Volume 29 Issue 5 | April & May 2024

VOLUME 29 NO 5
APRIL & MAY 2024
MUSIC! LISTINGS
live and livestreamed
STORIES
profiles, previews
and interviews
RECORD REVIEWS
and Listening Room
Barbe & Doucet’s Don Pasquale

Thursday, April 25, 2024
SONIC UNIVERSE
R. Murray Schafer John Adams
Krisztina Szabo
Alex Pauk, Conductor
Krisztina Szabo, Mezzo Soprano
R. Murray Schafer (Canada) Adieu Robert Schumann (1976)
for mezzo soprano & orchestra
John Adams (United States) Harmonielehre (1985)
I. First Movement
II. The Anfortas Wound
III. Meister Eckhardt and Quackie
2033/2024 — BIG SEASON, BIG ORCHESTRA, BIG REPERTOIRE
Alex Pauk Founder, Music Director, Conductor
8:00 pm Concert
7:15 pm Pre-Concert Chat
Koerner Hall
TICKETS
Koerner Hall Box Office
416 408 0208
espritorchestra.com
The Michael and Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation The Mary-Margaret Webb Foundation The Max Clarkson Family Foundation Tim & Frances Price Anonymous

EVGENY KISSIN,
piano & MATTHIAS
GOERNE, baritone
SUN APR 21, 2024 • 2PM
ITZHAK
PERLMAN, violin &
ROHAN DE SILVA, piano
THU MAY 16, 2024 • 8PM
For tickets, visit
ROYTHOMSONHALL.COM

2905_AprMay2024_cover.indd 1
2024-03-25 11:15 AM
Volume 29 No 5 | April & May 2024
ON OUR COVER
VOLUME 29 NO 5
APRIL & MAY 2024
MUSIC! LISTINGS
live and livestreamed
STORIES
profiles, previews
and interviews
RECORD REVIEWS
and Listening Room
Barbe & Doucet’s Don Pasquale
PHOTO: KK DUNDAS
“It’s a story that you could say has an old, overused plot
that's not relevant. It’s about an older man who believes
he’s irresistible to women. This is a different take on
that story, but he’s not going to take no for an answer.
He wants to be able to conquer and have his conquests.
The good thing is that it’s done in a very funny way,”
continues Leech on the topic of Pasquale. The season is
quite heavy, so I think having some levity in there will be
welcomed by our cast.”
Story on page 33.
8 FOR OPENERS | Listening Fresh
DAVID PERLMAN
STORIES & INTERVIEWS
12 CLASSICAL AND BEYOND |
It’s time to ditch the tails |
MAX CHRISTIE
14 IN WITH THE NEW | Keying up
for an inventive spring |
WENDALYN BARTLEY
16 ART OF SONG | A new journey
- reimagining art song for the
2020s | STEPHANIE CONN
18 MUSIC THEATRE | Something
to crow about, and a toast to
new creation | JENNIFER PARR
14
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 5

The WholeNote
VOLUME 29 NO 5
APRIL & MAY 2024
EDITORIAL
Publisher/Editor in Chief | David Perlman
publisher@thewholenote.com
Managing Editor | Paul Ennis
editorial@thewholenote.com
Recordings Editor | David Olds
discoveries@thewholenote.com
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listings@thewholenote.com
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Danial Jazaeri, Colin Story
social@thewholenote.com
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STORIES &
INTERVIEWS
24 EARLY MUSIC | Toronto
Bach Festival: Connecting
the dots | DAVID PERLMAN
26 PROFILE | Andrew Burashko
- the art of timing out |
ANDREW SCOTT
28 MOSTLY CLUBS, MAINLY JAZZ |
Looking forward to the
JUNOs, after the fact |
COLIN STORY
30 FROM UP HERE | Homes for
music help communities heal
and grow | SOPHIA PERLMAN
33 ON OPERA | The COC’s
Perryn Leech | MICHAEL
ZARATHUS-COOK
35 CHORAL SCENE |
WHOLENOTE STAFF
36 EVENTS BY DATE
Live and/or online
53 Ongoing, on demand
& other
32
DISCOVERIES:
RECORDINGS REVIEWED
57 Editor’s Corner | DAVID OLDS
59 Strings Attached | TERRY ROBBINS
62 Vocal
64 Classical and Beyond
68 Modern and Contemporary
72 Jazz and Improvised Music
76 Pot Pourri
77 Something in the Air |
KEN WAXMAN
78 What we're listening to
this month
79 THE BACK STORY: Light Work
DAVID PERLMAN
LISTINGS
54 MAINLY CLUBS
55 INDEX /THE WHOLENOTE
WHO’S WHO
Choral and Summer Music
Education Directories
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6 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

2024–25
SUBSCRIPTION SERIES
STRINGS
Juilliard Quartet Oct 24, 2024
Miro Quartet Nov 14, 2024
Gryphon Trio with Dec 5, 2024
Lara St. John, violin;
Aviva Chernick, vocalist
JACK Quartet Jan 30, 2025
Isidore Quartet Mar 27, 2025
PIANO
Marc André Hamelin Nov 26, 2024
Rachel Fenlon, voice & Feb 11, 2025
piano
Illia Ovcharenko Mar 4, 2025
Janina Fialkowska Mar 18, 2025
WHAT MAKES IT GREAT ®
Rob Kapilow
explores Beethoven
A major Sonata with
the Cheng 2 Duo
Rob Kapilow
explores the Beethoven
“Archduke” Trio with
the Gryphon Trio
Nov 10, 2024
Apr 13, 2025
Strings and Piano series concerts take place at
Jane Mallett Theatre, 7:30 pm (NEW Start time!)
What Makes It Great? ® series concerts take place at
George Weston Recital Hall, Sundays at 3pm
STRINGS
Quatuor Danel Thurs. Oct. 12, 2023
Gryphon Trio Thurs. Dec. 7, 2023
Verona Quartet Thurs. Jan. 18, 2024
Celebration of
Aizuri Quartet Thurs. Feb. 22, 2024
St. Lawrence
Small Tues. Mar. 5, 2024
Quartet Ensembles
PIANO
April 6, 4pm
Shhh! Ensemble
Obsidiana Duo Turgeon Duo Tues. Nov. 7, 2023
May 4, 4pm
Maria Thompson Tues. Feb. 13, 2024
Gentileschi Corley Baroque
Rilian David Fung Trio Tues. Mar. 5, 2024
June 1, 4pm
Canadian Chamber Orchestra
Ladom Ensemble
APERTURE ROOM 340 Yonge Street
A new space for small ensembles,
adventurous programming, audience
interaction and musical discovery.
www.music-toronto.com

The WholeNote
VOLUME 29 NO 5
APRIL & MAY 2024
IN THIS EDITION
STORIES AND INTERVIEWS
Wendalyn Bartley, Max Christie, Stephanie Conn,
Jennifer Parr, Andrew Scott, David Perlman,
Sophia Perlman, Colin Story, Michael Zarathus-Cook
CD Reviewers
Max Christie, Sam Dickinson, Daniel Foley,
Raul da Gama, Janos Gardonyi, Richard Haskell,
Tiina Kiik, Kati Kiilaspea, Pamela Margles,
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke, Cheryl Ockrant, David Olds,
Ted Parkinson, Cathay Riches, Terry Robbins,
Michael Schulman, Andrew Scott, Andrew Timar,
Yoshi Maclear Wall, Ken Waxman, Matthew Whitfield
Proofreading
David Olds, John Sharpe
Listings Team
John Sharpe, Gary Heard, Sophia Perlman,
Colin Story
Design Team
Kevin King, Susan Sinclair
Circulation Team
Dave Bell, Jack Buell, Jane Dalziel, Bruno Difilippo,
Carl Finkle, Vito Gallucci, James Harris, Bob
Jerome, Marianela Lopez, Miguel Brito-Lopez,
Chris Malcolm, Sheila McCoy, Lorna Nevison, Janet
O’Brien, Kathryn Sabo, Tom Sepp, Angie Todesco
DEADLINES
Weekly Online Listings Updates
6pm every Tuesday for weekend posting
for Volume 29 No. 6, SUMMER 2024
Print listings deadline:
6pm Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Print advertising, reservation deadline:
6pm Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Web advertising can be booked at any time
PUBLICATION DATES
VOLUME 29 includes six print editions:
September 2023 (Aug 29);
October & November (Sept 26);
December & January (Nov 28);
February & March (Jan 30);
April & May (Mar 26);
Summer (May 28)
Printed in Canada
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FOR OPENERS
Listening fresh
I
have had a lot of fun going to live musical events these past four weeks –
so much so that I will spare readers my periodic rant about postpandemic
supply chain woes, and the perilous state of the arts, and
society in general, when workers, in the arts and otherwise, struggle to
keep roofs over their heads, both for work and sleep.
Instead I’m just going to tell you a bit about a couple of events I attended that left
me feeling as though I had been listening with a new set of ears. So here you go, in
chronological order.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Spanish Reflections, February 28 and 29
First a bit of background: four or five times a year, going back to 2014, the TSO offers
up pre-concert performances by a loosely knit group known as the Toronto Symphony
Chamber Soloists, drawn from the ranks of the orchestra, with repertoire chosen in some
way to enhance the listening experience of people attending the concert that follows.
Sometimes the soloist or conductor of the show that follows joins in. It’s a lovely addition
to the concert experience, if you’re lucky or savvy enough to have chosen that particular
night, out of three or four, to attend that particular program. (It’s not the only opportunity
the Chamber Soloists get to perform – but it’s as far as I know the only one built into the
TSO’s regular season.)
Observably, there is some mysterious law of the universe which dictates that the
ability of an arts organization to impulsively change its way of doing things is inversely
proportional to the size of the organization. So we should, I suppose, be grateful for what
we get. But that being said, by dint of ingenious programming, the February 28 and 29
program offered a glimpse of what the pre-concert performance for the lucky few could
morph into.
It was an all-Spanish concert: music director Gustavo Gimeno on the podium; piano
soloist Javier Perianes; and works by Manuel de Falla (who would have guessed?) and
Gimeno-protege and rising star in the contemporary compositional firmament, Francisco
Coll. Coll’s Ciudad sin sueño: fantasia for Piano and Orchestra – a concerto in all but
name, with Perianes at the keys, closed the first half of the program, and the second half
opened with de Falla’s devilish solo piano Fantasia Baetica, arranged, note for note by
none other than Francisco Coll. De Falla’s Suites 1 and 2 from the Three -Cornered Hat
rounded out the night.
So here’s where the bit of programming genius kicked in. The concert opened with
Perianes, alone on stage, performing the 12-minute Fantasia Baetica in its original solo
form, after which the orchestra came on and the concert continued, with mirroring in
every direction: the solo Baerga with its energy and quirky rhythms prepared the ear
for Coll’s City that Never Sleeps; the full-orchestra Baerga reflected the artistry of its
composer and its arranger, and after all that fury the Three-Cornered Hat, with a vastly
reduced orchestral contingent, had the listener supplying the amplification to rolling
river size.
T'KARONTO
For thousands of years before European settlement, T’karonto (The Meeting Place)
was part of the traditional territory of many Nations, including the Mississaugas
of the Credit River, the Anishinaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the
Wendat peoples, and remains their home to this day, as it now is for many diverse First
Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples.
This Meeting Place lies within the territory governed by the Sewatokwa’tshera’t (Dish
with One Spoon) treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee
– a Treaty which bound them to share the territory and protect the land. Subsequent
Indigenous Nations and Peoples, and all newcomers are invited into this treaty in the
spirit of peace, friendship, respect and reconciliation. We are grateful to live and work
here, helping spread the word about the healing power of music in this place.
8 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Hannaford Street Silver Band, Zombie Blizzard, March 3
I don’t know if there’s a medical name for the maddening condition
I have, or how common it is. What it amounts to is a complete
inability to simultaneously absorb words and music that I am hearing
for the first time. If I give up on trying to decipher the words, I can
probably hum you a bit of the music after the fact. But if I focus on
absorbing the meaning of the words as they are sung, then whatever
magic is in the music goes straight into my auditory spam folder.
So what do I usually do? Either I make sure to at least read the texts
and/or translations in the house program before the house lights go
down, especially in halls
where I know it’s going
to be too dark to read; or
I obsessively read along –
surtitles or program text,
whichever.
I used to think it was a
perfect compromise, and
then something happened
at Zombie Blizzard that
reduced to dust the idea of
program texts and surtitles
as an acceptable two-state
solution to placate both
halves of my divided brain.
As a phrase, Zombie
Blizzard is the title of a
Hannaford Street Silver Band concert I attended this March and of a
recording (from Leaf Music in Halifax). So in a sense, the concert was
a CD launch event. As individual words, Zombie and Blizzard are the
titles of the first two of seven poems, each of which is recited and then
sung in the performance, before moving on to the next.
The Hannafords commissioned Zombie Blizzard from composer
Aaron Davis specifically for Measha Brueggergosman-Lee who
had latched onto Margaret Atwood’s anthology Dearly during the
pandemic, and turned to Davis, her partner in musical crime for the
past several years, convinced it had the potential to take their jazzfocused
musical partnership into as yet unexplored musical realms.
The resulting poems/songs are described on the program cover as
“concert arias by Aaron Davis & Margaret Atwood.” Atwood recites
each poem (more accurately the voice of Margaret Atwood is heard
reciting each poem), and each recitation is followed by the equivalent
“concert aria” sung by Brueggergosman-Lee, with the backing of
a 12-piece Hannaford and a jazz trio (piano, drums and bass) with
composer Aaron Davis at the piano.
But there were no written texts for the poems anywhere: not in the
program, and not on the big screen at the back of the stage, which
is where I told myself they were bound to appear if they weren’t in
the program. But nope. All we got on the screen was the title of each
poem as Atwood’s voice, previously captured for the Leaf Record,
rendered each poem in turn.
And oh what beautiful readings Atwood gave. Completely free of the
declamatory, angsty bullshit that poets often succumb to when asked
to perform their work – afraid that their listeners might get something
different from what they wrote than they intended.
Instead the poet somehow gave the words permission to speak for
themselves, landing like arrows or silk in the mind’s eye. At peace,
fully possessed of all the intelligence it needed, the literary mind
could let go, so the heart could listen fresh.
From Brueggergosman too, freed of the responsibility of having
to mail words to the mind, we got what felt to this listener like the
performance of her life.
To close, a quiet but public note of appreciation to Paul Ennis,
longtime WholeNote associate, who has, for health reasons, stepped
down from the deadline-driven rigors of writing our regular
“Classical and Beyond” column. His voice will be missed in our
coverage of that beat.
“A TOUR DE FORCE…
SPECTACULAR AND
GENUINELY MOVING.”
—The Scotsman
APRIL 26 – MAY 18
A hilarious generational battle of wits and
wills unfolds in 1960s Technicolor Rome, as
imagined by Canadian creative duo André
Barbe and Renaud Doucet. Returning to the
COC for the first time in 30 years, Donizetti’s
irrepressible Don Pasquale sparkles like never
before as the feel-good show of the season!
Get your tickets today at coc.ca
or call 416-363-8231.
David Perlman can be reached at publisher@thewholenote.com
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 9
Date: Mar 13, 2024
Filename_ Version#
COC240605_WN_Pasquale_AprilMay_FNL
Client: COC Don Pasquale Creative: JF

KOERNER HALL
2023.24 CONCERT SEASON
The GGS New Music
Ensemble
TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 7:30PM
TEMERTY THEATRE
Free tickets available starting from
10am on Tuesday, April 16.
Experience a captivating contemporary
music concert featuring The Glenn Gould
School New Music Ensemble led by
conductor Brian Current, including Samy
Moussa’s dynamic Kammerkonzert for a
large ensemble and Iannis Xenakis’s
mesmerizing Phlegra for 11 instruments.
Prepare to be immersed in a diverse
sonic landscape that pushes the
boundaries of musical expression.
John Pizzarelli and
Caity Gyorgy
FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 8PM
KOERNER HALL
World-renowned guitarist and vocalist
John Pizzarelli has been hailed by
The Boston Globe for “reinvigorating
the Great American Songbook.” He
returns to Koerner Hall with a new
album that showcases his versatility
and virtuosity in exploring the timeless
songs of Broadway and Hollywood.
Caity Gyorgy is a two-time Juno
Award-winning Canadian vocalist who is
known for singing bebop and swing music.
Daniel Hope:
Irish Roots
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 8PM
KOERNER HALL
“The most exciting British string player
since Jacqueline du Pré” (The Observer),
Koerner Hall favourite Daniel Hope
returns with his ensemble to explore
the rich world of Irish music. Through
traditional Irish music from the
Renaissance to the present day, Hope
and his ensemble bring the beauty
and magic of the Emerald Isle to life.
Generous support provided from
The Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund
for Classical Programming
Richard Goode, piano
SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 3PM
KOERNER HALL
Beethoven aficionado Richard Goode
will perform an all-Ludwig van
Beethoven program, including the
Bagatelles Nos. 6-11, the intimate
Piano Sonata No. 30, and the epic
Diabelli Variations.
Goode will also give a series of public
master classes while at the RCM.
Series generously supported by Michael Foulkes
& Linda Brennan and an anonymous donor
Concert generously supported by
Claudia Krawchuk
Generous additional support provided from
The Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund for
Classical Programming
The Glenn Gould
School Piano Showcase
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 7:30PM
MAZZOLENI CONCERT HALL
The students of The Ihnatowycz
Piano Program at The Glenn Gould
School are featured in an evening
of dazzling works for two pianos
and piano four hands.
Dover Quartet
with
Leif Ove Andsnes,
piano
SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 3PM
KOERNER HALL
The phenomenal Dover Quartet is
joined by Norway’s foremost pianist
Leif Ove Andsnes to perform piano
quintets by Brahms, Dohnányi, and
Joaquín Turina.
Generous support provided from The
Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund for
Classical Programming
237 BLOOR STREET WEST
(BLOOR ST. & AVENUE RD.) TORONTO
TICKETS & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Academy Chamber Orchestra
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 7:30PM
KOERNER HALL
String students from The Phil and Eli Taylor
Performance Academy for Young Artists
come together as the Academy Chamber
Orchestra to perform a special concert.
Free tickets available starting from 10am
on Wednesday, April 24,2024.
Peter Oundjian, Stewart Goodyear,
and the Royal Conservatory Orchestra
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 8PM IN KOERNER HALL
TUESDAY, MAY 7, 8PM IN CARNEGIE HALL
Conductor Emeritus of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra,
Maestro Peter Oundjian, The Royal Conservatory’s Artist in
Residence, Stewart Goodyear, and the Royal Conservatory
Orchestra team up to perform in two extraordinary venues
– Koerner Hall and Carnegie Hall! Program includes works by
Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Kelly-Marie Murphy.
Part of the Temerty Orchestral Program
Stacey Kent Trio and
Alison Young Trio
SATURDAY, MAY 4, 8PM
KOERNER HALL
The award-winning American jazz
singer performs music from her
latest release, Summer Me, Winter
Me. Juno Award nominated
saxophonist and one of CBC’s ‘Best
35 Canadian Jazz Artists under 35’
Alison Young opens the evening
with her trio.
Concert generously supported In Memory
of Robert Calvin
Kronos Quartet:
Five Decades
THURSDAY, MAY 9, 8PM
KOERNER HALL
Celebrate the legacy and impact
of one of the most illustrious and
influential groups of our time.
Series generously supported by an
anonymous donor
Generous additional support provided
from The Michael and Sonja Koerner
Fund for Classical Programming
Brentano String Quartet with
Jonathan Biss, piano, and
Joseph Conyers, bass
FRIDAY, MAY 10, 8PM KOERNER HALL
The critically acclaimed Brentano String Quartet makes its Koerner Hall
debut, performing Schubert’s “Trout Quintet” with virtuoso pianist
Jonathan Biss and award-winning Principal Bass of the Philadelphia
Orchestra Joseph Conyers.
Generous support provided from The Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund
for Classical Programming
The Jon Cowherd Trio
and Larnell Lewis & Joy Lapps
SATURDAY, MAY 11, 8PM KOERNER HALL
Larnell Lewis and Joy Lapps bring their signature Caribbean jazz
alongside Koerner Hall favourites John Patitucci, Brian Blade, and Jon
Cowherd.
ON SALE NOW! 416.408.0208 RCMUSIC.COM/PERFORMANCE

CLASSICAL AND BEYOND
It’s time
to ditch
the tails
MAX CHRISTIE
ALAMY
Eugene Ormandy's Philadelphia Orchestra at the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1966.
“It’s time” I rumble (fussing with the shirt studs and
cufflinks) “once again” (muttering while untwisting the
back strap on my white vest) “to carp and whine about
this ridiculously outmoded uniform requirement!”
The occasion? Getting set to join my colleagues in the Hamilton
Philharmonic, a fine regional orchestra where I am sometimes called
as a substitute. We are to perform music by Mozart, who wrote his
beloved Symphony No.40 in G Minor before white tie and tails were
a thing, and Richard Strauss, who lived during their rise as formal
evening wear.
By the time I have finished tying my white tie, a sullen recognition
has somewhat overtaken my inner protestations: tails are maybe just
a tiny bit cool. While I dislike every bit of the hassle, I can’t deny that I
feel a little suave, cultured enough to know how to knot
my own white (but greying) bow tie, made of fabric
similar to the impractical (and fraying) vest. Nobody
should see this stuff up close, but we, like sheep, look
nice from a distance. But the moment is short-lived.
What do tails really say? Do they say: “This art form
is trapped in amber, its practitioners cling to tradition
for their survival, the concert hall is a museum; the
exhibits must never be updated.”? Or do they say: “We
represent the élite, financial and cultural, we are up
here, you aren’t.”? That’s what they say to me.
If I consult GQ, I am told why, when and what about
the tails outfit. In an article published on Hallowe’en
last year (imagine!) one learns that this mode of dress
developed in the 19th century, roughly paralleling
the rise of the romantic-era symphony orchestra and
concert hall. The article makes no mention of orchestral
concerts, but most certainly makes the case that
white tie and tails is de rigueur for events like state dinners or, say, the
Nobel Prize ceremony.
Workwear based on a century-old-plus model certainly matches
staples of our repertoire, so we might be forgiven collectively for maintaining
this image of social superiority, if it weren’t already so darned
hard to maintain young audience’s interest. As a kid, I couldn’t have
cared less what the players wore, it was the sound they produced that
blew me away. If there’s any worth to what the symphony orchestra
provides (a debate for a longer and more difficult article), it must be
that the sounds and ideas we present belong to anyone who can hear
or otherwise feel them. We benefit neither our craft nor society by
distancing ourselves, or becoming living artifacts.
The management view: management typically argues that they
want to present a uniform image (along with, one hopes, a quality
product). Where I work (the orchestra pit for the National Ballet)
it took a few years to convince head office that tuxes and/or black
jackets for the men were unnecessarily hot, not to mention an odd
priority when the visual component of the performance was entirely
on stage. For symphony orchestras, performing in full view, the code
tends to hold fast: the uniform is the uniform.
Except it isn’t: only a percentage of the band, those who identify
as male, are required to dress in these anachronistic and often smelly
layers. One or two members who present otherwise may opt in; nowadays
likely no management would balk at a woman choosing to wear
tails (although several groups seem still to forbid
pants for women), yet should a man ask whether he
might choose all-black while still presenting as male,
he is likely to be subjected to insinuating cracks
along the lines of “if you want to wear a dress or a
blouse, go ahead…” And then of course comes the
answer: “no.”
Once upon a time, women were only ever in the
audience at orchestral concerts, and that “once upon
a time” was not so long ago, when you consider some
mid-European orchestras. The Berlin Philharmonic
was mono-gendered until 1982, I read on Google’s
ever-helpful answer page. The Vienna Philharmonic
held out for masculine-presenting players until 1997.
For gosh sakes, even the Boston Symphony had allmale
membership until 1957. Looking for similar
information about Canadian orchestras takes a bit
more digging; it’s so un-Canadian to recognize that
we were just as bound up in gendering opportunity away from women
here as elsewhere. There are no doubt similar dates and slow-turning
changes in the personnel make-up of most Western symphony orchestras.
And that leaves aside the continued dismally poor reflection of
human diversity many of our orchestras demonstrate to this day.
So while a “uniform” orchestra went out the window some time
ago, the tradition of “tails for males” has been slow to follow. What
tails really say is “looks are what matter,” and while I agree that one
should be tidy on stage, presenting a uniform appearance to an audience
can hardly be achieved by instructing one portion of the group to
12 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s tail-less Philadelphia Orchestra come to Koerner Hall, April 21.
wear something elegant and fully black and another portion to keep
on wearing that awkward and busy black-and-white ensemble known
as tails. And for matinées, once upon a time, it was White Jacket; for
some other types of shows, tuxedo and black tie. Honestly, whom are
we trying to fool?
As far as I can discern from my fairly superficial reading of the facts,
back in the day Orchestras were comprised of Men. Audiences were
comprised of Men Wearing Tails (adhering to social
uniformity of a different era), and Women Wearing
Whatever Fashion Determined to be Classy. Men in the
orchestra dressed to match the Men in the audience.
Women in the orchestra was a contradiction in terms.
I am not going to answer for my reductiveness in the
service of humour, but I assume that people going to
concerts today wear some version of what Women
once wore. Maybe not, but feeling classy or at least “put
together” in public is something many of us aspire to.
The turning tide: It needs to be said that the tide
is slowly turning, and some important ensembles
have moved to the “elegant black” model, notably the
Philadelphia Orchestra, elegant black since 2021. In
some instances players are allowed to perform in casual
wear. While I assume the management of any decentsized
orchestra today would hesitate to allow players
to match the random sartorial choices in the hall, they
could at least, with good sense, allow the players equal
leeway to determine whatever elegant black might
mean. It won’t be uniform. Hallelujah and amen.
Finally, is there anything that screams colonialism
louder than hewing to the Middle-European, Dominant
Colonialist culture, as we set ourselves on this pedestal
of dress from the 19th century? Our organizations are
more and more required to up their game on diversity, on representation
of the under-represented, and exploration of what makes our
art-form current and relevant. Let’s just, as a footnote to that very
important and necessary work, ditch the tails.
TODD ROSENBERG
Max Christie is a Toronto-based musician and writer. He performs
on principal clarinet of the National Ballet Orchestra when restrictions
allow, and otherwise spends too much time on Twitter.
KEYED
UP!
JANE MALLETT
THEATRE
APRIL 18–20, 2024
A mini-festival celebrating
new music for piano,
harpsichord, digital organ
and electronic keyboard!
SOUNDSTREAMS.CA
KEYED UP! #1
VARIATIONS
ON GOLDBERG
VARIATIONS
APRIL 18, 2024
KEYED UP! #2
NOTATIONS:
RBC BRIDGES COMPOSER
SHOWCASE
APRIL 19, 2024
KEYED UP! #3
6 PIANOS
12 HANDS
APRIL 20, 2024
The Michael and Sonja Koerner
Charitable Foundation
The Mary-Margaret
Webb Foundation
Epstein
Family Trust
The JB Doherty
Family Foundation
The Anne-Marie H.
Applin Foundation
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 13

IN WITH THE NEW
Keying up for
an inventive
spring
WENDALYN BARTLEY
Women from Space: In last month’s issue, I wrote
about the Women from Space festival, which
happened from March 8-10. I was delighted to
attend some of the events, and came away feeling inspired
and energized by what I heard. The festival opener was
a spectacular improvisation by Bloop, the duo made
up of trumpeter Lina Allemano and her performance
partner Mike Smith, whose electronics wizardry was
fully on display in the effects processing he conjured from
the equipment at hand. At times Allemano also played
various gong instruments, such as a large cow-bell with
one of her hands, adding different sonorities to the mix.
The evening ended with the explosive performances of the Women
From Space Big Bang! 17-piece improvising collective, with most
of the six commissioned works being conducted by the composers
themselves. Each composer chose a song by Björk and created their
own version from it. The band also included four singers whose vocals
extended and added to the overall soundscapes. At times, it sounded
like the roof was going to be blown off, the sounds were so magically
intense. Throughout the performance, colourful and amoeba-like
visual projections by The Liquid Crystal Display permeated the vaulted
ceiling and walls of the Music Gallery stage area.
On the final evening of the festival, I managed to hear the performance
by Matana Roberts on saxophone, Germaine Liu on percussion
and Nicole Rampersaud on trumpet and electronics. The musical
dialogue between these three virtuosos still lingers in my memory,
each one of them taking turns to offer their own unique sound worlds
before returning to create a cluster cloud of sound textures that arose
from the dynamic combination.
Matana Roberts also included spoken voice in their performance, and
at one point jammed extensively on various phrases from the American
Pledge of Allegiance, probing the questions of what it really means to
be free, and occasionally returning to “Liberty and justice for some”
as a refrain. At the conclusion of the performance, they encouraged
everyone to speak out on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves,
and upon leaving the stage, they proclaimed: “Free Palestine.”
Soundstreams: One of the intriguing upcoming events on the
spring horizon, running April 18-20, is another three day event,
Soundstreams mini-festival for multiple keyboards titled KEYED UP!
Taking place at the Jane Mallett Theatre.
Emily Doolittle with a key chime created for her
composition (re)cycling I: metals
The opening concert of the festival on April 18 will be a special
evening devoted to Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The first half of the
concert is built around a performance of the complete Variations; as
they are performed, each will be followed by a newly composed one
commissioned from four Canadian composers (Taylor Brook, Dorothy
Chang, Emily Doolittle and André Ristic). This will be followed, in the
second half, by a North American premiere performance by Australian
composer and pianist Paul Grabowsky of his Improvisations on the
Aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations.
I reached out to Emily Doolittle, one of the commissioned
composers, who explained that each composer was assigned either
seven or eight of Bach’s variations, with the further instruction that
they also write at least once for each of the four keyboard instruments
that will be used in the performance: piano (Jackie Leung), harpsichord
(Wesley Chen), organ (John Paul Farahat), and a Nord Stage 4
electronic keyboard (Gregory Oh).
Doolittle was assigned variations 16 through 23 and decided to
focus on Bach’s variation technique rather than on the original theme
itself. She looked for what was stylistically characteristic of each of her
assigned variations, whether it was a particular figure or gesture or
rhythm and wrote her pieces based on that motif. Although she wrote
her pieces, titled Varia, for the different keyboards, as instructed,
she told me that she wanted the pieces to be adaptable to any type
of keyboard instrument for future performances. “They can also be
performed as a set on their own, and there’s a variety that if you were
to listen to them one after the other, you’d hear certain patterns or
chords, or textures that you might hear somewhere else in a different
piece. There are little connections between the different pieces.”
(As it turns out, our conversation ranged far beyond her contribution
to this event. See Emily Doolittle’s Evolving Creative Practice, below.)
KEYED UP!: the final concert features three works for six grand pianos.
EMILY DOOLITTLE FACEBOOK
14 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

The second KEYED UP concert on April 19, titled Notations, also
consists of two distinct halves, and offers free admission. It opens
with a series of world premieres by the six composers (Uko Abara,
Alexandra Gorlin-Crenshaw, Gustav Knudson, Maria-Eduarda Mendes
Martins, Prokhor Protasoff and Hsiu-Ping Patrick Wu) participating
in Soundstreams week-long RBC Bridges Program, which offers free
tuition and accommodation to six emerging Canadian and international
composers. The complementary second half of the evening offers pieces
by Ana Sokolović, Alvin Singleton, Monica Pearce and Ann Southam.
The big Finale concert on April 20 will feature three works for six
grand pianos, including two iconic pieces, Steve Reich’s Six Pianos
and Terry Riley’s A Rainbow in Curved Air, along with works by Julia
Wolfe, André Ristic, and Ana Sokolović.
Emily Doolittle’s Evolving Creative Practice
What started out as a conversation focused on Emily Doolittle’s
contribution to the upcoming Soundstreams #Keynotes event
turned into a wide-ranging and thought provoking discussion of her
constantly evolving creative practice, worth repeating here.
On the subject of the Goldbergs, for example, she has her own very
personal connections with the Variations, predating this commission.
Because her young daughter has insomnia, over the past year one of the
ways Doolittle has helped her fall asleep is by listening together to the
Goldberg Variations. Sometimes this can take at least half an hour, so
she knows those pieces really well by now. Another personal connection
is with her former composition teacher Louis Andriessen. After
a lesson, they would sight-read together various works by Bach. On a
recent visit to Amsterdam after Andriessen’s passing, she was given his
signed score of the Goldberg Variations as a gift to remember him by.
Birdsong: Another noteworthy aspect is her work with birdsong,
in particular her interest in Hermit Thrush song. In her research,
published in the Ecomusicology Review, she discovered how colonialism
and nationalism impacted perceptions of North American birdsong.
In the late 1700s, an influential European naturalist named
Comte de Buffon wrote that the birdsongs of North America are
“harsh, raucous and monotonous,” even though he himself had never
left European shores. As Doolittle pointed out, “that’s exactly what
European explorers heard when they arrived and often reported
that the birds they heard squawked like a chicken. People hear what
they’re expecting to hear. Obviously these European explorers were
not talking with Indigenous people who no doubt were very well
aware of the hermit thrush song,” she said.
It took the observations of North American-born writers, and in
particular the pioneering publication of Quebec-born “Mrs. Sheppard
of Woodfield,” in 1833 to begin changing settler attitudes. Based on
her field observations, Sheppard argued that North American birdsong
is appealing and pleasurable to hear and that the Hermit Thrush
has a really wonderful song.
This interest in birdsong found its way into a recent project when
Doolittle was commissioned to write 70 minutes of music for the
audiobook version of Anne of Green Gables. She paired the different
characters with bird songs found in Prince Edward Island or Nova
Scotia, attempting to match each character’s personality with the
attributes of the birdsong Anne would have heard in her environment.
As a long-time member of R. Murray Schafer’s Wolf Project and
performing in many of his outdoor pieces, Doolittle’s interest in the
connections between sound, music and the environment have deep
roots and continue to evolve. She noted how birds would respond
during the outdoor performances and also how Schafer incorporated
birdsong into his pieces.
Ecological emergency: Another project she’s been involved with is
a talk and concert series entitled Art-Making in the Anthropocene,
co-led with colleagues Sarah Hopfinger and Stuart MacRae. This series
explored how to approach creative work in this time of ecological
emergency. When I asked her how these ideas impacted her own
work, she said: “even though I’ve always cared about the environment,
and have written music based on animal songs and natural soundscapes
for over 25 years, my interest in natural sounds really comes
from my curiosity about the sounds themselves.”
Hermit Thrush: miskominikesi (raspberry picking bird)
in Anishnaabmowin
This is evident in one of her recent works where she began exploring
sounds made by objects from the trash or recycling bins. For a commission
from the Rainy Days festival in Luxembourg, she composed for a
wide array of metal objects such as keys, molded pie foil containers and
various sizes of tin cans. During the process of collecting and experimenting
with the sound possibilities of these objects, she also gained
valuable insights about packaging, visiting various grocery stores to
purchase food in tin cans from different countries. One large and
resonant tin can from Greece, filled with stuffed grape leaves, meant her
family ate nothing but grape leaves for four days!
“That’s one piece that I wouldn’t have composed without the
change in thinking fostered by the discussions of the Art-Making in
the Anthropocene series”, she said. The resulting composition, titled
(re)cycling I: metals, was performed in the fall of 2023 in Luxembourg
by the Montreal-based Architek Percussion ensemble.
Future
Resonance
Festival
April 26-28, 2024
Various Venues
Visit newmusicconcerts.com for more information!
MCELROY PRODUCTIONS
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 15

“Transcending boundaries”:
poet, teacher, researcher,
media artist, conductor
stage director and theatre
director, Sandeep Bhagwati
ART OF SONG
A NEW JOURNEY
Third of three
The third event in this month’s account of recent and upcoming
new music events is coincidentally another three-day festival.
Titled Future Resonance and brought to us biennially by New Music
Concerts, it takes place from April 26-28 in three different venues. It
begins on April 26 at the Canadian Music Centre with a panel discussion
titled “What Is the Real Sound of Toronto” aimed at stimulating
a lively conversation about alternate ways of approaching the creation
and presentation of newly made music. Doors open at 4.30 and the
event wraps up with a reception from 6:30 to 7pm.
On April 27, the action shifts to St. George by the Grange, the
previous home of the Music Gallery, for the concert that promises
to be the centrepiece of the festival, titled “Swara Sutras Goes
Electronic.” “Swara sutras” in Sanskrit means an assemblage of notes,
and the concert lives up to its title. In its first half, it offers four world
premieres by Canadian composers where the sounds of guzheng,
tablas, bamboo flute, percussion, kora, and Metis fiddle, are individually
and in combination blended with new technologies. The
concert’s final work features a nine-musician Swara Sutras Ensemble
assembled for the occasion under the direction of Sandeep Bhagwati.
The final event on April 28 takes the festival uptown to the Aga Khan
Museum for a full-day immersive event titled “Śabdagatitāra: How
to Inhabit These Different Temporalities?” “Śabdagatitāra” is again
from Sanskrit meaning the crossing over (tāra) of methods of making
(gati) sound (śabda), and promises to be an event “celebrating many
musical roots and containing wonderfully unexpected sound worlds,”
including pipa, Bulgarian singing, Turkish violin, double bass and
musical sculptures.
Coming full circle, Soundstreams appears again on the calendar
for a May 4 performance of Grandma’s Shawl which reveals the story
of the bond built in the early 20th century between Ukrainian and
Indigenous women. Struggling to cope in their new surroundings, the
Ukrainian immigrants are welcomed and supported by Indigenous
women through food and Khustka shawls. The musical narrative for
soprano, mezzo, piano and violin unfolds through the combining of
works by both Ukrainian and Canadian composers, and takes place
at the Redwood Theatre, a classic 1914 theatre, newly renovated, at
1300 Gerrard St in Toronto’s east end.
Reimagining art
song for the 2020s
STEPHANIE CONN
Lieder, or art song, might seem a tough sell at times.
With just two performers on stage, singer and pianist,
it does not offer the visual dazzle of opera with its
scenery, orchestra and casts of thousands. Texts are
usually by 19th-century poets such as Verlaine, Goethe,
Rilke, Heine and Hesse, and in German or French which
makes them less accessible to English-speaking listeners.
To do justice to the texts, songs were often throughcomposed
and so they lack choruses that might catch the
audience’s ears.
Lieder, however, holds all the dramatic possibilities of opera – especially
when the songs are presented as an entire set or cycle – but the
responsibility for realizing the poet’s and composer’s intentions lies
entirely with the singer and pianist. Art song can be compared to short
story form, eschewing the grandeur of opera, as short stories do novels,
to instead capture truth in a more compact or even epigrammatic form.
Confluence: There are several musical organizations in Toronto that
are taking on art song these days and updating it in a way that hopes
to win new audiences, and also to afford artists new possibilities
for interacting and creating. This May, Toronto audiences will have
the chance to hear an especially inventive re-imagining of Heinrich
Teiya Kasahara 笠 原 貞 野 (L) and pianist David Eliakis
Wendalyn Bartley is a Toronto-based composer and electro-vocal
sound artist. sounddreaming@gmail.com
The creative spirit is alive and kicking!
Composer / filmmaker Cameron Tingley presents his
imaginative concert music and humorous short films,
with colourful descriptions of the creative process.
“Themusicexpressesmywishesandhopesforabetter
world, one that celebrates diversity, tolerance, curiosity,
spontaneity,eccentricity,nuance.Allthegoodstuff.”
GAETZ PHOTOGRAPHY
camerontingley.com
A novel blend of music, film, and creative writing.
16 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

TED PHILLIPS
"Kasahara’s The Butterfly Project: The Ballade of Chō-Chō San
Heine’s Dichterliebe as set by Robert Schumann, reinterpreted as
Dichterliebe: Whose Love? It is presented by Confluence Concerts
and co-created by Teiya Kasahara 笠 原 貞 野 and pianist David Eliakis.
Kasahara told Wholenote that “David Eliakis and I will look at
Schumann’s setting of these poems with a queer and trans lens of our
lived experiences. We started with the central question, ‘Whose love is
important, valid, and celebrated?’, and that is why we are presenting
Dichterliebe: Whose Love?”
“Lieder is where I began my classical vocal education at age 15,” says
Kasahara. “It was the place I first was able to express myself through
my singing voice. I think what is special about Lieder is that one
can take more into consideration their own lived experience in relation
to the poetry. There is less prescription in dramatic portrayal – in
“performance” – in comparison to opera, where we are asked to play
specific characters in usually very structured narratives.” It’s worthwhile
to note that in a previous project with Confluence, Kasahara
re-examined Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly in The Butterfly
Project: The Ballade of Chō-Chō San.
With this program, Kasahara and Eliakis interrogate “their classical
music educations, the traditions which they have perpetuated
in both music and life, and the sex and gender norms that still
govern much of today’s performance practices and social discourse.”
Schumann composed the original Dichterliebe (A
Poet’s Love) song cycle in 1840 during a period when
he and his beloved Clara were uncertain if they would
be allowed to marry; for this reason, the music he
produced sometimes contradicts or belies the seemingly
sunny content of some poems. Nevertheless
it is a conventional journey of gender and love that
is described in his original composition. In this
new version, Kasahara and Eliakis, too, use Heine’s
Lyrisches Intermezzo as a starting point and incorporate
Schumann’s original settings, but they also bring
in settings by Schumann’s contemporaries, including
Liszt, Franz Wolf and Fanny Mendelssohn (Hensel),
with some contemporary electronic additions.
As Kasahara explained to WholeNote, although
Dichterliebe’s themes of love, unrequited love, lost
love, etc. are presented as universal “that isn’t always
the case for queer and trans people in the stories
we tell in historical and contemporary mediums. I
also often wondered why sopranos and mezzos, but
more specifically women, weren’t seen singing or
recording this repertoire as much as their counterparts.
Tradition has seemed to tell another story, but
what has continued to bring me back to canonical works in Lieder
and in opera is that my imagination, curiosity and creativity continues
to inspire me to want to tell another story: queer stories, trans stories,
BIPOC stories, my story.”
Larry Beckwith founded
Confluence Concerts in
2018, and says they’ve
programmed “a good deal of
art song, including Debussy’s
Cinq Poèmes de Charles
Baudelaire in the fall of 2018,
Marion Newman’s program
of Indigenous Art Song in
2019, a generous sampling
from the fascinating Irish Art
Song Project and a program
of James Rolfe’s songs in the
fall of 2023.” Their presentations
have been creative, and as Beckwith explains, “Most have
Larry Beckwith
included art songs juxtaposed with jazz standards, folk or contemporary
pop songs, such as last season’s All the Diamonds cabaret,
curated by yours truly, or the Mandala (curated by Suba Sankaran)
DAHLIA KATZ
The Secret Hero of the 19 th Century
June 9 th , 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
FEATURING:
Erica Iris Huang, mezzo-soprano; Elina Kelebeev, piano;
Inna Perkis, piano; Ernesto Ramirez, tenor; Boris Zarankin, piano
Artistic Directors: Boris Zarankin & Inna Perkis
For more details and to purchase tickets
www.offcentremusic.com
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 17

MUSIC THEATRE
BRUCE ZINGER
Soprano Meghan Lindsay and Atelier Ballet artist
Eric César de Mello da Silva in All is Love
SOMETHING TO
CROW ABOUT
and a toast to
new creation
and Gracias a la Vida (curated by Patricia O’Callaghan) programs in
the pandemic.”
Beckwith teaches music at the secondary school level and adds that
he plans to bring his students to Matthias Goerne’ and Evgeny Kissin’s
performance of Dichterliebe this month (April 21, Roy Thomson Hall).
“The students in the voice program love art songs and often juxtapose
them with musical theatre songs, which are often not dissimilar
in their story-telling arcs.” With innovative productions like the
Confluence show leading the way to spark interest, and the openheartedness
of young singers, art song might once again take centre
stage for more listeners.
As Beckwith says, “Art songs endure because they are tiny perfect
gems and poignantly marry words and music. We look forward to
Teiya Kasahara’s re-envisioning of Schumann’s Dichterliebe with
a goal towards de-mystifying and further popularizing what is in
essence a very accessible, moving, timeless and entertaining art form.”
Elsewhere: Some other recent and current performances offering
insights into art song include Opera Atelier’s upcoming All Is Love,
showcasing Measha Brueggergosman-Lee and including Reynaldo
Hahn’s setting of Verlaine’s L’heure Exquise; and the Toronto
Mendelssohn Singers, just before this issue went to press, presenting
Franz Schubert’s song cycle Winterreisse in a new arrangement for
choir, baritone Brett Polegato, and piano. This past March, in a clever
contemporary turn, Nathan Keoughan and pianist/composer Peter
Tiefenbach performed Tiefenbach’s dramatic and humorous cycle,
The Long Walk Home, as part of Against the Grain Theatre’s Opera
pub at The Drake Hotel. Jokingly referred to as “Die Tinderreise”, this
original song cycle with text by James Ostime tells the story of a man’s
one-night journey, echoing cycles such as Winterreise but including
contemporary details.
Listing details: Confluence Concerts. Dichterliebe: Whose Love?
Teiya Kasahara 笠 原 貞 野 , vocalist; David Eliakis, piano. Heliconian
Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. May 3 and 4, 7:30, with pre-concert chat at
6:45pm. Tickets: www.bemusednetwork.com/events. $25.
Stephanie Conn is an ethnomusicologist, writer/editor, and
former producer for CBC Radio. A member of the ensemble Puirt
a Baroque, she has also sung with Tafelmusik and other period
ensembles, and is active as a traditional Gaelic singer and piano
accompanist in Cape Breton. Her podcast “Friend of a Friend” can
be heard at https://meezstephanie.substack.com
JENNIFER PARR
For months there has been speculation, in “the
business” and out, about what the unannounced
“secret” seventh show of the upcoming 2024/2025
Mirvish season might be. Possibilities mooted have
included Beetlejuice and MJ: the musical among others.
The real news is much more exciting. It has just been announced
(March 19) that this “secret show” will actually be a remount (or
rather a newly enhanced version) of the hit Canadian premiere
production of Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of
1812, currently finishing a triumphant and record breaking 16-week
run at Streetcar Crow’s Nest in Toronto’s east end.
I have been a champion of this production from very early
in the process, interviewing director Chris Abraham (Dec/
Broadway
Classics
arranged/directed by Charles Cozens
featuring
Jeff Madden
Stephanie Brandt
Ella Boich
ISABEL BADER THEATER MAY 11 8 PM
18 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

The cast of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Jan issue) after a visit to early rehearsals where the chemistry of
creative team, cast and musicians was boldly on display. When I
saw the show for the third time a week ago I saw a production at its
peak: the story telling clear as a bell, the ensemble of performers
a thrilling display of world class Canadian musical theatre talent
led by Hailey Gillis as a luminous Natasha and Evan Buliung as
a tormented Pierre. Director Chris Abraham, choreographer Ray
Hogg, music director Ryan deSouza and the superb design team
have given us a fully realized world that immerses the audience in
a decadent recreation of 1812 Russia that is both true to the period
and radically contemporary.
Audiences hungry for exciting musical theatre have been flocking
to Crow’s to experience this production that could easily have run for
much longer if the space had been available. How perfect, then, that
Mirvish should pick it up, giving Great Comet a chance to prolong its
life and reach even more new audiences.
George Krissa (Anatole) & Hailey Gillis (Natasha)
Championing Canadian musical creation is something that one
always wishes top-flight producers will do, and Mirvish Productions
are no strangers to the role, having helped to shepherd three shows
that started off as experiments in much smaller spaces into being
monster hits: Two Pianos Four Hands, Drowsy Chaperone, and Come
From Away.
PHOTOS: DAHLIA KATZ
GRANDMA’S
SHAWL
Experience a poignant musical
journey intertwining Ukrainian
and Indigenous cultures,
celebrating unity, resilience, and
the enduring bond of women.
ARTISTS
Music Director / Soprano
Natalya Gennadi
Mezzo-Soprano
Kristine Dandavino
Piano
Jo Greenaway
Violin
Oleksandra Fedyshyn
REDWOOD
THEATRE
MAY 4, 2024
7:30pm
SOUNDSTREAMS.CA
The Michael and Sonja Koerner
Charitable Foundation
The Mary-Margaret
Webb Foundation
Epstein
Family Trust
The JB JB Doherty
Family Foundation
The Anne-Marie H. H.
Applin Foundation
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 19

Musical Stage Company's Ray Hogg: fresh from
co-producing Comet , MSC gets back to basics.
Also recently
Shifting Ground: Overlapping with Great Comet in late February, a
new group of young talented performers and creative team with the
name of the Shifting Ground Collective emerged seemingly out of the
blue with an excellent (and also sold out) production of Sondheim’s
famously problematic 1981 musical Merrily We Roll Along at the
intimate Annex Theatre. I recommend looking out for more work
from this talented group! https://shiftinggroundcollective.com/merrily
Mother of All Shows: In early March another showcase of
Canadian musical theatre talent was on display in the Toronto
premiere screening at the Hot Docs Cinema of the musical film
The Mother of All Shows, co-written by Melissa Agostino and
David James Brock with music by Rebecca Everett, and co-starring
Agostino and the brilliant Wendy Malick. While not completely
successful it was both great fun to watch and exciting to see talented
Canadian musical theatre writers taking risks to experiment with
both form and format. www.moasfilm.com
And just ahead
Canadian Festival Of New Musicals: Coming up later this spring is
what promises to be another showcase of new creation and Canadian
talent: the Musical Stage Company’s new Canadian Festival of New
Musicals in association with the Canadian Stage Company in their
Berkeley Street space. Curious to know more details about this new
festival running from May 22 to 26, I conversed with MSC’s artistic
director Ray Hogg:
WN: The new festival seems to be a continuation of the Musical
Stage Company’s former showcases of new works in progress,
sometimes in collaboration with the Canadian Musical Theatre
Project. Now that the CMPT no longer exists will this be the new
format going forward? Will it be an annual event?
RH: I’ve often likened creating a new Canadian musical to raising
a newborn baby - it takes a village of artists. There’s a lot that goes
into developing and nurturing a musical and the process often takes
longer than any other form of theatre! As for our Canadian Festival
of New Musicals (CFoNM), I believe wholeheartedly in creating
more opportunities to invite audiences behind the scenes to witness
the many stages of creating a new musical because it truly is a
fascinating developmental process.
Can you tell me more about the three new works in progress which
will be presented during the festival, and why they were chosen?
L-R: Duncan Lang, Sydney Gauvin, Colette Richardson, Jameson Mosher
Absolutely! The three new musicals we’re showcasing are all
works whose developmental history has brought them close to full
production readiness: In Real Life, After the Rain, and Cowboy
Tempest. In Real Life is the most production-ready of the three.
The book is by superstar playwright Nick Green with music &
lyrics by our latest Crescendo Series artist Kevin Wong, and the
show is about a near-future society (think a musical episode of
The Black Mirror) that grapples with the complexities of power,
technology and freedom in a digital era. We’re very excited to
share a 60-minute partially staged excerpt in partnership with
fu-GEN Theatre.
Our Double Bill presentation will showcase readings from the two
other shows. After the Rain has a book by Rose Napoli, and music
and lyrics by Suzy Wilde, and we are co-developing and co-commissioning
it with Tarragon Theatre. Cowboy Tempest Cabaret (book by
Niall McNeil, Lucy McNulty and Anton Lipovetsky, music by Anton
Lipovetsky, lyrics by Niall McNeil) features the latest work from our
second Crescendo Series artist Anton Lipovetsky.
They are strikingly different. After the Rain is about a struggling
composer who sings backup in her parent’s band but agrees to
teach piano lessons to a terminally ill adult who is only interested
in learning Gymnopedie No.1. This show is a gorgeous transcendent
theatrical experience that explores the healing power of music.
On the flip side, Cowboy Tempest is a totally lawless adaptation of
Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Think you know Shakespeare? Think
again! This show was conceived by Niall McNeill, an artist with Down
Syndrome, and is entirely painted with his world-view. His longtime
collaborators Lucy McNulty and Anton Lipovetsky help take us on an
incredible musical tour through Niall’s inspired take on Shakespeare’s
tale of magic and power.
Other than the showcase presentations, will there be public
components to the festival such as question and answer sessions with
the creative teams, or panel discussions with people in the industry?
Indeed! We are really looking forward to connecting audiences with
our writers, composers, and creative teams. We are anticipating some
lively discussion considering how passionate this group of artists (and
our audience) is! Aside from Q & A sessions, we›ll be kicking off the
festival with our second iteration of the Noteworthy New Musicals
Conference; a one-day musical theatre event dedicated to new musical
enthusiasts, composers, lyricists and playwrights in Toronto.
There will be multiple panels made up of international industry
experts, a keynote speech, networking opportunities, and Musical
TAYLOR LONG
20 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

COURTESY OF MARIE CHOUINARD
ROLLINE LAPORTE
Canadian choreographer Marie Chouinard’s Le Chant du Cygne: Le Lac
Murmuration
Stage Company’s 20th Anniversary Birthday Bash! The content of this
year’s conference is geared toward providing chances to learn more
about new musical theatre, with a strong emphasis on new work
development and how to get your new musical produced in Canada.
Do you see this festival expanding in the future to include more
shows and even more companies, like some of the festivals in the US?
I hope this is a possibility! We have already have several other
Canadian company’s onboard for the inaugural festival including
Canadian Stage, fu-GEN and Tarragon Theatre. We also have close ties
and working relationships with other Canadian companies from coast
to coast and with several US companies. As for future festivals, if other
companies are looking to come on board, I say the more the merrier!
For more details and to buy tickets, visit
musicalstagecompany.com/shows/canadian-festival-of-new-musicals/
intelligence of contemporary dancers to explore the physical
instinct that birds – and humans – have for flocking.
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.
DANCE as MUSIC THEATRE
April will see three dance productions that reimagine classics
in wildly different ways. First up, from ShowOne Productions, is
the new Hamlet from Guillaume Côté and Robert Lepage I wrote
about in the previous column. It runs April 3-7 at the Elgin Theatre,
promising a new and visceral physical take on Shakespeare’s classic.
What is it about Swan Lake that drives so many choreographers to
articulate their own responses? Over at Harbourfront Centre from
April 18-20 the Torque dance series plays host to two wildly experimental
takes on what is probably the most iconic classical ballet with
the Canadian premiere of the mixed program Swan Lakes and Minus 16
from Gauthier Dance & Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart.
The two swan lakes in the program’s title are Canadian choreographer
Marie Chouinard’s Le Chant du Cygne: Le Lac, a fiercely
feminist manifesto in which the swans become passionate rebels,
and choreographer and composer Hofesh Shechter’s Swan Cake,
which is more playful and light spirited. The mixed program will
conclude with legendary choreographer Ohad Naharin’s theatrical
cult classic Minus 16.
From April 25 to 28 at the ice rink at the Leaside Memorial
Community Gardens, Montreal company Le Patin Libre are taking
dance on ice to a new level of excitement and innovation with their
Canadian/French/Scottish co-production Murmuration. To music
by Jasmin Boivin and Philippe Le Bon, the wildly innovative work
performed by a company of 15 “ice mavericks” combines the athletic
virtuosity of competitive figure skaters with the choreographic
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 21

“Full of clear,
radiant fervor”
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY:
HAYDN & BENDA
Directed by Zefira Valova
April 19–21, 2024
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
18th-century Bohemia is the inspiration behind this
program marking the Tafelmusik debut of Bulgarian
violinist and il Pomo d’Oro concertmaster Zefira Valova.
tafelmusik.org/bohemian
(Bozar)
“Mesmerizing”
(Ludwig van Toronto)
TRANSFORMATIONS:
BACH & RAMEAU
Directed by Kristian Bezuidenhout
May 10–12, 2024
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
Kristian Bezuidenhout returns as harpsichordist and
guest director to explore music’s evolution through
transcriptions, reworkings, and arrangements.
tafelmusik.org/transformations

An agency of the Government of Ontario
Un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario
A HANDEL
CELEBRATION
“The best periodperformance
choir anywhere
in the world”
(Globe and Mail)
Directed by Ivars Taurins
May 31–June 2, 2024
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre
Tafelmusik’s 45th-anniversary season culminates
with a salute to one of the greatest musical
dramatists of all time. Join guest soloists Amanda
Forsythe and Thomas Hobbs, with the Tafelmusik
choir and orchestra as they weave a gorgeous
tapestry under the direction of Ivars Taurins.
tafelmusik.org/handel-celebration
Image by Paulette Tavormina

EARLY MUSIC
TORONTO
BACH
FESTIVAL
Connecting the dots
DAVID PERLMAN
John Abberger
Church of the Holy Trinity, site of this year’s Kaffeehaus
PHOTOS: ELANA EMER
Toronto Bach Festival was founded in 2016 by
internationally-recognized Bach authority John
Abberger (best known to Toronto period music
devotees as principal oboist of Tafelmusik Baroque
Orchestra). In the spring of 2019, columnist Matthew
Whitfield interviewed Abberger for The WholeNote and
wrote this: “For the past three years, the Toronto Bach
Festival has presented a three-day intensive series of
concerts, recitals, and lecture presentations focusing
on Johann Sebastian Bach, his world, and his works.
Increasing in size and scale each year, the festival attracts
magnificent performers and interpreters.” Substitute
“past five non-pandemic years” for “three” and the
comment is as accurate today as it was then.
Back in 2019, the Festival ran from May 24 to 26, book-ended by
performances of Bach’s Fifth Brandenburg Concerto, among other
works, on Friday, and his Lutheran Masses on the Sunday. The
Saturday in between featured solo performances, by harpsichordist
Luc Beauséjour and cellist Elinor Frey, and a lecture on Bach and the
French Style featuring renowned musicologist Ellen Exner.
“This year’s festival features an eclectic mix of Bach’s secular and
sacred music” Whitfield observed to Abberger. “Is there an organizing
principle or underlying idea that permeates your concerts and
programming?”
“Absolutely!” Abberger replied. “ From day one, a guiding principle
for the programming has been that the three main genres in which
_1920x1080
Carmina
Burana
Fate, love, temptation, struggle,
fulfillment. Timeless storytelling.
Captivating music.
Sunday, June 9, 2024 | 5:00 pm
Tickets at www.paxchristichorale.org
Bach worked, choral, keyboard and instrumental, should be represented
at each festival. This is why we will always have a keyboard
recital, generally alternating between harpsichord and organ. Another
important artistic mandate is to perform cantatas each year. With
so many to choose from, we won’t run out for quite a few years! The
instrumental works comprise works for solo instruments (violin,
cello and flute) as well as chamber and orchestral music. I strive each
year to find a nice balance with the great diversity of genres in which
Bach worked.”
The pattern: Glance at the titles of the festival concerts over the
years, and it’s clear that Abberger has stuck to that guiding principle
from day one.
Take 2018 for example: an opening concert titled “Two Brandenburg
with Love,” a Saturday organ recital titled “Bach’s Inspiration” by
Toronto-born Rachel Mahon (fresh off her appointment as the first
woman to be appointed organ scholar at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London)
and a Sunday concert titled “Cantatas and a Passion.”
2020 and 2021 offered … nothing.
But in 2022, the festival was back, seemingly unaffected by the
hiatus. The Friday brought us “Brilliant Brandeburg”; Saturday
brought an equally brilliant three-pack — a noon organ recital, by
organist and Bach scholar John Bott, followed by “The Sonatas &
Partitas for Solo Violin” in two parts, at 4pm and 8pm respectively,
Rezonance
Baroque Ensemble
with
Emily Klassen
Madness
& meaning
April 28, 4 pm
rezonanceensemble.com
24 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

An agency of the Government of Ontario
Un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario
PHOTOS: ELANA EMER
performed by violinists Julia Wedman, Patricia Ahern, Valerie Gordon
and Cristina Zacharias. Sunday brought the by-now expected public
lecture, by John Bott. Titled “Bach the Dramatist” it was an in-depth
look at Bach’s dramatic writing in oratorio settings, particularly the
Easter Oratorio and Ascension Oratorio; the 4pm final concert of the
festival then featured those two oratorios.
2023 gave us “Virtuoso Concerto” on the Friday, featuring concertos
for one and two harpsichords, followed on Saturday by harpsichordist
Steven Devine performing The Well-Tempered Clavier in two parts (at
noon and 2pm). Sunday’s Annual Bach Lecture was “J.S. Bach: Cantor,
Capellmeister, Director” by musicologist Daniel R. Melamed from
the Jacobs School of Music in Indiana, and the 4pm Sunday finale,
“Leipzig Cantatas,” crossed two more cantatas, Die Elenden sollen
essen, BWV75 and Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes BWV76, off
Abberger’s list.
Which brings us to this year’s festival: The opening Friday concert, at
Eastminster United Church, on the Danforth, is “The Game of Threes”
and features, among other works, Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.3
in G Major, Concerto for Three Violins in D Major, and Violin Concerto
in A Minor. The violin-playing honours are distributed among Adrian
Butterfield, who directs the concert, and two of Abberger’s longtime
Tafelmusik cohorts: Patricia Ahern and Cristina Zacharias.
Saturday brings an intriguing mix of sacred and secular: a noon
organ recital by Aaron James at St. Andrews Church at 73 Simcoe
Street, across from Roy Thomson Hall, followed by two performances,
at 4pm and 8pm, of “Kaffeehaus” – a 2022 festival innovation relocated
from its theoretically ideal location (the Concert Hall at Yonge and
Davenport) to the friendlier and more rough-and-ready surrounds of
Church of the Holy Trinity (19 Trinity Sq, behind the Toronto Eaton
Centre), where the pews are not bolted to the floor and more than one
cup of coffee has been spilled over the years!)
Sunday takes us back across the Bloor viaduct to Eastminster, first
for the public lecture, provisionally titled “Bach’s Music Library and Its
Influence on His Style,” presented via live broadcast, by musicologist
Christoph Wolff – someone, Abberger says, he has been hoping to bring to
the festival since its inception. The festival’s final concert, “How Brightly
Shines” is at 4pm and promises to live up to its name. Wie schön leuchtet
der Morgenstern (how brightly shines the morning star) is the title of two
of the works on the program – one by Bach and one by Johann Kuhnau.
And shining stars there will be a-plenty on view: Yeree Suh and Sinéad
White, sopranos; Daniel Taylor and Nicholas Burns, altos; Charles Daniels
and Shane Hanson, tenors; Jesse Blumberg and Martin Gomes, basses;
and whomever comprises the The Toronto Bach Festival Orchestra
which will have had three days to bond as an ensemble.
VIA ZOOM: I caught up with John Abberger via Zoom in
Charlottesville, Virginia on March 12 – the final day of Tafelmusik’s
recent six city US tour, of a program titled “Passions Revealed,” devised
by guest director Aisslin Nosky. Here are some snippets from that
conversation.
J.A, ON ATTENDANCE: We’ve sold out a number of performances,
but not so far in Eastminster, so we have good capacity there which
is good. Last year we had to move the opening concert to Church of
the Holy Trinity, with a capacity of, I think, 400, so I’m hopeful that
we can maybe do 450 or 500 at Eastminster this year. Our opening
concert, the instrumental music, is so far always the most popular,
which is interesting to me because it’s the vocal music that’s the heart
of Bach’s output. But we’re building an audience for that, too. We
have a devoted core, and we add people every year. So I’m confident
about that.
ON GUEST ARTISTS: As you know I like to bring in people. And this
year we’ve got two really interesting new guests: Adrian Butterfield,
the violinist, is coming from London. And Yeree Suh is this wonderful
Korean soprano who lives in Stuttgart. Oh, and tenor Charles Daniels
is coming back, I don’t mean to minimize him. He’s one of the best.
So those are our big guest artists. But I think it’s important that we
support people here in Toronto as well, you know. So that’s why I’m
really pleased to present organist Aaron James for the first time.
ON “THE GAME OF THREES”:
Adrian and I did the programming together. I have my opinions,
it’s part of my job as artistic director to shape each program as a part
of the whole festival. So there was a lot of really interesting back and
forth about that. I really wanted the Concerto for 3 Violins. It’s one
of Bach’s strongest concertos, and it only survived in a version for
three harpsichords. The first movement is like Vivaldi on steroids. It’s
almost sonata form, a fantastic movement. I’ve really wanted to do
that for some time. So from there, the third Brandenburg made sense.
And so on.
ON BACH’S INFLUENCES: (last year’s festival was close to all-
Bach, this year noticeably less so.)
We are still only scratching the surface. Our idea is to show a little
bit of what music influenced Bach. What were his models, what influenced
his compositional style? Vivaldi was a huge one. You know 1711
was the publication in Amsterdam of his L’Estro Armonico, Opus 3
concertos for solo instruments, and people in Europe went crazy for
that music. I talked at the Kaffeehaus last year about Prince Johan-
Erst of Saxe-Weimar. Bach worked for him as a very young man, in his
early 20s maybe? But anyway, the Prince went to Amsterdam, I think
ALL IS LOVE
DEBUSSY / HAHN / HANDEL
LULLY / PURCELL / RAMEAU
April 11 to 14 at Koerner Hall
A ravishing blend of singing, ballet and
orchestral music, fully staged in the glorious
acoustic of Koerner Hall. Featuring Artists of
Atelier Ballet, and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
“A Miracle.”
—Robert Harris,
The Globe and Mail
operaatelier.com
Season
Presenting
Sponsor
Radio Sponsor
Media Partner
Eric César de Mello da Silva and
Meghan Lindsay by Bruce Zinger
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 25

in 1713 – Bach’s life is all these little tiny tidbits of information, right?
So you kind of hope you’re gonna connect the dots with some vague
sense of accuracy. There is a document that says the prince brought
home so much music they had to have new shelves constructed in
the library, and Bach made these harpsichord transcriptions of three
or four of them. The prince was writing music too, and I think that
was their way of studying them.
And [Dieterich] Buxtehude too, in the realm of organ influences
was huge. There’s a video of a program Tom Allen did recently with
and for Sweetwater Music Festival. He calls it Bach’s Long Walk In
the Snow – walking to Lubeck to hear Buxtehude play. He went in
November, and the people he worked for said “Okay, you can go,
but be back in time for the Christmas season” and he said he’d be
gone for four weeks, and he stayed for three months … so there’s a
nice sub-theme leading from Saturday to Sunday. Aaron James plays
Buxtehude’s Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern in his organ recital,
one of my favourite pieces of his. And Bach loved that chorale too.
David Perlman can be reached at publisher@thewholenote.com
AND ELSEWHERE
Toronto Symphony Orchestra: You can get your Bach on in a
few places this spring. The Toronto Symphony presents “Brilliant
Bach,” a crowd-pleasing program with some of the concerti for
multiple violins, including the Concerto for Two Violins & String
Orchestra BWV 1043 and Concerto for Three Violins & String
Orchestra BWV 1064R, as well as Brandenburg Concerto No.2
BWV 1047 and more. Jonathan Crow leads and plays solo violin.
Wednesday, Apr 24 to Saturday, Apr 27 at 8pm, Roy Thomson
Hall; Sunday, Apr 28 at 3pm, George Weston Recital Hall
Trinity Bach on the GO: Increasingly it’s worth the trip to
Hamilton, and the GO train is at your service, so why not consider
a program planned there by the Trinity Bach Project, intriguing
for its contextualization of J.S. Bach’s music. The concert includes
Bach’s beautiful Motet Jesu, meine Freunde, but also pieces by
those who influenced him, and those whom he influenced: motets
by his predecessor Heinrich Schütz, and Monteverdi’s Cantate
Domino, but also Anton Bruckner’s sacred motet Locus iste. Felix
Deák offers selected movements of Suites Nos.1 & 2 for unaccompanied
cello. Nicholas Nicolaidis conducts the chamber choir, and
Aaron James is at the organ.
Saturday, Apr 20, at 3pm St. John the Evangelist Church
(Hamilton).
Stephanie Conn
PROFILE
Andrew
Burashko
The Art of Timing Out
ANDREW SCOTT
During a particularly compelling moment in The Art
of Time Ensemble’s recent performance, Dance
to the Abyss: Music From The Weimar Republic,
the ensemble, now in its final season, performed
Cab Calloway’s Minnie the Moocher five times in a
row. Utilizing a set of detailed instructions from a
document titled Nazi Germany’s Dance Band Rules
and Regulations, the ensemble uses each rendition to
iteratively strip away the lifeblood and very essence of
what makes that great 1931 song so paradigmatically part
of the jazz of swing-era Harlem.
In the Art of Time’s skilled musical hands, the song metamorphoses
(and I mean this in the most Kafkaesque of ways) into something
more Joseph Goebbels-approved propaganda, than Lennox
Avenue swing.
Far from being repetitive, the successive
iterations exemplify the adage death
by 1,000 cuts; the ten rules gradually purge
any vestige of Black, Jewish and American
influence from a piece that the Nazis would
have classified as “degenerate art.”
In many ways, the piece epitomized
the sort of work that only The Art of Time
DAVID LEYES
Andrew Burashko
Ensemble could successfully pull off.
Programmed immediately before the show’s
intermission, the selection evoked a set
of conflicting emotions – darkly funny, of
course, but also horrifyingly revelatory of how easily a vibrant musical
form could be, and was, co-opted for nefarious fascistic purposes. But
conflicting emotions are the point. Dance to the Abyss is like so much
of the work that Art of Time, under the able leadership of pianist and
Artistic Director Andrew Burashko, has done with consistent aplomb
over its 25-year history. It is a performance-based challenge to the audience,
designed to make one both listen with intentionality, and think.
“One of the things that I’ve been most interested in these last 25 years
is to offer as mixed and eclectic a program as possible,” states Burashko,
reflecting upon the expanse of work that the group has done since its
inception in 1998: pairing the compositions of contemporary American
jazz pianist Joey Calderazzo with the lieder of Richard Strauss; reimagining
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band with a cast of musicians
comprised of this country’s finest jazz, classical, and pop players; or
finally, the ensemble’s upcoming May 2024 tribute to Joni Mitchell in
26 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Dance to the Abyss: L-R: Andrew Burashko, Drew Jurecka, Andrew Downing,
Lydia Munchinsky, Nathan Hiltz, Kelsley Grant, Kris Maddigan, Kevin Turcotte,
Larry Larson. Text as displayed is from Czech/Canadian fiction writer
Joseph Škvorecký’s story “Eine Kleine Jazzmusik”, published in 1966.
Both Sides Now. Fusion, hybridity and a purposeful attempt to reside in
the musical margins, defying classification, have been the raison d’etre
for both Art of Time, and Burashko for a quarter century.
JOHN LAUENER
Minnie the Moocher
written and performed
by band leader, composer
and singer Cabell "Cab"
Calloway III, earned him
the nickname "The Hi De
Hi De Hi Man" based on
his scatting in the song.
traditional program notes. How does one
convey the context and the story behind
the music through the music itself?
“How does one make it both rigorously
historically accurate, and compelling
enough to offer audiences an entry point
into the incredible 400 years of history
and music that we today call classical?”
wonders Burashko.
That question, coming from the
Art of Time’s director in 2024, is, of
course, rhetorical. Presenting challenging,
disparate music to audiences in a
cohesive manner that combines dramaturgy,
spoken word, humour, historical
narration and stylistic intersection
is exactly the sort of thing that the
pianist and his ensemble have long since
figured out how to do. A big part of that,
and of the Art of Time’s longevity and
success more generally, is defying the strict performance practices that
reigned supreme in classical music during the 20th century. “When
the Art of Time started,” states Burashko, “the idea of someone talking
and breaking through the fourth wall was almost never done. But I
have always wanted to speak to, engage with, and entertain the audience;
I have had no interest in the ‘this is our offering, take it or leave it’
approach to concert presentation.”
The swamp of human desire: Burashko garnered an initial reputation
at age 17, when he made his debut with the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra as a classical pianist of note, immersed in the standard
concertizing repertoire that the role demands. As he explained to me,
however, he soon became interested in “exploring where high art, for
lack of a better term, intersects with popular culture.” Many previous
Art of Time presentations have mined this intersection – Burashko
cites Igor Stravinsky’s Ebony Concerto, which the Russian composer
wrote for Woody Herman’s First Herd, or Dmitri Shostakovich’s Jazz
Orchestra Suites. But it is Berlin’s cabaret scene of the late 1920s in
Dance to the Abyss that perhaps best exemplifies this fusion.
“I was always fascinated with the richness of that scene” Burashko
states. “I love Kurt Weill, Erwin Schulhoff and the composers of that
era. Plus, the Dadaists like Kurt Schwitters, writers such as Franz
Kafka and Thomas Mann, and the Berlin Cabaret which contributed to
what at the time was a swamp of unfettered human desire.”
The challenge here, as with any Art of Time show, is how to navigate
the swamp rather than just describe it, especially when you eschew
Dismantling: Whether Art of Time was a harbinger of change or the
beneficiary of fortuitous timing, things in the classical music world
“have changed considerably over the last 25 years,” Burashko says.
As evidence, he points out that today, even the august and renowned
pianist András Schiff concertizes with a clip-on Lavalier microphone,
addressing his audience from the stage between works, something
that would have been anathema even a few years earlier.
What, discovered during Art of Time’s inaugural 1999 season
(listed originally as Chamber Music Unlimited), was that the bringing
together of disparate music (Cage, Gershwin, Crumb, and Lieberson)
in combination with dance, evocative staging, and thoughtful on-stage
commentary (modest initially, but expanded throughout the seasons),
constituted a gradual dismantling of the restrictive traditions of the art
form – an intoxicating elixir for an audience hungry for a welcoming
entry point into a world of great music.
“It still amazes me: I would meet people who said they don’t
know how to listen to classical music or even what makes it good,”
continues Burashko. “But music should elicit a visceral reaction. And
ETERNAL CITIES
BY MASMOUDI QUARTET
Tickets available online at www.alliance-francaise.ca
© Sandra Sunshine Photography
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 27

MOSTLY CLUBS, MAINLY JAZZ
JOHN LAUENER
Shakespeare: If Music Be (2010.) Peggy Baker (left) along with
Stephen Dann, Barbara Hannigan and Joel Quarrington was
one of Burashko's earliest Art of Time collaborators.
while I’m happy if people walk away [from an Art of Time Ensemble
performance] having learned something, I first and foremost want to
turn people onto this great music.”
As much as Burashko’s now well-honed skills as a raconteur,
presenter of ideas, and a setter of appropriate performance contexts
now appear effortless, these were, of course, a set of skills that he had
to develop along the trajectory of the ensemble’s life. “It has been an
incredible ride,” he acknowledges. “When Art of Time started, I was
strictly a concert pianist. But since then, who knows how many hours
I’ve spent conducting, staging, directing and producing. And now,
the whole curation thing has really become a part of me with things
unfolding in a way that I could not have predicted.”
Hierarchical inevitability: With a nod to the inevitability of hierarchical
career trajectories that promote competent people into opportunities
requiring an entirely different set of skills from those they
had mastered in their previous position, the success of Art of Time has
meant a necessary move away from what initially attracted Burashko to
a career in music in the first place. “It’s funny,” he says, expanding upon
this point. “The more successful the organization became, the more
I’ve had to compete with the machine that surrounds it and now overshadows
the art. I am just tired of everything that goes into running an
organization that has nothing to do with the art itself. The fundraising
and the organizing. It all requires so much energy. And, well, life is
short, and I just want to play, for lack of a better word.”
Whether it was the pivotal pause-to-reflect that the COVIDlockdowns
of the early 2020s unexpectedly bestowed, or the opportunity
that a 25th anniversary affords to tie a nice bow on things, this
has been announced as the Art of Time’s coda season. Burashko is
quick to point out that he is not “hanging up the brand,” citing such
upcoming projects as an animated film capture of the aforementioned
Minnie the Moocher performance titled Jackboots to Jazz, a Sgt.
Pepper’s Ontario summer tour, a Shakespeare show at Stratford, and,
finally, a creative reimagining of Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale in
October (complete with a newly commissioned libretto).
And yet, despite all of this, there is something conclusionary about the
feel of this season. “We have over 80 projects in our back pocket, at least a
dozen of which I would love to see given some kind of life, so I’m hoping
there will be more touring. But, in terms of what’s next, I honestly
don’t have a clue. And, quite frankly, I’m finding that very exciting.”
The Art of Time’s presentation of Both Sides Now will run from
May 9 to 11 at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre.
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.
Looking forward
to the JUNOs
(after the fact)
COLIN STORY
Ah, awards season. That very special time of year
when artists across a variety of fields experience
the thrill of being nominated, grapple with
existential issues of the validity of awards and rankings
within the arts, eat a moderately expensive banquet
salad, and rub shoulders with fellow Canadian musicindustry
colleagues. (When I attended the JUNOs, in
2016, Canadian hip-hop legend Kardinal Offishall came
up behind me, patted me on the shoulder and said “keep
doing what you’re doing, man.” When I turned around,
he said “oh, sorry, thought you were, uhh…” and promptly
left. It remains a proud moment.)
This year, I had a chance to interview four nominated musicians
(Jocelyn Gould, Noam Lemish, Gentiane MG, and Laila Biali) in anticipation
of the big event: about their projects, their thoughts on the big
day, on other musicians, and on what comes after the JUNOs.
By the time you read this, all that anticipation will be after the fact.
The event will already have taken place – on Sunday March 24 2024, at
Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, hosted by national icon Nelly Furtado.
As the winners themselves will doubtless remind us, looking out at
their fellow nominees, there are no losers at an event which more
than anything is a celebration of the Canadian music industry at a
particularly precarious moment in the history of recorded music.
So in that celebratory vein, we offer you the thoughts of four
worthy contenders, and alongside their reflections, a list of the other
nominees in all the categories we usually cover in the “Mainly Jazz”
beat of this magazine. The icing on the cake: almost all the nominated
albums were reviewed in this magazine’sDISCoveries section over the
past 12 months. So you can see what we said about them before we
knew they were going to be nominated.
About their nominated albums
The artist: Noam Lemish:
Category: Jazz Album of the Year (Solo)
Reviewed by us: Vol 28 No.3
“My album Twelve features my
original compositions for a chambersized
jazz orchestra (12tet) featuring
myself on piano alongside an allstar
cast from amongst Toronto’s
finest jazz musicians. The six pieces
in the record showcase long-form,
28 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Clockwise from top left: Noam Lemish,
Gentiane MG, Jocelyn Gould, Laila Biali
through-composed music that embraces genre-bending as an essential
feature. My own multi-cultural upbringing and life shapes the
sounds of this record thus blending my rootedness in jazz and western
art music alongside musical influences from my Israeli childhood and
Eastern-European Jewish heritage.”
The artist: Laila Biali:
Category: Vocal Jazz Album of the Year
Reviewed by us: Vol 29 No.1
“Your Requests was my response
to 150 song requests submitted by
friends, fans and followers over social
media (Facebook, Instagram and “X”).
I’ve always loved engaging community
and crowd-sourcing material – and for
Your Requests I decided to make the
Great American Songbook the focus. It’s my first full album release of
jazz standards and it features Kurt Elling, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Caity
Gyorgy, Anat Cohen, Grégoire Maret, Kelly Jefferson, George Koller,
Larnell Lewis, Ben Wittman and Manino Costa.”
Napoleon. The album contains a combination of originals and lesser
played standards that have significant meaning to me.
On getting ready for the big event
Gould: I won Jazz Album Of The Year: Solo in 2021, a year in which
the JUNOs were hosted online due to Covid. Although I have already
won a JUNO, I have never had the opportunity to attend. The biggest
excitement for me is simply to get to be there in person and be
surrounded by the immense amount of talent that will be present.
I also love Halifax, and am thrilled to have an opportunity to visit such
a beautiful city.
The artist: Gentiane MG
Category: Jazz Album of the Year (Solo)
Reviewed by us: Volume 28 No.2
“Walls Made of Glass is my third trio
album with this ensemble. Composing
this music, my intent was to
immortalize moments that felt particularly
meaningful, just like one could do
with a picture, but in this case, through
music. I took a long time to create this
album at every step of the way. Writing, workshopping, creating and
thinking about the artwork, and every aspect of the recording process.
A bit more than a year after the release, despite the fact that I am
excited to start writing again and to explore new territories, there is
nothing I would want to change about this album, and for me, this is a
great artistic accomplishment.”
The artist: Jocelyn Gould
Category: Jazz Album of the Year (Solo)
Reviewed by us: Vol.29 No.4
Sonic Bouquet is my third album
as a leader. The personnel spans three
generations of jazz musicians and
contains mentors and peers of mine.
The band is half Canadian and half
American, and consists of an unusual
front line of two guitars and clarinet. I
co-produced this album with my mentor and friend, guitarist Randy
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 29

MG: I’m very proud to be nominated for the Junos alongside so
many amazing projects and musicians. As a French Canadian from
Quebec, it means a lot for me to be nominated for the number one
Canadian music award ceremony. It makes me feel more part of the
great Canadian musical community. As an artist, I believe strongly
in the meaning of sharing art as a way of making the world a better
place, and to be nominated for a JUNO Awards definitely helps the
music to be more widely shared.
Lemish: It means a lot for my music to be recognized in this way.
This nomination is not only an acknowledgment of my work as a
pianist and composer, but really the collective efforts of everyone that
was involved in creating this album. I’m really looking forward to
taking part in the festivities in Halifax with my fellow nominees!
Biali: This nomination came as quite a surprise. It’s been a tough
few years for many musicians, so it was a lovely boost – though
I always remind myself that we create music for the love of it, to
connect with listeners and hopefully spread some goodness in the
world. That’s really what drives us, though the recognition of a JUNO
nomination is helpful and a great honour, of course.
On other nominees
Gould: I have always been a huge admirer of Christine Jensen. She’s
a phenomenal musician, and is also someone that I look up to in the
music industry. I’ve loved all of her records, including the one that is
currently nominated.
Biali: Caity Gyorgy is a phenom and I was very grateful to have her
guest with me on Your Requests (on Pennies from Heaven). I also
had the opportunity to share the stage recently with Dominique Fils-
Aimé and the audience was completely rapt. She is an electrifying
performer, completely devoted to her art, and a beautiful soul.
Upcoming Post-JUNO Shows
Lemish: I’ll be performing at The Rex (in Toronto) May 8-11 with
the wonderful American guitarist/oud virtuoso and long time musical
collaborator Amos Hoffman.
Biali: I will be joining the Mississauga Temple Big Band for the
first time on Saturday, April 27 at the Mississauga Salvation Army
Mississauga Community Church. My trio featuring George Koller and
Ben Wittman will play a few selections on our own, and then I’ll be
playing and singing with the large ensemble the rest of the night.
Colin Story is a jazz guitarist, writer, and teacher based
in Toronto. He can be reached at www.colinstory.com,
and on Instagram and Twitter.
The complete list of Jazz Category nominees
Vocal jazz album of the year
Songwriter, Alex Bird & Ewen Farncombe Vol 28 No.4
You’re Alike, You Two, Caity Gyorgy and Mark Limacher Vol 29 No.5
Little Bit a’ Love, Denielle Bassels Vol 29 No.1
Our Roots Run Deep, Dominique Fils-Aimé
Your Requests, Laila Biali Vol 29 No.1
Jazz album of the year (solo)
Day Moon, Christine Jensen
Walls Made of Glass, Gentiane MG Vol 28 No.2
Sonic Bouquet, Jocelyn Gould Vol 29 No.4
Twelve, Noam Lemish Vol 28 No.3
The South Detroit Connection, Russ Macklem
Jazz album of the year (group)
Migrations, Allison Au with the Migrations Ensemble Vol 29 No.4
Septology-The Black Forest Session, Canadian Jazz Collective
Vol 28 No.6
Cry Me a River, Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band Vol 29 No.3
Recent History, Mike Murley & Mark Eisenman Quartet Vol 29 No.4
Convergence, Nick Maclean Quartet feat. Brownman Ali Vol 29 No.5
FROM FEATURE UP HERE
HOMES FOR MUSIC
help communities
heal and grow
SOPHIA PERLMAN
When it comes to defining the line between North
and South in Ontario, it very much depends on
who you ask and where you are.
If you are using The WholeNote’s website to search for listings using
the JUST ASK feature, you will find the province’s vast geography
divided into zones, with all of “Northern Ontario” defined as “zone
10”, the southern border of which starts somewhere near Mattawa,
and covers anything north of Algonquin Park and Highway 17 – with
a bit of a dip south to also include Manitoulin Island. And it doesn’t
seem to know where to classify Sundridge or Emdale, though I suspect
if you asked people there, their compass would pull north rather
than east, which is where LUDWIG (Listings Utility for WholeNote
Information Gathering) – as it was affectionately dubbed back in the
early 2000s – currently wants to put them.
In other words, like most government agencies and service sectors,
The WholeNote lumps “the North” into one big zone that encompasses
nearly half the province’s geography (if not necessarily the
equivalent population!) and doesn’t yet have ways of accounting for
and documenting the variety and richness of Northern musical life.
The (big) view from up here…
If I was keeping track of the state of the Ontario music and arts
community purely from what I see on my social media feeds, or on
the news, things would seem decidedly gloomy: this morning, for
example, I woke up to another news story about how many arts festivals
are on the brink of collapse, and every time an orchestra or arts
company folds, or another venue or artist-friendly space closes, there
is an outpouring of very understandable grief, and passionate conversation
about the state of things and questions about what we “as a
community” can do.
It’s why I still eagerly await a print copy of this magazine - because
it’s physical, tangible proof of all the music that is still alive and
surviving and even thriving. Similarly, using Orchestra Canada’s
fantastic database as a starting place, I was able to go from there to
find 81 orchestras in Ontario alone whose websites indicated they
were still active. This includes professional “regional” orchestras, auditioned
or non-auditioned community ensembles and – perhaps more
important than all of these – youth orchestras training programs. Best
of all, when I zoom the map in on “Northern Ontario” (as we have
defined it), I discover that my “less populated” zone is already home
to eight of these organizations. (As a relatively recent transplant to the
zone, I know that “discover” is a very loaded word – like thinking you
have discovered the full extent of food when you open your refrigerator
door. I am constantly “discovering” things that are obvious to my
neighbours - musically and otherwise.)
30 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Dave and Don Carroll -
The Sons of Maxwell.
Conductor William
Rowson (top):
Sudbury Symphony
Orchestra and
Stratford Symphony
(499km apart).
Conductor Joshua
Wood: North Bay
Symphony to Timmins
Symphony (362km)
Five out of eight!
The Sudbury Symphony Orchestra used
its season this year to bring in the finalists
in their search for new leadership. They
recently announced composer/conductor
William Rowson as the new Artistic and
Executive Director. Their April 20th program,
Lights, Camera, Symphony will serve
as his debut, which features the world
premiere of Rowson’s Suite from the 2020
Film Brotherhood, alongside some of John
Williams most iconic film scores. Rowson
also remains on as the music director for
the Stratford Symphony Orchestra. It will
be interesting to see whether this creates a
model for collaboration and resource sharing
across the north/south divide!
Rowson is not the only northern conductor
pulling double duty. Joshua Wood serves as
Music Director for the symphonies in both
North Bay and Timmins. His combined
schedule for the 2023-24 season offers a
small glimpse into what this kind of collaboration
between orchestras can look like.
The Timmins Symphony Orchestra has two
concerts left in its main concert season – a
collaboration with local favourites Dave and
Don Carroll (The Sons of Maxwell) on April 6,
and a Britain and Bohemia program featuring
principal cellist Yu Pei with the Timmins
Symphony Chorus on May 11. The North Bay Symphony is presenting
a program of Brahms, Elgar and Haydn, featuring mezzo-soprano
Rachel Wood on April 27, and closing their concert session with the
Mendelssohn Octet on May 26. The final concert in Wood’s busy
schedule brings players from both orchestra’s string sections together
at St. Matthew’s Anglican Cathedral in Timmins for a joint chamber
concert of works by Mendelssohn and Boccherini.
Heading west, you find the Sault Symphony Orchestra under the
leadership of Artistic Director Stephen Mallinger. Their four-concert
season wraps up on May 12, with The SSO On Broadway. Continue
along Highway 17 and you find yourself at the western (and southern)
end of Zone 10, where the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra has four
concerts left in their masterworks, pops and family programming this
year. Of particular note: returning by popular demand, on April 13, is
The Spirit Horse Returns – a concert production that combines traditional
teachings, original visual art, music and an all-new orchestral
score by Kevin Lau, with Jodi Contin and Andrew Balfour. Suitable
for all ages, it tells “the story of the Ojibwe Horses, traditional helpers
and spirit guides for
First Nations and Metis
people. It’s a journey
of hope and reconciliation
as Indigenous
and non-Indigenous
people come together to
rescue the last of these
horses and give them
new life. Suitable for all
ages, this production is
an entertaining opportunity
to learn about
Indigenous cultures,
reconciliation, and how
we all play a part in the
future of the land and its
inhabitants.”
Rhonda Snow is the Métis visual artist and Ojibwe
Horse Knowledge Keeper who created the art
seen in “The Spirit Horse Returns”. This painting
is called The Small Spanish Mustang jumped
over Thunder Mountain to Save the Breed.
RHONDA SNOW
ATTENTION ZONE 10!
WHOLENOTE MUSICAL EVENT LISTINGS are free of
charge and can be submitted by artists, venues or
presenters at any time, from anywhere in Ontario.
We invite listings for date-specific LIVE events (including
events streamed live). They don’t all make it into print but
are all made available to the public on our website.
HOW TO LIST
Use the convenient online form at
thewholenote.com/applylistings
or email listings to listings@thewholenote.com.
Inquiries about WholeNote listings can be addressed to
John Sharpe, Listings Editor at listings@thewholenote.com
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 31

ROB GOWAN
Where does music live?
Of the 81 orchestras in Ontario that I found, only a very few have
primary or sole occupancy of a “concert hall.” A handful more have
shared tenancy at one of the regional or municipal “performing arts
centres.” The further north you go, the wider the variety of spaces you
see orchestras using: schools, community centres, historical buildings,
union halls, cultural centres. An overwhelming number of orchestras
use churches too, in some capacity. As the conversation continues
to evolve about “who belongs” - in the orchestra, composing for the
orchestra and in the audience – we need to recognize that how we
choose the spaces we use is a big part of the picture.
Churches may be ideal rehearsal spaces, and acoustically good for
orchestral music. But while the event you are hosting may be inclusive,
and while your organization may have clearly outlined policies
on Reconciliation, human rights, diversity and inclusion, it’s
important to ask yourself whether the space actually lives up to those
standards. At the very minimum it’s worth asking for the venue’s
own written policies before you invite an audience into the space – so
you spend your hard-earned venue money on spaces that are actively
trying to make everyone feel safe. And no matter what the policies
say, the question remains as to whether people with various lived
experiences are ever going to feel safe enough to surrender to the
magic of what is being created in a space where they are surrounded
by religious iconography and text.
A whole other issue needs to be considered when you think about
church and faith-based spaces as homes for orchestral music: the issue
of aging and often dwindling congregations. Back down in Zone 1
(Toronto, this magazine’s birthplace), there are examples of solutions
to this concern: in some cases music can become the thing that
revitalizes a church that is committed to inclusivity (like Metropolitan
Community Church, or Trinity-St. Paul’s). Or when a congregation is
eventually faced with closing up altogether, you end up, sometimes
The Harmony Centre in Owen Sound and The (new!) Hugh’s Room, in Toronto.
years later, with spaces like the new digs for
Hugh’s Room, or as you head north, other examples
like the Harmony Centre in Owen Sound.
Moving toward reconciliation
As we head back towards Zone 10, I have to
admit that as a southern Ontario-raised person,
Thunder Bay was a city which largely existed in
my consciousness because of “bad news.” Now,
of all of the orchestras in my zone, Thunder Bay
Symphony Orchestra seems to be the one putting
Reconciliation most at the forefront in a way that
is based in action and focused on creating dialogue
that helps us start chipping away at these complicated
questions.
Their final concert of the season, May 3, is
a free concert at Fort William Historical Park
that has been an annual tradition since at least
2018. This year’s edition of the concert, titled
Noondaagotoon, features the Thunder Mountain
Singers, Juno nominated cellist and composer
Cris Derksen and guitarist Lewis Chapman.
TBSO’s website says: “Noondaagotoon means play it (so it makes a
sound) in Ojibway. If you’ve been to a Noondaagotoon concert, you
know this to be true. This annual collaboration between the TBSO
and Indigenous performers has become one of the highlights of our
season. It is an exciting opportunity to strengthen long-standing relationships
– and establish new ones – while creating space for musical
reconciliation with Fort William First Nation.” Seems like a good
precedent for presenters and performers everywhere.
The Thunder Mountain Singers
Back home…
In my own community, the dedicated board at Grace United Church
decided to disband and give up their home in their 100-year-old church,
right downtown off the main intersection. The board was deliberate and
careful as they wound down operations, in considering what they hoped
the space would turn into, what kinds of other needs it could fill in the
community, and what kind of legacy they wanted to leave in our township.
They started by donating the grand piano to the public school.
They also worked alongside Amanda Drury, a lifelong community
member, and gave her the time and support in her goal of purchasing
the space as a home for Rise - a community holistic wellness centre.
“The goal” Drury says, “is to provide services to help youth, adults
and seniors connect, heal and grow in their own community.” She
envisions a space where all feel valued and feel a sense of belonging
and connection with others. “The arts, specifically music, have the
power to do just that. One of the best ways to gather and connect
people is through the arts, through feeling and expressing ourselves
through different mediums.” She is already making the space available
to musicians, artists and other community-based practitioners.
The sanctuary remains a beautiful acoustic space. It’s small, on the
scale of church sanctuaries, and a whole symphony orchestra might
be a bit of a squeeze. But the next time one of our northern organizations
(or any other symphony) decides to send a chamber group on the
road, our community is a
bit more ready to give the
music another home.
Sophia Perlman grew
up bouncing around
the jazz, opera, theatre
and community arts
scene in Toronto. She
now eagerly awaits
the arrival of her
monthly WholeNote to
Hornepayne, Ontario,
where she uses it to
armchair-travel and
inform her Internet
video consumption.
32 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com
RICK JACOBSON

BEAT BY BEAT PART ONE: theDownBeat
THE COC’S PERRYN LEECH
IN CONVERSATION
compiled and edited by
MICHAEL ZARATHUS-COOK
The design team of Renaud Doucet & André Barbe hatched their concept for Scottish Opera’s Don Pasquale among the cats of Rome in 2014.
KK DUNDAS
GAETZ PHOTOGRAPHY
“It’s a story that you could say has an old, overused
plot that’s not relevant. It’s about an older man who
believes he’s irresistible to women. This is a different take
on that story, but he’s not going to take no for an answer.
He wants to be able to conquer and have his conquests.”
Perryn Leech
Perryn Leech – General Director of the Canadian Opera Company
– is speaking here about Don Pasquale, one of the three final shows
of the current Canadian Opera Company’s season, in an interview
that ranged from from his mission to support new operas to the
opportunities and implications of sharing a venue with the National
Ballet of Canada (NBoC). After a season of staples of the canon, the
COC is closing strong with a trio of seldom-staged works, including
the world premiere of a COC-commissioned work. “The good thing
is that it’s done in a very funny way,” continues Leech on the topic of
Pasquale. “The season is quite heavy, so I think having some levity in
there will be welcomed by our cast.”
In contrast to that levity is Luigi Cherubini’s Medea, which follows
Don Pasquale in May. It’s an opera that lives or dies based on the
soprano singing the title role. When asked what he’s looking forward
to the most in Sondra Radvanovsky’s take, Leech responds in his characteristically
colourful way:
“It’s a bit like asking, ‘What are you most looking forward to in a
LeBron James performance?’ This is a world superstar who can sing
anything and I will be entranced. She was the one that approached
me and said, ‘I really want to sing Medea. Are you interested in doing
that?’ The reason it’s rarely done is not the quality of the music, but
the fact that it’s so impossible to cast. So when Sondra comes to you
with an idea like that, ‘Yes, let’s see how we can make that work.’”
Leech began his role at the COC amidst the roiling waves of the
pandemic, tasked with preparing the company to keep the programming
momentum going during the lockdowns, and preparing for
live performances when the opportunity arose. In the interview he
looks back on his first time visiting the Four Seasons Centre for the
Performing Arts to attend a COC production.
“I walked up from Union Station and knew it was just past the
Hilton Hotel. There’s a slight bend in the road on University from
Union Station, and I saw this hive of activity. The foyer was lit up,
and there were people inside. It looked like such a welcoming space,
which is different from some theatres where you just see the sign of
the show. This was clearly a communal meeting place to share art.
It was wildly exciting to see it for the first time and know that I was
going to be part of a 2,000-person audience that night.”
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 33

MARTY SOHL
HAUI
Sondra Radvanovsky in Medea, The Metropolitan Opera, 2022
Leech also spoke in the interview about how the Canadian Opera
Company Theatre on Front Street offers creative opportunities that the
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts cannot encompass.
“We want to present stories that haven’t been told on the operatic
stage in Toronto. Opera is an expensive business, so a smaller
and more intimate space is a good starting place for someone new to
opera. … You can really see the sweat on people’s faces and see them
get into the story in a way that is hard to do in a larger auditorium.
You can feel the impact of the human voice pressing on your chest.
It’s a deeply engaging and immersive way of seeing opera. What I
want to do in that space is much more of that.”
Neema Bickersteth
The season’s final show is a case in point: Aportia Cryptych: a Black
Opera for Portia White appears to be an example of the COC walking the
walk in response to all the recent talk about more diverse stories in opera.
“Portia White was a Nova Scotian Black singer who sang opera
and would have been an absolute world superstar. However, she
wasn’t able to perform on stages because of rules that didn’t allow
Black singers and performers to be on stage. So the telling of her story
is way overdue. Of course, there are more opportunities now, but
you also have to consider if there are still those kinds of barriers in
place for Black singers today. Barriers are coming down, but are they
coming down quickly enough?”
Created by composer Sean Mayes and director/librettist HAUI,
Aportia Cryptych runs June 14 to 16, with Neema Bickersteth,
Adrienne Danrich and SATE, in the roles of Portia Body, Portia Spirit,
and Portia Soul respectively.
Michael Zarathus-Cook is Editor-in-Chief of CANNOPY Visual
and Performing Arts Newsletter. The interview with Perryn Leech
quoted here appears in tandem with a similarly-themed conversation
with Hope Muir, Artistic Director of the National Ballet of
Canada, in the Hubs & Huddles series presented by CANNOPY. You
can access the full story by visiting www.performingarts.substack.
com and subscribing to Hubs & Huddles.
BEAT BY BEAT PART TWO: OPERA ROUNDUP
This thing we call opera happens in a diverse range of
spaces and forms: from plush-seated theatres to barebones
settings, and from in-concert presentations to
elaborately staged..
Below are some samples to tempt your appetites. You’ll find more in our
EVENTS BY DATE starting on page 36, or by searching “opera” online at
thewholenote.com/index.php/listings/just-ask.
All is Love April 11-14
Imagine a world where “Amour” cannot resist getting involved, for
better or worse, in the emotions and choices of everyone else. Opera
Atelier’s spring production combines music of the French Baroque
with 19th and 20th century repertoire on this theme, in a blended,
fully staged program of magnificent singing, ballet and orchestral
music. Conductor David Fallis leads a stellar cast including tenor
Colin Ainsworth, soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, tenor Jesse
Blumberg, and soprano Meghan Lindsay. (Koerner Hall)
El huésped del sevillano (The Guest at the Inn) May 3-5
A wealthy young man arrives in Seville seeking adventure, meets a
group of gypsies including a beautiful singer and things, of course, get
complicated. This 1926 zarzuela with music by Jacinto Guerrero, blends
folk elements with the operatic; and spoken dialogue with some lively
dancing. Toronto Operetta Theatre, founded by Guillermo Silva Marin,
is Canada’s only professional operetta company. They have presented
more than 58 operettas, some seldom seen, since their 1985 production
of Lehar’s The Count of Luxembourg. (Jane Mallett Theatre)
The Hobbit (May 31- June 2)
Dean Burry’s critically acclaimed opera The Hobbit was commissioned
for a 2004 premiere by The Canadian Children’s Opera
Company, and remounted in 2016. With a cast of over 100 children
and youth, and accompanied by a chamber orchestra, Bilbo, Gandalf
and their companions embark on an adventure replete with goblins,
wolves, spiders; a dethroned dwarf-king, a mysterious ring and a
terrifying dragon. Suitable for all ages. (Harbourfront Centre Theatre.)
Opera Masterpieces with Jonathan Kravtchenko (April 5) presented
by Alliance Française features soprano Antonina Laskarzhevska and baritone
Bohdan Kirieiev, with pianist Jonathan Kravtchenko and violinist
Daniel Temnik, in a program of mainly Mozart and Rossini. Kravtchenko
follows it with Tango for Two (May 5 and 17) about a sailor and his
soulmate in a Nova Scotia coastal town, with music and libretto by
Kravtchenko and the same soloists, in a new concert-opera, “where dance
and opera unite in a revolutionary harmony.” (Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre)
La battaglia di Legnano (April 7) wraps up VOICEBOX | Opera in
Concert 50th anniversary season with a rarely seen Verdi opera set in
1176 against the backdrop of the Lombard League’s triumph over Frederic
Barbarossa at Legnano, and so welll-received at its Rome premiere in 1849
that the audience demanded the fourth act be repeated. (Jane Mallett
Theatre.) VOICEBOX | Opera in Concert’s own remarkable history –
presenting more than 158 operas, 90 of which were Canadian premieres –
will be likewise applauded at Opera in Concert’s 50th Birthday (May 11)
– with a salon in the intimate Edward Jackman Centre.
Iron Chef d’Orchestre (May 21), co-hosted by 15-year Tapestry
Opera regular Jennifer Tung and Keith Klassen, is being pitched as a
“delicious” mix of classical and opera, “with a little game show, some
improv and maybe even some ventriloquism,” and with the audience
invited to “participate in the creation process.” Special guests include
Krisztina Szabó. (Theatre Passe Muraille). Le Kitchen Party (May 22),
another culinary-themed Tapestry Opera affair, features Julianne
Gallant who brings infectiously warm Acadian traditional and
contemporary compositions to Toronto, with everyone encouraged
to join in singing and dancing that will transport you to small-town
Maritime Canada: Jacques Arsenault, tenor; Marie Andrée Gaudet,
violin; Pierre-André Doucet, piano (Theatre Passe Muraille)
34 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

BEAT BY BEAT PART THREE: CHORAL ROUNDUP
April and May in Ontario are a time of great choral
activity. A whole season of singing together typically
culminates in concerts that celebrate a collective love for
the music shared and the love of sharing the music.
Friends and family in the audiences rub elbows with people who just
like the sound of many voices raised together in song, and also people
who think that maybe…just maybe…they’d like to do some singing
themselves. They “audition” choirs by going to concerts.
The WholeNote’s “Canary Pages” is our annual choral directory. The
online version includes profiles of many Ontario choirs, with more
being added all the time. On page 55 of this print edition you’ll find an
index that includes “teasers” for them.
Our printed event listings include 75 choral performances, with 56
different choirs named. Online, our online event listings are updated
weekly and searchable for “choral.”
You can find the online Canary Pages and the updated event listings
by visiting thewholenote.com
Here are a few samples of what all the singing’s about. Details are in
the event listings, starting on page 36!
ANNIVERSARIES
The Upper Canada Choristers celebrate their 30th anniversary with
their “New Beginnings” concert on May 10, conducted by Laurie Evan
Fraser.The UCC’s accomplished Latin ensemble Cantemos, pianist Hye
Won (Cecilia) Lee, and the Boys’ Choir of Maurice Cody Junior Public
School directed by Carole Snow are also featured in the performance,
which includes four premieres - one by a grade five student.
The Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto, conducted by Kathleen
Allan, celebrates their 50th anniversary season this year. “As we reflect
on our five decades of artistic excellence, we recognize that it has only
been made possible through the dedication of our community.” On
May 15 they are presenting Haydn’s Creation, with soloists Midori
Marsh, soprano; Andrew Haji, tenor; Tyler Duncan, baritone; and the
Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Common Thread Community Chorus, conducted by Isabel Bernaus
is an 80-voice SATB choir that promotes community and social
justice through music. “Sing On!” is their 25th anniversary concert,
on May 25, with guest artists Anne Lederman and Ian Bell. “With our
diverse and meaningful repertoire, we aim to change the world one
song at a time – and have fun doing it!”
VOICEBOX | Opera In Concert is celebrating their 50th anniversary
this year, and the OIC Chorus, currently directed by Robert Cooper,
has sung in nearly every production since 1978. But the chorus itself
has also had its own rich musical life, performing with orchestras,
at festivals, and in shared concerts with other choirs. They sang the
Toronto premiere of Paul Winter’s jazz mass Missa Gaia, and they
sang in R. Murray Schafer’s Apocalypsis during the International
Choral Festival. VOICEBOX | VOICEBOX | OIC has two performances
upcoming, Verdi’s La battaglia di Legnano (April 7) and a salon,
Opera in Concert’s 50th Birthday (May 11).
The Upper Canada Choristers
UPCOMING CHORAL CONCERTS
(Greater Toronto Area unless otherwise noted)
Apr 13 Healey Willan Singers. Spring Delights
Apr 14 Toronto Classical Singers. Morning and Evening - In the
Afternoon.
Apr 20 Elmer Iseler Singers. Triple Choir Splendour: Sonic Light
Apr 20 Toronto Beach Chorale. W. A. Mozart: Requiem
Apr 20 Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Singsation: Harmonizing
Resistance – The Power of Music in Social Change.
Apr 27 Mississauga Chamber Singers. Fauré’s Requiem
Apr 27 Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Verdi’s Requiem
Apr 28 Achill Choral Society. Illuminare (Orangeville)
Apr 28 Metropolitan United Church. Gala Hymn Festival
Apr 28 The Edison Singers. Warm Breath of Spring: Folksongs &
Spirituals (Niagara-on-the-Lake). Also May 4 (Toronto) & May 5 (Elora).
Apr 30 Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Verdi’s Requiem
May 02 Serenata Singers. Sing Me A Love Song. Also May 3.
May 04 Karen Schuessler Singers. Secrets of Old South (London)
May 04 North Halton Community Singers. Spring Concert: What a
Wonderful World (Georgetown)
May 04 Yorkminstrels Show Choir. Celebrating 50 Years of
Song and Dance
May 05 Toronto Chamber Choir. The Bard, Reimagined (Kaffeemusik)
May 05 Toronto Children’s Chorus. True Colours: Let Your Light Shine!
May10 Exultate Chamber Singers. Home in the 6ix–Part 2!
May 11 Oriana Singers. A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot. (Port Hope)
May 11 Orpheus Choir of Toronto. The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci
May 11 Peterborough Singers. St Matthew’s Passion (Peterborough)
May 11 Vesnivka Choir. Spring Concert
May 11 VOCA Chorus of Toronto. Earth, Sea & Sky III
May 13 West Toronto Community Choir. Singing Across the Generations
May 25 St. Elizabeth Scola Cantorum. Vespers Spring Concert
May 25 VIVA Singers Toronto. Poetry in Motion
May 25 Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Take the Podium
Conducting Symposium
May 31 Tafelmusik. A Handel Celebration. Also June 1 & 2.
Jun 01 Etobicoke Centennial Choir. Musica del sur
Jun 01 Jubilate Singers. Requiems
Jun 01 SoundCrowd. Back to Broadway Live
Jun 01 Voices Chamber Choir. All-Night Vigil
Jun 02 Jubilate Singers. Requiems. (Newmarket)
Compiled and edited by WholeNote staff
TORONTO CITY OPERA’S MACINA COMPETITION
Saturday May 11, 2pm, Church of the Redeemer, Toronto
Founded in 1946 by James Rosselino, and transformed by
Giuseppe Macina into Toronto Opera Repertoire in 1971,
Toronto City Opera was reborn again in 2017.
The first annual Giuseppe Macina Operatic Voices Competition,
made possible by a generous donation from Anthony Fusco Sr,
honours Macina’s legacy of championing Canadian opera artists of
tomorrow and culminates in a live public performance featuring
eight young Canadian opera singers. Thanks to the generosity of the
Azrieli Foundation, TCO will welcome these eight Emerging Opera
Artists to their Opera Mentoring Program for each opera in their
season. torontocityopera.com/macina-competition
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 35

LIVE OR ONLINE | Apr 1 to Jun 7, 2024
Monday April 1
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Salsa Band. Paul Davenport
Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
Tuesday April 2
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Music for Clarinets.
Clarinet chamber group; Peter Stoll,
leader. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church,
1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Sarah Mole, voice; Nathan Jeffrey,
organ. Cathedral Church of St. James,
106 King St. E. 416-364-7865 or www.
stjamescathedral.ca/recitals. Free. Donations
encouraged.
● 6:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Electroacoustic
Composers Concert. Von Kuster
Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 7:30: Brantford Music Club. The Campbell
Trio. Artsong, chamber, and opera. James
Campbell, clarinet; Leslie Fagan, soprano;
Angela Park, piano. Sanderson Centre for the
Performing Arts, 88 Dalhousie St., Brantford.
1-800-265-0710 or www.brantfordmusicclub.
com. $30; $10(st); Free(elementary st).
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Pop Band. Paul Davenport
Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 7:30: Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen Yun.
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. 1-877-663-7469 or tickets@
fldfca.org. From $100. Also Mar 30(2:00 &
7:30), Apr 3(2:00), 4(7:30), 5(7:30), 6(2:00 &
7:30), 7(2:00).
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. A’Court, Spiegel &
Vinnick. Charlie A’Court, guitar; Lloyd Spiegel,
guitar, Suzie Vinnick, vocals. 296 Broadview
Ave. www.showpass.com/acourt-spiegel-vinnick.
$35.
Wednesday April 3
● 2:00: Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen
Yun. See Apr 2. Also Apr 4(7:30), 5(7:30),
6(2:00 & 7:30), 7(2:00).
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. World Rock
Symphony Orchestra. OLG Stage at Fallsview
Casino, 6366 Stanley Ave., Niagara Falls.
ticketmaster.ca. From $59. Also 8:30pm,
Apr 4(3pm, 8:30pm), 5(9pm).
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Student
Composers Chamber Music Concert. Von
Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-
3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 7:30: Soundstreams. TD Encounters:
Recovered Voices - Piano Works of Unsung
Masters. Includes a discussion surrounding
the relationship of featured composers in
their historical and musical eras, culminating
with an audience Q&A. Works by Margaret
Bonds, Ian Cusson, Robert Nathaniel Dett,
and Florence Price. Elijah Stevens, piano;
Irene Huang, piano; Jesse Plessis, piano.
Temerty Theatre, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St.
W. www.Soundstreams.ca. Free.
● 8:00: Show One Productions. The Tragedy
of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. Created
by Robert Lepage & Guillaume Côté. Elgin and
Wingtergarden Theatre Centre, 189 Yonge
St. www.ticketmaster.ca. From $57. Also
Apr 4(8pm), 5(8pm), 6(2pm & 8pm), 7(2pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
R. Strauss’s Don Quixote. Ligeti: Lontano;
Wagner: Prelude to Act I of Parsifal; Samy
Moussa: Trombone Concerto (North American
première/TSO Co-commission); R.
Strauss: Don Quixote. Jörgen van Rijen, trombone;
Michael Casimir, viola; Joseph Johnson,
cello; Gustavo Gimeno, conductor. Roy Thomson
Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From
$35. Also Apr 6.
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. World Rock
Symphony Orchestra. OLG Stage at Fallsview
Casino, 6366 Stanley Ave., Niagara Falls.
ticketmaster.ca. From $59. See Apr 3(3pm).
Also Apr 4(3pm, 8:30pm), 5(9pm).
Thursday April 4
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met: Glenn Gould School Chamber
Music Showcase. Metropolitan United
Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x226.
Freewill donation.
WOMEN’S MUSICAL CLUB OF TORONTO
APRIL 4, 2024 | 1.30 PM
JANE COOP
piano
416-923-7052 | wmct.on.ca
● 1:30: Music in the Afternoon. Jane Coop.
Works by Haydn, Beethoven, Ravel, Debussy,
and Chopin. Jane Koop, piano. Walter Hall,
Edward Johnson Building, University of
Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-923-7052 X1.
$50; free(st with ID at door). NOTE: Artist and
repertoire have changed.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. World
Rock Symphony Orchestra. See Apr 3. Also
Apr 4(8:30pm), 5(9pm).
● 5:30: Environmental Defence Canada.
2024 Environmental Defence Gala. Elin Kesley,
speaker. Musical guests: Chris McKhool from
Sultans of String; Dr. Duke Redbird, Elder,
poet, broadcaster and filmmaker; Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk
of the Metis Fiddler Quartet;
Marc Merilainen, singer & songwriter;
and Shannon Thunderbird, singer & songwriter.
Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge
St. www.act.environmentaldefence.ca/
page/142631/event/1. $500(Gala ticket);
$5000(Table).
● 6:00: Arraymusic. Prepared Guitar
Workshop with Nilan Perera. Array Space,
155 Walnut Ave. 416-532-3019. PWYC. Four
week course to April 11; Bring an electric guitar
and amplifier. Also Mar 21, 28, Apr 11.
● 7:00: Art Gallery of Ontario. Tafelmusik:
Making Herself Heard. Works of Élisabeth
Jacquet de la Guerre, Isabella Leonarda,
Marianne Martinez, and the enigmatic Mrs.
Philarmonica. Geneviève Gilardeau, violin;
Cristina Zacharias, violin; Michael Unterman,
cello; Charlotte Nediger, harpsichord. Art Gallery
of Ontario, Walker Court, 317 Dundas St.
W. www.ago.ca/events/tafelmusik-makingherself-heard.
A seated performance free
with general admission. Also May 5.
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. RENT Presented
by Brampton Music Theatre. The Rose
Brampton, 1 Theatre Lane, Brampton. 905-
874-2800. From $20. Also Apr 5(7:30pm),
6(1pm & 7:30pm), 7(1pm).
● 7:30: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
Amanda Martinez. Burlington Performing
Arts Centre - Community Studio Theatre,
440 Locust St., Burlington. www.burlingtonpac.ca
or 905-681-6000. From $49.50.
● 7:30: Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen Yun.
See Apr 2. Also Apr 5(7:30), 6(2:00 & 7:30),
7(2:00).
● 8:00: FabCollab. F for Feria. Flamenco
dance and music. Isaac Tovar, dancer; Laura
Peralta, dancer; Bárbara Martínez, singer;
Alison MacDonald, dancer; Shirlita “La Pili”,
singer; Nicolas Hernandez, guitar; Benjamin
Barille, guitar; Nasrine Rahmani, percussion.
918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media
and Education, 918 Bathurst St. 647-768-5288
or www.fabcollab.ca/fforfamilia. $53.32(Premium),
$39(regular admission).
● 8:00: Show One Productions. The Tragedy
of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. See Apr 3. Also
Apr 5(8pm), 6(2pm & 8pm), 7(2pm).
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. World
Rock Symphony Orchestra. See Apr 3. Also
Apr 5(9pm).
WHOLENOTE Event Listings are free of charge
and can be submitted by artists, venues or presenters at any time.
WE INCLUDE
Daily listings for date-specific events such as live and/or livestream
performances, workshops, etc.
A directory of alternative venues - mainly clubs mostly jazz.
Listings for ongoing, on-demand and other music-related activities not
tied to a specific date.
HOW TO LIST
Use the convenient online form at thewholenote.com/applylistings
or email listings to listings@thewholenote.com.
Changes to listings already submitted can usually be accommodated.
Please note, we do not take listings over the phone.
Inquiries about WholeNote listings should be addressed to
John Sharpe, Listings Editor at listings@thewholenote.com
DEADLINES
Weekly Listings Update (our e-letter)
& JUST ASK (our searchable online listings)
Eligible listings received by 6pm Tuesday, each week, will be included
in the following Sunday’s e-letter, and simultaneously posted to our
searchable online listings database.
Please note: the weekly listing e-letter typically looks one week ahead. The
Just Ask database is searchable as far into the future as we have listings.
The WholeNote, print magazine
Our next print issue, Volume 29 no.6 covers June to August 2024.
The print listings submission deadline is Tuesday May 7.
See page 8 for a list of 2023/24 publication dates.
Advertising inquiries should be addressed to
Karen Ages at advertising@thewholenote.com
REGISTER TO RECEIVE THE WEEKLY LISTINGS UPDATE at thewholenote.com/newsletter
36 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Friday April 5
● 12:00 noon: TYT Theatre. The Hunting
of the Snark. Recommended for ages
6-12. Wychwood Theatre, 601 Christie St.
boxoffice@tyttheatre.com. From $31. Also
Apr 6(12pm & 3pm), 7(12pm & 3pm), 13(12pm
& 3pm), 14(12pm & 3pm).
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noon Time
Recital. Kapustin: Etude No.1; Ravel: Le
Tombeau de Couperin (selections); Clara
Schumann: Nocturne Op.6 No.2; and other
four-hand music for piano. Lisa Tahara, piano;
Jayne Sakurako Abe, piano. St. Andrew’s
Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-
5600 x220. Free. Donations welcome.
● 5:15: Kingston Baroque Consort. Celebration!:
Dazzling Baroque Showpieces.
Bach: Orchestral Suite No.1 in C BWV 1066;
Mouret: Suite of Symphonies for Brass,
Strings & Timpani No.1. St. James Anglican
Church, 10 Union St, Kingston. legerek@
queensu.ca or 613-217-5099 or at Novel Idea,
156 Princess St or www.livemusickingston.
ca/kingston-baroque-consort-2023/. $25;
$10(st); Free(under 17).
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. RENT Presented
by Brampton Music Theatre. See Apr 4. Also
Apr 6(1pm & 7:30pm), 7(1pm).
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Western
University Wind Ensemble Concert: To
Amuse and Beguile. Paul Davenport Theatre,
Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 7:30: Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen Yun.
See Apr 2. Also Apr 6(2:00 & 7:30), 7(2:00).
● 8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto. Opera
Masterpieces with Jonathan Kravtchenko.
Mozart: Don Giovanni’s Aria from Don Giovanni;
Rossini: “Largo al factotum” from The
Barber of Seville: Mozart: Papageno Scene
from The Magic Flute: and other works.
Antonina Laskarzhevska, soprano; Bohdan
Kirieiev: baritone; Jonathan Kravtchenko,
piano; Daniel Temnik, violin. Spadina Theatre,
Alliance Française de Toronto, 24 Spadina Rd.
www.alliance-francaise.ca. $20; $15(sr/st).
● 8:00: Hugh’s Room Live. Jack de Keyzer.
296 Broadview Ave. www.showpass.com/
jack-de-keyzer-2. $40.
● 8:00: Link Music Lab. Experimental Link
Series: Pouya Ehsaei Trio with Sadio Sissokho
and Peter Lutek. Pouya Ehsaei, electronics;
Sadio Sissokho, kora/percussion/vocals;
Peter Lutek, reeds. Small World Music Centre,
Studio 101, 180 Shaw St. 416-536-5439.
$30; $20(Early Bird).
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. Fever: A Peggy Lee
Celebration with Alisha Oliver. Jazz, pop, big
band, swing, blues, Latin jazz. 21 Old Mill Rd.
www.oldmilltoronto.com/event/alisha-oliver.
$20. Minimum $30 food & beverage spend.
Restricted to ages 19+. Dinner at 6pm. Show
at 8pm.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. 21C
Music Festival Series: Laurie Anderson.
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
416-408-0208; of www.rcmusic.com/performance.
SOLD OUT.
● 8:00: Show One Productions. The Tragedy
of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. See Apr 3. Also
Apr 6(2pm & 8pm), 7(2pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Consort. Madrigal Mania.
Artistic Direction by Paul Jenkins. Trinity-St.
Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall,
427 Bloor St. W. www.torontoconsort.org
or 416-964-6337. From $20. Also Apr 6.
POSTPONED.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Symphony
Exploder. A live listening party to
explore Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, presented
by Gustavo Gimeno and Hrishikesh
Hirway in a stageside conversation with the
full orchestra as they dissect the mesmerizing
layers of Stravinsky’s work accompanied
by live replays of musical sections and microscopic
insight into the orchestra in action
culminating in a complete performance of
the work. Gustavo Gimeno, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375 or
www.tso.ca. From $35.
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. World Rock
Symphony Orchestra. See Apr 3.
Saturday April 6
● 12:00 noon: TYT Theatre. The Hunting
of the Snark. See Apr 5. Also Apr 6(3pm),
7(12pm & 3pm), 13(12pm & 3pm), 14(12pm
& 3pm).
● 1:00: Brampton On Stage. RENT Presented
by Brampton Music Theatre. See Apr 4. Also
Apr 6(7:30pm), 7(1pm).
● 2:00: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine
and Performing Arts. Student Solo Recitals,
Spring 2024. Andrew Hayes, organ. St. Thomas’s
Anglican Church, 99 Ontario St., St.
Catharines. 905-688-0722 or boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. Free.
● 2:00: Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen
Yun. See Apr 2. Also Apr 6(7:30), 7(2:00).
● 2:00: Show One Productions. The Tragedy
of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. See Apr 3. Also
Apr 6(8pm), 7(2pm).
● 3:00: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Symphonic
Band Concert: Emblems of Spring.
Katahj Copley: Riptides; Alfred Reed: The
Hounds of Spring; Percy Grainger: Ye Banks
and Braes O’ Bonnie Doon; Roger Cichy:
Divertimento; E. E. Begley: National Emblem.
Shawn Cabot, music director. Paul Davenport
Theatre, Talbot College, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-3767
or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
● 3:00: TYT Theatre. The Hunting of the
Snark. See Apr 5. Also Apr 7(12pm & 3pm),
13(12pm & 3pm), 14(12pm & 3pm).
● 4:00: Music Toronto. Celebration of Small
Ensembles. Includes a short stretch and chat
between sets. Refreshments will be available
Celebration of
Small Ensembles
April 6, 4pm
Shhh! Ensemble
Obsidiana Duo
APERTURE ROOM
340 Yonge Street
music-toronto.com
for purchase. Shhh! Ensemble & Obsidiana
Duo. Aperture Room, Thornton-Smith Building,
340 Yonge St. www.musictoronto.com.
$40(single); $20(st/arts).
● 4:00: Friends of Music at St. Thomas’s.
Elinor Frey: Cello Suites of Bach. Bach: Cello
Suites Nos. 1, 4 & 5. St. Thomas’s Anglican
Church, 383 Huron St. www.stthomas.on.ca
or 416-483-5488. Pay What You Wish ($40
suggested). 3:15pm: Pre-recital talk. See
also Apr 7.
● 4:30: Beach United Church. Jazz & Reflection
with The Octokats. Works by Henry Mancini.
140 Wineva Ave. 416-691-8082 or www.
beachunitedchurch.com. Pay what you can.
● 6:00: St. Paul’s United Church (Dundas).
Piano Concert. Works by Bach, Mozart, Prokofiev,
Scott Joplin, Herbie Hancock, and
others. Benjamin Schmaltz, piano. 29 Park St.
W., Dundas. 403-437-8267. $25; $20(sr/st);
$10(12 & under).
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. RENT Presented
by Brampton Music Theatre. See Apr 4. Also
Apr 7(1pm).
● 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. Teilhard
Frost. Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., London.
519-319-5847 or folk@iandavies.com or www.
ticketscene.ca. $25.
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Choral
Concert: Western University Singers -
Part(ing) Songs. Von Kuster Hall, Music Building,
Western University, 1151 Richmond St. N.,
London. 519-661-3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/
events. Free.
● 7:30: London Symphonia. A Bohemian Life.
Debussy: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune;
Scott Good: Lasker-Schüler Songs (first performance);
Dvořák: Symphony No.8 in G.
Midori Marsh, soprano; London Symphonia;
Tania Miller, conductor. Metropolitan United
Church, 468 Wellington St., London. 226-270-
0910 or www.londonsymphonia.ca. $70(premium);
$52(adult); $22(st).
● 7:30: Oakville Symphony Orchestra.
Heaven. Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino;
Verdi: “O don fatale” from Don Carlo;
Berlioz: La Mort de Cléopâtre; Leokadiya
Kashperova: Symphony in b (Canadian premiere).
Guest: Stephanie Yelovich, mezzo.
Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts,
130 Navy St., Oakville. www.oakvillecentre.
ca/whats-on/upcoming-events/heaven or
905-338-4161. From $35. Also Apr 7.
● 7:30: Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra.
Beethoven and Brahms. Brahms: Violin
Concerto in D Op.77; Beethoven: Symphony
No.4 in B-flat Op. 60. Tiffany Yeung, violin;
Ronald Royer, conductor. Salvation Army
Scarborough Citadel, 2021 Lawrence Ave. E.,
Scarborough. 647-482-7761 or www.spo.ca/
event/beethoven-and-brahms. $35; $30(sr);
$15(st).
● 7:30: Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen Yun.
See Apr 2. Also Apr 7(2:00).
● 7:30: Upper Canada Brass. Tenor Horn
Sheona White in Voice of the Horn. Hermann
Bellstedt: Capriccio Brilliante; Erik
Leidzen: The Old Rustic Bridge; Philip Harper:
Beauty Within; Kevin Lau: Impressions; and
other works. Upper Canada Brass. Guest:
Sheona White, tenor horn. St. Mary’s Anglican
Church, 10030 Yonge St., Richmond Hill.
www.uppercanadabrass.ca or 705-792-5766
or www.eventbrite.ca/e/850912952547. $25;
$20(sr/st); Free(ages 12 and under).
● 8:00: FabCollab. F for Flamenca. Flamenco
dance and music. Irene La Sentío, dancer;
Antonia Jiménez, guitar; Laura Marchal,
singer; Nasrine Rahmani, percusion; Tamar
Ilana, singer; Lia Grainger, dancer; Virgina
Castro, dancer. Paradise Theatre, 1006 Bloor
St. W. 647-768-5288 or www.fabcollab.ca/
fforfamilia. $44.50.
● 8:00: Kindred Spirits Orchestra. Wind
Symphonies. Stravinsky, Symphonies of Wind
Instruments; Stravinsky: Concerto for Piano
and Wind Instruments; Hindemith: Konzertmusik
for Piano, Brass and Harps Op.49.
Henry From, piano; Kristian Alexander, conductor.
Cornell Recital Hall, 3201 Bur Oak
Ave., Markham. 905-787-8811. $30-$40;
$22.50-$30(sr); $15-$20(full time student or
18 and under).
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Global
Music Series: Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
416-408-0208; rcmusic.com/performance.
From $65.
● 8:00: Show One Productions. The Tragedy
of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. See Apr 3. Also
Apr 7(2pm).
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 37

LIVE OR ONLINE | Apr 1 to Jun 7, 2024
● 8:00: Toronto Consort. Madrigal Mania.
See Apr 5. POSTPONED.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. R.
Strauss’s Don Quixote. See Apr 3.
Sunday April 7
● 12:00 noon: TYT Theatre. The Hunting
of the Snark. See Apr 5. Also Apr 7(3pm),
13(12pm & 3pm), 14(12pm & 3pm).
● 1:00: Brampton On Stage. RENT Presented
by Brampton Music Theatre. See Apr 4.
● 1:30: Friends of Music at St. Thomas’s.
Elinor Frey: Cello Suites of Bach. Bach: Cello
Suites Nos. 2, 3 & 6. St. Thomas’s Anglican
Church, 383 Huron St. www.stthomas.on.ca
or 416-483-5488. Pay What You Wish ($40
suggested). See also Apr 6.
● 2:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Mazzoleni
Masters Series: ARC Ensemble: The
Viennese in Los Angeles. Korngold: Piano
Quintet in E Op.15; Kanitz: Works. Mazzoleni
Concert Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
$25.
● 2:00: Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen
Yun. See Apr 2.
● 2:00: Show One Productions. The Tragedy
of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. See Apr 3.
● 2:30: VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert. La battaglia
di Legnano. Music by Giuseppe Verdi.
With English Surtitles. Julia McVicar, Scott
Rumble, Sebastian Belcourt; Opera in Concert
Chorus; Robert Cooper, chorus director;
Helen Becqué. music director & piano.
Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre
for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. www.operainconcert.com
or 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754.
From $45.
● 3:00: Dundas Concert Band. 2024: A Music
Odyssey. Concert Band Instruments including
the English Horn. This concert recognizes
the Eclipse, happening the following day. It
also celebrates the 150th anniversary of Gustav
Holst. Holst: First Suite in E-flat for Military
Band; Jacob de Haan: Ross Roy; Space
and Beyond - recognizing the Eclipse Apr.8;
Highlights from Chess; Star Trek: Into Darkness.
St. Paul’s United Church, 29 Park St.
W., Dundas. 905 523-9500. Free. Donations
gratefully accepted. Receipts will be given for
$10 or more.
● 3:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. Special 4-hands Team from WLU.
Scriabin: 24 Preludes; Schumann: Allegro
in b Op.8; Karol Rathaus: Zwei Stücke aus
dem Ballett “Der letzte Pierrot”; Ming Hsiu
Yen: Two Old Postcards from Formosa.
Joseph Ferreti & Elaine Lau, piano. Keffer
Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University,
75 University Ave. W., Waterloo. 519-569-
1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms. $30;
$20(st).
● 3:00: TYT Theatre. The Hunting of the
Snark. See Apr 5. Also Apr 13(12pm & 3pm),
14(12pm & 3pm).
● 3:00: Uxbridge Chamber Choir. The
Grand Finale. Past and present choir members
reassembled to present “Greatest Hits”.
Works by Mozart, Vivaldi, Willan, Fauré, Barber,
and others. SATB choir; Tom Baker, director;
Ian Sadler, organ. St. Paul’s Anglican
Church, 59 Toronto St. S., Uxbridge. 416-931-
0640. $25.
● 4:00: FabCollab. F for Familia. Flamenco
dance and music. Kiyo Asaoka, dancer; Rocío
Conde, singer; Ana Lía, singer; Matt Sellick,
guitar; Ten Ten Music Collective. BSMT 254,
254 Lansdowne Ave. 647-768-5288 or www.
fabcollab.ca/fforfamilia. $25(standing room),
$35(middle seats).
● 4:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Hear! Here! with Mark Lalama Trio.
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, Robertson
Theatre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca.
$35; $186(table of 6).
● 4:30: The Emmet Ray. Alex Lakusta Quintet.
Works by Mingus, Hubbard, Silver, and
others. 924 College St. reso@erbar.ca.
$10(with advance reservations); $15(at door).
● 7:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Blue Suede
Tunes - Frankie Moreno. Avalon Theatre
(Fallsview Casino), 6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara
Falls. ticketmaster.ca. From $51. Also
Apr 8(3pm), 9(3pm), 10(3pm & 8:30pm).
● 7:30: Oakville Symphony Orchestra.
Heaven. Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino;
Verdi: “O don fatale” from Don Carlo;
Berlioz: La Mort de Cléopâtre; Leokadiya
Kashperova: Symphony in b (Canadian premiere).
Guest: Stephanie Yelovich, mezzo.
Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts,
130 Navy St., Oakville. www.oakvillecentre.
ca/whats-on/upcoming-events/heaven or
905-338-4161. From $35. Also Apr 6.
● 7:30: The Jeffery Concerts. Calidore
String Quartet. St. John the Evangelist Anglican
Church, 280 St. James St., London.
jefferyconcerts@gmail.com or www.jefferyconcerts.com
or www.Grandtheatre.com
or 519-672-8800 or in person at the Grand
Theatre Box Office, 471 Richmond St. $40;
Free(st).
Monday April 8
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Blue Suede
Tunes - Frankie Moreno. See Apr 7. Also
Apr 9(3pm), 10(3pm & 8:30pm).
● 7:30: Don Wright Faculty of Music. Contemporary
Music Studio: Con Certo. Von
Kuster Hall, Music Building, Western University,
1151 Richmond St. N., London. 519-661-
3767 or www.music.uwo.ca/events. Free.
Tuesday April 9
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental/Vocal Series: Stories from the
Front Lines of Music & Medicine. Combining
storytelling, chamber music alongside vocal
repertoire, invitingaudiences into a music
therapist’s experience of working withindividuals
with life-limiting illnesses. Pulse
members: Dr. Andrew Ascenzo, cello & Dr.
SarahRose Black, music therapist. With narration
by an oncology/palliative care music
therapist. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free. Tickets required.
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Violin Recital.
Satchi Kanashiro, violin. Yorkminster Park
Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167
or www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Peter Merrick, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations encouraged.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Blue Suede
Tunes - Frankie Moreno. See Apr 7. Also
Apr 10(3pm & 8:30pm).
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Classic Albums Live: The Police - Synchronicity.
FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St.
Catharines. 905-688-0722; boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. $59; $49(members).
● 7:30: Smoke Show BBQ & Brew. Tuesday
Horns: Live and in Person! Music by Blood,
Sweat & Tears, Lighthouse, Stevie Wonder,
and others. Smoke Show BBQ and Brew,
744 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-901-7469. Performing
every second Tuesday.
Wednesday April 10
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: Chamber Connections.
Winners of The Glenn Gould Chamber Music
Competition. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concert-series.
Free. Tickets required.
● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recital. Michelle M. Chung,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.
com. Free. Donations welcome.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Blue Suede
Tunes - Frankie Moreno. See Apr 7. Also
Apr 10(8:30pm).
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn. FirstOntario
Performing Arts Centre, Partridge Hall,
250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-
0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $69;
$59(members).
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. Blue Suede
Tunes - Frankie Moreno. See Apr 7.
Thursday April 11
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Dance Series: Highlights from Anne of Green
Gables – The Ballet®. Ballet Jörgen presents
highlights from its newest full-length ballet.
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free. Tickets required.
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met. Joshua Duncan Lee, organ.
Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. E.
416-363-0331 x226. Freewill donation.
● 6:00: Arraymusic. Prepared Guitar
Workshop with Nilan Perera. Array Space,
155 Walnut Ave. 416-532-3019. PWYC. Four
week course to April 11; Bring an electric guitar
and amplifier. Also Mar 21, 28, Apr 4.
● 7:30: Opera Atelier. All Is Love. Works by
Handel, Lully, Purcell, Rameau, Hahn and
others. Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, soprano;
Eric da Silva, Artist of Atelier Ballet;
Colin Ainsworth, tenor; Jesse Blumberg,
baritone; Douglas Williams, bass-baritone;
Karen White, soprano and others. Tafelmusik;
David Fallis, music director. Koerner
Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-703-
3767 x700; Opera Atelier.com. From $55. Also
Apr 12(2:30pm), 13(7:30pm), 14(2:30pm).
● 7:30: Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen
Yun. FirstOntario Concert Hall, 1 Summers
Ln., Hamilton. 1-877-663-7469 or tickets@fldfca.org
or 1-855-416-1800. From $100. Also
Apr 12(7:30).
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Hype. Performers:
J. O. Mairs, Ghostboyrj, Crooks. The Rose
Brampton, 1 Theatre Lane, Brampton. 905-
874-2800. $10.
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. Jaymz Bee’s
Caravan of Music. A fundraiser curated by
Jaymz Bee. 24 bands performing across
12 rooms, with over 100 talented musicians,
attendees will enjoy a diverse range of
musical styles, including jazz, soul, blues, pop,
and more. 21 Old Mill Rd. www.unisonfund.ca/
events. $40. Supporting The Unison Fund.
Friday April 12
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noon Time
Recital. Brahms: Fantasie Op.116; Schubert:
Sonata in a; and works by Scriabin, Kuzmenko,
and Debussy. Adrian Tsui, piano. St.
Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe
St. 416-593-5600 x220. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 2:30: Opera Atelier. All Is Love. See Apr 11.
Also Apr 13(7:30pm), 14(2:30pm).
● 6:00: North York Central Library. Open
Mic at the Library: North York Edition. Music,
poetry & storytelling. Are you a musician,
poet, or storyteller? If so, then you are invited
to share your talents at the North York Central
Library Open Mic. Guitar, piano & djembe
provided. 7 minutes for each performance.
For adults, teens, and seniors. North York
Central Library Auditorium, 5120 Yonge St.
Sign-up is at 5:30pm. For more information,
contact the Language, Literature & Fine Arts
Department at 416-395-5639. Free.
● 7:00: Jazz at Durbar. Rebecca Enkin Trio.
Rebecca Enkin, vocals; Mike Allen, guitar;
Bassam Bishara, vocals & oud. Durbar Indian
Restaurant, 2469 Bloor St. W. 416-762-4441.
Free. Reservations strongly recommended.
● 7:30: Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen Yun.
See Apr 11.
● 8:00: Massey Hall. Choir! Choir! Choir!:
Epic 80s Sing-Along! 178 Victoria St. www.
mhrth.com/tickets. $51.
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. The Ken Peplowski
Quartet – An Evening of Songs and Stories.
Swing, Dixieland, Traditional Pop, Guitar Jazz,
Jazz Instrument, Mainstream Jazz. 21 Old
Mill Rd. www.oldmilltoronto.com/event/kenpeplowski.
$25. Minimum $30 food & beverage
spend. Restricted to ages 19+. Dinner at
6pm. Show at 8pm.
● 8:00: Sinfonia Toronto. Mozart’s Spring.
Marjan Mozetich: Concerto for Viola with
Strings and Vibraphone; Nina Grigoryan:
Prayer (first performance); Saverio Mercadante:
Flute Concerto in e; Mozart: String
Quartet No.14 in G “Spring” (string orchestra
version). Sharon Wei, viola; Mario Carbotta,
flute; Sinfonia Toronto; Nurhan Arman, conductor.
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St.
W. 416-499-0403 or www.sinfoniatoronto.
com. $52; $40(sr); $20(st).
Saturday April 13
● 12:00 noon: TYT Theatre. The Hunting of
the Snark. See Apr 5. Also Apr 14(12pm &
3pm).
● 2:00: Living Arts Centre. An Afternoon of
Benny Goodman Music with Toronto All-Star
Band. Featuring Ken Peplowski, clarinet. Living
Arts Centre, RBC Theatre, 4141 Living
Arts Dr., Mississauga. www.livingartscentre.
evenue.net or 905-306-6000. $59.
● 3:00: TYT Theatre. The Hunting of the
Snark. See Apr 5. Also Apr 14(3pm).
● 7:30: Barrie Concerts Association. Sinfonia
Toronto. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto
No.1 in b-flat Op. 23; and works by Dvořák and
Rachmaninoff. Dmitri Levkovich, piano; Mario
Carbotta, flute; Nurham Arman, conductor.
38 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Hiway Pentecostal Church, 50 Anne St. N.,
Barrie. www.barrieconcerts.org or 705-436-
1232. Up to $55. Livestream: $20; $10(st).
Available for up to 30 days after the concert.
● 7:30: Kingston Symphony. Sax Attack with
Leo P. Kingston Symphony; Leo P (Leo Pellegrino),
baritone saxophone. Grand Theatre,
218 Princess St., Kingston. 613-530-2050 or
www.kingstonsymphony.ca. From $20.
● 7:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. NSO
NOW! 4: Classic Rock Radio. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St.
Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722 or
boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $75(regular);
$100(diamond); $52(arts worker with valid
id); $46(35 under 35); $29(student-university/college
with valid id); $24(youth 18 and
under with valid id).
● 7:30: Opera Atelier. All Is Love. See Apr 11.
Also Apr 14(2:30pm).
● 7:30: Stratford Symphony Orchestra.
Brahms Violin Concerto with Sarah Pratt.
Beethoven: Egmont Overture Op.84; Brahms:
Violin Concerto in D Op.77; Beethoven: Symphony
No.1 in C Op.21. Guest: Sarah Pratt, violins;
William Rowson, conductor. Avondale United
Church, 194 Avondale Ave., Stratford. 519-271-
0990; info@stratfordsymphonyorchestra.ca.
$45; $15(st); Free(under 12).
● 7:30: Trinity Bach Project. Bach and Tallis.
Tallis: Lamentations of Jeremiah I and
selected motets; Bach: Cantata BWV 131 “Aus
der Tiefen” and Motet BWV 228 “Fürchte
dich nicht”; Arvo Pärt: The Deer’s Cry. Ten
voices with Nicholas Nicolaidis, conductor;
Aaron James, organ; Daniel Brielmaier, oboe;
Felix Deák, cello; Matt Antal, viola. Little Trinity
Anglican Church, 425 King St. E. 306-250-
4256. Pay what you can. Suggested: $30;
$20(st); Free(child). One-hour concert with
no intermission.
● 8:00: Healey Willan Singers. Spring
Delights. Fauré/Messager: Messe des
pêcheurs de Villerville; and works by Brahms,
Mendelssohn, Mozart, and others. Ellen
Meyer, piano; Conrad Gold, organ; Ron Cheung,
conductor. St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Anglican Church, 151 Glenlake Ave. 416-519-
0528. $20; $15(sr/st). Cash only.
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Lonestar.
OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, 6366 Stanley
Ave., Niagara Falls. www.ticketmaster.ca.
$70.20-$81.50.
● 9:30: MRG Live. An Evening with Mars Hotel
- Canada’s Premier Grateful Dead Tribute.
Annabel’s, 200 Princes Blvd. www.admitone.
com/events/mars-hotel-toronto-9330264.
$27.50. Early bird price: $20 until Jan 15.
Ages 19+.
Sunday April 14
● 11:00am: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Relaxed Concert: Bhangra & Beyond.
Designed to be more welcoming to the neurodiverse
community, including those on the
autism spectrum, those with sensory and
communications disorders, ADHD, learning
disabilities, or dementia, or those who simply
prefer a more relaxed concert experience.
Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-
3375. From $23. Regular concerts at 1:30pm
& 4pm.
● 12:00 noon: TYT Theatre. The Hunting of
the Snark. See Apr 5. Also Apr 14(3pm).
● 1:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Bhangra
& Beyond. Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser,
conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St.
416-598-3375. From $30. Also 4pm. Relaxed
Concert at 11am.
● 2:30: Opera Atelier. All Is Love. See Apr 11.
● 3:00: Magisterra Soloists. Magisterra at
the Museum: The Glorious Voice of Russell
Braun. Songs for baritone and piano with violin
or cello by Beethoven, Spohr, Brahms, and
John Estacio. Guests: Russell Braun, baritone;
Carolyn Maule, piano. Museum London,
421 Ridout St. N., London. www.magisterra.
com. $35; $30(sr); $15(st); $10(under 10).
● 3:00: Orchestra Toronto. A Brave New
World. Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis
on themes by Carl Maria von Weber;
Dvořák: Cello Concerto in b Op.104. Winona
Zelenka, cello; Michael Newnham, conductor.
George Weston Recital Hall, Meridian Arts
Centre, 5040 Yonge St. 416-467-7142 or www.
ticketmaster.ca. From $14. Pre-concert chat
at 2:15pm.
● 3:00: TYT Theatre. The Hunting of the
Snark. See Apr 5.
10TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON!
The
Flute Street
Concerto
and
the
Folk
Song
PRESENTS
SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 4PM
www.flutestreet.ca
● 4:00: Flute Street. Tenth Anniversary Season:
The Concerto and the Folk Song. Works
by Handel, Vivaldi, Vaclav Nelhybel (Canadian
premiere), John Rutter, and Kelly Via. Joshua
McFaul, bass-baritone; Robin Davis, organ;
Nancy Nourse, artistic director; Isaac Page,
conductor. Church of St. Peter and St. Simonthe-Apostle,
525 Bloor St. E. 416-462-9498 or
www.flutestreet.ca. Pay what you can (cash
only) - $20-$30 suggested.
● 4:00: Toronto Classical Singers. Morning
and Evening - In the Afternoon. Schubert:
Mass in C D.452; Mozart: Vesperae solennes
de confessore (Solemn Vespers for a Confessor)
K.339. Kendra Dyck, soprano, Catharin
Carew, mezzo: Ross Mortimer, tenor; Alan
Macdonald, baritone; Toronto Classical Singers
& Players; Jurgen Petrenko, conductor.
Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-
986-8749. $30.
● 4:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Bhangra
& Beyond. Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser,
conductor. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe
St. 416-598-3375. From $30. Also 1:30pm.
Relaxed Concert at 11am.
● 7:00: Ancestral Harmonies. Hildegard
Meets Maestro Irshad Khan. Chants by Hildegard
of Bingen, traditional ragas, and original
compositions by Irshad Khan. Irshad Khan,
ANCESTRAL
HARMONIES 2024
HILDEGARD
MEETS MAESTRO
IRSHAD KHAN
A unique collaboration
of chants and ragas
SUNDAY APRIL 14
sitar; Andrea Gerhardt, voice; Sadaf Amini,
Iranian santur; Pedram Khavarzamini, tonbak.
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon
Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 647-979-1898 or
andrea-gerhardt.ticketleap.com/ancestralharmonies-2024.
$25. Cash only at door.
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. The Jazz Mechanics
and The Brampton Concert Band with
Special Guest Liberty Silver. The Rose Brampton,
1 Theatre Lane, Brampton. 905-874-
2800. From $20.
Tuesday April 16
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Rising Stars
Recital. Featuring students from the Glenn
Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of
Music. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church,
1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Michael Pirri, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations encouraged.
● 5:30: Canadian Opera Company. Jazz Series:
Chamber Swing. Drew Jurecka Trio:
Drew Jurecka, violin; Clark Johnson, string
bass; Ewen Farncombe, piano. Richard Bradshaw
Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre
for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W.
www.coc.ca/free-concert-series. Free. Tickets
required.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. This Is Brampton:
B-Jazzed - Salsa in the Spring. Carmen
Spada and The B-Jazzed Band. The Rose
Brampton, 1 Theatre Lane, Brampton. 905-
874-2800. From $20.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Pops:
The Music of Star Wars. Steven Reineke, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-
598-3375. From $62. Also Apr 17(2pm).
Wednesday April 17
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Dance Series: Surrendered Spirits. This program
is influenced and inspired by the impact
of familial displacement and upbringing as
children of racialized, marginalized, and
immigrant families. The work encompasses
the relationship of two femme, queer, black,
and brown women who face each other seeking
to heal the inherited ancestral and familial
TORONTO CLASSICAL SINGERS & TORONTO CLASSICAL PLAYERS
JURGEN PETRENKO, CONDUCTOR
MORNING AND EVENING – IN THE AFTERNOON
SCHUBERT
MASS IN C
MOZART
VESPERS K. 339
KENDRA DYCK, SOPRANO
CATHARIN CAREW, MEZZO SPORANO
ROSS MORTIMER, TENOR
ALAN MACDONALD, BARITONE
4:00 PM APRIL 14, 2024
CHRIST CHURCH DEER PARK , 1570 YONGE STREET AT HEATH
TICKETS $30: TORONTOCLASSICALSINGERS.CA/TICKETS
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 39

LIVE OR ONLINE | Apr 1 to Jun 7, 2024
wounds. dance Immersion. Richard Bradshaw
Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre
for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W.
www.coc.ca/free-concert-series. Free. Tickets
required.
● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recital. Ryan Baxter, organ.
1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.com.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 2:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Pops:
The Music of Star Wars. See Apr 16.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. The Simon
& Garfunkel Story. Fallsview Casino Resort,
Avalon Theatre, 6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara
Falls. 1-877-833-3110 or www.ticketmaster.
ca. From $45. Also Apr 18(3pm & 8:30pm),
19(9pm), 20(3pm & 9pm), 21(3pm & 7pm).
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Jui-Sheng Li, Piano. Scriabin:
24 Preludes; Schumann: Allegro in b Op.8;
Karol Rathaus: Zwei Stücke aus dem Ballett
“Der letzte Pierrot”; Ming Hsiu Yen: Two Old
Postcards from Formosa. First United Church
(Waterloo), 16 William St. W., Waterloo. 519-
569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.
CANCELLED.
● 7:30: Toronto Shape Note Singers. Sacred
Harp Singing. Shape note music selections
from the Sacred Harp tunebook. Singing
is participatory, not a performance. No
experience necessary. All are welcome and
there are books to borrow. Friends House,
60 Lowther Ave. 647-838-8764. Pay what you
can. Also May 15, Jun 19, Jul 17, Aug 21, Sep 18,
Oct 16, Nov 20 & Dec 18.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Kiran Ahluwalia.
171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.
905-305-7469; flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$58(regular); $68(prime); $15(YTX).
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. International
Orchestras Series: The Philadelphia
Orchestra with Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Price:
Symphony No.4 in d; Rachmaninov: Symphony
No.2 in e Op.27. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. SOLD OUT.
Thursday April 18
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: 2024 Toronto Summer
Music Festival Preview. Jonathan Crow, artistic
director. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free. Tickets required.
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met: University of Toronto Piano
Showcase. Metropolitan United Church,
56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x226. Freewill
donation.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. The
Simon & Garfunkel Story. See Apr 17. Also
Apr 18(8:30pm), 19(9pm), 20(3pm & 9pm),
21(3pm & 7pm).
● 7:30: Harbourfront Centre. Torque Contemporary
Dance Series: Swan Lakes +
Minus 16. Performed by Gauther Dance/
Dance Theaterhaus Stuttgart. Fleck Dance
Theatre, Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens
Quay W. www.harbourfrontcentre.com. From
$29. Also Apr 19 & 20.
● 7:30: Soundstreams. Variations on Goldberg
Variations (Keyed Up! #1). Works by
Grabowsky, Sokolovic and others. Paul
Grabowsky, piano. Jane Mallett Theatre,
Toronto Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E.
416-504-1282 or www.Soundstreams.ca.
From $25.
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. The
Simon & Garfunkel Story. See Apr 17. Also
Apr 19(9pm), 20(3pm & 9pm), 21(3pm &
7pm).
Friday April 19
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noon Time
Recital. Dane Ko, piano. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600
x220. Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:30: Harbourfront Centre. Torque Contemporary
Dance Series: Swan Lakes +
Minus 16. See Apr 18. Also Apr 20.
● 7:30: Monday Morning Singers. Begone,
Dull Care. St. Paul’s Anglican Church,
59 Toronto St. S., Uxbridge. 416-452-6549 or
www.mondaymorningsingers.com. $25.
● 7:30: Soundstreams. RBC Bridges (Keyed
Up! #2). New works. Jane Mallett Theatre,
Toronto Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E.
416-504-1282 or www.Soundstreams.ca.
From $25.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Kiran Ahluwalia.
The Rose Brampton, 1 Theatre Lane, Brampton.
905-874-2800. From $20.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Jeans ‘n
Classics: An Innocent Man - The Music of
Billy Joel. Jean Meilleur, vocals/guitar; John
Regan, piano; 40 piece orchestra. 171 Town
Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469;
flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. $78(regular);
$83(prime); $15(YTX).
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. Sammy Jackson.
Jazz and rhythm & blues. 21 Old Mill Rd. www.
oldmilltoronto.com/event/sammy-jackson.
$20. Minimum $30 food & beverage spend.
Restricted to ages 19+. Dinner at 6pm. Show
at 8pm.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Special
Performances: John Pizzarelli and
Caity Gyorgy. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. From $60.
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. Bohemian Rhapsody:
Benda & Haydn. Benda: Violin Concerto in A;
Stamitz: Symphony in d; Haydn: Cello Concerto
in C; Works by Lully, Purcell, Handel,
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Directed by
Zefira Valova
April 19–21
Jeanne Lamon Hall,
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
tafelmusik.org
Elmer
Iseler
Singers
Lydia Adams, Conductor
Sat. Apr 20, 2024 @ 4:00pm
Eglinton St. George’s United Church
Triple Choir Splendour
Sonic Light
Mass for Double Choir by Frank Martin
including works by
MacMillan, Whitacre, Gjeilo and Daley
ELMER ISELER SINGERS
Lydia Adams, conductor
VIVA CHAMBER SINGERS
Carol Ratzlaff, conductor
CHROMA VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Mitchell Pady, conductor
416-217-0537 elmeriselersingers.com
40 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Piatti, Bach, Vivaldi, and Jonathan Woody.
Zefira Valova, guest director and violin; Keiran
Campbell, cello; Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre,
427 Bloor St. W. www.tafelmusik.org/
bohemian or 416-964-6337. From $47. Also
Apr 20(8pm) & 21(3pm).
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. The
Simon & Garfunkel Story. See Apr 17. Also
Apr 20(3pm & 9pm), 21(3pm & 7pm).
Saturday April 20
● 10:30am: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.
Singsation: Harmonizing Resistance – The
Power of Music in Social Change. Music is
a powerful vehicle of expression that has
inspired political and cultural change across
the world. This Singsation workshop session
will explore songs of resistance, their cultural
context, and personal connections to these
songs through storytelling and singing with
TMChoir members. Conducted by TMChoir
Collaborative Pianist, Irene Gregorio. Yorkminster
Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St.
www.tmchoir.org. $10.
● 2:30: Heliconian Club. Hel’s Belles - Compositions
by Heliconian Club Members. Works
by Taivi Alexander, Jana Skarecky, Kye Marshall,
and Maria Soulis. Janet Catherine Dea,
soprano & Caitlin Holland, soprano. Heliconian
Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-922-3618
or www.torontoheliconianclub.wildapricot.
org/event-5390306. $30 at door or online;
Free(child 12 and under accompanied by an
adult).
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. The
Simon & Garfunkel Story. See Apr 17. Also
Apr 20(9pm), 21(3pm & 7pm).
● 4:00: Elmer Iseler Singers. Triple Choir
Splendour: Sonic Light. Frank Martin: Mass
for Double Choir; and works by MacMillan,
Whitacre, Gjeilo and Daley. Elmer Iseler Singers
(Lydia Adams, conductor); VIVA Chamber
Singers (Carol Ratzlaff, conductor); and
Chroma Vocal Ensemble (Mitchell Pady, conductor).
Eglinton St. George’s United Church,
35 Lytton Blvd. www.elmeriselersingers.com
or 416-217-0537. $45; $40(sr); $25(under 30).
● 7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky. Jiang: Flowing
Waters; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.3;
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6. Kevin Chen,
piano; Mateusz Molęda, conductor. FirstOntario
Concert Hall, 1 Summers Ln., Hamilton.
905-526-7756; boxoffice@hpo.org. $20-$80.
6:30pm pre-concert talk.
● 7:30: Harbourfront Centre. Torque Contemporary
Dance Series: Swan Lakes +
Minus 16. See Apr 18.
● 7:30: Oakville Chamber Orchestra. Spring
Concert. Johann Strauss II: Voices of Spring
Waltz Op.410; Schumann: Symphony No.1 in
B-flat Op.38 “Spring”; Mozart: Piano Concerto
No.18 in B-flat K.456. Sunny Zhai, piano. St.
John's United Church (Oakville), 262 Randall
St., Oakville. www.oakvillechamber.org/program-4-spring-symphony.
From $20. Also
Apr 21(3pm).
● 7:30: Soundstreams. 6 Pianos 12 Hands
(Keyed Up! #3). Reich: Music for Six Pianos;
Works by Riley, Ristic, Sokolovic and Louie.
Jane Mallett Theatre, Toronto Centre for the
Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-504-1282 or www.
Soundstreams.ca. From $25.
● 7:30: Toronto Beach Chorale. W. A. Mozart:
Requiem. Toronto Beach Chorale; Leanne
Kaufman, soprano; Deborah Overes, contralto;
Jacob Abrahamse, tenor; Matthew
Cassils, bass-baritone; Chamber Orchestra;
Mervin W. Fick, conductor. Knox Presbyterian
Church, 630 Spadina Ave. www.torontobeachchorale.com.
$30; $15(youth).
● 7:30: Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of
North America. Ukraine Lives! George
Weston Recital Hall, Meridian Arts Centre,
5040 Yonge St. 416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-
6754 or www.tolive.com or www.ticketmaster.ca.
From $60.
● 8:00: Acoustic Harvest. Boreal’s Spring
Show with Katherine Wheatley, Tannis Slimmon
& Angie Nussey. St. Paul’s United
Church, 200 McIntosh St., Scarborough.
www.acousticharvest.ca or 416-729-7564.
$30.
● 8:00: Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra.
Orchestra Concert. Smetana: The Moldau
from Má vlast; John Williams: Tuba
Concerto; Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade
Op.35. Jennifer Stephen, tuba; Martin
MacDonald, conductor. P.C. Ho Theatre,
Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto,
5183 Sheppard Ave. E., Scarborough. 416-
879-5566 or www.cathedralbluffs.com.
From $25.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Global
Music Series: Oumou Sangaré. Koerner Hall,
TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $45.
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. Bohemian Rhapsody:
Benda & Haydn. See Apr 19. Also
Apr 21(3pm).
● 8:00: Trinity Bach Project. Bach and
Schütz. Bach: Motet BWV 227 “Jesu, meine
Freude”; Schutz: “Selig sind die Toten” and
other motets; Monteverdi: Cantate Domino;
Bruckner: Locus iste; Bach: Selected movements
of Suites Nos.1 & 2 for unaccompanied
cello. Ten-voice choir with Nicholas Nicolaidis,
conductor; Felix Deák, cello; Aaron James,
organ. St. John the Evangelist Church (Hamilton),
320 Charlton Ave. W., Hamilton. 306-
250-4256. Pay what you can. Suggested: $30;
$20(st); Free(child). One-hour concert with
Toronto Beach Chorale
Mervin W Fick - Conductor
W A Mozart
Requiem
Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 7:30pm
Knox Presbyterian Church
630 Spadina Avenue, Toronto
no intermission.
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. The
Simon & Garfunkel Story. See Apr 17. Also
Apr 21(3pm & 7pm).
Sunday April 21
● 1:15: Mooredale Concerts. Music & Truffles
KIDS. Cheng² Duo. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-922-3714 x103; 647-988-
2012 (eve/wknd). $25.
● 2:00: HCA Dance Theatre. Serenade to
Humanity: A Duet of Passion and Harmony.
Works by Alice Ho, Beethoven, and Schubert.
La Fiammata: Linda Ruan & Charissa Van,
pianos. 126 James St. S., Hamilton. 905-528-
4020 or www.hcadancetheatre.com/shopstandard.
From $15.
● 2:00: Metropolitan United Church. “Shine
On”: Celebrating the 90th Anniversary of
the Metropolitan Silver Band. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-
0331 x226 or www.metband.ca. $25; $15(sr);
$10(st); Free(children under 12).
● 2:00: Roy Thomson Hall. Evgeny Kissin,
Piano & Matthias Goerne, Baritone.
60 Simcoe St. www.tickets.mhrth.com.
From $51.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. The
Simon & Garfunkel Story. See Apr 17. Also
Apr 21(7pm).
● 3:00: Oakville Chamber Orchestra. Spring
Concert. See Apr 20.
● 3:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Piano
Concerts Series: Richard Goode. Beethoven:
Bagatelles No.6-11 Op.119, Piano Sonata No.30
in E Op.109, 33 Variations on a Waltz by Anton
Diabelli Op.120. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. From $50.
● 3:00: Tafelmusik. Bohemian Rhapsody:
Benda & Haydn. See Apr 19.
● 3:15: Mooredale Concerts. Cheng² Duo.
Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University
of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-922-
3714 x103; 647-988-2012 (eve/wknd). $55;
$50(sr); $30(st).
● 7:00: Brampton On Stage. Re-Imagined - A
Theatre Concert. Lester B. Pearson Theatre,
150 Central Park Dr., Brampton. 905-874-
2800. From $20.
● 7:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. The Simon
& Garfunkel Story. See Apr 17.
● 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. Joe Crookston.
Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., London.
519-319-5847 or folk@iandavies.com or www.
ticketscene.ca. $25.
Monday April 22
● 5:00: Canadian Opera Company. Opera
Lab: The Art of Appearance. For youth aged
16 to 28. An interactive workshop in which
you’ll learn how designers create characters
and enhance storytelling through costumes
and wigs! Includes an in-depth discussion
and Q&A session with COC’s Head of Costumes,
Sandra Corazza, and Wigs & Makeup
Supervisor, Sharon Ryman, before participants
attending the Don Pasquale dress
rehearsal where they can see the sets and
costumes first-hand. Presenters: Sandra
Corazza, Head of Costumes, & Sharon Ryman,
Wigs & Makeup Supervisor. Four Seasons
Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St.
W. Register at www.coc.ca/OperaLab. $15.
● 6:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Dancers of Damelahamid: Spirit and
Tradition. FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St.
Catharines. 905-688-0722 or boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. $20.
Tuesday April 23
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Jialiang Zhu &
Friends. Works piano and violin. Jialiang Zhu
& friends. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church,
1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.com.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Bill O’Meara, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations encouraged.
● 7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Discovery
Series: GGS New Music Ensemble.
Samy Moussa: Kammerkonzert for a large
ensemble; Iannis Xenakis: Phlegra for 11
instruments. Temerty Theatre, Telus Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. Free.
● 8:00: Friends in Art. Italia da Favola (Fairytale
Italy). Trio La Scala di Seta: Bianca
D’amore, soprano; Giacomo Celluci, piano;
Pasquale Di Giannantonio, guitar & actor.
Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, 901 Lawrence
Ave. W. www.friendsinart.ca. $45.
● 8:00: Reid’s Distillery. Gypsy Jazz. Experience
the magic of Gypsy Swing! Let the soulful
melodies of guitars, violins, and upbeat
rhythms transport you to a world of joy and
excitement of Django Reinhardt’s music.
32 Logan Ave. www.reidsdistillery.com.
Wednesday April 24
● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recital. Aaron James, organ.
1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.com.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Young
People’s Concert: Bhangra & Beyond. Daniel
Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
From $30.
● 8:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. George
Thorogood & The Destroyers - Bad All Over
the World - 50 Years of Rock. OLG Stage at
Fallsview Casino, 6366 Stanley Ave., Niagara
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 41

LIVE OR ONLINE | Apr 1 to Jun 7, 2024
Falls. ticketmaster.ca. From $70.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Chamber
& String Concerts Series: Daniel Hope
- Irish Roots. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208; rcmusic.com/
performance. From $55.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Brilliant
Bach. Bach: Concerto for Two Violins &
String Orchestra BWV 1043; Bach: Concerto
for Three Violins & String Orchestra BWV
1064R; Bach: Concerto for Oboe BWV 1059R;
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 BWV 1049;
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.2 BWV 1047.
Yolanda Bruno, violin; Eri Kosaka, violin; Clare
Semes, violin; Kelly Zimba Lukić, flute; Leonie
Wall, flute, Sarah Jeffrey, oboe; Jonathan
Crow, leader & violin. Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $35. Also
Apr 25(8pm - RTH), 27(8pm - RTH), 28(3pm -
George Weston Recital Hall).
Thursday April 25
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: Ebony and Ivory. Solo
piano works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Luke
Welch, piano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concert-series.
Free. Tickets required.
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met. Jonathan Oldengarm, organ.
Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. E.
416-363-0331 x226. Freewill donation.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Early Music
at St. James: Lazzolli Baroque. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations encouraged.
● 7:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
The Circle - Indigenous Songwriters’
Showcase. FirstOntario Performing Arts
Centre, Cairns Recital Hall, 250 St. Paul St.,
St. Catharines. 905-688-0722 or boxoffice@
firstontariopac.ca. PWYC.
● 8:00: Brampton On Stage. Colin James
Trio. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln., Brampton.
905-874-2800. From $20.
● 8:00: Esprit Orchestra. Sonic Universe.
R. Murray Schafer: Adieu Robert Schumann,
for mezzo and orchestra; John Adams: Harmonielehre.
Krisztina Szabó, mezzo; Alex
Pauk, conductor. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
R. Murray Schafer
Adieu Robert Schumann
for mezzo soprano & orchestra
(1976)
Thu Apr 25
SONIC UNIVERSE
espritorchestra.com
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
espritorchestra.com or www.rcmusic.com/
events-and-performances/esprit-orchestrapresents-sonic-universe.
From $20. 7:15pm -
Pre-concert chat.
● 8:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Godsmack
Vibez Tour. OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino,
6366 Stanley Ave., Niagara Falls. www.ticketmaster.ca.
Pricing TBA.
● 8:00: TO Live. Murmuration by Le Patin
Libre. Fifteen ice-mavericks combine the athletic
virtuosity of competitive figure skaters,
the choreographic intelligence of contemporary
dancers, and the physical instinct for
flocking. Leaside Memorial Community Gardens,
Bert F. Grant Rink, 1073 Millwood Rd.
www.universe.com/events/murmuration-byle-patin-libre-tickets-YDBF01
or www.tolive.
com. $25; $15(under 12). Also Apr 26(8pm),
27(4pm & 8pm), 28(2pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Brilliant
Bach. Also Apr 24 (8pm - RTH), 27(8pm -
RTH), 28(3pm - George Weston Recital Hall).
Friday April 26
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noon Time
Recital. Works by Saint-Saëns, Paganini,
Debussy, and David Jaeger. Jialiang Zhu,
piano; Julia Mirzoev, violin. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600
x220. Free. Donations welcome.
● 5:00: New Music Concerts. What Is the
Real Sound of Toronto? Sandeep Bhagwati,
Chair. Participants: Anthony R. Green, Parmela
Attarwala, Dylan Robinson, and Patty
Chan. Canadian Music Centre, 20 St. Joseph
St. www.eventbrite.com/e/future-resonance-festival-what-is-the-real-sound-oftoronto-ticket.
Free. 5pm: Panel Discussion.
6:30pm: Reception.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Don
Pasquale. Music by Gaetano Donizetti. Misha
Kiria (Don Pasquale); Joshua Hopkins (Dr.
Malatesta); Simone Osborne (Norina); Santiago
Ballerini (Ernesto); and other soloists.
Canadian Opera Company Chorus & Orchestra;
Jacques Lacombe, conductor; Renaud
Doucet & André Barbe, stage direction. Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231 or 1-800-
250-4653 or tickets@coc.ca. From $55. Also
May 2, 4, 8, 10, 12 (2pm), 18 (4:30 pm).
● 7:30: Friends in Art. In Cibo Musica (Food in
Music). A black-tie, sit-down dinner and performance
event. Trio La Scala di Seta: Bianca
D’amore, soprano; Giacomo Celluci, piano;
Pasquale Di Giannantonio, guitar & actor.
Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, 901 Lawrence
Ave. W. www.friendsinart.ca. $150. Cocktail
reception at 6pm.
● 7:30: Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra.
Prelude to Hope. Maghan McPhee,
soprano; Danielle MacMillan, mezzo; Odin
Quartet; Kate Royer, clarinet; Gilles Thibodeau,
horn; Lisa Tahara, piano; Ronald Royer,
conductor. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave.
647-482-7761 or www.spo.ca. Pay What You
Can.
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. Raoul and The Big
Time. Jazz and rhythm & blues. 21 Old Mill Rd.
www.oldmilltoronto.com/event/raoul-andthe-big-time.
$25. Minimum $30 food & beverage
spend. Restricted to ages 19+. Dinner
at 6pm. Show at 8pm.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Music
Mix Series: Alex Cuba & Raul Midón. Koerner
Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208; rcmusic.com/performance. From $50.
● 8:00: TO Live. Murmuration by Le Patin
Libre. See Apr 25. Also Apr 27(4pm & 8pm),
28(2pm).
Saturday April 27
● 2:00: Avenue Road Music & Performance
Academy. Revolution Through Music. Chopin:
Mazurka Op.63 No.3 & Mazurka Op.30 No.2;
Rachmaninoff: Etude Tableaux Op.39 No.5;
Silvestrov: Silent Songs No.1; Shervin
Hajipour: Ba’de Ma (arranged by Ricker Choi;
Rweski: People United Will Never Be Defeated
(excerpts); and other works. Ricker Choi,
piano. Avenue Road Music and Performance
Academy, Gordon Lightfoot Concert Hall,
460 Avenue Rd. www.avenueroadmusic.com
or info@avenueroadmusic.com or 416-922-
0855. Pay what you can or donation.
● 3:00: 5 at the First. Szivi Saxophone Quartet.
Chase Griffin, soprano saxophone; Paula
Kokot, alto saxophone; Lexi Graham, tenor
saxophone; Glimmer Ng, baritone saxophone.
First Unitarian Church, 170 Dundurn St. S.,
Hamilton. 905-399-5125. $20; $15(sr); $5(st/
unwaged); free(under 12).
● 3:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra: Titan - A
Celebration of the TSYO’s 50th Anniversary.
Mahler: Symphony No.1; and other works.
Ciyan Bryson, bassoon; Simon Rivard, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-
598-3375. From $34.
● 4:00: TO Live. Murmuration by Le Patin
Libre. See Apr 25. Also Apr 27(8pm), 28(2pm).
● 7:00: Beach United Church. Spring Fling
with Special Guest Barbra Lica. 140 Wineva
Ave. 416-691-8082 or www.beachunitedchurch.com.
$40; $15(child). A fundraiser for
Beach United Church.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. A Mystical Evening: Music for Violin
and Harp. Saint-Saëns: Fantaisie for violin
and harp; Caroline Lizotte: Partita Op.52; Arvo
Pärt: Spiegel im Spiegel; Piazzolla: Café 1930.
Lori Gemmel, harp; Sheila Jaffe, violin & viola.
Keffer Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University,
75 University Ave. W., Waterloo. 519-
569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.
$20; $10(st).
● 7:00: Singing Together 2024. A Multicultural
Choral Concert. Cantemos - Upper Canada
Choristers; Chinese Canadian Choir of
Toronto; Colourful Voices Choir; Coro San
Marco; Joyful Singers; La Petite Musicale of
Toronto; Shevchenko Choir; St. Paschal Baylon’s
Church Children Choir; Yangtze River
Performing Arts. St. Paschal Baylon Church,
92 Steeles Ave. W., Thornhill. 416-931-1439.
$20.
● 7:30: Brampton On Stage. The Rose
Orchestra: Strolling into Summer. Rose Theatre,
1 Theatre Ln., Brampton. 905-874-2800.
From $15.
● 7:30: Duke Ellington Society - Toronto
Chapter. Martin Loomer’s Orange Devils:
Celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Duke
Ellington’s Birth. Al Green Theatre, Miles
Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina Ave. www.eventbrite.ca.
$50.
● 7:30: Mississauga Chamber Singers. Fauré’s
Requiem. Fauré: Requiem Op.48 and
other late-19th-century French choral works.
Christ First United Church, 151 Lakeshore Rd.
W., Mississauga. 647-549-4524. $30; $15(7-
18); free(under 7).
● 7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Discovery
Series: GGS Piano Showcase. Works for
two pianos and piano four hands. Mazzoleni
Concert Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W.
416-408-0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
$20.
● 7:30: Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra.
Songs of Hope. Works by Ronald Royer,
Ted Runcie, Rachel McFarlane, Bruno
Degazio, Daniel Mehdizadeh, Leela Gilday, and
others. Maghan McPhee, soprano; Danielle
MacMillan, mezzo; Odin Quartet; Kate Royer,
clarinet; Gilles Thibodeau, horn; Lisa Tahara,
piano; Ronald Royer, conductor. St. Paul
L'Amoureaux Anglican Church, 3333 Finch
Ave. E., Scarborough. 647-482-7761 or www.
spo.ca/event/songs-of-hope. $35; $30(sr);
$15(st).
● 7:30: The Jeffery Concerts. Jaeden Izik-
Dzurko, Piano. Scriabin: Sonata No.5 Op.53;
Liszt: Sonata in b S.178; Chopin: Scherzo No.1
in b Op.20; Chopin: Scherzo No.2 in b-flat
Op.31; Chopin: Scherzo No.3 in c-sharp Op.39.
Wolf Performance Hall, 251 Dundas St., London.
jefferyconcerts@gmail.com or www.
jefferyconcerts.com or www.Grandtheatre.
com or 519-672-8800 or in person at the
Grand Theatre Box Office, 471 Richmond St.
$40; Free(st).
April March 27, 8pm 16th
George 7:30pm Weston
VERDI
SCHUBERT
Recital Hall
WINTERREISE
REQUIEM
For more information
visit tmchoir.org
● 8:00: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Verdi’s
Requiem. Teiya Kasahara 笠 原 貞 野 , soprano;
Rose Naggar-Tremblay, mezzo; Andrew
Haji, tenor; Matthew Treviño, bass; Toronto
Mendelssohn Choir; Members of the Toronto
Symphony Orchestra; Jean-Sébastien Vallée,
conductor. George Weston Recital Hall, Meridian
Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St. www.tmchoir.
org. From $25. Also Apr 30(Koerner Hall).
● 8:00: Mississauga Symphony Orchestra.
Pops: Symphonic Pops. From The Beatles
to Queen, Metallica to Michael Jackson,
this concert will feature your favourite pop
music in symphonic form. Complementing
the orchestra will be an all-star band comprised
of some of Canada’s finest musicians,
and a roster of fantastic soloists. Living Arts
Centre, Hammerson Hall, 4141 Living Arts Dr.,
Mississauga. www.mississaugasymphony.ca
or 905-306-6000. From $40.
● 8:00: New Music Concerts. Swara Sutras
Goes Electric. Suzuki: New Work for Tablas
42 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

and Electronics (World Premiere); Boucher:
New Work for Métis Fiddle and Electronics
(World Premiere); Radford: New Work for
Bamboo Flute, Percussion, Kora and Electronics
(World Premiere); Staniland: New
Work for Guzheng and Electronics (World
Premiere); Swara Sutras Ensemble: Group
Compositions. Gurpreet Chana, tabla; Alyssa
Delbaere-Sawchuk, Métis fiddle; Lasso Sanou,
bamboo flute; Lina Cao, guzheng. St. George
by the Grange Church, 30 Stephanie St. 416-
961-9594. TBA. 7:30 pm pre-concert chat.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage Series:
Lizz Wright & Sanah Kadoura. Koerner
Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $45.
● 8:00: TO Live. Murmuration by Le Patin
Libre. See Apr 25. Also Apr 28(2pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Brilliant
Bach. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St.
416-598-3375. From $35. Also Apr 24 (8pm -
RTH), 25(8pm - RTH), 28(3pm - George Weston
Recital Hall).
Sunday April 28
● 8:00am: New Music Concerts. How to
Inhabit These Different Temporalities? with
Śabdagatitāra. Bhagwati: How to Inhabit
These Different Temporalities? for Seven
Musicians. Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford
Dr. 416-961-9594. TBA. Full day installation.
Times TBA.
● 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Reading
for Singers and Instrumentalists of Ralph
Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony. Samuel
Tak-Ho Tam, conductor. Christ Church
Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. www.cammac.ca/
toronto. $15; $10(members).
● 2:00: TO Live. Murmuration by Le Patin
Libre. See Apr 25.
● 2:30: Barrie Concerts Association.
Beethoven Rebooted. VC2 Cello Duo:
Amahl Arulanandam & Bryan Holt. Bethel
Community Church, 128 St. Vincent Street,
Barrie. www.barrieconcerts.org or 705-436-
1232. Up to $35. Livestream: $20; $10(st).
Available for up to 30 days after the concert.
● 2:30: Georgian Music. Beethoven
Rebooted. VC2, cello duo. Bethel Community
Church, 128 St. Vincent Street, Barrie. www.
barrieconcerts.org. $35; $10(st). Livestream:
$20; $10(st).
● 3:00: Amici Chamber Ensemble. Diasporic
Bridges. Christos Hatzis: Anaktoria; TJ
Anderson: Shouts for Cello and Piano; Serouj
Kradjian: Bachianas Bossa-Tangos; Gideon
Klein: String Trio; Serouj Kradjian: Rondo alla
libanesa; and works by Alexina Louie, Robert
Sierra, Anna Sokolovic, and Florence B. Price.
Guest Artists: Rebecca Cuddy, mezzo; Aline
Morales, soprano; Erika Raum, violin; Barry
Shiffman, violin; Anwar Kuhrshid, sitar; Naghmeh
Farahmand, percussion; Amici Chamber
Ensemble: Joaquin Valdepenas, clarinet;
David Hetherington, cello; Serouj Kradjian,
piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon
Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. www.amiciensemble.
com/diasporic-bridges. $50; $30(under 30);
$100(donor/VIP).
● 3:00: Metropolitan United Church. Gala
Hymn Festival. Massed choir, brass quintet,
organ, and piano. Metropolitan United
Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x226.
Freewill donation.
● 3:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Chamber
& String Concerts Series: Dover Quartet
& Leif Ove Andsnes. Turina: La oración
del torero Op.34 (The Bullfighter’s Prayer);
Dohnányi: Piano Quintet No.2 in e-flat Op.26;
Brahms: Piano Quintet in f Op.34. Koerner
Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $60.
● 3:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Brilliant
Bach. George Weston Recital Hall,
Meridian Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St. 416-
598-3375. From $54. Also Apr 24(8pm - RTH),
25(8pm - RTH), 27(8pm - RTH).
● 4:00: Achill Choral Society. Illuminare.
Elaine Hagenburg: Illuminare (Ontario premiere);
Elaine Hagenburg: O Love; Paul Halley:
Song for Canada; Stephen Hatfield: All Too
Soon. Nancy Dettbarn, collaborative pianist.
Westminster United Church, 247 Broadway
Ave., Orangeville. www.achill.ca or 647-712-
3039. $30; $15(st).
● 4:00: Friends in Art. Inno All’amore
(Hymn to Love). Trio La Scala di Seta: Bianca
D’amore, soprano; Giacomo Celluci, piano;
Pasquale Di Giannantoni0, guitar & actor.
Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, 901 Lawrence
Ave. W. www.friendsinart.ca. $45.
● 4:00: Rezonance Baroque Ensemble. Madness
and Meaning. Works by Handel, Barbara
Strozzi, Antonio Sartorio, and others.
Emily Klassen, soprano; Rezonance Baroque
Ensemble. St. David’s Anglican Church,
49 Donlands Ave. www.rezonanceensemble.
com/concerts. $30; $20(st).
● 4:00: Silent Revue. The Phantom of the
Opera. A 1925 silent film screening from
the US with live musical accompaniment.
Director: Rupert Julian. Cast: Lon Chaney,
Norman Kerry, Mary Philbin. Live accompaniment
by Tania Gill. Curated by Alicia Fletcher.
Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Ave. 416-
531-9950 or info@revuecinema.ca. $17;
$14(Bronze/Loyalty Members, st/sr); $13(Silver
Members); Free(Gold/Individual/Family
Members).
SUNDAY 28 APRIL AT 4
Choral Evensong
plus at 4:45 p.m.
THE BEST OF
THE BARD
Drama, poetry and music with
St. Olave’s Arts Guild
● 4:00: St. Olave’s Anglican Church. Best of
the Bard. Opens with Choral Evensong for St.
George, a religious service. Followed directly
by a special feature at 4:45pm with St. Olave’s
Arts Guild presenting short extracts from
William Shakespeare’s drama, poetry, music,
and songs to mark his birth on St. George’s
Day in 1564. 360 Windermere Ave. www.You-
Tube.com/StOlavesAnglicanChurch or 416-
769-5686. Contributions appreciated. LIVE
OR ONLINE.
● 4:00: The Edison Singers. Warm Breath
of Spring: Folksongs & Spirituals. Celebrating
the long traditions of folk music and spirituals,
with commentary about the songs, by
our singers. The Edison Singers; Noel Edison,
conductor. St. Mark’s Anglican Church,
41 Byron St., Niagara-on-the-Lake. www.
theedisonsingers.com/performances or 226-
384-9300. $45; $25(st/18 and under). Also
May 4(Toronto) & May 5(Elora).
● 7:00: INNERchamber Inc. Signing Off.
Brahms: String Quintet No.2 in G Op.111;
Shostakovich: String Quartet No.15 in e-flat
Op.144. Sharon Wei, viola; Julie Baumgartel,
violin; Andrew Chung, violin; Jody Davenport,
viola; Ben Bolt-Martin, cello. Factory
163, 163 King St., Stratford. tickets@innerchamber.ca.
$45; $30(arts workers/st).
5:30pm - Pre-show dinner. A light meal is
available to in-person patrons.
● 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. Bill Garrett
& Sue Lothrop with Paul Mills. Chaucer’s
Pub, 122 Carling St., London. 519-319-5847
or folk@iandavies.com or www.ticketscene.
ca. $25.
Monday April 29
● 7:00: Array/ECCG Gamelan. Evergreen
Club Contemporary Gamelan Monthly
Meetup. Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave. 416-
532-3019. Free.
Tuesday April 30
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Violin Recital.
Hee-Soo Yoon, violin. Yorkminster Park Baptist
Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or
www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Chris Dawes, organ; Daniel Rubinoff,
saxophone. Cathedral Church of St.
James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-7865 or www.
stjamescathedral.ca/recitals. Free. Donations
encouraged.
● 7:00: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
360 Allstars. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, Cairns Recital Hall, 250 St. Paul
St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca.
$30.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. Brahms’ Third Symphony (4-hands
piano). Angela Park and Stephan Sylvestre,
4-hands piano. Keffer Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid
Laurier University, 75 University Ave. W.,
Waterloo. 519-569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.
$30; $20(st).
April March 30, 8pm 16th
Koerner 7:30pm Hall
VERDI
SCHUBERT
WINTERREISE
REQUIEM
For more information
visit tmchoir.org
● 8:00: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Verdi’s
Requiem. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. www.tmchoir.org. From $25.
Also Apr 27(George Weston Recital Hall).
Wednesday May 1
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: Reflections with
Brahms and Debussy. Cathy Yang, piano;
Simon Tetzlaff, cello. Richard Bradshaw
Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the
Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. www.
coc.ca/free-concert-series. Free. Tickets
required.
● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recital. William Maddox,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.
com. Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Intimate & Immersive: Suspended Doorways.
Maevskiy: New Work; Shahi: Suspended
Doors; Jacobs: New Work; Sokolovic:
...and I need a room to receive five thousand
people with raised glasses...; Livingston:
Noyade; Derksen: Rebellion; and other works.
Gemma New, conductor. The Cotton Factory,
270 Sherman Ave. N., Hamilton. 905-526-
7756; boxoffice@hpo.org. $40.
● 7:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Academy
Chamber Orchestra. Chamber orchestra
repertoire and Senior winners of the
Concerto Competition. Koerner Hall, TELUS
Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or
www.rcmusic.com/performance. Free.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. MOTUS O
dance theatre: Confessions of a Professional
Dancer. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 43

LIVE OR ONLINE | Apr 1 to Jun 7, 2024
905-305-7469; flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$48(regular); $58(prime); $15(YTX).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Brahms’s First. Alison Yun-Fei Jiang: New
Work (World première/TSO Commission);
Von Bingen, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Missy Mazzoli
& Sarah Kirkland Snider (arr. Jarkko
Riihimäki): enargeia (North American première);
Brahms: Symphony No.1. Emily
D’Angelo, mezzo; Gustavo Gimeno, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-
3375. From $35. Also May 2.
Thursday May 2
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met. Henry From, piano. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-
0331 x226. Freewill donation.
WOMEN’S MUSICAL CLUB OF TORONTO
MAY 2, 2024 | 1.30 PM
JOYCE EL-KHOURY
AND
SEROUJ KRADJIAN
416-923-7052 | wmct.on.ca
● 1:30: Music in the Afternoon. Joyce El-
Khoury and Serouj Kradjian. Bellini: La ricordanza;
Vaga luna; Per pietà, bell’idol mio; Liszt:
Pace non trovo; I’ vidi in terra angelici costumi;
Fauré: Les Roses d’Ispahan; Bizet:
Adieux de l’hôtesse arabe; Delibes: Les Filles
de Cadix; Lebanese Song Collection, and
other works. Joyce El-Khoury, soprano; Serouj
Kradjian, piano. Walter Hall, Edward
Johnson Building, University of Toronto,
80 Queen’s Park. 416-923-7052 X1 or www.
wmct.on.ca. $50; free(st with ID at door).
● 2:30: Serenata Singers. Sing Me A Love
Song. Celebrating the many moods of love.
Carl Strommen: Danny Boy; Steven Decesare:
Loch Lomond; Elton John & Tim Rice:
Can You Feel The Love Tonight?; Mark Hayes:
You Raise Me Up; Jay Althouse: Shenandoah.
Michael Morgan, director. Scarborough
Bluffs United Church, 3739 Kingston Rd.,
Scarborough. www.serenatasingers.ca or
416-449-4053. $20; Free(12 and under). Also
May 3(7:30pm).
● 7:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre:
Teasing Gravity. Burlington Performing Arts
Centre - Main Theatre, 440 Locust St., Burlington.
www.burlingtonpac.ca/events or
905-568-1600. .
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Don
Pasquale. See Apr 26. Also May 4, 8, 10, 12
(2pm), 18 (4:30 pm).
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
X (Dix) by Côté Danse. FirstOntario Performing
Arts Centre, Partridge Hall, 250 St.
Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722 ; or
www.boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca. $45;
$39(members).
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Matthew
Whitaker. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.
905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.
ca. $68(regular); $78(prime); $15(YTX).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Brahms’s First. See May 1.
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. Straight
No Chaser. OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino,
6366 Stanley Ave., Niagara Falls. ticketmaster.ca.
$45.85-$70.20.
Friday May 3
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noon Time
Recital. Works by Mozart, Chopin, Mozetich,
Ravel, and Liszt. Yuling Chen, piano; Elena
Wang, piano; Cathy Wang, piano. St. Andrew’s
Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-
5600 x220. Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:00: Art Gallery of Ontario. Tafelmusik:
Making Herself Heard. Works of Élisabeth
Jacquet de la Guerre, Isabella Leonarda,
Marianne Martinez, and the enigmatic Mrs.
Philarmonica. Geneviève Gilardeau, violin;
Cristina Zacharias, violin; Michael Unterman,
cello; Charlotte Nediger, harpsichord. Art Gallery
of Ontario, Walker Court, 317 Dundas St.
W. www.ago.ca/events/tafelmusik-makingherself-heard.
A seated performance free
with general admission. Also Apr 4.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Medea.
Music by Luigi Cherubini. Sondra Radvanovsky
/ Chiara Isotton (May 15 & 17) (Medea);
Matthew Polenzani (Giasone); Janai Brugger
(Glauce); and other soloists. Canadian Opera
Company Chorus & Orchestra; Lorenzo Passerini,
conductor; Sir David McVicar, stage
director. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing
Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231
or 1-800-250-4653 or tickets@coc.ca. From
$55. Also May 5(2pm), 9, 11, 15, 17.
● 7:30: Confluence Concerts. Dichterliebe:
Whose Love? A reimagining of Robert Schumann’s
romantic song cycle in its pure form,
from a gender inclusive perspective. Teiya
Kasahara 笠 原 貞 野 , vocalist; David Eliakis,
piano. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. www.
bemusednetwork.com/events. $25. Also
May 4. Pre-concert chat at 6:45pm.
● 7:30: Serenata Singers. Sing Me A Love
Song. Celebrating the many moods of love.
Carl Strommen: Danny Boy; Steven Decesare:
Loch Lomond; Elton John & Tim Rice:
Can You Feel The Love Tonight?; Mark Hayes:
You Raise Me Up; Jay Althouse: Shenandoah.
Michael Morgan, director. Scarborough
Bluffs United Church, 3739 Kingston Rd.,
Scarborough. www.serenatasingers.ca or
416-449-4053. $20; Free(12 and under). Also
May 2(2:30pm).
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Elton Rohn.
171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-
7469; flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. $65(prime);
$60(regular).
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. The Bettys. Swing,
cabaret, Motown, 80s rock. 21 Old Mill Rd.
www.oldmilltoronto.com/event/the-bettys.
$20. Minimum $30 food & beverage spend.
Restricted to ages 19+. Dinner at 6pm. Show
at 8pm.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Royal
Conservatory Orchestra Series: Peter Oundjian,
Stewart Goodyear and the Royal Conservatory
Orchestra. Murphy: Curiosity,
Genius, and the Search for Petula Clark;
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat
Op.73 (“Emperor”); Tchaikovsky: Symphony
No.5 in e Op.64. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. From $25.
● 8:00: Toronto Consort. Strike the Lute. Co-
Artistic Direction by Marc Lewon & Esteban
La Rotta. Works by Conrad Paumann. Esteban
La Rotta and Marc Lewon, lutes. Trinity-St.
Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor
St. W. www.torontoconsort.org or 416-964-
6337. From $20. Also May 4. POSTPONED.
● 8:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. El
huésped del sevillano (The Guest at the Inn).
Music by Jacinto Guerrero. Canadian premiere.
Soloists: Tonatiuh Abrego, Diana Di
Mauro, Lucia Santilly, and Stuart Graham;
Kate Carver, conductor. Jane Mallett Theatre,
St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St.
E. 416-366-7723 or 1–800-708-6754 or www.
tolive.com. From $75. Also May 4 & 5.
Saturday May 4
● 10:00am: Metropolitan United Church.
Organ Masterclass by Professor Kola
Owolabi, Notre Dame University. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-
0331 x226. Free.
● 2:00: Avenue Road Music & Performance
Academy. Across Borders. Debussy: Cello
Sonata L.135; Sibelius: Malinconia Op.20;
Ulrich Menzefricke: Afterglow; Brahms:
Cello Sonata No.2 in F Op.99; Wienawski:
Scherzo tarantelle Op.16. Simon Tetzlaff,
cello; Cathy Yang, piano. Avenue Road Music
and Performance Academy, Gordon Lightfoot
Concert Hall, 460 Avenue Rd. www.
avenueroadmusic.com or info@avenueroadmusic.com
or 416-922-0855. Pay what you
can or donation.
● 3:00: The Cellar Singers. HMS Pinafore.
By Gilbert and Sullivan. St. James’ Anglican
Church, 58 Peter St. N., Orillia. 905-830-
3039. $30.
● 4:00: Flato Markham Theatre. 360 ALL-
STARS. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.
905-305-7469 or www.flatomarkhamtheatre.
ca. $58(regular); $68(prime); $15(YTX). Also
8pm.
Celebration of
Small Ensembles
May 4, 4pm
Gentileschi
Baroque
Rilian Trio
APERTURE ROOM
340 Yonge Street
music-toronto.com
● 4:00: Music Toronto. Celebration of Small
Ensembles. Includes a short stretch and chat
between sets. Refreshments will be available
for purchase. Gentileschi Baroque & Rilian
Trio. Aperture Room, Thornton-Smith Building,
340 Yonge St. www.musictoronto.com.
$40(single); $20(st/arts).
● 4:00: The Edison Singers. Warm Breath
of Spring: Folksongs & Spirituals. Celebrating
the long traditions of folk music and spirituals,
with commentary about the songs, by
our singers. The Edison Singers; Noel Edison,
conductor. Church of St. Peter and St.
Simon-the-Apostle, 525 Bloor St. E. www.
theedisonsingers.com/performances or 226-
384-9300. $45; $25(st/18 and under). Also
Apr 28(Niagara-on-the-lake) & May 5(Elora).
● 7:00: North Halton Community Singers.
Spring Concert: What a Wonderful World.
Featuring a musical tribute to the planet
Earth. Members of the North Halton Community
Singers. Christian Reformed Church,
11611 Trafalgar Rd., Georgetown. 647-203-
7795. $25.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Don
Pasquale. See Apr 26. Also May 8, 10, 12
(2pm), 18 (4:30 pm).
● 7:30: Confluence Concerts. Dichterliebe:
Whose Love? See May 3. Pre-concert chat
at 6:45pm.
● 7:30: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Gemma Conducts Beethoven 9. Balfour:
Mamachimowin; Vivier: Lonely Child;
Beethoven: Symphony No.9. Gemma New,
conductor. FirstOntario Concert Hall,
1 Summers Ln., Hamilton. 905-526-7756;
boxoffice@hpo.org. $20-$80. 6:30pm preconcert
talk.
● 7:30: Karen Schuessler Singers. Secrets
of Old South. A night of song, story and laughter
with host and storyteller, Adam Corrigan
Holowitz, as he shares the secrets of one of
London’s beloved neighbourhoods, Old South.
Performers: Adam Corrigan Holowitz, Denise
Pelley, and Steve Holowitz. Wesley-Knox
United Church, 91 Askin St., London. 519-
681-8129. $25; $10(st); Free(ages 6-13 when
accompanied by an adult). No intermission.
● 7:30: London Symphonia. An Elegant Fire.
Haydn: Symphony No.6 in D Hob.I/6; C. P. E.
Bach: Cello Concerto in A; C. P. E. Bach: Symphony
in D; Boccherini: Cello Concerto in D;
Boccherini: Excerpt from Sinfonia No.4 in d
Op.12. Elinor Frey, cello soloist and leader;
London Symphonia. Metropolitan United
Church, 468 Wellington St., London. 226-270-
0910 or www.londonsymphonia.ca. $70(premium);
$52(adult); $22(st).
● 7:30: Soundstreams. Grandma’s Shawl.
Works by Stefania Turkevych, Lesya Dychko,
Oleksandra Fedyshyn, Alla Zagaykevych,
Anna Pidgorna, Ian Cusson, and Andrew
Balfour. Natalya Gennadi, soprano; Kristine
Dandavino, mezzo; Jo Greenaway, piano;
Oleksandra Fedyshyn, violin. Redwood Theatre,
1300 Gerrard Ave. E. www.rcmusic.
com/events-and-performances/soundstreams-presents-grandmas-shawl.
$26.20.
● 7:30: The Isabel Voices. A Night on Broadway.
Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing
Arts, Jennifer Velva Bernstein Performance
Hall, 390 King St. W., Kingston. www.
queensu.ca/theisabel/whats-on. $30;
$25(sr); $15(st). Livestream: Pay What You
Can Donation $10/$25/$35/$50/$100/$200.
LIVE & LIVESTREAM.
● 7:30: Yorkminstrels Show Choir.
44 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Celebrating 50 Years of Song and Dance.
St. George on Yonge Anglican Church,
5350 Yonge St., North York. info@yorkminstrels.com.
$20.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. 360 ALL-
STARS. 171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham.
905-305-7469; flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$58(regular); $68(prime); $15(YTX). Also
4pm.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Quiet
Please, There’s a Lady on Stage Series: Stacey
Kent Trio & Alison Young Trio. Koerner Hall,
TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208; rcmusic.com/performance. From $45.
● 8:00: Sinfonia Toronto. Viva Violins /
Bach to Tchaikovsky. Bach: Double Violin
Concerto in d BWV 1043; Malcolm Arnold:
Concerto for Two Violins (first Toronto performance);
Stanley Grill: Artemis, Her Silver
Bow (first performance); Tchaikovsky: Serenade
for Strings in C Op.48. Christos Galileas,
violin; Jannis Georgiadis, violin; Sinfonia
Toronto; Nurhan Arman, conductor. George
Weston Recital Hall, Meridian Arts Centre,
5040 Yonge St. 416-499-0403 or www.sinfoniatoronto.com.
$52; $40(sr); $20(st).
● 8:00: Toronto Consort. Strike the Lute. See
May 3. POSTPONED.
● 8:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. El
huésped del sevillano (The Guest at the Inn).
See May 3. Also May 5.
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Billy Ray
Cyrus + FIREROSE. OLG Stage at Fallsview
Casino, 6366 Stanley Ave., Niagara Falls.
ticketmaster.ca. From $70.
Sunday May 5
● 2:00: Canadian Opera Company. Medea.
See May 3. Also May 9, 11, 15, 17.
Z
647-450-9806. From $20. Also May 17(8pm).
● 2:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. NSO
Classic 5: Mahler’s Symphony No.2. Jocelyn
Frank, soprano; Beste Kalendar, mezzo; Buffalo
Philharmonic Chorus; Laura Secord S.S.
Choir. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre,
Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca.
$15.64-$82.90.
● 3:00: Metropolitan United Church. Gala
Organ Recital. Works by Guilmant, Widor,
Laurin, and others. Kola Owolabi, Notre
Dame University, organ. Metropolitan United
Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x226.
$20 at door.
● 3:00: West Plains United Church. Live!@
WestPlains: Corey Gemmell, Violin; Benjamin
Smith, Piano. Triumph Over Tragedy - Works
by Mozart, Schumann, Ysaÿe, and Poulenc.
Corey Gemmell, violin; Benjamin Smith, piano.
549 Plains Rd. W., Burlington. 905-320-
4989 or www.westplains.ca or westplainsconcerts@gmail.com.
PWYC or $30; $20(st);
$10(ages 10 & under); $15(Livestream). Tickets
include access to livestream video for 30
days. LIVE & LIVESTREAM.
● 3:30: Toronto Chamber Choir. The Bard,
Reimagined (Kaffeemusik). Music inspired
by the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare.
Toronto Chamber Choir; Lucas Harris,
artistic director. Church of the Redeemer,
162 Bloor St. W. 416-922-4948 or www.torontochamberchoir.ca.
Pay what you choose:
$30, $20, $5.
● 4:00: The Edison Singers. Warm Breath
of Spring: Folksongs & Spirituals. Celebrating
the long traditions of folk music and spirituals,
with commentary about the songs, by
our singers. The Edison Singers; Noel Edison,
conductor. Knox Presbyterian Church (Elora),
51 Church St., Elora. www.theedisonsingers.
com/performances or 226-384-9300. $45;
$25(st/18 and under). Also Apr 28(Niagaraon-the-lake)
& May 4(Toronto).
● 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. Streetlight
Cadence. Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., London.
519-319-5847 or folk@iandavies.com or
www.ticketscene.ca. $25.
● 8:00: Markham Concert Band. MCB Rocks
Again. Flato Markham Theatre, 171 Town Centre
Blvd., Markham. 905-305-7469; flatomarkhamtheatre.ca.
$10-$26.
● 8:00: Toronto Operetta Theatre. El
huésped del sevillano (The Guest at the Inn).
See May 3.
Monday May 6
● 2:30: Orchestra Kingston. Lord of the
Rings. Howard Shore: Lord of the Rings Trilogy
and works by Wagner, Walton, Rimsky-Korsakov,
Cameron, Mendelssohn, and
Mascagni. Guests: Canta Arya School for
Strings. The Spire/Sydenham Street United
Church, 82 Sydenham St., Kingston. manager.orchestrakingston@gmail.com.
$25;
$20(sr/st); Free(16 & under).
● 7:00: High Notes Avante Productions Inc.
High Notes Gala for Mental Health. Shiner/
Taheri: We All Have a Story (world premiere);
Milhaud: Scaramouche; and a variety of programming
including dance & spoken word.
Dan Hill, Ron Korb, Ernesto Ramirez, Nova
Sounds, and Evan Carter. Richmond Hill Centre
for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge St.,
Richmond Hill. 905-787-8811. $40; $20(st);
$65(VIP, includes drink voucher and La Rocca
dessert and artist meet & greet with Luba
Goy). Supporting High Notes Avante’s free
music lessons and other programming for
people touched by mental illness.
Tuesday May 7
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Flute Recital.
Gillian Derer, flute. Yorkminster Park Baptist
Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or
www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. William Lupton, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations encouraged.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. 5th Dimension.
Avalon Theatre (Fallsview Casino),
6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls. ticketmaster.ca.
$45.85-$75.85. Also May 8(3pm
& 8:30pm).
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. An Unusual Trio: Viola, Oboe, Piano.
Loeffler: Two Rhapsodies; Klughardt: Schifflieder;
Beethoven: Trio in B-flat Op.11 (arr. for
English horn, piano, and viola). Judith Souman,
viola; David Vanbiesbrouck, oboe; Beth
Ann de Sousa, piano. First United Church,
16 William St. W., Waterloo. 519-569-1809 or
www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms. $20; $10(st).
● 7:30: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
The Trans-Canada Highwaymen. Steven
Paige, Chris Murphy, Craig Northey, Moe
Berg. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre,
Partridge Hall, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines.
905-688-0722; boxoffice@firstontariopac.ca.
$59; $49(members).
Wednesday May 8
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Vocal Series: Les Adieux. Charlotte Siegel and
GALA for
MENTAL HEALTH
● 2:00: Toronto Children’s Chorus. True Colours:
Let Your Light Shine! Zimfira Poloz, conductor.
George Weston Recital Hall, Meridian
Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St. www.torontochildrenschorus.com/performances.
● 2:00: Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church.
Tango for Two. A new concert-opera with original
music and libretto by Jonathan Kravtchenko.
Antonina Laskarzhevska, soprano;
Bohdan Kirieiev, baritone. Jeanne Lamon
Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor
St. W. www.eventbrite.com/e/tango-fortwo-may-5-2024-tickets-781421882887
or
“
Anniversary
Celebration
MONDAY MAY 6TH, 7:00pm
Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts
highnotesavante.ca • 905.787.8811
#WEALLHAVEASTORY #MUSICISMEDICINE
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 45

LIVE OR ONLINE | Apr 1 to Jun 7, 2024
Queen Hezumuryango, COC Ensemble Studio
Artists. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free. Tickets required.
● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recital. Sharon L. Beckstead,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.
com. Free. Donations welcome.
● 3:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. 5th Dimension.
See May 7. Also May 8(8:30pm).
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Don
Pasquale. See Apr 26. Also May 10, 12 (2pm),
18 (4:30 pm).
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. 5th Dimension.
See May 7.
Thursday May 9
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: Chopin, Poetry, and
Death. Chopin: Piano Sonata No.2 in b-flat;
and selected Preludes, Mazurkas, Nocturnes,
and Polonaises. Ludmil Angelov,
piano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free. Tickets required.
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met. Parker Clements, baritone;
Dakota Scott-Digout, piano. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331
x226. Freewill donation.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Medea.
See May 3. Also May 11, 15, 17.
● 8:00: Art of Time Ensemble. Both Sides
Now. New arrangements of 14 of Joni Mitchell’s
classics. Art of Time Ensemble with
Hawksley Workman, Sarah Slean, Jasmyn,
Abigail Lapell, and Gregory Hoskins. Harbourfront
Centre Theatre, 235 Queens Quay W.
416-973-4000. From $39. Also May 10(8pm)
& 11(8pm).
● 8:00: Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
The Transcanada Highwaymen. Burlington
Performing Arts Centre - Main Theatre,
440 Locust St., Burlington. www.burlingtonpac.ca
or 905-681-6000. From $69.50.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
21C Music Festival Series: Kronos Quartet:
Five Decades. Works by Lizée, Riley, Rini
and Vrebalov. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. From $21.
● 8:00: TO Live. Eve Egoyan: Longing and
Belonging. Music by Armenian composers.
George Weston Recital Hall, Meridian
Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St. 416-366-7723 or
www.tolive.com. $45.25-$56.75.
Friday May 10
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noon Time
Recital. Works by William Bolcom, Chopin,
and Franck. Jin Lee Youn, violin; Su Jeon
Higuera, piano. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600 x220.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:00: Sinfonia Ancaster. Unabashedly
Romantic Featuring Valerie Tryon. Grieg:
Piano Concerto in a Op.16; Tchaikovsky: Symphony
No.2 in c Op.17. Valerie Tryon, piano;
Sinfonia Ancaster; Jeffrey Pollock, music director
& conductor. Ancaster Memorial Arts
Centre, Peller Hall, 357 Wilson St. E., Ancaster.
www.sinfoniaancaster.com or 905-304-
3232. $25; $20(sr); $15(under 25).
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Don
Pasquale. See Apr 26. Also May 12 (2pm), 18
(4:30 pm).
● 7:30: Friends of Music at St. Thomas’s.
Mezzopiano: Histoires naturelles - An Animated
Feature. Ravel: Histoires naturelles;
Poulenc: Le Bestiaire; and other works. St.
Thomas’s Anglican Church, 383 Huron St.
www.stthomas.on.ca or 416-483-5488. Pay
What You Wish ($40 suggested).
● 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Tchaikovsky
+ Brahms. Julia Mermelstein: New
Work (May 10 only. World première/TSO
Commission); Christina Volpini: New Work
(May 11 only. World première/TSO Commission);
Brahms: Violin Concerto; Tchaikovsky:
Symphony No.4 (performed side by side with
Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra). Frank
Peter Zimmermann, violin; Toronto Symphony
Youth Orchestra; Gustavo Gimeno, conductor.
Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-
3375. From $35. Also May 11(8pm).
● 7:30: Upper Canada Choristers/Cantemos.
New Beginnings. Celebrating the 30th
anniversary of Upper Canada Choristers.
Gwyneth Twyford: We’ll Live in Harmony
(world premiere); David Archibald: To Greet
the Sun (world premiere); Matthew Secaur:
Little Robin (world premiere); Laurie Evan
Fraser: Heartshine – Brilla Corazón (world
premiere); and other works. Upper Canada
Choristers; Cantemos; Boys’ Choir of
Maurice Cody Junior Public School; Hye
Won (Cecilia) Lee, piano; Laurie Evan Fraser,
conductor. Grace Church on-the-Hill,
300 Lonsdale Rd. www.uppercanadachoristers.org
or info@uppercanadachoristers.org
or 416-256-0510. $25 via Eventbrite or at the
door; Free(children under 16 with an adult).
Free streaming at www.uppercanadachoristers.org.
Donations are welcome. LIVE &
STREAMED.
● 8:00: Art of Time Ensemble. Both Sides
Now. See May 9. Also May 11(8pm).
● 8:00: Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra.
Lightning, Storms and the Quiet City. Elfrieda
Andrée: Overture in G Minor; Copland:
Quiet City; Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture
Op.26; Brahms: Symphony No.2 in D Op.73;
Jonah Gallas: Lightning. Cris Sewerin, oboe;
Sam Cancellara, trumpet; Matthew Jones,
conductor. Martingrove Collegiate Institute,
50 Winterton Dr., Etobicoke. www.eporchestra.ca/season/2324/lightning-storms-andthe-quiet-city.
$30; $25(sr); $15(st); Free(12
and under).
● 8:00: Exultate Chamber Singers. Home
in the 6ix–Part 2! Premiere of a new work by
Andrew Balfour, as well as music by Shireen
Abu Khader, Larysa Kuzmenko, and John
Beckwith. Mark Ramsay, artistic Director
and conductor; Mira Jung, piano. Calvin Presbyterian
Church, 26 Delisle Ave. 416-971-
9229 or www.exultate.net/performances.
Pay What You Wish: $5, $20, $40 or over. Tax
receipt. 7:15pm: Pre-chat chat with Toronto
composers.
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. “A Night in Vegas”
with Micah Barnes, Billy Newton-Davis and
Stu Harrison. Pop, R&B, Broadway, Country,
MAY 11 • 3 pm
All Saints Kingsway
Anglican Church
Rock, Jazz, Gospel. 21 Old Mill Rd. www.oldmilltoronto.com/event/a-night-in-vegas.
$25. Minimum $30 food & beverage spend.
Restricted to ages 19+. Dinner at 6pm. Show
at 8pm.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Chamber & String Concerts Series: Brentano
Quart, Jonathan Biss & Joseph
Conyers. Schubert: Piano Quintet in A D.667
op.posth.114 (“The Trout”); Beethoven: String
Quartet No.13 in B-flat Op.130. Koerner Hall,
TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $45.
TRANSFORMATIONS
Directed by
Kristian Bezuidenhout
May 10–12
Jeanne Lamon Hall,
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
tafelmusik.org
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. Transformations: Bach
& Rameau. Handel: Trio Sonata in G; Purcell:
Ayres for the Theatre; Bach: Harpsichord
Concerto in g; and works by Rameau. Kristian
Bezuidenhout, guest director and harpsichord;
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre,
427 Bloor St. W. www.tafelmusik.org/transformations
or 416-964-6337. From $47. Also
May 11(8pm) & 12(3pm).
● 8:00: TO Live. Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s
SKéN:NEN. Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence
Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E. 416-
366-7723 or www.tolive.com. From $30. Also
May 11.
Saturday May 11
● 2:00: Toronto City Opera. Macina Competition.
Features eight competition winners.
Church of the Redeemer, 162 Bloor St.
W. www.tickettailor.com/events/torontocityopera/1171496.
General admission: $20.
● 3:00: Church of St. Peter and St. Simonthe-Apostle.
Can We Sing the Darkness to
Light? - Music of Hope and Reflection. Haydn:
Mass in the Time of War; Kyle Pederson: Can
We Sing the Darkness to Light?; John Rutter:
Hymn to the Creator of Light; Charles Wood:
Hail Gladdening Light. Choir of St. Peter and
St. Simon-the-Apostle and Instrumentalists
from Arcady; Robin Davis, conductor.
525 Bloor St. E. 416-923-8714 or www.eventbrite.ca/manage/events/852630238997/tickets.
$30; Free(under 15).
● 3:00: Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra.
Music for Moms. Elfrieda Andrée: Overture
in G Minor; Copland: Quiet City; Mendelssohn:
Hebrides Overture Op.26; Brahms: Allegro
46 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

from Symphony No.2 in D Op.73; Jonah Gallas:
Lightning. Cris Sewerin, oboe; Sam
Cancellara, trumpet; Matthew Jones, conductor.
All Saints Kingsway Anglican Church,
2850 Bloor St. W. www.eporchestra.ca/season/2324/music-for-moms.
$20; $10(child).
Opera Salon
OIC's 50th
Birthday Party
Saturday, May 11, 2024 4 pm
The Edward Jackman Centre
(947 Queen Street East, Toronto)
Tickets: $25
416-366-7723 | 1-800-708-6754
operainconcert.com
● 4:00: VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert.
VOICEBOX Opera Salon: Opera in Concert’s
50th Birthday Party. Celebrating OIC’s 50th
Anniversary in an intimate setting. Edward
Jackman Centre, 947 Queen St. E., 2nd Floor.
416-366-7723 or 1-800-708-6754 or www.
operainconcert.com or www.tolive.com. $25.
RE-SCHEDULED FROM MAR 9.
● 7:00: Peterborough Singers. St Matthew’s
Passion. Janelle Lucyk, soprano; Ian
Sabourin, counter tenor; Adam Bishop, tenor;
Alex Dobson, bass; Ian Sadler, organ; Christopher
Bagan, harpsichord; Felix Deák, cello/
continuo; chamber orchestra. Emmanuel
United Church (Peterborough), 534 George
St. N., Peterborough. 705-745-1820 or www.
peterboroughsingers.com. $40; $10(st).
● 7:00: Vesnivka Choir. Spring Concert.
Feauturing traditional music reflecting spring
and summer rituals from both Ukrainian and
Indigenous cultures, including multimedia
elements. Vesnivka Choir; Toronto Ukrainian
Male Chamber Choir. Guests: Red Sky
Performance. Runnymede United Church,
432 Runnymede Rd. Contact Nykola Parzei
at 416-246-9880. Tickets available through
Eventbrite or at the door. $25; Free(child
under 16).
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Medea.
See May 3. Also May 15, 17.
● 7:30: Chorus York. Spring Treasures. Special
Guest: Luminis Choir. St. Mary’s Anglican
Church, 10030 Yonge St., Richmond Hill.
www.chorusyork.ca or 905-884-7922. $25,
Free(12 yr & under).
● 7:30: Kingston Choral Society. Choral
Masterworks. Rheinburger: Stabat Mater;
Vivaldi: Gloria in D. Ian Juby, conductor &
music director; Charlotte Stewart-Juby,
soprano; Colleen Renihanm mezzo. The
Spire/Sydenham Street United Church,
82 Sydenham St., Kingston. www.kingstonchoralsociety.ca.
$30(adults/sr); $20(st);
Free(16 and under).
● 7:30: Milton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Renewal. Rossini: Overture to The Barber of
Seville; Mendelssohn: Incidental Music to A
Midsummer Night’s Dream; and music from
Jurassic Park, Star Trek Through the Years,
Star Wars, and other works. FirstOntario
Arts Centre Milton, 1010 Main St. E., Milton.
905-878-6000. $30; $25; $15(st/child).
● 7:30: Oriana Singers. A Tribute to Gordon
Lightfoot. Marking the first anniversary
of Gordon Lightfoot’s passing. Guest artists:
Toast. Lynn James, artistic director; Robert
Grandy, accompanist. Port Hope United
Church, 34 South St., Port Hope. www.orianasingers.com.
$30(door); $25(adv);
$10(st).
● 7:30: Orpheus Choir of Toronto. The Notebooks
of Leonardo da Vinci. Jocelyn Hagen:
The Notebooks of Leonardo DaVinci. Eglinton
St. George’s United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd.
416-420-9660 or www.orpheuschoirtoronto.
com. $45; $35(sr); $20(st).
● 7:30: Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra.
Saint-Saëns: "The Egyptian". Saint-
Saëns: Piano Concerto No.5 in F Op.103 "The
Egyptian"; Dvořák: Symphony No.6 in D Op.
60. Vanessa Yu, piano; Ronald Royer, conductor.
Salvation Army Scarborough Citadel,
2021 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough. 647-
482-7761 or www.spo.ca/event/egyptian. $35;
$30(sr); $15(st).
● 7:30: St. James Cathedral. Haydn: Nelson
Mass & Te Deum. Also works by Mozart,
Wesley and others. Choir of St. James Cathedral
with orchestra; Thomas Bell, conductor.
Cathedral Church of St. James, 106 King St. E.
416-364-7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca
or info@stjamescathedral.ca. $30.
● 7:30: VOCA Chorus of Toronto. Earth,
Sea & Sky III. Works by Andrew Balfour, Ola
Gjeilo, Sarah Quartel, Sherryl Sewepagaham,
Scott Macmillan, and others. Alex Cheung,
violin / fiddle; Suhashini Arulanandam,
violin; Laurence Schaufele, viola, mandolin;
Sybil Shanahan, cello; Jamie Drake, percussion;
Jenny Crober, conductor; Dakota Scott-
Digout, collaborative pianist. Eastminster
United Church, 310 Danforth Ave. 416-947-
8487. $30; $15(st).
● 8:00: Acoustic Harvest. The Healing Garden
Fundraiser. Featuring Stephen Fearing.
St. Paul’s United Church, 200 McIntosh St.,
Scarborough. www.acousticharvest.ca or
416-729-7564. $30.
● 8:00: Alliance Française de Toronto. Eternal
Cities by The Masmoudi Quartet. Blending
Mediterranean-African musical traditions.
Mohamed Masmoudi, oud/double bass/classical
guitar & other musicians. Spadina
Theatre, Alliance Française de Toronto,
24 Spadina Rd. www.alliance-francaise.ca.
$20; $15(sr/st).
● 8:00: Art of Time Ensemble. Both Sides
Now. See May 9.
● 8:00: Greater Toronto Philharmonic
Orchestra. Broadway Classics. Music from
Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Peter Pan: The
Return; Sunday in the Park with George, The
Phantom of the Opera, and The Sound of
Music. Jeff Madden, Stephanie Brandt, Daniela
(Ella) Boich, vocalists; Charles Cozens,
conductor & arranger. Isabel Bader Theatre,
93 Charles St. W. www.gtpo.ca or 647-238-
0015. $35-$45. NOTE: Venue has changed.
● 8:00: Kindred Spirits Orchestra. Per
Aspera ad Astra. Falla: The Three-Cornered
Hat Suites Nos.1 & 2; Chopin: Piano Concerto
No.2 in f Op.21; Tchaikovsky: Symphony
HAYDN:
NELSON MASS & TE DEUM
with choral music by Mozart, Wesley and others
The Choir of
St. James Cathedral
in concert
with orchestra
Thomas Bell
CONDUCTOR
SCAN FOR
TICKETS
HERE:
SATURDAY, MAY 11
7:30PM
St. James Cathedral,
Toronto
Tickets: $ 30
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
E: info@stjamescathedral.ca
T: 416-364-7865
W: stjamescathedral.ca
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 47

Kindred Spirits Orchestra
Krissan Alexander | Music Director
PER ASPERA AD ASTRA
LIVE OR ONLINE | Apr 1 to Jun 7, 2024
No.5 in e Op.64. Ludmil Angelov, piano; Daniel
Vnukowski, host; Kristian Alexander, conductor.
Meridian Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St.,
North York. 905-787-8811. $30-$40; $22.50-
$30(sr); $15-$20(full time student or 18 and
under). 7:10pm: Prélude pre-concert recital.
7:20pm: pre-concert talk. Intermission discussion
and Q&A with Ludmil Angelov and
Daniel Vnukowski. Post-concert reception.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music. Jazz
Concerts Series: The Jon Cowherd Trio &
Larnell Lewis & Joy Lapps. Koerner Hall,
TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-
0208 or www.rcmusic.com/performance.
From $40.
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. Transformations: Bach &
Rameau. See May 10. Also May 12(3pm).
● 8:00: TO Live. Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s
SKéN:NEN. See May 10.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Tchaikovsky
+ Brahms. See May 10(7:30pm).
Sunday May 12
● 2:00: Canadian Opera Company. Don
Pasquale. See Apr 26. Also May 18 (4:30 pm).
● 3:00: Burlington Symphony Orchestra.
Symphonic Fairy Tales. Rimsky-Korsakov:
Scheherazade Op.35; Tchaikovsky: Waltz from
Sleeping Beauty Op.66; Prokofiev: Peter and
the Wolf Op.67; Humperdinck: Overture to
Hansel and Gretel. Trevor Copp, mime; Christopher
Gray, narrator. Burlington Performing
Arts Centre, 440 Locust St., Burlington. 905-
681-6000 or www.burlingtonsymphony.ca.
$15-$50.
● 3:00: Tafelmusik. Transformations: Bach &
Rameau. See May 10.
Monday May 13
● 7:00: Array/ECCG Gamelan. Evergreen
Club Contemporary Gamelan Monthly
Meetup. Array Space, 155 Walnut Ave. 416-
532-3019. Free.
● 7:30: West Toronto Community Choir.
Singing Across the Generations. A mix of pop,
folk, musical theatre and oldies. Roncesvalles
United Church, 214 Wright Ave. westtorontocommunitychoir@gmail.com.
Free.
Tuesday May 14
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Piano Recital.
Joyce Zhang, piano. Yorkminster Park Baptist
Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167 or
www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Jonghee Yoon, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations encouraged.
● 5:30: Canadian Opera Company. Instrumental
Series: Dream. Tim Beattie, guitar.
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free. Tickets required.
● 7:30: Toronto Community Orchestra.
We Danced All Night! Saint-Saëns: Danse
macabre Op.40; Shostakovich: Jazz Suite
No.2; Dvořák: Slavonic Dances; Loewe:
Excerpts from My Fair Lady; Berlioz: Excerpts
from Symphonie fantastique. Nicolo Arrigo:
artistic director & conductor. East End United
Church, 310 Danforth Ave. 416-358-0783.
Admission by donation.
Wednesday May 15
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Vocal Series: Over the Sea and Back Again.
Time-honoured songs paired with contemporary
Canadian works in a celebration of the
past, present, and future of classical song,
including music by Cecilia Livingston, COC
Composer-in-Residence. Simone Osborne,
soprano. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre,
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free. Tickets required.
● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recital. Christopher Dawes,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.
com. Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. Brahms’ Fourth Symphony (4-hands
piano). Angela Park and Stephan Sylvestre,
4-hands piano. Keffer Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid
Laurier University, 75 University Ave. W.,
THE NOTEBOOKS
OF LEONARDO DAVINCI
MAY 11TH - 7:30 PM
EGLINTON ST GEORGE'S UNITED
35 LYTTON BLVD
THE AMADEUS CHOIR PRESENTS
Featuring the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra and incredible soloists
MAY 15, 2024 7:30PM
@ GEORGE WESTON
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AMADEUSCHOIR.COM
48 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Waterloo. 519-569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.
$30; $20(st).
● 7:30: Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto.
Haydn’s Creation. Celebrates the 50th anniversary
season. Amadeus Choir; Midori
Marsh, soprano; Andrew Haji, tenor; Tyler
Duncan, baritone; Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
George Weston Recital Hall, Meridian
Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St. www.amadeuschoir.com/haydns-creation.
From $42.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Medea.
See May 3. Also May 17.
● 7:30: Toronto Shape Note Singers. Sacred
Harp Singing. Shape note music selections
from the Sacred Harp tunebook. Singing
is participatory, not a performance. No
experience necessary. All are welcome and
there are books to borrow. Friends House,
60 Lowther Ave. 647-838-8764. Pay what you
can. Also Jun 19, Jul 17, Aug 21, Sep 18, Oct 16,
Nov 20 & Dec 18.
● 8:00: Payadora Tango Ensemble. A Night
of Tango with Payadora. Classic and modern
tango, originals, and South American folk
music. Rebekah Wolkstein, violin & vocals;
Drew Jurecka, bandoneon/violin/mandolin;
Robert Horvath, piano; Joe Phillips, doublebass
& guitar; Elbio Fernandez, vocals. Jazz
Bistro, 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299. $25.
Also Jul 17, Sep 18, Nov 13.
● 8:00: TO Live. John Coltrane: Legacy.
Joe Lavano, saxophone; Toronto Symphony
Orchestra. Meridian Hall, 1 Front St. E. 416-
366-7723; tolive.com. $50-$110.
Thursday May 16
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met. John Paul Farahat, organ.
Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. E.
416-363-0331 x226. Freewill donation.
● 8:00: Roy Thomson Hall. Itzhak Perlman,
Violin & Rohan De Silva, Piano. 60 Simcoe St.
www.tickets.mhrth.com. From $99.
Friday May 17
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noon Time
Recital. Bach: Suites for Solo Cello. Mansur
Kadirov, cello. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600 x220.
Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:30: Canadian Opera Company. Medea.
See May 3.
● 7:30: TO Live/Glatz Concerts. Disney’s
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the
Black Pearl Live In Concert. Music by Klaus
Badelt and Hans Zimmer. Film screening with
live orchestra. Toronto Symphony Orchestra;
Evan Mitchell, conductor. Meridian Hall,
1 Front St. E. 416-366-7723 or www.tolive.
com/Event-Details-Page/reference/Amadeus-2024.
From $39. Also May 18.
● 8:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Ballet Jörgen’s
Anne of Green Gables - The Ballet.
171 Town Centre Blvd., Markham. 905-305-
7469; flatomarkhamtheatre.ca. $68(regular);
$78(prime); $15(YTX). Also May 18(2pm).
● 8:00: Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church. Tango
for Two. A new concert-opera with original
music and libretto by Jonathan Kravtchenko.
Antonina Laskarzhevska, soprano; Bohdan
Kirieiev, baritone. Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St.
Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. www.eventbrite.
com/e/tango-for-two-may-5-2024-tickets-781421882887
or 647-450-9806. From $20.
● 8:30: Fallsview Casino Resort. TLC. OLG
Stage at Fallsview Casino, 6366 Stanley Ave.,
Niagara Falls. ticketmaster.ca. From $76.
Saturday May 18
● 2:00: Flato Markham Theatre. Ballet Jörgen’s
Anne of Green Gables - The Ballet. See
May 17.
● 3:00: 5 at the First. String Extravaganza
XII. Scott St. John & Csaba Koczo, violins;
Caitlin Boyle & Theresa Rudolph, violasRachel
Desoer & Rachel Mercer, cellos. First Unitarian
Church, 170 Dundurn St. S., Hamilton.
905-399-5125. $20; $15(sr); $5(st/unwaged);
free(under 12).
● 4:30: Canadian Opera Company. Don
Pasquale. See Apr 26.
● 7:00: TO Live/Glatz Concerts. Disney’s Pirates
of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black
Pearl Live In Concert. See May 17.
● 7:30: Barrie Concerts Association.
Pianofest. Eveleyn Liang, piano; Henry From,
piano; and Elijah Orlenko, piano. Hiway Pentecostal
Church, 50 Anne St. N., Barrie. www.
barrieconcerts.org. Live: $35; $10(st).
Livestream: $20; $10(st). Available for up to
30 days after the concert.
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Diana Ross.
OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, 6366 Stanley
Ave., Niagara Falls. www.ticketmaster.ca.
From $88.
● 9:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. Joey Fatone
& AJ McLean: A Legendary Night. OLG Stage
at Fallsview Casino, 6366 Stanley Ave., Niagara
Falls. www.ticketmaster.ca. From $71.
Sunday May 19
● 3:00: Trio Arkel. Chamber Music Concert.
Brahms: Piano Quartet in g Op.25; Janáček:
Selected movements from On an Overgrown
Path; Beethoven: Trio No.3 in c Op.1 No.3.
Marie Bérard, violin; Rémi Pelletier, viola;
Winona Zelenka, cello. Guest: David Louie,
piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon
Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. www.eventbrite.ca or
admin@trioarkel.com or 647-229-6918. $40.
Monday May 20
● 3:00: Zula Presents. Something Else! Creative
Music Series: Sophie Agnel & John
Butcher + IPE Ceramix. Sophie Agnel, piano;
John Butcher, saxophone; Imaginary Percussion
Ensemble: Germaine Liu, Joe Sorbara,
and Mark Zurawinski, percussion. With ceramic
artist Chiho Tokita, ceramic artist. St.
Cuthbert’s Presbyterian Church, 2 Bond St.
N., Hamilton. Advance tickets at www.eventbrite.com/cc/2023-24-something-else-series-2783859
or www.somethingelsefestival.
com. From $15.
Tuesday May 21
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: Early Music Exploration.
Join artists from The Toronto Consort
in an exploration of early music with
ties tocontemporary societal values. Richard
Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre
for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W.
www.coc.ca/free-concert-series. Free. Tickets
required.
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Ragtime! Autumn
Debassige, mezzo; Angus Sinclair, piano.
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge
St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.
com. Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Organ soloist TBA. Cathedral Church
of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-7865
or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals. Free.
Donations encouraged.
● 8:00: Tapestry Opera. Iron Chef
d’Orchestre. A mix of classical and opera.
Jennifer Tung, co-host; Keith Klassen, cohost;
Krisztina Szabó, mezzo. Theatre Passe
Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave. 416-504-7529. Pay
what you can $25, $45, or $65.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Pops: Respect - A Tribute to Aretha Franklin.
Shaleah Adkisson, vocalist; Blaine Alden
Krauss, vocalist; Tamika Lawrence, vocalist;
Dina Gilbert, conductor. Roy Thomson Hall,
60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From $62. Also
May 22(2pm & 8pm).
Wednesday May 22
● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recital. Jeremy Tingle,
organ. 1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.
com. Free. Donations welcome.
● 2:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Pops:
Respect - A Tribute to Aretha Franklin. See
May 21. Also May 22(8pm).
● 8:00: Tapestry Opera. Le Kitchen Party. A
mix of classical and opera. Julianne Gallant,
host; Jacques Arsenault, tenor; Marie Andrée
Gaudet, violin; Pierre-André Doucet, piano.
Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave. 416-
504-7529. Pay what you can $25, $45, or $65.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Pops:
Respect - A Tribute to Aretha Franklin. See
May 21.
Thursday May 23
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met. Simon Farintosh, guitar. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-
363-0331 x226. Freewill donation.
● 7:00: Fallsview Casino Resort. 54•40, The
Watchmen & The Pursuit of Happiness. OLG
Stage at Fallsview Casino, 6366 Stanley Ave.,
Niagara Falls. ticketmaster.ca. From $65.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music
Society. Guelph Festival Trio. Beethoven:
Piano Trio in E-Flat Op.1 No.1; Charlotte
Bray: Those Secret Eyes and That Crazed
Smile; Schubert: Trio No.1 in B-flat Op.99.
Sadie Fields, violin; Paul Pulford, cello; Ken
Gee, piano. Keffer Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid
Laurier University, 75 University Ave. W.,
Sunday, May 19, 2024 3pm
Brahms Piano Quartet in G Minor/
Janáček/ On an Overgrown Path,
selections/ Beethoven Trio in C Minor
Guest Artist:
David Louie, Piano
Waterloo. 519-569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms.
$30; $20(st).
● 8:00: Musical Stage Company. Canadian
Festival of New Musicals: After the Rain. Book
by Rose Napoli. Music & Lyrics by Suzy Wilde.
A double bill with Cowboy Tempest Cabaret.
Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley St.
www.my.canadianstage.com/overview/9023.
$22. Also May 25(3:30pm).
● 8:00: Musical Stage Company. Canadian
Festival of New Musicals: Cowboy
Tempest Cabaret. Book by Niall McNeil,
Lucy McNulty & Anton Lipovetsky. Music
by Anton Lipovetsky. Lyrics by Niall McNeil.
A double bill with After the Rain. Berkeley
Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley St. www.
my.canadianstage.com/overview/9023. $22.
Also May 25(3:30pm).
Friday May 24
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noon Time
Recital: Between Worlds. Works by Kevin Lau,
Bartók, Ravel, and Kapustin. Melody Chan,
piano; Alvin Tran, violin. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600
x220. Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:30: Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club. Tom Lewis.
Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., London. 519-
319-5847 or folk@iandavies.com or www.
ticketscene.ca. $25.
● 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Game On! Featuring soundtracks from an
unprecedented lineup of blockbuster video
game titles including Guild Wars 2, World of
Warcraft, The Witcher 3, Bioshock, Assassin’s
Creed, and many others, Game On! combines
gorgeous symphonic arrangements with
stunning, never-before-seen HD video. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375 or
www.tso.ca. From $67. Also May 25.
● 8:00: Musical Stage Company. Canadian
Festival of New Musicals: In Real Life.
Book & Lyrics by Nick Green. Music & Lyrics
by Kevin Wong. Berkeley Street Theatre,
26 Berkeley St. www.my.canadianstage.com/
overview/9023. $31. Also May 25(8pm) &
26(2pm).
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. Fifth Element Jazz
Quintet. Jazz, swing, ballad, Latin and hard
bop. Nina Richmond, vocals; Jack Gelbloom,
piano; Ron Johnston, bass; Glenn Anderson,
Season Sponsors
Trinity St. Paul's Centre
https://trioarkel.eventbrite.ca
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 49

LIVE OR ONLINE | Apr 1 to Jun 7, 2024
drums; Dave Coules, tenor sax. 21 Old Mill
Rd. www.oldmilltoronto.com/event/fifth-element.
$30. Minimum $30 food & beverage
spend. Restricted to ages 19+. Dinner at 6pm.
Show at 8pm.
Collegiate Institute; and VIVA’s inaugural
Composition Competition winner. Trinity-St.
Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor
St. W. 416-788-8482. $25.
● 7:00: Common Thread Community Chorus.
Sing On! 25th Anniversary Concert. Guest
artists: Anne Lederman & Ian Bell. Church
of the Redeemer, 162 Bloor St. W. www.commonthreadchorus.ca.
$35; $20(under 12).
Pay what you can at the door.
● 7:03: London Symphonia. Transformed.
Ireland: Dowland Suite (arr. Shawn Spicer);
Poulenc: Suite française (arr. Scott Harrison);
Byrd: Earl of Oxford’s March (arr. Shawn
Spicer); Praetorius/Tielman Susato: Danses
from Terpsichore (arr. Shawn Spicer); Ives:
Variations on America (arr. Scott Harrison);
and other works. Shawn Spicer, trumpet;
Brass and Winds of London Symphonia.
Metropolitan United Church (London),
468 Wellington St., London. 226-270-0910 or
www.londonsymphonia.ca. $70(premium);
$52(adult); $22(st).
Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto,
5183 Sheppard Ave. E., Scarborough. 416-
879-5566 or www.cathedralbluffs.com.
From $25.
● 8:00: Mississauga Symphony Orchestra.
Season Finale Masterworks: Alpine
Symphony. R. Strauss: An Alpine Symphony
Op.64. Living Arts Centre, Hammerson Hall,
4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. www.mississaugasymphony.ca
or 905-306-6000.
From $40.
● 8:00: Musical Stage Company. Canadian
Festival of New Musicals: In Real Life.
Book & Lyrics by Nick Green. Music & Lyrics
by Kevin Wong. Berkeley Street Theatre,
26 Berkeley St. www.my.canadianstage.com/
overview/9023. $31. Also May 24(8pm) &
26(2pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Bach Festival. The Game of
Threes. Bach: Concerto for Three Violins in D
BWV 1064R; Bach: Violin Concerto in a BWV
1041; Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in
G BWV 1048. Adrian Butterfield, violin; Patricia
Ahern, violin; Cristina Zacharias, violin;
John Abberger, oboe; The Toronto Bach Festival
Orchestra. Eastminster United Church,
310 Danforth Ave. www.torontobachfestival.
org/2024-festival. Single tickets available Apr 4.
Saturday May 25
● 12:00 noon: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. Free Concert.
Distillery Historic District, 55 Mill St. www.
singtoronto.com or 416-524-8123. Free.
Common Thread
Community Chorus
presents
SING ON!
25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
FEATURING GUEST ARTISTS
Anne Lederman
and Ian Bell
SAT. MAY 25, 2024, 7pm
Church of the Redeemer
162 Bloor Street West
TICKETS: $35 / UNDER 12: $20
Pay-what-you-can available at the door
To purchase tickets, visit
commonthreadchorus.ca
● 12:00 noon: Toronto Bach Festival. Organ
Recital. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in d BWV
565; Bach: An Wasserflüssen Babylon, BWV
653bÀ 2 Clav. e Pedale doppio; Johann Adam
Reinken: An Wasserflüssen Babylon; Buxtehude:
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
BuxWV 223; Bach: Wie schön leuchtet der
Morgenstern BWV 739; Bach: Prelude and
Fugue in C BWV 547. Aaron James, organ. St.
Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe St.
www.torontobachfestival.org/2024-festival.
Single tickets available Apr 4.
● 1:00: Metropolitan United Church. Demonstrations
of Canada’s largest pipe organ
as part of Doors Open Toronto. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331
x226. Freewill donation.
● 3:30: Musical Stage Company. Canadian
Festival of New Musicals: After the Rain. Book
by Rose Napoli. Music & Lyrics by Suzy Wilde.
A double bill with Cowboy Tempest Cabaret.
Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley St.
www.my.canadianstage.com/overview/9023.
$22. Also May 25(3:30pm).
● 3:30: Musical Stage Company. Canadian
Festival of New Musicals: Cowboy Tempest
Cabaret. Book by Niall McNeil, Lucy McNulty
& Anton Lipovetsky. Music by Anton Lipovetsky.
Lyrics by Niall McNeil. A double bill
with After the Rain. Berkeley Street Theatre,
26 Berkeley St. www.my.canadianstage.com/
overview/9023. $22. Also May 25(3:30pm).
● 4:00: Toronto Bach Festival. Kaffeehaus.
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F BWV
1046 (select movements); Bach: Hunt Cantata
BWV 208. Yeree Suh, soprano; Ellen
McAteer, soprano; Charles Daniels, tenor;
Jesse Blumberg, bass; The Toronto Bach Festival
Orchestra; With special guestRH Thomson;
John Abberger, director. Church of the
Holy Trinity, 19 Trinity Sq. www.torontobachfestival.org/2024-festival.
Single tickets available
Apr 4. Also 8pm.
● 5:00: St. Elizabeth Scola Cantorum. Vespers
Spring Concert. Works by Pachelbel,
Bach, Canniciari, and Eleanor Daley. Imre
Olah, conductor. St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Roman Catholic Church, 432 Sheppard Ave. E.
416-606-4144. Freewill offering.
● 6:00: VIVA Singers Toronto. Poetry
in Motion. Featuring all 7 of VIVA’s youth
and adult choirs; Dancers from Oakwood
● 7:30: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Take the
Podium Conducting Symposium. The annual
Choral Conducting Symposium returns this
season under the leadership of Artistic Director
Jean-Sébastien Vallée and invites emerging
conductors and those who wish to refine
their skills to participate in a five-day series
of workshops and masterclasses with
Jean-Sébastien. Participants will have the
opportunity to conduct the 140 voices of the
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the 24-voice
professional TMSingers in rehearsals
throughout the week and in the concluding
public performance, which is live-streamed.
Repertoire: Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem in d
Op.48; Frank Martin’s Mass for Double Choir.
Additional works by Lili Boulanger and Mel
Bonis and a new commission by our composer-in-residence,
Tracy Wong. Yorkminster
Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. www.
tmchoir.org. TBA.
● 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Game
On! See May 24.
● 8:00: Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra.
Orchestra Concert. Bruch: Violin Concerto
in d Op.26; Mahler: Symphony No.1
in D “Titan”. Joelle Kriger, violin; Martin
MacDonald, conductor. P.C. Ho Theatre,
● 8:00: Toronto Bach Festival. Kaffeehaus.
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F BWV
1046 (select movements); Bach: Hunt Cantata
BWV 208. Yeree Suh, soprano; Ellen
McAteer, soprano; Charles Daniels, tenor;
Jesse Blumberg, bass; The Toronto Bach Festival
Orchestra; With special guestRH Thomson;
John Abberger, director. Church of the
Holy Trinity, 19 Trinity Sq. www.torontobachfestival.org/2024-festival.
Single tickets available
Apr 4. Also 4pm.
Sunday May 26
● 12:00 noon: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. Free Concert.
Kew Gardens, 2075 Queen St. E. www.singtoronto.com
or 416-524-8123. Free.
● 1:00: Toronto Bach Festival. Annual Lecture:
Bach’s Music Library and Its Influence
on His Style. A special lecture via live stream
from Germany will examine the music found
in Bach’s personal library, and discuss how
this collection demonstrates the composer’s
familiarity with a significant expanse of European
music history, from Palestrina to Pergolesi.
Christian Wolff, presenter. Eastminster
United Church, 310 Danforth Ave. www.
torontobachfestival.org/2024-festival. Single
tickets available Apr 4.
● 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Reading
for singers and instrumentalists of Marc-
Antoine Charpentier’s Te Deum in D H146.
Nathan Gritter, conductor. Christ Church
Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. www.cammac.ca/
50 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

toronto. $15; $10(members).
● 2:00: Metropolitan United Church. Metropolitan
Silver Band Concert as part of Doors
Open Toronto. Metropolitan United Church,
56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331 x226. Freewill
donation.
● 2:00: Musical Stage Company. Canadian
Festival of New Musicals: In Real Life.
Book & Lyrics by Nick Green. Music & Lyrics
by Kevin Wong. Berkeley Street Theatre,
26 Berkeley St. www.my.canadianstage.com/
overview/9023. $31. Also May 24(8pm) &
25(8pm).
● 3:00: Metropolitan United Church. Demonstrations
of Canada’s largest pipe organ
as part of Doors Open Toronto. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-0331
x226. Freewill donation.
● 4:00: Toronto Bach Festival. How Brightly
Shines. Johann Schelle: Gott, sende dein
Licht; Johann Kuhnau: Wie schön leuchtet der
Morgenstern; Bach: Wie schön leuchtet der
Morgenstern BWV 1; Bach: Es wartet alles auf
dich BWV 187. Yeree Suh and Sinéad White,
sopranos; Daniel Taylor and Nicholas Burns,
altos; Charles Daniels and Shane Hanson,
tenors; Jesse Blumberg and Martin Gomes,
basses;The Toronto Bach Festival Orchestra;
John Abberger, director. Eastminster United
Church, 310 Danforth Ave. www.torontobachfestival.org/2024-festival.
Single tickets available
Apr 4.
● 4:00: Wychwood Clarinet Choir. Southern
Rhythms. Pujol: Suite Buenos Aires; Jobim:
No More Blues; Jobim: Quiet Nights of Quiet
Stars; Luigi Denzal: Funiculi, Funicula; Robert
Sjölin: Plaza de Cataluna; Luiz Bonfa: Manha
de Carnaval. Wychwood Clarinet Choir; Tim
Phelan, guitar; Michele Jacot, director &
clarinet solo. St. Michael and All Angels Anglican
Church, 611 St. Clair Ave. W. www.wychwoodclarinetchoir.ca.
$25; $15(sr/st).
● 7:00: INNERchamber Inc. Meditations.
Raymond Luedeke: Aurora; Barbara Pentland:
Trance; Isaac Albéniz: Mallorca; Jean-
Michel Damase: Trio for flute, cello and harp.
Liesel Deppe, flute; Julia Seager-Scott, harp;
Ben Bolt-Martin, cello. Factory 163, 163 King
St., Stratford. tickets@innerchamber.ca.
$45; $30(arts workers/st). 5:30pm - Preshow
dinner. A light meal is available to inperson
patrons.
● 7:30: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. Countermeasure
with Quayside Voices. Redwood Theatre,
1300 Gerrard Ave. E. www.singtoronto.com
or 416-524-8123. $40.
Monday May 27
● 7:00: Apocryphonia. Strozz-ulana! Madrigals
by Barbara Strozzi & Maddalena
Casulana. Diapente Renaissance Vocal
Quintet: Jane Fingler, soprano; Peter Koniers,
countertenor; Alexander Cappellazzo,
tenor; Martin Gomes, bass. Heliconian Hall,
35 Hazelton Ave. 514-378-2558. Pay What You
Can: suggested $20-$30.
● 8:00: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. SING! from Home - Aca-
Film Festival and Concert. www.singtoronto.
com or 416-524-8123. Free. ONLINE.
● 8:00: Summerhill Orchestra. In Concert.
Schumann: Overture to Manfred Op.115;
Sibelius: Violin Concerto in d Op.47. Jonathan
Crow, violin; Natalie Wong, concertmaster;
Sarah John, conductor. Church of the Holy
Trinity, 19 Trinity Sq. summerhillorchestra@
gmail.com or www.summerhillorchestra.
wordpress.com. From $20.
Tuesday May 28
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music: Flute Recital.
Hannah Silverberg, flute. Yorkminster Park
Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St. 416-922-1167
or www.yorkminsterpark.com. Free. Donations
welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Jennifer Goodine, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations encouraged.
● 7:30: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. Art Battle with Beatsync
and Beatboxer Scott Jackson. The Great Hall,
1087 Queen St. W. www.singtoronto.com or
416-524-8123. Ticket prices to be announced.
Wednesday May 29
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Instrumental Series: Tell Me a Story. Dustin
Peters: Ekphrasis, for celesta and ensemble
(world premiere); Stravsinky: Dunbarton
Oaks; Haydn: Symphony No.60 in C Hob.I/60
“Il Distratto”. Artists of the COC Orchestra.
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free. Tickets required.
● 7:30: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. Ruach Singers. Beach
Hebrew Institute, 109 Kenilworth Ave. www.
singtoronto.com or 416-524-8123. Free.
Advance ticket required.
● 7:30: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. Pressgang Mutiny Singalong.
Saulter Street Brewery, 31 Saulter St.,
Suite #1. www.singtoronto.com or 416-524-
8123. Free.
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
James Ehnes + An American in Paris. Guillaume
Connesson: “Celephais” from The
Cities of Lovecraft (Canadian première);
Bernstein: Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium);
Poulenc: Suite from Les biches; Gershwin:
An American in Paris. James Ehnes,
violin; Stéphane Denève, conductor. Roy
Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375.
From $35. Also May 30 & Jun 1.
Thursday May 30
for violin & cello; Martinu: Madrigals for violin
and viola; Dvořák: String Quartet No.10
in E-flat Op.51. Museum London, 421 Ridout
St. N., London. www.magisterra.com. $35;
$30(sr); $15(st); $10(under 10).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
James Ehnes + An American in Paris. See
May 29. Also Jun 1.
Friday May 31
● 12:10: Music at St. Andrew’s. Noon Time
Recital. Luke Welch, piano. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian
Church, 73 Simcoe St. 416-593-5600
x220. Free. Donations welcome.
● 7:30: Canadian Children’s Opera Company.
The Hobbit. Music by Dean Burry. Based on
the book by J. R. R. Tolkien. Harbourfront
Centre Theatre, 235 Queens Quay W. www.
canadianchildrensopera.com/thehobbit.
$40; $30(sr); $25(18 years and younger/arts
workers/school & community groups). Please
contact CCOC for student group pricing. Also
Jun 1(3pm & 7:30pm); Jun 2(3pm).
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. Julie Michels. Jazz.
21 Old Mill Rd. www.oldmilltoronto.com/
event/julie-michels. $20. Minimum $30 food
& beverage spend. Restricted to ages 19+.
Dinner at 6pm. Show at 8pm.
● 8:00: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. Celebration of Asian
Heritage Concert. Asian Riffing Trio; Two.H,
beatboxer, and others. Redwood Theatre,
1300 Gerrard Ave. E. www.singtoronto.com
or 416-524-8123. $40.
A HANDEL
CELEBRATION
Directed by
Ivars Taurins
May 31–June 2
Jeanne Lamon Hall,
Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre
tafelmusik.org
May 26, 4 pm
SOUTHERN
RHYTHMS
MICHELE JACOT,
Conductor
Guest Artist:
TIM PHELAN,
Guitar
wychwoodclarinetchoir.ca
● 12:00 noon: Canadian Opera Company.
Vocal Series: Les Adieux. Ariane Cossette
and Alex Hetherington, Ensemble Studio Artists.
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts,
145 Queen St. W. www.coc.ca/free-concertseries.
Free. Tickets required.
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met. Mark Valenti, piano. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-
0331 x226. Freewill donation.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Piano Recital. Program to
be announced. Mark Valenti, piano. Venue
TBA. 519-569-1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/
kwcms. $30; $20(st).
● 7:00: Magisterra Soloists. Magisterra at
the Museum: Bohemian Rhapsody. Fibich:
Theme and Variations; Martinu: Duo No.1
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. A Handel Celebration.
Arias, duets, and choruses from Solomon,
Hercules, Semele, and Judas Maccabeus.
Amanda Forsythe, soprano; Thomas Hobbs,
tenor; Tafelmusik Chamber Choir; Tafelmusik
Baroque Orchestra; Ivars Taurins, director.
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre, 273 Bloor
St. W. www.tafelmusik.org/handel-celebration
or 416-408-0208. $48. Also Jun 1(8pm)
& 2(3pm).
Saturday June 1
● 3:00: Canadian Children’s Opera Company.
The Hobbit. See May 31. Also Jun 1(7:30pm);
Jun 2(3pm).
● 4:00: Music Toronto. Celebration of Small
Ensembles. Includes a short stretch and chat
between sets. Refreshments will be available
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 51

LIVE OR ONLINE | Apr 1 to Jun 7, 2024
Celebration of
Small Ensembles
June 1, 4pm
Canadian Chamber
Orchestra
Ladom Ensemble
APERTURE ROOM
340 Yonge Street
music-toronto.com
for purchase. Canadian Chamber Orchestra
& Ladom Ensemble. Aperture Room, Thornton-Smith
Building, 340 Yonge St. www.
musictoronto.com. $40(single); $20(st/arts).
● 4:00: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. Great North Battle Beatboxers,
Workshops, and Competition. Two.H,
beatboxer & River, beatboxer. El Mocambo,
464 Spadina Ave. www.singtoronto.com or
416-524-8123. Ticket prices to be announced.
● 4:00: SING! The Toronto International
Vocal Arts Festival. SING! with Pride! Singing
Out and Tempo Choirs plus special guests.
Redwood Theatre, 1300 Gerrard Ave. E. www.
singtoronto.com or 416-524-8123. $40.
● 7:30: Canadian Children’s Opera Company.
The Hobbit. See May 31. Also Jun 2(3pm).
● 7:30: Etobicoke Centennial Choir. Musica
del sur. Gorgeous melodies and infectious
Bossa Nova rhythms of Latin American music
from composers including Carlos Jobim,
Moisés Simon and Raphael Hernandez.
Runnymede United Church, 432 Runnymede
Rd. 416-779-2258 or www.etobicokecentennialchoir.ca.
$30.
● 7:30: Jubilate Singers. Requiems. Faure:
Requiem Op.48; Aharon Harlap: Requiem. Jubilate
Singers; York Chamber Ensemble. Christ
Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-485-
1988 or www.jubilatesingers.ca. $35; $25(sr);
$15(st/arts workers). Also Jun 2(4pm). St.
Paul’s Anglican Church, Newmarket.
FASCINATING
RHYTHM
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2024
AT 7:30 PM
ANNEXSINGERS.COM
● 7:30: The Annex Singers. Fascinating
Rhythm. Works by Hildegard von Bingen,
Monteverdi, Gershwin, McGlynn, Balfour, and
others. Alejandro Céspedes and Michelle Colton,
percussion; Maria Case, artistic director.
Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale
Rd. www.annexsingers.com. From $15. LIVE
& STREAMED.
BACK TO
● 8:00: SoundCrowd. Back to Broadway
Live. A cappella arrangements of songs from
Broadway hits like Wicked, Spamalot, Les
Misérables, Sound of Music, and Guys and
Dolls. Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St.
W. 647-970-1397 www.soundcrowd.ca. $35.
Tickets on sale Apr 1.
● 8:00: Tafelmusik. A Handel Celebration.
See May 31. Also Jun 2(3pm).
● 8:00: Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
James Ehnes + An American in Paris. See
May 29.
● 8:00: Voices Chamber Choir. All-Night
Vigil. Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil Op.37. Ron
Cheung, conductor. St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Anglican Church, 151 Glenlake Ave. 416-519-
0528. $20; $15(sr/st). Cash only.
Sunday June 2
● 3:00: Canadian Children’s Opera Company.
The Hobbit. See May 31.
● 3:00: Tafelmusik. A Handel Celebration.
See May 31.
10TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON!
Flute Street
Jubilate
singers
PRESENTS
Crossing
the
Bridge
SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 4PM
www.flutestreet.ca
● 4:00: Flute Street. Tenth Anniversary Season:
Crossing the Bridge. Cecila McDowall:
Crossing the Bridge; Gregory Lee Newsome:
Corruscating; Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda:
Voices of the Deep; Kelly Via: Meditation
on Abide with Me. Nancy Nourse, artistic
Requiems
GABRIEL FAURÉ &
AHARON HARLAP
Christ Church Deer Park,
Toronto, Sat June 1, 7:30
St. Paul’s Anglican Church,
Newmarket, Sun June 2, 4:00
www.jubilatesingers.ca
director; Isaac Page, conductor. Church of St.
Peter and St. Simon-the-Apostle, 525 Bloor
St. E. 416-462-9498 or www.flutestreet.
ca. Pay what you can (cash only) - $20-$30
suggested.
● 4:00: Jubilate Singers. Requiems. Faure:
Requiem Op.48; Aharon Harlap: Requiem.
Jubilate Singers; York Chamber Ensemble.
St. Paul’s Anglican Church, 227 Church St.,
Newmarket. 416-485-1988 or www.jubilatesingers.ca.
$35; $25(sr); $15(st/arts
workers). Also Jun 1(7:30pm). Christ Church
Deer Park, Toronto.
● 7:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber
Music Society. Piano Recital. Program to be
announced. Peter Vinograde, piano. Keffer
Memorial Chapel, Wilfrid Laurier University,
75 University Ave. W., Waterloo. 519-569-
1809 or www.ticketscene.ca/kwcms. $30;
$20(st).
Tuesday June 4
● 12:10: Nine Sparrows Arts Foundation.
Lunchtime Chamber Music. Bedford Trio.
Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge
St. 416-922-1167 or www.yorkminsterpark.
com. Free. Donations welcome.
● 1:00: St. James Cathedral. Tuesday Organ
Recital. Paul Jenkins, organ. Cathedral
Church of St. James, 106 King St. E. 416-364-
7865 or www.stjamescathedral.ca/recitals.
Free. Donations encouraged.
Wednesday June 5
● 12:30: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Noonday Organ Recital. Dan Norman, organ.
1585 Yonge St. www.yorkminsterpark.com.
Free. Donations welcome.
Thursday June 6
● 12:00 noon: Metropolitan United Church.
Noon at Met. Manuel Piazza, organ. Metropolitan
United Church, 56 Queen St. E. 416-363-
0331 x226. Freewill donation.
● 8:00: Royal Conservatory of Music.
Chamber & String Concerts Series: Hilary
Hahn with Andreas Haefliger. Brahms:
Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Op.78 (“Regensonate”),
Violin Sonata No.2 in A Op.100
(“Thun” or “Meistersinger”), Violin Sonata
No. 3 in d Op.108. Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre,
273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208 or www.
rcmusic.com/performance. From $70.
Friday June 7
● 7:30: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Mendelssohn’s
Violin. Ian Cusson: New Work
(World première/Art of Healing Program
Commission in Partnership with CAMH);
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto; Bartók: Divertimento
for String Orchestra; Mozart: Symphony
No.38 K.504 “Prague”. Randall Goosby,
violin; Gustavo Gimeno, conductor. Roy Thomson
Hall, 60 Simcoe St. 416-598-3375. From
$35. Also Jun 8(8pm) & 9(3pm).
● 8:00: Old Mill Toronto. Alison Young. Jazz.
21 Old Mill Rd. www.oldmilltoronto.com/
event/alison-young. $20. Minimum $30 food
& beverage spend. Restricted to ages 19+.
Dinner at 6pm. Show at 8pm.
52 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Ongoing, On Demand & Other
FILMS
● Apr 28 4:00: Silent Revue. The Phantom of
the Opera. A 1925 silent film screening from
the US with live musical accompaniment.
Director: Rupert Julian. Cast: Lon Chaney,
Norman Kerry, Mary Philbin. Live accompaniment
by Tania Gill. Curated by Alicia Fletcher.
Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Ave. 416-
531-9950 or info@revuecinema.ca. $17;
$14(Bronze/Loyalty Members, st/sr); $13(Silver
Members); Free(Gold/Individual/Family
Members).
LIVE REHEARSAL
& PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
● A New Quartet is an emerging Toronto
area ensemble that rehearses traditional
repertoire and writes new music. The quartet
is currently seeking saxophone players
and composers. For details please visit www.
anewquartet.net.
● The Choralairs is a non-audition, adult
choir that welcomes new members in September
and January. Rehearsals are on Tuesday
6:45-8-45pm at Edithvale C.C. 131 Finch
Ave. W, Toronto. Please contact Elaine at
choralairs.delighted.720@silomails.com to
RSVP. Check out our new website at www.
Choralairs.com.
● Etobicoke Community Concert Band. Full
rehearsals every Wednesday night at 7:30pm.
309 Horner Ave. Open to all who are looking
for a great band to join. Text Rob Hunter at
416-878-1730.
● Harmony Singers of Etobicoke. The
women of The Harmony Singers survived
COVID and are regrouping for 2024! If you’d
like to sing an exciting repertoire of pop, jazz,
folk and light classics, the group will give you
a warm welcome! Rehearsals start in January
on Wednesday nights from 7:15 to 9:30
p.m. at Richview United Church in Etobicoke.
Contact Conductor Harvey Patterson
at: theharmonysingers@ca.com or call
416-239-5821.
● New Horizons Band of Toronto. All levels
from beginners to advanced for brass, woodwind,
and percussion instruments. Weekly
classes led by professional music teachers.
Loaner instrument provided to each new
registrant in the beginners’ program. Visit
www.newhorizonsbandtoronto.ca.
● North Toronto Community Band. Openings
for drums, clarinets, trumpets, trombones,
French horns. Rehearsals held at Willowdale
Presbyterian Church 38 Ellerslie Ave.
(just north of Mel Lastman Square). Monday
evenings 7:30-9:30 pm. Contact ntcband@
gmail.com.
DO YOU DRIVE?
Do you love The WholeNote?
Share the love and earn a little money!
Join our circulation team, and deliver
6 times a year. Currently
seeking circulation associates
for the GTA.
Interested?
Contact:
circulation@thewholenote.com
● Open Mic at the Library: North York
Library: Open Mic. (Music, Poetry & Storytelling).
Musicians, poets, and storytellers
are invited to come share your talents at the
North York Central Library open mic! Acoustic
guitar & piano provided. 7 minutes performance.
For adults, seniors and teens. No
registration required. Sign-up is at 5:30pm.
For more information, contact the Language,
Literature & Fine Arts Department at
416-395-5639. 2024 Sessions: Fri, Apr 12,
6-7:30pm. North York Central Library -
5120 Yonge St. Auditorium (2 nd Floor).
● Strings Attached Orchestra, North York.
All string players (especially viola, cello,
bass) are welcome. Mondays 7 to 9 p.m.
from Sep to Jun. Email us first at info.stringsattached@gmail.com
to receive music and
other details or visit our website at www.
stringsattachedorchestra.com for more
information.
● Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Singsation.
See listing page 41.
● Toronto Shape Note Singers. Sacred
Harp Singing. Shape note selections from
the Sacred Harp tunebook.Singing is participatory,
not a performance. No experience
necessary. All are welcome and there are
books to borrow. Monthly on the third Wednesday
from Feb 21 to Dec 8, 2024. Friends
House, 60 Lowther Ave. 647-838-8764. Pay
what you can.
ONGOING EVENTS
● Trinity College, University of Toronto.
Evensong. Traditional Anglican choral music.
Trinity College Chapel Choir; Thomas Bell, director
of music; Peter Bayer, organ scholar.
Trinity College Chapel, University of Toronto,
6 Hoskin Ave. 416-978-2522 or Trinity College.
Free. Evensong is sung every Wednesday at
5:15pm in the beautiful Trinity College chapel
during term time.
● Encore Symphonic Concert Band. Monthly
Concert Band Concert. The first Thursday of
every month at 11am. 35-piece concert band
performing band concert music, pop tunes,
jazz standards (2 singers) and the occasional
march. Trinity Presbyterian Church
York Mills, 2737 Bayview Ave. www.encoreband.ca.
$10.
Saturday
April 20
10:30 am
ONLINE EVENTS
● Arts@Home. A vibrant hub connecting
Torontonians to arts and culture. Designed to
strengthen personal and societal resilience
through the arts. www.artsathome.ca.
● North Toronto Community Band. Openings
for clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba
and auxiliary percussion. Rehearsals held at
Willowdale Presbyterian Church 38 Ellerslie
Ave. (just north of Mel Lastman Square).
Monday evenings 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Contact
ntcband@gmail.com.
BUSINESS
CLASSIFIEDS
Economical and visible!
Promote your services
& products to our
musically engaged readers,
in print and on-line.
BOOKING DEADLINE: TUESDAY MAY 14
advertising@thewholenote.com
A vacation
for your dog!
Barker Avenue Boarding
in East York
call or text 416-574-5250
Free listings:
listings@thewholenote.com
15% off your 1st clean
If you can read this,
thank a music teacher.
MosePianoForAll.com
AUDITION
Apply to sing with Canada’s
most renowned choir.
Learn more at tmchoir.org
● Recollectiv. For anyone living with cognitive
challenges from Alzheimer’s, dementia, traumatic
brain injury, stroke or PTSD. The group
meets weekly to rediscover the joy of making
music. Community members and music students
are welcome to this fun, rewarding and
inter-generational experience. Sessions take
place from 2 to 3pm (with sound checks and
socializing at 1:30pm). Please contact recollectiv@gmail.com
for more information.
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 53

Bebop Joe’s Coffee House
960 Queen St W. 416-534-5298
A cozy spot with great vibes, Bebop Joe’s Coffee
House is the place for Armenian coffee,
collectible vinyl, and live jazz on Queen Street.
BSMT 254
254 Lansdowne Ave. 416-801-6325
bsmt254.com
A cozy music venue with an underground
vibe, BSMT 254 has a wide variety of shows,
from jazz to hip-hop to DJ nights.
Burdock
1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033
burdockto.com
A sleek music hall with exceptional sound
and ambience, featuring a draft list of housemade
brews.
Cameron House
408 Queen St. W. 416-703-0811
thecameron.com
An intimate, bohemian bar with ceiling
murals & nightly performances from local
roots acts on 2 stages.
Capone’s Cocktail Lounge
1573 Bloor St. W. 416-534-7911
caponestoronto.com
A self-described perfect marriage of an
intimate cocktail den and comfortable neighbourhood
bar, with live music Wednesday
through Sunday.
Castro’s Lounge
2116 Queen St. E. 416-699-8272
castroslounge.com
Featuring an ever-changing selection of specialty
beers, Castro’s hosts a variety of local
live music acts, including bluegrass, jazz,
rockabilly, and alt-country.
C’est What
67 Front St. E. 416-867-9499
cestwhat.com
A haven for those who appreciate real cask
ale, draught beer from local Ontario breweries,
and live music.
Drom Taberna
458 Queen St. W. 647-748-2099
dromtaberna.com
A heartfelt homage to the lands that stretch
from the Baltic to the Balkans to the Black
Sea, with a wide variety of music.
MAINLY CLUBS
The Old Mill’s legacy - over a century of live music history - continues in
The Old Mill Jazz Lounge, where the golden age of jazz is still alive and
well. At 9 Old Mill Rd. in Etobicoke, steps from the Old Mill subway.
Emmet Ray, The
924 College St. 416-792-4497
theemmetray.com
A whisky bar with a great food menu, an everchanging
draft list, and live jazz, funk, folk and
more in the back room.
Golden Pigeon Beer Hall, The
424 Parliament St. 416-392-1039
goldenpigeonbar.com
A classic beer hall with sophisticated food offerings,
Golden Pigeon features a weekly Tuesday
jazz night, as well as other special events.
Grossman’s Tavern
379 Spadina Ave. 416-977-7000
grossmanstavern.com
One of the city’s longest-running live music
venues, and Toronto’s self-described “Home
of the Blues.”
Hirut Cafe and Restaurant
2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560
hirut.ca
A major destination for delicious and nutritious
Ethiopian cuisine, with monthly jazz
residencies and jam sessions.
Hugh’s Room
296 Broadview Ave. 647-960-2593
hughsroom.com
A dedicated listening room with an intimate
performing space, great acoustics, and
an attentive audience, Hugh’s Room recently
made the move to their new permanent home
on Broadview Avenue.
Jazz Bistro, The
251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299
jazzbistro.ca
In an historic location, Jazz Bistro features
great food, a stellar wine list, and world-class
jazz musicians in airy club environs.
Jazz Lounge – See Old Mill, The
Jazz Room, The
Located in the Huether Hotel, 59 King St. N.,
Waterloo. 226-476-1565
kwjazzroom.com
A welcoming music venue dedicated to the
best in jazz music presentations, and home to
the Grand River Jazz Society, which presents
regular series throughout the year.
Lula Lounge
1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307
lula.ca
Toronto’s mecca for salsa, jazz, afro-Cuban,
and world music, with Latin dance classes
and excellent food and drinks.
Manhattans Pizza Bistro & Music Club
951 Gordon St., Guelph 519-767-2440
manhattans.ca
An independently owned neighbourhood restaurant
boasting a unique dining experience
that features live music almost every night
of the week.
Mekan Toronto
817 Queen St. W. 647-901-6280
mekantoronto.com
A new Queen St. spot with an emphasis on lively
music, good times, and Turkish culture, Mekan
features world music, jazz, swing, and more.
Mezzetta Restaurant
681 St. Clair Ave. W. 416-658-5687
mezzettarestaurant.com
With a cozy atmosphere and a menu of Middle-Eastern
cuisine, Mezzetta hosts music on
Wednesday evenings.
Monarch Tavern
12 Clinton St. 416-531-5833
themonarchtavern.com
With a café/cocktail bar on the main floor and
a pub with microbrews upstairs, Monarch
Tavern regularly hosts indie, rock, and other
musical genres on its stage.
Nice Bistro, The
117 Brock St. N., Whitby. 905-668-8839
nicebistro.com
A French restaurant with Mediterranean flair,
Nice Bistro hosts ticketed live music events
once every month or so.
Old Mill, The
21 Old Mill Rd. 416-236-2641
oldmilltoronto.com
Jazz Lounge:
An updated space in the Old Mill’s main dining
room, the Jazz Lounge features an updated
sound system, a new shareable menu, and listenable
straightahead jazz.
Oud and the Fuzz, The
21 Kensington Ave. 647-283-9136
With a focus on Armenian-inspired food and
cocktails, The Oud and the Fuzz regularly presents
a wide variety of musical genres, as
well as poetry nights, themed Arabic events,
and more.
Pamenar
307 Augusta Ave.
cafepamenar.com
One of the city’s best third-wave coffee shops
by day and bar by night, Pamenar hosts live
music, DJs, comedy, and more.
Pilot Tavern, The
22 Cumberland Ave. 416-923-5716
thepilot.ca
With over 75 years around Yonge and Bloor,
the Pilot is a multi-level bar that hosts live jazz
on Saturday afternoons.
Poetry Jazz Café
1078 Queen St W. 416-599-5299
poetryjazzcafe.com
A sexy, clubby space, Poetry hosts live jazz,
hip-hop, and DJs nightly on Queen St. West.
Reposado Bar & Lounge
136 Ossington Ave. 416-532-6474
reposadobar.com
A chic, low-light bar with top-shelf tequila,
Mexican tapas, and live music.
Reservoir Lounge, The
52 Wellington St. E. 416-955-0887
reservoirlounge.com
Toronto’s self-professed original swingjazz
bar and restaurant, located in a historic
speakeasy near St. Lawrence Market, with
live music four nights a week.
Rev, La
2848 Dundas St. W. 416-766-0746
larev.ca
La Rev offers their guests and authentic taste
of comida casera (Mexican homestyle cooking),
and a welcoming performance space
featuring some of Toronto’s most talented
musicians.
Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar, The
194 Queen St. W. 416-598-2475
therex.ca
With over 60 shows per month of Canadian
and international groups, The Rex is Toronto’s
longest-running jazz club, with full bar and
kitchen menu.
Sauce on Danforth
1376 Danforth Ave. 647-748-1376
sauceondanforth.com
With Victorian lighting, cocktails, and an
extensive tap and bottle list, Sauce on Danforth
has live music Tuesday through Saturday
(and sometimes Sunday).
The Senator Winebar
249 Victoria St 416 364-7517
thesenator.com
An intimate, upscale French-inspired bistro
with live music serving hearty, delicious comfort
food alongside a curated selection of
wine and cocktails.
Smokeshow BBQ and Brew
744 Mt. Pleasant Rd 416-901-7469
Smokeshowbbqandbrew.com
A laid-back venue with an emphasis on barbecue
and beer, Smokeshow hosts cover artists
and original music Thursday through Sunday,
with Bachata lessons on Tuesdays and Karaoke
on Wednesdays.
Tapestry
224 Augusta Ave.
In the space formerly occupied by Poetry,
Tapestry features jazz, electronic music, soul,
and more.
Tranzac
292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137
tranzac.org
A community arts venue dedicated to supporting,
presenting, and promoting creative
and cultural activity in Toronto, with
live shows in multiple rooms every day of
the week.
54 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

THE WHOLENOTE
MUSICAL WHO’S WHO
2024 CHORAL
DIRECTORY
Our 22nd annual “Canary Pages” choral directory is now
available online, for readers interested in choirs, and for choirs
wanting to make themselves known to our readers! If you are
looking for a choir to join, support or listen to, you will find
choirs of all skill levels and genres in the directory, across the
GTA and in other parts of Ontario. You’ll need to go online
(thewholenote.com/canary) for detailed profiles, but we’ve
provided some “teaser” information below to get you interested.
We will continue adding profiles online as they come in,
up till the end of June, so please check back periodically. And
for choirs interested in joining our Canary Pages, please email
canary@thewholenote.com
Achill Choral Society
“Love to sing choral music? Join our
vibrant musical community lead by generous,
knowledgeable professionals. We
have been singing in the Caledon, Dufferin
and South Simcoe areas for almost
40 years.”
achill.ca
Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto
“Led by Kathleen Allan, the award-winning
90-voice Amadeus Choir has
enlivened Toronto’s arts community for
more than 50 years through an annual
concert series, guest performances and
special events.”
amadeuschoir.com
Bel Canto Singers
“A four-part community choir whose repertoire
includes classical masters, Broadway
and movie tunes, opera choruses and
pop songs.”
belcantosingers.ca
Canadian Celtic Choir
“Canadian Celtic Choir sings “Songs To
Touch Your Heart and Warm Your Spirit.”
Our SATB auditioned choir has over 50
members and has been singing together
since 1996.”
celticchoir.ca
Cantabile Chamber Singers
“Cantabile Chamber Singers is a nonprofit,
Toronto-based chamber choir,
formed in 2006 by artistic director
Cheryll Chung with the purpose of raising
social awareness through music.”
cantabilechambersingers.com
Chorus York
“A mixed voice community choir for
adults of all ages, based in Richmond Hill,
Ontario. We strive to inspire the growth
and enjoyment of choral music in our
community through the performance of
repertoire from Bach to Broadway, Show
Tunes to Classical.”
chorusyork.ca
City Choir
“A non-auditioned SATB choir devoted to
all types of choral singing.”
citychoir.ca
Common Thread Community Chorus
“Common Thread Community Chorus is
a non-audition chorus that promotes a
sense of community by performing joyful
and empowering music.”
commonthreadchorus.ca
Cummer Avenue United Church Choir
“Cummer Ave United Church choir is a
group of volunteer singers, supported by
professional section-leads, that provides
strong musical leadership for Sunday
morning worship services throughout
the year.”
cummeravenueuc.ca
Echo Women’s Choir
“Echo is a 30-voice, non-auditioned community
choir in the heart of downtown
Toronto, with a strong, varied, and vibrant
singing culture accessible to all.”
echochoir.ca
The Edison Singers
“Ground-breaking, nostalgic, classical,
spiritual... The Edison Singers is a fully
professional chamber choir led by internationally-acclaimed
Artistic Director and
Conductor, Dr. Noel Edison.”
theedisonsingers.com
Elmer Iseler Singers
“Elmer Iseler Singers is a 20-singer professional
choir based in Toronto under the
artistic direction of Lydia Adams.”
elmeriselersingers.com
Etobicoke Centennial Choir
“Etobicoke Centennial Choir is dedicated
to celebrating the art and joy of choral
singing with vibrant and diverse musical
performances to enrich and engage our
community.”
etobicokecentennialchoir.ca
Exultate Chamber Singers
“A welcoming group of skilled, musical
singers with a wide-ranging repertoire
and a commitment to the development of
singers, composers, and conductors both
within Exultate and in the larger choral
community.”
exultate.net
Harbourfront Chorus
“Friendly community choir.”
facebook.com/harbourfrontchorus
Healey Willan Singers
“Friendly, fun and welcoming: A closeknit
group of women that love to sing and
make music together.”
healeywillansingers.com
Jubilate Singers
“A mixed-voice auditioned choir specializing
in world music sung in original languages,
orchestral choral works and
20-21C choral pieces. Director: Isabel
Bernaus.”
jubilatesingers.ca
Karen Schuessler Singers
“MISSION: Enriching lives through choral
excellence and community engagement…
VISION: Creating an environment where
hearts are lifted, souls are deepened and
spirits are raised. VALUES: Excellence
Integrity Innovative Audience-friendly.”
kssingers.com/#/kss/2
Leaside United Church Choirs
“Music is central to worship at Leaside
United Church. The rich music program
includes the Chancel Choir and the Junior
Choir.”
leasideunited.org
London Pro Musica Choir
“London Pro Musica Choir’s current season
is titled “Taking Root,” a grateful
acknowledgement of our London community,
the natural world, ancient wisdom,
and our choir’s rich history. We look
forward to taking this musical journey
together.”
londonpromusica.ca
Metropolitan United Choirs
“We’re a fun-loving, semi-professional and
family-like liturgical and concert choir,
who sing rep from Lassus to Bach to Lady
Gaga.”
metunited.org
Milton Choristers
“A non auditioned Adult Community choir
in Milton.”
miltonchoristers.com
Mississauga Chamber Singers
“Mississauga Chamber Singers - a New
Sound in the City!!”
mcsingers.ca
North Halton Community Singers
“Formerly the Georgetown Choral Society,
the NHCS now has a new name, logo
and web site as well as a new approach
to music selection to appeal to a broad
audience.”
northhaltonsingers.ca
Open Voices Community Choir
“Always fun, always quirky, occasionally
beautiful”.
openvoices.ca
Oriana Singers
“A focused, fun-loving choir working
hard to develop musical knowledge
and abilities, and deliver quality choral
programs.”
orianasingers.com
Oriana Women’s Choir
“Oriana explores the possibilities in choral
music for upper voices, and fosters the
creation of new Canadian choral music.
New singers are welcome to join us at any
rehearsal!”
orianachoir.com
Orpheus Choir of Toronto
“Expect something different with the
Orpheus Choir of Toronto.”
orpheuschoirtoronto.com
Pax Christi Chorale
“Experience the deep joys of choral
singing in a diverse and welcoming
community.”
paxchristichorale.org
Peterborough Singers
“In 2024/25 the Peterborough Singers
will perform Yuletide Cheer, Handel’s
Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and the
music of ABBA.”
peterboroughsingers.com
Serenata Singers
“A friendly, welcoming group of retirees
of all ages, singing a wide variety of choral
music. Professional Music Leadership,
rehearsing during the daytime. Auditions
are of an informal nature. Check our Website
and Facebook for more details.”
serenatasingers.ca
SoundCrowd
“Are you a fan of Pitch Perfect? Does harmonizing
with people bring you joy? Then
this is the group for you!”
soundcrowd.ca
St. Elizabeth Scola Cantorum
“A Hungarian choir whose repertoire
ranges from early Baroque to contemporary
choral music. Sight reading abilities
and a knowledge of Hungarian are
assets.”
facebook.com/
StElizabethScolaCantorum
Tafelmusik Chamber Choir
“The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, specializing
in historically informed performances
of baroque and classical repertoire,
was formed in 1981 as a complement to the
Tafelmusik Orchestra. Under the direction
of its founder, Ivars Taurins, the choir
has been praised for its clarity, nuance, and
brilliance.”
tafelmusik.org
Toronto Beach Chorale
“A vital musical presence in the Beach,
Toronto Beach Chorale conducted by
Mervin W Fick continues to enhance its
reputation for artistic excellence, performing
a growing and rich repertoire.”
torontobeachchorale.com
Toronto Chamber Choir
“Toronto Chamber Choir: Bringing new
light to early music.”
torontochamberchoir.ca
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 55

Toronto Children’s Chorus
“The Toronto Children’s Chorus consists
of seven choirs: four Training Choirs
ages 6-12 and three Main Choirs ages
12-18. Through exceptional choral training
and performance experiences, we
inspire growth, teamwork, and artistic
excellence in our choristers. We foster
collaboration, peer leadership, self-discipline,
creativity and a lifelong passion for
music.”
torontochildrenschorus.com
Toronto Choral Society
“The Toronto Choral Society embraces
the history and diversity of our city
through our concerts. We present 3 or 4
concerts a year.”
torontochoralsociety.org
Toronto Classical Singers
“With its exuberant approach, TCS celebrates
the choral tradition with the
complex sonority of large choir with professional
orchestra.”
torontoclassicalsingers.ca
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
“Marking its 130th anniversary, the
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir stands as
one of Canada’s most celebrated choral
groups.”
tmchoir.org
Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir
“Fun, tours, camaraderie... Come & Join
our choir, we are seeking new members
to enhance the choir!!”
torontowelshchoir.com
Univox Choir
“Univox Choir is a mixed-voice non-auditioned
community choir for young adults.”
voxchoirs.com
Upper Canada Choristers
“Excellence, community service, diversity,
fun - these are our touchstones.”
uppercanadachoristers.org
Vesnivka Choir
“We are a friendly inclusive community
choir that performs Ukrainian classical,
sacred and traditional folk repertoire.
Join us for a unique singing experience!”
vesnivka.com
VIVA Singers Toronto
“VIVA Singers Toronto is a not-for-profit
family of choirs with a mandate to give
members, ages four through adult, the
opportunity to achieve artistic excellence
in a singer-centred, collaborative choral
community.”
vivasingerstoronto.com
VOCA Chorus of Toronto
“VOCA is a dynamic, auditioned ensemble
which performs a wide range of repertoire
in collaboration with superb guest
artists.”
vocachorus.ca
Voices Chamber Choir
“Unique programming that inspires and
nourishes our hearts and minds.”
voiceschoir.com
The Wayne Gilpin SINGERS
“Beautiful melodies, rocking sax solos,
inspired new jazz arrangements of Handel’s
Messiah, gospel, show tunes, spirituals
- if any of this appeals to you, check
us out.”
waynegilpinsingers.com
West Toronto Community Choir
“Our vibe is fun and social, with a focus
on community engagement and shared
music-making. We have a mix of seasoned
choristers and novices, and there are no
auditions.”
westtorontocommunitychoir.com
Windsor Classic Chorale
“Founded in 1977 by director emeritus
Richard Householder, the Windsor Classic
Chorale has become a core component
of the local arts community, dedicated
to achieving artistic excellence by maintaining
a high level of musicianship with
a rich palette of ambitious choral works.
The “WCC” considers it a privilege to perform
in the Windsor-Essex County community.
Their love for choral music is what
brings them together.”
windsorclassicchorale.org
Yorkminstrels Show Choir
“A warm, fun-loving and welcoming
group, bringing the music of Broadway,
oldies, contemporary and seasonal songs
into the community.”
theyorkminstrelsshowchoir.weebly.com
THE WHOLENOTE
SUMMER MUSIC
EDUCATION
DIRECTORY
Our 23rd annual directory of summer music education is now available
online, for readers interested in summer music education, and for
summer music education programs wanting to reach interested readers.
The directory accepts profiles for summer music music educational
opportunities at all levels of skill, from day camps to extended residential
programs, across Ontario and beyond. We will continue to add programs to
the directory up till the end of June.
Interested readers will need to go online (thewholenote.com/summered)
for detailed profiles, but we’ve provided some “teaser” information below
to get you interested. People or organisations offering programs should
contact Karen Ages at karen@thewholenote.com for information on how to
join the directory.
CAMMAC Music Centre
“Pair your summer vacation fun with a
unique musical experience in the heart of
the Laurentians. Eight one-week immersive
programs feature a wide variety of
classes & activities for amateur musicians
of all ages and levels.”
cammac.ca/en/summer-music-retreats
Canadian Opera Company
Summer Music Camps
“Create, Compose, Design, Perform!
Explore music and the performing arts
through our innovative and engaging
Summer Music Camps held at the Four
Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts!”
coc.ca/learn/summercamps
Eastman School of Music
Summer@Eastman
“The Eastman School of Music Summer at
Eastman program offers students and the
community an individualized and worldclass
music education experience.”
summer.esm.rochester.edu
Guitar Workshop Plus
“GWP is much more than just a guitar
camp or summer music camp. You’ve
seen the rest … Now come learn from the
best! Tuition options include day and overnight
options.”
guitarworkshopplus.com
Interprovincial Music Camp
“IMC - the highlight of a young musician’s
summer!”
campimc.ca
JazzWorks Annual Composers’
Symposium & Jazz Camp
“Join JazzWorks’ residential summer Jazz
Camp and take your musicianship to the
next level!”
jazzworkscanada.com
Kodály Certification Program
Levels I & II
“Participants will strengthen their personal
musicianship and pedagogical skills,
with content grounded in a contemporary
understanding of the philosophy inspired
by Zoltán Kodály.”
music.uwo.ca/outreach/music-education/
kodaly-certification-program.html
Lake Field Music
“A music camp for adults to play, sing,
and be inspired in a collegial environment.
Stay on campus and immerse yourself
in workshops, ensembles, choirs, and
performances.”
lakefieldmusic.ca
Music at Port Milford
“Joyful focused chamber music study on
the shores of Lake Ontario.”
musicatportmilford.org
Stratford Summer Music’s
Jazz Academy
“Calling all budding jazz cats! Join us for
Stratford Summer Music’s Jazz Academy
to hone your skills alongside some of the
leading jazz musicians in the country.”
stratfordsummermusic.ca/education/
the-stratford-summer-jazz-academy
Stratford Summer Music’s
Vocal Academy
“Exciting news for singers everywhere!
Stratford Summer Music’s Vocal Academy
is an opportunity for singers to work
through repertoire with professionals at
the top of their game.”
stratfordsummermusic.ca/education/
vocal-academy
JOIN US IN
JULY FOR
MUSIC
CAMPS!
coc.ca/Camps
SummerStage: The Magic Flute
“An exciting line-up of summer opera by
No Strings Theatre and Opera by Request
featuring Mozart’s The Magic Flute at the
Farm plus other opera excerpts!”
nostringstheatre.com
Summer Vocal Intensive
“3-Day Vocal Intensive for High School
Singers at Western University’s Don
Wright Faculty of Music featuring workshops,
tours, lessons, training seminars
and masterclasses! Culminating with
a Finale Concert, the program introduces
students to the Don Wright Faculty of
Music, faculty members, facilities, resources,
library and campus at large.”
music.uwo.ca/outreach/
vocal-intensive.html
56 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

DISCOVERIES | RECORDINGS REVIEWED
DAVID OLDS
Although you will not be reading this until April, or even May, as
I write it is not yet March. While I try to keep on top of the
many, many releases that have come in for consideration since
our last issue, I am also having to consider a number of discs that we
overlooked in the past year. While we will not know the results of the
Juno Awards before we go to press, the nominations have been
recently announced and although we have covered most of discs in
the categories most relevant to The WholeNote, there are a few we
overlooked. You’ll find a couple of these – Caity Gyorgy/Marc
Limacher and Nick Maclean Quartet featuring Brownman Ali – in our
Jazz and Improvised section, and two from the Classical Album of the
Year (soloist) category right here.
Matt Haimowitz is the soloist in the digitalonly
release Thomas de Hartmann – Cello
Concerto Op.57 (Pentatone PTC 5187159
pentatonemusic.com/product/de-hartmann-cello-concerto).
Dennis Russell
Davies conducts the MDR Leipzig RSO in
the first commercial recording of this work
by one of the significant Ukrainian
composers of the first half of the 20th
century. De Hartmann (1885-1956) was an important compositional
voice during his lifetime, but since then his colourful and compelling
music has been largely ignored. This recording is part of a larger
undertaking aimed to remedy that situation, and Haimowitz’s stunning
performance bodes well for the success of the venture (thomasdehartmannproject.com).
The concerto, which reflects the anxiety of
the times, was composed in 1935 and first performed three years later
by Paul Tortelier and the Boston Symphony under Serge Koussevitzky.
Although not himself a Jew, de Hartmann was troubled by the acute
antisemitism of the rising Nazi regime in Germany and the work
incorporates Jewish musical folklore and other Eastern European folk
traditions. Indeed the playful third movement, with its moto-perpetuo
cello line, opens with a (presumably Hungarian) theme that Bartók
would use in sketches for a viola concerto a decade later. The at times
cinematic, 36-minute concerto is an excellent introduction to this
often-overlooked composer, and with the current horrific situation in
Ukraine its rediscovery is a timely reminder of the glorious musical
heritage of that nation.
James Ehnes is the soloist for Carl Nielsen
– Violin Concerto with the Bergen
Philharmonic under Edward Gardner
(Chandos CHSA 5311 chandos.net/products/
catalogue/CHSA%205311). An extended slow
introduction – likened by Paul Griffiths in
the excellent booklet notes to a folk fiddler
playing with “classical elegance,” gently fades
away before an abrupt orchestral explosion
into the Allegro cavallerésco, a “chivalric” episode evoking knights on
horseback. The Poco Adagio begins gently with winds before morphing
into a contemplative violin solo. The final movement is also gentle but
quite mischievous where, in Griffiths’ words “comedy is overplayed
[…] making riot of its ebullience. [But] the cadenza goes another way,
back to a moment of drone-accompanied melody, as if this had all been
the dream of a wandering fiddler.” Nielsen began the work in Norway
and Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang has said “I think every violinist
should play this concerto, because you get challenged not only technically,
but also structure-wise. You have to take a bird’s eye view of this
concerto, you need this kind of perspective.” Ehnes seems to have had
no problem attaining this vantage point. He rises to all the challenges
and there are passages that shine like jewels. It’s easy to see why this
performance was short-listed for a Juno.
Gardner also leads the orchestra in a magnificent performance of
Nielsen’s Symphony No.4 “The Inextinguishable” recreating the same
pairing of works that Nielsen conducted in a program in London in
1923, 100 years before this recording was made.
Another one that slipped through the cracks
last year is a fabulous new recording of
Ravel – Daphnis et Chloé complete ballet
(Chandos CHSA 5327 chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN
5327) featuring the
Sinfonia of London Chorus and Sinfonia
of London. Director John Wilson used the
COVID-19 lockdown period to prepare a
new performing edition of the ballet that
we are more familiar with from the two suites that the composer
extracted from the near-hourlong original. It was conceived in 1909,
the year Serge Diaghilev brought his Ballet Russe to Paris, as a collaboration
between Ravel, Diaghilev and dancer/choreographer Michel
Folkine. Although there were myriad complications and disagreements
along the way, the project was eventually brought to fruition
culminating in, much to Ravel’s chagrin, only two performances at
the end of the 1912 season. Although Diaghilev did mount three more
performances at the end of the following year, he never thereafter
presented it in Paris. This new recording is accompanied by extensive
notes by Wilson detailing the history of the ballet’s creation and
his own challenges in recreating what he feels is an authentic version
of the historic ballet. There is also a detailed libretto/mis en scene by
Folkine, making a very impressive booklet in three languages totaling
42 pages. The performance is stunning and the recording itself is
immaculate, with a dynamic range that has to be heard to be believed.
thewholenote.com/listening
Monteverdi Vespers of 1610
The Thirteen, Children’s Chorus of
Washington, Dark Horse Consort
Recorded in the sumptuous
acoustic of the Franciscan
Monastery in Washington DC, this
album evokes the sun setting on
the lagoon by St Mark's, Venice.
La sposa dei cantici
Ars Lyrica Houston
A soprano and three countertenors
(including John Holiday) mix
the heavenly with the playful in
Alessandro Scarlatti's divine romp
in the Italian vocal style.
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 57

One more disc lost in the shuffle before we
move on. New Stories features saxophonist
Joseph Lulloff and pianist Yu-Lien The
performing works by colleagues from
Michigan State University, Canadian
Dorothy Chang and Americans David
Biedenbender, Stacy Garrop and Carter
Pann (Blue Griffin Records BGR607 bluegriffin.com).
Chang’s lyrical title work is the
earliest on the disc, dating from 2013. The composer says the commission
“was the perfect opportunity to explore the combination of
Eastern and Western influences in my music, a composition puzzle I
was grappling with at the time.” Biedenbender’s one-movement
Detroit Steel is an unaccompanied work intended to honour “the grit,
strength and resolve of the people of the city.” Garrop’s Wrath is a
follow up to her earlier Tantrum for alto sax and piano, and its three
movement titles – Menace, Shock and Amok – aptly describe the
moods of the piece. At 25 minutes, Pann’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone
and Piano is the most extended and developed work on the disc,
comprising six tracks of varied aspect from the opening This Black Cat
to the closing Lacrimosa in memory of Joel Hastings. Throughout the
disc Lulloff and The rise to every challenge and nuance pitched by the
four composers, from languid and emotive melodies to brash, abrasive
and sometimes jocular outbursts.
And on to more recent arrivals… Another
saxophone disc CONVERGENCE – Music for
Saxophone and Mixed Media (Navona
Records nv6608 navonarecords.com/
catalog/nv6608) features Heidi Radtke in
works for soprano, alto and tenor saxes in a
variety of settings. The eight compositions
– each by a different contemporary
composer – span a plethora of moods and
emotions, from raucous and playful, to morose and meditative. The
disc opens with a lush reimagining by Jenni Watson of Debussy’s first
Arabesque in which the sax is surrounded by a gorgeous wash of prerecorded
sounds, primarily those of violin and piano. Two particularly
moving works are Andy Scott’s Wind Telephone, inspired by the 2011
tsunami in Otsuki, Japan and Rahsaan Barber’s Breonna Taylor (How
Many More?), a gentle lament for a Black woman killed by police in
Louisville, KY in 2020. It uses field recordings from Iroquois Park
close to Taylor’s home in which calls of red-winged blackbirds are
prominent. British-born Canadian composer Peter Meecham’s
contemplative 3 Pieces for Solo Saxophone depict “A lonely man, on
the New York subway, playing his saxophone, not for money, but for
himself.” The title work is a 2011 collaboration between Radtke and
Sang Mi Ahn in which the solo saxophone interacts with an electronic
soundtrack generated from sounds made by Radtke’s sax. I might have
expected an hour’s worth of solo” saxophone to be a bit “much of a
muchness,” but to the contrary, Radtke’s compelling playing, the
varying compositional palettes and diverse accompaniments made for
an engaging listening experience throughout.
The Emily Carr String Quartet (emilycarrstringquartet.com)
released its second
album in January. Portraits, a digital release
on Leaf Music “is inspired by the work of
Emily Carr. […] It is through music, one of
the most abstract of art forms, that we can
connect ourselves to her. The rhythm of a
piece can be likened to the movement of
brush strokes. The musical notes can be
described as the pigments of colour chosen
to convey the deep, dark and wild nuances of B.C.’s coastal rainforest.
Musical phrases can begin to suggest Emily’s connection with the land
and the First Nations she was friends with.” Four Canadians – Tobin
Stokes, Jocelyn Morlock, Jared Miller and Iman Habibi – have written
works that reflect their feelings about or inspired by the iconic artist.
Stokes’ Feathers is a nine-movement work with each brief sketch,
with such titles as Nesting, Nightingale and Hummingbirds, prefaced
by a short quotation from the writings of Carr. Morlock’s Big Raven
evocatively reflects Carr’s desire to “bring loneliness to this canvas and
haunting broodiness, quiet and powerful.” Miller was inspired by
another of Carr canvas, Strangled by Growth, which juxtaposes a
human construction (totem pole) with the natural world (forest).
Habibi’s Beloved of the Sky pays homage to the painting of the same
name in the second movement, with impressions of Carr’s depictions
of Forest, her pet monkey Woo and an introspective Self Portrait
completing the work. The disc concludes with Stoke’s suite Klee
Wyck, interpretations of five stories from the book of the same name.
Each of the composers bring their own frame of reference and
personal language to the project and the ensemble successfully
bridges the divides effectively and convincingly, make for a truly
enjoyable disc.
The Fine Arts Quartet was founded in
Chicago in 1946 so of course there have been
personnel changes over the decades. The
current violinists, Ralph Evans and Efim
Boico, have been members since 1982 and
1983 respectively, with violist Gil Sharon and
cellist Niklas Schmidt joining in 2018. The
ensemble is still going strong and has just
released the tenth and final volume of the
complete string quartets (plus other related works) of Antonin Dvořák,
Dvořák – String Quartet No.2; Bagatelles; Rondo (Naxos 8.574513
naxos.com/CatalogueDetail/?id=8.574513). String Quartet No.2 in
B-flat Major was one of three quartets written in 1869 during a period
when Dvořák was markedly influenced by Wagner. He later destroyed
the scores and the quartets were thought to have been lost until sets of
parts were discovered after his death. According to the website
antonin-dvorak.cz/en, although there had been a private performance
in Prague back in 1932, the first public performance of Quartet No.2
was not until September 2021 in that same city by the Zemlinsky
Quartet. This recording of the 50-minute work took place just over a
year later in Marienmunster, Germany. It is hard to tell why it
languished so long without acceptance, or for that matter why it was
rejected by the composer. It’s a lovely and fully developed work, if,
according to Paul Griffiths, a bit “prolix.” [I had to look that up.] The
disc is completed by the humourous Bagatelles of 1878 for two violins,
cello and harmonium (Ryoko Morooka) and the rollicking Rondo in G
Minor from 1891 for cello and piano (Stepan Simonian). With Dvořák
in its rear-view mirror and a discography of some 200 other works
spanning the history of the string quartet genre, I look forward to
seeing what the future holds for this fine (arts) quartet.
The Neave Trio is back again – five reviews
in these pages since 2017 – and their latest, A
Room of Her Own (Chandos CHAN 20238
chandos.net), features four turn-of-the-20th
century composers Lili Boulanger, Cécille
Chaminade, Dame Ethyl Smyth and
Germaine Tailleferre. It’s a bit of misnomer
to designate Tailleferre as turn-of-thecentury
however as she lived and remained
active as a composer until 1983. As a matter of fact, although her Trio
originated in 1917, she reworked the version included here in 1978,
replacing the middle movement and adding a fourth. These new, ebullient
movements add a sunny quality to the work while still maintaining
the characteristic voice she had established some six decades
earlier. Boulanger completed her Deux piéces en trio in 1918, the year
of her untimely death at the age of 24. The first of these is a cheerful,
brief depiction of a spring morning. The second is a sombre, more
extended exploration of a sad evening. The other two trios date from
almost 40 years earlier, both composed in 1880. Chaminade’s Trio
No.1, Op.11 in G Minor is a fetching work in four movements, with a
particularly charming Presto leggiero featuring waterfall-like textures
in the piano. British composer Smyth is the only non-French national
included here and her formative studies took place in Leipzig,
58 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

grounding her firmly in the Austro-German romantic tradition. She
was born one year later than Chaminade, in 1858, and both died in
1944. Her Trio, at 31 minutes the longest offering here, like her
coeval’s is also in a minor key, in this case G Minor. In spite of this
there are many bright moments, especially in the scherzando section
of the second movement and throughout the Scherzo. Presto con brio
third. The Neave Trio in, as always, in top form and is to be
commended for bringing these rarely heard gems to light is such
stellar performances.
Poet and author Robert Priest has been
active on the Toronto scene as long as I
can remember, going back to the early
80s when we were both denizens of Ye
Olde Brunswick House open mic nights.
I’ve often thought of him over the years,
fondly remembering a line (with a tip of
the hat to Allen Ginsberg) “I saw the best
minds of my generation falling off streetcars”
or something to that effect. [Priest tells
me the phrase may have actually been “the best mimes of my generation.”]
He’s obviously been active in the years since, with half a
dozen albums, myriad poetry collections and novels to his credit, as
well as co-writing Alannah Myles’ hit Song Instead of a Kiss. I was
disappointed to miss his recent album launch at Hugh’s Room – I
was asleep at the wheel I guess – but am glad to have received a copy
of People Like You and Me (vesuviusmusic.com/robert-priest). It’s a
combination of spoken word and song, all accompanied by some fine
players from Toronto’s jazz community including Kevin Breit, Alison
Young, Great Bob Scott and George Koller, who also share writing
credits with Priest. The music is diverse, running a gamut of styles.
Most surprising to me is the jazzy torch song You and I and Faraway
co-written with Allen Booth and featuring Young’s honey-dripping
sax, in which Priest turns in a convincing Brian Ferry-esque performance.
Some of the clever turns of phrase I particularly enjoyed were
“In my country we don’t have free speech, but the speech we do
have is really, really cheap” and “I’m so prophetic I get pre-traumatic
stress disorder!” from [I strive for] Outer Peace and “Love is a many
gendered thing” from a tune of the same name. I wish I hadn’t missed
the show!
Concert note: I do intend to be at Priest’s next performance at the
Great Sunday Night Folk Off at the Tranzac on April 21 (5pm start).
We invite submissions. CDs, DVDs and comments should
be sent to: DISCoveries, The WholeNote c/o Music Alive,
The Centre for Social Innovation, 720 Bathurst St. Toronto
ON M5S 2R4 or to discoveries@thewholenote.com.
STRINGS
ATTACHED
TERRY ROBBINS
The three French sonatas that form the bulk
of Le Temps retrouvé, the new CD from the
brilliant husband-and-wife duo of violinist
Elena Urioste and pianist Tom Poster, were
all published during the decade 1916-26, a
period of great change in the musical landscape
(Chandos CHAN 20275 chandos.net/
products/catalogue/CHAN%2020275).
Despite initial parental opposition and
a life of domestic upheaval Mélanie, Bonis
(1858-1937) composed a huge amount of music, most of which still
lies unexplored. Her Violin Sonata in F-sharp Minor Op.112 is a
fascinating and profoundly musical work.
Fauré’s Violin Sonata No.2 in E Minor Op.108 from 1916-17 is from
his late, forward-looking period, but those typical sweeping piano
arpeggios and flowing melodies still abound.
Apart from the remarkable Veloce middle movement (literally a
short ride in a fast car) Reynaldo Hahn’s lyrical and warm Violin
Sonata in C Major from 1926 looks back nostalgically to a gentler time.
Lili Boulanger’s popular Nocturne, published in 1914, provides a
suitably dreamy ending to a superb disc.
On A Lionel Tertis Celebration the violist
Timothy Ridout, winner of the 2016 Lionel
Tertis Competition, pays tribute to the
legendary English viola player with an
outstanding 2CD recital featuring compositions
and arrangements by Tertis himself as
well as works by his friends and students.
Frank Dupree is the pianist on CD1, and
James Baillieu on CD2 (harmonia mundi
HMM9053767.77 harmoniamundi.com/en/
What we're listening to this month:
thewholenote.com/listening
BACH: Clavier-Übung III, The
Pedal Settings
Renée Anne Louprette
Built to a 1776 design, Bach would
have recognized this organ.
Featuring revisions in Bach’s own
hand, Louprette's latest album is a
must-have.
Portraits
Emily Carr String Quartet
Portraits is where the arts meet
music. This album is inspired by
Emily Carr's paintings and her
words that gave insight into her
artistic life
People Like You and Me
Robert Priest
The greatest poet/songwriter
since Leonard Cohen teams up
with the cream of modern jazz
musicians to bring you the best of
both worlds.
Upheaval
Janne Fredens & Søren Rastogi
An exceptional project featuring
four compositions for cello and
piano written by female composers
from the first part of the 20th
century.
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 59

albums/a-lionel-tertis-celebration)
Stirring performances of two major works by Tertis students
bookend the recital, York Bowen’s Viola Sonata No.1 in C Minor Op.18
opening CD1 and Rebecca Clarke’s Viola Sonata closing CD2. Sunset
and Hier au Soir are Tertis originals, and there are arrangements by
him of short pieces by Brahms, Schumann, Fauré and Mendelssohn,
as well as by John Ireland and William Wolstenholme.
Other composers represented are Frank Bridge, Eric Coates, Cecil
Forsyth, Vaughan Williams, Bowen and Wolstenholme again, and W.
H. “Billy” Reed of Elgar violin concerto fame, whose lovely Rhapsody
opens CD2. Two Kreisler works close CD1: Ridout’s own arrangement
of Liebeslied; and a stunning performance of Alan Arnold’s arrangement
of the Praeludium and Allegro.
That same tumultuous period is central to
Upheaval, with cellist Janne Fredens and
pianist Søren Rastogi presenting compositions
by four female composers active
around the First World War years (OUR
Recordings 6.220683 ourrecordings.com).
The Dutch pianist and composer
Henriëtte Bosmans (1895-1952), whose
career was disrupted by the Nazi occupation
in the1940s and never recovered, is represented by her 1919 Cello
Sonata in A Minor. The reputation of the prolific Croatian composer
Dora Pejačević (1885-1923) continues to grow following the recent
revival of her terrific Symphony in F-sharp Minor. Her 1913 Cello
Sonata in E Minor Op.35 is a striking and substantial late-Romantic
work, showing the clear influence of Brahms and Dvořák.
Two pieces by the Boulanger sisters, Lili’s Nocturne again and
Nadia’s Trois pièces from 1911 complete an excellent disc full of sensitive
and finely judged playing.
William T. Horton’s fantastic image The Path to the Moon was the
inspiration for the new album from cellist Laura van der Heijden
three unstoppable women
who also composed
#trailblazingwomen #violasonatas
#queercomposers
www.acisproductions.com
and pianist Jâms Coleman, their CD Path
to the Moon including music relating to
the moon and the night, as well as works
evoking mankind’s striving for new heights
(Chandos CHAN 20274 chandos.net/
products/catalogue/CHAN%2020274).
It’s an eclectic program anchored by
three 20th-century sonatas: the 1957 Cello
Sonata by the American George Walker;
Britten’s Sonata Op.65 and Debussy’s 1915
Cello Sonata.
Fittingly, given the singing nature of van der Heijden’s playing,
virtually all of the transcriptions are of vocal music: Korngold’s
Schönste Nacht; Lili Boulanger’s Reflets; Florence Price’s Night;
Britten’s Sonetto XXX; Debussy’s Beau soir; Fauré’s Clair de lune;
Takemitsu’s Will Tomorrow, I Wonder, Be Cloudy or Clear?; and Nina
Simone’s take on Jonathan King’s Everyone’s Gone to the Moon.
Debussy’s Clair de lune ends a lovely disc.
The South Korean double-bassist Mikyung
Sung is the remarkable soloist on The
Colburn Sessions, a brilliant two-disc set
where she is ably supported by pianist
Jaemin Shin, the two having worked
together in the Artist Diploma course
at the Colburn School in Los Angeles in
2017 (Modus Vivendi Media MVM 2301
mikyungbass.bandcamp.com/album/
the-colburn-sessions).
Bottesini’s Tarantella is a dazzling opening track, Sung displaying
stunning facility and clarity. The same composer’s Capriccio di
Bravura and the more lyrical Elegy No.1 are followed by a transcription
of the Meditation from Massenet’s Thaïs. Hindemith’s Sonata for
Double Bass and Piano and the impressive 1967 Sonata for Double
Bass and Piano by Hungarian composer Vilmos Montag (1908-91)
end disc 1.
The second CD is even more impressive, with the Andante from
Rachmaninoff’s Cello Sonata Op.19 sandwiched between two
outstanding sonatas: Mendelssohn’s Cello Sonata No.2 Op.58 with an
astonishing final movement that takes your breath away, and Franck’s
Violin Sonata in A Major in the composer-endorsed transcription for
cello by Jules Delsart, Sung playing direct from the cello part – which
she presumably also does with the Mendelssohn.
Superb playing from both performers is beautifully captured in
single continuous takes live to stereo. Complete performances of the
Hindemith, Mendelssohn and Franck sonatas can be viewed on Sung’s
website, mikyungbass.com.
Wanchi Huang is the violinist on Imagining
Worlds – Music for Solo Violin, a CD that
features new music by composers described
as compelling voices in contemporary
American music (Navona Records NV6592
navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6592).
The recital comprises Adolphus
Hailstork’s rather bland Suite for Solo
Violin, Judith Shatin’s somewhat oppressive
For the Fallen – for Amplified Violin
and Electronics, Meira Warshauer’s Jewish-influenced In Memoriam
and Brach (Blessing), and Jeffrey Mumford’s an expanding distance
of multiple voices, the five movements totaling only 11 minutes. John
Corigliano’s Red Violin Caprices completes the disc.
There’s interesting writing on display here, but only the Corigliano
really leaps out and separates itself from the crowd; it certainly brings
by far the best playing from Huang.
The music of a Brazilian composer who lived from 1943 to
2010 is explored on José Antônio de Almeida Prado Works for
Violin and Cello, a new addition to The Music of Brazil series
featuring violinist Emmanuele Baldini and cellist Rafael Cesario
60 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

(Naxos 8.574459 naxos.com/Search/
KeywordSearchResults/?q=Almeida%20
Prado%20-%20Works%20for%20Violin%20
and%20Cello).
Only two works – Le livre magique de
Xangô from 1985 and Das Cirandas from
1999 – are duets. The 2004 Praeambulum
for solo cello was commissioned as an
intro to Bach’s Cello Suite No.3 in C Major
BWV1009, while The Four Seasons for solo
violin was written for a young performers’ national competition in
1984, each brief movement a study in various violin techniques.
The lyrical and extremely brief – under two minutes – Capriccio für
Constança und Ana Luiza from 1998 and the Solo Violin Sonata from
2000, dedicated to his daughter, one of Brazil’s leading violinists and
the most substantial work on the CD, end a recital of solid performances
but with few real musical high points.
The Trio con Brio Copenhagen, which
celebrates its 25th anniversary this year
performs piano trios by Mieczyslaw
Weinberg and Franz Schubert on The
Passenger, a CD that surveys two young
composers whose compositions offer
poignant reflections on life, mortality
and ethereal beauty (Orchid Classics
ORC100282 orchidclassics.com).
Weinberg was a Polish Jew who fled
Warsaw when the Nazis invaded. His Piano Trio Op.24 was written
in Moscow in 1945 when he was 25; characterized by unrest and
despair, it occupies much the same sound world as that of his friend
Shostakovich. The finale features a waltz that foreshadows his opera
The Passenger, where a waltz links the evil of a concentration camp to
an uncertain future.
Written in 1827, just a year before his early death, Schubert’s Piano
Trio No.2 in E-flat Major Op.100 grew from Schubert’s encounter with
the Swedish song Se solen sjunker, which describes the sinking sun
and all hope being chased away by night’s shadows. The funeral march
of the second movement, based on the song, is the emotional centre of
the work.
The Weinberg work is also heard on Piano
Trios of Weinberg, Auerbach & Dvořák,
a top-notch debut CD by Trio Zimbalist
intended as “a heartfelt response to the
enduring human struggle unfolding around
the world” (Curtis Studio curtis.edu/
curtis-studio).
The album is cast in the spirit of the
What we're listening to this month:
Dumka, a Ukrainian term meaning “thought.” In music, Dumky
were sung by traveling minstrels, and often expressed the laments of
oppressed people. It was this form that Dvořák used as the basis for
his Piano Trio No.4 in E Minor Op.90, “Dumky”, an extensive sixmovement
work that closes the disc.
We have already noted the circumstances surrounding the composition
of the Weinberg trio. Lera Auerbach’s quite brief but striking
three-movement Piano Trio No.1 Op.28 with its impassioned middle
Andante lamentoso movement and eerie and aggressive finale, was
written following her defection from the Soviet Union in 1991. The
Dvořák also fits in here: it is often overlooked that performances of his
works were suppressed in the Czechoslovak Republic for a while
after 1945.
There are two Stravinsky Violin Concerto
CDs this month, one featuring James
Ehnes with the BBC Philharmonic under
Sir Andrew Davis (Chandos CHSA5340
chandos.net/products/catalogue/
CHSA%205340) and the other with Frank
Peter Zimmermann and the Bamberger
Symphoniker under Jakub Hrůša (BIS-2657
prestomusic.com/classical/products/95571
– Igor-stravinsky-bartok-martin).
Written for – and premiered by – Samuel Dushkin in 1932, the
concerto is a four-movement work in Stravinsky’s neo-classical style.
Ehnes is his usual flawless self in a supremely confident performance,
as smooth as ever and with a clear, pure tone, especially in the two
middle Arias. The rest of the Chandos Stravinsky disc is orchestral
music in really fine performances: the Scherzo à la Russe, a showpiece
written for the Paul Whiteman band on the composer’s arrival
in California in the early 1940s; the Suites Nos.1 & 2, arranged from
piano duets from the 1910s; and Apollo Musagète, a ballet in two parts
for strings from 1927-28 that marked a complete rejection of his
previous ballets and a move to pure form.
The Zimmermann disc, on the other
hand, is all violin and orchestra, linking
composers who put down roots in the West
without abandoning their Eastern European
identities. Zimmermann’s Stravinsky
concerto is another outstanding performance,
albeit a fair bit faster than Ehnes: the
Zimmermann timings for the four movements,
which only range from four to six
minutes in length, are a significant 20 to 30
seconds shorter than those of Ehnes. There’s no real sense of a faster
or spikier approach here though, with Ehnes and Davis possibly just
more relaxed in tempo. Dushkin also premiered Bartók’s Rhapsodies
thewholenote.com/listening
The Colburn Sessions
Mikyung Sung
Gorgeously expressive, richly
luminous performances of violin,
cello, and double bass favorites in a
dazzling, virtuosic 2CD album from
Mikyung Sung.
Fire - Flowers
Timothy Shantz
Fire-Flowers brings solace and
comfort to listeners with these
musical works on death and
renewal by Johannes Brahms and
contemporary composer Zachary
Wadsworth
In the Crystalline Vault of Heaven
Margot Rejskind
In The Crystalline Vault of Heaven
captivates their "sublimely
beautiful" music that reflects the
diversity and breadth of choral
music written on the East Coast.
Dall'Abaco and the Art of
Variation
Accademia de' Dissonanti,
Elinor Frey
This new CD explores the art of
variation through world premiere
recordings of two cello trios and
three sonatas.
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 61

Nos.1 & 2, given outstanding performances here, as well as the 1943
New York version with piano of Martinů’s Suite concertante, which
has two versions. The second, heard here, was started in 1938 in Paris
before Martinů left Europe, and completed in New York and orchestrated
in 1945. While still in Paris Martinů apparently wrote three
movements for another version of the suite, one of which – Méditation
– completes a terrific CD.
Eugène Ysaÿe: Rêves features worldpremiere
recordings of two newly discovered
concertos by the Belgian virtuoso
and composer in performances by
Philippe Graffin and the Royal Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra under Jean-
Jacques Kantorow (Avie Records AV2650
avie-records.com).
Following the recent discovery of a first
movement of an early Violin Concerto in E
Minor a fully orchestrated second movement and a third movement in
violin and piano score both came to light, the latter being orchestrated
by Ysaÿe expert Xavier Falques to complete the concerto. Composed
in 1884-85 it was apparently intended to establish a new approach
to instrumental technique, which Ysaÿe felt had stagnated since the
works of Vieuxtemps.
It’s not clear why he abandoned the concerto, but in 1893 Ysaÿe
wrote his Poème concertant, a single-movement work imbued with
love for his student Irma Sèthe. Recently discovered in manuscript
form, it was orchestrated by Erika Vega with advice from Falques.
Pianist Marisa Gupta joins Graffin for the 2 Mazurkas de salon
Op.10 and the Rêve d’enfant Op.14 that close a fascinating CD.
There’s a glorious CD of Vaughan Williams
music that would normally be well outside
the limits of this column, but Vaughan
Williams: Retrospect with the London
Choral Sinfonia under Michael Waldron
contains not only some simply beautiful
works for voices and string orchestra
but also a lovely performance of the
Violin Concerto in D Minor – Concerto
Accademico with the always reliable Jack
Liebeck as soloist (Orchid Classics ORC100289 orchidclassics.com).
It’s not a substantial work – only about 16 minutes long – but the
glorious middle movement, which takes up almost half of the work, is
Vaughan Williams at his pastoral best and Liebeck is in his element. As
an added bonus, cellist Thomas Carroll is the lovely soloist in the
world-premiere recording of the composer’s arrangement of Bach’s
Schmücke dich,o liebe Seele.
On ALAS cellist Patrick Langot and violinist
Alexis Cardenas and the Orchestra de
Lutetia under Alejandro Sandler pay
tribute to the Argentinian music so dear to
their hearts by presenting world-premiere
recordings of works by three contemporary
Argentinian composers (Évidence Classics
EVCD108 orchestredelutetia.com/alas).
The title track, the 2021 Alas – fantaisie
for violin, cello and string orchestra by
Gerardo di Giusto (b.1961) is a strong, strident work with malambo
and baguala rhythms, while the atmospheric 2020 Descaminos for
solo cello, string orchestra and percussion by Gabriel Sivak (b.1979)
was inspired by the vast Pampas region. Both works were commissioned
by the orchestra.
The fascinating 1986 Llorando silencios, six Quechua songs for solo
cello by Alejandro Iglesias Rossi (b.1960) evokes ancestral sonorities,
the cello sounding in turn like the traditional instruments the quena,
charango and erke.
The remainder of the CD is given over to the 1953 Variaciones
concertantes Op.23 by Alberto Ginastera, the cello and harp being
joined by various orchestral soloists to develop the thematic material,
with an explosive malambo finale.
In a 1953 essay the Domenico Scarlatti biographer
Ralph Kirkpatrick (who implemented
the K. numbering system) noted
the clear influence of the Spanish guitar on
Scarlatti’s music, and the extent to which
it permeated his keyboard works is beautifully
illustrated on the digital-only release
Scarlatti 12 Sonatas by the two guitarists
Matteo Mela and Lorenzo Micheli (Evidence
EVCD107 soloduo.it).
As Micheli’s booklet notes point out, Scarlatti’s language often
echoes guitar playing, the Hispanic character stemming from timbres,
techniques and stylistic traits derived from the guitar, and the light,
volatile style of writing in the sonatas, most often for two voices is
perfectly suited to the nature of the guitar. The 12 sonatas here are
those numbered K.8, K.24, K.32, K.87, K.99, K.162, K.202, K.386,
K.455, K.466, K.519 and K.531.
Superb transcriptions (uncredited, but by the performers, presumably)
and simply outstanding playing, beautifully recorded, result in a
truly captivating release.
VOCAL
Claudio Monteverdi – Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria
Soloists; I Gemelli; Emiliano Gonzalez Toro; Mathilde Etienne
Gemelli Factory audiobook (gemelli-factory.com/nos_releases/
il-ritorno-dulisse-in-patria)
! There are as many ways to perform
Claudio Monteverdi’s Il Ritorno d’Ulisse
in Patria as there are performances. The
earliest known score contains just the vocal
parts, the text and the bass line. Even the
instrumental passages indicate nothing
about what instruments are to play. So vital
decisions about basic elements like orchestration
and harmonization must be made.
Terrific recordings have appeared in
recent years – those under Gardiner, Cavina
and Fuget come happily to mind (not to
overlook Harnoncourt’s landmark recording
from 1972). But none for me has matched René Jacobs’ 1992 recording
for momentum and spirit – that is, until this production from I
Gemelli, led by musical director Emiliano Gonzalez Toro and artistic
director Mathilde Etienne (with both performing as singers).
A fine-tuned sense of early Baroque style and an adventurous
sense of theatre have shaped this recording. The cast here is large –
it includes nine tenors! That means remarkably few doublings, so
characters are easily distinguishable. And every performer, whether
singer or instrumentalist, projects the kind of commitment that
gives their time in the spotlight, no matter how brief or extensive,
dramatic impact.
It’s unlikely Monteverdi’s instrumental ensemble for the first
performance in 1640 would have been as large, or as varied.
Historically authentic instruments like the gorgeous triple harp of
Marie-Domitille Murez and the delightful trio of mellifluous cornetts
add colour. But they never swamp the singers, since they are featured
in smaller groups. Instead, they provide vivid counterparts to the
resonant phrases of Giacomo Badoaro’s libretto, a skillful adaption of
the final verses of Homer’s Odyssey.
Monteverdi gives the gods the most florid passages. Emőke Breath as
Minerva ravishes with her lucid elegance. Philippe Jarroussky is an
eloquent Fragilitá Umana (Human Fragility), Juan Sancho an impassioned
Mercurio. Jérôme Varnier’s petulant, vindictive Nettuno captivates
with his rich, agile basso profundo.
62 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Among the mortals, Gonzalez Toro’s Ulisse
is deftly theatrical as he disguises himself
as an old beggar, and affectingly tender as
he pleads with Penelope to recognize him.
Rihaieb Chaib brings highly charged urgency
and a complex range of emotional states to
the role of the faithful Penelope. The exciting
Canadian mezzo-soprano has not been
known for Baroque opera. But that is bound
to change with her powerful performance
here. Right from the opening phrases of her
heart-rending lament, she commands our
empathy. When she does recognize Ulisse
– and they finally sing together – it’s all the
more expressive for the contrast in their
voices. The word “yes” has never sounded
more sensual than in their magnificent duet,
“Yes, my life, yes, my heart, yes!”
I love how Alix Le Saux as Ulisse’s old
nurse Ericleia colours the word “languise”
(languishes). Fulvio Bettini’s virtuosic Iro
delights as he moves from comedy to tragedy.
Zachary Wilder creates a poignant Telemaco,
while Etienne brings playful charm to
Melanto. Her extensive background essays
are bound with the libretto – more than 200
pages in all – with three CDs in an attractive
hardbound case. It’s certainly indicative of
the loving care that has gone into this superb
recording.
Pam Margles
Penitence & Lamentation (Gombert; Byrd;
Tallis; Crecquillon; Ramsey; Muhly; Carver)
Byrd Ensemble; Markdavin Obenza
Scribe Records SRCD12 (byrdensemble.
com/recordings)
! Ten Renaissance
pieces set to religious
texts
expressing, say
the booklet notes,
“guilt and grief”
are movingly
performed by the
Seattle-based Byrd
Ensemble under artistic director Markdavin
Obenza. Four selections are by the a cappella
group’s inspiration, William Byrd. Particularly
affecting are Emendemus in Melius and
Byrd’s elegy for his late friend, Thomas Tallis,
Ye sacred muses. Tallis himself is represented
by two pieces – Absterge Domine and In
jejunio et fletu, the latter darkly solemn, sung
by only one alto, two tenors and two basses.
Nicolas Gombert’s intense Lugebat David
Absalon dramatically sets David’s howling
lament over his rebellious son, while Robert
Ramsey’s How are the mighty fallen effectively
expresses David’s anguish over his
beloved Jonathan. Thomas Crecquillon’s
earnest Pater peccavi presents the Prodigal
Son’s rueful plea to his father. Although only
five to ten singers perform the forementioned
works, the reverberant acoustic creates the
illusion of much larger forces.
American composer Nico Muhly’s Fallings,
especially commissioned for this CD,
involves 12 singers. Set to verses from Isaiah
describing the destruction of Solomon’s
temple, the music is often tumultuous and
discordant, yet not out of place among the
Renaissance works. Ending the CD, 19 singers
– 14 of them tenors and basses – join in the
longest selection, Robert Carver’s grandiloquent,
12-minute O bone Jesu. The maleheavy
sonorities add depth and richness to
this cry for mercy – “O good Jesus, let not
my sin destroy me.” Texts and translations
are included.
Michael Schulman
Wagner – Dei Meistersinger von Nurnberg
Soloists; Orchestra and Chorus of the
Deutsche Oper Berlin; John Flore
Naxos DVD 2.110766-67 (naxos.com/Catalo
gueDetail/?id=2.110766-67)
! Deutsche Oper has always been famous
for thought-provoking, even iconoclastic,
productions so this latest incarnation of
Wagner’s lengthy masterpiece comes to us
certainly as very different from anything
I’ve ever seen
before. The scene
is a Conservatory
with the Masters
as professors, the
Apprentices as
students, all in a
modern setting. The
school is owned by
the wealthy Veit
Pogner (Albert
Posendorfer, bass)
who intends to turn
it over to the public by organizing a singing
contest but stipulating that the winner
must be a Master and should marry his only
daughter Eva (Heidi Stober, soprano). The
contest is held on Midsummer Day and there
are numerous complications, but we all know
the story. In this provocative staging the
music and the text remain unchanged; there
is constant action, and the show is entertaining
throughout. But the question remains
for someone who has never seen/heard
this opera before should I recommend this
production rather than an opulent, glorious
traditional one such as I grew up with?
The directorial team has decided to “remove
the deadweight of previous productions to
get closer to the opera itself” which is all
about music, the composition and delivery of
music. This translates itself into composing a
master song and it all comes together beautifully
in the wonderful third act. The master
song is composed by Walther von Stolzing,
the tenor lead (beautifully sung by the latest
German heldentenor sensation, Klaus Florian
Vogt, who aspires to be a Master and is in
love with Eva. The elderly Hans Sachs (Johan
Reuter, baritone), a Master and the real hero
of the opera, is also in love with Eva but
having to give her up, realizes Walther’s song
is, although different, truly beautiful. He
magnanimously offers advice to improve the
song according to the established rules. The
master song is then baptized (on St. John’s
day) by the glorious quintet Selig wie die
What we're listening to this month:
thewholenote.com/listening
Schubert:
The Complete Impromptus
Gerardo Teissonnière
The acclaimed pianist's second
album for the Steinway & Sons
label brings new and authoritative
interpretations to these beloved
complete impromptus.
Album Leaf: Piano Works
by Felix Mendelssohn
Sophia Agranovich
Ranging from poetic intimacy
and serenity to tragedy and
overwhelming drama, sublime
emotions awakened by
masterpieces on this album stir
the depths of soul
Rachmaninoff
Ian Gindes
Pianist Ian Gindes presents a
captivating elucidation of Sergei
Rachmaninoff’s solo piano works
on RACHMANINOFF, a new album
of discerning artistry!
American Spiritual
Michael Lee
Intersect European Art Music and
American spirituals, featuring
works by Florence Price, Margaret
Bonds, and Robert Nathaniel Dett,
sharing powerful stories of Black
Americans.
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 63

Sonne, with all five principals, and later
Walther wins the contest and Eva’s hand. A
happy ending, indeed.
Deutsche Oper’s giant orchestra pit
much resembles the one at the Bayreuth
Festspielhaus and the large orchestra is led
by John Fiore, an internationally famous
American conductor from Seattle. He is much
praised by the world’s opera houses as a
respected leader with unusual musical sensitivity.
The show was enthusiastically received.
What more can we ask ?
Janos Gardonyi
Fire-Flowers
Luminous Voices; Timothy Shantz
Leaf Music LM275b (leaf-music.ca)
! The Calgarybased
choir
Luminous Voices,
directed by
Timothy Shantz,
is a diverse and
prolific ensemble,
performing
and recording a
range of repertoire
with consistently excellent results.
In 2023 they released Ispiciwin, with music
by Indigenous composers Andrew Balfour,
Sherryl Sewepagaham and Walter MacDonald
White Bear, which is followed now by Fire-
Flowers, featuring Johannes Brahms’ stunning
Requiem.
Originally written for chorus and orchestra,
this performance uses Brahms’ own alternative
version of the full seven-movement work,
performed with piano duet accompaniment,
which gives this rich and robust composition
an introverted and subdued atmosphere.
It also makes the choir’s task much more
challenging, as the warm (and rather more
forgiving) tones of strings and woodwinds are
replaced by the percussive keys and hammers
of the piano. Any indiscretion in pitch or
rhythm would be immediately apparent, and
the lack of asynchronicity is a testament to
Luminous Voices’ collective talent.
In addition to these general hazards, there
are a few notably challenging moments in
Brahms’ Requiem that serve as a barometer
of an ensemble’s skill, including the “Herr, du
bist würdig” fugue at the end of movement
VI. Rather than being in peril, the choir gives
a masterclass in phrasing and fugal execution,
turning potential danger into five minutes of
sonic bliss.
While Brahms is the centrepiece of this
recording, it is bookended by two works by
Zachary Wadsworth, including his dramatic
Battle-Flags with text by Walt Whitman, and
Fire-Flowers, based on an excerpt from Emily
Pauline Johnson’s Flint and Feather. Both
pieces are extraordinarily compelling reflections
on life, loss and hope, and this recording
is highly recommended as what will undoubtedly
be one of the best choral discs of this year.
Matthew Whitfield
In the Crystalline Vault of Heaven
Luminos Ensemble; Dr. Margot Rejskind
Leaf Music LM290 (luminosensemble.com)
! Writing about
second-wave
feminism in 1970,
Carol Hanisch either
created or popularized
the phrase
“the personal is
political.” Since
that time, the
aphorism has expanded in both meaning and
application to point out the shared synergies
and interactions that exist between political
and personal issues. In many ways, the
arts, such as music, have become a lightning
rod for these kinds of conversations. Music
makers in 2024, whether they like it or not,
are making choices often read as political
simply by the repertoire they choose, venues
at which they perform and the ensemble
company they keep.
The Luminos Ensemble, a terrific
Charlottetown-based choir of 16 East Coast
voices that was formed in 2017 by artistic
Director Dr. Margot Rejskind, seems acutely
aware of this fact. In fact, articulated on their
website is a mission statement and an expansion
of values that suggests that a kind of
Canadian East Coast social justice (albeit one
that is married to beautiful choral voices)
is their very raison d’être. Living the stated
value that PEI voices “deserve to be promoted
and supported,” the ensemble has released a
fine new recording, In the Crystalline Vault
of Heaven that features several tremendous
Atlantic Canadian compositional talents
deserving of wider recognition. While the
title track by Nova Scotia composer Derek
Charke is moving indeed, the work of Prince
Edward Island composers David Buley and
EKR Hammell, who contribute meaningfully
to this recommended recording, was particularly
captivating.
Andrew Scott
Arvo Pärt – Odes of Repentance
Cappella Romana; Alexander Lingas
Cappella Records CR428 (cappellarecords.
com)
! Esteemed senior
Estonian composer
Arvo Pärt’s current
idiomatic musical
style is rooted in
Gregorian chant
and later European
polyphonic liturgical
music, yet
his early career compositional language
embraced 20th century serialism and then
minimalism. In addition, his use of Christian
liturgical texts triggered censure from Soviet
cultural authorities in the 1960s, leading to
a personal reckoning. After years of personal
renunciation, Pärt emerged in the 1970s
with a new compositional style he dubbed
“tintinnabula.”
In an unexpected twist of history, his often
austere, meditative, faith-based music has
found a wide audience in the decades since.
He’s frequently ranked among the world’s
most performed composers, particularly of
choral music. And that’s what we hear on
the Odes of Repentance album: a prayerful
suite of choral works over 12 tracks. The selections
were compiled by Alexander Lingas
the music director of Portland Oregon’s
Cappella Romana, a professional mixed choir
known for its rigorous historically-informed
performances of Orthodox church music.
For example, Cappella Romana hired an Old
Church Slavonic coach to aid in pronouncing
that language for these performances.
Cappella Romana is an ideal match for
Pärt’s sacred music. For example, The Woman
with the Alabaster Box is a Gospel reading;
there are also Orthodox hymns, heartfelt
prayers and psalmody, all capped by Prayer
after the Kanon. The album feels like a timeless
liturgical service, the elegant leanness of
its musical language kept in aesthetic tension
and given additional meaning by the ritual
lyrics and frequent short pauses for silent
reflection.
Andrew Timar
CLASSICAL AND BEYOND
Dall’Abaco and the Art of Variation
Elinor Frey; Accademia De’Dissonanti
Passacaille 1141 (passacaille.be)
! While the term
“supergroup” is
usually applied
to bands like The
Traveling Wilburys
and Temple of the
Dog, the term also
suits the Accademia
de’ Dissonanti,
composed of members who are each gifted
performers in their own right and come
together to make consistently stunning
recordings.
This disc features music by Giuseppe
Clemente Dall’Abaco (1710-1805), and is the
premiere recording of his two cello trios and
three cello sonatas. If the name is unfamiliar,
that is because Dall’Abaco’s compositions
are relatively new to modern audiences:
The musical output of this cellist-composer
has only emerged in recent decades, and its
craftsmanship and charm have won over both
performers and listeners alike.
Born in Brussels, Dall’Abaco spent the
majority of his childhood at the Bavarian
court in Munich, where his father, composer
Evaristo Felice Dall’Abaco, was employed as
Kapellmeister. Throughout the 1730s and
1740s, the cellist’s reputation grew as he
began to travel and perform in important
European cities such as London, York, Paris
64 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

and Vienna, eventually becoming renowned
as Europe’s most gifted cellist.
Featuring the equally gifted (and very much
alive) cellists Octavie Dostaler-Lalonde, Elinor
Frey and Eva Lymenstull, as well as harpsichordist
Federica Bianchi and theorbist
Michele Pasotti, each work on this recording
is a delight to listen to. The cello trios are rich
and complex, with intertwining melodic
lines and timbral blends that create fascinating
polyphonic effects. The cello sonatas,
with variations composed by Elinor Frey, are
grin-inducing in their joviality, but never
superficial.
This recording is a revelatory introduction
to one of history’s “newest” composers, and
a welcome return to the masterful musicians
that make up early music’s own supergroup,
the Accademia de’ Dissonanti.
Matthew Whitfield
Concert Note: Elinor Frey performs April 6 &
7 for Friends of Music at St. Thomas' Toronto
(Bach Cello Suites); May 4 Frey is guest leader
and soloist with London Sinfonia, London
Fantasia
Igor Levit
Sony 19658811642 (igor-levit.com)
! Notated improvisatory
style has
been a facet of
western music
as far back as
the Renaissance
and this two-disc
Sony recording
simply titled
Fantasia featuring pianist Igor Levit in an
attractive exploration of piano repertoire
following this principle spanning a 300-year
period. The Russian-born soloist began his
musical studies at the Salzburg Mozarteum
and in 2005, was the winner of the Arthur
Rubinstein International Piano Master
Competition in Tel Aviv.
An arrangement of the Air from Bach’s
Orchestral Suite No.3 may seem an unusual
opening for a recording of music focusing
on extemporization, but Levit’s interpretation
is refined and understated. In contrast
is the renowned Chromatic Fantasy and
Fugue BWV903, very much a bravura piece
of formidable invention. Levit delivers a
compelling and well-balanced performance,
his phrasing always clearly articulated. Even
more challenging is the Piano Sonata in B
Minor by Liszt, a composition of herculean
difficulties. Levit is seemingly unfazed by the
technical challenges and easily fashions the
ever-contrasting moods into a cohesive whole.
Disc two opens with Berg’s angular and
at times unsetting Piano Sonata Op.1, a
fine example of his early style. Nevertheless,
the magnum opus of the disc and the
set itself is Busoni’s 34-minute Fantasia
Contrappuntistica. The piece is truly substantial
in scope and borrows from several
musical styles involving a subdued and introspective
opening, a complex Bach-like fugue
followed by a dramatic section with dissonant
chordal progressions leading to an unexpectedly
quiet conclusion. Kudos to Levit for tackling
this oddity and making the most of it.
The inclusion of shorter pieces such as
Liszt’s Der Doppelganger and Busoni’s
Nuit de Noel further contribute to a wellbalanced
program.
Richard Haskell
Beethoven – Hammerklavier Sonata;
Stockhausen – Klavierstück X
Marc Ponthus
Bridge Records 9584 (bridgerecords.com)
! The French
pianist Marc
Ponthus is a fascinating
individual,
devoting much of
his career to the
performance of
the 20th century’s
most demanding
avant-garde music. Known for presenting
monographic recitals in which only compositions
by Stockhausen, Boulez or Xenakis
are performed, Ponthus has carved a unique
niche for himself in a pianistic world
overrun by repeated presentations of Mozart,
Schumann and Chopin.
Not that there’s anything wrong with
canonic repertoire, of course, and Ponthus
demonstrates this first-hand with his latest
recording, putting Beethoven’s monolithic
“Hammerklavier” Sonata on the
same program as Stockhausen’s landmark
Klavierstück X. Aside from the fact that both
works are performed on the same instrument,
these pieces – composed nearly 150 years
apart – are decidedly different: one is the
pinnacle of classical sonata form, while the
other is a masterwork of contemporary piano
literature, an eruption of ordered disorder.
Ponthus’ performance of Klavierstück X
is thrilling, his control of this physically and
intellectually demanding score immediately
apparent. (There are so many glissandi
that the pianist is required to wear gloves
with the fingers cut off.) Although the first
impression of this music may be of chaos,
every component of this music is highly
prescribed and structured, and Ponthus
wrestles Stockhausen’s complex ideas into a
profoundly convincing performance.
If the “Hammerklavier” receives a shorter
mention here, it is only because of its status
as one of Beethoven’s most renowned and
striking piano works. Ponthus approaches
this music like a chameleon, and it is difficult
to believe that this is the same person
who was tackling Klavierstück X only a
few moments prior. The rhythmic vitality of
Beethoven’s writing is brought to the forefront
here, and this performance is full of
vigour and bravado, while never becoming a
caricature of itself.
Matthew Whitfield
What we're listening to this month:
thewholenote.com/listening
Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphony
Toronto Symphony Orchestra,
Gustavo Gimeno, Marc-André
Hamelin, Nathalie Forget
Quite possibly the most unique
musical experience you’ll ever
have — Gustavo Gimeno leads a
21st-century TSO in this all-new,
epic recording.
Recurrence
Saman Shahi
In these five new Canadian
compositions, Recurrence explores
repetition that ripples through
physics, psychology, philosophy,
and economics, evoking curiosity,
perplexity, and awe.
Night And Day
(The Cole Porter Songbook)
Adi Braun
Adi Braun’s love affair with Cole
Porter’s music runs long and deep
- “his music is delicious, naughty,
provocative, sensuous, witty and
devastatingly beautiful”.
Tide Rises
Lauren Bush
The new contemporary vocal jazz
album from Canadian, British-based
vocalist featuring arrangements
of popular standards and brand
new originals. “Highly, unreservedly
recommended." Jazz Views
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 65

Schubert – The Complete Impromptus
Gerardo Teissonnière
Steinway & Sons 30220 (steinway.com/
music-and-artists/label/Schubert-thecomplete-impromptus-gerardoteissonnière)
! Impromptu
means “improvised,”
a genre
popular in
19th-century salons.
It seems to be easily
dashed off in one
sitting although
it’s hard to believe
this, given their melodic richness, level of
invention and perfection of form. Schubert’s
eight pieces are part of the curriculum for
any aspiring piano student about grade
eight and up and I tried my hand on at least
three of them. My greatest accomplishment
was Op.90 No.4 in A-flat Major, with those
gorgeous cascades rippling down like water
with a wonderful melody emerging in the left
hand and a passionate Trio I loved playing.
But I must admit that the difference between
amateur and professional pianists being
immeasurable (Somerset Maugham), so this
new issue of The Complete Impromptus, all
eight of them, under two opus numbers (90
& 142) by a pianist critics regard as an artist of
“extraordinary musicianship and rare sensibility,”
Puerto Rican-born American Gerardo
Teissonnière, is most welcome. In fact, the
pianist is having a remarkable career on two
continents, recipient of many awards; this
recording is his second one on the prestigious
Steinway & Sons label.
Some of my favourites are the popular,
very impressive No.2 Op.90 in E-flat Major,
perpetuum mobile-like, light hearted and fast
with an exquisite contrasting Impromptu.
No.3, Op.90 in G-flat Major (with 6 flats) is
relaxed and introspective with a harp-like
mid-register in the right hand that reminds
me of Schubert›s ever-present obsession
with water and a fearsome undercurrent in
the left hand bass.
I loved the most the ambitious Impromptu
No.1 Op.90 in C Minor, with its notable key
change into major in the Trio that›s absolute
heaven, like a dreamy dialogue of questions
and answers. No.3 in B-flat Major Op.142 is
a set of lovely variations on a simple theme
from Rosamunde where the level of invention
is amazing. The final piece is No.4 Op.142
in F Minor, a wild rondo that sums up this set
that gave me a lot of enjoyment in these bleak
winter days.
Janos Gardonyi
Robert Schumann – Piano Works
Llŷr Williams
Signum Classics SIGCD756
(signumrecords.com)
! The name Llŷr Williams may not be an
overly familiar one, but since his graduation
from the Royal
Academy of music,
this 48-year-old
pianist has quietly
carved out a name
for himself as a
soloist, accompanist
and chamber musician.
Born in North
Wales in 1976, he studied music at Queen’s
College, Oxford before pursuing further
studies at the RAM from 2003 to 2005. His
recent recordings have included the complete
sonatas of Beethoven and Schubert; he now
turns his attention to the music of Schumann
on this 2CD set.
The first disc opens with the renowned
Fantasie in C Major Op.17, long regarded as
one of Schumann’s greatest works. Willliams’
approach is suitably expansive and lyrical,
at no time losing control of the shifting
parameters within. Papillons, from 1831 is
a charming set of 12 kaleidoscopic miniatures.
Based on a novel by Jean Paul Richter
and intended to represent a masked ball, the
successive dance movements flow by in quick
succession. Williams delivers an elegant and
polished performance, adroitly capturing the
ever-contrasting moods. Concluding the first
disc is the six-movement Humoresque Op.20
from 1839, a score that has possibly never
earned the reputation it deserves.
Williams continues to demonstrate a
real affinity for this archly Romantic repertoire
in the famed Davidsbündlertanze Op.6
which opens the second disc. The movements
here are not true dances, but character
pieces aptly showcasing the dualistic
nature of Schumann’s personality. The
four reflective Nachtstücke Op.23 were
composed during a particularly stressful time
in the composer’s life owing to the imminent
death of his older brother. In contrast
is the jovial Faschingsschwank aus Wien
Op.26, a wonderful depiction of a Viennese
carnival which Williams performs with much
bravado, bringing the set to a most satisfying
conclusion.
Richard Haskell
Album Leaf – Piano Works by Felix
Mendelssohn
Sophia Agranovich
Centaur Records CRC 4038
(sophiagranovich.com)
! Thanks to
YouTube I feel as if
I’ve seen and heard
this magnificent
pianist live whose
new recording I am
pleased to introduce.
In fact I am
simply mesmerized
by Sophia
Agranovich‘s tremendous talent, virtuosity,
emotional involvement and thorough musicianship.
Fanfare magazine calls her a “tigress
of the keyboard” and I could listen to her
for hours. Her credentials include concert
pianist, recording artist, teacher, computer
scientist and vice president of Merrill/ Lynch,
no less. This is her 12th recording to date.
Agranovich is no stranger to these pages –
we reviewed her very impressive Liszt recital
in November 2022 – and now she turns to
Mendelssohn and surely doesn’t disappoint.
Her virtuosity immediately becomes evident
in the extremely difficult last movement
Presto of the Fantasia in F-sharp Minor, a
perpetuum mobile that ends the first piece.
Her lightness of touch makes the piano
sing at the Albumblatt in A Minor, a typical
Mendelssohn Lied ohne Worte that the set is
named after.
Mendelssohn was probably one of the most
gifted composers who ever lived. As a child
prodigy he composed a symphony for full
orchestra at the age of 12! As the program
continues the composer’s immense talent
shines through beautiful pieces like the
Caprices, a set of Variations Serieuses and
the murderously difficult Etudes that rival
Chopin. They are all executed in a lovely
singing tone, with virtuosity and elegance.
My beloved, since childhood, Rondo
Capriccioso, a favourite concert piece where
I see elves dancing every time I hear it, ends
the program and I cannot recommend it
highly enough.
Janos Gardonyi
Chopin – Ballades and Nocturnes
Jonathan Phillips
Divine Art DDX 21111 (divineartrecords.
com)
! What more
can be said about
Chopin – all too
frequently referred
to as the “poet of
the piano?” More
than 170 years
after his death, his
music continues
to enthrall connoisseurs and amateurs alike
and this disc presenting the four Ballades
and a selection of Nocturnes played by
British pianist Jonathan Phillips is bound
to be a welcome addition. A graduate of the
Royal Northern College of Music, Phillips
was winner of the National Youth Orchestra
of Wales Soloist award in 1986. He has
performed throughout Europe, but in 1998,
began studies for a degree in philosophy, after
which he was less inclined to pursue a career
as a performing artist.
Seldom is Chopin’s creativity so evident
than in the four Ballades, written over a
17-year period between 1836 and 1843.
Phillips’ approach is elegant and understated
– his tempos are never rushed, nor
does he resort to empty virtuosity, instead
letting the music speak for itself. This is no
more apparent than in the glorious fourth
Ballade. From the calm and hesitant opening
66 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

measures to the turbulent coda, Phillips is
clearly in full command of this daunting
repertoire, but never seeks to impress.
Of the five Nocturnes Phillps chose for this
program, three – Op.9 No.2, Op.15 No.1 and
Op.32 No.1 are early works, while two – Op.55
No.1 and Op.62 No.1 – were written considerably
later. Phillips treats this lyrical and introspective
music with a sensitive poignancy
concluding the disc with a mood of true
serenity.
With his fine musicianship and impressive
technique, it seems a pity that Phillips has too
often forsaken the limelight, choosing instead
to lead a more unassuming life with his
family in the English Cotswolds. His talents
most definitely deserve greater exposure.
Richard Haskell
Bruckner – Symphony No.7
London Symphony Orchestra; Sir Simon
Rattle
LSO Live LSO00887 (lso.co.uk)
! It is said that
Otto Kitzler, a
decade younger
than his student
Anton Bruckner,
helped inspire a
momentous change
in his illustrious
pupil. The defining
moment that enabled Bruckner to find his
true musical vocation was when he heard
Kitzler conduct a performance of Wagner’s
Tannhäuser in Linz.
Bruckner had spent 40 years assimilating
every rule of composition. However, Kitzler’s
performance of Wagner led Bruckner on a
voyage of discovery of Wagner that enabled
him to break the rulebook he had so assiduously
assimilated. Indeed Wagner, the operatic
iconoclast, enabled Bruckner to create
symphonic music that mirrored Wagner’s
achievements as a master of music drama.
Nowhere is the newly discovered
dramaturgy more evident than in this version
of Bruckner’s most enraptured Symphony
No.7. It features the long radiant phrase by the
cellos and the first horn, which unfolds over
tremolando strings. The portentous Adagio
presages Wagner’s death with the sombre,
glowing tone of four Wagner tubas. The neardemonic
and extreme tension generated by
the violins’ restless accompaniment in the
dramatic Scherzo is evocative of Bruckner’s
discovery of the devastating fire that killed
386 patrons in the Ringtheater. This is
followed by the near-euphoric airy pastoral
character in the climax of the finale.
Sir Simon Rattle’s shaping of Bruckner’s
arching phrases, the exactness of his control
of the London Symphony Orchestra and the
sumptuousness of the orchestral tone majestically
reinforce the idea of Bruckner as a
master builder.
Raul da Gama
Rachmaninoff Piano Works
Ian Gindes
Navona Records NV6582 (iangindes.com)
! The twin
centrepieces of
Rachmaninoff
Piano Works by
American Ian
Gindes are selections
from the
composer’s celebrated
Preludes and
Études Tableaux.
These are complemented by Rachmaninoff’s
arrangement of Fritz Kreisler’s Liebeslied
and Zoltan Kocsis’ arrangement of
Rachmaninoff’s masterwork, the Vocalise
Op.34, No.14. The surprise is the finale: Jerry
Goldsmith’s Alone in the World arranged by
Jed Distler.
Like Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Rachmaninoff’s
comprise a sequence of miniatures in every
major and minor key and, as with Chopin,
the self-imposed constraints inspired some
of the composer’s most original ideas. This
selection includes the famous C-sharp Minor
Prelude Op.3 No.2 as well as a selection of
four from Op.23 and one from Op.32. Melody
is the less dominant element, for many of
these pieces are built upon rhythmic patterns
that lead towards the establishment of a
melodic pattern reflecting the rhythmic pulse.
As with the Chopin of the Ballades, Études
and Preludes, the Études Tableaux take a
motif or a technical challenge as their starting
point, and weave poetic musical fabrics from
that. Mordant, terse and visionary in their
endless chromaticism, luminously simple
and spectrally poignant, they are distinguished
by their brevity and a new level of
virtuoso pianism.
Gindes’ interpretations fall somewhere
between Alexis Weissenberg’s punchy
sound and Sviatoslav Richter’s tremendous
performances. Gindes’ illustrious renditions
reveal a visionary glow behind the eloquent,
melancholy virtuosic exteriors of these
Rachmaninoff masterworks.
Raul da Gama
Shooting Star – Étoile Filante
Reverso
Alternate Side Records (ryankeberle.
bandcamp.com/album/shooting-star-toilefilante)
! If you are
wondering how,
on Étoile Filante,
a trombone, a
cello and a piano
might come to be
evocative of the
musical voice of
Lili Boulanger you
might have no need to look further than the
intrepid trio Reverso, comprising the trombone
of Ryan Keberle, the cello of Vincent
Courtois and the piano of Frank Woeste.
But how did they succeed in recreating the
ephemeral beauty of Boulanger’s music?
What we're listening to this month:
thewholenote.com/listening
You're Alike, You Two
Caity Gyorgy and Mark Limacher
A collection of Jerome Kern
compositions that has gained
international recognition for its
unadorned presentation and
fresh adaptations of the classic
songbook composer's repertoire.
Spring Comes Early
John Herberman
Eight original tunes featuring
John on piano and rhodes,
joined by some of Canada’s finest
musicians. “...a mature and tasteful
recording!” - Jaymz Bee, JazzFM
A Canadian Songbook
Ernesto Cervini's Turboprop
Following his JUNO Awardnominated
album Joy, Cervini
leads his dynamic sextet into new
territory, celebrating the rich
tapestry of Canadian music.
DISTANCIA
Solidaridad Tango
"An album that is without
hesitation placed in the short list
of the best albums of the decade.”
Frankie Pfeiffer Editor-in-chief
(Paris-Move, 2023)
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 67

The answer is quite clearly in the use of
uncommon instrumental voicing to mirror
the poetics of a composer’s work that once
combined vocal sensuousness with spectral
imagery daubed onto the darkened sonic
canvas. The cello’s bow sweeps across the
strings of the instrument in an alternating
movement of flux and flow. Meanwhile the
trombone moans – almost always pianissimo
– with a deeply religious intensity pouring out
in solemn, elliptical melodic lines. Meanwhile
the piano provides the harmonic glue as an
overwhelming sense of mystery pervades the
ensuing music.
As sculpted phrases are created from notes
that leap off the staved paper dancing and
pirouetting in rarefied air around us, we find
ourselves in the ephemeral world – literally
and figuratively speaking – of Boulanger,
the younger of the two legendary French
musician-sisters.
The subtle chromaticism of Boulanger’s
songful music comes brilliantly alive. These
are songs without words, every bit as compellingly
delicate in a Mendelssohnian way, and
the music sparkles like stars shooting across a
glittering soundscape.
Raul da Gama
American Spiritual
Michael Lee
Independent ML202301 (leaf-music.ca)
! Although
some more than
others (professors,
teachers, music
critics, authors),
we are all canon
formers one way or
another. While we
may think that our
musical decisions
about what we “like” or “don’t like” is based
upon our individual agency and personhood,
in truth our tastes have been shaped
and formed by friends, teachers, disc jockeys,
books, or, increasingly, a Stockholm-based
AI chatbot that algorithmically suggests playlists
based upon our Spotify listening habits.
Next, we in turn pass on said formed tastes
to others, reinforcing our personal musical
canon with our listening, artistic preferences
and the concerts we choose to attend.
The point of this review, however, is not to
go down a Theodor Adorno-inspired Marxist
rabbit hole about the illusion of choice, but
rather to say that musical canons, like taste,
are both fluid and malleable. And a good
thing too. In the last number of years, there
has been a concerted effort by symphonies,
artistic societies and record labels to feature
greater diversity and inclusion in their offerings,
broadening the range of the artists
whom they have chosen to platform.
Michael Lee, a DMA scholar, current faculty
member at his alma mater the University of
Toronto, and a tremendous pianist, has taken
on this responsibility of canon expansion
with seriousness, aplomb and care. And,
supported by an arts grant from ArtsNL (The
Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council),
Lee has made a beautiful recording capturing
a number of major piano works from BIPOC
composers. American Spiritual seamlessly
bridges European Art Music with important
American Spiritual compositions of Florence
Price, Margaret Bonds and the Niagara Fallsborn
Canadian/American composer Robert
Nathaniel Dett. The 2023 recording is top
shelf, and the canonic expansion to include
these important compositional voices
most welcome.
Andrew Scott
Luna
Anna Lapwood (organ)
Sony Classical 19658831402 (sonyclassical.
com/releases/releases-details/luna)
! The pipe organ
is considered by
many to be a fossil:
an academic, inflexible
instrument
that exists in large,
inaccessible places
and plays long,
complex music –
or a hymn-churning jukebox – depending on
who you ask. “My grandmother played the
organ at [insert small local church here]” is a
line that organists hear dozens of times a year,
and it is this relatively limited window of
exposure that makes the organ a public relations
challenge.
Enter Anna Lapwood. With over one
million followers on social media, Lapwood
is introducing a new international audience
to the pipe organ through behind-thescenes
videos, genre-bending collaborations
and open access to some of the world’s finest
instruments. According to the album’s press
release, “The power of social media gives the
ability to demystify the outdated baggage the
organ once carried along with it, throwing
open the doors to new music, new possibilities,
and new audiences.”
Luna, Lapwood’s recently released
recording, features 15 tracks including transcriptions
of film and piano scores, as well
as new music. There is a great range of
material here, from the Interstellar and Pride
and Prejudice soundtracks to Philip Glass,
Chopin and Debussy, as well as two selections
performed by Lapwood’s choir at the Chapel
of Pembroke College, Cambridge.
Much like Lapwood’s social media presence,
this recording is an ideal vehicle
for acquainting new audiences with the
organ. The music is light and easy to listen
to, expertly prepared and performed, and
recorded in a way that captures the rich
acoustic palate of the instrument. For experienced
organophiles desiring the depth and
density of Bach and Widor, it is best to look
elsewhere; for those seeking an accessible and
enjoyable introduction to the organ, however,
there is a wealth of material here that will be
utterly delightful.
Matthew Whitfield
MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
Messiaen – Turangalîla Symphony
Marc-André Hamelin; Nathalie Forget;
Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Gustavo
Gimeno
Harmonia Mundi HMM 905366
(harmoniamundi.com/en/albums/
messiaen-turangalila-symphonie/)
! As I was
preparing this
review, I learned
that the long-ailing
Seiji Ozawa had
died in Tokyo on
February 6th at the
age of 88. It seems
a fitting memorial
then in any discussion
of this centennial celebration recording
from the Toronto Symphony to also honour
the legacy of the musician whom Olivier
Messiaen (1908–1992) described as “the
greatest conductor I have known.”
Messiaen’s monumental ten-movement
hymn to love was commissioned for the
Boston Symphony, by Serge Koussevitzky.
Leonard Bernstein, filling in for an indisposed
Koussevitzky, premiered the work in 1949,
though he never recorded it himself. Among
Bernstein’s many conducting assistants
during his legendary tenure at the New York
Philharmonic a young Japanese conductor
by the name of Seiji Ozawa stood out. In 1965
Bernstein called TSO managing director
Walter Homburger to recommend Ozawa as
an ideal candidate to replace the departing
Walter Susskind. Homburger eagerly signed
him up and Ozawa soon rose to international
prominence, culminating in his directorship
of the Boston Symphony for an unprecedented
three decades. He later confided in
a 1996 interview with the Globe and Mail
that “Every repertoire I ever conducted in
Toronto, I did for the first time in my life –
Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mahler, everything.”
Canada’s Centennial Commission saw
fit to subsidize the landmark recording
of Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony in
1967. It was a wise investment indeed. The
acclaim this recording received promptly
landed Ozawa, the Toronto Symphony and
the composition itself firmly on the map of
great performances. Subsequently the thoroughly
hyped Ozawa eagerly suggested to
Homberger that the TSO should stage a
festival of Messiaen’s music. Alas, his proposal
was summarily dismissed. For some reason
Messiaen is a tough sell in Toronto; perhaps
there is too much of a muchness about it all
for some. I myself witnessed how the TSO
audience trickled away in a 2008 performance
(in the series “Messiaen at 100” – yet
68 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

another centennial!) of this sprawling work
under Peter Oundjian’s direction. Let us
return to our recordings however.
In comparison to Gimeno’s bold and
impulsive interpretation, Ozawa’s tempi for
all ten movements are consistently fractionally
slower than their modern counterpart by
an average of 30 seconds. The analog sound
of the era and the rich acoustic of the Massey
Hall venue lend a welcome warmth to the
sound – the bass register projects wonderfully.
Our modern Roy Thomson Hall is comparatively
weak at those frequencies but provides
greater clarity for the often dense orchestral
textures. This is especially notable in
Gimeno’s superbly performed fifth movement
whose complicated rhythms are dispatched
at a blistering pace that would have been a
severe technical challenge for the musicians
of the 1960s. Kudos as well to the precision of
the expanded percussion section, a sterling
example of what a hotbed of the percussive
arts Toronto has become.
It is also important to note that the
performance is that of the revised orchestration
of the work that Messiaen issued in 1990.
The 2023 recording is mostly sourced from
live performances and a patching session
without, as far as I can tell, any digital jiggerypokery
from the Harmonia Mundi engineers.
The Ozawa performance (originally released
on vinyl in 1968) was recorded under the
supervision of Messiaen himself with Yvonne
Loriod as piano soloist and her sister Jeanne
Loriod playing the ondes Martenot. It was
remastered for a Japanese CD release in 2004
on the RCA Red Seal label and is also available
on a 2016 compilation disc from Sony
(88875192952). Both TSO recordings are
essential components in the discography of
this seminal masterpiece of the 20th century.
Daniel Foley
Recurrence
ICOT Chamber Orchestra
Leaf Music LM256 (leaf-music.ca)
! The ICOT
Chamber Orchestra
was founded by
five Torontobased
composers
and musicians of
Iranian descent who
set out to produce
concerts that
musically bridge
Canadian and Iranian culture. Over the last
13 years it has produced operas, ballets and
works for orchestra, chamber ensemble and
voice. ICOT’s newest release Recurrence
explores the many nuances of the notion of
musical repetition through new compositions
by Canadian composers Jordan Nobles, Nicole
Lizée, Keyan Emami, Maziar Heidari and
Saman Shahi. For this project ICOT consisted
of strings (New Orford String Quartet), flute,
clarinet, bass clarinet, upright and electric
bass, piano and two percussionists.
A notion such as repetition is an intriguing
theme for a series of compositions – one
which each of the composers decided to make
their own via real-world lenses. Ecology,
geological processes, social (in)justice, mathematics
and fashion design were all themes
harnessed.
Two approaches caught my attention. Lizée
cites visionary fashion designer Alexander
McQueen as a direct inspiration for her
Blissphemy. It reflects his work’s embrace
of beauty in unexpected places and reach
for artistic risks – much like the composer
herself. Emami’s Kian in Rainbows is a
moving musical memorial to those who died
in 2022 in Iran, shot by government security
forces during the crackdown on the Mahsa
Amini protests. The nine-year old Kian
Pirfalak was one of the victims, his memory
evoking the innocence and fleeting beauty of
childhood. Another sad inspiration for Kian
in Rainbows: the sudden death last year of
Canadian composer Jocelyn Morlock at 53.
Andrew Timar
Primavera IV the heart
Matt Haimowitz
PentaTone Oxingale Series
(theprimaveraproject.com)
! I was excited to
find that the new
Matt Haimovitz
album The
Primavera Project
is based on a collaboration
between
two great works of
art and 81 contemporary
composers. The dynamic and athletic
cellist’s latest release is number four in a
cycle of six CDs; with his vast experience in
contemporary and classical music, the cellist
makes this major undertaking look easy.
The two visual works in the spotlight are
Botticelli’s Renaissance Primavera (c.1480)
and contemporary artist Charline von Heyl’s
triptych Primavera (2020). You could just
dive into the CD with no reference at all, but I
would recommend starting with the website
accompaniment which displays the von Heyl
painting and the accompanying map of the
corresponding musical chapters: The Wind,
The Rabbits, The Vessel and now the fourth in
the collection, The Heart. Seeds of inspiration
are sprinkled on von Heyl’s painting as live
hyperlinks, which then open to each playlist.
A stark contrast to the Botticelli version,
Von Heyl notes “Kitsch is not ironic the way
I use it. Kitsch, for me, means a raw emotion
that is accessible to everybody, not just somebody
who knows about art. That’s where
kitsch comes from to begin with: it was basically
art for the people.” (evenmagazine.com/
charline-von-heyl)
Haimovitz tears into every nuance of colour
from the compositions, and our journey takes
on many of this decade’s greatest composers
and musical storytellers. Each track
references a particular motif notated in either
painting. Justine Chen’s playful Iridescent
Gest and Nina C. Young’s pentimento for solo
cello and electronics are standouts, as are
Tyshawn Sorey’s edgy and cinematic Three
Graces and Canadian Vincent Ho’s jazzinspired
Blindfolded Cupid (which Haimovitz
pulls off as if he wrote it). The album closes
with Gordon Getty’s richly melodic miniature-sonata
Winter Song.
Explore the website dedicated to the
project. The creative and beautiful videos
include visuals of von Heyl’s work on
YouTube; they bring the artwork to life,
anchoring the disc within the scope of the
project. Haimovitz plays with an energetic
and powerful core, and a dedication to each
composition that only his stunning skills
could match.
Cheryl Ockrant
Jean Derome – La chaleur de la pensee
Various Artists (including Ensemble
SuperMusique)
ambiences magnetiques AM 276 CD
(actuellecd.com/en/accueil)
! I looked at some
images from the
great early surrealist
artist Francisco
Goya while listening
to the new release
of quasi-improvisatory
pieces by Jean
Derome. Somehow
the one activity made the other more terrifying.
It’s hard to express praise or admiration
for this composer’s output, but the effectiveness
of his creativity is undeniable. This is
high-concept and/or/but high-quality artistic
material.
Derome provides a visual reference to Onze
Super (petit) Totems: pictures of his own
somewhat crude sculptures; protections,
per the liner notes, against various evils.
A through-composed sectional work, the
totems are distinct sonic explorations, with
one or two segues. The first one is full of mad
birdsong alternating between chaotic twittering
chirps and sustained chords of close
treble voices, punctuated by deep huffing
yells that spur the switching between those
textures.
The Tombeau de Marin Mersenne provides
relief of a kind. Three movements (Tombeau,
Rigaudon, Galope), materially determined by
the arcane formulae of a16th century mathematician.
At first blush they just seem a bit
mechanical and dispassionate. Perhaps that’s
the point. I’m not sure how flattered I’d be by
this Tombeau if I were the ghost of Mersenne,
but Derome has a fascination with the crossover
of music and math. The inaptly titled
Galope hobbles from slightly up-tempo to
the near opposite, like a click track disturbed
by the percussive interjections to continuous
running hemi- or semi-quavers in the piano.
The title track features improvisatory
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 69

esponses to a middle C doinked or plunked
out at varying intervals, a sort of torture for
any mind given to expectation. Allowing
one’s thoughts to warm up around the steady
pitch is a more receptive attitude. And stay
away from Spanish painters.
Max Christie
Jürg Frey – String Quartet No.4
Quatuor Bozzini
Quatuor Bozzini CQB 2432 (quatuorbozzini.
ca/en)
! About his
String Quartet
No.4 (2021), Swiss
composer Jürg Frey
(b.1953) laconically
observed,
“My music is slow,
sometimes static,
often delicately
shifting between standstill and movement.
And yet, after more than an hour, this music
has arrived at another place.” Music critic
Alex Ross aptly compared Frey’s music to a
“Mahler Adagio suspended in zero gravity.”
One of Canada’s leading string quartets,
Bozzini specializes in contemporary
music with an impressive 36 releases to date.
Fostering a long and deep working relationship
with Frey, their premiere recording of
his sprawling five-movement Quartet No.4
is a remarkably poised musical testament to
their collaboration. Beginning with whisps
of sound the Bozzini morphs into a virtual,
though still totally acoustic, orchestra. From
pianissimo sustained string chords ghostly
instrumental resemblances emerge; they
sound like a French horn, harmonica, woodwinds,
bandoneon and a soft pipe organ
in succession. In Frey’s expansive soundscapes,
timbral colour takes centre stage in
the sonic field.
“… little happens – it is this atmosphere
from which my music emerges and to which
it always returns,” explains the composer.
Listeners can choose to lay back and relax
in Frey’s sound world observing the timbral
transformations, the attractive chord and
shifting mood changes. But then – just as we
were enjoying the slowly scuttling clouds on a
sunny Swiss summer day – those mysterious
insistent pulsed cello pizzicati at the very
end emerge to remind us of … what? … the
passage of time?
Andrew Timar
Problematica
India Gailey
People Places Records
(peopleplacesrecords.bandcamp.com/
album/problematica)
! As a huge fan of
cellist India Gailey’s
first album, I was
lucky to be in town
for the launch of
her latest release
Problematica (“…
used for organisms
whose classification
can’t be decided”) at the Canadian Music
Centre. I was pleasantly surprised to see that
even the most heavily multi-tracked or added
effects were performed solo with laptop at
hand. The final product is just as polished live
as it is on the album.
A more personal work than her previous
album, Gailey gathers her closest collaborators
to surround herself with a musical
and spiritual base which she uses to launch
herself into a plural universe. Beginning
with Sarah Rossy’s I Long, gorgeous ethereal,
long tones expand into harmonies and voice,
growing and evolving into a beautiful vocal
space-out before returning to Earth, deeply
grounded in self.
Nicole Lizée’s Grotesquerie employs foot
stomps, loops, vocals and breath to become,
as described, “a four-minute opera” of an
amusing story best read in the notes. (There
is also a video on Gailey’s website.) The subtle
opening of Julia Mermelstein’s Bending,
breaking through layers strand upon strand
of delayed and effected cello, sneaking out
quietly to leave a wonderous after-vision.
Joseph Glaser’s Joinery uses an interesting
combination of soundwalks and nature, to
culminate into a question posed to a cello
made from a tree: “did it hurt?” Andrew
Noseworthy’s supremely delicate Goml_v7….
Final.wav is a testament to the collaborative
partnerships Gailey continues to build. Fjóla
Evans’ Universal Veil is exquisitely played,
beautifully layered acoustic cello. The album
closes with Thanya Iyer’s — Where I can be as
big as the Sun, another opportunity for Gailey
to circle back to her personal grounding.
The whole album is coloured in textures,
harmonies and vocals that continues Gailey’s
path to be open and genuine.
Cheryl Ockrant
Wanderings
Andree-Ann Deschenes
Independent (aadpiano.com)
! The peripatetic
pianist Andree-Ann
Deschenes,
possessed of a most
wonderfully restless
creative instinct,
has put her prodigious
musicianship
on the line once again. She could be forgiven,
of course, for plunging herself – body and
soul – into the that tumbling ocean of
Brazilian rhythm. The album that results is
titled Wanderings although, truth be told,
this is anything but an aimless journey into
the musical heartland of a country brim-full
and flowing over with the most extraordinary
rhythm-driven musical culture.
Displaying the mind of a wizened musical
apothecary Deschenes knows exactly where
to go for the ingredients that make from
this music a potion so potently magical that
listeners are – in one elegantly executed
rippling rhythmic phrase of her left hand –
permanently seduced to enter her world of
“brazilliance.” This she fashions out of hands
that are delicate enough to lend themselves
to the wondrous colourscape of Brazilian
melody and harmony – powerful enough
to handle the sinewy rhythm of the forró
and the maracatu, even the mysticism of
capoeira.
The pianist reveals an intimacy with the
poetics of Brazilian music that often eludes
even the most well-meaning musicians.
Moreover, she assiduously avoids the wellworn
route to Brazil, taking, instead, the
road less travelled. Music such as Andanças
(Cassio Vianna), Chardi Kala (Jasnam Daya
Singh), Two Moons (Bianca Gismonti), Nalad
Ochun (Jovino Santos Neto) – and especially
– Tanguinho (André Mehmari) suggest that
Deschenes bears the mark of a maverick.
Raul da Gama
American Counterpoints
Curtis Stewart; Experiential Orchestra;
James Blachly
Bright Shiny Things BSTC-0200
(brightshiny.ninja)
! I’m writing this
quickly so I can get
back to hearing the
music of Julia Perry
(1924-1979) and
Coleridge-Taylor
Perkinson (1932-
2004), the two
absurdly neglected
Black American composers featured on
American Counterpoint. Included is a brief
finale from Curtis Stewart, the violin soloist
for several tracks, with orchestra leader James
Blachly co-curator of the album.
Both composers were recognized and
successful to a degree in their lifetimes. So
why does one hear about Barber and Ives and
Copland and Bernstein but not Perry and
Perkinson? Guess.
It sure isn’t because they weren’t excellent
at their craft. Just compare the first
cut, Perkinson’s Louisiana Blues Strut: A
Cakewalk with his Sinfonietta No.1 two
tracks later. It would be impressive to have
either piece in one’s catalogue, but having
the range shown by owning both puts one
in the company of the greats. With his skills
70 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

in conducting and performing, the obvious
comparison is with Leonard Bernstein.
Two maestros, one celebrated, the other
overlooked. The neo-classical Sinfonietta
opens with a Sonata Allegro movement
in which Perkinson deploys counterpoint
that might put Copland’s to shame (but
evokes Hindemith); the third movement,
Rondo-Allegrf furioso, doubles down on
rhythmic energy; in between he summons
Romanticism à la Samuel Barber in Song
Form: Largo.
Then there’s Perry, who composed in a
thoroughly modernist and individual style,
had studied with Luigi Dallapiccola and Nadia
Boulanger, but went largely unregarded by
mid-century audiences. How audacious,
to write a serious string orchestra work,
Symphony in One Movement for Violas
and Basses, sans violin and cello voices.
Astonishing dark colour, beautiful and sad
or angry utterances. All respect to Perkinson,
who achieved material success as a commercial
composer, but Perry’s light is brighter,
or deeper.
Fine playing by Stewart and the
Experiential Orchestra. Great disc.
Max Christie
Samuel Jones – Three Concertos
Joseph Alessi; Jeffrey Khaner; Michael
Ludwig; Boston Modern Orchestra Project;
Gil Rose
BMOP Sound 1095 (bmop.org/audiorecordings)
! “My music
always has a lyrical
basis,” writes
American Samuel
Jones (b.1935).
That’s evident as
three superb soloists
join with the Boston
Modern Orchestra
Project conducted by Gil Rose.
Montreal-born Jeffrey Khaner, principal
flute of the Philadelphia Orchestra, ranges
from haunting plaintiveness to breathless
exuberance in Flute Concerto (2018).
Lament memorializes two brothers – Jones’
and Khaner’s. Interludio is a cheerful scherzo.
Dream Montage – The Great Bell: America
Marching incorporates familiar patriotic
tunes, Jones’ hymn The Great Bell Rings for
All and a jubilantly ascending, final flourish
from the flute.
New York Philharmonic principal trombone
Joseph Alessi brings mellow tone and technical
wizardry to Jones’ Trombone Concerto,
subtitled Vita Accademica (2009). The trombone
represents a university student and Jones
has composed what he calls “a universalized
‘Alma Mater’ and a stylized ‘Fight Song’.”
Andante vigoroso is warmly sentimental;
Romanza: Andante amabile is a tender love
song. Chimes launch Allegro moderato, the
student’s triumphal graduation.
Violin Concerto (2014) begins darkly.
Andante con moto features ominous, softly
throbbing timpani, grumbling winds and
menacing orchestra tuttis, the violin alternating
between a sombre, upward, yearning
melody and agitated downward figurations,
all ending in tentative serenity. In Larghetto
con moto: Largo cantabile the violin sings a
long-lined, sweetly nostalgic melody over a
gentle chordal cushion. Allegro inquieto ed
appassionato mixes rapid violin passagework
with yet more extended lyricism.
Michael Ludwig, former Buffalo Philharmonic
concertmaster, brilliantly masters the
expressive and virtuosic extremes of this
splendid concerto.
Michael Schulman
Russell Hartenberger – Arlington
Ryan Scott; Russell Hartenberger; Various
percussionists
Nexus Records 11053 (russellhartenberger.
bandcamp.com/album/arlington)
! Despite
Ionisation (1931),
that great work
for percussion by
Edgard Varèse, and
many other fine
works by the great
Michael Colgrass,
David Saperstein,
Henry Cowell and Charles Wuorinen (to
name but a few), literature written specifically
for percussion remains relatively rare.
One reason could be that outside of contemporary
blues and rock ensembles with
prominently featured drum sets, in classical
music, string instruments are often
called upon to play pizzicato and col legno
battuto to simulate percussion.
But the paucity of literature is not
the reason why we must praise Russell
Hartenberger’s disc Arlington; for it is a disc
where melody, harmony and certainly rhythm
are all celebrated in abundance. Hartenberger
is a composer and a virtuoso percussionist
as well. A founding member of Nexus, he
is also what you may call a musical anthropologist
who has mined the art and sculppure
of percussion of drummers from West
Africa and Europe and Indigenous drummers
from the Near and Far East to North and
South America.
However, it is not simply uncommon scholarship
that informs the two large works
for percussion on this disc. Hartenberger’s
works seem not simply designed to show off
the instruments that play them but also to
illuminate the music itself: Arlington rises
above being a funerary tattoo to celebrate
the spectral spirits dancing in the rarefied air
above every tombstone. The symphonic Red
River is a large-scale musical metaphor that
gushes with exuberance celebrating earthly
life in all its protean variety.
Raul da Gama
Heino Eller – Works for Violin and Piano
Andres Kaljuste; Sophia Rahman
First Hand Records FHR149
(firsthandrecords.com)
! Estonian
composer/teacher
Heino Eller (1887-
1970) is considered
the founding father
of Estonian professional
instrumental
music. He
primarily composed
small form instrumental works but did
compose some larger canvasses including
three symphonies. This release is the first to
feature only Eller’s violin works, including
ten premiere recordings. Violinist/violist/
teacher Andres Kaljuste has a diverse career
in Europe and champions music by fellow
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, with whom
he and his duo pianist Sophia Rahman have
a long working association. Heino Eller was
Pärt’s composition teacher!
Three divisions of musical style may be
made. Eller’s early works written 1907-
1920 are simpler. Canzonetta (1912) is a fun,
easy to listen to, slightly upbeat duet with
unexpected extremely high violin pitches.
Emotional Moment musical (Muusikaline
moment) (1912) is rubato in feel with late
Romantic tonalities.
Eller tried to combine modern sounds
with his personal aesthetics in mid-career
works1920-1940. Fantasy for Solo Violin
(1931) is the first Estonian work for violin
alone. Kaljuste shines creating a symphonic
sound blending contrasting lines from lower
dark to higher rhythmic ones with exciting
fast descending lines. Pines (Männid) (1929)
is an Estonian chamber repertoire favourite.
Eller combines folk intonation and inflections
in lyrical music about Estonian nature.
Late career works (1940-1970) include
Cross-stick Dance (Ristpulkade tants) (1953)
with Estonian folk-like rhythmic melodies in
conversations and accented notes breaking up
the phrases.
My Estonian parents introduced me to
Eller’s Pines. Here I have heard more of his
music as Kaljuste and Rahman perform with
an amazing understanding of Eller’s artistry.
Tiina Kiik
they/beast
Pat Posey
Avie AV2638 (avie-records.com)
! The Belgian
inventor and musician
Adolphe Sax
is responsible for
the saxophone
being one of the
few instruments to
have a clear patent
date (June 28,1846).
He built different sizes of saxophones but the
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 71

most familiar are the soprano, alto, tenor and
baritone models. The bass saxophone is much
rarer and, although the contrabass exists, its
size and structure made it almost unplayable.
The Tubax is a new version of the contrabass
created by the German instrument maker
Benedikt Eppelsheim in 1999 and is smaller
with a much better fingering mechanism.
Pat Posey’s solo album they/beast displays
the Tubax›s incredible sound with a wide
variety of materials, from Bach cello suites
to Philip Glass› Melodies for Saxophone.
If listening to Paul Desmond’s alto sax is
like sipping a fine white wine, Posey’s
Tubax is like drinking a delicious porter.
Its lows are glorious and Posey dexterously
wrestles ithrough some very complex
material. they/beast is a unique and sonically
adventurous treat.
Ted Parkinson
Ispilu – Works for Quarter-Tone Accordion
Lore Amenabar Larrañaga
Metier mex 77108 (divineartrecords.com)
! Talented
accordionist
Lore Amenabar
Larrañaga
researched and selfdesigned
her microtonal
quarter-tone
accordion. The
sounds are produced in both left and right
hand manuals, with the range and timbres
expanded by 15 right hand and 7 left hand
registers. Custom built by Bugari Armando,
this is her first recording playing it. She
commissioned eight composers to write
collaborative solo compositions to explore
her organ’s capabilities between 2020 and
2022, during her PhD studies at the Royal
Academy of Music.
Fleeting Puddles by Claudia Molitor is an
accessible minimalist work. The sounds
below water are created with fast repeated
notes like ripples or waves while slower
chords, subtle atonal held notes with added
melodies and intriguing low-pitched notes
create water stillness. My Time Is Your
Time by Donald Bousted has fast, ringing
high notes, detached lower chords, meditative
held-notes, descending lines and held
clusters separated by welcome reflective
silences. Lore’s held-notes bellow control at
different volumes is amazing. Feast by Mioko
Yokoyama features percussive accordion
hits mixed with pitched and quarter tone
accented chords, glisses and lower notes.
Der Stimme der Stadt composer Christopher
Fox writes his work grew out of a series of
bell resonances exemplified by extended
rippling atonal/quarter-tone chords, repeated
intervals, then slower calming held-chords
with slight tonal changes and melody.
Compositions by David Gorton, Electra
Perivolaris, Michael Finnissy and Veli Kujala
are also performed.
Lore’s musical virtuosic performances
make this a must-listen release for all.
Tiina Kiik
JAZZ AND IMPROVISED
Night Flight
Barry Elmes Quintet
Cornerstone Records CRST CD 168
(cornerstonerecordsinc.com)
! Renowned musician
and composer
Barry Elmes has
again gathered up
the best of the best
in the Canadian
jazz industry and
released a captivating
new record.
The quintet he started in 1991 has seen a
couple of changes recently with Chris Gale
on sax and Pat Collins on bass added to the
existing lineup of Brian O’Kane on trumpet
and Lorne Lofsky on guitar. The album is
a compilation of standards by greats such
as Charles Mingus and Keith Jarrett, which
Elmes and crew have revived in an enticing
manner. Also featured in the tracklist is a
new composition by the drummer himself,
which starts off the record with a mellow and
catchy groove.
The bandleader has this to say about this
latest release, “Each of these songs left a deep
impression on me and this album serves
as both a tribute to the composers and an
opportunity to present new arrangements of
their music.” Elmes’ appreciation and respect
for these tunes and their composers is evident
throughout the album, especially in the way
that each piece has a unique, new take on it
without changing the feel and charm found
in the original songs. An example of that is
Mingus’ Opus 3, which takes on a more laidback
feel in Elmes’ arrangement, but the drive
and rhythmic prowess of the original is not
lost in this relaxed version. A great album as a
whole, perfect for any jazz-lover!
Kati Kiilaspea
Ballads
Brian Dickinson
Modica Music (modicamusic.bandcamp.
com/album/ballads)
! Although I
have not had the
good fortune to
perform with the
great pianist Brian
Dickinson often, I
do remember one
opportunity in
Vancouver that was
both memorable and instructive. Between
tunes, the band fielded questions from an
audience that was comprised largely of music
students. After one particularly inspired
cascading passage of improvised up-tempo
16th notes by Dickinson, a student asked
the Canadian pianist how he approached
these sorts of speedy extemporizations. His
answer, which was both practical and hilariously
banal, was that one should take all the
musical language that one knows how to
do using eighth notes and simply play them
twice as fast. I have learned a lot from Brian
over the years, both as a colleague at work,
but also by listening to him play live, and I
found this advice to be eminently prudent.
I was reminded of this exchange while
enjoying Dickinson’s terrific new recording
Ballads, which features nine gorgeous solo
piano pieces recorded on a beautiful Yamaha
C7 during the COVID lockdown of 2020.
I wondered if Dickinson would describe
playing solo piano as like playing with
a rhythm section, but only without one.
Although I have not asked Brian about this,
I imagine that the answer would be “no.”
As is evident on this recommended 2023
release, Dickinson is fulfilling many roles as
a solo pianist, coaxing forward the expansive
and expressive range of the instrument
as only an artist of his level of accomplishment
is capable. The entire listening experience
is pleasurable. Dickinson plays with
the dependable greatness that jazz fans have
come to expect from him, and the fact that
this recording is a touching dedication to the
late great jazz vocalist and educator Shannon
Gunn makes it all the more special.
Andrew Scott
Moment to Moment
Bernie Senensky
Eric Alexander; Kieran Overs; Joe
Farnsworth
Cellar Music CM080923 (cellarlive.com)
! The pandemic
knocked the
performing arts into
a near-total hiatus,
and many speculated
on whether
we’d see a postpandemic
renaissance,
or a tepid
return to “normal.” Jazz’s return has been
one marred with ups and downs, but it does
feel like it’s brought the global community
together in the highs and lows of the new
normal. Veteran pianist Bernie Senensky’s
Moment to Moment was recorded prepandemic
at the CBC back in 2001 with two
live tracks from 2020 added, and released
in 2023. Today it sounds as current as ever,
while maintaining a connection to the
“before times.”
Andrew Scott’s liner notes are also quick to
point out Moment to Moment’s modern yet
classic duality, for which Senensky selected
the perfect personnel. American cohorts
Eric Alexander and Joe Farnsworth are both
sought-after leaders and sidemen in the
New York area, where the group’s Canadian
contingents have all paid their respective
72 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

dues at one point or another too. Alexander
and Senensky are featured on each of the
album’s eight tracks, with Morgan Childs and
Farnsworth alternating the drum chair, and
Kieran Overs and Dave Young trading bass
duties. Overs’ and Childs’ contributions to
the quartet are from a live hit in Waterloo,
Ontario and sound right at home amongst the
six studio tracks.
During my initial listening, I noted that
Moment to Moment features more than one
blues and a few tracks at similar tempos.
With a less creative and engaging band, this
could feel repetitive, but not in the hands of
these masters!
Sam Dickinson
Night and Day – The Cole Porter Songbook
Adi Braun
Alma Records ACD91532 (almarecords.
com)
! Backed by Don
Breithaupt’s gargantuan
arrangements,
Adi Braun’s
endlessly expressive
voice embodies the
world of every lyric,
her choice of Cole
Porter repertoire
helps to weave a compelling thematic narrative
and her gracefully imaginative phrasing
refracts off the pristine orchestration to create
a warm, celestial glow. Breithaupt’s orchestra
in all of its exuberance and luster, seems to
exist for Braun’s effortlessly unhurried time
feel to envelope it; these two forces’ moments
of impalpable coalescence feeling like proximity
to a subdued fireplace, where nearness
is best paired with the faintest layer of
distance.
In terms of the success of this symbiotic
razor’s-edge dance, it would be tempting
to say that credit goes to Breithaupt for not
crowding Braun’s frequencies (and credit is
certainly due as Breithaupt cultivates sweet,
colourful, lush orchards of sound), but it is
Braun who is largely playing both the mindful
accompanist and driver of mood. Just One of
those Things kicks off with an adrenaline shot
of an upright bass intro courtesy of Pat Collins
and the sheer steadfast vigour of his tone,
with the strings resonating at a frequency
that could slice right through the fingerboard.
Braun finds herself occupying the space in the
decay within each note Collins hammers out,
nearing a whisper while staying just detached
enough to allow the bass line to act as a buoy
for our monologue of ephemeral affiliations.
Then the extravaganza returns and Braun
finds a renewed purpose for those gaps.
Yoshi Maclear Wall
Tide Rises
Lauren Bush
Mighty Quinn Records MQR1166
(mightyquinnrecordsmusic.bandcamp.
com/album/tide-rises)
! Canadian born,
UK-based singer
Lauren Bush has
released an eclectic
album of both
original songs and
original-sounding
covers. Although
there are forays
into other genres, the group mainly focuses
on jazz with a mix of standards and modern
takes. We’re put on notice about the serious
skills at play with the opening track as Bush
tackles the Clifford Brown vocal-cord twister
Joy Spring with ease.
As a sucker for a Fender Rhodes, I was
taken by the more soulful/groovy numbers
like the title track, which is a Longfellow
poem given an urban ballad treatment. It
has the bonus of showing Bush’s voice in a
different light, as her straight tone can sound
a bit strident in the upper register and on
some of the up-tempo tunes. However, here
and on some of the other laid-back tracks,
her tone is softened and more relaxed.
Throughout, Bush’s ability to put across a
lyric is consistent and is one of her strong
suits along with her improvising ability.
The players – in particular keyboardist
Liam Dunachie, who also doubles as arranger
– are comfortable on acoustic and electric
instruments as the style of song demands
and Madrugada is a lovely lesser known
bossa nova which highlights their versatility.
It seems no Canadian singer’s album is
complete without a Joni Mitchell tune; Bush
and crew don’t disappoint with their beautifully
reharmonized cover of The Circle Game.
Cathy Riches
You’re Alike, You Two
Caity Gyorgy; Mark Limacher
Independent (caitygyorgy.bandcamp.com/
album/youre-alike-you-two)
! Two-time Juno
Award-winner in
the Best Vocal Jazz
Album category,
Caity Gyorgy is back
again with a fresh,
snazzy album. The
scintillating songstress
has put her
own twist on a few
classic tunes by renowned composer Jerome
Kern as well as thrown one of her own new
songs into the mix, so this album does double
duty – freshening up traditional pieces
in addition to showcasing her skills as a
composer. Throughout the album and taking
into account her past releases, a unique
streak runs through them, one that only a
few talented musicians can truly master: the
ability to breathe new life into traditional
pieces and bring them into the modern day.
Charm, wit and a certain je ne sais quoi from
a bygone era are brought into the present
through Gyorgy’s composition and her takes
on famed tunes.
The multi-talent’s soaring yet mellow
vocals are complemented and showcased
perfectly by pianist Mark Limacher’s
melodies and riffs. There’s something
wonderfully satisfying about a record that
is focused around the interplay between a
voice and the piano; it’s simple, yet the way
the two work together and collaborate brings
in an intriguing level of complexity that one
must really listen to in order to fully comprehend.
Gyorgy’s own tune The Bartender is a
standout and a snappy little musical response
to some of her critics. Yet another fabulous
release, this is a worthy addition to the jazz
aficionado’s collection.
Kati Kiilaspea
Concert Note: Caity Gyorgy and her quartet
perform on April 18 Aeolian Hall, London;
April 19 Koerner Hall, Toronto; April 20 Jazz
Room, Kitchener
Spring Comes Early
John Herberman
Ceola Records CR0003 (johnherberman.
com)
! Composer
and pianist, John
Herberman is not
primarily known as
a jazz musician, but
has enjoyed a long,
successful career as
a screen composer/
producer. He has
received many international accolades for his
45 successful albums as well as record sales in
the millions. Like his debut jazz recording of
2021, his new project also focuses on the jazz
of the 50s and 60s, as exemplified by pianists
such as the late Bill Evans and Ahmad
Jamal. All of the well-constructed tunes here
were written by Herberman, who performs
on acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, and he
has surrounded himself here with a superb
ensemble of noted jazz musicians.
The program begins with the lovely
Courtenay Circle, which memorializes
a street and time in Rochester where
Herberman jammed with wonderful friends
who have sadly both passed. This sweet track
features both Mark Eisenman and Herberman
on piano, and a stunner of a solo from bassist
Paul Novotny. Next up is the thoroughly
gorgeous Central Park West, which was
inspired by a New York City Busker, wailing
on his sax into the sticky, NYC summer night.
Herberman brilliantly captures the mood
on Rhodes here, with eminent alto saxophonist
Verne Dorge, hauntingly soloing in
the spotlight.
Another sumptuous track is Modalities
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 73

– this delicious composition includes the
evocative muted trumpet of John MacLeod,
with a visceral harkening back to 1950sera
Miles Davis. Vibraphonist Mark Duggan
adds his own luminous work to this stunner.
Another highlight is the title track, which is
a diaphanous homage to the iconic Evans,
with Duggan and MacLeod (on flugelhorn)
moving contiguously through the piece,
propelled by Herberman on Rhodes. The
exquisite Kevin Turcotte is featured on flugelhorn
in the closer, Ballad for M.T., which also
features Herberman on mesmerizing, sylphlike
acoustic piano and Novotny on sinuous,
emotive bass.
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
Home Cookin’
Cory Weeds with little big band
accompaniment
Cellar Music CMR120522 (cellarlive.com)
! The latest
offing from master
tenorist/producer/
record label director
Cory Weeds is
unequivocally
loaded with delight.
For this new expression
of joy, Weeds
has formed an ensemble comprised of many
of the top, Vancouver-based jazz players. The
material here is powerful, featuring compositions
by Horace Silver, Weeds, Michael Weiss
and Thad Jones, as well as a superb re-tooling
of Oliver Nelson’s original arrangement of
the classic Lullaby of the Leaves. Bill Coon
and Jill Thompson are the brilliant arrangers/producers
of the majority of the material
here, with a pumpitudinous arrangement of
Weiss’ Power Station by Weiss himself.
The opening salvo and title track, Home
Cookin’ (a Silver composition) gets going with
a bass intro, followed by synchronous brass
and rhythm section work. The track bobs and
swings in all of the right places, replete with a
fine solo from Weeds. Next up is Corner Kisses
– a Weeds original – it’s loaded with energetic
bop and penned as a celebration of his
beautiful, amazing wife. Weeds and his horn
take off into the stratosphere here, along with
pianist Chris Gestrin, trumpeter Brad Turner
and drummer Jesse Cahill. Blossoms in May,
is another Weeds original, and on this track,
the art of the ballad is not only explored, but
manifested. Weeds’ warm, languid tone is a
balm for whatever ails you, and the ensemble
plays together as a one-celled organism.
Standouts include Jones’ Thedia – John
Lee’s bass solo is brief but potent and the
band just kills it at every opportunity – and
the above mentioned Lullaby of the Leaves,
adapted and transcribed by Fred Stride.
Pianist Gestrin digs in, really getting into
the chordal meat. Weeds is nothing short of
exceptional here, and remains a guiding light
in jazz. Bravo!
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
Gratitude
Kevin Goss; Brian O’Kane; Dave Restivo;
Nathan Hiltz; Jim Vivian; Ted Warren
Independent (kevingoss.bandcamp.com/
album/gratitude)
! Gifted composer
and baritone saxophonist
Kevin
Goss has recently
released a compelling
recording of his
original compositions
(save one),
propelled by gratitude,
family, friendship and the love of music.
As he faced and recovered from a life-threatening
illness, he felt the need to both celebrate
and explore these three key aspects
of life. Goss has surrounded himself here
with an excellent ensemble: Dave Restivo
on piano, Brian O’Kane on trumpet, Nathan
Hiltz on guitar, Jim Vivian on bass and Ted
Warren on drums.
First up is the groovy “boogaloo
blues” Ted’s Kick, which was written in
honour of the great Ronnie Cuber as well
as a tip of the hat to drummer Warren, who
detests the term “kick drum.” Restivo’s satisfying
Fender Rhodes and Hiltz’s George
Benson-esque motifs imbed a whiff of the 70s
in this track. O’Kane renders a fine trumpet
solo here as well superb bass work from
Vivian and Goss’ dynamic and fluid soloing. A
true stand out is Mists of Fundy, a sumptuous
ballad and a tribute to the iconic Phil Woods
as well as to Goss’ hometown of St. John NB –
where the magical mists rise with regularity
– as does the talent! Goss plays from the heart
here, each note rife with emotional content.
Also dynamic is the spicy Latin
groove, Cayenne (for Pepper) written for
Pepper Adams, “the Father of modern baritone
playing,” and the stunning Adanac
– a waltz based on the changes of Sonny
Rollins’ standard, Airegin. Goss soars on
soprano here, and O’Kane provides a splendid
solo. Not to be missed is the funky-cool By
George, which is another Benson-infused
tune, written with B3 in mind. Goss lays it
down on baritone here, and is joined in the
groove by the masterful Hiltz, Restivo and the
concise, skilled and thrilling percussion work
by Warren.
Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
Convergence
Nick Maclean Quartet feat. Brownman Ali
Browntasaurus Records NCC-1701N
(browntasauras.com)
! It may be a tad
late – some may
say outdated – to
use terms, such as
“bop” and “hardbop”
today. It’s
either music that
beckons you to be
still and listen with
your heart, or listen
with your heart and then get up and dance,
on the beat, behind it or ahead of it. The
music on Convergence by the Nick Maclean
Quartet does all those things and it does each
of them exceedingly well.
The pianist Maclean has a prodigious gift
for the melodic. Together with trumpeter
Brownman Ali he has been a magnet for
some fine young musicians – a bassist and
drummer for instance – who certainly appear
to be big on heart and technique, but low on
ego. This makes for superbly natural sounding
performances.
There is a heady appeal to music that
is simple – Herbie Hancock’s ostinatodriven
Butterfly and its later metamorphosis
into a Caribbean species – and complex.
Two beautiful examples are songs where
long, sculpted inventions (Maclean’s Why
the Caged Bird Sings and Ali’s Wisdom of
Aurelius) draw you into their ornamental
spiderwebs with their alluring mix of
elegance, energy and precision.
It is not as if the brilliant soli and ensemble
is shared just between Maclean and Ali.
Bassist Ben Duff and drummer Jacob Wutzke
also get in on the action. Even foundingbassist
Jesse Dietschi displays his rhythmic
chops in all their unearthly beauty on
Hancock’s Dolphin Dance to kick off this
celebrated recording.
Raul da Gama
Elegy for Thelonious
Frank Carlberg Large Ensemble
Sunnyside Records SSC 1716
(sunnysiderecords.bandcamp.com/album/
elegy-for-thelonious)
! Chick Corea’s
Trio Music (ECM,
1981) and Trio
Music, Live in
Europe (ECM,
1986) represent
the high watermarks
of smallensemble
homages
to Thelonious Monk. Similarly, nothing by
a large group on either side of the Atlantic
comes close to matching the intrigue, riveting
power and consequence of two recordings by
the Frank Carlberg Large Ensemble. The first
of these was a 2017 recording Monk Dreams,
74 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Hallucinations and Nightmares (Red Piano
Records, 2017), and this brilliant Elegy for
Thelonious.
Monk broke free of his much-loved quartet
format only twice. The first time was when
he was persuaded by Hall Overton, which
resulted in The Thelonious Monk Orchestra
Live at the Town Hall (Columbia, 1959), and
Big Band and Quartet (Columbia, 1963),
featuring Oliver Nelson’s arrangements.
Frank Carlberg’s Monk is cut from the
same iconic musical tapestry, but his vision
of Monk’s singular jagged melodies, off-kilter
harmonies and rhythmic rhetoric is metaphysical,
spectral. The music upends even
Monk-conventions about what is logical and
permissible in music. Sure, Carlberg’s music
reflects Monk, but the vision is much darker
than Monk’s crepuscular one.
Listening to this recording is like viewing
Monk as a shimmering hologram evocative of
Supreme Leader Snoke’s appearances in Star
Wars: The Force Awakens looming over Kylo
Ren and General Hux.
Back in the real world, the spikey lines
of melody, harmony and rhythm of Monk’s
often-impenetrable music unite in these
glorious elliptical arcs of Carlberg’s visionary
re-imaginations of Monk’s music.
Raul da Gama
Gordon Grdina’s The Marrow with Fathieh
Honari
Gordon Grdina; Hank Roberts; Mark
Helias; Hamin & Fathieh Honari
AttaboyGirl Records ABG-8
(gordongrdinamusic.com)
Duo Work
Gordon Grdina; Christian Lillinger
AttaboyGirl Records ABG-7
(gordongrdinamusic.com)
! The music of the
inimitable Gordon
Grdina – prodigious
oudist and guitarist
– is nothing if not
full of glorious
drama and surprise.
As a musician,
Grdina’s love of delightful whimsy, caprice
and of music’s volatile ever-changing nature
may be the reason that no two recordings of
his – indeed, often no two songs he composes
– come from the same place in his mind’s eye.
Even though his oeuvre can be divided into
music played on oud and music played on
guitar, he is able to extract such a wide and
varied palette of colour from each instrument
that you could easily describe his music as
chameleonic.
Grdina’s grasp of the Middle Eastern
(Persian) Beyati Modes, the Asiatic musical
Maqam and the other modes – Phrygian,
Ionian, Lydian, etc., associated with Greek
and Western music – enable him to sculpt
and chisel phrases with extraordinary finger
vibrato. Thus, he crafts lines that are drenched
in the very depth of emotion – swinging from
unfettered exuberance to the heart-aching
and tearful sadness.
Whether he is playing oud or guitar the
essence of Grdina’s poetics is the same; born
of an extraordinary lyricism. This enables him
to play notes that seem to ululate although he
employs little tremolo. He also has a thrilling
ability (especially on the oud) to make notes
seem to hang in the air, and often even pirouette
with a wailing voice like dervishes
engaged in mesmeric dances, willing the
music to ascend to a celestial realm.
This is the kind of riveting magic that he
brings to the music of The Marrow, which
brings to life the poetry of 13th century
Persian Sufi poet Jalal al-Din Rumi. On the
disc Grdina shares headline credits – rightfully
so – with the Persian vocalist Fathieh
Honari. Extraordinary performances by
bassist Mark Helias, cellist Hank Roberts and
percussionist Hamin Honari also grace this
recording. Together they shine the spotlight
on loping lines of music awash in a palette of
wet colours. From the long, lyrical lines of Not
of Them through Raqib and Raqs e Parvaneh
and Qalandar, Grdina and the rest of the
performers join Honari in igniting little
emotional fires made of Rumi’s poetry.
Compared to the
quiet blue flames
of The Marrow, the
music on Grdina’s
Duo Work recording
with percussionist
Christian Lillinger
crackles to life right
out of the gate.
Before long both musicians come together
seemingly butting creative heads in one
outsize offering after another, their demoniac
temperaments (also blessed with an ethereal
delicacy and the most fine-spun sonority)
seem to turn the 12 tracks from Song One
through Ash and Jalopy, to Song Two, into an
irresistible musical inferno.
Raul da Gama
A Canadian Songbook
Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop
TPR Records TPR-017-02 (ernestocervini.
com/artist/turboprop)
! Ernesto Cervini
mines the more
esoteric entries
in the Canadian
songbook to put
together this fabulous
album. When
I Fall (Barenaked
Ladies)
and Clumsy (Our
Lady Peace) are the only two songs included
with more mainstream exposure. In
fact, When I Fall might not be recognized
even by fans of the «Ladies» because
Cervini’s jazz arrangement stretches it out
and includes an emphatic and gospel-tinged
saxophone solo by Joel Frahm. However, this
version’s emotional core manages to match
and even rise above that of the original.
Cervini includes two originals: If/Then is
a quirky off-metre tribute to his early
computer programming days and Stuck
Inside is his reflection on the pandemic. The
Turboprop musicians (Tara Davidson, alto
sax; Frahm, tenor sax; William Carn, drums;
Adrean Farrugia, piano; Dan Loomis, bass;
Cervini, drums) deliver sparkling and precise
ensemble playing and inspired solo performances
throughout.
Ted Parkinson
Concert Note: Ernesto Cervini's Turboprop
performs May 24 & 25 at the Jazz Bistro,
Toronto
Hometown Zero
Felix Tellier Pouliot; Christian Bailet; Martin
Auguste
Independent (ftpmusic.bandcamp.com/
album/hometown-zero)
! Slick production
overtop irresistible
labyrinthine grooves
that ebb, flow, wind
and reroute defy
any forecast or
notion as to where
they’ll end up next.
One second, the
mix is skeletal and airy, driven more than
anything by implication of metamorphosis
into something much larger. The very next
second, Félix Tellier Pouliot’s soaring guitar
tremolo balloons into a supernatural feeling
akin to the climax of a Godspeed You! Black
Emperor (post-rock legends, also of Montreal
origin) suite. This rhythm section consistently
transcends any preconceived ideas of what a
trio can accomplish when it comes to unadulterated
expressive range, largely due to how
comfortable they are working within radical
contrasts.
Pouliot’s solo on 7 O’Clock is a barnstormer
of a thing, its every gesture reverberating
through the cosmos and back. Shot
out of a cannon, Pouliot’s virtuosic display
sounds like it would be perfectly at home in a
progressive metal piece bursting at the seams
with energy whilst overtop a bottom-heavy,
cyclonic blast beat. However, that is not what
is happening here; it is closer to the inverse,
as Christian Bailet’s crisp bass tone nonchalantly
outlines a pinpoint 11-pattern and
Martin Auguste skates past on his highest,
tightest frequencies: the rim of the snare, the
bell of the ride. Each member provides something
distinct that the others are not, proving
you can cover more ground if you aren’t
retreading your bandmate’s. Despite being
groove-heavy, this album resists stasis at every
turn. All systems go.
Yoshi Maclear Wall
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 75

Openness
François Carrier Quintet
Fundacja Sluchaj FSR 10/2023 (sluchaj.
bandcamp.com)
! Released 18 years
after recording,
Openness is three
CDs of high-quality
improvisation and
also a historic document.
The two
free jazz pioneers,
Polish trumpet
Tomasz Stańko (1942-2018) and American
bassist Gary Peacock (1935-2020), invited
to participate in 13 instances of free-flowing
sonic exchange by younger Montrealers,
alto/soprano saxophonist François Carrier
and drummer Michel Lambert, have since
died. New York violinist Mat Maneri is still
very much alive and the interchange transcendedage
and geography.
Non-hierarchical, each player gets to
originate some tracks, with the Québécois on
their own for Dance. Otherwise each player
sticks to his individual approach, though
all bond seemingly seamless throughout.
Lambert mostly accents the tracks, the
string players move between rugged slices
and intricate guitar-like or even sitar-like
strokes, while Stańko’s leaps among brassy
bugling, grace notes and portamento linearity
is heartbeat-quickly matched by Carrier’s
double tonguing, flutters and thick smears.
One-on-one interaction involves all.
Wide Awake is an instance of this where
Stańko’s scatter-shot triplets are met by
Maneri’s spiccato jabs, then with interactive
vamps from Carrier’s ascending smears,
with Lambert’s percussion pumps helping
to ease the fragments together by the finale.
Insightful is another example as corkscrew
reed tones challenge mewling brass lines as
swelling string patterns cushion the turn to
horizontal tonality.
With more than three hours of music on
Openness it’s best to savour each high-quality
disc separately rather than trying to assimilate
all in one aural gulp.
Ken Waxman
ALIVE! In the Studio
Charlotte Keeffe Right Here, Right Now
Quartet
DISCUS MUSIC 160 CD (discus-music.org)
! Prominent as
part of the new
wave of young brass
players conversant
with free and standard
improvisation,
the UK’s Charlotte
Keeffe convenes her
working quartet to
confirm this stance. Affiliated with guitarist
Moss Freed’s string clips and frails, Ashley
John Long’s double bass plunks and stops and
Ben Handysides’ cymbal clatter and drum
slaps, Keeffe’s trumpet/flugelhorn stylings
range from open horn flourishes to half-valve
smears and timbral plunger examinations.
Nowhere is this clearer than in Wholeness
and 1200 Photographs III. A companion to
the previous tune’s run-throughs, the latter
expands the tongue-stopping techniques
and note hiccups of the other versions to
expand their indirect bossa nova suggestions
to upfront swing where strangled brass
bugling is perfectly matched with centred
guitar strums.
Freed’s frails are transformed into irregular
chording and string shakes on Wholeness
as arco bass buzzes and clanging rim shots
further expand the extraterrestrial tone references
brought to fruition by Keeffe’s plunger
scoops, unexpected whiny variations and
low-pitched portamento runs.
Never sacrificing tunefulness for technique,
the quartet members maintain a tenacious,
but subdued groove throughout the nine
tracks, while integrating interludes of bowed
bass expositions and rapid surf-music-like
guitar licks. It also allows Keeffe to dig into
her horn’s innards for heraldic blasts and
bitten-off bleats.
On the final Brentford the players conclude
the instrumental playing by harmonizing
vocally on a bouncy melody. This too confirms
the teamwork that went into creating
this session.
Ken Waxman
POT POURRI
Distancia
Solidaridad Tango
3AM FISH RECORDS 3AMFR02
(solidaridadtango.ca)
! Toronto-based
Aparna Halpé
is a Sri Lankan-
Canadian tango
violinist, arranger
and composer
with over a decade
of experience in
the traditional
Argentinian form. In early COVID-time
2021, she founded Solidaridad, an all-female
Toronto tango ensemble comprised of Valeria
Matzner (vocals), Halpé and Suhashini
Arulanandam (violins), Esme Allen-Creighton
(viola), Sybil Shanahan (cello), Shannon
Wojewoda (bass), Elizabeth Acker (piano) and
special guest Eva Wolff (bandoneon).
Halpé’s English lyrics are not in traditional
tango Spanish. Thu opening track’s
intense spoken poem Winter’s Coming sets
up the tango. The moving recitation And
I Have Been Looking is about the deaths
of three indigenous women. The closing
poem The Dance with unexpected background
subtle instrumental held notes,
gives thanks to indigenous peoples and land
acknowledgements.
Solidaridad expands tango soundscapes
throughout. Argentinian Petalo Selser’s
complex Deriva’s opening traditional tangos
develop into the low string groove as other
instruments play percussive beats, held notes,
high pitched strings with slides, melodic
conversations, a short slow section and
closing rhythmic cadence. Wolff’s arrangement
of José Dames’ Fuimos features a
comforting calm bandoneon with technically
challenging musical tango flavours in varying
tempos. In YYZ, Halpé takes on arranging
her self-described tango homage to the rock
instrumental by Rush’s Geddy Lee and Neil
Peart with contrasting Sri Lankan folk music
and rhythms in riveting tango/rock sounds
with alternating loud and quieter sections,
rhythmic banging, faster repeated melody,
slow final crash and closing laughter!!
Inspired by COVID grief to exuberant
happiness, Solidaridad’s “Toronto tangos”
are perfect!
Tiina Kiik
Ancestor Song
Janice Jo Lee
Independent (janicejolee.ca)
! Multiinstrumentalist
and
vocalist Janice Jo
Lee has had seven
years between
albums, during
which time she has
peeled away several
layers of her former
self in order to lay bare her spiritual, political,
cultural and environmental bones. Lee,
a well-known artist in both Kitchener and
Toronto, is more than music. A poet, folk
artist, improvisor, facilitator, creator and
comedy workshop leader, she is nearing the
height of her powers in this latest album, a
beautiful collaboration with another Ontario
native, producer JoJo Worthington.
Overture: Ancestral Song opens the album
with a medley similar to the opening of a
musical, leading into Oil in the Grand, a
story of contamination on the Grand River,
with beautiful vocal harmonies. Here I am is
Lee’s statement of her new anthem of taking
space and commanding control of her own
power. Moonlight Tide is fun and slightly
campy, featuring Lee’s poetic lyrics and vocal
range. She Looked like Me is a folk-inspired
gem about her ancestral Korean heritage, but
could be an anthem to anyone feeling disconnected
from their own lineage. Swim Forever
features Korean lyrics to a strongly rhythmic
melody and features the beautiful flugelhorn
playing of Rudy Ray (probably my favourite
track on the album). The jazzy Crumpled
Heart Unfolding and Account Ability, the
folksy Child Inside and her vocal looping on
Take Space, the catchy Ancestral Song itself,
and the power rock-inspired closer Patient as
the Land will give you the vast range of Lee’s
76 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

style, skill and passion.
Cheryl Ockrant
Babylonia Suite
Ilios Steryannis; Sundar Viswanathan;
Jessica Deutsch; Nawras Nader
Independent (iliosjazz.ca)
! The names
Babylonia Suite and
Ilios Steryannis are
incorporated into
the circumference
of a pictogram on
the top right-hand
corner of this CD
cover. This otherwise
rather unobtrusive icon of a tree with
spreading roots and branches that seem to be
encapsulated by both title and name is both
intriguing and revealing. For in these roots
and branches – fascinating in their ancient
modes and modern interpretations – lies a
thrilling musical ride.
You are treated to a series of works that
begin with the title song Babylonia itself. The
tumbling Middle Eastern groove oscillates
between a 6/4 and a 12/8 pulse and sets the
tone for the rest of the disc. The first six songs
make up the narrative suite of the title that
spans the cultural topography of the ancient
region which Steryannis’ maternal ancestors
once called home.
The drummer has, of course, called Canada
home for many years, but like so many
Canadians celebrates diversity as he knows
best. His Greek-Hebrew culture unfolds as
if in a parade of Middle- and Near-Eastern
street musicians whose passionate ululating
melodies, eloquent harmonies and infectious
rhythms emerge through a modern vortex.
While Steryannis has sought to celebrate
the ancient origins of his maternal heritage
this music is far from a sentimental journey
written in odd metres. The brawny, polyrhythmic
Blue Rumba, meditative Sun Song
and vivid 400 North and Laplante also reveal
a composer with a refined, multi-dimensional
melodic voice.
Raul da Gama
Collective Wisdom
Sybarite5
Bright Shiny Things (brightshiny.ninja)
! New York string
quintet Sybarite5
is back with their
first studio album
in five years
performing nine
single movement
tracks combining
classical, contemporary,
improvisations and folk sounds. The
two original band members double bassist
Louis Levitt and violinist Sami Merdinian are
now joined by three new members – violinist
Suliman Tekalli, violist Caeli Smith and cellist
Laura Andrade.
Paul Sanho Kim’s arrangement of Punch
Brothers’ Movement and Location is zippy
with repeated violin fast lines, grooves and
ideas keeping listeners enthralled. Three
short Komitas Armenian Folk Songs are
arranged by Sybarite5’s Merdinian (himself
of Armenian heritage). In The Red Shawl a
yearning sense is depicted by low held strings
with above lines. Spring is tearjerking, with
slow and solemn low bass held notes and
gradual instrumental entries. Oh Nazan
features a faster rhythmic hopeful opening
with high pitched lines.
Tight ensemble playing featuring Greek
melodies with reggae rhythms embodies
Curtis Stewart’s Mangas. Jessica Meyer’s Slow
Burn is held together by similar danceable
Something in the Air
Reed-Keyboard Recitals Create Variations
on Chamber Improvisation
KEN WAXMAN
ideas in different sections. Composed earlier
during a period of loss, Pedro Giraudo’s
own arrangement of his Con un nudo en la
garganta is a slow dark tango that builds
to closing intensity. Michael Gilbertson’s
Collective Wisdom third movement starts
with snappy percussive string pizzicatos that
continue to add tension until the sudden
accented loud closing with bangs. Jackson
Greenberg’s so different Apartments has rain,
coffee machines, AM radio news sound and
electronics while each musician is given the
freedom to play their lines as they wish.
Sybarite5 brilliantly play breathtaking
music to be enjoyed over and over.
Tiina Kiik
Although many might imagine most free music as intense and raucous, the first adjective
may be applied, but the second is sparingly used for the special sounds created by these
five reed-keyboards duos. Some may argue that chamber-improv foreshortens the
creative urge; however these duos have come up with various strategies to project multiple
timbral arrangements without bluster or bellicosity.
Recorded in a venerable spacious church in Copenhagen, Locusts
and Honey (ILK Records 349 ilkmusic.com) was created by two
Danish residents who are both from other countries. Pianist Matt
Choboter is Canadian, while alto saxophonist Calum Builder is
Australian. Putting aside any country-associated shibboleths, both
players operate in the realm of pure sound with the nine improvisations
reflecting the church’s spatial properties as well as Builder’s
extended reed techniques and the preparations of Choboter’s
keyboard. Harsh squawks and irregular trills issue from the saxophonist, yet are balanced by
passages in which muffled snarls dissolve into distant no-key-pressure moments as
unaccented air is pushed through the horn. Celeste-like tinkles and suspended echoes share
space with wood slaps, inner string jiggling and soundboard hammering from the pianist. Duo
synergy is reflected on a track like Crossing on Akróasis when understated saxophone vibrations
and horizontal key pumping create a delicate, almost mainstream expression. More
compelling are those performances when seemingly incompatible motifs amalgamate as
kindred expressions. Honey for instance manages to meld as reflective patterns, Builder’s deep
inside the body tube hunting-horn-like resonance and Choboter’s implement juddering piano
string clangs. Needle-thin top-of-range snarls from the saxophonist on Hark! are balanced by
music-box-like chiming created by subtle piano string agitation. This leeches tension from the
reed tones to attain a muffled connection.
Enhanced textures also characterize the work of another duo, each
member of which is an accomplished improviser on an acoustic
instrument. Here though, heightening timbres are added from the
live electronics used by Russian-American pianist Simon Nabatov.
The oscillations’ span suggests the addition of a third instrument to
Nabatov’s keyboard on Entanglements (Acheulian Handaxe AHA
2301 handaxe.org) recorded with fellow Cologne resident, German
tenor saxophonist Matthias Schubert. Free jazz despite the additional
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 77

voltage, Schubert’s Trane-like tongue slaps, overblowing and sirenlike
honks are not only integrated into the narratives, but given added
oomph when live processed or cushioned by the oscillations. At the
same time, Nabatov’s acoustic piano patterns include enough crashing
chords and sympathetic plinks to preserve the improvisational aura.
Brushed is an instance of this as the saxophonist spews out puffs and
whines in the form of toneless air blocked by an obstruction in his
horn’s bell as Nabatov’s synthesized echoes create percussion backing.
Tensile raps are then replaced with keyboard thumps as the saxophonist
reed bites and blows out snuffles and split tones. The electronically
produced squeaks and air-raspberries however don’t prevent the
two from sounding like an expected jazz duo on tracks like Scratch.
The grumbling oscillations have to share space with key clips and
clanks and sax buzzes and smears. Squeezing out multiphonics or
overblowing an emphasized fruity tone, Schubert then foils the electronics’
spatial tendency to overwhelm acoustic properties. By the
concluding track, Closing, the duo confirms the appropriate electroacoustic
balance. A melange of reed growls and tongue stops mixed
with crashing piano chords, the flanged wave form variations that are
subsequently heard soon dissolve into faint rumbles to make common
cause with and accompany the saxophonist’s angled split tone
squeaks and a tone-shaking summation.
Bringing novel sounds to a reed/piano duo
doesn’t have to venture into the electronic
world however. On Crusts (FOU records
CD 48 fourecords.com) for instance, French
improviser Jean-Luc Petit’s playing tenor
and soprano saxophones and bass clarinet
is amplified by the elaborations from Didier
Fréboeuf on piano, objects and clavietta, a
mouth-blown piano keyboard instrument with accordion-like tones.
Meanwhile Norwegian Isach Skeidsvoll on Chanting Moon, Dancing Sun
– Live at Molde International Jazz Festival (Clean Feed CF 617 CD cleanfeed-records.com)
and Japanese Yoko Miura on Zanshou Glance at the
Tide (Setola Di Maiale SM 4620 setoladimaiale.net) both use a similar
handheld instrument, the melodica, with its mouthpiece and keyboard
sounds in their duets with Lauritz Skeidsvoll playing soprano and tenor
saxophones and Italian soprano saxophonist Gianni Mimmo respectively.
Used more sparingly than electronics, Fréboeuf’s mouthpieceattached
instrument doesn’t make its appearance until the final track,
but even before that his measured responses perfectly complement
Petit’s expositions, depending on which reed is used. Squeezed alphorn
like blows and crying treble reflux from the tenor saxophone are
met with inner piano string jangles and wood smacks that speed up
the interface to gentling connections. More descriptively thickened
chalumeau register bass clarinet slaps and snorts move the pianist
deeper into pedal point expression on the appropriately named Scab,
with the musical skin further exposed with bottom board echoes and
brutal key clanging. As piano abrasions pull away, strangled reed cries
confirm that the sonic wound still throbs. The clavietta’s music boxlike
tinkles and shaking variations simply solidify Fréboeuf’s
distinctive exposition on Crisp, with Petit’s equally crisp rejoinders on
soprano saxophone move into droning telephone-wire-like shrilling
without key movements. Dynamic near-honky-tonk keyboard
patterns however, push that sequence to the bursting point with the
resulting timbral explosion drawing the saxophonist to a forced air
and altissimo squeaking finale.
More use is made of the melodica on
Chanting Moon, Dancing Sun with the title
track based on a do-si-do of that instrument’s
barrel-organ-like textures in unison
or counterpoint with the saxophone. While
the plastic melodica does create an interesting
contrast to a reed instrument, as
quickly as a modal sequence is advanced
Isach Skeidsvoll returns to percussive piano
tones as Lauritz Skeidsvoll’s nasal soprano saxophone adds Carnaticlike
squeaks. By the conclusion, reed work begins to quiet as intricate
piano chording moves forward. Perhaps more a physiological than a
musical observation, but despite the Skeidsvolls literally being
brothers – Lauritz is two years older than Isach – their playing appears
more distant from one another than that of the other duos. Exploring
freer playing at points with reed split tones, tongue stops and slide
whistle-like squeaks plus energetic piano shifts in and out of tempo,
their fluid improvising also veers toward pseudo gospel dynamics.
Earlier spiritual music inferences come out into the open on the
concluding From the Wasteland I Ascend. Waves of ecclesiastical
piano glissandi and intensified saxophone honks and squawks suggest
Southern Baptists feeling the spirit, with the potent beat all
consuming but somewhat odd coming from Norwegian musicians at a
Norwegian jazz festival.
Miura and Mimmo offer a different and
distinct duo conception on Zanshou Glance
at the Tide, another live concert. That’s
because the pianist and saxophonist play
solo on the first two tracks, only uniting for
Further Towards the Light, the extended
finale. The first track is a threnody for the
Finnish bassist Teppo Hauta-aho, one of the
many Occidental musicians with whom Miura has played. Yet melancholy
is mixed with muscle as her light touch is overtaken by pressurized
energy and key slaps at near player-piano speed. Continuing
up the scale with chiming notes and plucks; melodica puffs also echo
sparingly. With detours into suggestions of Charles Mingus and Jimmy
Rowles themes on the second track, the saxophonist is both lyrical
and literal, building a mellow exposition from tune variations mixed
with double tonguing, tonal slides and the odd screech. As a duo the
two also scramble expectations by introducing a lengthy meditation
on ‘Round Midnight as a secondary motif. At first Miura adds energy
with bell tree shakes and melodica trills that underline Mimmo’s
more emotional pitch undulations and near circular breaths. With
each taking turns interpreting the Thelonious Monk ballad, she not
only comps aggressively but uses the mouth-blown keyboard to
double and strengthen the saxophonist’s ascending and descending
single line expositions. The entire piano keyboard is brought into play
in the final sequence, uniting textures from all three instruments for a
broadened referential conclusion.
Overall, using add-ons or playing acoustically each duo distinctively
defines its territory and the combination.
Vol 29 Issue 4
59 Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 | The Thirteen,
Children’s Chorus of Washington,
Dark Horse Consort
59 La sposa dei cantici | Ars Lyrica
Houston
63 BACH: Clavier-Übung III, The Pedal
Settings | Renée Anne Louprette
In This Issue
58 Portraits | Emily Carr String Quartet
59 People Like You and Me | Robert Priest
60 Upheaval | Janne Fredens & Søren
Rastogi
60 The Colburn Sessions | Mikyung Sung
64 Fire - Flowers | Timothy Shantz
64 In the Crystalline Vault of Heaven |
Margot Rejskind
64 Dall'Abaco and the Art of Variation |
Accademia de' Dissonanti, Elinor Frey
What we're listening to this month:
66 Schubert: The Complete Impromptus |
Gerardo Teissonnière
66 Album Leaf: Piano Works by Felix Mendelssohn
| Sophia Agranovich
67 Rachmaninoff | Ian Gindes
68 American Spiritual | Michael Lee
68 Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphony |
Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Gustavo
Gimeno, Marc-André Hamelin, Nathalie
Forget
69 Recurrence | Saman Shahi
73 Night And Day (The Cole Porter Songbook)
| Adi Braun
73 Tide Rises | Lauren Bush
73 You're Alike, You Two | Caity Gyorgy
and Mark Limacher
73 Spring Comes Early | John Herberman
75 A Canadian Songbook | Ernesto Cervini's
Turboprop
76 DISTANCIA | Solidaridad Tango
78 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

Breve: the backstory
PART TWO: LIGHT WORK
The story so far
Last time we told you that we are well underway with a project to launch
an autonomous not-for-profit organisation capable of building on the
foundational listings-gathering work The WholeNote has been doing for
nearly 30 years. We’ve called the initiative BREVE because in the musical
terminology used in some places what we call a wholenote is called a
semibreve, so a breve is two wholenotes, linked by a common purpose.
We are doing this not because we want to become a one-stop Ontario
listings mega mall, but because we believe we are part of an interdependent
listings-gathering ecosystem with a united purpose: strengthening
community engagement with live music in all its forms, because we believe
that engagement with live music strengthens community.
Baby steps
We know from almost 30 years of experience that an initiative like this
takes time, patience and constant renewal.
And that it can only happen community by community.
So this is what we are asking you to do.
1. Help us spread the word
• that WHOLENOTE MUSICAL EVENT LISTINGS are free of charge
and can be submitted by artists, venues or presenters at any time,
from anywhere in Ontario
• that we invite listings for date-specific LIVE musical events (including
events streamed live), not just performances
• and that even if they don’t make it into print in our magazine, these
listings will be made available to the public free of charge on our
website, and for republication by other individuals or groups who
share the vision that engagement with live music in all its forms
strengthens community.
2. If you don’t already do so, share your own information with us
• Use the convenient online form at thewholenote.com/applylistings
• or email listings to listings@thewholenote.com.
All inquiries about WholeNote listings can be addressed to
John Sharpe, Listings Editor at listings@thewholenote.com
And aside from all this
There’s an old joke I still love even though it depends
for maximum effect on poking fun in a stereotypical
way at the way the central protagonist speaks English.
The joke has consequently fallen out of favour which
is a pity because it’s funny, and in this context right to
the point. So I am going to tell it anyway.
There’s a new conductor is in town - let’s call her/
him Yoda. The choir is elated. This is the individual
that will propel them into the upper echelons of
artistry in their aspiring-to-be-world-class town.
Rehearsals have been wonderful - no, better than
wonderful.
Choirs are, of all forms of artistic grapevine, the
most potent way of getting the word out in the
community, and the word has spread like wildfire.
Every ticket to Yoda’s debut concert with the choir
has been sold. On the big night the hall’s woefully
inadequate lobby is packed, and people are crowding
the equally inadequate sidewalk and spilling into
the street, while they wait for the doors to open.
The choir is in the hall, doing final warmups.
Doors open in ten minutes - time to clear the
stage! And, right on cue, the power goes out in the
hall. Loud clicks as backstage breakers are reset …
and reset … and reset. The dark remains stygian. All
members of the choir remain frozen in place.
And then a tap tap tap. The unmistakable sound of
the new conductor’s baton, and then their quiet voice
in the dark. “Raise your hands please.” Which, as
one, in perfect unison, the choir does. And the lights
come back on. Eyes wide, the choir turns to Yoda –
a collective “what the heck just happened?”
“Many hands make light work” their new
conductor says.
So, to repeat, right now we need you to lend
a hand – not to make the light work, but to make
the work light.
To lend your support to the BREVE initiative, contact
David Perlman at publisher@thewholenote.com.
thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 79

APRIL 2024
BHANGRA & BEYOND
TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
APRIL 13, 2024
THE JAZZ MECHANICS &
BRAMPTON CONCERT BAND
WITH LIBERTY SILVER
APRIL 14, 2024
B-JAZZED
CURATED BY CARMEN SPADA
APRIL 16, 2024
STROLLING INTO SUMMER
THE ROSE ORCHESTRA
APRIL 27, 2024
THE ROSE | 1 THEATRE LANE