Bryan and Silvie Cheng—brother and sister in real life—have just released a new album, Portrait, on Centrediscs—the most personal of their entire discography.
Rarely do program notes capture the intangible, inexpressible nature of the works they describe. But such is not the case with composer Kevin Lau’s album Under a Veil of Stars.
Nearly three decades after it was initially made, Israeli-Canadian cellist Ofra Harnoy’s recording of Edward Elgar’s cello concerto has been released on Sony Classical.
The age of humans—the “Holocene era”—is at its end, suggests award-winning composer Frank Horvat on his latest masterpiece, An Auditory Survey of the Last Days of the Holocene.
For better or worse, En Route is a unique example of how track lengths, titles, and human voices (or the lack thereof) affect a listener’s experience of an album.
Recurrence is a collaboration between members of the ICOT (Iranian-Canadian Composers of Toronto) Chamber Orchestra, the New Orford String Quartet and two eminent Canadian composers.
On Sunday afternoon, October 15, 2023, a packed Maison Symphonique welcomed Mathias Maute’s Ensemble Caprice in “Vivaldi’s Gloria”: a concert celebrating the reputable baroque ensemble’s 35 years. The ensemble collaborated with the Ensemble ArtChoral and members of the Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra (JBO), Israel’s first baroque orchestra. Maute shared the podium with Maestro David Shermer, conductor and founder of the JBO, who played continuo on harpsichord and pump organ. Maestro Maute presented and welcomed his guests, and thanked the members of the JBO, performing despite distressing international circumstances. The concert opened with the performance of a text by poet, author, songwriter,…
Prof. Sandeep Bhagwati is being honoured this year by the SMCQ, with their prestigious Série Hommage. Every two years, the leading Quebec organization chooses to honour one composer by featuring their work in over 200 concerts and events nationwide. The composer’s formidable intellect is evident, based on his numerous pursuits and artistic projects which span the course of an impressive and highly successful career. Born in Mumbai, educated in Austria, Germany and France, Bhagwati writes operas, orchestral and ensemble compositions and chamber music, creates multimedia concert installations, and composes what he calls comprovisations: compositions with integrated improvisations. But who exactly…
Clara et Robert Schumann: Musique de chambre pour cor Louis-Philippe Marsolais, horn; David Jalbert and Philip Chiu, piano; Cameron Crozman and Stéphane Tétreault, cello Atma Classique, June 2023 The gentleness of the Schumanns’ romantic compositions is not lost on the Orchestre Métropolitain’s principal horn player, Louis-Philippe Marsolais. He demonstrates a great deal of restraint on this album through his muted performance. Marsolais’s soft notes drift along peacefully above an enthusiastic piano, played by David Jalbert. When Marsolais is prompted to play with more force, Jalbert is careful to maintain a similar volume and intensity, creating a gentle synergy between the…
Your Brain on Music: Montreal Neurological Institute The Neuro, as it is commonly called, is hosting Your Brain on Music as part of their Amazing Brain Week (Oct. 13-19). Leading neuroscientists Robert Zatorre and Simone Dalla Bella will join musicians from the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for an event that combines performance and conversation, exploring music’s impact on the brain. Michel Rochon, scientific journalist and author, will host a conversation on topics ranging from our emotional responses to music, the impact of musical activities on brain plasticity, and the human perception of rhythm (Oct. 16). www.amazingbrainweek.ca Les jours heureux After…
