TUESDAY
- Cellist Matt Haimovitz and the Ontario Philharmonic at Koerner Hall, 8 p.m.
For the first of this season’s five concerts in Toronto, the excellent Ontario Philharmonic and music director Marco Parisotto have invited cellist Matt Haimovitz to play Schelomo, Ernest Bloch’s well-loved Hebraic Rhapsody, alongside Gustav Mahler’s “Titan” first symphony.
That’s big music for a small recital hall. Details here.
WEDNESDAY to SUNDAY
- Tafelmusik Orchestra & Chamber Choir at Trinity-St Paul’s Centre. Wed.: 7 p.m., Thu.-Sat.: 8 p.m., Sun.: 3:30 p.m.
Tafelmusik Chamber Choir conductor Ivars Taurins takes the singers and period-instrument orchestra on a 17th century journey to London, with music by Henry Purcell, and Rome, featuring Giacomo Carissimi. Although the two composers were only a generation and 1,000 km apart, their music is completely different. Two great soloists — soprano Suzie LeBlanc and tenor Charles Daniels — help illuminate the music. Details here.
- On Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., LeBlanc and Daniels present public masterclasses in Jeanne Lamon Hall. Details here (admission is $10 at the door).
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY
- Pianist Emanuel Ax and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall, 8 p.m.
Music director Peter Oundjian leads a 19th century Germanic symphony lover’s dream concert of Joseph Haydn’s “Miracle” London symphony and Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by the affable and musically engaging Ax. The present day is represented by Toronto composer Gary Kulesha’s Symphony No. 3. You’ll find all the details here.
THURSDAY
- Three clarinets at Walter Hall, University of Toronto. 12:15 p.m. Free.
Speaking of Gary Kulesha, his earlier, more experimental efforts figure prominently on a free lunchtime programme shared with a Divertimento by Mozart. James Campbell, Peter Stoll and David Bourque make up the crowd of clarinet masters on stage. Details here.
FRIDAY
- Violinist Midori at Koerner Hall, 8 p.m.
The celebrated Japanese-American violinist celebrated 30 years of professional playing last year — but she’s only 42 now, and in full musical flight. Together with pianist Özgür Aydin, she presents a rich recital programme that begins with Ernest Bloch and ends with Mozart. Check out the details here.
SATURDAY
- Rosedale Winds at Chalmers House (20 St Joseph St), 3 p.m.
Wind ensembles in Toronto are like tumbleweeds on the Great Plains: as soon as one shows up, it blows away to parts unknown. There are currently two groups of young musicians trying to make a go of chamber music for winds: the Blythwood Winds and the Rosedale Winds, both of which will, hopefully take root.
The latter present a salon-like afternoon concert combining words (including Gabriel García Marquéz’s 100 Years of Solitude) with contemporary music (that includes Toronto’s Gary Kulesha in the third programme of the week) in the salon-like common room at the Canadian Music Centre. The $20 ticket includes a drink. Details here.
- The Amadeus Choir at All Saints Kingsway Anglican Church (2850 Bloor St W., Royal York subway stn), 7:30 p.m.
One of the city’s best amateur choirs and its artistic director Lydia Adams team up with soloists and organist Shawn Grenke as well as seasoned war-zone correspondents Rick MacInnes-Rae, Laura Lynch and Joan Leishman to present a concert that connects real voices and faces to the horrors of war.
The fantastic programme includes two classics — Ralph Vaughan William’s setting of Dona nobis pacem and Healey Willan’s How They So Softly Rest — with great music by contemporary Torontonians Elanor Daley and the late Srul Irving Glick. Details here.
John Terauds