Galas and Fundraisers
Dec 15 7:30: Church of St. Peter and St. Simon-the-Apostle. A fundraiser presenting good music and a reading of A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas featuring radio personality Tom Allen and Canadian actress Jayne Lewis. Save room for dessert. Refreshments included at intermission. All proceeds will benefit the refugee projects of the church. 525 Bloor St. E. 416-923- 8714. $20.
Feb 1 7:30: High Notes Avante. High Notes Gala for Mental Health. Join Luba Goy, Lloyd Robertson, Michael Landsberg, Orlando Da Silva, Giles Tomkins and others for this exciting evening in support of mental health initiatives. Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, 102868 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. Tickets at 905-787-8811 or rhcentre.ca. $10-$65.
Lectures, Salons and Symposia
Dec 3 2:00: Toronto Opera Club. Love at First Sight! Guest Speaker: Iain Scott. Room 330, Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Bldg., 80 Queen’s Park Cr. W. 416-924-3940. $10.
Dec 7 7:30: Darchei Noam Synagogue. Four Jewish Musical Titans (Part 4: George Szell). Rick Phillips examines four master musicians and their music. A mix of lecture, music, and discussion. 864 Sheppard Ave. W. 416-638-4783. $20 per lecture.
Dec 10 2:00-5:00: Classical Music Club Toronto. Beethoven 9. In some cultures, December is a month where Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is performed as often as Handel’s Messiah is in the English-speaking world. To celebrate this occasion, we will be examining recent recordings of this epic work. 416-898-2549. Annual membership: $25(regular); $10(sr/st). Free for first-time visitors. Donations accepted for refreshments.
Jan. 7 5:00: St. Olave’s Church. Giles Bryant: Cathedral and Parish Music. Epiphany Choral Evensong at 4pm followed by Epiphany Tea. Dr. Giles Bryant traces Anglican church music from just before the Prayer Book to the main forms now used in cathedrals and parish churches. His illustrated talk at the piano will focus on Tallis, Purcell, Maurice Greene, S.S. Wesley, Stanford, Howells and their parish contemporaries. St. Olave’s Church, Bloor and Windermere. Contributions appreciated. Information at 416-769-5686 or stolaves.ca.
Jan 14 2:00-5:00: Classical Music Club Toronto. Romantic Cello Concertos. The lush tone of the cello has provided the inspiration for a number of 19th-century masterworks for this instrument combined with the growing virtuosity of the symphony orchestra. To commemorate this musical partnership, we will be examining recent audio and video recordings. 416-898-2549. Annual membership: $25(regular); $10(sr/st). Free for first-time visitors. Donations accepted for refreshments.
Jan 23. Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Choral Conductors’ Symposium. Conducting master classes for Symposium participants with Noel Edison, the Elora Singers and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Observers welcome. $20 per session; $50 per day. 416-598-0422. Through Jan 26.
Jan 23 7:00: University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Composers’ Forum with Nicole Lizée. Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park Cr. 416-408-0208. Free.
Jan 24 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Opera Insights: Baritone Bravado. Join Head of the COC Ensemble Studio Liz Upchurch and singers Samuel Chan, Bruno Roy and Neil Craighead as they explore the baritone voice in all its fascinating facets. Education Centre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. Tickets at coc.ca/OperaInsights or 416-363-8231. Registration opens Jan 9. Free.
Jan 25 7:00: Tafelmusik. The Listening Club: The Battle for Good Taste. The desire to possess good taste in music was an occupation of the 18th century, highlighted by an ongoing battle between the French and the Italians. Join BBC Radio host Dr. Hannah French and Tafelmusik violinist Christopher Verrette who examine both sides of this debate. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-6337. $25.
Jan 31 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Opera Talks: The Trials of Teen Love – Rigoletto. Join Wayne Gooding in a multi-media exploration of Rigoletto and explore the way a timeless tale plays out through Verdi’s brilliant bel canto music. Toronto Public Library, Don Mills, 888 Lawrence Ave. E. Register by calling the Don Mills branch of the Toronto Public Library at 416-395-5710. Free.
Master Classes
Jan 7 2:30: Li Delun Music Foundation & Steinway Piano Gallery. Piano Master Class and Conversation by Kum Sing Lee, jury of International Competitions Chopin (Warsaw). 2651 John St., Markham. canadaticketbox.com, 905-946-8040. $20, $15.
Jan 24 10am-12pm. University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Composition Master Classes with Nicole Lizée. Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park Cr. 416-408-0208. Free. Also Jan 26.
Screenings
Dec 10 4:00: Toronto Jewish Film Society/Royal Conservatory of Music. The Concert. Film about Bolshoi conductor Andrei Simoniovich Filipov’s journey from disaster to triumph. Guest speaker: Jordan Klapman, musicologist. Al Green Theatre, 750 Spadina Ave. 416-924-6211 x606. $15; $10(18-35). In French and Russian with English subtitles. Also 7:30.
Jan 30 6:30: Royal Conservatory. Strad Style. Self-described “nobody” Danny Houck pours all his time and energy into his obsession: violins. When Danny befriends violin virtuoso Razvan Stoica on Facebook, he makes a rash fanboy promise to create a perfect replica of a world-famous violin – Guarneri’s Il Cannone – for Stoica’s next concert. Jonathan Crow, concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, will bring along his own Guarneri and participate in a post-show Q&A. Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W. Tickets at the door or at hotdocscinema.ca. $17.
Singalongs, Jams, Circles
Dec 3 2:30-5:00 Choral Bonanza Team. Messiah Sing-along. Handel: Messiah (Christmas Portion). Dr. Richard Heinzle, conductor; Sapphire Navaratnarajah, accompanist. Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church, 10066 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. 416-568-9838. Choral singers participation fee: $25. Suggested donation for concert: $10. Concert is at 7:00. Choral singers are asked to pre-register at ChoralBonanza@gmail.com if possible (required if you need a score: Watkins Shaw ed.). Soloists and orchestra musicians: no fee, please email a short resume to ChoralBonanza@gmail.com.
Dec 20 7:30: Toronto Shape Note Singing Community. Monthly Sacred Harp Singing. Everyone is welcome, no experience necessary. There are songbooks to borrow. Music room, Bloor Street United Church, 300 Bloor St. W. 647-838-8764. PWYC donation. 7:00: Short introductory workshop.
Jan 19 7:30-10:00: Toronto Recorder Players Society. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Bring your recorders and music stand. 416-779-5750. Non-members $15.
Jan 21 2:00-4:30: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Reading for Singers and Instrumentalists. Kodály’s Budávari Te Deum. Eszter Horvath, conductor. Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-781-4745. $10; $6(members).
Spoken Word, Performance Art
Dec 3 7:00: Runnymede United Church. Annual Reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Performed by Ben Heppner, Gill Deacon, Susan Ormiston, RH Thomson, Nancy Palk, Lisa Horner, and Jeff Douglas. 432 Runnymede Rd. runnymedeunited.org. $25.
Tours
Jan 14 10:30am: Canadian Opera Company. 90-Minute Tour of the Four Seasons Centre. Led by a trained docent. Includes information and access to the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room, the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre and R. Fraser Elliott Hall, as well as backstage areas such as the wig rooms and dressing rooms, the orchestra pit, and other spaces that only a stage door pass could unlock. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. coc.ca. $20(adults); $15(sr/st). Also Jan 21 & 28.
Workshops
Dec 2 10am-5pm: International Resource Centre for Performing Artists. From Rags to Reasonable! Financial Management / Planning for Artists with Chris Enns. Operatic tenor and certified financial planner Chris Enns discusses the basics of financial management, with such topics as budgeting with variable incomes (morning); and speaks about financial planning (afternoon). Canadian Music Centre, 20 St. Joseph St. 416-362-1422. $75.
Dec 3 1:30-4:00: Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Workshop coached by recorder player Vincent Lauzer. Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Rd. Bring your early instruments and a music stand. $20. 416-779-5750. tempotoronto.net.
Dec 3 2:30-5:00: International Resource Centre for Performing Artists. Artists New to Canada. Performer/composer Shahriyar Jamshidi, a recent newcomer to Canada; and musician, writer and teacher Marcelo Puente, who came to Toronto from Chile in 1974, share their experiences of establishing music careers in this country, providing guidance and suggestions for newcomer artists facing the same challenges. 918 Bathurst St. 416-362-1422. Free.
Jan 14 1:30-4:00: Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Workshop coached by viol player Joelle Morton. Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Rd. Bring your early instruments and a music stand. 416-779-5750. tempotoronto.net. $20.
Feb 4 1:30-4:00: Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Workshop coached by recorder player Colin Savage. Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Rd. Bring your early instruments and a music stand. 416-779-5750. tempotoronto.net. $20.
