Category: Canadian Music

Song of a Nation: The Untold Story Of Canada’s National Anthem

By Vasyl Pawlowsky on 2 October 2019 Canadian Music

While growing up in the 1970s I assumed that O Canada was our nation’s official anthem. Many others were similarly mistaken. Song of a Nation: The Untold Story of Canada’s National Anthem, by Robert Harris, tells the true story. It is a wonderfully written biography, history and tale that will resonate and tug at one’s heartstrings while revealing fascinating details of Canadian history. Canadians and lovers of music will appreciate it deeply. The biography is of a man who “left home at twelve, worked as a blackface minstrel travelling throughout the United States, fought in the American Civil War, was wounded at the…

Photo: courtoisie de l'artiste

Trio Dell’Aria: Louis Spohr and more

By Justin Bernard on 1 October 2019 Art Song, Canadian Music, Chamber Music

Soprano Kripa Nageshwar, pianist Ruta Vaivade and clarinetist Michael Westwood always had an individual passion for chamber music. The same passion drew them together and binds them today. Their adventure as the Trio Dell’Aria took off at Toronto’s Westwood Concert Series in 2014, where they gave their first public performance. They went on exploring Baroque to contemporary music, as well as jazz, folksong and chanson. “With Ruta, we finally found our match, Kripa and I,” Michael says. “It’s now the perfect trio.” Ruta adds: “Plus, now that we get more and more chances to perform, I think there are new…

Nozze di Figaro, JMC production

Jeunesses Musicales Canada

By Benjamin Goron on 30 August 2019 Canadian Music

A Young Person’s Guide to Classical Music From one year to the next, Jeunesses Musicales du Canada (JMC) stages over 1,200 concerts and workshops in about 200 venues in Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes. This non-profit organization has promoted the cause of classical musical like no other in Eastern Canada on the basis of its educational and support programs for young musicians. Danièle Leblanc, the JMC general director, offers some historical insights. On Aug. 23 of this year, JMC turned 70. Its co-founders Gilles Lefebvre, Father J.H. Lemieux, Anaïs Allard-Rousseau and Laurette Desruisseaux-Boisvert modelled it on similar initiatives existing in…

Cellist Matthew Christakos Wins 2019 Michael Measures Prize

By Newswire on 17 July 2019 Canadian Music, Classical

Today, the Canada Council for the Arts announced the winners of the 2019 Michael Measures Prize, which recognizes promising young Canadian classical music performers enrolled in the summer training program of the prestigious NYO Canada (National Youth Orchestra Canada). This year’s Michael Measures first prize of $25,000 goes to cellist Matthew Christakos. Matthew attends the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists of the Royal Conservatory of Music, in Toronto, and will begin a bachelor’s degree in music at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia with Peter Wiley and Carter Brey in September 2019. The Michael Measures…

Joseph Rouleau Remembered (1929-2019)

By Wah Keung Chan on 13 July 2019 Art Song, Canadian Music, Contemporary, Opera

Update (2019-07-22): here are the details of the funeral: Date: Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 1 PM Place: Saint-Viateur Church, 1175 Avenue Laurier O, Outremont, QC H2V 3R5 (directions) Details (La Presse) Joseph Rouleau was on the Board of Directors of the Orchestre classique de Montréal for close to 10 years and, since September 2018, was President. In my role as Executive Director, I tremendously enjoyed working with him. He was always positive and supportive. Everyone at the OCM is devastated by the passing of this great man who helped the orchestra tremendously. He was the type of man who was able to pick up the…

Photo: Yves Lacombe

François Girard: From Film to Opera

By Justin Bernard on 30 May 2019 Arts Industry, Film, Interviews, Musique de film, Opera, Quebec Music

I’m there to serve an idea, serve the music, not so much to transmit my own views or personal concerns […] You have to ask yourself: What does this story say now, how can I give it a contemporary resonance? That’s the real task of a director, making the music and meaning resonate. The main event of this summer’s ninth edition of the Festival d’opéra de Québec is an eagerly-awaited staging of The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner. Under the musical direction of Jacques Lacombe, a cast led by baritone Gregory Dahl will present the mythical story in a production…

Photo: Nuria Soler-Milla

Thierry Bégin-L: Saved by the Guitar

By Arnaud G. Veydarier on 31 March 2019 Canadian Music, Classical Music, Interviews

While a musical calling is often apparent early, the unique sensitivity that marks a great performer often comes later in life, with experience. Even so, some artists seem from an early age to combine technical know-how with a visceral understanding of the artistic intention behind the interpreted work. Judging by the many laudatory reviews and packed concert halls, classical guitarist Thierry Bégin-L seems to be one of those lucky few for whom music just flows. If he is recognized today as one of the most promising talents of his generation, it is because he seems to have developed a nearly…

Book Review: Song of a Nation: The Untold Story of Canada’s National Anthem

By Vasyl Pawlowsky on 22 March 2019 Canadian Music, CD and Book Reviews, La Scena Online

Song of a Nation: The Untold Story of Canada’s National Anthem by Robert Harris, Toronto: McClelland & Stewart. ISBN: 9780771050923 While growing up in the 1970s I assumed that O Canada was our nation’s official anthem. Many others were similarly mistaken. Song of a Nation: The Untold Story of Canada’s National Anthem, by Robert Harris is a wonderfully written biography, history and tale that will resonate and tug at one’s heartstrings while revealing some gems of Canadian history, which all Canadians and lovers of music will probably appreciate. The biography is of a man who “left home at twelve, worked…

Photo: Sasha Onyshchenko

Marc Djokic – Musician Without Limits

By Justin Bernard on 27 November 2018 Canadian Music, Chamber Music, Contemporary, Violin

Marc Djokic is a violinist on the move. Winner of the 2017-2018 Mécénat Musica Prix Goyer and an Opus award from the Conseil québécois de la musique, he’s had a busy year touring while pursuing new projects. Last summer, Djokic began his first European tour with solo recitals, chamber music concerts and masterclasses in Venice, Geneva and Bern. He was also recently appointed concertmaster of the McGill Chamber Orchestra. His first album, Solo Seven, was released on the ATMA Classique label in the fall. For our interview, Djokic suggested that we meet at the Association Récréative Milton-Parc, in downtown Montreal,…

Tafelmusik Announces New Executive Director Carol Kehoe

By Newswire on 14 November 2018 Arts Industry, Baroque and Early, Canadian Music, Newswire

Toronto, November 13, 2018 … David Kilburn, Chair of the Board of Directors of Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, is pleased to announce the appointment of Carol Kehoe to the position of Executive Director. Ms. Kehoe is an accomplished leader with more than 25 years of management experience at senior levels, most recently as the Executive Director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, where she led the organization through an impressive financial turnaround. Carol came to Tafelmusik in August as Interim Executive Director and will transition to her permanent role immediately. “We are delighted to have Carol join Tafelmusik as…

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