Volume 29 Issue 2 | October & November 2023

VOLUME 29 NO 2
OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2023
MUSIC! LISTINGS
live and livestreamed
STORIES
profiles, previews
and interviews
RECORD REVIEWS
and Listening Room
BLUE PAGES
(Presenter profiles)
Christina Petrowska Quilico

2023/2024
Alex Pauk
Founder, Music Director,
Conductor
BIG SEASON
BIG ORCHESTRA
BIG REPERTOIRE
SUBSCRIPTIONS &
SINGLE TICKETS
Koerner Hall Box Office
416 408 0208
espritorchestra.com
Sunday, October 15, 2023
X MARKS THE SPOT
Alex Pauk, Conductor
Anna Meredith (Scotland)
Iannis Xenakis (Greece)
György Ligeti (Hungary)
R. Murray Schafer (Canada)
Thursday, November 30, 2023
CIRCLE MAPS
Alex Pauk, Conductor
Erica Goodman, Harp
Kevin Ahfat, Piano
Kaija Saariaho
Žibuoklė Martinaitytė
Vito Žuraj (Slovenia)
Žibuoklė Martinaitytė (Lithuania)
Alex Pauk (Canada)
Valentin Silvestrov (Ukraine)
Kaija Saariaho (Finland)
Erica Goodman
Kevin Ahfat
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
(THREE)
Alex Pauk, Conductor
Naomi Sato, Sho ‐
Zhongxi Wu, Sheng/Suona
Misato Mochizuki (Japan)
Unsuk Chin (South Korea)
Rita Ueda (Canada)
Thursday, March 28, 2024
VIOLINISSIMO II
Alex Pauk, Conductor
Aaron Schwebel, Violin
Wesley Shen, Harpsichord
Mark Fewer, Violin
Max Richter (United Kingdom)
György Ligeti (Hungary)
Thursday, April 25, 2024
SONIC UNIVERSE
Alex Pauk, Conductor
Krisztina Szabo, Mezzo Soprano
R. Murray Schafer (Canada)
John Adams (United States)
The Michael and Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation The Mary-Margaret Webb Foundation The Max Clarkson Family Foundation Tim & Frances Price Anonymous

DUENDE FLAMENCO
FESTIVAL 2023
November 16–19
Don’t miss
this year’s captivating
evening performances:
PorQue: Flamencos
Sin Fronteras
Emilio Ochando, Carmen Romero, and
Míriam Méndez ‘La Princesa Descalza’
JUBILEO
Miguel Fernández Ribas ‘El Yiyo’
FARO
Eduardo Guerrero
CanaDuende
Fin de Fiesta
Scan QR code to
purchase tickets.

2902_Sept2023_cover.indd 1
2023-09-27 9:45 AM
NEW RELEASES
Volume 29 No 1 | SEPTEMBER 2023
ON OUR COVER
VOLUME 29 NO 2
OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2023
Christina Petrowska Quilico
PHOTO: BO HUANG
MUSIC! LISTINGS
live and livestreamed
STORIES
profiles, previews
and interviews
RECORD REVIEWS
and Listening Room
BLUE PAGES
(Presenter profiles)
The award jurors stated that Christina Petrowska Quilico
“has made an astonishing contribution to musical life in
Canada.” As they remarked: “Christina is a champion of
Canadian composers – and her pioneering dedication
to Canadian female composers is especially noteworthy.
She has helped to secure this period of Canadian music
through her impressive catalogue of recordings, and
further through the ripple effect of her many students.
She is steadfast. She is legend.” See pg 16
ACD2 2828
The French spirit of the
“Grand Siècle” shines
through those pieces
from Rameau, Francœur,
Destouches, in a
exceptional partnership
between Arion Orchestre
Baroque and the
Versailles Baroque Music
Center (CMBV).
8 FOR OPENERS |
All in the same storm
STORIES & INTERVIEWS
12 MUSIC THEATRE | Gypsy and
more | JENNIFER PARR
14 A WORLD VIEW | Light between
the cracks - Small World
Music’s GT23 | ANDREW TIMAR
18
16 IN CONVERSATION |
Christina Petrowska Quilico |
DAVID PERLMAN
18 CLASSICAL AND BEYOND|
Passing the torch: Mooredale’s
Wonny Song | PAUL ENNIS
“We are happy to
share these works that
represent the pinnacle of
the French musical spirit”
– Mathieu Lussier, Arion’s Director
ACD2 2870
The first ever
written pieces for
unaccompanied cello and
original works inspired
by them, performed by
Cameron Crozman.
“A chance to travel back to a
time when music for solo cello
was a brand-new idea.”
– Cameron Crozman
VISIT OUR
WEBSITE
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 5

The WholeNote
VOLUME 29 NO 2
OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2023
EDITORIAL
Publisher/Editor in Chief | David Perlman
publisher@thewholenote.com
Managing Editor | Paul Ennis
editorial@thewholenote.com
Recordings Editor | David Olds
discoveries@thewholenote.com
DIGITAL MEDIA
digital@thewholenote.com
Listings Editor | John Sharpe
listings@thewholenote.com
SOCIAL MEDIA
Danial Jazaeri, Colin Story
social@thewholenote.com
SALES, MARKETING & MEMBERSHIP
Concert & Event Advertising / Membership | Karen Ages
members@thewholenote.com
Production & Operations | Jack Buell
jack@thewholenote.com
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Online classified ads
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WEBSITE / SYSTEMS
Kevin King
systems@thewholenote.com
CIRCULATION
Sheila McCoy & Chris Malcolm
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STORIES &
INTERVIEWS
22 IN WITH THE NEW | Musical
weavings | WENDALYN BARTLEY
24 ON OPERA | Visions and
revisions - the balancing act |
SOPHIA PERLMAN
26 BRIEFS | Early Music & Choral |
WHOLENOTE STAFF
28 MAINLY CLUBS | Catastrophic
trifles & musical remedies |
COLIN STORY
LISTINGS
34 EVENTS BY DATE
Live and/or online
51 MAINLY CLUBS
31
24
IN THIS ISSUE
THE BLUE PAGES
Our 24th annual directory
of music makers in
Southern Ontario
DISCOVERIES:
RECORDINGS REVIEWED
54 Editor’s Corner | DAVID OLDS
56 Strings Attached | TERRY ROBBINS
59 Vocal
61 Classical and Beyond
66 Modern and Contemporary
70 Jazz and Improvised Music
74 Pot Pourri
75 Something in the Air |
KEN WAXMAN
76 Old Wine, New Bottles |
BRUCE SURTEES
77 More Fine Vintages
78 What we're listening to, INDEX
24 TH ANNUAL
BLUE
PAGES
an Ontario government agency
un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario
6 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

great chamber
music downtown
Quatuor Danel
Famous for their bold, concentrated
interpretations of the string quartet repertoire.
Thursday October 12
Geoff Nuttall
Haydn Celebration
FREE EVENT
Celebrating the life of violinist Geoff Nuttall
and his favorite composer, Haydn.
Thursday October 26
Duo Turgeon
Two natural musicians who breathe,
think and play as one
Thursday November 7
ALL CONCERTS START AT 8PM
TICKETS: 416.366.7723, choosing option 1-1
www.music-toronto.com
27 Front Street East, Toronto

The WholeNote
VOLUME 29 NO 2
OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2023
IN THIS EDITION
STORIES AND INTERVIEWS
Wendalyn Bartley, Paul Ennis, Jennifer Parr, David
Perlman, Sophia Perlman, Colin Story, Andrew Timar
CD Reviewers
Stuart Broomer, Max Christie, Sam Dickinson,
Daniel Foley, Raul da Gama, Janos Gardonyi,
Richard Haskell, Tiina Kiik, Kati Kiilaspea, Lesley
Mitchell-Clarke, Cheryl Ockrant, David Olds,
Ted Parkinson, Ivana Popovic, Terry Robbins,
Michael Schulman, Andrew Scott, Bruce Surtees,
Andrew Timar, Yoshi Maclear Wall, Ken Waxman,
Matthew Whitfield
Proofreading
Paul Ennis, John Sharpe
Listings Team
John Sharpe, Gary Heard, Colin Story
Design Team
Kevin King, Susan Sinclair
Circulation Team
Jack Buell, Bruno Difilippo, Carl Finkle, Vito Gallucci,
Josh Gershateer, James Harris, Bob Jerome,
Marianela Lopez, Miguel Brito-Lopez,
Chris Malcolm, Sheila McCoy, Lorna Nevison,
Janet O’Brien, and Tom Sepp
UPCOMING DATES AND DEADLINES
Weekly Online Listings Updates
6pm every Tuesday for weekend posting
Volume 29 No. 3,
DECEMBER & JANUARY 2023-24
will be published
Friday, November 24 (digital)
Tuesday, November 28 (print)
Print edition listings deadline
6pm Tuesday, November 7
Print advertising, reservation deadline
6pm Tuesday, November 14
Web advertising can be booked at any time
VOLUME 29 includes six print editions:
September 2023 (Aug 29);
October & November (Sept 26);
December & January (Nov 28);
February & March (Jan 30);
April & May (Mar 26);
Summer (May 28)
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COPYRIGHT © 2023 WHOLENOTE MEDIA INC
FOR OPENERS
All in the
same storm
A
very wise associate, at that time working for a large
performing arts organization shuttered by COVID, drew an
important distinction for me back in the days of COVID when
fully masked collective lamentation was the only form of choral activity
permitted, and “We’re all in the same boat together” was just about the
only morale-boosting song on the collective songsheet.
I remember her pausing for a moment during one of our digital conversations after I
resorted to the “same boat” refrain. “Hmm,” she eventually said. “It’s actually more like
we’re in the same storm together, I think.”
It struck me as a profoundly important point. “All in the same boat” is more comfortably
true for the first-class passengers on the liner than it is in steerage (except perhaps
when it means a grandstand view of the iceberg ahead). And it’s just as true, but terrifyingly
so, if the boat you’re all in together is massively overloaded, and in danger of
not making it to the yearned-for destination, even in the calmest of seas.
And it’s definitely not true at all for the vast majority of self-employed and contract
workers, bobbing around in craft of various shapes and sizes, in danger of being
left far behind or, worse, run down by all the bigger boats cheerfully en route to the
“new normal.”
Twist to the plot
if I have already told you this story, blame my memory lapse on long COVID and
accept my apology. But stay with me, because there has been a significant twist to the
plot since then.
The twist in question is the fact that for many of us, in ways most of us couldn’t
foresee, surviving the post-pandemic peace has been harder to deal with than the “war
against COVID” was. Was this especially so for those who work in the gig economy?
Maybe. But definitely not exclusively, as we shall see.
Here at TheWholeNote, for example, there was no way to predict or plan for the fact
that paper costs would rise to unprecedented levels right at the time we were ready
to rebuild a circulation network that had been, literally, decimated by the pandemic –
right when the performing arts community was, groundhog like, coming out of
isolation, and taking off its masks just long enough to sniff the post-pandemic air.
T'KARONTO
continued on page 10
For thousands of years before European settlement, T’karonto (The Meeting Place)
was part of the traditional territory of many Nations, including the Mississaugas
of the Credit River, the Anishinaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the
Wendat peoples, and remains their home to this day, as it now is for many diverse First
Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples.
This Meeting Place lies within the territory governed by the Sewatokwa’tshera’t (Dish
with One Spoon) treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee
– a Treaty which bound them to share the territory and protect the land. Subsequent
Indigenous Nations and Peoples, and all newcomers are invited into this treaty in the
spirit of peace, friendship, respect and reconciliation. We are grateful to live and work
here, helping spread the word about the healing power of music in this place.
8 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

KOERNER HALL
2023.24 CONCERT SEASON
Omar Kamal: Sway with Me
FRI., OCT. 20, 7:30PM KOERNER HALL
Performing with a Toronto all-star big band and
strings, Omar Kamal brings together a stunning
repertoire of emotional hits for one enchanting
evening of standards at Koerner Hall.
The evening is dedicated to the memory
of Tony Bennett.
Presented in partnership with
the Canadian Arabic Orchestra
Taylor Academy Showcase Concert
SAT., OCT. 21, 4:30PM & SAT., NOV. 18, 4:30PM
MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL FREE (TICKET REQUIRED)
The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy
for Young Artists presents a concert by the
leading young classical musicians in Canada.
Hear the stars of tomorrow!
Chanticleer
FRI., OCT. 27, 8PM KOERNER HALL
Hailed as “the world’s reigning male chorus” by The New Yorker,
the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble will perform some
of their greatest hits.
Series generously supported by an anonymous donor
Generous support provided from The Michael and Sonja Koerner
Fund for Classical Programming
Django Festival Allstars and Edmar Castañeda
FRI., NOV. 10, 8PM KOERNER HALL
An unforgettable night of jazz and world music featuring the
internationally renowned Django Festival Allstars and Latin
Grammy Award nominated jazz harp virtuoso Castañeda.
GGS Chamber Opera
FRI., NOV. 3, 7:30PM
& SAT., NOV. 4, 7:30PM
MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL
Students from The Glenn Gould
School’s vocal program present
their annual chamber opera.
Part of the Price Opera Program
Israel Fernández
and Seffarine
SAT., NOV. 11, 8PM KOERNER HALL
The leader of a new generation of
flamenco vocalists, Israel Fernández
makes his Koerner Hall debut.
Arab/Andalusian ensemble, Seffraine,
opens the show.
JoAnn Falletta conducts the
Royal Conservatory Orchestra
Henry From, piano
FRI., NOV. 24, 8PM KOERNER HALL
Multiple Grammy Award-winning conductor
JoAnn Falletta will lead Ihnatowycz Prize in Piano
recipient Henry From and the Royal Conservatory
Orchestra in a program of works by Brahms, Roussel,
and Hindemith.
Part of the Temerty Orchestral Program
ARC Ensemble:
Celebrating 20 Years
WED., NOV. 29, 7:30PM
MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL
The ARC Ensemble (Artists of
The Royal Conservatory) celebrates
its 20th anniversary with the music
of two extraordinary composers.
Generous support provided from
The Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund
for Classical Programming
TICKETS & SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW! 416.408.0208 RCMUSIC.COM/PERFORMANCE
237 BLOOR STREET WEST
(BLOOR ST. & AVENUE RD.) TORONTO

continued from page 8
Even if we could have predicted commodity cost increases, there
was no way we could predict the supply chain unpredictability and
outright shortages that went with them – where even if we did have
the money to pay the bill, we had almost no control over when the
paper we needed would show up. All of this made reimplementation
of regular schedules – crucial for a magazine with a priceless event
calendar at its beating heart – very very difficult.
And not just for us, I might add. Our printer for the last 28 years
was only passing on to us costs that were being passed on to him.
Similarly, the owners of the new building we were eagerly waiting to
move into, had to wait seven months longer than even their gloomiest
predictions for a dozen doors and windows to arrive. And all the
while, people we knew, like us, dependent on rented living or work
space, or watching interest rates rise as dreaded mortgage renewals
loomed, held our collective breath.
“Ominous rumblings of a tectonic cultural shift”
That’s how one of our writers in this issue, reporting on a recently
concluded global conference in town, describes a pervasive feeling of
unease within the local music ecosystem. Rumblings is exactly the
right word. I was already keeping a list of things to worry about, even
before the biggest tremor of the year hit.
On my list already were things like the announced collapse of
Artscape, long the bastion of affordable space in the city for art
and artists in the city. And the collapse of Metroland, parent to
70 community newspapers, putting 650 people out of work, and
reducing even further the options for art and music at the community
level to reach its potential audiences.
And the fact that the organization that put on the aforementioned
global conference took to social media, along with several other
organizations, to say that they had been completely blindsided by the
loss of previously rock-solid funding, at the provincial level, for key
performance activities, and might not be able to continue.
None of these, though, captured attention within the community
niche we occupy in the way the seemingly sudden collapse of the
third largest orchestra in the province did.
Kitchener’s Waterloo?
On September 19, two days before their season was due to open, and
three days after rumors had started to circulate, Kitchener-Waterloo
Symphony Orchestra (K-WSO) formally announced that they were
not only cancelling their season but were closing down altogether.
“In recent years KWS has been devastated by an unprecedented rise in
costs following the global pandemic,” that first press release stated –
a refrain echoed in subsequent statements like the one we gave them
space for in this issue, to speak to what has happened from the organization’s
point of view. (For them, post-pandemic increases in the cost
of performance space topped the list of destabilizing impacts, the way
the increase in paper costs did for us.)
Same boat syndrome again
So once again, as it was in the early days of the pandemic, “we are all
in the same boat” is the initial rallying cry, as the community absorbs
the impact of this announcement, and others like it. And there’s
nothing wrong with that as a starting point. But more important
is the rapidity with which its limitations as a rallying cry are being
recognized.
The adjacent statement from the orchestra speaks of the actions that
will need to be taken to “keep the flickering light of our musical arts
alive.” The kinds of actions taken will go a long way to determining
the longer term outcomes of the situation. So far, encouragingly,
these seem to be grassroots and small organizational responses –
community initiatives in the face of an institutional failure – a flotilla
of small craft and great art, crisscrossing with each other to help
help each other out. From many such small beginnings will come the
collective strength, perhaps, to try again.
Take for example the extraordinary crowd-funding campaign
underway, which at time of writing (September 27) has already raised
close to $400,000. Of fundamental importance is the fact that, with
the full agreement of the organization, control of the crowdfunding
campaign and all disbursements from it resides with the musicians,
not with the organization. Out of good decisions on how to use the
money will come actions that inspire each successive round of hope.
Early response
The early response of musical organizations in the K-WSO’s immediate
catchment area is something to watch too, and early actions augur
well. One example only: The Grand Philharmonic Choir’s conductor
Mark Vuorinen announced today that the Choir, which was scheduled
to use the K-WSO orchestra for their two upcoming fall shows,
will draw the musicians for the two shows (via an independent
contractor), from exactly the same K-WSO pool. A fitting gesture,
given that the K-WSO came into existence to meet the needs of
the choir.
Our magazine is now on a bimonthly cycle until the end of the season.
So I’ll only see you again in this spot in late November. Lots should
have happened between now and then. Feel free to reach out.
David Perlman can be reached at publisher@thewholenote.com
I am sad and devastated and
outraged as I have rarely been in
my entire life. The KW Symphony
has just filed for bankruptcy. This is
absolute tragedy for the players, for
the community, and indeed for the
cultural life of Canada. My heart is
broken. A proud 78 year tradition
has come to a tragic end.
— Howard Dyck
The best case scenario is that the show of support
on GoFundMe and the media attention this has
attracted will cause donors and governments to
reconsider…but we’re certainly not counting on it.
The resilience and resolve of the KWS musicians
has been truly astonishing, and the outpouring of
goodwill from musicians across the country is a
big part of what has made that possible.
— Robert Fraser, Associate Director,
OCSM-OMOSC (The Organization of
Canadian Symphony Musicians)
I have been a musician with the Kitchener
Waterloo Symphony for the past eight
years. When I won the job with the
symphony, I essentially gave up all of my
teaching and this became my primary
source of income …. The musicians are now
desperately trying to save our orchestra and
a gofund.me page has been set up. Please
consider helping us. If you are not able to
give, please consider sharing this email
with others who might be able to.
— Savethekws.ca
10 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

After an incredible 78 seasons,
we are deeply saddened at the closure of
the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.
The reality of the situation has been very difficult to accept. Like many arts organizations,
the Symphony was simply unable to cope with unprecedented rising costs and
financial instability.
Founded in 1945, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony was established to play alongside
the Grand Philharmonic Choir. The deep musical roots that run in our region created
the perfect place for Music Director Raffi Armenian to turn the amateur orchestra into
a professional organization. The auditorium at Centre In The Square was built for the
Symphony and is still considered one of Canada’s best music halls.
We all hope you’ll help keep the flickering light of our musical arts alive. Whenever and
wherever possible, please attend and donate to other local musical talent organizations.
With your help, our musicians can continue to nurture and grow their talents here in
Waterloo Region and across the country.
Thank you for keeping the music alive in our halls and our hearts. We are immensely
grateful.

MUSICAL THEATRE
Gypsy and more
And the seasons they go round and round
JENNIFER PARR
DAVID COOPER
Jason Cadieux as Herbie, Kate Hennig as Rose and Julie Lumsden as Louise in Gypsy (Shaw Festival, 2023).
When you have an actor with the musical
and acting chops to play Mama Rose it is
a good idea to program the musical Gypsy
as part of your season.
This is exactly what happened at the Shaw Festival when the
current season was being planned. When music director Paul
Sportelli and then associate artistic director Kate Hennig found
out that artistic director Tim Carroll had never seen or heard
the famous Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheimauthored
musical they immediately arranged a listening party,
reading the script while listening to a recording of the score. Once
the party was done, as Kate Hennig told me, Carroll looked at her
and said “Well, we have a Mama Rose, why don’t we add this to the
season?” And so, one of the hits of the summer came to be.
Gypsy is one of those shows that when you hear the score you
realize, as I did when I attended the Shaw production earlier this
summer, that you already know all the songs; they have been
consistently performed, in and out of context, ever since the
musical’ s debut back in 1959. With a score by Styne, lyrics by
Sondheim and book by Laurents, Gypsy: A Musical Fable, is a
captivating tale loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of striptease
artist Gypsy Rose Lee focusing primarily on her mother, Rose,
whose name has become synonymous with the ultimate show
business mother. Notoriously brassy star Ethel Merman originated
the role and ever since it has proven to be a glorious showcase
for a wide range of stars including Angela Lansbury, Patti Lupone,
Rosalind Russell (film), Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters.
Along the way we follow Rose as she shepherds her two young
daughters through years of headlining (and struggling on) vaudeville
stages across the country; penny pinching, fighting, teaching,
cajoling, always fighting to make her dream come true of turning
her daughter Baby June into a big star. A late turn in the story
comes with June’s desertion and Rose’s focus turning to the
tomboy sister instead who – through some interesting twists and
turns – finds herself becoming a burlesque star. As Hennig says, “It
is very much a tale of the theatre and director Jay Turvey’s production
finds joy in sharing all the backstage details” of the rather
more tawdry than glamorous life led by Rose, her daughters, her
loyal henchman Herbie and the other young performers under
her wing.
I have followed Kate Hennig’s career as an actor, writer and
director for a long time and suggested to her that this must be
the culmination of a dream for her – reflecting other facets of her
multifaceted career – as a teacher and director as well as acclaimed
performer. Hennig’s response surprised me: that she “doesn’t
really think in terms of dream roles,” but adding that it is a role
that has been a part of her life since she was starting off. As a
friend delightedly reminded her this summer, Hennig had actually
sung Rose’s Turn (the dramatic climax of the show) for the Maud
Whitmore Benefit Concert at the Charlottetown Festival back in
1987, when she was only 24.
Eighteen years later, in her early 40s (the perfect age for this
role, she told me) she covered Nora McLellan as Mama Rose at the
Shaw Festival, playing about 25 performances over the course of
the season. This was also the first time that a musical had been
programmed at the Festival Theatre, an innovation made by then
artistic director Jackie Maxwell. While it is a huge role that sometimes
leaves her feeling “as though I’ve played five tennis matches
in a row,” Hennig seems to thrive on playing Rose and being in a
cast full of younger performers who look up to her.
When I asked if she might someday direct the show herself she
said “Yes, quite possibly. My wheelhouse in terms of directing,”
she said “is the old school musicals which are definitely losing
their political appeal in the current culture but there is still an
12 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

audience for them, and some of them are brilliant pieces of work
that I understand, and because of being in the business for 40 years
and working with masters in their field I’ve inherited a lot of that
knowledge which I would love to pass on to other people.”
Hennig has already directed wonderfully received productions
on the Festival stage of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and
Holiday Inn. I would love to see what she would do with Gypsy,
perhaps giving the show the benefit of an experienced female eye at
the helm. In the meantime Gypsy continues at the Shaw Festival,
but only until October 7 www.shawfest.com.
The Real McCoy, indeed: As well as all the established musicals
on stage this season there are new shows in development to look
forward to, including one I have been curious about since first
hearing about it almost ten years ago. By the time this is printed the
event will have passed but I think we will be hearing more about
this show as it continues to develop. The Musical McCoy is a new
musical adaptation of Toronto
playwright Andrew Moodie’s
hugely successful 2006 play The
Real McCoy. The brainchild of
adaptor Vincent de Tourdonnet,
the musical uses a beat-based
electronic score to tell the true
story of African-Canadian
inventor Elijah McCoy who
revolutionised the design of the
steam engine and his African-
American wife Mary Delaney,
an activist who envisioned a day
when all women could vote.
By the time you read this I
Andrew Moodie
will very likely have see the
HELEN TANSEY
public showcase of the first act of McCoy taking place September 23
to 25 at the Papermill Theatre at Todmorden Mills Historic Site at
67 Pottery Road in Toronto. Moodie directs (interestingly after just
directing a hit remount of his original play at the Blyth Festival this
summer). The cast is made up of a thrilling group of musical theatre
performers including Daren A. Herbert (Onegin, the musical,
CBC’s Pretty Hard Cases) and Arlene Duncan (Little Mosque on the
Prairie, Diggstown). All tickets are free. For full production credits,
and links to some songs from the show go to www.vincentdetourdonnet.com/musical-mccoy.html
Fall for Dance: Late September and early October is also the
time to catch some of the spectacular offerings of what is probably
our most inclusive and accessible dance festival: Fall For Dance
North. FFDN not only showcases local and Canadian dancers and
companies but brings to the city artists from around the world to
share their unique visions of storytelling through dance. Events
take place at various locations around the city with the mainstage
program occupying Meridian Hall (1 Front Street East).
Tickets to main-stage events are only $15 and many events are free.
September 26 to October 7 FFDN.com
October will also see the Akram Khan Company’s acclaimed
contemporary dance adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle
Book which has been travelling the world garnering rave reviews
wherever it goes. Spectacular technology transforms the stage
and the story into an urgent mythic tale for our own times as we
are transported into the journey of Mowgli through the eyes of
a refugee child caught in a world devastated by climate change.
October 12 to 14 at the Bluma Appel Theatre, www.canadianstage.
com/shows-events/season/jungle-book-reimagined
Also in October, the newly established Toronto- and St John’sbased
Terra Bruce Productions is bringing a new musical inspired
by the music of The Irish Rovers to the beautiful WinterGarden
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27 FRONT ST E, TORONTO
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UN GIORNO
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November 5 | 2:30 PM
MUSIC DIRECTOR/PIANIST Suzy Smith
CHORUS DIRECTOR Robert Cooper
Holly
Chaplin
Belle
Cao
César
Bello
Tonatiuh
Abrego
Justin
Welsh
OPERA SALON
Stuartissimo | A tribute to
OIC’s founder Stuart Hamilton
October 28, 2023 | 4:00 pm
Tickets: $25
The Edward Jackman Centre
947 Queen Street East, Toronto
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 13

A WORLD VIEW
Light between the cracks
SMALL WORLD MUSIC’S
GLOBAL TORONTO 2023
RITCHIE PEREZ
ANDREW TIMAR
The Wild Rovers ensemble
Theatre. According to the press material “The Wild Rovers features
a hysterical, magical fairytale script and (a score made from) a
mashup of Irish Rovers greatest hits and original music.”
My curiosity is definitely piqued! October 14 to November 5.
www.terrabruce.com/the-wild-rovers-musical/
YouTube: /TerraBruceProductions
Also in early November, I am looking forward to Red Sky
Performance’s multi-genres celebration of their five-year residency
at Canadian Stage Berkeley Street where they have delighted audiences
with a unique vision of the world as seen through the lens
of Indigenous mythology realized with glorious choreography and
matching newly composed scores performed live. Red Sky at Night
plays November 3 to 5. www.canadianstage.com/shows-events/
season/red-sky-at-night
Finally, another not to be missed musical on my list is another
combination of old and new: In Dreams, inspired by and created
around the songs of Roy Orbison, is the follow-up creation from
Canadian writer David West Read (the Emmy-winning Schitt’s
Creek) and director Luke Sheppard – the team behind & Juliet,
whose pre-Broadway North American premiere engagement was
the toast of the 2022 Mirvish season. September 26 to November 12:
www.mirvish.com/shows/in-dreams
Jennifer Parr is a Toronto-based director, dramaturge, fight
director and acting coach, brought up from a young age on a rich
mix of musicals, Shakespeare and new Canadian plays.
The GT23 evening showcase, Friday, September 22, at the TD Music Hall
It’s no secret: right now, among our various cultural
sectors troubling signs can readily be found. Stresses,
fissures and cracks, intergenerational change and
systemic failures – some chronicled elsewhere in this
issue – feel as though they are starting to be as common
as the wildfires that scourged the globe this past summer.
Whether this reflects the healthy push-pull of everyday societal
dynamics or the ominous rumblings of a cultural tectonic shift, is
beyond my ken and the scope of this article. One thing I do know
is that Torontonians didn’t have to look very far at the tail end of
summer to witness a heartening opposing trend.
ANDREW TIMAR
RIDLEY VAUGHN
Cast of Red Sky Performance’s “Miigis”
Resolutely positive in tone and transnational in its musical
purview, Global Toronto 2023 (GT23 for short) is Toronto-based
Small World Music’s annual international conference and showcase
for “music with a global outlook.” Snappily tagged “Next is Now,”
this year’s fifth edition ran from September 19 to 22, hosting discussions,
and performances by 20 jury-selected Canadian musical artists
performing at an impressive 11 venues across Toronto.
This year’s numbers aren’t in yet, but last year’s GT22 reportedly
welcomed nearly 250 music-sector attendees, including professionals from
16 countries. In addition to performers, most participants were involved
in the business of presenting music, at festivals and venues of all kinds.
The next is already happening, the GT23 website proclaimed: “if you know
where to look and listen. So we continue to turn to our community; to the
collective experience and expertise of the wider ecosystem.”
Conference themes: One of GT23’s strengths is that rather than being
almost exclusively a marketplace built around showcasing artists, it is
also a significant meeting place for attendees. It features low-key “intentionally
intimate social gatherings” encouraging the fostering of personal
relationships. Its stated mission is a commitment to “community-based
problem-solving around issues of equity, sustainability and accessibility.”
A case in point: a working session at Humber College examined the
theme Conference of Conferences – Fixing Broken Models, scrutinizing
the way professional music gatherings like GT can do better.
14 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Another interesting example was a session titled Highway 401
Connection, at It’s OK* Studios, exploring the music networking activity
centred on the major interprovincial artery between Windsor and Quebec
City. (Passing though both Toronto and Montreal, “The 401” encompasses
the region where more than half the population of Canada resides.)
The session was presented in partnership with Mundial Montréal,
Canada’s other annual gathering of music industry professionals from
culturally diverse backgrounds. Observing what many of us have
known for generations – that despite their geographical proximity,
culturally Ontario and Quebec remain for the most part still disjointed
– the session explored ways regional artists and industry professionals
can develop and grow networks that strengthen cross-regional relationships,
with valuable contributions for how to expand that kind of
interconnectedness coming from the conference’s international delegates
with similar geographical connections and disconnects.
Conference delegate responses: The culminating Friday September 22
session, Next is NOW: What happened, what’s to come took place at
Toronto Metropolitan University, and looked back at what had been
learned, heard and experienced during the previous four days of GT23,
and to the work ahead, using the interactive Mentimeter app to codify
delegate responses. For example delegates were asked to provide a
single word to describe their experience, and their fascinating colourcoded
responses, when assembled, looked like this:
Responses to the question, “What new perspective … words of
wisdom … are you going to implement?” were equally varied, ranging
from the idealistic – “protect artists’ dreams” and “being united takes us
further than competition: if you win, I win,” to sound practical advice
(government agencies are you listening?) – “make the pie bigger.”
Won over by the artistry of the performer showcases, delegates
wrote things along the lines of “Bring some of this AMAZING music
to my region,” and “Improve connections with Canada’s multicultural
scene,” along with personal but no less important expressions like
“More smudges,” “Diaspora: longing and belonging.” “More hugs,”
and “Dance,” also made the list.
Showcase artists: The power of GT23’s 20 music showcases in eight
concert venues across the city is impossible to overstate in terms of
the exceptional range and musical depth of the performers selected by
the five-person jury. All were new to Global Toronto, though a few will
undoubtedly be familiar to local fans: Okavango African Orchestra, Eliana
Cuevas, Moneka Arabic Jazz, Moskitto Bar, and BLISK come to mind.
On the other hand, the most memorable showcase thrill at a conference
like this is more often discovering a musician or music unknown
to you. You can still visit the GT23 Artists page post-conference for
thumbnails on all of them. (The thrill of musical discovery was not
restricted to conference attendees either. Wristband passes were on
sale to the public, and a good time was had by all.)
Venue power: The conference had a helpful GT23 Plan Your
Experience keyed map, providing a window onto the conference
landscape – the 11 concert and conference venues spread over the
city. From Harbourfront along the lake, to the Aga Khan Museum
in deepest Don Mills, to the Assembly Hall and Humber College in
southern Etobicoke, the venues chosen conveyed the sense of a vibrant
local cultural ecosystem cooperatively supporting music performance.
Some of these venues date back to the late 19th century – the City
of Toronto-run Assembly Hall was built in 1898, and Longboat Hall
in 1889 – while others like TD Music Hall, and independent Blackoperated
It’s OK* Studio, opened just this year. Established institutions
like Toronto Metropolitan University, Royal Conservatory of Music,
Harbourfront Centre’s Toronto International Festival of Authors, Lula
Lounge and Drom Taberna rounded out the venue list.
GT23’s gift: It’s no secret that Toronto’s live performing arts
community and the venues which support it were hard hit during the
pandemic, particularly during the unpredictable, rolling lockdowns,
and the sector has been slow to recover. One of the gifts of GT23 to local
artists, presenters, fans and visitors alike was how it helped reconnect
the dots between these cultural hotspot hubs on the Toronto map.
Working to mentor and celebrate the music scenes growing here,
increasing their international viability, and helping build muchneeded
resilience, GT23’s optimistic mandate shone through the
cracks – transcending parochial concerns that could have bogged it
down, to illuminate possibilities of building a hopefully more equitable
international musical ecosystem – with a place for Canadian
musicians, many singing songs from other places.
Andrew Timar is a Toronto musician, composer and music
journalist. He can be contacted at worldmusic@thewholenote.com
VESNIVKA CHOIR
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thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 15

IN CONVERSATION
PLAYING IT FORWARD
Christina
Petrowska
Quilico
DAVID PERLMAN
BO HUANG
Ottawa-born pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico
is no stranger to awards and prizes, both as
beneficiary and as benefactor. As beneficiary,
among her earliest achievements was a New York
concerto competition (she shared first prize with
pianist Murray Perahia), at age 14, soon after
commencing piano studies, on scholarship, with the
legendary Rosina Lhévinne, at New York’s Juilliard
School of Music. (“A promethean talent,” the
New York Times proclaimed.)
Most recently, on September 22, 2023, the Ontario Arts Council
announced that she is to be the recipient of the 2023 Oskar
Morawetz Award for Excellence in Music Performance, awarded “to
an outstanding Canadian performer in the field of classical music,
recognizing talent and commitment to Canadian music.”
The Morawetz award will be presented to her on October 21,
at a gala performance to launch Markham-based Kindred Spirits
Orchestra’s 2023-24 season – a concert at which she will perform
Witold Lutoslawski’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1988).
“It has been listed on several sites as the fifth most difficult piano
concerto out of 100,” Petrowska Quilico informed me. “It is tough, but
a wonderful work. There will be another surprise performance we will
do that night but it is a secret.”
On the “benefactor” side of the coin, in 2003 she created the
Christina and Louis Quilico Award (now administered by the Ontario
Arts Foundation, in conjunction with the Canadian Opera Company
and the COC Ensemble Studio), reflecting the commitment to music
education she shared with her late husband, the Metropolitan Opera
baritone Louis Quilico.
“[Louis]wanted to have a competition for opera singers,” she says.
“We were hoping to create one in New York since the Metropolitan
Opera was really his home base but it would take a fortune to do. I
suggested that we do it in Toronto. The competition celebrated its
20th anniversary on February 6 2023. There have been so many
singers who have gone on to brilliant opera careers after winning
prizes in the competition and I have been so happy to watch
their journey.”
Here’s a bit more from our wide-ranging conversation.
WN:Was it New York that gave you your appetite for so many
different kinds of music?
CPQ: New York is a fabulous place to live in as a musician. You can
experience the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, early
music, new music, world music and feel nurtured by the diverse
wealth of styles, structures and sound. It’s where I started to amass
a huge repertoire list – close to 50 concertos now, 19 recorded so far,
half contemporary concertos and half classical, Romantic. It was there
that I was discovering and playing contemporary works of Messiaen,
Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, and many other more experimental
composers. Later on, I was fortunate enough to have been coached by
Pierre Boulez, György Ligeti and John Cage, and was in Stockhausen’s
class in Darmstadt, with Claude Vivier. I believe that you need balance
and variety in your repertoire and life. This keeps you challenged and
interested. I always enjoyed practicing Chopin, Beethoven and Mozart
as well as avant-garde music. And opera of course. I accompanied my
late husband Louis Quilico on four CDs and many tours.
As for solo repertoire, I stopped counting ages ago. I am amazed and
very fortunate to have over 50 CDs recorded over my career so far. During
COVID alone, I released three new CDs: Retro Americana, Vintage
Americana, and Sound Visionaries, which is Debussy, Messiaen, and two
Boulez sonatas which he had coached me on years ago. In the last year
and a half there have been three more: Parisa Sabet’s Cup of Sins (duos
and chamber music); Alice Ping Yee Ho’s Blaze, challenging and most
rewarding; and Shadow & Light with Nurhan Arman’s Sinfonia Toronto
and violinist Marc Djokic, violin – three concertos by composers Larysa
Kuzmenko, Alice Ping Yee Ho and Christos Hatzis) It’s a thrill to add to
the world’s surprisingly scarce repertoire of double concertos for violin
and piano, with three works all by Canadians.
Are there clearly identifiable defining moments in your musical life?
Meeting Ann Southam, for sure. As performers now we are taught to
revere the composers and follow their instructions to the letter. It was
not like that in the Baroque, Classical or Romantic Era. The composers
were performers and played a lot of their own music. There was a lot
of freedom in those years which we lost for a while. Ann loved to hear
me play her music differently. She gave me the freedom to work with
tempo, dynamics, textures, colours, pedalling and phrasing. She understood
that each piano has a different touch. The action of the piano
will determine how fast or slow you can play certain passages despite
written metronome markings. The acoustics and resonance of the hall
will also suggest how much or little pedal you need.
16 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Ann Southam said somewhere that she “loved the sound and what
was happening as the hands interacted” when you played her works.
She called you a “whiz-bang pianist”!
Ann and I had so much fun working on all the pieces. She let me pick
the order of them as well so that the flow of the music sounded natural
in the transitions. When I received her scores there were hardly any
dynamics, phrasing or pedal indications. At first it was a bit daunting
but she was so open to new ideas that it was a joy performing her music,
and I certainly played and recorded so much of it. Glass Houses was two
CDs, Rivers three CDs, Pond Life two CDs, Soundspinning one CD, and I
included many pieces on compilations. Sometimes, I feel like rerecording
everything! She would have enjoyed that … a sense of new adventures.
Instead I see you have commissioned Frank Horvat to write
More Rivers.
Yes, it’s a look back to Ann for me and we will follow Ann’s traditions.
Like Ann, we are dedicating this music and our efforts to
promote the issues of the environment and nature. Frank has also
given me the freedom to collaborate and I have already changed
the order of the pieces, with his permission, and I look forward to
working with him on all the details. Music is always a work in progress
and that is what is so exciting and keeps me learning new pieces,
and trying out new ideas. Frank’s music is meditative and melodic.
Ann would be very pleased.
BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH!
October 21, Meridian Arts Centre
ELISSO GOGIBEDASCHWILI Violin
As performers now we are taught to revere
the composers and follow their instructions to
the letter. It was not like that in the Baroque,
Classical or Romantic Era.
“York” seems to be a leitmotif in your life – New York, York
University … and Markham, where you will receive the Morawetz
Award is in York Region.
After 35 years of full-time teaching at York, I have retired (sort of).
I still have several PhD students left to supervise and I leave with the
title of Professor Emerita, Senior Scholar and three Research Awards
of which I am very proud.
As for Kindred Spirits Orchestra, I have played quite a few concertos
with them: the Grieg concerto, also Heather Schmidt’s fourth piano
concerto, and André Mathieu’s fourth piano concerto (twice, once
with Kristian Alexander and once with Czech conductor Jiri Pedrilik
at the Glenn Gould). And we live-streamed the Tan Dun piano
concerto during COVID.
PICTURES
AT AN EXHIBITION
November 10, Trinity St-Paul’s Centre
LUISA SELLO Flute
The upcoming Morawetz Award puts Petrowska Quilico in distinguished
company – “esteemed and remarkable previous winners”
she calls them – Angela Hewitt, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Russell
Braun,and Bramwell Tovey to name a few. And her remarkable
career shows few signs of slowing down.
CPQ: I am getting ready to record three more CDs soon – Frank
Horvat’s More Rivers, David Jaeger’s Games of the Night Wind which
is 12 Nocturnes by Jaeger, along with pieces by Toru Takemitsu,
Alexandre Tansman, and Henryk Gorecki. The Nocturnes are based
on poetry, including mine and it is a hauntingly beautiful program.
Volume 2 of solo piano works by Alice Ho is also coming up. Also I
continue to adjudicate in many places. I was one of the judges for
Classicalia which was filmed for PBS in Toronto, Atlanta and Vienna.
I adjudicate every year in Markham for the International Music Festival
and Competition, and also at the Royal Conservatory’s Contemporary
Showcase which specializes in contemporary Canadian composers. It
is vital for young artists to have feedback and perform for an audience
and I am happy to help these musicians.
David Perlman can be reached at publisher@thewholenote.com
2023-2024
25 th Anniversary Season
Masterpiece Series
7 concerts
Downtown Concerts 4 concerts
North York Concerts 3 concerts
First-time Subscriber ~ 7 concerts for $139
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
sinfoniatoronto.com
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 17

CLASSICAL AND BEYOND
PASSING
THE TORCH
Mooredale’s
Wonny Song
PAUL ENNIS
BO HUANG
With an upcoming season featuring, among others,
Eric Lu (the most recent winner of the Leeds
Piano Competition) and the Viano String Quartet
(the most recent winner of the Banff String Quartet
Competition) The WholeNote had an email conversation
with pianist Wonny Song, about his role as Mooredale
Concerts’ Artistic Director.
WholeNote: What is your favourite thing about being Mooredale’s
artistic director?
Wonny Song: One of the aspects I cherish most is the opportunity
to continue the incredible work of one of my greatest mentors, Anton
Kuerti. Anton was not just an extraordinary musician; he was a giant
in the musical world who saw the untapped potential in young musicians
and the underrepresented talent in elite musicians from around
the globe. In a way, serving in this role allows me to carry the torch he
once held, illuminating paths for the next generation.
Another layer of fulfilment is the power to curate transformative
musical experiences. Every season, I get the chance to craft a narrative
that exposes audiences to both classic and cutting-edge compositions,
highlighting the richness and diversity of the musical tapestry.
More than an exercise in selection, this is a thoughtful process that
considers how each piece and performer can speak to one another
and the audience. I relish the challenge of introducing Canadian
audiences to elite global musicians and of discovering hidden gems.
Sharing that with an appreciative audience is unparalleled.
And let’s not forget the community of passionate musicians, dedicated
staff and discerning audiences that Mooredale Concerts has
built over the years [at Walter Hall]. It’s like being a part of a dynamic
ecosystem where each element not only contributes to but enriches
the whole. It’s both a privilege and an exhilarating challenge, and I
couldn’t ask for a more fulfilling role.
Were there particular challenges in programming the
2023/24 season?
One of the greatest challenges has been navigating the logistical maze
that the post-COVID era has created. The question is no longer just “Can
this artist bring something unique to Mooredale?” but also, “Can this
artist even get to Mooredale?” Many of the top-tier musicians are often
booked years in advance, making scheduling a formidable challenge.
There’s also the financial aspect. The artists we’re targeting are not just
performing at Mooredale; they’re global talents. For many, coming to
Mooredale becomes feasible only if they can secure multiple engagements
on a North American tour. A single concert at Mooredale might
not justify the trip from Europe or Asia, particularly when international
travel is so unpredictable. And there are repertoire considerations. With
a star-studded lineup, you’re dealing with artists with established signature
performances. Balancing those crowd-pleasers with works that
push the envelope – keeping both the artists and audiences engaged –
becomes a sort of artistic tightrope walk.
And the biggest rewards?
The satisfaction of a wonderful season fuels us for the next one. It
is like piecing together a multifaceted puzzle. Each concert that goes
marvellously feels like a triumph for us organizers. There is also the
joy of discovery and doing our part in launching amazing careers.
COURTESY WONNY SONG
Circa 1992-93 after masterclasses at Orford Music where Anton Kuerti (top,
right) was a perennial returning faculty member, and where he met Wonny Song
(far left, wearing a tux) a few times before working on his training/development.
Who were your musical heroes in your formative years?
My musical heroes weren’t figures I admired from afar; they were
mentors who entered my life at pivotal moments, leaving an indelible
impact. Anton Kuerti is one such hero, and his influence extends far
beyond his virtuosity at the piano. He presented me with a blueprint
not just for how to play, but for how to think about music. His musicmaking
philosophy is holistic, encompassing technique, emotion and
intellectual rigour. He didn’t just teach me notes; he taught me narratives,
the stories that live within each composition.
Then there’s Marie-Françoise Bucquet and Jorge Chaminé, who
became more than just mentors when I was studying in France; they
18 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

ecame family. Their teachings extended beyond the practice room
and the classroom. With them, I learned how to navigate the world
as a musician, discovering that artistry doesn’t end when the music
stops. They imparted lessons of resilience, humility and humanity,
showing me that music isn’t just a profession – it’s a way of life.
What strikes me most about these mentors is their genuine altruism.
They had established careers, but what mattered most to them was
passing the torch, ensuring the next generation of musicians had the
tools and guidance to make their own mark. It’s a selfless love and a
deep-seated belief in the power of mentorship that binds all three.
For more information on the 2023/24 Mooredale Concerts season,
go to mooredaleconcerts.com.
And elsewhere
Koerner Hall: Grammy Award-winning violinist Augustin Hadelich
and acclaimed pianist Orion Weiss make their Koerner Hall debuts
on October 13 with a program anchored by Beethoven’s tenth and last
sonata for violin and piano and Prokofiev’s No.1. Hadelich made two
appearances with the TSO in the 2023/24 season – violin concertos
by Sibelius and Beethoven – finding beautiful notes everywhere.
Hadelich is also an accomplished pianist; his relationship to his two
instruments is explored in a fascinating interview in Piano Street
magazine from June 2022. He cites Julia Fischer as the only other
violin and piano performer he’s aware of.
The Danish String Quartet (three Danes and one Norwegian) is back
at Koerner Hall for the second time, on November 3. The Danish has
established its pre-eminence among the world’s finest string quartets
Danish String Quartet
Join us at Western
University for a
stellar concert season!
CAROLINE KOREN RAFFNSØE
music.uwo.ca/events
musicevents@uwo.ca
519-661-3767
Fritz Kreisler and his Epoch
December 3 rd , 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
FEATURING:
Sheila Jaffe, violin; Andrea Ludwig, mezzo soprano;
Inna Perkis, piano; Ernesto Ramirez, tenor;
Giles Tomkins, bass-baritone; Kathryn Tremills, piano;
Boris Zarankin, piano; Ilana Zarankin, soprano.
Artistic Directors: Boris Zarankin & Inna Perkis
For more details and to purchase tickets
www.offcentremusic.com
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 19

OLEH PAVLIUCHNEK
with its impeccable musicianship, sophisticated artistry, and, above
all, an unmatched ability to play as one. Their ability to make what
they play sound spontaneous will doubtless be on display in works by
Purcell, Haydn, Shostakovich and Schubert (the great “Death and the
Maiden” string quartet).
Roy Thomson Hall: Anyone fortunate enough to have been at the
opening night of this year’s Toronto Summer Music festival where
Ukraine-born pianist Illia Ovcharenko lit up the Koerner Hall stage
can look forward to his performance of Liszt’s Piano Concerto No.1
with the TSO on November 16 and 18, in Roy Thomson Hall. Winner of
the prestigious Honens Prize in 2022, Ovcharenko embodies Honens’
ideal of the “Complete Artist” with his technical mastery, perseverance
against adversity, and an understanding of musical text that is intellectual
and emotional.
Guest conductor Ukraineborn
Oksana Lyniv’s reputation
as one of the world’s most
exciting classical music talents
was considerably enhanced
in 2017 when she became the
first female to be named chief
conductor of the Graz Opera and
the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra
in Austria. In the summer of 2021
Lyniv became the first female
Oksana Lyniv
ever to conduct at the Bayreuth
Festival. This season, she makes
her Metropolitan Opera debut
with Turandot. With the TSO, she
leads the orchestra in Dvořák’s genial, folk-inspired Symphony No.8.
The Canadian premiere of composer Zoltan Almashi’s Maria’s City,
dedicated to the city of Mariupol, rounds out a program paying tribute
to the unwavering spirit of the Ukrainian people.
Mahler’s Symphony No.5 (which the TSO and guest conductor
Michael Tilson Thomas will perform on November 22, 24 and 25)
emerged during a period of personal change for Mahler who had been
enjoying great success as the conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic
but was forced to resign in 1901 after falling seriously ill. Towards
the end of the year his fortunes changed again when he met Alma
Schindler, whom he married in 1902.
Perhaps it was this unexpected brush with mortality, juxtaposed
with the discovery of true love, that gives such poignancy to the
symphony’s Adagietto which gained even more fame with Luchino
Visconti’s 1971 film adaptation of Thomas Mann’s novella Death in
Venice. The return of Tilson Thomas takes on another layer given
the conductor’s own health. Last summer he announced that he has
Glioblastoma Multiforme, a type of aggressive brain cancer. “I had an
operation to remove what was visible and had radiation and chemotherapy.
Currently the cancer is in check. But the future is uncertain
as Glioblastoma is a stealthy adversary. Its recurrence is, unfortunately,
the rule rather than the exception.”
Trinity-St. Paul’s: In March of 1784, Mozart wrote from Vienna
to his father, Leopold, in Salzburg about his just completed
Quintet for Piano and Winds: “I consider it the best work I have
ever written.” Winds of Change, the second concert of the Amici
Chamber Ensemble’s 35th season, takes place on November 26 at
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre. The program moves from Mozart’s late-
18th-century gem into the boisterous 20th-century musical world of
Francis Poulenc’s Sextet for Piano and Wind Quintet and his Trio for
Oboe, Bassoon and Piano before wrapping up the journey with Omar
Daniel’s Dreams of the Panther (1991), a piece written for Amici.
Clarinetist Joaquin Valdepeñas was a member of the TSO when
he co-founded Amici and the opportunity to hear him perform
once more with oboist Sarah Jeffrey brings back the halcyon days of
CANADA’S FIRST
2SLGBTQIA+
ORCHESTRA
Join Us for our 40th Season
Melodies of Love :
An Enchanted Queer
Holiday Soirée
SAT. DEC. 9, 2023
Romantic Echoes
SAT. MAR. 23, 2024
Melodies of Pride and
Progress: LGBTQIA
Composer Spotlight
SAT. JUN. 15, 2024
ALL CONCERTS AT 7:30PM
AT EAST END UNITED
CHURCH, 310 DANFORTH
CCOrchestra.org
20 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Peter Oundjian when Valdepeñas and Jeffrey were TSO cornerstones
unsurpassed in tone and timbre.
George Weston Recital Hall:
Sinfonia Toronto, now celebrating
its 25th season, is the
sign of a sophisticated city – a
string orchestra. Its core group of
14 players has illuminated many
a familiar score under music
director Nurhan Arman (who has
arranged several of them).
Their concert, on October 21
at the George Weston Recital
Sinfonia Toronto’s Nurhan Arman
Hall, concludes with Beethoven’s
iconic Symphony No.5 in a new arrangement for strings by Sreten
Krstič. Whether it’s fate or folly, the four opening notes and what
Beethoven does with them are unforgettable.
Otar Vasilisdze Taktakishvili, whose Second Violin Concerto
will be performed by the young (b. 2000) Austrian violinist Elisso
Gogibedashvili, was a well-known composer, conductor, teacher and
musicologist during the Soviet era. According to Arman’s program notes,
Taktakishvili was influenced by Georgian folk music, Mozart, Bach,
Beethoven and more contemporary composers like Scriabin, Prokofiev
and Shostakovich. He met Shostakovich during his senior year of high
school, which sparked a lifelong relationship and collaboration.
Gogibedashvili is the soloist for Sarasate’s virtuoso showpiece
Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs) arranged by Arman. Two world
premieres – by Louis Sauter and Frank Horvat – complete the festive
program. Horvat’s Magnificent Roots was sparked by a 250-year-old
oak tree, the largest in Toronto.
SINFONIA TORONTO/FACEBOOK
Paul Ennis is the managing editor of The WholeNote.
Thursday Noon at Met
A musical oasis in the
heart of the city
October 5
Christian Masucci Facchini, countertenor
October 12
Philip Joseph Filion, organ
October 19
Irina Bazik, piano
October 26
Joshua Zentner-Barrett, organ
November 2
Julia Mirzoev, violin
November 9
Jonathan Oldengarm, harpsichord
November 16
Lindsay McIntyre, soprano
November 23
Jonathan Kravtchenko, piano
November 30
Mark Himmelman, organ
56 Queen St. E.
metunited.ca
REMEMBRANCES
Beethoven - Symphony No. 3
Saturday, November 11, 2023, 8 PM
FAIRYTALES
Saturday, Tchaikovsky, November Mendelssohn, 11, 2023, Ravel 8 PM
Saturday, December 16, 2023, 8 PM
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 21

IN WITH THE NEW
MUSICAL WEAVINGS
WENDALYN BARTLEY
BO HUANG
W
eaving disparate threads together to create
something new is a fundamental approach for any
creative artist, and in the world of contemporary
music, the spectrum of elements interwoven into new
works continues to progressively expand. Numerous
concerts scheduled for October and November exemplify
this trend, with some of these concerts drawing inspiration
from the past to achieve this evolution.
TaPIR director
Aiyun Huang
TaPIR: On November 1, the
Technology and Performance
Integration Research Lab (TaPIR)
at U of Toronto’s Faculty of Music
is presenting New Ways for
Old Works, a concert that spotlights
older electronic music
compositions that used live electronics.
These works have become
increasingly difficult to perform
as the older electronic media
and machinery originally used
presents performance and preservation
problems. TaPIR’s research
addresses this issue by recreating obsolete technology using current
software. Their aim is to develop a catalogue of documentation for
pre-existing works that are rarely performed in order to encourage
future performances.
The repertoire for the concert on November 1 includes pieces by
Micheline Saint-Marcoux (1972), Susan Frykberg (1991), and two works
from 1981 and 1985 by Norma Beecroft. In my exchange with TaPIR
director Aiyun Huang she stated that she chose to feature the works
of these women electronic music pioneers “not only because of their
beautiful music, but also because of how they were side-stepped in
the early years of Canadian music.” She hopes concerts such as the
November 1 event will renew musical interest in these composer’s
works now that it is possible to perform them with updated technology.
X Avant: The Music Gallery’s
upcoming X Avant XVIII series
running from October 11 to 15 opens
with a concert that will include
another approach to reworking older
music. On October 11, the sound
performance and installation Six
Turntables will be featured. This
initiative is the culmination of several
sound-art workshops organized by
Christopher Willes in partnership with
Akash Bansal at the Toronto Public
Library and The Music Gallery between
2017 and 2023.
A group of emerging artists were
asked to engage with and reinterpret
1970s Canadian avant-garde music
sourced from the Toronto Reference
Library’s vinyl collection, including
some recordings from the Music
Gallery Editions label. The chosen
recordings focused on early electronic
music techniques, sonic meditation,
turntablism, and Fluxus event
Six Turntables' Akash Bansal
(Top) and Christopher Willes
23-24 SEASON
EYES
WIDE OPEN
WELCOMING NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
THOMAS BURTON
I WILL
HOLD YOU
OCT 28TH
POULENC’S
GLORIAJEWELS OF
THE FRENCH REPERTOIRE
MAR 9TH
WINTER
WAKING
DEC 19TH
THE NOTEBOOKS
OF LEONARDO DAVINCI
MAY 11TH
22 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

scores. The participants explored the process of collective listening
with the view of treating recordings as shared experiences rather than
commodities.
And finally, on October 13, artists from Indonesia will introduce
innovative perspectives on the intricacies of gamelan music, featuring
performances, film screenings and discussions.
Evergreen: Speaking of gamelan music, Toronto has a rich history
of presenting music rooted in Indonesian traditions. The Evergreen
Club Contemporary Gamelan (ECCG) is celebrating the launch of its
40th anniversary season with a series of events taking place between
November 1 and 19. The guest artist will be Indonesia’s renowned
musician and composer Iwan Gunawan who has composed several
new works that will be premiered and recorded by ECCG. Members of
the public are welcome to attend both a series of professional development
sessions with ECCG and Gunawan as well as two public workshops
he will be leading.
Xenakis at Esprit: Continuing
on with the theme of weaving
technology into composition,
the music of Iannis Xenakis
provides an early example of
this pioneering strategy. In the
first of Esprit Orchestra’s two
concerts this fall, music by
Xenakis will be featured in their
October 15 concert. Xenakis’
music is some of the first that
was composed with the aid of
computers and he is known for
Kaija Saariaho his use of mathematical probability
systems in the creation
of large-scale forms. The concert will include his piece Jonchaies
(1977), a composition involving 109 instruments which create an
expansive soundscape that Xenakis sculpts using ideas and strategies
inspired by his interests in architecture. Esprit’s second fall concert on
November 30 includes works by composers from Eastern European
origins as well as a piece by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho
(October 1952 - June 2023) for orchestra and electronics.
MAARIT KYTÖHARJU
PARTNERSHIPS
Rothko and Feldman: Another form of weaving threads together
occurs when artists inspire each other’s creations. One such pairing
occurred between the abstract colour field paintings of Mark Rothko
and the legendary composer Morton Feldman (known for creating
intimate encounters with sound in his compositions). When Feldman
attended the opening
of the Rothko Chapel
in 1971, he was asked
to compose a tribute
to Rothko after his
untimely death in
1970. Inside the octagonal
chapel that bears
his name were a suite
of 14 large paintings he
had completed before
his death. Feldman’s
Violist Steven Dann will perform in
score – Rothko Chapel –
Feldman’s Rothko Chapel (Soundstreams,
was written in 1972 as a
The Bright Divide, November 10 and 11)
dialogue with Rothko’s
paintings and features a solo violist. Soundstreams will showcase a
performance of this introspective piece on November 10 and 11, complemented
by the world premiere of Cecilia Livingston’s composition mark
inspired by both Rothko’s artwork and Feldman’s music.
Confluences: On October 13 and 14, a new series of 17 songs
composed by James Rolfe set to poems by diverse poets will be
presented by Confluence Concerts. Due to the restrictions of the
pandemic and the silencing of singers, Rolfe decided to write for his
own voice and sing the pieces during online recitals accompanied by
his partner Juliet Palmer on piano. Because he had a chance to test
drive these songs by performing them himself, he feels that the songs
became more focused and natural. Using simple musical language,
the various songs are written for performers with roots in jazz, folk,
urban, gospel and Indigenous music. Rolfe’s main obstacle was developing
a musical language suitable for texts that feature extended
phrases and non-repetitive structures. To solve this dilemma, he
developed his own unique and unconventional song forms.
Sounds of the loom: Coming full circle with the weaving motif, the
sounds of an actual weaving loom processed by effects pedals form the
basis of a Second Life performance installation by Edmonton-based
artist and musician Kelly Ruth. Ruth will perform both live at NAISA’s
studio in South River, Ontario, and in Second Life from December 7 to
9. Ruth began working with the online multimedia platform Second
Life during the pandemic, and she now channels her artistic expression
primarily remotely, using her avatar to custom create and navigate
virtual worlds. A screening of her performance will be included
in a YouTube broadcast festival on December 12.
Wendalyn Bartley is a Toronto-based composer and electro-vocal
sound artist. sounddreaming@gmail.com
THE
BRIGHT
DIVIDE
Two immersive & contemplative works
by Morton Feldman and Cecilia Livingston
inspired by the paintings of Mark Rothko,
with staging by Tim Albery.
ARTISTS
Stage Director
Tim Albery
Conductor/ Music Director
David Fallis
Soundstreams Choir 21
Viola
Steven Dann
Celesta
Gregory Oh
Percussion
Ryan Scott
TD MUSIC HALL
NOV 10 2023
7:30pm
NOV 11 2023
2:00pm • 7:30pm
SOUNDSTREAMS.CA
The Michael and Sonja Koerner
Charitable Foundation
The Mary-Margaret Webb
Foundation
The JB Doherty
Family Foundation
The Anne-Marie H.
Applin Foundation
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 23

ON OPERA
VISIONS AND
REVISIONS
The balancing
act SOPHIA PERLMAN
Rocking Horse remount: tenor Asitha Tennekoon
reprises his role as the childlike Paul.
DAHLIA KATZ
This time last year, the opera community was
celebrating as companies large and small started to
announce their first “normal” year of programming.
Even as live performance began creeping back after
the initial lockdowns, opera presenters struggled to
balance reduced seating capacities and ticket sales,
and shutdown-related revenue loss with the budgets
needed to mount full scale productions – especially those
presenters whose audiences have grown accustomed to
productions with full operatic scale.
Now, artistic directors and creative teams have a new balancing
act to manage – “making up for lost time” against getting “back on
track” with creative plans that are often created three or five years
in advance. This with the age-old challenge any opera (or music)
presenter faces in any normal season: how to balance the need for
familiar, fan-favourite productions, (which are good for ticket sales),
with the desire or mandate to present lesser- known works, or
commission new operas and productions from composers and directors
who continue to move the art form forward.
We sometimes tend to think of opera as a very formalized and set
tradition, but but it has built into it a long history of “revising the
creative plan” – by directors who recontextualize historical works to
reflect contemporary issues; by artists and opera organizations who
continue to refine, evolve and build the way that opera is created and
performed; and sometimes by composers themselves, of their own
volition. All facets of this visioning and revisioning are on display this
fall in Toronto’s opera community.
The Canadian Opera Company has long used the model of
co-producing with other companies to share the substantial costs
of creating and producing large-scale productions. They also pair
their operas strategically – running something well-known to audiences,
or remounting a successful past production concurrently with
something lesser known, or occasionally more contemporary or
most often, significantly restaged and reinterpreted. This is beautifully
illustrated by their first pairing of operas this fall: Puccini’s La
Bohème and Beethoven’s Fidelio, opening Sept 29 and Oct 6 respectively.
Puccini (and Bohème) are sure-fire winners here. Bohème was in
the COC’s very first season (before the company even had its current
name). Since 2008, there have been four productions of that Puccini
opera alone. Add Tosca and Madama Butterfly to the mix, and it’s not
surprising that there have been only six seasons since 2008 where the
company didn’t present one of Puccini’s works.
Beethoven’s music is arguably to classical music audiences what
Puccini is to opera, but Beethoven only wrote one opera, so it’s been
a 15-year wait for fans of his beautiful Fidelio. After 1805 when it first
premiered, he wrote three separate new overtures for it, quibbled with
producers about several iterations of the final title, and in 1814 when
the final version premiered, swore he would never write another one.
On his deathbed, he spoke of the work saying “of all my children, this
is the one that cost me the worst birth-pangs, the one that brought me
the most sorrow; and for that reason it is the one most dear to me.”
While Fidelio doesn’t make the rotation as regularly as some works,
its themes of loyalty and justice have meant that it tends to re-emerge at
times of political and global turmoil, re-visioned through a compelling
contemporary lens. Director Matthew Ozawa embraces the legacy and
seizes the opportunity with both hands, in this new co-production with
San Francisco Opera. Originally set in a prison, and originally inspired
by the French Revolution (contemporary to Beethoven’s time), this
modern re-imagining sets the story in a “undisclosed detention centre
in the near past or near future,” and is rooted in the resonances Ozawa
found in the material: images he was seeing in 2018 of detention centres
in the US and elsewhere – including repurposed Japanese internment
camps like the one where his father was born during World War II.
The design uses levels, fences and screens to show the hierarchies and
bureaucratic machinery involved in imprisoning and silencing people.
A scene from Fidelio, San Francisco Opera, 2021
CORY WEAVER
24 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Originally slated to open the 2020/21 SFO season, with the COC
following suit shortly thereafter, the pandemic has meant an additional
wait to see this compelling concept brought to life! (The set has
not been gathering dust though. Elements of it were repurposed for
SFO’s pandemic drive-in production of The Barber of Seville.)
Opera Atelier’s Orpheus: There are three different versions of
Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice – two by the composer himself, but in this
case the changes reflected factors other than the composer’s changing
feelings about the work – factors such as changing musical tastes and
conventions, cultural differences between different countries’ operatic
traditions, the standardization of tuning and, above all, who got
to play Orpheus. The 1762 version in Italian was written for a castrato;
Gluck’s 1774 French reworking ceded to the French preference for
their heroes to be high tenors; and in 1859, Hector Berlioz adapted the
role to be sung by a contralto.
Opera Atelier has, it seems, explored all three versions of the opera:
Gluck’s original Italian version in 1997; the 1774 French-language
adaptation in 2007 (with tenor Colin Ainsworth, in the words of one
critic, successfully “singing his way into and out of hell”); and most
recently, in 2015, Berlioz’s revised score, with all of the main roles
sung by women: mezzo-soprano Mireille Lebel as Orpheus, soprano
Peggy Kriha Dye as Eurydice and Meghan Lindsay as Amour (Cupid).
Opening their 2023/24 season, Ainsworth returns to the role (and
the 1774 adaptation) alongside soprano Mireille Asselin as Eurydice,
and soprano Anna-Julia David, making her company debut as Amour.
(Oct 26 - Nov 1.)
Tapestry New Opera knows better than some that in order for an
opera to reach fan favourite level, people need to see it. New, contemporary
and diverse voices must reach the new, contemporary and
diverse listeners in order to achieve enduring relevance over time. The
company understands the importance of exploring themes, events and
modern mythology that have shaped a new generation of composers.
A POWERFUL OPERA INSPIRED BY
THE NOVELS OF ARIELLA KORNMEHL
ARIELLA
JAAP NICO HAMBURGER
LIBRETTIST THOMAS BEIJER
Singing his way into and out of hell again; tenor Colin Ainsworth as Orpheus.
It also understands the importance of partnering with other creative
organizations and producers to support artists through the extended
creative process necessary to achieve these goals.
Rocking Horse Winner, based on a 1926 short story by D.H Lawrence,
is sharply relevant to modern questions about capitalism, and the
unconscious ways we pass on our hopes, dreams, fears and traumas
to our children. Initially a collaboration between Scottish composer
Gareth WIlliams and Canadian librettist/writer Anna Chatterton as part
of Tapestry’s LibLab program, it was completed through a residency
with Scottish Opera and premiered at the Berkeley Street Theatre in
2016 – a production that earned five Dora awards.
A partnership with Crow’s Theatre – not exclusively an opera
presenter – to remount the production in spring 2020 seemed poised
to bring the work to new audiences, until the pandemic forced the
cancellation of the run. Rather than dimming the lights, Tapestry, the
creative team, and the artists, pivoted to create a recorded version of
the opera, which made it’s broadcast debut on Saturday Afternoon at
OCT
22
BRUCE ZINGER
FRANCIS CHOINIÈRE, CONDUCTOR
ENSEMBLE CLASSICO-MODERNE
Koerner Hall
The Royal Conservatory Box Office
(416) 408-0208 www.rcmusic.com
RACHMANINOFF
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2
JEAN-PHILIPPE SYLVESTRE
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 25

BRENT CALIS
the Opera on CBC, introducing it to listeners across the country, many
of whom will undoubtedly be excited to see it in living, breathing
form during it’s eight-show run in Toronto at Crow's Theatre
(Nov 1-2). For those unable to make the trip (or unable to get tickets),
you can now access the recording on Tapestry’s Bandcamp.
Ariella: If the return to more normal programming felt miraculous
last season, there is a promising new trend, birthed by the lockdowns,
to begin watching out for. The lockdowns were traumatic, professionally
and creatively for the music community, but for many artists and
creators, it brought a period of intense creativity, with time to focus on
process without worrying about impending presentation deadlines.
Now, as many presenters are entering their second “normal” season,
we are beginning to see some of these process-driven new works
coming to fruition and taking their first public steps in novel ways.
Composed in 2021, Ariella, a new opera
by Jaap Nico Hamburger, is based on the
novels of Dutch author Ariella Kornmehl,
with a libretto by Thomas Beijer. Toronto
audiences (along with audiences in
Montreal, Quebec City and then in Israel)
will have opportunities to see this work
in concert or semi-staged contexts before
Jaap Nico Hamburger
it makes its official premiere at Lincoln
Centre in November 2024. The Toronto stop
at Koerner Hall features excerpts from the
opera paired, following the intermission,
with Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. It’s an intriguing pairing
and a wonderful public opportunity to see what an opera looks like as it
enters a critical stage on its journey to a more finished form.
Opera by Request: For as long as I can remember, College Street
United Church has been a home for music, theatre and opera at every
level. It’s a perfect space for Opera by Request’s enduring model: two
or more singers identify a role or opera they want to have the opportunity
to learn and perform. After identifying a director, they form
a collaboration to present the opera with support for casting other
roles, rehearsing, coaching and performing the piece in concert
with a supportive audience. Mozart’s Idomeneo takes the stage on
October 28, and Verdi’s Rigoletto on November 10.
Sophia Perlman grew up bouncing around the music, opera, theatre
and community arts scene in Toronto. She awaits the arrival of her
copy of The WholeNote to Hornepayne, Ontario, where she uses it to
armchair travel and inform her Internet video consumption.
BRIEFS
Early Music Upcoming
Plan to “Go Early and go often!” There’s so much to choose from -
here are just a few that we noticed. The details are in our listings.
OCT 6 | Enchanted Steps Kingston Baroque
Consort. Dance music by Charpentier,
Telemann, and Purcell. Their special guest is
Tafelmusik’s Christina Zacharias, violin. Then
on NOV 10 Baroque Passions: Heartbreak
and Tenderness. Works by Telemann,
Steffani, Locatelli, and Hasse. (Kingston)
OCT 13-15 | Vive la différence Tafelmusik.
Guest violinist Emmanuel Resche-Caserta,
the French-Italian concertmaster of Les
Arts Florissants, leads a programme
exploring the the rivalry between the
distinct French and Italian baroque
styles. (Toronto)
OCT 22 | Encounter in Constantinople
Rezonance Baroque Ensemble. “Music from
the complex estuary between European and
Ottoman cultures in the Baroque period” with
special guests Nicolas Royer-Artuso (oud)
and James Freeman (percussion) (Toronto).
And then on NOV 19 Vivaldi:But Not “The
Seasons” with soprano Vania Chan. A Vivaldi
concert that includes arias by Vivaldi and
concerti for strings.. Some hidden gems you
may never have heard! (Richmond Hill)
OCT 31 | Music for a Young King Alliance
Francaise Toronto presents the French
ensemble Le Poeme Harmonique, with
mezzo-soprano Eva Zaïcik. The music of
Versailles, when “life, song, and dance
were prominent in the palace; every day
was punctuated by the most refined and
exquisite music.” (Toronto)
NOV 3 | Sinbach. Aga Khan Museum,
Festival of Arabic Music & Arts. Sinbad
takes Bach on a thrilling journey through
the modern Arab world. Arab-Canadian
composer, Suad Bushnaq’s “Sinbach”,
merges the worlds of Arabic and Baroque
music like never before, with the Canadian
Arabic Orchestra and Choir. (North York)
NOV 3 & 4 | Time Stands Still Toronto
Consort. “Travel back to the vibrant English
Renaissance and delight in the shimmering
and silvery sounds of plucked strings, bowed
strings and transverse flute, as heard at
private entertainments of the late sixteenth
century.” The Consort’s guest is is bass and
spoken-word artist Martin Gomes, whose
poetry will reflect upon the era’s themes
beyond the music.(Toronto)
NOV 7 | Haus Musik: Mods and Rockers
Tafelmusik The Beatles, David Bowie, Dusty
Springfield, Queen, and Petula Clark meets
an earlier wave of British music from the
1600s: John Dowland, Thomas Simpson,
William Brade, William Young, and Henry
Purcell (Toronto, at the El Mocambo!)
MUSIC FOR A YOUNG KING WITH POÈME HARMONIQUE
OCTOBER 31 AT 8PM
24 Spadina Road Tickets available online www.alliance-francaise.ca
26 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

An agency of the Government of Ontario
Un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario
NOV 12 | Bach Solo Bass Cantatas Music at
Metropolitan. Performed by Canadian bassbaritone
Daniel Lichti, Tafelmusik principal
oboist John Abberger, and a period instruments
ensemble led by Jonathan Oldengarm.
Lichti celebrates his 50th anniversary season
as a professional singer –his debut was at
Met United (Toronto) LIVE & STREAMED.
NOV 12 | Rossi of Mantua: The Songs of
Salamone Apocryphonia and diapente
Renaissance Vocal Quintet. Sacred and
secular music - Madrigals, motets &
monodies - by the Italian-Jewish composer
Salamone Rossi, also Monteverdi, Gastoldi,
and Cenci. (Toronto)
DEC 1 Fridays at 12:30 Concert Series:
Tafelmusik Returns Don Wright Faculty of
Music. Tafelmusik musicians join faculty
from the DWFM Early Music Studio for this
popular annual performance featuring
Baroque chamber music by lesser-known
composers as well as beloved masters.
(London) LIVE & LIVESTREAM.
DEC 8 & 9 | Medieval Christmas Toronto
Consort. A serene and heartfelt Yuletide
program combining music with projected
images taken from the treasure trove of
medieval paintings, book illuminations,
and stained glass. Medieval Christmas is
presented in a darkened, candle-lit hall
designed to transport you, unplug you
from the world outside, and send you home
feeling some joy. (Toronto)
Compiled by WholeNote staff
Created for Marie Antoinette
and the most discriminating
audience in Europe.
GLUCK’S
ORPHEUS AND
EURYDICE
Oct 26 to Nov 1
ELGIN THEATRE
Colin Ainsworth / Orpheus
Mireille Asselin / Eurydice
Artists of Atelier Ballet
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
SEASON
PRESENTING
SPONSOR
OPERAATELIER.COM
Photo: Colin Ainsworth and Jennifer Such by Bruce Zinger
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 27

BRIEFS
Choral Music Upcoming
The post-COVID resurgence of public singing is breathtaking.
You can search for ALL the detailed choral concerts using the
“Just Ask” listings search feature, online at thewholenote.com
OCT 14 | Schola Magdalena. This six voice
ensemble for women’s voices, led by Stephanie
Martin, will sing works by Hildegard of Bingen,
Colin Eatock, and Anthony St. Pierre. (Toronto)
Oct 14 | The Ninth London Symphonia
Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 in d Op.125
“Choral” and Balfour’s Ambe. (London)
OCT 15 | Haydn’s The Creation Blessed
Trinity Church/Toronto Oratorio Society.
(North York)
OCT 20 | Nosferatu Amadeus Choir of
Greater Toronto. Nosferatu. A screening
of the 1922 silent film Nosferatu with live
choral performance (North York)
OCT 20 | Music to Inspire Exultate
Chamber Singers. “Come in, all you twolegged
creatures, there is good life here”.
(Toronto)
OCT 21 | Singsation: Melodies of Home Toronto
Mendelssohn Choir Feel like singing?
An SATB reading of music from around the
world that brings comfort and peace, led by
Shireen Abu-Khader (Toronto)
OCT 21 | A Rare Byrd (Kaffeemusik) Toronto
Chamber Choir. Sacred and secular music
by William Bryd and his contemporaries,
including a “comon drunckard and notorius
swearer & blasphemer” (Toronto)
OCT 21 | Mozart Requiem & Estacio The
Houses Stand Not Far Apart Grand
Philharmonic Choir, with musicians of the
Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. (Kitchener)
OCT 25 | Choral Concert Don Wright
Faculty of Music presents Les Choristes &
Western University Singers (London)
OCT 26 & 27 | Carmina Burana Toronto
Mendelssohn Choir,soloists, Toronto
Children’s Chorus and members of the
Toronto Symphony Orchestra and a cast of
thousands! (Toronto)
OCT 28 | I Will Hold You Orpheus Choir of
Toronto A celebration and reflection on
what it means to live in a cosmopolitan city
in a globalised world. (Toronto)
OCT 29 | Ukraine - Glorious and Free Canadian
Bandurist Capella/Vesnivka Choir Inspiring
contemporary and historical patriotic songs,
sung to a backdrop featuring images of the
war in Ukraine today. (Toronto).
OCT 29 | Alzheimer’s Stories Pax Christi
Chorale “Find those you love in the dark
and light. Help them through the days and
nights. Keep faith. They sense what they
cannot show. Love and music are the last
things to go. Sing anything.” (Toronto)
NOV 8, 9 & 11 | Fauré’s Requiem Toronto Symphony
Orchestra with The Amadeus Choir,
conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. (Toronto)
NOV 15 | Choir! Choir! Choir! .Burlington
Performing Arts Centre The audience
turns into a beautiful choir for one night!
Singing, comedy, and community-building.
(Burlington)
NOV 17 | Choral Kaleidoscope Tafelmusik.
Choir director Ivars Taurins has curated
some of his favourites in this soundscape
of 17th and 18th-century European choral
music. (Toronto)
NOV 18 | Annelies Grand Philharmonic
Chamber Singers Based on the life and
diary of Anne Frank, who died in the
Nazi Holocaust, who became a symbol of
hope and goodness in very dark times.
(Kitchener)
NOV 18 | Masterworks: Verdi Requiem
Mississauga Symphony Orchestra,
Mississauga Festival Choir. (Mississauga)
NOV 25 | Achill Celebrates 40! Achill Choral
Society (Orangeville) also DEC 2 (Alliston)
NOV 25 | Yuletide Cheer Peterborough
Singers. An annual celebration –the best
things about this special time of year.
(Peterborough)
NOV 25 | The Power of Music Jubilate Singers
A concert of music about music! (Toronto)
NOV 26 | The Men of the Deeps: Christmas in
the Mine Burlington Performing Arts Centre
A choir of working and retired coal miners
from the island of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia
organised in 1966. (Burlington) Also DEC 1
at Flato Markham Theatre (Markham)
NOV 30 | The Tallis Scholars: 50th Anniversary
Tour Flato Markham Theatre. The
British ensemble creates purity and clarity
of sound which best serves the Renaissance
repertoire, allowing every detail of
the musical lines to be heard. (Markham)
“It’s beginning to look a lot like …”
December!
In our print listings, at least 15 choral
concerts between Dec 1-7 already offer
“seasonal” or “holiday” fare! Stay tuned
for more at thewholenote.com
MAINLY CLUBS
CATASTROPHIC
TRIFLES
& MUSICAL
REMEDIES
COLIN STORY
Picture the scene: you are flannel-clad at an orchard,
attempting to engage in Instagrammable autumnal
fun, having spent well over $150 CAD on gas,
Onroute snacks and admission for your family (and your
son’s strange friend), and you stand there suffering the
indignity of realizing you must pay a further $30 for your
roleplay harvesting of subpar baking apples which (you
can already picture it) will die a slow, ignoble death in
your garage, eaten by no one but insect interlopers and,
possibly, an intrepid raccoon.
The feeling: despondency, somehow trifling and catastrophic at the
same time.
The remedy: therapy, probably. But maybe as the hankering for
outdoor activity abates, seeing some indoor live music couldn’t hurt.
Jesse Ryan
ROBIN SASSI
Hugh’s new room: On Sunday,
October 15, saxophonist and
bandleader Jesse Ryan takes the
stage at Hugh’s Room Live, as the
venerable venue settles into its
new location at 296 Broadview.
Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad,
and educated at both Toronto’s
Humber College and at Berklee
in Boston, Ryan’s music investigates
the links between jazz and
Afro-Caribbean music. (This link
is foundational in the language of
jazz, particularly in its rhythms;
the pianist Jelly Roll Morton,
who began touring professionally
around 1904, contended that
the “Spanish tinge” – the tresillo
and habanera rhythms that
made their way to the port city of
New Orleans from Cuba – were essential to distinguishing jazz from
other kinds of music.) The Juno Award-nominated Ryan possesses an
agile, accomplished voice on his instrument, which fits naturally into
his compositional language. Joining Ryan on this date is another of
Canada’s rising star jazz musicians, the vocalist Joanna Majoko, who
brings an incredible sophistication and self-assuredness to her vocal
performances, on her own original songs as well as her arrangements
of standards.
28 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Jocelyn Gould
Anthony Fung
HAL-MASONBERG
The Jazz Room: On Saturday, November 4, the guitarist and vocalist
Jocelyn Gould celebrates the release of her new album, Sonic Bouquet,
with a show at The Jazz Room in Waterloo. Gould is an excellent guitarist
who plays with the robust swing, archtop tone and blues-inflected bebop
language of luminaries like Wes Montgomery and Grant Green. Gould
will be bringing a stellar band with her, including pianist Will Bonness,
drummer Mark Kelso and bassist Mike Downes. (Her new album features
fellow guitarist Randy Napoleon, drummer Quincy Davis, bassist Rodney
Whitaker and Canadian clarinetist Virginia MacDonald.)
Jazz Bistro: On Thursday, November 23, the release of another
new album will be celebrated, this time at Jazz Bistro. The LA-based,
Ontario-born drummer Anthony Fung’s new album, FO(U)RTH,
features pianist Michael Ragonese, bassist Luca Alemanno, and the
esteemed saxophonist Mark Turner, whose work (with the likes of Kurt
Rosenwinkel, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart and countless others) will likely
need no introduction. At Jazz Bistro, Fung is joined by his long-time
Toronto collaborator, the bassist Julian Anderson-Bowes, as well as the
aforementioned clarinetist Virginia MacDonald. Fung is a confident
drummer who plays in a modern, straight-ahead style. His playing
effectively manages to be exciting, propulsive and also eminently
supportive of the phrase at hand, whether that phrase is generated by a
bandmate or by Fung’s own sense of drumset melodicism.
Burdock: Through the pandemic, for all of the obvious reasons,
Burdock took a long break from presenting shows in its Music Hall,
a venue that had become a mainstay for indie artists, jazz musicians,
rock bands and a host of other musical projects, all of which found a
home on Burdock’s beautifully maintained stage. Now, after a lengthy
hiatus, and under the leadership of new Music Hall programmer
Deanna Petcoff, live shows at Burdock are back, with a number of
interesting offerings currently in the books for the coming months.
So, if it’s been a little while since you’ve seen a show at Burdock – or
if you’ve never been – stop by, have one of their excellent beers (or the
non-alcoholic kombucha on tap), and enjoy.
Colin Story is a jazz guitarist, writer and teacher based in Toronto. He
can be reached at www.colinstory.com, on Instagram and on Twitter.
LA TROMPETTE
Française
Sunday, October 29, 2023 - 3:00 PM
Jane Mallett Theatre, Toronto
Jean-Michel Malouf Conductor
Robert Weymouth Trumpet Soloist
Tickets: visit hssb.ca
Phone: 1.800.708.6754
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 29

24 TH ANNUAL
BLUE
PAGES
PRESENTER PROFILES
OUR 24TH ANNUAL BLUE PAGES DIRECTORY IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Happy Fall! As you begin to plan your musical adventures for the 2023-24 season, we invite
you to visit our online “Blue Pages” directory of music presenters. All the presenters in this
directory choose to take a WholeNote paid membership in support of the free music listings
services we offer to the entire community. You can find out more about what each of them
will be doing in 2023/24, in their own words at www.thewholenote.com/blue. Profiles will
remain online for the 2023/24 season. New members come in throughout the fall;
we add them online and in this print index when they arrive.
For more information on how to join the Blue Pages, and more
generally on how a WholeNote membership works, email members@
thewholenote.comWishing you all a fulfilling musical 2023-24!
Karen Ages, memberships
Aga Khan Museum
“Through the arts, the Aga Khan Museum sparks
wonder, curiosity, and understanding of Muslim
cultures and their connection with other cultures.”
www.agakhanmuseum.org/index.html
Alliance Française Toronto
“Learn French, Live French!”
www.alliance-francaise.ca/en/
Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto
“The Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto celebrates
its 50th anniversary season with three
monumental concerts at the Meridian Arts Centre
and an outdoor and immersive choral experience.”
amadeuschoir.com/
Annex Singers
“A spirited, auditioned choir with an eclectic
repertoire spanning seven centuries.”
annexsingers.com/
Apocryphonia
“Illuminating Musical Revelations” Specializing
in affordable concerts of underperformed and
rare classical music in the GTA.”
http://www.apocryphonia.com/
Attila Glatz Concert Productions
“Producing, promoting, and managing concerts
and performances worldwide.”
www.glatzconcerts.com/
Azrieli Music Prizes
“Azrieli Music Prizes: discovering, creating, performing
and celebrating excellence in music
composition.” azrielifoundation.org/priorities/
music-arts-culture/amp/
Brampton On Stage
“Brampton On Stage celebrates 4 unique venues
– The Rose Mainstage & Studio, LBP,
Cyril Clark, and Garden Square.”
tickets.brampton.ca/Online/default.asp
Canadian Bandurist Capella
“Like storytelling minstrels of old, the Canadian
Bandurist Capella lets its voices and the strings
of the bandura bring the rich musical story of
Ukrainians to life!” http://www.banduristy.com/
Canadian Opera Company
“The Canadian Opera Company is Canada’s largest
opera company, known for its artistic excellence
and innovation, as well as attracting some
of the world’s best opera performers.”
www.coc.ca/
Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra
“The Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra
brings to life the power, emotion and dynamism
of the classical symphonic repertoire for
an engaged audience of supportive listeners.”
cathedralbluffs.com/
Church of St Mary Magdalene Gallery Choir
“An all-volunteer choir, singing music every
week from the Middle Ages to the 21st Century.”
www.stmarymagdalene.ca/
Confluence Concerts
“An act or process of merging”: Confluence
produces joyous, daring and thought-provoking
concerts in a warm atmosphere of intimacy
and discovery.” www.confluenceconcerts.ca/
Counterpoint Community Orchestra
“Founded in 1984 in the gay village of Toronto,
Counterpoint is celebrating its 40th anniversary
with the 23/24 season.” www.ccorchestra.org/
Crow’s Theatre
“Celebrating 40 years of Crow’s Theatre.”
www.crowstheatre.com/
DaCapo Chamber Choir
“Dedicated to exploring unaccompanied music,
primarily of the 20th Century and later, with
an emphasis on Canadian repertoire, DaCapo
Chamber Choir is...“Giving ideas voice.”
dacapochamberchoir.ca/
Don Wright Faculty of Music
at Western University
“In the 2023-24 season, we are excited to
share our music with the community and
experience the incredible diversity of musical
styles and genres our students, faculty and
invited world-class guest artists have to offer.”
music.uwo.ca/
Edison Singers
“Regal, triumphant, nostalgic, spiritual and sentimental…
As always, our concerts strive to transport
listeners in a way that only the sonorities of
choral music can achieve.” theedisonsingers.com/
Elmer Iseler Singers
“The Elmer Iseler Singers are a 20-voice professional
chamber choir based in Toronto, directed
by the acclaimed Lydia Adams, C.M. Entering
their 45th year, they are presenting a 3-concert
series.” www.elmeriselersingers.com/
Ensemble Vivant
“...absolutely stirring and heart-achingly beautiful...chamber
music at its evocative best!”
– The WholeNote. www.ensemblevivant.com/
Esprit Orchestra
“Founded in 1983 by Music Director and Conductor,
Alex Pauk, Esprit Orchestra’s commitment
to commissioning and advancing
contemporary music has set it apart as one of the
few organizations of its kind on a global scale.”
www.espritorchestra.com/
Etobicoke Centennial Choir
“Etobicoke Centennial Choir is an auditioned
SATB choir that performs diverse choral repertoire
over a three-concert season. New singers
are warmly welcomed. Rehearsals are Tuesday
evenings from 7:30 - 9:45.”
etobicokecentennialchoir.ca/
Etobicoke Community Concert Band
“Great music...right in your own backyard!”
www.eccb.ca/
Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra
“The EPO 2023-2024 season features something
for everyone, from Brahms to Prokofiev, Sibelius
to Beethoven, celebrated with great soloists both
local and from afar. Great music celebrated in
your community.” www.eporchestra.ca/
Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan
“Canada’s first gamelan ensemble, commissioning
and premiering contemporary works
for Sundanese gamelan degung for 40 years.”
evergreenclubgamelan.com/
30 | October & November, 2023 thewholenote.com

Exultate Chamber Singers
“Founded in 1981, Exultate Chamber Singers is
an award-winning adult mixed-voice chamber
choir of richly varied ages, and cultural
backgrounds. Together they form a passionate,
committed ensemble with a wide-ranging repertoire.”
www.exultate.net/
Flute Street
“Performing on nine different sizes of flutes from
the tiny piccolo to Canada’s largest flute – the
double contrabass – this versatile and unique
ensemble offers a surprisingly wide spectrum
of genres.” flutestreet.ca/
Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra
“The GTPO has established itself as a community-driven
orchestra in Toronto, serving a broad
geographic area in the City of Toronto, with performances
at multiple facilities.”
www.gtpo.ca/
Hannaford Street Silver Band
“Get into brass, the Hannaford kind!”
http://hssb.ca/
HCA Dance Theatre
“HCA Dance Theatre, a non-profit arts organization,
housed in the historical building of Hamilton
Conservatory for the Arts, presents and
produces a variety of performance arts events
with an impressive mix of genres, styles and cultural
diversity.” hcadancetheatre.com/
InterMusic Entertainment Group
“Classical Music, Like Never Before.”
intermusicgroup.ca
Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts
“Situated on the shores of Lake Ontario, the Isabel
brings together world-class arts spaces and programs
creating a dynamic venue for students and
the community to learn, discover, think, do, and
experience together.” www.queensu.ca/theisabel/
Jubilate Singers
“Toronto-based SATB community choir performing
multicultural music under the direction
of Isabel Bernaus.” www.jubilatesingers.ca/
Kindred Spirits Orchestra
“The Kindred Spirits Orchestra 2023-24 season
presents a 3-concert series at the Meridian Arts
Centre, 3-concert series at Flato Markham Theatre
and 3 special concerts in CBC Glenn Gould
Studio, Cornell Recital Hall and Unionville Millennium
Theatre.” ksorchestra.ca/
Li Delun Music Foundation
“Named after the renowned Chinese conductor
Li Delun, who founded the first symphony
orchestra in the People’s Republic of China, the
Toronto-based foundation presents high-quality
musical events bridging cultural exchange
between the East and West.” lidelun.org/
London Symphonia
“London Symphonia is one of the finest regional
professional orchestras in Canada, and a leader
in London’s vibrant music and arts community.”
www.londonsymphonia.ca/
Metropolitan United Church
“Met United is a centre for great sacred music in
the heart of Toronto. We are warm, welcoming,
and affirming – join us in celebrating beauty and
community.” www.metunited.org/
Mississauga Chamber Singers
“The Mississauga Chamber Singers bring clarity
and intimacy to great choral masterpieces from a
wide range of A Capella works to timeless works
for choir and orchestra.” www.mcsingers.ca/
Mississauga Symphony Orchestra
“The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra is passionate
about, and committed to, maintaining
and continuing the tradition of classical symphonic
music in Mississauga. We take pride in
our designation as the best hybrid orchestra in
Canada.” www.mississaugasymphony.ca/
Mooredale Concerts
“Great Classical Music for All”
www.mooredaleconcerts.com/
Music at St. Andrew’s
“Music at St. Andrew’s presents great music
at affordable prices in the heart of downtown
Toronto.” standrewstoronto.org/
Music at St. Thomas’s Anglican Church
“Excellence in liturgical music.”
www.stthomas.on.ca/
Music Gallery
“Toronto’s centre for creative music, The Music
Gallery develops, presents and promotes contemporary
music in all genres.” musicgallery.org/
Music in the Afternoon (Women’s
Musical Club of Toronto)
“Through its “Music in the Afternoon” concert
series, the WMCT presents chamber music concerts
featuring musicians on the threshold of
international recognition, as well as established
artists and ensembles.” www.wmct.on.ca/
Music TORONTO
“Music TORONTO’s 2023-24 season presents the
world’s highest calibre chamber ensembles and
solo pianists. Join the best audience in the city
for live performances in an intimate concert hall
downtown.” musictorontoconcerts.com/
Nathaniel Dett Chorale
“The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada’s premier
performer of Afrocentric composers, building
bridges of understanding, appreciation, and
acceptance between communities of people
through the medium of music.”
nathanieldettchorale.org/
New Music Concerts
“At NMC we inspire our listeners with extraordinary
performances of the world’s most adventurous
music.” www.newmusicconcerts.com/
Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation
“Dedicated to bringing you the best in inspirational
arts programming.” www.9sparrowsarts.org/
Nocturnes in the City
“One of the secret musical events in Toronto.”
www.masaryktown.ca/nocturnes
Off Centre Music Salon
“Unique concerts presented Salon-style. Please
join us on select Sunday afternoons at Trinity-
St. Paul’s Centre (Spadina & Bloor).”
offcentremusic.com/
Opera Atelier
“Opera Atelier is North America’s premier period
opera/ballet company, producing the opera,
ballet and drama of the 17th,18th, and 19th centuries.”
www.operaatelier.com/
Oriana Women’s Choir
“Oriana explores the possibilities in choral music
for upper voices. We foster the creation of Canadian
choral music, regularly commissioning
works from Canadian composers for upper
voices.” orianachoir.com/
Orpheus Choir of Toronto
“Celebrating the power of choral music and
championing the new and unusual in choral
performance.” http://orpheuschoirtoronto.com/
Pax Christi Chorale
“Pax Christi Chorale’s 2023/24 concert season
has something for everyone!”
www.paxchristichorale.org/
Peterborough Singers
“Experience the joy of creating great music
alongside over 100 Singers.”
www.peterboroughsingers.com/
Rezonance Baroque Ensemble
“Inspired by history and informed by the
present, Rezonance leads audiences through
the discovery of under-appreciated and unusual
works, and new ways of hearing the classics.”
rezonanceensemble.com/
Royal Canadian College of Organists Toronto
“RCCO Toronto is Toronto’s leading professional
organization of the pipe organ - hosting recitals,
concerts, and workshops throughout the year.”
www.rcco.ca/Toronto
Royal Conservatory of Music
“The Royal Conservatory’s Koerner Hall is “the
greatest venue in this city” and “magnificent in
its acoustics, as much as in its design” (Toronto
Star) www.rcmusic.com/concerts
Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra
“Great music close to home in Scarborough.”
spo.ca/
Show One Productions
“Show One Productions is a full-service production
company presenting concerts with highprofile
classical musicians, opera stars, and
orchestras, as well as great dance and theatre
companies.” showoneproductions.ca/
thewholenote.com October & November, 2023 | 31

SINE NOMINE Ensemble for Medieval Music
“SINE NOMINE offers vocal and instrumental
music from medieval courts and churches to
provide insight into the fascinating artistic and
intellectual culture of the Middle Ages.”
http://pims.ca/article/sine-nomine/
Sinfonia Toronto
“A World-Class Orchestra” (German review
headline), Sinfonia Toronto performs in Trinity-St.
Paul’s, Jane Mallett Theatre and Weston
Recital Hall. Their 2023-2024 season includes 10
premieres and all-time Baroque, Classical and
Romantic favourites.” www.sinfoniatoronto.com/
SoundCrowd
“Toronto’s first large-scale contemporary a cappella
ensemble. Love Pitch Perfect? You’ll love
us. All voice, no limits.” soundcrowd.ca/
Soundstreams
“Soundstreams is a global leader in the presentation
of innovative, carefully curated, and
immersive musical experiences. We are committed
to showcasing the work of living Canadian
and global composers/musicians, often
with a focus on bringing to focus contemporary
conversations to our communities.”
soundstreams.ca/
S. Bartholomew’s Anglican
Church, Regent Park
“The S. Bartholomew’s music programme features
compositions by well-known masters such
as Lassus, Byrd, Fauré and Howells, and rarelyheard
treasures of the Middle Ages.”
stbartstoronto.ca/
St. James Cathedral
“Music is an integral part of the life of St. James
Cathedral. Our Anglican musical heritage continues
to enrich and evolve in new and exciting
ways.” stjamescathedral.ca/
St. Michael’s Choir School
“St. Michael’s Choir School - Canada’s only full
time Choir School.” smcs.on.ca/
St. Olave’s Anglican Church
“A welcoming Anglican church supporting
choral liturgy and music in the community.”
stolaves.ca/
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Choir
“Tafelmusik brings a fresh perspective to historically
informed performance. 17th to 19th century
instrumental and choral music shares the
stage with exciting multimedia programs, bold
new commissions, and intriguing cross-cultural
collaborations.” tafelmusik.org/
Tapestry Opera
“We make new opera in Toronto. Tapestry was
founded in 1979, and we’re the only Canadian
company solely dedicated to creating and performing
original Canadian opera.”
tapestryopera.com/
TO Live
“TO Live is one of Canada’s largest multi-arts
organizations, programming and operating three
iconic venues: Meridian Hall, St. Lawrence Centre
for the Arts, and Meridian Arts Centre.”
tolive.com/Home-Page
Toronto Beach Chorale
“Toronto Beach Chorale is a vital musical presence
in the Beach, and has a reputation for artistic
excellence. Artistic Director Mervin W. Fick
inspires choristers’ true joy of singing.”
www.torontobeachchorale.com/
Toronto Chamber Choir
“Toronto Chamber Choir: Early Music, New
Light.” torontochamberchoir.ca/
Toronto Children’s Chorus
“The Toronto Children’s Chorus is a vibrant
musical community that has been nurturing
young voices for generations. Through exceptional
choral training and performance experiences,
we inspire growth, teamwork, and artistic
excellence to children ages 4-18.”
www.torontochildrenschorus.com/
Toronto Choral Society
“This December we are performing Bach’s
Christmas Oratorio at Koerner Hall, the jewel
of Toronto concert venues.”
www.torontochoralsociety.org/
Toronto Classical Singers
“With its exuberant approach, TCS celebrates the
choral tradition with the complex sonority of
large choir with professional orchestra.”
torontoclassicalsingers.ca/
Toronto Community Orchestra
“The TCO performs two “pay what you can”
concerts for the public per season at East End
United, 310 Danforth Ave, Toronto.”
torontocommunityorchestra.org/
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
“The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is proud to be
one of Canada’s oldest, largest, and best-known
choral organizations. Under the incredible leadership
of maestro Jean-Sébastien Vallée, 2023/24
promises to be a season full of exhilarating performances,
including collaborations with the
Toronto Symphony Orchestra.” www.tmchoir.org/
Toronto Operetta Theatre
“TOT will return to the St. Lawrence Centre stage
with a new season of wonderful music, comedy,
and romance - the best of Operetta and Music
Theatre!” www.torontooperetta.com/
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
“One of Canada’s most respected arts organizations,
the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO)
plays a vital role in the city’s dynamic cultural
life.” www.tso.ca/
Trio Arkel
“Chamber music series in the heart of Toronto.”
www.trioarkel.com/
University of Toronto Faculty of Music
“Join the Faculty of Music’s vibrant community
for a season of over 100 events including an
exciting lineup of distinguished visitors, performances,
lectures, symposia and more.”
www.music.utoronto.ca/
Untitled Ensemble Chamber Music Society
“A not for profit chamber music project dedicated
to exploring works by historically marginalized
composer groups with an emphasis on
works by women.” www.untitledensemble.ca/
Upper Canada Choristers
“The Upper Canada Choristers is a mixed voice
community choir committed to excellence,
diversity, and the joy of singing.”
www.uppercanadachoristers.org/
Vesnivka Choir
“Vesnivka Choir’s 2023-2024 concert season features
an exciting program of Ukrainian patriotic
songs, Christmas music as well as Ukrainian and
Indigenous traditional music and will include
interesting guest ensembles.”
http://www.vesnivka.com/
VIVA Singers Toronto
“VIVA Singers Toronto is a family of choirs with
a mandate to give members, ages four through
adult, the opportunity to achieve artistic excellence
in a singer-centred, collaborative choral
community. Every Voice Matters!”
www.vivasingerstoronto.com/
VOCA Chorus of Toronto
“The VOCA Chorus of Toronto, a dynamic, auditioned
ensemble under the leadership of artistic
director Jenny Crober, performs a broad range
of repertoire in collaboration with a variety of
superb guest artists.” www.vocachorus.ca/
VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert
“The 50th anniversary season features three
early Bel Canto influenced operas of the iconic
Italian Master, Giuseppe Verdi.”
http://operainconcert.com/
Westben
“Join us at Westben in 2024 as we celebrate 25
years of bringing people together through music
in nature near Campbellford. Experience our
Summer and Fall Festivals at The Barn, Willow
Hill and the Campfire and year round programming
at the Schoolhouse.” www.westben.ca/
Wychwood Clarinet Choir
“Five varieties of clarinets playing in harmony.
What could be more beautiful?”
www.wychwoodclarinetchoir.ca/
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church
“Yorkminster Park is synonymous with magnificent
music. Whether it’s the choir accompanied
by the majestic Casavant organ, our Memorial
Carillon (one of twelve in Canada), or the congregation
lifting their voices in hymns of praise,
vocal and instrumental expressions of faith are
integral in the Yorkminster Park experience.”
www.yorkminsterpark.com/
32 | October & November, 2023 thewholenote.com

NEW SEASON.
NEW LOOK.
JUNE - DECEMBER 2023
ON SALE NOW
ROSE ORCHESTRA:
AUTUMN BRILLIANCE
OCTOBER 21, 2023
B-JAZZED
OCTOBER 24 & DECEMBER 19, 2023
PAVLO
OCTOBER 28, 2023
CHRISTMAS AT THE ROSE
WITH THE BRAMPTON
CONCERT BAND
DECEMBER 2, 2023
ROSE ORCHESTRA:
GINGERBREAD JOY
DECEMBER 9, 2023
ADI BRAUN QUARTET - NOIR
DECEMBER 14, 2023
BOX OFFICE: 905 874 2800
THE ROSE
GARDEN SQUARE
LBP
CYRIL CLAR K
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 33

LIVE OR ONLINE | Oct 1 to Dec 7, 2023
Sunday October 1
● 11:00am: Yorkminster Park Baptist
Church. Carillon Dedication and Recital. Dr.
Andrea McCrady, Dominion Carillonneur
from the Peace Tower in Ottawa. 1585 Yonge
St. www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 1:15: Mooredale Concerts. Music & Truffles
KIDS. Jason Vieaux, guitar. Walter Hall,
Edward Johnson Building, University of
Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-922-3714 x103;
647-988-2012 (eve/wknd). $25.
● 2:00: Arraymusic. Public Workshop:
Improvisation with Allison Cameron. Open to
musicians of any level! Beginners welcome
(and encouraged!). Use your instrument as a
tool for sound exploration. Work with a professional
composer/musician to play and
create graphic scores. Have fun in a chill
and welcoming environment. Array Space,
155 Walnut Ave. www.arraymusic.ca. Free.
Donations accepted.
● 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Mozart’s
Solemn Vespers. Reading for singers and
instrumentalists. Thomas Burton, conductor.
Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 647-
458-0213 or www.cammac.ca/toronto. $15;
$10(members).
● 2:00: Canadian Opera Company. Fidelio.
Music by Ludwig van Beethoven. Miina-
Liisa Vārelā, soprano (Leonore); Clay Hilley,
tenor (Florestan); Dimitry Ivaschenko,
bass (Rocco); Anna-Sophie Neher, soprano
(Marzelline); Josh Lovell, tenor (Jaquino);
and other soloists. Canadian Opera Company
Chorus & Orchestra; Johannes Debus, conductor;
Matthew Ozawa. Four Seasons Centre
for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W.
416-363-8231 or 1-800-250-4653 or tickets@
coc.ca. Single tickets on sale Aug 28. Also
Oct 7, 12, 14(4:30pm), 18, 20. At 7:30pm unless
otherwise noted.
● 2:00: Westben. Fall Festival: Michael
Kaeshammer. Michael Kaeshammer,
piano & vocals. The Barn (Campbellford),
6698 County Road 30, Campbellford. 1-877-
883-5777 or www.westben.ca. $65.
● 2:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra.
Indigenous Artists and Sultans of String
Walking Through the Fire: A Trailblazing
Musical Response to the TRC’s 94 Calls to
Action. Sultans of String; Alyssa Delbaere-
Sawchuk, fiddler; Marc Meriläinen, singer/
songwriteriwan), Shannon Thunderbird,
singer/songwriter; Don Ross, guitar; and
others. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre,
Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
www.tinyurl.com/bdch4tyt or 905-688-
0722. $75; $29(st univ/college with valid ID);
$24(youth under 18 with valid ID); $46(under
35); $52(arts workers with valid ID);
$100(Diamond). Also Sep 30(7:30pm).
● 3:00: Amici Chamber Ensemble. Gems.
Brahms: Sonata for clarinet and piano; Fibich:
Quintet for clarinet, horn, violin, cello, and
piano Op.42; Frühling: Trio in a for clarinet,
cello, and piano Op.40; Sofia Gubaidulina:
Preludes for solo cello. Guest artists: Erika
Raum, violin; Neil Deland, horn. Amici Chamber
Ensemble: Joaquin Valdepeñas, clarinet;
David Hetherington, cello; Serouj Kradjian,
piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor
St. W. www.amiciensemble.com. $50;
$30(under 30); $100(donor/VIP).
● 3:00: Magisterra Soloists. Magisterra at
the Museum: Beyond Borders. Prokofiev:
Quintet in g Op.39; and works by Olivier Messiaen,
Rebecca Clarke, Alvin Etler, Hans Werner
Henze, and Thomas Fortmann. Guests:
Peter Shackleton, clarinet, & Nermis Mieses,
oboe. Museum London, 421 Ridout St. N., London.
www.magisterra.com. $35; $30(sr);
$15(st); $10(under 10).
● 3:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Piano
Concerts Series: Mahani Teave. Bach: Chromatic
Fantasia & Fugue in d BWV 903; Chopin:
Nocturne in b-flat Op.9 No.1; Chopin: Mazurka
in g Op.67 No.2; Chopin: Mazurka in a
Op.67 No.4; Chopin: Nocturne in e Op.72 No.1;
and works by Arevalo, Liszt, Rachmaninoff,
and others. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. From $40.
● 3:15: Mooredale Concerts. Jason Vieaux,
classical guitar. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson
Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s
Park. 416-922-3714 x103; 647-988-2012 (eve/
wknd). $55; $50(sr); $30(st).
● 4:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
Leisa Way’s Opry Gold. Wayward Wind
Band. Burlington Performing Arts Centre
- Community Studio Theatre, 440 Locust
St., Burlington. 905-681-6000. $49.50;
$44.50(member).
● 4:00: Confluence Concerts. Irish Songbook.
New and traditional Irish repertoire.
Patricia O’Callaghan, soprano. Featuring
Larry Beckwith, Miranda Mulholland, Maeve
Palmer, Tim Posgate, Yolanda Tapia, and
Maryem Tollar. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton
Ave. 647-678-4923 or www.bemusednetwork.com/events.
$25. Pre-concert chat
(3:15pm).
● 4:00: Flute Street. Tenth Anniversary Season:
Dances with Flutes. Stravinsky: Dances
from Petrouchka; Valerie Coleman: Juba
Dance, Bartók: Rumanian Dances; Warlock:
Capriol Suite, John Palmer: Samba.
Church of St. Peter and St. Simon-the-Apostle,
525 Bloor St. E. 416-462-9498. PWYC - $25
suggested.
● 5:00: St. Thomas’s Anglican Church. Evensong,
Te Deum, and Adoration. Howells: Magnificat
& Nunc Dimittis “Collegium Regale”;
Britten: Festival Te Deum; Peter Philips: Motet
”Elegi abjectus esse”. Guest: John Tuttle, conductor;
Choir of St. Thomas’s Church; Elizabeth
Anderson, director; Manuel Piazza,
assistant director. 383 Huron St. 416-979-
2323 or www.stthomas.on.ca. Freewill offering.
Reception to follow in parish hall.
● 7:00: INNERchamber Inc. Three-Part
Inventions. Reflections by Roy Lewis on the
roots of creativity. Original compositions
by Graham Hargrove and Ben Bolt-Martin
connected by the musical experiments of
Bach and Domenico Scarlatti. Roy Lewis,
actor; Ben Bolt-Martin, cello; Graham Hargrove,
percussion. Factory 163, 163 King St.,
Stratford. tickets@innerchamber.ca. $45;
$30(arts workers/st); $20(Livestream).
5:30pm - Pre-show dinner. A light meal
is available to in-person patrons. LIVE &
LIVESTREAM.
● 7:30: Apocryphonia. GinasterAmirov:
Argentine & Azerbaijani Opera and Piano
Masterworks. Ginastera: Piano Sonata
No.1; Ginastera: Las horas de una estancia;
Amirov: Romantic Sonata (Canadian Premiere);
Amirov - Excerpts from Sevil. Thera
Barclay, soprano; Alexander Cappellazzo,
tenor; Narmina Afandiyeva, piano. Heliconian
Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 514-378-2558. Pay
What You Want(In-person or Eventbrite);
$25/$50(Supporter Donations/Program
Shout-Outs).
Monday October 2
● 10:00am: Westben. Fall Festival: Sounds
in Nature. Enjoy a magical autumn morning
amidst the ancient splendour of colourful forests,
peaceful streams, and turning leaves.
Ben Finley & Friends. Willow Hill Amphitheatre,
6698 County Road 30 N., Campbellford.
1-877-883-5777 or www.westben.ca. $55;
$53(sr); $30(under 30); $5(18 and under).
Also Oct 1. Meet at Willow Hill and then take a
nature walk through the Mary West Nature
Reserve followed by refreshments, snacks,
and conversations with the artists at the
Westben Campfire.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Sergio
Mendes. Fallsview Casino Resort, Avalon Theatre,
6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls.
1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
From $45. Also Oct 3(3pm) & 4(8:30pm).
● 8:00: Massey Hall. Tom Odell. 178 Victoria
St. www.ticketmaster.ca. From $46.
Tuesday October 3
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
listings@theWholeNote.com
Event listings are free of charge to
artists, venues and presenters.
This issue contains event listings from October 1 to December 7, 2023.
IN THIS ISSUE
● Live and/or livestream (date-specific daily listings for
performances, workshops, etcetera
● Directory of alternative venues (mainly clubs mostly
jazz)
● Ongoing, On Demand and Other (not tied to a specific
date)
HOW TO LIST
1. Use the convenient online form at
thewholenote.com/applylistings
2. Email listings to listings@thewholenote.com.
Please note, we do not take listings over the phone.
PLACEMENT
Listings are received every day and published in all media for
which they are received in time.
• WEEKLY LISTINGS UPDATE (e-letter & online)
• JUST ASK (searchable online listings database)
• PRINT (see list of 2023/24 publication dates on page 9).
DEADLINES
Weekly Listings Update and Just Ask: Eligible listings received
by 6pm Tuesday, each week, will be included in the following
Sunday’s e-letter, and simultaneously posted to our searchable
online listings database.
Print: Our next print issue, Volume 29 no.3 covers December and
January 2023. The print submission deadline for that issue will
be Tuesday November 7. Please note: the Weekly listing e-letter
typically looks 2-3 weeks ahead; the Just Ask database is searchable
as far into the future as we have listings. Listings received for the
Weekly Update prior to an upcoming print deadline do not need to be
resubmitted unless there are changes.
REGISTER FOR THE WEEKLY LISTINGS UPDATE
at thewholenote.com/newsletter
All other inquiries about WholeNote listings should be addressed to
John Sharpe, Listings Editor at listings@thewholenote.com.
34 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Free Concert Series: Trios for Clarinet, Bassoon,
and Piano. Beethoven: Septet Op.20
(arr. by Beethoven for trio); Glinka: Trio
pathétique. Dominic Desautels, clarinet; Zsófia
Stefan, bassoon; Jean-Luc Therrien,
piano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free.
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Rising Stars
Recital. Featuring students from the Glenn
Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of
Music. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church,
1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 12:10: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Tuesday Noon Series: Fourth Year
Singers In Performance. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-978-3750 or www.
music.utoronto.ca. Free.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. The Life and
Times of William Byrd. Organ music as well
as sacred and secular songs of William Byrd.
Thomas Bell, Nathan Jeffery, and soloists
from the Choir of St. James Cathedral. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E.
416-364-7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/
recitals. Free. Donations welcome.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Sergio
Mendes. Fallsview Casino Resort, Avalon Theatre,
6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls.
1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
From $45. Also Oct 2(3pm) & 4(8:30pm).
● 7:00: Opera Revue. Tasting Notes: Wine
Meets Opera. Selections from works by Mozart,
Verdi, and Gounod. Danie Friesen, soprano;
Alexander Hajek, baritone; Claire Elise
Harris, piano; Chanile Vines, wine guide. My
House in the Junction, 2882 Dundas St. W.
647-637-7491 or www.operarevue.com/tasting-notes-wine-meets-opera.
$60. 15% discount
for groups of 3 or more.
● 7:30: Brantford Symphony Orchestra.
Indigenous Artists and Sultans of String
Walking Through the Fire: A Trailblazing
Musical Response to the TRC’s 94 Calls
to Action. Sultans of String; Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk,
fiddler; Marc Meriläinen,
singer/songwriteriwan), Shannon Thunderbird,
singer/songwriter; Don Ross, guitar;
and others. Sanderson Centre for the Performing
Arts, 88 Dalhousie St., Brantford.
www.brantfordsymphony.ca/event/walking-through-the-fire
or 519-758-8090. $49;
$20(st).
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room. Coco Montoya. Coco
Montoya, guitar & vocals. The Revival,
783 College St. www.showpass.com/cocomontoya.
$70/$60(adv).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Pops:
The Doo Wop Project. The Doo Wop Project,
vocal group; Steven Reineke, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
From $62. Also Oct 4.
Wednesday October 4
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Free Concert Series: Meet the Artists of
NIGHT/SHIFT. Meet three of NIGHT/SHIFT’s
dynamic movement makers before their new
dance work’s world premiere as part of Fall
for Dance North’s ninth annual festival, copresented
with Citadel + Compagnie. Enjoy a
thought-provoking preview and hear directly
from the choreographers about their creative
process. Citadel + Compagnie and Fall
for Dance North. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/
free-concert-series. Free.
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy Concerts.
Peter Nikiforuk, organ. 54 Queen St. N.,
Kitchener. 519-578-4430 or www.standrewskw.com.
Free. Lunch available for $10 or
bring your own.
● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recital. John Paul Farahat,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.
com. Free. Donations welcome.
● 5:00: Canadian Opera Company. Opera
Lab: The Art of Interpretation. Designed for
young adults aged 16-28, in conjunction with
the COC’s upcoming production of Puccini’s
La Bohème. Join us for an interactive workshop
to learn how the music of La Bohème
is brought to life on stage through the conductor’s
baton. Participants engage in an indepth
discussion and Q&A session with the
artists before attending the dress rehearsal.
Presented by Jordan de Souza, conductor,
and Karine White, COC Teaching Artist. Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/OperaLab. $15.
● 7:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
The Circle: Indigenous Songwriters’
Showcase. FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre, Robertson Theatre, 250 St. Paul St.,
St. Catharines. 905-688-0722; boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. PWYC.
● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. University Of Toronto Percussion
Ensemble Presents Ligeti at 100. Walter
Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of
Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-978-3750 or
www.music.utoronto.ca. Free.
● 8:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Dogstar:
Somewhere Between the Power Lines and
Palm Trees Tour. Fallsview Casino Resort,
OLG Stage, 6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara
Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.
ca. From $70.
● 8:00: Flato Academy Theatre. Indigenous
Artists and Sultans of String Walking
Through the Fire: A Trailblazing Musical
Response to the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action.
Sultans of String; Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk,
fiddler; Marc Meriläinen, singer/songwriteriwan),
Shannon Thunderbird, singer/
songwriter; Don Ross, guitar; and others.
2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay. www.flatoacademytheatre.com/events-shows/sos
or 705-
324-9111 or 1-877-888-0038 or boxoffice@
academytheatre.ca. From $42.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Pops: The Doo Wop Project. The Doo Wop
Project, vocal group; Steven Reineke, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-
598-3375. From $47. Also Oct 3.
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. Sergio
Mendes. Fallsview Casino Resort, Avalon Theatre,
6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls.
1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
From $45. Also Oct 2(3pm) & 3(3pm).
Thursday October 5
● 11:00am: Encore Symphonic Concert
Band. Monthly Concert. 35-piece concert
band performing band concert music,
pop tunes, jazz standards (2 singers) and
the occasional march. Trinity Presbyterian
Church York Mills, 2737 Bayview Ave. www.
encoreband.ca. $10.
● 12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan.
Thursday Noon at Met:. With carillon recital
at 11:30am. Christian Masucci Facchini,
countertenor. Metropolitan United Church,
56 Queen St. E. www.metunited.ca/live. Free.
LIVE & STREAMED.
● 1:30: Music in the Afternoon. Fauré Quartett:
The Pleasure and the Spirit. Beethoven:
Piano Quartet in E-flat Op.16; Fauré: Piano
Quartet No.2 in g Op.45; and music by Max
Reger. Fauré Quartett: Dirk Mommertz,
piano; Erika Geldsetzer, violin; Sascha Frömbling,
viola; Konstantin Heidrich, cello. Walter
Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University
of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-923-7052 X1.
$50; free(st with ID at door).
● 8:00: Ashkenaz Festival. Semer Ensemble.
Folk, cabaret, classical, cantorial, opera, klezmer
and Yiddish music, with songs in Yiddish,
German, Russian, and Hebrew accompanied
by English subtitles. Semer Ensemble: Alan
Bern, accordion & piano; Lorin Sklamberg,
vocalist; Daniel Kahn, vocalist; Sasha Lurje,
vocalist; Fabian Schnedler, vocalist; Mark
Kovnatskiy, violin; Martin Lillich, doudblebass.
Lyric Theatre, Meridian Arts Centre,
5040 Yonge St., North York. www.ashkenaz.
ca. $40.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Abbamania
& Night Fever. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.
905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$65(prime); $60(regular).
● 8:00: Massey Hall. Steve Hackett: Genesis
Revisted, Foxtrot at 50, and Hackett Highlights.
178 Victoria St. www.ticketmaster.ca.
From $59.
Friday October 6
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital. Mozart: Piano Sonata No.15 in
F K.533/494 and works by Bach, Peart, and
Debussy. Oliver Peart, piano. St. Andrew’s
Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-
593-5600 X231 or www.standrewstoronto.
org. Free.
● 5:15: Kingston Baroque Consort.
Enchanted Steps. Dance music by Charpentier,
Telemann, and Purcell. Christina
Zacharias, violin. St. James Anglican
Church, 10 Union St, Kingston. legerek@
queensu.ca or 613-217-5099 or at Novel Idea,
156 Princess St or www.livemusickingston.
ca/kingston-baroque-consort-2023. $25;
$10(st); Free(under 17).
● 7:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Relive the Music 50’s & 60’s Show.
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, Partridge
Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722 or boxoffice@firstontariopac.
ca. $46.61-$55.46.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. La
Bohème. Music by Giacomo Puccini. Amina
Edris, soprano (Mimì); Pene Pati/Kang
Wang, tenor (Rodolfo); Joo Won Kang, baritone
(Marcello); Charlotte Siegel, soprano
(Musetta); Blaise Malaba, bass (Colline); Justin
Welsh, baritone (Schaunard), and other
soloists. Canadian Opera Company Chorus
& Orchestra; Jordan de Souza, conductor;
John Caird, director. Four Seasons Centre for
the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-
363-8231 or 1-800-250-4653 or tickets@
coc.ca. Also Oct 8(2pm), 11, 13, 19, 21, 22(pm),
Andrew
Wan
Beethoven
Violin Concerto
Sibelius
Symphony No 2
Michael
Berkovsky
Tchaikovsky
Piano Concerto No1
Beethoven
Symphony No 4
Season Favourites
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 35

LIVE OR ONLINE | Oct 1 to Dec 7, 2023
28(4:30). At 7:30pm unless otherwise noted.
● 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Film
Screening: Disney’s Coco In Concert. Music
by Michael Giacchino. Steven Reineke, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-
598-3375. From $55. Also Oct 7(2pm).
● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Side-By-Side Concert Series. Students
from the Conservatoire national supérieur
de musique de Lyon join with Faculty
of Music string students and faculty. Marianne
Piketty, conductor. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. $40;
$25(sr); $10(st). U of T students admitted free
with a valid TCard, space permitting.
● 8:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
An Evening with Andy Kim. Burlington
Performing Arts Centre - Main Theatre,
440 Locust St., Burlington. 905-681-6000.
From $59.50(Regular) & $54.50(Member).
● 8:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Blue
Rodeo: Celebrating 30 Years of Five Days
in July. Fallsview Casino Resort, OLG Stage,
6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls. 1-877-
833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca. From $64.
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. Harry Manx.
Hugh’s Room Live (New Location),
296 Broadview Ave. www.hughsroomlive.
com or www.showpass.com/harry-manx/.
$60.
● 8:00: Massey Hall. Bonnie Raitt: Just
Like That... - Tour 2003. With Royal Wood.
178 Victoria St. www.ticketmaster.ca. From
$217.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Temerty
Orchestral Program: Earl Lee Conducts
the Royal Conservatory Orchestra. Ravel:
Boléro; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No.2 in
g Op.63; Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Op.30. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/
performance. From $25.
Saturday October 7
● 2:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Film
Screening: Disney’s Coco In Concert. Music
by Michael Giacchino. Steven Reineke, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-
598-3375. From $55. Also Oct 6(7:30pm).
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Fidelio.
See Oct 1. Also Oct 12, 14(4:30pm), 18, 20. At
7:30pm unless otherwise noted.
● 8:00: Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra.
New World. Katie Agocs: Shenanigan;
Christine Donkin: Three Autumn Scenes;
Bramwell Tovey: Ancestral Voices; Dvořák:
Symphony No. 9 in e Op.95 B.178 “From the
New World”. Marion Newman, mezzo; Martin
MacDonald, conductor. P.C. Ho Theatre,
Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto,
5183 Sheppard Ave. E., Scarborough. 416-
879-5566. From $25. Free for children under
12. Pre-concert talk: 7:15pm.
● 8:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Kenny
Wayne Shepherd Band and Samantha
Fish. Fallsview Casino Resort, OLG Stage,
6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls. 1-877-
833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca. From $58.
● 8:00: Greater Toronto Philharmonic
Orchestra. Autumn Classics. Coleridge-Taylor:
The Bambula (Rhapsodic Dance); Prokofiev:
Mvt I from Piano Concerto No.3 in
C Op.26; Schumann: Mvt I from Piano Concerto
in a Op.54; Schumann: Symphony
No.4 in d Op.120. Cloud Bu, piano; owan
Sawarna-Small, piano; Lorenzo Guggenheim,
conductor. Calvin Presbyterian Church,
26 Delisle Ave. www.gtpo.ca or 647-238-0015.
$25-$30.
● 8:00: TD Music Hall. Zenesoul & THEHON-
ESTGUY. 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.
com. $25.
Sunday October 8
● 2:00: Canadian Opera Company. La
Bohème. See Oct 6. Also Oct 11, 13, 19, 21,
22(pm), 28(4:30). At 7:30pm unless otherwise
noted.
● 2:00: Music Salon. Carnival of the Animals.
For ages 5 and up. Listen to poetry about animals,
participate in unique choreography,
enjoy artworks created by students, win
prizes in educational games, receive gifts,
and savor refreshments. Saint-Saëns: Carnival
of the Animals. Ora Davidov, cello; Maya
K. Vasserman, piano; Rinat Evron, oboe; and
advanced piano students. A Private Home
in Thornhill, 41 Mendel Cr., Thornhill. www.
eventbrite.ca/e/carnival-of-the-animals-tickets-625853914907.
$30. NOTE: Very limited
availability.
Tuesday October 10
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Vocal Series Love and Its Many Forms. Works
by Bellini, Britten, Fauré, and John Beckwith.
Josh Lovell, tenor. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/
free-concert-series. Free.
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Rising Stars
Recital. Featuring students from the Glenn
Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of
Music. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church,
1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Jeremy Tingle, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations welcome.
Wednesday October 11
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy
Concerts. Kitchener-Waterloo Woodwind
Quintet. 54 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-
4430 or www.standrewskw.com. Free. Lunch
available for $10 or bring your own.
● 7:00: Beach United Church. An Evening
with Oleg Samokhin. A fundraising concert
for the people of Ukraine. Works of Liszt,
Debussy, and Ravel. Oleg Samokhin, piano.
140 Wineva Ave. communications@beachuc.
com. Freewill offering. Minimum $30 donation
at the door suggested. Funds raised will
be donated to the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation’s
Ukraine Surgical Educational and
Training Partnership with three hospitals in
Lviv, Ukraine.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. La
Bohème. See Oct 6. Also Oct 13, 19, 21, 22(pm),
28(4:30). At 7:30pm unless otherwise noted.
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. David Francey.
Hugh’s Room Live (New Location),
296 Broadview Ave. www.hughsroomlive.
com or www.showpass.com/david-franceyrevival/.
SOLD OUT.
● 8:00: Music Gallery. X Avant XVIII:
Neeeerrrrddddssss - Day 1: so what do you
think? (∕≧ω). Germaine Liu, Fahmid Nibesh,
Raphael Roter, Mark Zurawinski, and Six
Turntables. 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture,
Arts, Media and Education, 918 Bathurst St.
www.musicgallery.org/programming/2023-
2024-season/x-avant-xviii. $10(Members,
Arts Workers, Low Income); $15(adv);
$20 Regular.
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. Gipsy Kings
featuring Nicholas Reyes. Fallsview Casino
Resort, OLG Stage, 6380 Fallsview Blvd.,
Niagara Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
.
Thursday October 12
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Jazz Series: Crossing Canada. Featuring
intimate landscapes, exciting energy, Brazilian
choro, and a fairytale Scandinavian vibe.
Ineke Vandoorn, vocals & piano; Marc van
Vugt, guitar/composer. Richard Bradshaw
Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the
Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.
ca/free-concert-series. Free.
● 12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan.
Thursday Noon at Met:. With carillon recital
at 11:30am. Philip Joseph Filion, organ. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. www.
metunited.ca/live. Free. LIVE & STREAMED.
● 6:30: Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.
Unchanging and Changing and Changing:
Exhibition Opening and Live Performances
of Music and Dance. The work in this exhibition
and the live performance integrates
Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka’s formative childhood
experiences in dance at the Japanese Canadian
Cultural Centre. The musicians will perform
in custom washi wearables created by
Hatanaka which form part of the exhibition.
Benja and Peach Luffe, musicians; Jody Chan,
taiko drummer; Wy Joung Kou, taiko drummer
Katherine Yamashita, dancer; Danielle
Yamashita, dancer. Japanese Canadian Cultural
Centre, Kobayashi Hall, 6 Garamond Ct.
www.jccc.on.ca. Free. Open to the public.
● 7:30: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
Clerel. Burlington Performing Arts Centre
- Community Studio Theatre, 440 Locust
St., Burlington. 905-681-6000. $39.50;
$34.50(member).
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Fidelio.
See Oct 1. Also Oct 14(4:30pm), 18, 20. At
7:30pm unless otherwise noted.
● 7:30: Music Gallery. X Avant XVIII:
Neeeerrrrddddssss - Day 2: shoe horn ρ(
^o^)♪. Curated by Joe Strutt. Tegan Dietsch,
Colin Cudmore, Lina Allemano, James Bailey,
Tom Richards, and Annie Elgie. Bata Shoe
Museum, 327 Bloor St. W. www.musicgallery.org/programming/2023-2024-season/xavant-xviii/.
$15(Members, Arts Workers, Low
Income); $20(adv); $25 Regular.
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. Elena Cuevas in
Concert. Revival Bar, 783 College St. www.
showpass.com/eliana-cuevas-revival/.
$30/$25(adv).
October 12 at 8 pm
QUATUOR
DANEL
music-toronto.com
● 8:00: Music Toronto. Quatuor Danel.
Schubert: Quartet No.12 in c D.703 “Quartettsatz”;
Weinberg: Quartet No.16 in a-flat
Op.130; Mendelssohn: Quartet in f Op.80.
Marc Danel, violin; Gilles Millet, violin; Vlad
Bogdanas, viola; Yovan Markovitch, cello.
Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for
the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723 or www.
music-toronto.com. $47.50-$52; $10(st).
Friday October 13
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Showcase Series: Latin Heritage Month
- Conpambiche: An Afro-Dominican Jazz
Experience. Celebrating the colourful and
dynamic characteristics of Dominican Republic
folklore. Junior Santos, percussion;
Araguacu Latin Dance Company. Richard
Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre
for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W.
www.coc.ca/free-concert-series. Free.
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital. Works by Beethoven and Glinka. Jean
Luc Therrien, piano; Dominic Desautels, clarinet;
Zsófia Stefan, bassoon. St. Andrew’s
Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-
593-5600 X231 or www.standrewstoronto.
org. Free.
● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Fridays
at 12:30 Concert Series: Marion Newman-Nege’ga,
Mezzo. A recital of chamber
works. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London.
519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/
events. Free.
● 6:00: North York Central Library. Open
Mic at the Library: North York Edition. Music,
poetry & storytelling. Are you a musician,
36 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

poet, or storyteller? If so, then you are invited
to share your talents at the North York Central
Library Open Mic. Guitar, piano & djembe
provided. 7 minutes for each performance.
For adults, teens, and seniors. North York
Central Library Auditorium, 5120 Yonge St.
Sign-up is at 5:30pm. For more information,
contact the Language, Literature & Fine
Arts Department at 416-395-5639. Free. Also
Nov 10, Dec 8.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. An Tranh, Guitar. First United
Church, 16 William St. W., Waterloo. 519-569-
1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms. $35;
$20(st). NOTE: Change of venue from KWCMS
Music Room to First United Church.
● 7:00: Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts.
HCA Dance Theatre Presents The Acting
Singer: Opera Masterclass. Opera Masterclass
by Jason Howard. 126 James St. S.,
Hamilton. www.showpass.com/hca-dancetheatre-presents-the-acting-singer-operamasterclass.
$10.
● 7:00: Music Gallery. X Avant XVIII:
Neeeerrrrddddssss - Day 3: and i was like
woah! ( 〇 _o)∕. Curated by Aki Onda. Gabber
Modus Operandi, Rani Jambal, J. “Mo’ong”
Santoso Pribadi, Wok The Rock, Natasha
Tontey, and Riar Rizaldi. 918 Bathurst Centre
for Culture, Arts, Media and Education,
918 Bathurst St. www.musicgallery.org/
programming/2023-2024-season/x-avantxviii/.
$10(Members, Arts Workers, Low
Income); $15(adv); $20 Regular.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. La
Bohème. See Oct 6. Also Oct 19, 21, 22(pm),
28(4:30). At 7:30pm unless otherwise noted.
● 7:30: Confluence Concerts. Wound
Turned to Light. James Rolfe’s settings of the
work of a wide variety of poets, created during
the pandemic. Alex Samaras, Patricia
O’Callaghan, Andrew Adridge, Lara Dodds-
Eden, and Teiya Kasahara. Heliconian Hall,
35 Hazelton Ave. www.bemusednetwork.
com/events. $25. Pre-concert chat (6:45pm).
Also Oct 14.
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. Juan Martín.
Hugh’s Room Live (New Location),
296 Broadview Ave. www.hughsroomlive.
com or www.showpass.com/juan-martin-
296-broadview/. $40.
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. Vive la différence. Corelli:
Concertos; Lully: Suite from Atis; works
VIVE LA
DIFFÉRENCE
Directed by French-Italian violinist
Emmanuel Resche-Caserta
Oct 13–15, 2023
Jeanne Lamon Hall,
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
tafelmusik.org
by Antonia Bembo, Élisabeth Jacquet de la
Guerre, and Georg Muffat; Couperin: La paix
du parnasse. Emmanuel Resche-Caserta,
guest director and violin; Tafelmusik Baroque
Orchestra. Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St.
Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. www.tafelmusik.org/vive
or 416-964-6337. From $47. Also
Oct 14(8pm) & 15(3pm).
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Chamber & String Concerts Series: Augustin
Hadelich with Orion Weiss. Beethoven: Piano
Sonata No.10 in G Op.14 No.2; Roumain: “Filter”;
Beach: Romance Op.23; Prokofiev: Violin
Sonata No.1 in f Op.80. Koerner Hall, TELUS
Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or
www.rcmusic.com/performance. From $45.
Saturday October 14
● 11:00am: Westben. Thank You Notes: A
Back-to-School Chalk Talk. Exploring musical
thank you cards from Rachmaninoff’s Second
Piano Concerto to Celine Dion. Christopher
Cameron, presenter. The Schoolhouse,
6788 County Road 30, Campbellford. 1-877-
883-5777 or www.westben.ca. PWYC.
● 11:00am: Xenia Concerts. An Adaptive
Concert with the Dior String Quartet.
All expressions welcome! Feel free to make
noise, get up, or stim! Wheelchair accessible
venue. Gender-neutral, wheelchair accessible
washrooms. Accessible PDF concert programs
and listening guide emailed before
event. Fidget toys and noise-cancelling earmuffs
can be provided upon request. (Please
bring your own if you can. Flexible seating and
a separate area for breaks. Stretch breaks
Visual schedule. To eliminate financial barriers
to attendance, we will refund your ticket
when you arrive at the concert. Donations
welcome. Meridian Hall, 1 Front St. E. 647-
896-8295. $5. Also at 2pm.
● 2:00: Chorus York. Workshop: Come Sing
Mozart. Exploring his great choral masterworks
including Excerpts from Requiem
in D K.626; Missa Brevis, and other short
pieces. Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church,
10066 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. www.chorusyork.ca
or 905-884-7922. $10.
● 2:00: Flato Markham Theatre. SAMAJAM:
YOU are the Show! 171 Town Centre Blvd.,
Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$48(regular); $58(prime);
$15(YTX). Also Oct 15(11am & 3pm).
● 2:00: Xenia Concerts. An Adaptive Concert
with the Dior String Quartet. See
Oct 14(11am).
● 4:00: Schola Magdalena. Choral Concert.
Works by Hildegard of Bingen, Colin Eatock,
and Anthony St. Pierre, and chant. Schola
Magdalena, ensemble for women’s voices;
Robert Dixon, organ. Church of St. Mary Magdalene,
477 Manning Ave. 416-531-7955. Pay
what you can at the door. Also Oct 21(Trinity
Anglican Church, Cambridge at 2:30pm).
● 4:30: Canadian Opera Company. Fidelio.
See Oct 1. Also Oct 18, 20. At 7:30pm unless
otherwise noted.
● 6:00: Music Gallery. X Avant XVIII:
Neeeerrrrddddssss - Day 4: nerds are punk
too ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ. In partnership with community
partners (open doors community roundtable).
918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts,
Media and Education, 918 Bathurst St. www.
musicgallery.org/programming/2023-2024-
season/x-avant-xviii/. Free. RSVP.
● 7:30: Confluence Concerts. Wound
Turned to Light. James Rolfe’s settings of the
work of a wide variety of poets, created during
the pandemic. Alex Samaras, Patricia
O’Callaghan, Andrew Adridge, Lara Dodds-
Eden, and Teiya Kasahara. Heliconian Hall,
35 Hazelton Ave. www.bemusednetwork.
com/events. $25. Pre-concert chat (6:45pm).
Also Oct 13.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
2nd Annual East Coast Kitchen Party.
Special guest: Ashley MacIssac. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, Robertson Theatre,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $199;
$349(VIP Experience). VIP Experience starts
at 5:30pm.
● 7:30: Laura Nashman. Flutopia! Benefit
concert for quadriplegic photographer Don
Fessman. Classical, Latin, and jazz standards.
Laura Nashman, flute; Mike Allen, guitar.
Women’s Art Association of Canada, 3 Prince
Arthur Ave. 416-922-2060. $50 (cash only).
Raffle and Silent Auction (Yorkville retailers)
to follow.
● 7:30: London Symphonia. The Ninth.
Opening night of the 2023-24 Season. Andrew
Balfour: Ambe; Beethoven: Symphony No.9
in d Op.125 “Choral”. Bethany Hörst, soprano;
Sophie Louise Roland, mezzo; Bud Roach,
tenor; Giles Tomkins, bass; Amabile Choirs of
London; The London Singers; H. B. Beal Secondary
School Singers; Matthias Maute, conductor.
Metropolitan United Church (London),
468 Wellington St., London. 226-270-0910 or
www.londonsymphonia.ca. $70(premium);
$52(adult); $22(st).
● 8:00: Array Music. Sketches For Piano. Ron
Lopata: Luminescent; Rob Lopata: Eclipse;
Chopin: Nocturne No.2; Liszt: Liebestraum;
Debussy: Claire de lune. Ron Lopata, piano.
Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave. 416-201-1702 or
www.arraymusic.ca. $15.
● 8:00: Burdock Music Hall. The Terry Cade
Quartet. 1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033.
From $15.
● 8:00: Greenbank Folk Music Society.
Showman & Coole and Jerry Leger. Greenbank
Hall, 19965 Highway #12, Greenbank.
905-985-8351 or Blue Heron Books, P O E
Design. $35.
● 8:00: Mississauga Symphony Orchestra.
Masterworks: Absolute Romantics. Rachmaninoff:
Piano Concerto No.2 in c Op.18;
Brahms: Symphony No.2 in D Op.73. Vanessa
Yu, piano. Living Arts Centre, Hammerson
Hall, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. www.
mississaugasymphony.ca or 905-306-6000.
From $40.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Global Music Series: Anoushka Shankar.
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $60.
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. Vive la différence. See
Oct 13. Also Oct 15(3pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Copland’s
Clarinet. Dinuk Wijeratne: Polyphonic
Lively; Vaughan Williams: Five Variants of
Dives and Lazarus; Copland: Clarinet Concerto;
Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme
“Enigma”. Eric Abramowitz, clarinet; Trevor
Wilson, RBC Resident Conductor. Roy Thomson
Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From
$35. Also Oct 15(3pm).
● 8:00: Two Bald Guys. Nick Maclean Quartet:
CD Release Show. Featuring Brownman
Ali. Nick Maclean, piano; Brownman
Ali, trumpet; Chris Parnis, doyuble-bass;
Petros Anagnostakos, drums. Simcoe
Blues and Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa.
416-389-2643 or eventbrite.ca/e/
nick-maclean-quartet-convergence-cdrelease-show-tickets-716632486057.
$15/$10(adv).
Sunday October 15
● 11:00am: Flato Markham Theatre. SAM-
AJAM: YOU are the Show! 171 Town Centre
Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.
flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. $48(regular);
$58(prime); $15(YTX). Also Oct 14(2pm),
15(3pm).
● 2:00: Ballet Jörgen. Cinderella. Music by
Sergei Prokofiev and Choreography by Bengt
Jörgen. FirstOntario Concert Hall, 1 Summers
Ln., Hamilton. From $57. www.jorgendance.
ca/event/cinderella-in-hamilton-on or info@
balletjorgen.ca or 416-961-4725.
● 2:00: Blessed Trinity Church/Toronto
Oratorio Society. Haydn’s The Creation.
Grace Quinsey, soprano (Gabriel/Eve); Ryan
Downey, tenor (Uriel); John Holland, bass
(Raphael/Adam); Blessed Trinity Choir &
Chamber Orchestra. Blessed Trinity Church,
3220 Bayview Ave. 647-969-3498 or www.
facebook.com/events/835288828027017.
$20.
● 3:00: Flato Markham Theatre. SAMAJAM:
YOU are the Show! 171 Town Centre Blvd.,
Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$48(regular); $58(prime);
$15(YTX). Also Oct 14(2pm), 15(11am).
● 3:00: Music at Metropolitan. Trinity
Bach Project: Choir and Chamber Ensemble.
Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen
St. E. www.metunited.ca/live. Free. LIVE &
STREAMED.
● 3:00: Tafelmusik. Vive la différence. See
Oct 13.
● 3:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Copland’s
Clarinet. Dinuk Wijeratne: Polyphonic
Lively; Vaughan Williams: Five Variants of
Dives and Lazarus; Copland: Clarinet Concerto;
Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme
“Enigma”. Eric Abramowitz, clarinet; Trevor
Wilson, RBC Resident Conductor. Roy Thomson
Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From
$35. Also Oct 14(8pm).
● 7:00: Browntasauras Records. Nick Maclean
Quartet: CD Release Show. Featuring
Brownman Ali. Nick Maclean, piano; Brownman
Ali, trumpet; Chris Parnis, doyuble-bass;
Petros Anagnostakos, drums. Duffy’s Tavern,
1238 Bloor St. W. 416-389-2643 or www.
eventbrite.ca/e/nick-maclean-quartet-featbrownman-ali-cd-release-show-toronto-tickets-715498203387.
$25/$20(adv).
● 7:15: Music Gallery. X Avant XVIII:
Neeeerrrrddddssss - Day 5: ✩*Hᵃᵛᵉ ᵃ ⁿⁱᑦᵉ
ᵈᵃᵞ✩‧*˚. Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Teiya
Kasahara. Eastminster United Church,
310 Danforth Ave. www.musicgallery.org/
programming/2023-2024-season/x-avantxviii/.
$35(adv); $45 Regular.
● 8:00: Esprit Orchestra. X Marks the Spot.
Anna Meredith: Nautilus; Iannis Xenakis: For
the Whales; R. Murray Schafer: Dream Rainbow
Dream Thunder; György Ligeti: Àtmospheres;
Iannis Xenakis: Jonchaies (for 109
musicians). Alex Pauk, conductor. Koerner
Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.espritorchestra.com or www.
rcmusic.com/events-and-performances/
esprit-orchestra-presents-x-marks-the-spot.
From $20.
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 37

LIVE OR ONLINE | Oct 1 to Dec 7, 2023
Iannis Xenakis
Jonchaies (1977)
for a large orchestra of
109 musicians
Sun Oct 15
X MARKS THE SPOT
espritorchestra.com
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. Joanna Majoko
& Jessie Ryan. Hugh’s Room Live (New Location),
296 Broadview Ave. www.hughsroomlive.com
or www.showpass.com/
jessie-ryan-revival. $25.
Tuesday October 17
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Jialiang Zhu &
Friends. Works for piano and saxophone.
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge
St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.
com. Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Stefanie Bedin, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations welcome.
Wednesday October 18
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Showcase Series: Latin Heritage Month -
Quest for Belonging. Celebrating the richness
of folkloric music from Ibero-America.
Obsidiana Duo. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concert-series.
Free.
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy Concerts.
Michelle Wilmot, piano. 54 Queen St.
N., Kitchener. 519-578-4430 or www.standrewskw.com.
Free. Lunch available for $10
or bring your own.
● 12:30: ORGANIX Concerts. Organ Concert.
Peter DuBois, organ. Our Lady of Sorrows
Catholic Church, 3055 Bloor St. W. 416-571-
3680 or www.organixconcerts.ca. Suggested
free-will offering of $20.
● 7:00: City Playhouse Theatre. Gatsby.
Music by Laura Nobili. 1000 New Westminster
Dr., Thornhill. 905-303-2000 or 905-
832-2281 or www.tickets.cityplayhouse.ca/
event/655:209/655:267/. From $20.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. Chamber Music for Piano & Violin.
Jean-Luc Therrien, piano; Jean-Samuel
Bez, violin. First United Church, 16 William St.
W., Waterloo. 519-569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.
$30; $20(st). NOTE: Change
of venue from KWCMS Music Room to First
United Church.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Fidelio.
See Oct 1. Also Oct 20. At 7:30pm unless
otherwise noted.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre. Burton Cummings. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, Partridge Hall,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $95;
$85(members).
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Hiromi’s
Sonicwonder. Adam O’Farrill, trumpet;
Hadrien Feraud, bass; Gene Coye, drums.
171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-
7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$88(regular); $98(prime); $15(YTX).
Thursday October 19
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: Schubert’s Last Words.
Presented by the Young Classical Artists
Trust. Janáček: In the Mists; Schubert: Piano
Sonata in B-flat D.960. Jean-Sélim Abdelmoula,
piano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concert-series.
Free.
● 12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan.
Thursday Noon at Met:. With carillon recital
at 11:30am. Irina Bazik, piano. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. www.metunited.ca/live.
Free. LIVE & STREAMED.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. La
Bohème. See Oct 6. Also Oct 21, 22(pm),
28(4:30). At 7:30pm unless otherwise noted.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Celebrating Gord & The Hip with Songs &
Stories. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre,
Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca.
$25.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Keep the
Faith - Bon Jovi Tribute. 171 Town Centre Blvd.,
Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$65(prime); $60(regular).
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. Mimi O’Bonsawin
& Alexis Normand. Hugh’s Room Live (New
Location), 296 Broadview Ave. www.hughsroomlive.com
or www.showpass.com/mimiobonsawin-alexis-normand-296-broadview.
$30.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
James Ehnes Plays Barber. Barber: Adagio
for Strings; Barber: Violin Concerto;
White Lafitte: Mvt III from Violin Concerto;
Karen Sunabacka: The Prairies; Revuettas:
Sensemayá; Bernstein: Symphonic Dances
from West Side Story. James Ehnes, violin;
Gustavo Gimeno, conductor. Roy Thomson
Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $35.
Also Oct 21.
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. The Commodores.
Fallsview Casino Resort, Avalon
Theatre, 6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara
Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.
ca. From $64.
Friday October 20
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital. Works by Beethoven, Debussy, Liszt,
and Fauré. Koichi Inoue, piano. St. Andrew’s
Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-
593-5600 X231 or www.standrewstoronto.
org. Free.
● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Fridays
at 12:30 Concert Series: Trombone from
the Americas. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N.,
London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/
events. Free.
● 7:30: Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto.
Nosferatu. A screening of the 1922 silent film
Nosferatu with live choral performance of a
soundtrack by Andrew Downing. Amadeus
Choir; Andrew Dowling, composer & bass
plus 9-piece combo. Meridian Arts Centre,
5040 Yonge St., North York. 416-446-0188
or www.amadeuschoir.com/nosferatu. $54;
$20(st/youth/arts workers).
● 7:30: Brantford Music Club. Daniel Vnukowski,
Piano. Romantic worksa by Chopin,
Rachmaninoff, and Gershwin. Sanderson
Centre for the Performing Arts, 88 Dalhousie
St., Brantford. 519-758-8090. $30; $10(st);
Free(elementary st).
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Fidelio.
See Oct 1.
● 7:30: Freesound. Music for Trumpet,
Accordion, and Percussion. Freesound members
Émilie Fortin, Matti Pulkki, and Michael
Murphy perform music written for them by
Laurence Crane, Lieke van der Voort, Sophie
Dupuis, Magnus Lindberg, and Christopher
Fox. Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave. 647-354-
4244. PWYC.
● 7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Global Music Series: Omar Kamal. Koerner
Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $50.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Kim Mitchell.
Kim Mitchell, singer & songwriter. Rose Theatre,
1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. www.tickets.brampton.ca/online
or 905-874-2800.
From $20.
● 8:00: Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra.
Orchestra Landmarks and Beacons. Sibelius:
Symphony No.2 in D Op.43; Beethoven: Violin
Concerto in D Op.61. Andrew Wan, violin;
Matthew Jones, conductor. Martingrove Collegiate
Institute, 50 Winterton Dr., Etobicoke.
www.eporchestra.ca/season/2324 or www.
eventbrite.ca/o/etobicoke-philharmonicorchestra-29601704531.
Free. Pre-concert
chat(7:40pm).
● 8:00: Exultate Chamber Singers. Music
to Inspire. “Come in, all you two-legged creatures,
there is good life here”. Andrew Balfour:
Ambe Anishinaabe with Ojibway text
by Cory Campbell; and works by Lili Boulanger,
Hyun Kook, Matthew Emery, and Reena
Esmail. Mark Ramsay, artistic director. Calvin
Presbyterian Church, 26 Delisle Ave. 416-
971-9229 or www.exultate.net/performances.
Pay What You Wish: $5, $20, $40 or over. Tax
receipt.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Burton
Cummings & His Band Unplugged. 171 Town
Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469 or
www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. $128(regular);
$138(prime).
● 8:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. The Pirates
of Penzance. By W. S. Gilbert & Arthur
Sullivan. Soloists: Karen Bojti, Alexander Cappellazzo,
Ana Isabella Castro, and Gregory
Finney; Jennifer Tung, conductor. Jane Mallett
Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the
Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723 or 1–800-
708-6754 or www.tolive.com. From $75. Also
Oct 21(8pm); 22(3pm).
Saturday October 21
Singsation
Come Sing With Us
Reserve your spot
in our community
singing workshop
at tmchoir.org
Saturday
Oct 21
10:30 am
● 10:30am: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.
Singsation: Melodies of Home. An SATB reading
of music from around the world that
brings comfort and peace. With Shireen Abu-
Khader. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church,
1585 Yonge St. www.tmchoir.org. $10.
● 2:30: Heliconian Club. Colours of
the Earth: Opening Concert of the
2023/24 Season. A variety of accomplished
Heliconian members perform in a wide range
of styles, from Joni Mitchell to Tchaikovsky,
including Canadian premiere performances.
Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-606-
0799 or www.heliconianclub.org. $30.
● 2:30: Schola Magdalena. Choral Concert.
Works by Hildegard of Bingen, Colin Eatock,
and Anthony St. Pierre, and chant. Schola
Magdalena, ensemble for women’s voices;
Robert Dixon, organ. Trinity Anglican, 12 Blair
Rd., Cambridge. 416-531-7955. Pay what you
can at the door. Also Oct 14(Church of St.
Mary Magdalene, Toronto at 4pm).
● 3:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic
Band. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot
College, Western University, 1151 Richmond
St. N., London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.
uwo.ca/events. Free.
38 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

● 3:00: St. John’s Norway Church. St.
John’s Norway Hymn Fest. A selection of
our favourite hymns, including “Praise, My
Soul, the King of Heaven” and solo repertoire
including Franck’s Panis angelicus. St. John’s
Choir & Soloists; Cara Halpin, organist and
Director of Music. 470 Woodbine Ave. 416-
691-4560. Free.
● 3:30: Toronto Chamber Choir. A Rare Byrd
(Kaffeemusik). Marking the 400th anniversary
of the death of Tudor composer William
Byrd. Sacred and secular music by Byrd
and his contemporaries, Thomas Tallis and
Thomas Weelkes. Toronto Chamber Choir,
mixed-voice SATB choir; R. H. Thomson, actor;
Christopher Bagan, virginal. Church of the
Redeemer, 162 Bloor St. W. 416-763-1695 or
www.torontochamberchoir.ca. PWYC: $30,
$20, $5.
● 4:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Taylor
Academy Concerts Series: Taylor Academy
Showcase Concert. Mazzoleni Concert Hall,
TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208
or www.rcmusic.com/performance. Free.
● 7:00: Beach Cares. Big Band Music Night.
An evening with hors d’oeuvres, silent auction,
dance demo/lesson, door prizes, gift
baskets, cash bar, and more. Toronto All-
Star Big Band; John Amato, vocalist; Shannon
McDougall, vocalist. Beach United Church,
140 Wineva Ave. www.eventbrite.ca/manage/
events/663082526687/details. $50. In support
of The Beach Cares refugee sponsorship
program.
● 7:00: Guitar Society of Toronto. Daniela
Rossi. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. www.guitarsocietyoftoronto.com/concert-season
or 416-
964-8298. General: $35(adv)/$40(door).
Seniors: $30(adv)/$35(door). Students:
$15(adv)/$20(door).
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. Autumn Brilliance.
Come along for an exhilarating ride
in the Canadian countryside with colorful
music that evokes the crisp fall air, the bountiful
harvest and the brilliant reds and golds
in the trees. The Rose Orchestra. Rose Theatre,
1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. www.tickets.brampton.ca/online
or 905-874-2800.
From $20.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. La
Bohème. See Oct 6. Also Oct 22.
● 7:30: Grand Philharmonic Choir. Mozart:
Requiem & Estacio: The Houses Stand Not
Far Apart. Jennifer Krabbe, soprano; Jennifer
Enns Modolo, mezzo; Nicholas Nikolaidis,
tenor; Dion Mazerolle, baritone; Mark
Vuorinen, conductor. Centre in the Square,
101 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-1570.
From $10.
● 7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Britten, Vaughan Williams & Elgar. Britten:
Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge;
Vaughan Williams: Oboe Concerto; Knowles:
New Work (world premiere); Elgar: Enigma
Variations. Aleh Remezau, oboe; James
Kahane, conductor. FirstOntario Concert
Hall, 1 Summers Ln., Hamilton. 905-526-7756;
boxoffice@hpo.org. $20-$80. 6:30 pm preconcert
talk.
● 8:00: Acoustic Harvest. The Whiteley
Family with Ken & Chris Whiteley and
sons Ben & Jesse Whiteley. St. Paul’s United
Church, 200 McIntosh St., Scarborough.
www.acousticharvest.ca or 416-729-7564.
$30.
● 8:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours”. Tommy
Youngsteen. FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre, Cairns Recital Hall, 250 St. Paul St.,
St. Catharines. 905-688-0722; boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. $49.50.
● 8:00: InterMusic Group. Tango for Two.
A new concert-opera with original music and
libretto by Jonathan Kravtchenko. Antonina
Laskarzhevska, soprano; Bohdan Kirieiev,
baritone; David Giller, male dance lead;
Anna Kravtchenko, female dance lead; Jonathan
Kravtchenko, piano. Jeanne Lamon
Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St.
W. www.eventbrite.ca/e/tango-for-two-tickets-630283223087.
$25-$50.
● 8:00: Kindred Spirits Orchestra. Opening
Night Gala: War and Peace. Stravinsky:
Scherzo fantastique Op.3; Lutosławski: Concerto
for Piano & Orchestra; Honegger: Symphony
No.3 “Symphonie Liturgique”. Christina
Petrowska Quilico, piano; Daniel Vnukowski,
host; Kristian Alexander, conductor. Richmond
Hill Centre for the Performing Arts,
10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. 905-787-
8811. $30-$40; $22.50-$30(sr); $15-$20(full
time student or 18 and under). 7:10pm:
Prélude pre-concert recital. 7:20pm: preconcert
talk. Intermission discussion and
Q&A with Christina Petrowska Quilico and
Daniel Vnukowski. Post-concert reception.
● 8:00: Richmond Hill Philharmonic
Orchestra. Elements. George Fenton: Planet
Earth - Overture; Sibelius: The Tempest -
Suite; Vaughan Williams: Prelude to Sinfonia
Antarctica; Smetana: The Moldau (“Vltava”);
Handel: Water Music - Suite; Falla: Danza ritual
del fuego (Ritual Fire Dance) from El
amor brujo. Jessica V. Kun, conductor. Richmond
Hill Centre for the Performing Arts,
10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. www.rhpo.
ca or 905-787-8811 or boxoffice@rhcentre.
ca. $24-$35.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Jazz Concerts Series: Robi Botos & Friends.
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $45.
● 8:00: Sinfonia Toronto. Beethoven’s
5th. Opening concert of Sinfonia Toronto’s
25th Anniversary season. Beethoven: Symphony
No.5 in c Op.67; Frank Horvat: Magnificent
Roots (first performance); Louis Sauter:
Regard de l’anniversaire IV (first performance);
Otar Taktakishvili: Violin Concerto No.2
(first Canadian performance); Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen
(Gypsy Airs). Elisso Gogibedaschwili,
violin; Sinfonia Toronto; Nurhan Arman,
conductor. George Weston Recital Hall,
Meridian Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St. 416-
499-0403 or www.sinfoniatoronto.com. $52;
$40(sr); $20(st).
● 8:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. The Pirates
of Penzance. By W. S. Gilbert & Arthur
Kristian Alexander
Sullivan. Soloists: Karen Bojti, Alexander
Cappellazzo, Ana Isabella Castro, and Gregory
Finney; Jennifer Tung, conductor. Jane
Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for
the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723 or
“
tangofortwo.com
KINDRED SPIRITS ORCHESTRA
Kristian Alexander | Music Director
15 th
season
WAR AND PEACE
Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 8 p.m.
Stravinsky, Scherzo Fantastique
Lutosławski, Piano concerto
Christina Petrowska Quilico | piano
Honegger, Symphony No. 3 “Liturgique”
________________________________________
THE GREATEST SHOW
Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 8 p.m.
Christina Quilico
Jonathan Crow
905.305.7469
FlatoMarkhamTheatre.ca
Stravinsky, Circus Polka
Bartók, Violin concerto No. 2
Jonathan Crow | violin
Bruckner, Symphony No. 3
________________________________________
AROUND THE WORLD
Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 8 p.m.
Stravinsky, Scènes de ballet
Saint-Saëns, Piano concerto No. 2
Sumi Kim | piano
Shostakovich, Symphony No. 8
905.604.8339
KSOrchestra.ca
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 39

LIVE OR ONLINE | Oct 1 to Dec 7, 2023
1–800-708-6754 or www.tolive.com. From
$75. Also Oct 20(8pm); 22(8pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
James Ehnes Plays Barber. Barber: Adagio
for Strings; Barber: Violin Concerto;
White Lafitte: Mvt III from Violin Concerto;
Karen Sunabacka: The Prairies; Revuettas:
Sensemayá; Bernstein: Symphonic Dances
from West Side Story. James Ehnes, violin;
Gustavo Gimeno, conductor. Roy Thomson
Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $35.
Also Oct 19.
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Exile 60th
Anniversary Tour. Fallsview Casino Resort,
Avalon Theatre, 6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara
Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.
ca. From $45.
Sunday October 22
● 1:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Flute
Day Recital featuring Susan Hoeppner. Susan
Hoeppner, flute. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N.,
London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/
events. Free.
● 2:00: Canadian Opera Company. La
Bohème. See Oct 6. Also Oct 28(4:30). At
7:30pm unless otherwise noted.
● 2:00: Markham Concert Band. Silver
Screen Spectacular. Music from Mary Poppins,
Marvel’s Avengers, 007, The Incredibles,
Up, and other films. Flato Markham Theatre,
171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-
7469; flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. $10-$26.
● 2:30: Barrie Concerts Association. Sinfonia
Toronto with Elisso Gogibedaschwili.
Gary Kulesha: Serenade; Otar Taktakashvili:
Concerto No.2; Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen
(Gypsy Airs); Beethoven: String Quartet
No.4 Op.18 (orchestral version). Elisso
Gogibedaschwili, violin; Sinfonia Toronto;
Nurhan Arman, conductor. Bethel Community
Church, 128 St. Vincent Street, Barrie.
705-436-1232 or www.barrieconcerts.org.
From $10. LIVE & LIVESTREAM. Livestream
available for 30 days following the first
performance.
● 2:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Classics of Rodgers & Hammerstein.
Charlotte Knight, soprano; Jay Dref, tenor;
Nathan Keoughan, baritone. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St.
Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722;
boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $15.64-$82.90.
● 3:00: GFN Productions. Ariella & Rachmaninoff’s
Piano Concerto No. 2. Rachmaninoff:
Piano Concerto No.2 in c Op.18; Jaap Nico
Hamburger: Excerpts from Ariella. Ensemble
Classico-Moderne; Jean-Philippe Sylvestre,
piano; Francis Choinière, conductor. Koerner
Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. www.
rcmusic.com/tickets/seats/283001 or 416-
408-0208. From $65.
● 3:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. The Pirates
of Penzance. By W. S. Gilbert & Arthur
Sullivan. Soloists: Karen Bojti, Alexander Cappellazzo,
Ana Isabella Castro, and Gregory
Finney; Jennifer Tung, conductor. Jane Mallett
Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the
Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723 or 1–800-
708-6754 or www.tolive.com. From $75. Also
Oct 20(8pm); 21(8pm).
● 4:00: Rezonance Baroque Ensemble.
Encounter in Constantinople. Works by
Dimitri Cantemir and Ottoman-influenced
European works by N. Matteis, J. Fux, and
others. Nicolas Royer-Artuso, oud; James
Freeman, percussion; Rezonance Baroque
Ensemble. St. David’s Anglican Church,
49 Donlands Ave. www.eventbrite.com/e/
rezonance-ensemble-encounter-in-constantinople-tickets-707480692797?aff=ebdsopor
gprofile or 647-779-5696. $20.
● 4:00: Wychwood Clarinet Choir. Harvest
Song. Mozart: Excerpts from The Marriage
of Figaro; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley
Square; Beethoven: Moonlight Serenade (arr.
Steve Macdonald); Holst: First Suite in E-flat.
Wychwood Clarinet Choir; Michele Jacot,
director & clarinet solo. St. Michael and All
Angels Anglican Church, 611 St. Clair Ave. W.
www.wychwoodclarinetchoir.ca. Free.
● 5:00: Nocturnes in the City. Chamber
Music Recital. Mndoyants: Three Ukrainian
Songs; Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A
K.581; Dvořák: String Quartet No.12 in F
Op.96 “American Quartet”. Zemlinsky String
Quartet; Peter Stoll, clarinet. St. Wenceslaus
Church, 496 Gladstone Ave. 416-481-
7294. $25.
● 7:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
Indigenous Artists and Sultans of String
Walking Through the Fire: A Trailblazing
Musical Response to the TRC’s 94 Calls to
Action. Sultans of String; Alyssa Delbaere-
Sawchuk, fiddler; Marc Meriläinen, singer/
songwriteriwan), Shannon Thunderbird,
singer/songwriter; Don Ross, guitar; and
others. 440 Locust St., Burlington. www.burlingtonpac.ca/events/walking-through-thefire
or 905-681-6000 or bpacboxoffice@
burlington.ca. From $34.50.
Tuesday October 24
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: Rebanks Family Fellowship
Showcase. Presented by the Young Classical
Artists Trust. Artists from the Rebanks
Family Fellowship and International Performance
Residency Program at The Royal Conservatory’s
Glenn Gould School. Richard
Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre
for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W.
www.coc.ca/free-concert-series. Free.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Ian Sadler, organ. Cathedral Church
of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-7865
or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals. Free.
Donations welcome.
● 7:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre/Brock
University. Dr. Susan Rogers - The
Music of Listening. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St.,
St. Catharines. 905-688-0722; boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. PWYC($20 suggested).
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. B-Jazzed. Curated
by Carmen Spada. Classic Count Basie
repertoire. B-Jazzed Orchestra; Carmen
Spada, piano. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln.,
Brampton. www.tickets.brampton.ca/online
or 905-874-2800. From $20.
● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music.
Student Composers Concert. Von Kuster
Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
Wednesday October 25
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: The Piano Without Borders.
Works by Chopin and Rachmaninoff and
arrangements of music from Italy, Armenia,
Greece, Azerbaijan, France, and Turkey. Artun
Miskciyan, piano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/
free-concert-series. Free.
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy Concerts.
Hallowe’en Special. Bruce Skelton, violin;
Ann-Marie MacDairmid organ & piano.
54 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-4430 or
www.standrewskw.com. Free. Lunch available
for $10 or bring your own.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Choral
Concert. Les Choristes & Western University
Singers. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St.
N., London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.
ca/events. Free.
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. Valdy. Hugh’s
Room Live (New Location), 296 Broadview
Ave. www.hughsroomlive.com or www.showpass.com/shari-ulrich-296-broadview.
$30.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Beethoven’s Seventh. Olga Neuwirth: Dreydl
(Canadian Premiere); Ligeti: Violin Concerto;
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7. Jonathan
Crow, violin; Gustavo Gimeno, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
From $35. Also Oct 28(8pm - RTH), 29(3pm -
George Weston Recital Hall).
Thursday October 26
● 12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan.
Thursday Noon at Met:. With carillon recital
at 11:30am. Joshua Zentner-Barrett, organ.
Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St.
E. www.metunited.ca/live. Free. LIVE &
STREAMED.
● 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Centre
Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition. Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. Premium
Experience tickets at www.COCCentreStage.
ca or CentreStage@coc.ca. $60-$150.
● 7:00: FirstOntario Concert Hall. Jesus
Christ Superstar. Music by Andrew Lloyd
Webber. Book and Lyrics by Tim Rice.
1 Summers Ln., Hamilton. From $137 or 888-
684-3582. www.ticketsonsale.com/tickets/
jesus-christ-superstar-firstontario-concerthall-hamilton-10-26-2023-4550406.
● 7:30: Harbourfront Centre. Massala
Company’s Näss. Fouad Boussouf, choreographer.
Fleck Dance Theatre, Harbourfront
Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. www.
my.harbourfrontcentre.com. .
● 7:30: Opera Atelier. Gluck’s Orpheus and
Eurydice. Colin Ainsworth, tenor (Orpheus);
Mireille Asselin, soprano (Eurydice); Anna-
Julia David, soprano (Amour); Tafelmusik Baroque
Orchestra, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir
and others. Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge St. 416-
703-3767 x700; Opera Atelier.com. From $55.
Also Oct 28, 29(2:30pm), Nov 1(2:30pm).
● 8:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
April Wine. Burlington Performing
Arts Centre - Community Studio Theatre,
440 Locust St., Burlington. www.burlingtonpac.ca/events/april-wine
or 905-568-1600.
From $64.50.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Little Pear
Garden Dance Company: Spectrum of Connection.
171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.
905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.
Rezonance Baroque Ensemble is thrilled to
announce their 2023/2024 concert season:
Encounter in Constantinople (October 22)
Disappearing Act (February 4)
Madness and Meaning (April 28)
For more information visit
www.rezonanceensemble.com
40 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

ca. $48(regular); $58(prime); $15(YTX).
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. The Fugitives With
Special Guests The Pairs. Hugh’s Room Live
(New Location), 296 Broadview Ave. www.
hughsroomlive.com or www.showpass.com/
the-fugitives-296-broadview. $30.
FREE
EVENT
October 26 at 8 pm
GEOFF NUTTALL
HAYDN CELEBRATION
music-toronto.com
● 8:00: Music Toronto/University of
Toronto Faculty of Music/Royal Conservatory
of Music. Geoff Nuttall Haydn Celebration.
Haydn: Selected movements of multiple
String Quartets; Trio in C Hob.XV:27 (Mvt. I);
Symphony No.102 (Mvts. III & IV). A variety of
performers come together to celebrate Geoff
Nuttall. Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence
Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-
7723 or www.music-toronto.com or www.
ticketmaster.ca/event/10005EDDF6363ECD
or boxoffice@tolive.com. Free.
● 8:00: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Carmina
Burana. Orff: Carmina Burana; Brahms:
Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) Op.54; Tracy
Wong: New Work. Geoffrey Sirett, baritone;
Lesley Emma Bouza, soprano; Ryan McDonald,
countertenor; Toronto Children’s Chorus;
Members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra;
Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor. Roy
Oct 26 & 27
8:00pm
ORFF
CARMINA
BURANA
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. www.tmchoir.
org. From $25. Also Oct 27.
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Justin Hayward:
The Voice of the Moody Blues Featuring
Mike Dawes. Fallsview Casino Resort, Avalon
Theatre, 6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls.
1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca. .
Friday October 27
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital. Fauré: Fantaisie Op.79; Poulenc: Flute
Sonata; and works by Schumann and Schubert.
Caara Yeung, flute; Irina Bazik, piano.
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe
St. 416-593-5600 X231 or www.standrewstoronto.org.
Free.
● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music.
Tempo!:Music for Climate Change. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 5:00: Canadian Opera Company. Showcase
Series: Latin Heritage Month - Reveries and
Evocations: A Chamber Music Evening. Works
by Felipe Téllez. TakeFive Ensemble. Richard
Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre
for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W.
www.coc.ca/free-concert-series. Free.
● 7:00: Jazz at Durbar. Matt Pines Jazz Trio.
Matt Pines, piano; TBA, double-bass; and Rebecca
Enkin, vocals. Durbar Indian Restaurant,
2469 Bloor St. W. 416-762-4441 or www.rebeccaenkin.com.
● 7:00: Music at Metropolitan. Royal College
of Organists: Phantoms of the Organ.
Spooky favourites for the organ and piano
featuring emerging artists. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. www.metunited.ca/live.
Free. LIVE & STREAMED.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Parsons
and Poole Concert. Yekwon Sunwoo,
piano. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot College,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St.
N., London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.
ca/events. $40/$15(adv); $45/$20(at door).
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
The Rolling Stones Tribute Band. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, Partridge
Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-
688-0722 or boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca.
$15.64-$82.90.
● 7:30: University of Toronto Faculty of
Music. Fabrice Millischer in Recital. Fabrice
Millischer, trombone. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-978-3750. Free.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Brass
Transit. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.
905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.
ca. $68(regular); $78(prime); $15(YTX).
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Vocal
Concerts Series: Chanticleer. Koerner Hall,
TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $45.
● 8:00: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Carmina
Burana. See Oct 26.
● 9:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre/Pride
Niagara. The Rocky Horror Picture
Show. Darryl Dyball, host. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre - The Film House,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $15. Also
Oct 28(10pm), 29(3pm). Costumes welcome.
Saturday October 28
● 4:00: VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert.
VOICEBOX Opera Salon: Stuartissimo - A
Tribute to Opera in Concert’s Founder Stuart
Hamilton. Edward Jackman Centre,
947 Queen St. E., 2nd Floor. 416-366-7723 or
1-800-708-6754 or www.operainconcert.
com or www.tolive.com. $25.
● 4:30: Canadian Opera Company. La
Bohème. See Oct 6.
● 7:00: Bravo Niagara! Festival of the Arts.
Voices of Freedom: Dominique Fils-Aimé -
Roots. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre,
Cairns Recital Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
www.bravoniagara.org. $50; $25(st/
youth).
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Norteño. Pierre-Paul
Provencher, bandonéon; Vicente García,
double-bass; Laurie Rosewarne, piano; Rémi
Barrette, guitar; Erik Johnson-Scherger, violin.
First United Church, 16 William St. W.,
Waterloo. 519-569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.
$30; $20(st). NOTE: Change
of venue from KWCMS Music Room to First
United Church.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Symphony Orchestra: Halloween
Concert. Paul Davenport Theatre, Talbot
College, Western University, 1151 Richmond
St. N., London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.
uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 7:30: Milton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Fall Colours. Godfrey Ridout: Fall Fair; Vivaldi:
“Autumn” Violin Concerto from The
Four Seasons; Brahms: Symphony No.4 in e
Op.98; Mendelssohn: Concert Overture - The
I WILL
HOLD YOU
OCT 28TH - 7:30 PM
CHRIST CHURCH DEER PARK
1570 YONGE ST
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
THOMAS BURTON
Hebrides Op.26 “Fingal’s Cave”. FirstOntario
Arts Centre, 1010 Main St., Milton. 905-875-
5399. $30; $25(sr 65+); $15(17 & under).
● 7:30: Opera Atelier. Gluck’s Orpheus and
Eurydice. See Oct 26. Also Oct 29(2:30pm),
Nov 1(2:30pm).
● 7:30: Opera by Request. Idomeneo. Music by
W. A. Mozart. Dillon Parmer, tenor (Idomeneo);
Maghan MacPhee, soprano (Ilia); Whitney
O’Hearn, soprano (Idamante); Whitney Sloan,
soprano (Elektra); Francis Domingue, tenor
(Arbace); Henry Irwin, baritone (The Oracle);
Hillary Krutchick, soprano; and Bree Horton,
mezzo (Two Cretan Women); William Shookhoff,
piano and music director. College St. United
Church, 452 College St. 416-455-2365. $20.
● 7:30: Orpheus Choir of Toronto. I Will Hold
You. Music by immigrant composers Hussein
Janmohamed, Pouya Hamidi, Tracy Wong,
and Natalie Fasheh; Caroline Shaw: To the
Hands; Stephen Paulus: All Things are Passing
By. Thomas Burton, conductor. Christ Church
Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. orpheuschoirtoronto.com.
$45; $35(sr); $20(st).
● 7:30: Untitled Ensemble Chamber Music
Society. Land of Lakes Showcase: Ontario’s
Musical Gems. Themes ranging from philosophy,
star constellations, Macedonian
folklore, and more are explored by composers
Alondra Vega-Zaldivar, Menelaos Peistikos,
Katharine Petkovski, Ian Welsman,
Emily Hiemstra, and others. Array Space,
155 Walnut Ave. www.eventbrite.ca/e/landof-lakes-emerging-composers-strings-tickets-690577876017.
$30.
● 7:30: Upper Canada Brass. Reflections &
Remembrance. Purcell: Dido’s Lament from
Dido and Aeneas; Vaughan-Williams: Love
For more information
visit tmchoir.org
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 41

LIVE OR ONLINE | Oct 1 to Dec 7, 2023
Bade Me Welcome; Holst: I Vow to Thee, My
Country; John Barry & Don Black: Here’s
to the Heroes; David Chaulk: Elegie; and
other works. Upper Canada Brass. Guest:
Olivier Laquerre, baritone. St Mary’s Anglican
Church, 10030 Yonge St., Richmond Hill.
705-792-5766.
● 7:30: Windjammers Wind Ensemble. “Villages
of the Way” Concert for Mully Children’s
Family. Amazing Grace, Khutso, and
music from Out of Africa. Charles Cozens,
conductor. Trinity Presbyterian Church York
Mills, 2737 Bayview Ave. www.eventbrite.
ca/e/windjammers-for-mully-childrensfamily-tickets-651179404127.
$25. Only 380
tickets available. In support of Mully Children’s
Family.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Pavlo. Pavlo,
guitar. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton.
www.tickets.brampton.ca/online or 905-
874-2800. From $15.
● 8:00: Canadian Golha Orchestra. Rouhollah
Khaleghi: An Iranian Musical Icon. Kousha
Nakhaei, artistic director; Hadi Milanloo, narrator;
Ava Rostamian & Habib Hosseini, vocalists.
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W.
www.eventbrite.ca/e/rouhollah-khaleghi-aniranian-musical-icon-tickets-698046163867.
$49.26.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Annual
Discovery Gala: Blue Rodeo. 171 Town Centre
Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$150(regular-show
only); $175(prime-show only).
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. Shari Ulrich.
Hugh’s Room Live (New Location),
296 Broadview Ave. www.hughsroomlive.
com or www.showpass.com/shari-ulrich-
296-broadview. $30.
● 8:00: Orchestra Toronto. Strength
Through Our Ancestors. Bach (arr. Stokowski):
Toccata and Fugue in d; Shostakovich:
Violin Concerto No.1 in a Op.77; Brahms:
Symphony No.4 in e Op.98. Mark Fewer, violin;
Michael Newnham, conductor. George
Weston Recital Hall, Meridian Arts Centre,
5040 Yonge St. 416-467-7142 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
Single tickets on sale Sep 1. Preconcert
chat at 7:15pm.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage Series:
Mavis Staples. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. From $75.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Beethoven’s Seventh. Olga Neuwirth: Dreydl
(Canadian Premiere); Ligeti: Violin Concerto;
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7. Jonathan
Crow, violin; Gustavo Gimeno, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
From $35. Also Oct 25(8pm - RTH), 29(3pm -
George Weston Recital Hall).
● 10:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre/Pride
Niagara. The Rocky Horror Picture
Show. Darryl Dyball, host. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre - The Film House,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $15. Also
Oct 27(9pm), 29(3pm). Costumes welcome.
Sunday October 29
● 12:00 noon: Toronto City Opera. Viva Voce.
In support of our 2023–24 season. Music
from Verdi’s La Traviata and Nabucco; Bizet’s
Carmen; Mozart’s Don Giovanni; J. Strauss
II’s Die Fledermaus; Mascagni’s Cavalleria
rusticana; and other operas. Soloists: Michael
Robert-Broder, Aleandra Della Donne, Joshua
Clemenger, and Chelsea Malamed; Jennifer
Tung, condcutor; Ivan Estey Jovanovic,
piano. Donalda Club, 12 Bushbury Dr., North
York. www.tickettailor.com/events/torontocityopera/999969.
$100. Only 79 tickets
available.
● 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 5. Orchestral reading.
Felipe Luzuriaga, conductor. Christ Church
Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. smmboe@gmail.
com or www.cammac.ca/toronto. $15;
$10(members).
● 2:00: Peter Margolian and Friends. Music
for voice, strings, winds and piano by Galindo,
Wilder, Creston, Berkeley and Ireland. University
of Toronto, Hart House Music Room,
7 Hart House Circle, 2nd Floor. Free. Contact
peter.margolian@gmail.com.
● 2:30: Opera Atelier. Gluck’s Orpheus and
Eurydice. See Oct 26. Also Nov 1(2:30pm).
● 3:00: Canadian Bandurist Capella/
Vesnivka Choir. Ukraine - Glorious and Free.
Inspiring contemporary and historical patriotic
songs, sung to a backdrop featuring
images of the war in Ukraine today. Canadian
Bandurist Capella; Vesnivka Choir; Toronto
Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir. Metropolitan
United Church (London), 468 Wellington St.,
London. www.cbc-vesnivka-london.eventbrite.ca.
$25; Free(under 18). Also Nov 4 (7pm
at Runnymede United Church, Toronto).
● 3:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre/Pride
Niagara. The Rocky Horror Picture
Show. Darryl Dyball, host. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre - The Film House,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $15. Also
Oct 27(9pm), 28(10pm). Costumes welcome.
● 3:00: Hannaford Street Silver Band. La
Trompette Française. Robert Weymouth,
trumpet; Jean-Michel Malouf, conductor.
Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for
the Arts, 27 Front St. E. From $17. www.ticketmaster.ca/event/10005F2DFA834CA8.
● 3:00: Les AMIS Concerts. Chamber Music
Concert. Works by Guy Fouquet, Bohuslav
Martinů, and Zoltán Kodály. Laurence
Kayaleh, violin; Elizabeth Dolin, cello. Trinity
United Church, 284 Division St., Cobourg.
Tickets available at the door. Information at
www.lesamisconcerts.ca. $35.
● 3:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Beethoven’s Seventh. Tansy Davies: Plumes
(first North American performance); Ligeti:
Violin Concerto; Beethoven: Symphony No. 7.
Jonathan Crow, violin; Gustavo Gimeno, conductor.
George Weston Recital Hall, Meridian
Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St. 416-598-3375.
From $54. Also Oct 25(8pm - RTH) & 28(8pm
- RTH).
● 3:00: Wilfred Laurier University. Steven
Page at Laurier with the Penderecki String
Quartet & Guests. Penderecki String Quartet;
James Campbell, clarinet; Steven Page,
vocalist. Wilfred Laurier University, Laziridis
Hall, 75 University Ave., Waterloo. www.
eventbrite.ca/e/steven-page-at-laurierwith-the-penderecki-string-quartet-andguests-tickets-365918009617.
From $20.
All proceeds from this concert support Laurier’s
Making Space for Music fundraising
campaign.
● 4:00: The Edison Singers. Royal Splendour:
A Celebration of Royal Music in Words,
Images & Song. Noel Edison, conductor. Niagara-on-the-Lake
location and ticket pricing to
be confirmed. www.theedisonsingers.com/
performances. Also Nov 4 (Toronto) & Nov 5
(Guelph).
● 4:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Hear! Here! with Mark Lalama Trio.
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, Robertson
Theatre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca.
$35; $186(table of 6).
● 4:00: Pax Christi Chorale. Alzheimer’s
Stories. Robert Cohen: Alzheimer’s Stories;
and works by Mark Sirett, Eleanor Daley,
Kim Andre Arnesen, Eric Whitacre, and
Jake Runestad. Pax Christi Chorale; soloists;
instrumental ensemble; Josh Tamayo, piano;
Elaine Choi, conductor. Holy Blossom Temple,
1950 Bathurst St. www.paxchristichorale.org.
$45; $40(sr); $20(19-35); $10(18 and
under).
● 4:00: St. Paul’s Bloor Street Anglican
Church. Benefit Concert for St. Paul’s Refugee
Ministry. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.17
in d Op.31 No.2 “Tempest”; Chopin: Ballade
No.4 in f Op.52; Chopin: Fantaisie in f Op.49;
Liszt: Spanish Rhapsody S.254; Debussy:
Estampes; Schubert: Das Wandern; Puccini:
“Che gelida manina” from La Bohème;
and other works. Ryan Downey, tenor;
Elaine Choi
Artistic Director & Conductor
A Benefit for St. Paul’s
Refugee Ministry
ALAN HOBBINS
PIANO
with guest artist
RYAN DOWNEY, TENOR
SUN OCT 29, 4pm
www.alanhobbins.com
Alan Hobbins, piano. 227 Bloor St. E. www.
alanhobbins.com or www.stpaulsbloor.org.
$30.
● 5:00: Nocturnes in the City. Piano Recital.
Works by Janáček, Chopin, and Smetana.
Jan Čmejla, piano. St. Wenceslaus Church,
496 Gladstone Ave. 416-481-7294. $25.
● 7:00: Sinfonia Ancaster. Land Acknowledgement:
A Concert. Beethoven: Symphony
No.6 in F Op.68; Dénommé-Welch/
Magowan: Miskwaa Biboon; Dénommé-
Welch/Magowan: Bottlenecked; Avery: Indian
Territory - Ancaster; McMann: Muskwa’s
Mountain Home. Jeffrey Pollock, conductor.
Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson
St. E., Ancaster. www.sinfoniaancaster.com
or 905-648-3232. $25; $20(sr); $15(under
25). Pre-concert lobby chat with all three
composers at 6pm.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Dan Mangan with Aysanabee. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, Partridge Hall,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $45;
$39(members).
Tuesday October 31
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Violin Recital.
Qiyue He, violin. Yorkminster Park Baptist
Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or
www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Joshua Duncan Lee, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations welcome.
42 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

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5
● 8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto.
Music for a Young King. Poème Harmonique.
Spadina Theatre, Alliance Française de
Toronto, 24 Spadina Rd. www.alliance-francaise.ca/.
$18.
Wednesday November 1
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy Concerts.
Joonghun Cho, piano. 54 Queen St. N.,
Kitchener. 519-578-4430 or www.standrewskw.com.
Free. Lunch available for $10 or
bring your own.
● 2:30: Opera Atelier. Gluck’s Orpheus and
Eurydice. See Oct 26.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Kim Mitchell. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St.,
St. Catharines. 905-688-0722; boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. $59; $49(members).
● 7:30: St. Olave’s Anglican Church. Music
and Your Health. Healing by using music as
a vehicle for finding spiritual meeting and
restoring physical and mental wholeness.
Dr. Kevin Komisaruk, organ & harpsichord.
360 Windermere Ave. www.YouTube.com/
StOlavesAnglicanChurch or 416-769-5686.
Contributions appreciated. LIVE OR ONLINE.
Preceded by a religious service for All Saints’
Day at 7pm.
● 7:30: Tapestry Opera/Crow’s Theatre.
Rocking Horse Winner. By Gareth Williams
and Anna Chatterton. Michael Hidetoshi Mori,
stage director; Kamna Gupta, music director.
Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Ave. 647-341-
7390 X1010. From $28. Also Nov 2 (7:30pm),
4(1:30pm), 5(1:30pm), 8(7:30pm), 9(7:30pm),
11(7:30pm), 12(1:30pm).
Ave. www.hughsroomlive.com or www.showpass.com/ale-nunez.
$30.
Thursday November 2
● 11:00am: Encore Symphonic Concert
Band. Monthly Concert. 35-piece concert
band performing band concert music,
pop tunes, jazz standards (2 singers) and
the occasional march. Trinity Presbyterian
Church York Mills, 2737 Bayview Ave. www.
encoreband.ca. $10.
● 12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan.
Thursday Noon at Met:. Julia Mirzoev, violin.
Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen
St. E. www.metunited.ca/live. Free. LIVE &
STREAMED.
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. The Wizard
Of Oz. Brampton Music Theatre. Rose Theatre,
1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. www.tickets.
brampton.ca/online or 905-874-2800. From
$15. Also Nov 3(7:30pm), 4(1pm & 7:30pm),
5(1pm), 9(7:30pm), 10(7:30pm), 11(7:30pm),
12(1pm).
● 7:30: Tapestry Opera/Crow’s Theatre.
Rocking Horse Winner. See Nov 1.
Also Nov 4(1:30pm), 5(1:30pm), 8(7:30pm),
9(7:30pm), 11(7:30pm), 12(1:30pm).
featuring music by
Electric Light Orchestra
NOVEMBER 2 - 18
Scarborough Village Theatre
3600 Kingston Road
smt-theatre.com
Phelps, piano. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600 X231 or
www.standrewstoronto.org. Free.
● 7:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Paul Anka:
Seven Decades Tour. Fallsview Casino Resort,
OLG Stage, 6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara
Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.
ca. From $64.
● 7:30: Aga Khan Museum. Festival of Arabic
Music & Arts: Sinbach. Arabic and Baroque
musical traditions convergence. Canadian
Arabic Orchestra; Suadf Bushnaq, composer.
Aga Khan Museum Auditorium, 77 Wynford
Dr. www.agakhanmuseum.org/programs/
sinbach or 416-646-4677. From $50.85.
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. The Wizard Of
Oz. See Nov 2. Also Nov 4(1pm & 7:30pm),
5(1pm), 9(7:30pm), 10(7:30pm), 11(7:30pm),
12(1pm).
● 7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Glenn
Gould School Operas Series: GGS Chamber
Opera. Mazzoleni Concert Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. $20. Also Nov 4.
● 7:30: Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra.
Máté Szűcs, Viola: Showpieces for Viola
and Orchestra. Beethoven: King Stephen
Overture Op.117; Ferenc Farkas: Rumanian
Dances from Bihar, for viola and chamber
orchestra; Ronald Royer: Viola Concerto (first
performance); Mozart: Overture to The Marriage
of Figaro; Tchaikovsky: Suite No.4 Op.61
“Mozartiana”. Máté Szűcs, viola; Scarborough
Philharmonic Orchestra; Ronald Royer, conductor.
Salvation Army Scarborough Citadel,
2021 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough.
647-482-7761 or www.spo.ca/Concerts. $35;
$30(sr); $15(st).
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Chamber & String Concerts Series: Danish
String Quartet. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. From $45.
● 8:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2. Also Nov 4(8pm), 5(2pm),
9(8pm), 10(8pm), 11(8pm), 12(2pm), 16(8pm),
17(8pm), 18(2pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Consort. Time Stands Still.
Artistic Direction by Alison Melville. Works by
Richard Allison, Thomas Campion, Thomas
Morley, John Johnson and others, along with
duets and trios for other mixtures of instruments
and voices. Martin Gomes, bass &
spoken word artist. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre,
Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. www.
torontoconsort.org or 416-964-6337. Also
Nov 4.
Saturday November 4
● 1:00: Brampton On Stage. The Wizard Of
Oz. See Nov 2. Also Nov 5(1pm), 9(7:30pm),
10(7:30pm), 11(7:30pm), 12(1pm).
● 1:30: Tapestry Opera/Crow’s Theatre.
Rocking Horse Winner. See Nov 1.
Also Nov 5(1:30pm), 8(7:30pm), 9(7:30pm),
11(7:30pm), 12(1:30pm).
● 4:00: The Edison Singers. Royal Splendour:
A Celebration of Royal Music in Words,
Images & Song. Noel Edison, conductor.
Toronto location and ticketing details to be
confirmed. www.theedisonsingers.com/performances.
Also Oct 29 (Niagara-on-the-lake)
& Nov 5 (Guelph).
● 4:00: St. Thomas’s Anglican Church. In
Remembrance. Duruflé: Requiem; Vaughan
Williams: Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge;
and works by Larkin and Howells. Organ
music by Duruflé. Choirs of St. Thomas’s
Church; Elizabeth Anderson, director; Manuel
Piazza, assistant director. 383 Huron St. 416-
979-2323 or www.stthomas.on.ca. Admission
by donation.
● 7:00: Brampton On Stage. Crate Clash.
Curated by Joseph Khargie. The ultimate DJ
battle showcasing young DJs and DJ crews
participating in a 70-year-old Jamaican tradition.
Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton.
www.tickets.brampton.ca/online or 905-874-
2800. $10.
● 7:00: Canadian Bandurist Capella/
Vesnivka Choir. Ukraine - Glorious and Free.
Inspiring contemporary and historical patriotic
songs sung to a backdrop featuring
images of the war in Ukraine today. Canadian
Bandurist Capella; Vesnivka Choir; Toronto
Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir. Runnymede
United Church, 432 Runnymede Rd. www.
cbc-vesnivka-toronto.eventbrite.ca. $25;
Free(under 18). Also Oct 29 (3pm at Metropolitan
United Church, London).
● 7:30: Technology and Performance Integration
Research Lab at UofT Faculty of
Music. New Ways for Old Works. Saint-
Marcoux: Episodie II; Frykberg: MOTHER
TOO; Beecroft: Jeu II; Beecroft: Cantorum
Vitae. Tony Arnold, soprano; Members of
the Technology and Performance Integration
Research Lab at UofT Faculty of Music.
Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University
of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 647-526-
6959. Free.
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. Ale Nuñez. Hugh’s
Room Live (New Location), 296 Broadview
● 8:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Lynne and
John Farrar. Scarborough Village Theatre,
3600 Kingston Rd., Scarborough. 416-
267-9292 or www.smt-theatre.com. $30;
$27(sr/st); $25(group rate). Also Nov 3(8pm),
4(8pm), 5(2pm), 9(8pm), 10(8pm), 11(8pm),
12(2pm), 16(8pm), 17(8pm), 18(2pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
An Evening with Audra McDonald. Audra
McDonald, singer/actor; Andy Einhorn, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-
598-3375. From $78.
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. The
Righteous Brothers Bill Medley & Bucky
Heard. Fallsview Casino Resort, OLG Stage,
6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls. 1-877-
833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca. From $45.
Friday November 3
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital. Rachmaninoff: Sonata in g for Cello
and Piano Op.19. Brandon Wilkie, cello; Ryan
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 43

LIVE OR ONLINE | Oct 1 to Dec 7, 2023
● 7:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Anthony
Rodia: Totally Relatable Tour. Fallsview Casino
Resort, Avalon Theatre, 6380 Fallsview Blvd.,
Niagara Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
From $58.
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. The Wizard Of
Oz. See Nov 2. Also Nov 5(1pm), 9(7:30pm),
10(7:30pm), 11(7:30pm), 12(1pm).
● 7:30: London Symphonia. Forbidden
Music. Schulhoff: Excerpt from Five Pieces
for String Quartet; Korngold: Excerpt from
String Quartet No.2 Op.26; Walter Kaufmann:
String Quartet No.5 (first Canadian performance);
Mozart: String Quartet K.575. Tom
Allen, narrator; London Symphonia String
Quartet: Joe Lanza, leader & violin; Émilié
Paré, violin; Kelvin Enns, viola; Ben Bolt-
Martin, cello. Metropolitan United Church
(London), 468 Wellington St., London. 226-
270-0910 or www.londonsymphonia.ca.
$70(premium); $52(adult); $22(st).
● 7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Glenn
Gould School Operas Series: GGS Chamber
Opera. Mazzoleni Concert Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. $20. Also Nov 3.
● 7:30: The Isabel Voices. the breath of
life. Dan Forest: the breath of life. Isabel
Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, Jennifer
Velva Bernstein Performance Hall,
390 King St. W., Kingston. www.queensu.
ca/theisabel/whats-on/breath-life-presented-isabel-voices.
$30; $25(sr); $15(st).
Livestream: Pay What You Can Donation
$10/$25/$35/$50/$100/$200. LIVE &
LIVESTREAM.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Jazz
Concerts Series: Christian McBride’s New
Jawn. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/
performance. From $50.
● 8:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2. Also Nov 5(2pm), 9(8pm),
10(8pm), 11(8pm), 12(2pm), 16(8pm), 17(8pm),
18(2pm).
● 8:00: TO Live. Hariharan: Soul India - Live
in Concert. Hariharan, singer & composer.
Meridian Hall, 1 Front St. E. www.tolive.com
or 416-366-7723 and 1-800-708-6754 or
boxoffice@tolive.com. From $58.
● 8:00: Toronto Consort. Time Stands Still.
Artistic Direction by Alison Melville. Works by
Richard Allison, Thomas Campion, Thomas
Morley, John Johnson and others, along with
duets and trios for other mixtures of instruments
and voices. Martin Gomes, bass &
spoken word artist. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre,
Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. www.
torontoconsort.org or 416-964-6337. Also
Nov 3.
Sunday November 5
● 1:00: Brampton On Stage. The Wizard
Of Oz. See Nov 2. Also Nov 9(7:30pm),
10(7:30pm), 11(7:30pm), 12(1pm).
● 1:15: Mooredale Concerts. Music & Truffles
KIDS. New Orford String Quartet. Walter
Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of
Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-922-3714 x103;
647-988-2012 (eve/wknd). $25.
● 1:30: Tapestry Opera/Crow’s Theatre.
Rocking Horse Winner. See Nov 1. Also
Nov 8(7:30pm), 9(7:30pm), 11(7:30pm),
12(1:30pm).
● 2:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2. Also Nov 9(8pm), 10(8pm),
11(8pm), 12(2pm), 16(8pm), 17(8pm), 18(2pm).
● 2:30: VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert.
Un giorno di regno (King for a Day). Music
by Giuseppe Verdi. With English Surtitles.
Holly Chaplin, Belle Cao, César Bello, Tonatiuh
Abrego, Justin Welsh; Opera in Concert
Chorus; Robert Cooper, chorus director; Suzy
Smith, music director & piano. Jane Mallett
Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts,
27 Front St. E. www.operainconcert.com or
416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754. From $42.
● 3:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Piano
Concerts Series: Sir András Schiff. Koerner
Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $75.
● 3:00: Trio Arkel. Chamber Music Concert.
Weber: Clarinet Quintet Op.34. Marie
Bérard, violin; Rémi Pelletier, viola; Winona
Zelenka, cello. Guests: Dominic Desautels,
clarinet; Luri Lee, violin. Trinity-St. Paul’s
Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W.
www.eventbrite.ca or admin@trioarkel.com
or 647-229-6918. $40.
● 3:15: Mooredale Concerts. New Orford
String Quartet. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson
Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s
Park. 416-922-3714 x103; 647-988-2012 (eve/
wknd). $55; $50(sr); $30(st).
● Nov 5 4:00: The Edison Singers. Royal
Splendour: A Celebration of Royal Music in
Words, Images & Song. Noel Edison, conductor.
Guelph location and ticketing details
to be confirmed. www.theedisonsingers.
com/performances. Also Oct 29 (Niagara-onthe
Lake) & Nov 4 (Toronto).
● 4:00: Music Salon. The Healing Power of
Music. Informal Romantic Music lecture-concert
in an innovative salon-style atmosphere.
Wine, hors d’oeuvres and piano music by Schumann,
Chopin, Listz, Hensel, Tchaikovsky, Grieg
and Dvořák, performed by young pianists and
professional musicians. Learn about the healing
power of music for enhancing immune system;
treating various medical problems; stress
reduction and emotional rescue. A Private
Home in Burlington, 630 Budgeon Common,
Burlington. www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-musicsalon-tickets-658162932047
or mayakvasserman@gmail.com
or 416-357-8345.
Tuesday November 7
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Piano Recital.
Carina Shum, piano. Yorkminster Park Baptist
Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or
www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Michael Capon, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Dean Brody - Right Around Here. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, Partridge Hall,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $75;
$65(members).
● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Piano
Concert. Stephen Runge, piano. Von Kuster
Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
November 7 at 8 pm
DUO
TURGEON
music-toronto.com
● 8:00: Music Toronto. Duo Turgeon. Works
by Bach, Octavio Pinto, Barbara Assiginaak,
Shostakovich, Anne Louise-Turgeon, and
0thers. Anne Louise-Turgeon, piano; Edward
Turgeon, piano. Jane Mallett Theatre, St.
Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E.
416-366-7723 or www.music-toronto.com.
$47.50-$52, $10(st).
Wednesday November 8
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy Concerts.
Donna Forward-Houriet: And The
Poppies Grow; John Rutter: A Flower Remembered;
Howard Goodall: Lacrymosa; Claude-
Michel Schönberg: “One Day More” from Les
Misérables; Rita MacNeil: Home I’ll Be. Shoreline
Chorus; Ann-Marie MacDairmid, director.
54 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-4430
or www.standrewskw.com. Free. Lunch available
for $10 or bring your own.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. The Ligeti Quartet. First United
Church, 16 William St. W., Waterloo. 519-
569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.
Advance: $35; $20(st). At door: $40; $25(st).
NOTE: Change of venue from KWCMS Music
Mods & Rockers:
Haus Musik
November 7, 2023, 8pm
El Mocambo
The Beatles, David Bowie, Queen...
Relive the tunes of the British musical tidal
wave that flooded the airwaves in the 1960s.
Brought to you by the creators of Cafe Counterculture, Andew
Downing and Alex Samaras, and the musicians of Tafelmusik.
Haus
Musik
tafelmusik.org/haus-musik
44 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Room to First United Church.
● 7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Rebanks Family Fellowship Concert. Mazzoleni
Concert Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/
performance. Free.
● 7:30: Tapestry Opera/Crow’s Theatre.
Rocking Horse Winner. See Nov 1. Also
Nov 9(7:30pm), 11(7:30pm), 12(1:30pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Sir
Andrew Conducts Fauré’s Requiem. Ed Frazer
Davis: Sanctum Est Verum Lumen (World
Premiere/TSO Commission); Mozart: Symphony
No. 40 K.550; Fauré: Requiem. Amadeus
Choir; Sir Andrew Davis, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
From $35. Also Nov 9 & 11.
Thursday November 9
● 12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan.
Thursday Noon at Met:. Works by Swellinck,
Byrd, Bull, and Phillips. Jonathan Oldengarm,
harpsichord. Metropolitan United Church,
56 Queen St. E. www.metunited.ca/live. Free.
LIVE & STREAMED.
● 3:00: Magisterra Soloists. Magisterra at
the Museum: La Belle Epoque. Mahler: Piano
Quartet in a; Saint-Saëns: Piano Trio No.1
in F Op.18; Fauré: Piano Quartet in c Op.15.
Guest: Medhi Ghazi, piano. Museum London,
421 Ridout St. N., London. www.magisterra.
com. $35; $30(sr); $15(st); $10(under 10).
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. The Wizard
Of Oz. See Nov 2. Also Nov 10(7:30pm),
11(7:30pm), 12(1pm).
● 7:30: Tapestry Opera/Crow’s Theatre.
Rocking Horse Winner. See Nov 1. Also
Nov 11(7:30pm), 12(1:30pm).
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Classic
Albums Live: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours.
171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-
7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$78(regular); $83(prime); $15(YTX).
● 8:00: New Music Concerts. Ligeti @ 100:
An Evening with the Ligeti String Quartet.
György Ligeti: Poème symphonique for
100 Metronomes; Tanya Tagaq: Sivunittinni;
Ana Sokolović: Ungherese; Sidney Corbett:
Suspended Disbelief; Nicole Lizée:
Entreflaques; and other works. Ligeti Quartet:
Freya Goldmark, violin; Patrick Dawkins,
Ligeti @ 100:
An Evening with
the Ligeti String
Nov. 09. 23
7PM Doors and Pre-show
8PM Concert
newmusicconcerts.com
violin; Richard Jones, viola; Val Welbanks,
cello. St. George on the Grange, 30 Stephanie
St. info@newmusicconcerts.com. By donation
($25 recommended). 7:15pm: Pre-concert
chat. 7:45pm: Young Artist Overture.
8pm: Concert. 9:30pm: Reception.
● 8:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2. Also Nov 10(8pm), 11(8pm),
12(2pm), 16(8pm), 17(8pm), 18(2pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Sir
Andrew Conducts Fauré’s Requiem. Ed Frazer
Davis: Sanctum Est Verum Lumen (World
Premiere/TSO Commission); Mozart: Symphony
No. 40 K.550; Fauré: Requiem. Amadeus
Choir; Sir Andrew Davis, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
From $35. Also Nov 8 & 11.
Friday November 10
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital. Bach: Movements from Flute Sonata
and arias for alto and flute. Nancy Olfert, alto;
Michele Frensch, flute; Dan Bickle, organ. St.
Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe St.
416-593-5600 X231 or www.standrewstoronto.org.
Free.
● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Fridays
at 12:30 Concert Series: The Rogue Duo.
Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 2:00: Soundstreams. The Bright Divide.
Two immersive & contemplative works by
Morton Feldman and a world-premiere by
Cecilia Livingston inspired by the paintings
of Mark Rothko. Soundstreams Choir 21; Steven
Dann, viola; Gregory Oh, celesta; Ryan
Scott, percussion; David Fallis, conductor;
Tim Albery, stage director. TD Music Hall,
178 Victoria St. 416-504-1282 or www.Soundstreams.ca.
From $25. Also Nov 11(7:30pm).
● 5:15: Kingston Baroque Consort. Baroque
Passions: Heartbreak and Tenderness. Works
by Telemann, Steffani, Locatelli, and Hasse. St.
James Anglican Church, 10 Union St, Kingston.
legerek@queensu.ca or 613-217-5099 or
at Novel Idea, 156 Princess St or www.livemusickingston.ca/kingston-baroque-consort-2023/.
$25; $10(st); Free(under 17).
● 6:00: North York Central Library. Open
Mic at the Library: North York Edition. Music,
poetry & storytelling. Are you a musician,
poet, or storyteller? If so, then you are invited
to share your talents at the North York Central
Library Open Mic. Guitar, piano & djembe
provided. 7 minutes for each performance.
For adults, teens, and seniors. North York
Central Library Auditorium, 5120 Yonge St.
Sign-up is at 5:30pm. For more information,
contact the Language, Literature & Fine
Arts Department at 416-395-5639. Free.
Also Dec 8.
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. The Wizard Of
Oz. See Nov 2. Also Nov 11(7:30pm), 12(1pm).
● 7:30: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation. A
Concert of Remembrance. Guy Few, trumpet;
Rob Crabtree, piper; Lark Popov, piano; Colleen
Burns, narrator; Choir & Organ; Eric
N. Robertson, conductor. Yorkminster
Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-
922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com or
www.9sparrowsarts.org. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 7:30: Opera by Request. Rigoletto. Music
by Giuseppe Verdi. Gene Wu, baritone (Rigoletto);
Emily Rocha, soprano (Gilda); Daevyd
Pepper, tenor (Duke of Mantua); Alessia Vitali,
mezzo (Maddalena / Countess Ceprano);
Wes Hui, bass-baritone (Sparafucile / Count
Ceprano); and others; William Shookhoff,
piano and music director. College St. United
Church, 452 College St. 416-455-2365. $20.
● 7:30: Soundstreams. The Bright Divide.
Two immersive & contemplative works
by Morton Feldman and a world-premiere
by Cecilia Livingston inspired by the paintings
of Mark Rothko. Soundstreams Choir
21; Steven Dann, viola; Gregory Oh, celesta;
Ryan Scott, percussion; David Fallis, conductor;
Tim Albery, stage director. TD Music
Hall, 178 Victoria St. 416-504-1282 or www.
Soundstreams.ca. From $25. Also Nov 11(2pm
& 7:30pm).
● 8:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
Classic Albums Live: U2’s The Joshua.
Burlington Performing Arts Centre - Main
Theatre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. www.
burlingtonpac.ca/events/classic-albumslive-the-joshua-tree
or 905-568-1600. From
$64.50.
● 8:00: Civic Light Opera Company. Oklahoma!
in concert. Music by Richard Rodgers.
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein
II. 80th anniversary tribute. Brian Pearcy,
NINE SPARROWS ARTS FOUNDATION
PRESENTS
A CONCERT OF
REMEMBRANCE
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2023 | 7:30 pm
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church
1585 Yonge Street at Heath Street
SPECIAL GUEST
Guy Few, trumpet
FEATURING:
Season Sponsors
Trinity St. Paul's Centre
https://trioarkel.eventbrite.ca
Sunday November 5th, 3pm
STRAVINSKY
CUSSON
GERSHWIN
GRIEG
WEBER
Guest artists:
Dominic Desautels, clarinet
Luri Lee, violin
Rob Crabtree, Piper
Lark Popov, Piano
Colleen Burns, Narrator
Choir and Organ
Eric N. Robertson, Conductor
ADMISSION FREE
DONATIONS WELCOME
WWW.9SPARROWSARTS.ORG
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 45

LIVE OR ONLINE | Oct 1 to Dec 7, 2023
narrator; 16-person cast and chamber
orchestra; Joe Cascone, designer & director.
Fairview Library Theatre, 35 Fairview Mall
Dr. CivicLightOpera123@gmail.com or 416-
755-1717 or www.clotoronto.com. $20. Also
Nov 11(2pm & 8pm).
● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Musicians
from Marlboro Chamber Music Tour.
Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 8:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2. Also Nov 11(8pm), 12(2pm),
16(8pm), 17(8pm), 18(2pm).
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Music
Mix Series: Django Festival Allstars. Koerner
Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $50.
● 8:00: Sinfonia Toronto. Pictures at an
Exhibition. Mussorgsky (arr. Ravel): Pictures
at an Exhibition; Alexandar Simic: In Memoriam
(first Canadian performance); Chan Ka
Nin: Donas de Fuera for Flute and Acting (first
performance); Ezio Mont: Rugiada - Elegy for
Flute and Strings; Vivaldi: Flute Concerto No.1
in F RV 433 “La tempesta di mare”. Luisa Sello,
flute; Sinfonia Toronto; Nurhan Arman, conductor.
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St.
W. 416-499-0403 or www.sinfoniatoronto.
com. $52; $40(sr); $20(st).
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Nick
Carter: Who I Am Tour. Fallsview Casino
Resort, Avalon Theatre, 6380 Fallsview Blvd.,
Niagara Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
Also Nov 11.
Saturday November 11
● 2:00: Civic Light Opera Company. Oklahoma!
in concert. Music by Richard Rodgers.
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
80th anniversary tribute. Brian Pearcy, narrator;
16-person cast and chamber orchestra;
Joe Cascone, designer & director.
Fairview Library Theatre, 35 Fairview Mall Dr.
CivicLightOpera123@gmail.com or 416-755-
1717 or or www.clotoronto.com. $20. Also
Nov 10(8pm), 11(8pm).
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. The Wizard Of
Oz. See Nov 2. Also Nov 12(1pm).
● 7:30: Cantabile Chamber Singers. Light
and Dark: A Musical Contrast. Dale Trumbore:
Magnificat (first Canadian performance);
and works by Gerda Blok-Wilson, Dr
Laura Sgroi, Andrew Balfour, Dr. Matthew
Emery and Eric Whitacre. Church of the
Redeemer, 162 Bloor St. W. . $30; $15(youth
13-18).
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Pink Floyd Niagara. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St.
Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722;
boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $39-$65.
● 7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Sibelius & Dvořák. Kawabe: New Work
(world premiere); Sibelius: Violin Concerto;
Dvořák: Symphony No.7. Kerson Leong, violin;
Jacob Joyce, conductor. FirstOntario Concert
Hall, 1 Summers Ln., Hamilton. 905-526-7756;
boxoffice@hpo.org. $20-$80. 6:30 pm preconcert
talk.
● 7:30: Oriana Singers. For the Fallen: A Service
of Remembrance. A selection of songs,
poems and stories honouring the Canadian
Military, past and present. Victoria Hall,
Cobourg, 55 King Street W., Cobourg. www.
orianasingers.com. $20. All profits to be
donated to Veterans, Veterans’ Families and
Veteran Services.
● 7:30: Soundstreams. The Bright Divide.
Two immersive & contemplative works by
Morton Feldman and a world-premiere by
Cecilia Livingston inspired by the paintings
of Mark Rothko. Soundstreams Choir 21; Steven
Dann, viola; Gregory Oh, celesta; Ryan
Scott, percussion; David Fallis, conductor;
Tim Albery, stage director. TD Music Hall,
178 Victoria St. 416-504-1282 or www.Soundstreams.ca.
From $25. Also Nov 10(7:30pm)
& 11(2pm).
● 7:30: Tapestry Opera/Crow’s Theatre.
Rocking Horse Winner. See Nov 1. Also
Nov 12(1:30pm).
● 8:00: Burlington Symphony Orchestra.
From the New World. Dvořák: Symphony No.9
in e minor Op.95 “From the New World”; Mendelssohn:
Piano Concerto No.1 in g Op.25;
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in e Op.64;
Jagger: New Work (first performance). Eric
Guo, piano; Yoanna Jang, violin. Burlington
J.S. Bach: Solo Bass Cantatas
(BWV82 & 56)
Daniel Lichti, bass-baritone
John Abberger, oboist
Sunday, November 12, 3PM
Live & online
$25/15
metunited.ca
Performing Arts Centre, 440 Locust St., Burlington.
905-681-6000 or www.burlingtonsymphony.ca.
$15-$50.
● 8:00: Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra.
Remembrances. Grayzna Bacewicz:
Overture. Martin MacDonald, conductor;
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Op.55
“Eroica”; and works by Kevin Lau and Vaughan
Williams. P.C. Ho Theatre, Chinese Cultural
Centre of Greater Toronto, 5183 Sheppard
Ave. E., Scarborough. 416-879-5566. From
$25. Free for children under 12. Pre-concert
talk: 7:15pm.
● 8:00: Civic Light Opera Company. Oklahoma!
in concert. Music by Richard Rodgers.
Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein
II. 80th anniversary tribute. Brian Pearcy,
narrator; 16-person cast and chamber
orchestra; Joe Cascone, designer & director.
Fairview Library Theatre, 35 Fairview Mall
Dr. CivicLightOpera123@gmail.com or 416-
755-1717 or www.clotoronto.com. $20. Also
Nov 10(8pm), 11(2pm).
● 8:00: Greenbank Folk Music Society.
Brooks and Bowskill with The Hometown
Beauts. A little bit country, a little bit rock
n’ roll. Greenbank Hall, 19965 Highway #12,
Greenbank. 905-985-8351 or Blue Heron
Books, P O E Design. $35.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Global Music Series: Israel Fernández & Seffarine.
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/
performance. From $50.
● 8:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2. Also Nov 12(2pm), 16(8pm),
17(8pm), 18(2pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Sir
Andrew Conducts Fauré’s Requiem. Ed Frazer
Davis: Sanctum Est Verum Lumen (World
Premiere/TSO Commission); Mozart: Symphony
No. 40 K.550; Fauré: Requiem. Amadeus
Choir; Sir Andrew Davis, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
From $35. Also Nov 8 & 9.
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Nick
Carter: Who I Am Tour. Fallsview Casino
Resort, Avalon Theatre, 6380 Fallsview Blvd.,
Niagara Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
Also Nov 10.
Sunday November 12
● 1:00: Brampton On Stage. The Wizard Of
Oz. See Nov 2.
● 1:30: Tapestry Opera/Crow’s Theatre.
Rocking Horse Winner. See Nov 1.
● 2:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2. Also Nov 16(8pm), 17(8pm),
18(2pm).
● 2:00: Victoria Jubilee Hall. Indigenous
Artists and Sultans of String Walking
Through the Fire: A Trailblazing Musical
Response to the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action.
Sultans of String; Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk,
fiddler; Marc Meriläinen, singer/songwriteriwan),
Shannon Thunderbird, singer/
songwriter; Don Ross, guitar; and others.
111 Jackson St. S., Walkerton. www.ticketscene.ca/events/44503.
$55.
● 3:00: Music at Metropolitan. Bach Solo
Bass Cantatas. Daniel Lichti, bass-baritone;
John Abberger, oboe; Choir & Period Instruments
Chamber Ensemble. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. www.metunited.ca/live.
$25; $15(sr). LIVE & STREAMED.
● 4:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
When Lightning Strikes the River - The
Electric Storm Collective. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, Cairns Recital Hall,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $25;
$20(members).
● 7:00: Apocryphonia. Rossi of Mantua:
The Songs of Salamone. Madrigals, motets
& monodies by Salamone Rossi, Claudio
Monteverdi, Giovanni Gastoldi, and Giuseppe
Cenci. Diapente Renaissance Vocal
Quintet: Jane Fingler, soprano; Peter Koniers,
countertenor; Alexander Cappellazzo,
tenor; Jonathan Stuchbery, tenor & continuo;
Martin Gomes, bass. Heliconian Hall,
35 Hazelton Ave. 514-378-2558. Pay What You
Want(In-person or Eventbrite): suggested
$30; $25/$20(Supporter donations/program
shout-outs).
Monday November 13
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. The Roaring Twenties. Gerswhin:
Rhaspody in Blue (arr. Thierry Huillet); Ravel:
Violin Sonata; and works by Debussy, Satie,
Irving Berlin, Charlie Chaplin, and others.
Sadie Fields, violin; Ken Gee, piano. First
United Church, 16 William St. W., Waterloo.
519-569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/
kwcms. Advance: $30; $20(st). At door: $35;
$25(st). NOTE: Change of venue from KWCMS
Music Room to First United Church.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Salsa Band. Wolf Performance
Hall, 251 Dundas St., London. 519-661-3767 or
www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
Tuesday November 14
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Rising Stars
Recital. Featuring students from the Glenn
Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of
Music. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church,
1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Nicholas Wanstall, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:00: Westben. Flanders Fields Reflections:
A Back-to-School Chalk Talk. Exploring this
Juno Award winning musical setting of “In
Flanders Fields” with its composer. Dr. John
Burge, composer & presenter. The Schoolhouse,
6788 County Road 30, Campbellford.
1-877-883-5777 or www.westben.ca. PWYC.
Wednesday November 15
● 12:00 noon: ORGANIX Concerts. Organ
Concert. Andre Rakus, organ; Katie Clark,
trumpet. Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic
Church, 3055 Bloor St. W. 416-571-3680 or
www.organixconcerts.ca. Suggested freewill
offering of $20.
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy Concerts.
Music of Edith Piaf. Keiko Larocque,
soprano; Ann-Marie MacDairmid, piano.
54 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-4430 or
www.standrewskw.com. Free. Lunch available
for $10 or bring your own.
● 7:00: Aperture Room, Thornton-Smith
Building. All That Remains: Residual
Moments. One-hour performance installation
featuring the Thin Edge New Music Collective.
Utilizes music, video imagery, and human
presence as the stage for the unveiling of
46 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

our innermost hidden thoughts, giving voice
to the defining tableaux from our childhood.
Gunilla Josephson, film-maker; Frank Horvat,
composer; Thin Edge New Music Collective.
340 Yonge St. www.frankhorvat.com/
moments. $20. Also at 8:30pm.
● 8:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
Choir! Choir! Choir! Daveed Goldman
and Nobu Adilman, choir organizers. Burlington
Performing Arts Centre - Main Theatre,
440 Locust St., Burlington. www.burlingtonpac.ca/events/choir-choir-choir
or 905-568-
1600. From $34.50.
● 8:00: Payadora Tango Ensemble. A Night
of Tango with Payadora. Classic and modern
tango, originals, and South American folk
music. Rebekah Wolkstein, violin & vocals;
Drew Jurecka, bandoneon/violin/mandolin;
Robert Horvath, piano; Joe Phillips, doublebass
& guitar; Elbio Fernandez, vocals. Jazz
Bistro, 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299. $25.
Also Sep 26, Jan 17, 2024, Mar 6, May 15, Jul 17,
Sep 18, Nov 13.
● 8:30: Aperture Room, Thornton-Smith
Building. All That Remains: Residual
Moments. See Nov 15 at 7pm.
Thursday November 16
● 12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan.
Thursday Noon at Met:. Lindsay McIntyre,
soprano. Metropolitan United Church,
56 Queen St. E. www.metunited.ca/live. Free.
LIVE & STREAMED.
WOMEN’S MUSICAL CLUB OF TORONTO
NOVEMBER 16 | 1.30 PM
TESLA
QUARTET
416-923-7052 | wmct.on.ca
● 1:30: Music in the Afternoon. Tesla Quartet.
Dvořák: 4 movements from Cypresses;
Grazyna Bacewicz: String Quartet No.3;
Beethoven: String Quartet No.9 in C
Op.59 No.3; Kevin Lau: A new work for string
quartet commissioned by the WMCT. Tesla
Quartet: Ross Snyer, Michelle Lie, violins;
Edwin Kaplan, viola; Austin Fisher, cello. Walter
Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University
of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-923-7052 X1.
$50; free(st with ID at door).
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Opera
at Western: La Cenerentola (Cinderella). Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London.
519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events.
$35/$25(adv); $40/$30(at door).
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre. Great Lake Swimmers with Minuscule.
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre,
Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca.
$35.
● 8:00: Aga Khan Museum. Duende Flamenco
Festival. Emilio Ochando, Carmen
Romero, Miriam Mendez, El Yiyo, Eduardo
Guerrero, and others. Aga Khan Museum
Auditorium, 77 Wynford Dr. www.agakhanmuseum.org/programs/duende-festival-2023.
$60(Nov 16, 17, 18); $80(Nov 19).
Also Nov 17(8:30pm), 18(8pm), 19(6pm).
● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Piano
Concert. Joel Sachs, piano. Paul Davenport
Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 8:00: Evergreen Club Contemporary
Gamelan. Crosscurrents: Canadian
Gamelan @ 40. Gunawan: Two world premieres
and selections from the ECCG repertoire.
Guest: Iwan Gunawan. Tranzac Club,
292 Brunswick Ave. www.eventbrite.com/e/
crosscurrents-canadian-gamelan-40-withindonesian-guest-iwan-gunawan-tickets-718829697977?aff=oddtdtcreator.
$30;
$15(st/sr/arts workers).
● 8:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2. Also Nov 17(8pm), 18(2pm).
● 8:00: TO Live. New York Philharmonic
String Quartet. Frank Huang, violin; Qianqian
Li, violin; Cynthia Phelps, viola; and Carter
Brey, cello. George Weston Recital Hall,
Meridian Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St. www.
tolive.com or 416-366-7723 and 1-800-708-
6754 or boxoffice@tolive.com. From $40.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Dvořák Symphony No.8. Zoltan Almashi:
Maria’s City (Canadian Premiere); Liszt: Piano
Concerto No.1; Dvořák: Symphony No.8. Illia
Ovcharenko, piano; Oksana Lyniv, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-
3375. From $35. Also Nov 18.
Friday November 17
● Royal Conservatory of Music. Mazzoleni
Masters Series: ARC Ensemble: Celebrating
20 Years. (See Nov 29, 7:30pm for CD launch
concert details)
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital. Cecilia Chow, piano. St. Andrew’s
Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-
593-5600 X231 or www.standrewstoronto.
org. Free.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. The Rogue Duo. Mehrdad Jafari
Raad: Toccata; Eugene Aspatov: Utterings;
Rojin Monibi: Dandelion; Niloufar Shahbazi:
Detachment; Maziar Heidari: Eclipsed Hopes;
Keyan Emami: Nah / ‏;هن Saman Shahi: Slumbering
Clouds. Saman Shahi, piano; Bijan Sepanji,
violin. First United Church, 16 William St.
W., Waterloo. 519-569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.
Advance: $25; $15(st). At
door: $30; $20(st). NOTE: Change of venue
from KWCMS Music Room to First United
Church.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Opera
at Western: La Cenerentola (Cinderella). See
Nov 16.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Early Morning
Rain: The Legend of Gordon Lightfoot. Performers:
Leisa Way, Fred Smith, Bobby Prochaska,
and Don Reid. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre
Ln., Brampton. www.tickets.brampton.ca/
online or 905-874-2800. From $15.
● 8:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Brett
Young: Dance With You with Special Guest
Tyler Rich. Fallsview Casino Resort, OLG
Stage, 6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls.
1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.ca. Tickets
on sale Aug 16 at 10am.
● 8:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2. Also Nov 18(2pm).
CHORAL
KALEIDOSCOPE
Tafelmusik Chamber Choir &
Orchestra, directed by Ivars Taurins
Nov 17–19, 2023
Jeanne Lamon Hall,
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
tafelmusik.org
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. Choral Kaleidoscope.
Bach: Motet - Jesu, meine Freude; and
works by Purcell, Salamone Rossi, Carissimi,
and Lotti. Tafelmusik Chamber Choir; Ivars
Taurins, director. Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St.
Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. www.
tafelmusik.org/choral or 416-964-6337. From
$47. Also Nov 18(8pm) & 19(3pm).
● 8:30: Aga Khan Museum. Duende Flamenco
Festival. Emilio Ochando, Carmen
Romero, Miriam Mendez, El Yiyo, Eduardo
Guerrero, and others. Aga Khan Museum
Auditorium, 77 Wynford Dr. www.agakhanmuseum.org/programs/duende-festival-2023.
$60(Nov 16, 17, 18); $80(Nov 19).
Also Nov 16(8pm), 18(8pm), 19(6pm).
Saturday November 18
● 2:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Opera
at Western: La Cenerentola (Cinderella). See
Nov 16.
● 2:00: Scarborough Music Theatre. Xanadu.
See Nov 2.
● 4:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. TOT
Cabaret Series: Vienna Mine. Music by
Strauss, Lehár, and Kálmán. Edward Jackman
Centre, 947 Queen St. E., 2nd Floor. 416-
366-7723 or 1–800-708-6754 or www.tolive.
com. $45.
● 4:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Taylor
Academy Concerts Series: Taylor Academy
Showcase Concert. Mazzoleni Concert Hall,
TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208
or www.rcmusic.com/performance. Free.
● 7:00: Stratford Symphony Orchestra.
John Marcus & Sharon Wei Perform Mozart.
Joseph Bologne: Symphony No.2 in D
Op.11; Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat
K.364; Dvořák: Serenade for Strings in E
Op.22 (B.52). John Marcus, violin; Sharon
Wei, viola; William Rowson, conductor. Avondale
United Church, 194 Avondale Ave.,
Stratford. www.stratfordsymphony.ca/Marcus_and_Wei_Perform_Mozart.
$45; $15(st);
Free(under 12).
● 7:30: Grand Philharmonic Chamber Singers.
Annelies. James Whitbourne: Annelies.
Sara Schabas, soprano; Chamber Orchestra;
Mark Vuorinen, conductor. Ken Seiling Waterloo
Region Museum, 10 Huron Rd, Kitchener.
519-578-1570. From $10.
● 7:30: Opera by Request. Le nozze di
Figaro. Music by W. A. Mozart. Brian Dearden,
baritone (Figaro); Roanna Kitchen, soprano
(Susanna); Rianna Robinson, soprano (The
Countess); Sebastien Belcourt, baritone (The
Count); Alessia Vitali, mezzo (Cherubino);
and others; William Shookhoff, piano and
music director. College St. United Church,
452 College St. 416-455-2365. $20.
● 8:00: Aga Khan Museum. Duende Flamenco
Festival. Emilio Ochando, Carmen
Romero, Miriam Mendez, El Yiyo, Eduardo
Guerrero, and others. Aga Khan Museum
Auditorium, 77 Wynford Dr. www.agakhanmuseum.org/programs/duende-festival-2023.
$60(Nov 16, 17, 18); $80(Nov 19).
Also Nov 16(8pm), 17(8:30pm), 19(6pm).
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Classic Albums
Live: The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely
Hearts Club Band. Rose Orchestra. Rose Theatre,
1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. www.tickets.brampton.ca/online
or 905-874-2800.
From $15.
● 8:00: Mississauga Symphony Orchestra.
Masterworks: Verdi Requiem. Mississauga
Festival Choir. Living Arts Centre, Hammerson
Hall, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga.
www.mississaugasymphony.ca or 905-306-
6000. From $40.
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. Choral Kaleidoscope. See
Nov 17. Also Nov 19.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Dvořák Symphony No.8. Zoltan Almashi:
Maria’s City (Canadian Premiere); Liszt: Piano
Concerto No.1; Dvořák: Symphony No.8. Illia
Ovcharenko, piano; Oksana Lyniv, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-
3375. From $35. Also Nov 16.
Sunday November 19
● 2:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Opera
at Western: La Cenerentola (Cinderella). See
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 47

LIVE OR ONLINE | Oct 1 to Dec 7, 2023
Nov 16.
● 2:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. NSO
Classic 2: Nagata Shachu. R. Strauss: Don
Juan; Ishii: Mono-Prism; R. Strauss: Der
Rosenkavalier Suite; Ravel: Bolero. Taiko
Drum Ensemble. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St.,
St. Catharines. 905-688-0722; boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. $15.64-$82.90.
● 3:00: Tafelmusik. Choral Kaleidoscope.
See Nov 17.
VIVALDI: BUT NOT
“THE SEASONS”
Rezonance Baroque
Ensemble, and
Vania Chan, soprano
SUN, NOV 19, 3:30PM
rhcentre.ca
● 3:30: Rezonance Baroque Ensemble. Vivaldi:
But Not “The Seasons”. Works by Vivaldi.
Vania Chan, soprano; Rezonance Baroque
Ensemble: Rezan Onen-Lapointe & Kailey
Richards, baroque violins; Matt Antal, baroque
viola; Laura Jones, baroque cello; Benjamin
Stein, lute & theorbo; David Podgorski,
harpsichord. Richmond Hill Centre for the
Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge St., Richmond
Hill. 905-787-8811 or www.rhcentre.ca. $30.
Pre-concert chat at 2:45pm. Also online on
Dec 16.
● 4:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
Montreal Guitare Trio (MG3). Sébastien
Deshaies, Glenn Lévesque, and Marc Morin,
guitars. Burlington Performing Arts Centre
- Community Studio Theatre, 440 Locust St.,
Burlington. www.burlingtonpac.ca/events/
montreal-guitare-trio or 905-568-1600.
From $44.50.
● 4:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Young People’s Concert: Saint-Georges’
Sword & Bow. Canadian premiere. Classical
Kids LIVE!, actors; Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser,
conductor. Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $30.
● 5:00: Nocturnes in the City. Vocal Recital:
Operatic Music from Prague. Grace Quinsey,
soprano; John Holland, baritone; William
Shookhoff, piano. St. Wenceslaus Church,
496 Gladstone Ave. 416-481-7294. $25.
● 6:00: Aga Khan Museum. Duende Flamenco
Festival. Emilio Ochando, Carmen
Romero, Miriam Mendez, El Yiyo, Eduardo
Guerrero, and others. Aga Khan Museum
Auditorium, 77 Wynford Dr. www.agakhanmuseum.org/programs/duende-festival-2023.
$60(Nov 16, 17, 18); $80(Nov 19).
Also Nov 16(8pm), 17(8:30pm), 18(8pm).
● 7:00: INNERchamber Inc. Breaking
Through. Graham Campbell: Three Pieces for
Piano Quintet - Between Breaths, Snow Rider,
and Dive; Price: Piano Quintet in a; Schumann:
Piano Quintet in E-flat Op.44. Charmaine
Fopoussi, piano; Julie Baumgartel, violin,
Andrew Chung, violin; Jody Davenport, viola;
Ben Bolt-Martin, cello. Factory 163, 163 King
St., Stratford. tickets@innerchamber.ca.
$45; $30(arts workers/st). 5:30pm - Preshow
dinner. A light meal is available to inperson
patrons.
● 7:30: Bravo Niagara! Festival of the Arts.
Maestro Series: Ehnes Quartet. Haydn: String
Quartet No.66 in G Op.77 No. 1 Hob.III:81; Britten:
String Quartet No.2 in C Op.36; Schumann:
String Quartet No.1 Op.41 No.1. James
Ehnes, violin; Amy Schwartz Moretti, violin;
Che-Yen Chen, viola; Edward Arron, cello.
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, Cairns
Recital Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
www.bravoniagara.org. $60; $30(youth).
Tuesday November 21
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Rising Stars
Recital. Featuring students from the University
of Toronto Faculty of Music. Yorkminster
Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-
1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free.
Donations welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Jonathan Oldengarm, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E.
416-364-7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/
recitals. Free. Donations welcome.
Wednesday November 22
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy Concerts.
Autumn Debassige, mezzo; Angus
Sinclair, piano. 54 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-
578-4430 or www.standrewskw.com. Free.
Lunch available for $10 or bring your own.
● 7:30: Confluence Concerts. Autorickshaw
at 20. A 20-year anniversary celebration
of the Indo-Fusion band. Suba
Sankaran, Dylan Bell, and Ed Hanley. Heliconian
Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. www.bemusednetwork.com/events.
$25. Pre-concert chat at
6:45pm. Also Nov 23.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre. Classic Albums Live: The Beatles.
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, Partridge
Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca.
$59; $49(members).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Michael Tilson Thomas Conducts Mahler.
Berg: Seven Early Songs; Mahler: Symphony
No.5. Emily D’Angelo, mezzo; Michael
Tilson Thomas, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $35. Also
Nov 24(7:30pm), 25(8pm).
Thursday November 23
● 12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan.
Thursday Noon at Met:. Jonathan Kravtchenko,
piano. Metropolitan United Church,
56 Queen St. E. www.metunited.ca/live. Free.
LIVE & STREAMED.
● 7:30: Confluence Concerts. Autorickshaw
at 20. A 20-year anniversary celebration
of the Indo-Fusion band. Suba Sankaran,
Dylan Bell, and Ed Hanley. Heliconian Hall,
35 Hazelton Ave. www.bemusednetwork.
com/events. $25. Pre-concert chat at
6:45pm. Also Nov 22.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Jazz Ensemble Concert. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre. The Legendary Downchild Blues
Band with Spencer MacKenzie. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, Partridge Hall,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $59;
$49(members).
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Re-Imagined: A
Theatre Concert. Curated by Darryn de Souza.
Celebrate music of Broadway, while capturing
the creativity, connection and musicality of
stories on stage. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln.,
Brampton. www.tickets.brampton.ca/online
or 905-874-2800. From $15.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. A Very
Merry Motown Christmas. 171 Town Centre
Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.
flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. $65(prime);
$60(regular).
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. Sarah
Brightman: A Christmas Symphony. Fallsview
Casino Resort, OLG Stage, 6380 Fallsview
Blvd., Niagara Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.
ticketmaster.ca. From $58.
● 8:00: TO Live. collectif9 and VC2 Cello
Duo: Rituæls. with Stacey Désilier, dancer.
George Weston Recital Hall, Meridian Arts
Centre, 5040 Yonge St. www.tolive.com or
416-366-7723 and 1-800-708-6754 or boxoffice@tolive.com.
From $22.
Friday November 24
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noontime
Recital. Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite,
arranged for piano duet and works by Poulenc,
Tailleferre, and Liszt. David Potvin, piano;
Jean-Luc Therrien, piano. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600
X231 or www.standrewstoronto.org. Free.
● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Fridays
at 12:30 Concert Series: Contemporary
Canadian Music. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N.,
London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/
events. Free.
● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Percussion Ensemble. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
Also at 7:30pm.
● 1:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Music
International Week Concert: Songs of Many
Lands. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London.
519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events.
Free. LIVE & LIVESTREAM.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Percussion Ensemble. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
Also at 12:30pm.
● 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Michael Tilson Thomas Conducts Mahler.
Berg: Seven Early Songs; Mahler: Symphony
No.5. Emily D’Angelo, mezzo; Michael
Tilson Thomas, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $35. Also
Nov 22(8pm), 25(8pm).
Pyotr's
Dream
Michael
Berkovsky
Tchaikovsky
Piano Concerto No1
Beethoven
Symphony No 4
NOVEMBER 24
● 8:00: Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra.
Pyotr’s Dream. Andrew Balfour: Pyotr’s
Dream; Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1 in
b-flat Op.23; Beethoven: Symphony No.4 in
B-flat Op.60. Michael Berkovsky, piano Matthew
Jones, conductor. Martingrove Collegiate
Institute, 50 Winterton Dr., Etobicoke.
www.eporchestra.ca/season/2324. $30;
$25(sr); $15(st). Pre-concert chat(7:40pm).
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Royal
Conservatory Orchestra Series: JoAnn Falletta
Conducts the Royal Conservatory
Orchestra. Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 in
d Op.15; Roussell: “Bacchus et Ariane” Suite
No.2 Op.43; Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis
of Themes by Carl Maria von
Weber. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/
performance. From $25.
Saturday November 25
● 3:00: Achill Choral Society. Achill Celebrates
40! John Williams: Home Alone Suite;
Howard Blake: The Snowman; plus seasonal
favorites and selections from our inaugural
1982 performance. Nancy Dettbarn, collaborative
pianist; Shawn Grenke, director; a
string quartet and other performers. Westminster
United Church, 247 Broadway Ave.,
Orangeville. www.achill.ca. $30; $15(st). Also
Dec 2(Knox Presbyterian Church, Alliston).
● 3:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra: Fate -
The Firebird + Tchaikovsky’s Fourth. Stravinsky:
The Firebird; Tchaikovsky: Symphony
No.4. Simon Rivard, conductor. George
Weston Recital Hall, Meridian Arts Centre,
5040 Yonge St. 416-598-3375. From $34.
● 4:00: VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert.
VOICEBOX Opera Salon: Bel Canto Quartet.
Works by Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, and Mercadante.
Edward Jackman Centre, 947 Queen
St. E., 2nd Floor. 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-
6754 or www.operainconcert.com or www.
tolive.com. $25.
● 7:00: Peterborough Singers. Yuletide
Cheer. Our annual celebration of all the
best things about this special time of year.
Venabrass; Syd Birrell, organ. Emmanuel
United Church (Peterborough), 534 George
St. N., Peterborough. 705-745-1820 or www.
peterboroughsingers.com. $35; $10(st).
● 7:30: Barrie Concerts Association. Collectif9.
Collectif9, string ensemble. Hiway
48 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Pentecostal Church, 50 Anne St. N., Barrie.
www.barrieconcerts.org or 705-436-1232.
Live: $35; $10(st). Livestream: $20; $10(st).
Available for up to 30 days after the concert.
● 7:30: Guitar Society of Toronto.
Lovro Peretić. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. www.guitarsocietyoftoronto.com/concert-season
or
416-964-8298. General: $35(adv)/$40(door).
Seniors: $30(adv)/$35(door). Students:
$15(adv)/$20(door).
● 7:30: Jubilate Singers. The Power of
Music. Works by Emery, Purcell, Tormis, and
Gershwin. Jubilate Singers; Sherry Squires,
piano; Isabel Bernaus, conductor. Church
of St. Peter and St. Simon-the-Apostle,
525 Bloor St. E. 416-485-1988 or www.jubilatesingers.ca.
$30; $20(sr); $15(st).
● 8:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
Crash Test Dummies: Jingle All the Way Tour.
Burlington Performing Arts Centre - Main
Theatre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. www.
burlingtonpac.ca/events/crash-test-dummies
or 905-568-1600. From $64.50.
● 8:00: Folk Under The Clock. Adam Shoalts
& Ian Tamblyn: An Evening of Adventure Stories
& Songs. Market Hall Performing Arts
Centre, 140 Charlotte St., Peterborough. 705-
749-1146 or www.markethall.org. $41.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. International
Orchestras Series: Staatskapelle
Berlin with Daniel Barenboim. Brahms: Symphony
No.2 in D Op.73, Symphony No.1 in c
Op.68. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/
performance. From $100.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Michael Tilson Thomas Conducts Mahler.
Berg: Seven Early Songs; Mahler: Symphony
No.5. Emily D’Angelo, mezzo; Michael
Tilson Thomas, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $35. Also
Nov 22(8pm), 24(7:30pm).
Jubilate
singers
THE
Power
works by
E m E ry
PurCEl l
TO rmIS
G E r SHw IN
M
OF
Church
of St. Peter
& St. Simon
525 Bloor St. E.
Sat. Nov 25 7:30 pm
Isabel Bernaus
conductor
Sherry Squires
piano
usic
www.jubilatesingers.ca
Sunday November 26
● 2:30: OperOttawa. All-Female Magic Flute
in German,. Music by W. A. Mozart. Sung in
German and semi-staged with full orchestra.
Kathleen Radke (Tamina); Carole Portelance
(Sarastra); Ania Hejnar (Queen of the Night);
Helene Picard (Pipogena); Mary Zborowski
(Speaker); OperOttawa Orchestra and Chorus;
Norman E. Brown, conductor. First Baptist
Church Ottawa, 140 Laurier Ave. W., Ottawa.
Available from cast, Eventbrite, or at the door.
$50; $25(st under 18); Free(under 10).
● 3:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Chamber
Music Concert. Hocheol Shin, cello; Kyung
Kim, piano. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London.
519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/
events. Free.
● 3:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music.
Western University Pop Band Concert. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 3:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Chamber Music for Four-
Hands Piano. Brahms: Symphony No.2 in D
Op.73 (arr. by Brahms for four-hands piano)
and other works. Angela Park & Stephan Sylvestre,
four-hands piano. Registry Theatre,
122 Frederick St., Kitchener. 519-569-1809
or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms. $30; $25(sr);
Free(12 & under). NOTE: Venue change from
the usual location at First United Church.
● 3:00: Les AMIS Concerts. Chamber Music
Concert. Works by Chopin, Schubert, Prokofiev,
Schulz-Evler/Strauss, Mozart, and
others. Dmitri Levkovich & Agne Radzeviciute,
pianos. Trinity United Church, 284 Division St.,
Cobourg. Tickets available at the door. Information
at www.lesamisconcerts.ca. $35.
● 3:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. International
Orchestras Series: Staatskapelle
Berlin with Daniel Barenboim. Brahms: Symphony
No.3 in F Op.90, Symphony No.4 in e
Op.98. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/
performance. From $100.
● 4:00: St. Olave’s Anglican Church. Choral
Evensong for the Sunday before Advent. Diapente
Vocal Ensemble; Alexander Cappellazzo,
director. 360 Windermere Ave. www.
YouTube.com/StOlavesAnglicanChurch or
416-769-5686. Contributions appreciated.
LIVE OR ONLINE. Followed directly by Christmas
Lights at 4:45pm.
● 4:45: St. Olave’s Anglican Church. Christmas
Lights with St. Olave’s Arts Guild. Featuring
stories, poems and seasonal music as we
prepare for Christmas. 360 Windermere Ave.
www.YouTube.com/StOlavesAnglicanChurch
or 416-769-5686. Contributions appreciated.
LIVE OR ONLINE. Preceded by Choral Evensong
for the Sunday before Advent at 4pm.
● 5:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Salsa Band Concert. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 7:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
The Men of the Deeps: Christmas in the Mine.
Burlington Performing Arts Centre - Main
Theatre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. www.
burlingtonpac.ca/events/men-of-the-deeps
or 905-568-1600. From $64.50.
● 8:00: New Music Concerts. Ethereal
Visions: Krisztina Szabó Sings Berio and
Ethereal Visions:
Krisztina Szabó
sings Berio and
Haber
Nov. 26. 23
7PM Doors and Pre-show
8PM Concert
newmusicconcerts.com
Haber. Luciano Berio: Altra Voce for Mezzo-
Soprano, Flute, and Electronics; Hannah Kendall:
Verdala for Chamber Orchestra; Juro
Kim Feliz: Kinagisnán for Ensemble and Electronics
(first performance); Anahita Abbasi:
Situation I/Incidents for Six Instruments;
Yotam Haber: Estro Poetico-armonico III for
Mezzo-Soprano, Chamber Orchestra and
Electronics. Krisztina Szabó, Hannah Kendall,
Anahita Abbasi and NMC’s composer in residence,
Juro Kim Feliz. Betty Oliphant Theatre,
404 Jarvis St. info@newmusicconcerts.com.
By donation ($25 recommended). 7:15pm:
Pre-concert chat. 7:45pm: Young Artist Overture.
8pm: Concert. 9:30pm: Reception.
Monday November 27
● 8:00: Summerhill Orchestra. In Concert.
Beethoven: Overture from Fidelio Op.72; John
Burge: One Sail; Dvořák: Symphony No.6 in D.
Erika Nielsen, cello; Natalie Wong, concertmaster;
Sarah John, conductor. Church of the
Holy Trinity, 19 Trinity Sq. summerhillorchestra@gmail.com
or www.summerhillorchestra.wordpress.com.
From $20.
Tuesday November 28
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. John Vandertuin, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Nobuntu. FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St.
Catharines. 905-688-0722; boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. $45; $39(members).
Wednesday November 29
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy Concerts.
Matthew Gartshore, piano. 54 Queen
St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-4430 or www.
standrewskw.com. Free. Lunch available for
$10 or bring your own.
● 7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Mazzoleni Masters Series: ARC Ensemble:
Celebrating 20 Years. Braunfels: String
Quintet in f-sharp Op.63; Block: Works (premieres).
Mazzoleni Concert Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. $25.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Bluebird
Brampton. Curated by Johnny Rivex. Inspired
by Nashville’s celebrated Bluebird Café,
Johnny Rivex curates an acoustic country
music night of bands, ballads, dance
songs, and duos. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln.,
Brampton. www.tickets.brampton.ca/online
or 905-874-2800. $15.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Tchaikovsky’s
Sleeping Beauty. Humperdinck: Prelude
to Hänsel and Gretel; Marjan Mozetich:
Bassoon Concerto; Tchaikovsky (compiled
by Emelyanychev): Suite from The Sleeping
Beauty. Michael Sweeney, bassoon; Maxim
Emelyanychev, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $35. Also
Nov 30(8pm), Dec 1(7:30pm), Dec 3(3pm).
Thursday November 30
● 12:00 noon: Music at Metropolitan.
Thursday Noon at Met:. Mark Himmelman,
organ. Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen
St. E. www.metunited.ca/live. Free. LIVE &
STREAMED.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. HYPE. Curated
by Jemane Kent. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln.,
Brampton. www.tickets.brampton.ca/online
or 905-874-2800. $10.
● 8:00: Esprit Orchestra. Circle Maps.
Kaija Saariaho
Circle Map (2012)
for orchestra and electronics
Thu Nov 30
CIRCLE MAPS
espritorchestra.com
Vito Žuraj: Api-danza macabra; Žibuoklė
Martinaitytė: Millefleur; Alex Pauk: Concerto
for Harp & Orchestra; Valentin Silvestrov:
Postludium; Symphonic Poem for piano
and orchestra; Kaija Saariaho: Circle Map.
Erica Goodman, harp; Kevin Ahfat, piano; Alex
Pauk, conductor. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
espritorchestra.com or www.rcmusic.com/
events-and-performances/esprit-orchestrapresents-circle-maps.
From $20.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. The Tallis
Scholars: 50th Anniversary Tour. Peter
Phillips, director. 171 Town Centre Blvd.,
Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$88(regular); $98(prime);
$15(YTX).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Tchaikovsky’s
Sleeping Beauty. Humperdinck: Prelude
to Hänsel and Gretel; Marjan Mozetich:
Bassoon Concerto; Tchaikovsky (compiled
by Emelyanychev): Suite from The Sleeping
Beauty. Michael Sweeney, bassoon; Maxim
Emelyanychev, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall,
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 49

LIVE OR ONLINE | Oct 1 to Dec 7, 2023
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $35. Also
Nov 29(8pm), Dec 1(7:30pm), Dec 3(3pm).
Friday December 1
● 12:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Fridays
at 12:30 Concert Series: Musicians of
Tafelmusik. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London.
519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/
events. Free. LIVE & LIVESTREAM.
● 7:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine: Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs. Burlington Performing
Arts Centre - Main Theatre, 440 Locust St.,
Burlington. www.burlingtonpac.ca/events/
snow-white or 905-568-1600. From $64.50.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Wind Ensemble Concert. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 7:30: Toronto Choral Society. Bach’s
Christmas Oratorio. Bach: Christmas Oratorio
(Weihnachtsoratorium) BWV 248.
Stephanie Kim, soprano; Veronika Anissimova,
alto; Dion Mazerolle, baritone.
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
416-408-0208 or 1-888-408-0208. $45.
● 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty. See Nov 29.
Also Dec 3(3pm).
● 7:30: Upper Canada Choristers/Cantemos.
A Seasonal Journey. Opening concert of the
choir’s 30th season. Ariel Ramirez: Navidad
nuestra (Our Nativity); Christmas and other
music from British, Celtic, and other traditions.
Upper Canada Choristers; Cantemos;
Hye Won (Cecilia) Lee, piano; Ernesto Cárdenas,
kena; Miguel Vásquez, percussion &
kena; José Sanhueza, guitar; Rodrigo Chavez,
charango & percussion; Laurie Evan Fraser,
conductor. Grace Church on-the-Hill,
300 Lonsdale Rd. www.uppercanadachoristers.org
or info@uppercanadachoristers.
org or 416-256-0510 or www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Qi6Om4qUEGE. $25 via Eventbrite
or at the door; Free(children under 16 with
an adult). Free streaming at www.uppercanadachoristers.org
or YouTube (link to be
announced). Donations are welcome. LIVE &
STREAMED.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Rising Vibes.
Curated by TCspades. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre
Ln., Brampton. www.tickets.brampton.ca/
online or 905-874-2800. $10.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Men of the
Deeps: Christmas in the Mine. Colin Grant,
fiddle. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-
305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$78(regular); $83(prime); $15(YTX).
Saturday December 2
● 1:30: Pax Christi Chorale. Children’s Messiah.
Experience Handel’s masterpiece
through the eyes of a child. Children’s Messiah
introduces young audience members
to a great choral masterwork and the joys
of the collective live musical experience in
this 60-minute, family friendly, casual concert.
Pax Christi Chorale; Josh Tamayo,
piano; Elaine Choi, conductor. Church of the
Redeemer, 162 Bloor St. W. www.paxchristichorale.org.
Pay what you can. Also 4pm.
● 2:00: Ballet Jörgen. Nutcracker. Music by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Choreography
by Bengt Jörgen. FirstOntario Concert Hall,
1 Summers Ln., Hamilton. www.jorgendance.
ca/event/the-nutcracker-a-canadian-tradition-in-hamilton
or info@balletjorgen.ca or
416-961-4725. From $57.
● 2:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine: The
Nutcracker. Music by Peter Tchaikovsky.
Burlington Performing Arts Centre - Main
Theatre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. www.
burlingtonpac.ca/events/nutcracker or 905-
568-1600. From $64.50. Also 7pm.
● 2:00: Westben. Christmas at Westben:
Speaking of Gifts. An exploration of giving
through word and song. Westben Festival
Chorus; Brian Finley, director; Kirsten Walsh,
accompanist; Sarah Lewis, spoken-word artist.
The Barn (Campbellford), 6698 County
Road 30, Campbellford. 1-877-883-5777 or
www.westben.ca. $28; $25(sr); $5(under
30). Also Dec 3.
● 3:00: Achill Choral Society. Achill Celebrates
40! John Williams: Home Alone Suite;
Howard Blake: The Snowman; plus seasonal
favorites and selections from our inaugural
1982 performance. Nancy Dettbarn, collaborative
pianist; Shawn Grenke, director; a string
quartet and other performers. Knox Presbyterian
Church, 160 King St. S., Alliston. www.
achill.ca. $30; $15(st). Also Nov 25(Westminster
United Church, Orangeville).
● 3:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Symphonic Band Concert. Paul
Davenport Theatre, Talbot College, Western
University, 1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-
661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 3:00: Flato Markham Theatre. The Manhattan
Transfer: Farewell Tour. 171 Town Centre
Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.
flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. $88(regular);
$98(prime); $15(YTX). Also 8pm.
● 4:00: Pax Christi Chorale. Children’s Messiah.
See Dec 2(1:30pm).
● 6:00: VIVA Singers Toronto. A Medieval
Bestiary. Dean Burry: A Medieval Bestiary.
Youth and Adult Choirs of VIVA Singers
Toronto; Toronto Consort. Trinity-St. Paul’s
Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W.
416-788-8482. $25.
● 7:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine: The
Nutcracker. Music by Peter Tchaikovsky.
Burlington Performing Arts Centre - Main
Theatre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. www.
burlingtonpac.ca/events/nutcracker or 905-
568-1600. From $64.50. Also 2pm.
● 7:30: Etobicoke Centennial Choir. Holiday
Fanfare. Rutter: Gloria and a selection
of glorious songs of the season and a singalong
to some of your favourite carols. Runnymede
United Church, 432 Runnymede Rd.
416-779-2258 or www.etobicokecentennialchoir.ca.
$30.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
In My Body by BBOIZM. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, Partridge Hall,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $35;
$30(members).
● 7:30: Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra.
Holiday Memories. Bel Canto Choir
(Michael Morgan, director); SPO Women’s
Choir (Yiping Chao, director); Scarborough
Philharmonic Orchestra; Ronald Royer, conductor.
Salvation Army Scarborough Citadel,
2021 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough.
647-482-7761 or www.spo.ca/Concerts. $35;
$30(sr); $15(st).
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Christmas at
The Rose With The Brampton Concert Band.
Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. www.
tickets.brampton.ca/online or 905-874-2800.
From $15.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. The Manhattan
Transfer: Farewell Tour. 171 Town Centre
Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.
flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. $88(regular);
$98(prime); $15(YTX). Also 3pm.
● 8:00: Greater Toronto Philharmonic
Orchestra. Romantica. Wagner: Overture to
Tannhäuser; Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D
Op.35; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4 in f Op.36.
Eden Silverberg, violin; Oliver Balaburski, conductor.
Calvin Presbyterian Church, 26 Delisle
Ave. www.gtpo.ca or 647-238-0015. $25-$30.
Sunday December 3
● 2:00: Markham Concert Band. A Seasonal
Celebration. Flato Markham Theatre,
171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-
7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$10-$26.
● 2:00: Westben. Christmas at Westben:
Speaking of Gifts. An exploration of giving
through word and song. Westben Festival
Chorus; Brian Finley, director; Kirsten Walsh,
accompanist; Sarah Lewis, spoken-word artist.
The Barn (Campbellford), 6698 County
Road 30, Campbellford. 1-877-883-5777 or
www.westben.ca. $28; $25(sr); $5(under
30). Also Dec 2.
● 2:30: Georgian Music. And So It Goes...: A
Music Theatre Song Cabaret. Broadway and
operatic works by Romberg, Porter, Coward,
and Rogers & Hammerstein. Brett Polegato,
baritone; Robert Kortgaard, piano. Bethel
Community Church, 128 St. Vincent Street,
Barrie. www.barrieconcerts.org. $35;
$10(st). Livestream: $20; $10(st).
● 3:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Early Music Studio with Musicians
of Tafelmusik. Von Kuster Hall, Music
Building, Western University, 1151 Richmond
St. N., London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.
uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 3:00: Off Centre Music Salon. Fritz Kreisler
and his Epoch. Performances, food, and
silent auction. Tax receipts will be issued for
the maximum allowable amount. Sheila Jaffe,
violin; Inna Perkis, piano; Ilana Zarankin,
soprano/artistic director; Andrea Ludwig,
mezzo; Ernesto Ramirez, tenor; Giles Tomkins,
bass-baritone; Kathryn Tremills, piano;
Boris Zarankin, piano/artistic director. Trinity-St.
Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. www.offcentremusic.com.
Admission by donation.
● 3:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty. See Nov 29.
● 5:00: St. Thomas’s Anglican Church. Lessons
and Carols for Advent. Traditional
(arr. Willcocks): Come, Thou Redeemer
of the Earth; Vaughan Williams: The Truth
from Above; Britten: A Hymn to the Virgin;
Stopford: There Is No Rose; O come, O
Come, Emmanuel, and other carols. Choir
of St. Thomas’s Church; Elizabeth Anderson,
director; Manuel Piazza, assistant director.
383 Huron St. 416-979-2323 or www.
stthomas.on.ca. Freewill offering.
● 7:30: Bravo Niagara! Festival of the Arts.
TD Jazz Series: The Manhattan Transfer 50th
Anniversary and Final World Tour. James
Ehnes, violin; Amy Schwartz Moretti, violin;
Che-Yen Chen, viola; Edward Arron, cello.
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, Partridge
Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
www.bravoniagara.org. $75; $35(st/youth);
$105(box seats).
Monday December 4
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Contemporary
Music Studio Concert. Von Kuster
Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
Tuesday December 5
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Rising Stars
Recital. Featuring students from the University
of Toronto Faculty of Music. Yorkminster
Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-
1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free.
Donations welcome.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music.
Choral Concert: Chorale. Paul Davenport
Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
50 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

● 7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Festival
of Carols. Featuring holiday classics like
Sept 22 & 23
7:30pm
IN TIME
AT THE INTERSECTION OF MUSIC AND DANCE
For more information
visit tmchoir.org
Silent Night; Angels We Have Heard on High;
and O Come, All Ye Faithful. Toronto Mendelssohn
Choir; Toronto Mendelssohn Singers;
Jonathan Oldengarm, organ; Jean-Sébastien
Vallée, conductor. Yorkminster Park Baptist
Church, 1585 Yonge St. www.tmchoir.org.
From $25. Also Dec 6.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Stagedoor
Stories: Susan Aglukark - Canada’s Arctic
Rose. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton.
www.tickets.brampton.ca/online or 905-874-
2800. From $15.
● 8:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Electroacoustic
Composers Concert. Studio
242, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767 or
www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
Wednesday December 6
● 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
Noon Hour Series: Douglas Haas Legacy Concerts.
Christmas Music. Waterloo County
Carollers. 54 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-
578-4430 or www.standrewskw.com. Free.
Lunch available for $10 or bring your own.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Choral
Concert: Les Choristes & Western University
Singers. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N.,
London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/
events. Free.
● 7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Festival
of Carols. Featuring holiday classics like
Silent Night; Angels We Have Heard on High;
and O Come, All Ye Faithful. Toronto Mendelssohn
Choir; Toronto Mendelssohn Singers;
Jonathan Oldengarm, organ; Jean-Sébastien
Vallée, conductor. Yorkminster Park Baptist
Church, 1585 Yonge St. www.tmchoir.org.
From $25. Also Dec 5.
Thursday December 7
● 11:00am: Encore Symphonic Concert
Band. Monthly Concert. 35-piece concert
band performing band concert music,
pop tunes, jazz standards (2 singers) and
the occasional march. Trinity Presbyterian
Church York Mills, 2737 Bayview Ave. www.
encoreband.ca. $10.
● 1:00: New Adventures in Sound Art
(NAISA). Second Life. Kelly Ruth, weaving
loom & electronics; Second Life, programming
& design. NAISA North Media Arts Centre,
313 Highway 124, South River. www.
naisa.ca/purchase-tickets/ or 705-386-
0880. In-person: by donation. Online: Free.
Dec 7-10 between 10am & 4pm for artistguided
installation experience. Dec 8 & 9 at
1pm for performances.
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre. Jeremy Dutcher. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, Partridge Hall,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $45;
$39(members).
● 7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Discovery
Series: Joaquín Valdepeñas Conducts.
Mozart: Serenade for Winds in E-flat K.375;
Stravinsky: Symphonies of Wind Instruments.
Mazzoleni Concert Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. $20.
● 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Film
Screening: Home Alone In Concert. Resonance
Youth Choir (Bob Anderson, director);
Constantine Kitsopoulos, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-
3375. From $55. Also Dec 8(7:30pm), 9(2pm
& 7:30pm).
● 8:00: Art of Time Ensemble. To All A Good
Night 8. Harbourfront Centre Theatre,
235 Queens Quay W. info@artoftimeensemble.com.
From $25. Also Dec 8, 9.
● 8:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
The World-Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra:
In the Holiday Mood. Burlington Performing
Arts Centre - Main Theatre, 440 Locust St.,
Burlington. www.burlingtonpac.ca/events/
glenn-miller-orchestra or 905-568-1600.
From $64.50.
● 8:00: Music Toronto. Echo: Memories of
the World. A unique fusion of music, video,
spoken word, soundscape, and other artistic
media. Gryphon Trio (Annalee Patipatanakoon,
violin; Roman Borys, cello; Jamie
Parker, piano); Marion Newman Nege’ga,
mezzo-soprano; čačumhi aaron wells, actor.
Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for
the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723 or www.
music-toronto.com. $47.50-$52, $10(st).
December 7 at 8 pm
GRYPHON TRIO
with Marion Newman Nege’ga,
mezzo-soprano and
čačumhi aaron wells, actor
·
music-toronto.com
Bebop Joe’s Coffee House
960 Queen St W. 416-534-5298
Formerly Antikka Café & Records, Bebop
Joe’s Coffee House carries on the legacy of
Turkish coffee, collectible vinyl, and live jazz
on Queen Street.
BSMT 254
254 Lansdowne Ave. 416-801-6325
bsmt254.com
A cozy music venue with an underground
vibe, BSMT 254 has a wide variety of shows,
from jazz to hip-hop to DJ nights.
Burdock
1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033
burdockto.com
A sleek music hall with exceptional sound
and ambience, featuring a draft list of housemade
brews.
Cameron House
408 Queen St. W. 416-703-0811
thecameron.com
An intimate, bohemian bar with ceiling
murals & nightly performances from local
roots acts on 2 stages.
Capone’s Cocktail Lounge
1573 Bloor St. W. 416-534-7911
caponestoronto.com
A self-described perfect marriage of an
intimate cocktail den and comfortable neighbourhood
bar, with live music Wednesday
through Sunday.
Castro’s Lounge
2116 Queen St. E. 416-699-8272
castroslounge.com
Featuring an ever-changing selection of specialty
beers, Castro’s hosts a variety of local
live music acts, including bluegrass, jazz,
rockabilly, and alt-country.
C’est What
67 Front St. E. 416-867-9499
cestwhat.com
A haven for those who appreciate real cask
ale, draught beer from local Ontario breweries,
and live music.
Drom Taberna
458 Queen St. W. 647-748-2099
MAINLY CLUBS
Vocalist Joanna Majoko joins saxophonist Jesse Ryan
at Hugh’s Room Live, October 15. See page 28
dromtaberna.com
A heartfelt homage to the lands that stretch
from the Baltic to the Balkans to the Black
Sea, with a wide variety of music.
Emmet Ray, The
924 College St. 416-792-4497
theemmetray.com
A whisky bar with a great food menu, an everchanging
draft list, and live jazz, funk, folk and
more in the back room.
Grossman’s Tavern
379 Spadina Ave. 416-977-7000
grossmanstavern.com
One of the city’s longest-running live music
venues, and Toronto’s self-described “Home
of the Blues.”
Hirut Cafe and Restaurant
2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560
hirut.ca
A major destination for delicious and nutritious
Ethiopian cuisine, with monthly jazz
residencies and jam sessions.
Home Smith Bar – See Old Mill, The
Hugh’s Room
296 Broadview Ave. 647-960-2593
hughsroom.com
A dedicated listening room with an intimate
performing space, great acoustics, and
an attentive audience, Hugh’s Room recently
made the move to their new permanent home
on Broadview Avenue.
Jazz Bistro, The
251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299
jazzbistro.ca
In an historic location, Jazz Bistro features
great food, a stellar wine list, and world-class
jazz musicians in airy club environs.
Jazz Room, The
Located in the Huether Hotel, 59 King St. N.,
Waterloo. 226-476-1565
kwjazzroom.com
A welcoming music venue dedicated to the
best in jazz music presentations, and home to
the Grand River Jazz Society, which presents
regular series throughout the year.
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 51

MAINLY CLUBS
Ongoing, On Demand & Other
Lula Lounge
1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307
lula.ca
Toronto’s mecca for salsa, jazz, afro-Cuban,
and world music, with Latin dance classes
and excellent food and drinks.
Manhattans Pizza Bistro & Music Club
951 Gordon St., Guelph 519-767-2440
manhattans.ca
An independently owned neighbourhood restaurant
boasting a unique dining experience
that features live music almost every night
of the week.
Mekan Toronto
817 Queen St. W. 647-901-6280
mekantoronto.com
A new Queen St. spot with an emphasis on
lively music, good times, and Turkish culture,
Mekan features world music, jazz, swing,
and more.
Mezzetta Restaurant
681 St. Clair Ave. W. 416-658-5687
mezzettarestaurant.com
With a cozy atmosphere and a menu of Middle-Eastern
cuisine, Mezzetta hosts music on
Wednesday evenings.
Monarch Tavern
12 Clinton St. 416-531-5833
themonarchtavern.com
With a café/cocktail bar on the main floor and
a pub with microbrews upstairs, Monarch
Tavern regularly hosts indie, rock, and other
musical genres on its stage.
Nice Bistro, The
117 Brock St. N., Whitby. 905-668-8839
nicebistro.com
A French restaurant with Mediterranean flair,
Nice Bistro hosts ticketed live music events
once every month or so.
Old Mill, The
21 Old Mill Rd. 416-236-2641
oldmilltoronto.com
The Home Smith Bar:
With a stone-lined room and deep, plus seating,
the Home Smith Bar provides elevated
pub food and cocktails along with straightahead
live jazz.
Oud and the Fuzz, The
21 Kensington Ave. 647-283-9136
With a focus on Armenian-inspired food and
cocktails, The Oud and the Fuzz regularly presents
a wide variety of musical genres, as
well as poetry nights, themed Arabic events,
and more.
Pamenar
307 Augusta Ave.
cafepamenar.com
One of the city’s best third-wave coffee shops
by day and bar by night, Pamenar hosts live
music, DJs, comedy, and more.
Pilot Tavern, The
22 Cumberland Ave. 416-923-5716
thepilot.ca
With over 75 years around Yonge and Bloor,
the Pilot is a multi-level bar that hosts live jazz
on Saturday afternoons.
Poetry Jazz Café
1078 Queen St W. 416-599-5299
poetryjazzcafe.com
A sexy, clubby space, Poetry hosts live jazz,
hip-hop, and DJs nightly on Queen St. West.
Reposado Bar & Lounge
136 Ossington Ave. 416-532-6474
reposadobar.com
A chic, low-light bar with top-shelf tequila,
Mexican tapas, and live music.
Reservoir Lounge, The
52 Wellington St. E. 416-955-0887
reservoirlounge.com
Toronto’s self-professed original swingjazz
bar and restaurant, located in a historic
speakeasy near St. Lawrence Market, with
live music four nights a week.
Rev, La
2848 Dundas St. W. 416-766-0746
larev.ca
La Rev offers their guests and authentic taste of
comida casera (Mexican homestyle cooking),
and a welcoming performance space featuring
some of Toronto’s most talented musicians.
Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar, The
194 Queen St. W. 416-598-2475
therex.ca
With over 60 shows per month of Canadian
and international groups, The Rex is Toronto’s
longest-running jazz club, with full bar and
kitchen menu.
Sauce on Danforth
1376 Danforth Ave. 647-748-1376
sauceondanforth.com
With Victorian lighting, cocktails, and an
extensive tap and bottle list, Sauce on Danforth
has live music Tuesday through Saturday
(and sometimes Sunday).
The Senator Winebar
249 Victoria St 416 364-7517
thesenator.com
An intimate, upscale French-inspired bistro
with live music serving hearty, delicious comfort
food alongside a curated selection of
wine and cocktails.
Smokeshow BBQ and Brew
744 Mt. Pleasant Rd 416-901-7469
Smokeshowbbqandbrew.com
A laid-back venue with an emphasis on barbecue
and beer, Smokeshow hosts cover artists
and original music Thursday through Sunday,
with Bachata lessons on Tuesdays and Karaoke
on Wednesdays.
Tapestry
224 Augusta Ave.
In the space formerly occupied by Poetry,
Tapestry features jazz, electronic music, soul,
and more.
Tranzac
292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137
tranzac.org
A community arts venue dedicated to supporting,
presenting, and promoting creative
and cultural activity in Toronto, with
live shows in multiple rooms every day of
the week.
Don't miss El Yiyo, Nov 17, at the Aga Khan
Museum's Duende Flamenco Festival
FESTIVALS
● Aga Khan Museum. Duende Flamenco Festival.
Nov 16, 8pm: $60. Nov 17, 8:30pm: $60.
Nov 18, 8pm: $60. Nov 19, 6pm: $80. 77 Wynford
Drive. Visit www.agakhanmuseum.org/programs/duende-festival-2023
for detailed information.
Visit www.agakhanmuseum.org/
programs/duende-performances-2023 for
information about the performers. Purchase
a Duende Flamenco Package and enjoy all four
performances at www.ticketing.agakhanmuseum.org/packages/fixed/315.
LIVE REHEARSAL OPPORTUNITIES
● Choralairs. Singers in all voice parts are
welcome as in-person rehearsals resume
(with masks & Covid safety protocols) on Tuesdays.
Rehearsals are 7pm- 8:45pm at Edithvale
C.C. 131 Finch Ave W. Toronto. Please contact
Elaine at 905-731-8416 or choralairs@gmail.
com to let us know if you are coming. Check
out our website at: www.choralairschoir.com.
● Chorus York, Richmond Hill. Welcoming
singers in all voice parts, with masks & COVID
safety protocols
● Every Tuesday from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the
Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church (Wallace
Hall), 10066 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. Please
contact Mary-Lou at 905-884-7922 if you
wish to sit in on a rehearsal. Check out our
website www.choruyork.ca for more information
about the choir.
● Etobicoke Community Concert Band. Full
rehearsals every Wednesday night at 7:30pm.
Search listings online
at thewholenote.com/just-ask
309 Horner Ave. Open to all who are looking
for a great band to join. Text Rob Hunter at
416-878-1730.
● North Toronto Community Band. Openings
for drums, clarinets, trumpets, trombones,
French horns. Rehearsals held at Willowdale
Presbyterian Church 38 Ellerslie Ave. (just north
of Mel Lastman Square). Monday evenings 7:30-
9:30 pm. Contact ntcband@gmail.com.
● Strings Attached Orchestra, North
York. All string players (especially viola, cello,
bass) are welcome. Mondays 7 to 9 p.m.
from Sep to Jun. Email us first at info.stringsattached@gmail.com
to receive music and
other details or visit our website at www.stringsattachedorchestra.com
for more information.
● Oct 01 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region.
Mozart’s Solemn Vespers. Reading for singers
and instrumentalists. Thomas Burton,
conductor. Christ Church Deer Park,
1570 Yonge St. 647-458-0213 or www.cammac.ca/toronto.
$15; $10(members).
MUSICAL THEATRE
● Shaw Festival. Gypsy. Book by Arthur Laurents,
Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Stephen
Sondheim. Jay Turvey, stage director; Paul
Sportelli, music director; Genny Sermonia,
choreographer. Shaw Festival Theatre,
10 Queen’s Parade, Niagara-on-the-Lake.
1-800-511-SHAW (7429) or www.shawfest.
com. From $34. Runs to Oct 7.
● Shaw Festival. The Amen Corner. By James
Baldwin. Directed by Kimberley Rampersad.
52 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Music supervision by Paul Sportelli. Shaw
Festival Theatre, 10 Queen’s Parade, Niagara-on-the-Lake.
1-800-511-SHAW (7429) or
www.shawfest.com. Runs to Oct 8. Recommended
for Grade 9+ | Age 14+.
● Stratford Festival. Monty Python’s
Spamalot. Book and Music by Eric Idle. Music
by John Du Prez. Directed by Lezlie Wade. Avon
Theatre, 99 Downie St., Stratford. www.stratfordfestival.ca.
From $19.50. Runs to Oct 8.
● Stratford Festival. Rent. Book, Music, and
Lyric by Jonathan Larson. Directed by Thom
Allison. Stratford Festival Theatre, 55 Queen
St., Stratford. www.stratfordfestival.ca.
From $57. Runs to Oct 28.
● TYT Theatre. Pinkalicious the Musical. Recommended
for ages 4+. Wychwood Barns
Park, 76 Wychwood Ave. www.tyttheatre.
com/onstage. From $25. Also shows at 12_
noon & 3:30pm: Oct 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22.
ONGOING EVENTS
● Trinity College, University of Toronto.
Evensong. Traditional Anglican choral music.
Trinity College Chapel Choir; Thomas Bell, director
of music; Peter Bayer, organ scholar.
Trinity College Chapel, University of Toronto,
6 Hoskin Ave. 416-978-2522 or Trinity College.
Free. Evensong is sung every Wednesday
starting Sep 13 at 5:15pm in the beautiful Trinity
College chapel during term time.
● Encore Symphonic Concert Band. Monthly
Concert Band Concert. The first Thursday of
every month at 11am. 35-piece concert band
performing band concert music, pop tunes,
jazz standards (2 singers) and the occasional
march. Trinity Presbyterian Church York Mills,
2737 Bayview Ave. www.encoreband.ca. $10.
ONLINE EVENTS
● Arts@Home. A vibrant hub connecting
Torontonians to arts and culture. Designed to
strengthen personal and societal resilience
through the arts. www.artsathome.ca.
● North Toronto Community Band. Openings
for clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba and auxiliary
percussion. Rehearsals held at Willowdale
Presbyterian Church 38 Ellerslie Ave. (just north
of Mel Lastman Square). Monday evenings 7:30
to 9:30 p.m. Contact ntcband@gmail.com.
● Recollectiv: A unique musical online meeting
group made up of people affected by
memory challenges caused by illness (such
as dementia) or brain injury (stroke, PTSD,
etc.) and their care partners. Participation is
free with pre-registration. Email info@recollectiv.ca
for meeting times, information and
registration.
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
● North York Central Library. Open Mic at
the Library: North York Edition. Music, poetry
& storytelling. Are you a musician, poet, or
storyteller? If so, then you are invited to
share your talents at the North York Central
Library Open Mic. Guitar, piano & djembe provided.
7 minutes for each performance. For
adults, teens, and seniors. North York Central
Library Auditorium, 5120 Yonge St. Sign-up is
at 5:30pm. For more information, contact the
Language, Literature & Fine Arts Department
at 416-395-5639. Free. Oct 13, Nov 10, Dec 8.
WORKSHOPS & MEETINGS
● Oct 01 2:00: Arraymusic. Public Workshop:
Improvisation with Allison Cameron. Open to
musicians of any level! Beginners welcome
(and encouraged!). Use your instrument as a
tool for sound exploration. Work with a professional
composer/musician to play and create
graphic scores. Have fun in a chill and welcoming
environment. Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave.
www.arraymusic.ca. Free. Donations accepted.
BUSINESS
CLASSIFIEDS
Economical and visible!
Promote your services
& products to our
musically engaged readers,
in print and on-line.
BOOKING DEADLINE: TUESDAY NOV 14
classad@thewholenote.com
A vacation
for your dog!
Barker Avenue Boarding
in East York
call or text 416-574-5250
If you can read this,
thank a music teacher.
MosePianoForAll.com
A SHARPER EDGE
machetes,
scythes & axes
clippers, scissors
and knives
ALSO
tree felling,
trail-making,
and chainsaw
maintenance
fdmroz@icloud.com 416-705-8427
CLASSIFIEDS – ONLINE!
FREE online classifieds: if you’re offering immediate paid employment
opportunities for musicians. 60 word limit.
All other online classifieds: $50 for 60 words for up to two months. Discounts
for ongoing bookings. Promote skills and services | buy & sell.
Recruit members for choirs, bands, orchestras.
Find a music director, or a music teacher | Advertise a venue.
INQUIRIES BY EMAIL ONLY: classad@thewholenote.com
DO YOU DRIVE?
Do you love The WholeNote?
Share the love and earn a little money!
Join our circulation team,
and deliver 6 times a year.
Currently seeking circulation
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thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 53

DISCOVERIES | RECORDINGS REVIEWED
DAVID OLDS
Enigmatic Variations consists of Canadian
works performed by Calgary-based violist
Margaret Carey and pianist Roger Admiral
(Centrediscs CMCCD 32723 cmccanada.org/
product-category/recordings/Centrediscs),
opening with a piece by Malcolm Forsyth
(1936-2011), Steps for Viola and Piano
(1978). Traditionally melodic and idiomatically
well-suited to the viola, the five
movements are self-explanatory: Buoyant,
Strange Light, Violent, Colours and Jocular, all played adeptly by
Carey and Admiral. Milton Barnes (1931-2001) is featured on three
tracks, Ballade for Solo Viola (1978) and Lament and Hymn Tune
Pavane for Viola and Piano (1976). Barnes was a traditionalist by
nature who was schooled in the 12-tone tradition but chose to avoid
avant-garde idioms in favour of tonally based expression. The pieces
included here, especially Ballade, are playfully rhythmic and melodic,
at times reminiscent of childhood chants and songs.
The title of the disc is taken from a 2021 work commissioned
from Sean Clarke (b.1983). Clarke and Carey both studied at Mount
Royal University Conservatory and the variations are inspired by the
“virtuosity, playing and teaching style” of several of their teachers
and colleagues, as well as a landscape drawing by Carey featuring
Canadian flora and fauna imbedded in a Peruvian Inca Cross. Apart
from occasional sharp outbursts, the variations remain as dark and
enigmatic as the opening theme.
The most substantial work on this disc is the Viola Concerto Op.75
by one of the most prolific composers from Quebec, Jacques Hétu
(1938-2010). Hétu composed 16 concerted works for most of the
instruments usually found in an orchestra and several that are not,
such as ondes Martinon, amplified guitars and marimba, plus a Rondo
for cello and string orchestra and a Symphonie concertante for flute,
oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon and strings. Not to mention four
full symphonies. I don’t believe any Canadian composer has come
close to this orchestral output. The Viola Concerto (performed here
in a piano reduction) is in four contrasting movements. Although
Admiral does a fine job with the piano accompaniment, the lush
colours of Hétu’s original orchestration are a bit lost in the translation.
Carey’s solo viola is however, here as throughout the disc, full and
present with all the nuance we would expect.
In response to Carey’s request for a solo viola work, Stewart
Grant (b.1948) transcribed his Two Poems – Breath of Life and The
Rear View Mirror – originally composed for cello (2004). The disc
concludes with a second 2021 commission, A Three Dog Night by
the youngest composer represented here, Benjamin Sajo (b.1988). It’s
another contemplative work, with the piano and dark-hued viola line
perfectly balanced.
Another Canadian disc that has been in frequent rotation here this
past month is Kevin Lau: Under a Veil of Stars featuring the St. John
| Mercer | Park Trio (Leaf Music LM273 leaf-music.ca). Born in 1988,
Lau is on track to give Jacques Hétu a run
for the money in orchestral output. An
almost ubiquitous figure on the GTHA
music scene, Lau has served as composerin-residence
or affiliate composer with the
Toronto, Mississauga and Niagara Symphony
Orchestras, the Banff Centre and currently,
the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. In addition,
his works have been performed by the National Arts Centre,
Winnipeg Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic
and Tampa Bay Symphony Orchestras and the National Ballet of
Canada, for which he has composed two major works. This release
is devoted to his chamber music, including works for piano trio and
subsets thereof.
The extended title work is in three movements that are evocatively
brought to life in the music: The Stars are Never Still; Land of
Poison Trees and In that Shoreless Ocean. In his intimate program
note Lau describes the impetus for the work, and how it changed
with the death of the dedicatee, violinist Yehonatan Berick. Berick,
along with his life partner cellist Rachel Mercer and pianist Angela
Park comprised the AYR Trio who commissioned the work. Lau says
the three movements depict a life cycle chronicling childhood, adulthood
and old age. Renowned soloist and chamber musician Scott
St. John has taken on the emotionally difficult task of replacing
Berick in this trio’s configuration, not only in the trio works but
also in Intuitions No.2, a violin and cello duo written for Berick and
Mercer, and If Life Were a Mirror for violin and piano. This latter work
comprises reflections on Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in the
Mirror), in which we hear numerous echoes of familiar tunes from
Bach and other icons, “musical artifacts that reflect one another like
a hall of mirrors.” The former was composed as part of a set of pieces
designed to be played by partners living in the same bubble during
the pandemic lockdowns, and the latter was completed just before the
COVID-19 outbreak.
The other trio works include two from 2007, Piano Trio No.1 and
Timescape Variations, and A Simple Secret from 2019. The Dreamer
for solo piano fills out the disc. Mercer and Park have worked together
in various combinations over many years, including the piano quartet
Ensemble Made in Canada, and their compatibility and intuitive partnership
are on fine display here. St. John’s playing fits with these two
like a glove, partly I’m sure due to Lau’s idiomatic and skilfully crafted
music. A very satisfying release.
Gerald Cohen – Voyagers presents chamber
music by this American composer
performed by the Cassatt String Quartet
with guest soloists Narek Arutyunian (clarinets)
and trombonist Colin Williams (innova
090 innova.mu). Cohen (b.1960) is a Jewish
cantor and professional baritone as well as
a composer and his music often reflects his
54 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

eligious roots. Playing for Our Lives was written for the Cassatt for
a 2012 concert devoted to music by composers interned at the Nazi
concentration camp Terezin (Theresienstadt) near Prague. The quartet
asked for a contemporary memorial and tribute to the musical life at
that place, a transit camp on the road to Auschwitz and other death
camps. The three movements draw on material related to Terezin: a
Yiddish folk song Beryozkele (Little Birch Tree) which had also been
set by Viktor Ullmann who perished in Auschwitz; a lullaby from
Hans Krasa’s children’s opera Brundibar, composed and performed
at Terezin; and Verdi’s Requiem, a piece championed at the camp by
conductor Rafael Schachter, from which Cohen fashioned his Dies
Irae (Day of Wrath). The music is at once angry, contemplative, full of
angst, uplifting and haunting, ultimately ending in sublime quietude.
The title work for clarinet and string quartet is a tribute to the
Voyager spacecraft, launched in 1977 and headed to the outer reaches
of the solar system. It was inspired by the music of the Voyager
Golden Record, an audio time capsule intended to give extraterrestrial
beings an impression of human culture on Planet Earth. Cohen
“chose several of these [sound samples]: a Beethoven string quartet
(Cavatina), an Indian raga (Bhairavi) and a Renaissance dance
(Galliard), weaving them together in a composition that celebrates
humanity’s quest to explore the universe, and the power of music
to express the rich emotions and cultures of human life.” The final
movement Beyond the Heliosphere brings back aspects of the first
three using the Beethoven as its central element and ending with a
direct quote from the Cavatina of Beethoven’s Op.130 quartet before
fading out with a repeated high note from the bass clarinet “as if the
signal of the Voyager keeps going, ever fainter, as it continues its interstellar
voyage.”
The disc ends with Preludes and Debka, written in 2001 for the
unusual combination of trombone and string quartet. Three
contrasting preludes lead to the concluding debka, a Middle Eastern
dance popular in both Arab and Israeli communities, introduced by a
trombone cadenza. This finale is “mostly lively and playful, eventually
becoming rather wild before reprising the debka theme at the conclusion”
bringing this intriguing and sometimes surprising disc
to an end.
The early 20th century was an exciting time
in the development of European concert
music, with a plethora of new approaches.
With Divergent Paths – Schoenberg & Ravel
(Azica ACD-71360 azica.com) the Telegraph
Quartet has embarked on a project to
present and juxtapose some of these diverse
directions. Although born one year apart,
Ravel (1875-1937) and Schoenberg (1874-
1951) could in many ways not be farther apart, and the same could be
said of the quartets presented here, written around the same time
(1902 and 1907 respectively). The excellent and extensive liner notes
claim that this is the first time the two have been recorded together,
and point out that they rarely, if ever, appear on the same concert
program. Following in the footsteps of Debussy’s quartet of a decade
earlier, Ravel’s is the epitome of French Impressionism while
Schoenberg’s expanded tonality points the way to his later development
of the 12-note system adopted by the Second Viennese School;
together they paint a telling portrait of the changing times. Although
there is some sturm und drang in the vif et agité final movement of
the Ravel, the overall impression is that of beauty and balance.
Schoenberg’s String Quartet No.1 in D Minor, Op.7 starts stormily, in
the relative minor key to Ravel’s F Major, making a good case for their
pairing, but there the similarities stop. There is a lushness in the
Schoenberg, especially in the third movement, but it is a much darker
mood than the mostly playful Ravel. Heard now, more than a century
after it was composed, the Schoenberg no longer sounds shockingly
abrasive and there is even a Romantic sensibility in its quieter
moments, making me wonder why it is still so infrequently heard in
the concert hall. Fortunately, there are a number of historic recordings
available of Schoenberg’s four quartets by the likes of the Juilliard,
LaSalle, New Vienna, Schoenberg and Pražák string quartets.
Hopefully this committed and thoroughly nuanced performance by
the Telegraph Quartet will bring this first to a wider audience. I look
forward to where they take us next in their exploration of
Divergent Paths.
Although relegated to obscurity in recent
decades, the prolific composer Leopold van
der Pals is currently undergoing a renaissance,
thanks in large part to the efforts
of cellist Tobias van der Pals, the greatgrandson
of Leopold’s younger brother,
conductor Nikolaj. Leopold was born in
St Petersburg in 1884. His father was the
Dutch consul there, while his Danishborn
maternal grandfather was Julius Johannsen – composer,
music theorist, professor at and later director of the St. Petersburg
Conservatory. Music had a central role in the van der Pals home,
where the composers Glazunov and Tchaikovsky were regular guests,
and it was on Glazunov’s recommendation that the young Leopold
began his tuition as a composer. At Rachmaninoff’s suggestion he
went to study with Reinhold Glière in Berlin, under whose tutelage
he completed a symphony that was accepted for performance by the
Berlin Philharmonic, an auspicious beginning indeed. The outbreak
of WWI forced him to leave Germany and the October Revolution in
Russia meant he could not return there either. Van der Pals settled in
Switzerland where he remained until his death in 1966.
Tobias van der Pals has been immersed in his great uncle’s life
and legacy for more than 20 years and in 2018 had the opportunity
to move Leopold’s entire archive to Copenhagen. There are now over
700 compositions being prepared for publication by Edition Wilhelm
Hansen with Tobias as editor. Following a CD of orchestral works
and another of solo concertos, CPO has recently released Leopold
van der Pals – String Quartets Vol.1 performed by the Van Der Pals
Quartet, of which Tobias is a member (CPO 555 282-2 vanderpalsquartet.com).
Van der Pals completed six quartets and the first three
are included here, along with a brief late work, In Memoriam Marie
Steiner. Born a decade after Ravel and Schoenberg, he too wrote his
first quartet around the age of 30, beginning it shortly after his move
to Switzerland. That decade seems to have made a difference in the
confluence of styles, and in van der Pals’ writing we see something of
a blending of the cultural differences of the elder masters.
Although van der Pals returned to the medium at several points in
his life, the first three quartets were completed within a span of a
dozen years. Strangely he didn’t publish the second and only heard a
fragment of it performed in his lifetime. It was given its world
premiere by this ensemble in 2018. The lyrical third quartet dates from
1929 and was very well received by public and critics alike as, it
seems, was all his music. This makes its disappearance during the
latter part of the century even harder to fathom. Kudos to Tobias van
der Pals and his colleagues and to the folks at CPO for bringing these
forgotten gems to light. I am eager to hear more.
I had hoped to include one more disc, but I
see I have run out of space so I will just give
it honourable mention here. Stravinsky |
Poulenc | Debussy (LAWO Classics LWC1260
lawo.no) features excellent performances
by Norwegian cellist Amalie Stalheim
and pianist Christian Ihle Hadland of
Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne, an arrangement
of Baroque-inspired dances extracted from
his ballet Pulcinella, and cello sonatas by Poulenc and Debussy, the
latter being one of the Impressionist master’s final works. A collection
to treasure, with immaculate sound, balance and ensemble playing.
We invite submissions. CDs, DVDs and comments should
be sent to: DISCoveries, The WholeNote c/o Music Alive,
The Centre for Social Innovation, 720 Bathurst St. Toronto
ON M5S 2R4 or to discoveries@thewholenote.com.
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 55

STRINGS
ATTACHED
TERRY ROBBINS
With the July release of her new CD
Eugène Ysaÿe Six Sonatas for Violin
Solo Op.27 violinist Hilary Hahn celebrates
the centenary of these remarkable
and challenging works, each
dedicated to a younger contemporary of
the aging Belgian composer (Deutsche
Grammophon 00028948641765
store.deutschegrammophon.com/
p51-i0028948641765/hilary-hahn/eugeneysa-e-six-sonatas-for-violin-solo-op-27/index.html).
The impetus for their composition was Ysaÿe’s experiencing a
performance of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas by the young Joseph
Szigeti in 1923. Like the Bach cycle, the Ysaÿe set starts with a G-Minor
work and ends with one in E Major. Szigeti is the dedicatee of the first;
Jacques Thibaud, George Enescu, Fritz Kreisler, Mathieu Crickboom
and Manuel Quiroga are the other five.
Hahn spent seven years studying at the Curtis Institute with Jascha
Brodsky, the last living student of Ysaÿe, so has a direct link with these
sonatas. As always, her playing is remarkably strong and quite brilliant,
anchored by flawless technique and a profound musicality.
The reasoning behind the digital-only
release from Leaf Music featuring Orchestre
Symphonique Laval principal violist Fédéric
Lambert and Orchestre Symphonique de
Montréal principal double bassist Ali Kian
Yazdanfar is that Iridescence – the variability
in an object’s colour when you
change the viewing angle – here refers to
our viewing the two instruments from a
different perspective (LM268 leaf-music.ca).
The duet works are Evan Chambers’ 1997 The Fisherstreet Duo,
Efraín Oscher’s 2008 Escenas del Sur and the 2000 three-movement
Duo for Viola and Double Bass by the Welsh composer Gareth Wood.
Each player has a solo piece, completely different in style and effect.
Lambert’s is the quiet, contemplative in manus tuas, a 2009 work by
Caroline Shaw based on a Thomas Tallis motet and originally written
for solo cello, but Yazdanfar steals the show with the dazzling Thème
Varié pour Contrebasse solo, a 1976 composition by Jean Françaix
with variations built on trills, sixteenth notes, double stops, pizzicato
and harmonics.
I’m not sure exactly what the reasoning
was behind the selection of works on
Mythes, the latest CD from violinist James
Ehnes and his regular pianist partner
Andrew Armstrong, but there’s no
doubting the quality of the recital of two
major works and a series of encore pieces
(ONYX4234 onyxclassics.com/release/
james-ehnes-andrew-armstrong-mythes).
When Szymanowski wrote his Mythes Op.30 in 1915 he felt that
he and the violinist Pavel Kochanski were developing a new mode of
expression for the instrument. Certainly the three sensuous pieces
are full of brilliantly coloured and nuanced violin effects, all superbly
captured by Ehnes.
The original keyboard part for Handel’s Sonata in D Major HWV371
exists only as a figured bass line, with Armstrong here using a version
that the duo has essentially adapted from various performing editions.
A varied selection of seven encores completes the CD: Kreisler’s
arrangements of a Tchaikovsky Chant sans paroles and Grainger’s
Molly on the Shore; Heifetz’s arrangements of Rimsky-Korsakov’s
Flight of the Bumblebee and Ponce’s Estrellita; James Newton
Howard’s brief 133...At Least; Josef Suk’s Burleska; and the Sicilienne
attributed to Maria Theresa von Paradis.
When pianist Kit Armstrong and violinist
Renaud Capuçon played all 16 of the mature
Mozart violin sonatas at the Mozart Week
festival in Salzburg in 2016 Capuçon says
that they “knew at once that we wanted to
record them.” The result is the outstanding
four CD box set of Mozart: Sonatas for
Piano & Violin, works that mark Mozart’s
development of the genre from keyboard
sonatas with violin accompaniment to the fully fledged violin sonatas
of the nineteenth century. The 12 Variations in G Major on “La bergère
Célimène K359 and the 6 Variations in G Minor on “Hélas! j’ai perdu
mon amant” K360 complete disc two (Deutsche Grammophon 486
4463 deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/mozartsonatas-for-piano-violin-capucon-armstrong-12981).
Armstrong’s booklet note perfectly describes their approach and the
result: “However, we did not historicize in our playing: on the
contrary, it was particularly rewarding to see beauties brought forth
by later techniques blossom in Mozart’s music. When I hear Renaud
render Mozart’s lyrical flights with all the sumptuousness and refinement
that modern violin playing can have, I am convinced: it is
beautiful, and that is what matters.”
Bach’s sonatas for violin and piano,
predating Mozart’s by some 60 years, are
essentially extensions of the Baroque trio
sonata. Probably dating from 1720-23
during his time at Cöthen, they were
reworked in later years but never published
in his lifetime. Several contemporary manuscripts
exist, but no autograph copy. They
are presented on a 2CD set by violinist
Ambroise Aubrun with Mireille Podeur on harpsichord on J.S.
BACH Sei suonate a Cembalo certato e Violino solo (Six Sonatas for
Obbligato Harpsichord and Violin BWV1014-1019) (Hortus 228-229
editionshortus.com).
The idiomatic performances are delicate and refined, perhaps a bit
lacking in warmth. An excellent booklet essay by Podeur with some
fascinating technical insight adds to a top-notch release.
On Spanish Light the violinist Franscisco
Fullana returns to his Andalusian roots in
an outstanding recital with the Spanish
pianist Alba Ventura (Orchid Classics
ORC100250 orchidclassics.com).
Turina’s Violin Sonata No.2 Op.82,
Sonata española from 1934 incorporates
Andalusian and gypsy melodies in a work
that also shows the influence of Turina’s
studies in Paris. Sarasate’s Romanza andaluza is from the second
volume of Spanish Dances Op.22, while his Zigeunerweisen Op.20,
originally for violin and orchestra is heard in the piano arrangement
made by the composer and recorded by him with one of the three
Catalan composers featured here, Joan Manén (1883-1971) in 1904.
Written for Jacques Thibaud, the single movement Granados Violin
Sonata H.127 is a real gem; of uncertain date, it wasn’t published until
1971. The two movements IV Oració al Maig and VI La font are from
the Seis sonetos of 1921-22 by Eduardo Toldrà (1895-1962). The Manén
56 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

piece is his terrific Caprice catalán No.3 Op.23.
The traditional Catalan Christmas song El cant dels ocells (Song of
the Birds) adapted by Fullana from the Pablo Casals cello arrangement,
ends a superb disc.
If you like putting on a CD and just relaxing
to a stream of beautifully played popular
melodies then you should love Estrellita, the
new album of “a selection of encores: small
but sparkling gems of the repertoire” from
Korean cellist Hee-Young Lim and Chinese
pianist Chuhui Liang (Orchid Classics
ORC100227 orchidclassics.com).
Sandwiched between Saint-Saëns’ The
Swan and Schubert’s Ave Maria are two pieces by Ravel, including the
Pavane pour une infante défunte, two by Tchaikovsky, including the
Souvenir d’un lieu cher, Godard’s Berceuse from Jocelyn, Amy Beach’s
Romance, Rubinstein’s Melodie, the Ponce title track and pieces by
Liszt, Debussy, Brahms and Ysaÿe. The Liszt, Brahms and Beach
arrangements are by the cellist. BBC Music Magazine noted the
warmth and expressiveness of her tone, “which is of truly rare
beauty.” Indeed it is, across the full range of the instrument.
Butterfly Lovers, the popular violin
concerto at the heart of the new CD
from Joshua Bell with the Singapore
Chinese Orchestra under Tsung Yeh (Sony
Classical 19658810972 joshuabell.com)
was written in 1959 by Chen Gang and He
Zhanhao, two students at the Shanghai
Conservatory. Despite its use of Chinese folk
melodies and pentatonic scales it was scored
for a standard late-Romantic symphony orchestra, presumably to
widen its appeal beyond China’s borders.
Here, though, it’s performed in a rarely heard arrangement by Yan
Huichang and Ku Lap-Man for an orchestra of traditional Chinese
instruments, the only Western exceptions being cellos, double basses,
harp and some of the percussion section. Described as being more of
a rediscovery than a mere reorchestration, it’s a remarkable listening
and musical experience, making you wish – unrealistically, it must be
said – that this could be the standard performing edition.
Bell and Yeh don’t stop there, however, presenting the three other
works on the disc in arrangements for the same orchestra. Massenet’s
Méditation from Thaïs doesn’t sound a whole lot different, but the
Saint-Saëns Introduction et rondo capriccioso in A Minor Op.28 and
Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen Op.20 certainly display a quite different
and fascinating tonal palette. Bell’s beautifully subtle phrasing seems
to mirror the Oriental nature of the soundscape.
Although it was released in January the CD
Woven Lights, featuring the Violin Concerto
and the Chaconne for electric violin (five
strings) and electronics by Italian composer
Vito Palumbo (b.1972) only recently came to
my attention (BIS-2625 bis.se).
The 2015 Violin Concerto was recorded at
Abbey Road Studios in September 2016 with
soloist Francesco D’Orazio and the London
Symphony Orchestra under Lee Reynolds.
It’s a quite fascinating work, albeit difficult to describe; in the booklet
notes the description is “a work of bittersweet lyricism,” the composer
himself noting the echoes of Alban Berg, especially towards the end of
the piece.
D’Orazio recorded the two-part Chaconne of 2019-20 in Italy
in January 2021 and it is much more difficult to assess objectively.
Francesco Abbrescia realizes the sampled sounds and electronics
in I. Woven Lights, where the chaconne principle of variation in the
opening section gradually transforms into a dialogue with initially
sparse electronics that become thicker and denser, while II. The Glows
in the Dark is for electric violin and 30 pre-recorded electronic violin
parts, pre-recorded by the same performer.
The Danish String Quartet completes a
journey of almost eight years with PRISM
V – Beethoven Webern Bach, the final
volume in a series where connections are
drawn from a Bach fugue through one of
the five late Beethoven quartets to a quartet
by a later master – “a beam of music split
through Beethoven’s prism” (ECM New
Series 2565 485 8469 ecmrecords.com).
Beethoven drew many melodic motifs from Bach’s Well-Tempered
Clavier for his late quartets. The opening track here is the Chorale
prelude Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermit BWV668. The Beethoven is
the String Quartet No.16 in F Major Op.135, and the later master is the
young Anton Webern, whose richly chromatic 1905 String Quartet,
written while he was studying with Arnold Schoenberg quotes the
Op.135 and also shows the influence of Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht.
Bach’s unfinished Contrapunctus XIV from The Art of Fugue brings
a superb series to a somehow perfectly appropriate conclusion. “We
have worked hard on these pieces for almost a decade,” say the quartet
members, “and we have done our best.”
Their best is simply as good as you could wish to hear.
Two complementary and contemporaneous
works are presented on Dvořák
String Quartet Op.106, Coleridge-Taylor
Fantasiestücke in beautiful performances
by the Takács Quartet (Hyperion CDA6813
hyperion-records.co.uk/r.asp).
Coleridge-Taylor made three trips to the
United States, and his use of indigenous
American melodies shows an affinity
with Dvořák, who was a major influence. His 5 Fantasiestücke Op.5
though, is a competent and pleasant early work, written when he was
a student at the Royal College of Music in London.
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 57

The Dvořák String Quartet No.13 in G Major Op.106 was the first
composition written after his return from America in 1895 and reflects
his happiness at being home again. Completing the CD is Dvořák’s
Andante appassionato B40a from 1873, the original slow movement
from an early A-Minor quartet listed as Op.12 and discarded when the
composer revised the work.
As always, there’s faultless, gorgeous playing from this superb
ensemble.
On Earthdrawn Skies the Aizuri Quartet
explores deep connections between humans
and the natural world with music that
“draws from the earth as it reaches upward
and outward” (Azica ACD-71359 azica.com).
Hildegard von Bingen’s chant Columba
aspexit is heard in Alex Fortes’ commissioned
arrangement which cleverly builds
through a series of solos, duets and trios to a
full-group unison.
The String Quartet No.1 by the British-Jamaican composer Eleanor
Alberga is described as an exploration of the cosmos, launching us
into space with jagged rhythms and melodies, contemplating the starfilled
sky and energetically returning to earth.
The Armenian composer and ethnomusicologist Komitas Vardapet
is represented by Sergei Aslamazian’s arrangement of five Armenian
Folk Songs, and an excellent CD ends with the Sibelius String Quartet
in D Minor Op.56, Voces Intimae, written in self-imposed isolation in
Aiola while he tried to overcome the alcoholism that plagued him in
Helsinki and reconnect with his natural surroundings.
Guitarist Emma Rush grew up in Hamilton,
Ontario and had a family connection to the
Canadian Impressionist painter William
Blair Bruce, whose paintings she saw in
the homes of her grandparents and aunts.
In 2020 she commissioned seven new
Canadian compositions inspired by Bruce’s
paintings, and her new CD A Dream of
Colour – Music inspired by the paintings of
William Blair Bruce is the result (emma-rush.com).
The subject paintings are beautifully reproduced in colour in the CD
booklet, accompanied by a brief note by the composers – Christine
Donkin, Amy Brandon, Dale Kavanagh, Craig Visser (a striking
piece for guitar and tape), christina volpini, Daniel Medizadeh and
Jeffrey McFadden.
Rush is an outstanding player, and her beautifully clean, sensitive
and nuanced interpretations of exquisite additions to the contemporary
Canadian guitar repertoire, beautifully recorded and presented,
make for a terrific disc.
El último aliento (The last breath), the
new CD from the Hungarian guitarist
Zsófia Boros features music from
Argentina and the compositions of the
contemporary French composer Mathias
Duplessy (ECM New Series 2769 485 8302
ecmrecords.com).
There are six pieces by Duplessy: De rêve
et de pluie, Le secret d’Hiroshigé, Le labyrinthe
de Vermeer, Berceuse, Valse pour Camille and Perle de Rosée.
All display Duplessy’s distinctive Romanticism, a mix of traditional
tonality with contemporary forms and structure.
Four Argentinian composers are featured, with Quique Sinesi’s El
abrazo and Tormenta de ilusión of particular interest: for the former,
Boros stretches a rubber band over the fretboard to mute the sound,
and for the latter switches from guitar to ronroco, an instrument from
the Andean region with ten strings in five double-courses.
Joaquin Alem’s Salir adentro, Ginastera’s Milonga and the title track
by the Buenos Aires composer and guitarist Carlos Moscardini
complete a CD of quiet, atmospheric music, all played with warmth,
sensitivity and admirable technique.
We usually encounter guitarist Aaron
Larget-Caplan with his New Lullaby
Project CDs, but his tenth solo album,
Spanish Candy reflects his work with the
Spanish classical music and flamenco dance
ensemble ¡Con Fuego!, which reimagines
Spanish classical compositions with
flamenco techniques and flavours while
also adding flamenco works to the standard
repertoire (Tiger Turn 888-10 alcguitar.com).
There are three pieces by Albéniz here – Zambra Granadina and
Larget-Caplan’s own arrangements of Sevilla and Granada – Five
Pieces by Tárrega, including Recuerdos de la Alhambra, the flamenco
solo Mantilla de Feria by Esteban de Sanlúcar, and Larget-Caplan’s
arrangement of Pascual Marquina’s España Cañi.
Larget-Caplan’s aim to “juxtapose the fiery passions of flamenco
with the subtle colors and harmonic riches of classical music” results
in an entertaining – if somewhat brief at 33 minutes – CD.
What we're listening to this month:
Affetti Amorosi
Bud Roach, tenor/theorbo
“This requires a hats-off moment
of admiration” – Fanfare Magazine
“I’ve been listening to this CD
a lot…it’s brilliantly original” –
Barczablog.com
Worship in a Time of Plague
Capella Intima, Gallery Players of
Niagara
Venetian Motets for 1-6 voices
from 1629 “This is a magnificent
recording…especially for those
who appreciate the choral music
of Heinrich Schütz”
-- The Wholenote
Portrait
Ofra Harnoy & Mike Herriott
Their favourite operatic arias and
duets, arranged for Cello and
Trumpet in a range of settings
from simple duet to full orchestral
accompaniment.
Volume 2 - Generational
The Nimmons Tribute
Celebrating the cultural legacy of Phil
Nimmons featuring some of Canada’s
finest jazz musicians. Generational is
inspired by the interconnectedness
of our family tree.
58 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

VOCAL
Art Choral Vol. 4 – Classique
Ensemble ArtChoral; Matthias Maute; Ilya
Poletaev
ATMA ACD2 2423 (atmaclassique.com/en)
! Some choirs
and their musical
projects have clearly
defined areas of
focus. Others,
such as Ensemble
ArtChoral, directed
by Matthias Maute,
think bigger: the
ArtChoral series is a
unique and ambitious three-year, 11-volume
project surveying the history of choral singing
over six centuries, from the Renaissance to
the present day. Classique, the fourth release
in the series, focuses on the Classical era and
contains music by Gasparini, Bierey, Haydn
and Mozart, accompanied by fortepianist Ilya
Poletaev.
Much of the music on this disc was
composed for liturgical use, including Johann
Michael Haydn’s Agnus Dei, Bierey’s Kyrie
(which is based on the first movement of
Beethoven’s “Moonlight” piano sonata) and
Mozart’s ubiquitous Ave Verum Corpus,
as well as a set of fascinating vocal trios
and quartets by Franz Joseph Haydn. This
thoughtful programming provides a convincing
overview of the era’s styles and sounds
through smaller forms, at a time when much
of the choral music being composed was large
scale, such as the masses and oratorios of
Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.
Ensemble ArtChoral is in fine form
throughout, and their skillful approach to
this music is apparent from the first notes.
Using the fortepiano as the sole source of
accompaniment is a thought-provoking
choice, with its unique timbre and relatively
inflexible dynamic range leading to an
increased attention toward expressive boundaries;
the listener must reorient themselves to
understand that, while they are still hearing
the juxtaposition of fortes and pianos, the
extremes are less pronounced than might be
expected from performances with modern
instruments.
It is a monumental task to summarize
six centuries of anything, let alone such a
vast expanse of composers and their music;
Ensemble ArtChoral continues to prove that
they are up to the challenge with Classique.
Matthew Whitfield
At First Light
Exultate Chamber Singers
Independent (exultate.net)
! One of Canada’s
top chamber
choirs, the Exultate
Chamber Singers
is a Toronto-based
ensemble dedicated
to showcasing new
Canadian choral
music through
commissioning
and programming. While there are some
who consider all music of the 20th century
to be contemporary, Exultate commits itself
to music that is truly contemporary, as
demonstrated with their recent recording At
First Light.
Consisting of eight works written by
Canadian composers between 2018 and 2021
– seven of which were commissioned by
Exultate – At First Light provides a glimpse
into some of the wonderful music being
written by both emerging and established
composers in our country. There is a wide
range of compositional diversity here, with
texts taken from many sources including
Malay lyricist Mohamad Fairuz bin Mohamad
Tauhid, the Lebanese-American Kahlil
Gibran, as well as Shakespeare and Yeats, set
by an equally diverse range of composers.
Unlike the “modernist” music of
Schoenberg and Stockhausen, this modern
music is largely tonal, with a freedom of technique
and expression that has been gathered
and distilled from centuries of musical
history and returned to its listeners in new,
creative forms. Ethereal harmonic textures
are the primary musical vernacular here, but
each composer’s individual approach ensures
that each work is unique unto itself. Whether
Matthew Emery’s brief yet profound Be Still,
My Heart, Mari Alice Conrad’s atmospheric
At First Light, or the rhythmically delightful
Speak to Us of Joy by Ecuadorian Canadian
Sami Anguaya, there is a variety of styles
and techniques on display which provide
a distinctively wide-ranging and satisfying
listening experience from beginning to end.
A robust and enthusiastic exposition of
contemporary Canadian content, Exultate’s
At First Light reminds us that there is much
to celebrate here at home with regards to
classical music. Although its death has
been signaled many times over the last
half-century, the presence of such gifted
composers and interpreters indicates that
there is indeed a future for this genre that
will be defined not by survival, but rather by
successes yet unimagined.
Matthew Whitfield
Concert note: Exultate Singers present
“Music to Inspire” on October 20 at Calvin
Presbyterian Church, Toronto.
thewholenote.com/listening
Iridescence
Frédéric Lambert
& Ali Kian Yazdanfar
Montreal musicians Frédéric
Lambert and Ali Kian Yazdanfar
give us a chance to consider the
viola and double bass in a new light.
Woven Lights
Vito Palumbo
Palumbo’s Violin Concerto displays
bittersweet lyricism. Chaconne
highlights the different ways in
which the electronics intertwine
with the live electric violin.
Art Choral Vol.4 - Classique
Ensemble ArtChoral
Featuring choral music from the
Classical era by Mozart, Haydn,
Bierey, and Gasparini, this album
is the fourth release from the ART
CHORAL series.
At First Light
Exultate Chamber Singers
An album of exciting new choral
works by Canadian composers
including Sami Anguaya, Mari Alice
Conrad, Tracy Wong, and more!
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 59

The Folly of Desire
Ian Bostridge; Brad Mehldau
Pentatone PTC 5187 035
(pentatonemusic.com)
! Since his emergence
onto the
international
jazz scene in the
early 1990s, Brad
Mehldau’s evolution
as a gifted, inspired
artist has been
nothing but breathtaking.
In addition to his now legendary
jazz piano chops, Mehldau has explored and
extended himself into many music modalities,
and with his new release, created in
tandem with noted tenor vocalist and musical
interpreter, Ian Bostridge, Mehldau straddles
several genres here in a bewitching sojourn
into this powerful song cycle that plumbs the
limits of sexual freedom in a post-#MeToo
political age. Taking inspiration from the
poetry of Blake, Yeats, Shakespeare, Brecht,
Goethe and Cummings, this 16-track, diverse
program also includes jazz standards and a
foray into German Lieder.
First up is The Sick Rose – languid and
gossamer, Bostridge’s rich tenor encircles
the potent poetry of William Blake, while
Mehldau weaves a world of fog and delight
through his pianistic/artistic skill. Leda and
the Swan is a central theme of this song cycle,
and is drawn from a Greek myth, while the
text comes from Yeats, and depicts a brutal
rape – the denying of free will and transfiguration
of a false god for venal pleasure.
Mehldau rides the roller coaster of emotion
and crashes into Yeats’ deepest meaning. A
highlight of the cycle is the boys I mean are
not refined. The poetry of ee cummings takes
a jaundiced look at amoral young men. While
Mehldau again creates a profound mood and,
through his incomparable vocal instrument,
Bostridge wrings every last bit of meaning out
of the disturbing text. A triumph of artistic
sensibility and skill.
Of special, luminous beauty are the duo’s
take on These Foolish Things, and the rarely
performed gem, In the Wee Small Hours of
the Morning. The almost unbearable beauty
of Mehldau’s piano is evident throughout,
and he remains one of the most profound and
original artists of his (or any) time.
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
Gayle Young – According to the Moon
Sarah Albu; Gayle Young
farpoint recordings fp088
(farpointrecordings.com)
! Southern
Ontario musician,
composer, experimental
instrument
maker and
author Gayle Young
(b.1950) has been
continually active
since the 1970s,
though it feels like recognition of her music
has ramped up in the last decade. Last year’s
release, As Trees Grow featured piano-centred
compositions infused with field recordings of
natural sounds.
Her latest seven-track album According
to the Moon, subtitled “Sarah Albu performs
vocal works by Gayle Young, 1978-2021”
showcases the human voice in its manifold
guises. These range from extended voice techniques,
spoken word and sprechstimme to
classical singing and everything in between.
In some works Young appears to invite
Montreal-based Albu to shape her virtuoso
performances on the formants and rhythms
of spoken language.
In the evocative Ancient Ocean Floor (2021)
the voice is supported by a field recording of
a waterfall filtered through resonant tubes.
The texture is further enriched by Young’s
nuanced performance on the amaranth, a
bowed koto-like instrument with flexible
tuning of her own design.
Albu’s vocalism in Tea Story (2012) is
selectively emphasized by electronic resonance
filters and frequency shifters. And in
Vio-Voi (1978) Geneviève Liboiron’s violin
plays an effective counterpoint with Albu’s
controlled soprano, demonstrating the significant
role of instruments in this ostensibly
vocal album.
Young’s serious maverick/experimental
composer street cred is rooted in her teachers’
musical family tree which reaches back to
Harry Partch, Charles Ives and beyond. The
mature, sometimes challenging, works spanning
four decades presented on According
to the Moon amply underscore the aesthetic
consistency and longevity of Young’s artistic
vision and achievement.
Andrew Timar
Rough Magic
Roomful of Teeth
New Amsterdam NWAM172
(roomfulofteeth.org)
! One of the fiercest
contemporary
proponents of
pushing the boundaries
of the human
voice, this group is
beyond sole creativity;
the level of
skill and musicianship
of the Grammy-winning vocal supergroup
Roomful of Teeth demonstrates a
cohesiveness only possible within a collective
of beings who know each other very, very
well. Rough Magic features premiere recordings
of four works co-created with the group
and simply explodes out of the gate.
From the very opening of William Britelle’s
DISCOVER
NEW CHORAL WORKS
BY CANADIAN COMPOSERS
Sami Anguaya
Mari Alice Conrad
Matthew Emery
Jeff Enns
E.K.R. (Evan) Hammell
Virginia Kilbertus
Katharine Petkovski
Tracy Wong
AT
FIRST
LISTEN NOW
OUR SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM!
60 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Psychedelics 1. Deep Blue (You Beat Me)
the traditional harmonies are bursting with
tones, lyrics and extended techniques that
draw you into a world of vocal sound and
texture that unless you are familiar with this
premier contemporary vocal group you will
likely have never heard before. In three movements,
the piece explores what the composer
notes as “an attempt…to reckon with a psychological
breakdown that I experienced as a
young adult, and to parallel that with the
seemingly apocalyptic strains of our current
collective state…” The movements Deep Blue
(You Beat Me), I am the Watchtower and My
Apothecary Light include cultural references
thrown about which beautifully illustrate the
chaos of memory and time.
For the opening of Eve Beglarian’s None
More Than You, the composer asked the
ensemble “to try to utter the most famous text
about words in Western culture, the opening
of the Gospel of John, using only consonants,”
a fascinating opening that evolves to colours
of crystalline traditional harmonies unbound
and include pressure breathing that was
felt throughout. Caroline Shaw’s five-movement
work The Isle references Shakespeare’s
stage direction in The Tempest, and makes
beautiful use of Shaw’s trademark murmurs,
audible breaths and shifting timbres imbuing
recitations of text. Peter S. Shin’s Bits Torn
From Words is simply stunning, a brilliant
and vivid painting of the mental health condition
of generalized anxiety disorder, painfully
manifested with tentative, wavering, quivering
and passionate lyrics. The composer
includes the use of Korean tradition of
p’ansori, a vocal technique which needs
expert care to avoid vocal damage. The movement
Reach Across Oceans was my favourite
track of the album.
The imaginative, playful photos and
thoughtful artwork are an artful introduction
to the group, and if you have a chance to
look up the short video demos to several of
the pieces (available on the group’s website
via Vimeo) you will be rewarded with the
most enjoyable micro-sized films that really
blossom with the textures and lyrics. With
this album Roomful of Teeth has broken even
their own boundaries; this is truly a contemporary
vocal ensemble whose ferocious
attitude defies its delicate balance with dedication
to excellence. Hold on to your hats and
enjoy exploring this fantastic recording.
Cheryl Ockrant
CLASSICAL AND BEYOND
Anguille sous roche (Marais; Couperin;
Rameau)
Les Voix Humaines
ATMA ACD2 2858 (atmaclassique.com/en)
! Monreal-based
viol de gambists
Susie Napper and
Margaret Little
formed a partnership
in 1985 naming
themselves Les Voix
Humaines and since
that time, they have
earned a formidable
reputation for their performances of
early music chiefly by English and French
composers. Over the years, the duo has been
augmented by gambists Mélisande Corriveau
and Felix Deak, with violinist Jessy Dubé
joining the ensemble in 2021. This newest
recording on the ATMA label – humorously
titled Anguille sous roche – or Something
Fishy – marks a departure in personnel in
that Corriveau replaces Little here in duets
with Napper in a program of music by
Marin Marais, François Couperin and Jean-
Philippe Rameau.
The music is drawn from several sources –
Couperin’s collection Les Goûts Réunis from
1724, Rameau’s only collection of chamber
music published in 1741, and from various
collections of Piėces de Viole by Marais. Most
of the pieces are barely four minutes in length
and while many of them are dance movements,
others are more fanciful in nature
such as Rameau’s La Coulicam (referring to
the Persian conqueror Thamas Kuli Khan)
and the finale, L’Anguille (the Eel).
Throughout, Napper and Corriveau produce
a wonderfully resonant sound, the phrasing
keenly articulated. The German poet Goethe
once described chamber musicians as “having
a conversation” and this is certainly the case
with the intimate and intuitive approach
taken by the two performers. There is nothing
at all “fishy” about this recording – attractive
repertoire and solid musicianship make it a
welcome addition to the Baroque chamber
catalogue.
Richard Haskell
Sonata Tramontana
Carrie Krause; John Lenti
Black Bear Records BMM01
(baroquemusicmontana.bandcamp.com)
! Sonata
Tramontana, full
of life and nuance,
is such a refreshing
take on the
centuries-old repertoire
it comprises.
Conceived by
Montana violinist
Carrie Krause, it centres around intimate
gestures, deep connection with nature and
appreciation of life in all forms. It is the kind
of music that is meant to be played in small
spaces, flowery meadows or on riverbanks.
Everything on this album works in synergy –
from cover art and beautifully written liner
notes, to the heartfelt performances.
The album features 17th-century music
What we're listening to this month:
thewholenote.com/listening
Anguille sous roche
Les Voix humaines
Works for two viols by
quintessential French baroque
composers Couperin, Marais, and
Rameau, this delightful album is
infused with humour, virtuosity,
and tenderness.
Mozart: Piano Sonatas Vol.4
Orli Shaham
Orli Shaham continues her
critically-acclaimed exploration of
Mozart's complete piano sonatas.
This new volume includes Sonatas
K. 279, K. 280 and K. 284
Lyric Pieces
Sarah Silverman
Pianist-vocalist Sarah M Silverman
reimagines the music of Edvard
Grieg on debut solo album
produced by Grammy winner
Larry Klein
Mahler: Symphony No. 5
Orchestre symphonique de
Montréal, Rafael Payare
The first recording of l'Orchestre
symphonique de Montréal under
its Music Director Rafael Payare's
tenure
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 61

for violin and theorbo by Italian, Austrian
and German composers Mealli, Schmelzer,
Caccini, Biber, Böddecker and Castaldi,
an elusive repertoire that remains relatively
unknown to the wider audiences and
brings vigour and bloom to what might be
considered somewhat predictable in the
realm of historical performances. Krause and
her partner in crime, theorbo virtuoso John
Lenti, are just fabulous, their performance
is nothing short of beautiful. Krause has a
way of bringing the most interesting, almost
visceral textures out of her Baroque violin.
Her ornamentations are lovely and complemented
well by Lenti’s strong presence.
Although passionate and meaningful, this
music is unpretentious. Krause and Lenti
tell stories, visit mountain peaks and valleys,
drink from the lakes and creeks, dance in
town squares, all the while balancing virtuosity
and tranquility. The music glows and
grows throughout the album, reaching for
hidden nooks and corners, filling our ears
with delight.
Ivana Popovic
Mozart and the Organ
Anders Eidsten Dahl; Arvid Engegård; Atle
Sponberg; Embrik Snerte
LAWO Classics (lawo.no)
! When one thinks
of Mozart, the
mind can go many
places, from opera
to overture, sonata
to symphony. One
area of music with
which Mozart is
not often associated,
however, is organ music. By all accounts,
Mozart was a fine player who enjoyed the
sounds of the instrument – going so far as to
title it “The King of Instruments” – but the
organ was not a vehicle for concertizing in
Mozart’s time, instead used almost exclusively
in church services.
What Mozart did write for organ falls
into two categories: the first is the collection
of 17 “Epistle” sonatas, chamber music
written between 1772 and 1780 for masses in
Salzburg, played between the reading of texts;
the second is music that Mozart wrote for
the “Flotenuhr” – a large grandfather clock
containing a self-playing organ. There are two
large-scale works from this latter category
that are played quite frequently today, the
Adagio and Allegro in F Minor K594 and the
magnificently monumental Fantasia in F
Minor K608.
Organist Anders Eidsten Dahl gives a
tremendous overview of this music in Mozart
and the Organ, which includes 14 of the 17
church sonatas and both K594 and K608.
Recorded in the Swedish Church in Oslo,
Norway featuring violinists Arvid Engegård
and Atle Sponberg and bassoonist Embrik
Snerte, each of the sonatas is a little gem
containing its own delightful character
and range of expression, compressed into
a miniature form. The larger organ works
are wonderfully paced and expertly interpreted,
and Dahl makes Mozart’s challenging
writing sound effortless and clear, especially
in perilous passages where rapid and
constant movement make great demands of
the performer.
Mozart and the Organ is highly recommended
to all who appreciate Mozart and
organ music, whether together or separately.
These works are masterpieces and well worth
hearing, whether for the first time or the
hundredth.
Matthew Whitfield
Mozart – Complete Piano Sonatas Vol.4
Orli Shaham
Canary Classics CC23 (canaryclassics.com)
! Violinist Gil
is not the only
Shaham who is
making waves
wherever classical
music is adored. His
younger sister Orli
has been showing
the world that her
steely, lyrical pianism is eminently suited
to the performance of Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart. However, rather than put on a show
with Mozart’s more celebrated piano music
the younger Shaham is focusing her attention
on Mozart’s lesser-performed sonatas en
route to giving us a complete collection of the
elegantly sparse works with their virtually
endless supply of sparkling melodies,
Volume 4 of the ongoing series features
three of the earliest sonatas – the F Major,
No.2 K280, the C Major No.1 K279 and the D
Major, No.6 K284, Dürnitz. Should there be
any question as to why these (early) works
grace the fourth volume of Shaham’s Mozart
Complete Piano Sonatas the answer lies in
the simple fact that they are no less technically
demanding, being as they are of great
harmonic ingenuity and melodic richness, as
the later sonatas.
The Allegro and (especially) the Rondeau
en Polonaise: Andante movement of the
Dürnitz are cases in point. The latter – in
Shaham’s skilful hands – reflects a preeminently
graceful Polish dance of Mozart’s
vivid imagination. As with Volumes 1, 2 and
3 Shaham’s delicate phrasing brings out the
cornucopia of Mozart’s melodic delights from
end to end on this disc, but especially in the
filigreed brilliance of the Dürnitz sonata.
Raul da Gama
Mozart – Piano Concerto No.5 & Church
Sonata No.17
Robert Levin; Academy of Ancient Music
AAM AAM042 (aam.co.uk)
! At first glance,
the music contained
in this recording
is somewhat
perplexing: of all
the incredible music
Mozart composed,
why choose one
full piano concerto,
a few juvenile transcriptions, and a church
sonata that’s less than five minutes long?
There is a reason, and it’s a good one.
In 1993, Robert Levin and Academy of
Ancient Music founder Christopher Hogwood
set out to record Mozart’s complete works
for keyboard and orchestra, with the first
of a planned 13 recordings released in 1994.
Despite its noble intentions, the project was
cancelled midway through, as the advent of
downloadable digital music formats in the
early 2000s changed the market quickly and
drastically. Now, over 20 years later, AAM and
Levin are continuing the cycle, scheduled for
completion in June 2024, which will become
the first-ever recording of Mozart’s complete
works for keyboard and orchestra on either
modern or historical instruments.
The most aurally striking aspect of this
recording is that the Piano Concerto No.5 in D
Major K175 doesn’t feature a piano at all, but
rather an organ. This is for several reasons,
including the necessity of a pedalboard to
reach the lowest notes in the keyboard part,
the limited upper range, and Mozart’s use of
the term Clavicembalo, generic nomenclature
that encompassed a range of keyboard
instruments. Rather than being impractically
theoretical, however, the use of the organ
provides great clarity and prominence to the
solo part and blends exceedingly well with
the ensemble.
The other noteworthy pieces on this
recording are the Three Piano Concertos
after J.C. Bach K107, through which the
young Mozart learned his craft and honed his
skills. Far from the masterpieces of his later
years, these works were joint efforts between
Wolfgang and his fathe, Leopold, who would
revise his son’s transcriptions and add embellishments
and other instructional guidance.
Juxtaposing these early works with
only slightly more mature compositions, the
younger Mozart clearly learned quickly.
A valuable component of a valuable project,
this recording is informative and tremendously
appealing, both individually and as
part of its larger set.
Matthew Whitfield
62 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Clara et Robert Schumann – Chamber
Music for Horn
Louis-Philippe Marsolais; David Jalbert;
Philip Chiu; Cameron Crozman; Stéphane
Tétreault
ATMA ACD2 2874 (atmaclassique.com/en)
! Somewhere,
among the writings
of Marcus Aurelias,
Seneca or Epictetus,
there is a Stoic
maxim that argues
that the easier
something is to
do, the less meaningful
and fulfilling it is for one’s personhood
and soul. The Stoics, it seems, liked
doing hard things. And in classical music,
there is perhaps no instrument more difficult
to master than the French horn (simply “the
horn” among the classical intelligentsia), what
with its perplexing embouchure placement
and quixotic fingering positions. But, just as
the inverse of the aforementioned maxim
would posit that the more difficult something
is to do, the more satisfying and efficacious
the result, it is also a truism (or perhaps just
my opinion) that a well-played French horn
ranks among the most breathtaking sounds in
all of music. A single listen to Clara et Robert
Schumann – musique pour cor, a 2023 ATMA
release featuring the exquisite horn stylings
of Montreal-based musician and educator
Louis-Philippe Marsolais, should illuminate
why this is the case.
Evidencing an enveloping warm, round
and inviting timbre on the brass instrument,
Marsolais, joined by terrific pianists
Philip Chiu and David Jalbert, as well
as cellists Stéphane Tétreault and Cameron
Crozman, foregrounds a thoughtful selection
of chamber music composed by Clara
and Robert Schumann, now placed into new
and engaging musical contexts. Repertoire
originally composed for a variety of instruments
takes on an intimate sheen, sonic
patina and mellow lustre when stated here
on the horn, providing both the opportunity
to feature the instrument more robustly as a
principal solo voice, and continue the overdue
and ongoing efforts taken to appropriately
write Clara Schumann more prominently
into the canon of classical compositions and
composers.
Andrew Scott
The Very Best of Grieg
Various Artists
Naxos 8.552123 (naxos.com/Search/Keyw
ordSearchResults/?q=8.552123)
! Some time ago
in Berlin, Sir Simon
Rattle organized a
youth orchestra of
teenage students at
the Philharmonie
to learn and play
Grieg’s In the Hall
of the Mountain
King. It was fun to watch the various
instruments come in one by one, adding
layer upon layer to the sound, a steady
crescendo and accelerando controlled
superbly by Rattle culminating in a world
of total mayhem and a rousing success. I
suddenly realized how extraordinarily clever,
intricate and difficult a piece it was. A work of
genius and one of The Very Best of Grieg.
Thanks to this brilliant and comprehensive
sampling from Naxos on two CDs I am totally
immersed in Grieg’s music. I feel there is an
unmistakable Norwegian sound world that’s
immediately recognizable. Grieg is considered
to be part of the struggle for national awareness
and independence that swept through
Europe in the second half of the 19th century.
Each smaller nation had a voice, a leading
composer like Liszt for Hungarians, Smetana
and Dvořák for the Czechs, Enescu for the
Romanians, Sibelius for the Finns etc.
Grieg was a prolific composer, but essentially
a pianist, so most of his works are for
solo piano, but these were often orchestrated
and much colour and harmony were added to
the pieces. He was a miniaturist. His strength
lies in capturing immediately a simple, but
incisive and beautiful melody, developing it
quickly, so most of his pieces are very short,
four minutes or less. He published ten books
of Lyric Pieces. Some of these are very memorable,
for example, The Wedding Day at
Trolhaugen, Berceuse, Notturno, Butterfly,
Brooklet, Cradle Song, I love but thee, To the
Spring and more. Also, Songs for soprano that
are devilishly difficult to sing.
The longer works such as the Piano, Violin
and Cello Sonatas and the String Quartets are
represented here by just a movement. But we
mustn’t miss his orchestral music: Holberg
Suite, Sigurd Jorsalfar, two Peer Gynt
Suites and most importantly the Piano
Concerto in A Minor, one of most beautiful
Romantic concertos ever written.
His contemporary, Tchaikovsky said about
Grieg: “What charm, what inimitable and rich
musical imagery. What interests, novelty and
independence!” So true.
Janos Gardonyi
Lyric Pieces
Sarah M Silverman
Adhyaropa Records
(sarahsilvermanmusic.com)
! The adaptation
of classical music
within popular
music in the late
20th century, such
as the famous Eric
Carmen homage
to Rachmaninoff
in All by Myself,
What we're listening to this month:
thewholenote.com/listening
Shadow & Light:
Canadian Double Concertos
Marc Djokic, Christina Petrowska
Quilico, Sinfonia Toronto
“This is a terrific program of
double concertos by Canadian
composers. It’s a wonderful
work, as is the playing.” American
Record Guide
A Village of Landscapes
Sébastien Malette
Bassoonist, Sébastien Malette,
brings to life Frank Horvat's
captivating 13-piece suite, drawing
inspiration from award-winning
photographer Michelle Valberg's
stirring Canadian natural
landscapes.
Palms Upward
Graham Campbell
The music of Graham Campbell is
original, imaginative, and deeply
expressive, with a clear tonal basis
and a great melodic richness.
David Jaeger Chamber Works
for Viola
Carol Gimbel, Cullan Bryant,
Marina Poplavskaya
Experience some of Jaeger’s most
defiantly creative compositions,
and the vast possibilities of the
viola in a chamber setting.
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 63

developed into the unique genre of classical
crossover made famous by Andrea Bocelli,
Sarah Brightman, Josh Groban and many
others. While not loved equally by all – what
music is? – classical crossover toes the line
between tradition and accessibility, giving
symphonic sounds big ticket appeal.
Described as a “genre-defying” reimagining
of Grieg’s Lyric Pieces for solo piano, a collection
of 66 short piano compositions written
over the span of 58 years, Sarah M Silverman’s
Lyric Pieces uses 11 of these works as the
foundation for her own compositions,
creating arrangements and adding texts and
vocal melodies to create this new collection of
songs. A native of Toronto, Silverman studied
classical piano at the Glenn Gould School and
takes a sensitive approach to her arrangements,
skillfully manipulating the components
of Grieg’s compositions while adding
her own unique voice. Much like the way
that flavours are combined in a recipe, these
songs are a combination of aural ingredients,
and Silverman is clearly gifted at uncovering
savoury combinations.
The songs on Lyric Pieces are not intended
to be heard as the conversion of Grieg’s
piano music into art song, with the existing
piano solo merely reduced to an accompaniment.
Rather, this music takes on an entirely
different form, exploring the unique and
interesting relationship between composer
and artist with a result that is well worth
listening to, not only for its musical beauty,
but also for the way in which it pushes upon
the limits of our preconceptions regarding
genre and the concept of crossover.
Matthew Whitfield
Mahler – Symphony No.5
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal;
Rafael Payare
Pentatone PTC 5187 067
(pentatonemusic.com)
! I was quite
intrigued to
receive this album,
as Mahler and
Montréal are two
names not normally
associated in my
mind, though it’s
true that hometown
boy Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s enthusiasm for
this repertoire has been amply demonstrated
in Philadelphia and elsewhere. Nevertheless,
Peter Fülop’s comprehensive discography
at the Mahler Foundation site currently lists
some 1,168 Mahler recordings issued from
1924 to the present day; the OSM’s presence
is represented with two lonely recordings,
by Mehta (1963) and Nagano (2009).
Charles Dutoit ruled the roost from 1977 to
2002 favouring a heavy dose of French repertoire,
memorably commemorated in a wellreceived
series of recordings on the Decca
label. Sadly, these recording opportunities
ceased in the late 1990s. Now however, it
seems that Mahler’s time has come at last in
Montréal thanks to the recent appointment of
the gifted Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payere
to head the OSM.
Payere brings with him a recording contract
with the Pentatone label and a mission
to launch a complete cycle of Mahler’s
symphonies, starting (as is often the case)
with the Fifth Symphony in a truly stunning
rendition. The orchestra is on fire under his
direction, precise and impassioned by turns.
The Pentatone recording team have conjured
a luxurious, natural ambience to the production
in which every instrument is beautifully
balanced.
Payere has an uncanny ability to render
the episodic structure of the work into a
seamless whole, creating flowing waves of
sound that build organically and inexorably
to their sublime summits. Special kudos
go to Paul Merkelo’s superb trumpet solos in
the opening funeral march and to Catherine
Turner for her opulent obligato horn part in
the Scherzo. An altogether thrilling performance
that promises great things to come!
Daniel Foley
Rachmaninov – Complete Symphonies; Isle
of the Dead; Symphonic Dances; Vocalise
Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Leonard
Slatkin
Naxos 8.503278 (naxos.com/
CatalogueDetail/?id=8.503278)
! As I am writing
this, the wistful
opening motto
theme of the Third
Symphony is reverberating
in my
mind and I am
marvelling at how
beautifully Rachmaninov establishes an
atmosphere and the symphony a world of
its own, so different from anything he wrote
before. I have never heard it in a concert hall
either, mainly because apart from the piano
concertos, his orchestral works are rarely
performed. So this highly acclaimed new
issue by Naxos is very welcome.
Leonard Slatkin, who has over the years
became a conductor of stature with a worldwide
reputation, is thoroughly inside the
music with an authoritative grip on the score
and this reflects on the musicians of the
Detroit Symphony who seem to be in love
with the music. And in HD orchestral sound
they sound better than ever.
The 3CD set contains the Three Symphonies
and the Symphonic Dances plus the
symphonic poem Isle of the Dead and
Vocalise, a short orchestral piece. It should be
noted that the First Symphony failed disastrously
at its premiere and its score was
lost until miraculously the orchestral parts
were found many years later. It is a youthful
work with intense passion but it bears no
comparison to what he would produce later.
Isle of the Dead is interesting; inspired by
a Romantic Russian painting, it describes
Charon on the River Styx rowing the dead
across to the other shore. We can hear the
sinister undulating motion of the oars in very
dark hued music. Its 5/8 rhythm must be a
challenge for the conductor, but it comes off
very well under Slatkin.
The Second Symphony is arguably the
best and the most popular and has always
been my favourite. It’s a glorious work with
lavish orchestration and it “has a sustained
vitality, rich in lyrical invention and a glowing
eloquence capable of rising to extraordinary
power” as described very aptly by British
musicologist Robin Hill. It had a tremendous
success and this recording, being a live
performance, has a spontaneous enthusiastic
outburst of applause. I wholly concur and it’s
worth buying the set for this alone.
Another wonderful highlight is Vocalise
which to me is the best thing Rachmaninov
ever wrote. It’s a short (less than ten-minute)
work for small orchestra with such an
underlying sustained melancholy I’ve seen
conductors literally in a hypnotic trance
conducting with closed eyes.
Rachmaninov could be regarded as a
connecting tissue between Tchaikovsky and
Shostakovich (or Prokofiev) but he preferred
to look forward rather than backward, so he
moved away from lush Romantic orchestration
towards lighter and cleaner textures, a
tighter, more economical orchestration. This
is manifest in his Symphony No.3 in A Minor.
It is in three movements but don’t let this
fool you. The composer cleverly encloses a
Scherzo inside the second movement, so we
are not shortchanged. I find that the wealth
of diverse musical ideas and their adventurous
handling puts this symphony ahead
of the second and it’s a shame it’s hardly ever
played. In a similar vein, Symphonic Dances
(1940) is a most enjoyable lighthearted piece
with emphasis on dance rhythms (e.g., the
second movement is a decadent waltz the
Russians are quite good at) that concludes
this remarkable set.
Janos Gardonyi
Fauré: Nocturnes & Barcarolles
Marc André Hamelin
Hyperion CDA68331/2
(hyperion-records.co.uk/a.asp?a=A49)
! Solo piano music
comprises a significant
part of Gabriel
Fauré’s output
spanning a 60-year
period from his very
earliest Romances
sans Paroles Op,17
written while still
in his teens, to the final 13th Nocturne Op.119
from 1921. Among the most highly regarded
of his piano works are the Nocturnes and
Barcarolles, and these are presented in their
entirety on this Hyperion release by the
Montreal-born and Boston-based pianist
64 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Marc-André Hamelin. While Hamelin is no
stranger to French repertoire, it has never
been a big part of his extensive discography,
so this recording is a welcome addition.
Fauré’s Nocturnes are very much in the
Romantic tradition, the earliest ones showing
some influence of John Field and Chopin.
Yet they were never languorous, nocturnal
essays; instead, they were conceived as
lyrical pieces evoking a myriad of emotions.
Hamelin’s playing is elegant and refined, with
the inherent technical challenges handled
with ease.
Like the Nocturnes, the Barcarolles were
written over the entire span of Fauré’s career
and similarly show a progressive development
in style. While most are written in the standard
6/8, 9/8 or 6/4 time signatures, many
don’t adhere to the familiar notion of a lilting
Italian boat song. Again, Hamelin demonstrates
an appealing fluidity of execution
where his impressive technique is never an
end unto itself, but simply a means towards a
fine interpretation.
An added bonus is the charming piano duet
Dolly Suite, written for the young daughter of
the singer Emma Bardac. It is performed here
with Hamelin’s wife Kathy Fuller, bringing
the program to a most satisfying conclusion.
Richard Haskell
An American Rhapsody
Calefax
Pentatone PTC 5187 046 (calefax.nl/shop)
! One of the side
perks of this business
is how much
one can learn from
liner notes. The
dishy release from
the Netherlandic
reed quintet Calefax
spreads their love
for the New World all over the place. New
York (New Amsterdam?) is the focus of this
collection of arrangements that plays like the
most excellent school concert imaginable.
No disrespect to the players, they kick it in a
way that reminds me of an earlier band, the
Netherlands Winds, continuing the low countries’
exceptionally high standard of woodwind
playing.
But it’s weird to listen to their Rhapsody in
Blue, effectively scored down to the five voices
in saxophonist Raaf Hekkema’s arrangement.
I won’t make arguments about style, but I
hear almost a practiced accent in the impeccably
spoken lines of this fun little play. The
liner notes remind us that this was Gershwin
stepping out onto the concert stage from
the show pit, and I think while the playing
is excellent, there’s some kind of reserve or
modesty in the performance suiting New
Amsterdam more than Midtown.
Samuel Barber’s Excursions, Op.20, originally
for piano, are more folk than Broadway.
They really sparkle in this excellent performance.
Florence Price’s Piano Sonata in E
Minor receives a gently Romantic treatment.
Harry Burleigh’s Southland Sketches
was based in gospel music. One learns,
again in the very readable liner notes, that
Burleigh was a mature student at the National
Conservatory of Music (founded expressly to
foster equity in musical training, regardless
of sex or race or disability), where he studied
with Antonín Dvořák.
The latter half of the disc celebrates jazz,
pop and street music. Two Ellington tunes are
beautifully rendered by Hekkema and Oliver
Boekhoorn (the aptly named Oboe/English
hornist), and Hekkema also made a fantastic
tribute to both Billy Holiday and Eric Dolphy
based on Dolphy’s bass clarinet treatment of
God Bless the Child.
Max Christie
Solo, Alone and More
Jonas Frøland
Our Recordings 6.220681
(ourrecordings.com)
! Reading the
notes to Solo Alone
and More, a clarinet
collection played
by young hotshot
Jonas Frøland, one
remembers the
value of a good
editor. I got some smiles reading the overlong
and quirky paragraphs accompanying this
demonstration of instrumental excellence.
Three works are excerpts: the first cadenza
from Carl Nielsen’s Clarinet Concerto (1928)
opens the collection, announcing Frøland’s
range and musicality; the follow-up suggests
to me he hasn’t considered the dramatic range
of Stravinsky’s Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo
(1919). Stravinsky wrote these as a gift to the
patron who backed L’Histoire du Soldat, and I
always imagine them staged. He plays the first
piece more as a rhythmic aria than a static,
atmospheric tableau. The middle section
of the second movement is, to my mind, a
limping Soldier’s March; instead, Frøland
treats the eighth-note pulse differently in
the inner and outer sections, fundamentally
changing the pulse between them. I’d love
a chance to talk it over with him, because I
don’t think that’s what Igor had in mind.
Frøland’s dynamic control and technical
fluidity amaze in Messiaen’s Abîme
des Oiseaux (1940) (the second excerpt of
the collection, from the Quatuor Pour la Fin
du Temps) and Bent Sørensen’s beautiful
Lontanamente Fragments of a Waltz (2012).
Both feature that most desirable clarinet
trait: pianississississimo. Mette Nielsen’s
Alone for Basset Clarinet (2021) was commissioned
by Frøland. It’s an unsettling exploration
of microtones that left me chilled. Fully
What we're listening to this month:
thewholenote.com/listening
Density 2036 Parts VI-VIII
Claire Chase
Virtuoso flutist Claire Chase
continues her laudable
documentation of her multi-year
commissioning project, Density
2036, with works from the 2019,
2020, and 2021.
BIKEncerto
Reynaliz Herrera;
Ideas; Not Theories
Composed by Reynaliz Herrera,
"BIKEncerto: a concerto for solo
bicycle and orchestra is now
available on major streaming/
download platforms!
Le Voyage Immobile /
The Still Journey
Denis Levaillant
Now available! New portrait
recording of music by French
composer Denis Levaillant, featuring
premiere recordings of recent
works for strings and accordion.
IMMIGRANT
Fuat Tuaç
In his second album, the acclaimed
Toronto-based jazz vocalist
reflects on his experiences as an
immigrant. In English, French and
his native Turkish.
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 65

half an hour of this 70-minute program is
taken up with Gunnar Berg’s Pour Clarinette
Seul (1957) and Simon Steene-Andersen’s De
Profundis, (2000/rev2019). Substantial works
both. And the third excerpt? Tossed in is a
rewrite of the cor anglais solo from Act III of
Tristan und Isolde.
Max Christie
MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
Shadow & Light – Canadian Double
Concertos
Marc Djokic; Christiana Petrowska Quilico;
Sinfonia Toronto; Nurhan Arman
Centrediscs CMCCD 31823 (cmccanada.
org/product-category/recordings/
centrediscs)
! Originating in
the early 1700s,
during the later
portion of the
Baroque era, the
concerto presented
composers of the
time with an instrumental
compositional
structure (a
formula if you will) perfectly suited to feature
an instrumental soloist. A double concerto,
therefore, shines the spotlight equally on two
soloists, accompanied by different aggregations,
providing composers with another
voice of possibility to help realize their
creative intentions. How nice then, in our
time of near constant and rapid change, that
this formula is still meaningful and relevant,
particularly so in the capable compositional
hands of Alice Ping Yee Ho, Christos Hatzis
and Larysa Kuzmenko.
Writing for the pairing of violin and piano
(the dependably terrific Christina Petrowska
Quilico and violinist Marc Djokic backed
capably by Sinfonia Toronto under the direction
of conductor Nurhan Arman), the aforementioned
compositional triumvirate bring
Shadow & Light to life with influences
ranging from Felix Mendelssohn and
Johannes Brahms, to Hitchcock foil Bernard
Herrmann and the author Jules Verne. If the
range of this description sounds expansive
and beyond categorization, that’s because
it is! The result, released on Centrediscs and
supported by any number of Canadian artsbased
granting agencies, is a truly postmodern
affair that plays in the margins that
lie between the binary of the traditional
double-concerto form and a set of influences
that escape categorization. Whatever
the conceit, the result is a satisfying and
extremely fine recording that expands the
canon of both Canadian composition and the
rare double-concerto pairing of violin and
piano for future repertoire consideration.
Andrew Scott
Frank Horvat – A Village of Landscapes
Sébastien Malette (bassoon); Allison Wiebe
(piano)
I Am Who I Am Records (frankhorvat.com)
! I’ve reviewed
several albums by
prolific Toronto
composer and
pianist Frank
Horvat for The
WholeNote. His
often Romantically
inclined, emotionally
charged music
often also employs a dizzying array of heartfelt,
compelling extra-musical themes. These
range from the personal (love, mental health),
to the social (environment, social justice), and
a combination of the two (dealing musically
with pandemic isolation).
A Village of Landscapes, perhaps his 21st
album, features a suite of 13 compositions
stylishly and convincingly performed by
bassoonist Sébastien Malette, in five movements
accompanied by Allison Wiebe on
piano. The 13 pieces are furthermore divided
into three mini-suites: for bassoon with
piano, unaccompanied bassoon and bassoon
with electronics.
For example, the atmospheric movement
Smoking Hills is scored for hazy basso
profundo contrabassoon sounds and bassheavy
piano, while Sharbot Lake features
a continuous high bassoon melody over
shifting, phasing synth chords. Top of
FormTop of Form
In this album Horvat’s thematic inspiration
was supplied by photographs of places in
the Canadian landscape by Michelle Valberg,
representing each of the country’s ten provinces
and three territories. Horvat writes,
“Our present world is at a precipice when it
comes to protecting our natural resources,
so as an artist, I feel I have a duty to have my
compositions reflect this.
“The bassoon is a VERY versatile instrument.
It has a wide range of notes, timbre
contrasts and dynamics,” avers Horvat. In
A Village of Landscapes he successfully
explores many less-known characteristics of
the instrument, working against stereotypes
of buffoonery and jollity that too often plague
the bassoon.
Andrew Timar
Graham Campbell; Palms Upward
Various Artists
Independent (grahamcampbell.ca)
! Graham
Campbell is a good
composer. His
music is openhearted
and enjoyable
to listen to.
There is no apparent
need to shock or
jar the listener,
while there is every success in moving them
or bringing them peace. Call me jaded or
just old, but if someone writes well, stays
within conservative conventions of metre
and tonality, whose sincerity of expression is
their primary calling card, I’m on their side.
The music is pleasing, while not especially
haunting or challenging.
Pianist Angela Park provides beautiful
colour on many of the tracks, most especially
in the haunting Lost Souvenir, a movement
from an unnamed larger work. Violinists
Mark Fewer and Valerie Li, violist Caitlin
Boyle and cellist Amahl Arulanandam join
her for three brief pieces for piano quintet:
Between Breaths, Snow Rider and Dive.
Whether out of modesty or budget concerns,
the digital release includes no accompanying
booklet.
Palms Upward, the title track, might
have been commissioned by or written for
Graham’s father, clarinetist James Campbell,
but without liner notes one is left guessing.
It’s an unusual grouping that works well:
clarinet with violin, viola, double bass and
guitars (Rob MacDonald and Tracy Anne
Smith of ChromaDuo).
The track titles are evocative enough to
allow the imagination room to fill in the
blanks. Still, I’m curious to know a little
more, like what does Driftless Sea mean? This
is the final track, featuring klezmer-coloured
clarinet playing a folk-like melody alongside
a string quartet, guitars (played by Campbell
fils) and Jaash Singh on darbuka. Kettle
Vapours (Park on solo piano) might suggest
reflections on watching a pot boil, but it’s
more eventful, more solid than vapid. Barely
an intermezzo, it works.
Double bass playing is ably supplied by
Charles James on several tracks, while the
composer supplies guitar and piano on tracks
7 and 8 respectively.
Max Christie
David Jaeger – Chamber Works for Viola
Carol Gimbel; Marina Poplavskaya; Cullan
Bryant
Navona Records NV6528
(navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6528)
! Toronto
composer and
music producer
David Jaeger
(b.1947) has had
a long, illustrious
career. A founding
member of the
Canadian Electronic
Ensemble, he
enjoyed an influential four-decade career
at CBC Radio commissioning hundreds of
compositions and producing well over a
thousand national broadcasts championing
contemporary concert music from Canada
and beyond.
Jaeger’s early 1970s show Music of
Today kindled my growing interest in new
66 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

developments in classical music. My interest
was further stoked by his long-running, influential
new music program Two New Hours
(1978-2007) on which I occasionally appeared.
When not in the studio or on international
juries, Jaeger always found time to pursue his
own composing. And the viola appears time
and time again in his scores. For example, the
early Favour (1980) for viola and live digital
delay controlled by the performer was written
for the outstanding Israeli violist Rivka
Golani, followed by Sarabande (1993).
The five works on Chamber Works for Viola
continue Jaeger’s exploration of the expressive
possibilities of the instrument, here played
by New York/Toronto violist extraordinaire,
Carol Gimbel.
My recital favourite is the expressive viola
solo White Moon Legend. Exploiting the
instrument’s wide range of bowed cantabile
and pizzicato effects, Jaeger’s melodies appear
in contrasting tessituras, heightening the
work’s dramatic narrative arc.
Gimbel’s passionate advocacy of this music
is amply supported by the warm and husky
tones of her ex-Emmanuel Vardi 1725 viola.
Also a great support is the attractive recording
which details the viola within naturalsounding
room sonics graced with a satisfying
bloom of reverb.
Andrew Timar
Beatings Are In the Body
Beatings Are In the Body
For the Living and the Dead
(beatingsareinthebody.bandcamp.com)
! The self-titled
debut release
Beatings Are in
the Body is by
the gifted experimental
Canadian
performer/
composer trio of
Erika Angell (voice/electronics/bells), Róisín
Adams (piano/Wurlitzer/voice/sticks) and
Peggy Lee (cello/voice/sticks). Their name
is drawn from a work by Canadian poet
Meaghan McAneeley, who contributed the
release’s artwork/design and texts for two
tracks. The musicians explore and draw their
compositional/performance inspiration from
how the physical body carries and stores
wide-ranging memories, pain and emotions
throughout life, in acoustic and electroacoustic,
atonal and tonal compositions, jazz,
songs, poetry and free improvisations.
The opening track, Blurry, features accessible
tonal piano-chord rhythms, vocals and
moving cello interludes between and during
spoken/sung phrases. Time for experimental
new music with electronics, spoken/sung
at times noisy vocals and instrumentals in
Triploop. Superimposed modern electronic
sound effects with acoustic instruments are
especially memorable. Like a Deepness/Let
Go is a contemporary atonal tragic almostpop
song with vocal solo with warbling, piano
chords, melodious cello countermelody and
emotional loud high vocal and cello unison
held-notes at longer phrase beginnings. A
subsequent faster section suddenly goes
back to a slow dramatic grim song with the
repeated lyric “Let go” to abrupt an ending.
Intense, the too-short free improvisation,
Rhiza, is like pain at its painful worst with
sound effects like crashing dishes, improvisational
vocal sounds and cello string bangs.
The 12 diverse emotional tracks flow seamlessly
when listened to in order. Random
track listening offers a different sound scenario.
The tight, respectful performances create
inspiring, not depressing, music!
Tiina Kiik
LAND SEA SKY for Raj Sen
Experimental Music Unit
Independent (experimentalmusicunit.
bandcamp.com)
! Experimental
Music Unit is
a trio based in
Lekwungen
Territory (located
on the southern
tip of Vancouver
Island) consisting
of Tina Pearson
(flute, accordion, voice), George Tzanetakis
(clarinets, saxophones) and Paul Walde
(bass guitar, percussion). EMU specializes
in exploratory music and sound practices
grounded in ecological studies, focused
improvisation and collaboration. Their latest
audio project, LAND SEA SKY released as a
38-minute EP, reflects all those interests.
The EP is the musical realization of a text
score by Pearson, composed during the winter
of 2020-2021. Like so many, EMU was frustratingly
isolated during the COVID pandemic.
While they could meet remotely through
online platforms, most of all they longed to
make music together again outdoors.
LAND SEA SKY was their response.
Recording their parts in the studio, EMU
however imagined they were actually playing
together at Finnerty Cove, a rocky outcropping
on the east shore of Lekwungen territory
on the Salish Sea. The lapping waves,
gulls and other oceanic sounds captured on
the field recording eloquently places the trios’
musicking in this site-specific sonic space.
I found the most magical moments
happened when the trio entered into a
dialogue with the oceanscape, or when the
latter emerged into the sonic foreground –
a startling transformation. Starting softly,
leisurely, the ever-shifting, subtly articulated
interplay between the human trio and the
NATURE-BLAZING NEW MUSIC
A VILLAGE OF LANDSCAPES
Sébastien Malette brings to
life Frank Horvat’s captivating
13-piece bassoon suite,
drawing inspiration from the
mesmerizing photographs
of Canada’s stirring natural
landscapes captured by
award-winning photographer,
Michelle Valberg.
FROM OBLIVION TO HOPE
As performed by the Odin
Quartet, a gorgeous collection
of Horvat’s string quartet music...Here
his message is clear:
music is an important tool in
raising the level of positivity
and hope on this planet as well
as in our individual lives.
– Ivana Popovic
IAM-RECORDS.COM
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 67

Salish Sea’s many voices reflects EMU’s deep
connection with and respect for the place
where they “live and play.”
LAND SEA SKY proved to be more than
a purely musical experience: it’s a timely
reminder that the root of all human song is
in nature.
Andrew Timar
Samuel Adams – Current
Spektral Quartet; Karen Gomyo; Conor
Hanick
Other Minds Records (samuelcarladams.
bandcamp.com/album/current)
! In the world of
contemporary classical
music releases,
this album is likely
to make a splash
for its precision,
ideas and remarkable
performances.
Three recent works
(two of them world premiere recordings) by
American composer Samuel Adams centre
around the integration of acoustic and electronic
sounds. Adams does not blur the lines
between these sounds nor does he try to draw
on the complexity of each. Rather, he allows
both to coexist, mingle and support the other in
natural ways. The music on this album is mostly
minimal in nature, and that works in its favour
rather than as limitation. There is space to
sit”with the sound, to breathe with the colours
and build a relationship with what we hear.
The title piece, written for string quartet
and snare drums, co-commissioned and
recorded by the fantastic Spektral Quartet,
is an example of Adams’ creativity at work.
Four snare drums are activated by the transducer
speakers that are placed atop them,
essentially used as the echo-chambers. The
sound effect is fabulous; it comes in the form
of a variety of timbres, vibrations, pitches
and everything in between, the sonic world
building at its best.
Equally luminous are a solo piano and electronics
work, Shade Studies, displaying tranquil
pulsations, gestures and sine waves subtly
altering piano tones, and Violin Diptych, a
resonant evocation of Bach coupled with the
most intriguing acoustically produced delay
effect at the end of short phrases.
Ivana Popovic
Malek Jandali Concertos
Rachel Barton Pine; Anthony McGill; ORF
Vienna RSO; Marin Alsop
Cedille CDR 90000 220
(cedillerecords.org)
! Syrian-American
Malek Jandali
(b.1972) effectively
combines Arabic
melodies, modes
and rhythms with
Western classical
structures. His 36-minute Violin Concerto
(2014) honours “all women who thrive with
courage.” Jandali identifies four women
beaten, arrested or disappeared by Syrian
authorities, including his own mother who,
with his father, was brutally assaulted after he
performed at a Washington demonstration.
In the Allegro moderato, sinuous, plaintive
violin melodies, portentous orchestral
chords and restless rhythms culminate in an
extended, anguished, angry solo cadenza. The
mournful Andante follows, the violin singing
a prolonged lament over throbbing drumbeats,
slowly building to a stirring, hymnlike
climax. Nostalgic folk dances animate the
Allegretto, but the concerto ends with a slow,
sorrowful violin solo and a sustained, darkly
sombre final chord.
The 25-minute Clarinet Concerto (2021)
was written for New York Philharmonic principal
clarinetist Anthony McGill and dedicated
“in memory of all victims of injustice.”
The music is less overtly Arabic, the emotions
more elusive. In the Andante misterioso, the
clarinet intones a pensive, wandering melody
over percussive punctuations. The misterioso
mood continues in the Nocturne: Andante,
with brooding, broken clarinet phrases and
irregular percussive rhythms. The Allegro
moderato features klezmer-like Syrian dance
tunes, a virtuoso cadenza exploiting the clarinet’s
extreme registers and a final festive
dance, a happy ending to this mostly downcast
concerto.
Well-earned applause for violinist
Rachel Barton Pine, clarinetist McGill,
conductor Marin Alsop, the ORF Vienna
Radio Symphony Orchestra and, most of all,
composer Malek Jandali.
Michael Schulman
Density 2036: Parts VI-VIII
Claire Chase
New Focus Recordings FCR353
(newfocusrecordings.com)
! To call Claire
Chase a once-in-ageneration
flutist
may sound to many
like speculation.
But now, with the
release of what is
collectively referred
to as Density 2036,
doubters, naysayers and outright refuseniks
have all gone the way of extinct species. There
are now three double albums in this series.
On the heels of the first two – Density 2036
(2013-2015) and Density 2036 (2016-2017) –
comes Chase’s triple-CD Density 2036 – Part
VI (2019); Part VII (2020); Part VIII (2021).
With each CD (numbered serially) Chase
and her flutes took us by the hand to lead
us into a magical multi-layered landscape.
Transcending both time and place, Chase
interpreted compositions often written
expressly for her in such a manner that the
resultant music created its own temporal
dimension. This new triple release not only
carries on where Chase left off, but in it she
raises the proverbial bar on her artistry.
As the music of each part unfolds, so too
does a discourse with structure and archetype
quite unique to these works. It may even be
called a Chase rhetoric, an Orphic dialogue of
struggle and release. Each work is a ravishing
poetic episode or (in the case of Part VII Liza
Lim: Sex Magic) a series of poetic episodes.
Every gesture is graced by lyricism and the
memorable material is calibrated to create
an abstract drama that says precisely all
it needs to.
Such is the audacity of Chase’s vision of
her instrument that the music which comes
in hot evanescent diaphragmatic breaths,
the waves of which ebb and flow and penetrate
disparate sonic palettes from the palpitating
heart (in Phylis Chen’s Roots of Interior
for flute and heartbeat), on Part VI. Multiple
soundworlds collide on Matana Roberts’
Auricular Hearsay in Part VIII. The centrepiece
is decidedly Part VII Liza Lim’s Sex
and Magic, a sweeping masterwork evocative
of the near mythic life-affirming power
of women, redolent of legends, oracles and
history woven into a scalp-tingling wonderscape
featuring – among other instruments
– the death-defying aural majestic sound of
Chase’s contrabass flute.
The Density saga was ignited by Edgard
Varèse’s Density 21.5 and its tantalizing threenote
key figure. Chase’s ongoing musical
work builds an epic musical edifice with a hot
breath of musical notes that leap off the page,
like whirling dervishes and pirouetting ballet
dancers leaping into rarefied air.
Raul da Gama
Avner Dorman – Siklòn
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Gil Rose
BMOP Sound 1090 (bmop.org/audiorecordings)
! Muchperformed,
multiaward-winning
Avner Dorman
(b.Tel Aviv 1975)
says his eightminute
Siklòn
(2015) “reflects the
violent nature of
Miami’s hurricanes” (siklòn – Haitian Creole
for “hurricane”) “as well as the frenzy of
energy from a place driven by hot weather,
sometimes clashing ideas and the effervescence
of youth.” The highly percussive
perpetuum mobile rushes headlong toward
an extended, cacophonous crescendo of rising
brass fanfares.
Dorman’s 14-minute Astrolatry (2011)
depicts a prehistoric nocturnal ritual.
Glittering glockenspiel and harp help
illuminate awed reverence in Celestial
Revelations; marimba and bass drum
underline the savage orgiastic dance of The
Worship of the Stars. The five-movement,
68 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

13-minute Uriah: The Man the King Wanted
Dead (2009) recounts King David’s arranging
the death of Bathsheba’s husband in
dramatic, near-cinematic music. (Astrolatry
and Uriah’s scenarios and music would make
powerful ballets.)
In the 11-minute After Brahms: Three
Intermezzi for Orchestra (2015), inspired
by Brahms’ late piano works, rich, warm,
late-Romantic sonorities support the urgent
Allegro con molto appassionato, gentle
Delicatamente con molta espressione and
autumnal Adagio espressivo.
Violence returns with the 19-minute Ellef
Symphony (2000; ellef – Hebrew for “one
thousand”). Fear is filled with sombre foreboding,
Slaughter with martial brutality.
Elegy portrays a mother grieving over her
dead son; …(silence) offers “a prospect for
peace” with “the new millennium as an
empty canvas…it is up to us to write the poem
of the future.”
Conductor Gil Rose and the Boston Modern
Orchestra Project vividly perform Dorman’s
very vivid compositions.
Michael Schulman
Reynaliz Herrera – BIKEncerto: a concerto
for solo bicycle and orchestra
Reynaliz Herrera; Ideas, Not Theories
Ideas, Not Theories (reynalizherrera.
bandcamp.com)
! Boston-based,
Mexico-born
Reynaliz Herrera
is a talented,
award-winning
musician, percussionist,
performer,
composer,
educator and
bicycle performer.
Graduating from Boston Conservatory in
2012, she continued exploring the bicycle
as a musical instrument by performing and
composing for it. In 2012 Herrera founded
Ideas, Not Theories, a theatrical percussion
company/chamber ensemble for which
she is director, composer, scriptwriter, lead
performer and producer. This experimental
ensemble focuses on her original music for
bicycles and other unconventional instruments,
having performed in festivals in the
US, Canada, Mexico and Barbados.
Herrera’s debut release is the four movement
BIKEncerto: a concerto for solo bicycle
and orchestra. Each movement highlights
a specific bicycle sound as Herrera reconciles
her classical background with her
musical bicycle sounds, strings and winds
orchestra. I. Everything showcases different
bike sounds with a classical orchestral beginning
with alternating strings and winds.
Virtuosic solo bike melodic and percussive
tapping and drum-like rolls ground the
tempo while showing off Herrera’s musicianship.
II. Spokes Movement has her melodic
“Spokes Keyboard,” tuned rods add playful
sounds. III. Metallic Movement has faster
atonal brilliantly performed orchestral lines
and complementary atonal metallic bike
lines and rolls. Two-part IV. Tires Movement
features Reynaliz’s “Tires Keyboard” in
Brazilian Samba inspired sounds. Part 2
features orchestral wide-pitch lines, exciting
higher cymbal-like bike sounds to closing
dance-along bike solo, then orchestra to a
short percussive ending.
Herrera’s exuberant music successfully
incorporates musical styles like classical,
atonal, minimalistic and pop/rock.
Uplifting fun listening for all ages, regardless
of personal musical preferences.
Tiina Kiik
Ennanga
Ashley Jackson
Bright Shiny Things BSTC-0188
(brightshiny.ninja)
! The rediscovery
of music by
Black composers
continues apace.
William Grant Still
(1895-1978), arguably
the finest of
all, named his
18-minute Ennanga
for harp, string quintet and piano after the
arched harp of Uganda. The first two movements
are warmly nostalgic, almost heartbreaking
in their evocation of African
chant and hints of Sometimes I Feel Like a
Motherless Child. The finale is a jolly, propulsive
dance. Still’s harp writing is exquisitely
lovely, lovingly played by Ashley Jackson,
holder of a doctorate from Juilliard and
currently a senior administrator and teacher
at Hunter College in Manhattan.
Jackson arranged Alice Coltrane’s nineminute
Prema, originally for piano and
strings, substituting the harp for the piano.
Coltrane (1937-2007) was a jazz singer, pianist
and harpist (and jazzman John’s wife), but
Prema isn’t jazzy, with sustained moody,
droning strings and shimmering songfulness
from the harp.
In both Ennanga and Prema, Jackson is
joined by fellow members of the Harlem
Chamber Players; she solos on the CD’s three
other pieces, each lasting about five minutes.
Essence of Ruby by harpist Brandee Younger
(b.1983) is reflective and yearning, bordering
on the blues. Two of the Twenty-four Negro
Melodies by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-
1912), originally for piano, are here arranged
by Jackson. In the spirituals I’m Troubled in
Mind and The Angels Changed My Name,
Jackson finds resolve and courage, ending
this beauty-filled CD with a sense of optimism.
(The CD runs only 43 minutes – I
wanted more!)
Michael Schulman
Le Voyage Immobile/The Still Journey –
Works for strings and accordion
Olivier Innocenti; Various Artists
DLM 3422 (denislevaillant.net)
! Paris-based
composer, writer
and pianist Denis
Levaillant’s works
in many genres
defy classification
in his unique
colours, instrumentation
and stylistic
explorations.
This 2CD release in
its colourful bilingual
hardcover liner
book features works
composed from 1987 to 2021.
CD1 opens with Un mystérieux chemin
(2017) for solo viola, inspired by music of
northern India. It is a dramatic rhythmic
piece opening with a slow tense, emotional
moving melody with high to low heldnotes,
performed perfectly by Pierre Lénert.
Quatuor Amôn and accordionist Olivier
Innocenti perform L’Andalouse Books 1 and
2 (2004). The accordion blends well with
the strings. Opening Book 1 Movement1
has accordion, then strings in a noisy, lowpitched
atonal start with alternating high
and low held notes. A moody work with
expressive melody, accented rhythms and
high-pitched accordion notes and lower
strings. Book 2 Movement 1 starts with a
single melodic accordion line leading to full
ensemble playing. Uplifting, lively syncopated
sections with a sudden low section leading
to a fast closing. Book 2 Movement 2 shows
Levaillant’s understanding of the accordion’s
full high-to-low-pitch range in heldnote
drones, with added strings held notes.
A faster rhythmic section leads to more held
notes, with syncopated accordion bellows
shakes. Accordion solo Danse Nocturne
(2019) with very low pitch left hand and
contrasting high pitch right hand, is beautiful,
challenging bellows control technique
to make all sounds enter together. Fast-note
flourishes are contrasting. A solo cello, and a
string quartet work complete this first disc.
CD2 features two string quartets and two
string trios. With its theme and six variations
Les Heures défaites String Quartet No.1
(1987), features Quatuor Joachim. Levaillant
writes that this was initially conceived as
“ballet music.” Theme begins with beautiful
tonal cello melody with slight slide, then
entry of other strings, both contrapuntal and
one lead with accompaniment. Faster tonal
Variation 1 has detached and plucked notes,
contrapuntal lines and legato melody phrases
with detached notes. Variation 5 has higher
squeaky notes and lower short melody, an
idea that reappears in his future work. Trois
derviches String Trio No.2 (2020), recorded
by Sébastian Surel, Pierre Lenert and Alexis
Descharmes, alternates low and high notes,
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 69

staccatos, rhythmic unisons and brief
silences. One more string quartet and string
trio complete CD2.
So fascinating to listen to Levaillant’s
compositional development of beautiful,
well-composed, virtuosic works over three
and a half decades.
Tiina Kiik
JAZZ AND IMPROVISED
Immigrant
Fuat Tuaç; Kevin Turcotte; Eric St-Laurent;
Jordon O’Connor; Eric West
Independent (fuattuac.bandcamp.com/
album/immigrant)
! Accomplished,
multi-lingual
vocalist and
composer, Fuat
Tuaç, has just
released his new
CD, and it does not
disappoint. Tuaç
wears several hats
here, as composer,
arranger, producer and artist. He has also
surrounded himself with his talented longtime
collaborators, guitarist Eric St-Laurent,
bassist Jordan O’Connor, drummer Eric West
and trumpeter Kevin Turcotte. As the title
would suggest, Tuaç explores his Canadian
immigrant experience here, as well as the
contemporary social ethos in the depersonalized
era of technology. Included in this wellcrafted
project are two vocal duets: the sexy
cool Chez Moi, sung en française with the
exquisite Montreal-based chanteuse, Kim
Richardson and Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim,
rendered in exotic, evocative Turkish (Tuaç’s
native tongue) and performed to perfection
with noted Turkish vocalist, Yesim Akin. Both
duets illustrate Tuaç’s taste and musical skill
and are highlights of the recording.
The compelling opener, No Strings
Attached (a Tuaç original), is a groovy, jazzy
ode to the often confusing nature of romantic
relationships in these troubled times and
Asla Unutamam is a delicious Turkobossa,
featuring a stunner of a trumpet solo
from Turcotte. Tuaç soars as a vocalist here
– defining his style, sound and approach.
The very personal title track is a hopeful,
and yet melancholy portrait of the courageous
individuals who have eschewed or
fled their homeland in order to manifest a
life of creative and personal freedom – and
the challenges, confusion and joy that is part
of that journey. Tuaç imbues the track with
his deep emotional experience, as well as a
superb vocal. Moss Park… is another standout,
a disturbing exploration of our own very
Canadian, urban inhumanity.
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
A Giving Way
Peggy Lee Band
Songlines SSL1636-2 (songlines.com)
! The cellist Peggy
Lee has been – with
The Peggy Lee Band
– very prolific in a
composing career
that has stretched
across several
years and, with A
Giving Way, six
riveting albums. Her work is always deeply
thoughtful and often radiantly effusive, a sort
of synthesis with masses of seething counterpoint
set in a seemingly perfect acoustical
sound-world. The songs played here are
typical of the elegant compositions, innovatively
interpretated, with richly laced textures
and extravagant climaxes by musicians who –
by virtue of their long-term association with
Lee – know her music almost intimately.
This is repertoire full of the slithering and
bittersweet glissandos of Lee’s cello, the
elegant burbling of brass and winds from
Brad Turner, Jeremy Berkman and Jon Bentley
respectively. Together they make a joyful
noise with guitarists Ron Samworth and
Tony Wilson, with the tumbling rhythms of
André Lachance’s bass guitar and rattle, hum
and sizzle of Dylan van der Schyff’s drums
and cymbals.
It is difficult to fathom why Lee is not
better known for the eloquence and uniqueness
of the music that she creates around the
solemn atmosphere of her cello. Perhaps this
may have something to do with attempting
to define it in terms of this genre or that.
However, the uniquely beautiful sonorities
of (for instance) Internal Structures,
Justice / Honour; even the interpretation
of Whispering Pines, and other songs on A
Giving Way, show Lee to be an artist with a
breathtakingly singular voice.
Raul da Gama
Is This a Dream?
Will Bonness
Manitoba Film & Music (willbonness.com)
! The fourth
album, Is This
a Dream? by
the pianist and
composer Will
Bonness, is an
outstanding
recording, informed
by big-hearted
originals and standards performed with
brazenly romantic beauty. While each of
the works is conventional in form, by turns
tender and ardently lyrical, and feature the
pianist’s favourite vocalist Jocelyn Gould, the
head-turners are the seven (of nine numbers)
that feature the scintillating young clarinetist
Virginia MacDonald, with the inimitable alto
saxophonist Allison Au doubling up with
MacDonald on the final track, Cole Porter’s
Don’t Fence Me In.
Bonness is a pianist with a naturally poetic
bent of mind. In his pianism chromatic
notes sigh – and often gush effusively – the
harmonic cushioning always falling where
you least expect it to. This often makes for the
kind of surprise you expect, but never know
when it will issue from his fluid right-andleft
hand combinations. This is what makes
his originals – particularly Round and Round
and Contraption – full of great tunefulness.
Both songs also feature MacDonald who, with
her expressively woody clarinet sound, adds
emotional depth and rhetorical eloquence to
Bonness’ already-rich harmonic language.
On the album’s finale the music reaches
quite another level as Bonness’ score includes
an alto saxophone, Au, who responds with
glowing tones and the liquid grace of her
notes. The album’s superb repertoire is
further embellished by bassists Daniel Fortin
and Andrew Goodlett and the irrepressible
drummer Fabio Ragnelli.
Raul da Gama
Who Are You? The Music of Kenny Wheeler
Duncan Hopkins; Reg Schwager; Ted
Quinlan; Michel Lambert
Three Pines Records TPR-0015
(duncanhopkins.com)
! The late Kenny
Wheeler (1930-
2014) was a
Canadian composer
and trumpet/flugelhorn
player with an
international reputation
who pushed
the boundaries past
jazz standards and into free improvisation. He
lived most of his life in England and recorded
many albums, primarily for the ECM label.
Who Are You? is Duncan Hopkins’ celebration
of Wheeler’s music and includes Reg
Schwager and Ted Quinlan on guitars with
Michel Lambert on drums while Hopkins
holds down the bass duties. Having two
excellent guitarists provides an intriguing
interpretation of Wheeler’s compositions
and the interplay between Schwager and
Quinlan creates many musical highlights.
For example, their “almost unison” playing
enhances Foxy Trot’s up-tempo melody and
each solo is excitingly different.
The final three tracks, Montebello
, Kitts and Salina St. are named after
St. Catharines (aka “Kitts”) and the neighbourhood
where both Wheeler and Hopkins
lived. Kitts and Salina St. were composed
by Wheeler and re-arranged by Hopkins.
Montebello is a Hopkins original named after
the park at the end of Salina St. where they
met. This suite of three songs adds a very
personal and delicate touch to the album.
Ted Parkinson
70 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Don’t Ask Me
Sam Dickinson Trio
Independent (samdickinsonguitar.com)
! Don’t Ask Me is
an enjoyable album
from Toronto
guitarist/composer
Sam Dickinson
who has studied at
Humber College,
the New England
Conservatory,
McGill University and received a Doctorate
from the University of Miami in 2019. The
album is an engaging and diverse set of works
displaying his substantial guitar chops.
Dickinson’s trio includes Jim Vivian on
bass, with Adam Arruda and Terry Clarke
alternating on drums. South Florida Task
Force has a funky 7/4 groove and the guitar
part is fusion inspired, effortlessly jumping
through lithe melodies. Old Folks is a
beautiful piece featuring acoustic guitar
which begins slowly as a solo with some
jazzy folk chords, then bass and drums
enter and it builds into some expressive
solo lines. Memory Lane also has some very
nice acoustic playing and features Vivian›s
bass, initially playing an exquisitely bowed
melody and then evolving into intriguing
pizzicato lines. Don’t Ask Me is an impressive
and assured debut album and we look
forward to more work from Dickinson.
Ted Parkinson
Resonants
Artie Roth Quartet
Three Pines Records TPR-0016 (artieroth.
bandcamp.com/album/resonants)
! Resonants
has many overarching
themes,
but sonically
one in particular
hits the ground
running and never
looks back: Artie
Roth’s bass sounds
nothing short of astonishing in this mix.
Whether this reality is brought to the actual
forefront as on the delicate Sound and Sky
or greatly heightening the impact of every
single Anthony Michelli drum hit on Refrain,
Roth is the bedrock of what gives his group
its distinctively substantial and grounded
sound. The band itself displays an incredible
grasp for mood, accessing a palette that not
only delights in its sophistication, but fluctuates
considerably between each track with
effortless precision. The entire tracklist only
consists of two (showstopping) segues, but
the thoughtful sequencing and Roth’s refined
compositional touch binds Circle Maker and
Second Moment together as soulmates.
Resonance makes up one half of the
album’s conceptual namesake (“tenants”
is the other), and it is a key element that
is manipulated by the entire band to great
effect. Soloing throughout is divorced from
the idea of isolation that is often associated
with the practice, taking the form of calculated
traversal through a living soundscape
rather than self-contained reactions to a set
of harmonic constraints. Sam Dickinson’s
guitar work shines in this respect, with active
accompaniment that provides a resolute sense
of warmth. The most energetic sections are
characterized by an irresistible swing, kept
page-turning by a constant shifting of beat
emphasis, never allowing momentum to
yield. Freshness flourishes.
Yoshi Maclear Wall
L’Origine Éclatée
Jean-Marc Hébert; Lex French; Morgan
Moore; Pierre Tanguay
Independent
(jean-marchebert.bandcamp.com)
! L’Origine éclatée
is an interesting
album, and in many
ways a rather selfless
offering from
guitarist Jean-Marc
Hébert. It is one
thing to have an
understated style,
or to showcase compositions and ensemble
over one’s individual prowess, but Hébert
truly takes an egalitarian stance with this
recording, letting his great band shine on
the seven unique original compositions we
are treated to. The album doesn’t eschew the
fact that Hébert is an excellent guitarist, but
rather celebrates the trust and confidence he
has in his bandmates to interpret his musical
vision in a way that is extremely engaging to
listeners.
This is the guitarist’s third album as a
composer and leader, and perhaps this is why
Hébert has no problem stepping back and
letting his music breathe through his bandmates.
Another factor could be that he is classically
trained. To me, this training is reflected
in his mature and fully realized compositional
style, as well as his technique on the
instrument. I can’t point to a single moment
on the album that displays the types of virtuosic
shredding so many guitarists are drawn
to, but each note Hébert plays is deliberately
placed and full of intention.
If you are starved for virtuosity and shredding,
you won’t be disappointed after hearing
trumpeter Lex French’s rich contributions
to the album. French, bassist Morgan Moore
and drummer Pierre Tanguay, are all represented
on L’Origine éclatée as features and
supporting artists. Check it out for yourself.
Sam Dickinson
Swirl
François Bourassa Quartet
Effendi Records FND169
(francoisbourassa.com)
! I have had
the pleasure of
reviewing two
albums from
Quebec this month,
and this province
continues to
produce the kind of
outstanding art our
country has come to associate with it. Pianist
François Bourassa’s latest release Swirl: Live
at Piccolo is a beautiful mix of improvised
and composed elements and is full of contrast
to its core.
Years ago, there was a stereotype that
contemporary jazz from Quebec tended to
be either avant-garde or straight ahead, with
little room in the middle. Whether that was
ever entirely true stands to be determined,
but the improvised music currently being
produced in La Belle Province is an amazing
melange of improv and tradition, and to this
listener it contains a better range of influences
than most other music forged in our country.
I assumed Live at Piccolo meant this album
was recorded live off the floor at Studio
Piccolo in the east of Montreal, but audience
applause quickly alerted me to the fact
that this was a performance as well. This
brings a certain realness to the music, which
is expertly choreographed and precise while
simultaneously sounding entirely improvised.
Bourassa has been working with reed
player André Leroux and bassist Guy Boisvert
for more than two decades now and the
most recent addition to the group, Guillaume
Pilote, does more than hold his own. The
album is just over an hour in duration but
manages to keep even the most distractable
ears glued to their stereo. I recommend it to
curious listeners nationally and globally.
Sam Dickinson
Stages
Dan Pitt Trio
Independent (dan-pitt.com)
! During Part
Two, there is a realization
one may
arrive at; where
it becomes clear
that bassist Alex
Fournier will indeed
have to halt his
climb up the thumb
register at some point. When that simple,
descending two-note phrase adds a skip with
its last few repetitions before finally falling
back on its sustained apex, it feels like the
musical equivalent of holding a person’s gaze.
Guitarist Dan Pitt and drummer Nick Fraser
then promptly enter the canvas, as if occupying
the same mind. This entrance occurs
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 71

mid-trill, prompting one to rewind the track
and locate the exact source of the inciting
gesture. The snaking 11-beat pattern that
follows serves as the backdrop for continued
Fournier arco explorations, cyclical and
possessing the assurance of having always
occupied its indelible spot in the piece’s
conscience. The pattern begins to open up
gradually, with Pitt emphasizing offbeats and
Fraser dropping open cymbal hits like stones
in a glassy stream. Synchronized with this
increased generosity, Fournier begins to show
his hand as well, weaving what will become
the primary motif into his solo.
Part Two is Stages’ shortest song, and
a great chunk of its runtime is Fournier’s
intro, but it encapsulates the album’s overall
tendencies. Gentle, satisfying phrases are
meditated on for stretches that manipulate a
listener’s time perception, gliding along an
axis with ease while each musician applies
careful changes with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it
subtlety. This music feels truly nurtured.
Yoshi Maclear Wall
Open Spaces – Folk Songs Reimagined
Daniel Hersog Jazz Orchestra
Cellar Music CMR010123 (cellarlive.com)
! Vancouverbased
composer,
arranger, trumpeter
and conductor
Daniel Hersog
leads a 17-musician
ensemble in
his renditions of
four well-known
folk songs, and six of his own compositions
on this, his second album. Recorded
in Vancouver, Hersog’s takes on the familiar
folk tunes are varied, musical, jazz flavoured,
improvised, yet always true to the original
and all performed perfectly.
Gordon Lightfoot’s The Wreck of the
Edmund Fitzgerald is given a jazz rendition
with classical orchestration and harmonies.
Held notes lead to Lightfoot’s memorable
melody, repeated with gradual entrance
of jazzy countermelodies and variations
performed by Dan Weiss’ lively drums, Noah
Preminger’s improvised tenor horn solo, Kurt
Rosenwinkel’s solo/comping guitar and Frank
Carlberg’s flourishing piano solo. A brief
silence leads to closing gradual instrumental
entrances of legato high-pitched rhythmic
lines and held-note melody. Unbelievable
how respectful, sad and beautiful this all is.
Hersog’s adaptation of Red River Valley
features repeated bass notes from Kim Cass,
full orchestra theme and alternating solos,
with Rosenwinkle’s guitar leading back to
the famous song, now a big surprise, sung by
the musicians to closing loud full orchestra
and drum cymbal crashes. How Many Roads
is Hersog’s self-described “re-composed”
version of Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind.
His Dylan melody sounds simultaneously
familiar yet different, especially in the
calming yet fast colourful Carlberg piano solo
above Weiss’ drum rolls and orchestral glissandos.
Hersog’s compositions are equally
enjoyable. Rentrer opening Cass bass line is
so intriguing, followed by lengthy colourful
orchestral lines and solos. Hersog provides
so much space for his musicians to improvise,
and there’s so much musical fun for
everyone!!
Tiina Kiik
Projet Seb Parent
Sébastian Parent
Independent
(projetsebparent.bandcamp.com)
! Projet Seb
Parent, the debut
album of Montrealbased
drummer
Sébastien Parent,
leaves the impression
of being long
in the making.
Tight jabs and stabs
from the astonishingly cohesive 13-piece
horn section inject the most tranquil of
rhythm section passages with adrenaline.
These sudden shots are surges of pure energy
and chutzpah that leave pregnant pauses in
between; fleeting voids of suggestion, soon
to be realized. This method of tireless tension
building through choreographed involvement
places Projet Seb Parent on the small
ensemble-big band continuum, clueing in
while never quite revealing its exact coordinates.
The results of Parent’s distinct sound
facilitating style: a gleeful grab bag of tuneful
goodies that feel equal parts organized and
unrestrained.
Mont Saint-Bruno features acoustic fingerpicking,
an irresistible shuffle beat, a whimsical
trombone melody and an assertive slide
guitar solo played by Patrick Bourdon. Bling
Bling’s unabashed usage of 808s, choppy
horns and sub bass simultaneously conjures
the approaching menace of a Metro Boomin
intro, the vigour of a Comet is Coming
beat and bravado of your local brass band.
Station Du Collège is an absolute highlight,
with Parent himself helming an elusive
groove reminiscent of early Tune-Yards, not
ever quite fully swinging or straight, which
makes the song itself feel like it’s constantly
lurching forward and backward; reflecting
the profoundly danceable quality this whole
album possesses.
Yoshi Maclear Wall
Plaît-il
Allochtone
Tour der bras tdb 000067cd
(tourdebras.com)
! Quebecrecorded,
but ingeniously
expressing
its so-called foreign
background with
a band name that
translates as nonnative
person,
Allochtone uniquely
mixes currents of electronica, rock, folk and
free jazz. Created at the Saint-Alexandre-de-
Kamouraska music camp, 195 kilometres
north of Quebec City, the group includes local
percussionist/turntablist Rémi Leclerc; pianist
André Pelletier from Saint-Pascal; guitarist
Olivier D’Amours and accordionist Robin
Servant from Rimouski; Montreal bassist
Alexandre Dubuc and Parisian Cathy Heyden
playing alto saxophone and bagpipe chanter.
Each musician also uses some version of
electronic instruments giving the eight selections
electro-acoustic timbres that are as
much otherworldly as they are terrestrial. The
result can range from strained reed squeals,
piano clicks and tremolo accordion vibrations
meeting voltage buzzes and blats or keyboard
clusters and metallic guitar flanges establishing
a linear theme which must balance
on top of consistent electronic drones.
Throughout, almost ceaseless percussion ruffs
are as prominent as programmed oscillations
and stop-start voltage buzzing. Leclerc’s
vinyl manipulation also means that tracks like
rouge interject snatches of bel canto singing
and backwards running syllables into the
electronic- and percussion-dominated mix.
The tracks aren’t all opaque however. The
occasional calliope-like accordion squeeze
and slide-whistle or split tone reed trill adds
needed airiness at certain junctions.
As an exercise in group improvisation
fusing multiple sonic streams, Plaît-il
achieves its goals. But more indications of
what each musician can contribute individually
could have prevented some sequences
from descending into near-impenetrable
density and lightened the mood.
Ken Waxman
Jeb Patton – Preludes
Jeb Patton; John Ellis; David Wong; Quincy
Davis
Cellar Music CM091822 (cellarlive.com)
! New Yorkbased
pianist Jeb
Patton has made a
name for himself
in the jazz world,
having played with
famed acts such as
Etta Jones, George
Coleman, the Dizzy
Gillespie All Stars and many more. On this
72 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

latest release though, we see Patton’s compositional
and musical talents really shine. The
album is chock-full of tunes composed by the
pianist himself and features an all-star group
of musicians backing him, with renowned
names such as Mike Rodriguez on horns,
Quincy Davis on drums and David Wong on
bass. Born during the dreary times of the
pandemic, the record is overflowing with
creativity and brings a true, enjoyable musical
experience.
Patton grew up in a household where both
classical music and jazz were deeply appreciated,
with his father being a self-taught
pianist. We often think of there being a very
strict divisional line between classical and
jazz, that the two don’t really ever mix and
that mindset is just what Patton sets out to
change throughout this record. Inspired by
his childhood, each of these songs features
notable technical elements we would usually
hear in classical music blended in seamlessly
with swing rhythms and mellow horn solos
attributed to jazz. The result? A terrific record
end-to-end, showcasing Patton’s proficiency
in genre-crossing and blurring that distinct
line between the two genres. A fantastic
record for jazz lovers that love broadening
their horizons and delving into new musical
territories that they have yet to explore.
Kati Kiilaspea
Counterclock
Clark Gibson; Sean Jones; Michael Dease;
Lewis Nash; Nick Mancini
Cellar Music CMR111022 (cellarlive.com)
! Renowned
jazz saxophonist,
educator and
composer Clark
Gibson’s latest
release is a toetapping
pick-meup
and a breath
of musical fresh
air. Featuring a roster of talented musicians
such as Sean Jones on trumpet, Pat
Bianchi on organ and Nick Mancini on vibraphone,
Gibson’s sweeping saxophone riffs
are supported by a fantastic backing band.
This fourth release includes songs that are
penned and arranged, for the most part, by
the stellar musician himself and his talents as
a composer are truly highlighted throughout
the record. For those jazz aficionados that
like a fresh, modern take on a traditional
jazz sound, this is definitely one for your
collection.
Gibson reflects, “Counterclock refers to
looking back and not discounting art you
created in your early stages as an artist.” The
focus of the album, then, is how the saxophonist
came to embrace his compositions
from the time that he was just starting out.
Throughout the tunes there is a definite
continuous, broader theme of “looking back
to yesteryear,” a hark back to the traditional
and appreciating the roots of modern jazz
music and many of the greats. Gibson and
band have a knack for finding the perfect
balance of classic and current, enlivening
that jazz sound we’ve all come to know and
love yet adding just enough of a contemporary
twist to bring it into today’s musical
landscape. From start to finish, this album is
a sonically pleasing, immersive and snazzy
musical journey.
Kati Kiilaspea
Short Stories
Vicente Archer; Gerald Clayton; Bill
Stewart
Cellar Music CM060922 (cellarlive.com)
! New York Citybased
bassist and
composer, Vincente
Archer is a bit of a
gifted chameleon,
and with the release
of his first recording
as a leader Archer
feels that he has
finally revealeds his authentic self – personally
and musically. Archer’s inspired collaborators
here include pianist Gerald Clayton
and drummer Bill Stewart. This compelling
project was propelled by executive producer
Cory Weeds, along with producer and noted
trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. With the exception of
three tracks, all compositions were created by
the gifted triumvirate.
First up is Mirai (Archer), a gossamer-like
jazz ballad, replete with a steady, heartbeat of
bass punctuated by contrapuntal electric and
acoustic piano work from Clayton and incredibly
sensitive and yet powerful drumming
by Stewart. Clayton’s Round Comes Round
follows with boppish motifs coming into play,
along with a dizzying piano intro by Clayton,
followed by a symbiotic entrance of bass and
drums. The trio seems to communicate with
pure telepathy here, and the ESP continues in
the form of a sinuous bass solo and superb,
nuanced drumming from Stewart.
Another of Archer’s tunes, Lighthouse, is
an energizing highlight, featuring Archer’s
lithe fingers flying across the bass fingerboard
and laying it down with his unique voice. Of
rare beauty is Stewart’s Drop of Dusk which
exemplifies the “art of the trio” – replete with
its stirring, Romantic sub-text, punctuated by
brilliant, complex piano work from Clayton.
On every track here, Archer’s bass sings and
deftly touches those deep, subcutaneous parts
of us that are shared by all human beings,
underscoring and celebrating our one-ness.
The only flaw with Short Stories is that the
stories should be longer!
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
Are You Sure You Three Guys Know What
You’re Doing?
Mike Jones; Penn Jillette; Jeff Hamilton
Capri Records (caprirecords.com)
! This enjoyable
recording features
the prodigious
talents of pianist/
arranger/producer
Mike Jones, the
potent and thrilling
drum work of Jeff
Hamilton, and
solid, musical bass playing from internationally
known magician, Penn Jillette (of Penn
and Teller). The tongue-in-cheek title of the
CD is a reference to when The Three Stooges
would show up as house painters, carpenters
or God forbid, doctors! It was in 2002 that
Jones was hired to be the opening act of Penn
and Teller’s irreverent and entertaining magic
show – a hot ticket in Las Vegas for more
than 30 years – the only proviso being that
Jillette (who had taken up the bass at the age
of 48) would join Jones in a duo format for
the opening set – which turned out to be six
nights a week, for 21 years. After stopping by
to see a show, it was actually Hamilton’s idea
that the three record together.
Fresh, energetic takes on a number of
beloved jazz standards are included here. On
the zesty opener, Gershwin’s ‘S Wonderful,
Jillette more than holds his own – digging
in with authority while generating a big,
fat, satisfying sound. Jones masterfully lays
it down in the stylistic mode of the greats
and Hamilton is simply one of the finest
jazz drummers of his (and any other) time.
A standout is a swinging take on the great
Sonny Rollins’ Doxy. The trio grooves like
a single-celled animal, and Jones’ solo is a
thing of rare beauty. Other fine tracks include
Jobim’s classic The Girl From Ipanema, which
features an extended bass solo from Jillette
where he carries the melodic line, and is
also consistently expressive, in tune and in
time. The stunning ballad, You’ve Changed,
displays the trio’s skilled use of space as well
as a formidable lyrical sensibility.
These guys know what they’re doing; they
should do it more often!
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
For Mahalia, with Love
James Brandon Lewis; Red Lily Quintet
Tao Forms 13 (taoforms.bandcamp.com)
! Tenor saxophonist
James
Brandon Lewis’s
previous CD
with his Red Lily
Quintet, Jesup
Wagon, dedicated to
George Washinton
Carver, resided at or
near the top of 2022 jazz polls. This homage
to gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, to whose
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 73

work Lewis was introduced in childhood by
his grandmother, is even stronger – at once
impassioned, reverent and nuance-alert
throughout its 71-minute-playing time. The
homage may extend to saxophonist Albert
Ayler’s similar recording from 1964, Swing
Low, Sweet Spiritual, with Lewis frequently
referencing Ayler’s distinctive tone and
phrasing.
Lewis is intensely expressive here, in part
through his taut control, holding his lines
in check until they explode. Trumpeter Kirk
Knuffke is a brilliant foil, on theme statements,
solos and counter melodies, while
cellist Chris Hoffman, bassist William Parker
and drummer Chad Taylor supply stellar
support, from a certain formal but empathetic
rigour to the haunting bowed strings
that introduce Calvary. The quintet’s special
closeness comes through in extended theme
statements that are simultaneously loose,
collective improvisations, melodic components
passed among the instrumental
voices, for example, Were You There and
Precious Lord.
The limited first edition CD comes with an
additional CD, These Are Soulful Days, Lewis’
eight-part composition for his tenor saxophone
and string quartet, performed with the
Lutosławski Quartet
of Poland. It’s a lucid work imbued with
the spirit of gospel music (Wade in the Water
emerges at one point). Its spacious melodic
clarity suggests the compositions of another
American master, Virgil Thomson.
Stuart Broomer
POT POURRI
Starlighter
Kinan Azmeh; Brooklyn Rider
In A Circle Records
(kinanazmehbrooklynrider.bandcamp.
com/album/starlighter-icr026)
! Okay, this is the
stuff. There’s this
guy who writes
music for strings
and percussion and
his own voice (a
clarinet that sometimes
passes for
the best alto flute
you’ve ever heard). His name is Kinan Azmeh
and the string quartet is Brooklyn Rider (look
‘em up); plus there’s a percussionist Mathias
Kunzli adding to the mayhem.
I get carried away when clarinet tone
colour doesn’t assault my ears with plangent
“listen to me!” swipes left and right.
Azmeh can certainly invoke that strident
animal, the upper register, but he shows true
restraint. Mostly his velvet colour floats across
the strings’ texture like syrup on waffles,
like gravy on poutine, like tahini on falafels.
Who’s hungry? The quintet-plus-one fires
up dance rhythms straight out of the very
Near East. Alongside “exotic” modalism and
dance figurations, Azmeh draws on contemporary
rhythmic complexity and dissonance.
His writing is lyric, kinetic and narrative
too. The disc opens with the three movements
of In the Element, written in 2017-
2018; Run and Rain describe themselves, and
Grounded (the third movement added a year
after the first two were written), narrates feelings
from his recent return visit to his home
city of Damascus. His other work, Dabke on
Martense Street for string quartet, describes
an imagined round dance on the street where
he lives in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Rider violinist Colin Jacobsen’s
title track Starlighter was inspired by the
magical transference of energy into matter
known as photosynthesis. It takes more than
one listen to get inside, but it’s worth the
effort. The final track is a work adapted for
the same quintet plus percussion by Ljova
(aka Lev Zhurbin). Originally written for the
Silk Road Ensemble, Everywhere is Falling
Everywhere (a Rumi reference) makes an apt
bookend to the disc. A different version of
similar language, more latkes-and-applesauce
than falafels-and-tahini, but delicious as well.
Max Christie
El Swing Que Yo Tengo
Alex Cuba
Caracol Records (open.spotify.com/
album/0IHxZjy8PyE5I5CBwF0JlW)
! Ever since we
first became aware
of the music of the
Juno and Grammy
Award-winning
Alex Cuba, we have
always known that
the elements of
music – melody,
harmony and, especially, rhythm – have
throbbed and pulsated through his veins.
And like the celebrated album Mendó that
came just before this one, El Swing Que Yo
Tengo, continues to buck every trend while
remaining true to the glorious rhythms of the
island from which he takes his name.
In the repertoire of the latter album Cuba
pushes the proverbial envelope even further,
including electronic elements in music that is
steeped, as much in traditional Cuban dance
forms as in funky and hip-hop-inspired
rhythmic flavours.
Cuba’s lustrous tenor swoops and soars
fuelled by seductive romantic lyricism, often
entwined with harmonies that he has overlaid
on these delicious melodies. This is true even
when – as on songs such as El Swing Que Yo
Tengo and Son Para Tu Boca – more adventurous
vocal elements and styles such as rap
and other localized Caribbean song elements
intervene.
On this album Cuba plays all the instruments,
including those powered by electronics,
blending superbly with the
percussion and he even treats us to an
elegantly slapped-on bass. The apogee of
the album, hands down, is Agüita de Coco,
a song that is powered by Cuba’s eloquent
voice together with the chocolate-and-chillicoated
vocals of the Rwandan music sensation,
Butera Knowless.
Raul da Gama
Maelstrom
Duplex
ARC Music Productions EUCD2959
(duplexmusic.be)
! Respected
Belgian musicians,
accordionist Didier
Laloy and violinist
Damien Chierici,
worked together the
first time in 2018 on
a Nirvana musicbased
project.
They continued working together forming
Duplex, incorporating Laloy’s internationally
renowned diatonic accordion explorations
in traditional world/folk styles and Chierici’s
violin in non-classical styles like pop and
rock. The 2020 COVID outbreak/lockdown
forced them to change their touring plans
to recording imaginary world travels with
music inspired by books, personal experiences
and such. Invited drummer Olivier Cox
and keyboardist Quentin Nguyen join them,
with guest trumpeter Antoine Dawans on one
track, in this debut Duplex release of Laloy/
Chierici folk, rock, world, electro-pop, jazzy
and cinematic compositions.
The duo “visit” global countries on the 14
tracks. The opening track Cast Off has fast
short repeated ascending and descending
intervals emulating boat sails in the wind.
Magic House, in winter Saint Malo, features
a violin-interval melody, diatonic accordionchordal
rhythms, a sudden slower section
returning to upbeat loud electronics and
banging drums. Off to London in Bakerloo
Circle. Love the rumbling opening sound
like a subway train entering the underground
station. Trumpet melodies create a
sense of London transit and street buskers.
Great accordion in the fast Cuban dance,
Cabestan’go. Enjoy New York City clubs in
Vera, with louder more jazzy intense, full
instrumentals. A detached beat opening,
repeated diatonic accordion melody
throughout with gradual instrumental and
drums entries add to the wonder of the
Rockies in Wapta Falls, especially emotional
now during the BC wildfires.
Tiina Kiik
74 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

Something in the Air
The Resurgence of the
Too-often Scorned Viola
KEN WAXMAN
Violas and viola players have been the butt of musicians’ jokes for
centuries. A sample: What is the difference between a radio and
a viola? A radio plays music. How do you know there’s a group
of viola players at your door? None of them can find the key.
Apparently this notoriety dates from the mid-18th century after
violinist Francesco Geminiani was named conductor of a Naples
orchestra. His timing was so erratic and so confused the players that
he was demoted to the viola chair. Despite this reputation violas still
remain a vital part of so-called classical music. For the past few years
as well a growing number of improvising musicians have found that,
tuned a fifth lower than the violin, the viola’s alto tone, thicker strings
and heavier bow creates a more compatible sound for their creativity.
One player who has abandoned the violin
and turned completely to viola is American
Mat Maneri. On Live at the Armoury (Clean
Feed CF 619 CD cleanfeed-records.com) he
demonstrates his skill in a trio with German
drummer Christian Lillinger and Vancouver’s
Gordon Grdina playing guitar and oud. It’s
timbres from the latter instrument which
help define Maneri’s approach. Especially on
the concluding Communion, the nagging sweeps and deliberate oscillations
from the viola suggest the choked and arched patterns of an
Indian violin, which align alongside Grdina’s staccato strumming which
suggest isolated sitar echoes as much as those expected from a Middle
Eastern instrument. The true indication of this fiddle’s versatility within
this trio arrangement comes during Conjure, the almost 30-minute
introductory improvisation. What the three conjure up is almost a
history of cross-cultural currents. Grdina’s guitar motifs run from the
sophisticated strums and plucks of Europeanized sounds to the
extended twangs of simple folk music to the sophisticated slurred
fingering and unexpected flanges and multi-string emphasis of exploratory
jazz. Responsive and restrained, the usually overenthusiastic drumming
of Lillinger is kept on a slow boil. Splashing cymbal colour and
bass drum accents are proffered in place of a ceaseless beat to keep the
track horizontal and harmonious. As for Maneri, besides asserting
himself with bent notes, clenched stops and caustic glissandi, he sometimes
pivots to formalism adding decorative frills to complement the
guitarist’s playing, especially when Grdina slows down to magnify a
melodic interlude. As well as relaxed motifs injected into the flowing
narrative by both string players, they confirm comprehensive use of
extended techniques and tandem connections during those interludes
when they almost transform stop-start variations into tremolo drones
that could come from a pipe organ.
Stacking up viola textures as part of a trio
committed to even more cutting-edge forms
is what French-Japanese violist Frantz Loriot
does on Köln (CD Editions 013 jasonkahn.
net) with a single 32½-minute improvisation
with Swiss percussionist Christian
Wolfarth and the electronics of Zürichbased
American Jason Kahn. Treating the
viola as another sound source, Loriot’s sul ponticello strokes and
concentrated glissandi add rugged tension alongside Kahn’s
whooshing drones and Wolfarth’s muted clunks and patterning. As
the improvisation evolves, the viola meets imprecise drum beats and
electronic squalls with angled frog taps against the strings and single
pizzicato strokes until all three musicians’ timbres progress in tandem.
Kahn’s programming also takes in radio-sourced voices and music
which is countered when the violist creates a metallic run that is
almost vocal. Expanding past percussion rumbles and tremolo voltage
buzzing from the others, Loriot eventually twangs and plucks a nearmelodic
line that, with variations, is combined with drum rattles and
electronic hisses with a climax that becomes more distant, then
vanishes.
A different sort of viola interaction is
featured on Elegiacal (Wig 33 stichtingwig.
com). As Perch Hen Brock & Rain, Dutch
violist Ig Henneman plays not only with her
regular partner reedist Ab Baars from
Amsterdam, but also with German saxophonist
Ingrid Laubrock and American
drummer Tom Rainey. Despite playing the
only chordal instrument, Henneman mostly
affiliates her sul ponticello pressure and spiccato strokes as part of the
reed continuum. That often leaves Rainey’s pumps, ruffs and
patterning as the main vehicle for narratives. Because of this, evolution
is initially low energy with reed squeaks and slurps, string
judders and drum beats undulated sporadically rather than harmonized.
However the thin articulation begins to intersect by the midpoint
Kites, as timbres left hanging in the air begin to coagulate due to
the fiddler’s clenched string pressure plus dynamic forward motion
created by the interconnection of Baars’ clarinet trills and Laubrock’s
tenor saxophone slurs. By the time sounds on the concluding tracks
are heard, the conundrum has been resolved. Still powerful, Rainey’s
pops and ruffs are subtle enough to preserve a linear focus, while
swelling string curves and pointed stops carve out a counter theme to
the one projected by treble flutters from Baars’ clarinet or shakuhachi
and energetic low breaths from the saxophonist. Henneman’s string
sawing challenges Rainey’s tolling beats on the penultimate Walking
Art, with renal sax honks and Baars’ aviary clarinet squeezes serving
as the continuum. Stretching the narrative still further on the
concluding title track, the other instruments concentrate their timbres
as a backdrop to Rainey’s power paradiddles. Jagged reed bites and
thin viola strokes finally express individual definition as they join
forceful percussion strokes to lessen the tension and return to initial
cooperation.
Attuned to a semi-traditional setting is the
viola playing of Portuguese Ernesto
Rodrigues with the Dérive quintet on its
self-titled CD (Creative Sources CS 772 CD
creativesourcesrec.com). Also featuring the
cellist Guilherme Rodrigues, bassist João
Madeira, flutist/bass clarinetist Bruno
Parrinha and percussionist Monsieur Trinité,
the nine-part Dérive suite evolves on the
cusp of contemporary chamber music and free form improv. At
various junctures, especially on Dérive VI and Dérive VII, there are
melodic intervals which stack moving viola swipes against chalumeau
bass clarinet buzzes and feathery flute trills swaddled in layered string
rubs that undulate up and down the scale. But while the unfolding
suite stays linear, its dynamic is defined by contrapuntal evolution,
where shaking and swelling string parts vibrate collectively, sometimes
interrupted by cymbal claps or maracas-like shakes from
Trinité. Further consistency results from Madeira’s low pitched plucks.
While this formula is constantly present as a continuum, other techniques
are present elsewhere. For instance, the extended fourth
sequence is introduced with a powerful arco twang that precedes the
other strings’ entry and stretches the exposition so that all three soon
create squeaking but harmonized timbres. For added variety
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 75

throughout, the cello, bass and viola sometimes divide into separate
duos to contrast high and low pitches. Elsewhere group string glissandi
serve as a backdrop for the violist to initially shake out a theme
statement, latterly use spiccato strokes and sawing squalls to torque all
the players to produce theme variations, and finally use double strokes
to outline a reconstituted sequel to the initial statement. In the end
this statement is preserved among metal-banging percussion, energetic
double bass rubs, multiple string stops and jittery flute whistles
or deadened reed blowing to mark a sense of connection.
A more conventional – but no less invigorating
– use of the viola and other strings
takes place on French violinist Régis Huby
Large Ensemble – The Ellipse (Abalone ABU
34 regishuby.bandcamp.com) with longtime
collaborator violist Guillaume Roy. Both part
of the 15-member Large Ensemble, Huby
has cannily arranged his three-movement
suite so that almost all of the four reeds,
seven strings, two percussionists, pianist and trombonist are featured.
A notable throwdown between the violist and violinist occurs as the
introduction to The Ellipse Mvt III. But as slick, stretched and spiccato
buzzes from the higher-pitched strings join with cellist Marion
Martineau’s ostinato, dissonance turns to tonality to affiliate with the
swing motifs which appear at intervals during this more-than-onehour
suite. Backed by bell-shaking, idiophone smashes and electronic
vibrations from percussionist Michele Rabbia, first Olivier
Benoit’s accelerating guitar riffs then Catherine Delaunay’s clarinet
trills animate the exposition. Following a pause, all the musicians
participate in a connective crescendo that lists southwards with
no loss of power or colour. Similar section/solos interaction often
come forward during the preceding sections. Although there are
several tutti crescendos and unison string section sequences, these
harmonic crescendos are muted for individual or small group expression.
Among the standouts are trombonist Matthias Mahler’s contrapuntal
smears, Baroque-like flute interjections from Joce Mienniel
and sequences where guitar licks are cushioned by the strings or
the viola and violin stretch a pressured line over accelerating horn
vamps. Besides using marimba strokes to set up passages, Illya Amar’s
vibraphone clanks constantly join percussive comping from Bruno
Angelini’s keyboard to accent certain sequences while preserving
linear flow.
As demonstrated here, despite its less than stellar reputation, the viola
remains a valued music-making partner, At least it’s true in the jazz
and improvised music community – and that’s no joke.
Old Wine,
New Bottles
Fine Old Recordings Re-Released
BRUCE SURTEES
Riccardo Chailly and the Lucerne
Festival Orchestra – The First Years
(Accentus Music ACC70570 naxos.com/
CatalogueDetail/?id=ACC-70570). This
elegant 4DVD- boxed set is titled such
that one can only hope there will be more
to come. The Lucerne Festival Orchestra
began in 1938 under the baton of Toscanini
and existed for 65 years. The musicians
were culled from the Mahler Chamber
Orchestra, some members from the Berlin
Philharmonic as well as from other leading
ensembles. It went dormant for ten years but was resurrected in
2003 especially for Claudio Abbado. After his passing, Riccardo
Chailly became the music director in 2016 and has recently had his
contract extended through 2026, so this set of “early years” refers to a
recording each year between 2016 and 2019.
The 2016 recording is of the powerful Mahler Eighth Symphony,
with which Chailly completes the cycle left unfinished by Abbado.
This performance of enormous energy heralds the newly appointed
conductor. Chailly was well familiar with Mahler having previously
released Mahler: The Symphonies in 2005 with the Royal
Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Radio Symphonie Orchestra Berlin,
among other highly acclaimed recordings.
The second disc in this box contains Mendelssohn’s ever-fresh
music from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a performance of
Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony. The Manfred is more thrilling
than ever and suffice it to say that Chailly’s direction highlights the
high qualify of the orchestra in excerpts from the Mendelssohn.
Disc three is the collection of performances of four of Ravel’s most
popular works, Valses nobles et sentimentales, La Valse, Daphnis et
Chloé (Suites Nos.1 and 2) and Bolero. Who could resist these, especially
in these Romantic performances from 2018?
Finally, this eclectic collection is rounded out with an all-Rachmaninoff
disc recorded in 2019. These will be the versions to be remembered
with dazzling performances by pianist Denis Matsuev. The
program opens very gently with the deceptively difficult Third Piano
Concerto. This piece begins with a very simple melody and builds to a
vigorous and grand Rachmaninoff style tutti. The encores were equally
impressive, Etude Tableau in A Minor Op.39/2 and the orchestral
version of Vocalise Op.34/14. This live concert was rounded out with
Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No.3 in A Minor Op.44, regarded as his
more Russian symphony with its beautiful dance rhythms and lush
orchestration.
Sviatoslav Richter plays Prokofiev – “War Sonatas” Nos. 6-7-8;
Visions Fugitives; Gavotte from Cinderella (Alto ALC 1459 altocd.com)
Richter surely recorded these works many, many times and undoubtedly
all the transfers vary greatly in quality, but I can tell you that
these performances are stunningly impressive. The recordings date
76 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

from between 1956 and 1962 and you can
feel the energy in each and every one of
them. In fact, they are all startlingly real and
fresh. As many readers might know, these
sonatas can be aggressive and disturbing,
certainly to be expected from “War Sonatas,”
but there is also very beautiful melodic,
lyrical music here and Richter understands
and captures all of it.
His relationship with Prokofiev is well documented and they had
a deep and abiding friendship. In 1943 Richter performed the world
premiere of the Piano Sonata No.7, and for Prokofiev’s 55th birthday,
he performed all three of these sonatas for the first time in concert. To
thank him for his dedication, Prokofiev inscribed Piano Sonata No.9
to Richter and it may be said that no one played these pieces with such
great understanding.
It is unfortunate that Richter did not record these sonatas in ideal
studio conditions, but to the best of my knowledge he did not. There
are so many recordings out there but to my ears, these are
outstanding. So, without a doubt this CD should be added to your
collection, no matter how many versions you may already own.
Mieczyslaw Weinberg – String Quarters 7
and 8; Serenade for Orchestra; Sinfonietta
No.2 (Alto ALC1458 altocd.com) Polish born
Soviet composer and pianist Mieczysław
Weinberg has been a favourite of mine for
many years although I admit that I don’t
know all his works. I was pleased to receive
a new reissue, including several pieces with
which I was previously unfamiliar.
The disc opens with Serenade for Orchestra Op.47 No.4 played by
the USSR State Radio Orchestra under Alexander Gauk. This is a very
happy and optimistic piece in four short movements and provides a
great introduction to Weinberg for those not familiar with him. The
two string quartets, No.7 in C Major recorded in 1957 and No.8 in C
Minor recorded in 1959 are played by the Borodin String Quartet.
These works are intense and reflect the tensions of the then “current
times.” It is no surprise that Weinberg’s music was strongly influenced
by one of his closest friends, Shostakovich, and that this fine ensemble
who worked so closely with that master should take on the music of
Weinberg too.
Almost as a bonus, Sinfonietta No.2, Op.74 played by the Moscow
Chamber Orchestra under Rudolf Barshai (recorded in 1960) is
friendly and lyrical. All the transfers of these precious performances
are immaculate and alive. These early rare recordings are a most
welcome addition to my collection.
Der Ring Des Nibelungen, Sofia
Opera and Ballet, Dynamic,
Blu-Ray 57964 | DVD 37964 (naxos.com/
CatalogueDetail/?id=DYN-57964). Although
technically not “old wine in new bottles” as
this is the first issue of these performances
from a decade ago, I’ve repeatedly enjoyed
experiencing them so much over the past
few months that I wanted to share them
with you.
Wagner’s Der Ring Des Nibelungen,
directed by Plamen Kartaloff is featured in
an 8-DVD set of performances that were
recorded between 2010 and 2013, one opera each year. Finally released
in 2023, to the best of my knowledge this represents the first complete
Ring Cycle from the Balkans. There was clearly no lack of talent as
these performances attest. The cycle obeys Wagner’s music direction
and libretto but uses technology unavailable to him, technologies that
I believe he would have fully embraced and utilized given the chance.
Pavel Baleff conducts the first three operas and Eric Wachter conducts
Götterdämmerung. Although I am unfamiliar with either of them,
this is world-class conducting.
Costuming, projections and powerful sets come together to create
an extraordinary illusion. The fundamental circular ring motif is used
to great affect and with the aid of projection and lighting they represent
the magic ring of fire, the beautiful Rhine as well as the dragon’s
lair. The other dominant staging component, the cones, are used
to represent everything from horses to the spires of Valhalla and I
thought the Ride of the Valkyries was among the most noteworthy.
Lighting projections by Rumen Kovachev and Kartaloff were matched
to the music and onstage drama.
At first I thought that the staging and costuming was a distraction
and was quick to notice aspects that I didn’t like. However, once
I gave myself permission to listen and watch, I discovered that, in
fact, the staging truly serves the music and the story. It was strange
not seeing the sets I was familiar with, but I came to realize that this
staging told the story just as well and perhaps highlighted some facets
of the libretto even more clearly or persuasively than I had experienced
before. I have been immersed in these DVDs for weeks now and
realize there is so much to be appreciated in every scene. Ultimately
the costuming was a bit preposterous, it was the debut of Nikolay
Panayotov as his first foray into costume design for opera. I imagine
that some of them worked better on stage than the camera closeups
afforded. Costumes were bright and colourful and at once futuristic,
space-aged and retro.
The majority of the singers save three Brünnhildes are Bulgarian
and those three Mongolian Brünnhildes studied at the Conservatoire
in Sofia. There was so much to admire in many of the voices. The
Brünnhilde in Götterdämmerung, sung by Iordanka Derilova was
particularly noteworthy as was the Loge in Das Rheingold, Daniel
Ostretsov. Yes, there were many more excellent voices. The acting was
very convincing and the camera work did not disappoint.
More Fine Vintages:
CPE Bach – Württemberg Sonatas
Keith Jarrett
ECM New Series 2790/91 (ecmrecords.com)
! Best known as a jazz pianist, Keith
Jarrett’s musical career has encompassed
a variety of genres, including
numerous forays into classical music. This
recording of Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach’s
Württemberg Sonatas, made in May 1994
and unreleased until now, followed a period
in which Jarrett had recorded J.S. Bach’s
Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Goldberg Variations, French Suites
and the 3 Sonaten für Viola da Gamba und Cembalo, as well as
Shostakovich’s 24 Preludes and Fugues and Handel’s Keyboard Suites.
The Württemberg Sonatas were dedicated to Duke Carl Eugen of
Württemberg, who studied with the younger Bach at the court of
Frederik the Great in Berlin. Published in 1744, these sonatas are now
regarded as musical masterpieces of the era between the Baroque
and the classical and are fascinating studies in the seismic shifts
happening in music at the time, as the highly ordered music of J.S.
Bach and Handel was overtaken by simpler, freer and less structured
music that focused more on expressive impact and improvisation than
internal organizational principles.
Jarrett’s approach to this music is rooted in his renowned understanding
of improvisation, resulting in interpretations which are
simultaneously surprising and delightful, though never ostentatious
or imposing. Bach was a magnificent improviser and, while Jarrett
does not often follow historically informed performance practices
and presents this music on a modern piano, his ability to find colours,
textures and affects within individual movements and depict the
architecture of the whole is unparalleled.
A duo of musical polymaths, this recording is a fine testament to
thewholenote.com October & November 2023 | 77

the musical genius of C.P.E. Bach and Keith Jarrett, rewarding listeners
with the rare combination of brilliance from both composer and
interpreter.
Matthew Whitfield
Michael Stimpson – Recorded Works
Various Artists
Various Labels (michaelstimpson.co.uk)
! In the history of music sometimes
important composers’ reputations can
be diminished due to mean-spiritedness,
through ignorance or due to that mysterious
phenomenon called neglect. The British
composer Michael Stimpson’s reputation
seems to have taken an unfortunate hit due
to a combination of both latter reasons.
This is a travesty for a composer known
for lofty ideas, audacious compositions and the sheer breadth of
his library of written works. Moreover, Stimpson’s work has been
performed over the years by some of the finest European ensembles.
To name a few: the Philharmonia Orchestra, the English Chamber
Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of London
Choir, the Allegri and Maggini String Quartets, and a plethora of
stellar virtuoso instrumentalists and singers.
It is still never too late to catch up with a composer who stands
shoulder to shoulder with some of the greatest who have put pen to
staved paper. And what better occasion than to celebrate Stimpson’s
75th birthday with Recorded Works, a long-overdue 7CD compendium,
each with superbly written liner notes; a box including of some
of his most celebrated compositions, with inspired performances by
some of the finest artists of this generation.
While Stimpson belongs to our 20th/21st-century era his voice
sweeps across eras like a proverbial wind across the European soundscape,
gathering momentum and musical voices from the past (Berg,
Webern and others come to mind) heralding a breathtaking future
for contemporary British music held aloft by artists and pedagogues
across disciplines – from poetry to palaeontology and anthropology.
Everywhere Stimpson allows his febrile brain to be immersed into
stories of extraordinary human import, then turning his attention
to transforming the ideas and great narratives of phenomena, and of
extraordinary people – scientists, sportsmen and artists alike – who
have done extraordinary things. Using his own unique brain Stimpson
has transformed the lives and works of his subjects (and their unique
achievements) into a one-man museum of the art history of our time.
The recordings presented in this boxed set range from works for
small ensembles, featuring piano and strings, large-scale works of
symphonic proportions and operatic works. One of the most remarkable
aspects of Stimpson’s being able to express his art and shape his
craftsmanship to such a degree is the fact that he does it all not only
being – like Beethoven – profoundly deaf, but he is also practically
blind like the legendary British neurologist Oliver Sacks. It would
seem as if – to compensate – Stimpson’s brain has afforded him rare
insights into humanity.
Like both historic figures, Stimpson has turned his disability to
great artistic advantage. In an extraordinary twist of fate, for instance,
the composer has a finely tuned sensibility for stringed instruments
enabling him to recreate such human emotions as sorrow, anguish
and unfettered joy in a truly vivid manner. This ability is superbly
displayed in String Quartet No 1 (Robben Island) in which Stimpson
tells the story of Nelson Mandela and the collapse of apartheid.
The way Stimpson overcomes hearing impairment is truly remarkable.
The Dylan song cycle for baritone and harp is utterly breathtaking
as Stimpson turns the dense lyricism of Welsh poet Dylan
Thomas’ poetry into a poetic work all its own, with the highly articulated
baritone voice of Roderick Williams alongside the harp of Sioned
Williams.
Stimpson’s gift for the epic is manifest in the rugged elegance of his
opera, Jesse Owens and in the tone poem, Age of Wonders, celebrating
the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin. Stimpson’s shorter works:
Silvered Light for choir and orchestra and the trio Reflections (elsewhere
in this set) are no less seductive.
Raul da Gama
Evenings at the Village Gate
John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy
Impulse BOO3784-02 (impulserecords.com)
! One of the avatars in the transition to free
jazz, multi-reedist Eric Dolphy died tragically
at 36 in 1964. Besides his solo records,
collaborations with Charles Mingus and
John Coltrane are particularly prized. This
hitherto unknown live date adds another
significant session to the mere four discs
available from Coltrane/Dolphy groups.
Recorded without forethought in 1961
to test a new mike with the New York club’s sound system, this CD
captures a typical set including Coltrane’s ostensible hit My Favourite
Things, all featuring extensive improvising. The disc is doubly relevant
since the configuration – Coltrane on tenor/soprano saxophones,
pianist McCoy Tyner, drummer Elvin Jones and both Art Davis and
Reggie Workman on basses – was rarely recorded.
Although the bassists with powerful rhythmic pumps and strums
and Jones’ distinctive splatter and pops are featured on the extended
Africa, crucially it’s Dolphy who gets protracted solo space. Whether
its sax triple tonguing and spetrofluctuation on Africa, looping
chalumeau bass clarinet patterns on Greensleeves or squealing
skyscraper peeps on Favourite Things, Dolphy usually solos first.
Coltrane follows with characteristic multiphonics, intense treble
soprano saxophone runs, and with Tyner’s astute comping and tune
elaboration and obbligatos from Dolphy, always states and restates the
tunes’ characteristic vamps and head.
Adding up its virtues, Evenings At The Village Gate is striking
because it presents different, longer versions of Coltrane group classics,
features a rarely recorded ensemble and most importantly,
captures more precious instances of Dolphy’s ever-evolving skills.
Ken Waxman
Volume 28 Issue 6
58 Affetti Amorosi
Bud Roach, tenor/
theorbo
58 Worship in a Time of
Plague
Capella Intima, Gallery
Players of Niagara
Volume 29 Issue 1
37 Portrait
Ofra Harnoy & Mike
Herriott
48 Volume 2 - Generational
The Nimmons Tribute
In This Issue
56 Iridescence
Frédéric Lambert & Ali
Kian Yazdanfar
57 Woven Lights
Vito Palumbo
What we're listening to this month:
59 Art Choral Vol.4 -
Classique
Ensemble ArtChoral
59 At First Light
Exultate Chamber
Singers
61 Anguille sous roche
Les Voix humaines
62 Mozart: Piano
Sonatas Vol.4
Orli Shaham
63 Lyric Pieces
Sarah Silverman
64 Mahler: Symphony
No. 5
Orchestre symphonique
de Montréal, Rafael
Payare
66 Shadow & Light: Canadian
Double Concertos
Marc Djokic, Christina
Petrowska Quilico, Sinfonia
Toronto
66 A Village of Landscapes
Sébastien Malette
66 Palms Upward
Graham Campbell
66 David Jaeger Chamber
Works for Viola
Carol Gimbel, Cullan
Bryant, Marina
Poplavskaya
68 Density 2036 Parts
VI-VIII
Claire Chase
69 BIKEncerto: a concerto
for solo bicycle
and orchestra
Reynaliz Herrera; Ideas;
Not Theories
69 Le Voyage Immobile /
The Still Journey
Denis Levaillant
70 IMMIGRANT
Fuat Tuaç
78 | October & November 2023 thewholenote.com

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Oct 13–15, 2023
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17th- and 18th-century European choral music—
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Nov 17–19, 2023
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
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