{"id":9868,"date":"2013-02-18T10:16:35","date_gmt":"2013-02-18T15:16:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=9868"},"modified":"2013-02-18T10:16:35","modified_gmt":"2013-02-18T15:16:35","slug":"critics-picks-toronto-concerts-for-february-18-to-24","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2013\/02\/18\/critics-picks-toronto-concerts-for-february-18-to-24\/","title":{"rendered":"Critic\u2019s picks: Toronto concerts for February 18 to 24"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_9871\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9871\" style=\"width: 864px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/ling.jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9871\" alt=\"Dancer Sean Ling and pianist John Kameel Farah are part of a free lunchtime performance on Tuesday (John Lauener photo).\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/ling.jpeg\" width=\"864\" height=\"658\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/ling.jpeg 864w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/ling-300x228.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9871\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dancer Sean Ling and pianist John Kameel Farah are part of a free lunchtime performance on Tuesday (John Lauener photo).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>TUESDAY<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pianist John Kameel Farah with Peggy Baker Dance Projects at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, noon. Free.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Four pieces played on the piano by John Kameel Farah and choreographed by Peggy Baker are worth a standing-room-only lunchtime at the Four Seasons Centre. Three of the dances are solos, starting with an improvisation on the part of both dancer Sahara Morimoto and pianist. Newer musical works are by John Cage and Michael J. Baker. The programme ends with a five-dancer ensemble piece set to a <em>Pr\u00e9lude<\/em> by Alexander Scriabin.<\/p>\n<p><strong>WEDNESDAY<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Organist John Paul Farahat at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 12:30 p.m. Free.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Farahat, a graduate student at University of Toronto and organist at St Basil&#8217;s Church at St Michael&#8217;s College, should have some fun on the massive 1928 Casavant organ at this cavernous church, making for a nice midday break if you&#8217;re in the neighbourhood.<\/p>\n<p><strong>THURSDAY<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio at the Richard Bradshaw Amphotheatre, noon. Free.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Pianists Jenna Douglas and Timothy Cheung accompany members of the Ensemble Studio in a concert of late-Romantic treats. There are bonbons by Johannes Brahms, Hugo Wolf and Erich Korngold woven into a Richard Strauss-heavy programme. The event ends with bass-baritone Neil Craighead singing an ode to music, steadfast love and a life well lived, &#8220;Wie sch\u00f6n ist doch die Musik,&#8221; from <em>Die Schweigsame Frau<\/em> by Strauss. You&#8217;ll find the full programme details <a href=\"http:\/\/the-coc.s3.amazonaws.com\/pdfs\/concert130221.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Listen to &#8220;Wie sch\u00f6n,&#8221; as sung by Thomas Quasthoff shortly before he retired, at a Vienna State Opera gala (the conductor is Peter Schneider):<\/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\/7vZFAlFT1BA?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><strong>THURSDAY TO SUNDAY<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Tafelmusik presents Mozart&#8217;s <em>Requiem<\/em> at Koerner Hall, 8 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Sun.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The period-instrument orchestra and chamber choir team up under conductor Ivars Taurins for a rich programme. Mozart&#8217;s <em>Requiem<\/em> doesn&#8217;t fill a whole evening, so Taurins has added mid-18th century fare by Bach children Johann Christoph and Carl Philipp Emanuel, as well as two Mozart updates of J.S. Bach fugues. The excellent quartet of soloists is soprano Nathalie Paulin, mezzo Laura Pudwell, tenor Lawrence Wiliford and baritone Nathaniel Watson. You&#8217;ll find all the details <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tafelmusik.org\/concert-calendar\/concert\/mozart-requiem-almost-sold-out\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>FRIDAY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s one of those unbalanced weeks where several great concert choices fall on one night. Here are but three choices among several more that should satisfy the heart of people looking for intimate musical experiences:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Via Salzburg<\/strong> at Rosedale United Church, 8 p.m. You can expect a lot of polish here, as well a cross-cultural flourish in a programme that includes <em>Two Sketches for String Quartet<\/em> by Sir Ernest MacMillan, a great figure from Toronto&#8217;s musical history, and a wonderful late string quintet (G minor, K516) by Mozart. The organization is also premiering a new work by Jim Hiscott for dizi, the Chinese flute, featuring soloist Xiao Nan. You&#8217;ll find the details <a href=\"http:\/\/www.viasalzburg.com\/?page_id=592\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ton Beau String Quartet<\/strong> at Gallery 345, 8 p.m. This three-year-old ensemble continues its first official season of concerts with three masterworks: The Op. 13 <em>String Quartet<\/em> by Felix Mendelssohn, the <em>&#8220;Kreutzer Sonata&#8221; String Quartet<\/em> by Leos Jan\u00e1cek and, with the help of pianist Emily Rho, Antonin Dvor\u00e1k&#8217;s <em>Piano Quintet<\/em>. Regular admission is but $20. Details <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gallery345.com\/performances.php\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Pianist <strong>Gabriela Martinez<\/strong> at the Glenn Gould Studio, 8 p.m. This New York City-based Venezuelan has a wonderfully elegant way with the keyboard. She&#8217;s presenting a rich and unusual programme in her Toronto d\u00e9but. I&#8217;ll have more on this later in the week. Recital details <a href=\"http:\/\/roythomson.com\/eventdetail\/1286\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>SATURDAY<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9876\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9876\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/shen.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9876\" alt=\"shen\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/shen.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/shen.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/shen-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9876\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wesley Shen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Emergents IV at the Music Gallery, 8 p.m.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In its Emergents series, the Music Gallery tries to curate programmes with broad appeal featuring younger performers. This particular concert brings together two very different sensibilities.<\/p>\n<p>The evening opens with pianist Wesley Shen and bassoonist Michael Macaulay. In duo they present Jean Fan\u00e7aix&#8217;s late <em>Deux pi\u00e8ces<\/em> as well as a sonata by 20something composer Raphael Fusco. Shen is also playing excerpts from Ann Southam&#8217;s remarkable piano-solo work, <em>Glass Houses<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The rest of the concert is given over to Shannon Graham and her nine instrumental conspirators known as the Storytellers, an ensemble that refuses to recognize borders between art music, jazz and pop.<\/p>\n<p>You can&#8217;t go wrong for $10. You&#8217;ll find all the details <a href=\"http:\/\/www.musicgallery.org\/eachevent.php?event_id=78\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SUNDAY<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jackson-de Margerie Duo with clarinetist Yao Guang Zhai at Gallery 345, 3 p.m.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9878\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9878\" style=\"width: 208px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/yao.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9878\" alt=\"Yao Guang Zhai\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/yao.jpg\" width=\"208\" height=\"399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/yao.jpg 208w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/yao-156x300.jpg 156w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 208px) 100vw, 208px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9878\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yao Guang Zhai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Toronto Symphony Orchestra&#8217;s phenomenal young associate principal clariet Yao Guang Zhai joins his orchestral colleague, bassonist Fraser Jackson, and Toronto collaborative pianist Monique de Margerie in an wildly eclectic programme that ranges from George Frideric Handel to Astor Piazzolla to the premiere of a new suite by clarinetist-composer Martin Van de Ven. You&#8217;ll find the details <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gallery345.com\/performances.php\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>John Terauds<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TUESDAY Pianist John Kameel Farah with Peggy Baker Dance Projects at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, noon. Free. Four pieces played on the piano by John Kameel Farah and choreographed by Peggy Baker are worth a standing-room-only lunchtime at the Four Seasons Centre. Three of the dances are solos, starting with an improvisation on the part [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9871,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3,10,11,76,19,20,36,38,44,47,57,60,63,1,70,71],"tags":[6451,6455,1262,2287,2809,3223,3333,6474,3469],"yst_prominent_words":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2013\/02\/ling.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-2za","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9868"}],"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\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9868"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9868\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9868"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=9868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}