The Latest
By Member on January 2, 2015
2014/15 marks the 31st season of the Oakville Chamber Orchestra, originally known as the Oakville Chamber Ensemble. Founded in 1984 as a group of amateur string players, this musical group has steadily grown in size, aspirations and quality into its current form. The core of the orchestra is that of string players, with professional section leaders, augmented by wind, brass and percussion players, allowing for the presentation of a large musical repertoire by masters of all periods. While the number of musicians changes according to the needs of the music performed, the basic raison d’être remains as amateur musicians presenting the music they love in a smaller, more intimate chamber setting....
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By Robin Roger on December 22, 2014
My inner curmudgeon was pleasantly affirmed by Michael Vincent’s November 27th post on Composer insults. Nice to know that those demigods who have created the sounds that express our highest aspirations, tender sensitivities, and most profound perceptions are capable of being petty, envious, competitive and begrudging. Yet for me, there was a simultaneous dissonance (pun intended) because of attending a recent monthly gathering of Toronto composers called The Toronto Ravel.
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By Michael Vincent on December 21, 2014
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By Member on December 21, 2014
Youth Opera Labs (YOL) are FREE events for teens and young adults ages 16 to 24 that happen five times in the opera season and include: an interactive workshop; a Q&A with an opera professional; an exclusive glimpse of the first rehearsal of cast, crew and orchestra; a pair of free tickets to attend the BMO Financial Group Student Dress Rehearsal of the opera...
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By Ludwig Van on December 19, 2014
As the holidays are quickly approaching, we’d like to say a big thank you to all our readers for your support. We wish you a wonderful and safe holiday season, full of family, friends, and music!
Seasons greetings and fair winds in the new year!
Musical Toronto
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By Paul E. Robinson on December 19, 2014
Just a few weeks ago, I was standing in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg admiring its vast holdings of mostly European art, pondering the vision of the great Eighteenth Century tsaritsas, especially Catherine the Great (1729-96) who made it all possible. Now comes this imaginative CD researched and performed by mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, celebrating the music from this period. I was primed and ready, you might say, to enjoy this new release and it didn’t disappoint me...
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By Robert Harris on December 18, 2014
The rapid unraveling of Orchestra London continued Thursday as London City Council refused to advance the beleaguered organization any additional funds to cover their rapidly deteriorating financial situation. With a gallery packed with students, members of the Orchestra and the general public, Mayor Matt Brown said “it is a tough decision to say no (to the orchestra), but we need to hit the re-set button”
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By Michael Vincent on December 18, 2014
Like tree-lighting ceremonies, Santa Claus parades and yuletide office parties, George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” is, for many, a tradition without which Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir have always delivered the most popular Messiahs in town, but they differ widely...
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By Michael Vincent on December 18, 2014
Maestro Nurhan Arman is the founding music director of Sinfonia Toronto - one of Canada's finest chamber orchestras made up of a core of 13 string players. The Armenian-born maestro has a busy career conducting throughout Europe and North America, as also has taught conducting, locally at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Arman has collaborated with André Laplante, Alexander Ghindin, Maria Kliegel, Measha Bruegergosman, Anton Kuerti, Janina Fialkowska, Lara St. John, Yuli Turovsky, Andrea Bacchetti, and many others. Here's what he had to say...
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By Michael Vincent on December 17, 2014
What's better than Monks undergoing a vow of silence singing Handel's Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah with cue cards? Bravissimo!
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