Two weekend events starting today focus on musical experiences rooted in our school days: brass band and choir.

The choral event is a big, splashy new affair called SING!, taking place at Harbourfront. This inaugural celebration of all things a cappella features workshops, free concerts and ticketed events featuring some big names.

It all cashes in on the surge of interest in all sorts of singing inspired by TV’s Glee.

SING! artistic director, Toronto composer Aaron Jensen, has done a very impressive job of balancing international draws with a wide swath of local groups. It’s well worth checking out the festival’s website for all the details.

There’s an excellent mix of pop, jazz and classical throughout the programming.

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John Terauds

John Terauds, Editor-Emeritus of Ludwig van Toronto, is currently a Divinity student at the University of Toronto and a church music director. He joined the Toronto Star in 1988, was the classical music critic from 2005 to 2012, and continues as a freelance critic for the paper. He is the co-author of Roy Thomson Hall: A Portrait, a book written with Toronto Star Colleague, William Littler.

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One of the weekend’s highlights will be the Mass Singalong on Sunday afternoon. Pretty much anyone can join in, as long as they show up for the rehearsal at noon. The concert starts at 1 p.m., and features a performance of a piece Jensen has written for the occasion (You can download the sheet music here). Michael Burgess will be a guest for the performance, as well.

HANNAFORD FESTIVAL OF BRASS 2012

I don’t think brass players get enough credit for the amount of inspiration they provide teenage musicians.

Every spring, Toronto’s Hannaford Street Silver Band organizes a multi-day festival that provides all sorts of opportunities for amateur players of all ages to attend clinics and workshops and exchange performances with their peers.

There are also several opportunities for anyone to come and enjoy fantastic concert music written or arranged for brass.

This year’s guest conductor is tuba player Patrick Sheridan, who heads up the UCLA Wind Ensemble. The featured soloist is trumpeter Jens Lindemann (a Canadian Brass alumnus, who teaches at UCLA when not performing). He gets the spotlight at the festival-closing concert on Sunday at 3 p.m., at the Jane Mallett Theatre.

Click here for all the weekend details.

Lindemann joins in (later) at a University of Sherbrooke concert given by Japan’s YamahaSymphonic Band:

John Terauds

• Author
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John Terauds

John Terauds, Editor-Emeritus of Ludwig van Toronto, is currently a Divinity student at the University of Toronto and a church music director. He joined the Toronto Star in 1988, was the classical music critic from 2005 to 2012, and continues as a freelance critic for the paper. He is the co-author of Roy Thomson Hall: A Portrait, a book written with Toronto Star Colleague, William Littler.

Latest posts by John Terauds (see all)

• Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
• Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
• CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019