Blue Pages 2019

Read Profile

Confluence – “an act or process of merging” – is a company of diverse creative artists dedicated to intimate, thought-provoking programs with a focus on: cabarets curated by a wide cross-section of Toronto’s leading musicians, the work of Indigenous artists and artists of colour, anniversary programs celebrating important figures in music, salons and lectures on a wide variety of musical topics, and commissions of new works by Canadian creative artists. Our 2019/20 season features “Celebrating Clara Schumann”; “An Evening with Marion Newman”; “Hugo and Willie: Songs of the Soul”; “Witch on Thin Ice (by Alice Ho)”; “Creativity and Aging”; “Baroque Music by Candlelight”; and “The Mandala.” Artistic producer Larry Beckwith has been ably assisted in planning this new mandate by a whole host of outstanding and diverse figures from Toronto’s amazing music scene, including Confluence associate artists Andrew Downing, Kathleen Kajioka, Marion Newman, Patricia O’Callaghan, Suba Sankaran and managing director Jennifer Collins.

“...this series has established itself as one of the most important and consistently interesting in the city.” - John Gilks, Opera Ramblings.

Read Profile

Fine music is central to life at the Church of St. Peter and St. Simon-the-Apostle. Whether it is our own choir that sings services in the Anglican prayer book tradition – and whose calibre is such that it has twice been invited to sing services in cathedrals in Britain, most recently at Gloucester and Chichester in the summer of 2019 – or the many visiting ensembles and choirs choosing us for their concerts. The church seats 300 for a concert and has an adjacent hall, also with superb acoustics, seating 175 for a smaller concert.

Our 1883 Jacobean Arts and Crafts building (with exquisite windows, a beautiful sanctuary, and a cloister-style courtyard) sits in one of the most intensely interesting neighborhoods in the city. At 525 Bloor St. E. (close to subway), between Sherbourne and Parliament, it has old Rosedale to the north, multi-faceted St. Jamestown to the south, and a fever of new condo developments to the east and west. It exists as an oasis in the midst of this, providing space as well for local youth choral programs and music teachers. Please join us for services, or consider our space for your next musical event.

Read Profile

Steeped in musical heritage and assisted by a generous acoustic, St. Mary Magdalene offers a music program strongly rooted in the tradition established by Healey Willan. Every Sunday at 11am: Solemn Mass - the Gallery Choir sings a mass and motet from the west gallery, while the Ritual Choir sings the Gregorian propers from the east end. Both choirs rehearse on Thursdays. At the 9:30am Sung Mass, the SMM Singers sing a motet and lead congregational singing. Membership is informal: rehearsals are at 9am directly before the service; regular attendance is not mandatory.

One Sunday per month at 4:30pm, the meditative Solemn Evensong and Benediction is sung, preceded by an organ recital at 4pm. 

For information, please contact the director of music, Andrew Adair.

Read Profile

Continuing its long tradition of musical excellence, Christ Church Deer Park boasts an innovative music program. Our choir, consisting of professional members and skilled volunteers, performs a rich treasury of sacred choral music and hymnody at the 10am Sunday liturgy. The choir also performs at other special events, feast days, Evensongs and concerts throughout the year. Rehearsals take place on Thursday evenings from 6:45pm to 8:45pm and offer an opportunity to develop musicianship through vocal instruction, while being part of an open and welcoming community. In addition, we present “Jazz Vespers,” a popular, informal service held bi-monthly from September to June and featuring some of the city’s finest jazz musicians. For more information contact Matthew Otto, director of music.