Details

Venue: Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E.

Website: www.music-toronto.com

Box Office: 416-366-7723

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Photo Gallery

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About

Music TORONTO began in 1971 as the music program of Toronto Arts Productions, continued as Music at the Centre and CentreStage Music, and became Music TORONTO in 1987.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, under artistic leaders Franz Kramer, Costa Pilovachi and Jane Forner, we offered a wide variety of concerts, bringing to Toronto, often for the first time, world-renowned chamber ensembles and soloists. As CentreStage Music from 1983, we were instrumental in the organization and presentation of major musical events such as the Bach 300 Festival in 1985 and special events such as musical theatre.

Since 1989, under Artistic Director Chris Wilcox, an advisory committee, and now Artistic Producer Jennifer Taylor, Music Toronto maintains its vision of artistic excellence and innovation, always featuring both international and Canadian artists.  Music Toronto also enjoys an international reputation for its loyal and discerning audience.

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The Folks Behind It All

Jennifer Taylor, Artistic Producer

Having tried to do everything for too many years, Jennifer now concentrates on artistic programming. She has championed string quartets and pianists, Canadian artists established and emerging, contemporary and Canadian music – while always appreciating Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin and Brahms.

Heather Lacey, General Manager

Heather has worked on the administrative side with Music Toronto since 2013.  Prior to that, she was the Production Coordinator at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, where she had the pleasure of working backstage with the Music Toronto season for five years.  Heather is now responsible for all operations, especially marketing, fundraising and administration.

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Events

2016-2017 Season

Music TORONTO’s 45^th season includes a truly international quartet series — the Juilliard from the US, the Prazak from the Czech Republic and the Philharmonia Quartet Berlin from the famous orchestra – with a strong presentation of superb Canadian ensembles – Quebec’s Quatuor Arthur-LeBlanc, Toronto’s Eybler, and a special evening of soprano Suzie LeBlanc with Nova Scotia’s Blue Engine String Quartet. Not to be missed are our local favourites — the St. Lawrence Quartet and the Gryphon Trio.

And then there are pianists: the sterling Janina Fialkowska with an all-Chopin programme; master British pianist Danny Driver in his Toronto debut; Young American charmer Sean Chen also making his Toronto debut; and Russian-born Montrealer Ilya Poletaev returning to our stage.

All of our concerts take place at the Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts

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JUILLIARD QUARTET

Thursday, October 13, 2016, at 8 pm

The Juilliard Quartet opens our 45th season with their 1st ever female member. No original players remain in this legendary 71-year franchise — but the highest quality playing is undeniable. Here they will bring depth and agility to a meaty and satisfying programme of Beethoven and Bartok.

Beethoven        Quartet in F Minor, Op. 95, “Serioso”

Bartok              Quartet No. 1

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Beethoven        Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1, “Rasumovsky”

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JANINA FIALKOWSKA

Tuesday, October 25, 2016, at 8 pm

Pianist Janina Fialkowska is celebrating her 65th birthday season with a worldwide tour. She has built an enduring career as a celebrated interpreter of the classical and romantic repertoire. For this special year, she offers an all-Chopin programme.

Chopin              Polonaise Fantaisie in A-flat, Op. 61

Nocturne in B Major, Op. 9, No.3

Impromptu No.3 in G-flat, Op. 51

Waltz in B Minor, Op. 69, No.2

Waltz in A-flat, Op. 42

Ballade No.4 in F Minor, Op. 52

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Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, Op. 54

Prelude Op. 28 in E-flat Minor

Prelude Op. 28 in D-flat Major

3 Mazurkas, Op. 50

Scherzo No.1 in B Minor, Op. 20

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QUATUOR ARTHUR-LEBLANC

Thursday, November 10, 2016, at 8 pm

Named after the great Acadian violinist, the Arthur-LeBlanc Quartet – violinists Hibiki Kobayashi and Brett Molzan, violist Jean-Luc Plourde and cellist Ryan Molzan – bring Haydn, Bartok, and Beethoven to our stage in November.

Haydn           Quartet in G Major, Op. 77, No.1

Bartok           Quartet No. 4

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Beethoven     Quartet in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3, “Rasumovsky”

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DANNY DRIVER

Tuesday, November 15, 2016, at 8 pm

Toronto debut

Danny Driver is one of the remarkable pianists on the Hyperion label. He performs across the UK in recital and in chamber music & continues his regular appearances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Hear the Toronto debut of this superb pianist.

Bach                  French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816

Schumann         Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13

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Balakirev           Nocturne No. 2 in B Minor

Rachmaninov    Etudes-Tableaux (selection from Op 39)

Prokofiev          Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major

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SUZIE LEBLANC, soprano ROBERT KORTGAARD, piano BLUE ENGINE STRING QUARTET

Thursday, December 1, 2016, at 8 pm

Join us as we present Suzie LeBlanc in A Pocket Of Time, a musical tribute to Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Elizabeth Bishop reflecting her fascination with time, her travels, the 20 years she spent in Brazil and a place she called home: Nova Scotia.

Alasdair MacLean          The silken water is weaving and weaving

John Plant                      Sunday 4am (Elizabeth Bishop)

Heitor Villa Lobos         String Quartet No 1, Mvts I – III

Serra Da Piedade de Belo Horizonte (piano solo)

Cançao do Poeta do Seculo XVIII, W. 486 (Alfredo Ferreira Rodrigues)

Ivan Moody                   Paris 7am (Elizabeth Bishop), World Premiere

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Emily Doolittle              A short slow life (Elizabeth Bishop)

Robert Schumann          6 Songs, Op. 107

Peter Togni                    Lullaby for the cat (Elizabeth Bishop)

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GRYPHON TRIO

Thursday, December 15, 2016, at 8 pm

Music TORONTO enjoys a long history with the Gryphons. You might even call them the house band. They tour the world and bring it home to our stage once every season. The CBC called them serious overachievers.

Schoenberg                  Verklarte Nacht (trio version, arr. Eduard Steuermann

Kelly-Marie Murphy    Give Me Phoenix Wings To Fly (commissioned and premiered by the Gryphon Trio in 1997)

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selection from 2016 Gryphon Trio Young Composers Program from the Claude Watson program at Earl Haig Secondary School

Brahms                        Trio in B Major, Op. 8 (1889)

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SEAN CHEN

Tuesday, January 10, 2017, at 8 pm

Toronto debut

Trained at Juilliard and Yale, Sean Chen is a rising star in the piano world. He plays contemporary music, and his own transcriptions of Mozart, Rachmaninoff and Beethoven. Making his Toronto debut with us, Chen combines bold intensity and gentle tenderness for a ‘not to be missed’ evening.

Ligeti                          Musica Ricercata

Ligeti                          L’escalier

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Mozart-Chen              Offertorium from the Requiem

Madamina, the Catalogue Aria from Don Giovanni

Rachmaninoff-Chen   Symphony 2, 3rd mvt

Beethoven-Liszt          Symphony No. 2, 3rd & 4th mvt.

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LAWRENCE QUARTET

Thursday, January 26, 2017, at 8 pm

The St. Lawrence Quartet returns for their annual performance on our stage. We look forward to their irresistible exuberance linked to the subtlety and finesse of their playing.

 

Haydn                    Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 20, No. 1

Jonathan Berger     “Swallow” (2014), written for the SLSQ

Haydn                    Quartet in F Minor, Op. 20, No. 5

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ILYA POLETAEV

Tuesday, February 7, 2017, at 8 pm

A musician with an inquisitive mind who explores repertoire from the sixteenth to the present century, Poletaev has performed extensively in Europe, Canada, Russia, and the United States both as a soloist, chamber musician, and continuo player.

Bach               French Overture, BWV 831

Enescu           Sonata in F-sharp Minor, Op. 24, No. 1

Schumann      Humoreske, Op. 20

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EYBLER QUARTET

Thursday, February 16, 2017, at 8 pm

The Eybler Quartet came together in late 2004 to explore the works of the first century of the string quartet, for this concert including Haydn and Beethoven. Hear their warm sound and perfect ensemble.

Johann Baptist Vanhal   Quartet in C Major, Op. 6, No. 3

Joseph Haydn                Quartet in B Minor, Op. 33, No. 1

Franz Asplmayr             Quartet in D Major, Op. 2, No. 2

Ludwig van Beethoven  Quartet Op. 18, No. 3

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PRAZAK QUARTET

Thursday, March 2, 2017, at 8 pm

For 30 years the Prazak have toured the world. They are performing on our stage once again, this time with their new member, Jana Vonášková, violinist. Join us! Hear the rare Bruckner quartet as well as Haydn and Beethoven. String quartet playing in the great Czech tradition.

Haydn        Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 71, No. 1

Bruckner    Quartet

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Dvorak      Quartet in F Major, Op. 96, “American”

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PHILHARMONIA QUARTETT BERLIN

Thursday, March 16, 2017, at 8 pm

Since its foundation in 1985, the Philharmonia Quartett Berlin has established itself as a world-renowned string quartet. Four principals of the great orchestra play quartets from the great tradition – Haydn, Beethoven, Schumann. This is the quartet’s 8th concert for us.

Haydn         Quartet in G major, Op. 64, No. 4

Beethoven   Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6

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Schumann   Quartet in A Minor, Op. 41, No. 1