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The Chamber Music Institute @ Menlo

By Viktor Lazarov on 6 August 2026 Chamber Music, Classical Music, Interviews, Piano, Strings

Sitting in the shade in front of the round, hut-like Martin Family Hall where July 17’s Encounter I took place, I spoke with two Canadian participants of the International Program (IP) about their experience at Music@Menlo. “[Menlo] is very intense, because they train us for the professional world”, says cellist Amanda Chi. “Other festivals I’ve been to were longer and more laid back. [Here] they tell us what their lives are like, traveling around, flying to a place and immediately performing”. Typically, IPs start their day with 7:30 or 8 AM rehearsals followed by chamber music coaching at 9 AM.…

L-R: Jake Dongyoung and Hannah Tam (violins); Jonathan Mak (piano); Miles Levine (cello); and Rang Tae (viola). Photo: Harrison Truong

Music@Menlo: 24 years of Chamber Music Making in Silicon Valley

By Viktor Lazarov on 4 August 2026 Classical Music, Interviews, Music Competition, Piano

After 24 seasons driven by generosity, passion, and an uncompromising organizational vision, this summer’s Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival and Institute will send off its founders and artistic directors pianist Wu Han and cellist David Finckel with one last tango in Menlo Park, California. As they have done in the past, America’s chamber music power couple assembled a mouth-watering cast of guest artists for the festival’s 2026 edition. Along with the star-studded artist faculty, this year’s festival hosted a small, but select, cohort of music writers participating in the Music Critics’ Association of North America (MCANA) Writers’ Institute. As one of…

Montreal skyline. Photo: Marc-Olivier Jodoin

Cityscapes | Montreal, Que.

By Kaitlyn Chan on 1 June 2026 Art of Living, Interviews, Montreal

Welcome to Cityscapes From coast to coast, Canada offers magnificent natural landscapes and culturally diverse cities. In this issue, we highlight Montreal’s inspiring locations, music and arts scene, and unique neighbourhoods. We invited four local artists to tell us what they love most about this creative hotspot. Sharon Azrieli Soprano Sharon Azrieli was awarded the National Order of Quebec (Chevalière du Québec) in 2019 for her achievements as a performer. She is devoted to arts education and philanthropy, creating the Azrieli Music Prizes and sitting on several arts foundations’ boards. Tim Brady Tim Brady is a composer, electric guitarist,…

An Indigenous Playlist: Artists Select Their Favourite Tunes

By Kaitlyn Chan on 1 June 2026 Classical Music, Folk, Indigenous, Interviews, Musique populaire, Opera, Vocal

In celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, La Scena Musicale presents the second edition of its Indigenous Playlist. We invited several Indigenous artists to select one song by an Indigenous musician or composer and explain why they chose the piece. Discover what some of Canada’s incredible Indigenous creators are listening to right now! Aysanabee www.aysanabee.com Aysanabee is a four-time Juno Award-winning Oji-Cree artist, who made history as the first Indigenous artist to win the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, as well as the first Indigenous artist to reach No.…

Photo: Dagnushka

William Fedkenheuer: Introducing Toronto Summer Music’s New Leader

By Heather Weinreb on 1 June 2026 Chamber Music, Classical Music, Folk, Interviews, Toronto, Vocal

Toronto Summer Music, which celebrates its 20th anniversary from July 9 to Aug. 1, has a new artistic director at its helm. A violinist and chamber musician with a strong background in fiddling, William Fedkenheuer is uniquely positioned to lead the festival’s threefold mission: presenting concerts in Toronto’s Koerner and Walter halls, running a fellowship program for emerging artists, and offering a community program for advanced amateurs. Fedkenheuer notes that although the integration of all these elements is “overwhelming sometimes,” it also opens up unique opportunities in each sphere. “There’s not many programs where the professionals play with the fellows,”…

Photo: Dario Acosta

Erin Morley: Golden Age Coloratura

By Patrick Dillon on 1 June 2026 Interviews, Opera, Vocal

“Of course I said yes! It was a no-brainer!” recalls a smiling Erin Morley when the luminous American soprano is asked to outline the genesis of her Golden Age collaboration with tenor Lawrence Brownlee, a bewitching blend of bel canto and French arias and duets that emerged first as a recording, then as the extended tour that’s bringing her to Koerner Hall on July 16 as part of Toronto Summer Music. Amazingly, this will mark her Canadian debut. “Larry gave me a surprise phone call during the pandemic, back in 2020. I’d never sung with him, never even met him,…

Photo: ©Ornato

Saioa Hernández: In the Pursuit of Artistry

By Justin Bernard on 1 June 2026 Interviews, Opera, Région

This summer, Festival de Lanaudière is set to deliver yet another of its signature musical moments. Alongside Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Orchestre Métropolitain, opera lovers can anticipate the Canadian debut of the exceptional soprano Saioa Hernández, who will portray the titular Lady in Verdi’s Macbeth at the Fernand-Lindsay Amphitheatre in Joliette, Que. Originally from Madrid, Hernández has spent most of her career in Europe. Her appearance at Lanaudière may be a local debut, but it represents a reunion of sorts with her stage husband, Canadian baritone Etienne Dupuis who will sing Macbeth. Indeed, the soprano and the baritone had previously joined…

SooBeen Lee in the final round of CMIM Violin 2023. Photo: Tam Photography

Concours musical international de Montréal 2026: All Shades of the Violin

By Heather Weinreb on 4 May 2026 Classical Music, Interviews, Montreal, Music Competition, Strings, Violin

Out of 250 violinists who auditioned from all over the world, the preliminary jury selected 24, including three Canadians (Justin Saulnier, Paloma So and Belle Ting), to compete at this year’s edition of Concours musical international de Montréal. “We could have easily selected twice that amount,” says Artistic Director Shira Gilbert. “The level [of the competitors] is really exceptional.” Founded in 2001 by legendary Canadian bass Joseph Rouleau, together with politician and philanthropist André Bourbeau, the Concours is North America’s only international multidisciplinary classical music competition. Rotating annually between violin, voice, and piano, it is based on the model of…

Rihab Chaieb. Photo: Gaetz Photography; Arturo Chacón-Cruz. Photo: Lena Kern

Video | Behind the Scenes at Opéra de Montréal’s Carmen

By La Scena Musicale Team on 30 April 2026 Interviews, Montreal, Opera, This Week in Montreal, Video of the day

La Scena Musicale’s Adrian Rodriguez and Justin Bernard dropped in on a rehearsal for Opéra de Montréal’s production of Carmen. Opening this Saturday, May 2, 2026, watch the following video for insights from Rihab Chaieb (Carmen) and Arturo Chacón-Cruz (Don José). https://youtu.be/ZCS7KwIyx9Q Opéra de Montréal presents Georges Bizet’s Carmen from May 2-12.

Photo: Jag Gundu

Anoushka Shankar: The Next Chapter

By Kaitlyn Chan on 15 April 2026 Interviews, Orchestral, Strings, Toronto

“The sitar was an important part of my life before I even played it because it was so key in my family,” says sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar. Shankar’s father, sitar virtuoso and composer Pandit Ravi Shankar, played a pivotal role in bringing the world’s attention to Hindustani classical music. He was also A. Shankar’s first sitar teacher. Growing up, Shankar was surrounded by a variety of artistic influences. Her parents, who were from different areas of India, both passed down a love for the music and dance styles from their regions. “I listened to a mix of Hindustani, Carnatic…

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