Directories

Nancy Dutra is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter of Americana music. Her debut album Time Will Tell was produced by Les Cooper and has been listed on the Euro Americana chart. She has co-written with Ron Sexsmith and Kevin Welch. 

1. What are we interrupting (i.e. what music-related activity are we taking you away from to write this)?

Right now (Friday, May 24), I'm finishing several songs that I started writing while in Austin, Texas. This material is new territory for me both lyrically and musically, which is exciting and challenging. I just returned from a two and a half month stay in Austin during which time I played a lot of shows, wrote a lot of songs and made some new friends. There are so many fantastic songwriters and musicians in Austin who I found really inspiring. The same can be said for my hometown of Toronto, which I missed even more than I thought I would. Next week, I'm back on the road, playing a series of shows in and around Oklahoma City.

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member between now and September 7?

I'm performing at a couple of festivals in Azores, Portugal in late June and I'm really looking forward to discovering some new artists there. As a Portuguese-Canadian, I've always felt a strong connection to my roots but I've only recently made a connection with the Portuguese artistic community and it's been a lot of fun. I'm also really looking forward to a lot of the music festivals happening at home!

3. How about as a music maker/player?

I can hardly wait to fine-tune and finish the songs I've been writing, many of which I plan to demo in the fall. I'm also looking to collaborate more with different writers and players. Collaboration is still relatively new to me but I like it. Co-writing exposes me to new musical ideas and challenges me to express myself more clearly.

4. What are you already preparing for musically beyond the summer? And (how) do your summer plans tie in with these longer term plans?

I want to demo my new songs in the fall in preparation for recording a full length album to follow my debut Time Will Tell, which was released in October 2012. So, in addition to taking in a lot of live music, I am really focused on making my new songs as strong as possible. I love writing and I always feel so fortunate when I am as inspired as I am now. 

Michael Reinhart is a composer, singer-songwriter and self-taught finger-style guitar player who has created music for dance, theatre and film, and performs his urban folk songs across Canada. He’s just released his fifth album, eCHO. 

1. What are we interrupting (i.e. what music-related activity are we taking you away from to write this)?

I am writing this (Friday, May 24) in the midst of submitting my brand new, very recent urban folk album eCHO to the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and I’m almost finished except for the mailing of CDs. It’s late in the afternoon so I’ll have to wait until morning, so I’ve taken this break to write down a few things for The WholeNote.

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member between now and September 7?

As a member of an audience, I look forward to catching some of the interesting acts at the Montreal Jazz Festival which starts near the end of June, running into the first week of July. There are always several exceptional free events on outdoor stages downtown in the hot and humid beginning of summer, which certainly suits the budget of the average Canadian singer-songwriter.

3. How about as a music maker/player?

As a music maker and player, I especially look forward to my own Montreal album release on June 20 at Robin des Bois, where I will launch my new album eCHO and perform a live concert of songs from the CD. It will be a hometown celebration of a recording almost three years in the making, with tasty hors d’oeuvres for friends and fans alike.

4. What are you already preparing for musically beyond the summer? And (how) do your summer plans tie in with these longer term plans?

Beyond the summer I will likely be doing a bit of touring to promote my new album, in the west of Canada first of all, then potentially in the east. I already have some performances set with some contemporary dancers in Vancouver, so I will synchronize some solo dates here and there in BC and maybe Alberta on the way home. I will be spending a month in Europe this summer and will try to spread the word about the CD and feel things out with regard to future touring over there. Perhaps drop a few albums here and there to drum up some interest in my music. Now that it's finally finished, I'm putting it out into the world.

WEBSITE

michaelreinhart.com 

LAURIE EVAN FRASER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, UPPER CANADA CHORISTERS

Laurie Evan Fraser is a freelance musician living in Toronto. She is the founding artistic director of the Upper Canada Choristers and its Latin ensemble, Cantemos. Laurie is a collaborative pianist, teacher, adjudicator and workshop clinician. 

1. What are we interrupting (i.e. what music-related activity are we taking you away from to write this)?

Today (Thursday, May 23) I am in the midst of finalizing plans for the 20th anniversary concert of the Upper Canada Choristers in May 2014. The theme of our concert is “Turn the World Around, a Celebration of Music's Influence on Social Action.” We have commissioned Stephen Hatfield to write a cross-cultural composition for us to sing with the main choir and Cantemos, our Latin chamber ensemble. I am getting in touch with choir alumni to work on a surprise addition to the concert. We are also focused on preparing for a Cantemos recording date in early June.

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member between now and September 7?

I'm looking forward to attending events at the Toronto Summer Music Festival. I am especially drawn to chamber music, and one of my favourite chamber ensembles, the Gryphon Trio, will be performing at Koerner Hall on July 18. Also, this year the fabulous Dutch soprano Elly Ameling is a mentor in the Art of Song.

3. How about as a music maker/player?

I enjoy reading through new scores and exploring new possibilities. There doesn't seem to be time to do much of this during the season. I do minimal teaching during the summer, so I have more freedom to sing and play my own music. Cantemos is planning to perform at two outdoor summer events: Kensington Market Pedestrian Sundays and the Marleeville Street Festival.

4. What are you already preparing for musically beyond the summer? And (how) do your summer plans tie in with these longer term plans?

I am working on preparations for a Holocaust Education Week concert on November 6 of the Upper Canada Choristers in collaboration with the Toronto Jewish Folk Choir and the Choir of Temple Sinai. The concert will be reprised at Temple Sinai on November 15. I am also working on details for our holiday concert on December 6, “Laudamus Te,” and of course, our anniversary concert on May 9. In addition, I will be doing some long range planning for the next five years culminating in a choir trip to Japan in 2019. Summer is also my time to compose, and I am looking forward to setting a poem written by one of our Cantemos members.

Brian Current is active internationally as a composer and conductor. He lives in Toronto and is on the faculty of the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory.

 1. What are we interrupting (i.e. what music-related activity are we taking you away from to write this)?

Excited to be composing a new piece for the Toronto Symphony for their 2014 New Creations Festival. It’s a big, deep-dark work for full orchestral forces with tons of forceful gestures and detailed texture. Other activities like conducting calm down in the summer so it’s nice to focus on just the writing for a while (Wednesday, May 22).

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member between now and September 7?

Luminato is always inspiring…

3. How about as a music maker/player? (answered in question one) 

4. What are you already preparing for musically beyond the summer? And (how) do your summer plans tie in with these longer term plans?

I’m compiling the audio for a disc of Airline Icarus to be released by Naxos Canadian Classics. We really got some great takes when we did the recording this past season so I’m very excited about this release.

Also planning next year’s new music season at The Royal Conservatory, where there will be a brand new festival of contemporary music in May, plus a concert called “Beyond the Sound of Music” which explores music accompanied by video, including a world premiere by Nicole Lizée. Mark your calendars for April 10!

Links:

WEBSITES

soundstreams.ca/airline-icarus

tso.ca/Concerts-And-Tickets/Events/2013-2014-Season/Absolute-Jest.aspx

briancurrent.com