Features

What does Benjamin Britten’s opera Noye’s Fludde set in South Africa and sung in Xhosa have in common with the story of a young Québécois woman blessed with perfect pitch but afflicted with a learning disability? Or the return of the team behind the cult classic Koyaanisqatsi with a new film premiering to a live accompaniment by the TSO? Or with Jim Jarmusch’s vampire lovebirds who live like glam rockers? Or Mychael Danna’s first score since winning the Oscar earlier this year? They’re just a few of the films in the 2013 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) that appear to be of particular interest to The Whole­Note readers. Yes, we’ve scoured the list of 288 features in this year’s festival and noted a number that look appealing.

Visitors marks Godfrey Reggio’s first film in ten years and his fourth collaboration with Philip Glass. Its world premiere takes place at the Elgin Theatre Sunday evening, September 8, when members of the TSO will provide a live score. Judging by the hypnotic trailer on the film’s inscrutable website, this black-and-white digital 4K projection could be the musical highlight of TIFF. The subtlety and restraint of the haunting score evident in the trailer finds Glass’ repetitive pulse backgrounded in the strings to allow precise woodwind tunes to come to the fore.

This is the beginning of a particularly exciting season for Jeanne Lamon. Under her music directorship for one final year — her 33rd in the position — the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra is presenting a rich and diverse Toronto concert series, touring to Japan, South Korea, France (with Opera Atelier), New York City and Leipzig, and running its second annual Winter Institute for advanced students and young professionals.

When reached by phone on a busy late-August afternoon, however, Lamon is most occupied by and enthusiastic about the renovations to Tafelmusik’s home venue, Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church.

A Summer Q&A

Once again, it’s that time of year where we cast our nets wide and ask Canadian musicians across our community what they’re looking forward to this summer, both as listeners and performers, and what their plans are for the season ahead.

Every year it’s the same four questions – and yet, they call forth an array of responses as varied and unique as the musicians themselves. With dozens of replies from correspondents both returning and brand-new, and more responses pouring in every day, click here to read what “On-The-Roaders” in the area have to say about their summer plans. This feature will continue to be updated throughout the year, so be sure to check in to see where these musicians’ summer travels take them.

After eight days of pulling hair, and cursing hackers, TheWholeNote.com is BACK! And with a new template in place, the basic layout already feels cleaner and easier. We realize that some things are not exactly where they were in the previous website and that some utility has been temporarily lost, and that there will be ups and downs moving ahead. If you find any problems with the website, please do email me at systems@thewholenote.com in as much detail as you like to describe the problem.

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The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, 
Gang aft agley, 
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, 
For promis'd joy! 
(The best laid schemes of Mice and Men
oft go awry,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!)

Robert Burns, To a Mouse (Poem, November, 1785)
Scottish national poet (1759 - 1796)

We Goofed, Pure and Simple, and We are Sorry

The Friday June 7 “Star of Robbie Burns” ad above although submitted in good time as part of a carefully planned campaign was inexplicably omitted from the May issue of The WholeNote.

Like Burn’s proverbial “Red red rose, newly sprung in June” “Star of Robbie Burns” promises to be a lovely leap into the summer.  Stay tuned for more details about the event, including an opportunity to win tickets, by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or registering on our website to receive our regular “e-letter.”