Volume 23 Issue 3 - November 2017

FEATURE
918
Bathurst
DANIELA NARDI
takes the reins
DAVID PERLMAN
It was October 11 when I got in touch with Daniela
Nardi, newly appointed artistic and executive director
of the 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture Arts Media
and Education, less than a five-minute walk north of the
Bathurst/Bloor subway station.
Coincidentally, October 11 was also the opening day of the 12th
edition of the Music Gallery’s X Avant New Music Festival, which
would, in other years, have had nothing to do with this story, because
it would have been mostly presented at the Music Gallery’s usual
home at the Church of St. George the Martyr on John Street, just
south of Grange Park. This season, though, adjacent condo construction
woes are, literally, shaking the Music Gallery to its foundations,
leaving the Gallery and its partners scrambling for alternative venues.
Now it seems that 918 Bathurst has emerged as the answer to at
least some of their prayers. As David Dacks, artistic director of the
Music Gallery says: “We are beyond excited to present the majority of
the [XAvant] festival in the beautiful main hall of 918 Bathurst ... The
Centre has been a welcome new partner in helping us to stage the
festival with a similar sense of occasion as our audiences have come to
expect from the [St. George the Martyr] church environment.”
I started out my conversation with Daniela Nardi by asking what
she thinks the qualities of 918 are that Dacks was referring to when he
said “similar sense of occasion.”
“There are many possible layers to that” she replied,”the first being
physical. That is, the music events presented at St. George the Martyr
certainly had a vibe – not just another concert hall or club setting but
a unique space. Combined with the Music Gallery’s top-notch sensibilities
for presenting concerts, the musical experience was a special
one, a particular one, unlike any other concert experience. And this
is the same for 918 Bathurst. Our space is an ex-Buddhist temple,
with its A-frame roof, all the wood, midcentury detailing. There is no
other space like it in the city hence the musical experience created
in this space is special, is unique. And the acoustics to boot are truly
wonderful. Above all, though I think it has to do with a similar sensibility
when it comes to the value in presenting quality. Both the
Music Gallery and 918 Bathurst adhere to this sensibility as a mantra;
coming to things from the same viewpoint allows us to be in sync,
work together seamlessly in order to create the kinds of experiences
we believe to be memorable and substantive.”
WN: The first time I became aware of 918 Bathurst as a venue
was back in March 2012 when b current and Theatre Archipelago
brought Nicole Brooks’ Obeah Opera there for its first workshop
production. I don’t even know how long before that the Centre was
already a going concern. Even since then, to be honest, it’s been on
my radar more than my itinerary, despite the range of ensembles and
presenters who feature in these pages who’ve used it, or are planning
to – Ensemble Polaris, Afiara Quartet, TorQ Percussion, Opera 5,
Tafelmusik, Toronto Creative Music Lab, Music Gallery, Teo Milea ...
It seems like it still remains for many (artists and audiences), one of
those “best kept secret” places – a “How come I never knew about
this place” kind of thing. Fair comment?
DN: Absolutely a fair comment. It is Toronto’s best kept secret, it is a
gem of a space and it is pretty remarkable that not enough people know
about it. I hope to change that. The space is like no other space in the
city and it is the perfect size. You can seat 200, it is intimate, the acoustics
are great. We have a piano thanks to the Music Gallery and hopefully
going forward with our partnership, 918 will house the other piano the
Music Gallery owns. It is easily accessible by subway, part of the downtown
core, part of the Bloor Street Culture Corridor. And this is just the
start. But to go back to the question, I believe that not enough has been
done to promote this space as a performance space. It has been a great
staple for the community that surrounds it and has survived by word of
mouth. Given its size and architecture, it is most suitable for most arts/
music presenters in the city. Considering the programming, we would
like to create, as well as to continue, our partnerships and collaborations,
we hope to demonstrate the fact that 918 is a unique cultural
hub, a cultural sanctuary if you will, a cultural destination.
Say more about the “sanctuary” aspect. There’s the main hall (which
was literally a sanctuary in the spiritual sense). And what else?
Yes, the Great Hall was used as a Buddhist temple – and you can still
feel the good vibes. But we do have two smaller skylit rooms which we
call the SunRoom and StarRoom which are primarily used for gallery
showings, installations, also good for smaller more intimate concerts,
meetings. We also have a slew of rooms in our lower level which are
great for classes and meetings, a and fully equipped kitchen suitable
for catering of events.
“Artistic and executive director” is your official title and you’re just
starting in that role, right? So I am wondering to what extent you
were aware of the Centre yourself as an artist, prior to applying for
the position?
Yes I just started in July, then went off to Edinburgh to perform at
DANILO URSINI
14 | November 2017 thewholenote.com