LISZTS | 15 Of The Best Insults By Composers

By Ludwig Van on November 27, 2014

Be warned, fair reader: your favourite composer may be on either the giving or the receiving end of these jabs!

THE VOICE | Canadian Opera Company Competition Crowns Three Kings

By Neil Crory on November 26, 2014

I can't recall ever attending a vocal competition in which the men took home all the medals: bronze, silver and gold. Those cunning little sopranos and mezzos always seem to find ways to endear themselves into the hearts of jury and audience members, don't they? That is until last evening for the final round of the Second Annual Canadian Opera Company's Centre Stage Ensemble Studio Competition Gala at the Four Season's Centre.

CD REVIEW | Poor Accoustics Thwart Recording of Philadelphia Orchestra/Yannick Nezet-Seguin

By Paul E. Robinson on November 26, 2014

In the spring of 2012 the Philadelphia Orchestra presented a “Stokowski Celebration” in the orchestra’s old home, the Academy of Music. The programs consisted of music associated with Stokowski, the longtime music director of the orchestra, and there was a well-curated display of Stokowski memorabilia in the lobby and on the orchestra’s website. Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducted all the concerts and in one remarkable moment Stokowski “passed” the baton to Yannick by means of lifelike holograms on either side of the proscenium. A year later Yannick made his first recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra and it included several of the works played at the Stokowski Celebration.

CRITIC’S PICKS | 10 Musical Outings You Absolutely Must Do This Week

By Michael Vincent on November 25, 2014

Musical Toronto’s weekly Critic’s Picks are a fully curated list of some of the best concerts happening now through the end of the week. Of course this is not to say we are the provocateurs of taste, but simply seek to provide a good weekly summary. For a look at the full breadth of what’s available in and around Toronto, check out the comprehensive concert listings from our friends at Wholenote Magazine.

THE VOICE | Isabel Bayrakdarian: "As a bird, I no longer like sitting on top of the tree"

By Neil Crory on November 25, 2014

THE SCOOP | Montreal International Musical Competition Lands Deborah Voigt

By Michael Vincent on November 24, 2014

Announced today, the jury members will include be David Agler (Canada); conductor Richard Bonynge (Australia); opera administrator and artistic consultant Brian Dickie (England); tenor Ben Heppner (Canada); baritone Wolfgang Holzmair (Austria); mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne (United States); bass Joseph Rouleau (Canada); mezzo-soprano Birgitta Svendén (Sweden) and soprano Deborah Voigt (United States).

SCRUTINY | Violin Spitfire Eclipses Protégées at Roy Thomson Hall

By Michael Vincent on November 24, 2014

What do you get when you combine one of the world’s great violin virtuosos with a string orchestra of young green hopefuls? A masterclass for certain, but how on earth were they going to keep up? Since 1997, Anne-Sophie Mutter has been dedicated to fostering the Mutter Virtuosi, a small string orchestra formed as a way to give real-world performance experience to young hand picked players from the Mutter Foundation. Guided by Ms. Mutter, the idea is to give them a taste of what it means to tour, and perform in some of the world’s finest concert halls.

ROUNDUP | Ten Posts You May Have Missed This Week

By Michael Vincent on November 23, 2014

COFFEE BREAK | How to Make a Clarinet With Just a Drill and a Carrot

By Michael Vincent on November 23, 2014

Linsey Pollak believes all it takes to create music is a bit of ingenuity. People laughed at him. "This is a joke right?" But after you hear the result, everyone is left speechless.

THE SCOOP | Talisker Players Officially Join the Bloor St. Culture Corridor

By Michael Vincent on November 21, 2014

Anyone familiar with the 1.6 kilometres stretch between Bathurst and Bay Street, knows it is one of Toronto’s most important cultural hubs. With thousands of concerts a year, the area houses a large number of the cities cultural gems. The Bloor St. Culture Corridor, was first inaugurated by the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Director of Marketing, Performing Arts Heather Kelly, as a way to pool resources between the many world-class arts presenters lining the Bloor St. area.