TIME OF TRANSITIONS

Music to get you out of the post-holiday slump

The holiday season may be over, but the winter season is far from finished. Post-holiday blues can hit hard this time of year, as it’s back to work for most of us--and the slump at the start of the year can be found on our concert calendars as well, with shows taking shape slowly as ensembles return to rehearsals. Concerts take time to prep, and the interim can have would-be concertgoers feeling like the new year is off to a slow start.

Spring weather and sunny days may still be a long way away, but in the intervening weeks there are still some quick-on-the-draw ensembles with exciting musical offerings. Whether they feature wintertime classics, look forward towards the spring or just provide some musical food for thought, here are some January shows to help you cast off the old year and think ahead to bigger and better things.

This month, Ensemble Polaris is innovative as ever with a program set to ease you smoothly out of the holiday mindset. “Santa’s Gone Home!” on January 27 at Saint Bartholomew’s Anglican Church is the ensemble’s winter concert, and promises a lot more than your average Christmas carols. The program is made up of tunes from Canada, Scandinavia and Appalachia, plus some other surprises--one of which is explained only as “a tad of Nutcracker Nouveau”. If you haven’t yet had the chance to experience Ensemble Polaris’ eclectic instrumentation and “North-inspired” musical mandate (http://ensemblepolaris.com/about/), now is the time. The show will also be repeated on January 31 at 3pm, at Heliconian Hall. Details on both shows in our listings at http://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/listings/concertsgta.

The TSO has just returned from a tour to Florida--lucky--but they’re still prolific as ever, with a Mozart festival on the horizon. Mozart@260, January 15 to 23, is an annual event, and this year’s festival features the Jupiter Symphony and D-minor Requiem. The symphony will be paired with excerpts from Don Giovanni and Mozart’s “Jeunehomme” Piano Concerto, played by Alexandre Tharaud. The Requiem concerts also look promising for Mozart fans, where Mozart’s final work will be presented as a semi-staged production. Details on the festival at http://www.tso.ca/en-ca/concerts-and-tickets/2015-2016-Season/Subscription-Series/Mozart-at-260-Festival/Mozart-at-260-Festival.aspx.

Looking forward--you can get a preview of the end of Tafelmusik’s 2016 season on Saturday, January 16, at the final round of the first-ever Tafelmusik Vocal Competition. Starting at 1pm at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, nine singers will compete for three winning spots. The three winners--one each of alto, tenor and bass--will perform Zelenka’s Missa omnium sanctorum in Tafelmusik’s final concerts of the season. Admission to listen to the competition on Saturday is free--for details, check out http://www.tafelmusik.org/education/tafelmusik-vocal-competition.

SOUNDS/SIGHTS

Multimedia projects in the city this month

For those who like watching music-making as much as listening to it, a number of upcoming projects may spark your visual (and musical) interest. Starting this Wednesday at the Four Seasons Centre is Opera: Faces & Words--a photography exhibit that presents portraits of opera singers alongside a selection of lyrics that they find personally meaningful. The same project will be repeated with the same singers at 5-year intervals, with the aim of capturing their growth as people and performers as time passes. From January 13 to February 27, the Four Seasons Centre will display a portion of this project, which will feature six members and graduates of the COC Ensemble Studio--Lauren Segal, Allyson McHardy, Jacqueline Woodley, Andrew Haji, Charlotte Burrage, and Karine Boucher. For details on the exhibit, visit http://www.operafacesandwords.com/.

Also on this month is Century Song, a song/dance/film/projected art hybrid presented by Volcano Theatre, in collaboration with Crooked Figure Dances and the Moveable Beast Collective. The show is soprano Neema Bickersteth’s interpretation (alongside director Ross Manson and choreographer Kate Alton) of 100 years of women’s identities, set to 100 years of music by Rachmaninoff, Messiaen, John Cage, Georges Aperghis, and Reza Jacobs. All this to say that it looks to be a powerful production, whether it’s the music, the visuals or the story that brings you there. The show runs at the Theatre Centre’s Progress Festival from January 19 to 23, as part of a cross-Canada festival circuit--consider catching it then. Details at http://volcano.ca/production/century-song/.

Finally, while not multimedia, strictly speaking, a concert on January 18 by the Associates of the TSO deserves an honourable mention. “Colours in Music: Composers with Synaesthesia” features chamber music by well-known composers who have also identified in some way as synesthetes. It has piano and string works by Liszt, Sibelius, Messiaen, Duke Ellington and Amy Beach on the program, and seems like a promising show. More info on this concert and on the Associates of the TSO can be found at http://www.associates-tso.org/5small.html.

PRIZES, PRIZES!

Free tickets to the COC’s Siegfried

IN THIS ISSUE: The Ring is back. The second half of the COC’s 2015/16 season opens with Siegfried, part three of Wagner’s four-part cycle. Click here for a chance to win free tickets.

JUST IN: CORRECTED AND NEW LISTINGS

FEATURED LISTING: ONE NIGHT ONLY: THE GREATEST MUSICAL NEVER WRITTEN, January 27 to February 14

From January 27 to February 14, the Factory Theatre is host to ONE NIGHT ONLY: THE GREATEST MUSICAL NEVER WRITTEN. This two-act musical comedy is completely improvised, dictated by audience suggestions, bringing together local improvisers and sketch comedy performers to create a brand new musical every performance. The music-meets-comedy production stars Canadian Comedy Award-winners alongside singers Miriam Drysdale and Kevin Vidal--and hints at a special guest appearance by Colin Mochrie. For details on the show, look at our listings below or visit https://www.factorytheatre.ca/what-s-on/one-night-only/.

Other new/corrected January concert listings added online since our last print issue are as follows:

CONCERTS

Friday January 15

7:30: The Royal Conservatory. Tony Yike Yang and Charles Richard-Hamelin. Chopin piano works performed by International Chopin Competition medallists. Mazzoleni Concert Hall, Royal Conservatory, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $50.

Saturday January 16

8:00: Acoustic Harvest. A Pre-Winterfolk Showcase. Brian Gladstone, Tony Quarrington, HOTCHA!, David Storey, and others. St. Nicholas Anglican Church, 1512 Kingston Rd. $25(door); $22(adv).

Sunday January 17

2:00: Living Arts Centre. Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci - Opera Film Series. Film screenings of two Italian operas, in a production by the Royal Opera under Antonio Pappano. 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. 905-306-6000. $20.

Tuesday January 19

12:00: Department of Music, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. RBC Foundation - Music @ Noon. Faculty Recital: Patricia Dydnansky, flute. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722. Free.

Thursday January 21

12:00: University of Guelph. Thursday at Noon - Faculty Showcase. Goldschmidt Room, 107 MacKinnon Bldg., 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph. 519-824-4120 x52991. Free.

2:00: Orchardviewers. A Concert of Newfoundland. Toronto Public Library, Northern District, 40 Orchard View Blvd. 416-393-7610.

Friday January 22

7:30: Department of Music, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. ENCORE! Professional Concert Series presents: Canadian Guitar Quartet. Partridge Hall, First Ontario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722. $29; $23(sr/st); $5(eyeGo).

Saturday January 23

7:00: Hart House. Chamber Strings Pop Concert. Original singer-songwriter compositions and popular music. Hart House Great Hall, 7 Hart House Circle. 416-978-2452. Free.

8:00: Music Gallery/AIMToronto. Adam Rudolph - Go: Organic. Adam Rudolph, direction; SlowPitch, electronics/turntables; Tova Kardonne, vocals; Zoe Alexis-Abrams, vocals; Jackson Welchner, vocals, and others. Music Gallery, 197 John St. 416-204-1080. $20; $15(adv); $10(members). Pre-concert interview by Nilan Perera at 7:15pm.

Sunday January 24

2:00: Canzona Chamber Players. TRIO INK. Works by Mozart, Bach and Brahms. Yosuke Kawasaki, violin; Wolfram Koessel, cello; Vadim Serebryany, piano. St. Andrew by-the-Lake Anglican Church, Cibola Ave.,Toronto Island. 416-822-0613. $20. Also Jan 25 at the Music Gallery.

Monday January 25

7:30: Canzona Chamber Players. TRIO INK. Works by Mozart, Bach and Brahms. Yosuke Kawasaki, violin; Wolfram Koessel, cello; Vadim Serebryany, piano. St. George the Martyr Church, 197 John St. 416-822-0613. $20. Also Jan 24 on Toronto Island.

Tuesday January 26

12:00: Department of Music, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. RBC Foundation - Music @ Noon. Faculty Recital: Tim White, trumpet and Lesley Kingham, piano. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722. Free.

Wednesday January 27

12:30: University of Waterloo Department of Music. Noon Hour Concerts: Everett Hopfner: Sounds Like Canada. Enns: Piano Sonata No. 1; and other Canadian works. Everett Hopfner, piano. Conrad Grebel University College, 140 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo. 519-885-0220 x24226. Free.

8:00: Factory Theatre. One Night Only: The Greatest Musical Never Written. Two-act improvised musical comedy, dictated by audience suggestions. 125 Bathurst St. . $32.40-$60.65. Also Jan 28, 29, 30, 31(mat), Feb 2, 3, 4, 5, 6(mat/eve), 7(mat), 9, 10, 11, 12, 13(mat/eve), 14(mat).

Thursday January 28

12:00: University of Guelph. Thursday at Noon - A Feast for the Ears. Sheila Dietrich, soprano. Goldschmidt Room, 107 MacKinnon Bldg., 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph. 519-824-4120 x52991. Free.

Sunday January 31

2:00: Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts. HCA Concert Series presents: André Laplante. Schubert: Sonata in A major D 664; Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales and Sonatine; Liszt: Ballade No.2 in b; Chopin: Nocturne. Op.62 No.1in B; Polonaise Fantasy in A-flat. 126 James St. S, Hamilton. 905-528-4020. $15-$27.

2:00: Pocket Concerts. Mendelssohn in Cabbagetown. A living room concert with music, food and wine. Mendelssohn: Piano Trio in c; and others. Emily Rho, piano; Aaron Schwebel, violin; Britton Riley, cello. 647-896-8295. $45; $30(age 19-35); $15(under 18). The exact address will be provided when tickets are purchased.

7:00: Melos Choir and Period Instruments. Baroque Idol. Final competition round for local young singers performing baroque music. St. George's Cathedral (Kingston), 270 King St. E., Kingston. 613-767-7245. $10.

Tuesday February 2

12:00: Department of Music, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. RBC Foundation - Music @ Noon. Recital: Voice Students. Cairns Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722. Free.

Wednesday February 3

12:30: University of Waterloo Department of Music. Noon Hour Concerts: Music of the Future. Eric Ross, theremin; Mary Ross, video art. Conrad Grebel University College, 140 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo. 519-885-0220 x24226. Free.

8:00: Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society. Penderecki String Quartet. Beethoven: Op.18, No.2; Schubert: Impromptus, D899; Louis Vierne: Piano Quintet in c, Op.42. Penderecki String Quartet; Leopoldo Erice, piano. KWCMS Music Room, 57 Young St. W., Waterloo. 519-886-1673. $35; $20(st).

Thursday February 4

12:00: University of Guelph. Thursday at Noon - Music from the Future. Multimedia Concept Boulevard d'Reconstructie (Op. 54). Eric and Mary Ross. Goldschmidt Room, 107 MacKinnon Bldg., 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph. 519-824-4120 x52991. Free.

Friday February 5

8:00: group of 27. Beauty Packs a Punch Basket. Finzi: A Severn Rhapsody, Op.3; Lalo: Aubades; Dubois: Cavatine for Horn; Massenet: Valse Tres Lente; Frehner: Apollo X. Gabe Radford, horn; Nadina Mackie Jackson, bassoon. Centre for Social Innovation, 720 Bathurst St. 416-323-1292. $30; $25(st); $10(under 18). $5 off when you buy your ticket in advance online.

MAINLY CLUBS, MOSTLY JAZZ

Friday January 15

9:00: Jazz at Oscar's. Jazz Night - Sarah Jerrom. Arbor Room, 7 Hart House Circle. Free.

10:00: Kevin Morris. The Man I Love. Cabaret featuring songs about men in love with men. Works by Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart, Cole Porter, Nina Simone, and others. Kevin Morris, vocals; Chris Tsujiuchi, keyboard and vocals; Matthew Karaś, bass; Robert Purcell, drums. Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander St. 416-975-8555. $20(door); $15(adv).

Saturday January 16

1:00: Tafelmusik. Tafelmusik Vocal Competition. Final round of the inaugural Tafelmusik Vocal Competition. Baroque arias by Handel, Bach and Zelenka. Nine vocal soloists; Christopher Bagan, harpsichord and organ. Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-9562 x221. Free.

Sunday January 17

2:00: Beverly Taft. Beverly Taft. Jazz, bossa, blues and originals. Beverly Taft, vocals; David Restivo, piano. Morgans on the Danforth, 1282 Danforth Ave. 416-461-3020. No cover.

Friday January 22

8:30: Hugh's Room. Poor Angus. Original and traditional Scottish, Irish and East Coast themed pieces. 2261 Dundas St. W.416-531-6604. $25(door); $22.50(adv).

9:00: Jazz at Oscar's. Jazz Night - Sam Broverman. Arbor Room, 7 Hart House Circle. Free.

Friday January 29

9:00: Jazz at Oscar's. Jazz Night - Mark Kazakevich. Arbor Room, 7 Hart House Circle. Free.

Sunday January 31

4:30: Beverly Taft. Beverly Taft. Jazz, bossa, blues and originals. Beverly Taft, vocals; Nathan Hiltz, guitar; Artie Roth, bass. The Local Gest, 424 Parliament St. 416-961-9425. No cover.

Friday February 5

9:00: Jazz at Oscar's. Jazz Night - Harley Card. Arbor Room, 7 Hart House Circle. Free.

ETCs

Wednesday January 20

7:30: Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir. Call for Members/Open Rehearsal. Guests welcome to meet the choir, sing along or just listen. Dewi Sant Church, 33 Melrose Ave. 905-474-6045. Free.

Wednesday January 27

6:00: Istituto Italiano di Cultura. International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2016. Literature and music dedicated to Italian-Jewish writer and chemist Primo Levi. Excerpts from Primo Levi’s literary work “If This is a Man” read by actor Michael A. Miranda; Musical intermissions featuring classic Klezmer repertoire performed by Robbie Grunwald, pianist and Drew Jurecka, violinist. Alliance Francaise Theatre, 24 Spadina Rd. 416-921-3802 x221. Free.

THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING

The next issue of HalfTones, Vol 3 No 6, will be out on Thursday, February 11, 2016. Our current print issue is a special DOUBLE ISSUE covering December 1-February 7; the February print issue will be on the stands at the end of the month.

Please contact halftones@thewholenote.com with any HalfTones inquiries.

“NEW YEAR, NEW ME”

Concerts bringing something different to the table for 2016

2015’s days are numbered. As usual, the holiday season means that a new year is right around the corner, and as usual, that means us promises ourselves to do more, struggle less, and be better come January. Maybe it’s naive of us to think that the New Year’s Resolution is still a useful exercise, but if you need some musical inspiration for yours then you’re in luck. In addition to the abundance of holiday concerts and NYE parties this time of year, there are a number of innovative concert presenters that are bringing new ideas to the table. Here’s a few shows where you can celebrate fresh starts, find some peace of mind, or learn something new this January.

If you’re already feeling the need to listen to some non-holiday-themed music and can’t wait until the new year, the Ontario Philharmonic’s show in Oshawa this Saturday December 19 is a good bet. Their program of Mendelssohn and Chopin is classic concert fare, perfect for those who want the holiday earworm out of their head. See http://www.ontariophil.ca/index.php?ID=1 for details.

For an atypical NYE experience, those in Hamilton might want to check out a concert at Melrose United Church. Crystal Journey’s David Hickey will be playing two sets with paiste gongs, vibraphone, santoor and crystal bowls, with a gong to ring in the new year. The show includes tea and vegan snacks, and guests are encouraged to bring their own yoga mats or blankets to lie down on if they wish. Could be a relaxing and family-friendly alternative to the NYE party scene -- for details, visit http://www.crystaljourney.ca/live-performances.

On New Year’s Day, industrious early-musickers Musicians in Ordinary are presenting a matinée show that celebrates famous composers’ own fresh starts. Titled “Opus 1’s,” the show will feature first compositions by Handel, Vivaldi and other baroque composers at Yorkville’s Heliconian Hall. And if you’re busy on the 1st but still want to hear what these musical beginnings sound like, the show is on again the following evening. More info is available at http://www.musiciansinordinary.ca/concerts/heliconian-series/.

On another note, sometimes a new year can mean a fresh perspective on a difficult situation. I FURIOSI plays a concert on January 9, and as usual with their shows, it will be a bold new take on baroque repertoire. UNREQUITED tackles the subject of unrequited love, taking on music about lopsided emotions and hopeless circumstances. Soprano Merry-Anne Stuart and organist Stephanie Martin will join the ensemble for the program. Check out http://ifuriosi.com/concerts/ for details.

Finally, January 11 will be an opportunity to learn about a new approach to music-making, and what it has to offer. Composer Alexander Rapoport has organized “Theremin Meets Piano,” a concert at Gallery 345 that will feature the piano alongside the iconic electronic instrument. Curious concertgoers will also hear theremin player Pamelia Stickney’s demonstration of the instrument, as well as have the chance to try it out themselves. Details at http://www.gallery345.com/performances.php#jan11.

If more standard NYE fare is more what you had in mind, there’s no shortage of other gala events, parties, and concerts scheduled to ring in the new year--for full listings, check out our website or a copy of our December/January issue. In the meantime: happy holidays, WholeNote readers, and here’s hoping for an even happier new year.

DISCOVERIES: RECORDINGS REVIEWED

Two seasonal CDs for your holiday playlist

Just in time for the holidays we’ve received two seasonal delights. Dianne Wells reviews Winter Nights, a Pax Christi Chorale CD of “deeply thought out and sensitive” works by director Stephanie Martin, and a “hilarious” send-up of some Christmas favourites, The Most Wonderful Time… Maybe by local powerhouse vocal jazz trio Broadsway…

Winter Nights - Works by Stephanie Martin     
Pax Christi Chorale; Stephanie Martin
Independent SJM010 (paxchristichorale.org)

Stephanie Martin’s 20th anniversary as artistic director of the Pax Christi Chorale is fittingly honoured by this premiere recording of her own pieces. In addressing modern composition, she elects, in her own words, to “follow Britten’s vision of the ‘holy triangle’ between composer, performer and audience. In an ideal musical triangle, a new piece can satisfy the intellectual needs of the composer, respect the limitations of the performing forces, and move the audience.” The result of this approach is a collection of deeply thought out and sensitive works that harken to the past while maintaining a high degree of originality. The chosen texts are quite stimulating as well, drawing from classical giants such as Tennyson, Campion, Milton and Yeats, biblical texts, as well as offerings from the composer and her most gifted sister, Cori Martin. Rise up my love, my fair one gives a respectful nod to Healey Willan, one of Martin’s forebears at St. Mary Magdalene’s. Her five-movement cantata Winter Nights is a wonderful study of the pleasures and mysteries of the season and the final selection on the disc Now the Queen of Seasons provides a rousing opportunity to celebrate with exuberant organ and the True North Brass.  Of course, as always, the Pax Christi Chorale gives superb performances throughout, in the hands of its consummate conductor.

Dianne Wells

The Most Wonderful Time… Maybe     
Broadsway
Independent BWCD002 (thebroadswayshow.com)       

In the honoured tradition of Fractured Fairy Tales (i.e. The Three Little Pigs from the wolf’s point of view), we have in this recording hilarious send ups of some of the best known and loved Christmas songs. That’s not to say that the multi-talented women of Broadsway, Heather Bambrick, Diane Leah and Julie Michels don’t have their serious moments. Set amongst wacky, reworked renditions of Baby It’s Cold Outside and Most Wonderful Time of the Year are some pretty heartfelt renderings of quieter songs like Gordon Lightfoot’s Song for a Winter’s Night and Corlynn Hanney’s Christmas Angel. The singing and especially the harmonies are gorgeous and enhanced by a few excellent players. Colleen Allen delivers stunning saxophone solos while a solid foundation is provided by bassists George Koller and Michael McClennan with percussionists Davide DiRenzo and Tom Jestadt. There are a number of clever medleys on the recording featuring quite innovative intertwinings of tunes, especially in Jingle Bells/Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree which adds snippets of Sleigh Ride, Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Deck the Halls, some at breakneck speed. And that’s not all; as an added bonus, the women deliver some pretty convincing chipmunk impressions with Christmas Don’t Be Late.

Dianne Wells

Correction from Vol 21 No 4:

A Conversation Piece

Dr. Réa Beaumont

Shrinking Planet Productions SPP0090 (reabeaumont.com)

A Listening Room print advertisement for pianist Dr Réa Beaumont's CD "A Conversation Piece" should have appeared in December/January's combined edition of The WholeNote, and we regret the error. Readers who would like to enjoy the enhanced review of Dr. Beaumont's CD should click here: http://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/booksrecords2/editorscorner/25581-editor-s-corner-september-2015. Listening Room enhanced reviews include clicks to listen and clicks to buy.

Speaking of records, if you haven’t already you should take a look at Ori Dagan’s column VINYL REVIVAL (http://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/newsroom/beatcolumns-sp-2121861476/intheclubsjazz2/25775-vinyl-revival), for tips on records, and on how, where and what to buy in Toronto. And if records interest you, keep an eye on our Twitter page @TheWholeNote this Friday -- where you might have the chance to win some exclusive record-related prizes. We’ll say no more for now!

PRIZES, PRIZES!

Exclusive contests from The WholeNote

IN THIS ISSUE: Chances to win tickets to hear the Talisker Players in concert or receive free-of-charge entry into a Music Appreciation course at the RCM--plus some hints on how to win other special prizes exclusive to WholeNote readers.

Follow the links below to enter:

Talisker Players: High Standards, Sunday January 10

The Royal Conservatory: Music Appreciation Course of your choice, January-June

Plus, a correction and a reminder about another contest that we run every month:

Who IS February's Child?

In the Dec/Jan print edition we neglected to say HOW you can enter our regular contest "We Are ALL Music's Children". See If you know who it is in the mystery photo! You can take another look at the clues here, in the right-hand column: http://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/newsroom/musical-life/whoismusicalchild

To enter your name in a draw for some great prizes (tickets and recordings) please send your best guess by email to musicschildren@thewholenote.com by January 25, 2016.

JUST IN: CORRECTED AND NEW LISTINGS

FEATURED LISTING: THE MUMMERS’ MASQUE, DEC 17-19

For an alternative yet still-festive option amidst a season of Christmas concerts, check out the Toronto Masque Theatre’s production of “The Mummers’ Masque” December 17 to 19. Billed as a ‘Newfoundland Christmas Kitchen Party,” the show will be a celebratory combo of music, dance and storytelling in Toronto’s Enoch Turner Schoolhouse. The show will carry on a 400-year-old Newfoundland holiday tradition, and promises more of the innovative work that we’ve come to expect from TMT. For details on the show, check our listings below or visit http://www.torontomasquetheatre.com/node/40.

Other new/corrected December/January concert listings added online since our last print issue are as follows:

CONCERTS

Dec 17 12:15: St. George's Cathedral (Kingston). Advent Concert. Works by Mendelssohn, Grieg and Holst. Valery Lloyd-Watts and Clare Gordon, pianos. 270 King St. E., Kingston. 613-548-4617. Freewill offering.

Dec 18 8:30: Zula Music & Arts Collective Hamilton. Samuel Blaser Quartet plus Dave Gould. Samuel Blaser Quartet; Dave Gould, percussive strings. Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, 51 Stuart St., Hamilton. 905-522-3003. $15; $12(adv/st). CANCELLED.

Dec 19 2:00: Toronto Masque Theatre. Mummer's Masque. Carla Huhtanen (St. George); Marion Newman (Rival Knight/Dragon); Christopher Mayell (Princess Zebra); Giles Tomkins (Father Christmas); step dancers; children's choir; jug band; and others. Enoch Turner Schoolhouse, 106 Trinity St. 416-410-4561. $50; $43(sr); $20(30 and under). Also Dec 17, 18, 19(8pm).

Dec 19 7:30: Niagara Symphony Orchestra. Home for the Holidays. Joey DeBenedetto, vocals; Katie Kerr, vocals; Bradley Thachuk, conductor. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. 905-688-0722. $64; $59(sr); $32(30 and under); $14(st); $12(child); $5(EyeGo). Also Jan 20(2:30).

Dec 20 2:00: Quinte Symphony Orchestra. A Quinte Christmas. Beethoven: Symphony No.5; Christmas sing-along. Dan Tremblay, conductor. Centennial Secondary School, 160 Palmer Rd, Belleville. 613-967-3970. $25; $20(sr); $10(st); free(child).

Dec 31 8:30: Crystal Journey. In Concert. Paiste gongs, vibraphone, santoor and crystal bowls. Melrose United Church, 86 Homewood Ave.,Hamilton. 905-928-9706. $25. Includes tea and vegan treat. Child care available. Chairs will be provided or bring your own yoga mat or blanket.

Jan 06 6:00: Cathedral Church of St. James. Cantatas in the Cathedral. Bach: Canata "Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen", BWV123; and organ works. Teresa Mahon, soprano; Simon Honeyman, countertenor; Asitha Tennekoon, tenor; James Baldwin, bass; David Briggs, organ. 65 Church St. 416-364-7865. PWYC. All donations go directly to the artists.

Jan 10 4:00: Church of St. Mary Magdalene. Organ music for the octave of Epiphany. Andrew Adair, organ. Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto), 477 Manning Ave. 416-531-7955. Free.

Jan 23 8:00: Guitar Society of Toronto. Classical Guitarist Paolo Martelli. Works by Bach on an 11-string guitar, Assad, Bellinati, and others. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-964-8298. $30; $25(sr/st).

Feb 07 4:00: Church of St. Mary Magdalene. Organ music by Felix Mendelssohn. Andrew Adair, organ. Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto), 477 Manning Ave. 416-531-7955. Free.

MAINLY CLUBS, MOSTLY JAZZ

Dec 17 7:00. The Jerry Cans. The Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave. $15/$12.50(adv) at www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/10255

Dec 18 6:00. Guy Moreau, vocals; Kevin Barrett, guitar; Carrie Chestnutt, sax.120 Diner, 120 Church St. 416) 792-7725 or advance tickets at moreau.guy@gmail.com.

Dec 18 8:30. Foggy Hogtown Boys Christmas @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W. 416-531-6604. $25/$22.50(adv)

Dec 19 4:00. York Jazz Ensemble with vocalists George Westerholm & Beverly Taft. Swing & jazz & blues. Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-489-7931. $10 cover

Dec 20 12_noon. The Ault Sisters Xmas Matinee. Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., 416-531-6604. $22.50/$20(adv); $10(child).

Dec 23 8:30. Have A Bluesy Xmas with Paul DesLauriers Band, Jerome Godboo & Selena Evangeline. Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., 416-531-6604. $30/$25(adv)

Dec 30 8:30. Suzie Vinnick. Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., 416-531-6604. $25/$22.50(adv)

Dec 31 9:30. New Years Eve @ Hugh’s Room with Chris Whiteley, Diana Braithwaite & Sam Broverman. 2261 Dundas St. W., 416-531-6604. $50/$45(adv).

Dec 31 10:00. Jeanine Mackie Band. The Jazz Bistro. 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299. $150. Dinner package includes 5-course gourmet dinner, live entertainment, party favours and champagne at midnight

Jan 6 8:30. Alex Pangman & Kevin Clark. Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., 416-531-6604. $30/$25(adv)

Jan 9 8:30. Joanna Chapman-Smith. Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W. 416-531-6604. $20/$18(adv)

Jan 17 2:00. Beverly Taft (vocals) with David Restivo (piano). Jazz, bossa, blues & originals. Morgans on the Danforth, 1282 Danforth Ave. 416-461-3020. No cover

Jan 31 4:30. Beverly Taft (vocals) with Nathan Hiltz (guitar) and Artie Roth (bass). Jazz originals, bossa and blues. The Local Gest, 424 Parliament St. 416-961-9425. No cover.

MUSIC THEATRE

Dec 17 7:30. Lower Ossington Theatre. Avenue Q. Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. Book by Jeff Whitty. Directed by Seanna Kennedy. 100A Ossington Ave. 416-915-6747. $49.99–$59.99. Until Jan 10. Start times vary.

Dec 17 7:30. Lower Ossington Theatre. Jesus Christ Superstar. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lyrics by Tim Rice. Directed by Alan Kinsella. 100A Ossington Ave. $49.99–$59.99. 416-915-6747. Until Jan 17. Start times vary.

Jan 15 8:00. Hart House Theatre. Into the Woods. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by James Lapine. Directed by Jeremy Hutton. Musical Direction by Giustin MacLean. Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Cir, Toronto. 416-978-8849. $28; $17(sr); $15(st); $12(st on Wed). Until Jan 30. Start times vary.

FILM SCREENINGS

Dec 29 2:00 pm. Living Arts Centre. Opera Film Series: Le Nozze di Figaro - Opera Film Series. David McVicar, stage director; Ivor Bolton, conductor; Erwin Schrott (bass) Figaro; Anita Hartig (soprano) Susanna. 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. 905-306-6000. $20

GROUP MEETINGS

Jan 8 7:30 CAMMAC Recorder Players’ Society. Amateur recorder players are invited to join in the playing of early music. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-597-0485 or cammac.ca  $15 (non-members). Refreshments included.

NEW ON OUR WEBSITE

HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY THIS FRIDAY

Keep your eyes peeled on Twitter this Friday, because @TheWholeNote will be making a special announcement about a chance to win some pretty great prizes...a MUST if you are a music lover or vinyl aficionado! We’ll say no more until then, though...

THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING

The next issue of HalfTones, Vol 3 No 5, will be out on Monday, January 11, 2016. Our current print issue is a special DOUBLE ISSUE covering December 1-February 7; the February print issue will be on the stands at the end of January.

Please contact halftones@thewholenote.com with any HalfTones inquiries.

"A SNAPSHOT OF WHO YOU ARE"

Sondra Radvanovsky, back in Toronto

There’s a new video up on our website--and it’s all about how one of the world’s great operatic talents is planning on coming back home.

WholeNote publisher David Perlman sat down with Sondra Radvanovsky last month in her Caledon home to talk about her upcoming recital at Koerner Hall, and about the growing relationship between Radvanovsky and Toronto audiences in the years to come.

At this time, Radvanovsky has just completed a run of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. She’ll be back in Toronto by December, where she has a masterclass at U of T planned for the 1st of the month, plus a Koerner Hall recital three days later on December 4 that promises some exciting repertoire. “I think nowadays the whole context of recital has changed,” she says. “I think the audience wants to see kind of a snapshot of who you are.” The show is presented by Show One Productions, and will include a mixture of art songs and arias--what Radvanovsky refers to as sticking to the art-song “language of the recital” but trying to “end it with a bit of a ‘Wow!’”

Local audiences will have many more opportunities to hear ‘wow’-worthy performances in the future. In our video Radvanovsky talks about coming back every year from now on, and about conversations in the works with Alexander Neef about Toronto as her home and a place for musical experimentation. She’s dropped some hints about an appearance in the COC’s 2016/17 season, but she’s good at keeping a secret--so we’ll have to wait until the season launch in January to find out the details.

In the meantime, we think that you should make sure you attend the recital on December 4--and we even have some tickets to help make that happen. In an exclusive contest for WholeNote readers and video-watchers, we are giving away tickets to Radvanovsky’s recital--click here or check out our ‘PRIZES, PRIZES!’ section to apply for a chance to win!

To check out the full video, click here --and to read more about the interview in David Perlman’s story for our November issue, visit our website at http://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/newsroom/musical-life/221-features/25705-sondra-radvanovsky-comes-home.

MESSIAH ON THE HORIZON

An early-bird’s guide to performances of Handel’s Messiah this year

It’s almost that time of year again. For those keeping a pulse on our local live music scene, winter means the holiday season, and the holiday season means, inevitably, the Messiah. Handel’s famous masterpiece is a timeless work, and one that is performed over and over, every year without fail. It can admittedly be a little bit of a daunting task to find a performance that suits you, at a time where it seems like everyone is performing the same type of concert.

That’s why The WholeNote has taken to writing up an annual Messiah guide each December, covering what each Messiah season has to offer and what the masterwork means to us. This year, look for Howard Dyck’s very interesting [personal take on the work in our December issue. It seems, however, like the season is creeping up earlier and earlier each year, which, believe it or not, means that waiting until December will cause you to miss a few notable productions. So, for those of you who don't want to wait any longer before deciding where, when and how often to take in Handel's Messiah this holiday season, here are some quick picks of anticipated sitings and sightings of this work that continues to confound its naysayers, delight its devotees and win over new audiences with every Halleluia.

The big ones: It wouldn’t be real coverage of Handel’s Messiah in Toronto without talking about the productions by Tafelmusik and the TSO. Both shows are annual favourites in the city--especially Tafelmusik’s ‘sing-along’ edition, which is sold out every year. Tafelmusik’s production is December 16 to 19 at Koerner Hall (sing-along on the 20th), and the TSO’s is December 19 and 20, with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Against the Grain Theatre is also putting on a major Messiah production this year at Massey Hall, which will run from December 16 to 18.

Those with a head-start: This year’s award to earliest Messiah production goes to Masterworks of Oakville Chorus & Orchestra, who will present their show this weekend on November 20 to 22. If you need to get into the Messiah spirit early, here’s where to do it. A number of presenters outside of Toronto will also host November Messiah concerts, including Oriana Singers of Northumberland (November 28) and Barrie Concerts (also November 28).

Also in November is the RCM’s concert featuring the Vienna Boys Choir, who will sing an excerpt from the Messiah as well as other choral works on November 29 at 3pm. The show is completely sold out, but rush tickets will be available, and this choir is good enough to warrant lining up the day of.

New and exciting: Two concerts that we’ll call “Messiah-themed” open on December 7 this year, and are worth checking out. The first is “Handel Foundling Hospital,” put on by the Musicians in Ordinary and St. Michael’s Schola Cantorum. The performance will feature Handel’s Foundling Hospital Anthem, a piece constructed largely from Messiah excerpts as a fundraiser for a London orphanage. Also on the program are works by Francesco Geminiani, a contemporary of Handel’s in London at the time.

Also on December 7 (and December 8) is Soundstreams’ “Ear Candy: Electric Messiah.” This will be a totally re-imagined performance of the classic, featuring an impressive list of artistic and musical collaborators--among them York University Electroacoustic Orchestra and vocalist Christine Duncan. Should be fun, and a new kind of festive.

As always, there are too many performances of this masterwork this year to name them all here--our last count put us at over 30 productions--so keep an eye on our November and December listings, as well as the December issue, for the whole story. Happy concert-hunting!

NEW IN THE CITY

New venues and ‘new music’ in Toronto this month

November has a lot in store in the “new” category--new music, new ensembles and new concert spaces. This Saturday marks two such events. 2pm on the 21st is New Music 101, a lecture/concert/discussion presented at Northern District Public Library. We confess that we are biased--our publisher David Perlman is hosting the event--but there are other reasons why it should be on your radar. This week’s session will feature Continuum Contemporary Music in a presentation of artistic director Ryan Scott’s doctoral research in Tokyo, as well as keyboard group junctQin in a demonstration of extended piano techniques using the music of Tomi Räisänen. Later that evening at 8pm is Toy Piano Composers’ “TBA 3,” featuring all manner of brand-new works. More on there two events here, respectively: http://continuummusic.org/seasons/1516/new-music-101.php

https://www.musicgallery.org/the-toy-piano-composers-to-be-announced-3/.

The following weekend on November 27 and 28 marks the return of the Gryphon Trio’s multi-disciplinary show Constantinople at Toronto’s Ismaili Centre. Composed by Christos Hatzis, the Constantinople project returns to Toronto as part of The Ismaili Centre’s Cities of Arrival series. The centre, which opened in September of last year, closes its series with this show, but plans on presenting more musical offerings in the future--and is a venue to take note of. Details on the series at http://www.citiesofarrival.com/.

Finally, November 19 gets an honourable mention: this Thursday is the first-ever concert of new electroacoustic initiative TOLOrk (https://www.facebook.com/events/940316142714409/) in a program full of brand-new sound art, as well as the fall concert for U of T’s contemporary music ensemble (https://www.facebook.com/events/1666222003663048/), which will feature among other contemporary offerings bassoonist Bianca Chambul in Gubaidulina’s “Concert for Bassoon and Low Strings.” It’s a shame that audiences won’t have the option of attending both; both, however, seem like a promising choices.

PRIZES, PRIZES!

Exclusive contests from The WholeNote

IN THIS ISSUE: Win tickets to Sondra Radvanovsky’s recital at Koerner Hall; Boesmans’ opera Julie at CanStage; an upcoming shows with Tafelmusik, the Toronto Jazz Orchestra and the Peterborough Singers--all up for grabs now on our website!

Follow the links below to enter. Feel free to enter as many as you like (or all five!):

Sondra Radvanovsky: In Recital at Koerner Hall, Friday, December 4

CanStage/Soundstreams: Julie (+$50 to Le Papillon on Front), Sunday, November 22

Tafelmusik: Bach Christmas Oratorio, Friday, December 4

Toronto Jazz Orchestra: The Big Band Tap Revue, Sunday, November 29

Peterborough Singers: Yuletide Cheer, Saturday, November 28

JUST IN: CORRECTED AND NEW LISTINGS

FEATURED LISTING: SCARAMELLA: “BACH - ALIO MODO”

In today’s DJ-heavy culture, we hear a lot about sampling and re-sampling in music, but these techniques go way back--and though he maybe didn’t do it digitally, J.S. Bach was a sampling expert. In Scaramella’s upcoming show on Saturday November 28 at 8pm, viol performers embrace the musical sample to interpret and re-interpret a number of works by Bach. Find concert details below in our listings, or at https://m.facebook.com/events/943436542365405/?ref=106&action_history=null.

Other new/corrected November concert listings added online since our last print issue are as follows:

Nov 21 7:30: Brock University. Nocturne: Songs of the Night. Avanti Chamber Singers. Covenant Christian Reformed Church, 278 Parnell Ave., St. Catharines. $25; $20(sr/st); $5(eyeGo); $5 discounts for some advance tickets available.

Nov 21 7:30: Toronto Concert Band. Fall 2015 Concert. Carmina Burana, Movements 1-4; Shenandoah; Ross Roy; Kingsmere Overture; Tir Na Nog; Quad City Stomp; Fields of Honour; and others. Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. W. $15.

Nov 21 8:00: Acoustic Harvest. Noah Zacharin. Robinson Hall, St. Nicholas Anglican Church, 1512 Kingston Rd. $25/$22(adv). Wheelchair accessible, free parking.

Nov 22 4:00: Vivace Vox. Going For Baroque! Handel: The King Shall Rejoice (Coronation Anthem). Linda Eyman, musical director; Community Baroque Orchestra of Toronto. Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-455-9238. $20; $15(sr/st).

Nov 22 7:30: University of Waterloo Department of Music. Modern & Medieval: Music by Arvo Pärt and others. University of Waterloo Chamber Choir; Grand Philharmonic Chamber Choir; GPC Youth Choir; Laurier Singers. First United Church (Waterloo), 16 William St. W., Waterloo. 519-885-0220 x24256. $10; $5(sr/st).

Nov 26 12:30: York University Department of Music. Remembering Ann Southam. Southam: Stitches in Time, Altitude Lake, Where, Rivers (excerpts), Glass Houses (excerpts). Christina Petrowska Quilico, piano. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 647-459-0701. Free. ***correction from November issue***

Nov 26 7:00: Toronto City Opera. Fall Fundraiser & Season Preview. Bickford Centre Theatre, 777 Bloor St. W. Donations accepted.

Nov 27 7:30: University of Waterloo Department of Music. Balinese Gamelan Ensemble. Humanities Theatre, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo. 519-885-0220 x24256. Free.

Nov 28 7:00: University of Waterloo Department of Music. Inspiration & Peace. Vaughan Williams: Hodie; Britten: A Ceremony of Carols; Nickel: The Requiem For Peace; Quartel: Snow Angel; Celtic Mouth Music; and others. University of Waterloo Choir. First United Church (Waterloo), 16 William St. W., Waterloo. 519-885-0220 x24256. $10; $5(sr/st).

Nov 28 7:30: John Laing Singers. The Star of Bethlehem. Rheinberger: The Star of Bethlehem; and others. Roger Bergs, artistic director; Simon Walker, organ/piano; and others. St. Paul's United Church (Dundas), 29 Park St. W., Dundas. $25; $20(sr); $5(st); free(child).

Nov 28 7:30: Peterborough Singers. Yuletide Cheer. Isabel Bayrakdarian, soprano; Serouj Kradjian, composer; Venabrass Quintet; Ian Sadler, organ; Sydney Birrell, conductor. George Street United Church, 534 George St. N., Peterborough. 705-745-1820. $30; $20(under 30); $10(st).

Nov 28 8:00: Canadian Children's Opera Company. A Cup of Kindness. Members of the Canadian Children's Opera Company; Teri Dunn, Lynn Janes, Emily Bird, Adine Mintz, conductors. Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. 416-366-0467. $25; $15(sr/st); $5(child).

Nov 28 8:00: Ontario Pops Orchestra. Inaugural Concert. Rossini: William Tell Overture Finale; Adele: Skyfall; Bizet: Habanera, Carmen; Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Mvt 1; movie soundtracks; and others. Carlos Bastidas, conductor; Shannon Butcher, voice; Stephanie Vega, voice; Marianne Zin, voice. Humber Valley United Church, 76 Anglesey Blvd., Etobicoke. $15.

Nov 28 8:00: Scaramella. Bach - Alio Modo. An all-Bach program inspired by the idea of the musical sample. Elizabeth Rumsey, Joëlle Morton, tenor viols; Josephine van Lier, Debra Lonergan, bass viols; Marilyn Fung, violone; David Rumsey, harpsichord. Victoria College Chapel, 91 Charles St. W. 416-760-8610. $30; $25(sr); $20(st).

Nov 29 2:00: University of Waterloo Department of Music. Jazz Ensemble. Seasonal jazz classics. UW Jazz Ensemble; Michael Wood, director. Conrad Grebel University College, 140 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo. 519-885-0220 x24256. $10; $5(sr/st). Reception follows.

Nov 29 4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Jazz Vespers. Mike Murley, saxophone; David Occhipinti, guitar. 1570 Yonge St. 416-920-5211. Free. ***correction from November issue***

Nov 29 6:00: Canadian Music Centre/Musica Reflecta. Opus Testing: (De)Collage Workshop/Concert Featuring the Hybridity Ensemble. A collaborative project between the Hybridity Ensemble and local composers. Canadian Music Centre, 20 St. Joseph St. 416-961-6601 x202. PWYC.

Nov 29 7:00: University of Waterloo Department of Music. Instrumental Chamber Ensembles. Conrad Grebel University College, 140 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo. 519-885-0220 x24256. Also Nov 30. Reception follows.

Dec 04 7:30: Church of the Holy Trinity. The Christmas Story. In a Toronto tradition since 1938, this Nativity play celebrates its 78th season. 10 Trinity Sq. 416-598-4521 x301. Suggested donation $20/$5(child). Advance ticket reservations available. The church is wheelchair accessible; ASL interpretation at selected performances. Also Dec 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20(mat) and Dec 11, 12, 18, 19 and 20(eve).

THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING

The next issue of HalfTones, Vol 3 No 4, will be out on Wednesday, December 16, 2015. The next print issue is a DOUBLE ISSUE, covering December 1-February 7 -- it’ll be on the stands at the end of November.

Please contact halftones@thewholenote.com with any HalfTones inquiries.

REACHING OUT AND COMING TOGETHER: DAVID WARRACK’S ABRAHAM ORATORIO

It’s a story that’s been a long time in the making.

After years of preparation, Wednesday, October 28 sees the world premiere of David Warrack’s oratorio Abraham, at Metropolitan United Church. Tenor Richard Margison sings the title role.

The production of this oratorio is in many ways a group effort, and brings together artists and faith-based groups from across the GTA. Joining Margison and his five fellow principal vocalists (Ramona Carmelly, Meredith Hall, Hussein Janmohamed, George Krissa and Theresa Tova) are the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Jarrahi Sufi Choir with Whirling Dervishes, and the Bach Children’s Chorus. The production is a joint project of the Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) GTA, Metropolitan United Church, Toronto Area Interfaith Council and Holy Blossom Temple. David Warrack himself, who is perhaps best known as one of Canada’s leading creative minds in the music theatre world, will be at the piano.

This coming together is key to Warrack’s compositional vision. “Abraham is at the base of three of the world’s great faiths,” Warrack says on the production’s website. “This oratorio is reminding us that we all come from the same place and we must find a way to share this world. We need to get past a lot of the things that have divided us.”

Warrack defines an oratorio as “an epic story”—and by tracing key moments of the Old Testament story and casting the founding father of Judaism, Christianity and Islam in a unique and dramatic light, he hopes to present a message of cooperation and peace.

Proceeds from the premiere of Abraham will go towards the Syrian Refugee Program at Metropolitan United Church. For tickets and more information, check out www.abrahamoratorio.ca or phone 416-809-6044.

FREE TICKETS - COME AND GET ’EM!

Exclusive contests from The WholeNote

IN THIS ISSUE: Chances to win free concert tix, and a lot of them. Tickets to hear shows featuring the Canadian Opera Company (in productions of La Traviata and Pyramus and Thisbe), the Talisker Players, Tafelmusik, Sultans of String and Renée Fleming are all up for grabs this week!

Follow the links below to enter. Feel free to enter as many as you like (or all five!):

Talisker Players: Renovated Rhymes, Tuesday October 27

Tafelmusik: Baroque Masters feat. Elisa Citterio, Friday November 6

*24 HOURS TO ENTER* Canadian Opera Company: La Traviata, Wednesday October 21 and Pyramus and Thisbe, Wednesday October 28

Sultans of String: ‘Subcontinental Drift’ CD Release + 4-CD box set, Friday October 30

Renée Fleming:  Renée Fleming at Roy Thomson Hall, Friday October 30

TAFELMUSIK: NEW FACES/PLACES

News of special initiatives from Tafelmusik and appearances by Tafelmusik folk abound this month. To start, Sunday, November 1 is a date you’ll want to bookmark—The Sound Post has organized a matinée salon concert, featuring none other than the lovely Jeanne Lamon (plus some of her very talented friends). The show is free, and although program details haven’t been released yet we’re willing to bet it will be a concert worth hearing. The space at The Sound Post is limited, so you’ll want to call ahead to reserve seats. Phone 416-971-6990 x244, and find all the details below in our HalfTones listings.

In other news, Tafelmusik has announced two exciting new projects of late. The first is the inaugural Tafelmusik Vocal Competition, an international contest for altos, tenors and baritones/basses under the age of 35. Applications close today, and we’re excited to follow the process as the orchestra selects its winners. The three prizewinners will appear as soloists in Zelenka’s Missa omnium sanctorum with the orchestra in April and May of 2016, and will be mentored by soprano soloist Dorothee Mields. They also each will receive $2000 in prize money. You can learn more about the competition online, at http://www.tafelmusik.org/education/tafelmusik-vocal-competition.

Meanwhile, while we wait for Tafelmusik to announce the competition winners, there’s always “Taste of Tafelmusik” on October 28. The orchestra promises to get “up close and personal,” bringing baroque chamber music to the Gladstone Hotel on Queen West. The show will feature performances by Chris Verrette, Julia Wedman, Stefano Marcocchi, Christina Mahler and Charlotte Nediger, and food from the Gladstone kitchen, which will be paired with the music, is included in the ticket price.

Less than 50 tickets are left for this event, so if you’d like to get a taste of Tafelmusik it’s best to act quickly. Find all the important info on the Tafelmusik website, at http://www.tafelmusik.org/concert-calendar/concert/taste-tafelmusik.

JUST IN: CORRECTED AND NEW LISTINGS

FEATURED LISTING: Book Launch for From Kitchen to Carnegie Hall: Ethel Stark and the Montreal Women’s Symphony Orchestra

Published by Second Story Press, From Kitchen to Carnegie Hall tells the story of the Montreal Women’s Symphony Orchestra, an all-women ensemble that became the first Canadian orchestra to perform at Carnegie Hall. The book launch, on Wednesday, October 28 at Another Story Bookshop (315 Roncesvalles Ave.), will include a reading, live music, food, a photography exhibit and a book signing with the author Maria Rachwal. Details on the event are available below in our HalfTones listings or at www.fromkitchentocarnegiehall.com.

Other new/corrected October concert listings added online since our last print issue are as follows:

New In the GTA Listings, October 17-November 1

Oct 17 7:30: In Concert. Songs of the Soul: The Music of Sri Chinmoy. Sahadeva Ensemble; Mandu & Visuddhi; Shamita's Strings; and others. St. Michael's College School, 1515 Bathurst St. 647-748-8513. Free.

Oct 17 7:30: Toronto Concert Orchestra. An Evening with Beethoven. Beethoven: Gratulations Minuet; Piano Concerto No.3 in c; Symphony No.8 in F. Younggun Kim, piano; Kerry Stratton, conductor. Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, 230 St. Clair Ave. W. 1-800-222-6608. $40; $25(sr/st).

Oct 18 2:30: ORMTA Central Toronto Branch. ORMTA 2015 Young Artist Concert: Johann Derecho, pianist. Works by Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Liszt. Canadian Music Centre, 20 St. Joseph St. 416-532-1539. $20; $12(adv). Discounts for ORMTA members. Supports music student scholarships.

Oct 20 7:30: Toronto Masque Theatre. Ben Jonson and the Masque. Atrium, 21 Shaftesbury Ave. 416-410-4561. $20; $15(under 30).

Oct 22 12:00 noon: Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty of Music. Music at Noon. Guy Few, trumpet/piano; Stephanie Mara, piano. Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, 75 University Ave., Waterloo. 519-884-1970 x4439. Free.

Oct 23 8:00: Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts. Classic Albums Live. Supertramp: Crime of the Century. 88 Dalhousie St., Brantford. 519-758-8090 or 1-800-265-0710. $38; $20(uGO); $5(eyeGO).

Oct 24 7:00: Nisbet Lodge-McClintock Manor Foundation. Northern Lights Chorus. Calvary Church Toronto, 746 Pape Ave. 416-469-1105. $30; $45(concert & reception). Reception and Silent Auction 5:45. Doors open for concert at 6:15.

Oct 24 8:00: Guitar Society of Toronto. Carlo Marchione. Works by Schumann, Mauro Giuliani, Ferdinand Rebay; and others. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-964-8298. $30; $25(sr/st).

Oct 24 8:00: Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty of Music. WLU Symphony Orchestra. Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, 75 University Ave., Waterloo. 519-884-1970 x4439. $15; $7.

Oct 28 7:00: Second Story Press. Book Launch: From Kitchen to Carnegie Hall: Ethel Stark and the Montreal Women’s Symphony Orchestra. Another Story Bookshop, 315 Roncesvalles, Ave. www.fromkitchentocarnegiehall.com. Free.

Oct 29 12:00 noon: Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty of Music. Music at Noon. Leslie Fagan, soprano; Lorin Shalanko, piano. Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, 75 University Ave., Waterloo. 519-884-1970 x4439. Free.

Oct 31 8:00: Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty of Music. WLU Wind Orchestra. Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, 75 University Ave., Waterloo. 519-884-1970 x4439. $15; $7(sr/st).

Nov 1 2:00: The Sound Post. Jeanne Lamon and Friends. 93 Grenville St. 416-971-6990 x244. Free; please call to reserve.

New In the Clubs Listings, October 16-30

Oct 16 9pm. Sam Broverman & Bernie Senensky. PAL Celebrity Club, 110 The Esplanade. 416-886-5465. No cover. PWYC.

Oct 18 7pm. Monica Chapman, voice; Igor Babich, sax; Rebecca Hennessy, trumpet; Christopher Butcher-trombone; Nathan Hiltz, guitar; Bill King, piano; Dave Young, bass; Mark Kelso, drums. Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299. $12.

Oct 24 3:30pm. The Mississauga Big Band Jazz Ensemble. “Back at The Rex”. The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar, 194 Queen St. W. 416-598-2475 or 905-270-4757

Oct 25 7pm. Judith Lander Celebrates “From My Life”. Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299. $20

Oct 25 7:30pm. Sam Broverman, Mark Kieswetter, Jordan O'Connor, bass. Jester's Court, 279 Queen St., Port Perry. $15 cover.

Oct 26, 7:30pm. Cover One Another. Alex Pangman, Barbra Lica, Denielle Bassels, George Koller, Genevieve Marentette, Sam Broverman and Tyler Yarema. Musical direction by Eric St. Laurent. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307.

Oct 28 8pm. Toronto Blues Society’s Hump Day Series.  Andria Simone & Some of Those Guys. Dave Kirby, guitar; Mark Wilson, bass. Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. $10; $8(Toronto Blues Society Members).

Oct 28 9pm. Your Mess Album Release Concert. Melissa Lauren; Nathan Hiltz and Eric St-Laurent, guitars; Tyler Emond, bass; Sly Juhas, drums and percussion; and guests. The Burdock Music Hall, 1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033. $12; $10(adv)

Oct 29 9pm. Sunnie Paxson, jazz pianist, keyboardist, composer and producer; Laura Robinson; Rich Brown, bass; Steve Heathcote, drums. The Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299. $20. Also Oct 30.

CANCELLED: Oct 26 7pm A Tribute Evening Remembering Ray Jessel. Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. 416-886-5299.

CANCELLED: Oct 31 7pm Lea DeLaria. The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave.

THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING

The next issue of HalfTones, Vol 3 No 3, will be out on Tuesday, November 17, 2015. The next print issue of our 2015/16 season, covering November 1-December 7, will be on the stands at the end of October.

Please contact halftones@thewholenote.com with any HalfTones inquiries.

THE WHOLENOTE IS HAVING A PARTY!

It’s our birthday—our 20th birthday, in fact—and you are all invited! After 20 years of covering music in Toronto and the area, we think that a party is called for.

On Friday, September 25—that’s a week and a half from now—we will be hosting a special FREE concert and reception in collaboration with Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Tafelmusik, the Toronto Consort and Culture Days, to celebrate 20 years of The WholeNote. Hosted by Mary Lou Fallis and David Perlman, there will be performances by many favourite artists featured over the years in the magazine, including:

...Adi Braun, Adrianne Pieczonka, Eve Egoyan, David Fallis, Adrean Farrugia, Alison Melville, Julie Michels, Angela Park, Sophia Perlman, Christina Petrowska Quilico, Stephen Ralls, Scott St. John, Bruce Ubukata, Chris Verrette and Julia Wedman ...

So, here’s the practical info: the show starts at 7pm at Trinity-St. Paul’s, in Jeanne Lamon Hall. The event is free, but you do need to reserve a ticket—for more details on how to do that, phone 416-922-8435 x21, or visit culturedays.ca or the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1054458367921705/.

We don’t mean to toot our own horn (actually yes we do!), but we think we have quite the lineup for this concert, and we think you should join us.

Save the date and reserve your tickets, and hopefully, we’ll see you there!

-The WholeNote

24-HOUR FLASH CONTEST: FREE TICKETS TO TAFELMUSIK

We are all closely following Tafelmusik’s concert season this year, as they begin to narrow in (we think) on who will replace Jeanne Lamon as their new music director. To kick off 2015/16, Tafelmusik brings in two guest directors for the first two concerts who made appearances with the orchestra last year: Rodolfo Richter, who begins the season with The Human Passions Sept 16-20; and Cecilia Bernardini, who was an audience favourite last year and returns to lead the orchestra in Musik Mania at the beginning of October. These are two violinists to watch, and two concerts to make sure you attend—and of course, regardless of the intrigue, Tafelmusik always brings excellent early music programming and top-notch musicianship to the table.

The WholeNote has a special ticket package up for grabs-- two tickets to The Human Passions this Friday, September 18, and two tickets to Musik Mania on Friday, October 2. Hear both of these amazing guest artists play with the orchestra in the first two concerts of their season ($364 value). You have only 24 hours before this contest closes! The clock is ticking.

→ ENTER THIS CONTEST

OPERA INFO

Where to get the primer on Pyramus and Thisbe before it goes onstage at the COC this fall. If you don’t know about Pyramus and Thisbe yet, now’s the time to find out.

The 2010 opera by Barbara Monk Feldman will receive its world premiere at the COC in one month, where it will run in a programme with Monteverdi’s Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda and Lamento d’Arianna from October 20 to November 7. Between Monk Feldman and Monteverdi, the production will traverse 400 years from opera’s beginnings to the music of today. Kudos to the Canadian Opera Company for championing daring music from a living, Canadian composer—we can’t wait to hear it.

And if you don’t know what to expect from this premiere, September is full of events that might give you a preview of what will happen when the curtain rises on October 20. Take a look and see if any interest you.

Friday, September 18/Tuesday, September 29: Kristina Szabó at Soundstreams

Toronto audiences will have a chance to hear mezzo-soprano Kristina Szabó, who will sing the role of Thisbe (as well as those of Arianna and Clorinda for the Monteverdi) at the COC, this month in a September 29 concert presented by Soundstreams. Szabó joins Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka for “Adrianne Pieczonka: Beyond the Aria,” a programme of works by Crumb and Llugdar plus Beatles songs arranged by Berio.

You can also hear Szabó this Friday in Soundstreams’ more intimate show “Music and Poetry,” a part of their Salon 21 series, where Canadian poet Beatriz Hausner and three Canadian composers will present their interpretations of the poetry of Federico García Lorca. Szabó will sing a Lorca text set three different ways by composers Anna Atkinson, Juliet Palmer and Chris Thornborrow. Details on both these shows at soundstreams.ca.

Thursday, September 24: “Opera Exchange,” Thursdays at Noon at U of T

The University of Toronto’s free Thursdays at Noon series presents a panel discussion on the mythic, literary and visual art sources of the Pyramus and Thisbe legend on Thursday, September 24 in Walter Hall. Panelists will include professors from the Department of English, Department of Fine Art and Faculty of Music, as well as composer Norbert Palej and of course, Barbara Monk Feldman herself. More info available at https://music.utoronto.ca/concerts-events.php?eid=596.

Tuesday, September 29: Love Shards of Sappho at the COC Vocal Series

In a free noontime concert produced in collaboration with Arrraymusic, the COC Vocal Series presents a program of vocal and chamber music featuring women composers and the female voice. This concert’s program features Linda Caitlin Smith’s Hieroglyphs and Barbara Monk Feldman’s The Love Shards of Sappho, a chamber work dating from 2001. If you want to hear some of Monk Feldman’s other music live before the COC’s big reveal, here’s when to do it. Details at http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/FreeConcertSeries.aspx.

Note: Arraymusic will repeat its performance of Linda Caitlin Smith’s Hieroglyphs as part of the CMC/Toronto New Music Alliance’s New Music 101 Series on October 3-- see our HalfTones listings in this newsletter for details.

JUST IN: CORRECTED AND NEW LISTINGS

FEATURED LISTING: Hieroglyphs and An Extended Look at the Piano, Part 1

Check out our HalfTones listings for info on this and other new/corrected September concert listings added online since our last print issue.

Saturday, October 3 at 2pm, catch Arraymusic’s performance of Linda Caitlin Smith’s Hieroglyphs and Dr. Réa Beaumont’s exploration of extended techniques on the piano through the music of Barbara Pentland. Arraymusic and Beaumont will present their work as part of the CMC/Toronto New Music Alliance’s free New Music 101 series with the Toronto Public Library. This event, the first in the NM101 series’ 2015/16 season, will be at Northern District Library (40 Orchard View Blvd., 416-532-3019). If you want to learn more about new music (or if you just want to hear some interesting explorations in sound), stop by the library and have a listen.

Other new/corrected September concert listings added online since our last print issue are as follows:

Sep 15 12:00_noon: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Brock University. Imagaining The City Festival. Pop Up Performance. Colin Maier, oboe and other instruments; Alexander Sevastian, accordion. 15 Artists’ Common, St. Catharines. 905-688-5550 x3817. Free community event. Also, Sep 16, 17, 18.

Sep 18 7:30: Brampton Folk Club. Friday Folk Night: Emory Lester and Jill Jones Band. Emory Lester, mandolin; Jill Jones, vocals. Opening act: Neil Sharp and Alan McKnight. Sanderson Hall, St. Paul’s United Church, 30 Main St. S., Brampton. $15; $12(st/sr). 647-233-3655 or 905-874-2800). www.bramptonfolk.ca

Sep 19 8:00: Jeffrey Concerts. New Orford Quartet. Wolf Performance Hall, London Public Library, 251 Dundas St., London. 519-672-8800. $35; $30(sr); $15(st)

Sep 27 7:00: Prater Ensemble. Eiffel Tower. Roufat Amiraliev, violin; Roman Timofeev, piano. Works by Fauré, Ravel, and Saint-Saëns. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-859-0955. [No price listed in e-mail.]

Sep 26 8:00: Canadian Sinfonietta. Piano Trios: Wine & Cheese Series. Fauré: Piano Trio; Michael Pepa: “Mozartino”; Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No.1. Erika Crino, piano; Joyce Lai, violin; Andras Weber, cello. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. 416-922-3618. $30; $25(sr); $20 (st)

Sep 26 8:30: Zula Music & Arts Collective Hamilton. Something Else! Creative Music Series. IN THE SEA. (Josh Zubot, violin; Tristan Honsinger, cello; Nicolas Caloia, double bass). Guests: ESCHATON (Aaron Hutchinson, trumpet, synthesizer, electronics, percussion; Connor Bennett, saxophones, bass, vocals). Artword Artbar, 15 Colbourne St., Hamilton. 289-993-1993. $15; $12(st)

Sep 24 7:00: Anne Lindsay's Soloworks. Anne Lindsay, violin/fiddle, voice. Alton Mill Arts Centre, 1402 Queen St., Village of Alton, Caledon. 519-941-0559. $15. Tickets available online at www.altonmill.ca, or at Gallery Gemma in the Alton Mill.

Sep 26 8:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Piano Soirée. Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 – Variation 18 (arr. G. Murray); Vocalise, Op.34 No.14 (arr. G. Murray); Concerto No. 2 – Mvt 1 (arr. G. Murray); other works. Gordon Murray, piano. Trinity-St. Paul's United Church (Chapel), 427 Bloor St. W. 416-631-4300. $15; $10(st)

Auditions

Oriana Women’s Choir. If you are interested in joining this auditioned choir, you are welcome to sit in at our open rehearsal on Tuesday, Sept 22. Rehearsals start at 7:30 pm at North Toronto Collegiate Institute, 70 Roehampton Ave. Please email if you would like to attend info@orianachoir.com

Festivals, Fairs & Festivities

Sep 25 11:30am–2:00pm: Glenn Gould Foundation/Glenn Gould Studio. Happy Birthday Glenn Gould!. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the recording that launched Gould’s international career – Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The public is invited to join in celebrating the legendary Canadian pianist and view the unveiling of the Government of Canada’s “Person of Historic Significance” plaque in his name. Activities include a “photobooth” with the iconic Glenn Gould “park bench” sculpture, tours of the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio, presentations of Sony Classical’s new release Glenn Gould: Remastered, sculptor Ruth Abernethy’s new book A Narrative of Life and Bronze, and performances by the Glenn Gould School’s award-winning Ruby Piano Trio and the Salvation Army Canadian Staff Band. Outside the CBC Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front Street W.

Lectures, Salons, Symposia

Sep 26 6:00: CM Hour. Lecture and Demonstration: Time Travel Through Music. Bach, Schubert, Chopin, Prokofiev. Borjana Hrelja, piano; Chris Malone, presenter. Chopin Room, Collegium Musicum Conservatory of Music. 12 Peter St. S., Port Credit-Mississauga. 905-274-6100. Free. A Canada Culture Days event.

Sep 26, 10:30-noon. Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Culture Days Singsation. With guest conductor Jenny Crober. Join members of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Singsation community to read through a selection of choral favourites. Bring your voice; we'll provide the sheet music. Centre for Social Innovation, 720 Bathurst St. Free.

Workshops

Sep 12 & 13: Musikay. Music/sight-reading for choristers. Sep 12: 10:00am – 12:30 Level 1 (beginner); 2:00 – 4:30 Level 2 (intermediate). Sep 13: 2:00 – 4:30 Level 3 (advanced). Grace Lutheran Church, 304 Spruce St. Oakville. 905-825-9740; musikay.ca

Sep 20 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Reading of Dvorak: Stabat Mater for singers and instrumentalists. Norman Reintamm, conductor.  Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-551-5183.

Sep 26 & 27: Musikay. Music learning and preparation. Sep 26: 10:00am – 12:30 Level 1 (beginner); 2:00 – 4:30 Level 2 (intermediate). Sep 27: 2:00 – 4:30 Level 3 (advanced). Grace Lutheran Church, 304 Spruce St. Oakville. 905-825-9740; musikay.ca 

NEW ON OUR WEBSITE

Conversations @ The WholeNote

Don’t miss our latest “Conversation @ The WholeNote,” where publisher David Perlman interviews pianist Stewart Goodyear. Up now on our website!

THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING

The next issue of HalfTones, Vol 3 No 2, will be out on Thursday, October 15, 2015. The next print issue of our 2015/16 season, covering October 1-November 7, will be on the stands at the end of September.

Please contact halftones@thewholenote.com with any HalfTones inquiries.

ARTISTIC TIMES AND SPACES

Look forward to new artistic collaborations headed by our local orchestras

Another concert season is just around the corner -- and we think that its spirit will be collaborative. In a number of new initiatives across the GTA, local orchestras will be partnering with their neighbourhood art galleries, to bring music together in concert with its visual counterparts.

The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) continues its Gallery Series this year -- a collection of chamber concerts hosted in local art gallery spaces. This series seeks to bring HPO musicians and audiences alike into new spaces, offering an intimacy and visual awareness not always obtainable in the larger concert hall. The orchestra has just announced this year’s Gallery Series programming, which extends the series beyond the Hamilton downtown core to neighbourhoods in Hamilton’s east end, Dundas and Burlington.

The best part? The 60-minute concerts in this series are all more-or-less free. “Our belief [is] that art is not just a luxury, but should be affordable and accessible to everyone in our city,” says Robert Daniels, owner of the Earls Court Gallery. Admission for each of these concerts is by donation, and includes an invitation to a reception with the musicians following the performance in the gallery space. No reservations required, but arrive early -- the space in the galleries is limited and first-come, first-served. For more info on the series, check out http://hpo.org/concerts/gallery-series/.

On the TSO calendar this summer is a similar orchestral initiative, dubbed The Decades Project. For the next five years, the orchestra will feature programming from two decades of the 20th century, counting up from 1900 -- this year will feature decades one and two, which means Debussy, Stravinsky, and everything around and in-between.

What makes this venture stand out from other orchestral programming in the city this year is its collaborative vision. The six concert programs bring the TSO musicians together with curators from the Art Gallery of Ontario -- who will themselves take centre stage for pre- and post-concert guided talks. Guest conductors and the TSO Chamber Soloists will also join forces with the orchestra to present this orchestral time-lapse of early 20th-century culture.

For more information on the Decades Project, or on the TSO's other shows this season, visit tso.ca.

INTERsection 2015

Tad Michalak's vision for a new music marathon

Intersection, Contact Contemporary Music's annual weekend festival of adventurous music-making, is back this year with a vengeance. This year's festival programming is specially curated by promoter Tad Michalak (Feast in the East, Burn Down the Capital). On September 5 and 6, Toronto musicians team up with guest artists for two full days of new music performance. September 5 promises a free eight-hour musical marathon at Yonge-Dundas Square. Featured will be composer John Oswald's Spectre, which calls for an astounding 1000 violinists, as well as Christine Duncan's improvising Element Choir, percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani, shoegaze orchestra Flowers Of Hell, and improv duo Not The Wind, Not The Flag, for starters.

Michalak's programming the following evening brings Montreal-based The Shalabi Effect east of Yonge-Dundas to the Jam Factory. Co-presented with The Music Gallery, this concert marks the debut of the quartet's new limited edition EP. This time round, the intersection at the heart of the show is between avant-garde psych rock and Middle Eastern modes- and from what it looks like, is an experiment well worth watching.

For more information on this year's INTERsection, keep an eye out for updates at contactcontemporarymusic.ca, or at http://burndownthecapital.weebly.com.

SPECIAL OFFERS FROM THE COC AND MASSEY HALL

Special Offer for Whole Note Readers—20% off at the COC!

Single tickets go on sale on August 24, but Whole Note readers can buy seats for 20% off regular prices for just two days: August 22 and 23—the best prices of the season and before they go on sale to the general public!

Mark your calendars now for this special two-day online savings event and get the best seats available!

Use the promo code 1516WHOLENOTE online only.*

*Restrictions apply. Offer valid until 5 p.m. August 23. tickets@coc.ca or 416-363-8231 for information.

SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE

On Tuesday, September 15, Massey Hall and the Aga Khan Museum present the one and only Yo-Yo Ma, with the Silk Road Ensemble. Founded in 2000 by the superstar cellist, this ensemble draws from a large pool of instrumental traditions, presenting a Silk Road soundworld that contains everything from the Chinese pipa to the Indian tabla.

The tickets to this show don't run cheap -- they're in the $60-$200 range -- but The WholeNote has a limited number of tickets up for grabs for interested readers. For a chance to win, just click here to fill out the form and answer the following question:

Which pipa virtuoso was a founding member of the Silk Road Ensemble? (hint: she was also a member of the jury panel for this year's Glenn Gould prize!)

For more details on this concert, visit http://masseyhall.com/eventdetail/YoYoMaSilkRoadEnsemble.

Deadline to apply: 4pm on August 22, 2015. Winners will be selected in late August.

JUST IN: CORRECTED AND NEW LISTINGS

FEATURED LISTING: Loose TEA's "Dissociative Me"

Think Faust - but with a makeover. In this new English-language of Gounod's opera, John Faustus is a recent PhD graduate with a dissociative identity disorder. This 21st-century operatic experiences runs August 18-22, at RED Nightclub -- a venue that artistic director Alaina Viau, artistic director of Loose TEA | Music Theatre, says allowed her to create a "dark and intense world where we can explore common fears of today." Sofa seating and bottle service will both be available. For details, check out our listings or visit http://www.looseteamusictheatre.com.

Other new/corrected August concert listings added online since our summer print issue are as follows:

Aug 13 1:00: Hart House. Music from the Americas - The Map Room Sessions: Pigeonhawk. Live music celebrating the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. Ken Stowar, curator. Hart House Map Room, 7 Hart House Cir. 416-978-0909. Free.

Aug 13 7:00: University Settlement Music & Arts School. Student Recital. University Settlement Auditorium, 23 Grange Rd. 416-598-3444 x243/4. Free.

Aug 14 1:00: Hart House. Music from the Americas - The Map Room Sessions: Lua Or Die. Live music celebrating the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, showcasing talents of artists from across the Americas. Ken Stowar, curator. Hart House Map Room, 7 Hart House Cir. 416-978-0909. Free.

Aug 14 6:00: TD Mosaic Festival. Mekaal Hasan Band. Pakistani music concepts united with jazz harmony and rock drive. Mississauga Celebration Square, 300 City Centre Dr., Mississauga. 905-615-4311. Free.

Aug 14 8:30: Virgin Mobile. Indie Fridays: Zaki Ibrahim. Yonge-Dundas Square, 1 Dundas St. E. 416-979-9960. Free.

Aug 14 9:30: Harbourfront Centre/Batuki Music Society. Habari Africa Festival: Rocky Dawuni. Ghanaian music star and humanitarian Rocky Dawuni performs Afro-roots and reggae. Harbourfront Centre, WestJet Stage, 235 Queens Quay W. 416-973-4000. Free.

Aug 15 8:00: Animikii Music Group. Maryam Al-Hashimi. Performing classic music and Arabic songs in a solo piano concert. Musideum, Suite 133 (main floor), 401 Richmond St. W. 416-599-7323. $10.

Aug 15 9:00: Harbourfront Centre/Batuki Music Society. Habari Africa Festival: Esie Mensah. Esie Mensah, dancer. Harbourfront Centre, Stage in the Round, 235 Queens Quay W. 416-973-4000. Free.

Aug 15 10:30: Harbourfront Centre/Batuki Music Society. Habari Africa Festival: Lakeside Late Nights: Mi Casa. South African house collective. Dr Duda, club DJ, producer; J'Something, guitar, vocals; Mo-T, trumpet. Harbourfront Centre, Brigantine Room, 235 Queens Quay W. 416-973-4000. $30/$25(adv).

Aug 18 1:00: Hart House. Music from the Americas - The Map Room Sessions: Len Hammond. Live music celebrating the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, showcasing talents of artists from across the Americas. Ken Stowar, curator. Hart House Map Room, 7 Hart House Cir. 416-978-0909. Free.

Aug 18 8:00: Massey Hall. City Cinema. Featuring Live at Massey Hall Season 2 Film: Zaki Ibrahim. Yonge-Dundas Square, 1 Dundas St. E. 416-872-4255. Free. Begins at sunset.

Aug 18 8:00: Musideum. Steve Koven Solo Piano. Suite 133 (main floor), 401 Richmond St. W. 416-599-7323. $20.

Aug 20 1:00: Hart House. Music from the Americas - The Map Room Sessions: Tribe Royal. Live music celebrating the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, showcasing talents of artists from across the Americas. Ken Stowar, curator. Hart House Map Room, 7 Hart House Cir. 416-978-0909. Free.

Aug 20 8:00: Musideum. David Essig. Suite 133 (main floor), 401 Richmond St. W. 416-599-7323. $20.

Aug 21 8:00: Christ Church Cathedral Hamilton. The Evening Watch. Opus 8. Christ Church Cathedral, 252 James St. N., Hamilton. 905-527-1316. Free.

Aug 21 8:30: Virgin Mobile. Indie Fridays: Grand Analog with kLoX. Yonge-Dundas Square, 1 Dundas St. E. 416-979-9960. Free.

Aug 22 7:15: Skyline Music Agency. Zach Deputy. Peter's Players, 830 Muskoka Rd. S., Gravenhurst. 705-687-2117. $75.

Aug 23 2:30: Kawartha Land Trust/Peterborough Symphony. Fresh Airs on Stoney. Open-air concert and reception, plus a pre-concert chat. Dvořák: Wind Serenade Op.44. Musicians from the Peterborough Symphony; Michael Newnham, music director. Juniper Island Pavilion, 510 Stoney Lake-Island 18, Juniper Island. 705-742-1992. Suggested donation $20. Island accessible only by water. Limited water shuttle service ($2) available, must be booked in advance. Free prize draw for concert attendees.

Aug 23 8:00: Musideum. Denis Schingh. Performing original compositions and arrangements of pieces. Suite 133 (main floor), 401 Richmond St. W. 416-599-7323. $20.

Aug 25 8:00: Massey Hall. City Cinema. Featuring Live at Massey Hall Season 2 Film: Dan Mangan & Blacksmith. Yonge-Dundas Square, 1 Dundas St. E. 416-872-4255. Free. Begins at sunset.

Aug 25 8:00: Musideum. Sandra Taylor. Suite 133 (main floor), 401 Richmond St. W. 416-599-7323. $20; $10(artists).

Aug 26 1:00: Hart House. Music from the Americas - The Map Room Sessions: Chiron String Quartet. Live music celebrating the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, showcasing talents of artists from across the Americas. Ken Stowar, curator. Hart House Map Room, 7 Hart House Cir. 416-978-0909. Free.

Aug 27 1:00: Hart House. Music from the Americas - The Map Room Sessions: Fugitive Minds. Live music celebrating the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, showcasing talents of artists from across the Americas. Ken Stowar, curator. Hart House Map Room, 7 Hart House Cir. 416-978-0909. Free.

Aug 27 8:00: Musideum. Tim Bartsch. Presenting his life journey through original music and storytelling. Suite 133 (main floor), 401 Richmond St. W. 416-599-7323. $20.

Aug 29 7:30: Shoreline Chorus. The Shepherd and The Lamb. Shoreline Chorus with guests The Leith Quartet; Ann-Marie MacDairmid, conductor. Handel: Selected choruses from Messiah; Goodall: The Lord Is My Shepherd (from the Vicar of Dibley); Barber: Agnus Dei, Barber; Dett: Listen to the Lambs; other works. Meaford United Church, 7 Boucher St. E., Meaford. 519-599-2710. $20.

Aug 29 8:10: Gordon Murray Presents. Piano Soirée. Works by Rachmaninoff and others, arranged by Gordon Murray. Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op.43 - Variation 18; Vocalise, Op.34 No.14; Piano Concerto No.2(1st mvt); other works. Gordon Murray, piano. Trinity St. Paul's United Church (Chapel), 427 Bloor St. W. 416-631-4300. $15; $10(st).

Aug 31 7:00: Landen Vieira. UberJazz. Jazz Saxophonist Landen Vieira. Landen Vieira, sax; Adrean Farrugia, piano; Malcolm Connor, bass; Ethan Ardelli, drums. The Emmet Ray, 924 College St. 416-792-4497. PWYC.

Sep 02 12:00_noon: Midday Music with Shigeru. Moellman family. Marie-Caroline Bourque, violin; Jeffrey Moellman, piano; Moellman children: Jonathan, Clara, and Paul, violin and piano. Hi-Way Pentecostal Church, 50 Anne St. N., Barrie. 705-726-1181. $5; free(st).

Sep 02 6:00: The Cathedral Church of St. James. Cantatas in the Cathedral. Bach: Cantata BWV78 and organ works. Sheila Dietrich, soprano; Christina Stelmacovich, alto; Tenor TBA; David Roth, bass; Michael Bloss, organ. Cathedral Church of St. James, 65 Church St. 416-364-7865. PWYC. All donations go directly to the artists.

Sep 03 12:00_noon: Encore Symphonic Concert Band. In Concert: Classics and Jazz. John Edward Liddle, conductor. Wilmar Heights Centre, 963 Pharmacy Ave., Scarborough. 416-346-3910. $10. Incl. coffee and snack. Also Oct 1. 

NEW ON OUR WEBSITE

Music & the Movies

Keep an eye out this week for WholeNote editor Paul Ennis' latest "Music & The Movies" blog, which will include a special exploration of Around the World in 50 Concerts- the documentary on Amsterdam's Dutch Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra that plays starting August 14 at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema.

THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING

The next issue of HalfTones, Vol 3 No 1, will be out on Tuesday, September 15, 2015. The first print issue of our 2015/16 season, covering September 1-October 7, will be on the stands at the end of August.

Please contact halftones@thewholenote.com with any HalfTones inquiries.