{"id":51572,"date":"2018-03-10T13:33:30","date_gmt":"2018-03-10T18:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=51572"},"modified":"2018-03-10T13:33:30","modified_gmt":"2018-03-10T18:33:30","slug":"the-scoop-womens-musical-club-of-toronto-launch-a-sterling-2018-19-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2018\/03\/10\/the-scoop-womens-musical-club-of-toronto-launch-a-sterling-2018-19-season\/","title":{"rendered":"THE SCOOP | Women\u2019s Musical Club of Toronto Launch A Sterling 2018-19 Season"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_51577\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-51577\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-51577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/03\/group-di-and-si-2.jpg\" alt=\"President Diane Martello, Raphael Wallfisch, Hagai Shaham, Amon Erez and Artistic Director Simon Fryer (Photo courtesy of WMCT)\" width=\"1024\" height=\"760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/03\/group-di-and-si-2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/03\/group-di-and-si-2-300x223.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/03\/group-di-and-si-2-768x570.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-51577\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">President Diane Martello, Raphael Wallfisch, Hagai Shaham, Amon Erez and Artistic Director Simon Fryer (Photo courtesy of WMCT)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s that time of year again!\u00a0 While March 8 isn\u2019t quite spring\u00a0yet, calendrically speaking, the venerable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/directory\/womens-musical-club-of-toronto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Women\u2019s Musical Club of Toronto<\/a> (WMCT) uses their first concert of each year to announce their lineup the following season, as well as the recipient of its $20,000 Career Development Award. On this occasion, the announcement was followed by a recital by the UK based Elias String Quartet.<\/p>\n<p>The 2018-19 season opens on October 4 with the <strong>Poulenc Trio<\/strong>, in its Toronto Debut. This American chamber ensemble, made up of a rather unusual combination of oboe, bassoon and piano, is said to be one of the most extensive touring troupes in the world, having performed in 45 states and many music festivals worldwide. It has a highly eclectic repertoire, with a strong focus on contemporary works. Here\u2019s an interesting video interview of the Trio:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_afa1-zWufM?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>The annual vocal concert this season takes place on November 8, given by the fast-rising Dutch baritone <strong>Thomas Oliemans<\/strong> in a highly innovative program of combining a Brahms and a Schumann song cycle!\u00a0 Such thoughtful programming, common in venues the likes of Wigmore or Carnegie, is quite rare in Toronto. The collaborative pianist is <strong>Malcolm Martineau<\/strong>, one of the very best in the business. Here\u2019s the two of them in a Schubert\u2019s <em>Die sch<\/em><em>\u00f6ne M<\/em><em>\u00fcllerin:<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U3tL6bd0oek?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;start=1288&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>The third concert (Feb. 28, 2019) is Canadian double-bass <strong>Joel Quarrington<\/strong> with his friends, ie. Pianist <strong>David Jalbert<\/strong>, violinist <strong>Yehonatan Berick<\/strong>, violist <strong>Jethro Marks<\/strong>, and cellists <strong>Carole Sirois<\/strong>. On the program is a new WMCT commission from composer-conductor Bramwell Tovey.<\/p>\n<p>This is followed the Toronto debut of Georgian pianist <strong>Mariam Batsashvili<\/strong>, winner of the 10<sup>th<\/sup> Liszt International Piano Competition in Utrecht. No program information available at this time, but you can be sure that any winner of a Liszt competition is in possession of a stupendous technique and fine artistry! Here she is playing <em>La campanella<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Y-HlbrLwdpA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>The final concert of the season (May 2, 2019) features <strong>Rolston String Quartet<\/strong>. Named after Thomas Rolston, a long-time director of the Banff Centre, the Rolston won First Prize at Banff\u2019s String Quartet Competition as well as many other important competitions. This ensemble is current in residence at Yale. Here they are, playing Leos Janacek\u2019s String Quartet No. 2, \u201cIntimate Letters\u201d which was also on the program in the Elias String Quartet recital later.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FoFVWr3FcB0?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;start=1085&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>It was also announced that the 2018 winner of the WMCT Career Development Award, with its generous $20,000, is the immensely talented 23-year old Toronto violinist <strong>Blake Pouliot<\/strong>.\u00a0 Mr. Pouliot was in Los Angeles for an engagement and wasn\u2019t able to be at Walter Hall. He plays on the <em>1729 Guarneri del Gesu<\/em>, on loan from the instrument bank of Canada Council, valued at $5.5 million. He will appear with WMCT in its 2019-20 season. Here\u2019s the video shown at the announcement, of Mr. Pouliot playing the divine \u201cEstrellita\u201d by Mexican composer Manuel Ponce.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EYMfaRBTWOw?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>The exciting season announcement was followed by a recital of the UK-based <strong>Elias String Quartet<\/strong>, in a program of Schubert, Jan\u00e1cek and Beethoven. Due to an injury, violist Marvin Saving was unable to join in their current North American tour.\u00a0 He is replaced by violist Simone van der Giessen. The recital opened with a lovely performance of 8-minute <em>Quartettsatz in C Minor<\/em> by Schubert. It was played with uncommon technical precision, not to mention the requisite musicality, in particular a singing tone, so important in this happy piece of music.<\/p>\n<p>This was followed by Leos Jan\u00e1cek\u2019s <em>String Quartet No. 2 \u201cIntimate Letters.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Cellist Marie Bittloch spoke to the audience about the genesis of this work, which involved the 62-year old composer\u2019s infatuation with Kamila St\u00f6sslov\u00e1, at 26 a much younger woman. It appears his love was unrequited.\u00a0 Jan\u00e1cek\u2019s feelings for her is revealed in a series of love letters, a few snippets read by Bittloch to the audience. Composed around the same time as his opera, <em>Jenufa<\/em>, you can really hear echoes of it and his other works, in his unique harmonic language and his trademark, repeated little figurations so often used in his orchestration.<\/p>\n<p>The recital concluded with Beethoven\u2019s quietly lyrical and refined <em>String Quartet No. 12<\/em>. After the modernist Janacek, it\u2019s an interesting contrast to return to a much more traditional piece, played with a\u00a0beautifully singing tone. I\u2019ve always been impressed by the knowledgeable WMCT audience, one that you can count on never applauding prematurely.\u00a0 Well, not on this occasion I guess!\u00a0 After a particularly vivid rendition of the <em>Scherzo<\/em>, a few in the audience got carried away. The piece ended with a happy and lively Allegro that lifts the spirit. The audience gave the Elias Quartet generously warm ovations, and they rewarded the virtually full Walter Hall with an encore. I\u2019m afraid I don\u2019t know the exact name of the piece.\u00a0 Violinist Donald Grant announced to the audience that it\u2019s something from the Scottish Highlands. Mr. Grant, who is from the Scottish Highlands himself, played the folksong-like solo exquisitely, a fine end to a marvellous concert.<\/p>\n<p>For more information of WMCT, go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wmct.on.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.wmct.on.ca<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b><i>LUDWIG VAN TORONTO<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Women\u2019s Musical Club of Toronto 2018\/19 season launch event entices with the promise of the Poulenc Trio, Thomas Oliemans, Mariam Batsashvili, Joel Quarrington, Rolston String Quartet, and Blake Pouliot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":51577,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[14761,39,63],"tags":[17153,3609],"yst_prominent_words":[17646,17640,7200,17648,10328,17647,17642,17639,17641,17645,6804,17643,7552,17644,10907,7677,6741,11237,9299,11763],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/03\/group-di-and-si-2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-dpO","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51572"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51572"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51572\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51578,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51572\/revisions\/51578"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51572"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=51572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}