Volume 26 Issue 7 - May and June 2021

of the Shmenge brothers in Candy’s hotel room while shooting SCTV
in Edmonton; and about faking live concerts backed by a polka band,
with his accordion gutted so it couldn’t make a sound. Prompted by
Simon, Levy talked about the origin of his character’s two left feet
in Christopher Guest’s film Best in Show. And how his love of Bach
(“I just loved the cluster of notes in a fugue”) grew out of watching
a friend (Bob Morrow, who later became Hamilton’s longest-serving
mayor) play Bach on the piano. That anecdote was the cue for Glenn
Gould School student Godwin Friesen to perform Bach’s Prelude and
Fugue in C-sharp Major in an empty Koerner Hall.
Nowadays, music is a big part of the Levy household. His wife
Deborah puts music on in the morning – “usually a classical station”
– and plays piano most days. Simon prodded Levy for his take on
Gershwin (“I love the intricate rhythms, the dynamic piano; it kind of
says New York to me”) – which set up Anagnoson & Kinton who delivered
a spirited two-piano version of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue
from an empty Koerner Hall.
The new channel features hundreds of hours of performances
filmed in Koerner Hall with its superb acoustics, as well as engaging
talks, documentaries (including the Music of My Life series) and celebratory
events. New content will be added weekly.
Also from the Royal Conservatory, it’s always noteworthy hearing
what Marc-André Hamelin is up to. His consummate musicianship
fuelled by seemingly effortless technique will be on display in
a livestream from Koerner Hall on Sunday, May 30, 2021 at 3pm and
available for seven days for ticket holders (the concert has already
been rescheduled twice). It’s a classical lineup with a C.P.E. Bach
Rondo, a Haydn Fantasia and two Beethoven sonatas – No.3 in C
Major, Op.2 No.3 and the justly celebrated, dynamic No.23 in F Minor,
Op.57 (“Appassionata”). Rounding out the program is the world
premiere of a new work Hamelin commissioned from Canadian
composer John Oswald.
Simon Rivard
TSYO
During this unusual season, the
89-member Toronto Symphony
Youth Orchestra (TSYO) – made
up of talented young musicians
under the age of 22 – has maintained
a commitment to learning
and developing their craft. The
students have continued to practise
and work hard from the
safety of their homes, with
regular online workshops,
lectures and masterclasses with TSYO Conductor Simon Rivard and
TSO musicians and staff. Ordinarily, the TSYO would give performances
throughout the season, culminating in a finale at Roy Thomson
Hall. But this year, the young musicians came together online, giving a
virtual recital for family and friends.
“Thanks to the efforts of the TSYO, we have all remained motivated
and musical throughout these difficult times,” said 16-year-old cellist
Anika Grieve, a member of the TSYO for two years, who performed in
and co-hosted one of the recitals.
Gemma New
Earlier this year, New Zealandborn
Gemma New, music director
of the Hamilton Philharmonic
Orchestra and principal guest
conductor of the Dallas Symphony
Orchestra, was named the 12th
recipient of the Sir Georg Solti
Conducting Award, the second
woman to be so honoured. She
had previously earned Solti
Foundation U.S. Assistance Awards
in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
The Solti Foundation U.S. is
currently the only American
Gemma New
foundation to grant these kinds of
awards each year to young conductors. American citizens or permanent
residents of the United States, 38 years of age or younger, who
are career-ready artists in the field of conducting are eligible. The
award comes with a $30,000 prize “to provide the recipient means
to continue to master their craft.” The winner is selected “based on
their skills and abilities, as well as their passion for communicating
through music.
Music Toronto
Music Toronto’s free virtual concert series continues May 13, 2021 at
7:30pm (available until 7:30pm May 15) with a representative program
of new music by the celebrated JACK Quartet. Included are works
by Rodericus (arranged by Christopher Otto), Ruth Crawford Seeger,
Elliott Carter and Tyshawn Sorey. Two weeks later at 7:30pm, May 27
(and available until 9:30pm May 29), clarinetist Julian Bliss joins
the UK-based Carducci String Quartet in a performance of Mozart’s
sublime Clarinet Quintet K581 and David Bruce’s Gumboots (2008)
– the title refers to South African labourers’ footwear in flooded gold
mines. The York Press described it in 2019 as having a deceptively
ANTHONY CHANG
20/21 Spring
Virtually Yours
Online Season
Announcement
The Ice is Talking – May.16.21
Works for violin and percussion as performed by Mark Fewer and Aiyun Huang.
Pieces by Georges Aperghis, Vivian Fung, Lei Liang, Sophie Dupuis, Tania León,
Michael Oesterle, and Jean-Claude Risset.
Not Alone – broadcast date TBA (previously May 30)
Works for soloists with electronics. Pieces by George Lewis, Malin Bång, Michel
van der Aa, Bruno Mantovani, Luigi Nono, and Rebekah Cummings.
Aulos – broadcast date TBA (previously June 22)
Works for flutes performed by Dianne Aitken and Robert Aitken. Pieces by
Maurice Ohana, Hitomi Kaneko, Yoshihisa Taira, Toru Takemitsu, Hilda
Paredes, Thorkell Sigurbjörnsson, Shawn E. Okpebholo, and Diego Luzuriaga
newmusicconcerts.com
416 961 9594
12 | May and June 2021 thewholenote.com