Past concerts at Gallery 345.

2013  | 2012 |  2011 |  2010  | 2009  |  2008

Rhrr
Thursday May 16, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors and Arts Worker; $10 Student

Rhrr is a trio of French improvisors comprised of Xavier Charles, Guylaine Cosseron and Frédéric Blondy. Their minimalist music is like a secret, or a confession that the voice of Guylaine Cosseron whispers in your ear. Frédéric Blondy’s piano underscores the vocals with a style reminiscent of Morton Feldman, while Xavier Charles makes time stand still through airy, drawn-out sounds on the clarinet. The vocals and clarinet intertwine, combine and separate, punctuated by the piano’s rhythm or harmony, creating a pared down, small, yet infinite space, lightly brushing up against the silence.

http://guylainecosseron.com/blondy_charles.html

The Art of the Piano: Ryan MacEvoy McCullough
Thursday May 9, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $10 Students

Program

Piano Figures (2004) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Benjamin (b. 1960)
I. Spell
II. Knots
III. In the Mirror
IV. Interruptions
V. Song
VI. Hammers
VII. Alone
VIII. Mosaic
IX. Around the Corner
X. Whirling

Pianoforte (1975) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claude Vivier (1948 – 1983)

Drive-Thru Etudes, bk. 1 “Upland, CA” (2008 – 11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dante De Silva (b. 1978)
1. Five-Finger Discount (for "five-finger" positions and melody within swirls of notes)
2. Button Masher (for clusters)
3. Scratch Record (for sostenuto pedal)
4. Door-to-Door (for stride piano)
5. Padua (for fluctuating intervals)
6. Kalili Hamana (for thumbs and pinkies only)

–intermission–

Nemo Sleeps (2011) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Liberatore (b. 1984)
1. an invitation to Slumberland
2. stilts
3. the pie-eaters
4. Nemo pleads to Father Time
5. snow falls in the Valley of Silence (Nemo holds his breath)
6. Lunatix, and the rising bed
7. as fast as a bed can run
8. Nemo steals a kiss from the Queen of the Glass People

Stand Still Here (2012). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny Beck (b. 1985)
I. II. III. IV. V.

Variations, op. 8 (1964) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacques Hetu (1938 – 2010)

Bio

Born in Boston and raised near the coastal redwoods of northern California, pianist Ryan MacEvoy McCullough is beginning to make his mark as an artist of great versatility and musical fervor. He has developed a diverse career as recitalist, concerto soloist, vocal and instrumental chamber musician, and is also a frequent collaborator with both established and up-and-coming composers. Comfortable with a wide variety of repertoire, Ryan has received critical recognition for his artistic performances. In a performance of Chopin “his virtuosity was evident and understated, his playing projected a warmth... that conjured the humanity of Artur Rubinstein,” (Eli Newberger, The Boston Musical Intelligencer) and in a performance of contemporary music, his playing “found a perfect balance between the gently shimmering and the more brittle, extroverted strands... and left you eager to hear the rest.” (Allan Kozinn, NY Times)

Some highlights of the 2012-13 season included a summer at Tanglewood as a member of the festival's New Fromm Players, soloing in Martin Matalon's Trame IV with the Glenn Gould School New Music Ensemble, Janacek's Capriccio and Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 12 in A major with the Glenn Gould School Chamber Orchestra, Beethoven's Choral Fantasy with the Inland Valley Symphony, and giving the world premiere of three new piano works by American composers Jenny Beck, Dante De Silva, and John Liberatore. Some highlights of the 2013-14 season include a residency at the Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival, a performance of Schumann's Piano Concerto with the Eureka Symphony, Ravel's Concerto in G with the Toronto Symphony, and recitals at the Canadian Opera Company and Canadian Music Centre in Toronto.

As a concerto soloist Ryan has appeared with orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sarasota Festival Orchestra, Colburn Conservatory Orchestra, Orange County Wind Symphony, and World Festival Orchestra, with such conductors as Gisele Ben-Dur, Christoph Eschenbach, Leonid Grin, Anthony Parnther, Larry Rachleff, Mischa Santora, and Joshua Weilerstein. Mr. McCullough has been a featured performer with the Mark Morris Dance Group, contemporary ensemble eighth blackbird, and at such festivals as the Tanglewood Music Center, Token Creek Chamber Music Festival, Sarasota Festival, Nohant International Chopin Festival, and at the invitation of Mezzo-Soprano Stephanie Blythe the inaugural season of the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar. In the fall of 2011, Ryan was awarded the Tanglewood Music Center's Henri Kohn Memorial Award for musical achievement and was subsequently invited back in 2012 as one of the festival's New Fromm Players.

Interested in composing from a young age, Ryan is passionate about collaborating with living composers. He has worked closely with George Benjamin, John Harbison, Helen Grime and Andrew McPherson, and has commissioned or been dedicatee of works by James Primosch, Carter Pann, John Liberatore, Jenny Beck, Benjamin Scheuer, and Dante De Silva. In 2008, Ryan released a CD of solo piano music by 20th century Polish-French composer Milosz Magin on the Polish label Acte Prealable. This recording was praised in the Polish music journal Ruch Muzyczny for displaying “exceptional skill and precision combined with intelligence and sense of design... [slowing] for parts of reflection and very evocative Polish reverie.” In January of 2013, Ryan was featured on an Innova Records release of composer Andrew McPherson's Secrets of Antikythera, a work written for the Magnetic Resonator Piano, an electro-acoustic instrument designed and built by the composer to augment the sounds of a standard concert grand piano.

Ryan has won prizes from the Milosz Magin Piano Competition, World Piano Competition, Virginia Waring International Piano Competition, and Bronislaw Kaper awards. Ryan holds his B.A. from Humboldt State University, M.Mus. from the University of Southern California (where he was recipient of the Thornton School of Music's 2011 Outstanding Graduate Award), and Artist Diplomas from the Colburn Conservatory and The Glenn Gould School. His primary teachers have been Dr. Deborah Clasquin, David Louie and John Perry, in addition to influential work with Stephen Drury, Peter Serkin and Leon Fleisher.

Ryan is also an avid homebrewer and has a particular affinity for Belgian-style ales.

SARAH MACDOUGALL
Wednesday May 8, 2013 at 8 PM
$12 in advance; $15 at the door
For Tickets: sarahintoronto.eventbrite.ca
Doors open at 7:30. Seating is first come first served.

WESTERN CANADIAN MUSIC AWARDS WINNER 2012 for ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR AND NOMINEE FOR SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Described by the magazine Rootstime in Belgium as ‘One of the greatest talents of our era”, and listed as the “2nd best gig” by the major UK newspaper The Independent, becoming the #1 most played artist on Canadian Galaxie Folk/Roots radio, Canadian/Swedish Sarah MacDougall is an upcoming artist who is getting known for her honest and poetic songs, blistering guitar chops, passionate performances, and unique astounding voice. She has been earning rave reviews and topping major music writers top ten album of the year lists as a songwriter since her official debut album Across the Atlantic (2009), all the while producing and engineering her own music. Born in Sweden, 24 hrs Vancouver called her ‘one of the most promising exports out of Sweden since Abba’, Swedish magazine Nöjesguiden recently declared her “One of Sweden’s best singer/songwriters”. The debut Across the Atlantic got four-star reviews in such notable publications as Q magazine, the Irish Times, No Depression, and the recent album The Greatest Ones Alive has been gathering 4 and 5 star reviews since its release in August 2011.

Sarah’s songs have been chosen for onboard entertainment on Lufthansa airplanes twice, on the Fox TV drama ’15 Love’, on an ad for Roots Clothing , and she’s been a semi-finalist on the International Songwriting competition with her song Crow’s Lament. She has performed live on the Bob Harris BBC2 show in the UK, played several Canadian and International Festivals, performed with such notable artists as Mary Gauthier, Todd Snider, Kimmie Rhodes, and toured with Po’Girl.

THE GREATEST ONES ALIVE was produced in Vancouver and in Whitehorse with the help of Matt Rogers (Mark Berube, C.R. Avery, The Fugitives), and Bob Hamilton (Kim Barlow, Gordie Tentrees, the Breakmen). It features ten melodic, beautifully written, epic, and touching songs that showcase the growth in Sarah’s songwriting and performance skills. It covers themes such as storms (literal and metaphoric), success, growing up, love, friendship, and dying. The album also showcases the musical skills of Tim Tweedale, Shawn Killaly, Patrick Metzger, and Matt Rogers, with guest appearances by Bob Hamilton, Meredith Bates, Annie Avery, Awna Teixeira, Kim Beggs, Kim Barlow, and Gordie Tentrees. Sarah MacDougall is one of the hardest working Canadian artists today, and she won’t be stopping anytime soon. THE GREATEST ONES ALIVE proves that Across the Atlantic wasn’t a fluke. Sarah’s voice and songs have the power to ‘make stones weep’. (Q magazine)

Catch Sarah on tour in Canada and Europe throughout 2011 and 2012.

What others say:

‘Thoughtful, strong, and spiritual”- The Globe and Mail

“This is a real breathtaking and touching record from one of the greatest talents of this era.”- Rootstime, Belgium

“Sarah MacDougall (from Malmoe and now Canada) has become one of the few voices that is separating itself from the big choir of song poets”- Ystad Allehanda, Sweden 5/5 stars!

“A downright intoxicating beauty!” 5/5 stars!- AltCountry.nl, Holland

“Like Ane Brun and Wendy McNeill, we’re not so specific about nationality when we declare Sarah one of Sweden’s best singer/songwriters” Nöjesguiden, Sweden 4/5 stars!

“A near perfect collection of memories of love”- Allgigs.co.uk 4.5/5 stars!

A new show of poetry and improvised music featuring actor Anne Anglin and composer Bill Gilliam (piano) with percussion(tba). A poetic musical journey of whimsical imaginings, playful philosophy and dark humour skirting the erotic with classical subversion using poetry and texts by Hafiz, Shakespeare, bpNichol, Wislawa Szymborska, Constantine Cavafy, Louis MacNeice, Roberto Juarroz, Elizabeth Smart, E. E. Cummings and others.

Bios:

Composer Bill Gilliam (piano)

Program

Kevin Lau String Quartet No. 2
Joseph Haydn Opus 20 No. 3
W.A. Mozart String Quintet

Bios:

Opera Five presents Bésame Ópera
Monday April 29, Wednesday May 1, Thursday May 2, 2013 at 7:30PM
Tickets in advance: $20-Student/$25-Adult
Tickets can be bought in advance at: O5besame.eventbrite.ca
At the door $25-Student/$30-Adult

Program:

Directed by Aria Umezawa
Music Directed by Maika'i Nash
Production Manager: Catharin Carew

El retablo de Maese Pedro by Manuel De Falla
Sung in Spanish with English Surtitles

Maese Pedro: Conrad Siebert
Don Quijote: Giovanni Spanu
El Trujamán: Rachel Krehm

Intermission

Goyescas by Enrique Granados
Sung in Spanish with English Surtitles

Rosario: Emily Ding
Fernando: Conrad Siebert
Paquiro: Giovanni Spanu
Pepa: Catharin Carew

El Retablo de Maese Pedro:

Maese Pedro with the help of El Trujamán are putting on a shadow puppet show of the 26th Chapter of Don Quijote. See what Don Quijote has to say!

Goyescas:

Granados based this Opera on his piano suites of the same name. It is set in tableaus based on a series of six paintings by Goyas, which follows the tumultuous love affair of Rosario and Fernando.

Opera Five is quickly establishing itself as one of the top producers of independent Opera in Toronto. It was founded in 2011 by four GTA musicians with a goal to find new audiences for opera through the engagement of the five senses.

Please visit www.operafive.com to learn more about Opera Five.

Le Jardin Musical - A Tribute to Gilles Tremblay
Louise Bessette, solo piano
Saturday April 27, 2012
Introduction at 7:15 | Concert at 8:00
$35; $25 Seniors and Art Workers; $10 Students

Photo: Gilles Tremblay with Robert Aitken, © André Leduc

Programme:

Des Jardins Secrets (2011) - Serge Arcuri (Canada 1954)

Traçantes, aupres, au loin (1976) - Gilles Tremblay (Canada 1932)

Musiques de l'eau (2008) - Gilles Tremblay

Regards des anges (from Vingt regards) (1944) - Olivier Messiaen (France 1908-1992)

La soiree dans Grenade (from Estampes) (1903) - Claude Debussy (France 1862-1928)

Entre mer et chanterelle (2010) - Francois Dompierre (Canada 1943)

Suite Andalucia (1928) - Ernesto Lecuona (Cuba 1895-1963)

January 1986 marked a turning point in the career of Louise Bessette. Since winning the First Prize at the Concours International de Musique Contemporaine in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (France), she has gone on to become recognized as a leading light in the interpretation of twentieth-century music. Most notably, she has added to her list of accomplishments both the First Prize and the Special Prize for Piano at the Rotterdam 1989 International Gaudeamus Competition for Contemporary Music, and the 1991 Flandre-Québec Award in recognition of her contribution to contemporary music. The Conseil Québécois de la Musique awarded her the Prix Opus 1996-1997 in the category conductor or soloist of the year for her recital devoted to the Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus by Olivier Messiaen. In January 2010, she received two Prix Opus: Performer of the year and Musical event of the year for Automne Messiaen 2008. An exceedingly appealing performer, Louise Bessette has made a personal hallmark of offering inspired, energetic interpretations of the finest in original music, whether in recital or as a soloist with orchestras or chamber formations.

Louise Bessette is seen regularly in concert halls throughout all of Europe, Asia, North and Central America. She has performed as soloist with conductor Pascal Verrot (Orchestre national de Lyon), Diego Masson and Mauricio Kagel (Orchestre philharmonique de Radio-France), Michel Swierczewski (Århus Symphony Orchestra, Denmark), Agnieszka Duczmal (Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Poznan, Poland), Linda Bouchard (National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa), Charles Bruck and François Dompierre (Orchestre symphonique de Québec), Lorraine Vaillancourt (Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, Montreal), Raffi Armenian (Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Ontario), Charles Dutoit and Kent Nagano (Montreal Symphony Orchestra), Gerard Schwarz (New York Chamber Symphony), Edward Cumming (Hartford Symphony Orchestra), Bill Linwood (Aventa Ensemble, Victoria), Tania Miller (Victoria Symphony Orchestra), Walter Boudreau (Ensemble de la SMCQ, Montreal) and Marc David (Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil, St. John's Symphony Orchestra).

Her eclectic repertoire has earned Louise Bessette numerous recital invitations at major music festivals, including the Festival de Musique Française de Laon (France), the Radio-France Festival Présences, the Festival Musica in Strasbourg (France), the Festival 38e Rugissants in Grenoble (France), the Festival Tivoli in Copenhagen, the Numus Festival in Århus, the Huddersfield (U.K.) Contemporary Music Festival, the Festival Nieuwe Muziek in Middelburg (Netherlands), the Festival International de Lanaudière (Québec) and the Festival International du Domaine Forget (Québec). Also to her credit are performances at the World Music Days, in Warsaw in 1992 and Mexico City in 1993.

Louise Bessette dedicated 2008 to the centenary of the birth of Olivier Messiaen. Her efforts and enthusiasm led to the organization of Automne Messiaen, which featured more than 50 performers, ensembles and organizations celebrating Messiaen in Montreal. In order to perform the Quatuor pour la fin du temps, a seminal piece in Olivier Messiaen's oeuvre, Louise Bessette formed an ensemble, now known on the name ARTefact, with Simon Aldrich, Yegor Dyachkov, and Jonathan Crow. On the 10 of December, 2008, the date of Messiaen's centenary, Louise Bessette performed the complete Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus at the Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur in Montreal. This concert was greeted enthusiastically by the critic Christophe Huss, who rated it among the 10 best concerts of the year: What started out a celebration became a ceremonial [...] the architectural grasp [...] mastery of time [...] primacy of form and content [...] Louise Bessette's Messiaen is as powerful as Kent Nagano's [...] (Le Devoir, December 11, 2008).

Louise Bessette has made about twenty recordings. Messiaen: Les oiseaux, received an eloquent review by the Gramophone magazine in December 2009. And her double solo album on Atma Classique label features her highly acclaimed performance of Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus. As well, on chamber music recordings, she has joined forces with such outstanding artists as Angèle Dubeau, Marc-André Hamelin, the Quatuor Alcan, and the London-based Arditti Quartet. As proof of her versatility, she recorded Rhythm 'n flute, in collaboration with flautist Lise Daoust; in addition to works by Joplin, Bartók-Arma, Muczynski, this CD compilation includes pieces drawn from Latin-American folklore and a sonata specially composed for the duo by jazzwoman Lorraine Desmarais. In Canada, Louise Bessette has recorded with SNE, CBC Records, Doberman-Yppan, Analekta, Atma Classique, Riche Lieu and Fonovox, in France for the Disques Montaigne and Salabert/Actuels labels, and in United States for Mode Records.

Louise Bessette is now part of the cinema world, as she recorded works by Charles-Valentin Alkan and Grieg for the movie Hidden Diary by French Director Julie Lopes-Curval, featuring Catherine Deneuve and Marie-Josée Croze. The premiere was presented at the 2009 World Film Festival in Montreal, and the film toured all over the world.

Composers from all over the world send Louise Bessette their works, while others have created pieces especially for her, including Canadians Serge Arcuri, François Dompierre, Serge Provost, Raoul Sosa and André Villeneuve, and French composers Claude Ballif, Philippe Boivin, Bruno Ducol and Jacques Lejeune.

Distinctions by music juries and the press have accompanied Louise Bessette throughout her career. In addition to the above-mentioned prizes, she also took top honours in the Eckhardt-Gramatté Canadian Music Competition in 1981. The Montréal daily La Presse named her Personality of the Week in February 1986. In 1989, the Montréal Salon de la Femme named her Woman of the Year in the Arts category. In October 2001, she was received as a Member of the Order of Canada, and appointed, in June 2005, Officier of the Ordre national du Québec. In November 2009, she was named Ambassador of Canadian Music by the Canadian Music Centre. The critics have commended her playing with unreserved enthusiasm. Writing for the Journal de Genève, Yves Allaz commented: In Louise Bessette, Messiaen has found his most inspired modern-day interpreter, undoubtedly for many years to come. Reporting on a concert she gave in London's Purcell Room, Malcolm Hayes, critic for The Musical Times (London), wrote: Her programme was striking [...] the sight of the captivatingly elegant Louise Bessette rampaging happily through Cowell's Exultation and Tiger was nothing if not appealing, and she responded to the glittering splendours of Olivier Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus with playing of genuine grandeur. All this was delivered faultlessly from memory and with astonishing reserves of controlled, relaxed virtuosity.

Born in Montréal, Louise Bessette began studying piano at the age of five. Admitted to the Montréal Conservatory in 1971, she studied with Georges Savaria and Raoul Sosa. She earned five first prizes, notably a First Prize in Chamber Music in 1979, and a First Prize for Piano in 1980. She subsequently perfected her skills with Eugene List in New York. In 1982, she set her sights on Paris, where her masters were Yvonne Loriod, Claude Helffer, Jay Gottlieb and Dominique Merlet.

In addition to performing and recording, Louise Bessette has contributed to the advancement and dissemination of music by participating in the juries of numerous musical competitions, and by offering master classes in both France and Canada. In October 2007, she was invited to perform and teach young students at the 4th International Piano Festival of Shanghai. Furthermore, since fall 1996, she has been Professor of piano at the Montreal Conservatory of Music.

The Art of the Piano: Philip Thomas
Wednesday April 24, 2013 at 8 pm
$30; $20 Seniors and Arts Workers; $10 Students

Continuum presents pianist Philip Thomas of the noted UK ensemble Apartment House in the Toronto concert of his Canadian tour. A major soloist, new music scholar, and specialist in notated and improvised experimental music, Thomas has commissioned new works from British and Canadian composers for the tour.

Composers:

Martin Arnold CA*, Christopher Fox UK*, Bryn Harrison UK*, Cassandra Miller CA*, Michael Oesterle CA,Linda C. Smith CA. *Works commissioned for the tour.

Bio

Philip Thomas specialises in performing experimental notated and improvised music as a soloist and with leading experimental music group Apartment House, winners of the 2012 Royal Philharmonic Society award for Chamber Music and Song, and with whom he has appeared at numerous festivals across Europe and the UK and given a number of broadcasts for the BBC and WDR. Recent performances with them have included a sold-out portrait concert of John Cage at the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of the International Chamber Music series. Recent solo projects have included a 12-hour performance of Cage’s Electronic Music for Piano, a survey of Christian Wolff’s piano music, which he has also recorded for future release, portrait concerts of Markus Trunk and Laurence Crane; and concerts of music composed by improvisers, which was subsequently released as a CD ‘Comprovisation’. Other CD releases include music by Tim Parkinson, Michael Pisaro, James Saunders and improvisations with Chris Burn and Simon H Fell. He has also performed with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, the pianist Ian Pace, and the composer James Saunders. He is currently Reader in Music at the University of Huddersfield and has recently contributed to and co-edited Changing the System: the Music of Christian Wolff (Ashgate Publishing, 2010).

Ian Clarke (1964- ): Maya for two flutes and piano (2000) 5 min

Bill Douglas (1944- ) : Partita for Bassoon and Piano (2005) 13 min

I. Bebop Cantando
II. Mirage
III. Raga Todi blues
IV. Jewel Lake
V. Caribbean Jig

Nikolai Kapustin (1937- ) cello and piano set: Elegy, Nearly Waltz, Burlesque (1999) 12 min

Jennifer Higdon (1962- ): running the edgE for two flutes and percussive piano (1996) 10 min

INTERMISSION

Le Rêve de l'Opritchnik - Mathieu Lussier (b. 1973)
*this piece was written for Nadina in 2003

John Cage (1912-1992): Six Melodies (1950) 12 min

John Luther Adams (1953- ) : Dark Waves (2007) 12 min

version for two pianos and electronic sounds
*the orchestral version was comissioned by Music Nova for the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra

Bios:

Nadina Mackie Jackson

Canada’s most visible bassoonist, Nadina Mackie Jackson has drawn attention and accolades both for her vivid style, and extraordinarily musical performances. Performing worldwide on both modern and baroque bassoon and continuing to release a new solo album every year, she can be heard on over 100 chamber music and orchestral recordings on a multitude of labels (MSR, Decca, Sony, Naxos, BIS Northern Lights, ATMA etc). Her most current releases in MSR Classics are Vivaldi Concerti and the Canadian Concerto Project. Nadina began her orchestral career with the Montreal Symphony at the age of 22 and went on to play with the Canadian Opera Company, Violons du Roy, group of twenty-seven and several early instrument groups. A tremendously energetic performer, her concerto and recital touring schedule takes her across Canada and the U.S.

A popular teacher, Nadina works with the University of Toronto and the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She is on the permanent advisory board for the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition. Nadina loves to collaborate with other musicians, commissioning more composers and creating more chamber groups than any other blue-haired bassoonist in the history of the world. She is an invisible groupie for several singer-songwriters (living and dead) and wants to improvise with all the great instrumentalists and composers she has met in recent years. www.nadinamackiejackson.com

Flautas del Fuego (Izabella Budai, Alheli Pimienta)

An Evening of Russian Music (Bring the Caviar and Vodka, Please!) Jacques Israelievitch, violin and viola with Elena Prokopienko, piano
Saturday April 20, 2013 at 8 pm
$25; $20 seniors; $10 students

Programme

Jacques Israelievitch

Future Food Salon:
Crickets on the Tip of Your Tongue
Thursday April 18, 2013 Doors Open at 7; Talk at 8 PM
Tickets: $25; Artists, low income, students $18
tix: http://alimentaryinitiatives.com/future-food-salon/
and at the door (if not sold out).
416.606.0799

Some talk, some art, some music, something to amuse your palate. Complimentary cricket-free canapés will be served. Cricket tastings and other insecty delights. Libations for sale. Dress: cocktail party attire… Door prize for most futuristic frock or suit.

“Crickets tonight, dear?”
“Yes darling...you know I just love your cricket ragout...”

What will be on our plates in a few decades time? Crickets, like other insects, are an ancient food--Aristotle waxes eloquently about the taste of cicadas in Book II of his History of Animals. And in many countries of the world, insects feature in the current diet. But here in North America? In much of Europe? Only the brave or foolish seem to partake.

Come find out why insects and crickets in particular make good eating. Not only are they a versatile culinary ingredient, but pound for pound, far fewer of the planet’s resources are needed to raise them and they are rich in protein and iron as well as other nutrients.

Hosted by Alimentary Initiatives and the Culture of Cities Centre, this salon is first in the 2013 series of four that will take place in Toronto, Waterloo, Manhattan and Montreal.

You will hear from Toronto born Jakub Dzamba, an architecture Phd candidate at McGill University by day, and a mad inventor working on his cricket reactors by night. For four years, Jakub has been experimenting with different prototypes of cricket farms in his quest to discover the most efficient way to raise crickets to a human food grade quality. His sketches and posters will be on display on the gallery walls. Jakub has spoken about his work in Bangladesh, in Germany, in the Czech Republic... we thought it was about time that we here in his hometown got a chance to hear about his marvellous inventions. Ask him about cricket psychology...ask him about cricket herding. Prepare to be amazed.

This salon also features improvised music by the So-called Quintet, art by Han Zhang and Helen Yung, a silent auction for some of Jakub’s prints, as well as beautiful and tasty canapés.

Earth and City will be providing (cricket-free) sumptuous tasting and stunning looking canapés; but for the more adventurous, there will be a variety of cricket tastes to sample including cookies from Cookie Martinez and even an insect-sourced wine!

Program:
Doors Open
Opening remarks
So-Called Quintet Improvised Music
Jakub Dzamba Entomophagy Expert & Cricket Reactor Inventor
So-Called Quintet

Jakub Dzamba

Jakub Dzamba is a Masters of Architecture graduate from the University of Toronto, currently pursuing his Ph.D. in architecture at McGill University. During his studies in the Masters program, Jakub initially focused on the idea of becoming a Space Architect. While awaiting his first lunar commission, Jakub’s interests evolved to focus on the issue of sustainability and food production here on Earth. In collaboration with Stafford Haensli Architects, Jakub has been researching and developing an approach to urban agriculture named Third Millennium Farming (3MF). He will be talking about his current research on the design of hygienic farms for cricket livestock.

So-Called Quintet

Doug Tielli trombone, Bea Labikova, saxophone, Dan Friedman, saxophone, Chris Adriaanse, bass, Raphael Roter, drums.

Doug Tielli

Doug Tielli is a musician and singer living in and working in Toronto. A multi-instrumentalist (guitar, banjo, trombone, keyboards…) he finds himself on the edges of many musical practices (song-writing, pop, jazz, country, free-improvisation, composition and sound-art). He has performed with such renowned musicians as: Marshall Allen, Baby Dee, Eugene Chadbourne, Amy Millan, John Oswald, Evan Parker, Dan Whiteley, and he has had chamber music pieces performed by Arraymusic, Contact, and Neither/Nor. As a singer-songwriter, and with co-lead bands Drumheller, The silt and The Reveries, he has toured Canada, U.S.A., Italy, Germany, U.K., Ireland, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Holland, Finland and Estonia.

Bea Labikova

Bea Labikova is an emerging Slovak-Canadian improvising musician. Based in Toronto, she studied contemporary improvisation, jazz performance and South Indian music at York University. She is a recipient of the Oscar Peterson Scholarship for Excellence in Jazz Performance, the Saint Thyagaraja Music Award for Achievements in Indian Classical Music, as well as multiple Slovak national music awards in solo saxophone. She has worked with, and studied under, prominent musicians such as Mike Murley, Kelly Jefferson, Casey Sokol, and Trichy Sankaran. Bea has worked with many multidisciplinary ensembles, dancers and artists across Europe and she is also a co-founding member of Lila Ensemble which recently returned from their first international tour. Aside from her pursuits in music, she has done community work in countries such as India, Cambodia and Singapore, combining music therapy, improvisation, development work and education.

Dan Friedman

Dan Friedman has been making up music in Toronto since the mid-90s when he was a member of Casey Sokol's improv ensemble. These days he divides his time between computers, martial arts, parenting three children, and just enough music to keep things interesting.

Chris Adriaanse

Chris Adriaanse is a young and emerging bassist, composer, educator who graduated from York University with a Bachelors in Fine Arts, specialized honours in music. While at York, he was awarded a York University Talent Scholarship, one of the Dean’s Prizes for Excellence in the Fine Arts, and the Oscar Peterson Scholarship for excellence in Jazz performance. In his final year, Chris was selected as one of the few participants of Jazz FM 91’s ‘Jazzology’ program. Chris manages a busy schedule as a bassist and occasional trombonist in the Barrie and Toronto area. He appears as a member of a number of ensembles, and as a freelance musician, open to play in just about any situation or style. He dabbles in composing for small jazz ensembles, and the Chris Adriaanse group performs his songs in occasional appearances in the GTA.

Raphael Roter

Raphael Roter is a drummer/percussionist and dancer from Toronto, Canada. He brings a varied musical past to his drumming, the highlights of which include leading the percussion group Samba Elegua, working regularly with West African dance company Ijo Vudu, Brazilian percussion group Maracatu Nunca Antes and Folk artist Crissi Cochrane. Raphael earned an honours Bachelor degree in music from York University. While there, he focused on dance accompaniment, jazz and contemporary improvisation. He counts among his most influential music teachers Casey Sokol, Mark Adam, Terry O’Mahoney and Aline Morales. Currently, Raphael performs regularly around Toronto as a freelance drummer and with a number of popular music and jazz groups including Asiko Afrobeat Ensemble, Melanie Brulee, and the Emerald Jazz Trio. He also regularly accompanies dance technique classes at York University and occasionally at the School of Toronto Dance Theater. Raphael also performs frequently in the improvised music scene in Toronto. Visit www.raphaelroter.com for more info.

Artists

Han Zhang

Han Zhang is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the subject of language, translation, meaning, and cross-culture communication. http://www.han-studios.com. She questions the problematic issues in literary translation: loss of meaning, vulnerability of language structure, and subjectivity of interpretation. Wood, thread, paper, ink, glass, mirror and other fragile materials are the resources which Han Zhang uses to construct and deconstruct language, challenging viewers’ perceptions and interpretations of the poetic nature of language and translation. She is currently a PhD Candidate in the department of Communication and Culture at York University.

Helen Yung

A scenographer and writer by training, Helen Yung (www.helenyung.com) makes art in the form of interactions, installations and interventions. This usually involves a combination of scenic design, storytelling, secrets, mystery, joy, wonder, public participation, relational aesthetics, technology and sound. Based in Toronto, Helen has also worked in France, Argentina, Quebec and Asia. Her collaborations include projects with Oboro, Harbourfront Centre, Dreamwalker Dance, Festival Accès Asie, Gladstone Hotel, Dasein Dance, Foundation Creative Studio. Helen has received many grants from Fondation Tenot (France), Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and support as artist-in-residence at L’Institut international de la marionette (France), Centre d’art Marnay Art Centre (France), Oboro (Montreal), and The Banff Centre (Alberta). Helen also operates a Gift List.

Alimentary Initiatives is a Toronto-based company that works to enhance food culture through initiatives that celebrate real food.

Culture of Cities Centre The culture of cities centre is devoted to new ways of representing, shaping and defining urban culture.

Shannon Graham and The Storytellers
CD Launch Event
Wednesday April 17, 2013 at 8pm
Admission $10 (includes CD).

Musical Storytelling for the Spirit: Narrative compositions from an eclectic chamber ensemble that refuses to recognize borders between art music, jazz, and pop.

Personnel:
Shannon Graham: Sax, Voice, Viola, Compositions
Aline Homzy: Violin
Kelly Lefaive: Violin
Jessica Deutsch: Viola
James Ervin: Trumpet
Aidan Sibley: Trombone
Tom Fleming: Guitar
Chris Pruden: Piano
Matt Fong: Bass
Evan Cartwright: Drums

Biography

Shannon Graham and the Storytellers are a Toronto-based, ten person chamber jazz ensemble who bridge the realms of improvised music, through-composed music, and song; merging the styles of large jazz ensemble, modern chamber music, and pop music. With an eclectic instrumentation of voice, strings, saxophone, brass, and jazz rhythm section, the Storytellers are constantly reaching for new textures, ranges of emotion, and musical surprise and humor to provoke and delight the listener. The music is often programmatic in nature, telling stories and reflections of human experience to communicate and connect people, attempting to create a new genre of "narrative composition". Shannon’s music has been described as “art for those who want art and entertainment for those who want entertainment.” Have a listen at www.shannongraham.ca

MUSIC FOR MALLETS (PLUS)
DAN MORPHY, BEN DUINKER, percussion
Tuesday April 16, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors and Arts Worker; $10 Student

Program:

Bios:

Sagapool
Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 8pm
$20

Program

Inspired by windswept northern landscapes, tranquil wintery mornings, and the atmospheric music of acts like Beiruit, Sigur Ros and its compatriots, Patrick Watson, Quebec indie instrumental ensemble Sagapool has charted a new musical course with its Felix Award-winning eponymous fourth album – one so cinematic and evocative that it unfolds like the score to an as-yet-unwritten film.

After premiering the material to enthusiastic crowds at last year’s Ashkenaz Festival, the band – recipients of a 2008 GAMIQ (Quebec indie music award) nomination, two Canadian Folk Music Awards,  a Galaxie Rising Star Award and a 2006 ROSEQ-RADARTS discovery award -- returns to Toronto for its first full-on concert since the album’s release.

Audiences can expect an all-encompassing musical journey weaving the often wry and mischievous  klezmer and hot jazz-inspired compositions of the act’s three previous albums with periods of dreamy introspection that build in intensity toward moving crescendos.   The core instrumentation will be familiar to long-time fans:  clarinet, accordion, violin, guitar, bass and percussion.  But the new sounds provide a lush contrast to some of their more angular earlier compositions.

Luzio Altobelli’s “45.56°N 73.58°O - 90°N” suggests a journey from the coordinates of his Montreal neighbourhood to far-off reaches, the clarinet and violin melody strolling along pensively before climaxing in a burst of accordion and percussion.   The classically-inspired “Les Vent des Iles” is an equally epic and imaginist musical voyage – the mood flowing from melancholy to hopeful to triumphant , peaking in ecstatic accordion and scampering clarinet and violin lines.  “Entracte” is a pensive piano number influenced by Chilly Gonzales.  “Marcel” is a fun, light-hearted piece, inspired by Alexis Dumais’ recent home renovations;  it’s named after his contractor and punctuated by the sounds of power tools.  And “Mon Cousin Joue Du Synthe” is a rollicking, high-energy closer featuring whistling, beat boxing and an array of other quirky sounds.

That Sagapool can pull off this ambitious musical outing owes much to its members’ training, virtuosity and diversity of musical experience.   All six players are classically-trained and possessed of expansive post-secondary musical educations.  Zoe Dumais’ now-defunct string quartet, Foresome, was a prize-winner at the Canadian Music Competition, the Festival de Musique du Québec, and the Young Artists program broadcast by Radio-Canada.  Alexis Dumais, who, as a child, was a two-time national finalist in the Canadian Music Competition, earned the Couleur Jazz scholarship while a student at the University of Montreal.  Alexis was the bassist with the esteemed jazz-world act Polemil Bazaar, and, in 2003, was a soloist with the Symphonie des vents de Montreal.  Marton Maderspach has studied Arabic and Cuban percussion and is a member of the Gitanes de Sarajevo.  Guillaume Bourque plays with the contemporary music ensemble Chorum and the East-meets-West jazz ensemble Absinthe.  And Zoe Dumais performs with flamenco guitarist Juan Carranza among many other artists.

Yet despite their vast musical interests, the band members all found themselves in accord on the new focus for Sagapool.  Originally formed in 1999 as an exploration of the intersections between klezmer, Balkan and film music, the members felt inspired this time to put the emphasis on the filmic.  The result is a sound both familiar and adventurous and a richly varied live show that is not to be missed.

Six Hundred Year Anniversaries

Solo and small works by six centennarians in performances
to benefit New Music Concerts

Saturday April 6, 2013 at 8:00 pm
NON-SUBSCRIPTION FUNDRAISER
$100

featuring the music of:
John Cage (USA 1912-1992)
John Weinzweig (Canada 1913-2006)
Barbara Pentland (Canada 1912-2000)
Witold Lutoslawski (Poland 1913-1994)
Conlon Nancarrow (USA 1912-1997)
Henry Brant (Canada 1913-2008)

Jacques Israelievitch, violin with special guests
Lydia Wong, piano and Winona Zelenka, cello
Saturday March 30, 2013 at 8 pm
$25; $20 seniors; $10 students

Programme

Mendelssohn (Trio in D minor )

Intermission

Dvorak (Dumky Trio)

Bios

Jacques Israelievitch

Internationally renowned violinist Jacques Israelievitch has enjoyed an exciting and varied career as concertmaster, soloist, chamber musician, teacher, and conductor. After making his debut on French National Radio at the age of eleven, Mr. Israelievitch went on to graduate from the Paris Conservatory at sixteen and was subsequently prizewinner at the International Paganini Competition. His teachers include Henryk Szeryng, Janos Starker, William Primrose, and Josef Gingold.

Mr. Israelievitch served as Concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for a record-setting twenty years, and was formerly Assistant Concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for six years and Concertmaster of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra for ten years. He teaches and performs each summer at the Chautauqua Institution and is a faculty member at the University of Toronto and York University. In growing demand as a conductor, he has been Music Director of the Koffler Chamber Orchestra since 2005.

As a soloist, Mr. Israelievitch has collaborated with Solti, Giulini, Slatkin, Davis, and Frühbeck de Burgos, appearing with many of the world’s major orchestras. As a distinguished chamber musician, he has performed with Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman, and Yo-Yo Ma. He is violinist for the New Arts Trio.
Mr. Israelievitch’s discography features more than 100 albums including the Juno Award nominated Suite Hebraique and the first-ever complete recording of Kreutzer’s 42 Studies for Solo Violin. He has premiered and recorded several concertos such as R. Murray Schafer’s The Darkly Splendid Earth: The Lonely Traveler.

In 2004, the French government named Mr. Israelievitch Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. He is also the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award for his distinguished contribution to the performing arts in Canada.

Lydia Wong, piano

One of Canada’s most sought after collaborative pianists, acclaimed for her ‘vivacious playing’ (Daily Telegraph) and ‘sparkling clarity’ (The Strad) Lydia Wong appears regularly with the world’s pre-eminent performers. Venues across the globe from Carnegie Recital Hall in New York City to London’s Wigmore Hall have featured her expertise in partnership with such artists as Edgar Mayer, Lorand Fenyves, Patrick Gallois, Michel Lethiec, Yuri Bashmet, Nobuko Imai, Arto Noras, Erika Raum, Shauna Rolston, and Scott St. John.

Following her successful Banff Centre collaboration with Krzystof Penderecki on the North American premiere of his Sextet, Ms. Wong has enjoyed a particular association with the composer. She was invited to perform the Sextet and other works at the Festival Casals in Puerto Rico and at the “Making Music” series in New York City by Carnegie Hall. In 2003, with violinist Erika Raum, she gave the North American premiere of Penderecki’s Violin Sonata No.2 in Toronto; she also performed at Maestro Penderecki’s 70th birthday celebration in Warsaw, Poland and served as a member of the jury for the Seventh Annual International Contemporary Chamber Music Competition in Krakow, Poland.

Active in New Music, Ms. Wong has appeared as soloist and is a regular member with the Esprit Orchestra. She can be heard on CentreDiscs, Naxos, Marquis Classics, Phoenix Records and has performed for networks in North America, Africa and Europe besides broadcasting regularly for the CBC.
A graduate of the University of Toronto and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England, Ms. Wong was appointed artistic co-ordinator of the Collaborative Piano Internship Program at the Banff Centre in 2008. She has been on faculty at the University of Toronto since 1998 where she was Acting Head of the Collaborative Piano program from 2008-2010 and co-ordinator of the chamber music program from 2005-2009.

Winona Zelenka, cello

Photo credit: Bo Huang

Renowned for her gorgeous, invigorating tone, emotional vibrancy and superb control, Winona Zelenka is celebrated as one of Canada’s finest cellists. As a soloist and principal cellist, Winona has performed with numerous orchestras, conductors and ensembles such as the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, the National Ballet of Canada, the Canadian Sinfonietta, the Zuckerman Chamber Players and the Huronia Sinfonietta.

Winona has worked with the legendary cellist Janos Starker and has had various works composed specifically for her by noted composers. She has the privilege of regularly collaborating with other critically acclaimed musicians and has also been the cello soloist of such notable film scores as Atom Egoyan’s “Adoration,” István Szabó’s “Being Julia” and the IMAX film “Under The Sea.”

Winona's recording of the complete Bach Suites for Solo Cello has received international acclaim and was recorded on the "Starker Guarnerius" cello, dated 1707. She recently released a new recording with pianist Connie Shih featuring the works of French romantic composers.

www.winonazelenka.com

Duo Les Amis
"Love: Innocence, Passion, Obsession"
Lynn Kuo, violin and Marianna Humetska, piano
Guest Artist: Yuri Lanyuk, cello
Tuesday March 26, 2012 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors and Arts Workers; $10 Students

A Les Amis Concerts presentation

Selections from LOVE: Innocence, Passion, Obsession

César Franck: Sonata in A major:
1. Allegretto Ben Moderato
2. Allegro
3. Recitativo Fantasia
4. Allegretto Poco Mosso

Nino Rota: Improvviso in re minore 4'30
Astor Piazzolla: Milonga en re
Igor Frolov: Concert Fantasy on themes from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess

Yuri LanyukYuri Lanyuk: Anticipation Sonatafor cell, piano and four meloday voices (tape)

Michael Pepa: Fantaisie bohémienne

Bios

Violinist Lynn Kuo has performed as soloist and chamber musician across Canada, United States, Wales, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania. As guest soloist, she has performed with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra of Bulgaria, Canadian Sinfonietta, Brandon Chamber Players, the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, the Nexus percussion ensemble, and has also collaborated with artists such as Christoph Eschenbach, William Aide, the Gryphon Trio, and Penderecki String Quartet.

In demand as an interpreter of new music, Lynn has given numerous world premieres of acoustic and electroacoustic works written for her and various ensembles (Duo Vita, Les AMIS Ensemble): Canadian and European composers which include Michael Pepa, Dennis Patrick, Katarina Miljkovi, Daniel Foley, Elizabeth Raum, Scott Godin, James Harley, John Oliver, Constantine Caravassilis, Avalon Rusk (Canada), Séan Clancy (Ireland), and Viktorija Cop (Croatia).

In 2008-09, Lynn gave the Canadian and European premieres of a fifth Michael Pepa work (ISOMORPHE), as soloist with the Cantus Ensemble of Croatia. Reprising her role as head of the Les AMIS Ensemble, Lynn embarked on a third European tour in April 2009 under the artistic direction of Michael Pepa. Among the performances: world premieres at the 2009 Music Biennale Festival in Zagreb, Croatia, the Mendelssohn Concerto in D minor with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra of Bulgaria and the Chausson Concerto for Piano, violin and String Quartet with Marianna Humetska, piano and the Penderecki String Quartet.

Lynn gratefully performs on a 1904 Riccardo Antoniazzi violin and Hill bow on loan from Steven Pepa.

www.lynnkuo.com

Pianist Marianna Humetska is a winner of numerous prizes and diplomas in international competitions, among which include the Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians and Diaghilev Competition in Moscow, “Virtuosos of the Year 2000” Competition in St. Petersburg, Dvarionas Competition in Vilnius, and the Honens Competition in Calgary. Ms. Humetska is also a winner of the “Galaxie” Rising Stars Award of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the “Debut” Young Artists Auditions, and the Marusia Yaworska Award from the University of Ottawa.

Born in Lviv, Ukraine, Ms. Humetska holds a Diploma with Honours from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto, and a Masters Degree from the Lviv Music Academy.

Marianna Humetska regularly concertizes in some of the world’s prestigious music festivals, which have included the Kuhmo Festival (Finland), Rheingau Festival (Germany), Tibor Varga Festival (Switzerland), Music at the Institute in New York (USA), Music Biennale Zagreb (Croatia), Niagara International Music Festival (Canada), Szymanowski Quartet and Friends, Kyiv Music Fest, Festival of Contemporary Music “Contrasts”, “Virtuosos”, Chamber Music Sessions, and Bach-Fest (Ukraine).

Ms. Humetska has also performed in some of the world’s most celebrated concert halls: the Great Hall and Rachmaninov Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Steinway Hall and St. Martin-in-the-Field Church in London, Kasinosaal in Wiesbaden, George Enescu Hall in Bucharest, Kolarac Hall in Belgrade, Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, Chapelle Historique in Montreal, Ukrainian Institute in New York and Chicago.

Her performances with orchestras have included concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, London Soloists, Russian National Orchestra, Festival Orchestra of the Banff Art Center, Orchestra of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto (Canada), Banatul Filarmonica Timisoara (Romania), Geminiani Orchestra (Italy), Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Lugansk Philharmonic Orchestra (Ukraine).

In addition to her solo and orchestra performances, Ms. Humetska is also very much in demand as a chamber musician and collaborative artist. Marianna Humetska has collaborated with artists such as Victoria Loukianetz, Jovan Kolundjia, Jeffrey Solow, Thomas Sanderling, Gary Kulesha, Volodymyr Sirenko, Simon Streatfield, Shauna Rolston, Lynn Kuo, Rachel Mercer, Lori Freedman, Martin Owen, Joseph Macerollo, Miriam Konzen, Joaquin Valdepenas, Mark Skazinetsky, Aviv String Quartet, Tokai String Quartet, and Penderecki Quartet, among others.

“The real, expressive interpreter”: “Intense expressiveness is characteristic of the artist’s masterly performance.”
– Lauterbacher Anzeiger, Germany

“Her playing is distinguished by perfect technique, sound colors, vivacity and generosity in conveyance of feelings. Marianna Humetska startled everyone by her virtuosity, depth and temper of the performance. The viewers got a powerful charge of active energy from her art.”
- Panorama, Ukraine.

“…startled by not only confident pianism, which excluded any randomness, but also by the deepness of philosophical comprehension of music, harmony of the performer’s concept and preciseness of its implementation. She did not have a single sound, which was not filled with an idea, warmed by a feeling.”.
- On performance of Beethoven Piano Concerto #3, Music Life Magazine, Russia

Tango Cafe: An Evening of Music and Dance
H.W. Cecilia Lee, piano, Soohyun Nam, cello, Jane Yang, violin
with guests: Alan Kulka, guitar, Julian Gregory, violin, and dancers.
Friday March 22, 2013 at 8 pm
$20 (Adult); $15 (Students/Arts Workers)

Hye Won Cecilia Lee, Soohyun Nam, Jane Yang present an intimate evening of contemporary and traditional Argentinian tango works by masters Astor Piazzolla, Canaro, and Di Sarli and additional offerings with guest artists. Dancers are encouraged to bring dance shoes. A peek into the passionate and elegant world of Argentine tango.

Bios

Hye Won Cecilia Lee is a diverse freelance musician based in Toronto, Canada. Currently working at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto and Glenn Gould School, Royal Conservatory of Music, Cecilia is an inquisitive collaborative artist on all three major keyboard forms: piano, harpsichord and organ. This work includes full-orchestral and graphic score-readings and realizations of figured/unfigured continuo parts along with traditional piano writing.

In year 2009, Cecilia attended all three collaborative pianist internships at the Banff Centre of Arts in 2009, performing solo, chamber and orchestral keyboard music. Cecilia received her DMA Piano degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with Paul Barnes and Nicole Narboni; her DMA studies were generously funded by the Hixon – Lied Scholarship and Creative Activity Grant.

As an undergrad, Cecilia studied with Lynda Metelsky and Lydia Wong at University of Toronto (BME, 2004). At the University of Kansas, she studied with Jack Winerock and Robert Koenig (MMus, 2006). Additionally, she studied organ and harpsichord with Douglas Bodle, Eugene Gates and Michael Bauer, clavichord with Gerhard Erber (Hochschule für Musik, Leipzig), attended masterclasses for fortepiano with Bart van Oort. In an effort to break the traditional mold of a classical musician, Cecilia also studied Japanese Taiko drumming with Gary Kyoshi Nagata and West African Drumming and Dancing with Fred Kwasi Dunyo.

Cecilia has attended numerous international festivals on scholarships as solo and collaborative pianist, including the Institute and Festival for Contemporary Performance at Mannes College, Juilliard – Leipzig Summer Academy, Casalmaggiore International Music Festival, Pablo Casals Music Festival, World Piano Pedagogy Conference, Banff Centre of Arts String/Winds Masterclasses and 2013 Winter Creative Music Residency. In addition to performing, Dr. Lee is an active recording engineer/producer, working with the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto and various freelance projects in the city.

Soohyun Nam - A Toronto-based Korean-Canadian cellist, Soohyun made her debut with Korea Sinfonietta at age 11 in Seoul, Korea. Soohyun has since performed as soloist and collaborative musician in North America, Europe, and Asia, appearing as soloist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Toronto, and the Hamilton Philharmonic, among others, and in solo recitals at venues such as the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre. Soohyun's playing has been recorded and broadcast on CBC Radio and national TV networks in South Korea. She has performed in the workshops with legendary artists such as Daniil Shafran, Janos Starker, and Pinchas Zukerman, as well as members of the Guarneri String Quartet, Cleveland String Quartet, and St. Lawrence String Quartet. Soohyun has been invited to various music festivals including Orford Music Festival, Domaine-Forget Chamber Music Program, the National Arts Centre Young Artists Program, and to the Third World Cello Congress, where she was the youngest participant. In 2007, Soohyun was a recipient of the Galaxie Rising Star Award. 
A highly diverse and intuitive artist, Soohyun loves to engage in a diverse array of genres beyond the western classical language, be it acoustic pop, jazz, or Arabic music. As an avid lover of Argentine tango in both its dance and musical forms since 2003, Soohyun has enjoyed coachings and collaborations with Rodion Boshoer, soloist of the critically acclaimed Argentine tango production, Forever Tango, as well as performances as a recurrent guest artist with Mashpotangos, a contemporary tango trio, in Toronto and Montreal, including a feature show at the Upstairs Jazz Bar and demonstrations with leading local Argentine tango and contemporary dancers. On most nights of the week, Soohyun can be found dancing at one or several of the many local milongas (dance socials for Argentine tango) in the City of Toronto, where she sometimes provides the music with her closest friends in tango. 
 
Soohyun received her Bachelor of Music degree from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston under the tutelage of Laurence Lesser on a full-tuition merit scholarship. Her past instructors include Bryan Epperson, David Hetherington, Vladimir Orloff, and George Neikrug.  
 
Following her musical studies Soohyun completed a Juris Doctor degree at University of Toronto, Faculty of Law, and worked as an international human rights advocate and journalist, serving on the Board of Directors for HanVoice, a leading Canadian advocacy group for the North Korean human rights crisis, and reporting for Radio Free Asia, a human rights radio station based in Washington D.C. Soohyun has combined her passion for advocacy and music by directing and participating in various awareness-raising musical campaigns and performances, including the inaugural concert for the 10th International Conference for North Korean Human Rights and Refugees and the Squeaky Wheel tour, a transnational campaign raising awareness on missing persons and their families. Soohyun currently practices as a refugee and immigration lawyer in Toronto.

Jane Yang has been an active violinist in Toronto’s music scene for more than a decade and can be seen performing any genre from pop, musical theatre, hip-hop improvisation, gospel, and of course, classical music.

Jane began her career in music through the influence of her parents; her mother being a pianist, and her father, a baritone. Deciding early on that neither of the two instruments were for her, she gravitated towards the violin and began studying with Julia Koo and later, Ian Grant. After the age of 13, Jane committed herself to playing the violin professionally. She attended Etobicoke School of the Arts and gained recognition as a young artist in her community after winning local competitions and being a recipient of many awards, including 1st place at the Kiwanis Concerto competition, performing Dvorak's Violin Concerto in A Minor, Developing Artist Award in 2003 (ESA), Barbara Young Leadership Award in '05 (ESA), and the prestigious David Marcia Beach Scholarship in 2008 at UofT.

Jane completed her Bachelor of Music Performance at the University of Toronto and has had the opportunity to perform in a variety of programs, including the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Korean-Canadian Symphony Orchestra, several music festivals across North America, multiple masterclasses with notable musicians. In December 2007, she was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall for the New York String Orchestra Seminar. She has reappeared as concertmaster since 2007 for the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra under Raffi Armenian and David Briskin. She is also a founded member of the Toronto-based piano trio, Fidele Trio and was awarded Second Place in the Felix Galimir Chamber Music Competition in 2009. From 2009-10, Jane was a violinist in Boris Brott’s National Academy Orchestra.

Jane now holds a B.Mus in Violin Performance from the University of Toronto. She studied under the tutelage of Mark Skazinetsky (TSO Associate Concertmaster), and Annalee Patipatanakoon (member of The Gryphon Trio). Presently, she is teaching in her own studio in Toronto and plays with many ensembles in the greater Toronto area.

Ensemble Paramirabo:
Folklore, Myth and Legend
Wednesday March 20, 2013 at 8pm
$20; $15 Seniors; $10 Students

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of 'Rite of Spring', Ensemble Paramirabo commissioned an arrangement of Stravinsky's revolutionary piece for their first Canadian tour, Folklore, Myth and Legend. Founded in 2010 by young professional musicians, Ensemble Paramirabo is dedicated to performing new composers' works. Bachtrack has described the quintet as 'a rare gem in [Montreal] - born solely of creative inspiration, and their evolution as an up- and coming musical force is not to be missed.'

Kevin Lau, affiliate composer with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra arranged Stravinsky's monumental work for the quintet. The masterpiece normally requires a more than one hundred person orchestra. In November 2012 in Montreal, Ensemble Paramirabo premiered Lau's arrangement to audience acclaim. 'Rite of Spring' with innovations of tonality, rhythm, and dissonance that caused a furor in 1913 and is credited with sparking the contemporary music movement is now one of the most recorded pieces of classical music.

Program

Gates of Light (2006) - Kevin Lau
Paramirabo (1978) - Claude Vivier
Fairy Tale (2008) - Moon Young Ha
Rite of Spring (1913) - Igor Stravinsky (arr. Kevin Lau)
Quintet* (2013) - Cristaan Venteer
Quintet* (2013) - Nova Pon * Premier

Bios

Flutist Jeffrey Stonehouse is a prize-winner from several national competitions including the soundSCAPE New Music Festival, TD-Canada Trust Young Artist Competition and Ken-Murray Competition. Jeff is artistic director of Productions Berrisque, a Montreal-based company dedicated to alternative chamber music performance. Alumnus of the NYOC, l’Orchestre Réseau du Conservatoire du Québec and l’Orchestre de la Francophonie Canadienne, as a freelancer Jeff has performed with l’OSM, l'Orchestre Métropolitaine du Grand Montréal, Laval Symphony Orchestra, I Musici, Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra and l’ECM+. Jeff received the Prix with high distinction from the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal in flute and chamber music (2009) and an MMus (McGill University, 2011). Jeff studied with Denis Bluteau, Marie-Andrée Benny and Amy Hamilton. He has appeared as concerto soloist with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra and K-W Chamber Orchestra. Jeff’s interest in contemporary music has led to performances for the Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects and recordings with the Laurier Flute Octet and of the Collected Chamber Works of Chris Paul Harman (Naxos – to be released in 2013). He performed at the National Flute Association's 2012 Convention (Las Vegas) and at the Canadian University Music Society (2012) with the Laurier Quartet.

François Gagné, born in Weir in the Laurentides region of Québec began studying the clarinet at age twelve at l’école polyvalente Curé-Mercure in Mont-Tremblant. He entered the Conservatoire de musique à Montréal in 1999 in the class of Jean Laurendeau and later Jean-François Normand. He received his Prix du Concours en musique de chamber (2005) and Prix du Concours in clarinet (2006) from this institution. He has performed in masterclass for André Moisan, David Veilleux, Simon Aldrich, Wolfgang Meyer, Marie Picard, Robert Riseling, Larry Comb et Guy Yehuda. During his time at the Conservatoire, François discovered a passion for improvised music, studying with René Lussier and Robert M. Lepage. Since, he has participated in many free improvisation and multi-disciplinary improvisation events with different ensembles including l’ensemble Allogène. François finished his MMus in clarinet performance at l’Université de Montréal where he studied with André Moisan. In September, 2007 he played the opening solo from Rhapsody in Blue for the season opener of the OSM conducted by Kent Nagano. Recently, François has participated in several musical projects as a chamber musician, freelancer and improviser. He participated in the musical theatre production of Edgard et ses Fantômes featuring actor Edgar Fruitier.

Geneviève Liboiron studied with numerous skilled violonists and teachers. She entered Anne Robert’s class for Bachelor at l’Université de Montréal and at the Orford arts center in masterclass training, right after meeting her. Geneviève received a scholarship for »l’Orchestre de l’Académie d’Orford » with Maestro Kent Nagano and Maestro Jean-François Rivest. She also had the chance to study that same summer with Jonathan Crow, Andrew Wan and Claude Richard. She received a scholarship for the Kayaleh Violin Academy of Geneva to study with Maestro Habib Kayaleh. She was an invited guest at the same academy, later that same summer, to play in the academy chamber orchestra with soloists Laurence Kayaleh et Jutta Puchammer. As she felt her passion and curiosity growing for modern music, she took the new music session with the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne at Le Domaine Forget, working with Alain Giguère, Johanne Morin and Lorraine Vaillancourt in 2011. She has been a member of l’Orchestre de la Francophonie in summers 2008, 2011 and 2012. She is a member of Orchestre 21, Ensemble Arkea and newly Ensemble Paramirabo and a violon/theory teacher at Vincent-d’Indy school of music, Crescendo school of music, and Externat Mont-Jésus-Marie. Geneviève graduated from l’Université de Montréal for her Bachelor with Anne Robert and Laurence Kayaleh and her Master with Laurence Kayaleh.

The Art of the Piano: Jason Cutmore
Tuesday March 19, 2013 at 8 PM
$25; $10 Students

Program

Déodat de Séverac Cerdaña (Cinq etudes pittoresque pour le piano)
(1872-1921)
En Tartane
Les Fêtes
Ménétriers et Glaneuses
Les Muletiers devant le Christ de Llivia
Le Retour des Muletiers

Isaac Albéniz (completed by de Severac) Navarra
(1860-1909)

~intermission~

Franz Schubert Sonata in B-flat major, D. 960
(1797 – 1828)

Molto moderato
Andante sostenuto
Allegro vivace con delicatezza
Allegro, ma non troppo

Jason Cutmore has performed piano recitals and collaborative concerts throughout North America, Europe and India. In 2005, he made his Chicago recital debut in the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts with an all-Liszt programme that was heard live on WFMT radio and broadcast on television. Since then he has returned twice to the Hess series, and has performed in Canada’s Elora, Music Niagara, and Colours of Music festivals, the University of Calgary’s Celebrity Series, and for the Edmonton Recital Society, as well as at venues in New York City, Cleveland, Cincinnati and elsewhere in North America.

His concert performances, and an ardent interest in foreign travel, have frequently taken him abroad to Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, and India, including appearances at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Bombay, and Franz Liszt Museum in Budapest.In 2008, Mr. Cutmore’s debut commercial CD, an album of piano music by Spanish composer Manuel de Falla on Centaur Records, was released to critical acclaim. Gramophone magazine praised his “warm, generous sonority and natural feel for the idiom” and raved that “this pianist’s gorgeously variegated legato makes a sexy and inviting recital.”

Jason Cutmore holds degrees from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, and the SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Music in New York. His teachers have included Stephanie Brown, Robert Shannon, and Michael Massey. Currently based in a New York City suburb, Mr. Cutmore is originally from Edmonton, Canada, and serves as the Executive and Artistic Director of Alberta Pianofest.

Please visit www.JasonCutmore.com for more information.

An Afternoon of  Song
Bridget Best, mezzo-soprano and Anne Larlee, piano 
Sunday March 17, 2013 at 3:00 pm
$20; $15 Seniors and Art Workers; $10 Students

Programme

Ruckert Lieder- Mahler

Blicke mir nicht in die lieder
Liebst du um Schönheit
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Ich atmet' einen linden Duft
Um Mitternacht

Chansons Bilitis- Debussy

La flute de Pan
La Chevelure
Le Tombeau des Naïades

Four Songs- Barber

A Nun Takes the Veil
The Secrets of the Old
Sure on this Shining Night
Nocturne

Banalités- Poulenc

Chanson d'Orkenise
Hôtel
Fagnes de Wallonie
Voyage à Paris
Sanglots

Bios

Mezzo-Soprano Bridget Best is an active performer both in the United States and Canada in opera and recital.  The 2012 season heard Ms. Best in the role of Charlotte in Werther at the Castleton Festival in Virginia where she also sang the role of Ms. Nordstrom in A Little Night Music under the baton of Lorin Maazel.  She traveled with the Castleton Festival in the fall to sing La Bohème at the Royal Opera House of Muscat in Oman.  Debuting with the New York Lyric Opera she sang the role of the Monitor in Suor Angelica at Symphony Space and 2nd Lady in Die Zauberflöte at the Dimenna Center.  
At the International Vocal Arts Institute in Montrèal she sang the role of Antonia in Tales of Hoffmann and participated in public master classes with Joan Dornemann and Diana Soviero.  Abroad, Ms. Best sang the role of Mimi in La Bohème at the Amalfi Coast Music Festival.  Participating at the Schubert Institute in Austria she performed in recital with Julius Drake.  During her graduate studies, Ms. Best performed the title role of Susanna by Carlisle Floyd, Marguerite in Faust by Gounod and Blanche in Dialogues des Carmelites under the direction of Mignon Dunn.  This summer she will return to the Castleton Festival to cover the role of Emilia in Verdi’s Otello.

 
A native of New Brunswick, pianist Anne Larlee is currently a repetiteur and coach with the Canadian Opera Company, where she spent two seasons in the Ensemble Studio as intern coach/pianist. She completed her training in the UK where she was an Artist-Fellow and repetiteur as part of the prestigious Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She also holds degrees and diplomas in piano performance from Boston University and the Conservatoire National de Région de Nice, France and the University of Windsor, where she was the recipient of the Board of Governors’ Medal in Music. She is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, including most recently the Canadian Aldeburgh Foundation. 

Anne has held accompanying positions at the Conservatoire National de Région de Nice, Boston University and the McGill Conservatory of Music in Montreal.   She has appeared on stages across Canada, the United States, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, including London’s Wigmore Hall and Saint John’s Smith Square. Anne is in great demand as a collaborative recital partner, repetiteur and vocal coach. Recent notable performances include a recital for Radio France at the Maison de la Radio in Paris and a recital of excerpts from the operas of John Adams, hosted by the composer himself. She has worked with many acclaimed singers, including Wendy Nielsen, Adrianne Pieczonka, Phillip Ens, Alice Coote, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Brett Polegato, Dame Felicity Lott, Elza van den Heever and Ramón Vargas.  Anne is also a regular faculty member of Wendy Nielsen’s Opera Workshop and Vocal Techniques workshop in New Brunswick. Beyond the Canadian Opera Company, her operatic credits include work with the Centre for Opera Studies in Sulmona, Italy, the British Youth Opera, the Glyndebourne Opera Festival and Aldeburgh Music.

AN INTIMATE NIGHT WITH PETER KATZ
WITH SPECIAL GUEST KEN YATES
Friday March 15, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors and Art Workers; $10 students

2012 JUNO Nominee, Emerging Artist of the Year nominee at the Canadian Folk Music Awards and Winner of the CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award, recording artist Peter Katz captivates listeners with his unique brand of contemporary folk music. Playing 150+ dates a year all over the world, Katz’s remarkable grassroots efforts have resulted in him selling over 15,000 copies of his discs and sharing the stage with such notable artists as The Swell Season, Dan Mangan, The Good Lovelies, Joel Plaskett, Bahamas, Lucky Fonz III, Donovan Frankenreiter (to name a few) and the legendary Garth Hudson from The Band.

Peter’s 2010 studio record ‘First of the Last to Know’ debuted at #1 on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts and features a guest appearance by Academy Award Winner Glen Hansard (The Swell Season, ‘Once’), JUNO Award Winners The Good Lovelies and Melissa McClelland (Whitehorse, Sarah Mclachlan) 2011 saw Peter release a live CD/DVD entitled “Peter Katz and Friends: Live at the Music Gallery”, an intimate snapshot of Peter doing what he does best, playing for a room full of people. The concert was recorded in front of a sold-out crowd and reveals an artist at home on the stage, connecting with an audience like few performers can. It also recently earned him a JUNO nomination for Music DVD of the Year.
Not one to waste any time, Peter has a brand new studio album called ‘Still Mind Still’ which was released on April 24th, 2012. This new collection of songs is Katz’s best writing to date, recorded mostly live off the floor at a cabin in the woods and surrounded by a stunning atmospheric production thanks to producer Rob Szabo.

“One of the most promising songwriters of our time” B.Y.E

“Try listening without getting goosebumps” London Free Press

“True musical brillance” The Gauntlet

“Lyric and vocal virtuosity” Chart Attack

“If talent alone ensures success, then Peter Katz will soon be a name on everyone’s lips” The Record

Ken Yates

Born and Raised in London, Ontario, Ken Yates moved to Boston to study songwriting at Berklee College of Music, where he developed his skills as a songwriter, releasing his first CD, “The Backseat EP”.

After the release, Yates received the opportunity to play a song for one of his biggest influences, John Mayer, who gave him a glowing review. Mayer posted a full page blog about Yates’ ability as a writer, stating, “Ken Yates wrote a song called ‘I Don’t Wanna Fall In Love’… this song moved me when I first heard it and still does today”.

Yates’ EP received high critical acclaim, leading to a slew of online covers from fans. He has played numerous shows with veteran singer/songwriter and mentor, Livingston Taylor who commented saying “Ken Yates’ music is solid as stone and clear as mountain air... he proves the future is in very good shape”.

Along with working in New York on a full-length album, Yates is also in heavy rotation on Sirius XM’s The Coffee House.

INTERPLAY: POETS INSPIRE MUSICIANS
Roger Greenwald, Sheniz Janmohamed, Jacob Scheier (poetry)
Kousha Nakhaei (violin improv); Casey Sokol (piano improv)
Thursday March 14, 2013 at 8:00 pm
$10; Students $5

Program

Sheniz Janmohamed reads, with musical responses from Kousha Nakhaei

Jacob Scheier reads, with musical responses from Casey Sokol.

Interval

Roger Greenwald reads, with musical responses from Kousha Nakhaei or Casey Sokol

Improvisation by Kousha Nakhaei

Improvisation by Kousha Nakhaei and Casey Sokol

Improvisation by Casey Sokol

Bios

Roger Greenwald grew up in New York, attended The City College and the St. Marks in the Bouwerie Poetry Project workshop, and then took graduate degrees at the University of Toronto. He has won two CBC Literary Awards, one for his poetry and one for travel literature, as well as numerous awards for his translations. He has published one book of poems, Connecting Flight (Williams-Wallace, 1993) and several volumes of poetry in translation, most recently Through Naked Branches: Selected Poems of Tarjei Vesaas (Princeton University Press, 2000), which was a finalist in the U.S. for the PEN Award for Poetry in Translation; North in the World: Selected Poems of Rolf Jacobsen (University of Chicago Press, 2002), winner of the Lewis Galantière Award; and Picture World, by Niels Frank, a book-length poem in twenty-four parts (BookThug, 2011). Meditations on Georges de La Tour, by Paal-Helge Haugen, is forthcoming from BookThug in May.
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~roger

Sheniz Janmohamed has performed at over a hundred events, including the TedXYouth Conference in Toronto (2010) and the Indian Summer Festival in Vancouver (2012). Her book, Bleeding Light (TSAR, 2010), a collection of ghazals in English, has been taught in courses at several Canadian universities, including York University and the University of Toronto. She has more than eight years’ experience in the art of spoken word and teaches it in schools arcross Toronto. Her initiative, Ignite Poets, has traveled as far as Kenya to develop the international spoken word scene and to give a voice to new young talent. In January of 2013, she traveled to India to read at the prestigious Jaipur Literature Festival.
http://shenizjanmohamed.com/

Kousha Nakhaei is a kamancheh (Persian spiked fiddle) player, violinist, music educator, and interdisciplinary artist who studied music at York University in Toronto. He performs traditional
Persian music, western classical music, and open improvisation. Kousha has collaborated with many artists, including Loreena McKennitt, Peter Chin, Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, Soley Vaseghi, Keaja d’Dance, and Patty Powell. He also practices Contact Improvisation and Alexander Technique. Kousha is a founding member of Sarv Ensemble and director of Sarv Music Academy. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarv-Ensemble/123535784346978

Jacob Scheier is a Toronto poet and journalist. He received an honors BA in Humanities from York University, where he was the editor of existere, York’s journal of art and literature. His debut poetry collection, More To Keep Us Warm (ECW Press, 2007) won the 2008 Governor General’s Award. Jacob’s poems have appeared in several periodicals in North America, including Rattle, Geist, and Descant, and have been aired on CBC radio and adapted for a modern dance performance at the Enwave Theatre in Toronto. He has read his poems at venues across North America, including the International Festival of Authors in Toronto and the Word for Word poetry series at Bryant Park in New York City. He has poems appearing next year in two anthologies: Poet to Poet (Guernica Editions) and Hospital (Tightrope Books). Jacob’s second full-length collection, Letter from Brooklyn, will be published by ECW Press in the spring of 2013.

Jacob is a regular contributor to Toronto’s NOW Magazine. His articles, editorials and literary reviews have also appeared in The Indypendent (New York), Broken Pencil, and Prairie Fire. Jacob has taught creative writing at Brandon University (Manitoba) and Ryerson University’s Continuing School of Education. He is now offering a course onwriting creatively about grief at The Centrefor Social Innovation, Regent Park, starting 13 February 2013. http://www.jacobscheier.org

Casey Sokol is a pianist and an inveterate musical explorer. He has performed classical and contemporary chamber music and improvised music in a variety of styles, collaborating with such groups as the York Winds, Canadian Contemporary Music Collective (CCMC), and Sound Pressure. He has toured extensively as a soloist and ensemble player in Europe and North America. Venues have included the Pro Musica Nova Festival, Bremen; O Kanada Festival, Berlin; Avignon Festival; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Los Angeles Olympic Arts Festival; Expo ’86 in Vancouver; and others in Europe, the USA, and Japan.

Casey has also directed and composed extensively for dance and theatre productions and has produced a number of large-scale musical presentations. His creative collaborations include the conception and production of Cagewake, a music-circus with 150 performers marking the passing of the composer John Cage, and an adaptation of the medieval mystery play, The Clown of God, with New York director Andre Serban. He produced and co-directed the North American premiere of The Great Learning, Cornelius Cardew’s epic setting of the text by Confucius. With Tokyo’s UNO Man Butoh Company, he composed and produced a multimedia performance of a multi-lingual Renga (a poetic collaboration based on a medieval Japanese tradition).

Casey’s performances, improvisations and arrangements have been recorded on twelve LPs and an equal number of CDs, and have been broadcast widely on Canadian, European, American and Japanese radio and television. He is a founding member of Toronto’s Music Gallery. He has been teaching piano, improvisation and musicianship in York University’s Music Department since 1971. In 2001 he received an OCUFA Award for Excellence in Teaching.

PIVOT CHAMBER SOLOISTS
Monday March 11, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors and Arts Worker; $10 Students

Winston Choi piano | Ming Huan Xu violin | Romie De Guise-Langlois clarinet | Soo Bae cello

Program

Brahms Trio in A minor, Op. 114 for clarinet, cello and piano
Stravinsky: l'Histoire du Soldat for clarinet, violin and piano
Brahms Trio in B major, Op. 8 for violin, cello and piano

Four vibrant, energetic musicians with a wealth of performing experience and a deep passion for chamber music. Each one a critically acclaimed solo performer in their own right; as a group they play with one voice. They offer the great works for piano, violin, clarinet and cello with a fresh, innovative approach. Selecting pieces for each concert that “pivot” around a particular theme or topic, the trio invites audiences into a musical narrative that combines entertaining commentary, compelling storytelling and exceptional performances.

http://www.pivotchambersoloists.com/

Audio Links

Bruch: No. 4 from 8 Pieces for clarinet, viola and piano, Op. 83

Excerpts from Poulenc’s l’Invitation au Chateau

Schumann’s Fantasiestucke for clarinet and piano, Op. 73: III – Rasch und mit Feuer

Through the Hourglass, Vlada Mars piano
Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 8 pm
$20, $15 Seniors and Art Workers, $10 Students

An intimate conversation with pianist and composer Vlada Mars about her inspiration and newly released CD. Visiting from Vancouver, this is Vlada's fourth performance at Gallery 345. Vlada is presenting her CD 'A Conversation' . Her music is inspired by the minimalist movement and composers Michael Nyman, Yann Tiersen, Philip Glass and Ludovico Einaudi. It is unique story about moments and time. Inspired by her own dreams and thoughts, Vlada takes you through an intimate portrait of her life. A passionate storyteller, Vlada's energy makes for a captivating musical experience.

www.vladamars.com

Programme

Part 1
An Inspiration
Shostako - (world premiere) Nicolas Gonzalez Thomas
Opening, Glassworks - Philip Glass
Monday - Ludovico Einaudi
Comptine d'un autre ete- Yann Tiersen
Heart Asks Pleasure First - Michael Nyman

Part 2
A Conversation - Vlada Mars
A Thought
Comptine pour Yann (Tiersen)
A Conversation
Solitude of Prime Numbers
Hourglass
Midnight
Going Places
Step by Step

Intermission

Part 3
A Reflection - Vlada Mars
Summer Swim
Sidro
Promise
Space and Time
Small Waltz
Now

Bio
Vlada Mars’ music education started when she was seven, in a school for musical talents in Belgrade, Serbia. She studied musicology at the University for Fine Arts under the guidance of renowned Serbian composers and musicologists. After moving to Vancouver, she was appointed as the music coordinator of Hollyburn Country Club in 1997, where she is actively teaching piano and theory, and coordinating other music programs, recitals and lectures. Her students are studying at Berklee School of Music in Boston, University of North Texas, Pomona University in California etc. Beside teaching, Vlada is actively playing. She is passionate about exploring piano scores for movies, a passion which resulted in her celebrated piano recitals “Music in the Movies” and “Playground Love”. In 2010, her passion took her to explore the minimalist music of Philip Glass and Yann Tiersen, which led to unique piano recitals: “Going Places” and "Colour of My Dreams" in 2011. Vlada is known for her fundraising concerts: benefit concerts for the SAGE safe house in North Vancouver, the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice in Vancouver, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, as well as solo recitals in Toronto and London, U.K. and in Belgrade, Serbia. On numerous occasions, her piano performance was a part of multimedia exhibitions for prominent artists in Vancouver. In 2011 Vlada started to compose her original piano music in minimalist style which resulted with project 'A Conversation' in Vancouver and Toronto and a release of a CD with her original music. Her inspiration comes from her dreams, books, movies and people. Her performances are a unique and intimate journey into her life.

The Art of the Piano: Ciro Longobardi
Saturday March 9, 2013 at 8 pm
$25; $20 Seniors and Art Workers; $10 Student

Program

MARTINO TRAVERSA (1960) from 6 Annotazioni (2010)
I, II, III

IVAN FEDELE (1953) from Études Boréales (1990)
I Deciso
II Calmo e meditativo

IVAN FEDELE (1953) from Études Australes (2002-03)
IV Aptenodytes
II Platea di Weddell

MICHELE DALL’ONGARO (1957) Autodafé (1992)

YOTAM HABER from Three Piano Pieces (2007)
- Slip
- Etude 5

BRIAN CURRENT Piano Piece No. 3 “leaps of faith” (2009)

MICHAEL LACROIX Sound Sketch “the fitful tracing of a portal” (2011)

NICOLA SANI (1961) A Lina Bucci Fortuna (2006)

SALVATORE SCIARRINO (1947) Quattro Notturni (1998)

N. 1 Vivo volando
N. 2 Non troppo lento
N. 3 Non troppo lento
N. 4 Leggero vivo

Bio

For more than fifteen years the pianist Ciro Longobardi has dedicated himself to studying and disseminating modern and contemporary music with its specific languages. Filled with an insatiable curiosity for making music in all its forms, he pursues a career as a soloist and chamber music performer, as well as in multimedial projects, music theatre and improvisation.

He studied the piano with Carlo Alessandro Lapegna, going on to win a European Community scholarship to attend the APM School in Saluzzo, where he studied piano with Alexander Lonquich and chamber music with Franco Gulli, Maurice Bourgue and Franco Rossi. From 1994 to 1996 he attended masterclasses held by Bernhard Wambach at Darmstadt and Parma

His first successes came in 1994, when he was finalist and prize winner as best pianist at the International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition in Rotterdam, and won the Kranichsteiner Musikpreis at the 37th Ferienkurse für Neue Musik in Darmstadt. Since then he has performed for many institutions, including Traiettorie Festival Parma (Teatro Farnese), Milano Musica Festival, Ravello International Festival, Ravenna Festival, Rai Nuova Musica Turin, Cantiere Internazionale d’arte Montepulciano, Accademia Filarmonica Romana, Nuova Consonanza and I Concerti del Quirinale Rome, Angelica International Festival Bologna, Venice Biennale, Saarländischer Rundfunk Saarbrücken, Ferienkurse Darmstadt, Festival Synthése Bourges, Festival Manca Nice, Logos Foundation Ghent, ZKM Karlsruhe, Gaudeamus Foundation Amsterdam (Muziekgebouw), Peter B.Lewis Theatre (Guggenheim Museum) New York, Salzburg Festival, as a soloist, chamber musician and member of Dissonanzen (Naples) and Algoritmo (Rome).

His recording activity deserves particular attention. A double portrait Sciarrino/Ravel released by Stradivarius has been enthusiastically reviewed by Fanfare, International Piano, Bayerischer Rundfunk online and by leading Italian magazines. His complete recording of Ivan Fedele’s piano works (CD/DVD Limenmusic) has got a Coup de Coeur de Radio France and the Special Prize of the critics as the best 2011 Italian classical/instrumental CD, awarded after a referendum among 100 journalists and music critics by Musica & Dischi magazine. In duo with the composer/electronic performer Agostino Di Scipio he realized a new version of Cage’s Electronic Music for Piano, a project presented at Venice Biennale 2012 with great audience and critical acclaim. The disc released by Stradivarius is CD of the month for Amadeus Magazine (October ’12).

A passionate advocate of the contemporary repertoire, Longobardi gave lecture-recitals and masterclasses for the Rotterdam, Ghent and Bruxelles (Koninklijk) Conservatories, for the University of Chicago, for the Manhattan School of Music New York and for Italian state conservatories.

He currently teaches at the Conservatorio G. Martucci in Salerno and at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, where he teaches piano in the framework of the Master of Advanced Studies in Contemporary Music Performance.

The Art of the Piano: Greg de Denus
Sunday March 3, 2013 at 3 pm
$20; $15 Seniors and Art Workers; $10

Program

Greg will be performing works by : Corea, de Denus, Ellington, and Monk

Bio

Canadian Jazz Pianist Greg de Denus is currently based in Toronto, Ontario. Greg’s wide creative range, impressive technical ability, and uncompromisingly original improvisations have firmly established him as a creative force in the Jazz and Improvised music communities. Greg has performed at the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio, The Downtown Toronto Jazz Festival, The Jazz Winnipeg festival and is a regular at Toronto’s staple jazz club The Rex. He has played on dozens of award winning recordings as a sideman, most notably: Peter Lutek's ENGINE, David Buchbinder's Juno nominated Shurum Burum Jazz Circus, Barry Romberg's National Jazz Award Nominated Random Access 3, and composer/arranger Shelly Berger's, Look Up. Greg’s solo piano playing garnered him a Galaxie Rising Star nomination in 2005 and 2 nominations for the Emerging Artist of the Year award at both the 2005 Distillery Jazz Festival and 2004 National Jazz Awards. Greg's debut CD "Transmissions" was released to critical acclaim in 2003. He was awarded the Bobby Herriot award for composition in 2002.

Greg has completed his formal training in 2002, graduating with honours from the Humber College Jazz Department. Greg’s primary teachers were Don Thompson and Brian Dickinson. Upon graduation Greg continued his professional development, travelling to New York City to study with Fred Hersch and Jim McNeely. From 2003-2005 Greg immersed himself in the study of classical piano, studying privately in the studio of I-Ping-Wang. Greg received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Banff Centre for the Arts Jazz Workshop in 2007, under the direction of Dave Douglas.

In addition to his busy playing career, Greg maintains an active private teaching studio. He is on faculty at the Humber College Introduction to Jazz and Community music departments. Greg is also a regular contributor to Canadian Musician Magazine.

Current projects include a Trio with bandmates Dan Fortin (bass) and Nick Fraser (Drums). A duo with Berlin based Saxophonist Peter Van Huffel and regular solo piano performances.

Please visit www.gregdedenus.com for more information

MACKENZIE LONGPRE GROUP
Saturday March 2, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors and Arts Workers; $10 Students

Mackenzie Longpre's large ensemble will be making its second ever live performance at Gallery 345. After a wildly successful CD release concert to a sold out house at The Music Gallery, Longpre's ensemble is back at it with a mix of original compositions from his debut album "summer house," a few unexpected covers, and a batch of fresh work. This talented group of young Toronto musicians performs with intensity, passion, technical proficiency, and dynamic excitement. The music balances heavily composed sections with open improvisations, and always maintains a sense of drama and a story-like narrative.

The group is comprised of:

Alex Tait/Alex Samaras: Voice
James Ervin: Trumpet
Anthony Rinaldi: Alto Sax
Gordon Hyland: Tenor Sax
Neil Whitford: Guitar
Matt Giffin: Piano
Mark Godfrey: Acoustic Bass
Andrew Roorda: Electric Bass
Mack Longpre: Drums

Bio

Mackenzie Longpre is an active drummer and composer in Toronto. He graduated from the University of Toronto's Jazz Program in 2010 and has studied jazz drums with Jim Blackley, Terry Clarke, and Bob McLaren, jazz piano with Frank Falco, and classical percussion with John Rudolph. Mackenzie performs and composes for many exciting groups throughout Toronto and abroad, including The Ninja Funk Orchestra, Beetleback Trio, The Shafton Thomas Group, A Series Of Tubes, Circles, The Elastocitizens, Monster, Chloe Charles, Sacred Balance, and Spandex Effect. On top of these projects, Mackenzie works as an in-demand sideman for jazz, rock/pop, and hip-hop groups. His album "summer house" is a work inspired by his love of large ensemble contemporary jazz, with flourishes of rock and groove based sounds.

More on Mackenzie at: mackenzielongpre.com.
Listen to "summer house" at: http://mackenzielongpre.bandcamp.com/

CANADIAN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC WORKSHOP
WALLACE HALLADAY
Tuesday February 26 at 8 pm
$20; $15 Seniors; $10 Students

The Canadian Contemporary Music Workshop (CCMW) presents virtuoso saxophonist Wallace Halladay with live electronics. The concert will feature five new premieres for saxophone and electronics by emerging composers from across Canada, as well as pieces by established composers Andrew Staniland and Jimmy LeBlanc.

CCMW is a niche organization run by composers for composers. The focus of activity are workshops that give emerging composers unfettered access to professional musicians. This allows the composers to see their pieces rehearsed, the struggles that arise during that process, and the players’ immediate feedback in terms of how to make improvements. Composers also get feedback from the experienced CCMW composer-advisors. This is a best case scenario for composers on the cusp of their careers. They get practical advice on how to improve their work from some of the top players in Canada, while at the same time receiving guidance from a compositional point of view. This holistic approach is unique in Canada and extremely important in improving the quality of composers’ output and fostering the talent of tomorrow.

Wallace Halladay

Canadian saxophonist Wallace Halladay captures the qualities of the modern virtuoso, being at home in numerous styles, from the traditional to jazz and beyond. A specialist in the performance of contemporary music, Wallace has commissioned and premiered numerous works for saxophone. In addition to performances of concerti by Ibert, Schmitt, Glazounov, Denisov, Husa, Muldowney, Kancheli, Yoshimatsu, Scelsi and Donatoni, he has worked with composers Michael Colgrass, Mauricio Kagel and Scott Good on the Canadian premieres of their concerti, and with Philippe Leroux in 2011 on the North American premiere of his saxophone concerto in Montreal. Wallace also inaugurated the Intersections Series with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony in an entire concert of music for saxophone and orchestra entitled “The Story of the Saxophone.” In March 2009, Wallace made his debut as soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: the Globe and Mail called him “phenomenal” and “so riveting…that not much can compete against it.”

Wallace recorded the two saxophone Sequenzas of Luciano Berio and the Colgrass concerto for NAXOS Records. He has been presented by and performed with new music groups across the Canada and the USA and is the Artistic Director of Toronto New Music Projects, which has presented the music of Scelsi, Donatoni and Gubaidulina, and most recently bringing Philippe Leroux, and Vinko Globokar to Toronto. He can also be heard with the Toronto Symphony, Canadian Opera Company, and National Ballet Orchestras.

Wallace holds a Bachelor’s degree in Performance and Composition from the University of Toronto, a Master’s from New England Conservatory in Boston, and a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music. Wallace also studied at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with internationally acclaimed virtuoso Arno Bornkamp with a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. He has previously taught at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Eastman School of Music, and is presently Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Toronto.

Wallace was the 2009 winner of the Virginia Parker Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts. Awarded for outstanding musicianship, Wallace is the first woodwind player to receive the prize in its 25 year history, and he joins such luminary Canadian laureates as Jon Kimura Parker, Isabel Bayrakdarian, James Ehnes, and Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Wallace is a Conn-Selmer Artist and plays Selmer (Paris) saxophones.

The Jackson-de Margerie Duo
Fraser Jackson, bassoon and Monique de Margerie, piano
special guest Yao Guang Zhai, clarinet
Sunday Febuary 24, 2013 at 3 PM
$20; $15 Seniors & Arts Workers; $10 Students



Fraser Jackson and Monique de Margerie have been performing as a musical duo since 2009 when they met at the Cammac Music Centre in the Laurentian Hills of Québec. They have given recitals at such places as Walter Hall of the University of Toronto, l'Alliance Française de Toronto, the Cammac Music Centre, and the Church of the Holy Trinity in Quebec City. In March, they will celebrate a delayed honeymoon by giving recitals in Phnom Penh and Siam Reap, Cambodia. Some of the repertoire on today's concert will be featured on those recitals.

Program

Sonata in C major, Op.1, No.15 Georg Friedrich Händel*

Adagio – Allegro – Largo – Allegro

Suite from “Pulcinella” Igor Stravinsky*

Sinfonia

Serenata

Toccata

Gavotta con due variazioni

Finale

Tango in D (1890) Isaac Albeniz

Tango (1940) Igor Stravinsky*

From Sonata No.2, Op.100: Allegretto grazioso (quasi Andante) Johannes Brahms*

Intermission

From Partita (2004): Bebop Cantando Bill Douglas

Two Impromptus (1993) Manfred Schoof

From Trilogy (1993) Gernot Wolfgang

Another Life / Looking East

Freylach Suite (2013) (world première) Martin Van de Ven

*arranged by Fraser Jackson

Bios

Monique de Margerie teaches privately and accompanies students and faculty at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, and at the University of Toronto. She also accompanies the High Park Children’s Choir under its award-winning director, Zimfira Poloz. Much sought-after as a teacher, she travelled across Canada in 2012 as a judge for the Canadian Music Competition.

From 2003 to 2011, she was on the faculty of Laval University in Quebec City, as both teacher and accompanist. In the fall of 2011, she was featured as a soloist with l’Orchestre Symphonique de Québec in four performances of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. Other recent performances include collaborations with marimbist Anne-Julie Caron, bassoonist Fraser Jackson, clarinettist Jean-François Normand, and members of the string quartet Quatuor Arthur-Leblanc; in 2009 she toured India with German saxophonist Claudia Schätzle. Mme de Margerie is also a member of the tango group Canciones del Sol.

Before returning to Canada in 2003, Mme de Margerie worked for almost 20 years in Europe, as a soloist, teacher and collaborative pianist based in Freiburg, Germany, and in Paris. She was a frequent collaborator with violinists Linus Roth and Nicholas Chumachenco, she toured with Bach Akademie Stuttgart under Helmut Rilling, and taught for many years at the Koenig Conservatory in Paris. She has made many broadcasts with the national radios of Germany, Switzerland and Canada, and has one solo recording on the Koch label.

Originally from Sherbrooke, Québec, Monique de Margerie holds a Meisterklassendiplom from Munich’s Staatliche Hochschule für Musik where she graduated with high distinction as a student of Giti Pirner. She is also a graduate of the Montreal Conservatory where she was a student of Anisia Campos and her post-graduate studies include two years with Monique Deschaussées in Paris.

Fraser Jackson has been the contrabassoonist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since 1990. In recent years, he has also performed with such groups as the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He has co-founded two chamber groups, The Caliban Quartet and Musica Franca, whose recordings on the BIS, ATMA, and MSR Classics labels are known the world over for their inventive programming, their virtuosity and their stylistic variety.

At home in a number of different styles, he is a regular member of Toronto’s premier new music ensemble, New Music Concerts, and is one of only a few players who perform on period contrabassoons, having performed and recorded with The Aradia Ensemble, the Montreal Baroque Band and Toronto’s Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.

He teaches bassoon at the University of Toronto and at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music and has taught with such organizations as Le Festival du Domaine Forget, Le Camp Musical des Laurentides, the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Interprovincial Music Camp (Ontario), Cammac, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. In 2002 he was the featured guest artist at the 5th International Contrabassoon Festival in Park City, Utah, and since then, Fraser has given masterclasses in Canada, Brazil, and in several Rust Belt cities in the USA.

Fraser also enjoys participating in outreach programs run by the TSO; as a member of the TSO Woodwind Trio, he plays for hundreds of schoolchildren every year. Originally from Ottawa, he holds music degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Southern California.

Yao Guang Zhai is currently Associate Principal Clarinet of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Before coming to Toronto, he was for two seasons the Principal Clarinet of the Shanghai Symphony in China.

A native of Tai Yuan, China, Yao Guang began his musical career at the age of three on the violin, switching to the clarinet seven years later. In 1999 he entered the China Central Conservatory, then arrived in the United States in 2003 and was accepted on full scholarship to the Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild California, studying with Mr. Yehuda Gilad. Zhai graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2009 where he studied with Donald Montanaro and Ricardo Morales. He has participated in such music festivals as the Pacific Music Festival (Japan) and the Aspen Music Festival where he studied for three summers with the TSO’s Joaquin Valdepenas.

He has won several competitions including the Hellam Competition, the Aspen Music Festival Concerto Competition, the Blount-Slawson Young Artists Competition, the Pacific Symphony Concerto Competition, and the Spotlight Award. As a soloist, he has played with the Shanghai Symphony, Pacific Symphony Orchestra (CA), the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra (AL), the American Academy of Conducting Orchestra (Aspen), and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (MO). In 2009, he represented the Curtis Institute of Music in a tour of the US as both soloist and chamber clarinetist. In the fall of 2012, he was featured as a soloist with the TSO.

The Ton Beau String Quartet
Emily Rho, piano
Friday February 22, 2013 at 8 PM
Admission: $20; $15 Seniors and arts workers; $10 Students

Program

Mendelssohn String Quartet, op. 13, in a-minor
Janacek String Quartet, "The Kreutzer Sonata"
Dvorak Piano Quintet, with Emily Rho

The Ton Beau String Quartet is emerging as one of Toronto’s most dynamic young ensembles. Formed at the University of Toronto in 2010, the quartet has worked with many of Canada’s finest chamber musicians, including Annalee Patipatanikoon, Tim Ying, Terry Helmer and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. In 2011-2012 the TBSQ were awarded a Professional Development Residency at Wilfrid Laurier University, which provided the opportunity to work closely with the Penderecki String Quartet. The Ton Beau are devoted teachers, and share an interest in presenting classical music in new formats and venues. This year marks the inaugural season of Ton Beau Concerts, a four-concert series held at Gallery 345.

Bio

Chosen as one of ten pianists to perform at 2012 Emil Gilels Foundation Festival in Freiburg, Germany, pianist Emily Rho enjoys her rising career as a both solo and collaborative artist. Since making her concerto debut at the age of ten in her native South Korea, Emily has performed in North America, Europe, and Asia. She is a prizewinner of numerous competitions and scholarships including Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition, Adilia Alieva International Piano Competition, Alltv Music Competition, The Royal Conservatory Orchestra Concerto Competition, and the Glenn Gould School’s Chamber Music Competition, among others.

An open-minded and much sought-after chamber musician, Ms. Rho collaborates with musicians of all ages and backgrounds. She served as a collaborative pianist at The Banff Center from 2011 – 2012, a position much coveted by pianists from all over the world. Emily has worked with renowned artists such as violinists Elizabeth Walllfisch, Ian Swensen, violists Steven Dann, Roberto Diaz, the Afiara Quartet, and members of the Nash Ensemble.

Emily started her first lessons at the age of three with her mother. She is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. Ms. Rho holds Bachelor of Music and Artist Diploma from The Glenn Gould School, where she studied with John Perry and David Louie on Dean’s Scholarship. She currently studies with Marietta Orlov at University of Toronto.

Mike Downes’ In the Current Jazz Ensemble
(7 horns and rhythm section)
Saturday February  16 at 8 PM
$20 adults; $15 seniors; $10 students

In the Current is an 11-piece ensemble intended to showcase original compositions for a unique configuration of some of Toronto’s finest instrumentalists. The ensemble was first formed to perform a suite written by Mike Downes as part of his master’s thesis in composition at York University. The music was inspired in particular by the collaborations of Miles Davis and Gil Evans. Since then the group's repertoire has expanded into a shape of its own so that the ensemble is now a unique voice on the Toronto jazz scene. In the Current was chosen as one of three Toronto Downtown Jazz Special Projects for 2012. The group recently received a Canada Council of the Arts Production Grant to record in 2013. This is sure to be an unforgettable night of music.
 
In the Current features many of Toronto’s most outstanding musicians including:
 
Kelly Jefferson – saxes, Colleen Allen – saxes/woodwinds, Shirantha Beddage –saxes/woodwinds, Jon Challoner – trumpet, James MacDonald – French horn, Jay Burr – tuba, Kelsley Grant – trombone, Mark Kelso –drums, Brian Dickinson – piano, Ted Quinlan – guitar and Mike Downes – bass/composer/leader.
 
Mike Downes (bass/composer/leader) has been active as a bassist, composer, arranger and educator in the Canadian and international music scenes since the early 1980s. He has performed throughout Europe, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Iceland, the United States and Canada. In addition to leading his own groups, Mike has performed with Canada's top jazz musicians and international artists such as Molly Johnson, Oliver Jones, Diana Krall, PJ Perry, Kirk MacDonald, Terry Clarke, Guido Basso, Pat LaBarbera, Chris Potter, Michael Brecker, John Abercrombie, Peter Erskine, Kenny Wheeler and many others.
 
His large discography includes Juno-nominated and Juno-winning recordings. Many of these feature his compositions, including his three recordings as a leader (Forces, Then and The Winds of Change). Mike has composed and arranged music for a wide variety of settings, including orchestral, string and jazz orchestra arrangements for singer Molly Johnson. Mike is the Bass Department Head at Humber College in Toronto.
 
"Mike’s time playing is delightfully inventive and his intonation is absolutely impeccable…his lines are clear, hip, and agile. His technique and intonation are extraordinary.” Kim Richmond, Jazz Player
 
“Mike Downes is as gifted a composer as he is a bassist.” Chris Kosky, International Society of Bassists
 
Website url – www.mikedownes.com

TRADITION AND INNOVATION
Elena Denisova, violin and Alexei Kornienko, piano
Thursday February 14, 2013 at 8 PM
Admission: Adults $12, Students, Seniors, Arts Workers, Underemployed $10
Special Valentine's Day Offer: Couples of all descriptions $15

Music for Violin and piano by composers of the Austrian New Tradionalist School.

Works by Aris Carasthatis, Paul Hertel, maximilian Kreuz, Gisberth Naether, Alexander Rapoport, Gerhard Track and Alexander Zemlinsky
Sponsored by Hedgehog Concerts, Creatives Centrum Wien
All are invited to the post-concert reception featuring a Valentine's Day Confection Bakeoff.

Bios

Elena Denisova was born in Moscow and began music lessons at the age of four. She studied under two of David Oistrakh’s favourite students, Valery Klimov and Oleg Kagan, and in 1990 she began a remarkable career which has led to collaborations with numerous famous orchestras, such as the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, the Munich Symphoniker, the Budapest Radio Orchestra, the Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg and the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra.

She has performed as a soloist at countless festivals, for example the Carinthischer Sommer, the Flanders Music Festival, the Hörgänge and Klangbogen festivals in Vienna, the Ljubljana Festival, the Russian Winter festival in Moscow, the Concerti di Primavera in Parma, Beethovenfest Boon and many others. Elena Denisova has been artistic director of the Woerthersee Classics Festival since 2002.

Elena Denisova regards herself an ardent "ambassador of tonal magic" and this credo underlies and informs all of her interpretations of both the Classical and the Modern. Various contemporary composers have dedicated works to her and she has immortalised these in numerous recordings.

She won particular acclaim for her recording of Max Reger’s Violin Concerto (ORF), performing Rudolf Kolisch’s chamber music version of the work, in which the extremely complex solo violin part is joined with a lucid, transparent accompaniment. Similarly her recording “Wien um 1900“ [“Vienna around 1900”] (Gramola) with works by Robert Fuchs and Alexander von Zemlinsky gained international praise and rave reviews, as did her chamber music version of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, performed on four historical violins from the Baroque period. Another proof for Denisovas limitless musical visions are the new CDs "Engelsmusik" ( Edition Lade ), "Mikhail Kollontay: Agnus Dei" ( Classical Reccords ) and "Fukushima by Franz Hummel" ( ARTyx ).

The violinist collaborates with Machold “Rare Violins” and Thomastik-Infeld strings, she is a jury member of numerous international violin competitions and she also teaches at the Austro American Institute in Vienna. She supports young violinists and regularly performs at benefit concerts, for example in support of pulmonary hypertension sufferers.

Alexei Kornienko is an outstanding musician whose work is characterised both by an unconditional and joyful attention to text and also a boldness in interpretation. This seeming contradiction in fact stands the Austrian conductor Kornienko in very good stead. His work as a pianist of the Russian school, with his extraordinarily wide Classical and Romantic repertoire, is combined profoundly with his work as a conductor, which he has steadily expanded in recent years.

Born in Moscow, he began music lessons at the age of fi ve, studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow (piano class Zak) and in Charkow (conducting class Jordania), and was prize-winner at the International Rachmaninov Piano Competition in Moscow. Since his move to Austria in 1990 he has made his name as a respected competition juror as well as a teacher at the Kärtner Landeskonservatorium (Carinthian State Conservatory). He is co-founder of the Gustav Mahler Ensemble and a member of the Bösendorfer Artistic Club.

Kornienko divides his career between the piano and the conductor’s podium. Together with his wife, the acclaimed violinist Elena Denisova, he is also active in the rediscovery of forgotten treasures of Classical-Romantic period chamber music: Musik um 1900, their CD "Vienna 1900" (Gramola Vienna) of works by Robert Fuchs, Pavel Singer and Alexander von Zemlinsky, brought them international success.

In Vienna Kornienko and Denisova are currently (2009) recording another world premiere: Joseph Haydn‘s violin sonatas, for Gramola Vienna. Another collaboration, their recording of the rarely performed chamber music version of Vivaldi‘s Four Seasons (DEKA), featured Elena Denisova on four different historical violins from Cremona and displayed Kornienko‘s profound skill as cembalist, meeting with critical acclaim in Europe and Japan.

Kornienko stands out as an extraordinarily dynamic interpreter of the works of Beethoven and Brahms, but also of the Modern, and his ability to master highly challenging works ensures his position as a much sought-after conductor for premieres of complex scores. He has worked with countless internationally renowned orchestras, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, the Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, the George Ernescu Philharmonic Orchestra and as a permanent guest conductor of the Sofi a Philharmonic Orchestra, and he has garnered enthusiastic praise from critics and public alike. In 2010 he will conduct the Moscow Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra on a large US tour. Since 2012 he is the chief conductor of the International Danube Philharmony (www.donauphilharmonie.at).

Kornienko has been artistic director of the Wörthersee Classics Festival since its foundation in 2000, and strives each year to create a programme of the highest quality.

Thin Edge New Music Collective:
Keys, Wind and Strings
Sunday February 10, 2013 at 3 PM
Admission $20

Keys, Wind and Strings is a collaborative Canadian concert tour featuring guest artists German accordionist Olivia Steimel, Montreal-based flautist/composer Solomiya Moroz and members of Toronto-based Thin Edge New Music Collective. TENMC founders pianist Cheryl Duvall, and violinist, Ilana Waniuk first met Olivia and Solomiya while attending an artistic winter residency at the Banff Centre in 2012. Unusual instrumentation aside, a mutual passion for contemporary chamber music led to the idea for a collaborative project. Keys, Wind and Strings was conceived with the purpose of fostering the creation and dissemination of two new works by emerging Canadian composers Solomiya Moroz and Anna Pidgorna written for this unique ensemble as well as showcasing 20th/21st century works for mixed pairings within the group.

The Thin Edge is honoured to have been accepted for an artistic residency at the Banff Centre with Olivia and Solomiya where they will spend 2 weeks in January preparing for this project. Keys, Wind and Strings, will kick-start with a performance at Calgary’s Happening Festival of Music and Media on January 21st. Followed by concerts in Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto and finally Montreal.

Program:

Anna Pidgorna (b.1985)
Bridal Train (for quartet) (2013)

Georg Katzer (b. 1935)
SaitenZungenspiel (for accordion and violin) (1992)

Juan de Dios Magdaleno (b. 1984)
Memento Mori (for violin and piano) (2008)

Hope Lee (b. 1953)
and the end is the beginning (for solo accordion) (2007-08)

Intermission

Uroš Rojko (b.1954)
Bagatellen (for accordion and piano) (1999)

Toshio Hosokawa (b.1955)
Lied (for flute and piano) (2007)

Solomiya Moroz (b. 1981)
Cloud Patterns (for accordion, flute, piano + violin) (2013)

Olivia Steimel - Accordion
Solomiya Moroz - Flute
Cheryl Duvall - Piano
Ilana Waniuk – Violin

THIN EDGE NEW MUSIC COLLECTIVE
Founded in September of 2011 by pianist Cheryl Duvall and violinist Ilana Waniuk, the Thin Edge New Music Collective believes that contemporary music is a powerful medium which has the ability to comment and reflect on modern society in a unique and poignant way. TENMC recognizes that the broad range of musical idioms which new music encompasses functions as an important touchstone for contemporary life and as such is passionately dedicated to supporting their peers through commissions and performance. Ultimately aspiring to bring innovative and challenging 20th and 21st century music to audiences both existing and as yet untapped.

www.thethinedgenewmusiccollective.com

Olivia Steimel is a German accordionist. Dedicated to contemporary music she collaborates with international composers such as Anna Pidgorna, Michael Quell, Hope Lee and Mario Mary performing their works in concerts (Canada, France, Germany, Czech Republic and Italy), festivals, radio broadcasts (CBC) and recordings (Michael Quell, Neos 2011). Since 2009 she has been a member of the Würzburg Philharmonic Orchestra. She won several prizes including first prize in the “Musikalische Akademie Würzburg” Competition (2010) and another prize in the 2010 German Conservatory Competition. With guitarist Josef Mücksch she received first prize in the International Accordion Competition Castelfidardo (2011).In 2009 Steimel was awarded an ERASMUS study grant to study in Florence with Ivano Battiston. After completing her pedagogical diploma at the University of Music Würzburg under the tutelage of Prof. Stefan Hussong in 2012 she is currently studying Contemporary Music at the University of Music Basel with funding by “Yehudi Menuhin-Live Music Now” and the “Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes”.

Musician and sound artist, Solomiya Moroz collaborates often with instrumental and electronic musicians, dancers and video artists. Her work has been presented as part of Takt Berlin Artists residency, Omi International Musicians residency (New York), and Banff Centre Creative residency. In addition she has performed at festivals in Canada, Austria, Germany, France and the United States. She has been awarded Leighton Artists’ Colony residency at the Banff Centre from CALQ for composition as well as a development grant to study with flutist Eva Furrer in Vienna, Austria in 2012. She is currently a co-director of a series for contemporary music Bruissements du Cercle, held at the Espace Cercle Carré in Montreal.

Anna Pidgorna (b. 1985) is a composer and media artist who combines her interests in sound, visual art and writing to create works that are dramatic and picturesque. She works in both the acoustic and electronic realms. In 2012, Ms. Pidgorna took part in a prestigious workshop with Kaija Saariaho and Anssi Karttunen at Carnegie Hall, and participated in the National Art Center’s Composers Program in Ottawa. Her work for solo accordion, Light-play through curtain holes, was selected for performance at the ISCM World New Music Days 2013. Thanks to a generous grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, Ms. Pidgorna recently spent three months studying folksong in the Ukrainian countryside. She completed her undergraduate studies at Mount Allison University and is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Calgary under the guidance of David Eagle.

Cheryl Duvall is a multi-faceted musician and pianist. She is active as a soloist, collaborative pianist, teacher and adjudicator and has toured and performed throughout Canada, Italy, England, Argentina, the Netherlands and the U.S. Ms. Duvall appears regularly as a collaborative pianist in the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society concert series and is the official accompanist for the internationally renowned Oakville Children’s Choir. She is especially passionate about contemporary music, which has led her along with friend and violinist Ilana Waniuk, to co-found The Thin Edge New Music Collective. Cheryl has attended the Casalmaggiore Music Festival in Italy, the Palazzo Ricci masterclass series, the Toronto Summer Music Festival, the World Piano Pedagogy Conference and held an artistic residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts. In 2009, she was awarded a SSHRC grant for her pedagogical research on how to incorporate aspects of the Alexander Technique into lessons with beginner piano students. Ms. Duvall completed an Honours Bachelor of Music, majoring in Piano Performance and Theory and a Diploma of Chamber Music from Wilfrid Laurier University as well as a Master’s of Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Toronto. Her main teachers and influences include Guy Few, Chris Foley, Midori Koga, Carmen Piazzinni, Nina Tichman, Henri-Paul Sicsic, Anya Alexeyev and Jamie Parker as well as the Penderecki String Quartet.

Ilana Waniuk is a versatile violinist and contemporary chamber music addict with interests ranging from classical music and improvisation to visual arts. She has held an artistic residency at the Banff centre for the Arts, participated in the Bang On A Can Summer Music Festival at Mass MoCA and has attended several summer workshops and festivals throughout Canada, the USA, and Italy which have provided her with the opportunity to study with members of the Vermeer, Tokyo, Cavani, and Orford string quartets. In 2002 as a participant in the NUMUS Pan-Am Chamber Competition her chamber ensemble the TEDUWA piano trio was the recipient of the Audience Award sponsored by the Kitchener Waterloo Chamber Music Society, and the Canadian Music Center Award for best performance of a Canadian work. She has also performed with the Pendulum Ensemble in Toronto, and Ensemble Dal Niente in Chicago. Ilana received a Performers Certificate from Northern Illinois University where she studied with Blaise Magniere, and Marie Wang of the Avalon String Quartet and was a recipient of the Dutton String Fellowship. She completed her Master’s degree in performance at the University of Ottawa studying with David Stewart, and received her undergraduate degree in performance and a diploma in chamber music from Wilfrid Laurier University where she studied with Jeremy Bell and Jerzy Kaplanek of the Penderecki String Quartet.

This tour was made possible through the generous support of the Canada Council of the Arts as well as the Shevchenko Foundation.

CYBERNETIC ORCHESTRA ALBUM RELEASE
with SHAWN MATIVETSKY and EXTRAMUROS
Saturday February 9, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors & Arts Workers; $10 Students

The Cybernetic Orchestra is releasing its second album (following their first album Esp.beat released in 2012) in early February 2013, with a double celebration in Hamilton (at the Factory Media Arts Centre) and Toronto (at Gallery 345). Like previous releases by the Orchestra the new album features live coding, advanced used of computer networking, and a complex interweaving of composition and improvisation. The new album brings a new emphasis on the visual: every track from the new album features original video creations by the members of the ensemble. The orchestra will be joined by Montreal tabla virtuoso Shawn Mativetsky (also featured on the album) and by Hamilton live coding trio extramuros.

Bios

The Cybernetic Orchestra is McMaster University’s laptop orchestra, open to the entire University community and now entering its fourth year of activity. The orchestra specializes in live coding - programming in front of the audience (often using the ChucK language) to realize intricate improvisations and compositions. Key non-human members of the Orchestra include a gigabit ethernet switch and custom synchronization and sharing software - allowing the members of the orchestra to share code, beats, ideas and signals “in the moment”. The orchestra has performed in Hamilton, Montréal and Toronto – at TEDx conferences, at new music festivals, and myriad other events, alongside a growing roster of artistic friends and collaborators. The orchestra’s debut album, Esp.beat can be heard at:
http://soundcloud.com/cyberneticOrchestra/sets/esp-beat

Versatile percussionist Shawn Mativetsky performs in a variety of musical genres with dynamism and skill. Equally at home in Indian classical music, world music, and contemporary/new music, Shawn also composes and performs for dance and theatre. Exponent of the Benares gharana, and disciple of the legendary Pandit Sharda Sahai, Shawn Mativetsky is a highly sought-after tabla performer and educator. He is active in the promotion of the tabla and North Indian classical music through lectures, workshops, and performances across Canada and internationally. Based in Montreal, Shawn teaches tabla and percussion at McGill University. His solo CD, Payton MacDonald: Works for Tabla, was released in 2007, and Cycles, his new CD of Canadian compositions for tabla was released in the fall of 2011.

extramuros: extramuros is a live coding trio out of Hamilton, Ontario. Formed by members of the Cybernetic Orchestra, the group maps multi-dimensional found data onto multichannel sound objects and beats. Ian Jarvis creates The Becoming of an Audiophile NAISA webcast, and produces various audio projects under the names Audio Being and frAncIs. David Ogborn is the president of the Canadian Electroacoustic Community (CEC) and directs the Cybernetic Orchestra at McMaster University. Hailing from Northern Ontario, Kearon Roy Taylor is a recent graduate of McMaster University's Studio Art programme, and co-founder of the Hamilton Audio/Visual Node for new media and installation art.

http://soundcloud.com/cyberneticorchestra
http://esp.mcmaster.ca

CANCELLED
The Art of the Piano: Ryan MacEvoy McCullough
Friday February 8 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $10 Students

Program

Piano Figures (2004) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Benjamin (b. 1960) 
I. Spell
II. Knots
III. In the Mirror 
IV. Interruptions 
V. Song 
VI. Hammers 
VII. Alone 
VIII. Mosaic 
IX. Around the Corner 
X. Whirling

Pianoforte (1975) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claude Vivier (1948 – 1983)

Drive-Thru Etudes, bk. 1 “Upland, CA” (2008 – 11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dante De Silva (b. 1978) 
1. Five-Finger Discount (for "five-finger" positions and melody within swirls of notes) 
2. Button Masher (for clusters) 
3. Scratch Record (for sostenuto pedal)
4. Door-to-Door (for stride piano) 
5. Padua (for fluctuating intervals) 
6. Kalili Hamana (for thumbs and pinkies only)

–intermission–

Nemo Sleeps (2011) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Liberatore (b. 1984) 
1. an invitation to Slumberland 
2. stilts 
3. the pie-eaters
4. Nemo pleads to Father Time 
5. snow falls in the Valley of Silence (Nemo holds his breath) 
6. Lunatix, and the rising bed 
7. as fast as a bed can run 
8. Nemo steals a kiss from the Queen of the Glass People

Stand Still Here (2012). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny Beck (b. 1985)
I. II. III. IV. V.

Variations, op. 8 (1964) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacques Hetu (1938 – 2010)

Bio

Born in Boston and raised near the coastal redwoods of northern California, pianist Ryan MacEvoy McCullough is beginning to make his mark as an artist of great versatility and musical fervor. He has developed a diverse career as recitalist, concerto soloist, vocal and instrumental chamber musician, and is also a frequent collaborator with both established and up-and-coming composers. Comfortable with a wide variety of repertoire, Mr. McCullough has received critical recognition for his artistic performances. In a performance of Chopin “his virtuosity was evident and understated, his playing projected a warmth... that conjured the humanity of Artur Rubinstein,” (Eli Newberger, The Boston Musical Intelligencer) and in a performance of contemporary music, his playing “found a perfect balance between the gently shimmering and the more brittle, extroverted strands... and left you eager to hear the rest.” (Allan Kozinn, NY Times)

As a concerto soloist Ryan has appeared with orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sarasota Festival Orchestra, Colburn Conservatory Orchestra, Orange County Wind Symphony, and World Festival Orchestra, with such conductors as Gisele Ben-Dur, Christoph Eschenbach, Leonid Grin, Anthony Parnther, Larry Rachleff, Mischa Santora, and Joshua Weilerstein. Mr. McCullough has been a featured performer with the Mark Morris Dance Group, contemporary ensemble eighth blackbird, and at such festivals as the Tanglewood Music Center, Token Creek Chamber Music Festival, Sarasota Festival, Nohant International Chopin Festival, and at the invitation of Mezzo-Soprano Stephanie Blythe the inaugural season of the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar. In the fall of 2011, Ryan was awarded the Tanglewood Music Center's Henri Kohn Memorial Award for musical achievement and was subsequently invited back in 2012 as one of the festival's New Fromm Players.

Interested in composing from a young age, Mr. McCullough continues to enjoy collaborating with living composers. He has worked closely with George Benjamin, John Harbison, Helen Grime and Andrew McPherson, and has commissioned or been dedicatee of works by James Primosch, Carter Pann, John Liberatore, Jenny Beck, Benjamin Scheuer, and Dante De Silva. In 2008, Ryan released a CD of solo piano music by 20th century Polish-French composer Mi?osz Magin on the Polish label Acte Prealable. This recording was praised in the Polish music journal Ruch Muzyczny for displaying “exceptional skill and precision combined with intelligence and sense of design... [slowing] for parts of reflection and very evocative Polish reverie.” On January 28th, 2013, Mr. McCullough will be featured on an Innova Records release of composer Andrew McPherson's Secrets of Antikythera, a work written for the Magnetic Resonator Piano, an electro-acoustic instrument designed and built by the composer to augment the sounds of a standard concert grand piano.

Mr. McCullough has won prizes from the Milosz Magin Piano Competition, World Piano Competition, Virginia Waring International Piano Competition, and Bronislaw Kaper awards. He was also recipient of the 2011 Outstanding Graduate Award from the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music. Ryan holds his B.A. from Humboldt State University and M.Mus. from the University of Southern California, as well an Artist Diplomas from the Colburn Conservatory and one in progress from The Glenn Gould School. His primary teachers have been Dr. Deborah Clasquin, David Louie and John Perry, in addition to influential work with Stephen Drury, Peter Serkin and Leon Fleisher.

Ryan is a prize-winning homebrewer and has a particular affinity for Belgian-style ales.

OFF THE PAGE: An evening of intimate improvisations by TORQ PERCUSSION
Thursday February 7, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors and Arts Worker; $10 Student

"TorQ was outstanding. No, make that astonishing." - The Ottawa Citizen

Marking the third instalment of TorQ Percussion Quartet's inaugural 2012-2013 Toronto concert series, OFF THE PAGE is all about the tradition of improvisation in its many forms. Featuring both structured and free improvisations presented across varied formats, this concert explores the myriad of textures and sounds that can result from spontaneous music making on everything from talking drums to kalimbas, cowbells to whirly tubes. This promises to be a rare, intimate and immersive evening of organic music making that can only be captured by those in attendance.

BIO

Winners of the 2009 Mississauga Arts Council award for Best Emerging Performing Arts Ensemble, TorQ Percussion Quartet was formed by four Canadian percussionists looking to bring new vitality to percussion repertoire and performance. Renowned for their engaging performances, members Richard Burrows, Adam Campbell, Jamie Drake and Daniel Morphy are committed to making new music accessible to audiences that span generations and geography and have already performed to critical acclaim across Canada and beyond. International highlights include performances at the International Percussion Quartet Festival (Luxembourg), the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (Indianapolis) and an appearance in Germany with the Stuttgart Chamber Choir in collaboration with Soundstreams Canada. In their native country, the quartet has made appearances at Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Indian River Festival (Prince Edward Island), Stratford Summer Music Festival, MusicFest Canada (Vancouver), Open Ears Contemporary Music Festival (Ontario) and has been selected by touring organisations such as Jeunesses Musicales Canada, Prairie Debut and Debut Atlantic. They have also launched their own concert series in Toronto and will present four concerts over the 2012.13 season.

Committed to commissioning new works for percussion quartet, TorQ has presented many Canadian and world premieres including David Gillingham’s Concertino for Four Percussionists and Orchestra, Paul Frehner's Corpus, Christos Hatzis' Modulations, Steve Reich's Mallet Quartet (Western Canadian Premiere) and Brian Graiser's Promethean Concertino with Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra among others. Recently, they served as guest teachers with distinguished composer Christos Hatzis for the course titled Composing for Percussion at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. These collaborative classes led to many new works by students as well as by Hatzis himself including In the Fire of Conflict for percussion quartet and pre-recorded audio as well as Modulations, a new work for mallet quartet. Upcoming commissions include a concert-length multi-media and theatre work to be performed with the Hamilton Children’s Choir by award-winning composer Eric Robertson, as well as a work for percussion octet (co- commissioned with Fringe Percussion) by Michael Oesterle among others.

TorQ has released two recordings on the independent label Bedoint Records. Their self-titled debut recording, a mixture of commissions, arrangements, improvisations and compositions by group members, was awarded 3.5/4 stars by Toronto Star music columnist John Terauds. two + two, released in the Fall of 2011, featured the music of Jason Stanford, Nebojsa Zivkovic, Christos Hatzis and John Cage and has already received critical acclaim and been broadcast across the country.

In addition to promoting new music, TorQ is actively involved in music education initiatives and performs approximately 70 shcool shows per year. They are also frequent educational collaborators with Soundstreams Canada and present masterclasses and workshops for various organizations across the country. This past summer, TorQ gave a five day percussion seminar at Acadia University in Wolfville, NS in which participants were involved in regular masterclasses, clinics, coachings, rehearsals and performances. All four members of TorQ are faculty members of the Durham Integrated Arts Camp, run by the Durham District School Board.

The Art of the Piano: Mei Yi Foo
Saturday February 2, 2013 at 8 pm
$20; $15; $10

Program
Musical Toys

Chris Paul Harman
After Schumann I (10')

Schumann, Helmut Lachenmann and Sofia Gubaidulina (22’)
SCHUMANN Kinderszenen 'Frightening'
LACHENMANN Kinderspiel 'Akiko'
LACHENMANN Kinderspiel 'Fake Chinese'
GUBAIDULINA Musical Toys 'The Woodpecker'
GUBAIDULINA Musical Toys 'Sleigh with Bells'
LACHENMANN Kinderspiel 'Hanschen Klein'
SCHUMANN Kinderszenen 'Important Event'
SCHUMANN Kinderszenen 'Traumerai'
SCHUMANN Kinderszenen 'At the Fireside'
SCHUMANN Kinderszenen 'Riding Horse'
LACHENMANN Kinderspiel 'Shadow Dance'
GUBAIDULINA Musical Toys 'The Drummer'

- Interval -

Schumann, George Benjamin, Gyorgy Ligeti and Unsuk Chin (26’)
CHIN Klavieretuden 'Scherzo'
BENJAMIN Piano Figures 'Interruptions'
SCHUMANN Album for the Young 'Soldier's March'
BENJAMIN Piano Figures 'Hammers'
LIGETI Musica Ricercata no.9 'Bartok in memoriam'
SCHUMANN Album for the Young 'Stranger'
BENJAMIN Piano Figures 'Around the Corner'
BENJAMIN Piano Figures 'Whirling'
BENJAMIN Piano Figures 'Spell'
BENJAMIN Piano Figures 'Mosaic'
CHIN Klavieretuden 'Grains'
LIGETI Musica Ricercata no.2
CHIN Klavieretuden 'Toccata'

Chris Paul Harman
After Schumann II - world premiere (10'-12')

Bio

"Once again, Foo wows with her touch, clarity and naturalness.” International Piano Magazine

Hailed “a pianist to watch” by BBC Radio 3, “Rising Star” by International Piano, and the winner of the Maria Callas Grand Prix’08 in Athens, Mei Yi Foo has captivated audiences across Europe, the Americas and Asia. Her performances at venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Finlandia Hall, Auditorio de Falla Granada, Wigmore Hall, Verona Teatro Filarmonico, Megaron Athens and Salle Gaveau Paris continue to garner reviews that praise her ‘distinct character as a player’ (The Independent) with “unusual interior strength” together with her “personal, intelligent and unique interpretation” (La Opinion Granada).

Mei Yi worked alongside conductors such as Christian Arming, Matthias Bamert, Martyn Brabbins, Claus Peter Flor, János Fürst, Kirill Karabits and Christopher Warren-Green; with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony, Helsinki Philharmonic, Hong Kong Sinfonietta and London Chamber Orchestra. Her avid rapport with musicians also brings her to direct orchestras such as the Malaysian Philharmonic and the Russian Virtuosi.

Appearances at music festivals worldwide play an important part in Mei Yi’s schedule, with invitations from Lorin Maazel’s Castletown Festival, Mänttä Festival in Finland, the Pharos Arts Foundation in Cyprus and the Britten-Pears Foundation in Aldeburgh working with Mitsuko Uchida. As a new music advocate, she performed at the Schoenberg Centre in Vienna, Park Lane Group at the Southbank Centre, Pinakothek der Moderne Munich for the Staatoper’s Festpiel+ Series and most recently in Lucerne at the Roche Forum for Unsuk Chin, where she was invited immediately to debut at the Lucerne Festival 2014 and Ultraschall Festival for New Music 2013 in Berlin.

A native of Malaysia, Mei Yi was awarded the medal of Setiawan Tuanku Muhriz for her contribution towards art and music in her home country. She resides in London and enjoys playing chamber music with Dimitri Ashkenazy, Shlomy Dobrinsky, Patricia Kopatchinskaya, Cristina Ortiz, Antti Siirala, Ashley Wass, Yuri Zhislin, as well as working with prominent composers such as Dai Fujikura, Chris Paul Harman and Unsuk Chin. Following the success of her debut recording “Recital” which included works by Bach, Bowen, Ravel and Brahms, MeiYi’s new, second album “Musical Toys” extends her exploration of the 20th/21st century repertoire, featuring works by Gubaidulina, Unsuk Chin and Ligeti. It was recently featured in Norman Lebrecht’s CD of the Week and garnered 5* reviews from the BBC Music Magazine.

www.meiyifoo.com
www.facebook.com/meiyifoo.piano

TIME STANDS STILL
Saturday January 26, 2013 at 8pm
$20/$10 Art Workers and Students
Doors Open at 7 PM
For tickets and information contact:
edwin@edwinhuizinga.com

An evening of music and song by Golijov, Piazzolla, Shostakovich, Chausson, and Schumann
Presented by Classical Revolution and Vocallective

Bios

Indre Viskontas

Lithuanian-Canadian soprano Indre Viskontas is a versatile singer, equally at home in contemporary and classical opera and chamber music. Born and raised in Toronto, she began her musical training at the Royal Conservatory of Music and completed a Master of Music degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she is currently on faculty. An active performer, she specializes in contemporary opera, having created several opera roles and continuously collaborating with living composers in New York and San Francisco. Her classical roles range from The Countess in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro to the title role in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe. She is cofounder and director of Opera on Tap: San Francisco, a chapter of the nation-wide organization whose mission is to create a place for opera in popular culture by producing high-quality performances in non-traditional venues, such as art galleries, bars and cafes. She also founded and directs Vocallective, a consortium of musicians dedicated to vocal chamber music.

In addition to her musical career, Dr. Viskontas is also an accomplished scientist, with a PhD in cognitive neuroscience from the University of California-Los Angeles and a BSc from the University of Toronto. She has published more than 35 original articles and chapters on the neural basis of memory and creativity, in prestigious journals and edited volumes. Her work has also been featured in Oliver Sacks’ best-selling book Musicophilia and in Discover magazine. Bridging science and art, Viskontas made her television debut as co-host of the docuseries Miracle Detectives on the Oprah Winfrey Network. She lectures widely on topics ranging from music and the brain to the allure of mystery. She serves as editor of the journal Neurocase and is a host of the popular science and critical thinking podcast, Point of Inquiry. www.indreviskontas.com.

Ian Scarfe

Ian Scarfe, a native of southeast Texas, is currently a music associate at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He recently finished a Master's Degree in 2008 and an Artist's Certificate in 2010 with the conservatory's prestigious Chamber Music Program, and earned a Bachelor's of Music Degree from Willamette University in 2005. He has performed across the world, including trips to Austria, Italy and Portugal. His tours of the United States have taken him to Illinois, Texas, Oregon, Maryland, and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. This past summer he was a guest at the Astoria Music Festival in Oregon, and the Festival Viana in Portugal. He is the founder and director of the Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival, which is dedicated to bringing classical music to the people of the remote mountains of Trinity County in Northern California. This festival has just celebrated its second annual summer season this July 2012.

Ian is a founding member of two Bay-Area chamber music groups, the Oak Street Trio and Nonsemble Six. The Oak Street Trio recently completed a tour in the northeast this December, with concerts in Pittsburgh and State College, Pennsylvania. Ian recently performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 as a soloist with San Francisco’s Symphony Parnassus. He has collaborated with such notable musicians as cellist Norman Fisher, violinists Roy Malan and Jorja Fleezanis, Italian soprano Felicia Bongiovanni, and members of the San Francisco Symphony, including principal hornist Robert Ward and principal bassoonist Stephen Paulson. His principal teachers are Paul Hersh from the SF Conservatory of Music, and Dr. Anita King from Willamette University. This past summer was quite busy for Ian, he completed a two-week tour in Switzerland with cellist Charles Akert, he was a guest performer and director of the Apprentice Program at the Astoria Music Festival in Oregon, he directed his own Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival, and he performed at the Telluride Chamber Music Festival in Colorado.

Aniela Eddy

Swiss-American violinist Aniela Eddy graduated from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with a degree in violin performance where her principal teachers were Ian Swensen and Wei He. As a soloist, Aniela has performed and toured throughout Europe with the Basel Youth Orchestra and has participated in master classes and lessons with distinguished artists such as Andrew Jennings, Stephan Picard, Joseph Silverstein, Joel Smirnoff and Eduard Wulfson. She has coached in chamber music with the Pacifica String Quartet, the Cavani String Quartet, Peter Salaff, and Mark Sokol.

Aniela has performed with several ensembles in New York City, including Ballet Next, Ensemble LPR, New York Opera Chamber Orchestra, and The Ossia Ensemble. As part of her commitment to education, Aniela toured India under the auspices of Skoda Motors, giving benefit concerts. In addition to founding a volunteer teaching program between the San Francisco Bay Academy and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Aniela has acted as Public Representative for the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, responsible for liaison between guest artists, BSO members, and the general public. She is currently pursuing her Master of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Aniela is the recipient of the Avanti Award of the Joseph and Francis Brucia Foundation, which she received in 2009.

Charles Akert

Cellist Charles Akert has captivated audiences around the world as both a soloist and chamber musician. Originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, Akert began his studies at age 5. At age 13, he joined the Fairbanks Symphony and the Arctic Chamber Orchestra as one of their youngest members. Akert completed his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Northern Colorado and received his Master of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as an Osher Scholarship winner.

Passionate about chamber music, Akert has been an active chamber musician for over 15 years and has performed in venues throughout North America and Europe. He was a founding member of the Douglas String Quartet and is one of the few musicians to win the Angie Southard award in both chamber music and as solo cellist. As a member of the Nexus Quartet, Akert has participated in chamber music residencies at both the Banff Centre and the Aspen Music Festival. In 2010, he won the Grand Prize at the National Plowman Chamber Music Competition.

Keith Hamm

A native of Rosebud, Alberta, violist, Keith Hamm is rapidly gaining recognition as a dynamic and exciting young presence in the Canadian music scene. Upon completion of his studies, Keith was named Principal Violist of The Canadian Opera Company Orchestra. He is an alumnus of The International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove; the Sarasota Music Festival; Morningside Music Bridge and the Chamber Music Program at Le Domaine Forget among others. He is a winner of the Stratford Symphony’s Emerging Artists Competition and The Glenn Gould School Chamber Music Competition.

Mr. Hamm received his training The Glenn Gould School under the instruction of Steven Dann and at The Mount Royal Conservatory under of Nicholas Pulos. Other influences include Pinchas Zukerman, Roger Tapping, Ian Swenson, Mark Fewer and members of the London Haydn Quartet, Cleveland Quartet, and Zebra Trio.

A dedicated chamber musician, Keith has been invited to perform at the Ravinia Festival as guest violist with the Royal Conservatory’s ARC Ensemble; the SweetWater Music Festival in Owen Sound; and at the Music By The Sea festival in Bamfield, BC.

David Schotzko and Pemi Paull
Thursday January 24, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors & Arts Workers; $10 Students

Pemi Paull, viola
David Schotzko, percussion

Program:

Suzanne Farrin (b. 1975) - Uscirmi di braccia (2010)*

Rose Bolton (b. 1971) – NEW WORK (2012)**

Ted Hearne (b. 1982) – Forcefield (2004)*

Du Yun (b. 1977) – San1 (2003)*

Luciano Berio (1925-2003) – Naturale (1985)

*CANADIAN PREMIERE / **WORLD PREMIERE

Two of Canada’s leading contemporary music performers tackle a program of recent works for viola and percussion.

Bios

A versatile soloist and chamber musician, and a specialist in both new and early music, violist Pemi Paull is a true 21st century artist. He is the founder and artistic director of Warhol Dervish, an original and unorthodox chamber music collective based in Montreal. He appeared as soloist with the Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec in the premiere of "Debacle", by Denis Dion, as well as the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, and was the recipient of the 2002 CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award for Chamber Music. Pemi has been invited as a regular participant at Prussia Cove Chamber Music Festival in Cornwall, England, and Domaine Forget International Chamber Music Festival.

Pemi's activities have brought him to the forefront of Montreal's contemporary music world and has premiered works for viola by composers including Gerard Grisey, Michael Oesterle, Scott Godin, Andre Ristic, Rose Bolton, Emily Hall, and Nicolas Gilbert, and Tim Brady. An avid recitalist, Pemi has been gaining a reputation as one of the few violists in the world to present full programs of unaccompanied repertoire for viola spanning three centuries.

A founding member of the acclaimed International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), percussionist David Schotzko has premiered over 300 works by composers from across the globe, having worked closely with the established composers of today (Steve Reich, Elliott Carter, Pauline Oliveros, Luca Francesconi, Louis Andriessen, Pascal Dusapin, Stefano Gervasoni, Ignacio Baca-lobera, Julio Estrada, Chaya Czernowin, Philippe Hurel, David Lang, Magnus Lindberg, Philippe Manoury, John Luther Adams, Martin Bresnick, and Tan Dun), and tomorrow’s rising stars (Dai Fujikura, Du Yun, Johannes Boris Borowski, Ted Hearne, Huang Ruo, Edgar Guzman, Anna Clyne, Marcos Balter, Felipe Lara, and Oscar Bettison).

David received rave reviews in print and digital press as the solo percussionist in the US premiere of Iannis Xenakis’ Oresteia at Miller Theatre, and has performed as a soloist in New York, Chicago, Morelia (Mexico), Oslo (Norway), Ottawa and Toronto. An active performer in New York’s contemporary music scene, David performed regularly with So Percussion, Alarm Will Sound, Either/Or, Argento Ensemble, and many others from before relocating to Toronto where he has played with the Canadian Opera Company, the Esprit Orchestra, Arraymusic, Toca Loca, Nexus, TorQ Percussion, Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan, New Music Concerts, Ensemble 1534, and at Ottawa Chamberfest.

THE ART OF THE PIANO: LARA DOWNES
"EXILES' CAFE"
Saturday January 19 2013 at 8 PM
$25; $15 Seniors and Art Workers; $10 students

"A delightful artist with a unique blend of musicianship and showmanship - NPR
 
Acclaimed American pianist Lara Downes, internationally recognized for her visionary thematic programming, recorded her next solo album - Exiles' Cafe - on the Steinway & Sons Records label in September, with commercial release scheduled for February 2013.
 
Exiles' Cafe is an exquisite collection of 19th and 20th century solo piano works written by composers in exile, reflecting the longing of exile around the world and across generations. Far from home but close to the heart, this music tells the story of the transformative journey of exile, from what is left behind to what is discovered ahead.

Programme

Bela Bartok: Three Folksongs from the Csik District

Paul Bowles: Preludes for Piano

Frederic Chopin: Mazurkas, Op. posth 68
Mohammed Fairouz: Piano Miniatures

Bohuslav Martinu: Contemplation
Erich Korngold: Sonata #2
Darius Milhaud: Romance
Sergei Prokofiev: Pastoral Sonatina
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Fragments

Igor Stravinsky: Tango
Michael Sahl: Tango from the Exiles' Cafe

Kurt Weill: Lost in the Stars

Bio
 
Lauded by NPR as “a delightful artist with a unique blend of musicianship and showmanship”
and praised by the Washington Post for her stunning performances “rendered with drama and
nuance”, Lara Downes has won acclaim as one of the most exciting and communicative young
pianists of today's generation. Since making early debuts at Queen Elizabeth Hall London and the Vienna Konzerthaus, this powerfully charismatic artist has appeared on many of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center. Recent appearances include Portland Piano International, San Francisco Performances, the University of Vermont Lane Series, the American Academy Rome, the El Paso Pro Musica Festival, the Montreal Chamber Music Festival, and the University of Washington World Series.
 
Downes’ unique performance style, praised as “a voyage of discovery” (Sacramento Bee),
infuses repertoire both iconic and unfamiliar with passion, profound musicality, intellectual insight and humor. Her diverse performance works have received support from the NEA, the Barlow Endowment, and American Public Media. Downes’ six solo recordings have met with tremendous critical and popular acclaim. Her latest CD, 13 Ways of Looking at the Goldberg (Tritone) was released in Fall 2011. Lara Downes is a Steinway Artist.

http://laradownes.com/web/page.aspx?title=Exiles'+Café+

The Patrick Hewan Quartet with Ron Westray
Friday January 11, 2013 at 8 PM
$20; $15 Seniors & Arts Workers; $10 Students

Patrick Hewan - Piano

Artie Roth - Bass

Joe Iannuzzi - Drums

Ron Westray - Trombone

Bio

Patrick Hewan

Patrick Hewan is a rising star in the Toronto Jazz scene who’s energetic virtuosic playing captivates and moves his audiences. He draws on the vast vocabulary of the legendary jazz pianists who came before him and adds his own spirit and passion to create a unique sound and style. Drawing heavily on influences such as: Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Hiromi Uehara, Oscar Peterson, and Phineas Newborn while studying under the tutelage of legendary pianists such as Mark Eisenman, Richard Whiteman, Robi Botos, and Hilario Duran it’s no secret where Patrick developed his unique, high-octane style that still clearly adheres to the art forms tradition.

Patrick began studying classical piano at the age of four and was later introduced to the saxophone where he developed a great love for jazz music. His education includes York University and Humber College and he is a recipient of the Berklee World Tour Scholarship for both sax and piano.

Performances include many venues in Toronto and throughout Southern Ontario with such artists as: Ron Westray, Pat Lebarbera, Ted Quinlan, Kelly Jefferson, Barry Romberg, Lorne Lofsky, Artie Roth, Ross MacIntyre, Pat Carey, Chicago’s Ernest Dawkins, and members of the Downchild Blues Band. He has played for such organizations as: Scotiabank, Via Rail, The Peel District School Board, York University, The CAW Auto Union, and has played at venues such as: The Rex, The Rose Theatre, and The King Edward Hotel and many more. Patrick recently played in the 2012 TD Toronto Jazz Festival and is working on his soon to be released album that should be hitting shelves in 2013.

www.patrickhewan.com

Ron Westray

Jazz musician and composer Ron Westray is best known for his work as lead trombonist with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra directed by Wynton Marsalis and his collaborations with Wycliffe Gordon. He launched his professional performance career in the early 1990s, recording and touring nationally with the Marcus Roberts Septet. He has appeared in concert with such luminaries as Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, Benny Carter, Dewey Redman, Roy Haynes, Randy Brecker and a host of other pre-eminent artists. A regular on the New York City club circuit, he has played premier jazz venues such as the Village Vanguard, Blue Note, Sweet Basil’s, Iridium, Jazz Standard and Smalls, and is a standing member of the Mingus Band.

In addition to his concerts and recordings with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Professor Westray has recorded as a sideman on such major labels as Columbia, Sony Classical and RCA Novus. His latest CD as leader is Medical Cures Cures for the Chromatic Commands of the Inner City (Blue Canoe Records 2008). He co-leads with trumpet player Thomas Heflin on his most recent recording, Live in Austin (Blue Canoe Records 2011).

Upcoming concerts >