The concert hall, with its formality and amosphere, adds a kind of glamorous sheen to the classical music experience. But, it’s not the only way to enjoy it.
Toronto’s music scene is full of smaller, independent ventures that offer classical music and opera in alternative venues, and with a different perspective.
We talked to a couple of the organizers about what’s on offer.
Chamber Café
Sunday morning, a cup of java or a beverage of choice, an intimate crowd in a private home, and chamber music. What could be more congenial?
Chamber Café is a concert series presented by Canzona Chamber Players, an organization that’s been offering classical and jazz chamber concerts for two decades.
The concerts take place in a private home on a leafy street in Rosedale.
Hungarian-born violinist Csaba Koczó, both performer and organizer, is a busy soloist and chamber musician, and an instructor at the Royal Conservatory’s Oscar Peterson School of Music. He’s a founding member of the Tokai String Quartet, which has won both a Dora Award and the Banff International String Quartet Competition. Today, Csaba performs with the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra and National Ballet of Canada Orchestra.
“The inspiration originally came from our summers that we spend in Santa Fe,” Koczó explains. He’d visit with his wife and friends, and he began to attend Sunday morning concerts by the Chatter Ensemble at a local café. “It’s very successful there. It happens every Sunday.”
He liked the way the combination of the setting and the music created a real sense of community.
“Sundays, traditionally, is a time to reflect,” he says. “All those values brought to the power of live music, it seems to have really taken off.”
Csaba began talking to other musicians who reacted with a lot of enthusiasm for the concept. Along with music and coffee, there are typically a few baked goodies like croissants from a neighbourhood bakery to add to the experience.
It’s a way to have conversations about the music and more, and meet likeminded people. A friendly link to the Canzona Chamber Players provided the setting for the concerts. “He loved the idea of doing something like this.”
As Csaba points out, it’s actually taking chamber music back to its roots. “It’s chamber music for a reason.”
The warmer, intimate atmosphere can also be a balm for our troubled times. “I just feel like we’re all getting isolated with our troubles and worries,” he adds. “It’s never a bad time to get people to come out and try something new.”
While Csaba’s immediate goals are modest and on a small scale, he’s hoping the idea will catch on.
The next concert on the morning of May 18 features string sextet repertoire performed by Yolanda Bruno, Csaba Koczó, Theresa Rudolph, Caitlin Boyle, Rachel Mercer and Rachel Desoer.
Koczó says the Tokai Quartet will be reuniting this summer, and may end up on the schedule at Chamber Café.
“As a performer, some of my best experiences have been at house concerts,” Csaba says. “It’s what chamber music is about.”
- Find more details about upcoming concerts, and reserve your spot, [HERE].
One-Of-A-Kind Concerts
One-Of-A-Kind Concerts is the brainchild of Maya K. Vasserman, a pianist, educator and producer (among other things). “My main thing is being a pianist and educator,” she says. Maya’s teaching studio includes upwards of 50 students, and she’s been involved with many educational projects over the years with a view to exposing more kids to Western art music.
“I had this idea to do a bigger project with an orchestra.”
As she points out, classical music concerts for children are few and far between, and those that are offered, aren’t always for everyone. “It’s not accessible and affordable,” she says.
She began with a house concert series. “I’ve been doing a concert series in my house in Thornhill,” Maya explains. “I call it a Music Salon.” It allows for about 50 or 60 guests, she reports, and the opportunity to talk as well as play. On one occasion, at a concert with a Baroque theme, there were discussions about period fashions and costumes, for example. There are wine and refreshments, and she adds home decorations that relate to the music. “We did an amazing event for children recently,” she says. The concert had a winter theme, with music from The Nutcracker, among others.
“It’s definitely an experience.”
For the next concert, Vasserman is scaling it up with a performance at Lawrence Park Community Church, a larger venue, on the evening of May 18. Titled Piazzolla and Tango, the program features a focus on Argentinian tango, with dancers to add to the appeal.
“The music is so beautiful. I experience a whole range of emotions every time I play it,” she says.
The concert is not only kid-friendly, a few of the performers are also students aged 12 to 14.
“We include three young musicians playing saxophone and piano.”
The program includes music by Astor Piazzolla:
- Oblivion, with Alyson Guan (piano), and dancers Tatiana & Lisandro Gomez
- Café 1930, with Catherine Sulem (violin), and Alina Grunina (guitar)
- Fuga y Misterio with Boris Thlobushevsky (piano)
- Libertango with Michelle Vasserman (saxophone), and Maya K. Vasserman (piano)
- Suite del Ángel: Milonga del Ángel with Sophie Wang (piano), and dancers Tatiana & Lisandro Gomez
- Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas, or The Four Seasons Of Buenos Aires: Spring (Primavera); Summer (Verano); Autumn (Otoño); Winter (Invierno), with Catherine Sulem (violin), Janusz Borowiec (cello), and Maya K. Vasserman (piano)
Find tickets and more information for the May 18 performance [HERE].
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