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Amanda Martinez is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter whose new CD Mañana exultingly blends her unique Mexican and South African roots with flamenco soul. GRAMMY-winning producer Javier Limón calls her “one of the greatest voices in the world.”

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

Right now I am rehearsing for some shows I have this summer while my twins are napping!

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member (not work-related) between now and September 7?

I am really looking forward to the “Heart of Africa” concert at Lula Lounge on July 18, featuring both amazing musicians and dancers. This is the music of my mother's homeland and I am very excited to hear it.

3. How about work-related events/activities?

This month I am very honoured to be performing for Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday. Also performing at the Nelson Mandela School will be the amazing Lorraine Klaasen and Liona Boyd (I am a huge fan of both). There will be a simultaneous broadcast around the world in Nelson Mandela’s honour so this will be very special. 

This month I am also hosting a few shows at the Harbourfront Centre, including “Classical V: Brass,” and performing for the Cultura Festival at Mel Lastman Square

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

I am working on our show to take on the road for our new album Mañana, which comes out this fall. Our summer performances will be helping the creative juices flow for new material, as well as shaping our show for the CD release.

WEBSITE

www.amandamartinez.ca

Instantly recognized by her "arrestingly beautiful tone" (Strad), cellist Denise Djokic’s upcoming concerts take her across North America. This fall she releases a new disc of Chopin and Rachmaninoff sonatas with pianist David Jalbert. 

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

I'm listening to the Grieg String Quartet while watering the plants and doing laundry (can you tell I'm in pre-travel cramming mode?)

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member (not work-related) between now and September 7? 

I'm excited to go to my cousin's wedding back home in Illinois, and also to spend time in my new house!  I'm trying to learn how to take care of our garden. But I'll have to wait until August before I'll have a chance to do that, since I'll be on the road for the next six weeks.

3. How about work-related events/activities? 

I always enjoy the summer festival craziness, especially this July when I'll be playing with my family in Ottawa at Music and Beyond. If we're not rehearsing, we're usually sitting on a patio somewhere during happy hour. I'm also excited to have the chance to see and play with one of my closest friends, pianist David Jalbert.

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

For some reason, the Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations seems to be the piece I'm performing most this year, and two of these performances will be part of all-Tchaikovsky programs. I'm glad to have the chance to perform it in Wisconsin this summer at the Peninsula Music Festival and I'll be playing it again this October with the Winnipeg Symphony. I'm also starting to learn a concerto by Friedrich Gulda which I'm performing for the first time this January. But I'm mainly trying to stay sane with my repertoire load this summer and catch a little down time when I can!

A rising star on the international stage, baritone Phillip Addis’ upcoming season features a return to the Opéra Comique as Pelléas, performances at the Ravinia Festival, the COC, Los Angeles and Cincinnati and recitals in Toronto and Paris. 

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

At the moment I am in rehearsals for a production of Britten's Curlew River with the Teatro dell' Opera di Roma. It is one of a number of performances that I have with maestro James Conlon this season as we celebrate the Britten centenary. This performance will take place within the marbled walls of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli, right next to the Campidoglio. I really can't complain about the vista we're afforded on our breaks, and the music making is pretty fine too!

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member (not work-related) between now and September 7?

I hope to get to see some of the great programming at the Stratford Festival as well as Stratford Summer Music. I'd like to catch some jazz in Toronto too, such as Aurochs at the Tranzac on July 9th. I'm also looking forward to a rare performance of Massenet's jewel, Le Portrait de Manon, at the Muskoka Opera Festival on August 12.

3. How about work-related events/activities? 

My next project is again with maestro James Conlon, as we perform Britten's The Burning Fiery Furnace at the Ravinia Festival in August.

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

I am preparing for my debut at the COC this fall, where I'm going to have fun playing the roles of Schaunard and Marcello (not simultaneously!) in their fall production of La Bohème. I have performed both roles before, so I'll be reviewing them as I incorporate them into my current technique. There will be more Britten with maestro Conlon in Los Angeles: the War Requiem and the Cantata Misericordium. For my trip to LA I'll also dust off my Magic Flute score, after a decade's hiatus, for an engagement with the LA Opera.

What is occupying more of my time this summer is the preparation of recital repertoire that I will be performing in December, with Emily Hamper at the piano, as part of the Music Toronto series and again in January at the Opéra National de Paris. It's an ambitious program with works by Britten, Poulenc, Wolf and Purcell, as well as a new work by Toronto-based composer Erik Ross. The thrill of the recital, where the opportunities for exposed risk and deep intimacy with an audience can be so much greater than in any other form of performance, is driving me to be as prepared as possible, with as many options at the ready as possible, for showtime.

Linda Litwack worked for 20 years as a CBC Radio Music publicist before starting Linda Litwack Publicity, through which she has continued to promote music (mostly classical), along with theatre and other arts.

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

Working with the tireless Ann Summers Dossena to publicize Canadian Day, which she is producing July 5 in Rome. Canadian musicians, photography, a Glenn Gould film and more are presented in the conclusion of the five-day Le Nazioni: The Festival of Nations, featuring the cultures of five different countries. Sadly I’ll be enjoying it vicariously back home in T-O. But then there’s a “Welcome Home” concert featuring performances by most of the artists August 1 at Lula Lounge (Info at http://ircpa.net).  I’m also working on various other music-related projects.

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member (not work-related) between now and September 7? 

My wish list includes the Jazz Festival, world music at Harbourfront, Toronto Summer Music and the Festival of the Sound. It’s a great smorgasbord. My mom used to say my eyes were bigger than my stomach! If I get to even some of these, I’ll be happy. 

3. How about work-related events/activities? 

Besides the “Welcome Home” concert on August 1 (mentioned above), there’s the July 1 closing reception for The Circle of Art: Portraits of Famous Canadians at the Arta Gallery [www.portraitsociety.ca]. It includes portraits of a number of musicians and others.

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

So much to look forward to in the upcoming season – and to prepare for during the summer.  These include the fabulous lineup in the 25th season of Mooredale Concerts, starting October 6 with both the Cecilia and Afiara String Quartets (www.mooredaleconcerts.com), piano virtuoso Christina Petrowska Quilico’s upcoming launch of her Brazilian Tangos CD and performances of piano concerti by Violet Archer (in the composer’s centenary year) and Heather Schmidt, a new composition by Charles Cozens for the Orpheus Choir’s 50th Anniversary Gala, and The Musicians In Ordinary’s new season, which opens in November with a concert celebrating the 450th anniversary of John Dowland. Plus two joint performances by the Toronto Jewish Folk Choir, Upper Canada Choristers and Temple Sinai Ensemble Choir for Holocaust Education Week in November.

Chris Donnelly is a Juno nominated pianist, composer and improviser from Toronto, Canada. He teaches at the University of Toronto and keeps a blog at  www.chrisdonnellymusic.com.

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

Two things: I’m practising Gershwin and putting a contemporary spin on some of his tunes. It’s kind of like reinventing the Superman franchise, but with less revenue. I’m also working on developing some music educational programs for kids. This includes jazz programs for kids and studies in interactive media. 

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member (not work-related) between now and September 7?  

I have tickets to see Man of Steel in 3D IMAX tonight (Tuesday, June 18). We’ll see how Cavill stacks up against Reeve. I’m pretty excited about this.

3. How about work-related events/activities? 

I’m happy to be returning to Music by the Sea in Bamfield, BC. This is a one-of-a-kind summer music festival that’s taking place from July 6 to 14. Bamfield is on Vancouver Island, right on the Pacific. Beautiful. I’ll also be returning to the National Music Camp of Canada at the end of August. I’ll be teaching piano classes, ensemble classes, and yes, spoon classes. Fun stuff.

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

Myriad3 is my collective jazz trio with Dan Fortin on bass and Ernesto Cervini on drums. We have quite a bit of new repertoire up our sleeves and we’ll be touring Europe in September. This will be our first time performing outside of North America. We also hope to be in schools with some of our educational programs. Also exciting is our new video game project. It’s like a contemporary spin on silent movies. But that’s TOP SECRET, you already know too much.

WEBSITE

www.chrisdonnellymusic.com

TWITTER

@chrisdonnelly99

FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/chrisdonnelly99