Blue Pages

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“…serious, discerning presenters like Music Toronto have everything to celebrate.” (Musicaltoronto.org) 

A legacy organization in classical music, Music Toronto continues to represent the world’s best chamber ensembles and pianists, though we cannot present live concerts during the pandemic. We specialize in string quartets, long recognized as the highest form of western classical music. Throughout our history we have invited to Toronto only the finest, from established masters like the Amadeus, the Tokyo and the Hagen to exciting new quartets like the vision and the Schumann. Of course we always welcome back our home-grown favourites, the St. Lawrence Quartet and the Gryphon Trio.

Our reputation for pianists is equally eclectic - and compelling. From world-renowned interpreters like Stephen Hough, Marc-André Hamelin and Janina Fialkowska to brilliant rising stars like Benjamin Grosvenor, our piano is always in good hands. Great music of five centuries, from Haydn to new works written in this 21st century, and always including Canadian music; artists new and familiar, extraordinary music-making: only the best, only at Music Toronto. Join the best audience in the city for these great concerts.

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The Music Gallery is Toronto’s Centre for Creative Music. We present and promote experimentation and innovation in all forms of music, and encourage cross-pollination between genres, disciplines and audiences. Since 1976, we have occupied a valued position within Toronto’s musical ecology, presenting both internationally-renowned contemporary music and a wide spectrum of local artists and projects.

We are now located in the beautiful 918 Bathurst St. Centre for Culture, Arts, Media and Education, though this season most of our programming will be delivered online. We present the “X Avant Festival” during October, and “Emergents” (emerging artists) and “Departures” (off-site) series as well as unique main stage concert experiences throughout our season. We also partner with artists and arts organizations to co-present their work in our space, assisted by our highly experienced technical crew. Our season runs September through June with off-season events.

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The Ken Page Memorial Trust is a non-profit charitable fund supporting jazz and the artists who create such lasting memories for all of us. The aims of the Trust are to encourage emerging talent, foster an understanding of the evolution of the music, promote jazz education through workshops, masterclasses and outreach programs conducted by established professionals, and to provide financial aid to jazz musicians on an emergency basis.

The KPMT holds annual jazz fundraisers featuring some of the world’s leading jazz artists and honours jazz professionals with its Lifetime Achievement Award; it also presents seasonal performances of Jim Galloway’s Wee Big Band. Most recently, the Trust provided grants to the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, Springboard to Music, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival and the Ken Page Memorial Trust Scholarship Award in memory of Ron Collier established at Humber College.

Donations are our lifeline, our board members are unpaid and every dollar is dedicated to furthering our mission. Contributions are gratefully received, and if you are currently a donor we extend our sincere appreciation. If you would like to help us make a difference please visit our website.

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We are a community choir of about 40 voices, who love to sing music from around the world in the original languages. During the 2020/21 season, we are not planning any live concerts until it is announced that it is safe to do so, but we may do some singing outside! While safe distancing is necessary, we will continue to sing together by using Zoom. Our conductor, Isabel Bernaus, has designed a repertoire that we can receive by email. We have tried the remote singing, and found it easy to do with a desktop or tablet. Technical help is available to those of us who need some coaching in launching the online system. As we progress, we hope to offer some optional live rehearsals to small groups. Our long term goal is to be ready when the world gets back to normal!

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The Hannaford Street Silver Band is Canada’s award-winning professional brass band. Its mission is to honour the traditions of this art form and place it in a contemporary context with a unique, Canadian point-of-view. We actively facilitate innovative creative projects and collaborate with the best of Canada’s diverse artists. Guided by the vision of artistic director David Pell, our 2020/21 season features streamed concerts that will showcase such artists as guest conductors James Sommerville and Gillian MacKay, mezzo-soprano soloist Marion Newman and world/fusion vocalist Suba Sankaran. Add to this wonderful mix, CBC radio host Tom Allen and the acclaimed actor Derek Boyes. This season we will also unveil our 10-piece virtuoso ensemble performing music from around the world. You simply can't keep a good band down!

The HSSB demonstrates its commitment to youth, outreach and education by running the Hannaford Youth Program. Directed by Anita McAlister, this vibrant program is a fantastic opportunity for brass and percussion players ages 7 to 24 to participate in three remarkable youth bands in both live and virtual settings.

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Flute Street is Toronto’s professional flute choir, whose players employ the full range of instruments from piccolo through treble, concert, alto, bass, contralto, contrabass, and even the double contrabass flute. Audiences have been delighted to hear the ensemble’s eclectic mix of classical, folk, jazz, pop, and Canadian and world premieres with featured international guest soloists, such as Jean-Louis Beaumadier, Christine Beard, Mary Ann Archer, Louis Papachristos, Kelly Via and low flutes specialist, Peter Sheridan. In addition to the regular three-concert series presented in Toronto, Flute Street has performed as guest artists in Quebec with Les Flûtistes de Montréal, at both Canadian Flute Conventions, and at the first International Low Flutes Festival in Washington D.C. Hear our current YouTube project, “Tutti Flutti” at our website, as we eagerly await our return to the live concert stage.

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Etobicoke Centennial Choir (ECC) is a welcoming, inclusive SATB community choir. We strive to enrich the lives of our choristers and audience members through inspired performances of diverse choral repertoire, ranging from classical masterpieces to contemporary compositions and popular music.

ECC offers amateur singers a challenging but supportive choral music experience, facilitated by a professional music director, accompanist and section leads.

As a result of public health guidelines and restrictions related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020/21 season will be like no other in ECC’s 54-year history. We will be offering virtual rehearsals on Tuesday evenings at 7:30pm, working on choral repertoire and vocal training. New singers are most welcome to join us in this new venture. If conditions permit, we may perform a live concert in late spring 2021. Please visit our website for further updates.

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“…chamber music at its evocative best!” – WholeNote 2020 review.

Pioneering piano chamber music sensation Ensemble Vivant performs innovative genre-diverse repertoire combined with passionate, deeply communicative playing that touches the hearts and souls of listeners of all ages.

Opening Day recording artists with 14 internationally-acclaimed CDs.

• “…highest-level chamber music-making. No matter the genre, there is magic in Ensemble Vivant's music-making.” - Jazz legend Rick Wilkins, C.M. 
  “…beautiful, poised performances...capture the passion and verve…Wilson’s piano gives this music unerring drive and plenty of sparkle.” - Toronto Star

Core Quintet: Catherine Wilson, piano/artistic director; Corey Gemmell, violin; Norman Hathaway, viola; Tom Mueller, cello; George Koller, bass. Regular collaborators: Kevin Turcotte, trumpet; Mike Murley, sax; Nick Fraser, drums; and others. EV is known for bringing evidence-based live performance programs to children (endorsed by the scientific community) and conducted through the not-for-profit registered charity Euterpe: Music For Health Canada (www.musicforhealthcanada.org). Euterpe received a three-year Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant in 2020.

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The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (the Isabel) is a home for the creative arts at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and a hub of vibrant artistic study, creation, and exhibition in our community. The building houses the Queen’s Department of Film and Media and the DAN School of Drama and Music, as well as the Isabel house season, which brings some of the most exciting and acclaimed musicians to its 567-seat concert hall. Situated on the shores of Lake Ontario, the Isabel brings together world-class arts spaces and programs with a captivating sense of place, creating a dynamic venue for our students and community to learn, discover, think, do, and experience together. 

Opened in September 2014, the Isabel was designed by Oslo/New York-based firm Snøhetta and Ottawa’s N45, with acoustics and theatre design by ARUP and Theatre Projects Consultants. Anchored by a transformational gift to the Initiative Campaign from Drs. Alfred and Isabel Bader, the Isabel was inspired by the Baders’ love - of the arts, of Queen’s, and of each other - and is named in Isabel’s honour. For a virtual tour, visit www.queensu.ca/theisabel/content/virtual-walkthrough.

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In response to COVID-19, the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra will proudly and safely present our 41st season online. The SPO has always been dedicated to enriching the musical life of the greater Scarborough area by presenting engaging, high-quality musical performances. We are proud and grateful to continue to do so.

For 2020/21, the SPO will present two online series based on interesting themes. All-new “SPOGreatMusic” podcast episodes will be available on major platforms every other Friday, beginning September 18, and new Music Performance videos will be posted every other Friday to our YouTube channel, beginning on October 9. Both series run through April 2021.

Music Performance videos will feature SPO musicians, the Odin String Quartet, guest artists, and our artist-in-residence, Dr. Lisa Tahara. We will also post animated short films created by fourth year Sheridan College students with new music by composers from our SPO family. Podcasts will feature amazing interviews with musicians, composers, historians, musicologists, special guests, sector representatives, community partners (including the Stratford Symphony Orchestra, Scarborough Arts, and FabCollab Toronto), and more. Our composer-in-residence and podcast host is Dr. Daniel Mehdizadeh.

For more information, theme details, music performance selections, and links, please visit our website and social media platforms regularly. #SPOGreatMusic.