The Latest
By Michael Vincent on March 25, 2015
It wasn’t so long ago that the contemporary thing in music is the thing which didn't make enough of a difference to accept or reject. New music was something weird and strange – a musical anomaly merely tolerated by most of the worlds leading soloist, orchestras and arts presenters. But I think people have realized now that all music is contemporary, if it's alive. If it were not alive, then what would be the point?...
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By Michael Vincent on March 24, 2015
This is how Toronto Pearson International Airport handles 'Fragile' equipment...
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By Michael Vincent on March 24, 2015
We just received word that German contralto Maria Radner along with her husband and baby, were among the 150 victims of the plane crash in the French Alps...
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By Michael Vincent on March 24, 2015
After making his debut at the age of seventeen with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Burashko has become a fixture of the Canadian music scene. He has performed with nearly every major Canadian orchestra, and has become a favorite with conductors such as Marin Alsop, Andrew Davis, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, and Pinchas Zukerman and many others...
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By Lev Bratishenko on March 23, 2015
The Ladies' Morning Musical Club is the most civilized thing you can do in Montreal on a Sunday afternoon. They’ve been in continuous operation since 1892 and I have no doubt they’ll find a way to keep putting on concerts through the coming ecological apocalypse. Perhaps they will sell distilled water...
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By Michael Vincent on March 23, 2015
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.
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By Ludwig Van on March 20, 2015
This year we've seen a big increase in professional musicians using iPads to store and read their sheet music on stage. It is a very convenient option and we can see why so many musicians are adopting it. There are a number of peripheral devises available to enable page turns, but AirTurn has just released a super-cool, Bluetooth PED that allows you to control your iPad with your feet. It's small, slim and stealth, and is perfect for the travelling musician...
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By Joseph So on March 19, 2015
Since its premiere on December 17th 1864, Offenbach’s La belle Helene has remained one of the most popular of French operettas. It’s easy to see why – a piece that takes place in mythical Greece, with larger than life characters caught in improbable situations, set to an inspired score full of memorable tunes. For a work that celebrated its 150th anniversary last December, its hold on the public remains strong...
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By Michael Vincent on March 19, 2015
This has so be one of the best versions of Rossini's Duetto buffo di due gatti we have ever heard. A popular encore, the "lyrics" consist entirely of the repeated word "meow". The boys are members of “Les Petits Chanteurs a la Croix de Bois (PCCB)” in Paris and take the humorous meow meow song it to a whole new level...
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By Paul E. Robinson on March 19, 2015
These performances were recorded live during the Pull Out All the Stops Festival launching the refurbished Royal Festival Hall organ, fully operational again for the first time since 2005. The organ sounds terrific and the performances are first-rate...
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