MONDAY
- The Gryphon Trio and James Campbell at Walter Hall, 7 p.m.
Violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, cellist Roman Borys and pianist Jamie Parker perform Maurice Ravel’s gorgeous Piano Trio before being joined by clarinet master James Campbell in Olivier Messiaen’s transfixing, transporting Quartet for the End of Time. It’s a powerful way to open University of Toronto Faculty of Music’s Monday-evening chamber music series this season. Details here.
If your lunchtime is open, Campbell presents an open masterclass on one movement of the Messiaen work at noon in Room 310 of the Edward Johnson Building.
TUESDAY
- Organist Thomas Gonder at St James Cathedral, 1 p.m. By donation.
This Toronto organist bravely presents the complex-and-compelling work of contemporary French organist-composers Naji Hakim and Nicolas Chevereau. This is well worth a lunchtime detour. Details here.
- Soundstreams presents music by (and inspired by) Arvo Pärt at Koerner Hall, 8 p.m.
This ever-inventive music presenter has assembled an excellent array of vocal forces — soprano Shannon Mercer, baritone Geoffrey Sirrett and Choir 21 — as well as a string orchestra in a programme conducted by Tönu Kaljuste that includes two Canadian premieres of works by Pärt and world premieres by two Toronto composers: James Rolfe and Riho Esko Maimets. It’s no surprise the concert is nearly sold-out. Live streaming online should be available, too. Details here.
WEDNESDAY
- Beethoven string quartets at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Noon. Free.
Canadian Opera Company Orchestra associate concertmaster Benjamin Bowman and associate principal cellist Alastair Eng share the floor with Toronto Symphony Orchestra principal viola and violinist Ashley Vandiver to perform Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartets: Op. 18 No. 2 and Op. 74 (the “Harp” quartet).
THURSDAY’
- Harpsichordist Hank Knox at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Noon. Free.
This Montreal-based master brings an infrequently-made sound to the Four Seasons Centre in a fantastic lunchtime programme that begins with a William Byrd treat from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book and ends with the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue BWV903 by J.S. Bach.
- Jerusalem Quartet at the Jane Mallett Theatre, 8 p.m.
Music Toronto opens its season with a rich and satisfying programme by one of the great quartets of our time: Mozart’s “Prussian” Quartet, Antonin Dvorák’s Op. 106 in G Major and No. 11 by Dmitri Shostakovich. Details here.
- The evening’s other worthy options include the first of multiple performances of La Bohème, which opens the Canadian Opera Company season (info here) — to be reviewed here on Thursday night — and a tour of baroque Austria by Tafelmusik, with guest violinist-conductor Manfredo Kraemer at the newly renovated Trinity-St Paul’s Centre (info here) — to be reviewed here on Friday night.
FRIDAY
- Chamber Orchestra Kremlin at the Flato Markham Theatre, 8 p.m.
This talented band of young Russian musicians, led by veteran conductor Misha Rachlevsky, records and tours with great zeal. Their programme is a mix of chestnuts — Peter Ilytch Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings and Gioachino Rossini’s Sonata for Strings — and something more intriguing: a string arrangement of Sergei Prokofiev’s wonderful Visions fugitives. Details here.
SATURDAY
- Canadian Opera Company presents the first performance of Peter Grimes at the Four Seasons Centre, 7:30 p.m.
A great cast and conductor Johannes Debus promise much in this, Benjamin Britten’s first great stage work. This is a co-production with two Australian opera companies and Houston Grand Opera. You’ll find all the details here.
SUNDAY
- Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall, 2 p.m.
An electric, all-Stravinsky ballet programme — Firebird, Petrouchka and Rite of Spring — and conductor Valery Gergiev make this one of the must-attend symphonic events of the season. You’ll find the details here.
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These are but one person’s picks. To see the full range of concert options this week, check out Wholenote magazine’s comprehensive listings here.
John Terauds