This issue, The WholeNote magazine is pleased to present its annual "roundup" of columnists, reflecting on the season that's just finished, the season that's coming up, and life in general. Our columnists are Frank Nakashima (Early Period), Karen Ages (World View), Ori Dagan (In the Clubs), Jim Galloway (Jazz Notes), Chris Hoile (On Opera), Jack MacQuarrie (Bandstand), Jason van Eyk (In with the New), and Allan Pulker (Quodlibet). We asked them all the same five questions - and here are their insightful answers.
Question 1: In the season that's now drawn to a close, what was your most memorable musical experience?
Karen Ages: Of the events I attended, two definitely stand out. One was a performance by the Silk Road Ensemble, a multi-national, multi-instrumental group put together by Yo-yo Ma (below), which played traditional and new music at Roy Thomson Hall back in March. The other highlight was Murray Schafer's latest work, The Children's Crusade; though the production was perhaps not completely true to the composer's original intentions, the music and perfomances by all involved were spectacular! And some of the instrumentation was unusual too, such as a musical saw, expertly played by Neal Evans, the Middle Eastern qanoon featuring George Sawa, and the nyckelharpa, played by Katherine Hill.
Ori Dagan: I vividly recall Sheila baJordan's sold-out performances at Chalkers Pub on Valentine's Day. Charming, honest, youthful and so tremendously musical, this engaging performer is one that I find deeply inspiring. Accompanied by cream-of-the-crop players - Dave Restivo on piano and Don Thompson on bass - 80-year-old Lady Bebop was very much in her element, delivering ballads with finesse, scat-singing with humour and improvising lyrics with the freedom of a true jazz master. May this self-proclaimed jazz messenger live to 120!
Jim Galloway: The Norwich Jazz Party held on the first weekend of May this year was one that will certainly stay in my memory: 30 musicians, 300 attentive listeners and three days of great music. Even the English weather was good! There was a time when the gap between North American and European groups was in the rhythm section. Not any more. At the Norwich event European musicians like Rossano Sportiello from Italy, Giorgos Antoniou from Greece and drummers Steve Brown and Bobby Worth, pianist John Pearce and bassists Dave Green and Alec Dankworth from Britain more than held their own in the company of American counterparts.
Chris Hoile: My most memorable musical experience was the Canadian Opera Company's production of Prokofiev's War and Peace. It is an opera I had always longed to see. After I had to give up my one chance to see it at the Met, I thought no more chances would come along. But then here, in our own city, the COC put together a production that could not be bettered anywhere. Tim Albery's staging was brilliant and the cast and COC Orchestra gave an impassioned reading of the score that confirmed for me that this is one of the great 20th-century operas. I was so overwhelmed, I saw it twice.
Jack MacQuarrie: This question required considerable soul searching. Yes, Messiah conducted by Sir David Willcocks was excellent, and yes, the performance of Carmina Burana was stunning - but they aren't the events which made the most lasting impression. Rather, two quite unorthodox events stirred the greatest emotion. The first was the performance of steel pan virtuoso Liam Teague with the Hannaford Street Silver Band. The second was the masterclass conducted by Douglas Yeo, bass trombone of the Boston Symphony. From Tico Tico and Bach partitas on steel pan to Bach suites for unaccompanied cello on bass trombone, these performers both let me appreciate Bach from a refreshing new perspective.
Frank Nakashima: Not everyone can afford to produce as lavish a production as Opera Atelier, but one cannot ignore the spectacular results. Their production of Monteverdi's final masterpiece, The Coronation of Poppea (1642), offered thrilling singing, compelling drama and dazzling visual delights. Reprising his role of Nero, the male soprano Michael Maniaci joined mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber (right), making her Opera Atelier debut, and many other outstanding singers, with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, all under the direction of conductor David Fallis.
Jason van Eyk: As many of the readers of this column will have noticed, I was on hiatus for 2008. Nonetheless, I did attend many events that held memorable experiences. What was most remarkable in this past season was the wealth of new Canadian opera on offer. Queen of Puddings gave us a tastefully restrained production of James Rolfe's emotionally charged Inês; Tapestry New Opera Works skillfully brought to life the comic and the creepy sides of Omar Daniel's The Shadow; and Soundstreams Canada capped off the season with a somewhat star-crossed, but wholly mesmerizing world premiere production of R. Murray Schafer's The Children's Crusade.
Alan Pulker: My most memorable musical experience occurred one Friday afternoon in late February, when I dropped in to Trinity-St. Paul's to pick up tickets for one of the Flanders Recorder Quartet's two Toronto concerts. From the sanctuary of the church I heard the sound of one of the members of the quartet practising. He was playing something technically challenging, but with such ease and fluidity that it sounded expressive, gracious and unhurried, creating a magical atmosphere in the fading late afternoon light of the almost empty church. The impression left by this moment was actually far more memorable than the concert itself!
Quesetion 2: What was the biggest musical development in your particular area of musical interest?
KA: It was more a milestone than a development: Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan celebrated its 25th anniversary season this year. I attended one of their concerts in May, titled "Suites from the Past," which also featured a world premiere by Jon Siddall, the group's founder, who was in attendance.
OD: The availability and popularity of social networking has made an impact on the entire music industry. In spite of the economic downturn's effects and cuts to arts funding, jazz performers who can deliver the music and market themselves reasonably well are in fact seeing success. Also, there have been numerous jazz venues that have expanded their live music policy, most notably The Old Mill, Chalkers Pub and Statlers Piano Lounge, with weekly shows that draw an audience.
JG: I think the biggest development was the boom in MP3s at the expense of major label CD sales. What bothers me is that the quality of sound is diminished because the sound on MP3s is extremely compressed, so for the sake of convenience, quality suffers.
CH: I am very heartened that Luminato has lived up to its name as a "Festival of Arts and Creativity," and included opera in each of its three seasons so far: Constantinople and Luna in 2007, the Mikel Rouse trilogy and Sanctuary Song in 2008, and The Children's Crusade this year. I hope Luminato continues to bring us works only a festival with international ties can afford and to encourage people from other disciplines to sample genres they might not otherwise experience.
JM: I would be delighted to report that there had been some significant musical development in the realm of community musical organizations in my sphere. Alas, such is not the case. Most community bands and orchestras get by primarily through the dedicated efforts of members and friends. We have not heard of any new groups or new initiatives by established groups.
FN: The most remarkable development in local early music presentations lately seems to be the bigger-better grandness. For example, I'm thinking of the collaboration between Tafelmusik and the Banff Centre in a multi-media presentation, The Galileo Project: Music of the Spheres, which was programmed and scripted by Alison Mackay. While it's true that the worlds of astronomy and music were often intertwined throughout the Baroque period, they probably didn't enjoy the modern technological expertise of this uncommon assembly of astronomers, a stage director, a filmmaker, a set and lighting designer, astronomical photographers, and a recording engineer! (Photo below)
JvE: The 2008-09 season was action packed - and amid all the activity, Soundstreams Canada truly distinguished itself. The introduction of the convivial yet educational Salon 21 series; the skillful use of online community building through blogging and social networking; and the push to new methods of concert presentation and distribution through webcasting (with extra behind the scenes interviews) have marked the organization as a new force for new music in the 21st century.
AP: I think the announcements of the opening of the Royal Conservatory's Koerner Hall and of its first season was the most major development in my area of interest. Toronto, at least downtown Toronto, has not had a recital hall of this size since the closing of the Eaton Auditorium almost 40 years ago, and particularly for international touring artists, a large recital hall with good acoustics is what is needed to accommodate the audience such artists generate.
Question 3: Are you traveling this summer to attend musical activities? If so, where are you going and why? If not, what musical events will you be taking in locally and why?
KA: I'll be spending some time in Ottawa to visit family and friends, and look forward to taking in some concerts at the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival; then in August, I'll be making the pilgrimage to the Haliburton Forest to participate once again in Murray Schafer's annual week long camping/music-theatre project And Wolf Shall Inherit the Moon, better known as "The Wolf Project."
OD: For the first week of July I will be at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. FIJM is one of the world's largest and most prestigious musical events; each year promises a stellar lineup, enthusiastic audiences and several jam sessions happening nightly. Ten main streets are closed down to allow for outdoor stages, much inebriation and a celebratory atmosphere that doesn't dwindle until dawn. I wish jazz was celebrated this way more than once a year.
JG: I will, of course, be here in Toronto for the TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival followed by some down time and run-outs to area events. The summer will end with the Sweet ‘n' Hot Festival in L.A., but between now and then there will be lots to listen to right here. In mid-summer I am also planning to take a couple of weeks away from music.
CH: My summer is bookended by travel to see specific operas. In May I went to Luxembourg to see the premiere of Kris Defoort's latest work, House of the Sleeping Beauties. In September I'm going to London to see Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre at the English National Opera. My other role as a theatre critic prevents me from getting away in the summer, what with Stratford, Shaw, Luminato, the Fringe and SummerWorks to cover. Yet, I do hope to see Dido and Aeneas by a new local company, Opera Erratica, in August.
JM: As for traveling to out of town events, I tend to not make long-range plans to attend summer music or theatrical events. Last year, with minimal advanced planning we attended choral concerts at the Elora Festival (below) and a fine production of Die Fledermaus at the Westben Festival. The only definite arrangement so far this year is to take in Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story at the Stratford Festival.
FN: I'll probably try to catch some of the free Toronto Music Gardens concerts. Concerts are outdoors - don't forget your sunblock! The China Court Trio performs ancient music from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (July 16); Alison Melville performs music from the 12th to 21st centuries for various flutes, recorders (July 26); Toronto Masque Theatre, with dancer Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière, present Baroque dance (July 30); Violinist Linda Melsted and cornettist Kiri Tollaksen perform Italian Baroque music, with harpsichordist Borys Medicky (August 16); The Sanssouci Quartet performs music of Boccherini and Mozart, as well as Barbara Croall's 2008 piece Calling from Different Directions, for trumpet, conch shell, cedar flute and First Nations drum (September 20).
JvE: I'm pleased to be traveling for musical purposes this summer. First stop is central France, where the Architectones Festival will run July 3-5. A combination of sound installations, film screenings, symposia and live concerts will explore the connections between sound and space. Closer to home, I'm looking forward to attending the New Music Dialogues events and the two-day New Music Marathon that are part of the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. Gary Kulesha hosts the dialogues, which will include guests Toca Loca, the Penderecki String Quartet, accordionist Joseph Petric, percussionist Beverley Johnston and a number of others.
AP: For the first summer since 1996 I will not have the pleasure of taking to the road to go to summer music festivals, but I will be an active participant in this summer's music scene. With pianist Elena Tchernaia and bassoonist Anatoliy Kupriychuk I will be performing in the August 3 Music Mondays concert at the Church of the Holy Trinity. Another project is composing music for and performing in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which has a run of 16 performances (Thursday to Sunday) for four weeks from July 23 to August 16. Part of the Rose Theatre's Flower City Theatre Festival, the performances will take place in the band shell area of Donald M. Gordon Chinguacousy Park on Bramalea Road in Brampton.
Question 4: Of the CDs you've heard this year, which would you like to take with you on a holiday?
KA: I'll be taking Kiran Ahluwalia's latest CD of Ghazals (Punjabi folk songs), Wanderlust.
OD: The CD I have been listening to the most lately is Laura Hubert's Half-Bridled, an impeccably delivered collection of jazz, blues and country songs. I love this woman's expressive way of singing, and always enjoy the saxophone playing of Shawn Nykwist and Chris Gale. Also in my iPod from earlier this year is Jane Bunnett's Embracing Voices, a groundbreaking collaboration that's full of sweet surprises, grandiose arrangements, and musical risks that pay off.
JG: I always find this sort of question difficult to answer. It's like one of those "best of" things that I find so hard to deal with. My choice of a CD to take with me would probably depend on my mood as I was packing, which is usually about three hours before flight time!
CH: This year being the 200th anniversary of Haydn's death, I treated myself to the six-CD set Music for Prince Esterházy and the King of Naples on BIS with Manfred Huss conducting the Haydn Sinfonietta Wien. This includes concertos for lyra and octets for baryton among notturni for more usual instruments. The works, played on original instruments, were intended for elegant royal entertainments, and they still tickle the intellect while smoothing the emotions today.
JM: I have no plans to travel, but I intend to explore much music at home. The one new CD I want to explore will be Harmonic Brass Live from Munich Germany. I had never heard of this group until I found this CD at a yard sale recently. However, my hope for personal recorded musical exploration is to delve into my collection of LPs recently recovered from storage. From there the top two on my list will be Urbie Green and 21 Trombones and Evelyn Rothwell performing oboe concertos with the Hallé Orchestra directed by her husband Sir John Barbirolli.
FN: The Montreal ensemble Arion's self-produced CD recording Les Plaisirs champêtre, featuring the music of Jean-Féry Rebel, is one of the most exciting early music recordings to come out in some time. Under the direction of Daniel Cuiller, they capture the elegance, suavity and sparkle of the French Baroque. Also, the King's Singers recording of The Triumphs of Oriana demonstrates the stunning vocal virtuosity of one of the world's finest choral ensembles. Okay, so they transposed all the music down a little bit in order to accommodate the men's vocal range, but the clarity is unbelievable.
JvE: When I travel, I'm always sure to bring along my iPod. Two CDs that will be added to my summer playlist are: Simple Lines of Enquiry, a concert-length piano work of restrained minimalist beauty by Ann Southam, skillfully performed by Eve Egoyan (below) for the Centrediscs label; and Canadian Oboe Quartets, featuring an excellent range of works written for Mozart's oboe quartet configuration by James Rolfe, Michael Oesterle, John Abram and Peter Hatch, as performed by the Gallery Players of Niagara. Both are available through the CMC Boutique at www.musiccentre.ca.
AP: I get a two-week holiday between August 17 and Labour day, and the CD that I will treasure during that time will be the young French pianist, Lise de la Salle's recording of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet: Ten Pieces for Piano Op. 75, with which I was so impressed that I immediately bought the score. "If I'm going to compose music," I thought, "that's what I want it to sound like!" Always in the back of my mind are Pasternak's wise works, which appear in his novel Doctor Zhivago - to the effect that art advances by attraction, the artist emulating the art that he admires.
5] What musical developments do you look forward to, or would you like to see unfold in the coming season?
KA: There used to be a saying: "East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet" (attributed to Rudyard Kipling), but we know full well it isn't true any more. I'd love to see more ensembles like Silk Road come into being, which combine musical traditions from many cultures in a cohesive manner. Similiarly, the use of non-Western instruments alongside Western ones by contemporary composers is something I find compelling. In addition, I'd love to see more programmimg of "world music" concerts alongside "Western art-music" in the same series - as has been done by the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, and Toronto's Music Garden series at Harbourfront (below).
OD: It would be exciting to have more venues open their doors to live music. As I see it, there are three parts to making this equation successful: musicians doing their part to promote gigs and going out to support the music, club owners willing to pay the artists fairly and invest in promotion, and the continued support of audience members - not only at jazz festival time, but all year round.
JG: I'd like to see an acknowledgement by the powers that be in this country that music is an essential part of life, not a luxury.
CH: The productions I'm most looking forward to next season are The Nightingale and Other Short Fables, directed by Robert Lepage at the COC, the COC's first-ever Maria Stuarda, Toronto Operetta Theatre's revival of the 1889 Canadian operetta Leo, the Royal Cadet, Opera Atelier's revival of Iphigénie en Tauride, starring Kresimir Spicer and, of course, Wainwright's Prima Donna. Otherwise, the coming season feels very recession-conscious and therefore not as risky as last season.
JM: On the community musical front, the development that I would like to see unfold would be more recognition by agencies funding recreational facilities that making music is indeed a recreational activity worth supporting. Millions of dollars are spent every year on the construction of community recreational facilities to maintain healthy bodies. Maintaining healthy active minds is every bit as important. Making music can be a lifelong pursuit for family members of all ages and it has been proven to keep our minds healthy. Let's have more affordable, accessible community rehearsal space.
FN: In some of the larger organizations, I notice a tendency to bring old themes into a modern perspective, to re-create and re-imagine, as in Toronto Masque Theatre's double-bill of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and Canadian composer James Rolfe's Aeneas and Dido. Next season, there will be another newly-commissioned work from composer/librettist Dean Burry, celebrating the Newfoundland mummer tradition of Christmas cheer. Also, we are seeing more combinations of dance, theatre and music, as in the programmes of The Art of Time Ensemble, directed by Andrew Burashko. And it will be a pleasure to hear Handel's Israel in Egypt performed by Tafelmusik Orchestra and Choir in the new Koerner Hall at the Royal Conservatory of Music.
JvE: I personally will be keeping tabs on the freshly formed Ottawa Music Nova ensemble, an offshoot of the emerging Ottawa New Music Creators. While Ottawa does receive some new music here and there at the National Arts Centre and the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, it hasn't really been present as a year-round affair since the existence of Espace Musique series, which shuttered many years ago. ONMC presented its first concerts with Ottawa Musica Nova this past May and will contribute to the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival's New Music Marathon in August. To follow their developments visit www.onmc-cmno.ca.
AP: As the co-founder of The WholeNote I see music as a powerfully civilizing influence in human life, so I would like to see more and more people using the magazine and /or its website to get out to concerts; I would like to see Toronto more recognized internationally as a centre of musical culture; and I would like to see singing at least competently and preferably inspirationally taught from the earliest grades in our public education system, as it was actually taught when I was in school in the 1950s. Maybe all of us who think this way should to speak to our MPs!
