RCM’s Mervon Mehta explains the complexities of programming today’s media-savvy classical music performers

Christianson is bringing a textbook virtuoso recital programme to Metropolitan United Church next Friday, featuring the great French masters César Franck, Charles-Marie Widor, Louis Vierne and Jean Langlais alongside J.S. Bach and contemporary American composers Ad Wammes and Carson Cooman.

An old mechanical wall clock in the adjoining room chimes six-o’clock, prompting Bruce Ubukata to exclaim how the timepiece came from the home of Joan Cross, the woman who originated the role of Ellen Orford in Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, in 1945.

Dinnerstein talks to NPR host Tom Huizinga about Cohen, Suzanne and the new solo piano work, and plays it here.

Gould is like fresh cheese in a mousetrap to anyone with even a passing interest in music, the spoken word, the nature of genius and the making of an icon.

Last week I had the chance to chat with Douglas about this year’s festival line-up. Calling from my home near Burlington, there was an early summer thunderstorm on my end. On his end in Toronto, he reported it sunny, without a cloud in the sky. By the end of the phone call, it was sunny on my end, and raining on his end. Go figure.

The event was hosted by RBC Affiliate Composer Kevin Lau, and included composers John Adams, Daniel Bjarnason, Zosha Di Castri, and Brian Current, whose works are currently being featured at this year’s New Creations Festival.

Five musicians from the Toronto area converge to celebrate their common passion, in spite of their disparate life journeys.

During a recent post-rehearsal breather, Leonard and I talked about how mezzos frequently find themselves singing male charactetrs — known as trouser roles. These roles cover the full gamut of types, and that’s before each director put their own spin on the situation and its characters.

Two years ago, at the ripe age of 28, Plewniak was beginning to tire of the freelance musician’s life, criss-crossing Europe with different period-performance ensembles. So he created his own: Il giardino d’amore (the garden of love).