LSM Newswire

Honens announces 2009 Winners

2009-11-07T10:10:00.000-05:00

media release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Honens International Piano Competition announces Laureates and prizewinners

CALGARY, AB, November 6, 2009 – William Aide, Chairman of the Honens Jury, announced tonight the Laureates and prizewinners of the Sixth Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary. First Laureate is Georgy Tchaidze, 21, (Russia), Second Laureate is Evgeny Starodubtsev, 27, (Russia), and Third Laureate is Gilles Vonsattel, 28, (Switzerland).

“The outstanding concerto performances by the Honens finalists have made the jury’s decision all the more difficult,” says Aide. “Our three Laureates demonstrate the artistic conviction Honens seeks in its search for the ‘Complete Artist’.”

In addition to more than $100,000 CAN in cash prizes, Honens awards its three Competition Laureates one of the competition world’s most lucrative career development prizes valued at more than $500,000. This three-year program, which prepares the laureates for the rigours and realities of a professional music career, includes international engagements, presentation of debuts in essential career-building markets, production of recordings, residencies at The Banff Centre, media training, networking opportunities with presenters and artist managers, and mentoring and coaching. The program is customized to each laureate’s needs, regardless of Competition ranking.

During the Awards Ceremony, Nexen Inc. announced it would again be the Presenting Sponsor of the Seventh Honens International Piano Competition, October 18 to November 3, 2012.

Honens International Piano Competition is among the world’s most prestigious events of its kind. It searches the world to discover “Complete Artists” – 21^st century musicians for 21^stcentury audiences. The Sixth International Piano Competition, was presented by Nexen Inc., and supported by Steinway & Sons, Irene Besse Keyboards Ltd, Macleod Dixon LLP, TransAlta and Enbridge Inc. For more information visit honens.com.

Los Angeles Music Academy College of Music Launches Condensed Music Program LAMA Jams Private Lessons and Band Workshops For Students of All Ages and

2009-11-05T17:33:00.001-05:00

Pasadena, CA – October 21, 2009 – LA Music Academy College of Music (http://www.lamusicacademy.edu) today announced its creation of LAMA Jams (http://www.lamajams.com), a music program serving guitar, bass, drum, vocals, keyboard, brass and woodwinds students. Ongoing weekly private lessons coincide with band workshops where students create and perform original music or cover songs. LA Music Academy, founded in 1996 by professional musicians and recording studio greats, is known worldwide for offering the best and most relevant education in a small boutique environment.

"LAMA Jams focuses on private lessons and band workshops. Whether you want to learn rock, pop, hip-hop, funk, R&B, jazz, neo-soul or classical, this is the right program for you," says Tom Aylesbury, President of LA Music Academy. "Students can opt for lessons, workshops or both. The workshop sessions run for seven weeks followed by a final concert during the eighth. Private lessons are ongoing and taught at the Academy or in your home (an additional charge applies)."
All ages are welcome to join the program, however, Aylesbury says if musicians are nine-years-old or younger, they should contact the school to inquire about availability. "Following an assessment, a personalized private instruction program is developed to fit each student's individual needs and aspirations. Students may choose either 45 minute or one hour private lessons, in either a one-on-one format or small group setting." Aylesbury says LA Music Academy's highly qualified instructors are all professional musicians; most are graduates of the nationally accredited LA Music Academy, which in 2009 began offering Associate of Arts Degrees in Music Performance.

Workshop students are placed in bands according to ability. Bands will play cover songs or write original songs in any style. Weekly rehearsals are 45 minutes each, held over the course of seven weeks. At the end of each session, bands will record their songs and perform a concert. Students who are enrolled in the private lessons receive discounted pricing for the band workshops.
In addition to required books, students enrolling in private lessons need to bring the following:
• Drummers: Sticks and Practice Pad  • Guitarists / Bassists: Instrument, Cable & Tuner • Vocalists: A Recording Device if desired • Brass and Woodwind players: Instrument
LA Music Academy will supply drum sets, cymbals, pedals, amps and keyboards.
Private lessons are ongoing year round and monthly payment is due one month in advance. Lessons with student and teacher only are $60 for one hour or $45 for 45 minutes. Lessons at students' homes are $7o for one hour or $55 for 45 minutes, within a 10 mile radius of Pasadena. Group lessons (three-five students) are $30 per student for one hour. Payment for band workshops is due prior to the start of the session. Each session is $400, but only $325 if the student is already enrolled in private lessons.

For more information about LA Music Academy, visit http://www.lamajams.com. Contact Iris Alba in admissions at 626-568-8850 or email iris@lamusicacademy.edu. LA Music Academy is located at 370 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105.

Join LA Music Academy's social networks as a follower on twitter: @LAmusicacademy; Facebook fans: www.facebook.com/LAmusicacademy.

About LA Music Academy 

LA Music Academy in Pasadena, a suburb of Los Angeles, CA, offers an intimate and friendly, yet serious and rigorous contemporary music education to male and female students 18 and over through its vocal, drum, bass and guitar programs. Founded in 1996, the Academy is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and has provided a solid musical foundation for more than 1,000 international and domestic students. LA Music Academy's 35 instructors immerse students in practical courses. The Academy offers a significant number of real world playing situations with professional musicians, not just peers, setting the school apart from other prestigious music institutions. LA Music Academy gives its students the skills necessary to apply their learning in a wide variety of professional situations in the music industry. 

Libres comme l’art 2009-2010 : 2 500 jeunes Montréalais profiteront des projets de résidence de création en collaboration avec le milieu scolaire

2009-11-05T17:24:00.000-05:00

Montréal, le 21 octobre 2009 – Le Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM), la Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal (CRÉ) et le Programme de soutien à l’école montréalaise du ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) présentent, aujourd’hui, les projets sélectionnés dans le cadre de la 1re année de Libres comme l’art, un programme triennal de résidence de création en collaboration avec le milieu scolaire et les lieux de diffusion professionnels montréalais, et annoncent la venue prochaine du processus de sélection pour l’an 2.

Doté d’un budget annuel de 150 000 $, le programme vise à offrir une aide financière à des organismes artistiques montréalais pour la réalisation de projets de résidence de création intégrant des interactions avec des élèves d’écoles publiques primaires et secondaires de l’île de Montréal. Les jeunes entrent ainsi en contact avec une démarche artistique professionnelle, alors que les artistes alimentent leur travail créatif au contact des élèves.

Lancé officiellement l’an dernier, le programme en est au déploiement de sa première cuvée de projets. Ce sont, pour l’année scolaire 2009-2010, 25 écoles primaires et 11 écoles secondaires qui accueillent les 10 projets artistiques retenus allant de la danse aux arts médiatiques, en passant par la musique, le théâtre et la littérature, pour un total de près de 2 500 jeunes touchés.
Convaincus des nombreuses retombées positives de cette initiative, les partenaires y voient une occasion unique pour les élèves d’accroître leur motivation scolaire, de découvrir de nouveaux corps de métiers, en plus de développer leur propre créativité. « La formule choisie y est pour beaucoup. En misant sur un rapport régulier et suffisamment continu entre les artistes et les jeunes, les projets ont l’avantage d’entraîner dans leur sillage l’instauration d’un lien de confiance, dont on connaît l’importance pour les jeunes », de déclarer madame Chantal Richer, coordonnatrice du Programme de soutien à l’école montréalaise du MELS.

Les bénéfices sont tout aussi grands pour les artistes, l’expérience de création au contact d’un jeune public étant riche en enseignements. « Les artistes ont beaucoup à apporter aux jeunes et Libres comme l’art leur donne l’occasion de travailler avec les élèves sur les rouages et les processus de la création artistique. Connaissant la passion et l’énergie que génère la pratique artistique, je ne doute pas que l’expérience sera mémorable tant pour les jeunes que pour les artistes », de déclarer madame Louise Roy, présidente du Conseil des arts de Montréal.

Libres comme l’art répond enfin à la volonté de la CRÉ de Montréal d’axer le développement de la région sur le savoir et l’innovation. « Une ville innovante doit miser sur l’éducation et sur la créativité de ses citoyennes et de ses citoyens. Pour ce faire, elle doit leur assurer l’accès le plus complet possible aux différentes formes d’art, et ce, dès le plus jeune âge », souligne monsieur Jean Therrien, directeur du développement économique à la CRÉ.

Les partenaires du programme rappellent que les appels de projets (volets primaire et secondaire) en vue de la sélection de la deuxième année du programme, soit 2010-2011, se termineront le 15 décembre prochain.

La Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal regroupe les leaders politiques et socioéconomiques de l’île de Montréal. Elle a pour mandat de favoriser le développement de son territoire par une approche concertée et d’agir comme interlocuteur privilégié du gouvernement en matière de développement régional.

Partenaire dynamique de la création artistique montréalaise, le Conseil des arts de Montréal soutient et reconnaît l'excellence dans la création, la production et la diffusion artistiques professionnelles au moyen d'appui financier, de conseils et d'actions de concertation et de développement. Depuis plus de 50 ans, le Conseil des arts de Montréal contribue par ses actions structurantes au développement de « Montréal, métropole culturelle ».

Le Programme de soutien à l’école montréalaise du ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport a pour mission de soutenir la réussite personnelle et la réussite des apprentissages chez l’ensemble des élèves issus de milieux défavorisés sur l’île de Montréal, en tenant compte de leurs besoins et de leurs ressources, tout en contribuant à la mise en place d’une communauté éducative engagée.

Victoria Symphony awarded asteroid for contributions during IYA2009

2009-11-05T17:20:00.001-05:00

Victoria, BC – On November 1 and 2, at the Royal Theatre, the Victoria Symphony will be presented a certificate of the discovery and naming of an asteroid during The Planets concerts. This asteroid, VicSympho, was named in recognition for the Victoria Symphony’s strong contributions towards music and science education during the International Year of Astronomy.

According to Jim Hesser, Director of the National Research Council’s Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Victoria, and Chair of the IYA Canada Committee, “This international honour reflects the gratitude of the astronomical community for the Orchestra’s early and inspirational commitment to marrying the arts and sciences to help children appreciate the majesty of music and of the skies during the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009).”

On November 1 and 2, Jim Hesser and discoverer David Balam will present the Victoria Symphony with an official VicSympho certificate at The Planets concert. This day also marks when VicSympho will be 532 million km from the Earth and 543 million km from the sun. (More information about the asteroid attached.)

At the concert, the Victoria Symphony presents the sights and sounds of Holst’s The Planets, as Dr. José Francisco Salgado’s critically-acclaimed video suite is projected on a screen while the orchestra performs. These suites were featured in the opening ceremony of the IYA2009 at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and are being shown around the world as part of IYA2009 festivities. Written for a huge orchestra, The Planets is a work of great subtlety and elegance, even in its most ferocious moments. “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity” is the most popular of all the movements. Preview “Jupiter” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZTULRl9hrQ The Planets video suite was produced and directed by Dr. Salgado and the executive producers were Adler Planetarium in Chicago and Vectors & Pixels Unlimited.

Gustav Holst’s The Planets is just one of the may ways the Victoria Symphony has continuously supported and contributed to music and science education throughout IYA2009. From performing Holst’s dramatic masterpiece, to hosting the COU's telescopes at the Bayview Residences Victoria Symphony Splash, to creating an educational concert, Music of the Spheres, the Victoria Symphony made strong efforts to bridge music and science for children and families for Canadian communities.

Music Director Tania Miller wrote and conducted an educational concert celebrating IYA2009 and the 400th Anniversary of Galileo’s telescope. Music of the Spheres was performed for thousands of Vancouver Island students in February and April, for more than 20,000 of Toronto children in May, and once again for Victoria children and families at the Concert for Kids this Saturday, October 25. Teacher’s guides combining music and astronomy were produced to engage the students and provide an accessible and fun experience. At these concerts, the IYA2009 collectable AstroCards were given out to all ages and provided opportunities for the community to send their names into space.

The Victoria Symphony is Vancouver Island’s largest and most active arts organization performing for more than 125,000 people each year, including 10,000 schoolchildren. Showcasing the outstanding talents of its musicians and guest artists, the Victoria Symphony’s 2009-2010 season offers a diverse and exciting line-up of over 50 concerts led by its vibrant Music Director Tania Miller.

The Planets Music of the Spheres
November 1 at 2:30pm, Royal Theatre October 25 at 2:30pm, Royal Theatre
November 2 at 8pm, Royal Theatre 250.385.6515 or 250.386.6121
250.385.6515 or 250.386.6121 $12.50+ for Kids, $14.50+ for Adults
$12, $29.50, $39.50, $48.50 www.victoriasymphony.ca
www.victoriasymphony.ca

Glouglou - une tradition des fêtes

2009-11-05T17:18:00.001-05:00

Montréal, le 20 juillet 2009 – Une tradition des Fêtes s’est tissée au fil des ans, pour le Théâtre de Quartier, qui présente de nouveau son désormais célèbre Glouglou, un spectacle pour les tout-petits de 2 à 5 ans. Pour une septième année, la compagnie occupera, du 14 au 30 décembre prochain, la salle Jean-Claude-Germain du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui.

Glouglou est un spectacle plein de cachettes et de premières fois. La naissance, les premiers pas, le premier mot, les premières rencontres… Dans un espace intime et apaisant, les petits se laissent bercer par une gamme de sensations et d’émotions qu’ils reconnaissent. Gagnant du Masque de la production jeunes publics en 2005, l’année même de sa création, Glouglou a été joué depuis sur plusieurs scènes de grands festivals de théâtre jeune public alors qu’ici, à Montréal, ses rares représentations sont toujours très attendues. Et comme il n’y a que 75 billets par représentation, il faut se hâter de réserver sa place !

Glouglou en dessins

Le foyer principal du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui sera, cette année encore, l’hôte de l’exposition des dessins de Marilyn Perreault (auteure, comédienne et codirectrice artistique du Théâtre I.N.K), qui a illustré le texte de la pièce, publié en décembre dernier chez Dramaturges Éditeurs. Ses oeuvres seront en vente à un prix très abordable tout au long des représentations.

Le théâtre pour tous les enfants Depuis sa création en 1975, le Théâtre de Quartier a à coeur de rendre le théâtre accessible au plus grand nombre. Sensible au bonheur d’une sortie en famille durant le temps des Fêtes, la compagnie invite des parents et des enfants provenant de divers milieux socio-économiques à venir assister à une représentation gratuite de Glouglou. Au cours des années, le Théâtre de Quartier a tissé des liens solides avec des Centres de la petite enfance et des groupes communautaires, qui lui permettent de mener à bien sa mission d’action culturelle.

« Glouglou s’impose comme un spectacle irrésistible dans lequel les enfants baignent avec ravissement. » (Michel Bélair, Le Devoir).

au Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui :
une tradition théâtrale du temps des Fêtes!
Du 14 au 30 décembre 2009
Salle Jean-Claude-Germain du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui
3900, rue Saint-Denis, Montréal (métro Sherbrooke)
Du 14 au 18 ainsi que les 21 et 22 décembre 2009 et du 27 au 30 décembre 2009
Information et réservations : 514 282-3900
www.theatredaujourdhui.qc.ca
** Tarif FAMILLE disponible **
Texte : Louis-Dominique Lavigne
Concept et mise en scène : Lise Gionet
Décor et éclairages : Nicolas Descôteaux
Musique : Vincent Beaulne
Costumes : Nadia Bellefeuille
Acteurs : Simone Chevalot, Jean-Sébastien Lavoie et Femke Bergsma
Le texte de la pièce Glouglou, publié chez Dramaturges Éditeurs,
est disponible à la librairie du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui.
Texte : Louis-Dominique Lavigne
Illustrations : Marilyn Perreault

En nomination pour le Masque 2005 du texte original et le Masque 2005 de la mise en scène
Prix du public, saison 2006-2007 de L’Arrière Scène à Beloeil

De la musique et des contes au coeur de l'histoire...

2009-11-05T17:15:00.000-05:00

Montréal, 20 octobre 2009 - Pour réchauffer toute la famille, l'Atelier du conte en musique et en images présente deux contes avec marionnettes, Les Deux Colombes et MariMusette.

Dans le cadre de l'Halloween, la production Les Deux Colombes attend les petits et les grands à la Salle des Jeunesses musicales du Canada, à Montréal, le dimanche 25 octobre à 11h00 et 13h30 et à la Galerie d'art de Magog le dimanche 15 novembre à 10h30. Ce conte médiéval d'origine slovaque présente l'histoire enlevante et énigmatique de deux amis inséparables, une fille et un garçon, attirés au cœur de la forêt par le chant mystérieux d'un oiseau enchanteur. Ensemble, comment réussiront-ils à affronter la vilaine sorcière et à déjouer le mauvais sort?

Aux premiers jours de l'hiver, MariMusette met en vedette musiques et instruments, contes et traditions qui ont animé la vie des colons français venus s'installer en terre d'Amérique. Le spectacle familial est offert à la Bibliothèque interculturelle de Côte-des-Neiges le samedi 21 novembre à 14h00 et à la Bibliothèque Marie-Uguay le samedi 5 décembre à 13h30.

De retour d'une tournée qui les a menés de Blanc-Sablon à Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Philippe Gélinas et Lise Dyke sillonnent les routes du Québec, de l'Ontario et des provinces atlantiques pour aller vers la jeunesse. Spécialisé en musique ancienne, Philippe Gélinas prend part à plusieurs tournées en Amérique et en Europe avant de fonder, en 1989, l'Atelier du conte en musique et en images dont il assure la direction artistique. Parmi les mérites de la compagnie, le concert démonstration Le Ménétrier récolte le Prix Opus/ Création Jeune public 1999 du Conseil québécois de la musique, et l'album Philippe Gélinas – Ménétrier (OLCD 9545) est nominé au Gala de l'ADISQ 2003. Travaillant depuis 1993 en étroite collaboration avec Lise Dyke, pédagogue, spécialiste en arts visuels, scénographe et marionnettiste, les artistes conçoivent et réalisent décors et marionnettes de six des productions de l'ACMI.

L'Atelier du conte en musique et en images, www.lemenetrier.com,
depuis 20 ans au cœur de l'histoire pour les jeunes et les familles!

Ubiquity Jan '10 Release: Bei Bei & Shawn Lee - Into The Wind (CD x LP)

2009-11-05T16:47:00.002-05:00

October 21, 2009  - Into the Wind by Guzheng performer/composer Bei Bei He and Ubiquity producer Shawn Lee marries a unique blend of ancient tradition with studio trickery. This uplifting, genre-bending sound clash, recalls the afro centric harping of Dorothy Ashby and hypnotic spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane. With Lee adding equal doses of hip hop, electric jazz, and soul sensibility to the backing tracks, the captivating sound of Bei Bei’s Guzheng comes alive on peaceful mellow joints as much as it does on Kung-Fu flavored funk tunes.

BEI BEI & SHAWN LEE - INTO THE WIND (UR263)

  Album Snippets:  
01. Into The Wind 
02. Hot Thursday 
03. East 
04. Make Me Stronger feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow
 05. Little Sunrise 
06. Bei's Bossa 
07. Whiskey Waltz 
08. Willingness feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow
 09. The Tiger 
10. The Master Room 
11. The Ambush 
12. The Blue Grotto   

Into the Wind by Guzheng performer/composer Bei Bei He and Ubiquity producer Shawn Lee marries a unique blend of ancient tradition with studio trickery. This uplifting, genre-bending sound clash, recalls the afro centric harping of Dorothy Ashby and hypnotic spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane. With Lee adding equal doses of hip hop, electric jazz, and soul sensibility to the backing tracks, the captivating sound of Bei Bei’s Guzheng comes alive on peaceful mellow joints as much as it does on Kung-Fu flavored funk tunes.   Falling in love with the 5 foot tall x 1 foot wide 21-stringed Chinese instrument at first sight, Bei Bei began playing at the age of seven. While studying the Guzheng at a music conservatory in Hong Kong in 2002, Bei Bei developed an interest in jazz and groove-based music and hoped to make those styles with her instrument one day. Eight years later, now residing in Southern California, Bei Bei was contacted by Shawn Lee about making a record in the way she’d previously dreamed of, and she jumped at the opportunity.  These days it’s not uncommon for artists to swap tracks and build tunes over the internet. But, in this case, the artists had to drop their guards, throw caution to the wind, and learn about each other’s very different crafts as they went. Meeting only once, in person, the two emailed and swapped files for about a year to complete the record.  “Shawn was inspired by some of the traditional music that I play,” she explains. “It took both of us being committed, fully self-expressed, inspired, connected to make this album happen.“  The initial burst of inspiration led to the birth of early pieces like “Make Me Stronger” and “Bei’s Bossa,” which were new creations based on ancient tunes. The label was so excited by these two that they shared them with label mates and this is how Georgia Anne Muldrow ended up singing on the entrancing “Make Me Stronger,” and later on “Willingness.”  Ubiquity released a limited edition 10” EP, featuring tracks from the album, to positive acclaim from Berlin to Los Angeles, with KCRWs Garth Trinidad calling the tracks “A ray of light in my world,” and BBC Radio 1 DJ Mary Anne Hobbes saying “Love love love this.” At time of press Lee and Bei Bei were discussing plans for a few special live shows.  The Guzheng is over 2000 years old and belongs to the Asian long zither family. It was used in both folk and court music in the ancient China. Bei Bei started received her professional musical training at the Central University of Nationalities in Beijing, China and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in Hong Kong. She is a multi-award winner of many national and international awards. As a studio musician, she recorded for Sci-fi Channel’s “Battlestar Galactica”. As a composer, she composed music and performed for the China Central TV documentary series “Dun Huang”. She released her debut album Quiet Your Mind And Listen in 2006 and her collaborative album Heart of China, with Richard Horowtiz, in 2008. She is the director of Lotus Bud Gu Zheng Studio in Orange County, CA, where she teaches students to play and perform.  

For Fans of: Cinematic Orchestra, Alice Coltrane, Dorothy Ashby, Dap Tones, El Michels Affair, Wu Tang   

World Stage to Host the World Premiere of Necessary Angel's Hamlet

2009-11-05T16:45:00.000-05:00

The Bard's Tale of the Tragic Dane Gets an Agile and Savage Revision

TORONTO, ON (October 21, 2009) – Following the critical success of The Walworth Farce, Harbourfront Centre's World Stage is proud to host the world premiere of Necessary Angel's Hamlet. The second production of the World Stage 2009-10 performance series, Hamlet runs November 19 through November 29, 2009, at Harbourfront Centre's Enwave Theatre, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON. A full listing of evening and matinee performance times, as well as ticket prices, is included at the bottom of this release.

Necessary Angel's Hamlet combines the aesthetic of European theatre with the poetry of the British stage; what has emerged is a unique, immediate and violent 110-minute live theatre experiment seething with amorality, where nothing is set and every performance is different. The play received standing ovations during sold-out workshop performances in November 2008.

This vital, severe and sexy production features Benedict Campbell, Laura de Carteret, Mac Fyfe, Steven McCarthy, Christopher Morris, Tara Nicodemo, Robert Persichini and Eric Peterson, with Gord Rand in the title role. Hamlet is directed and designed by the acclaimed Graham McLaren, Artistic Director of Scotland's Theatre Babel and first-ever Associate Artist of Necessary Angel. Best known to Toronto audiences for his Dora Award-winning production of Medea (with Theatre Babel) that played World Stage in 2002, McLaren's highly lauded work has travelled extensively across the globe. Lighting design for Hamlet comes from the award-winning Andrea Lundy, with music and sound design from Alexander MacSween. Necessary Angel's Hamlet is slated for international touring in 2010-11.

With Hamlet, Harbourfront Centre and Toronto's own Necessary Angel Theatre Company continue a time-honoured relationship; Necessary Angel has staged Tamara, Hysterica Passio and a reading of Clout as part of World Stage in its various manifestations over the years. Founded in 1978, Necessary Angel has been an influential and original presence on the national and international theatre scene for 30 years.

New for World Stage 2009-10, visit harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstage to learn about Harbourfront Centre's commitment to developing artists and audiences through World Stage initiatives and programmes, such as special events, artist talks and more.

Necessary Angel's Hamlet
Necessary Angel Theatre Company
Enwave Theatre, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON
Previews: Nov. 17 – 18, 8:00 p.m.
Performances: Nov. 19 – 20, 8:00 p.m., Nov. 21, 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.,
Nov. 22, 4:00 p.m., Nov. 24 – 27, 8:00 p.m., Nov. 28, 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.,
Nov. 29, 4:00 p.m.

Tickets for Necessary Angel's Hamlet are $40 ($15 for previews). Complete information about previews, performance times, single tickets, packages and the Performance Card ($15 tickets for arts workers and students, Tues. – Thurs. performances only) is available through the Harbourfront Centre box office by phone at 416-973-4000, or harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstage.

Harbourfront Centre's World Stage 2009-10 gratefully acknowledges the support of Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council and Westin Harbour Castle, the official hotel of World Stage. Preview and School Visits matinee performances generously supported by BMO Financial Group.

Cleveland Orchestra announces selection of Artist-in-Residence Fellows for 2009-10 season

2009-11-05T16:43:00.001-05:00

Alisa Weilerstein (r.) leading a masterclass in 2008
Cleveland Orchestra announces selection of Artist-in-Residence Fellows for 2009-10 season

Cellists Matthew Allen, Mikala Schmitz, and Avery Waite chosen to work with Cleveland Orchestra Artist-in-Residence Alisa Weilerstein

Artist-in-Residence Fellows to perform in public masterclass led by Alisa Weilerstein on November 18

CLEVELAND, October 21, 2009 – The Cleveland Orchestra today announced the selection of cellists Matthew Allen, Mikala Schmitz, and Avery Waite as the Orchestra’s Artist-in-Residence Fellows for the 2009-10 season. They were selected through a competitive audition process to work in close collaboration with acclaimed cellist and Cleveland Orchestra Artist-in-Residence Alisa Weilerstein in a program made possible by the Malcolm E. Kenney Artist-in-Residence Fund. Matthew Allen is a freshman at the Cleveland Institute of Music studying with Melissa Kraut, and Mikala Schmitz and Avery Waite are seniors at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music studying with Darrett Adkins.

The Artist-in-Residence Fellows will have private lessons with Alisa Weilerstein during the week of November 16, coinciding with her appearances as soloist with The Cleveland Orchestra. They will perform in a public masterclass led by Ms. Weilerstein in Severance Hall’s Reinberger Chamber Hall on Wednesday, November 18, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The Artist-in-Residence Fellows will also attend Cleveland Orchestra rehearsals during the week of Ms. Weilerstein’s engagement. Admission to the masterclass is free, but tickets are required. Tickets may be reserved online at clevelandorchestra.com or through the Severance Hall Ticket Office during regular hours (M-F 9-6 and Sat. 10-6) in person or by calling (216) 231-1111 or 800-686-1141.
* * *
Cellist Matthew Allen, age 17, is a freshman at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studies with Melissa Kraut. A regular solo performer with various orchestras in the United States, Mr. Allen has been featured with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Lagrange Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Bach Festival Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, among others. In 2008, Mr. Allen recorded the Popper Hungarian Rhapsody for Telarc Records, released as From the Top at the Pops in August 2009. Mr. Allen has been a prizewinner in numerous competitions throughout the United States, including the Grand Prize in the 2008 LaGrange Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition, Gold Medal in the 2008 Stulberg International String Competition, and First Prize in the 2009 ASTA National Solo Competition. He was also awarded top prizes at the 2008 Blount-Slawson Young Artist Competition and the 2009 Johansen International String Competition. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Allen currently serves as cellist of the newly formed Rousseau Quartet. He has studied chamber music with renowned artists including as Pinchas Zukerman, Michael Tree, and Lawrence Dutton.

Cellist Mikala Schmitz, age 20, is a senior at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, studying with Darrett Adkins. Her previous teachers were Derek Barnes of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Mary Eleanor Pitcairn, and Alicia Randisi. Ms. Schmitz began her cello studies at the age of two and has enjoyed performing chamber music since she was four. Her first concerto performance was with the Bucks County Symphony at the age of eight. Ms. Schmitz has won and placed in several concerto competitions, including the Philadelphia Orchestra Greenfield Competition and the Settlement Concerto Competition. She has participated in the Delaware Chamber Music Festival, the Kimmel Center Chamber Music program, Greenwood Music Camp, Encore School for Strings, and the Aspen Music Festival. Ms. Schmitz has performed on National Public Radio’s “From the Top” and is the recipient of the George S. Snyder Scholarship Award for most promising young musician. She is currently principal cello of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra under its music director, Carl Topilow. Ms. Schmitz is a resident of Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

Cellist Avery Waite, a senior at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, began studying cello at the age of nine. Currently a student of Darrett Adkins, he has also studied with Neal Cary and Amir Eldan. Originally from California, Mr. Waite is the recipient of many awards and scholarships, including the Mu Phi Epsilon Scholarship, the Sacramento Symphony League Scholarship, and the McCrory Foundation String Scholarship. His awards include the Agnew Prize for “Best Interpretation of a Bach Suite” from the Cleveland Cello Society, first place in the Bland Competition, and finalist in the Richmond Symphony Competition, the National Symphony Orchestra Institute Competition, and the Oberlin Concerto Competition. In 2008, he was awarded an Oberlin Conservatory Creativity Grant to teach, travel, and perform chamber music in Italy. He was also selected to participate in the 2008 New York String Seminar Program at Carnegie Hall with Jaime Laredo. Mr. Waite has performed in masterclasses for Anner Bylsma, Matt Haimovitz, Desmond Hoebig, and Steve Doane, and for members of the Juilliard, Miami, Shanghai, Takács, and Ying string quartets.

COC Adds encore performance of The Nightingale and Other Short Fables

2009-11-05T16:42:00.001-05:00

Toronto, Ontario – Due to unprecedented demand for tickets, the Canadian Opera Company has added an extra performance of Igor Stravinsky’s The Nightingale and Other Short Fables on Monday, November 2, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Tickets are now available for the additional performance which extends the production run from eight to nine performances. The remaining regularly scheduled performances – October 22, 24, 30, and November 1, 4, 5 – are now sold out.

The Nightingale and Other Short Fables is directed by visionary Canadian Robert Lepage and received extraordinary critical acclaim following its world premiere on October 17, 2009. After the sold-out opening performance, the COC Box Office fielded a record number of calls in a single day and prompted the COC’s administration to search for an additional performance opportunity.

“We are delighted by the overwhelming public response to The Nightingale and Other Short Fables,” said Alexander Neef, General Director of the Canadian Opera Company. “And I am very glad that the artists of the company were available to add this performance to their schedules on such short notice. As we are the only North American presenter, this extra performance allows 2,000 more audience members a chance to experience the wonder of this unique and spectacular production.”

The Nightingale and Other Short Fables is a co-production with the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and Opéra national de Lyon, in collaboration with Mr. Lepage’s production company Ex Machina. The Nightingale and Other Short Fables is sung in Russian with English SURTITLES™.

Tickets for The Nightingale and Other Short Fables are available online at coc.ca, by calling 416-363-8231, or in person at the Four Seasons Centre Box Office (145 Queen St. W., Toronto). Ticket prices for all performances range from $20 to $292. $10 tickets are available for patrons between the ages of 16 and 29 through the Opera for a New Age program presented by TD Bank Financial Group and may be purchased online at coc.ca or in person at the Four Seasons Centre Box Office.

This production has been financially assisted by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Culture, administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation.

The Nightingale and Other Short Fables has been generously underwritten in part by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation.

Salieri's First: Il Mondo Alla Rovescia at Teatro Salieri, Legnago and Teatro Filarmonico, Verona

2009-11-05T16:39:00.002-05:00

Saturday the 14th of November 2009 at 8:00 pm at Teatro Salieri (phone +39 0442 25 477 www.teatrosalieri.it), Legnago (Italy) first staging in modern times of the opera Il mondo alla rovescia (The world upside down), by Antonio Salieri. The libretto is taken from the analogous Carlo Goldoni's play. This staging is a co-production between the Fondazione Culturale Antonio Salieri, of Legnago, and the Fondazione Arena di Verona.

The conductor is Federico Maria Sardelli; director is Marco Gandini; set designer, Carlo Centolavigna; costume designer, Silvia Aymonino. The cast includes Maria Laura Martorana, Marco Filippo Romano, Patrizia Cigna, Rosa Bove, Emanuele D'Aguanno, Maurizio Lo Piccolo. Orchestra and Chorus of the Arena of Verona.

After the première in Legnago, the town where the great composer Salieri was born, there will be five performances at Teatro Filarmonico in Verona (www.arena.it), on the 20-22-24-26-28 November.

The dramma giocoso was first staged at the Burgtheater in Vienna in 1795. John A. Rice, in his decisive study on Salieri, devotes many pages to the "musical richness of Mondo alla rovescia".

THE PLOT

We are in a far remoted island, where the social relations between men and women are upside down: the women hold the power (in the private life as well as in politics and in the military), whereas men have taken up the so-called feminine roles. Two Europeans, a man (a Count) and a woman (a Marquess), are taken prisoners. They will throw the existing balances into disorder. At the end the Count will stay on the island, marrying the Colonel (who is a she); the Marquess will instead go back to Europe, coupling with the nephew of the General (she). The opera ends then with a peace message, not only one of blending of cultures. The Count says he wants to stay – not only to marry the Colonel(la). Exchange of cultures, freedom of decision, possible worlds, less certainties: the "moral" of the opera becomes quite conciliating. The reality of the exchange of cultures lessen the moral judgement on the women in power. On the musical level, the final chorus praising love is sung by the European soldiers as well as by the island soldiers (women): the island upside down world looks like one of the possible worlds.
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Tickets at Teatro Salieri, Legnago: from € 9 to € 29, on sale from October 27th at the Theatre box office, + 39 0442 25 477. Tickets are also on sale at the phone with credit card; online, www.teatrosalieri.it.
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Tickets for Teatro Filarmonico, Verona: from €20 to €60, on sale at the Theatre box office, +39 045 800 5151.
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Teatro Salieri is run by the Fondazione Culturale A. Salieri. The Founders are:
Comune di Legnago, Fondazione CariVerona, Riello SpA, Riello Elettronica SpA, Provincia di Verona, CrediVeneto.

The Veneto Region government also support the Fondazione Culturale A. Salieri.
Other members of the Fondazione are: Famila - Commerciale Brendolan, Lineagrafica, Banca Popolare di Verona, Banca Veneta 1896, Reale Mutua Assicurazioni – Mazzocco Ag. di Legnago, Cattolica Assicurazioni, Camera di Commercio Industria e Artigianato, Grafiche Stella, Hotel Pergola, Bonfante Tecnologie Abitative, Associazione Il Basso Adige; and the towns of Angiari, Bevilacqua, Bonavigo, Boschi Sant'Anna, Bovolone, Castagnaro, Cerea, Gazzo Veronese, Minerbe, Montagnana, Roverchiara, Terrazzo, Villa Bartolomea.
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BIOS

Federico Maria Sardelli

Conductor, musicologist, composer. www.modoantiquo.com
 In 1984 Sardelli founded the Baroque orchestra Modo Antiquo, with which he appears at major festivals and concert halls throughout Europe as both soloist and conductor. He is regularly invited to the most prestigious European concert halls.

He appears as a guest conductor with many symphony orchestras, such as the Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and the Mantova Chamber Orchestra.

Since 2006 he has been principal guest conductor of the Turin Philharmonic Orchestra.
Sardelli has made more than forty recordings as soloist and conductor, part of them in co-production with the German broadcast company Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WRD 3). He has twice been nominated for the Grammy Awards, and he is one of the top artists of the "Vivaldi Edition" by Naïve.

He will record for Deutsche Grammophon Händel's arie, also on tour with Ildebrando D'Arcangelo.

Sardelli is a protagonist in the Vivaldi renaissance: he conducted the world premiere recording and performance of the operas Arsilda Regina di Ponto, Orlando Furioso, Tito Manlio, Montezuma, and Atenaide.

Among his past engagements Handel's Ariodante at the Opera House in Halle. He conducted Domenico Sarro's Achille in Sciro (first performance in modern times) at the Festival della Valle d'Itria, Italy.

As principal guest conductor of the Turin Philharmonic Orchestra, he is regularly invited to conduct Classical and Early Romantic repertoire on modern instruments but with historically informed practice. In particular, his performances of Beethoven's symphonies and overtures has received the highest critical acclaim.
In november 2008, he conducted at the Accademia Filarmonica Romana in Rome.

He recently conducted a concert of unpublished Vivaldi's pieces for Il Genio Fiorentino, which have been also recorded as an album called "Vivaldi: New discoveries", just issued by Naïve. At the Santiago de Compostela Festival he made his debut with Juditha Triumphans. Then he will conduct Händel's Concerti grossi op. III at the Händelfestspiele in Halle and Juditha Triumphans at the Festival Soli Deo Gloria in Braunschweig (art director John Eliot Gardiner).

Other opera engagements include: Ariodante at the 2009 Festival International de Musique Baroque de Beaune and at the Festival Via Stellae in Santiago de Compostela; Die Schöpfung al Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova. In 2010 he will conduct Alcina in a new production at the Teatro Municipal in Santiago in Cile.

Alongside his career in the concert hall, he is also active as a musicologist. He is a member of the musicological committee of the Istituto Italiano Antonio Vivaldi, and published many essays and critical editions (among these, Vivaldi's Music for Flute and Recorder, published in the United Kingdom by Ashgate). He is general editor of the collection of facsimile editions Vivaldiana and of the Opere Incomplete (SPES, Florence).
Peter Ryom appointed him as Chief Responsible of the Vivaldi Catalogue (RV).

Federico Maria is also painter, engraver and satirical writer.

Marco Gandini

Marco Gandini, 1966, starts as actor in production by Giorgio Marini, Sylvano Bussotti and Giancarlo Cobelli.  In 1990 and 1991 he works as stage manager and director assistant at Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, for both winter and summer seasons at Caracalla Baths, and in following years as first assistant of Filippo Crivelli, Lofti Mansouri, Giuliano Montaldo, Mauro Bolognini, Pier Luigi Pizzi, Hugo de Ana, Nuria Espert.  1992 signs the beginning of an uninterrupted collaboration with Franco Zeffirelli for opera and movie.  In recent years he has been assisting Graham Vick for both new productions and revivals.  He has worked in almost every opera house in Italy and most regularly at Teatro alla Scala, Opera di Roma, San Carlo di Napoli, Comunale di Bologna, Arena di Verona, Comunale di Firenze, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, as well as in many Opera Houses abroad such as Royal Opera House Covent Garden New York Metropolitan Opera, Washington and Los Angeles Opera, New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, Teatro Liceu in Barcellona, Teatro Real in Madrid, Teatro della Maestranza in Seville, San Petersburg, New National Theatre in Tokyo.  In 1997 he debuted as director with a new production of Gianni Schicchi by Puccini at Teatro Filarmonico in Verona, soon after revived in Palermo and in Verona again.  Other new productions follow: Tabarro (Verona), La Lupa by Marco Tutino (Palermo), L'Amico Fritz (Catania and Verona), Gianni Schicchi in another brand new production specially designed for Japan Tour of Teatro Comunale in Bologna and then revived in Italy, Tancredi by Rossini (Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Ferrara), La Zingara by Donizetti e Le Due Contesse by Paisiello at Festival della Valle d'Itria in Martina Franca, Il Barbiere di Siviglia and La Gazzetta at Garsington Opera Festival in England, Cavalleria Rusticana and La Vida Breve in Livorno, for the opening of the newly restored Teatro Goldoni, La Traviata (Brescia, Bergamo, Cremona, Pavia, Sassari e Genova), La Finta Semplice at Teatro Malibran (Venezia), L'italiana in Algeri (Treviso), Il Flauto Magico at Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, I Giochi d'Agrigento by Paisiello at Festival della Valle d'Itria in Martina Franca, Pagliacci (Sassari), Così Fan Tutte (coproduction between Fondazione Toscanini and Israeli Opera).  Recent new productions: Don Bucefalo in Martina Franca, Un Ballo In Maschera in Firenze (2008), L'Elisir d'amore in Tokyo 2009, Cosi Fan tutte in Palermo (2009) Les Dialogues de Carmèlites Tokyo (2009), Orphèe Aux Enfer in Cagliari, and Pia de' Tolomei by Donizetti for the opening of a new Opera House in Tokyo.

Saxophonist Mike Murley headlines York University’s Faculty Concert Series

2009-11-05T16:36:00.001-05:00

Toronto October 21, 2009: Nationally acclaimed saxophonist Mike Murley steps into the spotlight November 17 at the Tribute Communities Recital Hall as the featured performer in York University’s Faculty Concert Series.

Recognized as one of Canada’s finest jazz talents, Murley is very active as a bandleader, sideman, composer and arranger. He’s an eight-time winner of the Jazz Report’s "saxophonist of the year" distinction, and has nine Juno Award-winning recordings to his credit. A former member of the celebrated ensembles Time Warp and the Shuffle Demons, his performance and recording credits include Metalwood and the Rob McConnell Tentet, collaborations in the Murley/Occhipinti Duo, Murley/Braid Quartet, David Liebman/Mike Murley Quartet and DMBQ, and his own trio, quintet and septet.

Murley’s latest recording as a leader, The Melody Lingers On (CBC Records), features his trio live in concert at Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio with a 12-piece string ensemble conducted by Rick Wilkins, playing string arrangements by Murley and Reg Schwager. Last year he released two new recordings as a co-leader, DMBQ Live and Day and Night with his former teacher, David Liebman.

Murley is also featured on the recent Bravo! DVD release Solos – The Jazz Sessions, a 39-episode music performance/profile series that spotlights unaccompanied performances by some of the legends and young stars of the jazz world.

In his York U showcase concert, Murley will be featured in a variety of settings ranging from duo to septet. He will be joined on stage by his fellow faculty members, Music Department Chair Barry Elmes on drums, Oscar Peterson Chair Ron Westray on trombone, Kevin Turcotte on trumpet and Jim Vivian on bass. Guest artists, pianist David Restivo and alto saxophonist Tara Davidson round out the ensemble.

The evening’s playlist includes original compositions as well as jazz standards. Murley will premiere new arrangements of his compositions dedicated to his native Maritime roots and the Bay of Fundy region. Complementing this material will be his adaptation for jazz septet of the traditional Celtic melody Shule Agra.

Murley is an alumnus of York’s Music Department, where he currently heads the jazz studies area. His November 17 concert is the second of five performances in the Faculty Concert Series spotlighting faculty artists in the Department of Music at York University. Upcoming concerts will feature cellist Mark Chambers (Jan. 19), pianist Michael Coghlan (Feb. 2) and jazz drummer Barry Elmes (Mar. 2).

What: Mike Murley headlines York University’s Faculty Concert Series
When: Tues. November 17 at 7:30pm
Where: Tribute Communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building, York University, 4700 Keele St. [Map]
Admission: single tickets $15, students & seniors $5 | series tickets: three-concert package for $30
Box Office: 416.736.5888 | www.yorku.ca/perform/boxoffice

Persephone Productions presents Be My Baby Oct. 29 - Nov. 14

2009-11-05T16:35:00.001-05:00

Set in a small industrial town in 1964, Be My Baby follows 19-year-old Mary Adams, who is seven months pregnant and has been sent to a mother and baby home. Mary and her fellow inmates have to cope with the shame of their pregnancy and the dawning realisation that they must give up their baby for adoption. Despite the daily battles with a no-nonsense Matron in the rigid routine of the Anglican home, the girl's effervescence shines through as they find comfort in each other's friendship, sharing youthful fantasies of love and marriage. They take courage and solace from the 60s pop music that captures the passionate innocence of the play's characters, providing a bittersweet sound track to a deeply moving story.

For more info, refer to the web site at www.persephoneproducitons.org

Dates & Times Oct. 29 – Nov. 14
Tues. through Sat. 20:30
Weekday Matinée 13:00 – November 3 ONLY
Sunday Matinées 14:00
Monday DARK

Tickets
General Admission $25
Seniors, Students, PWM, QDF/Equity $20
Groups (10 or more) $20

Venue
Studio Hydro-Québec
Monument National
1182, boul. St-Laurent

Box Office
(514) 871 - 2224

Specialized Music Recording Cuts

2009-11-05T16:32:00.000-05:00

(français ensuite)

20 October 2009

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage Holds Hearings on Cuts to Musical Diversity Program: CLC, CNMN, and JFC Ask Heritage Canada to Follow Its Own Recommendations!

The Canadian League of Composers (CLC), Canadian New Music Network (CNMN), and Jazz Festivals Canada (JFC) are united in their opposition to Heritage Canada's withdrawal of Canada Music Fund money from The Canada Council for the Arts' Specialized Music Recording Program.

For twenty years, this program has delivered essential support to non-commercial Canadian music. It has also given a head start to a rich diversity of talented musicians - artists such as Diana Krall, and entire genres such as Celtic music, to name but a few. This is music which speaks to Canadians, and raises the profile of Canadian music around the world. It also plays an essential role in the health of Canada's musical ecosystem. The same artists who produce the commercial music of which Canada is so justly proud also rely on a diversity of non-commercial music to maintain their creative powers, using it as a laboratory, an incubator of fresh artistic ideas and expression.

For this reason, taking away support for non-commercial recording harms not only whole genres such as classical, contemporary, musique actuelle, jazz, improv, world music, folk, and roots music. It hurts the commercial industry as well. The two are not separate. Creative music making - in any genre - does not come out of the board rooms of music corporations. This short-term decision will, in the longer term, damage the entire Canadian music industry.

Music making is not just about record sales or downloads. The music industry understands this. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (who run the Juno awards) has a very active music education program (MusiCounts), as does the Music Industry Association of Canada and the SOCAN performing rights organization, through the SOCAN Foundation. These groups are funded by the commercial music industry, and they realize that promoting a wide range of musical activities is both good for business and good for art.

This decision followed a report of the Sound Recording Industry commissioned by Heritage Canada ("Summative Evaluation of the Canada Music Fund"). Yet the decision contradicts several of the study's key findings: first, that very few projects are "double dipping", that is, FACTOR and MUSICACTION are not duplicating the Specialized Music Recording program; second, that the funding for Specialized Recording should become part of The Canada Council's regular operating budget (section 5.3.2 of the report - " suggested monies devoted to the CMD component simply should be transferred to the A-base of the Canada Council.").

The report also points out: "Of the three CMF components covered by the survey of recipients, the CMD component (Grants for Specialized Music Recording Production) had the largest incremental impact on the production of sound recordings." (section 6.1.3). So it appears the demonstrably most effective part of the program has been cut.

The report also suggests: "PCH should re-design the Canada Music Fund and consult with the music industry as part of the re-design process". This would have to include the entire industry, including non-commercial artists and their labels, who the report agrees are an integral and important part of the Canadian music system. (section 6.2.1)

All we are asking is that the government follows its own exhaustive, comprehensive and very well-researched report! The report does not suggest withdrawing this funding, but considers adding it to The Canada Council. Heritage Canada claims that the funding will continue to support non-commercial genres by being transferred to FACTOR and MUSICACTION. This is wishful thinking. Although both agencies play a vital and efficient role in supporting commercial music, they depend on commercial broadcasters for funding, and measure success by sales. They have neither the incentive nor the experience to serve non-commercial music.

Finally, it sets a disturbing precedent to cut this funding just at the time The Canada Council is undergoing a strategic review. It is ineffective, inefficient and incomprehensible that the government would chose to withdraw funding from a program (Specialized Recording) administered by an agency that has consistently received excellent reviews from the Auditor General. Such a punitive decision raises questions about the current government's commitment to the cherished and hard-won principle of arm's-length arts funding in Canada.

If Canada continues to offer a broad diversity of music to its public and if creativity and imagination are given equal place along with commercial considerations, then we will have a strong and healthy environment for music, which helps all artists, all music lovers, and the music industry. It is an interconnected ecosystem that needs every form of music to continue to be available to the Canadian public. We urge the government to reconsider this decision, and to do what is right for Canadian music - for all Canadian music.

***

Le 20 octobre 2009

Le comité permanent du patrimoine canadien tient des séances au sujet des coupures au programme de diversité de la musique canadienne : La LCC, le RCMN, et JFC demandent à Patrimoine Canada de suivre ses propres recommandations!

La Ligue canadienne des compositeurs (LCC), le Réseau canadien pour les musiques nouvelles (RCMN) et Jazz Festivals Canada (JFC) sont unis dans leur opposition au retrait par Patrimoine Canada de financement du Fonds de musique du Canada destiné au programme du Conseil des Arts du Canada Subventions à l'enregistrement sonore de musique spécialisée.

Pendant vingt ans, ce programme a fourni un soutien essentiel à la musique canadienne non commerciale. Il a également donné un bon coup de pouce à une riche brochette de musiciens talentueux - des artistes tels que Diana Krall, ou encore des genres musicaux tels que la musique celtique, pour n'en nommer que quelques-uns. Il s'agit de musiques qui touchent les Canadiens et qui accentuent la présence de la musique canadienne partout dans le monde. Il joue également un rôle essentiel dans la santé de l'écosystème musical du Canada. Les mêmes artistes qui génèrent la musique commerciale dont le Canada est si fier à juste titre s'appuient aussi sur la diversité de la musique non commerciale pour alimenter leur talents créateurs, en s'en servant comme un laboratoire, un incubateur d'expression et d'idées artistiques originales.

Pour cette raison, cesser de soutenir les enregistrements non commerciaux fait du tort non seulement à des genres tels que le classique, le contemporain, la musique actuelle, le jazz, l'improvisation, la musique du monde, la musique folk et la musique roots. Cela nuit également au secteur commercial. Les deux sont inséparables. La création musicale - dans tous les genres - ne sort pas de la salle du conseil des grandes entreprises du monde de la musique. Cette décision à courte terme nuira, à long terme, à tout le secteur de la musique canadienne.

La création musicale va au-delà des ventes de disques ou des téléchargements. Le secteur de la musique comprend cela. L'Académie canadienne des arts et des sciences de l'enregistrement (qui gère les prix JUNO) possède un programme d'éducation musicale très actif (MusiCompte), tout comme l'Association canadienne des industries de la musique et la société de droits d'exécution SOCAN, par le biais de la Fondation SOCAN. Ces groupes sont financés par le secteur de la musique commerciale, et ils se rendent compte que promouvoir une vaste gamme d'activités musicales est bon pour les affaires et bon pour les arts.

Cette décision a suivi un rapport de l'Industrie de l'enregistrement sonore commandé par Patrimoine Canada (« Évaluation sommative du Fonds de la musique du Canada »). Pourtant, la décision contredit plusieurs des résultats importants de l'étude : en premier lieu, à l'effet que les projets qui se recoupent sont très rares, autrement dit FACTOR et MUSICACTION ne font pas double emploi avec le programme Subventions à l'enregistrement sonore de musique spécialisée ; deuxièmement, à l'effet que le financement des enregistrements spécialisés devraient être inclus dans le budget de fonctionnement régulier du Conseil des Arts du Canada (la section 5.3.2 du rapport - « suggère que les sommes consacrées au Volet diversité de la musique canadienne soient simplement transférées à la base-A du Conseil des Arts du Canada »).

Le rapport souligne également : « Un des trois éléments du Fonds de la musique du Canada couverts par l'enquête sur les récipiendaires, le Volet diversité de la musique canadienne (Subvention pour la réalisation d'enregistrements de musique spécialisée) a eu l'impact le plus important sur l'augmentation de la production d'enregistrements sonores » (section 6.1.3). Il semble donc que c'est le volet dont on a démontré l'efficacité supérieure qui a été éliminé.

Le rapport suggère aussi : « Patrimoine Canada devrait revoir le fonctionnement du Fonds de la musique du Canada et consulter tout le secteur de la musique dans le cadre de ce processus de restructuration. » Ce processus devrait inclure l'ensemble de l'industrie, y compris les artistes non commerciaux et leurs maisons d'enregistrement qui, admet le rapport, sont une partie intégrante et importante du système musical canadien. (section 6.2.1)

Tout ce que nous demandons est que le gouvernement suive son propre rapport complet, détaillé et très fouillé! Le rapport ne suggère pas de retirer ce financement, mais envisage de le transférer au Conseil des Arts du Canada. Patrimoine Canada prétend que le financement continuera à soutenir les genres non commerciaux en étant transféré à FACTOR et à MUSICACTION. Il s'agit là de voeux pieux. Bien que ces deux agences jouent un rôle essentiel et efficace dans le soutien de la musique commerciale, elles dépendent des diffuseurs commerciaux pour leur financement, et elles mesurent le succès d'après les ventes. Elles n'ont ni la motivation ni l'expérience pour servir la musique non commerciale.

Finalement, éliminer cette source de financement crée un précédent troublant juste au moment où le Conseil des Arts du Canada procède actuellement à une révision stratégique. Il est inefficace, non profitable et incompréhensible que le gouvernement choisisse de retirer les fonds à un programme (Enregistrements spécialisés) administré par une agence qui a constamment reçu des éloges du Vérificateur général. Une telle décision punitive soulève des interrogations quant à l'engagement du gouvernement actuel à l'égard du principe chéri et chèrement acquis de l'indépendance des agences de financement des arts au Canada.

Si le Canada continue à offrir une grande diversité de musiques à son public et si la créativité et l'imagination reçoivent autant d'attention que les considérations commerciales, alors nous aurons un environnement musical fort et en santé, ce qui aidera tous les artistes, tous les mélomanes et tout le secteur de la musique. Il s'agit d'un écosystème interrelié qui a besoin de chaque genre de musique pour continuer à être disponible pour le public canadien. Nous pressons le gouvernement de reconsidérer cette décision, et de faire ce qui est souhaitable pour la musique canadienne - pour toute la musique canadienne.

V-Drums de Roland

2009-11-05T15:47:00.000-05:00

Un batteur de la Colombie-Britannique remporte les honneurs lors du premier concours national de solo de percussion V-Drums de Roland

MONTRÉAL, le 29 oct. /CNW/ - En fin de semaine dernière, les baguettes ont fait résonner les batteries sur la scène du Drum Fest de Montréal lorsque les deux finalistes régionaux du concours V-Drums de Roland, Gary Grace et François Laliberté, se sont affrontés pour déterminer qui serait couronné Grand champion national du concours V-Drums de Roland. Après une intense compétition de solo de batterie, l'estimé jury, composé notamment de l'exceptionnel batteur montréalais de metal extrême Flo Mounier, a proclamé gagnant Gary Grace de Port Coquitlam, en Colombie-Britannique. Gary est donc retourné chez lui avec le titre de Grand champion du concours national V-Drums de Roland et un ensemble de batterie V-Drums haut de gamme TD-20KX de la série V-Pro de Roland.

Les deux concurrents ont occupé la scène avec une telle énergie et un tel enthousiasme qu'ils ont littéralement envouté le public de l'auditorium! En effet, plus de 500 personnes ont admiré tout d'abord la prestation de Gary, puis celle de François, qui ont démontré toutes leurs connaissances des V-Drums ainsi que leur incroyable technique et leur polyvalence unique.
Interrogé sur sa victoire, Gary a déclaré : "J'ai été très impressionné d'entendre mon nom lors de la proclamation du vainqueur. Je me suis senti à la fois soulagé et excité. Je me suis tourné vers François et je lui ai dit à quel point je le trouvais talentueux et que je lui prédisais un avenir rempli de grandes réalisations. Je suis emballé à l'idée de tout ce que cette victoire signifie pour moi, car elle va m'aider dans ma carrière, et vu que je possède maintenant un ensemble TD-20KX, je pourrai vraiment explorer à fond les possibilités de cette batterie. Quelle expérience remarquable j'ai vécue!"

Gary Grace est né dans une famille de joueurs de batterie et il a suivi les traces de son père et de son frère aîné. Lorsqu'il était jeune, Gary s'intéressait à divers genres et styles de musique. Gary a étudié à la Crane School of Music à New York ainsi que sous la supervision de spécialistes de la batterie comme Joe Morello et Jim Chapin. Il a partagé la scène avec de nombreux musiciens canadiens reconnus et il se produit présentement avec le groupe rock classique canadien "Prism". Lorsqu'il n'est pas en spectacle, Gary transmet son talent et ses connaissances à ses étudiants.

François a utilisé sa première paire de baguettes à l'âge de huit ans et il a toujours continué sur cette voie. Ayant étudié avec de nombreux percussionnistes de renommée internationale, il poursuit actuellement ses études au Cégep Saint-Laurent à Montréal. Parce qu'il occupe la deuxième place dans le cadre du concours V-Drums de Roland et qu'il a offert une prestation spectaculaire au Drum Fest de Montréal, François Laliberté a reçu comme prix un ensemble de batterie V-Drums TD-9KX de la série V-Tour de Roland.

Ces derniers mois, Roland Canada a présenté le concours V-Drums Roland, compétition nationale en solo qui donnait la chance aux batteurs de partout au pays de remporter un ensemble autographié de batterie haut de gamme V-Drums TD-20KX de la série V-Pro de Roland et la possibilité de participer au prestigieux Drum Fest de Montréal. La finale nationale a eu lieu le 24 octobre 2009 sur la scène du Drum Fest de Montréal. Surveillez les détails du 2e concours V-Drums de Roland dont le lancement est prévu pour le printemps 2010!

À propos de Roland Canada Ltd.

Roland est un chef de file mondial sur les plans de la conception, de la fabrication et de la distribution d'instruments de musique numériques, d'équipement audio professionnel, de produits multimédias et d'accessoires de musique. Les produits Roland constituent une famille composée des marques Roland, BOSS, EDIROL par Roland, Rodgers, RSS par Roland et Cakewalk par Roland. La gamme impressionnante de produits Roland, loin de s'y limiter, inclut notamment des pédales d'effet pour guitare, des percussions électroniques, des pianos numériques réputés, des synthétiseurs, des consoles de mixage numérique et des logiciels de production musicale.

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BC Drummer Earns Top Honors at First Roland V-Drums National Drum Solo Competition

MONTREAL, Oct. 29 /CNW/ - Last weekend, sticks flew on the Montreal Drum Fest stage as the two regional finalists of the Roland V-Drums Contest, Gary Grace and Francois Laliberté, went head-to-head to see who would be crowned the Roland V-Drums Contest National Grand Champion. After an intense drum-off, the esteemed panel of judges, including Montreal's own extreme metal drummer Flo Mounier, declared Gary Grace from Port Coquitlam, BC the winner. Gary took home the title of Roland V-Drums Contest National Grand Champion and a top-of-the-line, Roland TD-20KX V-Pro Series V-Drums Kit.

Both contestants took to the stage with an energy level and enthusiasm that filled the auditorium with excitement. The audience of over 500 people watched as first Gary then Francois showcased their drum solo chops, which highlighted their knowledge of the V-Drums as well as their incredible technique and versatility.

When asked about his win, Gary said, "It was a great feeling to hear (my name announced as the winner). There was a sigh of relief and excitement all at once. I turned to Francois and told him how talented I thought he was and that his future will be full of great things. I'm very excited about what this can do to help me in my career and now as the owner of a TD-20KX kit, I can really explore these drums. This has been a tremendous experience!"

Gary Grace was born into a family of drummers, following in the footsteps of both his father and older brother. Growing up, Gary was interested in many different genres and musical styles. Gary went on to study at the Crane School of Music in New York and has studied under many other drumming greats including Joe Morello and Jim Chapin. He has shared the stage with many great Canadian musicians and currently performs with the Canadian classic rock band "Prism." When not performing, Gary passes on his talent and knowledge to his students.
Francois picked up his first pair of sticks at the age of eight, and hasn't looked back. He has studied with many internationally know percussionists, and is currently studying at Cegep St-Laurent in Montreal. As the runner-up in the Roland V-Drums Contest and for putting on a spectacular performance at the Montreal Drum Festival, Francois Laliberté was awarded a Roland TD-9KX V-Tour Series V-Drums kit.

Over the past few months, Roland Canada has been hosting the Roland V-Drums Contest, a national drum solo competition that gave drummers from across Canada the chance to compete for an autographed, top-of-the-line, Roland TD-20KX V-Pro Series V-Drums kit and the opportunity to perform on the prestigious Montreal Drum Fest stage. The contest finals were held on October 24, 2009 at the Montreal Drum Festival. Stay tuned for the 2nd Roland V-Drums Contest launching in Spring 2010!

About Roland Canada Ltd.

Roland is a world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of electronic musical instruments, professional audio equipment, multimedia products and music accessories. The Roland brand family includes Roland, BOSS, EDIROL by Roland, Rodgers, RSS by Roland, and Cakewalk by Roland. Roland's impressive line of products includes, but is far from limited to, guitar effects pedals, electronic percussion, acclaimed digital pianos, synthesizers, digital mixers and music production software.

dimanche 8 novembre 20 h - Ostrovsky pianiste - Joliette

2009-11-05T15:45:00.000-05:00

Dans le cadre de la Série classique Opus 130, nous avons le grand plaisir de présenter,en collaboration avec le Centre culturel de Joliette, un concert au cours duquel le pianiste Ruvim Ostrovsky et le violonisteYegor Dyachkov interprèteront des oeuvres de Schumann, Brahms, Debussy et Prokofiev. Ce concert aura lieu:

• Dimanche prochain 8 novembre
• à 20h
• Salle Rolland Brunelle du Centre culturel de Joliette
• 20 rue St-Charles Borromée, Sud
• Billetterie: (450) 759-6202

Analekta wins 4 Félix / Analekta récompensée par 4 Félix

2009-11-05T15:42:00.001-05:00

ANALEKTA WINS 4 FÉLIX AT THE ADISQ GALAS
WEBSITE OF THE YEAR AS WELL AS ALBUM OF THE YEAR IN THE CATEGORIES "ORCHESTRA AND LARGE ENSEMBLE", "SOLOIST AND SMALL ENSEMBLE" AND "JAZZ CREATION"

Montreal, October 27, 2009 – Analekta is proud to announce that it has received 4 Félix at the ADISQ Galas, held yesterday in Montreal, including "Website of the year". This brand new site, more convivial, has been entirely designed and programmed by the dynamic team at Motion in Design. Aiming to become the meeting ground for classical music lovers, the Website grants the possibility of accessing and listening to the complete catalogue in streaming. It also includes exclusive videos, the downloadable Analekta Radio and a blog. A forerunner in its domain, Analekta will soon initiate new and important developments that, without a doubt, will maintain analekta.com at the avant-garde of the Canadian musical industry.

Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà were recognized in the category "Classical Album of the Year: Orchestra and Large Ensemble" for the recording of Philip Glass: Portrait, unanimously acclaimed by critics. In addition, this recording has been nominated in the "Sound Recording and Mixing Award" category for the outstanding work of Carl Talbot, the official producer at Analekta. This Félix is the eleventh won by Angèle Dubeau for a recording on the Analekta label.
In the category "Album of the Year: Soloist and Small Ensemble", the first collaboration on disc of brothers Alain and David Lefèvre, won a trophy. On this album, they performed sonatas by César Franck and Guillaume Lekeu and presented the first recording of André Mathieu's Ballade-fantaisie. This Félix is the sixth awarded to Alain Lefèvre for his recordings.

Lorraine Desmarais – Big Band, the tenth recording in the career of Lorraine Desmarais, and the first produced with a big band, has, moreover, been recognized in the category "Jazz Album of the Year – Jazz Creation". Let's recall that two of the previous Lorraine Desmarais albums – including Jazz for Christmas, on the Analekta label – have previously won Félix.

The label had received 11 nominations in 7 categories. With these three new awards, ANALEKTA confirms the unique position it holds in the Canadian music market and maintains its standing as one of the most important recording houses in Canada, all categories taken together. ANALEKTA wants to salute the talent of the nominated artists and the excellence of their performances.

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ANALEKTA RÉCOMPENSÉE PAR 4 FÉLIX AUX GALAS DE L'ADISQ
« SITE INTERNET DE L'ANNÉE » ET ALBUM DE L'ANNÉE DANS LES CATÉGORIES « ORCHESTRE ET GRAND ENSEMBLE », « SOLISTE ET PETIT ENSEMBLE » ET « JAZZ CRÉATION »

Montréal, le 27 octobre 2009 – Analekta est fière d'annoncer qu'elle s'est mérité 4 Félix lors des galas de l'ADISQ tenus hier à Montréal, dont celui de « Site Internet de l'année ». Ce nouveau site, plus convivial, a été entièrement redessiné et programmé par la dynamique équipe de Motion in Design. Souhaitant devenir un véritable rendez-vous des amateurs de musique classique, le site Internet permet l'écoute intégrale des titres du catalogue en diffusion continue (streaming) et comprend notamment des vidéos exclusives, la Radio Analekta (téléchargeable) et un blogue. Analekta poursuivra sur cette lancée avec de nouveaux développements particulièrement importants annoncés très bientôt, qui maintient analekta.com à l'avant-garde de l'industrie musicale canadienne.

Philip Glass : Portrait, album d'Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà salué unanimement par la critique, a été récompensé dans la catégorie « Album de l'année – Classique / Orchestre et grand ensemble ». Notons que ce même enregistrement était nommé dans la catégorie « Prise de son et mixage de l'année », pour le remarquable travail de Carl Talbot, réalisateur attitré d'Analekta. Ce Félix est le onzième remporté par un enregistrement d'Angèle Dubeau sous étiquette Analekta.
Dans la catégorie « Album de l'année – Classique / Soliste et petit ensemble », la première collaboration au disque des frères Alain et David Lefèvre a remporté le trophée. Les musiciens interprètent ici les sonates de César Franck et de Guillaume Lekeu et présentent un tout premier enregistrement de la Ballade-fantaisie d'André Mathieu. Ce Félix est le sixième à récompenser un enregistrement d'Alain Lefèvre.

Lorraine Desmarais – Big Band, dixième enregistrement en carrière de Lorraine Desmarais et premier réalisé avec un big band, a de plus été reconnu dans la catégorie « Album de l'année – Jazz création ». Rappelons que deux des albums précédents de Lorraine Desmarais – dont Jazz pour Noël sous étiquette Analekta – ont remporté des Félix au gala de l'ADISQ.

Rappelons que l'étiquette avait reçu onze nominations dans sept catégories. Avec ces quatre nouveaux prix, ANALEKTA confirme la place unique qu'elle détient sur le marché canadien de la musique et s'affirme comme l'une des plus importantes maisons de disques canadienne, tous genres confondus. ANALEKTA tient à saluer le talent des artistes en nomination et la qualité de leurs interprétations.

The sweet sound of Brazil arrives at Massey Hall

2009-11-05T15:40:00.000-05:00

Samba Toronto presents Gal Costa in Concert 00

Sunday November 15th, 2009
Venue: Massey Hall
Start time: 7:30 pm
Prices: $49.50 to $69.50 (now on sale)
Tickets available online at masseyhall.com or call 416-872-4255; And at Brazil Remittance
Performing acts: Opening act by Filo Machado & Sambacana; Main performance by Gal Costa & Romero Lubambo

An icon of the Brazilian music, Gal Costa will perform for the first time  in Canada at Massey Hall, on November 15th

Toronto, ON, October 22th, 2009 – Gal Costa is a true icon of the Brazilian Tropicalia movement in music. With more than 30 recordings spanning a career of 40 years, she will be making her Canadian debut at Massey Hall, on November 15th, after the past successful Toronto run of her fellow Tropicalistas Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. Gal’s one night performance in Toronto is preceded by four nights at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club, in New York, and closes her North American tour.

The grace and style of Gal, her signature voice, heard in every delicate, yet forceful note, symbolizes one of the world’s most passionate places. A Brazilian musical legend, Gal will be singing the music of Brazil’s greatest composers, and she will be joined by Romero Lubambo, a master in his own right, on Brazilian guitar.

A fundamental presence in the Tropicalia movement, Gal, as she is called in her home country, has been part of Brazil's leading group of singers since the 1960s. At the age of 19, in 1964, Gal initiated her performing career with Caetano Veloso in the presentation of the opening of the Teatro Vila Velha in Salvador, Brazil. The show, called “Nós, por exemplo”, brought together the founding members of a movement that would become iconic in Brazilian music history: Caetano Veloso, his sister Maria Bethânia, Gilberto Gil, and Gal Costa (still under her name Maria da Graça). The show would spark an artistic relationship that would mark a generation.

She gained international exposure in the 1980s, touring Japan, France, Israel, Argentina, the United States, Portugal, Italy, among others. Gal Costa continues to be a viable and active artist in the 21st century, issuing new recorded material. However the repackaging of her previous work, which is becoming renowned in the category of Brazilian classics, is currently hitting the market by storm. Gal’s newest recording, Live at the Blue Note, features the consummate Brazilian diva performing a selection of Bossa Nova songs in an intimate setting at this New York legendary club in 2006. Delicate, yet with an underlying tough sexiness, Gal Costa's voice is the perfect vehicle for such Bossa classics as "Corcovado" and "Garota de Ipanema".

Romero Lubambo, guitar

Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1955, Romero Lubambo graduated from the Villa-Lobos School of Music in Rio in 1978, as an outstanding student of classical guitar. The rhythms and melodies defining Brazilian music and American jazz fascinated Lubambo. He taught himself through intense research and practice, developing exceptional skill, versatility and fluency in both jazz and Brazilian idioms. In 1985, Lubambo left Brazil for New York, where he became very popular, not only for his authentic Brazilian sound, but also for his command of a variety of styles.

Lubambo has established himself as a composer and performer on his recording projects and collaborations with many outstanding artists, including Diana Krall, Herbie Mann, Wynton Marsalis, Grover Washington Jr., Vernon Reid, Flora Purim and Airto Moreira, Sadao Watanabe, Paquito D'Rivera and Harry Belafonte among many others.

Sambacana

Sambacana, an exciting Brazilian music ensemble based in Canada, has been performing for Toronto's growing Brazilian community to great critical acclaim. The release of their first CD, “Nós”, features guest maestro Filó Machado, who'll be performing with them at Massey Hall.

Yannick et les solistes du Métropolitain : Un 3e concert pour poursuivre la lancée éclatante et fulgurante de l'Orchestre

2009-11-05T15:37:00.000-05:00

Montréal, jeudi le 22 octobre 2009 - L'équipe de l'Orchestre Métropolitain se réunira lundi le 9 novembre à la salle Wilfrid-Pelletier de la Place des Arts pour présenter trois chefs-d'œuvre du répertoire germanique :

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) : Concerto Brandebourgeois n° 2 pour violon, flûte, hautbois, trompette, cordes et basse continue
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) : Symphonie n° 103 en mi bémol majeur «Roulement de timbales»
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) : Symphonie n° 2 en do majeur

Pour ce concert, l'Orchestre aura en effet l'immense honneur de mettre en évidence ses propres musiciens. Le Concerto brandebourgeois n°2 de Bach nous permettra d'entendre en solo Marcelle Malette au violon, Marie-Andrée Benny à la flûte, Lise Beauchamp au hautbois, et Stéphane Beaulac à la trompette, ainsi que Yannick Nézet-Séguin au clavecin.

Avec la Symphonie n° 103, nous poursuivrons le cycle des symphonies londoniennes de Haydn. Dès les premières secondes, on comprendra pourquoi cette œuvre délicieuse a reçu le surnom de « Roulement de timbales ». En finale, l'Orchestre présentera la Symphonie n° 2 de Schumann qui est à la fois bien ancrée dans la tradition classique et habitée par une fougue toute romantique.

Gratuit : Le Métropolitain offre des conférences préparatoires gratuites une heure avant chaque concert.

Le concert Yannick et les solistes du Métropolitain sera présenté :

Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, PDA
9 novembre, 19 h 30
Billets : 514-842-2112
de 13$ à 45$

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Le disque Bruckner 8 : ATMA Classique lance la très attendue Symphonie no 8 enregistrée par Yannick Nézet-Séguin et l'Orchestre Métropolitain – sortie prévue le 27 octobre.

Un soir seulement ! L'Orchestre Métropolitain convie le public à une séance de signature du disque Bruckner 8 : ne manquez pas la chance de faire signer votre disque par Yannick après le concert !

Bruckner 8 sera en vente par l'Orchestre Métropolitain le soir même du concert.

L'Orchestre Métropolitain est heureux de remercier son partenaire de soirée, Rio Tinto Alcan pour son soutien financier, ainsi que le CAM, le CALQ et le CAC, partenaires gouvernementaux.

Symphony Nova Scotia and John McDermott honour our veterans

2009-11-05T15:35:00.000-05:00

Halifax NS – Symphony Nova Scotia joins Irish tenor John McDermott in concerts of remembrance on Friday, November 6 at 7:30 pm and again on Sunday, November 8 at 2:00 pm, both at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.

To the generation that remembers the World Wars, John McDermott’s music conjures up a vivid emotional landscape, evocative of love, loss, and history. These Remembrance Day performances, conducted by Symphony Nova Scotia Resident Conductor Martin MacDonald, will pay tribute to our veterans with classic wartime songs like Danny Boy, I’ll Be Seeing You, My Bonnie, The Dreamer, Scotland the Brave, The Gift of Years, By Yon Bonnie Banks, and many more.

"So much of the music I sing really speaks to the veterans' experience,” says McDermott. “I feel a great deal of respect for the men and women who put their lives on the line for the sake of their country.”

McDermott has become known as much for his commitment to veterans' causes as for his successful musical career, and Symphony Nova Scotia is proud to join him in honoring our veterans with this special pair of performances.

Get your tickets now! Prices range from $29-49 (HST included), or you can pick up a subscription package and save up to 30%. For tickets and more information, call 494.3820 or visit our website at www.symphonynovascotia.ca.

About John McDermott

The ninth of twelve children, McDermott came from a traditional Glasgow Irish family who emigrated from Scotland to Canada in the 1960s. John's musical roots are equal parts Scottish and Irish and his songs showcase his innate understanding and facility with traditional folk melodies as well as more contemporary stylings. He has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's "Bob Hope Award," and works closely with organizations like the Medal of Honor Society, the War Amps of Canada, the Semper Fidelis Society, and the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans.

About Symphony Nova Scotia

Symphony Nova Scotia is Nova Scotia’s orchestra. Each year more than 50,000 audience members (including 15,000 young music lovers) join us in communities across Nova Scotia for performances of the music they love – from baroque and classical to pop and rock and folk. Under the inspirational leadership of Music Director Bernhard Gueller, Symphony Nova Scotia is recognized as one of the finest orchestras in the country. Visit www.SymphonyNovaScotia.ca to learn more, listen online, or subscribe today!

Symphony Nova Scotia is grateful to the Canada Council for the Arts, Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture, and Heritage, and the Halifax Regional Municipality for their continued support.

Les rencontres qui chantent de retour en Acadie

2009-11-05T15:33:00.001-05:00

L'Alliance nationale de l'industrie musicale (ANIM) et le Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée, en collaboration avec le Service des loisirs socioculturels de l'Université de Moncton, présentent le spectacle Les rencontres qui chantent, dans le cadre du Coup de cœur francophone en Acadie et de la FrancoFête en Acadie.

Trois ans après un passage remarqué lors de la 10e édition de la FrancoFête en Acadie, c'est un tout nouveau spectacle des Rencontres qui chantent qui sera présenté sur les planches du Théâtre Capitol de Moncton le dimanche 8 novembre à 20 h 30, en clôture de la FrancoFête. La soirée rassemblera douze artistes émergents de la scène musicale francophone, en provenance de l'Ouest canadien, de l'Ontario, de l'Acadie, du Québec et, pour la première fois, des Antilles françaises.

Après s'être rencontrés initialement en juin dernier dans le cadre du Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée pour une semaine de création artistique, ces auteurs-compositeurs-interprètes se retrouveront à Moncton dès le 1er novembre. Cette deuxième résidence consiste en la conception d'un spectacle reflétant le fruit de leurs échanges créatifs. Sur place, ils seront encadrés de près dans leur démarche par Éric Auclair à la direction musicale, Alan Côté (Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée) à la direction artistique et Marc Chabot à l'écriture. Le concert sera donné en présence de nombreux professionnels de l'industrie, de diffuseurs, de producteurs ainsi que du grand public. La radio de Radio-Canada sera également sur les lieux pour capter l'événement qui sera diffusé ultérieurement sur les ondes de la station.

Cette présentation est en quelque sorte un retour aux sources pour le projet Les rencontres qui chantent puisque son tout premier spectacle a été présenté lors de la FrancoFête en Acadie en 2006. Depuis, la résidence a permis à plus d'une quarantaine d'auteurs-compositeurs-interprètes émergents d'enrichir leur univers créatif, tout en se créant un solide réseau de contacts

Cette année, le projet réunit Philippe Bouchard de Buffet froid (Québec), Serge Brideau (Nouveau-Brunswick) Geneviève Chassé (Colombie-Britannique), Cindy Doire (Ontario), Raphaël Freynet (Alberta), G'Ny (Guadeloupe), Lisa LeBlanc (Nouveau-Brunswick), Klô Pelgag (Québec), Sophie Pelletier (Québec), Smiley (Guadeloupe), Denis Vrignon-Tessier (Manitoba) et XLA (Ontario).

L'ANIM et le Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée tiennent à remercier leurs partenaires :
Le Conseil des Arts du Canada, MUSICACTION, Patrimoine canadien, Le Secrétariat aux affaires intergouvernementales canadiennes (SAIC), Le Centre de la francophonie des Amérique, La Société Radio-Canada, La Conférence régionale des élues Gaspésie-îles-de-la-Madeleine, Le Festival Musique du Bout du Monde, SODEC, le Réseau intercollégial des activités socioculturelles du Québec (RIASQ), La Société Professionnelle des Auteurs et des Compositeurs du Québec, Le Festival Coup de cœur francophone et la FrancoFête en Acadie (SPACQ).

COC and Ben Heppner offer special recital for all COC 60th Anniversary Concert ticket holders

2009-11-05T14:04:00.001-05:00

For immediate release: November 5, 2009

COC AND BEN HEPPNER OFFER SPECIAL RECITAL FOR ALL COC 60th ANNIVERSARY CONCERT TICKET HOLDERS

Toronto, Ontario – The Canadian Opera Company (COC) and celebrated Canadian tenor Ben Heppner are pleased to announce that Mr. Heppner will perform a special solo recital for all ticket holders of the COC’s Diamond Anniversary concert. Mr. Heppner, who was to have been featured at the concert, was forced to withdraw late last week due to illness. The recital with piano, to take place on the stage of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts at a date to be announced soon, will be free for all ticket purchasers of the Saturday, November 7, Diamond Anniversary concert. Ticket holders will be contacted with full details once the date is announced.

“We know Ben’s appearance was highly anticipated by many people, and we understand they are as disappointed by his cancellation as we are. We asked him if he could offer our audience a special recital with piano on the Four Seasons Centre stage. He immediately agreed, and we are eager to have him back with us soon,” says Alexander Neef, General Director. “I am very pleased that we will be providing our 60th anniversary concert-goers with a program of the highest calibre, as well as a solo recital by Ben later this season. All this makes our 60th anniversary even more exciting!”

The COC’s 60th Anniversary Concert takes place as planned on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 7 p.m. at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, with a pre-concert reception beginning at 6 p.m. Last week, after Mr. Heppner was forced to withdraw from performing at the concert, the COC quickly signed opera stars Ramón Vargas, John Treleaven, and

Canada

’s own Russell Braun to replace the ailing singer. The concert also features the COC Orchestra, led by Johannes Debus, making his debut as COC Music Director.

Regulars at all the great opera houses of the world, Ramón Vargas, Russell Braun and John Treleaven perform extensively with the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Vienna Staatsoper, Paris Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Munich Staatsoper, and San Francisco Opera, among many others. The evening’s concert program has retained most of its original repertoire with Mr. Vargas singing from the romantic French repertoire,

Mr. Treleaven singing the Wagner repertoire and Mr. Braun singing both.

The COC’s 60th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, November 7, 2009, begins with a pre-concert reception at 6 p.m. in the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room at the Four Seasons Centre, followed by the concert which begins at 7 p.m. All tickets include a complimentary glass of Trius Brut sparkling wine or Peller Estates Icewine.

Supporting Sponsors of the COC’s Diamond Anniversary Concert: BMO Financial Group, Diamond and Schmitt Architects

Wine Sponsor: Andrew Peller Limited

Diamond Raffle Sponsor: De Beers Canada

The COC is grateful to Colleen Sexsmith for offering her generous financial support to help make the COC’s Diamond Anniversary concert possible, in part through underwriting Ramón Vargas’s and John Treleavan’s respective performances.

Russell Braun’s appearance is generously underwritten by Earlaine Collins.

> COC Website

Symphony Nova Scotia puts spotlight on concertmaster Robert Uchida

2009-11-05T12:23:00.001-05:00

Halifax, NS – Symphony Nova Scotia concertmaster Robert Uchida takes centre stage for Brushstrokes and Bows at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium on Thursday, November 5 at 7:30 pm.

As the “bows” part of the concert, Uchida and the orchestra will perform the Nova Scotian premiere of Canadian composer Andrew P. MacDonald’s Violin Concerto. This concerto won the Juno Award for Best Classical Composition in 1995, and Fanfare described it as “sparkling with life, both in its brilliant writing for the soloist and its imaginative use of orchestral colour.”

“The MacDonald Violin Concerto is one of the greatest Canadian pieces written for solo violin,” says Uchida, who will be performing the concerto under the baton of Symphony Nova Scotia Music Director Bernhard Gueller. “I am very excited to be a part of its introduction to the Nova Scotia audience. This concerto has everything – from incredible virtuosic writing to sheer depth, lyricism and beauty.”

The “brushstrokes” section of the concert is made up of Respighi’s Botticelli Pictures, which he wrote in honour of the three of Botticelli’s most famous paintings – Spring, The Birth of Venus, and The Adoration of the Magi. This musical representation transforms colour into sound, capturing the mood, light, and passion of the art of Botticelli.

The orchestra will complete the concert with a performance of Schubert’s buoyant, joyous Symphony no. 5.

Get your tickets now! Prices range from $29-49 (HST included), or you can pick up a subscription package and save up to 30%. Under age 30? Pay only $15 with your TD Under-30 Access Pass, now available at the box office. For tickets and more information, call 494.3820 or visit our website at www.symphonynovascotia.ca.

About Robert Uchida

Hailed by critics for his “rich tone and virtuosic technique” (the Chronicle Herald), Canadian-born violinist Robert Uchida has quickly established himself as a collaborative artist and concertmaster of distinction. Regarded as a musically sensitive and cerebral performer, Uchida has performed as a soloist and concertmaster across North America and Europe. His most recent recording, Sonata for Unaccompanied Violin by Andrew Violette, has been released through Innova Records and is receiving rave reviews.

About Symphony Nova Scotia

The Music Scene Winter 2010 Issue to Appear

2009-11-05T08:04:00.000-05:00

La SCENA Fall 2009 / La Scena Musicale September 2009 Issue

The Music Scene Back Issues

The Winter 2010 issue of The Music Scene will be distributed on November 16 and the deadline for advertising is November 9, 2009.

The Winter 2010 issue of The Music Scene will be a special focus on Education. Our cover features an in-depth spread on the world-renowned El Sistema music education program created by Jose Abreu. The Venezuelan system provides free music education to lower-income children and has since spawned many similar programs across the globe, including a couple in Canada. The issue will also feature The Music Scene's annual Guide to Higher Education. Nowhere else can students or parents find such a complete and easy-to-follow summary of the country's top music programs. Complementing our guide are interviews with top music educators, in-depth reviews of the best programs, and updates on higher-education news, including an overview of the most exciting musicological research from the past year. We will also look at new pianos from Yamaha and Roland.

Our winter 2010 issue will also celebrate the Canadian Music Centre's 50th anniversary and the Canadian Opera Company's 60th anniversary. The COC's new artistic director Johannes Debus will also be the subject of a featured interview. We also look at the innovative Calgary Opera. All this and our CD/DVD/Book reviews and our Southern Ontario and Ottawa concert picks for November to March.

The Music Scene reaches over 50,000 readers with 25,000 copies distributed in Ontario and English Canada.

For more info on rates and production please visit http://ads.scena.org for our 2009-2010 schedule or contact our sales department directly at 514-948-0509 or sales@scena.org.

NOTE: There is no increase in advertising rates for 2009-2010.

To subscribe, call 514-948-2520 or visit http://www.scena.org/fs_subscription.asp

Yours sincerely,

Wah Keung Chan
Founding Publisher and Editor
La Scena Musicale
La SCENA
The Music Scene

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Upcoming Issues:

The Music Scene: Winter 2010

50,000 readers
Theme: Higher Music Education

English Canada

circulation: 25,000 copies

Toronto : 15,000
Ottawa : 5000
English Canada (Schools): 3,000
Mailing: 2,000

Distribution date: November 16
Advertising deadline: November 9
Materials deadline: November 10

http://ads.scena.org or contact our sales department directly at 514-948-0509 or sales@scena.org.
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The Music Scene numéro d'hiver 2010

2009-11-05T08:01:00.002-05:00

La SCENA Automne 2009 / La Scena Musicale Septembre 2009

The Music Scene anciens numéros

Le numéro d'hiver de The Music Scene sera distribué le 16 novembre et la date de tombée pour les annonces est le 9 novembre 2009.

Le numéro d’hiver 2010 de The Music Scene mettra l’accent sur l’éducation. En vedette, un article de fond sur El Sistema, le programme d’enseignement musical de réputation mondiale créé par José Abreu. Le système vénézuélien donne une formation musicale gratuite aux enfants de milieux défavorisés et a maintenant inspiré de nombreux programmes semblables un peu partout dans le monde, y compris quelques-uns au Canada. Ce numéro comprendra également le Guide annuel des études supérieures de The Music Scene. Les étudiants ou les parents ne trouveront nulle part ailleurs un résumé aussi complet et facile à consulter des meilleurs programmes en musique du pays. Notre guide comprend également des entrevues avec des professeurs de renom, des analyses approfondies des programmes les plus réputés et des mises à jour de l’actualité en formation supérieure, y compris un survol des recherches les plus intéressantes en musicologie de la dernière année. Nous jetterons aussi un coup d’œil sur les nouveaux pianos de Yamaha et Roland.

Notre numéro d’hiver 2010 célébrera également le 50e anniversaire du Centre de musique canadienne et le 60e anniversaire de la Canadian Opera Company. Le nouveau directeur artistique de la COC Johannes Debus nous accordera pour l’occasion une longue entrevue. Tout cela en plus de nos critiques de CD, DVD et livres et de nos choix de concerts dans le sud de l’Ontario et à Ottawa de novembre à mars.

The Music Scene rejoigne plus de 50 000 lecteurs avec 25 000 exemplaires distribués à Toronto et Ottawa.

Pour plus d’information sur les tarifs et la production, voyez notre calendrier 2009-2010 à http://ads.scena.org ou communiquez avec notre service des ventes à 514-948-0509 ou sales@scena.org.

NOTEZ : Aucune augmentation des tarifs en 2009-2010.

Pour les abonnements, appeler au 514-948-2520 ou visitez http://www.scena.org/fs_subscription.asp

Wah Keung Chan
Éditeur et rédacteur en chef fondateur
La Scena Musicale
La SCENA
The Music Scene

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The Music Scene Hiver 2010

50 000 lecteurs
Distribution : 25 000
En couverture : El Sistema
Thème : études supérieures

Toronto : 15 000
Ottawa : 5 000
Canada anglais (écoles): 3 000
Abonnements : 2 000

Sortie : le 16 novembre
Tombée publicitaire : le 9 novembre
Maquettes : le 10 novembre

http://ads.scena.org ou communiquez avec notre service des ventes à 514-948-0509 ou sales@scena.org.
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La Scena Musicale/The Music Scene est un organisme de bienfaisance enregistré qui fait la promotion des arts et de la musique en publiant trois magazines et un site Web. Nous rapprochons les musicien(ne)s et les artistes avec la communauté artistique, les mélomanes et les amateurs d’art. Aidez-nous à poursuivre notre travail avec un don (d'argent ou de biens) ou par du travail bénévole.Communiquer avec nous au 514-948-2520 ou à info@scena.org

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