The Latest
By Michael Vincent on January 9, 2015
Meet Neil Harbisson, a 31 year old colour blind artist from Camden, London who suffers from achromatopsia, a rare condition which means he can only see in black and white. He claims he can now 'hear' colours after having an 'eyeborg' antenna implanted into his skull. After wearing the "electronic eye" for over 10 years, the he uses it to picks up colour frequencies through a camera and transforms them into sound vibrations.
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By Tyler Versluis on January 8, 2015
January starts off slow with contemporary music features, but by the end of the month we’re rolling with a handful of exciting experiences. January’s concert recommendations include orchestra concerts, intimate solo recitals, an amassing army of flutes, and Cellophone(?!)...
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By Paul E. Robinson on January 8, 2015
Andris Nelsons is only 36 but already he has emerged as one of the leading conductors of his generation. After an extensive search he was chosen to head the Boston Symphony, one of the world’s finest orchestras. He recently concluded his tenure as music director of the City of Birmingham Orchestra – Simon Rattle’s old band until he went to Berlin – and he is in demand at the Met and virtually all the leading orchestras in the world. This new DVD finds him on the podium in front of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and this remarkable orchestra has never sounded better...
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By Michael Vincent on January 7, 2015
Rock icon Courtney Love has been cast as the star of Todd Almond's Kansas City Choir Boy, an experimental opera staged by the Prototype Festival at the Manhattan Arts Centre on January 8...
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By Neil Crory on January 7, 2015
Early this past year, a new CD release on the Naïve label arrived in my mail. Glancing at the title - Arias for Caffarelli [sung by] Franco Fagioli - I reacted with as much enthusiasm as I could muster, "Good god! Not another countertenor!" And with that, I tossed it, unceremoniously, into a box overflowing with CDs to be auditioned...at a much later date...
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By Michael Vincent on January 6, 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 Michael Vincent on January 5, 2015
On 30 December 2014, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) released the long-awaited final administrative rule which fully implements Section 403 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2012 – the law authorizing musical instruments as carry-on baggage onboard US air carriers...
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By Michael Vincent on January 5, 2015
(via) This beautiful film is perfect timing for Ontario's outdoor skating season. If this doesn't make you want to dust off your skates, and join the many festive skates across the GTA, I don't know what will. The film is set toRudy Wiedoef's Valse Vanité played by Arno Bornkamp and Ivo Janssen.
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By Jenna Douglas on January 5, 2015
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By Paul E. Robinson on January 2, 2015
Music-lovers fortunate enough to have got a ticket for the recital given by Argerich and Barenboim in Berlin this past April must still be smiling ear to ear. This was truly a historic occasion and one of the great musical events of anybody’s lifetime. Argerich is 73 and Barenboim is 72 and each of them has long since been established as one of the foremost performers of their generation. And on the evidence of this recording their artistry has never been better...
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