Volume 31 Issue 2

VOLUME 31 NO 2

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2025

STORIES

profiles, previews and interviews

EVENT LISTINGS

Music, live & livestreamed

DISCOVERIES

Record reviews & listening room

At Soulpepper, Amaka Umeh

in Bad Hats Theatre’s Narnia

DOUBLE

DIXIT:

Lotti & Handel

Tafelmusik Chamber Choir

Directed by Ivars Taurins

Handel’s arresting setting of Psalm 110,

Dixit Dominus, was composed a few months

after he arrived in Italy as an ambitious 21-yearold.

Its premiere struck the Italian public’s ear

like a thunderbolt: it was bold, daring, extrovert,

and sensuous. Hints in the score suggest that

Handel was inspired by the Venetian Antonio

Lotti’s ebullient setting of the same text.

NOV 28–30, 2025

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

tafelmusik.org/dixit

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Stefanie True, soprano | Krisztina Szabó, mezzo-soprano

Nicholas Scott, tenor | Jonathan Woody, bass-baritone | Ivars Taurins, director

HANDEL MESSIAH



Thu Dec 18, 2025, 7:30pm

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 7:30pm

Sat Dec 20, 2025, 7:30pm

Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre

for Performance and Learning

There’s a reason why Tafelmusik returns to

Handel’s Messiah each year to celebrate the

festive season! With its message of charity,

peace, and goodwill, Messiah reminds us of

our common humanity, transcending cultural,

geographic, and religious boundaries.

SING-ALONG MESSIAH


Directed by Mr. Handel

Sun Dec 21, 2025, 2pm

Massey Hall

Hallelujah—Mr. Handel is coming to town!

As he’s done for almost four decades, George

himself will be directing Sing-Along Messiah, and

is sure to have some tricks up his voluminous

baroque sleeves. Join 2,000 audience members in

“raising the roof” at Toronto’s historic Massey Hall.

Sing along with a glittering cast of soloists and

the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber

Choir in this joyous and unforgettable experience.

TICKETS: tafelmusik.org

EDGE OF YOUR SEAT

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL II

Alex Pauk, Music Director & Conductor

8:00PM CONCERTS, 7:15PM MUSICAL INSIGHTS

WITH ALEXINA LOUIE & GUESTS

TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!

VISIT ESPRITORCHESTRA.COM

TOUR DE FORCE

NOVEMBER 30TH, 2025

KOERNER HALL

Works by Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Thomas

Adès, Christopher Goddard, Ben Nobuto

& Gabriella Smith

SUPERSTRINGS V

JANUARY 29TH, 2026

KOERNER HALL

Mark Fewer Violin

Works by Alexina Louie, Arvo Pärt, Andrew

Norman, Anders Hillborg & Jimi Hendrix

HEAT EFFICIENCY

MARCH 26TH, 2026

KOERNER HALL

Nils Mönkemeyer Viola

Works by Dieter Ammann, Aziza Sadikova,

Nicholas Ma, & Claude Vivier

HALLELUJAH SIM.

APRIL 23RD, 2026

KOERNER HALL

Akiko Suwanai Violin

Elmer Iseler Singers

Concreamus Chamber Choir

Works by Misato Mochizuki, Ben Nobuto,

Poul Ruders & Chris Paul Harman

ESPRIT ORCHESTRA

The Clearview Foundation, The Michael & Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation & The Mary-Margaret Webb Foundation

4 | November & December 2025 thewholenote.com

3102_Cover.indd 1

At Soulpepper, Amaka Umeh

in Bad Hats Theatre’s Narnia

2025-10-21 10:43 PM

Volume 31 No 2 | November & December 2025

Come DISCover

The WholeNote

Listening Room!

ON OUR COVER

VOLUME 31 NO 2


STORIES

profiles, previews and interviews

EVENT LISTINGS

Music, live & livestreamed

DISCOVERIES

Record reviews & listening room

Amaka Umeh, as The Witch in the Toronto premiere of

Bad Hats Theatre’s actor/musician-driven Narnia, based

on C.S. Lewis’ The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe and

the broader Chronicles of Narnia. (A co-production with

Soulpepper and Crow’s Theatre). We were captivated by this

picture because of how it invites us all into some kind of

magic, at a time of year when great – or just plain delightful –

mysteries are unfolding themselves to us on so many different

stages. See page 8 for more about Amaka Umeh, and page 14

for more about the musical.

PHOTO: DAHLIA KATZ

STORIES & INTERVIEWS

8 ON OUR COVER

Amaka Umeh at Soulpepper |

DAVID PERLMAN

10 IN WITH THE NEW |

A Mass for the Endangered |

WENDALYN BARTLEY

9 FOR OPENERS | Critical Mass |

DAVID PERLMAN

12

ENHANCED REVIEWS

sample tracks

artist videos

a BUY NOW buuon

see page 55 or visit

thewholenote.com/listening

thewholenote.com November & December 2025 | 5

The WholeNote

VOLUME 31 NO 2

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER, 2025

EDITORIAL

Publisher/Editor in Chief | David Perlman

publisher@thewholenote.com

editorial@thewholenote.com

Recordings Editor | David Olds

discoveries@thewholenote.com

Listings Editor | John Sharpe

listings@thewholenote.com

SOCIAL MEDIA

Danial Jazaeri, Colin Story

social@thewholenote.com

SALES, MARKETING & MEMBERSHIP

Advertising & Memberships | Karen Ages

advertising@thewholenote.com

members@thewholenote.com

Production & Operations | Jack Buell

jack@thewholenote.com

Advertising Art

adart@thewholenote.com

WEBSITE / SYSTEMS

Danial Jazaeri, Kevin King

systems@thewholenote.com

CIRCULATION

circulation@thewholenote.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

subscriptions@thewholenote.com

$48 + HST (6 issues)

single copies and back issues $8 + HST

*international - additional postage applies

STORIES &

INTERVIEWS, continued

14 MUSIC THEATRE | From

Feasts to Follies |

JENNIFER PARR

16 CHORAL SCENE | Augmented

forces: choirs plus |

ANGUS MACCAULL

18 CLASSICAL & BEYOND |

Orchestrated change at the

RCM? | ANDREW SCOTT

20 MUSIC & HEALTH | When

Music Meets Mindfulness |

VANIA CHAN

THE BLUE PAGES

AT A GLANCE

21 Our 26th annual directory

of music makers

LISTINGS

24 EVENTS BY DATE: Live and

streamed

38 MAINLY CLUBS

39 OPERA, MUSIC THEATRE, DANCE

39 ETCETERAs

DISCOVERIES

RECORDINGS REVIEWED

40 Editor’s Corner | DAVID OLDS

41 Strings Attached | TERRY ROBBINS

44 Vocal

45 Classical and Beyond

47 Modern and Contemporary

49 Jazz and Improvised Music

51 Pot Pourri

54 Something in the Air |

KEN WAXMAN

55 What We’re Listening To |

Listening Room Index

WholeNote Media Inc.

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reported on or advertised in this issue.

COPYRIGHT © 2025 WHOLENOTE MEDIA INC

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The WholeNote

VOLUME 31 NO 2


IN THIS EDITION

STORIES AND INTERVIEWS

Wendalyn Bartley, Vania Chan, Angus MacCaull,

Jennifer Parr, David Perlman, Andrew Scott

CD Reviewers

Sam Dickinson, Michael Doloschell,

Raul da Gama, Tiina Kiik, Kati Kiilaspea,

Lesley Mitchell-Clarke, Cheryl Ockrant,

David Olds, Ted Parkinson, Terry Robbins,

Andrew Scott, Michael Schulman,

Yoshi Maclear Wall, Ken Waxman.

Proofreading

David Olds, Ted Parkinson, John Sharpe

Listings Team

John Sharpe, Kevin Harris, Gary Heard,

Kevin King, Sophia Perlman

Design Team

Kevin King, Susan Sinclair

Circulation Team

Dave Bell, John Bentley, Jack Buell, Jane Dalziel,

Bruno Difilippo, Carl Finkle, Vito Gallucci,

James Harris, Miguel Brito-Lopez,

Chris Malcolm, Lorna Nevison, Janet O’Brien,

Tom Sepp

DEADLINES

Weekly Online Listings Updates

6pm every Thursday for the following Thursday

Print listings deadline:

for Volume 31 No. 3, January & February 2026

6pm Tuesday, Dec 9, 2025

Print advertising, reservation deadline:

6pm Tuesday, Dec 9, 2025

Web advertising can be booked at any time

PUBLICATION DATES

OUR 31st SEASON

includes six print editions:

Vol 31 no 1 | September 16, 2025

Vol 31 no 2 | October 21, 2025;

Vol 31 no 3 | January 6, 2026;

Vol 31 no 4 | February 24, 2026;

Vol 31 no 5 | April 21, 2026;

Vol 31 no 6 | June 23, 2026.

Printed in Canada

Couto Printing & Publishing Services

an Ontario government agency

un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario

ON OUR COVER

Amaka

Umeh

AT

time of writing, Amaka Umeh is in rehearsal, as The Witch in the upcoming

Soulpepper/Crow’s Theatre co-production of Bad Hats Theatre’s Narnia –

based on C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

This past April, Umeh was also at Soulpepper, immersed in preparation for the role of

Thought 2 in a Soulpepper multi-partner co-production of American playwright, composer

and lyricist Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer-and Tony Award-winning musical A Strange Loop.

As part of the Soulpepper promotional lead-up to that show, members of the cast were

videoed, responding initially to the same question: what advice would they have for their

much younger selves?

Perhaps with her six-year old self in mind (standing in the bright light of a Lagos stage,

bewildered that her audience was sitting in the dark) Umeh had a ready response.

“The advice I would give is, yeah, do it just like that. Perfect. You’re flawless. But also

embrace your mistakes, don’t let them define you. Atula egwu. Don’t be afraid.”

It’s advice the younger Umeh seems have absorbed every step of the way. When she found

herself in the spotlight of public awareness as the first woman to play the role of Hamlet at the

Stratford Festival in 2022. (She had been asked to audition for both Hamlet and Ophelia). And

before that, at Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto, and after that at Stratford’s

Birmingham Conservatory. And in three previous Soulpepper shows between 2022 and 2024:

Kink in my Hair (2022); Sizwe Banzi is Dead (2023); and Three Sisters (2024). And in life, with

all its visibilities and invisibilities.

Further on in that short promotional video for A Strange Loop, Umeh says this about

Michael R. Jackson’s work: “I was introduced to the musical a couple of years back and my

mind was blown. Choral music is one of my favourite things. I’m also interested to see how we

treat this very real, yes, unsavoury but relevant piece of black history, of queer history, black

life, of queer life, and see how we treat that in the room, both for the company inhabiting and

responsible for it, and how we treat it for the audience.” (My italics.)

A step down from there, one might assume, to playing The Witch in Narnia six months later.

Well, maybe. But then again, maybe not – for a performer who understands their artistic role

in a show as being “a member of a company inhabiting and responsible for it”. As the saying

goes, there are no small roles, only small actors.

Narnia’s creators at Bad Hats Theatre describe it as “a story about the changing seasons of

our lives, found families, and how we learn to say goodbye.” It sounds like an ageless story –

and a world worth inhabiting, for the right artist in good company.

T'KARONTO

David Perlman

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.


FOR OPENERS

Critical Mass

was all set to call this last Opener of 2025 “Flagships and tugboats”

I and that’s definitely part of what’s on my mind. But only part.

Critical mass in the strictest sense, is defined as the minimum mass

of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Or, by

extension, what’s the least amount of some very potent stuff you need,

to not only make a splash, but to keep the thing going?

Where I live, for example Critical Mass is the name of a form of

direct collective action in which people travel, at an agreed location

and time, as a sufficiently large group on bicycles to ride safely

through their streets. It’s satisfying. And gets a reaction. But what

will it take to become self-sustaining? Maybe even help change the

world a little?

Setting aside the “Critical” part for the moment, let’s just look at

“Mass.” As a musical term it still most often refers to composed works

that set to music Christian liturgical texts surrounding the shared

experience of Holy Communion. Sometimes these are sung a cappella;

sometimes accompanied by instrumental obbligatos, up to and

including a full orchestral score.

Over time, they have morphed into concert works, rather than the

musical clothing for the celebration of an actual mass. In most concert

settings, however, attendees have to wait for intermission to eat and

drink, which sort of misses the central point of the Eucharistic shared

experience. But concerts such as these bring this music into the

ears, and sometimes hearts, of a lot more people these days. And of

course, the Mass is not only the only sacred scaffolding for composers.

Sprawling oratorios became the pop concerts (including singalongs) in

the latter part of the 19th century, offering an exhilaratingly nice time,

while ensuring that “naughty” got left at the door.

At some point the simple act of gathering in numbers to listen,

and even get to sing along, becomes the individual act of devotion,

whether it be in the form of a mass or oratorio, within the wider

constructs of lyric theatre. The point is to illuminate something

sacred, ask important questions, connect with one another on a deep

level about things where sometimes words alone are not enough. And

sometimes achieve the minimum mass of common cause needed to

keep something of critical importance moving along.

Like those urban cyclists gathering in sufficient numbers to feel

safe, voluntary shared experience makes a darkening season feel

warmer and safer, whether we lift our voices in praise, or at the other

end of the spectrum, exercise the right to be just plain uproariously

silly. Because if we cannot get together and just laugh until we cry, we

are all in serious trouble.

Flagships and tugboats?

The point is this. Print has always been our flagship publication,

while at the same time carrying the cargo essential to our readers

– timely information about opportunities for engagement with live

music as an act of devotion in the broadest possible sense. But having

settled into a bimonthly print cycle, timely is the commodity that is

most at risk. Six new listings have come into my inbox while writing

this, hours away from going to press.

So enjoy the plethora of what’s here. But please, if you haven’t

already, use the QR code or web link on page 24 to sign up for our

Weekly Updates. Moving forward, they are the tugboats of our fleet,

coming and going with an alacrity print can’t match.

David Perlman can be reached at publisher@thewholenote.com

City

CAROL

SING

In collaboration

with

Saturday

December 6, 2:00 p.m.

FREE ADMISSION

YORKMINSTER PARK BAPTIST CHURCH

1585 Yonge St. (1 block north of St. Clair Ave.)

HOST

Devo Brown

SPECIAL GUESTS

Barbara Lica

AND

Jeff Lillico

HELP FEED

TORONTO’S HUNGRY

Donations 0f cash and non-perishable food

items will be taken the day of the concert.

Yorkminster Park

Baptist Church

CITYCAROLSING.CA | 9SPARROWSARTS.ORG


IN WITH THE NEW

A MASS FOR THE ENDANGERED

LEADS THE WAY

WENDALYN BARTLEY

ANJA SCHUTZ

Sarah Kirkland-Snider

As the concert season shifts toward winter, Toronto’s

new music scene is gathering momentum with a

rich constellation of performances from four of the

city’s core presenters. Among the many offerings, one

work stands out for the way it merges spiritual form with

ecological urgency: Mass for the Endangered by composer

Sarah Kirkland Snider. The piece will be performed on

November 22 in a Soundstreams concert that also features

works by Andrew Balfour, R. Murray Schafer, Olivier

Messiaen, Arvo Pärt, and Chris Hutchings. I recently

spoke with Snider by phone about the piece and her

current projects.

Mass for the Endangered

began when Snider was invited

by Trinity Church Wall Street in

lower Manhattan to contribute a

new work to their Mass commissioning

series. The church asked five

composers to reinterpret the Mass

in any way they wished, with just

one requirement: use the traditional

Latin for two movements, the Gloria

and the Sanctus Benedictus.

“They said we could write on any

topic or use any other texts,” Snider

recalls. “So I turned to my longtime

collaborator, writer Nathaniel

Bellows, and asked him what he

wanted to write about. I believe a

Nathaniel Bellows writer does their best work when

they’re deeply engaged with the subject matter. He immediately said, ‘the

environment and endangered species.’ That’s exactly what I’d hoped for.”

Snider and Bellows were determined to preserve the meaning

behind the traditional Latin text, using it as a point of creative departure.

“Take the Gloria,” she says. “Traditionally, it celebrates the glory

of Jesus and God. As I worked with the Latin, I thought of endangered

species: the red fox, the panda, the Bengal tiger. When the text repeats,

‘You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord,’ I imagined

the singularity and preciousness of each life form. That became the

jumping-off point.”

The result was Mass for the Endangered, a contemporary choral

work that reimagines the structure of the Mass as a prayer to the

natural world rather than to a deity. “We wanted this Mass to be a

plea for mercy and intervention, not to Jesus or God, but to Mother

Nature,” she explained.

Wonderful overwhelm: For Snider, nature is more than a subject.

It’s a spiritual foundation. “Nature and music are my two sources of

divinity,” she says. “I’m not a traditionally religious person, but I find

the sense of divinity when I’m in nature.” She is a passionate environmentalist,

and her deep connection to the natural world made the

Mass commission feel like an ideal match. “I got to bring my two

notions of divinity, music and nature, and shape them into something

that felt like my form of theology.”

Snider’s relationship to the voice also runs deep. “Growing up, I did a

ton of choral singing,” she remembers. “Those are some of my favourite

memories. I spent summers at the American Boychoir School’s co-ed

program, singing under amazing conductors from around the world.”

She describes the sense of “wonderful overwhelm” she felt as a young

singer: the sound, the togetherness, the magic of voices blending.

“Even though I didn’t have a traditional religious upbringing, most

of the music we sang, whether it was sacred or secular, always felt

sacred to me. It felt larger than life and magical.” Writing Mass for the

Endangered became a wonderful way to return to that feeling.

Her compositional process for vocal works often begins with text. “I

think about the emotions it stirs, take long walks, and sing ideas into

my phone. Working with text gives me the shape of the musical line,”

she says. “With instrumental music, it’s more abstract. With text, it’s

direct. It’s about capturing a precise emotion.”

Mystery of Clock

Nov. 9th, 2025 | The Fleck at Harbourfront Centre Theatre

Doors: 7:00PM | Starting at $20



Hildegard: Snider is currently working on a new orchestral ballet, a

collaboration between the New World Symphony and the Miami City

Ballet. She is also preparing to launch a new orchestral album, scheduled

for release in the coming months. But most of her attention is on

the world premiere of her first opera with LA Opera, inspired by the

life of Hildegard von Bingen.

“Hildegard’s connection to nature, spirituality, and music has always

fascinated me,” she explains. “I first encountered her because, like

me, she experienced chronic migraine. I was inspired by how she

lived such an expansive creative life despite those limitations, and as a

woman in the Middle Ages, with so little power.”

Snider wrote both the music and the libretto, blending historical

research with her own imaginative interpretation. “I wanted to

explore how she lived her authentic truth in an oppressive environment,”

she says. “Her relationship with Richardis von Stade, another

nun, rubbed against religious norms. I was curious about how she

navigated that. What she buried, what she revealed, and how that

shaped her visions and philosophy.”

She hopes the opera resonates today. “Given the current climate—

threats to women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, so much cultural repression,

her story feels urgent. It’s about finding ways to live one’s truth

in the face of power structures that want to silence it.”

Meanwhile, Mass for the Endangered continues to travel widely,

resonating with audiences moved by its fusion of ecological urgency

and spiritual form. For Snider, the work is like a prayer to the Earth

itself, a musical act of devotion and a plea for the world’s fragile

beauty to endure.

And while Soundstreams brings Snider’s work to Toronto audiences,

other presenters are also offering programs that explore time, memory,

and our shared human experience in strikingly different ways.

Arraymusic:

On November 22, Arraymusic makes a welcome return to a more

active concert presence with Future, Past, They Disappear, a program

curated by composer Bruce A. Russell. The title, borrowed from the

Earth, Wind & Fire song That’s the Way of the World, gestures toward

the way music can suspend us in time, holding the past and present

in the same breath. The concert brings together works by Hannah

Ishizaki, Angélica Negrón, Rebecca Bruton, and the late Ann Southam,

inviting listeners to linger in that delicate space where memory, pres-

New Music Concerts:

ence, and sound converge.

RCM_WHOLENOTE-1/2 Horiz_Nov/Dec25.qxp_Layout 1 2025-10-17 3:58 PM Page 1

Earlier in the month, on November 9, New Music Concerts invites

audiences to step into a world where time itself becomes elastic.

Mystery of Clock,

co-produced with

University of Toronto

Faculty of Music, is built

around the interplay

of violinist Mark Fewer

and percussionist Aiyun

Huang, who weave

music, theatre, and

light in a poetic meditation

on love, memory,

and the elusive

nature of shared time.

Structured as a series

of evocative scenes,

the work explores how

Mark Fewer and Aiyun Huang

our experience of time

shifts—how rhythms fall in and out of sync, how intimacy stretches

or contracts a moment, how memory lingers long after it’s gone. The

evening features mostly contemporary works, with one by J.S. Bach,

bringing past and present into resonant dialogue.

Arraymusic returns on December 18 with Playscape Emporium, a

program that pushes the boundaries of theatrical chamber music. The

Ray Chen,

violin, with

Chelsea Wang,

piano

WED., NOV. 19, 7PM

KOERNER HALL

Works by Tartini, Saint-Saëns, Bach,

Bazzini, Dvořák, and Saraste.

TICKETS START AT $55

Generous support provided from

The Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund

for Classical Programming

Isabel Bayrakdarian:

Ancestral Songs,

Prayers, and Lullabies

with special guest Kevork Mourad

SAT., NOV. 22, 8PM KOERNER HALL

The Armenian Canadian soprano is

accompanied by Kevork Mourad's live

drawing to create a unique harmonization

of music and art.


Generously sponsored by Alexanian Flooring

Generous support provided from

the Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund


Tony Siqi Yun,

piano

SUNDAY, NOV. 23, 3PM KOERNER HALL

Works by Bach, Schumann, Liszt,

and Brahms


Series generously supported by

Michael Foulkes &Linda Brennan

Generous additional support provided from

The Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund


TICKETS & SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW! 416.408.0208 RCMUSIC.COM/PERFORMANCE

PRESENTING PERFORMANCE PARTNER


take action” – evoking the ecstatic

flight of ravens over sea and sand,

while Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s ax

(constellation from METAXIS)

contrasts swirling sonic intensity

with moments of stillness. Two

works by Ben Nobuto bookend

the festival: a reprise of the trickster

meditation Serenity 2.0 in this

opening concert, and his playful,

large-scale Hallelujah Sim scored

for 72 voices, orchestra and electronics,

the title work in Edge of

Your Seat’s April 23 final concert.

Duo Chichorium

evening opens with Frederic Rzewski’s Fall of the Empire, performed

by Duo Cichorium, who weave in costuming, props, and lighting to

heighten its satirical edge. A premiere by Domenic Clarke follows,

combining viola, percussion, and electronics in an intimate reflection

on life and death. The concert closes with Raymond Luedeke’s

Garbage Delight, performed by the Toronto Saxophone Quintet and

Trevor Flemings, offering a humorous and whimsical finish.

Esprit Orchestra:

Esprit Orchestra launches the second iteration of its four-concert

Edge of Your Seat International Festival on November 30,with a

concert titled Tour de Force. It includes a new commissioned work by

Chris Goddard, titled a brace, a round, a bracing sound celebrating

the ensemble’s fearless spirit, alongside the sweeping overture to The

Tempest by Thomas Adès. Gabriella Smith’s Tumblebird Contrails

epitomizes her response to the climate crisis as “an opportunity to

Ben Nobuto,

Manchester Collective

Continuum Contemporary Music:

Moving into December, Continuum

Contemporary Music brings together an expanded ensemble for an

evening on December 6, curated by artistic producer and violinist

Roan Ma, joined by guest artist Stef Van Vynckt. At the heart of the

program is Marcos Balter’s Violin Concerto, a work that explores

fluid interplay between soloist and ensemble. A new piece by Jessica

Ackerley for violin and harp, inspired by the connections and

complexities of friendship, adds a fresh Canadian voice. The concert

also includes works by Anna Höstman, Toshio Hosokawa, and Haotian

Yu — a program that promises a subtle balance of lyricism, ritual, and

sonic exploration.

Taken together, these four concerts mark a fitting beginning to the

2025–26 season, pointing toward a year alive with new sounds and

expansive listening, a season that looks forward and invites us along.

Wendalyn Bartley is a Toronto-based composer and electro-vocal

sound artist. sounddreaming@gmail.com

25

26

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November’s feast,

December’s follies

OLD FRIENDS AND

NEW FAVOURITES

JENNIFER PARR

Daniel Williston, Julia Pulo, and Damien Atkins in Robin Hood

LORNE BRIDGEMNAN

As I write this column we are about to bid farewell to

two extraordinary musicals that started their runs

in September and were extended until November 2

– the Crow’s Theatre/Musical Stage Company/Soulpepper

production of Dave Malloy’s Octet at Crow’s, and Garner

Theatre Productions’ Bright Star presented by Mirvish

Productions at the CAA Theatre. Wildly different shows,

they have one thing in common: they are showcases for

some of the top musical theatre talent in the country.

Octet (I interviewed music director Ryan deSouza in the Sept/Oct

WholeNote), is sung completely a cappella and demands an extremely

high skill level from the eight performers. Bright Star, on the other

hand, an award-winning 2016 bluegrass musical created by Steve

Martin (yes, that Steve Martin) and Edie Brickell has been reimagined

by Garner Theatre Productions as a vehicle for actor/musician

storytelling. The 14-member company play at least one, and up to five

different instruments each, as well as acting, singing and dancing.

As these two shows finish their runs, the richness only increases

with early seasonal offerings joining old favourites and new works

from early November through the end of December.

& Juliet: For older kids and those who enjoy a clever jukebox

musical, & Juliet began its North American life here in Toronto, right

after COVID when we were all longing for a life affirming experience.

Following that sold-out run in Toronto and great success on

Broadway, it is coming back to the Princess of Wales Theatre in a

new all-Canadian production featuring some well known Canadian

performers. Vanessa Sears (Juliet) who has been juggling leads in

Vanessa Sears (Juliet) and George Krissa (Shakespeare) in & Juliet

Shakespeare at the Stratford Festival with leads in musicals across

the country – most recently Sonya in Natasha, Pierre & the Great

Comet of 1812 for Crow’s and Mirvish this summer. George Krissa

(Shakespeare) is also fresh off an appearance in Great Comet as the

suave scoundrel Anatole, and is currently wooing audiences in Bright

Star as young southerner Jimmy Ray Dobbs.

The hook to & Juliet is the question what would happen if Juliet

didn’t die? The fun for Shakespeare fans in the audience includes

Shakespeare onstage, with his wife Anne Hathaway asking that very

question, and demanding this change to the story. The songs – all from

the catalogue of prolific songwriter/producer Max Martin and folded

into the story by Canadian David West Read – keep things light and

lively as the story twists and turns. (Dec 3 - March 22, 2026).

www.mirvish.com/shows/and-juliet

Narnia: For children (now adults) who grew up on the magical tales

of C.S. Lewis, Bad Hats Theatre (with Crow’s and Soulpepper) presents

the Toronto premiere of their actor/musician version of Narnia that

debuted in Winnipeg two years ago. The third in a trilogy of magical

musicals, Narnia follows Bad Hats’ Dora Award-winning previous

creations, Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland, in promising a new but

recognizable embodiment of a beloved story: in this case of four children

who travel through a wardrobe into a magical land trapped in the

world of winter, with music as the vehicle of magic, for the characters

and for the story as a whole. Nov 18 - Dec 28. www.soulpepper.ca/

performances/narnia

Short November runs

Musical Stage Company’s Uncovered series at Koerner Hall focuses

on popular songs reinvented from a theatrical and storytelling

perspective. The 2025 edition explores Madonna and Cher, with Kevin

Wong as music director, arranger and conductor, Kaylee Harwood

directing, and with Divine Brown, Sara Farb, Jackie Richardson,

Steven Page, Suzy Wilde among the talented interpreters onstage.

Also using a biographical lens, Jonathan Larsen’s early musical tick…

tick…BOOM! will be presented November 7-15 by young company

Bowtie Productions at the Alumnae Theatre featuring a number of

recent Dora Award winning performers.

And if you prefer music of the Hollywood golden age, acclaimed

vocalist Adi Braun brings to life songs of her three favourite blondes –

Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney and Peggy Lee — at the Old Mill’s jazz

lounge on November 14.

December’s seasonal offerings

Canadian Stage, now in its second year of presenting what used to

be known as the “Ross Petty Panto” in association with the Elgin and

Winter Garden Theatres, will this year be providing fun twists on the

well-known legend of Robin Hood, including current tunes, lots of


pointed comedy, and a generous helping of silliness. With a script by

Matt Murray and directed this year by Mary Francis Moore (Artistic

Director of Theatre Aquarius), and a cast including winsome Julia

Pulo as Robin and wickedly funny Damien Atkins as Prince John,

this Robin Hood promises fun for families and fans of all ages. Nov 28

- Jan 4.

Traditional and not so traditional pantos can be found around the

province as well, with Drayton Entertainment serving up Cinderella:

The Panto at King’s Wharf Theatre and St Jacob’s Country Playhouse,

and the award-winning Tweed & Company, in Tweed & Bancroft,

presenting a new take on Peter Pan with Hook! featuring that well

known pirate captain and the crocodile who longs to eat him.

Two other big family musicals appear at various locations around

the province. Shrek: The Musical, inspired by the monster film hit

from DreamWorks, takes the stage at both Toronto’s Young People’s

Theatre and Drayton’s Hamilton Family Theatre in Cambridge; and

Disney’s Frozen takes the stage at both London’s Grand Theatre and

Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius.

Five more to note

Nov 16 at 1:30 and 4pm the Toronto Symphony Orchestra takes on

The Composer Is Dead – a hilarious whodunnit for the whole family

with music by Nathaniel Stookey and text by Lemony Snicket. Who

did the composer in? the shifty string section, or maybe the treacherous

trombones? There’s only one way to find out. Roy Thomson

Hall, 60 Simcoe St. www.tso.ca

Nov 30 at 7pm: Stratford-based INNERchamber presents a new

theatrical concert, From the Salons of Paris. Derek Kwan, singer &

actor; Anna Ronai, piano; and the INNERchamber String Quartet do

the musical honours. Factory 163, 163 King St., Stratford.

www.innerchamber.ca

Nov 23 7:30: Music Toronto presents Tom Allen & Friends in J.S.

Bach’s Long Walk in the Snow, which has been doing some travelling

itself. It weaves music from Buxtehude to Tom Waits together with

spoken word, to animate a fascinating chapter in the young Bach’s life.

St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front St. E.

www.music-toronto.com/concerts/muse1-bach .

Nov 21 7:30: North Wind

Concerts and the Toronto Silent

Film Festival combine forces at

Heliconian Hall for In the Key

of Cocteau. Alison Melville and

Ben Grossman, well-known

from their Toronto Consort Days,

are joined by Colin Savage and

Debashis Sinha, in providing an

improvised live score for Jean

Cocteau’s 1932 surrealist film The

Blood of a Poet. www.torontosilentfilmfestival.com/specialscreenings.html

A moment in

Cocteau's Blood

of a Poet

Samantha

Sutherland in

ʔa·kinq̓uku

And finally, Nov 21 - 30 is the

38th iteration of Native Earth’s

annual new works festival,

Weesageechak Begins to Dance.

Three shows caught my theatrical

eye. How Bono saved my life (ThreeTimes) by Sonya Ballantyne

(Nov. 26, 27) with Bono (of U2 fame) a character in the story. Second,

mi history due no es única by Jessica Esmeralda, a folk/horror tale,

features innovative saxophone loops as a storytelling tool (Nov 26, 28).

And ʔa·kinq̓ uku by Samantha Sutherland, a dance solo created in the

Pakitinam Choreographers Circle with Raven Spirit Dance, explores

the life cycle of a destructive wild fire (Nov 28, 30).

Weesageechak Begins to Dance 38

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.

CHRIS RANDLE

ANDRÉ GRÉTRY

Richard

Cœur-de-Lion

COLIN AINSWORTH IS RICHARD I

NOVEMBER 15, 2025

3 PM

SUZY SMITH

Music Director & Pianist

Box Office Services provided by

RCM Tickets

416-408-0208 or

rcmusic.com/performance/

concerts-presented-by-others

Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church

427 Bloor St W

(Bloor x Spadina)


CHORAL SCENE

Augmented forces: choirs plus

ANGUS MACCAULL

Early birds

The early bird gets the worm, and the early WholeNote

reader gets ... death!

On November 1, Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto brings accordionist

Michael Bridge, who’s been described by CBC Music as “a

wizard of the accordion,” to the stage, along with aerial tango dancer

Elizabeth Snell. They’ll be celebrating the Day of the Dead. The session

begins with a friendly tango session you can either join or watch. It’s

at The Playground on Carlaw Avenue

Also on November 1, Guelph Chamber Choir presents Tango to

Death, featuring another accordionist, Matti Pulkki. There will be a

salsa dance to close the evening.

And to celebrate Remembrance Day on November 11, the Toronto

Choral Society presents “The Larks Still Bravely Singing.” This is a

different take on death, commemorating the men and women who

died protecting our freedoms. It’s an interesting time to think about

the importance of the military. On the one hand, there are violent

nationalist conflicts around the world. But on the other, we face a

pressing need to define our sovereignty in Canada.

Big works

The fall is often a time when choirs take on challenging repertoire.

This is the juicy stuff that choristers love to sing.

Soundstreams tackles Mass for the Endangered on November 22.

This piece about climate change, which first premiered in 2018,

provides a powerful reflection and a requiem of sorts for an event

that has not yet happened. David Fallis conducts at Trinity St Paul’s

United Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts. In addition

to the mass by Sarah Kirkland Snider, the program contains work by

R. Murray Schafer, Olivier Messiaen, Arvo Pärt, Andrew Balfour, and

Chris Hutchings. I think I might go to this one!

On November 26, over in Hamilton, the Hamilton Philharmonic

Orchestra stages Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard,

with The Elora Singers. This work is also a requiem, one for the

murder of a young gay man in the late 1990s that sparked a wave of

anti-hate activism, ultimately resulting in legislation in the U.S. The

piece first premiered in 2016. It’s a narrative work depicting the actual

events surrounding the murder and contains direct quotes referencing

extreme violence and hate. As a powerful political piece, it will leave

you thinking about how you can make a difference.

Sound the trumpet ... and harp ... and jazz trio!

As November moves into December, holiday concerts dominate the

listings. It’s a special time of year when choirs often join forces with

orchestras and instrumentalists.

And what’s a holiday season without a brass quintet. The

Peterborough Singers bring the Venabrass Quintet on stage for

“Yuletide Cheer” on November 29. I love the sounds of brass at

Christmas. This concert also features the Singers founder Syd Birrell

on the organ. It’ll be his last concert with the Singers, and there’s been

a special work commissioned to commemorate his retirement.

Three groups of singers combine with the Scarborough

Philharmonic Orchestra, also on November 29, for “Festive Fables.”

It’ll be an evening of carols and music inspired by winter stories. The

Canto Singers, Serenata Singers, and the SPO Women’s Choir sing fun

music, including Believe from The Polar Express.

The Cantorei sine Nomine, or the singers without name, tackle a

large holiday piece November 30 with Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.

They’ll be singing the newer English translation by Neil Jenkins. The

concert takes place in Uxbridge, which, as hikers may know, is a trail

mecca. Why not pop up for one last weekend hike in the fall season

and then take in the concert at 7pm?

Brass quintets aren’t the only instruments that enjoy a holiday

niche. Christmas is also the season of harps. Harpist Jacqueline

Goring joins the Mississauga Chamber Singers for “Christmas Joy”

on December 6. The concert features soprano Leanne Kaufman, who,

when she’s not singing, likes to bake; and baritone Alexander Hajek,

who paints miniatures for the game Warhammer in his spare time.

The Toronto Children’s Chorus comes to Roy Thompson Hall on

December 14 with “Songs of the Season: Nostalgic Movie Moments.”

If Let it Go from Frozen has finally fallen out of your head, now is a

great chance to get it back in there! Though overplayed for a while, it’s

a great song. The TCC will be singing the modern classic along with

Carol of the Bells from Home Alone and You’re a Mean One,

Mr. Grinch from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. A jazz trio joins for


Clockwise from left: Toronto Choral Society; Michael Bridge (Amadeus Choir); Venabrass (Peterborough

Singers), Jacqueline Goring (Mississauga Chamber Singers); and Herr Handel himself (Tafelmusik).

the concert at 2pm. If you’re itching to sing some carols, come by at

1:15pm for caroling in the lobby before the concert.

Finally, the Hannaford Street Silver Band takes the stage on

December 16 for “Merry & Bright,” a holiday celebration in voice and

brass, which includes a world premiere by Haitian conductor and

composer Christopher Ducasse. The Orpheus Choir of Toronto joins the

band for what promises to be an unforgettable concert. The American

Record Guide has billed Hannaford as “the

finest brass band on the continent.” They

are much bigger than a quintet and the only

professional ensemble of their kind in Canada.

Classic Messiahs

Pax Christi Chorale performs a “Children’s

Messiah” on November 29 at 4pm. It will

feature solo and choral excerpts from

Handel’s well-known work in an interactive,

relaxed setting intended for families. A

student orchestra, the Arts Unionville Strings,

joins Pax on stage. Admission is free.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra

brings its Messiah to Roy Thompson Hall

on December 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21. This

grand holiday tradition, a collaboration

with Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, is a local

favorite. TSO Musical Director Gustavo

Gimeno has noted how the Messiah doesn’t

have many markings for dynamics or articulations.

A conductor needs to have their own

vision for this piece. This means that every

conductor’s Messiah is different. The TSO

invites a different conductor each year, and

so audiences who come back hear something

that’s both familiar and new. This year the

guest conductor is Michael Francis.

Meanwhile, “Herr Handel” himself will

conduct Tafelmusik’s sing-along Messiah

on December 21. It’s an annual tradition

as well—this will be the first sing-along in

the newly renovated Massey Hall. It sold

out early last year, so get your tickets now!

If you’d like to hear the Messiah without

singing along, Tafelmusik will be performing

it the three preceding nights, December 18,

19 and 20 at Koerner Hall.

Mr. Handel won’t be present for those. It’ll be Ivars Taurins, sans wig

and period togs, conducting.

Angus MacCaull is a Toronto-based journalist and poet.

He is currently at work on a memoir about coming to terms

with tinnitus as a promising young clarinettist.

ST. ANDREW’S

GALLERY CHOIR

DAN BICKLE

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On This An Evening Shining of Music For the Soul

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3102_Features_fixed.indd 17

2025-11-17 1:54 PM

CLASSICAL AND BEYOND

EARLY SIGNS OF

ORCHESTRATED

CHANGE AT THE

RCM?

ANDREW SCOTT

Cory Wong

It may be too early to tell if this piece of creative

programming signals a bold new beginning for

Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music. But it certainly

looks like something both exciting and inventive coming

to Koerner Hall over the next few months – an ambitious

slate of concerts curated by new RCM President and CEO

Alexander Brose.

As WholeNote readers may remember, a profile of then-departing

RCM President Peter Simon appeared in the June 2024 issue, acknowledging

Simon’s transformative tenure, and speculating as to what

would come next for both the RCM and the Glenn Gould School.

Well, with “Orchestrated,” an interesting new concert series

designed to reside within the synergies between Classical and

Contemporary sounds, we perhaps have a bit of an answer. Leaning

into a commitment to keep pedagogy and music education front and

centre, the new series has Glenn Gould School students – the RCM

Orchestra – performing alongside a suite of inventive and genredefying

artists: Cory Wong in December, Kishi Bashi in January,

and a stacked May 2026 performance by Dragonette, Jonathan

Goldsmith, and Don Rooke.

According to Brose, “Orchestrated” affirms “the Conservatory’s

deep commitment to creating transformative cultural experiences

that inspire and connect us all.” For audiences, the series holds

the promise of three exciting evenings of music, celebration, and

enjoying the best that this city offers.

A Jazz & Folk Night

éphémère

BY MANELA

Saturday, December 13, 8 PM

SPADINA THEATRE


Kishi Bashi

Starting things off on December 11 is the nimble-fingered guitarist,

Cory Wong. I will be curious to see whether Koerner Hall can draw

in the considerably invested fanbase Wong has solidified through his

infectious funk work with the group Vulfpeck, a paradigmatic band

not only in terms of how to create exciting music, but how to “make

it” and connect with community in the new online ecosystem that is

today’s music business.

2026 will start with Kishi Bashi, a multi-instrumentalist making

his Koerner Hall debut January 22 in a performance that promises

to blend multiple musical styles including “City Pop,” a smooth-jazz

adjacent 1970s Japanese genre that has ignited the imagination of Gen

Z over the past number of years.

Don Rooke

And May 14, Toronto staple Don Rooke, longtime leader and lap

steel master of the inventive group The Henrys, joins film composer

and producer Jonathan Goldsmith (Nick Buzz, Art of Time Ensemble)

for an evening of musical vignettes scored for orchestra, followed by a

set of Dragonette’s (Hello) dance hits.

More information can be found on Instagram, @KoernerHallRCM.

Andrew Scott is a Toronto-based jazz guitarist (occasional pianist/

singer) and professor at Humber College, who contributes

regularly to The WholeNote Discoveries record reviews.

CAROLS BY

CANDLELIGHT

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 4:30 P.M.

A timeless candlelit choral presentation

NINE LESSONS

& CAROLS

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 4:30 P.M.

In the tradition of King’s College, Cambridge

Presented by the Yorkminster Park Choir

with William Maddox, Organist and Director

and Sharon Beckstead, Associate Musician

ADMISSION IS FREE FOR BOTH EVENTS

Yorkminster Park

Baptist Church

1585 Yonge Street | YorkminsterPark.com


MUSIC & HEALTH

From l-r: Beverley Johnston,

Vania Chan, Sundar Viswanathan

WHEN MUSIC MEETS MINDFULNESS

Beverley Johnston and

Sundar Viswanathan VANIA LIZBETH CHAN

Transitioning into fall, we’re

surrounded by change. Embraced by

colourful leaves and cooler weather,

we once again experience the build up

towards the holiday season, the end of

Vania Chan

another year, and the promise of a new

one. When Music Meets Mindfulness has been a journey

of discovery throughout this year. What started as the

glimmer of an idea has blossomed into an opportunity to

openly and honestly connect with musical colleagues and

friends, discussing the topic of mindfulness in relation to

musical practice, performance and creation.

Meet Beverley Johnston and Sundar Viswanathan. Beverley is one

of Canada’s leading percussionists, an Officer of the Order of Canada,

and a Canadian Music Centre ambassador. Sundar is a jazz and world

music saxophonist, flutist, bandurist, composer and vocalist. An international

music ambassador and educator, in 2022 he won the JUNO

Award for best Jazz Album (Group), with his band Avataar, for their

album Worldview. As has been the case in all the interviews in the

series so far, my conversations with them revolved around three core

aspects of mindfulness as it relates to music: Calming the Mind;

Organizing Thoughts; and the State of Flow.

It’s the last of these that is the reward for the work we put into

the other two. It is what artists strive for in performance, and also in

collaboration with others. As we get to know ourselves better as artists

and individuals, we become more aware of what we can bring to the

table as interpreters and co-creators. Both Beverley and Sundar are

experts at “going with the flow”, having the ability to stay creatively

flexible, and the discipline to adjust according to given circumstances.

On Calming the Mind

Beverley: “AM and PM Stretch”: It was in the 1990s that I really

started focusing on the connection between the mind and the body.

An organization called Gaiam puts out videos for Yoga, Pilates, meditation,

etc. I found a video called AM and PM stretch, a combination

of stretching your body and using your breath. As I get older, I

really need to stretch my muscles and to relax. I have certain little

routines that I do before I walk out on the stage – to centre myself,

and to bring the blood back to my body. I also read a book called

Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain. I tell myself “the rehearsal is

a performance,” so that I’m not freaking out when I get on stage.

Sundar: “Vipassana means ‘to see things as they are’.” The subconscious

mind is connected to different attachments we create in our

life. These attachments, called sanskaras, are cravings and aversions.

For example – “I want that car” (a craving), or “I played that note

wrong” (an aversion). Every time we attach ourselves to “playing that

note wrong” we reinforce that particular sanskara. These sanskaras

get embedded into our subconscious and they start to build up. If we

don’t release them, they start to manifest in different ways – disease or

body pain. In meditation, one of the truths we observe is that “everything

isn’t permanent” – anicca in Buddhism. We observe our bodies

without reacting, and sanskaras start coming out from the subconscious,

manifesting on our bodies as sensations. Tying this in with

anicca, you observe these (impermanent) sensations and then you

release them - the “surgery of the subconscious mind.”


On Organizing Thoughts

Beverley: “Where’s my left foot going?” For percussionists, there’s

a ton of instruments to play, and every piece can be different. In my

studio, I have to organize how I’m going to set it up for all the different

pieces that I have. In performance, I create a programme where I can

play two or three pieces within one setup. It’s also a part of the choreography.

As much as I’m practicing the notes, I’m also figuring out

“where’s my left foot going?” I have to go from the bongos to the

vibraphone – the choreography between instruments. I love that word

“flow.” Percussionists are very conscious of gesture. When you’re

playing the instrument, you think – what are the hands doing? Do the

gestures coordinate with the sound of the music? All of that is integrated

into the performance.

Sundar: “Playing through my sound.” Through Vipassana meditation,

not only does the sharpness of your mind increase, but your ability to

control where your focus is increases. In my music practice, in improvisation,

it’s about where you place your mind, your intention. I think of the

idea of “playing through my sound” – a sound-centred approach, feeling

my sound, being attuned and connected to the sound. Self-awareness is a

good thing, being in that space with your instrument, and feeling the way

you connect to it – it’s physical and visceral. However, if/when I imagine

“looking at myself” playing the instrument – that throws me off. All of a

sudden you’re self-conscious, not self-aware.

The State of Flow

Beverley: “How am I going to learn this piece when I don’t have it?”

I commissioned a piece by Ann Southam many years ago. She had

written the vibraphone part, and I asked “can we expand it, enhance

the sound of the vibraphone with the sound of a gong or the sound of

a crotale? It’ll be a nice mix.” It ended up being a sort of collaboration

between the two of us. Another example, a composer hadn’t written a

piece until the last minute. I’m thinking – how am I going to learn this

piece when I don’t have it? What I did- I just studied all the works of

the composer. I really dug in and surprisingly it helped me to understand

what his aesthetic was. I need time to digest a piece of music

and make it a part of me. The composer was really interesting to work

with. He was all about the composer and performer working together.

Sundar: “It’s almost like you have two minds.” Whether it’s improvised

music or written music, you have to be hearing what’s going

on around you. When I’m playing jazz, I have to hear what’s going on

with my rhythm section, with whomever I’m playing with. It’s almost

like you have two minds, you’re aware of yourself, but you’re also

aware of the other parts that are around you, making up the whole.

There’s a trust element, trusting the band, and also, maybe being “the

change” based on what they’re doing. You might have a drummer

that plays “a straight pocket” (a steady rhythm), and you play a little

more “loose” (more fluid rhythm). Trying to play “loose” over the

“straight” is not going to work. If the drummer doesn’t move, you’ve

got to adjust. You have to be mindful of how things are shifting and

changing. Everything changes, everything’s impermanent.

A final note: Thank you to all the artists who took part in this

first season of interviews. Each conversation has been a meaningful

learning experience for me, and I hope these interviews have offered

some relatable kernels of wisdom for readers and viewers. Thanks too

to The WholeNote team in helping me shape the “flow” and progress

of this series, and articulate in print some of the energy of these interviews.

I look forward to another season of collaboration, inspiration

and growth.

See you next year on When Music Meets Mindfulness. Meanwhile,

all of the artists’ full interviews are available on my YouTube channel –

Vania Chan Music.

Author and creator of this series, Vania Chan is a lyric coloratura

soprano, artist researcher, and educator. Visit her website:

www.vaniachan.com to learn more about upcoming projects.

Experience Music in Ancaster.

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Harrison Kennedy

Escarpment Blues Society Hall

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Home for the Holidays

Sinfonia Ancaster celebrates

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Sounds of the Season

Hamilton Concert Band brings

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October 30

November 2

November 18

November 25

December 6

December 21

Tickets: memorialarts.ca

357 Wilson St East

Ancaster, ON


THE WHOLENOTE BLUE PAGES

26TH ANNUAL DIRECTORY OF MUSIC MAKERS

is now online under the Who’s Who tab on our website.

Of the 75 presenters and venues in the online directory,

65 joined in time for their full profiles to appear in the

Blue Pages in our September/October issue. A warm

welcome to the ten who have joined since then. Their

names are in red type in the following “teaser index” to

the online directory, complete as of October 21 2025.

Thanks to all our Blue Pages members. Your support

helps keep our free-to-all listings sections alive.

● Aga Khan Museum

From captivating performances to

thought-provoking lectures, workshops,

and film screenings, the

Museum reaches millions of people

worldwide, fostering intercultural

understanding through the arts.

www.agakhanmuseum.org

● Alliance Française de Toronto

Experience unforgettable classical

performances in our welcoming

140-seat theatre. A home for culture

at the crossroads of language, art,

and community.

www.alliance-francaise.ca/en

● Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto

Join the award-winning Amadeus

Choir for their 52nd season, filled with

dynamic collaborations, new commissions,

transformational educational

initiatives, and most of all, wonderful

choral performances. https://amadeuschoir.com

● Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre

A lively landmark in Ancaster featuring

performances and creative

experiences for all ages and tastes.

www.memorialarts.ca/

● The Annex Singers of Toronto

A spirited, auditioned 60-voice community

choir with an eclectic repertoire

spanning a thousand years and

showcasing a wide range of styles,

from plainchant to jazz.

www.annexsingers.com

● Apocryphonia

Apocryphonia ventures beyond the

standard fare of traditional Canadian

classical music programming to reveal

the beautiful, the lost, and the rare in

a rather unpretentious and enjoyable

manner.

www.apocryphonia.com

● Arkel Chamber Concerts

Arkel Chamber Concerts presents

world-class chamber music stars in a

season loaded with passion, virtuosity

and excitement!

www.arkelchamberconcerts.com

● Attila Glatz Concert Productions

Glatz Concerts: Producing, promoting,

and managing concerts and performances

worldwide.

www.glatzconcerts.com

● The Azrieli Music Prizes

(The Azrieli Foundation)

Upcoming Dates: November 13, 2025:

2026 AMP Laureates Announcement

in Montréal; and February 2026:

Album launch for New Jewish Music

Vol. 5 (Outhere/Analekta)

www.azrielifoundation.org/amp

● Barrie Concert Association

& Georgian Music

Barrie Concerts and Georgian Music,

bringing the best of classical, jazz and

contemporary music to Barrie and

the surrounding area.

www.barrieconcerts.org

● Canadian Bandurist Capella

The Canadian Bandurist Capella is one

of the premier choral-bandura ensembles

in North America that showcases

harmonious male voices combined

with the rich sound of the bandura.

www.banduristy.com

● Canadian Chamber Orchestra

Immersive, cathartic, and innovative,

the Canadian Chamber Orchestra

draws you in and transforms the concert

experience.

www.canadianchamberorchestra.ca

● Canadian Opera Company

The Canadian Opera Company is the

largest producer of opera in Canada

and one of the largest in North America.

The COC has an international

reputation for artistic excellence and

creative innovation.

www.coc.ca

● Canadian Sinfonietta

Chamber Music for Everyone

www.canadiansinfonietta.com

● Cantemus Singers

First Canadian performance of the

complete Missa Cantate by John

Sheppard next spring? Stay tuned!

cantemus.ca

● Counterpoint Community

Orchestra

The first 2SLGBTQIA+ orchestra in

the world, Counterpoint is celebrating

its 42nd anniversary with the

2025/26 season.

www.ccorchestra.org

● DaCapo Chamber Choir

Our programs “give ideas voice” -

and this year we focus on an environmental

theme, with a season of

three concerts: Cherish, Enchant,

and Preserve.

www.dacapochamberchoir.ca

● Dudukhouse

Bringing the soulful voice of the

Armenian duduk to Canada and

beyond through concerts, books, and

the world’s largest duduk store.

www.dudukhouse.com

● The Edison Singers

Triumphant, nostalgic, spiritual and

sentimental – this season of concerts

spans a vast array of wonderful

musical expression. We hope something

in this season will pique your

interest. See you there!

www.theedisonsingers.com

● Elmer Iseler Singers

The Elmer Iseler Singers are a

20-voice professional choir led by Artistic

Director Lydia Adams since 1998.

Their 47th season includes a threeconcert

Toronto series, guest appearances,

and workshops.

www.elmeriselersingers.com

● The Elora Singers

Highlights for The Elora Singers’

2025-26 season include Requiem and

Media Vita in November, Soup and

Song: Motets through the Centuries in

February, and The Passing of the Year,

in April.

https://elorasingers.ca

● Ensemble Vivant

“Ensemble Vivant’s world-class musicians

sparkle, shimmer, pulsate,

yearn, beckon, tango and haunt...

absolutely stirring and heart-achingly

beautiful...chamber music at its evocative

best!” - The WholeNote

www.ensemblevivant.com

● Esprit Orchestra

Esprit Orchestra is Canada’s only fullsized,

professional orchestra devoted

to performing new music, presenting

works that would otherwise not be

heard in Canada.

www.espritorchestra.com

● Etobicoke Centennial Choir

Etobicoke Centennial Choir (ECC) is

a community choir dedicated to celebrating

the art and joy of choral singing.

We offer vibrant and diverse

musical performances, guided by

professional artists.

www.etobicokecentennialchoir.ca

● Flute Street

Twelve flutists, Nine flute sizes, Three

concerts, One fabulous Flute Street!

www.flutestreet.ca

● Friends of Music at St.

Thomas’s Church

Friends of Music at St. Thomas’s hosts

a concert series featuring solo artists

and ensembles specialising in everything

from Renaissance music to jazz.

www.stthomas.on.ca/concert-series

● The Hannaford Street

Silver Band

Made up of Canada’s top professional

brass performers, the Hannaford

Street Silver Band honours and builds

upon the traditions of the brass band

from a uniquely Canadian perspective.

www.hssb.ca

● Jubilate Singers

The Jubilate Singers of Toronto specializes

in eclectic international

music. This season will start with a

Chilean Suite, “Abya Yala” and the winter

concert will be “Canadian Indigenous

Music”.

www.jubilatesingers.ca

● Kindred Spirits Orchestra

The Kindred Spirits Orchestra (KSO)

is a critically acclaimed auditionedbased

civic orchestra performing

under the direction of Maestro Kristian

Alexander in various venues

across the GTA.

www.KSOrchestra.ca

● Li Delun Music Foundation

Every January, we hold the highly

anticipated New Year’s Concert:

“East-Meets-West Concert of Favourite

Classics” to celebrate the new

year. www.lidelun.org

● Metropolitan United Church

Choral music, a Silver Band, a Handbell

Choir, and Canada’s largest pipe

organ, all in one place!

www.metunited.org

● Mississauga Chamber Singers

A clear sound in the city

www.mcsingers.ca

● Mooredale Concerts

Mooredale Concerts - Great Music for All.

www.mooredaleconcerts.com

● Music at St. Andrew’s

Music at St. Andrew’s has gained a

reputation for delivering great music

at affordable prices. We’re delighted

to welcome audiences to enjoy the

superb acoustics of our spacious

sanctuary in the heart of Toronto’s

entertainment district.

www.standrewstoronto.org

● Music Toronto

Music TORONTO’s 2025/26 season

brings world-class artists to the

Jane Mallett Theatre—Ehnes Quartet,

Christian Tetzlaff, Michelle Cann,

Gryphon Trio, and more. Experience

live music at its best.

www.music-toronto.com

● Nathaniel Dett Chorale

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is a professional

choir dedicated to the performance

of Afrocentric music of

all styles and genres. It has a threeconcert

series in Toronto, and tours

extensively each season.

www.nathanieldettchorale.org


● New Music Concerts

NMC furthers the appreciation, creation

and performance of exceptional

adventurous music for everyone.

No matter where you come from, if

you love adventurous music, you will

always have a home at NMC.

www.newmusicconcerts.com

● Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation

“...bringing the best in inspirational

arts programming...”

www.9sparrowsarts.org

● Nocturnes in the City

Presenting Czech music and musicians

in downtown Toronto.

November 30: Duo pianists Zuzana

Simurdova and Mikolaj Warzsynski;

December 21: Czecho-Slovak dixieland

- pre-Christmas jazz.

www.masaryktown.ca/nocturnes

● North Wind Concerts

Innovative programming from the

European Baroque and Renaissance,

occasional Classical and contemporary

forays, and music from Toronto’s

richly diverse musical communities.

www.northwindconcerts.com

● Off Centre Music Salon

This special season is titled “Dream

The Impossible Dream.” It will stand

as a landmark 30th Anniversary Season,

showcasing eminent Canadian

artists throughout all five concerts of

the season.

www.offcentremusic.com

● Opera Atelier

Opera Atelier will feature The Magic

Flute at the Elgin Theatre from

October 15 to 19, followed by Pélléas

et Mélisande from April 15 to 19.

www.operaatelier.com

● Orpheus Choir of Toronto

Orpheus champions the new and

unusual in choral performance, commissioning

and introducing new

works and performing overlooked

masterpieces.

www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com

● Pax Christi Chorale

Singing Together, Inspiring joy. Pax

Christi Chorale is a vibrant and

dynamic 100-voice choir that shares

its passion for choral music through

singing, performance and outreach.

www.paxchristichorale.org

● The Peterborough Singers

It’s all about the Music

www.peterboroughsingers.com

● RCCO Toronto

RCCO Toronto is the city’s foremost

advocate for the pipe organ and its

music. Join us for concerts, masterclasses

and other opportunities to

hear and learn about the king of

instruments!

www.rcco.ca/toronto

● Rezonance Baroque Ensemble

Intimate, accessible, and entertaining

concerts of early chamber music,

featuring overlooked composers and

unusual concert formats.

www.rezonanceensemble.com

● The Rose Brampton

The Rose 2025 Summer–Fall Season

is ON SALE! From Broadway icons to

big laughs to bold music, this is your

season to experience it all - Jann

Arden, Jeremy Jordan, TSO, Tom

Morello and more!

https://tickets.brampton.ca/online/

default.asp

● The 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”

(The Toronto Star).

www.rcmusic.com/performance/

royal-conservatory-concerts

● Scarborough Philharmonic

Orchestra

Ron Royer, music director of the Scarborough

Philharmonic brings years

of experience as a conductor, musician,

composer and music educator.

His commitment to Canadian music is

evident in SPO programs.

www.spo.ca

● SoundCrowd

Toronto’s contemporary a cappella

ensemble is back with “Lady Gaga vs

Bruno Mars” - an interactive a cappella

showdown - on January 24 at

the Paradise Theatre!

www.soundcrowd.ca

● Soundstreams

Soundstreams’ 2025/26 season

dares to disrupt and inspire, uniting

global voices, bold premieres, and

genre-defying performances that

challenge the expected.

www.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.

www.stbartstoronto.ca

● St. James Cathedral

At St. James Cathedral, Music is an

integral part of our life, worship and

ministry. Our Anglican musical heritage

continues to enrich our services,

and to evolve in new and exciting

ways. Welcome!

https://stjamescathedral.ca

● St. Michael’s Choir School

Since 1937, St. Michael’s Choir School

has combined academic excellence

and sacred music, shaping boys in

grades 3–12 into leaders of character,

faith, and service to the Archdiocese

of Toronto.

www.smcs.on.ca

● Tafelmusik

Experience Tafelmusik, Canada’s

baroque band.

www.tafelmusik.org

● TO Live

Classic film series, studio sessions

series, dance series, and more.

tolive.com

● Toronto Beach Chorale

Toronto Beach Chorale is a vital

musical presence in the Beach, with

a reputation for artistic excellence.

Our Artistic Director, Mervin W. Fick,

engages and inspires singers and

audiences alike.

www.torontobeachchorale.com

● Toronto Chamber Choir

The Toronto Chamber Choir has

enriched Canada’s early music scene

since 1968, led by Lucas Harris since

2014. It specialises in Renaissance/

Baroque, with forays into other time

periods and cultures.

www.torontochamberchoir.ca

● Toronto Children’s Chorus

The Toronto Children’s Chorus (TCC) is

a vibrant musical community that has

been nurturing young voices for generations,

led by internationally acclaimed

Artistic Director, Dr. Zimfira Poloz.

www.torontochildrenschorus.com

● Toronto Choral Society

Ever dreamed of singing Handel’s

Messiah at Koerner Hall? This fall,

join the Toronto Choral Society and

experience the joy and exhilaration of

performing a holiday classic.

www.torontochoralsociety.org

● Toronto Classical Singers

Do you love to sing the great choral

works of the past 300 years? Do you

like fellowship and fun? Then we’re

the choir you’ve been looking for!

Contact us for an audition.

www.torontoclassicalsingers.ca

● Toronto Mendelssohn Choir

The Juno-winning, Grammy-nominated

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir goes

beyond a choir—Canada’s oldest and

largest choral organisation, serving

audiences and community since 1894.

www.tmchoir.org

● Toronto Operetta Theatre

TOT will return to the St. Lawrence

Centre stage for the 2025-2026 season,

presenting a distinguished

repertoire of music, comedy,

and romance from Operetta and

Music Theatre.

www.torontooperetta.com

● Toronto Symphony Orchestra

A globe-spanning lineup of symphonic

classics, cinematic favourites,

family fun, and musical megastars—

live with your TSO.

www.tso.ca

● Trinity Bach Project

TBP revives Bach’s lesser-known cantatas

with clarity, excellence, and generosity,

removing barriers around

classical choral music and opening

doors to sacred places.

www.trinitybachproject.org

● Upper Canada Choristers

The Upper Canada Choristers is a

non-auditioned SATB choir committed

to excellence, diversity, and community

service.

www.uppercanadachoristers.org

● Vesnivka Choir

Vesnivka Choir is a friendly and inclusive

community choir whose singers

are passionate about bringing

Ukrainian music to the Toronto music

scene. Join us for a unique listening

experience.

www.vesnivka.com

● VIVA Singers Toronto

VIVA is a family of seven choirs for

all ages with a mandate to give

singers the opportunity to achieve

artistic excellence in an inclusive,

creative choral community.

Every Voice Matters!

vivasingerstoronto.com

● VOCA Chorus of Toronto

Our concert on December 20 at Eglinton

St. George’s will include world

premieres by two of Canada’s most

renowned composers, Sarah Quartel

and Mark Sirett, and feature piano,

organ, cello and percussion.

www.vocachorus.ca

● VOICEBOX: Opera In Concert

Taking Ownership of Opera Rarities

in Performance - Canada’s only

company dedicated exclusively to

the presentation of rare opera programming.

www.operainconcert.com

● Westben Music in Nature

Westben’s 2026 summer season features

over 40 concerts and music in

nature experiences.

www.westben.ca

● Women’s Musical

Club of Toronto

Music in the Afternoon features

musicians on the threshold of international

recognition, as well as established

artists and ensembles.

www.wmct.on.ca

● Wychwood Clarinet Choir

Look forward to our “Fall Fair” concert

in November, our “Cartoons and

Adventure” concert in February and

our “Serenade” concert in May.

www.wychwoodclarinetchoir.ca

● Yorkminster Park

Baptist Church

Yorkminster Park is synonymous

with magnificent music. Vocal

and instrumental expressions of

faith are integral in the Yorkminster

Park experience.

www.yorkminsterpark.com

For more information about joining the Blue Pages

and any of our other directories, please contact

Karen Ages at advertising@thewholenote.com


LIVE OR ONLINE | Nov 1 to Jan 7, 2024

Saturday November 1

● Nov 01 4:00: Elora Singers. Requiem

and Media Vita. Metropolitan United Church

(London), 468 Wellington St., London. 519-

846-0331 or www.elorasingers.ca/mauricedurufle-requiem-john-sheppard-media-vita/.

$55; $20(st); $10(child). Also Nov 2 (St.

George’s Anglican Church, Guelph).

● Nov 01 4:00: Friends of Music at St.

Thomas’s. Borderlands: Music on the Edge.

St. Thomas’s Anglican Church (Toronto),

383 Huron St. www.stthomas.on.ca or 416-

979-2323. Pay what you wish at the door. Suggested

$40; $20(st).

● Nov 01 4:00: Tlalli Festival. Xibalbá: A

Celebration of the Dead. TD Music Hall,

178 Victoria St. 416-823-9193 or www.tickets.

mhrth.com/7218/7219. $60.

● Nov 01 7:30: Amadeus Choir of Greater

Toronto. Vertigo: A Choral Tango. The Playground,

388 Carlaw Ave. www.trellis.org/vertigo.

$45(regular); $25(community).

● Nov 01 7:30: Guelph Chamber Choir.

Tango to Death. Harcourt Memorial United

Church (Guelph), 87 Dean Ave., Guelph. 519-

993-6414. $35; $30(sr); $10(ages 16-30):

$5(age 15 & under).

● Nov 01 7:30: Royal Conservatory of

Music. An Intimate Evening with Renée Fleming.

Royal Conservatory of Music - TELUS

Centre - Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-

408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.

From $200.

● Nov 01 7:30: Scarborough Philharmonic

Orchestra. Crossroads. Salvation Army

Scarborough Citadel Community Church,

2021 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough. 647-

956-1182 or www.spo.ca. $40; $30(sr); $15(st

ages 14 & older); Free(children under 14).

● Nov 01 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Debussy & Sibelius. Roy Thomson Hall,

60 Simcoe St. www.tso.ca or 416-598-

3375. From $38. Also Oct 30(7:30pm) &

Nov 2(3pm).

● Nov 01 8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto.

Tawazûn. Alliance Français de Toronto - Spadina

Theatre, 24 Spadina Rd. www.alliance-francaise.ca.

$18; $16/sr/st); $15(AFT loyalty card);

$12(ages 5-12); Free (ages under 5).

● Nov 01 8:00: Browntasaurus Records.

Halloween Shadow Show. My

House in the Junction, 2882 Dundas St.

W. www,eventbrite.ca/e/1743705272409.

$20(adv); $25(door); $15(st/arts workers).

● Nov 01 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Bud

Light Buckle Up Tour 2025: James Parker Band

with Special Guest Alli Walker. 171 Town Centre

Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.

Limited tickets from $15.

● Nov 01 8:00: Live Nation. Thundercat.

Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.ticket-

master.ca/thundercat-north-america-

2025-tour-toronto-ontario-11-01-2025/event.

From $60.

Sunday November 2

MICHELE JACOT

artistic director

FALL

FAIR

Sunday, November 2

4:00 pm

WYCHWOODCLARINETCHOIR.CA

● Nov 02 1:15: Mooredale Concerts. Music

& Truffles KIDS: Busch Trio. Walter Hall (University

of Toronto), 80 Queen’s Park. 416-922-

3714 x103; 647-988-2102 (eve/wknd). $30.

● Nov 02 2:00: Hugh’s Room. Tiller’s Folly.

Hugh’s Room Live - Green Sanderson Hall,

296 Broadview Ave. www.showpass.com/

tillers-folly. $30; $15(st/arts workers/

underemployed).

● Nov 02 2:00: Sinfonia Ancaster. With

Glowing Hearts. Ancaster Memorial Arts

Centre - Peller Hall, 357 Wilson St. E., Ancaster.

905-304-3232 or www.memorialarts.ca/

classical-music/with-glowing-hearts. $45.

● Nov 02 3:00: Les AMIS Concerts. Chamber

Music Concert. Trinity United Church

(Cobourg), 284 Division St., Cobourg. www.

tickets.cobourg.ca/TheatreManager. $40.


Debussy & Sibelius. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe

St. www.tso.ca or 416-598-3375. From $38. Also

Oct 30(7:30pm) & Nov 1(7:30pm).

● Nov 02 3:00: Trinity Evangelical Lutheran

Church (New Hamburg). Organ Concert.

23 Church St., New Hamburg. 519-662-1810.

Call for tickets or information.

WHOLENOTE Event Listings

are free of charge and can be submitted by venues, artists, or presenters.

● Nov 02 3:15: Mooredale Concerts. Busch

Trio. Walter Hall (University of Toronto),

80 Queen’s Park. 416-922-3714 x103; 647-988-

2102 (eve/wknd). From $40.

● Nov 02 4:00: Elmer Iseler Singers. A Portrait

in Song: The Music of Eleanor Daley.

Eglinton St. George’s United Church, 35 Lytton

Blvd. www.elmeriselersingers.com/events/aportrait-in-song-the-music-of-eleanor-daley

or 416-217-0537. $45; $40(sr); $30(under 30).

● Nov 02 4:00: Elora Singers. Requiem and

Media Vita. St. George’s Anglican Church

(Guelph), 99 Woolwich St., Guelph. 519-846-

0331 or www.elorasingers.ca/mauricedurufle-requiem-john-sheppard-media-vita/.

$55; $20(st); $10(child). Also Nov 1 (Metropolitan

United Church - London).

● Nov 02 4:00: Flute Street. Colour Configurations.

St. Andrew’s United Church (Bloor

St., Toronto), 117 Bloor St E. 416-462-9498 or

www.flutestreet.ca. $25; $20(sr/arts workers);

$10(full-time st).

● Nov 02 4:00: Wychwood Clarinet Choir.

Fall Fair. St. Michael and All Angels Anglican

Church, 611 St. Clair Ave. W. www.wychwoodclarinetchoir.ca.

$25; $15(sr/st) or Pay

What You Can.

Tuesday November 4

● Nov 04 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.

Lunchtime Chamber Music: Rising

Stars Recital Featuring Performance Students

from the UofT Faculty of Music. Yorkminster

Park Baptist Church (Toronto),

1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com.

Free. Donations welcome.

● Nov 04 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday

Organ Recital. Cathedral Church of St.

James (Toronto), 106 King St. E. 416-364-7865

or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals. Free.

Donations encouraged.

● Nov 04 7:30: Silverthorn Symphonic

Winds. Witches and Saints. St. Jude’s Anglican

Church (Wexford), 10 Howarth Ave.,

Scarborough. www.silverthornwinds.ca.

Visit website for tickets and information.

Wednesday November 5

● Nov 05 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.

Instrumental Series: Bow & Brilliance

Welcome to our 31st season of documenting one significant slice of live musical activity

in Southern Ontario and beyond. Regular readers of this listings section will notice a big

change: that the amount of detail in the listings as they appear here has been significantly

reduced –namely descriptions of repertoire, and details about the performers.

There are two reasons for this. First, detailed listings in print push up the cost of print

unsustainably, so we need to economize where we can. And second, that our new

bimonthly cycle reduces the usefulness of the listings themselves. Too much gets

announced between print issues for us to be able to keep up with the constant inflow

of new listings along with changes and corrections.

This does not however mean we have given up on collecting and publishing listings

at the same level of detail as you have been accustomed to.

● Our Weekly Listings Update contains listings at our previous level of detail. It goes

out, by email, every Thursday, and covers a 10-day period, from the weekend immediately

ahead to the Sunday of the following week. Deadline for inclusion in the Weekly

Update is 6pm Thursday of the previous week. Readers can sign up for the Weekly

Update on our website or via the QR code below.

● Our Just Ask feature, under Listings on our website gets you full details of any listing

direct from our database. It also has an advanced options feature that allows you

to specify date ranges, types of music, and regions of Ontario.

● Our online Kiosk (kiosk.thewholenote.com) gives you access to this, or any,

issue of The WholeNote on screen, or downloadable as a PDF file. All the websites

you see only as text in these print listings can be accessed with a click from the kiosk.

Print publication dates and deadlines

Next print issue: January/February 2026

Publication date: Tuesday January 6

Listings deadline: Thursday December 11

All listings inquiries should be addressed to

John Sharpe, Listings Editor at

listings@thewholenote.com.

Advertising inquiries should be addressed to

advertising@thewholenote.com

REGISTER TO RECEIVE THE WEEKLY LISTINGS UPDATE at thewholenote.com/newsletter


- Golden Violin Award Winner. Richard Bradshaw

Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for

the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.

coc.ca/freeconcerts. Free. Please check

website for any programming updates.

● Nov 05 12:00 noon: Yorkminster Park

Baptist Church. Noonday Organ Recital.

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church (Toronto),

1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.com.


● Nov 05 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian

Church (Kitchener). Douglas Haas Legacy

Concerts. 54 Queen St. N., Kitchener. 519-

578-4430. Free. Lunch available for purchase

at 11:30am or bring your own.

● Nov 05 7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn

Choir. Brahms: A German Requiem. Meridian

Arts Centre - George Weston Recital Hall,

5040 Yonge St. www.www.tmchoir.org or

416-598-0422. From $39. Also Nov 7(Koerner

Hall).


TwoSet Violin. Roy Thomson Hall,

60 Simcoe St. 416-593-1285 or www.tso.ca.

From $157.

● Nov 05 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre.

Elisapie. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.

905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.

ca. From $15.

● Nov 05 8:00: Massey Hall. Jason Bonham’s

Led Zeppelin Evening. 178 Victoria St.

www.ticketmaster.ca. From $53.

Thursday November 6


Vocal Series: Telling Tales - Wirth Vocal

Prize Recital. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing

Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/freeconcerts.

Free. Please check website for any programming

updates.

● Nov 06 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United

Church. Noon at Met. Metropolitan United

Church (Toronto), 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-

0331 x226. Freewill donation.

● Nov 06 7:00: Magisterra Soloists.

Magisterra at the Museum: Masterworks -

Piano Quartets. Museum London, 421 Ridout

St. N., London. www.magisterra.com. $35;

$30(sr); $15(st); $10(under 10).

● Nov 06 7:30: Brampton On Stage. Brampton

Musical Theatre: The Prince of Egypt,

The Musical. Rose Theatre, The (Brampton),

1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. 905-874-2800

https://tickets.brampton.ca. From $25. Also

Nov 7, 8 & 9.

● Nov 06 7:30: Kingston House. Jack Ridout

Quartet. 676 Kingston Rd. 416-694-8888. $15

cover charge. Concert takes place on lower

level which is not wheelchair accessible.

● Nov 06 7:30: Sinfonia Toronto. Flute

Magic - Vivaldi / Ho / Janáček. Trinity St.

Paul’s United Church. Jeanne Lamon Hall,

427 Bloor St. W. www.sinfoniatoronto.com.

$52; $40(ages 60+); $20(st). Single tickets

on sale Jun 1.


Adi Braun Sings Cole Porter. 171 Town Centre

Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.

From $15.

● Nov 06 8:00: Live Nation. Sofia Camara.

TD Music Hall, 178 Victoria St. 416-823-9193

or www.ticketmaster.ca. From $32.

● Nov 06 8:00: Modo-Live. Cindy Lee. Massey

Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.ticketmaster.

ca. From $50.

Friday November 7

● Nov 07 11:00am: Hamilton Philharmonic

Orchestra. Talk & Tea: The Romantics.

FirstOntario Concert Hall (Hamilton),

1 Summers Ln., Hamilton. www.hpo.org/

event/talk-tea-the-romantics. $17.


Instrumental Series: Chamber Music.

Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four

Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,

145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/freeconcerts.


updates.

● Nov 07 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s.

Noontime Recital. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian

Church (Toronto), 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-

5600 x220 or www.standrewstoronto.org.


● Nov 07 5:15: St. James Anglican Church

(Kingston). Organ Concert. St. James’

Anglican Church (Kingston), 10 Union St.

W., Kingston. www.stjameskingston.ca.

Free. Donations accepted in support of the

Welcome Home Ministries refugee support

program.

● Nov 07 7:00: Live Nation. Walk Off the

Earth. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.

ticketmaster.ca/walk-off-the-earth-torontoontario-11-07-2025/event.

From $84.


Music Theatre: The Prince of Egypt,




Nov 6, 8 & 9.

● Nov 07 7:30: Confluence Concerts. Hibiki

Project and Peter Eom. Heliconian Hall,

35 Hazelton Ave. 647-678-4923. $30; $20(sty/

arts worker). Also Sep 27.

● Nov 07 7:30: Guelph Musicfest 2025.

Encore Fall Series: East to West - A Musical

Journey with Sadie Fields & Ken Gee.

Guelph Youth Music Centre, 75 Cardigan St.,

Guelph. Visit www.guelphmusicfest.ca or

519-993-7591. From $20. $25(online only).

Also Nov 8(3:30pm - Grace United Church,

Thornbury.

● Nov 07 7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

Brahms: A German Requiem. Royal Conservatory

of Music - TELUS Centre - Koerner Hall,

273 Bloor St. W. www.www.tmchoir.org or

416-598-0422. From $39. Also Nov 5(Meridian

Arts Centre - George Weston Recital Hall).


E.T. in Concert. Roy Thomson Hall,

60 Simcoe St. www.tso.ca or 416-598-3375.

From $57. Also Nov 8(2pm).

● Nov 07 8:00: Caliban Arts Theatre. Black

Underground 30th Anniversary Soul Vocals

Series: Solo Tribute to Luther Vandross.

918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media

Elmer

Iseler

Singers

and Education, 918 Bathurst St. www.tickets.contxtbytrane.com/events/contxtbytrane/1808178.

All Shows Early Bird: $95

(before Sep 10). All Shows Advance: $110

(after Sep 10). Single Show Tickets: $30(adv);

$45(door).

● Nov 07 8:00: Hugh’s Room. Amanda

Rheaume. Hugh’s Room Live - Green Sanderson

Hall, 296 Broadview Ave. www.showpass.com/amanda-rheaume.

$30; $15(st/arts

workers/underemployed).

● Nov 07 8:00: Toes for Dance. Process

+ Practice Double Bill 2025. Assembly Hall,

1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr., Etobicoke.

416-338-7255. Up to $45. Also Nov 8(3pm).

Saturday November 8

● Nov 08 11:00am: Xenia Concerts/TO Live.

Fierbois. Meridian Hall, 1 Front St. E. Rory

McLeod at 437-441-7543 or Paolo Griffin at

paolo.griffin@xeniaconcerts.com. Registration

fee $5. To eliminate financial barriers,

we will refund your tickets when you attend

the event. If you wish to donate your tickets,

please let us know when you check in.


Musical Theatre: The Prince of Egypt,




at 7:30pm, and on Nov 6, 7 & 9.


E.T. in Concert. Roy Thomson Hall,


From $57. Also Nov 7(7:30pm).

● Nov 08 3:00: Toes for Dance. Process

+ Practice Double Bill 2025. Assembly Hall,

1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr., Etobicoke.

Lydia Adams, Conductor

Sun. Nov 2, 2025 at 4:00 pm

Eglinton St. Georges United Church

Lute Legends Collective

BORDERLANDS: MUSIC ON THE EDGE

Saturday, November 1 at 4:00 p.m.

Friends of Music at St. Thomas’s Church

383 Huron Street, Toronto

Pay what you wish: suggested $40 regular,

$20 students | stthomas.on.ca/concert-series

A Portrait in Song

The Music of Eleanor Daley


416-217-0537 elmeriselersingers.com



416-338-7255. Up to $45. Also Nov 7(8pm). St. Simon-the-Apostle, Toronto).

● Nov 08 3:30: Guelph Musicfest 2025. ● Nov 08 4:30: Beach United Church.

Encore Fall Series: East to West - A Musical

Journey with Sadie Fields & Ken Gee. Grace

United Church (Thornbury), 140 Bruce St. S.,

Thornbury. Visit www.guelphmusicfest.ca

or 519-993-7591. From $20. $25(online only).

Duo 330: Grand Works for Organ & Piano

Duet. Beach United Church (Toronto),

140 Wineva Ave. 416-691-8082 or www.beachunitedchurch.com.

Pay What You Can. Suggested

minimum: $15.

Also Nov 7(7pm - Guelph Youth Music Centre,

● Nov 08 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Cham-

Guelph).

ber Music Society. Magisterra. Keffer

● Nov 08 4:00: The Edison Singers. Vierne: Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University,

Messe Solennelle & Whitacre: The Sacred

Veil. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

75 University Ave. W., Waterloo. www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.

$35; $10 (st).

(Guelph), 161 Norfolk St., Guelph. 226-384- ● Nov 08 7:00: Music at First-St. Andrew’s

9300 or www.theedisonsingers.com/performances/.

$45; $40(sr); $20(st); $10(child).

Also Nov 9(St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Niagara-on-the-Lake),

15(Church of St. Peter and

United Church. Nathaniel Dett Chorale.

First-St. Andrew’s United Church (London),

350 Queens Ave., London. 519-679-8182

or www.fsaunited.com/music-concerts/.

$40(door); $35(adv); $15(st).

● Nov 08 7:00: TD Music Hall. Four Chords

and the Truth. 178 Victoria St. 416-823-9193

or www.tickets.mhrth.com/6450/6451. $40.

● Nov 08 7:30: Aurora Cultural Centre. Le

Vent du Nord. Aurora Town Square - Davide

De Simone Performance Hall, 50 Victoria St.,

Aurora. 365-500-3313 or www.auroraculturalcentre.ca.

$45; $15(st).

● Nov 08 7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic

Orchestra. Light Emerges. FirstOntario Concert

Hall (Hamilton), 1 Summers Ln., Hamilton.

www.hpo.org/event/light-emerges.

From $30. 6:30om: Pre-concert talk.

● Nov 08 7:30: Live Nation. Sarah McLachlan:

Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary

Tour. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.

ticketmaster.ca/https://www.ticketmaster.

ca/sarah-mclachlan-fumbling-towardsecstasy-30th-toronto-ontario-11-08-2025/

Timothy Corlis

event. From $466.


Remembrance at 80. Yorkminster Park

Baptist Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. 416-

922-1167 or www.9sparrowsarts.org. Free.

Donations welcome.

● Nov 08 7:30: Shoreline Chorus. Cinemania.

Georgian Shores United Church

(Owen Sound), 997 4th Ave. E., Owen

Sound. 519-599-2710. $25 at door. Also

More details here... Aug 8(7:30pm) at St. George’s Anglican

Church, Clarksburg.

● Nov 08 8:00: TKMF/Massey Hall. Snotty

Nose Rez Kids + Logan Staats. TD Music Hall,


mhrth.com/7139/7140. From $40.

● Nov 08 8:00: Toronto Celebrates. The

Music of Stevie Wonder. TD Music Hall,


mhrth.com/7119/7120. $35.

Sunday November 9


Music Theatre: The Prince of Egypt,




at 7:30pm, and on Nov 6, 7 & 8.

● Nov 09 1:30: Toronto Early Music Players

Organization (TEMPO). Workshop. Grace

Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. www.

tempotoronto.net or info@tempotoronto.net.

$20 for non-members.

● Nov 09 2:00: Kiever Shul. The Songs

Remain: 1000 Years of Jewish folk and Synagogue

Music. 25 Bellevue Ave. www.kievershul.com.


Registration is required.

● Nov 09 3:00: Arkel Chamber Concerts.

Affetuoso. Trinity St. Paul’s United

Church. Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St.

W. www.eventbrite.ca/e/affetuoso-tickets-1545587306239.

$40.

● Nov 09 3:00: Mississauga Symphony

Orchestra. The Dvořák Experience. Living

Arts Centre Auditorium, 4141 Living Arts Dr.,

Mississauga. 905-306-6000. From $55.


Music. Kyung Wha Chung, Violin with Kevin

Kenner, Piano. Royal Conservatory of Music

- TELUS Centre - Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St.

W. 416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.

From $55.

● Nov 09 3:00: Trinity Bach Project. Bach &

Earth. Metropolitan United Church (Toronto),

56 Queen St. E. 306-250-4256 or www.trinitybachproject.org/concerts

or at the door.

$30; $20(budget); $10(st). Also Oct 23 @

1pm (U of T Trinity College Chapel); Oct 24 @

8pm (St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican);

Oct 26 @ 4pm (St. Martin-in-the-Fields).

● Nov 09 4:00: The Edison Singers.

Vierne: Messe Solennelle & Whitacre: The

Sacred Veil. St. Mark’s Anglican Church

(Niagara-on-the-Lake), 41 Byron St., Niagara-on-the-Lake.

226-384-9300 or www.

theedisonsingers.com/performances/. $45;

$40(sr); $20(st); $10(child). Also Nov 8(St.

Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Guelph),

15(Church of St. Peter and St. Simon-the-

Apostle, Toronto).

● Nov 09 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club.

Simon Kempston. Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling

St., London. 519-319-5847 or folk@iandavies.

com. Tickets available at Marienbad Restaurant,

Chaucer’s Pub, Grooves (Wortley Village),

Long & McQuade North. $30/$25(adv).

● Nov 09 7:30: Oakville Chamber Orchestra.

Jonathan Crow Plays Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

Oakville Centre for the Performing

Arts, 130 Navy St., Oakville. www.oakvillechamber.org.

$60(premium); $45(regular);

$40(groups of 10 or more); $20(ages 13-30);

$15(ages 12 and under).

● Nov 09 8:00: New Music Concerts/U of T

Faculty of Music. Mystery of Clock. The Fleck

at Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 231 Queen’s

Quay West. 416-961-9594. $35; $30(arts

workers/sr); $20(st). 9:20pm: Post-concert

discussion.

Mystery of

Clock

Nov. 9th, 2025

The Fleck at

Harbourfront Centre

Theatre

Doors 7:00PM

Starting at $20

newmusicconcerts.com

NINE SPARROWS ARTS FOUNDATION

A CONCERT

OF REMEMBRANCE

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2025 | 7:30 PM

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church 1585 Yonge Street at Heath Street

SPECIAL GUESTS:

Al Kay, Trombone

Jonathan Meyer, Bass

FEATURING:

Rob Crabtree, Piper

The Hedgerow Singers

Eric N. Robertson, Conductor

ADMISSION FREE | DONATIONS WELCOME | WWW.9SPARROWSARTS.ORG

NOVEMBER 9th ‘25, 3 pm

Affetuoso

Guest Artists:

Eric Abramovitz, Clarinet

Luri Lee, Violin

Rémi Pelletier, Viola

Arkel

CHAMBER

CONCERTS

Marie Bérard - Winona Zelenka

Beethoven/Coleridge-Taylor/Kodály/Price

Trinity St. Paul's Centre, 427 Bloor St. W

Season Sponsors

eventbrite.ca


Monday November 10

● Nov 10 7:30: Collective Concerts. Robert

Plant’s Saving Grace. Massey Hall,

178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.com. Tickets

not currently available. Please check back

closer to the concert date.

● Nov 10 7:30: Roy Thomson Hall. Run Terry

Run - Live in Concert with Toronto Symphony

Orchestra. 60 Simcoe St. www.tickets.

mhrth.com or 416-598-3375. From $64.

Tuesday November 11



Stars Recital Featuring Students from the

Glenn Gould School. Yorkminster Park Baptist

Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-

1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free.

Donations welcome.






Nov 11

MICHELLE CANN

with Fierbois

music-toronto.com

● Nov 11 6:30: Music Toronto. Michelle Cann

with Fierbois. St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts -

Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723

or https://www.ticketmaster.ca/music-torontomichelle-cann-toronto-ontario-11-11-2025/

event/100062F0E6C852E9. From $60.

● Nov 11 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber

Music Society. David Vanbiesbrouck

Quartet. Keffer Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier

University, 75 University Ave. W., Waterloo.

www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms. $30;

$10 (st).

● Nov 11 7:30: Toronto Choral Society. “The

Lark, Still Bravely Singing”. East End/Eastminster

United Church (Toronto), 310 Danforth

Ave. www.torontochoralsociety.org. Free.

No ticket required. Donations gratefully

accepted.

● Nov 11 8:00: Musical Stage Company.

UnCovered: Madonna & Cher. Royal Conservatory


273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or tickets@

rcmusic.ca. From $68. Also Nov 12 & 13.


● Nov 12 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera

Company. Dance Series: Embers of Memory.

Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four

Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,



updates.






● Nov 12 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist

Church. Noonday Organ Recital. Yorkminster

Park Baptist Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge

St. www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations

welcome.

● Nov 12 7:00: Dale Gago (Howl Entertainment).

NY80: A Celebration of Neil Young

and His Music. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St.

www.tickets.mhrth.com. Tickets not currently

available. Please check back closer to

the concert date.

● Nov 12 7:30: Soundstreams. TD Encounters:

For the Birds. Hugh’s Room Live -

Green Sanderson Hall, 296 Broadview

Ave. Register at www.form.jotform.

com/252594190693264. Free.






Thursday November 13


Instrumental Series: French Panorama

- Ravel, Descarries, and Farrenc. Richard

Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre

for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St.

W. www.coc.ca/freeconcerts. Free. Please

check website for any programming updates.

● Nov 13 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United

Church. Noon at Met: Pipes and Hammers.

Metropolitan United Church (Toronto),

56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x226. Freewill

donation.

● Nov 13 1:30: Women’s Musical Club of

Toronto. Music in the Afternoon: Maxwell

Quartet. Walter Hall (University of Toronto),

80 Queen’s Park. 416-923-7052 or www.

wmct.on.ca. $50; Free(accompanying caregivers/st

with ID).


Joshua Bell Returns. Roy Thomson Hall,


Call or visit website for ticket information.

Also Nov 15(7:30pm).


Radio Rush - The Moving Pictures Story.

171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-

7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. From

$65.






Friday November 14







Music Society. Complete Beethoven

Violin & Piano Sonatas: Concert 1. Keffer

Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University,


Each concert: $30; $10 (st)

or All 3 concerts: $75; $25(st).

● Nov 14 7:30: Matthew Perry House/Make

Music Matter. Live Loud LIVE. Royal Conservatory


273 Bloor St. W. www.rcmusic.com/eventsand-performances/make-music-matter-andmatthew-perry-house-present.

From $349.

● Nov 14 7:30: Simcoe Guitar. Tim Beattie

Classical Guitar Concert. Burton Avenue

United Church (Barrie), 37 Burton Ave.,

Barrie. www.eventbrite.com/e/tim-beattie-classical-guitar-concert-registration-1417606843229.

Pay What You Can. $30

suggested.

● Nov 14 8:00: Hugh’s Room. Moshe Hammer

& Angela Park. Hugh’s Room Live -

Green Sanderson Hall, 296 Broadview Ave.

www.showpass.com/moshe-hammer-andangela-park.

$60; $40(st/arts workers/

underemployed).

● Nov 14 8:00: Massey Hall. Get the LED

Out. 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.com.

Haydn, Brahms and

Folk Music of Scotland

2025

2026

NOVEMBER 13, 2025 | 1.30 PM

MAXWELL

Q UARTET

Tickets/Info: 416.923.7052 • wmct.on.ca



From $53.

● Nov 14 8:00: Roy Thomson Hall. Legends

of Motown. 60 Simcoe St. www.tickets.

mhrth.com or 416-598-3375. From $65.

Saturday November 15

● Nov 15 2:00: Aurora Cultural Centre. Divine

Brown Sings Ella, Billy & Sarah. Aurora

Town Square - Davide De Simone Performance

Hall, 50 Victoria St., Aurora. 365-500-

3313 or www.auroraculturalcentre.ca. $55;

$15(st). Also 7:30pm.

● Nov 15 2:00: Tranzac Club Main Hall. Get

Together: Songs of Peace, Love, and Happiness.

Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave. 416-

594-3388 or www.sueanddwight.com. $20.

● Nov 15 2:30: Heliconian Club Music Section.

Musique des années folles. Heliconian

Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. www.heliconianclub.

org. General: $30 per concert or $100 for

4-concert series; Heliconian Club members;

$25 per concert or $80 for 4-concert series.

Refreshments included.

● Nov 15 3:00: VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert.

Richard Cœur-de-Lion. Trinity St.


427 Bloor St. W. www.rcmusic.com/tickets/

seats/408001 or 416-408-0208. $55.

● Nov 15 4:00: The Edison Singers. Vierne:

Messe Solennelle & Whitacre: The Sacred

Veil. Church of St. Peter and St. Simon-the-

Apostle, 525 Bloor St. E. 226-384-9300

or www.theedisonsingers.com/performances/.

$45; $40(sr); $20(st); $10(child). Also

Nov 8(St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church,

Guelph); 9(St. Mark’s Anglican Church,

Niagara-on-the-Lake).

● Nov 15 7:00: Korean Canadian Symphony

Orchestra. Canadian Symphony Orchestra

with Yemel Philharmonic Society Presents:

Korean Fantasy: A Commemorative

Concert Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of

Korea’s Liberation. Yorkminster Park Baptist

Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. www.kcso.

ca or meetkccc@gmail.com. $30; $20(st);

Free(under 12).

● Nov 15 7:30: Aurora Cultural Centre. Divine

Brown Sings Ella, Billy & Sarah. Aurora

Town Square - Davide De Simone Performance

Hall, 50 Victoria St., Aurora. 365-500-

3313 or www.auroraculturalcentre.ca. $55;

$15(st). Also 2pm.

● Nov 15 7:30: Barrie Concert Association.

Schumann and Beyond. Hiway Pentecostal

Church, 50 Anne St. N., Barrie. www.barrieconcerts.org

or 705-436-1232. $50; $10(st).

● Nov 15 7:30: Melos Choir & Period Instruments.

The Pow’r of Musicke: St. Cecilia

in England in the 17th & 18th Centuries. St.

George’s Cathedral (Kingston), 270 King St.

E., Kingston. 613-542-6571 or www.melosearlymusic.org.

$30. Available online or at

Novel Idea.

● Nov 15 7:30: Stratford Symphony Orchestra.

Sitarski Performs Barber. Avondale

United Church (Stratford), 194 Avondale Ave.,

Stratford. 519-271-0990 or www.stratfordsymphony.ca.

From $10.


Joshua Bell Returns. Roy Thomson Hall,




● Nov 15 8:00: Acoustic Harvest. Black

Umfolosi. St. Paul’s United Church (Scarborough),

200 McIntosh St., Scarborough.

www.ticketscene.ca/events/53314/; www.

acousticharvest.ca. $35.

● Nov 15 8:00: David Glabais/Rifflandia

Entertainment Company. Unbreakable: A

Concert for the Princess Margaret (UHN).

Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.

mhrth.com. From $41.

● Nov 15 8:00: Heliconian Hall. Noam

Lemish: Quartet Album Release Concert.

35 Hazelton Ave. www.eventbrite.ca/e/noamlemish-quartet-album-release-concert-tickets-1696191778269.

$23; $12(st).

Sunday November 16


The Composer Is Dead. Roy Thomson

Hall, 60 Simcoe St. www.tso.ca or 416-598-

3375. Call or visit website for ticket information.

Also 4pm.



Violin & Piano Sonatas - Concert 2. Keffer






Music. Jan Lisiecki, Piano. Royal Conservatory

of Music - TELUS Centre - Koerner

Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.

rcmusic.com/performance. From $60.

● Nov 16 4:00: St. John’s Anglican Church

(Rockwood). Classical Piano Concert in

Rockwood. 112 Guelph St., Rockwood. 519-

856-9211. Voluntary contribution.

● Nov 16 4:00: St. Philip’s Recital Series.

Tim Beattie, Solo Guitar. St. Philip’s Anglican

Church (Etobicoke), 31 St. Phillips Rd., Etobicoke.

647-270-7257. Pay-what-you can. Suggested:

$20.


The Composer Is Dead. Roy Thomson



Also 1:30pm.

Tuesday November 18


Instrumental Series: The Classical

Thread. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,



updates.


Lunchtime Chamber Music: Rising Stars

Recital Featuring Performance Students

from the UofT Faculty of Music. Yorkminster

Park Baptist Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St.

416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com.







● Nov 18 7:30: Ancaster Memorial Arts

Centre. Sisters in Song: Suzie Vinnick.

357 Wilson St. E., Ancaster. 905-304-3232 or

www.memorialarts.ca/sisters-in-song/suzievinnick.

$59.



Instrumental Series: Rebanks Family

Fellowship Spotlight. Richard Bradshaw

Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the

Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.

ca/freeconcerts. Free. Please check website

for any programming updates.






● Nov 19 5:00: University of Toronto - Trinity

College Chapel. 70th Anniversary of

Trinity College Chapel. 6 Hoskin Ave. 416-978-

2522. Free.


Nick Maclean’s Snaggle Featuring The Ali

Brothers: An Asimov-inspired Jazz-Funk

Journey (Newmarket). George Whiskey

Lounge, 238 Main St. S., Newmarket. 416-

389-2643. $30(door); $20(adv). See separate

listings for appearances in other Ontario

locations.


Music. Ray Chen, Violin, with Chelsea Wang,

Piano. Works by Tartini, Saint-Saëns, Bach,

Bazzini, Dvořák, and Saraste. Royal Conservatory




● Nov 19 7:00: Toronto City Opera. Pagliacci.

918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts,

Media and Education, 918 Bathurst St. www.

torontocityopera.com/tickets. From $25. Also

Nov 22(2pm) & 23(4pm).

● Nov 19 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Jann

Arden Christmas Tour. Rose Theatre, The

(Brampton), 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. 905-

874-2800 https://tickets.brampton.ca. From

$65.

● Nov 19 8:00: Live Nation. Trombone

Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Massey Hall,

178 Victoria St. www.ticketmaster.ca/trombone-shorty-orleans-avenue-torontoontario-11-19-2025/event.

From $78.





Journey (Kingston). RCHA Club, 193 Ontario


St., Kingston. 416-389-2643. $25(door);

$20(adv). See separate listings for appearances

in other Ontario locations.


Romeo & Juliet. Roy Thomson Hall,



Also Nov 21(7:30pm) & 22(7:30pm).

● Nov 20 8:00: Modo-Live. Virginia to Vegas.

TD Music Hall, 178 Victoria St. 416-823-9193

or www.tickets.mhrth.com/7003/7004. $25.

Friday November 21






● Nov 21 7:30: DJB Live Entertainment. Toy

Story in Concert. Meridian Hall, 1 Front St. E.

www.tolive.com or 416-366-7723. From $25.

Also Nov 22(2pm).

● Nov 21 7:30: North Wind Concerts/

Toronto Silent Film Festival. In the Key of

Cocteau. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave.

www.universe.com/events/68ae1b6edf44910

028877f3b. $21.59.





Also Nov 20(7:30pm) & 22(7:30pm).

● Nov 21 8:00: Massey Hall. Classic Albums

Live: Madonna -The Immaculate Collection.

178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.

com/6887/6890. From $59.

● Nov 21 8:00: Massey Hall. Rheostatics. TD

Music Hall, 178 Victoria St. 416-823-9193 or

www.tdmusichall.mhrth.com/tickets/rheostatic.

Tickets are not currently available for

this concert. Also Nov 22.

● Nov 21 8:00: Moonhorse Dance Theatre.

Older & Reckless 25. The Fleck at

Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 231 Queen’s

Quay West. www.my.harbourfrontcentre.

com/41458/41459. From $30. Also

Nov 22(2pm & 8pm).


Music. Royal Conservatory Orchestra with

Mei-Ann Chen, Conductor. Royal Conservatory






Story in Concert. Meridian Hall, 1 Front St. E.

www.tolive.com or 416-366-7723. From $25.


● Nov 22 2:00: Don Heights Unitarian Congregation

(North York). Chopin’s Magic.

18 Wynford Dr., Suite 102, North York. 416-

321-0633. $40(door); $30(adv); Free(ages

under 14).





com/41458/41460. From $30. Also

Nov 21(8pm) & 22(8pm).





Nov 19(7pm) & 23(4pm).

● Nov 22 7:30: Array Productions.

The Array Ensemble: Future, Past, They

Disappear. Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave.

www.tickettailor.com/events/arraymusic1/1883765.

Live: $25 or Pay What You

Want; Livestream: $12 or Pay What You Want.




Journey (Ottawa). Night Oat, 750 Gladstone

Ave., Ottawa. 416-389-2643. $25(door);



● Nov 22 7:30: Cantabile Chamber Singers.

The Heart Remembers. Church of the

Redeemer (Toronto), 162 Bloor St. W. www.

zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/the-heart-remembers.

$30.

● Nov 22 7:30: Cantemus Singers. Gloria

in Excelsis: Carols & Motets of Tudor England.

Church of the Holy Trinity, 19 Trinity Sq.

www.cantemus.ca or 416-578-6602. $35;

Free(under 12). Also Nov 23(3pm) @ St. Aidan’s

Anglican Church.

● Nov 22 7:30: Guitar Society of Toronto.

Leonela Alejandro, Guitar. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian

Church (Toronto), 73 Simcoe St.

www.guitarsocietyoftoronto.com. From $25.

● Nov 22 7:30: Karen Schuessler Singers.

Go for Baroque! Wesley-Knox United Church

(London), 91 Askin St., London. 519-680-1146

or www.kssingers.com/#/kss/1. $30; $10(st);

Free(ages 6-13 when accompanied by an adult).

● Nov 22 7:30: Kitchener Waterloo Community

Orchestra. Celebrate the Joy of

Music. Knox Presbyterian Church (Waterloo),

50 Erb St. W., Waterloo. 519-744-2666

or www.kwco.org. $25; $22(sr); $18(univ/college

st); Free(high school st & younger).

UNIQUELY

Mass for the

Endangered

NOV 22, 2025

Jeanne Lamon Hall,

Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre

soundstreams.ca

● Nov 22 7:30: Soundstreams. Mass for

the Endangered. Trinity St. Paul’s United

Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the

Arts, 427 Bloor St. W. Information at www.

soundstreams.ca/events/mass-for-theendangered.

Tickets at www.rcmusic.com/

events-and-performances/soundstreamspresents-mass-for-the-endangered.

From

$22.60.





Also Nov 20(7:30pm) & 21(7:30pm).

● Nov 22 8:00: FirstOntario Concert Hall

(Hamilton). CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR! Un-

Silent Night: An Epic Holiday Sing-Along.

1 Summers Ln., Hamilton. www.ticketmaster.ca/choir-choir-choir-unholynight-an-hamilton-ontario-11-22-2025/

event/1000630595E913E9. From $46.

● Nov 22 8:00: Hugh’s Room. David Francey.

Hugh’s Room Live - Green Sanderson Hall,

296 Broadview Ave. www.showpass.com/

david-francey-2. $65.

● Nov 22 8:00: Ice Cap Entertainment.

The Liverpool 4. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria

St. www.tickets.mhrth.com/6633/6634.

From $71.

● Nov 22 8:00: Massey Hall. Rheostatics. TD

Music Hall, 178 Victoria St. 416-823-9193 or

www.tdmusichall.mhrth.com/tickets/rheostatic.

Tickets are not currently available for

this concert. Also Nov 21.





com/41458/41467. From $30. Also

Nov 21(8pm) & 22(2pm).


Music. Isabel Bayrakdarian: Ancestral

Songs, Prayers, and Lullabies. Royal Conservatory




Sunday November 23

● Nov 23 2:00: Peter Margolian and

Friends. Music for Voice, Strings, Winds

& Piano. Trinity St. Paul’s United Church

and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts,

427 Bloor St. W. peter.margolian@gmail.

com. Free.

● Nov 23 2:30: OperOttawa. Giulio Cesare

in Egitto. First Baptist Church (Ottawa),

140 Laurier Ave. W., Ottawa. www.eventbrite.ca/e/1288491224939.

$50; $25(st);

Free(under 10).

● Nov 23 3:00: Amici Chamber Ensemble.

Northern Lights: Inspired by Canada. Trinity

St. Paul’s United Church and Centre for Faith,

Justice and the Arts, 427 Bloor St. W. . $50;

$30(under 30); $100(donor ticket with a $50

tax receipt).

● Nov 23 3:00: Canadian Sinfonietta. Canadian

Sinfonietta Chamber Wine and Cheese.

Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. www.canadiansinfonietta.com.

$50; $45(ages 45 and

up); $40(ages 6-17).

● Nov 23 3:00: Cantemus Singers. Gloria

in Excelsis. St. Aidan’s Anglican Church

(Toronto), 70 Silver Birch Ave. www.cantemus.ca

or 416-578-6602. $35; Free(under 12).

Also Nov 22(7:30pm) @ Church of the Holy

Trinity, Eaton Centre.

● Nov 23 3:00: Les AMIS Concerts. Chamber

Music Concert. Trinity United Church

(Cobourg), 284 Division St., Cobourg. www.

tickets.cobourg.ca/TheatreManager. $40.


Music. Tony Siqi Yun, Piano. Royal Conservatory




● Nov 23 3:00: The Jeffery Concerts.

Toronto Symphony Orchestra Chamber Soloists.

St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church

(London), 280 St. James St., London. www.

grandtheatre.com or 519-672-8800 or jefferyconcerts@gmail.com.

$40; Free(st).


Ensemble Vivant. 171 Town Centre Blvd.,

Markham. 905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca/Online/Article/vivant.

Call or visit website for ticket pricing and

information.

SUN 23 NOV AT 4

Choral Evensong

plus at 4.45 p.m.

PUTTING THE

GARDEN TO BED

Stories, poems and music

with St. Olave’s Arts Guild

● Nov 23 4:00: St. Olave’s Anglican Church.

Putting the Garden to Bed. St. Olave’s Anglican

Church (Toronto), 360 Windermere Ave.

416-769-5686 or watch live or later at www.

youtube.com/StOlavesAnglicanChurch. Contributions

appreciated.





Nov 19(7pm) & 22(2pm).




Journey (Keene). Keene Centre for the Arts,

12 First St., Keene. 416-389-2643. $25(door);



● Nov 23 7:30: Music Toronto. MUSE: Tom

Allen & Friends - J. S. Bach’s Long Walk

in the Snow. St. Lawrence Centre for the

Arts - Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front St. E.

Nov 23

J.S. BACH’S

LONG WALK

IN THE SNOW

with Tom Allen

& friends

music-toronto.com



www.ticketmaster.ca/music-toronto-tomallen-and-friends-toronto-ontario-11-23-2025/

event/100062F0E9BE540E. From $60.

● Nov 23 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club.

Windborne. Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St.,

London. 519-319-5847 or folk@iandavies.

com. Tickets available at Marienbad Restaurant,

Chaucer’s Pub, Grooves (Wortley Village),

Long & McQuade North. $30/$25(adv).

Monday November 24


Jazz Series: Rhythm, Soul, and Swing.

Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons

Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen

St. W. www.coc.ca/freeconcerts. Free. Please

check website for any programming updates.

Tuesday November 25









Journey (London). Storm Stayed Brewing

Company, 169 Wharncliffe Rd. S., London.

416-389-2643. $30(door); $20(adv). See

separate listings for appearances in other

Ontario locations.

● Nov 25 7:00: TO Live. Wavelength

Music Series: Lael Neale + Isla Craig + Guy

Blakeslee. St. Anne’s Parish Hall (Toronto),

651 Dufferin St. www.wavelengthmusic.ca/

buy-tickets. $28.

● Nov 25 8:00: Massey Hall/Small

World Music. DakhaBrakha. Massey

Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.

com/6909/6910/. From $47.







● Nov 26 6:00: Painted Lady, The. Heidi

Savoie at The Painted Lady. 218 Ossington

Ave. www.heidisavoie.com or 416-531-5042.

Call or visit website for information.




Journey (Cambridge). Farm League Brewing,

295 Ainslie St. S., Cambridge. 416-389-2643.

$25(door); $20(adv). See separate listings for

appearances in other Ontario locations.

● Nov 26 7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic

Orchestra. Considering Matthew Shepard.

Mohawk College - McIntyre Performing Arts

Centre, 135 Fennell Ave. W., Hamilton. www.

hpo.org/event/considering-matthew-sheppard.

$50-$60(regular); $35(st).

● Nov 26 7:30: Opera Revue. OperaMANIA:

Opera Meets Pro Wrestling! Great Hall, The,

1087 Queen St. W. 647-637-7491 or www.

eventbrite.ca/e/operamania-an-opera-revuepro-wrestling-show-tickets-1716018610859.

$45.

● Nov 26 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Bluebird

Brampton. Rose Theatre, The (Brampton),


https://tickets.brampton.ca. $25.

● Nov 26 8:00: Massey Hall. Lamp - Future

Behind Me. 178 Victoria St. www.ticketmaster.ca/lamp-future-behind-me-torontoontario-11-26-2025/event.

From $48.



Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Roy Thomson



Also Nov 29(7:30pm) & 30(3pm).

Toronto Chamber Soloists performance on

Nov 27(6:15pm).




Journey (Toronto). My House in the Junction,

2882 Dundas St. W. 416-389-2643. $30(door);



● Nov 27 8:00: Massey Hall. Good Grief

Presents: The Inner Circle. TD Music Hall,

178 Victoria St. 416-823-9193 or www.tdmusichall.mhrth.com/tickets/rheostatic.

Tickets

are not currently available for this concert.

Friday November 28






● Nov 28 6:00: International Institute for

Critical Studies in Improvisation. Improvisation

Festival 2025. ImprovLab MacKinnon 28,

Winegard Walk, Guelph. www.improvfest.ca.

Free. Also Nov 29(2pm).



Violin & Piano Sonatas - Concert 3. Keffer





● Nov 28 8:00: Roy Thomson Hall/Toronto

Blues Society. Women’s Blues Revue. Roy

Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. www.tickets.

mhrth.com or 416-598-3375. From $53.

DOUBLE

DIXIT:

Lotti & Handel



NOV 28–30, 2025

Jeanne Lamon Hall

Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre

tafelmusik.org

● Nov 28 8:00: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.

Double Dixit: Lotti & Handel. Trinity St.

Paul’s United Church and Centre for Faith,

Justice and the Arts, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-

408-0208 or www.tafelmusik.org. $45. Also

Nov 29(8pm) & 30(3pm).




Journey (Oshawa). The Atria, 59 King St. E.,

2nd Floor, Oshawa. 416-389-2643. $25(door);










TSYO: Mendelssohn’s Reformation.

Meridian Arts Centre - George Weston

Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge St. www.tso.ca

or 416-598-3375. Single ticket prices to be

announced.

● Nov 29 4:00: Pax Christi Chorale. Children’s

Messiah. Church of the Holy Trinity,

19 Trinity Sq. www.paxchristichorale.org.

Admission by donation. Proceeds directed

to Church of the Holy Trinity’s outreach

programs.

● Nov 29 4:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre.

TOT Cabaret Series: Viva La Zarzuela. Edward

Jackman Centre, 947 Queen St. E., 2nd Floor.

416-366-7723 or 1–800-708-6754 or www.

ticketmaster.ca. $45.

● Nov 29 7:00: Elgin Wintergarden Theatre

Centre/Canadian Stage. Robin Hood: A Very

Merry Family Musical. Elgin and Wintergarden

Theatre Centre - Winter Garden Theatre,

189 Yonge St. www.my.canadianstage.com/

overview/9190. . Runs until Jan 4, 2026.

● Nov 29 7:00: Peterborough Singers. Yuletide

Cheer. Emmanuel United Church (Peterborough),

534 George St. N., Peterborough.

705-745-1820 or www.peterboroughsingers.

com. $40; $10(st).

● Nov 29 7:30: Jubilate Singers. Abya Yala:

Voices of Latin America. Christ Church Deer

Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-485-1988 or www.

jubilatesingers.ca. $35; $25(sr); $15(st/arts

workers).

● Nov 29 7:30: Milton Choristers. Handel’s

Messiah. FirstOntario Arts Centre (Milton),

1010 Main St., Milton. www.firstontarioartscentremilton.ca/en/shows-and-events/

performances.aspx or 905-875-5399. $35;

$25(sr); $20. Tickets available online or in

person at the Arts Centre box office.

● Nov 29 7:30: Opera by Request. Salome.

College Street United Church, 452 College St.

416-455-2365. $20.

● Nov 29 7:30: Scarborough Philharmonic

Orchestra. Festive Fables. Salvation Army


2021 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough. 647-

956-1182 or www.spo.ca. $40; $30(sr); $15(st

ages 14 & older); Free(children under 14).





Also Nov 27(7:30pm) & 30(3pm).

● Nov 29 8:00: Greater Toronto Philharmonic

Orchestra. Romantica. Calvin

Presbyterian Church (Toronto), 26 Delisle

Ave. www.gtpo.ca. From $30.

● Nov 29 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Classic

Albums Live Performs Pink Floyd’s The Wall

Featuring The Rose Orchestra. Rose Theatre,


The (Brampton), 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton.

905-874-2800 https://tickets.brampton.ca.

From $20.


John Pizzarelli. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.

905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.ca/Online/Article/vivant.

From

$15.

● Nov 29 8:00: Massey Hall. Gowan.

178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.

com/6503/6504. From $53.

● Nov 29 8:00: Massey Hall. Leanne

Betasamosake Simpson. TD Music Hall,


mhrth.com/7105/7106. $20.

● Nov 29 8:00: Mississauga Symphony

Orchestra. The Ravel Experience. Living Arts

Centre Auditorium, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga.

905-306-6000. From $55.


Music. Seong-Jin Cho, Piano. Royal Conservatory




● Nov 29 8:00: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.

Double Dixit: Lotti & Handel. Trinity St.

Paul’s United Church and Centre for Faith,

Justice and the Arts, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-

408-0208 or www.tafelmusik.org. $45. Also

Nov 28(8pm) & 30(3pm).



Brothers with Special guest MCBROWN

(Hamilton). The Doors Pub, 56 Hess St.

S., Hamilton. 416-389-2643. $25(door);



Jubilate

singers

Isabel Bernaus

conductor

Abya Yala

Sunday November 30

● Nov 30 11:00am: Xenia Concerts/City

of Mississauga. ASD Band. Living Arts Centre,

4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. Rory

McLeod at 437-441-7543 or Paolo Griffin at

paolo.griffin@xeniaconcerts.com. Registration

fee $5. To eliminate financial barriers,

we will refund your tickets when you attend

the event. If you wish to donate your tickets,

please let us know when you check in.

● Nov 30 2:00: Aurora Cultural Centre.

Moshe Hammer and Angela Park. Aurora

V o ICe S o F latIN a merICa

Featuring

the Canadian premiere of

Abya Yala Choral Suite

with

Nano Valverde

Freddy Vilches

Nico Vilches

Ernesto Cárdenas

by Freddy Vilches

Christ Church Deer Park

1570 Yonge St (at St. Clair )

Sat Nov 29 7:30 pm

jubilatesingers.ca

Town Square - Brevik Hall, 50 Victoria St.,

Aurora. 365-500-3313 or www.auroraculturalcentre.ca.

$30; $15(st).

● Nov 30 2:00: Hugh’s Room/Dudukhouse.

Ethnosonic - Debut Album. Hugh’s Room Live

- Green Sanderson Hall, 296 Broadview Ave.

www.showpass.com. Visit website for tickets

& information.

● Nov 30 2:30: Barrie Concert Association.

Fantasies and Visions. Bethel Community

Church (Barrie), 128 St. Vincent Street,

Barrie. www.barrieconcerts.org or 705-436-

1232. $40; $10(st).

● Nov 30 2:30: St. Vincent de Paul Church.

Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols.

263 Roncesvalles Ave. www.oratory-toronto.

org or 416-535-7646. Free-will offering.

Refreshments to follow.





Also Nov 27(7:30pm) & 29(7:30pm).

● Nov 30 5:00: Nocturnes in the City.

Chamber Music Concert. St. Wenceslaus

Church (Toronto), 496 Gladstone Ave. 416-

481-7294. $25.

● Nov 30 7:00: Apocryphonia Concert Series/Canadian

Institute for Czech Music.

Bohemian Holiday. Christ Church Deer

Park, 1570 Yonge St. 514-378-2558 or www.

eventbrite.ca/e/bohemian-holiday-a-festive-night-of-czech-classical-music-tickets-1501662225139.

$45; $35(discounted).

● Nov 30 7:00: Cantorei sine Nomine.

Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. St. Paul’s Anglican

Church (Uxbridge), 59 Toronto St. S.,

Uxbridge. . .

● Nov 30 7:00: INNERchamber Inc. From

the Salons of Paris. Factory 163, 163 King

St., Stratford. www.innerchamber.ca. $55;

$37(st/arts worker). A light dinner is served

from 5:45pm.

● Nov 30 8:00: Esprit Orchestra. Tour de

Force. Royal Conservatory of Music - TELUS

Centre - Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. www.

espritorchestra.com/events/tour-de-force.

From $20. 7:15pm - Pre-concert musical

insights with Alexina Louie & guests.

● Nov 30 8:00: Tafelmusik Baroque

Orchestra. Double Dixit: Lotti & Handel. Trinity

St. Paul’s United Church and Centre for

Faith, Justice and the Arts, 427 Bloor St. W.

416-408-0208 or www.tafelmusik.org. $45.

Also Nov 29(8pm) & 30(8pm).

Tuesday December 2

● Dec 02 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.


Stars Recital Featuring Students from

the Glenn Gould School. Yorkminster Park

Baptist Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St.

416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com.


● Dec 02 7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

Festival of Carols. Yorkminster Park Baptist

Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. www.www.

tmchoir.org or 416-408-0208. From $25.

Also Dec 3.

● Dec 02 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Merry Murdoch Mysteries in Concert.

Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. www.tso.

ca or 416-598-3375. Call or visit website for

ticket information.

Wednesday December 3

● Dec 03 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian


Concerts: Christmas - Jazzy Carols. 54 Queen

St. N., Kitchener. 519-578-4430. Free. Lunch

available for purchase at 11:30am or bring

your own.

● Dec 03 7:30: Confluence Concerts. Winter

Songs. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave.

647-678-4923. $30; $20(sty/arts worker).

Also Dec 4.

● Dec 03 7:30: Pax Christi Chorale. Christmas

Through the Ages. Eglinton St. George’s

United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd. www.paxchristichorale.org.

Choose your price: $10, $20, or

$40. Also Dec 6(4pm).

● Dec 03 7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

Festival of Carols. Yorkminster Park Baptist

Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. www.www.

tmchoir.org or 416-408-0208. From $25.

Also Dec 3.

Thursday December 4

● Dec 04 7:30: Confluence Concerts. Winter

Songs. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave.

647-678-4923. $30; $20(sty/arts worker).

Also Dec 3.


Home Alone in Concert. Roy Thomson



Also Dec 5(7:30pm), 6(2pm & 7:30pm),

7(2pm).

Friday December 5

● Dec 05 7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic

Orchestra. Handel’s Messiah. St. Catherine

of Siena Roman Catholic Church, 620 Rymal

Rd. E., Hamilton. www.hpo.org/event/handels-messiah-december

5-at-730-pm. From

$20. Also Dec 7(3pm).

● Dec 05 7:30: Kingsview United Church

(Oshawa). Durham County Town Singers:

Christmas Concert One. 505 Adelaide

Ave. E., Oshawa. 905-436-2000. $25. Also

Dec 6(2:30pm).



Hall, 60 Simcoe St. www.tso.ca or



416-598-3375. Call or visit website for ticket

information. Also Dec 4(7:30pm), 6(2pm &

7:30pm), 7(2pm).

● Dec 05 7:30: Upper Canada Choristers/

Cantemos. This Little Child. Grace Church

on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. www.uppercanadachoristers.org

or info@uppercanadachoristers.org.

$30; Free(under 16 when

accompanied by an adult). LIVE & STREAMED.

● Dec 05 8:00: Live Nation. Jessie Reyez: Paid

In Memories Tour. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria

St. www.ticketmaster.ca/jessie-reyez-paid-inmemories-tour-toronto-ontario-12-05-2025/

event. From $56. Also Dec 6.

Saturday December 6

● Dec 06 11:00am: Xenia Concerts/TO

Live. ASD Band with Phoenix the Fire. Meridian

Hall, 1 Front St. E. Rory McLeod at 437-

441-7543 or Paolo Griffin at paolo.griffin@

xeniaconcerts.com. Registration fee $5. To

eliminate financial barriers, we will refund

your tickets when you attend the event. If

you wish to donate your tickets, please let us

know when you check in.

● Dec 06 2:00: Festival Wind Orchestra.

Gather ‘Round the Piano. Salvation Army


2021 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough. www.

festivalwindorchestra.ca. $25; $15(sr/st);

Free(ages 12 & under).

● Dec 06 2:00: Sinfonia Ancaster. Home for

the Holidays. Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre

- Peller Hall, 357 Wilson St. E., Ancaster.

905-304-3232 or www.memorialarts.ca/

classical-music/home-for-the-holidays. $45.

Also 7:30pm.

•THE ANNUAL•

City

CAROL

SING

In collaboration

with

Saturday, Dec. 6, 2:00 pm

YORKMINSTER PARK BAPTIST CHURCH

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

BARBARA LICA

JEFF LILLICO

DEVO BROWN

FREE ADMISSION

● Dec 06 2:00: Yorkminster Park Baptist

Church/City TV. City Carol Sing. Yorkminster

Park Baptist Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge

St. www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Food

and cash donations welcome. In support of

Churches on-the-Hill Food Bank.





Also Dec 4(7:30pm), 5(7:30pm),

6(7:30pm), 7(2pm).

● Dec 06 2:30: Bel Canto Singers. Garlands

and Bows. Scarborough Bluffs United

Church, 3739 Kingston Rd., Scarborough.

www.belcantosingers.ca. $25; $5(child). Also

7:30pm.

● Dec 06 2:30: Kingsview United Church

(Oshawa). Durham County Town Singers:

Christmas Concert Two. 505 Adelaide

Ave. E., Oshawa. 905-436-2000. $25. Also

Dec 5(7:30pm).

● Dec 06 3:00: Brott Music Festival.

Musical Magic of Christmas. McMaster University

- L.R. Wilson Concert Hall, 1280 Main

St. W. , Hamilton. 905-525-7664. From $25.

Also 7pm.


Orchestra. Handel’s Messiah (Singalong).

Central Presbyterian Church (Hamilton),

165 Charlton Ave. W., Hamilton. www.hpo.

org/event/handels-messiah-december-6-at-

300-pm. From $20.

● Dec 06 4:00: Pax Christi Chorale. Christmas

Through the Ages. Eglinton St. George’s

United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd. www.paxchristichorale.org.

Choose your price: $10, $20, or

$40. Also Dec 3(7:30pm).

● Dec 06 5:00: Diapente Renaissance

Vocal Quintet. The Diapente Book of Carols

3. Grace United Church (Niagara-on-the-

Lake), 222 Victoria St., Niagara-on-the-Lake.

514-378-2558 or www.eventbrite.ca/e/thediapente-book-of-carols-3-niagara-on-thelake-tickets-1549130213169.

$30(Regular);

$20(Discounted). Also Dec 12(7:30pm) at St.

Thomas’s Anglican Church, Toronto.

● Dec 06 7:00: Brampton On Stage. This Is

Brampton: Crate Clash. Rose Theatre, The

(Brampton), 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. 905-

874-2800 https://tickets.brampton.ca. $15.

● Dec 06 7:00: Brott Music Festival. Musical

Magic of Christmas. McMaster University

- L.R. Wilson Concert Hall, 1280 Main St. W.

, Hamilton. 905-525-7664. From $25. Also

3pm.

● Dec 06 7:00: Mississauga Chamber

Singers. Christmas Joy. Christ First United

Church, 151 Lakeshore Rd. W., Mississauga.

www.mcsingers.ca or 647-549-4524. $30;

$15(under age 18).

● Dec 06 7:30: Bel Canto Singers. Garlands

and Bows. Scarborough Bluffs United

Church, 3739 Kingston Rd., Scarborough.

www.belcantosingers.ca. $25; $5(child). Also

2:30pm.

● Dec 06 7:30: Brampton On Stage. Brampton

Concert Band: Christmas at The Rose.

Rose Theatre, The (Brampton), 1 Theatre Ln.,

Brampton. 905-874-2800 https://tickets.

brampton.ca. From $20.

● Dec 06 7:30: Counterpoint Community

Orchestra. Winter Mosaic. East End/

Eastminster United Church (Toronto),

310 Danforth Ave. www.ccorchestra.org/

kilts-clarinets. $20; $12(youth).

A Ceremony of

Christmas

with

Erica

Goodman

Sat, Dec 6

7:30 pm

Runnymede United Church

● Dec 06 7:30: Etobicoke Centennial Choir.

A Ceremony of Christmas. Runnymede United

Church, 432 Runnymede Rd. 416-779-2258

or www.etobicokecentennialchoir.ca. $35;

Free(12 and under when accompanied by

an adult).

● Dec 06 7:30: Sinfonia Ancaster. Home for

the Holidays. Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre

- Peller Hall, 357 Wilson St. E., Ancaster. 905-

304-3232 or www.memorialarts.ca/classicalmusic/home-for-the-holidays.

$45. Also 2pm.

● Dec 06 7:30: Toronto Chamber Choir.

Toronto Classical Singers with

Dr. John Holland, Artistic Director

Presents:

Magnificats in D

Featuring:

Allison Arends, Soprano

Grace Quinsey, Soprano

Alexandra Beley, Mezzo-Soprano

David Walsh, Tenor

Christopher Dunham, Baritone

Toronto Classical Orchestra

4:00 PM DECEMBER 7th

CHRIST CHURCH DEER PARK

1570 YONGE ST

For tickets: TorontoClassicalSingers.ca/tickets


Missa Pastoralis. Calvin Presbyterian Church

(Toronto), 26 Delisle Ave. 416-923-9030 or

www.torontochamberchoir.ca. $40/$30/$5.





Also Dec 4(7:30pm), 5(7:30pm), 6(2pm),

7(2pm).

● Dec 06 8:00: Nathaniel Dett Chorale. An

Indigo Christmas: Glory to the Newborn King.

Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd.

www.nathanieldettchorale.org. $45; $39(sr);

$15(st); Free(under 12).

● Dec 06 8:00: Acoustic Harvest. “It’s

Good to Be Canadian” Celebration with

John Prince & A Piece of the Rock. St. Paul’s

United Church (Scarborough), 200 McIntosh

St., Scarborough. www.ticketscene.ca/

events/53315/; www.acousticharvest.ca. $35.

● Dec 06 8:00: Caliban Arts Theatre. Black


Series: Double Tribute to Sam Cooke and Bill

Withers. 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture,

Arts, Media and Education, 918 Bathurst St.

www.tickets.contxtbytrane.com/events/

contxtbytrane/1808178. All Shows Early Bird:

$95 (before Sep 10). All Shows Advance: $110


$45(door).

● Dec 06 8:00: Continuum Contemporary

Music. Pine Trees and Blue Sky. St. George’s

Grange Park Church (formerly St. George

the Martyr Church), 30 Stephanie St. www.

continuummusic.ca. Advance: $20; $17(sr/

arts worker); $10(st). Door: $25; $20(sr/arts

worker).

● Dec 06 8:00: Kindred Spirits Orchestra.

Sounds of the Season. Flato Markham Theatre,

171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. www.

ksorchestra.ca or 905-305-7469. From $25.

7pm: Silent Auction in support of music education

& the arts. 7:10pm: Pre-concert talk.

7:20pm: Prélude - Pre-concert recital. Intermission

discussion and Q&A with Harrison

Yang Meng and Daniel Vnukowski. Post-concert

reception.

● Dec 06 8:00: Live Nation. Jessie Reyez:

Paid In Memories Tour. Massey Hall,

178 Victoria St. www.ticketmaster.ca/jessiereyez-paid-in-memories-tour-torontoontario-12-06-2025/event.

From $56. Also

Dec 5.

● Dec 06 8:00: Royal Conservatory of

Music. TD Jazz Concerts: Echoes of an Era.

Royal Conservatory of Music - TELUS Centre

- Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-

0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.

From $65.

Sunday December 7

● Dec 07 11:00am: Aurora Cultural Centre. A

Christmas Carol. Aurora Town Square - Brevik

Hall, 50 Victoria St., Aurora. 365-500-3237 or

www.auroraculturalcentre.ca. $15.

● Dec 07 2:00: Toronto Choral Society.

Handel”s Messiah. Royal Conservatory


273 Bloor St. W. www.torontochoralsociety.

org. Visit website for tickets and information.





Also Dec 4(7:30pm), 5(7:30pm), 6(2pm

& 7:30pm).


Orchestra. Handel’s Messiah. St. Catherine

of Siena Roman Catholic Church, 620 Rymal

Rd. E., Hamilton. www.hpo.org/event/handels-messiah-december-7-at-300-pm.

From

$20. Also Dec 5(7:30pm).

● Dec 07 3:00: Music Toronto. MUSE Series:

What Makes It Great® - Vivaldi’s Seasons.

St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts - Jane Mallett

Theatre, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-7723 or https://

www.ticketmaster.ca/music-toronto-whatmakes-it-great-toronto-ontario-12-07-2025/

event/100062F0F05955A6. From $60.

Isabella Perron

● Dec 07 3:00: Orchestra Toronto. Seasonal

Celebration with the Sultans of String. Meridian

Arts Centre - George Weston Recital Hall,

5040 Yonge St. 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-

6754 or boxoffice@tolive.com. From $15. Preconcert

chat at 2:15pm.

● Dec 07 3:30: The Edison Singers. Handel’s

Messiah. Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate,

28 Norfolk St., Guelph. 226-384-9300 or

www.theedisonsingers.com/performances/.

$50; $45(sr); $25(st); $15(child).

THE ELORA SINGERS

Handel:

Messiah

Sunday, Dec. 7 at 4:00PM

St. Joseph’s Parish

760 St David St. N., Fergus

EloraSingers.ca

519-846-0331

Dec 7

WHAT MAKES IT

GREAT?®

with Rob Kapilow

VIVALDI’S

FOUR

SEASONS

Rob Kapilow

The Canadian Chamber Orchestra

music-toronto.com

● Dec 07 4:00: Elora Singers. Handel: Messiah.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (Fergus),

760 St. David St. N., Fergus. 519-846-0331

or www.elorasingers.ca. $60; $20(st);

$10(child).

● Dec 07 4:00: Amadeus Choir of Greater

Toronto. Christmas Oratorio: Eat, Drink,

and Be Merry! The Playground, 388 Carlaw

Ave. www.eventbrite.ca/e/js-bach-christmas-oratorio-eat-drink-be-merry-tickets-1542887430839.

From $45.

● Dec 07 4:00: St. Philip’s Recital Series. A

Charlie Brown Christmas. St. Philip’s Anglican

Church (Etobicoke), 31 St. Phillips Rd., Etobicoke.

416-247-5181. $25.

● Dec 07 4:00: Toronto Classical Singers.

Magnificats in D. Christ Church Deer Park,

1570 Yonge St. www.TorontoClassicalSingers.

ca/Tickets. $40.

● Dec 07 4:30: St. James Anglican Church

(Kingston). Candlelight Carol Service. St.

James’ Anglican Church (Kingston), 10 Union

St. W., Kingston. Visit www.stjameskingston.ca

or call 613-548-7254. Free. Donations

accepted.

J.S. BACH’S

CHRISTMAS

ORATORIO

A complete performance,

including dinner!

Sunday, December 7

Kingston Road United Church

Tickets available at amadeuschoir.com


● Dec 07 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber

Music Society. Luke Welch, Piano. Keffer



$30; $10(st).

Monday December 8

● Dec 08 8:00: Live Nation. The Tenors:

Joy to the World Tour. Roy Thomson Hall,

60 Simcoe St. www.ticketmaster.ca/

the-tenors-joy-to-the-world-torontoontario-12-08-2025/event.

From $75.

Tuesday December 9

● Dec 09 12:00 noon: City of St. Catharines.

35th Annual Civic Carol Concert. St. Thomas’s

Anglican Church (St. Catharines), 99 Ontario

St., St. Catharines. . . All proceeds to Community

Care. Contact info?

● Dec 09 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.

Lunchtime Chamber Music: Xuan

He, Piano. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church

(Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or

www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations

welcome.


Orchestra. Andrea Bocelli with Hamilton

Philharmonic Orchestra. TD Coliseum,

101 York Blvd., Hamilton. Visit Ticketmaster

for information on Platinum tickets. NOTE:

Standard tickets for this performance are

sold out. Official Platinum tickets can still be

purchased through Ticketmaster. HPO cannot

provide box office support for this event.


●


Dec 10 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian

Elmer

Iseler

Singers






TSO Holiday Pops. Roy Thomson Hall,



Also Dec 10(7:30pm), 11(2pm & 7:30pm).





Also Dec 10(2pm), 11(2pm & 7:30pm).

Thursday December 11





Also Dec 10(2pm & 7:30pm), 11(7:30pm).

● Dec 11 7:30: Sinfonia Toronto. Baroque

and Beyond - Holiday Treats. Trinity St.


427 Bloor St. W. www.sinfoniatoronto.com.

$52; $40(ages 60+); $20(st). Single tickets

on sale Jun 1.





Also Dec 10(2pm & 7:30pm), 11(2pm).

Friday December 12

● Dec 12 7:00: Canadian Sinfonietta. Canadian

Sinfonietta Youth Orchestra Winter

Concert. Agricola Finnish Lutheran Church,


Fri. Dec 12, 2025 at 7:30 pm

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church

25 Old York Mills Rd. www.canadiansinfonietta.com.

$50; $45(ages 45 and up);

$40(ages 6-17).

● Dec 12 7:00: St. Michael’s Choir School.

REJOICE! Jubilee Celebration – 60 Years at

Massey Hall - Annual Christmas Concert.

Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.

mhrth.com/7112/7191. $70. Also Dec 13.

● Dec 12 7:30: Diapente Renaissance Vocal

Quintet. The Diapente Book of Carols 3.

St. Thomas’s Anglican Church (Toronto),

383 Huron St. 514-378-2558 or www.event-

brite.ca/e/the-diapente-book-of-carols-

3-tickets-1501663398649. $30(Regular);

$20(Discounted). Also Dec 6(5pm) at Grace

United Church, Niagara-on-the-Lake.

● Dec 12 7:30: Elmer Iseler Singers. Handel’s

Messiah. Yorkminster Park Baptist

Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. www.

elmeriselersingers.com/events/handelsmessiah-2025

or 416-217-0537. $60; $55(sr);

$40(under 30).

● Dec 12 7:30: Music at St. Andrew’s. On

This Shining Night: An Evening of Music for

the Soul. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

(Toronto), 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600 x220

or www.standrewstoronto.org. $25. Available

through Eventbrite or at the door.

● Dec 12 8:00: Brampton On Stage. This

Is Brampton - Afrobeats: Motion & Vibes.



brampton.ca. $20.

Saturday December 13

● Dec 13 2:30: Live!@WestPlains. The Barrel

Boys - Bluegrass Christmas. West Plains

United Church (Burlington), 549 Plains Rd.

G.F. HANDEL

W., Burlington. 905-320-4989 or westplainsconcerts@gmail.com

or www.westplains.ca/

events. $35(VIP Front Pew); $35/$30(adv);

$20(ages 16 & under); $20(Livestream video).

Ticket includes access to concert video for 14

days following the concert.


Music Society. Flavius Wagner, Guitar.

Keffer Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University,

75 University Ave. W., Waterloo. www.

ticketscene.ca/kwcms. $25; $10(st).

● Dec 13 7:00: Univox Choir. Where the

Stars Meet the Snow. Christ Church Deer

Handel’s Messiah


THE CHOIR OF ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL WITH THE CHAPEL

CHOIR OF TRINITY COLLEGE, Uof T, AND ORCHESTRA

With Amadeus Choir, VIVA Chamber Singers,

Leslie Fagan, Catherine Wyn-Rogers,

Colin Ainsworth, and

Doug MacNaughton

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2025

7:30 P.M.

416-217-0537 elmeriselersingers.com

SCAN HERE:

EARLY BIRD

& REGULAR

TICKETS

AVAILABLE

LOCATION: ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL

106 KING ST E, TORONTO

DETAILS: stjamescathedral.ca/

messiah2025


Sunnndaaayyy, Deec 114 | :0000 ppmmm

Park, 1570 Yonge St. www.universe.com/starsmeetsnow

or www.voxchoirs.com. From

$25 with a $10 donation to the choir.

● Dec 13 7:00: St. Michael’s Choir School.

REJOICE! Jubilee Celebration – 60 Years

at Massey Hall - Annual Christmas Concert.

Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.com/7112/7191.

From $48. Also

Dec 12.

● Dec 13 7:30: Aurora Cultural Centre. Allison

Lupton’s Celtic Christmas. Aurora Town

Square - Davide De Simone Performance Hall,

50 Victoria St., Aurora. 365-500-3313 or

www.auroraculturalcentre.ca. $55; $15(st).

● Dec 13 7:30: Brampton On Stage. The

Rose Orchestra: Winter Carnival. Rose Theatre,

The (Brampton), 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton.

905-874-2800 https://tickets.brampton.

ca. From $15.


Orchestra. ‘Tis the Season. FirstOntario Concert

Hall (Hamilton), 1 Summers Ln., Hamilton.

www.hpo.org/event/tis-the-season.

From $20. 6:30pm: Pre-concert talks.

● Dec 13 7:30: St. James Cathedral. Messiah

by G. F. Handel. Cathedral Church of St.


or www.stjamescathedral.ca/messiah2025.

$45; $40(Early Bird pricing until Nov 1).

● Dec 13 7:30: Stratford Symphony Orchestra.

Special Event: Messiah. Avondale United

Church (Stratford), 194 Avondale Ave., Stratford.

519-271-0990 or www.stratfordsymphony.ca.

From $10. Also Dec 14(3pm).

● Dec 13 7:30: The Annex Singers. Radiant

Dawn. Grace Church on-the-Hill,

300 Lonsdale Rd. www.annexsingers.com.

RADIANT DAWN

From $15. LIVE & STREAMED.

● Dec 13 8:00: Alliance Française de

Toronto. Éphémère. Alliance Français de

Toronto - Spadina Theatre, 24 Spadina Rd.

www.alliance-francaise.ca. $18; $16/sr/st);

$15(AFT loyalty card); $12(ages 5-12); Free

(ages under 5).

Sunday December 14

● Dec 14 2:00: HCA Dance + Theatre. Performing

Arts Sunday Series (PASS): Seiler

Trio: Celebrating the Holidays, Together.

Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts - Black

Box Theatre, 126 James St. S., Hamilton. 905-

528-4020 or www.hcadancetheatre.com.

From $35.

● Dec 14 2:00: Toronto Children’s Chorus.

Songs of the Season: Nostalgic Movie

Moments. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe

St. 416-872-4255 or www.torontochildrenschorus.com.

From $56.30. Come at 1:15pm

for carols in the lobby before the concert.

● Dec 14 2:30: North Wind Concerts/

Toronto Silent Film Festival. Evergreen:

Renaissance Music for the Longest Nights.

Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. www.

bemusednetwork.com/events/detail/1061.

$30; $20(st/arts workers); $10(ages 12 &

under).

Flute Street

Flute Street

TORONTO’S

PROFESSIONAL

FLUTE CHOIR

PRESENTS

PRESENTS

Chestnuts,

Candy Canes

and Carols

SUN DEC 14, 4PM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 4PM

Director Peter Phillips

THE TALLIS SCHOLARS

DECEMBER 14

Buy tickets at

tolive.com

Lead partners

Meridian Arts Centre

George Weston Recital Hall

“One of the UK’s greatest

cultural exports."

—BBC Radio 3

Songs of

the Season

oof

Soongs

with the

Toronto Children’s Chorus

Nostalgic Movie Moments

thee Seeason

Toooorrroooonntoooo CChhildrrrenn’ss CChhoooorrruss

DECEMBER 13, 2025

AT 7:30 PM

ANNEXSINGERS.COM

www.flutestreet.ca

NEW VENUE

St Andrew’s United Church,

117 Bloor Street East

INFO: 416-462-9498

www.flutestreet.ca

ffffrrrrrrooooommmm mooviiiesss ccllaassssssiiicc .

hoolliiidaay A ccooooonnnncceeeeerrrrrrtttt ffffooooorrrrrr tttthhheeeee wwhhhooooollleeeee ffffaaaaammmmiiiilllyy !

Ennnnjoooooyy ffffaaaaammmmiiiillliiiiaaaaarrrrrr hhheeeeeaaaaarrrrrrtttt-wwaaaaarrrrrrmmmmiiiinnnng ttttunnnneeeees

tthhh

Caaarooooolllss innn tthhhee Looooobbbbyyy | 11:115 ppmmm

Roooooyyy Thhhooooommmssooooonnn Haaallllll

wwwwwwwww.ttooooorrrooooonnttoooooccchhildrrrennssccchhooooorrruss .cccooooom



● Dec 14 3:00: Off Centre Music Salon. Life

+ Death. Genius + Jealousy. Trinity St. Paul’s

United Church. Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor

St. W. www.offcentremusic.com. From $15.

● Dec 14 3:00: Stratford Symphony

Orchestra. Special Event: Messiah. Avondale



From $10. Also Dec 13(7:30pm).

● Dec 14 3:00: TO Live. The Tallis Scholars.

Meridian Arts Centre - George Weston

Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge St. www.tolive.com.

From $40.

● Dec 14 3:30: Peterborough Singers. Handel’s

Messiah. Emmanuel United Church

(Peterborough), 534 George St. N., Peterborough.

705-745-1820 or www.peterboroughsingers.com.

$40; $10(st).

● Dec 14 4:00: Flute Street. Chestnuts,

Candy Canes, and Carols. St. Andrew’s United

Church (Bloor St., Toronto), 117 Bloor St E.

416-462-9498 or www.flutestreet.ca. Call or

visit website for information.

CAROLS

BY

CANDLE

LIGHT

SUNDAY

DECEMBER 14

4:30 PM

ADMISSION IS FREE

● Dec 14 7:30: Metropolitan Winds of

Toronto. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

Salvation Army Scarborough Citadel Community

Church, 2021 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough.

416-321-8996. $20.

● Dec 14 7:30: Toronto Beach Chorale.

Ceremony of Carols. Kingston Road United

Church (Toronto), 975 Kingston Rd. www.

torontobeachchorale.com. $35; $25(youth).

Monday December 15

● Dec 15 7:00: Peterborough Singers. Handel’s

Messiah. Emmanuel United Church

(Peterborough), 534 George St. N., Peterborough.

705-745-1820 or www.peterboroughsingers.com.

$40; $10(st). Also

Dec 14(3:30pm).

● Dec 15 7:30: The Edison Singers. The

Wonder of Christmas. St. Mark’s Anglican

Church (Niagara-on-the-Lake), 41 Byron

St., Niagara-on-the-Lake. 226-384-9300

or www.theedisonsingers.com/performances/.

$45; $40(sr); $20(st); $10(child). Also

Dec 20(3pm) - St. Andrew’s United Church,

Branford; 22(5pm) - Knox Presbyterian

Church, Elora.

Tuesday December 16


Music Society. Beethoven’s Birthday Concert.

Keffer Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University,

75 University Ave. W., Waterloo. www.

ticketscene.ca/kwcms. $40; $10(st).

● Dec 16 7:30: Hannaford Street Silver

Band. Merry & Bright. Yorkminster Park Baptist

Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. www.

hssb.ca or www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com. .


Messiah. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe

St. www.tso.ca or 416-598-3375. Call or

visit website for ticket information. Also

Dec 17(7:30pm), 19(7:30pm), 20(7:30pm),

21(3pm).


● Dec 17 12:15: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian





● Dec 17 6:00: Painted Lady, The. Heidi

Savoie at The Painted Lady: Winesday.

218 Ossington Ave. www.heidisavoie.com

or 416-531-5042. Call or visit website for

information.





Dec 16(7:30pm), 19(7:30pm), 20(7:30pm),

21(3pm).

● Dec 17 8:00: Massey Hall. Good Lovelies

Holiday Concert. 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.

mhrth.com/6979/6980. From $53.

Thursday December 18

● Dec 18 7:30: Array Productions. Playscape

Emporium: Theatrics. Array Space,

155 Walnut Ave. www.tickettailor.com/events/

arraymusic1/1883790. Live: $25 or Pay What

You Want; Livestream: $12 or Pay What You

Want.

● Dec 18 7:30: Brott Music Festival. Handel’s

Messiah. Burlington Performing Arts

Centre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. 905-525-

7664. From $25.

HANDEL

MESSIAH



DEC 18–20, 2025

Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre

for Performance and Learning

tafelmusik.org

Yorkminster Park

Baptist Church

YorkminsterPark.com


Church. Carols by Candlelight. Yorkminster

Park Baptist Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St.

www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free.

● Dec 14 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. The

Barrel Boys - “Carols from the Barrel”. Chaucer’s

Pub, 122 Carling St., London. 519-319-

5847 or folk@iandavies.com. Tickets available

at Marienbad Restaurant, Chaucer’s Pub,

Grooves (Wortley Village), Long & McQuade

North. $30/$25(adv).

Toronto Beach Chorale

Mervin W. Fick, Artistic Director

BENJAMIN BRITTEN’S

BENJAMIN BRITTEN’S

CEREMONY

of

CAROLS

CEREMONY

of

SUNDAY CAROLS

DEC. 14 th • 7:30pm

Kingston Rd. United Church

975 Kingston Rd. Toronto

www.torontobeacheschorale.com

R VAUGHAN WILLIAMS’

FANTASIA ON

CHRISTMAS CAROLS

SEASONAL MUSIC

ARRANGEMENTS


● Dec 18 7:30: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.

Handel: Messiah. Royal Conservatory


273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.

tafelmusik.org. $45. Also Dec 19 & 20.

● Dec 18 8:00: Massey Hall. Classic Albums

Live: Pink Floyd - Animals. 178 Victoria St.

www.tickets.mhrth.com/6887/6891. From

$59.

Friday December 19

● Dec 19 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. Pub

Caroling with Paul Grambo & Steve Holowitz.

Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., London. 519-

319-5847 or folk@iandavies.com. Tickets

available at Marienbad Restaurant, Chaucer’s

Pub, Grooves (Wortley Village), Long &

McQuade North. Suggested donation: $10.




273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.






Dec 16(7:30pm), 17(7:30pm), 20(7:30pm),

21(3pm).

● Dec 19 8:00: Collective Concerts.

Christmas Hour with Noah Reid. Massey

Hall, 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.

com/7108/7109. From $68.

Saturday December 20

● Dec 20 2:00: Massey Hall. CHOIR! CHOIR!

CHOIR! Un-Silent Night: An Epic Holiday Sing-

Along. 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.

com. From $53. Also 8pm.


Wonder of Christmas. St. Andrew’s United

Church (Brantford), 95 Darling St., Brantford.

226-384-9300 or www.theedisonsingers.com/performances/.

$40; $40(sr);

$20(st); $10(child). Also Dec 15(7:30pm) - St.

Mark’s Anglican Church, Niagara-on-the-lake;

22(5pm) - Knox Presbyterian Church, Elora.

● Dec 20 7:30: Flato Markham Theatre. The

Wonderful World of Christmas - Graceland

Edition. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.

905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.

ca. From $78.




273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.






Dec 16(7:30pm), 17(7:30pm), 19(7:30pm),

21(3pm).

● Dec 20 7:30: VOCA Chorus of Toronto.

Winter’s Light. Eglinton St. George’s United

Church, 35 Lytton Blvd. www.vocachorus.ca.

$35; $20(st).

● Dec 20 8:00: Brampton On Stage. High

Priest Reggae Fest Featuring Exco Levi.



brampton.ca. From $20.

● Dec 20 8:00: Caliban Arts Theatre. Black


Series: Double Tribute to Teddy Pendergrass

and Barry White. 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture,

Arts, Media and Education, 918 Bathurst

St. www.tickets.contxtbytrane.com/events/

contxtbytrane/1808178. All Shows Early Bird:

$95 (before Sep 10). All Shows Advance: $110


$45(door).

● Dec 20 8:00: Massey Hall. CHOIR! CHOIR!

CHOIR! Un-Silent Night: An Epic Holiday Sing-

Along. 178 Victoria St. www.tickets.mhrth.

com. From $53. Also 2pm.

Sunday December 21

● Dec 21 1:30: Toronto Early Music Players

Organization (TEMPO). Workshop. Grace

Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. www.

tempotoronto.net or info@tempotoronto.net.


● Dec 21 2:00: Bernard Betel Centre. Edith

Piaf & French Love Songs. 1003 Steeles Ave

W. 416-225-2112 X103. $15(member); $25(non

member).

SING-ALONG

MESSIAH


Directed by Mr. Handel

DEC 21, 2025

Massey Hall

tafelmusik.org


Sing-along Messiah. Massey Hall,

178 Victoria St. 416-408-0208 or www.

tafelmusik.org. $45.

● Dec 21 3:00: Royal Conservatory of

Music. VOCES8. Royal Conservatory of Music

- TELUS Centre - Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St.

W. 416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.

From $65.

FESTIVAL

OF

NINE

LESSONS

& CAROLS

SUNDAY

DECEMBER 21

4:30 PM

ADMISSION IS FREE

Yorkminster Park

Baptist Church

YorkminsterPark.com





Dec 16(7:30pm), 17(7:30pm), 19(7:30pm),

20(7:30pm).


Church. Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church (Toronto),

1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.com.

Free.

● Dec 21 5:00: Nocturnes in the City.

Czecho-Slovak Dixieland and Pre-Christmas

Jazz. St. Wenceslaus Church (Toronto),

496 Gladstone Ave. 416-481-7294. $25.

● Dec 21 7:00: Brampton On Stage. Re-

Imagined: A Holiday Affair Featuring Divine

Brown. Rose Theatre, The (Brampton),


https://tickets.brampton.ca. From $25.

Monday December 22


Wonder of Christmas. Knox Presbyterian

Church (Elora), 51 Church St., Elora. 226-384-

9300 or www.theedisonsingers.com/performances/.

$45; $40(sr); $20(st); $10(child).

Also Dec 15(7:30pm) - St. Mark’s Anglican

Church, Niagara-on-the-lake; 20(3pm) - St.

Andrew’s United Church, Brantford.

● Dec 22 8:00: Roy Thomson Hall. Canadian

Brass: Home for the Holidays. 60 Simcoe St.

www.tickets.mhrth.com or 416-598-3375.

From $53.

Sunday December 28

● Dec 28 2:30: Attila Glatz Concert Productions.

Salute to Vienna New Year’s

Concert 2026. FirstOntario Concert Hall

(Hamilton), 1 Summers Ln., Hamilton.

905-546-3100 or www.ticketmaster.ca/

event/100062CA16195724. From $49.

Tuesday December 30

● Dec 30 7:30: Toronto Operetta Theatre.

Czardas Princess. St. Lawrence Centre for

the Arts - Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front St.

E. 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754 or www.

tolive.com or www.ticketmaster.ca. From $37.

Also Jan 2(7:30pm), 3(3pm) & 4(3pm).


● Dec 31 7:00: Attila Glatz Concert Productions/Roy

Thomson Hall. Bravissimo! -

New Year’s at the Opera. Roy Thomson Hall,

60 Simcoe St. www.roythomsonhall.mhrth.

com/tickets/bravissimo or 416-872-4255.

From $89.50.

Thursday January 1

● Jan 01 2:30: Attila Glatz Concert Productions/Roy

Thomson Hall. Salute to Vienna

New Year’s Concert 2026. Roy Thomson Hall,

60 Simcoe St. www.roythomsonhall.com or

416-872-4255. From $94.

● Jan 01 3:00: Stratford Symphony

Orchestra. Special Event: Messiah. Avondale



From $10.

Friday January 2

● Jan 02 7:30: Toronto Operetta Theatre.



E. 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754 or www.



tolive.com or www.ticketmaster.ca. From $37.

Also Dec 30(7:30pm); Jan 3(3pm) & 4(3pm).

Saturday January 3


Czardas Princess. See Dec 30.

Sunday January 4

● Jan 04 3:00: Li Delun Music Foundation.

New Year’s Concert 2026. Meridian Arts Centre

- George Weston Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge

St. 365-597-6788 or info@lidelun.org or www.

tolive.com/Meridian-Arts-Centre or 416-368-

6161. $40-$138.




E. 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754 or www.

Berczy Tavern, The

69 Front Street East

theberczy.com @theberczy

Music 6 nights a week.

Black Bear Pub

1125 O’Connor Drive

blackbearpub.ca @blackbearpubonoconnor

Instrumental jazz on Tuesday nights.

Black Swan Tavern

154 Danforth Avenue

blackswantavern.com @

blackswantavern1972

A Toronto Blues fixture since 1972.

BSMT 254

254 Lansdowne Ave. 416-801-6325

bsmt254.com @bsmt254toronto

Wide variety from jazz to hip-hop to DJ nights.

Bluebird Bar, The

2072 Dundas St. W. 416-535-0777

bluebirdbarto.com @thebluebirdto

Live music every Thursday.

Burdock

1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033

burdockto.com @burdockbrewery

A sleek music hall with exceptional sound.

Cameron House, The

408 Queen St. W. 416-703-0811

thecameron.com @the.cameronhouse

Nightly local roots acts on 2 stages.

Castro’s Lounge

2116 Queen St. E. 416-699-8272

castroslounge.com @castroslounge

Local live bluegrass, jazz, rockabilly, & more.

MAINLY CLUBS

tolive.com or www.ticketmaster.ca. From

$37. Also Dec 30(7:30pm); Jan 2(7:30pm) &

3(3pm).

Tuesday January 6

● Jan 06 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.

Lunchtime Chamber Music: Naomi

Wong, Piano. Yorkminster Park Baptist

Church (Toronto), 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-

1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free.

Donations welcome.

● Jan 06 6:00: St. Olave’s Anglican Church.

A Celebration of Epiphany. St. Olave’s Anglican




appreciated.

C’est What

67 Front St. E. 416-867-9499

cestwhat.com @cestwhatto

Real cask ale and live music.

Communist’s Daughter, The

1149 Dundas Street W.

@thecommunistsdaughtertoronto

Live music Saturday & Sunday afternoons.

Drom Taberna

458 Queen St. W. 647-748-2099

dromtaberna.com @dromtaberna

Wide variety of music 7 nights a week.

Duke Live, The

1225 Queen Street East. 416-466-2624

theduketoronto.com

Live music including a Sunday big band series.

Emmet Ray, The

924 College St. 416-792-4497

theemmetray.com @theemmetray

Live music 7 nights a week.

Epochal Imp

123 Danforth Avenue

epochalimp.com @epochal_imp

Specialty coffee, bar, entertainment & books

Free Times Cafe, The

320 College St. 416-967-1078

freetimescafe.com @freetimescafeofficial

Weekly Klezmer series, every Sunday.

Function Bar + Kitchen

2291 Yonge St. 416-440-4007

functionbar.ca @functionbarto

Open mic Tues & Sun; Soul and R&B Fri & Sat.

Grossman’s Tavern

379 Spadina Ave. 416-977-7000

grossmanstavern.com @grossmanstavern

Toronto’s self-described “Home of the Blues.”

Handlebar

159 Augusta Ave. 647-748-7433

thehandlebar.ca @handlebar_to

Ongoing, including open mic Tuesdays &

monthly jazz jam.

Hirut Cafe and Restaurant

2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560

hirutjazz.ca @hirutcafe

Quality live jazz and a quiet policy.

Hugh’s Room Live

296 Broadview Ave. 647-960-2593

hughsroomlive.com @hughsroomlive

Intimate performing space, great acoustics,

attentive audience.

Jazz Bistro, The

251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299

jazzbistro.ca @jazzbistroto

Historic location and world-class jazz.

Jazz Room, The

Located in the Huether Hotel, 59 King St. N.,

Waterloo. 226-476-1565

kwjazzroom.com @thejazzroom

Dedicated to the best in jazz music presentations.

Jean Darlene Piano Room, The

1203 Dundas Street West.

jeandarlene.ca @jeandarlenepianoroom

“Singalong karaoke open mic” Thurs, Fri & Sat.

Joni Restaurant at the Park Hyatt Hotel

4 Avenue Rd

jonirestaurant.com @jonirestaurant

Live music Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun..

Linsmore Tavern, The

1298 Danforth Ave. 416-466-5130

linsmoretavern.com @linsmoretavern

Rock, cover bands and Sunday blues.

Local, The

396 Roncesvalles Ave 416-535-6225

@thelocaltoronto

Pub fare, local beers and live music

Lula Lounge

1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307

lula.ca @lulalounge

Salsa, jazz, afro-Cuban, and world music.

Manhattans Pizza Bistro & Music Club

951 Gordon St., Guelph 519-767-2440

manhattans.ca @manhattans_guelph

Live music almost every night of the week.

Monarch Tavern

12 Clinton St. 416-531-5833

themonarchtavern.com @monarchtavern

Indie, rock, and other genres on stage.

Motel Bar

1235 Queen Street W. 416-399-4108

@motelparkdale

Casual and up-close live music.

My House in the Junction

2882 Dundas Street W. 416-604-4555

myhouseinthejunction.com @

myhouseinthejunction

Regular live music, including jazz every Friday.

Neu Lokal Social House

3047 Dundas St. W. 647-834-6363

neulokal.com @neulokal_social

Turkish restaurant with live music Thurs, Fri & Sat.

Noonan’s Pub

141 Danforth Ave. 416-778-1804

noonanspub.ca @noonansirishpub

Live music includes swing, blues, rock and country.

Old Mill, The

21 Old Mill Rd. 416-236-2641

oldmilltoronto.com @oldmilltoronto

Jazz Lounge:

Listenable straight ahead jazz.

Only Cafe, The

962 Danforth Ave. 416-463-3249

theonlycafe.com @theonlycafe

Wide range of music includes jam sessions &

young artist showcases.

Painted Lady, The

218 Ossington Avenue

thepaintedlady.ca @paintedladyossington

Cheeky saloon serving burlesque, & live

music.

Pamenar

307 Augusta Ave.

cafepamenar.com @pamenar_km

Live music, DJs, comedy, and more.

Pilot Tavern, The

22 Cumberland Ave. 416-923-5716

thepilot.ca @thepilot_to

Around for over 75 years, live Saturday afternoon

jazz.

Poetry Jazz Café

1078 Queen St W. 416-599-5299

poetryjazzcafe.com @poetryjazzcafe

Live jazz, hip-hop, and DJs nightly.

A vacation

for your dog!

Barker Avenue Boarding

in East York

call or text 416-574-5250

15% off your 1st clean If you can read this,

thank a music teacher.

MosePianoForAll.com

BUSINESS

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Economical and visible!

Promote your services

& products to our

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in print and on-line.

BOOKING DEADLINE: TUESDAY DECEMBER 9

classad@thewholenote.com


Redwood Theatre, The

1300 Gerrard Street East. 647-547-4410

theredwoodtheatre.com @

theredwoodtheatre

Music, dance, circus, comedy, and more.

Reposado Bar & Lounge

136 Ossington Ave. 416-532-6474

reposadobar.com @reposadobar

Top-shelf tequila, tapas, and live music.

Reservoir Lounge, The

52 Wellington St. E. 416-955-0887

reservoirlounge.com @reservoirlounge

Live music four nights a week.

Rev, La

2848 Dundas St. W. 416-766-0746

larev.ca @la.rev.toronto

A welcoming performance space, wide

musical range.

Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar, The

194 Queen St. W. 416-598-2475

therex.ca @therextoronto

Over 60 shows per month, Toronto’s longestrunning

jazz club.

Sauce on Danforth

1376 Danforth Ave. 647-748-1376

sauceondanforth.com @sauceondanforth

Live music Tues through Sat (and sometimes

Sun).

● Nov 07 11:00am: Hamilton Philharmonic

Orchestra. Talk & Tea: The Romantics.

Explore the life and music of Romantic Era

heavyweights Felix Mendelssohn and Giuseppe

Verdi. Abigail Richardson-Schulte,

host. FirstOntario Concert Hall (Hamilton),

1 Summers Ln., Hamilton. www.hpo.org/

event/talk-tea-the-romantics. $17.

● Nov 09 1:30: Toronto Early Music Players

Organization (TEMPO). Workshop.

Details to be announced. Francis Colpron,

session leader. Grace Church on-the-

Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. www.tempotoronto.

net or info@tempotoronto.net. $20 for

non-members.


Story in Concert. The animated classic on

the big screen in its entirety, accompanied by

a live orchestra. FILMharmonique Orchestra;

Francis Choinière, conductor. Meridian

Hall, 1 Front St. E. www.tolive.com or 416-366-

7723. From $25. Also Nov 22(2pm).

● Nov 21 7:30: North Wind Concerts/

Toronto Silent Film Festival. In the Key of

Cocteau. A screening of Jean Cocteau’s film

The Blood of a Poet with live musical accompaniment.

Debashis Sinha, Ben Grossman,

Colin Savage, and Alison Melville. Heliconian

Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. www.universe.com/eve

nts/68ae1b6edf44910028877f3b. $21.59.

● Nov 23 4:00: St. Olave’s Anglican Church.

Putting the Garden to Bed. Opens with Choral

Evensong, a religious service, and followed at

4:45 by Putting the Garden to Bed, with seasonal

stories, poems, and music presented

by St. Olave’s Arts Guild St. Olave’s Anglican

ETCETERA

Sellers & Newel

672 College Street. 647-778-6345

sellersandnewel.com @sellersandnewel

Intimate bookstore doubling as a live evening

music venue.

Smokeshow BBQ and Brew

744 Mt. Pleasant Rd 416-901-7469

smokeshowbbqandbrew.com @

smokeshowjohn

Cover artists and original music Thurs

through Sun.

Steadfast Brewery

301 Lansdowne Ave 416-343-9595

steadfastbrewingco.com @

steadfastbrewing

Live Trad Jazz, Mon nights; Bluegrass, Sun

afternoons; & more.

Tapestry

224 Augusta Ave.

@tapestry_to

Jazz, electronic music, soul, and more.

Tranzac

292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137

tranzac.org @tranzac292

Community arts venue, live shows, multiple

rooms, every day..




appreciated.






● Dec 07 3:00: Music Toronto. MUSE Series:

What Makes It Great® - Vivaldi’s Seasons.

Exploring Spring and Summer from Vivaldi’s

Four Seasons. Rob Kapilow’s commentary

paired with musical examples performed by

Isabella Perron and the Canadian Chamber

Orchestra St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts -

Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-

7723 or www.music-toronto.com/concerts/

muse2-wmig-vivaldi. From $60.

● Dec 21 1:30: Toronto Early Music Players

Organization (TEMPO). Workshop. Details to

be announced. Avery Maclean, session leader.

Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd.

www.tempotoronto.net or info@tempotoronto.net.


● Jan 06 6:00: St. Olave’s Anglican Church.

A Celebration of Epiphany. Followed by a light

supper and at 7pm an illustrated feature on

The Spirit in the Music: a Journey through

Jesus, Jazz and John Lennon, with the Very

Reverend Dr. Stephen Hance, the Dean

of Toronto and Rector of St. James Cathedral.

St. Olave’s Anglican Church (Toronto),

360 Windermere Ave. 416-769-5686 or

watch live or later at www.youtube.com/

StOlavesAnglicanChurch.

● Bad Hats Theatre. Narnia. Adapted &

directed by Fiona Sauder. Music and lyrics

by Landon Doak. Young Centre for the Performing

Arts, Baillie Theatre, 50 Tankhouse

Lane. www.tickets.youngcentre.ca.

Nov 18-Dec 28.

● Bowtie Productions. Tick, Tick… BOOM!

Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley St. www.

bowtieproductions.ca. Nov 7-15.

● Church of the Holy Trinity. The Christmas

Story. Professional musicians and a volunteer

cast present this charming hour-long

Nativity pageant. 19 Trinity Sq. 416-598-4521

or www.thechristmasstory.ca or christmasstory@holytrinitytoronto.org.

$25; $10(child).

Dec 6, 7, 13, 14, 19(7pm), 20, 21. Performances

at 4:30pm unless otherwise indicated.

● Crow’s Theatre & Musical Stage Company.

Octet. Written by Dave Malloy &

directed by Chris Abraham. An a cappella

musical about internet addiction. At Crow’s

Theatre (Dundas and Carlaw). www.crowstheatre.com.

Extended to Nov 2.

● Drayton Entertainment. Shrek The

Musical. Hamilton Family Theatre, Cambridge,

46 Grand Ave S, Cambridge. www.

draytonentertainment.com/theatres/hamilton-family-theatre-cambridge/shrek-themusical.

Dec 3-28.

● Drayton Entertainment. Cinderella: The

Panto. King’s Wharf Theatre, 97 Jury Dr.,

Penetanguishene (Nov 5-22) & St. Jacobs

Country Playhouse, 40 Benjamin Rd., Waterloo

(Nov 27-Jan 4). www.draytonentertainment.com.

● Canadian Stage / Elgin Wintergarden

Theatre Centre. Robin Hood: A Very Merry

Family Musical. Recommended for ages 3

and up. Winter Garden Theatre, 189 Yonge St.

www.my.canadianstage.com. Nov 29-Jan 4.

● Grand Theatre. Disney’s Frozen:

The Broadway Musical. Grand Theatre,

471 Richmond St., London. www.

grandtheatre.com/event/frozen.

Nov 18-Dec 28.

● Mirvish. & Juliet. Created by Canadian

David West Read. Royal Alexandra Theatre,

260 King St. W. www.mirvish.com.

Dec 3-Mar 3.

A gift that’s

ALWAYS

in season.

Long & McQuade

Gift Cards

MUSIC THEATRE

www.long-mcquade.com

● Garner Theatre Productions. Presented

by Mirvish. Bright Star. Music, Book & Story

by Steve Martin. CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre,

651 Yonge St. www.mirvish.com. Until Nov 2.

● Mirvish. MJ The Musical. CAA Ed Mirvish

Theatre, 651 Yonge St. www.mirvish.com.

Until Nov 2.

● Musical Stage Company. Uncovered:

The Music of ABBA. Koerner Hall, Royal Conservatory

of Music, 273 Bloor. St W. www.

musicalstagecompany.com/shows/uncovered-the-music-of-abba.

Nov 8-10.

● Royal Theatre. The Unauthorized

Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical. Written by

Tim Drucker & Bonnie Milligan. Music by

Joel Waggoner. Lyrics by Tim Drucker, Bonnie

Milligan & Joel Waggoner. 608 College St.

www.hallmarkish.com. Nov 20-Jan4.

● Shaw Festival. A Christmas Carol. By

Charles Dickens. Adapted for the stage by

Tim Carroll. Royal George Theatre, 85 Queen

St., Niagara-on-the-Lake. Nov 1-Dec 21.

● Shaw Festival. Irving Berlin’s White

Christmas. Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin.

Book by David Ives and Paul Blake. Festival

Theatre, 10 Queen’s Parade, Niagara-on-the-

Lake. Nov 7-Dec 21.

● Soulpepper Theatre. ’Twas on a Night

Like This. Created by Beau Dixon. Michael

Young Theatre, Young Centre for the Performing

Arts, Baillie Theatre, 50 Tankhouse

Lane. www.soulpepper.ca/performances/ona-night-like-this.

Dec 12-28.

● Theatre Aquarius. Disney’s Frozen: The

Broadway Musical. 190 King William St., Hamilton.

www.theatreaquarius.org/events/disneysfrozen-the-broadway-musical.

Nov 19-Dec 21.

● Tweed & Company. Hook!: A New

Family Musical. The Marble Arts Centre,

13 Bridgewater Rd., Tweed. www.

marbleartscentre.ca/hook-a-new-familymusical.

Dec 3-6.

● TYT Theatre. Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

Randolph Theatre, 736 Bathurst St. www.tyttheatre.com/ticketterms.

Shows at 11am &

3:30pm on Nov 1 & 2.

● Young People’s Theatre. Shrek The

Musical. Ada Slaight Stage, 165 Front St. E.

www.youngpeoplestheatre.org/shows-tickets/shrek-the-musical.

Nov 13-Dec 30.


DISCOVERIES | RECORDINGS REVIEWED

DAVID OLDS

DAVID OLDS

As I write this my street is adorned with ornamental lights,

pumpkins, goblins, skeletons and gravestones in advance of

Hallowe’en, so perhaps it is fitting that I begin my column with

a work based on ghost stories. Alice Ping Yee Ho is one of Canada’s

most prolific composers, and surely one of the most recorded, with a

discography encompassing 13 CDs devoted to her songs and solo piano

works, electronic dance scores, chamber music, orchestral pieces and

several operas. There are also some two dozen compilations that

include her compositions.

A recent case in point is Alice Ping

Yee Ho – Dark Tales, the latest from Duo

Concertante (Navona Records navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6748),

an evocative

five-movement work inspired by Tom

Dawe’s story collection An Old Man’s Winter

Night. Each movement channels a ghost

story rooted in Newfoundland folklore. The

Newfoundland-based duo of violinist Nancy

Dahn and pianist Timothy Steeves who

commissioned the work is in top form here, giving each movement a

distinctive colour.

From the brash opening of the title work, through the eerie

Landwash Spirits telling of shipwrecks and ghosts at sea, Sheba, in

which the narrator is saved by the dog he had previously had to put

down, the hauntingly beautiful Woman in the White Dress, to the

concluding House in the Drook which tells of the misfortunes that

befall a house built upon a “fairy ring,” the hour-long cycle captivates

our imaginations.

Originally premiered in an immersive performance with threedimensional

projections, the audio CD captures the intensity and

mystery of Ho’s vision, bristling with the enchantment of the

spirit world.

Although not eerie in the same way, Five

Scenes for Orchestra by Azores- and

New York City-based Canadian composer

Nathan Henninger (rich records nathanhenninger.com/music)

is equally dramatic.

The recording features the Scoring Berlin

Orchestra, session musicians drawn from

Berlin’s most prestigious orchestras, with

conducting duties shared by the composer

and Bernhard Wünsch. Although we are not given clues to a specific

story line from the movement titles – Misterioso, Maestoso, Brightly,

Misterioso and Gently – if you close your eyes you can likely invent a

scenario to go with the lushly orchestrated sounds.

The 20-minute suite is introduced with a brief prelude entitled

Horn (Henninger’s own instrument), setting the stage for the adventure

to come. I’ll let the composer’s descriptions give you a sense

of the drama that ensues: Scene 1 – a primordial or primitive space

out of which emerges the principal melody in the flute; Scene 2 –

opens eerily and develops the material in a spirited way; Scene 3 – a

diatonic space… drawing to a serene orchestral glow; Scene 4 – a more

dramatic, cinematic and dissonant exploration… as we encounter

darker elements; Scene 5 – shimmers as the celesta softly chimes

[and] the horn and flute share a poignant dialogue [before returning]

to the romantic theme in full bloom.

Toronto-born Henninger is a composer and conductor of music for

film, TV and the concert stage, all of which is reflected in this impressive

orchestral debut recording.

Another debut recording, Shades of

Mouring, features Israeli-born, New York

City-based cellist and composer Tamar Sagiv

(Sono Luminus SLE-70041 sonoluminus.

com/sonoluminus/shades-of-mourning).

In the notes Sagiv says “I am writing these

words while the Middle East, my place of

birth, is bleeding. Like me, my friends,

family, and neighbours who live on the other

side of fences built to divide us carry excruciating pain that flows deep

as the wars continue.”

The title work and the following Roots include a plaintive voice –

presumably Sagiv’s – rising above the solo cello line in a haunting,

evocative melody interrupted at times by yelps and brutal outbursts

from the cello. Intermezzo is a brief, peaceful meditation for

cello quartet in remembrance of her grandmother, with all lines

played by Sagiv.

For the next four pieces Sagiv is joined by Leerone Hakami, violin

and Ella Bukszpan viola. The first and fourth – And Maybe You Never

Used to Be and Imaginary World – show the influence of Philip Glass,

in particular his Mishima Quartet in the latter. My Clouds of Grief

captures the heaviness that follows mourners when “colors drain from

the world around you” and The End of Times in which Sagiv grapples

“with uncertainty. Will we find relief in our final movements, or will

pain be our lasting legacy?”

Inspired by Chet Baker’s Almost Blue the final two tracks – a solo

cello work and cello quintet, again with all parts played by Sagiv –

maintain the overall sense of grief, but Sagiv says “I wanted to end this

album not in sorrow, but with the same quiet hope that music has

always given me. The possibility that even after profound loss, we can

still move forward. Together.” Let’s hope she’s right.

There are some minimalist aspects to

David Occhipinti’s Camera Lucida (elastic

records davidocchipinti.bandcamp.com/

album/camera-lucida-elastic-recordings),

a collection of chamber works that

brings to my mind the music of the late

Michael J. Baker, longtime artistic director of

Toronto’s Arraymusic ensemble. The Camera

Ensemble comprises some fine Toronto jazz

players – Occhipinti on guitar, Michael Davidson, vibes and marimba,

Dan Fortin contrabass, Aline Homzy violin and Virginia MacDonald

clarinet – with special guests from the classical world on selected

tracks: Max Christie on clarinet and bass clarinet, Fraser Jackson

bassoon and Andy Ballantyne piccolo.

Well-known in the jazz world for his electric guitar work with Mike

Murley, Lorne Lofsky, Terry Clarke and others, this is not Occhipinti’s

first foray into chamber music – a previous recording with the Camera

Ensemble dates from in 2012. This current project combines composed

works with his guitar improvisations, and in the case of Southwark

a group improv. Occhipinti says “I don’t think of music as having

borders or labels. I like pictures of the earth that are taken from the

moon, or from space, where we see a big planet with no borderlines of

the countries. […] I think of music as a whole thing, and we can take

elements that have influenced us to create our own musical world.”

Camera Lucida is a successful blending of a number of styles, not

quite fitting into prescribed categories. Of particular note is the

marimba-centric Promised Kiss, with exhilarating solos from violin

and guitar. Although there is no rhythm section per se, there is no lack


of rhythm in these often boisterous tracks. One notable exception is

the quirky Playtime, an ethereal sound design piece utilizing wind

sounds from clarinet, vibraphone and glockenspiel, radio sounds and

whistling. But my favourite is Octavia where Jackson’s dancing

bassoon is given free reign.

And this just in… As the deadline for filing

my column fast approaches I have just

received a disc that is inspiring a nostalgic

romp down memory lane. Art Decade

(Cantaloupe Music contaqtnewmusic.bandcamp.com/album/art-decade)

comprising

some fabulous music from the time I spent

at CKLN-FM in the late ‘80s, is a wonderful

revisioning by Evan Ziporan and Toronto’s

ContaQt (formerly Contact). Compositions

by Robert Fripp, Harold Budd, Brian Eno and David Bowie are featured

in stunning arrangements by Ziporan and/or ContaQt founder Jerry

Pergolesi.

Ziporan’s clarinet and bass clarinet are integral parts of the mix,

with ContaQt members Allison Wiebe (piano, Rhodes, organ),

Andrew Noseworthy (electric guitar and electric bass), Pergolesi

(drums, percussion, trumpet), Mary-Katherine Finch (cello) and

Sarah Fraser Raff (violin) all contributing to the sometimes gentle

ambience and sometimes overpowering wall-of-sound. Fripp’s Red

and Larks’ Tongues in Aspic Part Two best fit this latter description,

guitarist Joao Carvalho adding to the forces on the former and electric

bassist Alex Kotyk supporting the bottom end in both. There is

an astounding energy here, and that’s not just my opinion – King

Crimson composer and guitarist Fripp calls Larks’ Tongues In Aspic,

Part Two “a triumph,” and describes Pergolesi and Ziporan’s version

of Red as having “a wonderful manic quality that many of those who

cover Red fail to get. By the end, all is good. The world may or may not

be in a better place, but it feels like it is.”

These head-bangers are contrasted beautifully by Not Yet

Remembered (Budd/Eno), Sense of Doubt (Bowie), and Moss Garden

and Neuköln (Bowie/Eno) with their calming and melodious textures.

The disc is brought to a gently scintillating conclusion with Fripp and

Eno’s Evening Star in an arrangement by Ziporan and Andrew Keeling

with guitarist Rob MacDonald added to the ensemble. All in all, this is

a surprising and satisfying disc. Thanks for the memories!

We invite submissions. CDs and DVDs should be sent to:

DISCoveries, The WholeNote c/o Music Alive, 192 Spadina

Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2C2*. Comments and digital releases

are welcome at discoveries@thewholenote.com.

*Please note new mailing address.

What we're listening to this month:

STRINGS

ATTACHED

I’m not always sold on how artists describe

the genesis of their CDs – violinist

Nancy Zhou, for example, describes

her new release STORIES (re)TRACED

as a personal response to the question

“What does it mean to be human?” – but

when it results in a recital as stunning as

this, who really cares? (Orchid Classics

ORC100379 orchidclassics.com/releases/

orc100379-stories-retraced).

Zhou has a strong, clear tone and virtuosity to spare, but always

with a striking musicality and interpretative power. Works by two

composers who were close friends open and close the disc: Ysaÿe’s

Sonata No.4 in E Minor, Op.27 No.4, which was dedicated to Fritz

Kreisler, and the latter’s Recitativo & Scherzo-Caprice, Op.6, both

superbly played. The Bartók Sonata for Solo Violin, Sz.117 and Bach’s

Partita No.1 in B Minor, BWV1002 form the middle section, the Bartók

in particular a towering and memorable performance.

It’s a really outstanding CD, with the remarkable Zhou at times

sounding anything but human.

On Another Night – A Celebration of Svend

Asmussen the Danish violinist Niklas

Walentin and the Snorre Kirk Trio of

drummer Kirk, pianist Calle Brickman and

bassist Anders Fjelsted present “a heartfelt

tribute” to Svend Asmussen, one of

Denmark’s greatest jazz violinists who

died in 2017 aged 100 (Orchid Classics


orc100320-another-june-night).

There’s a deep personal connection here: the 10-year-old Walentin

met the 90-year-old Asmussen back-stage after a concert, with the

two violinists later sharing a unique friendship. Asmussen gifted


TERRY ROBBINS

Game of Couples

Omar Daniel

Works that were written over the last

twenty years for the composer’s wife

Erika Raum, performed with some of

her most cherished colleagues.

Dark Tales

Duo Concertante: Nancy Dahn, violin

and Timothy Steeves, piano

Performed by Duo Concertante, DARK

TALES, is Alice Ping Yee Ho’s evocative

and powerful five-movement work

is inspired ghost stories rooted in

Newfoundland folklore.

Art Decade

Evan Ziporyn & ContaQt

Composer, producer, arranger,

and multi-instrumentalist Evan

Ziporyn and Toronto's renowned

ContaQt ensemble celebrate "art

rock" icons David Bowie, Brian Eno,

and Robert Fripp.

The almond tree duos

Melia Watras

18 pieces for violin and viola, with

the title referencing the symbol

of hope, forgiveness and new

beginnings in Oscar Wilde’s "The

Canterville Ghost."


Walentin a collection of 11 of his jazz arrangements, and they are

presented here with the violin solos remaining as true to the written

form as possible.

And just look at some of the 11 track titles: Don’t Get Around Much

Anymore, Someone to Watch Over Me, Basin Street Blues, All the

Things You Are (a Bach-flavoured violin solo), Embraceable You,

Fascinating Rhythm, Sophisticated Lady, The Nearness of You – it’s

all absolute magic, with gorgeous arrangements superbly played.

It’s apparently only available as a download or a vinyl LP and

not on CD.

The almond tree duos is the world

premiere recording of a work from 2019-

2021 by violist and composer Melia Watras

comprising 18 brief pieces for violin and

viola. The violin duties are shared by

baroque violinist Tekla Cunningham and

violinists Rachel Lee Priday and Michael

Jinsoo Lim (Planet M Records PMR-007

planetmrecords.bandcamp.com/album/

melia-watras-the-almond-tree-duos).

The work can be performed in several ways, from stand-alone pieces

through various combinations to a complete set; if the latter, the order

should be as recorded here.

Watras encourages experimenting with combinations of modern

violin and viola with baroque violin and viola. The end result here is a

fascinating soundscape, the three violinists providing a variety of

techniques, tonal colours and nuances to supplement Watras’ playing.

There’s another set of the Ludwig van

Beethoven Complete Violin Sonatas, this

time a 3CD box with the German duo of

violinist Lena Neudauer and pianist Paul

Rivinius (cpo 555 550-2 naxosdirect.co.uk/

items/ludwig-van-beethoven-completeviolin-sonatas-1281535).

While originally titled Sonatas for Piano

and Violin the 10 works, written in Vienna

between 1797 and 1812, permanently established

an equal and balanced partnership between the two instruments.

In that respect Rivinius is every bit Neudauer’s equal in a

beautifully-judged progression from the three early Op.12 sonatas

through a delightful “Spring” Sonata Op.24 to an imposing and

powerful “Kreutzer” Sonata Op.47.

There’s not a false note or moment throughout an outstanding set

that will stand comparison with any in the catalogue.

Pianist Paul Rivinius appears again, this

time with violist Christian Euler, on Brahms

| Schumann Works for Viola and Piano, a

CD featuring works from relatively late in

each composer’s career (Musikproduktion

Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 903

2353-6 euler-viola.com/en/tontraeger/

new-release-2025-brahms-schumann).

The central work on the disc is

Schumann’s Märchenbilder Op.113 or Fairy

Tale Pictures from 1851, a work that has no individual titles that might

suggest the content of the four movements.

In 1890 Brahms decided to retire from composing, but the following

year he met the clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld and was inspired to

write four works for him: the Clarinet Trio Op.114, the Clarinet

Quintet Op.115 and the two Clarinet Sonatas in F Minor Op.120 No.1

and E-flat Major Op.120 No.2. The latter are here in the composer’s

own arrangements, which he apparently felt were “clumsy and

unpleasant.” Changes to accommodate the viola were mostly octave

transpositions, but here Euler has “decided to play the original clarinet

version consistently and to fully exploit its large range.” It’s an interesting

choice.

On Brahms Three Sonatas the Armenian

duo of cellist Suren Bagratuni and pianist

Hrant Bagrazyan perform the two cello

sonatas as well as the composer’s own transcription

of his first violin sonata (Blue

Griffin records GBR677 bluegriffin.com/

cd-catalog/p/brahms-three-sonatas-forcello-and-piano-suren-bagratuni-andhrant-bagrazyan?rq=bagratuni).

The Sonatas for Cello and Piano in E Minor, Op.38 and in F Major,

Op.99 are given expansive readings, with both players displaying a

rich, warm tone. It’s simply lovely Brahms.

The central work on the CD is Brahms’ transcription, transposed

from G major to D major, of the Violin Sonata No.1, Op.78. I sometimes

have issues with cello transcriptions of violin sonatas, partly

because of the alterations to the melodic line – there are several octave

drops in the first movement in particular here – but also because they

usually bring the instrumental part down into the piano mid-range,

altering the nature of the tonal colour. Here, though, that extra

warmth is a positive addition, and there’s no denying the sheer beauty

of the playing.

French cellist Juliette Herlin and Canadian

pianist Kevin Ahfat are the duo on Herlin’s

debut CD Dialogue: Debussy & Schumann,

a recital of music by two composers

whose artistic kinship is often overlooked,

and whose music has long been

a part of the cellist’s life (Orchid Classics


orc100382-dialogue).

The more substantial tracks are Schumann’s Fantasiestücke Op.73,

Adagio & Allegro in A-flat Major Op.70 and Drei Romanzen Op.94,

and Debussy’s 1915 Cello Sonata in D Minor. Herlin arranged the

two Schumann Liederkreis and Debussy’s L’âme évaporée and

Beau soir, with the latter’s Nuit d’étoiles, Intermezzo and Rêverie

completing the disc.

Herlin has a warm, sweet tone well-suited to the music, and is given

fine support from Ahfat on a charming CD that rarely really

catches fire.

On the 2CD set From Eastern Europe

the husband and wife team of cellist

Marie-Elisabeth Hecker and pianist

Martin Helmchen present six works by

20th-century Russian composers (Alpha

Classics ALPHA827 outhere-music.com/en/

albums/eastern-europe).

CD1 has the Shostakovich Cello Sonata

in D Minor, Op.40, Schnittke’s remarkable

Cello Sonata No.1 and Stravinsky’s Suite

Italienne, K034B, drawn from his neoclassical ballet Pulcinella.

CD2 features Weinberg’s Cello Sonata No.2, Op.63 and Prokofiev’s

Cello Sonata in C Major, Op.119, the recital closing with a fine reading

of the Rachmaninov Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op.19, surely one of the

most glorious works ever written for cello and piano.

Hecker won the First Prize and two Special Prizes at the 2005

Rostropovich Competition and is clearly in her element here, beautifully

supported by Helmchen.

The Music of George Frederick McKay

sees the Formosa Quartet present the first

commercial release of the string quartets

of the mid-century American composer

George Frederick McKay (1899-1970)

(Orchid Classics ORC100381 orchidclassics.

com/releases/orc100381-formosa-quartet).

McKay founded the Music Department

at the University of Washington, where

he was the Professor of Music for 41 years


until 1968. The string quartets occupy a prominent place in his large

output, and are described here as reflecting his distinctive musical

language, shaped by influences ranging from Civil War era folk songs

and Native American melodies to avant-garde satire from the West

Coast urban scene.

The String Quartets No.1 “American Sketches” and No.2 “appassionato”

are from 1935 and 1937 respectively, while the String

Quartets No.3 “Poem of Life and Death” and No.4 “Mister Del Balboa”

are both from 1950. They’re strongly tonal, immediately accessible and

finely crafted works, given strong performances on this

welcome release.

Welsh Music for Strings is a CD of

world premiere recordings with the

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under

Owain Arwel Hughes (Rubicon Classics

RCD1198 rubiconclassics.com/release/

welsh-music-for-strings).

The simply beautiful Elegy by Grace

Williams (1906-77) was written in 1935 for

the newly-formed BBC Welsh Orchestra.

Described as “a prayer without words” the

stunning O Sacred Heart, by leading contemporary composer Paul

Mealor (b.1975), was written especially for this album.

The short but upbeat Romance by Morfydd Owen (1891-1918) is an

early work from a woman composer who died tragically young. The

heartfelt Aberfan, by Christopher Wood (b.1945) was written for the

50th anniversary of the 1966 Welsh disaster.

There are two works by Arwel Hughes (1909-88), the father of

the conductor: Gweddi (A Prayer) for soprano, chorus and strings,

featuring Jessica Robinson and the Côr Llundain, and the lush

Divertimento, recently discovered by his son.

The three-movement 1961 Music for Strings by William Mathias

(1934-92) completes a really lovely disc.

String music by the Czech composer Viktor

Kalabis (1923-2006) is presented on the

new CD from violinist Gidon Kremer, who

is joined by cellist Magdalene Ceple and the

Kremerata Baltica under Fuad Ibrahimov

in a recital of works by a lesser-known

composer whose career was impacted by

both the Nazi occupation of his country

and the Communist regime that followed

it (Hyperion CDA68474 hyperion-records.

co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA68474).

The earliest work here is the three-movement Chamber Music for

Strings, Op.21 from 1963. The two-movement Diptych for Strings,

Op.66 and the four-movement Duettina for Violin and Cello, Op.67


are both from 1987. Kalabis described the Diptych as “chaste of

expression – a study of new sonic possibilities of string ensemble,” but

there are some hauntingly beautiful moments here – especially in the

Op.21 – in music that seems to reveal more the more you listen to it.

Performances, as you would expect from Kremer and his friends,

are exemplary.

Compositions inspired by artworks are

featured on Airat Ichmouratov, a CD of

music by the Russian-born Canadian

composer, with cellist Stéphane Tétreault,

violist Elvira Misbakhova and Les Violons

du Roy under the direction of the composer

(ATMA Classique ACD2 2896 atmaclassique.

com/en/product/ichmouratov-the-ninthwave-viola-concerto-no-2-cello-concerto-no-1).

The 2018 Tone Poem for Strings: The Ninth Wave Op.61 is a response

to the painting of that name by the Russian marine artist Ivan

Aivazovsky, Ichmouratov saying that he used impressionist techniques

to capture the restless spirit of a turbulent ocean.

For his 2015 Concerto for Viola No.2, Op.41 Ichmouratov imagined

a scene from the childhood of J. S. Bach, the three movements being

written in a neo-Baroque style while also embracing Ichmouratov’s

own neo-Romantic voice.

Three paintings – Intrigues, Repentance and Moto perpetuo – by the

Montreal-based artist Natasha Turovsky inspired the 2008 Concerto

No.1 for Cello and Strings with Percussion, Op.18 and provided the

titles for the individual movements. Commissioned and premiered by

Les Violons du Roy, it has a striking middle movement mourning the

victims of the mid-century Soviet era.

The outstanding Hamilton guitarist Emma

Rush is back with the Life & Times of

Catharina Pratten, a delightful and fascinating

CD featuring the music of the

19th-century guitarist and composer

Madame Sidney Pratten and her associates

(Independent emma-rush.com/

the-life-and-times-of-catharina-pratten).

A child prodigy, Pratten was born

in Germany in 1824, her family moving to England in 1829. She

performed, composed and taught virtually up to her death in 1895,

her three guitar methods and her book Learning the Guitar Simplified

offering valuable insight into 19th-century guitar performance. There

are seven of her pieces here, along with short works by her father

Ferdinand Pelzer, her husband Robert Sidney Pratten, the Swiss child

prodigy Giulio Regondi, the German guitarist and composer Leonard

Schultz, Francisco Tarregá (who visited Pratten in London), the


Johannes Brahms Sonatas op. 120,

Robert Schumann Märchenbilder op. 113

Christian Euler, viola & Paul Rivinius, piano

Two Brahmsian masterpieces

foreshadowing the fin de siècle, and

Schumann's fairytale-like Märchenbilder -

transporting the listener into an enchanting

world of magic, poetry and longing.

Watching the Sky

Matt Sellick

Suite for flamenco guitar and

orchestra, featuring the Thunder

Bay Symphony Orchestra.

Available on all major platforms.

CDs available on Bandcamp.

Map of You

Daniel Janke, Rachel Fenlon

Listen to the music of composer

Daniel Janke, performed by Rachel

Fenlon

The Well-"Tampered" Clavier,

Book 1, arr. Post

Sam Post and Ralitza Patcheva

"I have been jumping up and down

with delight about the “Well-

Tampered” Bach...a spice that

brings to mind Jacques Loussier

‘jazzy’ interpretations of Bach."

Michael Barone, Pipedreams


English virtuoso (and Pratten student) Ernest Shand, and Pratten`s

student and biographer Frank Mott Harrison.

Rush plays two guitars from the 1850s, both associated with

Pratten, in an immensely satisfying and beautifully played recital.

There`s more outstanding guitar playing

on Cançioneta – Works for Guitar, with

the English guitarist Frederick Lawton

providing a snapshot of lesser-known

mid-20th-century Spanish guitar music

(Navona NV6723 navonarecords.com/

catalog/nv6723).

The main composer here is the pianist

Federico Mompou (1893-1987), who is

represented by his six-movement Suite

Compostelana, composed for Andrés Segovia in 1962, and two selections

– Nos.6 & 10 – from his 15-piece Cançions y Danzas piano

series, the former arranged by Paolo Pegoraro and the latter transcribed

by the composer.

Manuel de Falla`s Homenaje a Debussy is here, as are the threemovement

Suite Valenciana by Vicente Asencio (1908-1979) and the

delightful four-movement Sonata by Antonio José (1902-1936).

Lawton`s playing seems effortlessly clean, and his phrasing and

musicality are first class. The recording was made using vintage

microphones in order to give a warm and saturated tonal colour to the

performances, and it certainly produced the desired effect on a

terrific CD.

The Canadian Guitar Quartet of Steve

Cowan, Jérôme Ducharme, Christ Habib

and founding member Louis Trepanier is in

superb form on Empty Houses, a fascinating

programme of compositions and arrangements

(ATMA Classique ACD2 2883 atmaclassique.com/en/product/empty-houses).

The delightful Prologue, fougue et allegro

trépidant was written by Habib’s teacher Patrick Roux for the CGQ’s

20th anniversary, the three movements referencing Chopin, Piazzolla

and Bach. The other original compositions are Pulsar, by Belorussian-

American composer and guitarist Olga Amelkina-Vera – its exciting

rhythms gradually slowing to nothingness – and Renaud Côté-

Giguère’s four-movement title track, described by the composer as an

overview of his musical influences.

The hugely-effective Allegro con spirit from Mozart’s Sonata for

Two Pianos, K488 (one hand=one guitar!) was arranged by Trepanier,

who also arranged Areias Brancas, Orfeu Negro, a compilation of

musical themes by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfa from the

1959 French-Brazilian film Orfeu Negro that introduced the Bossa

Nova to the outside world.

The Thunder Bay flamenco guitarist and

composer Matt Sellick, now Toronto-based,

has spent much of the past decade orchestrating

many of his flamenco guitar pieces

and performing them with the Thunder

Bay Symphony Orchestra, conducted here

by Evan Mitchell on the resulting album

Watching the Sky (Independent mattsellick.com).

Five of these pieces in their original form

were included on Sellick’s 2014 CD After Rain, reviewed here in

February 2015, and despite this being an intriguing and well-crafted

project it’s difficult to feel that the orchestrations have enriched and

enhanced the compositions; rather, they seem to detract from the

original intimacy and impact and too often reduce the guitar to a

rhythm accompaniment role. The guitar’s crispness – and After Rain

had real punch – also tends to get softened in the recording balance.

The result is more of a Latin album than a flamenco album revisited,

with occasional shades of José Feliciano – not a bad thing by any

means. As such it has its attraction and its merits, but if you really

want to know just how good a composer and guitarist Matt Sellick is

then revisit After Rain.

VOCAL

Jim O’Leary – Echoes of a Vanished People

Helen Pridmore; David Rogosin; Karin

Aurell; Eileen Walsh; James Gardiner; Dale

Sorensen

Centrediscs CMCCD 34524 (centrediscs.

bandcamp.com/album/echoes-of-avanished-people)

! The Centrediscs

label of the

Canadian Music

Centre seems to

exist in the realm

of the classical

music landscape.

That’s where they

seem most relevant

although they bloom in art and folk song and

magically original expressions often merging

both disciplines. The extraordinarily flamehaired

and brilliant flutist Jaye Marsh sent me

a copy of her ethereal work, Flute in the Wild

(CMCCD 28921, 2021) and sent me scurrying

for more from the intrepid landmark imprint.

Point in case is Echoes of a Vanished People

where we hear the luminous-voiced Helen

Pridmore singing of people in the lonely landscapes

of our vast exquisite country; six extraordinary

works written by the eloquent Jim

O’Leary – an expert craftsman specialising in

Canadian art song.

O’Leary draws on poems and other lyrical

works by the Newfoundland and Labrador

author Michael Crummey and songs by

Susan Pannefather Gray and others. The

music and lyrics take us into the countryside

of O’Leary’s childlike imagination where

it mixes beauty and a long-ranging sense of

love for the grizzled past. The songs are evocative

of long rainy days and freezing nights.

Each track takes us into a wild place with

trusted and inspiring friends. Both O’Leary

and Pridmore have their fingers on the pulse

of a ruddy sanguinity of old in this auspicious

offering.

Raul da Gama

Daniel Janke – Map of You

Rachel Fenlon

Centrediscs CMCCD 32323 (danieljanke.

bandcamp.com/album/map-of-you)

! The music

recorded on

Centrediscs is

increasingly

wondrous and challenging.

This “existential”

repertoire

by Daniel Janke is a

wonderful example

of this. Vocalist and pianist Rachel Fenlon

interprets Janke’s Map of You, an exquisite

song cycle densely packed with ideas,

emotions, and depth of thought.

The idea of dealing with “existential

material” of this kind is sensational, with its

mixture of beautiful arias and recitatives. The

theme of Love in all its aspects is challenging.

For instance, the songs – The Drunken Lover

and Two Oranges in My Pocket – may even

change your way of perceiving characteristics

of love in opera.

Map of You is a work in progress by Daniel.

It is beautifully interiorized by Rachel Fenlon


who renders it in a wonderful manner. There

may not be a better shaping of an operatic

character. I am fairly sure that as the producers

dug deepest, they found an exquisite

partnership. Brava tutti.

Raul da Gama

Reena Esmail – Exaltations

Cathedral Choral Society; Steven Fox

Acis APL78314 (acisproductions.com/

reena-esmail-exaltations-cathedral-choralsociety-fox)

! Young American

composer Reena

Esmail presents

three rather short

numbers that are

unconventional in

ways that suggest

a different, looser

approach to writing

liturgical pieces for the Christian Church.

None of these pieces are underlaid with the

usual prayers found in similar church pieces,

but these Exaltations have very minimal

texts which are only words and short Mass

fragments that however serve in repetition

and emphasize the basic impetus to be both

joyous and contemplative.

The forces employed are a large mixed

choir, four soloists who only sing in the

second of the three parts, and a brass quintet.

The music is in a readily approachable liturgical

style universal in Christian religious

cultures throughout the latter part of the

20th century, being mostly tonal, though not

simply diatonic. There is a similarity to the

music of Holst, who was influenced by his

studies in East Indian music, in its feel and

harmony. Esmail is of East Indian extraction,

and she has almost surreptitiously

included a technical element of East Indian

Classical Music, in that each of these pieces

is in a different Raga, or melodic framework,

from the Indian tradition. This influences the

mainly homophonic tone setting, although

very subtly.

The performance and recording are first

class, and I suspect the whole project,

recorded live at the National Presbyterian

shrine Washington D.C. was conceived

by Stephen Fox, director of the Cathedral

Concert Society Choir. He has impressed in

recent years with his Rachmaninoff Project,

and in helping to resuscitate music by

Ethel Smythe.

This is a most interesting curio, I just wish

there was more of it.

Michael Doleschell

Owen Underhill – Songs and Quartets

Daniel Cabena; Jeremy Berkman; Quatuor

Bozzini

Collection Quatuor Bozzini CQB 2536

(collectionqb.bandcamp.com/album/

owen-underhill-songs-and-quartets)

! Owen Underhill

leapt at the idea

of having Quatuor

Bozzini record

his Second String

Quartet, written

after a chance

encounter with

John Cage in 1986

and later revised

in 2017. The Bozzini had previously recorded

his Trombone Quintet with soloist Jeremy

Berkman. Embarking on this new project

Underhill took the opportunity to compose

music for the quartet based on the poetry

of Henry Vaughan and Sir Walter Raleigh

(The Retreat and What is Our Life respectively),

with countertenor Daniel Cabenas and

Berkman playing the sackbut (an early trombone

dating from the era of the poems).

Northern Line – Angel Station String

Quartet No.2, was penned after witnessing

a performance by the Merce Cunningham

Dance Company with live music by Cage.

Underhill says “The final movement is a quodlibet

which includes four quotations from

Cage’s String Quartet in Four Parts (1949-

50), an amazing piece and an important work

in Quatuor Bozzini’s repertoire and discography.”

String Quartet No.5 – Land and Water

from 2017 is also in four movements which

“etch out connections to the natural world,

specific locations and personal experiences,”

according to the composer.

The larger works The Retreat and String

Quartet No.2 are outstanding. And What is

Our Life and String Quartet No.5 are among

Underhill’s most sophisticated. These are

stellar works, giant steps by a fine composer

who is surely on to even bigger challenges and

outcomes in a burgeoning catalogue. Owen

Underhill: Songs and Quartets, showcasing a

more lyrical side of the Bozzini Quartet, will

certainly make Underhill a more sought-after

composer and these performers much more

in demand.

Raul da Gama

CLASSICAL AND BEYOND

ORDO VIRTUTUM – Jeff Bird plays

Hildegard von Bingen: volume two

Jeff Bird

Independent 2025UTUM (jeffbird.

bandcamp.com/album/ordo-virtutum-jeffbird-plays-hildegard-von-bingen-volumetwo)

! A few years

ago, Guelph area

musician Jeff Bird

produced a unique

recording featuring

what he called

adaptations of the

music of Hildegard

of Bingen. He has

now followed up with a further collection of

pieces inspired by and adapted from this 12th

century German abbess, who must stand out

as one of the most remarkable individuals of

that mediaeval period. Hildegard produced

melodies for her nuns to sing communally [as

monks did with Gregorian Plainchant], and

inscribed these musical lines in illustrated



Owen Underhill:

Songs and Quartets

Quatuor Bozzini

“… vibrant density, rich colourism

and subtle lyricism…” “…outwardly

approachable and even somehow

familiar…” Quatuor Bozzini with

Jeremy Berkman, sackbut, and

Daniel Cabena, countertenor

A Flower for My Daughter

Sean Clarke

Ottawa composer Sean Clarke’s

debut album explores both

parenthood and music’s capacity

to bypass reason and language.

The Laws of Nature

Andrew Staniland

The Laws of Nature, from awardwinning

Canadian composer

Andrew Staniland, offers an album

of radiant, adventurous and genredefying

music.

The Honeybee Twist

Andy Haas & Brian g Skol

"The notes of an abstract nature

bristle, vibrate and trill to a near

amorphous global rhythm on

a most experimentally original

collaboration." Monolith Cocktail


manuscripts, designed with colours and ornaments,

which are beautiful in themselves.

As with Bird’s first collection, the chant has

been compressed to produce a faster moving

melody line, which follows the intervals of the

chant more quickly and renders them instrumentally

in arrangements that are based on

a main voice usually played on a harmonica.

There is no singing.

There are eight separate numbers, and

each features a very precise scoring of the

solo harmonica line, recorded and performed

meticulously with a limited vibrato, plus

another instrumental line which varies from

number to number, and forms organum

and pedal effects and echoes surrounding

the main melody, with strings in the first,

trumpet in the third, and we hear sections

with electric guitar, sruti-box, [tiny] pipe

organ and even a harp, but all in contemplative

flowing, very simple and clear lines.

The intense meditational focus eventually

creates an obsessive, mesmerizing quality, but

each of the numbers ends abruptly, usually

fading back before the next piece without

any cadential process. This disc could be an

effective background of calming music played

on repeat. The single sleeved album has a

minimum of notes, but is very elaborately

decorated, as is the CD itself.

Michael Doleschell

J. S. Bach – The Well “Tampered” Clavier

Book One (arranged Sam Post)

Sam Post; Ralitza Patcheva

Acis APL53516 (acisrecordstore.com)

! Sam Post, and

his piano-playing

partner Ralitza

Pacheva, play a

sensational Book 1

of J.S. Bach’s Well-

“Tampered” Clavier

here. More about

that title later. Both

books (24 preludes and fugues) work through

the 12 major and 12 minor keys on the instrument

as it was constructed at that time.

Unequalled in the profligacy of their

inventiveness, the books were intended

partly as a manual of keyboard playing and

composition, partly as a systematic exploration

of harmony, and partly as a celebration

of tuning technique – the “Well-tempering”

that enables playing in any key without

having to retune the piano. The twist in the

title may sound whimsical, but it is not as it

restores the Pythagorean (and other mathematical

elements) of the composition. As the

elements of melodic line, harmonic construction

and rhythmic invention are unfurled and

unfettered, the “Tampered” vs “Tempered”

title makes its charm even clearer.

Post’s and Ralitza’s quirky and clever interpretation

joins the annals of great recordings

– Glenn Gould’s and Friedrich Gulda’s

to cite a couple – of this masterful compositional

invention. The fugues, in as many

as five voices, are brilliantly constructed

and full of dance-like passages and strong,

concise melodies, and the preludes can be

seen as palimpsests of the poetic distillations

of Chopin’s Préludes and Études. Post and

Ralitza exploit the full range of the piano’s

sonorities; crisp, hard touch is used for the

more rhythmically motorised preludes.

Raul da Gama

Ernst Gernot Klussmann – Piano Quintet;

String Quartet No.1

Kuss Quartet; Péter Nagy

EDA Records EDA 055 (eda-records.

com/177-0-CD-im-Detail.html?cd_id=100)

! In the booklet

accompanying

this first-ever CD

devoted to Ernst

Gernot Klussmann

(1901-1975), Carsten

Bock suggests

that the neglect

of Klussmann’s

extensive output in all genres is “due to the

stigma attached to artists who worked in

Germany during the Nazi era.” Klussmann

had joined the Nazi party in 1933 but, insists

Bock, he “was anything but a Nazi… a timid

person who was careful to observe the rules

and laws.”

After listening to these two early works, I

submit instead that Klussmann’s “timidity”

and “careful observation of the rules” led him

to creating music that despite its intrinsic

merit is dismissed for too closely imitating

the composers he admired – Brahms, Mahler

and Schoenberg.

Klaussmann’s Piano Quintet in E Minor,

Op.1 (1925) opens with a yearning violin

melody that could have been written by

Brahms. Brahms reappears in the movement’s

tumultuous development and the rhapsodic

Adagio molto e cantabile as well as the noble,

vigorous anthem and fugal section of the

dramatic Finale. This thoroughly enjoyable

work might easily have entered the repertoire

had it been premiered a generation earlier.

Just a few years later, in his String Quartet

No.1, Op.7 (1928-1930), Klussmann abandoned

Brahms for the long-lined, chromatic

dissonances of Mahler and the Schoenberg of

Verklärte Nacht.

Pianist Péter Nagy and the Berlin-based

Kuss Quartet make a persuasive case for these

substantial works, both over half an hour,

both well worth hearing even if you’ve “heard

it all before.”

Michael Schulman

Edge of the Storm

Telegraph Quartet

Azica ACD-71381 (azica.com/albums/

edge-of-the-storm)

! This CD’s three

quartets date from

a decade when

their composers

lived on the “edge

of the storm” –

World War Two.

Benjamin Britten

composed his

remarkable String Quartet No.1 in D Major,

Op.25 (1941) in California, having chosen, as

a pacifist, self-exile from the U.K. Filled with

fresh melodies, surprising irregular rhythms

and strikingly original sonorities, it features

eerie, high-pitched shimmers over cello

pizzicati, an energized syncopated dance, a

driving scherzo abruptly punctuated by rude

outbursts, an extended elegy and a skittish,

exuberant and eventually triumphant finale.

In 1939, Mieczysław Weinberg fled from

Poland to the U.S.S.R. There, he composed

his String Quartet No.6 in E Minor, Op.35

(1946), a memorial to the millions of innocents

killed, including his parents and sister

who were murdered by the Nazis. Bittersweet

folk-like tunes contrast with violent turmoil,

a wailing klezmer melody, a grief-stricken

prayer for the dead, a ghostly Yiddish dance

(played using mutes), ending with a grandiloquent,

Shostakovichian proclamation of

survival after tragedy. Banned from performance

by Soviet authorities, this monumental

work wasn’t premiered until 2006!

During the Nazi occupation, Grażyna

Bacewicz participated in Poland’s

Underground Union of Musicians, which later

commissioned her String Quartet No.4 (1951).

Wistful melodies and optimistic passion

emerge from initial gloom, pulsating shadows

drift mysteriously and a spirited rondo based

on a Polish oborek dance accelerates to a

joyous conclusion.

Thanks to the virtuosic Telegraph Quartet,

quartet-in-residence at the University of

Michigan, for this superb CD.

Michael Schulman

Nightfall and Midnight Revels – New

Chamber Music from Two Centuries

Paul Cohen; Various artists

Ravello Records rr8117 (ravellorecords.

com/catalog/rr8117)

! Sadly, in the

world of chamber

music, the saxophone

is usually

not in the picture

at all; even in 2025

the standard strings

and wind instruments

usually take

precedence. Famous exceptions would be

William Walton’s brilliant Façade or various


transpositions of Bach, Hindemith and

other works.

Paul Cohen’s Nightfalls and Midnight

Revels does an excellent job of rectifying this

by highlighting many obscure works and

presenting “a distinguished array of music old

and new, including chamber works for trio,

quartet and quintet.” Cohen plays soprano

and alto saxophones in addition to the “conno-sax,”

a straight design in “F” (saxes are

normally tuned in B-flat or E-flat) which was

produced for only one year (1928). Other

instrumentation includes piano, violin, viola,

cello and other saxophones, and includes

pieces from 1932 to 2021.

There are several beautiful gems in this

collection – for example Wolfgang Jacobi’s

recently discovered Kleine Stucke (1932) and

John Sichel’s Piano Saxophone Quintet (2021)

– and I heartily urge everyone to give it a

listen: you will be surprised and intrigued.

Ted Parkinson

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY

Omar Daniel – Game of Couples: Chamber

music and songs

Various Artists

Centrediscs CMCCD 34124 (centrediscs.

bandcamp.com/album/game-of-couples)

! Toronto-born

Omar Daniel,

currently associate

professor of

composition at

Western University,

reliably rewards

listeners with his

patented formula

combining striking

melodies with dynamic rhythms, often, as in

this latest release, adding ingredients from

the music of his parents’ homeland, Estonia.

Violinists Erika Raum (Daniel’s wife) and

Emily Kruspe perform Giuoco delle coppie/

Game of Couples (2014). This “game” is

anything but “fun.” Six movements, all under

three minutes, range in expressive content

from the abrasive argument of the opening

Allegro barbaro (a favourite Daniel designation)

through distressed pleading, emphatic

assertions, depression, anxiety, finally ending

in a lonely, despairing, near-silent Adagio.

Pianist Lydia Wong joins Raum in the

five-movement Metsa maasikad/Wild

Strawberries (2009). With titles including

Horse Game, Spinning Song, Grew into a

Herder and The Mouse Goes to the Forest,

insistent rhythms and spiky melodies suggest

the rustic folkloric music of a lusty peasant

community.

More folkish melodies appear in Daniel’s

Ühekse eesti regilaulud/Nine Estonian Rugo-

Songs (2008, rev.2021), comprising songs

of harvest, cooking, games and a lullaby.

Soprano Xin Wang’s unrestrained hoarse

yelps – over innovative, discordant instrumental

sonorities provided by Raum, violist

Sharon Wei and cellist Thomas Wiebe – make

this a wildly exhilarating work!

Raum and Wiebe return in two Nocturnes

(2020-2021), a grim Adagio and an Allegro

molto that begins raucously but gradually

fades to a funereal hush. When will the

Toronto Symphony and/or the Canadian

Opera Company commission a major work by

this most-deserving composer?

Michael Schulman

What I Saw in the Water

ChromaDuo

Naxos 8.574578 (arkivmusic.com/

products/assad-bogdanovic-brouweriannarelli-kavanagh-what-i-sa)

! Five 21st-century

works by five

guitaristcomposers

are

lovingly performed

by Canada’s

ChromaDuo, guitarists

Tracy Anne

Smith and Rob

MacDonald.

Simone Iannarelli (b.Rome 1970) says

his Siete pinturas de Frida Kahlo “tries to

recreate the images, atmosphere, inside feelings

or background of these works of Frida,”

beginning with the rippling, impressionistic

Lo que vi en el agua, the source of the CD’s

title. The flamenco-flavoured Unos cuantos

piquetitos is followed by five mostly inwardlooking

pieces which offer pleasant listening

but are considerably understated compared

to Kahlo’s flamboyantly phantasmagoric

paintings.

The remaining works were written

expressly for ChromaDuo. The Circle Game

by guitar icon Leo Brouwer (b.Havana 1939),

inspired by Margaret Atwood’s poetry collection

of the same name, enigmatically mixes

minimalist pulsations with fragmented

phrases, interrupted by sudden silences.

The four-movement Sonata No.2 by Dušan

Bogdanović (b.Belgrade, 1955) offers brief

hints of Indian music, some jazzy riffs and

tantalizing snatches of several near-recognizable

old pop songs.

In the warm-hearted, ballad-like tone

poem, The Ghost of Peggy’s Cove, Op.14, Dale

Kavanagh (b.Halifax 1958) depicts the Nova

Scotia legend of a woman whose ghost haunts

the shore where she drowned herself after

seeing her husband die when he fell while

dancing on the rocks.

This multifaceted CD ends with the threemovement

Dyens en trois temps, a tribute by

Sérgio Assad (b.São Paulo 1952) to his friend,

Tunisian-French guitarist-composer Roland

Dyens (1955-2016), echoing, in turn, Dyens’

treatment of jazz, French songs and the music

of Brazil.

Michael Schulman



Heart Music

George Crotty Trio

“Heart Music” is a transatlantic

travelogue of creative encounters

within jazz, Hindustani raga, and

contemporary chamber music,

telling a story of curiosity and

exploration.

Je suis calme et enragé-e

Nour Symon

“… wholly monumental… dense,

edgy storytelling…” six works

exploring “positions of distress

and malaise in response to History,

scale of humanity and ecological

disasters”

Cosmic Cliffs

Whispering Worlds

An album that soars with serenity,

which is an apt proposition in the

present socio-political context.

Brahms, Balkans & Bagels

Oktopus

Let yourself be carried away by

this colourful album, straddling

classical and folk traditions —

from Brahms to the Balkans, from

Mahler to klezmer!


Sean Clarke – A Flower for My Daughter

Sean Clarke; Roger Feria Jr.; Talia Fuchs;

Nathan Bredeson

Navona Records nv6743 (navonarecords.

com/catalog/nv6743)

! Being a

published poet and

a dyed-in-the wool

Imagiste, this disc

registers with me

in the same way as

the poem A Prayer

for My Daughter

written by the great

poet William Butler

Yeats. However, the composer of A Flower For

My Daughter, Sean Clarke, has more of the

impressionist in him, leaning more towards

Claude Monet than Yeats. Clarke says “I wrote

this piece, slowly and late at night, in the year

after my daughter was born. I tried to capture

the feeling of holding my tiny sleeping child,

into the early hours, letting her rest when

she couldn’t sleep by herself, deep in my own

thoughts, hopes, and fears.”

But here, Clarke’s love for his wife is gloriously

expressed in the pain and joy of the

experience. It is both graphically and sonically

depicted in the melodic and harmonic

conception of the musical tapestry into which

it is woven, in textures that take us on a course

of music that references sacred flute works:

Mountain Hymnal for solo flute and resonance

performed by Clarke, Ballade featuring guitarist

Nathan Bredeson, and the Three Nocturnes,

after Monet which are imbued with impressionist

zeal by pianist Roger Feria Jr.

Connecting these, A Flower For My

Daughter intertwines a chamber opera sung

by Talia Fuchs titled Franey Trail – a silken

aria accompanied by Feria, wondrously

strung out to adorn the birth of Clarke’s child.

The fantastical world of David Lynch is also

beautifully referenced.

Raul da Gama

Lifeblood

Raphael Weinroth-Browne

Independent (raphaelweinroth-browne.

bandcamp.com/album/lifeblood)

! Thirty-three

year old Ottawaraised,Torontobased

cellist

Raphael Weinroth-

Browne has already

had a long and

diverse career, and

this latest offering

demonstrates his rocket trajectory has no

plans to slow down. Weinroth-Browne’s early

work in contemporary classical music has

grounded his solid technique, and his growth

and expertise continue to be explosive. From

his early years with Norwegian prog-rock

band Leprous in 2016, and studio albums too

numerous to mention, his experience and

breadth of skill defy description. Continuing

from his early days with the duo Kamancello,

Muskox, The Visit, and Glass Armour, where

Weinroth-Browne plays a multitude of instruments,

this artist has refused to be stapled

down as a classical player. Often described

as a “Black Metal” cellist, his growing stage

presence and elevated production quality

in sound, film, dance compositions and

live performances has given him a cult-like

following.

With Lifeblood, Weinroth-Browne pushes

further into his Rock/Metal Opera journey,

self-producing some of his best work yet.

With a Goth-like presentation, including

artwork and photographs of body art both

devoted to snakes, this album leaves no room

for doubt as to where this artist is going.

From the pulsating Neanderthal to the

transcendent, starry, restful motion of

Winterlight and the heavy-metal Possession,

the precision of every composition keeps

the work taught, each piece expanding to an

audio version of wide-screen cinema. The

final Glimmering‘s freely phrased opening

gives way to layered pizzicato lines overlain

with cello upon cello upon cello, painting

colours over colours and topped with fervent

motion upon motion. Even being familiar

with Weinroth-Browne’s style, this track’s

mixing, panning and overall production really

shines the album to a close.

Cheryl Ockrant

The Laws of Nature

Andrew Staniland

Leaf Music AS2025 (andrewstaniland.com/

thelawsofnature)

! A new release

on Leaf Records

features the latest

developments on a

new musical instrument,

called JADE,

developed over

the last decade

by the multifaceted

composer and musical theorist

Andrew Staniland. He has won many

awards in Canada throughout this century

and was the TSO Affiliate Composer in

2006. A professor at Memorial University

St. John’s Newfoundland, he founded their

ElectroAcoustic Lab where, with his crossdisciplinary

research team, he has been

developing the JADE concept. This is a

radically new digital music instrument and

one of its innovative features is that it will

respond to direct brain impulses transmitted

through a band worn on the head.

The sounds of JADE seem to have limitless

potential and it contains myriad musical

voices, textures and environments that

constitute these pieces. There are six compositions

that at first can elide into one another,

and there is a six-movement piece called The

Laws of Nature, which is intended as a single

piece although there is still great variety in

the different sections that make it up.

The actual substance of the sounds used

still seem to have been collected from reality

in an impressive array of sampling techniques.

Staniland has created a wide variety

of new voices and effects, in a basically tonal

setting. The ambient soundstage is an illusion

of JADE, which gives the music an atmosphere

to resound in. The effect is of being

in a complex musical environment, and the

listener is mostly unaware that the music is

entirely electronic, although some sections

are clearly electronically derived.

Since it is so rich and varied, this CD can be

listened to as a stimulating journey through

seemingly endless new vistas. Although this

music was developed as an accompaniment

for the Kittiwake Dance Company, it also

stands as a piece in its own right, but you will

not necessarily go away humming the tunes.

Michael Doleschell

The Honeybee Twist

Andy Haas; Brian Skol

Resonantmusic 021 (andyhaas.bandcamp.

com/album/the-honeybee-twist)

! New York based

Canadian saxophonist

Andy Haas

is back with a “duo”

release featuring his

diverse sax playing,

circular breathing

technique, special

effects, and improvising

brilliance

with the equally gifted Toronto-based percussionist

and drummer Brian g Skol. Recorded

in Toronto in 2024, the two musicians create

and combine their unique avant-garde

experimental sounds.

The slightly over 30-minute-long release

features eight improvised, experimental tracks.

The Eagle and Prometheus features ascending

melodies and repeated saxophone notes and

crashing cymbals and drums. A bouncy

groove is prevalent. The long-held saxophone

notes add variety with the intense percussion.

The title track opens with a “crunching” saxophone

sound, then repeated notes alongside

dramatic percussion and drums. Then a more

melodic, slightly atonal, detached melody is

like hearing the bee flying. The two musicians’

consistent, tight sense of time is especially

forefront in Myth Hysteria Blues where the

more melodic sax lines with percussion hits

have a quasi blues sound.

To be expected in experimental improvisations,

Haas and Skol incorporate numerous

musical elements which can create some

difficult and challenging listening. Their

complex effects, shifting dynamics, atonal

melodies, subtle touches of grooves like jazz

and blues, drones and wide-ranging percussion

add to the originality and beauty of

this music, especially with each repeated

listening.

Tiina Kiik


Gorécki’s World of the Piano

Jarred Dunn; Anna Gorécka

ATMA ACD2 2901 (atmaclassique.com/en/

product/goreckis-world-of-the-piano)

! To all the world,

Henryk Gorécki’s

best-known type of

music is long-form

– the symphonic

template – the

most celebrated of

which is his hauntingly

marvellous

Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, the Third

Symphony, that has become a million seller

– made so by the breathtaking sonorities of

Dawn Upshaw. It was matched – possibly

made more rich, transparent and meaningful

– by the Kilanowicz National Radio

Symphony Orchestra and a more spiritual

reading by Zofia Kilanowicz.

But for all the emotionally and powerful

symphonic and choral works, little is known,

much less performed, of Gorécki’s smaller

offerings. Spanning 1955 to 2008, Gorécki’s

World of the Piano presents his complete

works for one and two pianos, many

composed in the dark and difficult context of

post-war Poland. Jarred Dunn performs the

solo works and is joined by the composer’s

daughter Anna Gorécka for the duets.

Toccata For Two Pianos Op.2, the brilliant

outburst of Four Preludes Op.1, the

shimmering quietude of the Berceuse Op.9,

the longest of the Chopinesque miniatures

in his Intermezzo, and the extended Piano

Sonata No.1, Op.6 testify to the diversity of

Gorécki’s output. The music here gives full

reign to his characteristically high, shimmering,

patiently sustained chords along

with bell-like ones which mirror the intervals

confined to shorter, more tentative melodic

cells. Although Gorécki’s piano works are

difficult to give expression to, clearly Gorécka

and Dunn play them with deep meaning and

absolute mastery.

Raul da Gama

Ginastera – String Quartets

Miró Quartet; Kira Duffy

Pentatone PTC5187412 (pentatonemusic.

com/product/ginastera-string-quartets)

! Argentina’s

greatest composer,

Alberto Ginastera

(1916-1985), divided

his career into three

stylistic phases,

composing one

string quartet in

each of them. No.1, Op.20 (1948) typifies what

Ginastera named “Objective Nationalism,”

evoking the vibrant melodies and rhythms

of Argentine folk music. The 6/8 syncopations

of the melambo, a traditional gaucho

dance, dominate the first and fourth movements.

The second movement, Vivacissimo,

is a gossamer, quicksilver scherzo, while

the third, Calmo e poetica, is a melancholy

meditation.

In No.2, Op.26 (1958, rev.1968), reflecting

Ginastera’s “Subjective Nationalism”

period, he superimposed Schoenbergian

dodecaphony upon what he called “constant

Argentine elements such as strong, obsessive

rhythms… the quietness of the pampas,

magic, mysterious sounds reminding one

of the cryptic nature of the country.” The

opening Allegro rustico alternates aggression

with uncertainty; Adagio angoscioso

wanders through dark labyrinths; Presto

magico is another diaphanous scherzo; Libero

e rapsodico is an intense set of variations

on Ginastera’s song Triste el dio sin sol; the

finale, a perpetuum mobile, is appropriately

titled Furioso.

Ginastera added the human voice

to the extravagantly emotional No.3,

Op.40 (1973, rev.1978), a product of his

“Neo-Expressionism” period. American

Kiera Duffy’s shining soprano illuminates

verses by 20th-century Spanish poets Juan

Ramón Jiménez, Federico García Lorca and

Rafael Alberti that embrace musical and

sexual ecstasy, violent death and the silence

of eternity.

The Texas-based Miró Quartet effectively

produces textures from ethereal to caustic in

these powerfully expressive quartets, each

very different, each very rewarding to hear.

Michael Schulman

JAZZ AND IMPROVISED

Purposing the Air

Ingrid Laubrock

Pyroclastic Records PR38/39 (ingridlaubrock.bandcamp.com/album/

purposing-the-air)

! Music is poetic,

poetry is musical,

theirs is a magical

marriage when it

happens. Ingrid

Laubrock personifies

this alchemy,

but also shows that

there is immense beauty and depth to be

found in small things. On one hand, familiarizing

oneself with the source text here –

Erica Hunt’s Mood Librarian – would greatly

enhance its sense of proximity and connection

to Laubrock’s piece. On the other hand,

there is something to be said for moving

in the opposite direction, short-circuiting

orderly chronologies, escaping the page

before again setting foot squarely within its

perimeter. This work’s library defies chronology,

it is not a curation of order and sequential

notions, but rather of words that cater to

the expressive tendencies of improviser pairings,

with four singers interacting with either

cello, piano, electric guitar or violin.

These duos range from those playing

together for the very first time to pairs established

enough to have their own name (Duo

Cortona), which is a fascinating spectrum in

a vacuum but in practice it is striking how

imperceptible these differences are. Beyond

responding to Laubrock’s compositional

outlines, the musicians allow each word of

Hunt’s koans their own space to embody fullness,

leaving room for boundless rendering of

feeling. There is so much feeling in fact, that

it is all too easy to overlook that for each koan

only about two lines are being read. Every

voice is an instrument and every instrument

a voice. Trajectories are charted, but

the intersecting currents influence them just

as palpably.

Yoshi Maclear Wall

Déjà vu

Carlos Jimenez; Alexandre Cote; Pierre

Francois; Dave Watts; Alain Bourgeois

CAJ Music CD005 (carlosjimenez1.

bandcamp.com/album/d-j-vu)

! What we are

looking at is a

rollicking album

of eight songs

written in the style

of contrafacts (new

pieces based on

the chord changes

of existing works).

Its many styles include forays into jazz, folk,

Berlin cabaret, Middle Eastern and chamber

music of the post-serialist 20th century

conservatoire. But to describe it as such gives

the impression of overcooking when in fact

the whole project is a masterpiece of subtlety.

Carlos Jiménez’s take on the spacy and

the cool rippling horn-like tones from his

guitar summon woodwind-like tones from

Alexandre Côté’s alto saxophone which,

along with Pierre François’ piano, Dave

Waltz’s rumbling bass, and Alain Bourgeois’

world of drums, makes for something magically

different. This is the contrafact-world of

Carlos Jiménez’s Déjà vu. The performers’

long-limbed dreamworld of narratives crafted

into glassy sheets of harmonic soundscapes

with earthy melodies and rolling rhythms lift

up these songs to elevated heights.

Jiménez pilots a tall ship that navigates

deep and shallow waters. He rings in the

moods and changes with compositions and

improvisation; he dashes his music into

rocks, breaks free and glides rippling through

Deep Blue ink-black seas, with a Look At The

Stars in a brave new sound world all his own.

Raul da Gama


Fiat Lux

René Lussier; Robbie Kuster

Microcidi 044 (renelussier.bandcamp.com/

album/fiat-lux-2025)

! Listen to any

two tunes on

this14-track disc by

Montreal experimental

guitarist

René Lussier and

you’ll understand

why he’s now celebrating

a half-century career. Backed by

Swiss-born Montreal percussionist Robbie

Kuster, Lussier, who also plays electric bass

and daxophone (an electric wooden experimental

musical instrument) and Kuster, who

varies his percussion thrashing with hand

saw whines and nail organ vibrations, bound

from style to style with the same sophistication

and energy.

The guitarist’s shaking flanges and fuzz

tones brush up against drum pounding

on Rock 66. Rien d’aquis mates Kuster’s

patterning clips with simple reflective string

picking; while La Valise Du Vendredi is a

Québécois blues, featuring garbled mumbles

and perfect bottleneck frails. Lussier

even uses the wooden daxophone’s gaunt

voice-like drones to scrape alongside saw

reverb replicating the sounds suggested by

Guimbarde Et Brosse à Dents.

Fiat Lux isn’t all fun and games. Some of

the other Lussier originals mark his POMO

conversions that add C&W licks to an otherwise

understated improv melody or use

primitive whistling to humanize what stands

out as a heavy metal attack.

Unbeatable technique mixed with humour

also turns French folk composer Albert

Larrieu’s Biscuit – La Feuille D’Érable into a

Rock anthem with guitar feedback; and he

uses simple harmonies to break down Ornette

Coleman’s Haven’t Been Where I Left into a

progressive child’s song with chiming guitar

runs and zipping single notes.

There may be some music Lussier can’t

distinctively transform, but it’s not here.

Ken Waxman

Cory Weeds meets Jerry Weldon

Cory Weeds; Jerry Weldon

Cellar Music CMF102704 (coryweeds.

bandcamp.com/album/cory-weeds-meetsjerry-weldon)

! In a fast-paced

world where we

are constantly

bombarded and

pressured to keep

up with the latest

trends and objects,

renowned saxophonist

and bandleader

Cory Weeds’ latest release is a reminder

to slow our pace down and “stop and smell

the roses,” if you will. The album harks back

to the classic swing era with a fresh twist,

embodying the idea of honouring the classics

in an era where “newness” constantly

wants to take over. Weeds has gathered a

group of famed musicians for these recordings,

namely fellow tenor saxophonist Jerry

Weldon, pianist Miles Black, bassist John Lee

and drummer Jesse Cahill.

What captures the attention of the listener

right from the first note are the dual saxophone

lines, a unique aspect of the album

that pays tribute to “seminal tenor-battle

recordings of the past.” The record starts off

with the tune Hey Lock, where the listener is

treated to a driving drum rhythm, swinging

piano chords and the intertwining tenor

melodies of Weeds and Weldon. Taking the

tempo down for Just As Though You Were

Here, a well-known tune by jazz pianist John

Benson Brooks, the lyrical and mellow qualities

of Weeds’ skilled playing are showcased.

The album features a collection of jazz greats,

ending with the bandleader’s own composition

323 Shuter.

A perfect accompaniment for soon to be

chillier fall days, this is a worthy addition to

any jazz aficionado’s collection.

Kati Kiilaspea

Jacob Chung – Live at Al Frankie’s Jazz Club

Jacob Chung; Tyler Henderson Trio

Cellar Music CMF110924 (jacobchung.

bandcamp.com/album/live-at-frankie-sjazz-club)

! New-York based

saxophonist and

composer Jacob

Chung’s newest

recording is ample

proof that jazz is

most certainly not

going away anytime

soon and that the

younger generation is carrying the torch for

continuing this great musical genre. Chung

has gotten a group of truly skilled musicians

and friends together to breathe life into

this record: pianist Tyler Henderson, bassist

Caleb Tobochman and drummer Hank Allen

Barfield. The tracklist features a collection of

well-known tunes as well as a couple penned

by Henderson thrown into the mix.

Chung describes the album as “a true

snapshot of four friends just playing and

sharing our love for each other and the

music with an enthusiastic Vancouver audience.”

This friendship and love for the music

clearly shines through in every note of the

recording and is especially evident through

how balanced and “tight” each piece sounds.

The musicians are in tune with each other

and share a cohesive feeling throughout

the melodies and rhythms. Opening track

Jeannine stands out for its catchy bass line,

moving rhythms and soaring tune. Love

Endures, one of the aforementioned songs

composed by Henderson, is mellow yet energetic

and embodies both the traditional and

the modern. The fact that the recordings were

made unbeknownst to the musicians during

a live show is what really captures the essence

of the raw passion for this music and respect

for each other that this group has and holds.

Kati Kiilaspea

The Isle

Tommy Crane; David Binney

Elastic Recordings/MythologyRecords ER

022 | MR29 (davidbinney.bandcamp.com/

album/the-isle)

! Tommy Crane

is a Montreal

based drummer/

composer and saxophonist/composer

David Binney lives

in Los Angeles.

They have played

together several

times over the

years and collaborated on The Isle which was

recorded in Montreal in 2023 and “draws

inspiration from the city of Montreal itself—

its atmosphere, rhythms, and cultural landscape.

The city’s influence is evident not just

in the album title, but in the pieces themselves,

several of which are named after

neighbourhoods.”

One of the album’s most noticeable

strengths are the many atmospheric grooves

which are both relaxing and engaging.

Crane’s drumming gives each work a steady

and entrancing pulse like the St. Lawrence

which flows immutably past the busy island

of Montreal with its vibrant culture, traffic

and road construction. In fact, I can hear

horns and brakes in the slightly apprehensive

The Isle of Jam. Binney’s saxophone

is lyrical and limber, sometimes providing

long tones and then breaking into delightful

flights of fluttering bop lines. The tonal palette

is enhanced by several other musicians

on flutes, bass, keyboards and guitar. The

Isle creates a sense of expectant calm: you can

relax to it, listen while driving or anywhere

else you enjoy sampling a variety of evocative

moods.

Ted Parkinson

Heart Music

George Crotty Trio

Independent (georgecrotty.com)

! Having had

the good fortune

of recently seeing

cellist George

Crotty’s latest

album release of

his trio’s Heart

Music in concert,

I was excited to

find listening to

the recording just as engaging as the live

performance. The Toronto native has been

travelling and touring for many years, picking


up his heavy skills in jazz and many music

languages of the world, and this album

reflects on the wide diversity of the entire trio

which includes John Murchison on bass and

Jeremy Smith on percussion.

Crotty has many collaborations in his

credits including the Brooklyn Raga Missive,

the National Arab Orchestra, and years of

travelling and studies of Hindustani raga,

European jazz, and left hand pizzicato to

build the powerhouse of chops he has at his

disposal. The trio is unique in its combination

of jazz, classical, Arabic, Irish, flamenco and

music theatre, and each of the tracks on this

album is equally unique. Crotty plays the cello

in this configuration standing, allowing him

to move and lead freely.

From the opening Bandish, based on

an evening raga, and Heart Music and The

Task at Hand, both of which use exceptionally

intricate left-hand pizzicato, we experience

the power of Crotty’s technique on the

cello. The spooky intro to Twelfth House gives

way to a jazz-infused exploration of dreams.

The following track A Game features playful

episodes within the group, and the cinematic

Cigarettes at Sunrise includes Crotty

in duet with himself in a live cello loop. The

album closes with my favourite track Saturn

Returns, a complex expansion of chords in

parallel fifths on the cello, polyrhythms, and

a group improvisation showcasing the entire

trio, a solid brew of skill and inspiration from

around the world.

Cheryl Ockrant

I Am Doing My Best

Curtis Nowosad

Independent CN002 (curtisnowosad.

bandcamp.com/

album/i-am-doing-my-best)

! With I Am Doing

My Best the harddriving

percussionist

is wearing

his emotions on

his sleeve – even

carrying the weight

of living on his

shoulders. Nowosad

belongs to the “bracing change” in this literal

sense. Edgy and unpredictable, an ensemble

that is invigorating as a shower of ice-cold

water on a day that is by turns hot and cold.

This album is set out in eight short and

vivid movements, each with an evocative

title. For example: What We Do, Choices (A

Butterfly Breaks Free), Mythologies (The

Stories We Tell). Nowosad brings together

several guests: the brilliant vocalist Joanna

Majoko, the JUNO-Award winning singer

and songwriter Joey Landreth and guitarist

Andrew Renfroe whose harmonics scorch

the fretboard. All the while the performers

brilliantly subscribe to the leader’s vision

and artistry with which this gritty music is

conceived and articulated.

Nowosad’s music shifts from a fecund kind

of beauty to a dirty bluesy volatility. On What

We Do we feel the unexpected jolts of a man’s

forsaken cry, loosed upon the rumble and

thunder of his drums, and in the quiet sizzle

of the well-tempered and singing tissue of

his brass, superbly aligned to the bronzed,

glistening voice of Majoko. (I’m Learning To

Be) Kind is a gush that pushes wind into the

song’s sails. The Archer (I’m Doing My Best)

featuring Landreth and Majoko closes out a

fine album.

Raul da Gama

Dream

Nancy Newman; Jennifer Scott; Rene

Worst; Buff Allen; Bill Buckingham

Independent (nancynmusic.com/newalbum-dream)

! Women who

interpret standards

with allure

and uncommon

wisdom and grace

can be all-too rare,

but for this Nancy

Newman certainly

gets my vote. She is

an erudite vocalist, a natural stylist who can

work with any kind of material and interprets

standards with a completely independent

mindset. Her phrasing is brilliant and so is

the emotion she puts into a phrase. While

digging into every word, she emerges like

a breath of fresh air, giving each work a

special grace.

Newman is not fazed by the limitations

of her range. On Dream, a repertoire that

includes film songs and other standards, she

has set down authoritative accounts of what

is billed as the Great American Songbook.

Newman’s interpretations of Bond theme

songs are quite special. On every one of them

it feels as if she has a new story to tell. And

with each one, the story of Mr. Bond takes on

a new, more graceful, often more menacing,

and energetic face.

Raul da Gama

Multiverse

Nicolas Ferron Trio

Independent (nicolasferron.bandcamp.

com/album/multiverse-2)

! The organ trio

setting is truly a

dream for guitarists.

One is able to

play chords as they

might in a trio with

bass and drums,

but there is ample

harmonic accompaniment

available when needed, rivalling

that of a quartet with piano. To an audience

there is a funky accessibility present on gigs

and recordings that utilise organ, regardless

of how esoteric the repertoire may get.

Modern jazz doesn’t necessitate esotericism,

but I was thrilled to hear such fresh and interesting

new sounds when I first experienced

Multiverse.

The 2020s experienced a renaissance of

very traditional jazz guitar playing, ranging

from players who honour their valuable influences,

to those who sound stuck in a bygone

era. Guitarist Nic Ferron eschews any entrapment

in nostalgia, whilst staying grounded

in the rich tradition of the instrument. He’s

joined by Jonathan Cayer on organ, and Louis-

Vincent Hamel on drums, who function

beautifully as a rhythm section.

The album’s namesake and title track

Multiverse features an upbeat groove and

energetic trading between Cayer and Ferron

in its solo section. This sets the tone for the

tracks that follow, which are each simultaneously

contrasting yet unified. Valencia

begins with a guitar pattern that would sound

apropos of either Radiohead, or Leo Brouwer,

and moves on towards groovier territories.

Each time I’ve listened to Multiverse it’s

felt like a brief vignette, but at just over 47

minutes in duration, it’s no doubt a full

album. That is a shining endorsement of

its intrigue.

Sam Dickinson

Stars, Engines

Valley Voice

Elastic Recordings (harrisonargatoff.

bandcamp.com/album/stars-engines)

! I first came

across the beautifully

creative noodlings

of native

Torontonian

Harrison Argatoff

somewhere around

2020 while walking

through a local

ravine underpass, where I came upon the

saxophonist using the cement structure as a

resonance box, creating long tonal phrases

and rhythmic rounds which became the

Toronto Streets Tour album. I’ve been hooked

on Argatoff’s warm, thoughtful playing

ever since.

His newest project is the group Valley

Voice and their debut album is called Stars,

Engines. It features a quartet of some of the

city’s finest cohorts: Michael Davidson on

vibraphone, Dan Fortin on bass, and Ian

Wright on drums; the album refers back

to Argatoff’s earliest relationships to the

natural world. Despite the contrary themes,

this collection of compositions has the feel

of emerging from his Streets Tour album

in melodic structure and tone, now paying

homage to his rural British Columbian

Doukhobor roots and his relationship to his

grandmother. Continuing his formal training

as a composer, add Argatoff’s experience

as a contact dancer, and you get the lyrical,

flowing lines and phrases of an authentic

artist not afraid to de-couple his instrument

from the standard jazz repertoire. Even with


the addition of the vibraphone the group

still manages to avoid the typical/traditional

jazz memes.

Outstanding tracks for me were

Analemma, a spacious and luminous tune

with a wishful quality, and the titular Stars

Engines, a sweet, gentle accompaniment to

a memory his grandmother shared years ago

relating to seeing the stars at night. Deftly

supported by his award-winning bandmates,

this new quartet promises to be a Canadian

group to watch.

Cheryl Ockrant

Nour Symon; Roxane Desjardins – Je suis

calme et enragé-e

Ensemble Supermusique; Collectif Ad Lib

ambiences magnétiques AM 281 CD

(ambiances-magnetiques.bandcamp.com/

album/je-suis-calme-et-enrag-e)

! Listening as

I was walking, I

thought there were

helicopters overhead,

the overt

voice interplay

masking the underlying

drones, unable

to fully cloak them.

At this point in

time, I am aware that what I was hearing was

Ensemble SuperMusique directed by Nour

Symon, as they, along with the vocalists, realized

their graphic scores (which were not in

front of me).

While the history of improvised music

accompanying poetry (and/or vice versa) is

endlessly rich and contains multitudes of

multitudes, Symon’s piece scratches out the

lines between poet, subject, musician, recitation,

and performance until everything in

sight is swept up in a furious blaze of microscopic

events and fleeting collective gestures.

Look not for meditative passages that gradually

blossom into cathartic brushstrokes

of melodicism; perhaps do not look at all,

merely brace senses to receive. Accordions

coalesce into synthetic tones that contract

as they briefly become timbrally indistinguishable

from a croak of a stringed

instrument’s bow which clashes with the

overtones in organically distorted vocals

while moans echo, carrying just enough that

the dimensions of the room can be mapped.

Distinguishing features between how sound

is produced becomes more of a rough outline

as sonic details proliferate, in a manner that

comments on the world surrounding them.

One can, as I have, reach a brief idiosyncratic

alcove in the music while gazing

upon the apparition of Ontario Place, confident

that the resilience of people and the

impermanence of public space are anything

but antithetical.

Yoshi Maclear Wall

Gil Evans Project Live at Jazz Standards

Vol.2 – Shades of Sound

Ryan Truesdell; Gil Evans Project

Outside In Music OiM2515 (ryantruesdell.

com/shades-of-sound)

! This gorgeously

produced, historically

priceless

recording is

actually “Volume 2”

and just like the

Grammy nominated

“Volume1”

Shades of Sound

was recorded live at the now defunct Jazz

Standard in Chelsea, NYC. The music here

was entirely arranged by the late Gil Evans

and produced and conducted by the guiding

light of both Evans-centric recordings, Ryan

Truesdale. This album is dedicated to the late

Frank Kimbrough, who was a consummate

pianist and pioneering voice of the Gil Evans

Project. This new recording lovingly presents

vibrant takes on four never before recorded

works as well as four of Evans’ more familiar

compositions and arrangements. The 23-piece

orchestra includes outstanding soloists too

numerous to name.

On Spoonful, drawn from Evans’ original

1964 recording The Individualism of Gil

Evans, Kimbrough’s luminous, complex

tone clusters seamlessly mesh with bass and

viola as the rest of the ensemble creeps in on

a beam of micro-tones. Donny McCaslin’s

tenor solo is sexy, rhythmic and bracing and

Dave Pietro’s alto breaks the sound barrier

as he soars into the sonic stratosphere. The

Ballad of the Sad Young Men is a unique

tune written by Fran Landesman and Tommy

Wolf for the 1959 Off-Broadway musical, The

Nervous Set. Kimbrough’s playing is breathtaking

and the arrangement itself is a thing

of special beauty. The ensemble moves like a

single-celled organism, with skill, insight and

deep sensitivity – words that easily apply to

the incomparable Canadian/North American

treasure, Gil Evans.

Lesley Mitchell-Clarke

Cosmic Cliffs

Whispering Worlds

Adhyâropa Records ÂROO 117

(aaronshragge.bandcamp.com/album/

cosmic-cliffs)

! Extending the

minimalist/global

music ideas of the

late John Hassell,

Montreal raised

Aaron Shragge

brings his custom

microtonal slide

trumpet with rotary

valves, shakuhachi

and special effects, to a unified quartet

that plays three of his compositions, one

of Hassell’s and five group improvisations.

Assisting are the alternately rhapsodic and

ratcheting flanges and frails from guitarist

Luke Schwartz, the understated throbs of

Damon Banks’ bass strings and Deric Dickens’

drum clanks, chips and clatters.

Appending Carnatic raga affiliations

to electronic oscillations throughout, the

concept is most expertly expressed on the

extended Seen by the Moon/Secretly Happy.

On it the trumpeter mates shakuhachi tones

with vocoder processed trumpet samples so

that his plaintive brass tone becomes more

intense as it works up the scale. It’s expertly

backed by percussion slaps.

Sampled loops are also interpolated

on the interconnected improvisations

Reflection Nebula, Crystals and Serpentine

Suspension, as microtones create double

and triple shakes as if from multiple brass

instruments. Meanwhile the three affiliated

improvisations reflect how half-valve brass

smears judiciously join with drum rattles,

cymbal vibrations and tremorous guitar

string scratches so that repeated portamento

trumpet phrasing adumbrates melodic transformation

to create a lyrical concordance.

Electro-acoustic applications are steadily

advancing and the wealth of subcontinental

traditional music is still available for study.

That means that the cosmic cliffs that Shragge

and company scaled so expertly here will

most likely lead to additional sound ascension

in the future.

Ken Waxman

POT POURRI

Brahms, Balkans & Bagels

Oktopus

Independent (oktopus1.bandcamp.com/

album/brahms-balkans-bagels)

! Formed in

2010 by clarinetist

Gabriel Paquin-

Buki, Oktopus,

the Quebec-based

klezmer octet (get

it?) dedicates itself

to exploring those

creative possibilities

that reside in the stylistic margins and

fuses Western Art Music with klezmer and

jazz improvisatory sounds on this terrific

release. Brahms, Balkans & Bagels, released

through the ensemble’s online Bandcamp

site, expands upon and amplifies the influence

that folkloric and traditional musical

traditions had upon such esteemed art music

composers as Brahms, Saint-Saëns and Franz

Liszt. Although it is well-known that Béla

Bartók and Zoltán Kodály—whose dynamic

piece Kállai kettős is performed with aplomb

here—were among music’s first ethnomusicologists,

less is understood about the ways in

which traditional folk music styles inspired

other composers from the Western Art

Music canon.


Over 12 fine performances, creative

arrangements and engaging sonic fusions

where the only constant is musical excellence,

Oktopus demonstrates why it has been

routinely fêted with nominations for JUNO,

Canadian Folk Music, Félix and Opus Awards.

Perhaps most notably, they earned a “special

prize for the most creative fusion of ancient

and contemporary music traditions,” at the

Slovak Radio’s International Competition of

Folk Music Recordings in Bratislava. Creative

fusions certainly abound on Brahms, Balkans

& Bagels. The album’s leadoff track, Mahler

Goes Meshuge (Mahler goes crazy) sets the

tone for the excellently curated, dynamically

performed, inspired arrangements to come.

Notable contributions from French chanteuse

Janna Kate underscore the fact that there is

much to enjoy on this unorthodox, but always

musical, new release.

Andrew Scott

Sofresh Tisch

Ladom Ensemble

Lula World Records LWR050A

(ladomensemble.bandcamp.com/album/

sofreh-tisch)

! Canadian

Ladom Ensemble

is back with its

third illustrious

release, Sofreh

Tisch. The fourmember

band’s

diverse cultural

and musical influences

are created by founding member pianist

Pouya Hamidi from Iran, who is joined

by current members cellist Beth Silver of

Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, Canadian accordionist

Michael Bridge, and Canadian percussionist

Adam Campbell. They combine their

personal musical talents and influences to

blend Western classical, klezmer, rock, tango,

jazz, East Coast traditional and classical

Persian sounds.

The ten diverse tracks are highlighted by

each musician’s technical and improvisational

expertise. Opening Gegna Taksim was

composed by Jewish klezmer composer/

violinist Jacob Gegna as an introduction or

interlude. Here, with its moving cello melody

above a low drone note, and tonal melodies

with touches of modern music effects like

rapid runs, it leads directly to the next track,

Hamidi’s three movement Distance Suite.

Inspired by separation.1. Hope opens with

cello plucks, repeated notes on the piano,

and taps on the accordion like raindrops.

Detached chords with conversational legato

cello and accordion melodies add drama.

Gole Pachal is a Ladom “traditional” take on

an Iranian folksong with crashing dramatic

instrumental start, high pitched piano, and

a memorable, traditional mid piece section

with accordion and cello countermelodies.

Together as a “band,” Bridge’s musical

accordion lines, Silver’s cello effects/melodies,

Campbell’s intense to subtle percussion, and

Hamidi’s grounded stylistically diverse piano

playing make Sofreh Tisch (meaning “spread”

in two senses – the ceremonial table cloth at a

celebration, and the feast placed on the cloth)

unforgettable.

Tiina Kiik

Rebekah Wolkstein: Drew Jurecka – The

Legend of Carau

Payadora

Independent (payadora.com/legen-ofcarau)

! This stunning,

multi-media

project is the brainchild

of founding

members of the

Payadora ensemble,

writer, violinist

and vocalist Rebekah Wolkstein and multiinstrumentalist

and composer Drew Jurecka,

who also serves as producer and recording

engineer. The package involves a children’s

book with original text by Wolkstein, illustrations

by Camille Dumaine, and an original

score by Jurecka, as well as related dance

videos by PointTango Dance. The CD (or

digital download) can easily be coordinated

along with the book, for the optimum

listening experience.

The spine of this ambitious project is an

Argentinian folk tale, The Legend of Carau

(the weeping bird of Argentina), which is

beautifully re-told here and accompanied

by a stirring 14 song original score. Payadora

expertly performs Jurecka’s score, replete

with Wolkstein on violin and vocals; Jurecka

on bandoneon, violin and mandolin; the late

Robert Horvath on piano; Joe Phillips on bass

and guitar, and vocalist Elbio Fernandez.

Things kick off with the rhythmic and

bombastic Gaucho de las Pampas featuring

Fernandez, and segues into the lovely violin

and mandolin-centric bolero, Remember

What’s Important. The Call of the Bandoneon

is a stand-out, featuring Jurecka’s ridiculous

chops, and morphs seamlessly into Fruta

Prohibida (Forbidden Fruit) – a red-hot tango,

masterfully sung by Fernandez. Also superb

is the lovely ballad, Zamba del Carau which

features the artistry of the entire ensemble.

Horvath’s emotional and consummate

piano solo on the reprise Ojos Que Mienten

(Eyes That Lie) is the perfect closer for this

radiant, potent and meaningful collection…which

is not only a succinct “Morality

Play” about what is “truly important” (suitable

for children), but a verdant, irresistible,

cross-cultural journey to a rich country

of mystery, music and passion, with plenty of

appeal for all.

Lesley Mitchell-Clarke

Immersed

Justin Gray

IAN Records LC 84945 (justingraysound.

bandcamp.com/album/immersed)

! As soon as music

became a recordable

commodity,

pressed onto wax

cylinders and

disseminated

through record

distribution, jukeboxes,

and radio

stations, it took on a codependent relationship

with technology. For example, while

it is true that Louis Armstrong’s instrumental

virtuosity expanded the instrumental

range of the trumpet, his broadening

of register would not have been possible

were it not for the then burgeoning technological

advances of brass manufacturing.

Same goes for the Beatles’ important relationship

with the recording studio, where technological

advances helped the group realize their

increasingly sophisticated artistic goals. And

on it goes.

For bassist, composer, mix and mastering

engineer and producer Justin Gray, it has been

the industry’s technological expansion into

Dolby Atmos that has facilitated the realization

of his own musical vision, supporting

the ambitious, expansive, and consistently

excellent work contained on Immersed. As

the name articulates, the music was recorded

using immersive audio techniques aimed at

capturing every sound, musical gesture, and

improvisation in three dimensions through a

sophisticated process of microphone placement

and studio mediation.

While there is much more to discuss

regarding the album’s enmeshed relationship

with technology, this cinematic release

on IAN Records also offers a wonderfully

satisfying musical experience thanks to the

contributions of a terrific cast of 30-plus

world class players who collectively traverse

the stylistic boundaries of film, jazz, and

Indian Classical Music, among other vibrant

global music traditions.

Full disclosure, Justin is a friend and

industry colleague, but with Immersed his

expansive creative vision, technological

engagement, and clear musical artistry is

undeniable. Immersed, the album, can be

paired with a full-length film and the stereo

CD package comes with cinematic visuals

for each track and an informative 24-page

booklet of liner notes.

Andrew Scott


The Birds of Marsville

Friendly Rich

We Are Busy Bodies (friendlyrich.

bandcamp.com/album/the-birds-ofmarsville)

! Richard

Marsella, wellknown

as Friendly

Rich, releases his

17th album, and

his second on the

indie label We

are Busy Bodies

here. Marsella

performs solo on a custom-built mechanical

street organ equipped with contrasting

effects built by Henk Degraauw. Marsella is

joined on some tracks by Gregory Oh (organs

and piano), Nick Fraser (drums), Nichol S.

Robertson (electric guitar), Ed Reifel (orchestral

percussion), and Tom Richards (trombone

and tuba).

Marsella presents 76 imaginary birds from

the fictional town of Marsville. Each is represented

by a separate musical track in varying

lengths and contrasting stylistic flavours on

Side A (Birds 1-39) and Side B (Birds 40-76).

Side A opening Overture encompasses

musical ideas which reappear throughout like

waltzlike rhythms, high pitched bird squeals,

fast melodic ascending lines with held notes,

short fragmented fanfares, and “bird sounds.”

It leads with no break to Bird One: Songwriter

with more short fragmented ideas, rhythms

and ascending lines. High-pitched lines in

Bird Five: The Marsvillian Farm Bird. Slight

jazz feel with shorter higher pitched lines

and repeated basslike notes in Bird Sixteen:

The Honker.

Side B’s contrasting tracks are intensely

orchestrated, tonal to atonal and mostly

seconds long. Percussion and drums add

“noisy” colour. Closing longer Finale has

snippets of ideas again, to the ending “flying

away” fade.

Marsella’s detailed experimental, very

soft to blasting loud, inspirational “musical

bird” masterpieces incorporate such styles as

vintage dancing, rock, jazz, new music and

synthesizer. From fun to challenging listening,

this is perfect, wacky music, tweet tweet!

Tiina Kiik

Something in the Air

New and unusual variants

on improvised music,

mostly by lesser- known

major improvisers

KEN WAXMAN

As the history of music advances, deepens and becomes more

inclusive, thoughtful people now realize that rather than it

being a succession of Great Men who created notable sounds,

distinguished music is the result of many adventurous stylists adding

their contributions to the sound gestalt. Less hierarchical than most,

creative music has long accepted this truism. What that means is that

when contemporary players salute their forebearers by playing their

music, a wealth of compositions exist from others than the justly celebrated

Great Men. This is what these discs promise. Besides coming up

with highly original versions of the oeuvre of Jazz’s Great Men – in this

case John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk – the bands here interpret

the music of other innovators, one of whom was even a woman.

That woman was Leipzig-born German

pianist Jutta Hipp (1925-2003), who in the

1950s was recognized as the first non-American

female instrumentalist to contribute

to Jazz’s evolution. To honour her during

her centennial, the members of Remedy on

Hipp Hipp Hooray (Fundacja Sluchaj! FSR

02/2025 sluchaj.bandcamp.com/album/

hipp-hipp-hooray-celebrating-the-centennial-of-jutta-hipp) play

her compositions as well as their own, Not only that, but the trio

doesn’t even include a pianist. Instead Remedy is composed of two

Germans, trumpeter Thomas Heberer and drummer Joe Hertenstein,

plus American bassist Joe Fonda. Only on Der Grüne Zweig does

the band name check Hipp and her 1952 group “a lady and four

gentlemen” while replicating pseudo-Bop with brassy shakes, echoing

drum accents and a walking bass line.

The other tunes are postmodern rather than puffery as the three

adapt 21st century techniques to firm, swinging expositions. With his

playing as relaxed as it is rugged, Hertenstein supplies the necessary

cymbal chings, drum clanks and occasional thundering ruffs to the

nine tunes, but even his heaviest hits allow the others to play on

unperturbed. Exponent of the low pitched string slap with the same

cultivated skill he brings to speedy spiccato rubs, two of Fonda’s

compositions are as fully in the groove as ones from the 1950s, but are

stretched into this century. Detroit Meets Leipzig mates thick bass

string throbs with Heberer’s gritty growls and flutter; while Bass

Bottom accelerates from languid to lively as the trumpeter interposes

an interlude of gargles and gurgles dug out of his horn’s innards,

emphasized among soaring grace notes as the drums smack and the

bassist’s tough spiccato rubs speed and slow. Heberer’s portamento

command is featured best on his own Das Brot der Frühen Jahre as he

maintains an elongated phrase alongside Fonda’s col legno stops and

then relaxes into a sequence of easygoing story telling.

A similar transformation of another musician’s

oeuvre is created on Plays the Music

of Julius Hemphill (Out of Your Head OOYH

035 ) Members of The Hemphill Stringtet

– violinists Curtis Stewart and Sam Bardfeld,

violist Stephanie Griffin and cellist Tomeka

Reid – take the compositions of alto saxophonist

Julius Hemphill (1938-1995), created

for reed heavy ensembles like the World

Saxophone Quartet, and interpret them as part of the string quartet

tradition. Influenced by, but not part of the jazz mainstream, Stringtet

members often perform the compositions as Reid’s low-pitched pizzicato

creates the pulse a double bass would provide, while the others

stick to arco interpretations. Vibrant lyricism takes its place alongside

vigorous locution, but melody never gives way to soppiness. That’s

because as well as harmonies, the strings create rhythmic stops and

touches of hoedown sprightliness. On the final Choo Choo for

instance, they not only replicate expected locomotive chugging, but

enliven the reading with hide-and-seek cadences. My First Winter/

Touchic, an extended tone poem, may start off balladic and atmospheric,

yet it emphasizes colour and motion more than romanticism.

When the affiliated Touchic is latterly played, it’s defined by col legno

sweeps and spiccato string swabs. Even as the theme variations ascend

in speed and volume lilting touches remain. In part the disc is also a

dual tribute, for its centrepiece is Mingus Gold, a Hemphill


arrangement of three Charles Mingus compositions commissioned by

the Kronos Quartet. Stringtet’s variant emphasizes antiphony between

high and low pitches and in recasting the main themes blends

raunchy with romanticism without overindulging either. Most spectacularly

during Better Get Hit in Your Soul its pronounced funkiness

is expressed clearly with Reid’s plucks surrounded by the others’ prestissimo

cadenzas that manage to swing at the same time as they

extend the famous piece’s musical architecture.

Coming from the opposite direction is

Roscoe Village, the Music of Roscoe Mitchell

(Corbett vs Dempsey CvsD CD 103). The disc

consists of unaccompanied renditions by

vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz mainly of

compositions by multi-reedist Mitchell.

Some were initially performed solo by the

composer himself, while others were played

by Mitchell’s groups, including the Art

Ensemble of Chicago. Adasiewicz, who has recorded with other

advanced saxophonists like Peter Brötzmann, doesn’t miniaturize the

composition with his metal and resonator instrument, but gives them

a novel reading. By maximizing the sustain and focusing on multimallet

pressure he brings out both the rhythmic and refined qualities

of the tunes. This is expressed most eloquently on the extended Toro/

Jo Jar, where his repeated patterns coalesce into expressive swing,

then just as quickly switch to the second sequence derived from

contrasting hard bell-like ringing with gentling resonating echoes.

Since the solo instrument husks the arrangements to their core, the

simplicity and beauty of Mitchell’s pieces previously masked by horn

and rhythm inferences are revealed. The usually aggressive A Jackson

in Your House becomes a showpiece of strained metal echoes, moving

forward even as motor-driven shakes preserve the melody. The

Cartoon March leans more towards pep than parading, as the

pinpointed aluminum bar slaps and stop-time runs turn to speedy

glissandi which define animation motion rather than multi-layered

character sketching. Subverting its title, Carefree is actually slower

paced and more meditative than would be imagined, with Adasiewicz

mixing measured strokes and quicker mallet clunks to examine the

charm and contradictions in Mitchell’s compositions.

One musician who specialized in contradiction

and subverting expectations was

Thelonious Monk (1917-1982). Yet on Monk

(BMC CD 344) Poles, pianist Marcin

Masecki, reedist Eldar Tsakukov and

drummer Jan Pieniążek, go one step further

using an uncommon instrumental mix and

unusual arrangements for a different take on

19 Monk tunes. Whether solo on three tracks, or with the trio, the

pianist extends the composer’s initial stride and angled inferences to

pseudo player piano and ragtime emphasis, inflating hesitant tonal

shakes and repeated key clips into wider arpeggios with keyboard

slides and slaps. Still his speedy fingering and stop time throbs on a

track like Bemsha Swing feature a darker ostinato that preserves the

head while also emphasizing the cadenced part of the title. With

Pieniążek’s cymbal splashes, woodblock hits and backbeat thumps

mostly deep background, the disc’s seesawing essence is between

Masecki and Tsakukov’s alto saxophone and clarinet, another difference

since Monk’s quartet partners were tenor saxophonists. The

reedist’s fluctuating lines add a yearning eastern European melancholy

not found in pieces like Ugly Beauty, while his cheeping squeals

fit perfectly the pianist’s often parodic pre-modern comping and

subvert Monk’s usual initial futuristic style. At the same time on tunes

like Misterioso and Brilliant Corners, Tsakukov uses tongue stops and

reed bites to create a pyramid of upward surging smears attaining

prestissimo pitches in tandem with Masecki at near piano roll speeds

for stop-time intersections.

However the strangest acknowledgement

of an influential musician’s work is

Berlin-based DAS B’s recalibrating of John

Coltrane’s seminal A Love Supreme entitled

Love (Thanatosis Produktion THT 40/

Corbett vs Dempsey CvsD CD 117 thanatosis.bandcamp.com).

Despite the exact

same running time, division into the same

four movements and replication of the CD’s label colours of that 1965

album, sonic transfiguration renders it a completely different product.

While the rhythm section consisting of German pianist Magda Mayas

and Australians, drummer Tony Buck and bassist Mike Majkowski

remains the same as the original, Lebanese trumpeter Mazen Kerbaj’s

choked, half valve inner horn boring timbres are substituted for

Coltrane’s majestically overt saxophone soloing. The transformative

tracks, each labelled Love and a numeral, capture an intriguing

contrast between a tough conveyor belt of the others’ textures and the

trumpet modelling. Double bass strings buzz and stop; drumming

moves from sonorous rumbles and harsh clanks to cymbal and press

roll explosions; while Mayas’ cross chording, chiming expositions and

vibrations of metal objects on the piano’s inner strings create an evershifting

continuum that intersect with Kerbaj’s tones. Portamento

expression from the trumpet is usually abandoned for guttural scoops,

aviary squeals, mouthpiece whistles and blowsy rips that not only

redefine the Coltrane suite but also the standard trumpeting rules.

Somehow though disparate timbres converge and result in a unique

session which in itself is a backhanded salute to the constant innovation

which Coltrane and his bands personified.

Moving past Great Men celebrations to advocate for a fuller version of

jazz and improvised music history, albeit in a revamped form, is what

makes these discs consequential.


40 Dark Tales

Duo Concertante

44 Watching the Sky

Matt Sellick

47 Game of Couples

Omar Daniel

50 Heart Music

George Crotty Trio

41 Art Decade

Evan Ziporyn & ContaQt

44 Map of You

Daniel Janke, Rachel Fenlon

48 A Flower for My Daughter

Sean Clarke

52 Je suis calme et enragé-e

Nour Symon

42 The almond tree duos

Melia Watras

42 Johannes Brahms Sonatas

op. 120, Robert Schumann

Märchenbilder op. 113

Christian Euler, viola & Paul

Rivinius, piano

45 Owen Underhill: Songs and

Quartets

Quatuor Bozzini

46 The Well-”Tampered” Clavier,

Book 1, arr. Post

Sam Post, Ralitza Patcheva

48 The Laws of Nature

Andrew Staniland

48 The Honeybee Twist

Andy Haas & Brian g Skol

52 Cosmic Cliffs

Whispering Worlds

52 Brahms, Balkans & Bagels

Oktopus


THE

HISTORY OF

SOUND

“A FILM OF LINGERING

MELANCHOLIC BEAUTY”

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

A FILM BY

OLIVER

HERMANUS

PAUL

MESCAL

JOSH

O’CONNOR

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Volume 31 Issue 2 - November & December 2025

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Volume 31 Issue 2 - November & December 2025

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

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