This is a list of concerts we are attending, wishing we could attend, or thinking about attending between February 10 and 16, 2025. For more of what’s happening around Toronto, visit our calendar here.
Music Toronto | Rachel Fenlon: Schubert: Winterreise
Tuesday, February 11, 7:30 p.m.
Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, $20+
The surreal poignancy of Schubert’s Winterreise explores the darker essence of winter with brutal honesty. The complexity that exists in the liminal space between love, and inevitable death, calls for a siamese connection between the singer and pianist — in fact, the best recordings of the Winterreise are made by amazing duos — Ian Bostridge and Julius Drake, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Gerald Moore, Thomas Quasthoff and Charles Spencer… So what happens to this much loved work when a single musician sings, and plays the piano? Rachel Fenlon is planning to do exactly that on this Tuesday evening, to break our hearts with Schubert’s glorious mastery of the poetry, while her deft hands accompany her own voice. Singer-songwriter is one of the styles that does not cross into classical music — until today. This is quite a daring offering — how would she amalgamate the two parts into one? What do we experience when that spider-silk magical empathy between two individuals is presented by one person, where both parts of the music beat through a singular heart? This would be an interesting experience — do trek to the theatre, and be soothed by melancholia and the occasional brilliant joys from Fenlon’s solo stage. Info here.
Confluence Concerts | A Canadian Valentine: Sighs Too Deep for Words
Thursday, February 13, 7:30p.m, Friday February 14,7:30 p.m.
Heliconian Hall, $30
Larry Beckwith curates an evening of Canadian love songs and poetry. Looking at the list of performers, beautifully heavy on voices (7 performers, including perennial favourite Patricia O’Callaghan), with minimal accompanying instruments (piano, bass, and lute), the sense of intimate whispers and vulnerable confessions fibrillates through the program. The promise of brand new works by young and talented locals Michael Spiroff and Francesca Hauser, and the performance of Omar Daniel’s Neruda Canciones, adds further excitement. How do we experience, and express our love nowadays? What’s it like to be surrounded by voices whispering new words and melodies, in the intimate setting of the Heliconian Hall? If you are tired of big, hot pink, blinking Valentine’s signals, this just might be the thing that your heart needs. Info here.
Royal Conservatory of Music | Michael Feinstein in Because of You
Thursday, February 13, 8 p.m.
Koerner Hall, $70+
In anticipation of Valentine’s day — sure, it feels a bit crazy, it may be tad bit too commercial, but we cannot let that take away the importance of love. Feinstein, master of the American Songbook, makes his Koerner Hall debut in celebration of Tony Bennett’s legacy. Tony Bennett and the American Songbook are deeply woven into our culture, as the radio and scheduled television broadcasts of the time gave us a unique chance to share much of the music in chronological sync, helping build a definite generational cultural sentiment. Thanks to this unique time period, the deep artistry of the American songbook speaks so clearly to us. Come out to Koerner, and celebrate this beautiful repertoire with Feinstein and the suave Carnegie Hall Jazz Ensemble, as they swing, sing, and tug on our hearts. Info here.
Arkel Chamber Concerts | If Music Be the Food of Love…
Friday, February 14, 7:30 p.m.
Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity St. Paul’s Centre, $40
Arkel Chamber Concerts brings an evening of florid, beautiful music with guests Heidi Elise Bearcroft (harp), Julie Ranti (flute), and Theresa Rudolph (viola), featuring music from Debussy and Roussel. Albert Roussel, one of the most loved French composers of the interwar period (between WWI and WWII), first filled his life with a passionate interest in math, and with days on the sea, on the French frigate Iphigénie, with many years of travel in faraway places, including southern Vietnam. He started studying music at ripe age of 25, and was soon teaching the giants of his time: Erik Satie and Edgard Varèse. His unusual life experiences and the lack of confinement from formal music education gave him one of the most distinct voices of his time, and it’s a bit baffling why his music isn’t performed often. Well, here’s your chance to come out and hear Roussel’s work live. This mix of genuinely new, along with the familiarity of Debussy, promises a sensual evening, fit for Valentine’s day. Info here.
Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra | May the Fifth Be with You: Beethoven & Star Wars
Saturday, February 15, 3 p.m.
George Weston Hall, Meridian Arts Centre, North York, $22+
This impressive group of youngsters bring their A-game with an exciting program of John Williams’s Star Wars Suite and Beethoven’s Fifth. Proud grandparents will be busy reliving the excitement of the original Star Wars as experienced back in 1977 in the theatres, while dedicated parents will have their ears and eyes turned up to 11, witnessing these hard working musicians deliver the drama of Williams and Beethoven. Simply put, this is a celebration — a great bonding for the young musicians, and their friends of all ages, through great art and human effort in creating, and sharing art. We all will be rooting for TSYO this afternoon. So come on down, take a seat, and experience jubilant youth at its finest. Info here.
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