 

cappella, as originally written, I only have 

the string versions of it, which convey swells 

of movement (indeed, I made a little film 

with it accompanying a murmuration); the 

choral is more plodding and deliberate in its 

affirmation of belief – I could picture Joan 

of Arc reciting it defiantly, atop the pyre as 

she awaits the lighting of the wood. The CD 

ends with Gebet nach dem Kanon, a fitting 

closing prayer to the collection.The liner 

notes are Pärtesque: sparse, multilingual and 

presuming knowledge of his work and liturgical 

music history. But if you enjoy looking 

up information (e.g. the Russian scriptures 

have different versification at times: Drei 

Hirtenkinder is about the West’s Psalm 8:2), 

there’s a wealth of enlightenment available. 

Artistic director Jaan-Eik Tulve has applied 

the 81-year-old composer’s personal tutelage 

faithfully, and Pärt devotees will be enraptured, 

the faithful and secularists alike. 

Vanessa Wells 

Concert note: On February 2, Soundstreams 

presents the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber 

Choir in favourites by Arvo Pärt and selections 

from Rachmaninoff’s Vespers along 

with works by Torontonians Omar Daniel 

and Riho Esko Maimets at St. Paul’s Basilica. 


Mother of Light – Armenian hymns and 

chants in praise of Mary 

Isabel Bayrakdarian; Ani Aznavoorian; 

Coro Vox Aeterna; Anna Hamre 

Delos DE 3521 (delosmusic.com) 

!! 

When in 1997 Isabel 

Bayrakdarian took 

the MET auditions 

by storm, we knew 

something special 

was happening. The 

voice was breathtaking, 

light, shimmering, 

silvery and 

agile. The compliments piled up after some 

spectacular stage performances. I still vividly 

remember her star turn at the side of Ewa 

Podles in the COC’s Julio Cesare. A succession 

of JUNO-winning albums followed and then… 

her career seemingly stalled. When I heard 

her again a few years later, I realized that her 

voice was changing. From a light-as-mist 

soprano, it was becoming more dramatic, 

gravitating more and more towards a mezzo 

sound. A voice in search of the right repertoire? 

Well, fear not, Bayrakdarian has found 

it! The enchanting, exotic music of Armenia 

is the perfect foil for Ms. Bayrakdarian’s 

“grown-up” voice. It’s lush, languid, opulent 

and absolutely remarkable. The arrangements 

for cello and voice shock with their purity of 

melodic line and meditative quality already 

built in. This may very well be an album to 

obsess about. In the space of just a week, I 

must have listened to it at least ten times. The 

usual superb quality of Delos recordings only 

enhances the beauty of the experience. It will 

be exciting to see what will be the next steps 

in the recording career of this gifted artist. 

Robert Tomas 

Dolce Vita 

Jonas Kaufmann 

Sony Classical 88875183632 

(sonymusicmasterworks.com) 

L/R 

!! 

Jonas Kaufmann 

has it all: one of the 

most beautiful tenor 

voices in the world 

and a stage presence 

that makes him 

a convincing leading 

man, especially when 

portraying a passionate 

lover. He is sought after by most if not all the 

important opera companies. He was chosen 

to inaugurate the beautiful and controversial 

Elphie, the new Elbenphilharmonie Hall 

in Hamburg, a $1 billion orgy of architecture 

and acoustics. He has a rare quality, namely 

artistic integrity, which enabled him to walk 

away from a disastrous production of Manon 

Lescaut at the Met with just weeks to spare. 

So why, oh why did he record this crossover 

album? 

The answer is very simple: at his level of 

fame and success, unlike in most of classical 

music nowadays, these recordings are 

still big business. Sony Classical realized that 

they have on their hands a possible platinum 

or double platinum seller. At different 

times, different artists have been put under 

the same pressure: Caruso, Kiepura and now 

Kaufmann. Having repeatedly stated my bias 

against crossover recordings in this space, 

I decided to put it aside and give the disc a 

thorough listen. It will sell like hotcakes. The 

reason is simple: Jonas Kaufmann. No matter 

how schmaltzy the material, no matter how 

insipid the playing of Orchestra del Teatro 

Massimo di Palermo, that voice is simply 

superb. Shower tenors of this world, rejoice! 

This is your singalong album. The reason I 

fully support this CD is also simple. I sincerely 

hope it will obliterate Michael Bolton and 

Andrea Bocelli in the popular consciousness. 

If we are going to devour aural candy, it may 

as well be delicious! 

Robert Tomas 

CLASSICAL AND BEYOND 

Vivaldi 

Lucie Horsch; Amsterdam Vivaldi Players 

Decca 483 0896 

!! 

I first heard of 

Lucie Horsch a few 

years ago when her 

videotaped performances 

began appearing 

on the Internet. As a 

teenaged finalist in the 

2014 Eurovision Young 

Musician contest, she offered a mesmerizingly 

beautiful rendition of the Siciliano from 

the familiar C Major Concerto RV443 and 

tastefully took complete charge of any fiery 

allegro she was handed without sounding like 

she was being chased by a demon around an 

athletics track. Her playing was refreshing 

and delightful. 

This CD’s program, more varied than most 

others of this repertoire, features RV443 

played in G on the soprano recorder, three 

other popular concertos and a few wellcrafted 

arrangements. Rousseau’s arrangement 

of Spring from the Four Seasons is 

heard here on sopranino, and excerpts from 

the G-Major Concerto for Two Mandolins, Nisi 

Dominus and the opera Il Giustino are also 

played on a well-chosen variety of instruments. 

The use of tenor recorder for the Nisi 

Dominus is particularly evocative. 

Just as in the videos of yesteryear, Horsch 

interprets the faster movements with technical 

panache, the slower ones with refined 

phrasing and exemplary wisdom regarding 

the addition of ornamentation, and most 

everything with an impressive musical 

understanding. She is accompanied by a 

group of excellent modern players including 

her father, a cellist in the Concertgebouw 

Orchestra. I do wish the booklet included 

a bit more on Vivaldi – but the celebration 

they make of this gifted young woman is 

completely understandable. 

Alison Melville 



L/R 

L/R 

A Land So Luminous: Music by 

Kenneth Hesketh and Richard Causton 

Ensemble and chamber music by 

the U.K.’s most imaginative and 

accomplished composers 

performed by The Continuum 

Ensemble with outstanding guest 

soloists. 

‘doubly worthwhile’ -The Observer 

Transformations 

Tuba virtuoso Aaron Tindall 

has been a leader in the 

performance of new music for tuba. 

This new recording features 

two tuba concertos. 

www.BridgeRecords.com 

Charlie Haden Liberation Music 

Orchestra: Time/Life 




Silence on joue - Take 2 

Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà present 

their wonderful double album 

Silence On Joue – Take 2, which 

brings together some of the most 

beautiful and evocative music from 

movies and television series. 


The Musical Clock and other Timeless 

Masterpieces 

Suzanne Shulman; Valerie Tryon 

Marquis Classics MAR 81471 

(marquisclassics.com) 

!! 

Yes, a clever title 

for a most interesting 

programme 

of music, mostly for 

flute and piano but 

with two compositions 

for solo flute, 

impeccably performed 

by Camerata co-founder Suzanne Shulman 

and pianist, Valerie Tryon. From the opening 

Allegro vivace from Haydn’s The Musical 

Clock (the first of five) you can hear the 

great chemistry between the two, and it gets 

even better; by the fifth Tryon has proven 

that you can double tongue on the piano as 

she matches Shulman’s double-tonguing 

wizardry! The Sonata in B-flat Major K378 

by Mozart is next. Originally composed 

for violin, it gives the performers something 

a little more substantial to work with. 

The Andantino second movement gives us 

an opportunity to hear Shulman’s dark low 

register. (Thank you, Suzanne Shulman, for 

playing this in the original key, not the transcribed 

for flute version!) 

Next up is an intoxicating dose of wistful 

fin-de-siècle melancholy, a sonata by the 

very accomplished but little known French 

composer, Mélanie Bonis, followed by Francis 

Poulenc’s wonderful – can I say iconic? – 

Sonata, in which Shulman was tutored by 

Jean-Pierre Rampal, for whom it was written. 

Need I say more! 

The two last pieces are Harry Somers’ 

Etching – The Vollard Suite and Milton 

Barnes’ Music for Solo Flute, to both of which 

Shulman brings such artistry that I am 

convinced that these two pieces by Canadian 

composers are truly timeless masterpieces. 

Allan Pulker 

Transcendental – Daniil Trifonov plays 

Franz Liszt 

Daniil Trifonov 

Deutsche Grammophon 479 5529 

L/R 

!! 

Deutsche 

Grammophon has 

struck gold again, 

this time with the 

young Russian pianist 

Daniil Trifonov. This 

is his fourth recording 

for the Gesellschaft 

and what a recording it is! Liszt’s 12 Études 

d’execution transcendante is the Mount 

Everest of pianism. Very few have recorded 

them complete, because it is a titanic effort 

both physically and emotionally, but this 

fellow recorded them at one sitting, lasting 

well over an hour and got up at the end not 

showing any signs of fatigue. Here is Liszt 

as it should be played and how he must 

have looked: a handsome trim young man 

with flowing hair and a grand manner, 

with a rapt expression and total absorption, 

cascading octaves, making the piano thunder 

with superhuman energy. One can easily 

believe that women fainted hearing him 

and ran away from their husbands following 

him anywhere. 

Apart from this colossal physical effort 

Trifonov plays with imagination and intelligence, 

understanding the structure and 

capturing the different moods of each étude. 

Some are wild, like Mazeppa, depicting 

a man being dragged through the steppes 

by galloping horses, some are meditative 

(Paysage, Vision) or heroic (Eroica) or charmingly 

playful (Feux Follets) or culminate 

in an insane hunt (Wilde Jagd). At No.9, 

Ricordanza the mood changes into glorious, 

soft melodies, sublime moments only Liszt, 

“the magician of the keyboard.” could create. 

The 2-CD set actually has all the Concert 

Études of Liszt and Disc 2 features the wellknown 

favorites Un sospiro, La leggierezza, 

Gnomenreigen etc. and the complete 

Paganini Études also superlatively performed. 

You can see a preview and a glimpse of what 

went on in making the recording on YouTube. 


The Tchaikovsky Project – Pathétique; 

Romeo & Juliet 

Czech Philharmonic; Semyon Bychkov 

Decca 483 0656 

!! 

A formidable 

pairing of the great 

Symphony No.6 with 

the Romeo & Juliet 

Fantasy Overture 

featuring Russian 

conductor Semyon 

Bychkov and the 

Czech Philharmonic 

launches The Tchaikovsky Project on the 

Decca label, a multi-year endeavour devoted 

to re-examining the composer’s greatest 

orchestral works. Was it really 26 years ago 

that Bychkov recorded the Pathétique with 

the Concertgebouw? How appropriate that 

the major work on the initial disc in this new 

series should contain an underlying theme of 

mortality! 

Completed in 1893, Tchaikovsky’s 

Symphony No.6 takes the listener on a 

highly personal journey, and the Czech 

Philharmonic under Bychkov’s competent 

direction has no difficulty conveying the 

sense of tragic resignation. Well-articulated 

phrasing highlighted by the luxuriant strings 

and brilliant brass makes this performance 

a true odyssey. The four contrasting movements 

are all marked by a technical precision 

and warmly romantic sound that particularly 

befits one of the composer’s final works. 

The Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture from 

1869 has long been a favourite with audiences 

for its interpretation of the familiar story of 

ill-fated love. Without overly sentimentalizing 

the score, Bychkov draws the full range of 

tonal colours from the orchestra – from the 

prophetic opening of the fight scenes, to 

the lyrical love theme and on to the cataclysmic 

finale. 

This is a fine beginning to a promising 

series. Bychkov wrote: “I’ve loved 

Tchaikovsky’s music ever since I can 

remember – and like all first loves, this one 

never died.” 

Richard Haskell 

Concert note: On January 28, the University 

of Toronto Symphony Orchestra performs 

Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” Symphony and 

works by Morawetz, Prokofiev and Shostakovich 

at MacMillan Theatre as part of the 

University of Toronto New Music Festival. 

Bruckner 2 

Orchestre Métropolitain; Yannick Nézet- 

Séguin 

ATMA ACD2 2708 

!! 

I heard Yannick 

Nézet-Séguin early in 

his career when he 

conducted the Toronto 

Symphony Orchestra. 

It was immediately 

clear that we 

had an outstanding 

conductor here. Since 

then he has become the music director of 

the Rotterdam Philharmonic and of the 

Philadelphia Orchestra. Soon he will also 

be the music director of the Metropolitan 

Opera in New York. In many of his recordings, 

however, he has stayed faithful to 

the orchestra where he started: Orchestre 

Métropolitain of Montreal. The record under 

review, Symphony No.2, is part of a Bruckner 

cycle which is now almost complete: only 

No.s1 and 5 (and perhaps No.0) are as yet 

unrecorded. 

I am a great admirer of Bruckner’s sacred 

music but I find his symphonies harder to 

come to terms with. Too often, it seems to me, 

a movement will begin beautifully but then 

fail to develop. I may be quite wrong here 

and I am willing to believe that a conversion 

is still possible. If that happens, this CD may 

well have taken its part. Nézet-Séguin shapes 

the music beautifully and gets wonderful 

playing from the Orchestre Métropolitain, 

particularly from the principal wind players. 

Hans de Groot 

Ravel 

Yuja Wang; Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich; 

Lionel Bringuie 

Deutsche Grammophon 479 4954 

!! 

DG’s latest issue 

of Yuja Wang is the 

fifth in a row of the 

pianist’s bestselling 

discs. It has already 

earned Gramophone 

L/R 


magazine’s prestigious Editor’s Choice Award, 

probably the best recommendation today. The 

young Chinese virtuoso has cut through the 

music world like a hurricane, an elemental 

force, in a few years her fame skyrocketing 

her to the very top. I was lucky to see her at 

Koerner Hall a few years ago when I literally 

staggered out of the concert totally astounded. 

The record definitely lives up to its stellar 

reputation. Dashing through the Ravel 

Concerto in G Major with her customary 

bravura she is totally in her element, youthful 

and impetuous, having the time of her 

life with this somewhat jazzy, very entertaining 

and exciting concerto. The phenomenal 

technical skill notwithstanding, she is 

also a mature pianist. This is well-demonstrated 

in the lyrical second movement where 

she creates a gorgeous sound painting with 

her extraordinary touch and colouring. I have 

heard this piece many times and it is always 

dazzling, but here the overall compositional 

structure truly shines, as both the pianist 

and the conductor (Lionel Bringuier) clearly 

understand it and have tremendous chemistry 

working towards a common goal. 

The completely different Piano Concerto 

for the Left Hand is considerably more difficult, 

with a mysterious opening of a theme 

slowly emerging from darkness; as the piano 

enters we witness an almost titanic power 

in Wang’s left hand. As the pace quickens in 

the march-like mid-section there is dazzling 

showmanship, exhilarating to listen to in 

a recording of demonstration quality with 

full frequency and wide dynamic range. Top 

recommendation. 


MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY 

Milhaud & Ginastera 

Andrée-Ann Deschênes 

Independent (aadpiano.com) 

!! 

Los Angeles-based Canadian pianist 

Andrée-Ann Deschênes has a thing for Latin 

American piano 

music. Her first CD 

was a collection of 

piano music from 

Cuba and Brazil. And 

in August, the Humber 

College grad – presently 

a doctoral music 

student at California’s Claremont Graduate 

University (CGU), with a teaching gig at Cal 

State LA – released Milhaud & Ginastera. Her 

second indie effort – in a recent interview 

with CGU’s magazine, The Flame, Deschênes 

calls herself an “indie pianist” (followed by, 

“if there’s such a thing!”) – offers two sets of 

dances for solo piano: one largely inspired by 

Rio de Janeiro’s neighbourhoods; the other, a 

well-known trio of Argentinian dances. 

After a two-year stay in Rio (1917-18), 

French composer Darius Milhaud composed 

his 12-dance suite, Saudades do Brazil. 

Untranslatable, “saudade” suggests a feeling 

of longing, melancholy or nostalgia, a fixture 

in the music and literature of Brazil. In that 

same Flame interview, Deschênes says she 

chose these pieces “because they are such 

unique little gems of music.” And they are, 

each one its own, self-contained iteration 

of saudade, some poignant and dark, others 

more playful with driving rhythms. All 

tonally interesting, harmonically colourful 

and utterly charming. Deschênes captures the 

essence of saudade, tapping into an emotional 

connection to the material – you sense she’s 

both moved by it, yet at the same time, 

focused on the task at hand, technique crisp 

and clean. 

Alberto Ginastera’s Danza Argentinas are 

also gorgeous gems, and Deschênes executes 

them deftly and sensitively; the middle, an 

achingly beautiful invocation. 

Deschênes’ disc is a gem. ¡Fantástico! 

Sharna Searle 

Charles Wuorinen – Eighth Symphony; 

Fourth Piano Concerto 

Peter Serkin; Boston Symphony Orchestra; 

James Levine 

Bridge Records 9474 (bridgerecords.com) 

!! 

In his heyday, 

conductor James 

Levine was known 

as a staunch advocate 

of the American 

high modern school of 

practitioners of Arnold 

Schoenberg’s serial 

method, commissioning 

new works from Elliott Carter, 

Milton Babbitt and Charles Wuorinen during 

his tenure as music director of the Boston 

Symphony. Bridge Records, with considerable 

philanthropic support, has now issued 

a commemorative disc of two major works 

from the last man standing of that compositional 

triumvirate. The first of these, 

Wuorinen’s Eighth Symphony, bears the 

arcane subtitle, Theologoumena, defined by 

the composer as “a private non-dogmatic 

theological opinion.” Make of that what you 

will. Formally it is cast in a conventional order 

of three fast-slow-fast movements, expressed 

in a no-compromise, often abrasive, language. 

That language is nevertheless in many ways a 

very traditional and approachable one; there 

are no extended instrumental techniques or 

a smidgen of spectralism to be found in his 

highly contrapuntal style. The first movement 

of the symphony is a wild ride of unbridled 

energy, dense and frenetic; the second movement 

is marginally more restrained, while 

the finale brings the percussion and piano 

to the fore for a thunderous conclusion. The 

ensemble of the Boston musicians is pushed 

to the edge in this high tension recording of 

the 2007 premiere performance. 

The performance of Wuorinen’s compelling 

Fourth Piano Concerto from 2005 is considerably 

more assured, in large part due to Peter 

Serkin’s admirable mastery of the demanding 

solo piano part and the composer’s more 

L/R 



L/R 

duoJalal 

Parallels 

Close your eyes and embark on 

a musical joyride as Vandana’s 

silky voice glissades you through 

uncharted territories blending 

World genres with Indian music! 

Inspired by their namesake, 

13th century poet and mystic 

Jalal al-din Rumi, duoJalal present 

an original new recording that 

bridges cultural and musical genres. 

www.BridgeRecords.com 

Shakespeare: The Complete 

Works 

Available exclusively from 

Classical 96 FM. Full details at 

classical963fm.com/shakespeare 

Mozart 225: The New Complete 

Edition 



& grigorian.com. Full details 

www.mozart225.com 


lyrical approach in this work. All three movements 

of the concerto maintain a constant, 

mercurial energy leavened with explosive 

outpourings of orchestral frenzy. This is tough 

music to love, but easy to admire. 

Daniel Foley 

Wind blown – Sonatas for wind instruments 

by Peter Hope 

Various Artists 

Divine Art dda 25137 

(divineartrecords.com) 

!! 

Wistful sentiments 

dominate the 

opening moments 

of most of the works 

on this collection of 

wind music by British 

composer Peter Hope. 

His music can be 

called contemporary 

in terms of date (all six works were composed 

in the space of six years, between 2009 

and 2015) but in character it’s all unabashedly 

anachronistic. As capably written as 

the pieces are, one can only imagine Hope 

has determined that the harmonic and 

rhythmic language of the most conservative 

20th-century composers is sufficient to his 

artistic needs. The writing for recorder goes 

even further back in time, echoing the pre- 

Baroque era with open parallel harmonies. He 

ventures into the popular idioms of jazz and 

klezmer styles, which sadly come off as cliché 

to such a jaded ear as mine. It is music that 

remains by the hearth in the library, caftanwrapped, 

brandy snifter at hand, faithful 

hound at its feet. It is comfortable and, for 

those seeking such, comforting. 

All performances are quite good, and 

the production is untainted by excessive 

reverb, the sound clean and direct. The piano 

balances the soloists on all the sonatas, while 

remaining clear and forthright. The instruments 

are each presented with all their idiosyncrasies, 

close-miked enough to catch 

tone-hole whistles yet not such that any warts 

are apparent. Kudos to engineer Richard Scott 

for capturing a soundscape so familiar to the 

undergraduate ear – that of the academic 

recital hall – in this case the one at Royal 

Northern College of Music in Manchester. 

Max Christie 

A Land So Luminous – Music by Richard 

Causton; Kenneth Hesketh 

Continuum Ensemble; Philip Headlam 

Prima Facie PFCD051 

(thecontinuumensemble.co.uk) 

!! 

In 1993, two 

Canadians – pianistconductor 

Philip 

Headlam and pianist 

Douglas Finch – 

co-founded Britain’s 

Continuum Ensemble 

specializing in 

L/R 

L/R 

contemporary music. Here they present 

first recordings of works by two prominent 

English composers, both in their 40s but very 

different stylistically. 

Kenneth Hesketh’s A Land So Luminous 

for violin and piano and IMMH for solo cello 

feature fragmentary outbursts, prolonged 

pauses and directionless meandering. In 

IMMH, an “imagined shamanic ritual, 

marking the passage from life to death,” the 

cellist plucks, bows, vocalizes and knocks 

on the cello’s body, but with no discernible 

trajectory. Hesketh’s three-movement 

Cautionary Tales for clarinet, violin 

and piano was adapted from his five-movement 

Netsuke for large ensemble. Both works 

ostensibly depict literary “events and characters” 

but offer only more fragments, silences 

and meandering. 

Five engrossing pieces by Richard Causton 

follow, providing welcome contrast. Threnody 

for soprano, two clarinets and piano is a 

moody setting of a Russian anti-war poem 

from 1915. His 13-minute Rituals of Hunting 

and Blooding, two movements for large 

ensemble, would make an effective ballet 

score, with its wildly syncopated rhythms 

of the chase followed by the solemn initiations 

of hunters being ceremonially marked 

with their prey’s blood. Sleep for solo flute is 

a dignified elegy, commissioned by a widower 

in memory of his wife. Finally, Douglas Finch 

plays two atmospheric piano pieces, Non Mi 

Comporto Male and Night Piece, contemplative 

homages, respectively, to Fats Waller 

and Mozart. 

One thumb down; one thumb up. 

Michael Schulman 

Richard Danielpour – Songs of Solitude; 

War Songs 

Thomas Hampson; Nashville Symphony; 

Giancarlo Guerrero 

Naxos 8.559772 

!! 

On the day the 

Twin Towers fell, 

Richard Danielpour 

was at the composers’ 

retreat in Aaron 

Copland’s former 

Peekskill, NY, home. 

His artistic response to 

9/11 was to begin work 

on Songs of Solitude, settings of six scathing 

Yeats poems. Danielpour’s melodic, rhythmic 

and colouristic predilections link him to 

Copland and Bernstein, two fellow New Yorkbased 

composers of Jewish ancestry. Echoes 

of Copland appear in the cycle’s orchestral 

opening and closing; Bernstein is channelled 

in the jazzy Drinking Song. The longest 

song, lasting nine of the cycle’s 28 minutes, 

sets Yeats’s most famous poem, The Second 

Coming, but the music fails to match the 

power of these often-quoted lines. 

There’s power aplenty, though, in War 

Songs (2008), inspired, writes Danielpour, 

by photographs of young soldiers killed in 

Iraq. Set to haunting Civil War poems by 

Walt Whitman, four dirge-like, elegiac songs 

precede the shattering final song, Come up 

from the Fields Father, at 11 minutes, nearly 

half the cycle’s duration. I was left both 

shaken and stirred. 

Both cycles were composed for baritone 

Thomas Hampson, here in characteristically 

fine voice, fully expressive of the words (texts 

are included). 

Michael Schulman 

Transformations 

Aaron Tindall, tuba; various ensembles 


L/R 

!! 

The convergence 

on this disc of hornplaying 

composer 

Gunther Schuller 

(1925-2015) and tuba 

virtuoso Aaron Tindall 

in Concerto No.2 for 

Contrabass Tuba and 

Symphony Orchestra 

(2008) is highly successful. Professional 

French horn player Schuller’s orchestration 

skills and affinity for low-registered instruments 

are evident; at the opening the solo 

tuba emerges wonderfully from darkness. 

With the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra 

under Jeffrey Meyer, Tindall gives an adept, 

eloquent recording of this mostly expressionist 

concerto. Horn-tuba affinity recurs 

in Dana Wilson’s (b.1946) Concerto for Tuba 

and Wind Ensemble (2013). It begins with an 

offstage horn echoing the tuba, and continues 

with motifs over a minimalist weave. Tindall’s 

melodic shaping and building together with 

the Ithaca Wind Ensemble in the second 

movement is remarkable, but unfortunately 

the composer’s turn to a jazz finale 

is awkward. 

Harmonien (2006) by Karlheinz 

Stockhausen (1928-2007) is played here on 

tuba, not the original bass clarinet. Including 

a wealth of sounds and processes, it is a 

solo tour de force for Tindall. The composer’s 

claims of colour and time-of-day associations 

do not resonate with me, though. 

The bold Are You Experienced? for electric 

tuba, narrator, and chamber orchestra (1987- 

89) by David Lang (b.1957) would ideally be 

best experienced live or on DVD. Its imaginative 

take on the situation of having received a 

brain injury breaks new ground, and Tindall’s 

evocation of Jimmy Hendrix’s fuzz-tone 

guitar on the electric tuba is truly amazing! 

Roger Knox 

Vyacheslav Artyomov – Symphony Gentle 

Emanation; Tristia II 

Russian National Orchestra; Teodor 

Currentzis; Vladimir Ponkin 


Artyomov – Symphony on the Threshold of 

a Bright World; Ave Atque Vale; Ave, Crux 

Alba 


National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia; 

Vladimir Ashkenazy 


(divineartrecords.com) 

!! 

Vyacheslav 

Artyomov was 

preparing for a life 

in astrophysics, but 

these two symphonies 

(parts of a tetralogy) 

are unlike The Planets, 

unless you think of 

them as uber-Holst: 

they cause a visceral reaction and suggest a 

metaphysical cri de cœur. My initial reaction 

to them was that they sounded like the 

soundtrack of some 1940s film noir or an 

original-series Star Trek episode – which 

is apt, since they embody mystery and the 

unknown. In his essay, Musica Perennis, 

the composer said “Serious music is created 

by the spirit for the Spirit,” and these twinreleased 

CDs reflect his view of music as a 

mediator between God and man, but also as 

science. While I find the Threshold of a Bright 

World symphony more arresting than the 

Gentle Emanation, they are both accessible, 

and while Artyomov is often compared to 

Arvo Pärt, I hear a little more of Rautavaara. 

The orchestration in Ave Atque Vale and 

Gentle Emanation is a 

little jarring due to the 

highlighting of the 

percussion parts. But 

Ave, Crux Alba, a 

choral (Helikon Theatre 

Choir) and orchestral 

setting of the Hymn of 

the Knights of Malta, 

returns to the majesty and mystery Artyomov 

is known for in his musical quest for spirituality. 

Tristia II, based on the 19th-century 

poems of Nikolai Gogol and with spoken parts 

read by Russian actor Mikhail Philippov, 

carries on the potential-soundtrack feel and 

allows us non–Russian speakers to hear the 

cries of the artist to God for inspiration; the 

suspense in the middle tracks suggests Him 

mulling the petitions over. 

Both CDs are in memoriam of the 

composer’s friend and colleague, Mstislav 

Rostropovich, and both have expansive 

liner notes. 

Vanessa Wells 

Slow Bend 

See Through Two 

All-Set! A8007 (all-set.org) 

Famous Wildlife Movies 

Mike Smith 


Another Helpful Medicine 

Aurochs 


Margins 

See Through 5 


!! 

The All-Set! 

Imprint is fast 

becoming a beacon 

of originality as a 

fast-growing world 

of boutique and 

independent contemporary 

music labels. 

Its penchant for featuring artful cover 

graphics that appear more inclined towards 

corporate identity than visually describing 

musical content is unusual, to say the least. 

But nothing could prepare the listener for 

what to hear on each of their releases; not 

even the names of rather well-known experimental 

musicians whose work lies within 

each release. A case in point is Slow Bend by 

the bass duo See Through Two. 

On this masterful performance by Rob 

Clutton (bass, banjo and fretless Fender bass) 

and Pete Johnston (bass) we glimpse music 

from quite another realm of bass violin, with 

the sound of the banjo providing not just 

relief, but occasionally elevating the music to 

the upper layers of this tonal realm. The 

personality of each piece is characterized by 

the rhythmic brevity of its title but often takes 

the dallying conversation between the two 

bassists to fascinating harmonic spaces. This 

adventure that takes as its starting point, in 

place of metric lassitude, a steady beat which 

is then stretched and moulded with infinite 

varieties of rubato. As a result, the rather 

explicitly titled Range that begins the set to 

Trail, which suggests not the end, perhaps, 

but the beginning of another journey, the 

refreshing overall impression is of a great 

colouristic soundscape that is rather dynamic 

and rich in possibility. 

In addition to Slow Bend, 

but completely different 

in every aspect of music, 

recent releases have also 

included Mike Smith’s 

Famous Wildlife Movies, 

a fascinating collection of 

pieces which emerges as an 

epic in miniature for large 

ensemble performed with 

special authority and élan. 

Two years after Aurochs’ 

Rational Animals comes 

Another Helpful Medicine, 

which seems to have been 

created in a crucible ignited 

by an explosion of collective 

imagination. Finally the 

recent collection of releases includes Margins 

by See Through 5, a quintet whose music is 

characterized by its gaunt sonority, laser-like 

projection, finely calibrated articulation and 

uncanny rhythmic equilibrium. 

Raul da Gama 

Concert note: All Set! founder Mike Smith’s 

the Mike Smith Company is featured in 

“Moondog 100” along with Nexus Percussion 

and guest vocalist Suba Sankarin on 

December 3 at the Music Gallery. 

JAZZ AND IMPROVISED 

John MacMurchy’s Art of Breath Volume 

One 

John MacMurchy 

Independent (johnmacmurchy.com) 

!! 

Toronto woodwind 

stalwart John 

MacMurchy has 

produced a sonically 

refreshing album that 

manages to combine 

sophistication and 

accessibility across a 

variety of musical genres. The eight original 

compositions contained in Art of Breath 

flow together in a natural way, a testament to 

MacMurchy’s writing and arranging skills. 

The somewhat unusual instrumentation, 

a septet augmented by vocals and a string 

quartet, makes for a broad colour palette. The 

front line of MacMurchy’s tenor saxophone, 

clarinet and harmonica, Bruce Cassidy’s 

trumpet, flugelhorn and EVI (electronic valve 

instrument) and Dan Ionescu’s guitar provide 

a large ensemble sound with a few twists. 

Alan Hetherington’s highly informed percussion 

work adds a nice touch of groove and 

authenticity to the tracks. 

Expat Cafe introduces most of the band 

with Ionescu’s slightly overdriven guitar tone 

and soaring approach giving way to pianist 

Mark Kieswetter’s patiently constructed and 

harmonically lush solo. MacMurchy and 

Cassidy build intensity with spirited trading 

on tenor and EVI. Working Title Blues evokes 

Art Blakey in its soul jazz vibe and boporiented 

improvisation. Drummer Daniel 

Barnes and bassist Ross McIntyre swing hard 

and make concise solo contributions. 

Vocalist Whitney Ross-Barris is also the 

lyricist of Now You’ve Gone Away. Her 

understated style and economy of phrasing 

lend themselves perfectly to the Latin-tinged 

ballad, as does the atmospheric string quartet 

arrangement and MacMurchy’s soulful 

harmonica. Yvette Tollar brings her rich voice 

and poignant delivery to Dandelion Wine, 

MacMurchy’s hauntingly beautiful elegy to a 

departed friend. 

Ted Quinlan 

It’s Easy to Remember 

Corey Weeds Quintet featuring David 

Hazeltine 

Cellar Live CL031716 (cellarlive.com) 

!! 

Vancouver tenor 

saxophonist Cory 

Weeds teams up with 

New York pianist 

David Hazeltine in 

this impressive live 

outing. Recorded at 


Smalls in NYC, the album’s nine tunes make a 

compelling case for the variety to be found in 

contemporary mainstream jazz. The programming 

is an eclectic mix of standards and 

originals with Hazeltine’s considerable arranging 

skills shedding new light on a few old 

chestnuts. 

The opening track, Kenny Drew’s With 

Prestige establishes the band’s hard-bop 

credentials. Weeds sounds right at home here, 

incorporating a relaxed, swinging style with a 

big tone and impeccable lines. Trumpeter Joe 

Magnarelli’s loose, behind-the-beat phrasing 

opens into a tour de force of double-time 

ideas. Hazeltine demonstrates a classic style, 

playing with a deep-time feel and exquisite 

taste. Paul Gill’s arco bass solo summons 

up Paul Chambers in its facility, sound and 

note choice. 

The late Ross Taggart, a brilliant musician/ 

composer and a Vancouver compatriot of 

Weeds, is remembered in two of his compositions. 

Expose introduces a modal vibe to the 

recording, and the players take full advantage 

of the leeway it allows. Solos explore greater 

angularity and Hazeltine makes a playful 

reference to Surrey With A Fringe On Top. 

Drummer Jason Tiemann contributes aggressive, 

up-tempo playing and an explosive solo. 

The title track, It’s Easy To Remember is full 

of twists and turns. All of the players negotiate 

Hazeltine’s complex arrangement with 

the combination of confidence and abandon 

that defines this recording. 

Ted Quinlan 

Oddara 

Jane Bunnett and Maqueque 

Linus Entertainment 270244 (linusent.ca) 

!! 

Award-winning 

soprano saxophonist/ 

flutist Jane Bunnett 

has a knack for 

putting together great 

bands. In fact, she has 

been doing so since 

before the release 

of her first recording, In Dew Time (1987), 

through to the acclaimed Spirits of Havana 

band, which celebrated their 25th anniversary 

this year (see Andrew Timar’s review in the 

September 2016 issue of The WholeNote). 

Her latest outing showcases the all-female 

band, Maqueque (meaning “the energy of a 

young girl’s spirit”), formed five years ago. 

This group follows in the Bunnett tradition 

of ensembles featuring not only phenomenally 

talented players, but also great chemistry 

amongst the musicians. This chemistry 

is evident throughout Oddara, Maqueque’s 

follow-up to their 2014 self-titled debut CD. 

Accordingly, core band members Dánae 

Olano (piano, vocals), Celia Jiménez (bass, 

vocals), Magdelys Savigne (percussion, 

vocals), Yissy Garcia (drums) and Elizabeth 

Rodriguez (violin, vocals) all turn in great, 

inspired performances. However, it is the 

group dynamic, deep listening, empathy and 

superb communication that come to the fore 

on each track. 

Highlights include the Melvis Santa 

composition, Power of Two (Ibeyi). Based 

on a traditional Afro-Cuban chant, the song 

opens with a call-and-response section, 

before seguing into a beautiful pentatonic 

vocal and flute melody. On Dream, the 

ensemble showcases their versatility as they 

navigate a variety of textures and turns in 

this multi-layered arrangement. Bunnett’s 

distinctive sound and impeccable musicianship 

shine throughout. This is music brimming 

with joy, mastery, beauty and passion. 

Barry Livingston 

All My Treasures 

Lauren Bush 

Independent (laurenbushjazz.com) 

!! 

Currently based 

in the UK, Canadian 

jazz vocalist Lauren 

Bush showcases her 

diverse musical abilities 

as she sings and 

scats a selection of 

her favourite tunes 

with energy and a distinctive vocal colour 

while being supported by her superb band 

comprised of Liam Dunachie (piano/ 

arranger), Andrew Robb (acoustic bass) and 

David Ingamells (drums), 

The opening I’ve Got Just About Everything 

I Need is a fast-paced jazz tune arranged by 

Canadian musician Don Thompson. Bush 

sings the challenging plethora of words set at 

a higher pitch with conviction and clarity. The 

addition of a horn section provides a welcome 

New Orleans-flavoured sound for instrumental 

solos and for Bush to sing a bouncy 

version of Sweet Georgia Brown. But it is 

the slower tunes where Bush performs the 

best. Her sultry vocal opening in the Latin 

tune Dindi leads to varied vocal stylings with 

a great horn solo. The Mancini/Mercer song 

Charade suits her voice perfectly, allowing 

her to lay back and expand her subtle vocal 

lyrical qualities while listening closely to the 

band to set her phrases. Likewise the kid’s 

show classic, A, You’re Adorable is given an 

accented vocal performance against more 

legato sections, a rousing piano solo and 

touches of Fender Rhodes chimes. 

Kudos to Bush for choosing songs that 

are both well suited to her voice, and also 

those more musically challenging. Excellent 

performances by both Bush and her band set 

the stage for an exciting musical future. 

Tiina Kiik 

Otterville 

Andrew Downing 

Independent AD00105 

(andrewdowning.com) 

!! 

JUNO Award-winning bassist, cellist and 

composer Andrew Downing’s new double CD 

(and his tenth release) takes its name from 

a diminutive burg 

located in Ontario’s 

tobacco country, the 

family seat of the 

Downings throughout 

the 20th century. 

The beautifully 

composed, recorded 

and performed project is a laconic, nostalgic 

journey through small-town Canadiana, 

where linear time is only a concept and the 

hard-working lives of generations are imbued 

in the land itself. 

The thoughtful and complex Otterville is 

comprised of 15 original pieces (primarily 

by Downing) some of which embrace 

elements and snippets of familiar themes 

from the Great American Songbook, cleverly 

re-constructed on a framework of highly 

intriguing instrumentation, and taking 

inspiration from diverse tunesmiths Billy 

Strayhorn, Kurt Weill and Ry Cooder. The 

fine musicians include (producer) Downing 

on cello, Tara Davidson on alto saxophone, 

Christine Bougie on lap steel guitar, Michael 

Davidson on vibraphone, Paul Mathew on 

bass, Nick Fraser on drums and special guests 

Rebecca Hennessy on trumpet and William 

Carn on trombone. 

The opening track, This Year’s Fancies, 

could be considered a loose structural 

homage to Johnny Mercer and Jerome Kern’s 

standard I’m Old Fashioned, re-invented with 

a modern, multi-instrumental cacophony of 

both melodic lines and harmonic dissonance. 

A standout is Family Portrait, composed by 

the uber-talented Tara Davidson. Linear sax 

lines and the heartwarming juxtaposition of 

strings and reeds make this one of the most 

appealing and accessible songs on the project. 

Additionally, Downing’s haunting take of 

Strayhorn’s Take the A Train is nothing short 

of genius and his composition, Leaving Me 

With a Memory overflows with emotion and 

sweet reverie, and defines the mise-en-scène 

of this potent project. 

Lesley Mitchell-Clarke 

The Long Slog 

Snaggle 

Browntasauras Records NCC-1701G 

(snagglemusic.com) 

!! 

Many young musicians 

today put out 

records that feature a 

wide range of playing 

styles. It’s a healthy 

trend, especially when 

the program makes 

intrinsic musical sense 

from start to finish. 

However, not many musicians make their 

records sound as elegant and sophisticated as 

Snaggle. The record in question is The Long 

Slog and it comes courtesy of the well-known 

Toronto musician, Brownman Ali. Snaggle is 

a quintet comprising six young Torontonians 

and the smoky syntax of their keyboards, 


guitar, tenor saxophone, trumpet, bass and 

drums is quite unique. 

Each of the instrumentalists brilliantly 

addresses keyboardist Nick Maclean’s 

compositions, bringing the music’s intense 

rhythmic interplay and extended lyrical 

passages to life. Each of Maclean’s charts is 

superlative although Theorum and Lagaan, 

which feature the electric trumpet of 

Brownman Ali, are especially riveting. Bassist 

Doug Moore does contribute Nonuhno, which 

features not only a tongue-twisting title, but 

also a tantalizing pulse. 

While the relentless swirling down into 

the furthest reaches of their instruments’ 

capabilities might be the first aspect of this 

record to captivate the listener, one is soon 

drawn into the music’s inner machinations 

– the sensuous inner rhythm, vivid 

harmonic colours and the overall wonders 

and mysteries of the music. The wonder of the 

musicians’ playing is how engagingly, articulately, 

flowingly and creatively they pour 

themselves into the songs, adding further 

lustre to this recording, which is stylish, 

responsive and richly atmospheric. 

Raul da Gama 

Concert note: On December 9 and 11, 

Snaggle presents “Christmas Single Release 

Show Featuring Brownman Ali” at Mây Café. 

Safe Travels 

Sharon Minemoto 

Pagetown Records PTCD007 

(sharonminemoto.com) 

!! 

Pianist Sharon 

Minemoto – soulmate 

of the late, ineffable 

Ross Taggart – celebrates 

Taggart’s life 

and genius with this 

rather special, heartfelt 

homage: Safe 

Travels. Bidding farewell especially in rather 

bittersweet circumstances is never easy at 

the best of times. Musically the temptation 

to let sentimentality take over is all too real. 

Minemoto eschews that with a program of 

music that is informed by nuanced, poetic 

rumination that manages to also be refreshingly 

uplifting as well. Eight of the nine songs 

are based on funny and bittersweet memories 

of when Minemoto and Taggart were partners. 

The Vancouver-based pianist emerges 

from this recital with great credit – imaginative 

and lyrical as a composer, with pianistic 

technique in spades. 

This recording will not only be remembered 

for its elegiac reconstruction of the largerthan-life 

personality that Taggart was, especially 

among Canada’s West Coast musical 

community. Rather it will also draw accolades 

for its gorgeous, cinematic quality. Song after 

song brings to life the interplay between the 

two characters – Taggart and Minemoto. And 

if the listener reads the notes along with the 

music, moving pictures almost come to life 

before the eyes. The wittily chipper 15 for 2 

depicts a charming episode between the characters 

at play. Safe Travels is a wistful rhapsody. 

Perhaps the best aspect of the music 

is that it suggests characters enjoying themselves, 

playing at life. All credit to performances 

by Minemoto and saxophonist Jon 

Bentley, bassist Adam Thomas and drummer 

Bernie Arai for making this come alive. 

Raul da Gama 

Time/Life 

Charlie Haden Liberation Music Orchestra 

Impulse 4798480 

L/R 

!! 

The great bassist 

Charlie Haden (1937- 

2014) launched his 

recording career 

as a leader in 1969 

with the Liberation 

Music Orchestra, a 

big band devoted to 

political protest, its 

repertoire of international folk songs and 

contemporary compositions all orchestrated 

by Carla Bley and featuring stellar associates 

like Don Cherry and Gato Barbieri. Haden 

and Bley returned to the project intermittently 

and were in the midst of this environment-focused 

work when Haden became 

too ill to continue in 2012. On Time/Life, 

two pieces recorded with Haden in Norway 

in 2011 bracket three from 2015, with Steve 

Swallow playing bass in Haden’s stead in the 

same 12-piece band, with trombonist Curtis 

Fowlkes and saxophonists Tony Malaby and 

Loren Stillman among the soloists. 

The music possesses the same quality that 

Haden and Bley first developed nearly 50 

years ago, a combination of anthemic determination, 

pastoral reflection and moments of 

intense, wailing expressionism. The environmental 

focus arises in new arrangements of 

older compositions, opening with a serenely 

beautiful treatment of Miles Davis’ and Bill 

Evans’ Blue in Green. Bley’s Silent Spring, 

inspired by Rachel Carson, dates from the 

60s; her Útviklingssang, written to protest 

the impact of Norwegian dams, from the 70s. 

Only the warm, welling, richly-voiced Time/ 

Life, her elegy for Haden, is recent. 

The final track is Haden’s Song for the 

Whales, first composed in 1978 and recorded 

by the group Old and New Dreams. The 

work inscribes an arc, bracketed by Haden’s 

wispy arco passages emulating whale song. 

Its plaintive theme serves as a springboard to 

Tony Malaby’s admirably constructed solo, 

moving from lyric reflection to sounds that 

suggest the whale voices to be found in the 

reaches of his tenor saxophone solo. 

Stuart Broomer 

Deep Memory 

Barry Guy; Marilyn Crispell; Paul Lytton 

Intakt Records CD273 (www.intaktrec.ch) 

!! 

The trio of bassist 

Barry Guy, pianist 

Marilyn Crispell and 

percussionist Paul 

Lytton has a longstanding 

history. 

Assembled to interpret 

Guy’s compositions, 

the group 

recorded Odyssey in 1999, Ithaca in 2003 and 

Phases of the Night in 2007. Clearly there’s 

a continuing theme apparent in the first two 

releases, and the group’s latest CD seems 

to reference it with a piece called Return of 

Ulysses. Guy may be one of the great free 

improvisers, but his work is often inspired 

by other arts and both mythic and modernist 

themes. Here the titles come from paintings 

by Hughie O’Donoghue – whose dreamlike 

works fuse representation and fields of 

welling colour – both trigger and analogue to 

this richly diverse work. 

The group intuition here is at an exalted 

level, as the three take the conventional jazz 

piano trio into new terrain. It’s sometimes 

hard to distinguish where Guy’s compositions 

end and the collective improvisation 

begins, motifs sounding elastic in their 

first appearance. The opening Scent hints 

at flamenco sources, with Crispell and Guy 

vying to assume the guitar part. Fallen Angel 

juxtaposes tumultuous descending figures 

with a gently determined lyric rise, while 

Sleeper is at once minimalist melody and 

profound reverie. 

There’s a Romantic power and sweep at 

work here, each piece stretching at emotional 

constraint, whether it’s a subtle weave of 

melodies from Guy and Crispell, memories 

coming into view on the rise of Lytton’s 

drums, or an explosion of percussive energy 

and ricocheting shards, as in the startling 

rhythmic unison of piano and drums on 

Return of Ulysses. 

Stuart Broomer 

Convallaria 

Thumbscrew 

Cuneiform Records Rune 415 

(cuneiformrecords.com) 

!! 

Probably improvised 

music’s most 

celebrated guitarist 

at present, Mary 

Halvorson has attained 

the position because 

of her individuality 

as well as her ability. 

Like an actor who moves effortlessly between 

comedy and drama, Halvorson is equally 

proficient playing solo or in large ensembles, 

but her best work is done in intimate 

circumstances. While her dynamic strokes 

often define a tune’s parameters, her styling 

is particularly notable during Convallaria’s 

11 selections when her light-fingered invention 

is complemented by bassist Michael 

Formanek’s chunky thumps. She’s like 


a painter preparing a pencil sketch with 

the bassist there to add colour and depth. 

Drummer Tomas Fujiwara provides a backbeat 

when needed, but generally uses his 

rolls and cymbal clicks as if he were a highclass 

publicist: making the others look good 

without drawing attention to himself. 

The key to the ripened interaction displayed 

here is how most tunes retain an undercurrent 

of cultured swing in any circumstance. 

This doesn’t make the session smooth jazz by 

any stretch of the imagination though. Since 

the CD is named for the scientific label of the 

sweetly scented but also poisonous woodland 

plant also known as Lily of the Valley, hidden 

– and sometimes not-so-hidden – prickliness 

galvanizes the date. 

Although she uses the same six-string 

throughout, Halvorson can sound folksy and 

almost acoustic, as on Sampsonian Rhythms 

or spew out opaque chording and flanges 

on Screaming Piha, where her electronically 

enhanced judders are such that her 

pumped-up chords appear to be searching 

for a heavy-metal connection. Despite this 

and Fujiwara’s busy resounds, the bassist’s 

sophisticated downward string sluices 

move everyone’s output into overlapping 

interaction. Throughout, Formanek’s intertwining 

motions provide the perfect backdrop 

for the guitarist, with her timbres freely 

resembling those of a saxophone (on Tail of 

the Sad Dog) or a mandolin (as on Trigger). 

With composing credits divided almost 

equally among the three, it seems obvious 

that this Thumbscrew project warrants two 

thumbs up. 

Ken Waxman 

Concert Note: The Secret Keeper duo of 

guitarist Mary Halvorson and bassist Stephen 

Crump perform at Ratio, 283 College St. on 

Saturday, December 10 

POT POURRI 

So Many Things 

Anne Sofie von Otter 

Naïve V5436 

!! 

The eloquent and 

versatile Anne Sofie 

von Otter is much 

admired for her 

ability to cross over 

genres effortlessly 

in a manner far more hip than many of the 

classical persuasion. Teaming up with the 

equally fluid string quartet Brooklyn Rider, 

well-known for collaborations with artists 

in genres from jazz to world music, they 

explore on this recording an eclectic collection 

of repertoire from John Adams to Björk 

to Elvis Costello with great affinity and intelligent 

interpretation. As well as the performers’ 

favourite selections, there are pieces included 

that were created specifically for them: Nico 

Muhly’s So Many Things and For Sixty Cents, 

an amusing New York vignette by the quartet’s 

violinist Colin Jacobsen. Pulitzer Prizewinner 

Caroline Shaw offered her Cant voi 

l’aube, a modern reworking of a 12th-century 

trouvère song. 

Songs of unconventional love affairs 

such as Kate Bush’s Pi and Sting’s Practical 

Arrangement are remedies to the common 

love song, providing the listener with another 

insightful glimpse into urban life. Ending 

with a nod to the fusion of opera and popular 

music, they perform Les feux d’artifice 

t’appellent, the closing aria from Rufus 

Wainwright’s debut opera, Prima Donna. 

Dianne Wells 

Silence On Joue Take 2 

Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà 

Analekta AN 2 8743-4 

!! 

Quebec violin star 

Angèle Dubeau has 

chosen diverse movie 

music to perform with 

her ensemble La Pietà 

in this double-CD 

release which marks 

a number of personal 

milestones and is dedicated to her audience. 

CD 1, named Sweet, features 15 tracks of a 

laid-back variety, while CD 2 named Salty, 

has 12 more toe-tapping tracks. The clever 

arrangements are true to their soundtrack 

roots and highlight the strengths of Dubeau 

and the strings, harp and piano performers. 

Initially I questioned the separation of 

Sweet and Salty styles but then I was never 

bored listening. Highlights from Sweet 

include Unchained Melody – Orchestral 

from Ghost with a soaring opening violin line 

leading to a colourful instrumental trading 

off of the famous earworm melody. And what 

is movie music without the familiar, strings 

-friendly music like Suite Harry Potter and 

John Williams’ Across the Stars from Star 

Wars – Episode II: Attack of the Clones. The 

minimalistic harmonic and broken chord 

changes driving Einaudi’s Sotto falso nome 

succeed independently even without its 

closely linked visuals. From Salty, Tubular 

Bells from The Exorcist actually works 

without the original percussion, while If I 

Were a Rich Man from Fiddler on the Roof is 

a natural choice with Dubeau’s great violin 

playing of the famous melody against an 

upbeat backdrop. 

The diverse, easy listening music never 

feels lost without the visuals, which is a great 

reminder of the talents of film composers, 

performers, arrangers and producers. Listen 

and celebrate Angèle Dubeau’s exceptional 

musicality, phrasing and technique across 

the styles! 

Tiina Kiik 

New Shoes 

The Bombadils 

Borealis Records BCD243 

(borealisrecords.com) 

L/R 

!! 

While the roots 

music duo The 

Bombadils live in 

Montreal they do get 

around, recording 

this, their third 

album, New Shoes, 

in a Bowen Island, 

BC, studio. Canadian Maritimer Luke Fraser 

and self-described “prairie girl” Sarah Frank 

share an abiding affection for North American 

and Celtic folk songs, fiddle tunes as well as 

European classical music. The resonance of 

those traditions permeates the album. 

Frank’s supple soft voice is featured on 

most tracks accompanied by her idiomatically 

expressive fiddle and claw-hammer 

banjo. Fraser sings and plays incisive guitar 

and mandolin. Not that long ago both 

studied classical music at Montreal’s McGill 

University, their various affiliations coming 

through clearly in the clever La fille aux 

cheveux de lin. It borrows its melody from 

Claude Debussy’s piano piece of the same 

title, neatly adapted by Frank and set to a 

French poem by Parnassian poet Charles 

Marie René Leconte de Lisle. 

They also pay respects to the late American 

singer-guitarist Doc Watson and Rosa Lee 

Watson’s classic Bluegrass song Lone [Long] 

Journey in a classically tinged arrangement 

enriched with cello, their two voices 

neatly paired. 

Fraser and Frank’s own songs are marked 

by originality. Even their arrangements are 

not allowed to fall into banality, but are rather 

infused with an old-timey feel while given the 

tang of the new. It’s a winning combination 

that’s quite satisfying musically. Twelve guest 

musicians – including Canadian banjoist 

extraordinaire Jayme Stone, cellist Kaitlyn 

Raitz and the expressive jazzy flute of Anh 

Phung – lend the album additional texture 

and musical polish. 

I find New Shoes a wistful, charming and 

musically sure-handed outing, and look 

to the further evolution of this abundantly 

talented duo. 

Andrew Timar 

Parallels…to South Asian music from 

around the world 

Vandana Vishwas 

Independent VV003 

(vandanavishwas.com) 

L/R 

!! 

While the Indo- 

Canadian singer and 

songwriter Vandana 

Vishwas was trained 

in the rigours of North 

Indian classical vocal 

music, her own songs 

and singing style 

inhabit the lighter world of contemporary 

sugam sangeet. Vishwas’ website translates 

the term as “Easy Listening Music,” though 

more generally sugam sangeet refers to songs 

which employ readily understood lyrics and 


straightforward melodies. 

Hindustani music practitioners distinguish 

their “classical music” practice from 

sugam sangeet partly in that the former is 

firmly based on a large repertoire of ragas 

(complex melodic modal-tonal frameworks 

for composition and improvisation) and talas 

(cyclical rhythmic-metric phrases). Sugam 

sangeet, on the other hand, is an approach to 

music performance where adherence to ragabound 

rules is loosened or dispensed with 

entirely, and experimentation with various 

genre combinations is expected. 

The discussion brings us neatly to Vishwas’ 

intriguing new album. Its full title is 

Parallels…to South Asian music from around 

the world, and that is what she sets out to 

explore. It helps to understand that “South 

Asian” in this context invokes a narrow range 

of Hindustani music genres from an entire 

subcontinent’s worth of possibilities. 

Vishwas and her crack team of studio 

musicians deliver on the title’s promise 

in quite surprising ways. For example the 

opening track Mai Bequid is first rendered 

in a flamenco setting. Later it reappears in 

an unexpected country arrangement embellished 

with dobro, banjo and drum set. Fiqr 

E Manzil, on the other hand, sets out to map 

parallels between Vishwas’ ghazal singing and 

the rock trinity of distorted electric guitar, 

bass and metal-worthy drum set authoritatively 

played by Mark Kelso. It’s one of my 

favourites on the album. 

If you keep a genre-open mind, you too 

may find your own favourite Parallels. 

Andrew Timar 

Sexsmith Swinghammer Songs 

Lori Cullen 

True North Records TRD618 

(loricullen.com) 

!! 

Contemporary 

jazz/pop vocalist Lori 

Cullen’s latest release 

is an appealing and 

innovative project 

that is the result of 

an inspired collaboration 

between Cullen 

herself and two noted musicians – composer/ 

guitarist Kurt Swinghammer and composer/ 

lyricist Ron Sexsmith. It was Sexsmith who 

first suggested to Swinghammer that they 

write an album together specifically tailored 

for Cullen. The 12 tracks on the CD all 

feature lyrics by Sexsmith and are rife with 

Swinghammer’s carefully placed stylistic 

elements of the artists who defined the fertile 

pop eras of the 1960s and 1970s, including 

tips of the hat to Burt Bacharach, Jimmy 

Webb and Antonio Carlos Jobim. 

Produced by bassist Maury Lafoy (who 

appears on the project), the musicians also 

include drummer Mark Mariash, keyboardist 

Robbie Grunwald and Swinghammer 

on guitar. Although Fender Rhodes and 

guitar are central to the instrumentation, 

the compelling, acoustic arrangements by 

Swinghammer also involve an array of diverse 

instrumental contributions, including finely 

crafted enhancements on trumpet, trombone, 

oboe, clarinet, vibraphone, marimba, English 

horn, recorder and more. 

Cullen’s angelic voice wraps itself around 

each sumptuous melodic line and every 

composition has been constructed to highlight 

her superb, crystalline vocal instrument 

and intuitive knack for delivering 

frank emotional content and a quirky lyric. 

Memorable tracks include the gently swinging 

and faintly ironic The Face of Emily, which 

features a lush vocal arrangement, and 

the groovy, lighter-than-air bossa nova, 

New Love. A true gem is the heartrending 

duet between Cullen and Sexsmith, Off 

Somewhere. 

This thoroughly pleasing and unabashedly 

romantic recording is a triumph for all three 

of these gifted artists and a stunning example 

of creative, musical symbiosis. 


Concert note: On December 2, Lori Cullen 

and David Matheson perform jazz covers, 

pop hits, original tunes and selections 

from the album Sexsmith Swinghammer 

Songs at Sharon-Hope United Church, 

East Gwillimbury. 

DoVira 

DoVira 

Independent (doviraband.com) 

!! 

One of the many 

great aspects of 

living as a musician 

in Toronto is being 

exposed to music 

from diverse cultures 

without ever really 

leaving home, and 

subsequently being influenced by it in one’s 

own music. Listening to DoVira’s music 

is proof of this. Eight of the 10 tracks are 

their arrangements of traditional Ukrainian 

material. The tunes’ melodies and lyrics are 

still Ukrainian, but the rest of the music 

world surfaces with a blast. 

Opening track Yest’Na Sviti opens with 

a more traditional rendition by vocalist/ 

keyboardist Stacey Yerofeyeva which builds 

to a bigger rhythmic sound. A stadium rock 

setting is established in Dyki Husy with a 

busy drum groove (Derek Gray), bass (Mark 

Rynkun), guitars (Patrick O’Reilly) and 

sopilka (Mike Romaniak). A slower brief 

interchange between Yerofeyeva’s wailing 

vocals and guest Ernie Tollar’s saxophone 

lyric riffs is followed by a fast sax solo and 

a big instrumental blast ending. Folk music 

meets the avant garde in Oy Zijdy Ziron’ko 

as guest accordionist Emilyn Stam matches 

the vocal line and holds notes against repetitive 

rhythms, space-age effects and washes, 

leading to melodic folk material. Kolo, the 

closing original tune, is a toe-tapping fast 

get-up-and-boogie tune featuring virtuosic 

sopilka (Ukrainian wooden flute) playing and 

guest vocalist harmonies. 

All the performers are great, with special 

kudos to Yerofeyeva’s colourful, wide-ranging 

vocal stylings. An English translation of the 

titles would add to the listening experience. 

This is world fusion music at its best! 

Tiina Kiik 

Shadow & Light – The Rumi Experience 

duoJalal 


L/R 

!! 

Formed some seven 

years ago, duoJalal 

reflects the musical 

marriage of the classically 

trained virtuosa 

violist Kathryn 

Lockwood and ace 

percussionist Yousif 

Sheronick. In their 

gifted hands and ecumenical spirit, the 

unusual combination of viola and world 

percussion are elegantly married. Moreover, 

duoJalal’s eclectic repertoire mines a deep 

motherlode of multiple cultural traditions 

and musical styles. 

One of the motivic throughlines in Shadow 

& Light is that each of the six compositions 

is paired with a philosophical poem by 

the 13th-century Persian poet Jalāl ad-Dīn 

Muhammad Rūmī. Taking inspiration from 

the poet’s vision of a world where diverse religions, 

cultures and races are bridged and even 

mystically conjoined, duoJalal has chosen 

works by an international cast of composers: 

Giovanni Sollima, Evan Ziporyn, Shirish 

Korde, Somei Satoh, Ljova and Zhao Jiping. 

The liner notes further echo Rūmī’s core 

tenets, arguing that they are as “relevant 

today as they were 800 years ago. From East 

Asia to the Middle East, the United States to 

Eastern Europe, the ‘Rumi Experience’ seeks 

to foster peaceful coexistence on a worldwide 

basis.” 

Two of the works on the CD were commissioned 

for the project, Honey From Alast 

by Evan Ziporyn and Lev “Ljova” Zhurbin’s 

Shadow and Light. The latter work aims, in 

the composer’s turn of phrase, to shine “a 

different thickness of light into [the] space” 

of each of its four movements. On the other 

hand Ziporyn’s two-movement work explores 

notions of music as a “sign from the spiritual 

world,” but also as a physical object and a 

generative force. 

Taken as a whole, this collection of works 

makes a strong case for the duo’s mission of 

cultural inclusion expressed in music. And it 

is musicking of a high order, well-conceived, 

brilliantly played and lovingly presented 

on this CD. 

Andrew Timar 


Kingston Blues 

Rhythm Express 

Side Door Records 

(rhythmexpressband.com) 

!! 

With its second 

release, Rhythm 

Express has once 

again created a joyous 

musical outpouring, 

drenched in the 

potent, irresistible 

rhythms of both traditional 

and contemporized 

reggae with an added big dollop 

of urban funk. Drummer and percussionist 

Everton “Pablo” Paul acts as executive 

producer here, with legendary, versatile, 

international keyboardist and arranger Bill 

King producing. This thoroughly engaging 

project features 12 tasty tracks, including both 

covers of classic hits and original compositions 

– all gorgeously presented, sung and 

performed with the deepest of grooves and 

purest of intent. 

In addition to Paul and King, the CD 

features talented guest artists Julian Taylor 

on vocals, guitarist Jon Knight of Soulstack, 

as well as skilled, soulful, sweet and funky 

singers Maiko Watson, Michael Dunston and 

Ammoye Evans. Also onboard is guitarist/ 

engineer Shane “Shaky J” Forrest, bassist Jesse 

“Dubmatix” King, percussionist Magdelys 

Savigne and a first-rate horn section off 

Alexander Brown on trumpet, Michael 

Arthurs on tenor sax, Bobby Hsu on alto sax 

and Christopher Butcher on trombone. 

Sizzling tracks include the dynamic cooker 

Welcome to Funkastan – a high-octane 

instrumental defined by King’s blazing horndriven 

arrangement, propelling us all down 

the groove highway; the ridiculously funky 

Soul Nation featuring Watson and Dunston on 

volcanic vocals and Hercules, Dunston’s take 

on Aaron Neville’s glorious, authentic celebration 

of reggae style. Also outstanding are 

Jimmy Cliff’s Many Rivers to Cross, perfectly 

rendered by Julian Taylor and Hard Driver – 

Vivian Lee’s underground hit featuring electrifying 

chanteuse Ammoye Evans as well as 

a nostalgic, timeless, monaural sound. Put on 

your dancing shoes and enjoy! 


Something in the Air 

Catching Up with Canadian Expats 

Question: What’s the best way to become 

famous in Canada? Answer: Leave 

the country. Unfortunately that hoary 

jape still has currency in 2016, especially if 

you want to be a renowned actor. Music is 

less aggressive and plenty of first-class musicians 

make their home in the Dominion; some 

foreigners even relocate here. Still for many 

improvisers, concerns, both personal and professional, cause them to 

abandon their native land. Expatriation often means interaction with 

a wider crew of players than if they had stayed put and these recent 

discs capture the results of those challenges. 

One change from years past is that instead of setting up shop in the 

US, determined musicians range further afield. Advances and Delays 

(SOFA A551 sofamusic.no) by the Circadia quartet, for instance, 

includes Vancouver-raised, Stockholm-based, bassist Joe Williamson 

along with Australian drummer Tony Buck, plus guitarists David 

Stackenäs from Sweden and Kim Myhr from Norway. More an impressionistic 

journey than a realized destination, the folksy trappings of 

Advances and Delays are like a lace comforter wrapped around a 

steel pole: tempered steel shores up what seems to be flimsy. Much 

of this buttressing can be attributed to Williamson’s chunky pulsations, 

particularly prominent on The Human Volunteers Were Kept 

in Isolation. Besides that, with 16 and sometimes 22 strings in use – 

Myhr also plays 12-string – the effect is somewhat like hearing a string 

quartet, country string band and gagaku ensemble trade licks. On The 

Animal Enters and Traverses the Light, reflections of guitar-centric 

ensembles exist, but unlike flamenco faceoffs or rock-band guitar 

challenges, there’s no audible timbre swaggering. While the string 

stokers knit themes out of multiple crossovers and tremolo intersections, 

Buck subtly rumbles parts of the kit with gong resonation, rim 

rubs and castanet-like clicks. Machine-like rotations result when the 

KEN WAXMAN 

four meet critical mass and each track is resolved satisfactorily. And 

due to the intermediate length of the two performances, unlike other 

drone-ambient bands defeated by stasis, Circadia never wears out 

its welcome. 

!! 

A more convoluted path is followed by 

Montreal drummer Franklin Kiermyer, who 

lives in Oslo, unless he’s gigging in New York 

or meditating in Asian retreats. Someone 

whose spiritual pursuits parallel those of jazz 

avatar John Coltrane, the drummer’s Closer 

to the Sun (Mobility Music MMII016 franklinkiermyer.com) 

proves that he could have 

been the perfect accompanist to the influential saxophonist if he 

hadn’t died before Kiermyer was ten. Nevertheless in its intensity and 

make-up this CD resembles a missing Trane session with personnel 

modelled on Coltrane’s classic quartet, featuring tenor saxophonist 

Lawrence Clark, pianist Davis Whitfield and bassist Otto Gardner. Not 

that Kiermyer is an imitator though. Like a painter whose canvases 

fall within the school of an established master but are distinct, so is 

the drummer’s work. All 13 tunes are originals, with Kiermyer’s polyrhythmic 

command the guiding force. Using every part of his kit 

the way a painter mixes particular colours to reflect varied visions, 

the drummer’s focused clatter is distinctive on calm ballads just as 

his intensity expressed in protracted cymbal and drum outbursts 

is perfect for staccato numbers. Emancipation Proclamation is a 

perfect instance of this as Whitfield’s buoyant chording adds to Clark’s 

ecstatic roar as the drummer breaks up the rhythm and then sews it 

back together again. The saxophonist fractures tones into atoms as 

if he’s a scientist examining them under a microscope as on Unified 

Space-Time. Later reconnecting the DNA of those shards into heightened 

sounds, Clark’s growling intensity is connected to the technique 

L/R 

Listen to tracks from these 24 newly reviewed recordings online at 

The WholeNote.com/Listening 

L/R 


of Pharoah Sanders, who played with both Trane and Kiermyer. 

Heliocentric is characterized by a snapping, slapping guitar-like solo 

from Gardner; while Whitfield’s keyboard architecture extends from 

maintaining the theme with spreading glissandi pools to crashing 

through clotted polyphony with anvil-like jabs as on Mixed Blood. 

This date ends with the low key Humanity which, despite tempered 

cymbal splashes and upward reed slurs, sounds more like Ain’t No 

Sunshine than Ascension. It confirms that Kiermyer has extended his 

Trane ride so that his own music is the destination. 

!! 

A more common expatriate path is that of 

Burlington-born trumpeter Darren Johnston 

who now lives in California’s Bay area. On 

Shipwreck 4 (NoBusiness Records NBCD 67 

nobusinessrecords.com), he’s united with 

three other local, but not native players – 

tenor saxophonist Aaron Bennett, bassist Lisa 

Mezzacappa and drummer Frank Rosaly – 

for a contemporary lesson in advanced improvisation. Like a poised 

high-wire act, the quartet’s talents are carefully balanced on the six 

tracks. Counted Like Flies for instance, mates a bluesy honk from 

Bennett with Johnston’s plunger snorts that colour the theme even 

as both players’ lines snake around one another. Meanwhile Rosaly’s 

snare bumps and Mezzacappa’s upward string sluices allow the trumpeter 

to whizz brass kisses from his mouthpiece by the finale. This 

adaptability is further highlighted on a track like Bloom whose final 

sequence involves the trumpeter playing hide-and-seek with himself 

with one chorus gently muted and one open horn. With the bassist 

spinning out a sympathetic ostinato underneath, the polyphonic piece 

evolves from an out-of-the-gate challenge from the saxophonist to a 

mellower response from Johnston plus a brisk mid-section devoted 

to the bassist scratching sul ponticello tones and the drummer clattering 

cymbals and rim shots. This sets up brass role-playing at the 

end. Bennett’s muscular but tempered tone plus Johnston’s slurry 

grace notes also allow the band to bring the proper dignity to the set’s 

ballads. Overall, any tension engendered by outside techniques such 

as tongue slaps, key percussion or freak notes is resolved with an 

application of sympathetic harmony. 

!! 

Vancouver Island-born tenor saxophonist/ 

flutist Anna Webber now lives in Brooklyn 

and the hard wiring of her trio, filled out by 

New York pianist Matt Mitchell and Montrealbased 

drummer John Hollenbeck, riffs on 

Internet memes. Uniquely, the dozen selections 

composed by Webber for Binary (Skirl 

Records 033 skirlrecords.com) were inspired 

by YouTube, a random binary digit generator 

and her own IP address. Don’t fear weird 

sci-fi timbres, however. The Simple Trio has 

been together long enough to translate technical 

cyberspace into textural cadences. Disintegratiate, for instance, 

turns out to have a blues-based theme propelled by Webber’s yearning 

reed tones, broken apart into particles then reassembled via cymbal 

claps and keyboard pulsations. With repeated piano clusters creating a 

melancholy exposition, the title tune may be as dolorous and isolated 

as some binary coders, but the saxophonist’s subsequent slurs that 

appear to be stripping the reed to its core, coupled with a shuffle 

rhythm, can be heard as celebration when the coding creates instructions. 

Additionally this CD’s Meme passes its information via saucy 

piano lines that slowly get speedier until the tune finishes at a gallop. 

More conventionally, the contest of strength celebrated on Tug o’ War 

is between equine-like hoof beats produced by Hollenbeck and staccato, 

continuous flute pitches created in profusion by Webber. This 

(wo)man-(imaginary) beast match is resolved as Mitchell’s sober 

chording pushes the other two into tandem motion. Like a single 

integer in binary code, six brief tracks, labelled with Rectangles 

and a number designate one idea each, with the most notable, the 

concluding Rectangles 1a, which dramatically contrasts reed split 

tones and pauses. Underwhelmed ends up being the most ludicrously 

named tune since sweeping piano motions, jumping pops from 

Hollenbeck and Webber’s buoyantly coiled pitch variations combine 

into a cheerful romp. 

!! 

Sometimes the Canadian expatriate anecdote 

gets tuned on its head when artists from 

other countries establish themselves here. 

One example is American David Mott, a longtime 

York University professor whose bravura 

baritone saxophone command is featured on 

many records. California trombonist Michael 

Vlatkovich’s Myrnofant’s Kiss (pfMENTUM 

CD 095 pfmentum.com) is one. Not only was 

the disc recorded and produced in Toronto, but Jonathan Golove, who 

plays electric cello on the date, teaches at the University at Buffalo. 

Another Californian, Christopher Garcia, is the drummer. Working 

through eight of Vlatkovich’s quirkily titled compositions, emphasis is 

placed on the contrapuntal interaction of the low pitches from trombone 

and saxophone with the overlapping suggesting a rhino and an 

elephant trumpeting as they leapfrog. These timbres are displayed on 

tracks such as Hold on to Your Chair Watch Out for Snakes where 

Vlatkovich’s spluttering spectral glides and Mott’s bagpipe-like 

tremolo bellows provide a unison pitch shattering of the ambulatory 

theme. Here, as in many other instances, Golove’s spiccato roughens 

the narrative as he contributes to the march time propelled by Garcia. 

Vlatkovich’s slide command is such that he can express Dixielandstyled 

gutbucket slurs to challenge Mott’s tongue splaying and 

Golove’s string winnowing on Stop Scaring the Toddlers and Farm 

Animals as comfortably as he extends the range of his instrument into 

vocalized multiphonics alongside the saxophonist’s agitated whines 

that eventually slow down the piece. Pitchsliding their way through 

tunes that wed pseudo-waltz time to pseudo-martial music to piledriver 

themes as frantic as any bop line, the quartet members come 

up with music that’s both sinewy and hummable. With melodies 

recapped for familiarity even as they indulge in instrumental bravura, 

tracks are experimental without being off-putting. Vlatkovich’s and 

the others’ philosophy can be summed up in his penultimate song 

title: Leave the Worrying to the Professionals. This musical professionalism 

thrives among Canadian improvisers, although many have 

to leave home to get a proper hearing. 

Old Wine, New Bottles 

Fine Old Recordings Re-Released 

BRUCE SURTEES 

William Shakespeare, who died 400 years ago, remains the 

best known and most illustrious playwright in the English 

language. Depending on how they are counted, he had a 

vocabulary in excess of 20,000 different words which is remarkable, 

considering that today a well-educated university graduate is 

presumed to know some 30,000 words. Shakespeare had a written 

vocabulary of 17,000 to 20,000 words, a tenth of which he coined 

himself. He could very well be the first English-language metonymist 

with new words such as bubbles. The first English dictionary was 

published in 1604 as Robert Cawdrey’s A Table Alphabeticall, a book 

of some 2,500 words, many of Shakespeare’s invention. 

!! 

For this 400th anniversary Decca has 

re-mastered and re-issued the celebrated Argo 

recordings as Shakespeare – The Complete 

Works, performed by the Marlowe Dramatic 

Society and Professional Players (4783506). 

The Marlowe Society was formed in 1907 

as a student drama society of Cambridge 

University. For these Argo recordings made 

L/R 


under the auspices of the British Council between 1951 and 1964, 

many familiar voices appear in both leading roles and lesser parts in 

the full cast recordings of 37 plays, also 154 sonnets and four narrative 

poems. Recognized voices include John Gielgud, Ian McKellen, 

Peggy Ashcroft, Derek Jacobi, Michael Hordern, Peter Pears, Ian Holm, 

Margaretta Scott, Prunella Scales, George Rylands, Toby Robertson, 

Clive Swift, Roy Dotrice, Geraldine McEwan, Miles Malleson, Richard 

Marquand and scores of others in roles of various importance. It is 

clear that correct enunciation and inflection are of predominant 

importance and sometimes dramatic tension may suffer in the pursuit 

of flawless articulation. However, the prime reason for assembling 

these enactments and recitations is to have all Shakespeare’s timeless 

words and his uses of those words at your fingertips. The impressive, 

luxury-boxed set of 100 CDs and an illustrated eight and a half by 

ten inch 224-page book that includes full cast listing, analysis of each 

work and fascinating engravings uniquely fills the bill. Could be a very 

nice seasonal present for the family. 

!! 

Elgar Remastered (SOMMCD 261-4) is 

a new set of recordings of Edward Elgar 

conducting his own works. One might have 

expected new mastering of selected items 

from the extensive EMI archives of Elgar’s own 

performances. However, this package of four 

CDs is a treasure trove of remarkable unissued 

performances derived from boxes of test 

pressings sent to Elgar for his approval or not. 

It seems that Elgar did not always return them and they became part 

of his estate. Arthur Reynolds of the American Elgar Society secured 

them and they remained untouched until recently when audio restoration 

engineer Lani Spahr was given permission to digitalize them 

and evaluate the commercial possibilities. Lo and behold, through 

today’s digital restoration, alchemy performances emerged that were, 

as they say, to die for. But there is more! In many sessions, HMV 

had their back-up microphones and disc cutters set up at a distance 

from each other in front of the orchestra. With today’s technology 

they could become the two channels of a stereo recording. With the 

vagaries of the exact speeds, the revolutions per minute between two 

lathes at a nominal 78 rpm presented a very real problem. This and 

other obstacles are explained in some detail by Spahr in the enclosed 

27-page booklet. 

From the first notes it is very clear that the theory was correct 

and now we may all hear, in true stereo, the Cello Concerto played 

by Beatrice Harrison recorded in 1928 in Kingsway Hall with Elgar 

conducting the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra. What immediately stands 

out is the clearly heard figures in the winds, not featured but clearly 

heard. The dynamics are as they should be. Included on this first disc 

are shorter pieces including…no, featuring the Cockaigne Overture 

with the BBC Symphony Orchestra recorded in 1933 in Abbey Road, in 

mono transitioning to stereo. This truly inspired, grand performance 

in great sound that still astounds after many hearings has to be the 

best on record by anyone. 

Throughout the set is a bounty of alternate takes of works ranging 

from a complete 1930 First Symphony and lots more of the cello 

concerto; two recordings, the 1919-20 acoustic and the 1928, plus 

many favourite shorter works. Incidentally, alternate takes does not 

mean second rate. These were all direct-to-disc and uncorrectable for 

any slight reason. Or Sir Edward simply put them aside unheard. 

I should have commented earlier about the qualities of the sound 

achieved by Spahr. I have no idea how he does it but the effect is to 

liberate and clarify what is hidden in the originals rather than the alltoo-common 

practice of removing, or attempting to reduce, the artifacts 

while leaving the sound as is. Spahr’s restorations are revelations. 

After all the above is said and done we have a must-have collection 

for the composer’s die-hard devotees and a should-have for others. 

!! 

José Iturbi was born in Valencia, Spain, on 

November 28, 1895, and died, world famous, 

in Los Angeles, California, on June 28, 1980. 

He studied piano at the Valencia Conservatory, 

graduating at the age of 13 with the highest 

honours. He continued his studies in Barcelona 

and then at the Paris Conservatoire, where 

he was awarded first prize for piano. He 

studied harpsichord technique with Wanda 

Landowska. From 1919 to 1923 he was head of the piano department 

at the Geneva Conservatory where he was such a strict teacher that he 

was referred to by his pupils as “The Spanish Inquisition.” He made 

his American debut in 1929 in a Carnegie Hall recital and from 1936 to 

1944 he was music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. 

In 1943 he was discovered by MGM for whom he appeared as “Mister 

Iturbi” in nine major feature films in addition to recording the piano 

solos for Cornel Wilde to mime as Chopin in the 1945 Columbia 

Picture, A Song to Remember. He toured extensively in his later years 

(I heard his Mozart in Stratford). His colleagues regarded him most 

highly. Julius Katchen called him “the greatest Mozart pianist of his 

time” and William Kapell revered Iturbi’s Mozart, describing it as 

“the evenest playing I know.” Iturbi’s recordings for RCA began in 

1933 with Scarlatti and concluded in 1952 with Granados, via Bach, 

Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, de Falla, 

Albéniz and Morton Gould, etc. The transfers from original sources 

to digital by Mark Obert-Thorn are full-bodied and convincing. Jose 

Iturbi – The Victor and HMV solo Recordings (Appian APR 7307, 3 

CDs, 11 page biographical booklet). 

Iturbi’s distinctive, articulate playing, admired by Toscanini, is 

instantly recognizable. I wouldn’t claim that every track here is definitive 

but all 53 performances, a cross-section of popular classical 

works, are congenial and played with authority, without any eccentricities 

that could be tiring upon repeated hearings. Very fitting to have 

“Mister Iturbi” back in the stores (as we used to say). 

!! 

On June 16, 1966, the year after she won 

the International Chopin Piano Competition 

at the age of 25, Martha Argerich played the 

Mozart Piano Concerto No.20 in Hamburg 

with the NDR Symphony Orchestra conducted 

by Reinhard Peters. Of course many pianists 

of that age can and do perform this concerto 

but as we know, technique is only the first 

essential and as is immediately demonstrated, 

Argerich exuded such profound sensitivity and inner beauty to offer 

an extraordinary realization of this deservedly well-loved concerto. 

On Martha Argerich Volume 5 (DHR-8048), DOREMI has issued this 

dream performance in excellent sound. From a recital three months 

earlier, on March 14 in Milan, she inspires us with Bach’s Toccata in C 

Minor BWV911, Schumann’s Fantasie in C Major Op17 and Chopin’s 

Three Mazurkas Op.59. Meticulous engineering throughout makes 

this very a desirable release for collectors. 

L/R 

Listen to tracks from more than 160 reviewed recordings online at 

The WholeNote.com/Listening 

L/R 


HALLELUJAH! 

MESSIAH 

Toronto’s must-see holiday classic. 

DEC 

18, 19, 20 

21, 23 

“A grand, majestic spectacle that should be seen and 

heard by every Torontonian.” —Toronto Life 

Shows sell out—order your tickets today! 

TSO.CA @TorontoSymphony

CBC Radio Two: The Living Legacy 

New Year Brings 

New Music 

Festival Season 

DAVID JAEGER 

As the year 2016 winds down and 

gives way to 2017, our usual nostalgic 

sentiments of the festive season 

give way to excitement for the festival 

season in the world of contemporary music 

across Canada. Beginning on January 28 

in Winnipeg, the Winnipeg Symphony 

Orchestra’s New Music Festival signals 

the start of a series of new music festivals 

across the country, including the Toronto 

Symphony’s New Creations Festival, Open 

Ears in Kitchener, the 21C Festival at the 

Royal Conservatory of Music and Montréal 

Nouvelles Musiques, among many others. 

Winnipeg’s NMF, as they like to call it, 

is the festival that started it all. In 1992 the 

WSO became the first major Canadian 

symphony orchestra to commit considerable 

resources to a full exploration of 

contemporary composition. And it also 

proved that contemporary music could 

draw large audiences. Winnipeg’s 2,300- 

seat Centennial Concert Hall was often filled 

close to capacity, and even sold out for some 

concerts. Last January, the WSO’s 2016 

festival celebrated its 25-year milestone. 

CBC Radio Music was a partner with 

the WSO in its new music experiment 

from the very beginning, broadcasting the 

majority of festival concerts for the first 16 

years. Many of the concerts were heard live 

to air, on programs such as the national 

CBC Radio Two network series Two New Hours, which I had created 

in 1978. A highlight of our partnership with the WSO’s festival was 

our annual live to air broadcast. Every Sunday night concert of the 

festival, from 1992 to 2007, was broadcast live to the nation on Two 

New Hours. Our programming of those live concert broadcasts was 

always designed collaboratively with the WSO artistic team, and 

aimed to create affinities with the overall programming themes of the 

year in question. For example, in 1998, when the two featured guest 

composers were British phenom Mark Anthony Turnage and emerging 

Canadian Omar Daniel, we designed a program of chamber 

works by Turnage and Daniel. In 1996 the distinguished international 

guest composer was American Joan Tower. She was eager for 

us to include younger Canadian composers, and especially Canadian 

women. We designed a concert with chamber works by Canadian 

women Linda Bouchard and Lesley Barber, along with James Rolfe 

and WSO composer-in-residence, Glenn Buhr. 

In fact, women figure prominently among the composers at the 

upcoming Winnipeg New Music Festival, which runs from January 28 

to February 5, 2017. American Meredith Monk is featured in three of 

the concerts and Canadians Fjóla Evans, Emilie LeBel, Nicole Lizée, 

Cassandra Miller and Ana Sokolović all have works programmed. 

Alexina Louie’s new Piano Quintet will have its world premiere as will 

Jessica Moss’ Glaciers 1 & 2. 

The poster from the 1996 Winnipeg NMF, where Joan 

Tower was the featured guest composer. Photograph 

courtesy Don Anderson from his book Tuning the Forks 

- A Celebration of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra 

CBC Radio Music, generally (and Two New Hours, specifically) 

played a role in the history of a somewhat lesser known but important 

festival, the U of T New Music Festival, presented by the Faculty of 

Music at the University of Toronto. (The 2017 U of T festival runs 

from January 29 to February 5, and includes a co-presented concert 

with Toronto’s New Music Concerts, titled “Four Views of Salvatore 

Sciarrino,” as its closing event. Sciarrino is the Roger D. Moore 

Distinguished Visitor in Composition, and the featured composer at 

the festival.) The connection with the CBC is revealed in the opening 

event, the Karen Kieser Prize Concert, which takes place at Walter Hall 

at 7:30pm on Sunday, January 29. 

Karen Kieser was deputy head of CBC Radio Music from 1982 to 

1986, and then head from 1986 to 1992. She was the youngest person 

ever to lead the Radio Music department, and also the first woman 

to do so. She held three degrees from 

the Faculty of Music at the University of 

Toronto: a bachelor of music and a masters 

of music, both in piano performance, and 

a master of music in musicology. She could 

have had a career as a concert pianist, but 

she chose broadcasting as her life’s work, 

serving as a gifted CBC host, producer, executive 

producer, and eventually as a leader 

in CBC’s senior management. Friends and 

colleagues endowed the Karen Kieser Prize 

in Canadian Music upon her death in 2002, 

too soon a loss at age 53. It is a tribute to her 

life, her work and her passionate devotion to 

the cause of Canadian music and musicians. 

Her official biography states that “Karen’s 

nearly 30-year tenure at CBC Radio Music 

had many highlights, including a renewed 

emphasis on live broadcasts and documentaries, 

numerous prestigious special events 

and international awards, and expanded 

audiences. She championed the cause of 

Canadian music and musicians through 

the creation of Canadian content policies 

for classical music broadcasting on CBC, 

an ambitious commissioning program, and 

the establishment of CBC Records as a highprofile 

label with a reputation for excellence 

both at home and abroad. She was 

equally committed to finding and developing 

new broadcasting talent, and many of 

the leading lights of the music department 

today (both on and off the air) were recruited and nurtured under 

Karen’s watchful eye. Throughout her career, Karen was a trailblazer 

for women in senior positions at the CBC. Her tireless work ethic, her 

ability to master countless details while keeping an eye on the big 

picture, and her unique combination of unfailing good manners and 

steely determination, made her both an inspiration and a role model.” 

It was fitting, then, that a woman would be the very first composer 

to win the Karen Kieser Prize. In 2002, Abigail Richardson won for 

her composition Dissolve, a trio for harp, piano and percussion. In 

addition to the cash prize, Richardson won a performance of the 

work, which was broadcast live on Two New Hours. Following that, 

we submitted the recording of the broadcast to the 2003 edition of 

the International Rostrum of Composers, a gathering of public radio 

contemporary music producers in Vienna, where it was selected 

as the best work by a composer under the age of 30. Radio France 

commissioned Richardson as a result of her selection, and her string 

quartet, Scintilla, was subsequently premiered in Paris by the Quatour 

Castagneri in 2006. It’s reasonable to say, based on this account, that 

the impact of the Kieser Prize on Richardson’s emerging career was 

tangible and immediate. She has developed into one of our most active 

composers and is now composer-in-residence with the Hamilton 

Philharmonic Orchestra and serves as artistic director of the HPO’s 

What Next Festival, yet another new music festival, held in the spring. 

December 1, 2016 - February 7, 2017 thewholenote.com

Soprano Stacie Dunlop, who will sing 2016 prizewinner 

Sophie Dupuis' Perceptions de La Fontaine at U of T's 

Karen Kieser Prize Concert on January 29. 

Richardson recently told me that winning the Kieser Prize literally 

changed the direction of her career. Karen Kieser would have been 

immensely proud of her! 

In the ensuing 15 years, five women have won the Karen Kieser 

Prize in Canadian Music, including the last two winners, Shelley 

Marwood, in 2015 and Sophie Dupuis, in 2016. I spoke with Marwood 

and Dupuis, and both of them acknowledge that Kieser’s accomplishments 

are an inspiration. As Dupuis put it, she has not felt gender bias 

in her creative career “because Karen paved the way.” Her winning 

piece, Perceptions de La Fontaine, commissioned by the Thin Edge 

New Music Collective, will be performed on the January 29 opening 

festival concert, together with the Cecilia String Quartet’s performances 

of Glass by Patrick McGraw, the 2014 Kieser Prize winner, and 

String Quartet No.7 by Salvatore Sciarrino. 

Dupuis’ Perceptions de La Fontaine is based on three texts from 

Fables de La Fontaine, a collection of short tales written from 1668 

to 1694 by French writer Jean de La Fontaine. She says that “these 

tales were meant to teach good moral values to children. They feature 

whimsical characters, often animals or Gods from the Greek mythology. 

The three tales selected for this piece have to do with perception, 

more specifically, how one’s own perception of events, things or 

people might not reflect the truth.” The performance of Perceptions 

de La Fontaine will feature soprano Stacie Dunlop. 

The Karen Kieser Prize in Canadian Music was, for its first 15 years, 

the only prize available specifically intended for composers at the U 

of T Faculty of Music. More recently, Ann Atkinson has provided an 

additional prize at the U of T Faculty of Music, the Ann H. Atkinson 

Prize in Composition. This is a prize that invites U of T composers to 

submit electroacoustic compositions for consideration. The inaugural 

Atkinson prize was awarded in 2015 to co-winners Parisa Sabet and 

Xintong Wang, and their winning compositions were heard during 

last year’s U of T festival. The 2016 Atkinson prize competition will be 

adjudicated in December, with plans for the the winning composition 

to be heard during this season’s U of T festival on February 3. 

Another notable feature of the 2017 U of T festival will be a concert 

performance of The Killing Flower (Luci mie tradici) by distinguished 

guest composer Salvatore Sciarrino, on February 1. It’s a 

one-act opera based on the tragedy of Count Carlo Gesualdo, the 

murdering composer of the Italian Renaissance. The cast includes 

soprano Shannon Mercer, countertenor Scott Belluz and baritone 

Geoffrey Sirett. 

Who could have predicted that the festival format that began in 

Winnipeg in the 1990s would set the Canadian new music community 

on a new course, one that’s still evolving! CBC Radio was there from 

the beginning to contribute programming and to bring the excitement 

to listeners across Canada. That early participation will always remain 

part of the fabric of the story. 

David Jaeger is a composer, producer and 

broadcaster based in Toronto. 

A CANADIAN 

PANORAMA 

FEATURING MUSIC FROM THE SCARBOROUGH PHILHARMONIC 

ORCHESTRA’S PREMIERE CD RECORDING 

A TRIBUTE TO CANADIAN MUSIC 

TO CELEBRATE OUR 150 TH BIRTHDAY 

FEBRUARY 4, 2016: 8PM 

SALVATION ARMY SCARBOROUGH CITADEL 

2021 LAWRENCE AVENUE EAST (AT WARDEN) 



LIMITED TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ON LINE AT SPO.CA OR BY CALLING 

416-429- 0007. FOR COMPLETE CONCERT DETAILS, VISIT US AT SPO.CA 

thewholenote.com December 1, 2016 - February 7, 2017

THIS HOLIDAY, 

GIVE THE GIFT OF 

A GREAT NIGHT OUT 

COC GIFT CERTIFICATES MAKE THE 

PERFECT PRESENT! 

THE MAGIC FLUTE 

Mozart 

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG 

Wagner 

NEW PRODUCTION 

LOUIS RIEL 

Somers 

TOSCA 

Puccini 

coc.ca 416-363-8231 

Aline Kutan in The Magic Flute (COC, 2011), photo: Michael Cooper 

OFFICIAL AUTOMOTIVE 

SPONSOR 

PRESENTING SPONSOR OF 

OPERA UNDER 30 AND OPERANATION 

PREFERRED CREDIT CARD 

TD ® AEROPLAN ® VISA INFINITE PRIVILEGE * 

PRODUCTION SPONSOR, 

THE MAGIC FLUTE 

PRODUCTION SPONSOR, 

TOSCA 

THE MAGIC FLUTE ORIGINALLY MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CATHERINE AND MAXWELL MEIGHEN FOUNDATION 

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG ORIGINALLY MADE POSSIBLE BY KOLTER COMMUNITIES 

TOSCA ORIGINALLY MADE POSSIBLE BY DELIA M. MOOG 

LOUIS RIEL GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN IN PART BY 

PHILIP DECK AND KIMBERLEY BOZAK 

THE ASPER FOUNDATION 

THE MAX CLARKSON FAMILY FOUNDATION

Volume 22 Issue 4 - December 2016/January 2017

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template ?