This is a list of concerts we are attending, wishing we could attend, or thinking about attending between September 19 and 15, 2024. For more of what’s happening around Toronto, visit our calendar here.
La Forastera (The Outsider): Flamencolia Dance Company at DROM Taberna
Wednesday, September 11
DROM Taberna, 458 Queen St. W., $10 cover per person for reservation, or walk-in and PWYC
Flamencolia Dance Company presents La Forastera, at the Drom, as they get ready to tour BC. Lia Grainger (dancer/choreographer) and musicians Carlos Lobo, Nicolas Hernandez, and Gabrielle Lemseffer, tell a love story, “… about the love between a woman and an art form that is not hers.” What does it mean to pursue an art form that belongs to another culture? How does a cultural experience differ, if it does, when one is born into it, or if one assimilates into it? This is a perennial question in all art forms in this small, globalized world, even when it becomes impossible to decipher where one culture ends and another starts. Come and ponder this question while the infectious rhythm and deep-souled flamenco steps echo across the night. La Forastera was nominated for a Dora in 2023, for Outstanding Performance by an individual, and Grainger is an exceptional dancer — what a way to spend a midweek evening. Info here.
All that is between: tiger princess dance projects
Thursday, September 12, 8 p.m. Friday September 13th, 8 p.m., Saturday September 14th, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Aki Studio, Native Earth Performing Arts, Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas St. E., $15
tiger princess dance project presents All that is between, under the direction of Yvonne Ng, with music by Nick Storring, along with guests Alex Samaras (voice), Ben Grossman (hurdy-gurdy), Roa Hy Lee (gayageum) and Felicity Williams (voice). Often, classical music audiences pigeonhole themselves into the classical canon of the dance world — especially in the ballet tradition. Many aren’t even aware that many small, independent theatre projects grow through (often years-long) extensive workshops that involve in-depth multidisciplinary discussion and development, and that the physical world of contemporary dance can be such a rich tapestry of dance, music, and theatre craft. Storring has been busy working in diverse fields — one may have seen him knee-deep in contemporary music at Soundstreams show, or with the Esprit Orchestra. The field of electroacoustic music can be anything and everything, riding between the extremes of aural possibilities. With his spectacular co-musicians, this show promises great riches for the ears and the eyes. Info here.
Canadian Institute for Czech Music/Opera by Request: Jakobín
Friday, September 13, 7:30 p.m.
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity St. Paul’s United. $35
On this Friday, Dvořák’s opera Jakobín will receive its second North American performance. Opera by Request, a fixture in Toronto, is a great training ground for young artists, and director William Shookhoff has been presenting OBR’s regular series from the piano, at the College Street United Church over decades. For this special occasion, Shookhoff, with chamber orchestra, will present this comic opera, a great chance to experience another dimension of Dvořák’s operatic exploration. Read our preview here. Info here.
Xenia Concerts/Alzheimer Society of Toronto: An Intergenerational Concert with Schmaltz & Pepper!
Saturday, September 14, 2 p.m.
Meridian Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St., North York, $5 deposit for seat reservation.
Schmaltz & Pepper is a new-ish Yiddish band, involving familiar faces: Drew Jurecka and Rebekah Wolkstein (of Payadora), with Eric Abramovitz (clarinet), Michael Herring (bass) and Jeremy Ledbetter (piano). Since their debut broadcast in May 2024, S & P has been busy playing at the Ashkenaz, Toronto Summer Music Festival, and Jewish Music Week in Toronto. Yiddish music is a genre where new things continuously pollinate, with both familiar and new melodies that break hearts, and heal many deadly wounds. Xenia concert’s adaptive performance, designed to truly welcome everyone, with an amazing list of accessibility features — this is a great chance to bring oneself and one’s community to experience top-notch performance, without any worries regarding typical concert etiquette. Take the opportunity to widen your horizon, and enjoy the drama of Yiddish storytelling. Note: Xenia Concerts collects a $5 deposit for each attendee, but to eliminate financial barriers, the deposit can be refunded once you arrive at the concert. Donations are welcomed. Info here.
SweetWater Music Festival: Sun on Water
Saturday, September 14th, 7 p.m.
Georgian Shores United Church, Owen Sound. $23+
2024 SweetWater Music Festival takes place from September 10 to 15, packed with activities ranging from choral jam and strings jam, where singers and players from all level are invited to make music with friends, strangers, and professional musicians, to high-calibre chamber music and larger ensembles. This particular concert will feature the Canadian Chamber Choir and SweetWater Festival Orchestra, and a great chamber choir with orchestra is a particular joy — the intricacy of such a format is an experience not to be missed. And, for a contrast, cellist Karen Ouzounian will give the Canadian premiere of Shorthand by Anna Clyne, the eighth most-performed contemporary composer in the world in 2022. As summer dusk starts to fall earlier, get out to the lovely rural Ontario one more time, and bid goodbye to summer with an intimate musical evening. Check out our interview with festival Artistic Director Edwin Huizinga here. Info here.
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