Classical Music - my/maSCENA

Newswire | Amadeus Choir Celebrates 50 Years and Honours Lydia Adams as Conductor Emerita

By Newswire on 12 April 2024 Choral, Newswire, Vocal

Toronto, ON – April 12, 2023 – In a landmark moment during their golden jubilee celebrations, the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto proudly designates Lydia Adams as Conductor Emerita, recognizing her exceptional contributions to the choir’s legacy. Adams, who assumed leadership in 1984, played an instrumental role in transforming the choir into an internationally acclaimed ensemble over her remarkable 35-year tenure. Mary Gray, Board Chair of the Amadeus Choir, expressed her gratitude and enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled to announce Lydia Adams as Conductor Emerita of the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto. Lydia’s enduring impact has shaped our choir into…

Weekly Lebrecht | Cantabile: Anthems for viola (Delphian)

By Norman Lebrecht on 12 April 2024 Lebrecht Weekly, Strings

I was never a fan of viola jokes. Just because the instrument is neither one thing nor the other doesn’t make it any funnier than a mezzo-soprano or a bass-baritone. It is what it is, with benefits. The viola spares you squeaky irritations of a violin and lugubrious growls of a mishandled cello. I like the viola. There, I’ve said it. What’s special about this release is the eclectic menu assembled by a young Jamaican-American, Jordan Bak, who is clearly going places. Bak opens with a three-minute Chant by Jonathan Harvey, dinking back and forth between tonal and post-tonal contemplation.…

Photo by Antoine Saito

Concert Review | OSMose: Great Fun for Kids!

By Amanda Wong on 10 April 2024 Classical Music

This year’s OSMose at the Maison Symphonique featured a program of excerpts from 13 well-known pieces, most notably Edvard Grieg’s ‘Morning Mood’ from Peer Gynt, “Hedwig’s Theme” from John Williams’ iconic Harry Potter score, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.

Newswire | Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition Announces 2024 Finalists in Strings

By Newswire on 9 April 2024 Classical Music, Music Competition, Newswire, Strings

Brandon, Manitoba – The 47th Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition 2024 in Strings: Violin, Viola and Cello, taking place at Brandon University School of Music from May 10-12, 2024, announces that the five selected final string players are: Danielle Greene (violin, NL), Juliana Moroz (cello, MB), Astrid Nakamura (violin, ON), Justin Saulnier (violin, ON) and Tiffany Yeung (violin, ON). Commonly known as the E-Gré, this annual event focuses on the exceptional performance of contemporary music by Canada’s top emerging artists. Created in 1976 as a tribute to composer, pianist, and violinist S. C. Eckhardt- Gramatté, the competition highlights Canadian music and…

Photo by Jon Mark

CD Review | Portraits, Emily Carr String Quartet (Leaf Music)

By Justin Bernard on 2 April 2024 CD and Book Reviews, Classical Music

The Emily Carr String Quartet specializes in contemporary musical repertoire and has chosen to adopt the name of a local painter.

Maurizio Baglini performs Beethoven (Photo provided)

Société Pro Musica: Maurizio Baglini and the Symphonic Piano

By Viktor Lazarov on 2 April 2024 Montreal, Piano

Italian pianist, Maurizio Baglini, will make his Montreal debut with a recital at the Société Pro Musica on Sunday, May 12, 2024.

Photo: Karen E Reeves

Review | Mark Fewer Shines in Esprit Orchestra’s Richter and Ligeti Evening

By Joseph So on 1 April 2024 Classical Music, Concert Reviews, Orchestral

To lovers of new music, Esprit Orchestra needs no introduction. Founded in 1983 by conductor Alex Pauk, the orchestra has been at the forefront of presenting existing contemporary classical music repertoire, as well as the commissioning of new works by Canadian composers, since its inception. Thanks to this 65-member professional orchestra, Toronto music lovers get to discover and experience works rarely presented by other orchestras. Their most recent concert, Violinissimo II, was aptly named as a follow up to the original Violinissimo, a well received, violin-centric evening presented by EO in the fall of 2022. On the program were Max…

Kent Nagano (Photo provided)

The Homecoming of Kent Nagano

By Justin Bernard on 29 March 2024 Montreal, Orchestral

Kent Nagano has a soft spot in his heart for the province of Quebec. In conversation with La Scena Musicale, he talks about a place he views as a cultural hot spot.

Editorial (April 2024)

By Wah Keung Chan on 29 March 2024 Arts Industry, Piano, Vocal

Welcome to the April/May 2024 national issue of La Scena Musicale. Tenor Pene Pati is featured on the cover of the English edition, and Canadian playwright Mishka Lavigne is our French-edition cover artist. This issue marks our fifth of six national issues, in our six-issue 28th season. CURRENT ISSUE This issue contains an exciting variety of content—from interviews with stars of the operatic stage such as Pene Pati, Michael Spyres, and Joyce El-Khoury, to features on arts leaders Dr. Peter Simon and Mark Gillespie. We sit down with Les Violons du Roy, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Pro Musica, the Festival…

Spring Festival Guide 2024

By La Scena Musicale Team on 29 March 2024 Guides, Montreal, Orchestral, Quebec City, Scena Arts

Newfoundland Gros Morne Theatre Festival Cow Head, June 1 to September 22 www.theatrenewfoundland.com Nova Scotia Scotia Festival of Music Halifax, May 27 to June 9 www.scotiafestival.com Montréal Festival de la Voix Dorval, Pointe-Claire, Beaconsfield, Salle Pauline Julien, Pierrefonds, March 16 to April 19, www.festivaldelavoix.com Festival de la Voix 11th edition celebrates the beauty, versatility and power of the human voice with CONCERTS & WORKSHOPS for everyone with artists Martine St-Clair, Simon Leclerc, Karen Young, Quartom, Musaïque, Ensemble ArtChoral, Frédéricka Petit-Homme, Nigra Sum, Ensemble Caprice, Steel Rail, Rob Lutes, Dre. Françoise Chagnon, Myriam Leblanc, Ellen Torrie, Lavanya Narasiah et le Projet…