Live Listings

Galas and Fundraisers

May 05 7:30: Kenneth G. Mills Foundation. Poetry and Singer-Songwriter Gala. Featuring the winners of the Kenneth G. Mills Prizes for students. Special guest singer: Adanya Dunn. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. $15; $10(under 18).

May 09 6:00: VIVA! Youth Singers of Toronto. Ensemble ...Together: Gala Dinner & Concert Fundraising Event. Featuring VIVA!’s Chamber Choir and guest artists Emma Hannan, soprano; Laura McAlpine, mezzo; and Cory Knight, tenor, singing in ensembles with soloists from the VIVA! choirs. Tickets online at vivayouthsingers.com. 416-788-8482. $135.

May 17 9:00: Canadian Opera Conpany. Operanation. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. $150.

May 27 3:00: Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Annual Fundraising Tea and Silent Auction. Live music, free food and beverages. CDs, books, and sheet music for sale. Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. 416-779-5750. Admission PWYC. Suggested donation $10.

Lectures, Salons and Symposia

May 02 7:00: Tafelmusik. The Listening Club: Blurring the Boundaries. Baroque composers who “sit outside the box”. Dr. Hannah French, moderator; Patrick G. Jordan, piano. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-6337. $25.

May 02 7:30: TD Niagara Jazz Festival. Discover Jazz. Presented by Mark Micklethwaite. Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library, 10 Anderson Lane, Niagara-on-the-Lake. 905-468-2023. Free.

May 06 2:00: Toronto Opera Club. Guest speaker: David Fallis. The First Great Opera: Monteverdi’s Orfeo. Room 330, Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Bldg. 80 Queen’s Park Cr. W. 416-914-3940. $10.

May 06 5:00: Nocturnes in the City. 100 Years of Famous Czech Operas. Audiovisual presentation. Iain Scott, opera educator. Restaurant Praha, Masaryktown, 450 Scarborough Golf Club Rd. 416-481-7294. $25; $15(st).

May 08 7:30: The Toronto Chapter of the Duke Ellington Society. Montgomery’s Inn, corner of Dundas St. W. and Islington Ave. Anyone interested in Ellington’s music and his contributions to the art of jazz is welcome. Information at torontodukeellingtonsociety.com or 416-239-2683. Membership fee is $35 per person or $50 per couple, with one free initial visit.

May 12 11:00am: Toronto Bach Festival. Bach and Schütz as Musical Religious Thinkers. Public lecture. Michael Marissen, Swathmore College, Bach scholar. Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, 1372 King St. W. 416-466-8241. Free.

May 16 7:00: Alliance Française. What Was So Scandalous about The Rite Of Spring?. Premiered in 1913 at the posh Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, The Rite of Spring sparked the most famous scandal in the history of dance. This talk will examine what happened on the night of May 29th and why it happened at all. Sarah Gutsche-Miller, Assistant Professor of Musicology at the University of Toronto. Organized in parallel with a concert featuring The Rite of Spring performed by Katia and Marielle Labèque (a piano duet) on Sunday, May 27, 2018, at 3 pm at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Lecture at Spadina Theatre, 24 Spadina Rd. Information at www.alliance-francaise.ca/en/calendar/05/2018.

May 20 2:00: Classical Music Club Toronto. Kent Nagano: Beethoven Symphony Cycle. This May there is a rare opportunity to hear a number of Beethoven’s symphonies performed over a short period of time by the same orchestra. L’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal under its Music Director Kent Nagano will perform Symphonies Nos. 2-8 between May 27 and 31. We will listen to a selection of recordings by this orchestra and conductor. For information and location contact John Sharpe: 416-898-2549. Annual membership: $25(regular); $10(sr/st). Free for first-time visitors. Donations accepted for refreshments.

May 25 12:00_noon: Estonian Music Week. EE Meets CA: Building Bridges in Music. The seminar will offer opportunities for Estonian and Canadian professional musicians, music promoters, and others in the music industry to exchange information about the creative industry economy and make new contacts with top industry professionals. The seminar will also feature the music stories and industry insights of singer songwriter Kerli, a well-known Estonian artist and public figure whose music has had great success worldwide. Tartu College, 310 Bloor St. W. estononianmusicweek.ca. Advance registration required.

May 28 10:00am: Jewish Music Week. Salome: Between Scandal and Song. Lecture by Samantha Madison Cooper on the Jewish reaction to Richard Strauss’s opera, Salome, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 1907. An audiovisual journey through archival findings, shedding light on Americanization, anti-Semitism, self-hatred, Jewish humour and authentic immigrant experience. Jacob Family Theatre, Posluns Auditorium at Baycrest, 3560 Bathurst St. 416-638-4492. Free.

May 30 10:00am: Jewish Music Week. The Lady Gaga of Hasidic Music (Lipa Schmeltzer). Dr. Jessica Roda explores the politics of pop stars in religious settings. Markham Street Synagogue (Shaarei Tzedec), 397 Markham St. 416-638-4492. Free.

May 30 10:00am: Jewish Music Week. The Adon Olam Lecture. Cantor Benjamin Maissner shares and explores the famous Jewish hymn Adon Olam from antiquity through the Renaissance, Classical and Romantic periods, and opens our eyes (and ears) to a new world of Adon Olam. Featuring Nadia Adler, piano. Barbara Frum Library Auditorium, 20 Covington Rd., 3rd Floor. 416-638-4492. Free.

May 31 10:00am: Jewish Music Week. Bach, Anti-Semitism, and the Novel And after the Fire. Presented in partnership with the Association for Jewish Libraries in Ontario. Some of Bach’s cantatas contain anti-Semitic elements. Explored in And after the Fire, a novel by Lauren Belfer, she fictionalizes a Bach cantata and its history to the present day. Cynthia Good discusses the novel, the role of women musicians in the 1800s, and the separating of artist from the art. Bernard Betel Centre, 1003 Steeles Ave. W. 416-638-4492. Free.

Jun 01 10:00am: Jewish Music Week. The Record Men. Alan Edelstein introduces the Jewish businessmen who played prominent roles creating early rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll. Featuring three of the most important – The Chess Brothers of Chess Records in Chicago, Art Rupe of Specialty Records in Los Angeles, and Syd Nathan of King/Federal in Cincinnati. Jazz FM91 Studioo, 4 Pardee Ave, Suite 100, Liberty Village (south of King). 416-638-4492. Free (ticket required).

June 03 2:00: Toronto Opera Club. Is The Internet Destroying Opera? Guest speaker: Robert Harris. Room 330, Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Building. 80 Queen’s Park Cr. W. 416-914-3940. $10.

Masterclasses

Labyrinth Musical Workshop Ontario presents a series of Mon-Fri masterclass workshops at 232 Playter Cr. Each workshop is $600. For more information or to register, visit labyrinthontario.com or call 647-702-8680. Each week-long workshop is $600.
May 7-11 10am: Arabic Music Theory Workshop with George Sawa.
May 7-11 10am: Cretan Lyra Workshop with Kelly Thoma.
May 7-11 10am: Modal Music Composition with Ross Daly.
May 14-18 10am: Azeri Kamancha Workshop with Imamyar Hasanov.
May 14-18 10am: Kurdish Tanbur Workshop with Ali Akbar Moradi.
May 14-18 10am: Tombak and Rhythm Workshop with Pedram Khavarzamini.
May 21-25 10am: Afghan Rabab Workshop with Qureishi.
May 21-25 10am: Iranian Tar and Radif (Theory) Workshop with Araz Salek.
May 21-25 10am: Turkish Bağlama Workshop with Ahmet Ihvani.
May 28-June 1 10am: Arabic ‘Oud Workshop with Bassam Bishara.
May 28-June 1 10am: Bulgarian Singing Workshop with Tzvetanka Varimezova.
For concerts in which these workshop leaders are performing, please see Section A – Concerts in the GTA.

May 19 10:00am: Christian Howes and Victoria Yeh. Creative Strings Two-Day Workshop. Intensive two-day conference with masterclasses, group lessons and ensemble coaching for bowed string performers and teachers. Hosts: Christian Howes, violin; Victoria Yeh, violin. 401 Richmond, 401 Richmond Street West. 416-799-0737. $500. Workshop runs May 19 and 20.

Screenings

May 5 6:15pm Hot Docs Festival/Small World Music. Gurrumul. Blind from birth, Indigenous singer/songwriter Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is regarded as one of the most important artists ever to come out of Australia. He captivated audiences across the globe, playing for such luminaries as the Queen and Barack Obama. Using concert footage and home videos, director Paul Damien Williams delivers a poignant portrait of a complex artist who left us just as the rest of the world was about to embrace him. ScotiaBank Theatre, Cinema 13, 295 Richmond St. W. 416-368-5600. $15.

May 28 1:00: Jewish Music Week. Stan Getz in Israel: A Musical Odyssey. Jazz saxophone virtuoso Stan Getz on his historical 1977 three-week tour of Israel. Jacob Family Theatre, Posluns Auditorium at Baycrest, 3560 Bathurst St. 416-638-4492. Free.

May 28 1:00: Jewish Music Week. Orchestra of Exiles. The fascinating story of the creation of the Israel Philharmonic. Jacob Family Theatre, Posluns Auditorium at Baycrest, 3560 Bathurst St. 416-638-4492. Free.

Sing-alongs, Jams, Circles

May 26 7:00: Toronto Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Singalong of The Pirates of Penzance. All welcome. Bring a score if you have one. Refreshments provided. St. Andrew’s Church, 117 Bloor St. E. Free parking below church off Hayden Street. For further info, call Sheryl at 416-763-0832. $5 for non-members.

Tours

May 6 10:30am: Canadian Opera Company. 90-Minute Tour of the Four Seasons Centre. Led by a trained docent. Includes information and access to the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room, the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre and R. Fraser Elliott Hall, as well as backstage areas such as the wig rooms and dressing rooms, the orchestra pit, and other spaces that only a stage door pass could unlock. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. coc.ca. $20(adults); $15(sr/st). Also May 13 & 20.

Workshops

May 04 7:30: Toronto Recorder Players Society. Renaissance and Baroque workshop for recorders and other early instruments. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mount. Pleasant Rd. at Belsize Dr. Bring your recorders and music stand. 416-480-1853. Guests $15.

May 06 1:30: Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Workshop Coached by Recorder Player Francis Colpron. Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Rd. Bring your early instruments and a music stand. 416-779-5750. www.tempotoronto.net. $20

May 12 10:30am: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Singsation Saturday. Join other enthusiastic singers for a fun choral workshop. Sing through some great Romantic repertoire, including works by Bruckner, Mendelssohn and Vaughan Williams under the direction of acclaimed conductor David Fallis. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Cameron Hall, 1585 Yonge St. (1 block north of Yonge and St. Clair). $10, includes refreshments. Register at the door. www.tmchoir.org/singsation-saturdays

May 25 9:30am: SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival. School Day Workshop Program. Music students from grades 7-12 will experience an unforgettable day of musical education led by international vocal group Rockapella. Little Trinity Church, 425 King St. E. $30.

May 25 7:30: Toronto Recorder Players Society. Renaissance and Baroque workshop for recorders and other early instruments. Coach: Janos Ungvary. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mount. Pleasant Rd. at Belsize Dr. Bring your recorders and music stand. 416-480-1853. Guests $15.

May 26 12:00_noon: SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival. SING! and Learn: Public Workshops. Interactive workshops facilitated by expert performers and coaches guide professional and amateur singers alike in the art of vocal technique, performance, and group leadership and collaboration. Led by Rockapella, the House Jacks, and a barbershop session! St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front St. E. 416-366-1656. $40; $15(workshop day pass).

May 26 3:00: The Music Gallery. Deep Listening Intensive. Featuring Anne Bourne. This session opens up the airy, light-filled environs of 918 Bathurst’s Sun Room to the public for a springtime celebration and/or contemplation. Bourne will lead participants in experiential listening meditations and sounding pieces composed by Pauline Oliveros. 918 Bathurst, The Sun Room, 918 Bathurst St. 416-204-1080. Free.

May 28 12:30: Estonian Music Week. Kadri Voorand Jazz Singing Workshop. Focusing on creating original ideas, the voice as a physical movement, and lyrics used as a tool to work with original sound. Tartu College, 310 Bloor St. W. For information and registration please contact Piret Noorhani at piret.noorhani@vemu.ca.

Jun 03 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Reading for Singers and Instrumentalists. Mozart: Opera choruses from La Clemenza di Tito, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Idomeneo, and The Magic Flute. Erna Van Daele, conductor. Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-482-6562. $10; $6(members).

Galas and Fundraisers

Apr 07 11:30am: La Jeunesse Youth Orchestra. Fundraising Event. Enjoy delicious soups donated by local restaurants while you listen to an orchestra rehearsal. Silent auction. $20. For more information visit our website at ljyo.ca or call 1-866-460-5596.

Apr 07 7:00: Sistema Toronto. Red Violin Gala. Come together as a community to celebrate over food, drink, and amazing performances and raise vital funds for Sistema Toronto as we work toward welcoming more students into our program. The Spoke Club, 600 King St. W. $75. www.eventbrite.com/e/the-red-violin-2018-tickets-42583465291.

Apr 11 7:30: JAZZ.FM91. Jazz Lives: A Century of Nat “King” Cole. An evening to pay homage to this iconic 20th-century musician. Jackie Richardson, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Robi Botos, Tom Wilson, Jazz Lives House Band and others. Koerner Hall, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-0208. $30 and up. Fundraiser to support JAZZ.FM91’s youth education programs.

Apr 12 6:00: Canadian Opera Company. Fine Wine Auction. Bid on rare vintages at both the live and silent auction. Stephen Ranger will lead the live auction which features an impressive array of exquisite and hard-to-find wines from private collections. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. $100.

Apr 22 1:30: Classical Music Conservatory. Music For A Cause: Benefit Concert for SickKids. Teiya Kasahara, soprano; Eslin McKay, violin; Hannah Bussière; Arkose (Erik Ross, Torrie Seager and Rob MacDonald); and others. Roncesvalles United Church, 214 Wright Ave. 416-537-5995. PWYC; $20/$10(kids) suggested. All proceeds to SickKids Hospital.

Apr 26 8:00: Room 217 Foundation. Voices That Care. A musical evening to benefit Room 217 Care Through Music. Dan Hill, Jill Barker, Murray McLauchlan, Sylvia Tyson, Ezra Jordan and special guests. Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. W. 705-852-2499 or 844-985-0217. $175. 7pm hors d’oeuvres and cocktail reception.

Lectures, Salons and Symposia

Apr 04 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Trapping the Queen. Join eminent musicologist Wayne Gooding for an engaging exploration of Anna Bolena in anticipation of the upcoming COC production. The court of Henry VIII is in tumult as the king tires of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, who must now fight for her honour and her life. Don Mills Branch, Toronto Public Library, 888 Lawrence Ave. E. Please register by calling 416-395-5710.

Apr 4 7:30: TD Niagara Jazz Festival. Live Learn Jazz Collection Launch. Presented by Ethnomusicologist Michael Morse. Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library, 10 Anderson Lane, Niagara-on-the-Lake. 905-468-2023. Free.

Apr 06 6:00: Music Gallery/Musicworks Magazine. History Series: Creative Music Journalism. Artistic Director David Dacks talks to journalists past and present about the challenges and joys of trying to describe abstract music. Mark Miller (Globe and Mail); Carl Wilson (Slate, The Guardian, Globe and Mail); Katie Jensen (Polaris Music Prize podcast, IMPSTR); Jennie Punter (Musicworks, Toronto Star); Jerry Pratt (Exclaim). 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media and Education, 918 Bathurst St. 416-204-1080. Free.

Apr 10 7:30: Toronto Chapter of the Duke Ellington Society (TDES). Monthly Meeting. Montgomery’s Inn, corner of Dundas St. W. and Islington Ave. Membership fee is $35 single or $50 per couple with one free initial visit. Anyone interested in Ellington’s music and his contributions to the art of jazz is welcome. 416-453-5342.

Apr 12 7:00: Tafelmusik. The Listening Club: Blurring the Boundaries. A lecture on innovative early music composers who “sit outside the box”. Musicologist Hanna French and violist Patrick Jordan are the moderators. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, The Chapel, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-6337. $25.

Apr 14 7:15: Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Sullivan Without Gilbert. Followed by a choral lesson for a Sullivan song. Join the chorus! St. Andrew’s Church, 117 Bloor St. E. Free parking below church off Hayden St. All welcome. For further info, call Sheryl at 416-763-0832. Non-members $5. Refreshments provided.

Apr 15 2:00: Toronto Opera Club. Guest speaker: Johannes Debus, Music Director, Canadian Opera Company. Room 330, Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Bldg. 80 Queen’s Park Cr. W. 416-914-3940. $10.

Apr 17 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Nightingale: Performing With Puppets. Acrobat and puppeteer Noam Markus gives participants a behind-the-scenes peek into the world of puppetry displayed in Robert Lepage’s spectacular production of Stravinsky’s The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. Education Centre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. (at University Ave.). Free. Reserve tickets at 416-363-8231.

Apr 21 1:30: Guitar Society of Toronto. Toronto Guitar Weekend: The History of Tango. A journey through tango with Máximo Diego Pujol from its beginnings in the marginal neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires to the present as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”. Historic audio recordings and live performances. Church of St. Peter and St. Simon the Apostle, 525 Bloor St. E. 416-964-8298. $20/$10(st).

Apr 23 7:30: Darchei Noam Synagogue. The Brill Building: Great Jewish Songwriters of the 60s. Presented by acclaimed music educator Jordan Klapman. A mix of lecture, music and discussion. 864 Sheppard Ave. W. 416-638-4783. Members $10 Guests:$15 per lecture. Online Registration: www.darcheinoam.ca/event/brillbuilding.

Apr 29 2:00: Classical Music Club Toronto. Bernstein: Candide. Based on the writings of Voltaire, this musical by Leonard Bernstein tells the story of an innocent youth and his adventures in the Old and New World. A selection of recordings (both audio and video) will be presented. For information and location contact John Sharpe: 416-898-2549. Annual membership: $25(regular); $10(sr/st). Free for first-time visitors. Donations accepted for refreshments.

Apr 30 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Anna Bolena: The Power of Clothing in the Court of Henry VIII. Join Alexandra Kim, former Historic Royal Palaces Curator at Kensington Palace, as she unpacks the role Tudor court costume played in charting Anne Boleyn’s changing fortunes, as seen in the COC’s new production of Anna Bolena. Education Centre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. (at University Ave.). Free. Reserve tickets at 416-363-8231.

May 02 7:30: TD Niagara Jazz Festival. Discover Jazz. Presented by Mark Micklethwaite. Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library, 10 Anderson Lane, Niagara-on-the-Lake. 905-468-2023. Free.

May 06 2:00: Toronto Opera Club. Guest speaker: David Fallis. The First Great Opera: Monteverdi’s Orfeo. Room 330, Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Bldg. 80 Queen’s Park Cr. W. 416-914-3940. $10

May 06 5:00: Nocturnes in the City. 100 Years of Famous Czech Operas. Audiovisual presentation. Iain Scott, opera educator. Restaurant Praha, Masaryktown, 450 Scarborough Golf Club Rd. 416-481-7294. $25; $15(st).

Master Classes

Apr 07 1:00: Tafelmusik. Voice Masterclass. Dorothee Mields. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-9562 x241. Free admission for auditors. Suggested donation $10. Open to the public.

Apr 22 1:00: Guitar Society of Toronto. Toronto Guitar Weekend: Masterclass with M áximo Diego Pujol. Church of St. Peter and St. Simon the Apostle, 525 Bloor St. E. 416-964-8298. $20/$10(st).

Apr 24 2:45: Li Piano Academy. Piano Masterclass with James Anagnoson. James Anagnoson, Dean of the Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School, is one of Canada’s most renowned pianists and pedagogues. Level 6 to ARCT Repertoire. Infinity Strings, 351 Ferrier Str., Markham. 647-822-2931. $15; $5(st).

Screenings

Apr 07 4:30: Toronto Silent Film Festival. Sensation Seekers (1927). Fern Lindzon, composer, pianist. Royal Cinema, 608 College St. $15.

Apr 24 6:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Song of Lahore (2015). Meet and discover the cultural heritage of Pakistan’s classical musicians. After toiling in obscurity for years, an innovative album leads Sachal Studios to international acclaim and a triumphant concert with Wynton Marsalis and his orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Toronto-based musicians Anwar Kurshid (sitar), Luis Denis (saxophone), and Matias Recharte (percussion) will join for the post-screening performance and Q&A. $17. Hot Docs members: $12, $10(sr/st), free(child). Tickets can be purchased at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema box office, 506 Bloor St. W. or online at www.hotdocscinema.ca.

Sing-alongs, Jams, Circles

April 20 7:30: Toronto Recorder Players Society. Monthly meeting. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Bring your recorders and music stand. 416-779-5750. Non-members $15.

Apr 24 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Opera Chorus Sing-Along. Warm up those pipes and join the COC’s Chorus Master Sandra Horst as she guides participants through a sing-along of favourite opera choruses by Mozart and Donizetti, and shares what it takes to be an opera chorister. Open to all levels of experience and musical ability. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. (at University Ave.). Free. Reserve tickets at 416-363-8231.

May 04 7:30: Toronto Recorder Players Society. Monthly meeting. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Bring your recorders and music stand. 416-779-5750. Non-members $15.

Tours

April 08 10:30am: Canadian Opera Company. 90-Minute Tour of the Four Seasons Centre. Led by a trained docent. Includes information and access to the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room, the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre and R. Fraser Elliott Hall, as well as backstage areas such as the wig rooms and dressing rooms, the orchestra pit, and other spaces that only a stage door pass could unlock. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. coc.ca. $20(adults); $15(sr/st). Also Apr 15, 22, 29.

Workshops

Apr 07 Chorus Niagara. Treble In Niagara: Professional Development Day for Choral Educators. Observe clinics with participating choirs and internationally renowned choral leader Dr. Rollo Dilworth. Participate in a choral reading session with Toronto Children’s Chorus Conductor Elise Bradley. Enjoy an evening concert featuring children’s choirs from across the GTA at 7pm. FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul St., St. Catharines. $25.

Apr 08 1:30. Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Workshop coached by recorder player Janos Ungvary. St. Leonard’s Church, 25 Wanless Avenue (Canon Dykes Memorial Room). Bring your early instruments and a music stand. 416-779-5750. www.tempotoronto.net. $20.

Apr 22 2:00: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Reading for Singers and Instrumentalists. Vivaldi: Gloria and Haydn: Little Organ Mass. David Weaver, conductor. Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-551-5183. $10; $6 (members).

May 06 1:30: Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Workshop coached by recorder player Francis Colpron. Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Rd. Bring your early instruments and a music stand. 416-779-5750. www.tempotoronto.net. $20

Galas and Fundraisers

Mar 4 11:30am: 5th Annual Music March for Music Therapy. In support of the Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund. In partnership with the Canadian Association of Music Therapists. Starting point: The Music Therapy Centre, 1175 Bloor St. W. Registration: 11:30am-12pm. March begins: 12 noon. March ends: 1:15pm (festivities to follow). End point: Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. W. Celebration at Lee’s Palace: 1:15-4pm. For information visit www.musictherapy.ca

Mar 24 7:00: Echo Women’s Choir. CD Launch and Fundraiser. Musical guests Eve Goldberg and Ukulele Orchestra of Toronto. Church of the Holy Trinity, 19 Trinity Square (behind the Eaton Centre; wheelchair accessible). Echo will perform music conducted by Becca Whitla, Alan Gasser and Annabelle Chvostek, with Becca Whitla also at the piano. $25, available from Echo members or at the door. CDs will be available for $20. Information at www.echowomenschoir.ca or by emailing info.echo@gmail.com.

Lectures, Salons and Symposia

Mar 11 7:00: Andrea Botticelli. Exploring Early Keyboard Instruments: Lecture-Recital on the Koerner Collection. Vocal and keyboard works by Purcell, Haydn and Beethoven. Andrea Botticelli, harpsichord, clavichord, fortepiano; Lawrence Wiliford, tenor. Temerty Theatre, Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. 416-408-2825. $40. 5pm: instrument exhibit; 6pm: wine and cheese.

Mar 13 7:30: The Toronto Chapter of the Duke Ellington Society. Monthly Meeting. Montgomery’s Inn, 4709 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke. Anyone interested in Ellington’s music and his contributions to the art of jazz is welcome. For further information, visit
www.torontodukeellingtonsociety.com or call 416-239-2683. Membership fee $35 per person or $50 per couple, with one free initial visit.

Mar 4 2:00-5:00: Classical Music Club Toronto. Boito: Mefistofele. The Faust legend has provided inspiration to many famous composers – Gounod, Schumann, and others. Our program will examine a 19th-century operatic approach from a composer who was also a librettist for Giuseppe Verdi’s operas Otello and Falstaff. A selection of recordings (both audio and video) will be presented highlighting the diversity of Schubert’s compositions across many genres. For information and location contact John Sharpe: 416-898-2549. Annual membership: $25(regular); $10(sr/st). Free for first-time visitors. Donations accepted for refreshments. Postponed from Feb 25.

Mar 18 2:00-5:00: Classical Music Club Toronto. Made in Canada: Bruckner’s Symphonies. The symphonies of Bruckner have enjoyed the attention of two of Canada’s outstanding conductors, Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Orchestre Métropolitan de Montréal and Georg Tintner at Symphony Nova Scotia. Selected movements from various symphonies in both audio and video formats. To confirm your attendance, call John Sharpe at 416-898-2549. Annual membership: $25(regular); $10(sr/st). Free for first-time visitors. Donations accepted for refreshments.

Mar 19 1:30: Miles Nadal JCC. Exotic Operas from Around the World. With Iain Scott, opera educator. 750 Spadina Ave. 416-924-6211 x0. $22.

Mar 23-25: Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto. The Community of Singers: Joining Forces – Choral Conductor Symposium. Eglinton St. George’s United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd. 416-446-0188.

Apr 4 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Opera Talk. Join eminent musicologist Wayne Gooding for an engaging exploration of Anna Bolena in anticipation of the upcoming COC production. The court of Henry VIII is in tumult as the king tires of his second wife, Anne Boleyn, who must now fight for her honour and her life. Don Mills Branch, Toronto Public Library, 888 Lawrence Ave. E. Please register by calling 416-395-5710.

Apr 6 6:00: Music Gallery/Musicworks Magazine. History Series: Creative Music Journalism. Artistic Director David Dacks talks to journalists past and present about the challenges and joys of trying to describe abstract music. Mark Miller (Globe and Mail); Carl Wilson (Slate, The Guardian, Globe and Mail); Katie Jensen (Polaris Music Prize podcast, IMPSTR); Jennie Punter (Musicworks, Toronto Star); Jerry Pratt (Exclaim). 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media and Education, 918 Bathurst St. 416-204-1080. Free.

Masterclasses

Mar 6 7:30: University of Toronto, Faculty of Music. Louis Applebaum Distinguished Visitor in Film Composition. Lecture by Howard Shore. Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Building, Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free.

Mar 7 1:00: University of Toronto, Faculty of Music. Collaborative Pianist. Masterclass by John Hess. Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Building, Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free.

Mar 08 11:30am: York University Department of Music. Piano Masterclass with Shoshana Telner. Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 416-736-2100 x20054. Free.

Mar 10 10:00am: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Organ Masterclass: Bach and Improvisation. William Porter, Eastman School of Music. Sponsored by the Toronto Centre, Royal Canadian College of Organists and the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, King & Simcoe Streets.

Mar 25 2:00: ORMTA Central Toronto Branch. Vocal Master Class with Dr. Darryl Edwards. Vocal students (aged 15 and over) of branch members are invited to participate. Spots are limited so please register early! Canadian Music Centre, 20 St. Joseph St. To submit a participant, please email our Master Class Convener Elaine Lau at
elaine@elainelau.ca. Auditing fee: $20; non-ORMTA auditing fee: $30; participant fee (includes admission for one family member): $80; fee for ORMTA provided accompanist: $20.

Apr 07 1:00: Tafelmusik. Voice Masterclass. Dorothee Mields. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-9562 x241. Free admission for auditors. Suggested donation $10. Open to the public.

Memorials

Mar 12 7:30: Public Memorial/Celebration of Life for Johnny Cowell. On behalf of the family of Johnny Cowell, please be advised that a public memorial/celebration of the life of Johnny Cowell. Light refreshments afterwards. Scarborough Bluffs United Church, 3739 Kingston Rd., Scarborough. The obituary is posted in The Toronto Star at www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?pid=187989715. This notice will be posted on Johnny’s website, where you can also send us your memories of Johnny, which will be posted on the site.
www.johnnycowell.ca 

Screenings

Mar 24 7:30: Mississauga Festival Chamber Choir. Phantom Unmasked. A screening of the classic silent film The Phantom of the Opera with live accompaniment for choir and orchestra composed by Andrew Downing. RBC Theatre, Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga. Please bring a non-perishable food donation for The Compass Market Food Bank.

Mar 27 6:30: Royal Conservatory. The Orchestra Di Piazzo Vittorio. Directed by Agostino Ferrente. Under Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the arts scene in Rome suffered. With blatant racism on the rise, the chances of thriving as an immigrant and artist in Italy were slim. So, when a multi-ethnic orchestra, Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio, sprang into being in 2002, it hit the headlines. Members of the New Canadian Global Music Orchestra will participate in post-screening performance and Q&A.

Sing-alongs, Jams, Circles

Mar 3 12:30: Recollectiv. Rekindling the mind & rediscovering joy through music for people with cognitive challenges. Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave. Free with advance registration at www.recollectiv.ca/participate. Also Mar 10, 17, 24, 31. 

Tours

Mar 4 10:30am: Canadian Opera Company. 90-Minute Tour of the Four Seasons Centre. Led by a trained docent. Includes information and access to the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room, the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre and R. Fraser Elliott Hall, as well as backstage areas such as the wig rooms and dressing rooms, the orchestra pit, and other spaces that only a stage door pass could unlock. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. coc.ca. $20(adults); $15(sr/st). Also Mar 11, 18 and 25.

Workshops

Mar 4 1:30: Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Workshop coached by viol player Justin Haynes. Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Rd. Bring your early instruments and a music stand. 416-779-5750. www.tempotoronto.net $20. 

Mar 16 7:30: Toronto Recorder Players Society. Meeting coached by Anne Massicotte. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Bring your recorders and music stand. 416-779-5750. Non-members $20.

Mar 25 2pm: CAMMAC Toronto Region. Reading for Singers and Instrumentalists. Bruckner: Mass in E minor. Ori Siegel, conductor. Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 416-386-0258. $10; $6(members).

Galas and Fundraisers

Feb 1 7:30: High Notes Avante. High Notes Gala for Mental Health. Join Luba Goy, Lloyd Robertson, Michael Landsberg, Orlando Da Silva, Giles Tomkins and others for this exciting evening in support of mental health initiatives. Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, 102868 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. Tickets at 905-787-8811 or rhcentre.ca. $10-$65.

Feb 17 7:00: Chorus York Richmond Hill. Romantic Melodies: 1st Annual Fundraising Gala. 7pm: Cocktails & appetizers, silent auction, cash bar. 8pm: Concert. An evening of love songs in a cabaret style. Plaza Suite, Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill. Tickets $50 available at RHCPA box office, 905-787-8811, or at www.rhcentre.ca/. Further information at 905-884-7922 or www.chorusyork.ca.

Lectures, Salons and Symposia

Feb 4 2:00: Toronto Concert Orchestra. Musical Lecture Series: Tchaikovsky (Surcharged Emotionalism). Sharon Lee and Marcus Scholtes, violins. Angus Glen Golf Club, 10080 Kennedy Rd., Markham. lifelonglearningmarkham.com $75.

Feb 8 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Opera Insights: Mozart’s Style – The Abduction from the Seraglio. Explore Mozart’s first big operatic hit with violinist Elizabeth Johnston and other artists from the COC Orchestra. 416-363-8231. Free

Feb 13 7:30: The Toronto Chapter of the Duke Ellington Society. Monthly Meeting. Montgomery’s Inn, 4709 Dundas St W, Etobicoke. Membership fee $35 per person or $50 per couple, with one free initial visit. Anyone interested in Ellington’s music and his contributions to the art of jazz is welcome. For further information about the society or to purchase concert tickets, visit our website at www.torontodukeellingtonsociety.com or phone 416-239-2683.

Feb 15 7:00: Canadian Opera Company. Opera Insights: Opera Trivia – From Beginner to Expert. Join trivia master Russel Harder of Trivia Club! for this fun, gameshow-inspired opera quiz night. 416-363-8231. Free.

Feb 25 10:00am: York University. Community Band Festival. Accolade East Building, 4700 Keele St., 416-736-5136.

Feb 25 2:00-5:00: Classical Music Club Toronto. Boito: Mefistofele. The Faust legend has provided inspiration to many of the famous composers – Gounod, Schumann and others. Our program will examine a 19th-century operatic approach. Brief audio selections followed by a full-length performance on video. For program details, please call John Sharpe at 416-898-2549. Annual membership: $25(regular); $10(sr/st). Free for first-time visitors. Donations accepted for refreshments.

Feb 25 2:00: Aga Khan Museum. Sephardic Music in the Mediterranean Soundscape. Ethnomusicologist Judith Cohen will discuss her work with the Crypto-Jews (“Marranos”) in the villages of Portugal over the past 20 years. Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford Dr. 416-646-4677.

Master Classes

Feb 8 2:30: York University Department of Music. Jazz Master Class/Drum Clinic with Adam Nausbaum. Martin Family Lounge, Accolade East Building, YU, 4700 Keele St. 416-736-2100 x20054. Free.

Feb 15 2:00: University of Toronto, Faculty of Music. Riki Turofsky Master Class in Voice. Johanne Debus, Music Director of the Canadian Opera Company. Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Building, Geiger-Torel Room, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free.

Feb 24 1:00: Tafelmusik. Voice Master Class. Thomas Hobbs. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. 416-964-9562 x241. Free admission for auditors. Suggested donation $10. Open to the public.

Mar 6 7:30: University of Toronto, Faculty of Music. Louis Applebaum Distinguished Visitor in Film Composition. Lecture by Howard Shore. Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Building, Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free.

Mar 7 1:00: University of Toronto, Faculty of Music. Collaborative Pianist. Master Class by John Hess. Faculty of Music, Edward Johnson Building, Walter Hall, 80 Queen’s Park. 416-408-0208. Free.

Screenings

Feb 24 3:00: Orpheus Choir of Toronto. Nordic Light: A Composer’s Diary + One-On-One with Ēriks Ešenvalds. The Canadian premiere screening of the documentary film about the making of Ēriks Ešenvalds’ multi-media symphony. Immediately following the screening, Ēriks Ešenvalds in conversation. Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. E. Toronto. Tickets: www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com or 416-530-4428. $20.

Feb 27 6:30: Royal Conservatory of Music. Music on Film: Mama Africa. Directed by Mika Kaurismäki. 90 min. Miriam Makeba was one of the first African musicians who won international stardom and whose music was always anchored in her traditional South African roots. Forced into exile in 1959, this documentary traces 50 years of her music and her performing life. Special guest to be announced. Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W. www.hotdocscinema.ca or 416-637-3123. $17.

Tours

Feb 4 10:30am: Canadian Opera Company. 90-Minute Tour of the Four Seasons Centre. Led by a trained docent. Includes information and access to the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room, the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre and R. Fraser Elliott Hall, as well as backstage areas such as the wig rooms and dressing rooms, the orchestra pit, and other spaces that only a stage door pass could unlock. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. 416-363-8231. coc.ca. $20(adults); $15(sr/st). Also Feb 11, 18, Mar 4.

Workshops

Feb 4 1:30-4:00: Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Workshop coached by recorder player Colin Savage. Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Rd. Bring your early instruments and a music stand. 416-779-5750. tempotoronto.net. $20.

Feb 16, 7:30: Toronto Recorder Players Society. Renaissance and Baroque Workshop for Recorders and Other Early Instruments. Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mount Pleasant Rd. 416-480-1853. Refreshments included. www.rpstoronto.ca Guests: $15.

Feb 18 2:00-4:30 CAMMAC Toronto Region. Reading for Singers and Instrumentalists. Brahms: Schicksalslied and Nänie.  Cheryll Chung, conductor. Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. 905-877-0671. $10; $6(members).

Feb 21 7:00: Orpheus Choir of Toronto. A Choral Encounter with Ēriks Ešenvalds. A seminar and singers’ workshop for choirs, conductors and fans of choral music. St John’s Latvian Lutheran Church, 200 Balmoral Ave. Presented in partnership with St. John’s Vocal Ensemble. Tickets: www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com. 416-530-4428. $30; $20(st). Includes scores.

Feb 24 10:30am: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Singsation Saturday. Join other enthusiastic singers for a fun choral workshop. Sing through Beethoven’s Mass in C Major under the direction of TMC Associate Conductor Jennifer Min-Young Lee. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Cameron Hall, 1585 Yonge St. (1 block north of Yonge and St. Clair). Register at the door. www.tmchoir.org/singsation-saturdays $10, includes refreshments.

Feb 26 7:00: Orpheus Choir of Toronto. A Choral Encounter with Ēriks Ešenvalds. A seminar and singers’ workshop for choirs, conductors and fans of choral music. St John’s Latvian Lutheran Church, 200 Balmoral Ave. Presented in partnership with Mark Vuorinen, Conrad Grebel University Choirs and the Grand Philharmonic Choir. Tickets: www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com. 416-530-4428. $30; $20(st). Includes scores.

Mar 4 1:30: Toronto Early Music Players Organization. Workshop coached by viol player Justin Haynes. Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Rd. Bring your early instruments and a music stand. 416-779-5750. www.tempotoronto.net $20.