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Concerts this month:April 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 7:30 p.m. Tanna Schulich Hall $10McGILL JAZZ ORCHESTRA IIRon Di Lauro, director
Thursday, April 8, 7:30 p.m. Pollack Hall $10 McGILL UNIVERSITY CHOIRFrançois Ouimet, directorWorks by Bruckner, J.S. Bach, Jannequin, Whitacre, Pärt
Friday, April 9, 7:30 p.m. Pollack Hall $12Saturday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. Pollack Hall $12McGILL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA and McGILL SINFONIETTABERLIOZ: Les Nuits d’été for solo voice and orchestra, Op.7Emma Parkinson, mezzo-soprano (class of Sanford Sylvan)SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 8 in C major, D. 944
Thursday, April 12, 7:30 p.m. Pollack Hall $10McGILL JAZZ ORCHESTRA IGordon Foote, director
Monday, April 12, 7:30 p.m. Redpath Hall $10McGILL BAROQUE ORCHESTRA Hank Knox, conductorWorks by Biber, J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, et al.
Le mardi 13 avril à 19h30 Pollack Hall $10ORCHESTRE DES INSTRUMENT À VENTS DE McGILLAlain Cazes, conductorELIOT BRITTON (composer at McGill): piece TBAISAK GOLDCHNEIDER: piece for solo trumpet TBAAmy Horvey, trumpet (class of Edward Carroll)DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony no 9Arr. William Schaefer and Alain Cazes
Wednesday, April 14, 7:30 p.m. Pollack Hall $10McGILL CONTEMPORARY MUSIC ENSEMBLEAs part of “Poétiques du sérialisme italien” workshopDenys Bouliane, conductorTAYLOR BROOK: new work for solo clarinet, ensemble, and electronicsMark Bradley, clarinet, and Digial Composition StudioROGER WU FERIA: Epiphyllum (premier)BRUNO MADERNA: Serenata No. 2BRUNO MADERNA: Quartetto per archiGYÖRGY LIGETI: Double Concerto for Flute and OboeNormand Forget, oboe
Wednesday, April 14, 7:30 p.m. Redpath Hall $10McGILL VOCAL ENSEMBLEMatthias Maute, director
Wednesday, April 14, 7:30 p.m. Tanna Schulich Hall $10McGILL JAZZ ORCHESTRA IIIPaul Rushka, director
www.mcgill.ca/music/events/concerts
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THE MUSIC SCENEMAY 2010
NATIONAL JAZZ ISSUE THEME: JAZZ, WORLD,
FOLK FESTIVALS
APPEARANCE: MAY 7,2010
ADVERTISINGDEADLINE: ARIL 23, 2010
» The Music Scene June 2010 NationalFestival IssueTheme: Classical Music and ArtsFestivalsAppearance: June 7, 2010Ad deadline: May 24, 2010
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CONTENTS7 EDITORIAL
8 YUJA WANG, PIANIST ON THE RISE
9 NOTES: IN THE NEWS
10 WALTER HOMBURGER, MANAGER EXTRAORDINAIRE
13 2010 INTERNATIONAL OPERA FESTIVAL PREVIEW
14 SPECIAL: ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL GUIDE
16 HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ARTS CAMP
16 WHAT TO BRING TO MUSIC CAMP
16 DEAR COMPOSER: Q&A ABOUT MUSIC + CHILDREN
17 BORIS BROTT ON MUSIC EDUCATION
18 SPECIAL: ANNUAL SUMMER ARTS CAMPS GUIDE
20 LANG LANG AND SONY
21 REVIEWS: CDS, BOOKS, DVDS
PREVIEWS11 SOUTHERN ONTARIO CONCERT PREVIEWS
4 GIIWEDINFIRST NATIONS OPERA
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4 Spring 2010
GIIWEDINABORIGINAL VOICES IN OPERA
Spring is opera time in Toronto—this year there are no fewerthan six staged productions. Asusual, the Canadian OperaCompany and Opera Atelier willbe front and centre, but forsomething different there isGiiwedin, a new opera present-ed by Native Earth PerformingArts and An Indie(n) Rights
Reserve. Written by Spy Dénommé-Welch and co-composedby Welch and Catherine Magowan, it tells the story of a 150-year-old Aboriginal woman, Noodin-Kwe, fighting for herland. Giiwedin is unique in that it gives our First Nationspeople a voice in an art form that has historically beenEurocentric, from composers and performers to audiencemembers. At first glance, it seems unusual that anAboriginal artist like Dénommé-Welch would have chosenthis art form. But in fact the winds of change have beenblowing for some years; witness the number of new cre-ations by composers and librettists of diverse backgroundswho have chosen this genre for their storytelling.
Joseph K. So
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ALEX
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Spring 2010 5
Giiwedin is a labour of love for Dénommé-Welch,who is Algonquin/Nishnawbe, and CatherineMagowan, a first-generation Canadian ofHungarian-Jewish descent. Dénommé-Welchstudied violin, film and theatre at university, andis currently pursuing a doctorate in indigenousmusic, opera and pedagogy. Magowan is a com-poser, arranger and bassoonist, having trained atthe Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory.This is the first operatic venture for them and forNative Earth Performing Arts, an organization
dedicated to the expression of the Native experi-ence through theatre arts. When we sat down forour interview, Dénommé-Welch looked improba-bly youthful, but it didn’t take long to realize he’sa mature and serious artist with a brilliant mind.Soft-spoken, articulate, friendly and intense,Dénommé spoke with passion and purpose,allowing a glimpse into his creative world:
TMS: Tell us a bit about the story of Giiwedin?SDW: Giiwedin, which means North Wind, is setin Temiskaming in 1890. It’s about Noodin-Kwe, awoman living on the land she inherited from herancestors. She has been living there since the1700s—she witnessed the signing of the RoyalProclamation in 1763. She is 150 years old in 1890.Her age is symbolic in our traditional teaching ofseven generations. In her case, she carries sevengenerations of knowledge, tradition and history.One day, a friend comes to tell her about an “IronRiver” cutting through the forest. It’s actually therailroad the French and the English are buildingfrom North Bay, bringing it as far as Moosonee.The plan is to use it as a viaduct to exportresources—furs, logs, etc. It comes as a big warn-ing to her. The opera is about her resistance.
Tell us about the genesis of the central characterof Noodin-Kwe. Given that she is 150 years old, isher character entirely fictional? Is she based onnative mythology?
SDW: Part of her characterwas inspired not so much bymythology as by our oral tra-dition of storytelling, storiesused by elders to teach les-sons to guide you in life. Mygrandmother told me abouta river that’s named after mygreat-great-grandfather, oneof the last hereditary chiefsin the area before displace-ment occurred. I did a lot ofresearch and discovered let-ters written by an ancestorto the government in July1911. There was a verbalagreement that when the whites first came,$15,000 was going to be paid as compensation.Thispart of it is historical. The detail is now ambigu-ous—I don’t know if that’s for all the land or someof it, or if it’s like rent. There was no legal treaty. Nolegal document was ever signed or written. Withthe letter, this native woman is saying,“This is whatthe agreement was, but I just want the land back.”We looked fully into this—there’s no ground for theargument of this native woman,but it’s a story thatresonates across the country.What I find extremelyempowering about her is that it predates women’srights. Women didn’t vote at the time, and a lot ofcultural practices were banned. For her to write thisletter showed a lot of love for those who come later.
You’ve chosen the genre of opera to tell a storyof the First Nations culture. Are you convinced
that opera is a relevant medium to the Nativeexperience? Why opera? Why not a play? SDW: For me it is not a huge leap. Music hasalways been at the core of our native culture.Within my Nations, there are some who can singas much as 6,000 years of their history. On thatlevel, this opera spanning 300 years is kind ofminiscule! For a time, I had taken a departure frommusic—I was trained in violin and self-taught inguitar. I went into theatre at university. A couple ofyears ago, when I learned to make my own drum,[music] started to call me back. Coming back to ithas strengthened my story telling. I like the spaceto imagine that opera has opened up for me.
How do First Nations people feel about your cre-ations? Are you writing Giiwedin for them as wellas for non-natives?SDW: Excited! People tell me it’s what they’vebeen looking forward to. It’s very inspiring thatthey have such strong feelings about this. It feelsrelevant; it speaks to “now”. When a work getspresented, you need to think who is the audience,who it is for. Sometimes a work can be widelyreceived, but when you bring it to the communi-ty, they feel it is totally inaccurate. There’s no jus-tification for creative freedom, that you have thelicense to do it just because you are an artist.There’s a responsibility in how you’re telling thestory. I seek permission from the elders. I don’tjust take the liberty; it has to be respectful.
The score contains many different musical genres.How do you decide on which genres to use in a par-ticular dramatic situation? Do you write accessibly? SDW: Yes, we choose to write accessibly in a waythat pleases us, and others. We’ve listened toeverything—from Gilbert and Sullivan toHildegard von Bingen to madrigals, early music,rock ‘n’ roll and jazz. Catherine and I study, listen,and read music purposefully to inform our deci-sions and choices, and applied different aesthetictechniques as a way to create various affectsthrough music and sound. It’s important not tomake assumption as to who wrote what—justbecause I am Nishnawbe that I would be writingthe traditional pieces. People might be surprised!Catherine has early music training, and it wouldbe easy to think that she wrote all the baroquemusic and I stuck to the modern. It’s a sharedexperience, and a spiritual experience, writingabout something so close to your heart.
There is some snobbery in classical music circlesabout music that is very accessible, for example,music with hummable melodies. Since your scoreinvokes many musical styles, are you worriedthat it might be considered derivative or lackingin originality?SDW: No, I’m not. My biggest worry is that my workwon’t be memorable. So if people remember mymusic, people who relate to it even though theyaren’t familiar with the classical genre, then I’veachieved something. I love this question—“is itderivative”—I’m still pondering it! I don’t think whatwe’ve done will be perceived that way. I’m thinkingof other composers writing accessible work—forme, it’s exciting work. Historically there are all kindsof composers coming from different angles, cri-tiquing each other. We’re very open to hearing whatothers are saying about the work in progress. We’reexcited about what the response will be, as opposedto being apprehensive and fearful.�
Giiwedin plays at Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace April 8 – 24, 2010 » 16 Ryerson Ave., TorontoWednesdays – Thursdays at 8 p.m. – Regular AdmissionTuesdays at 12:30 p.m. – Student / Artsworker MatineesFridays 8 p.m. and Saturdays 2:30 p.m. – Pay-What-You-Can416-504-7529, www.artsboxoffice.caInformation or group bookings 416-531-1402
PHOT
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LEAH
-SIM
ON
E BO
WEN
MARION NEWMAN, Neema Bickersteth, Catharin Carew, and Jessica Lloyd in rehearsal
SPY DENOMME-WELCH and Catherine Magowan
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6 Spring 2010
Joseph K. So
Spy Dénommé-Welch and Catherine Magowan have found in mezzo-sopra-no Marion Newman the ideal interpreter for Noodin-Kwe, the central char-acter in Giiwedin. Not only does Newman possess a beautiful voice, she alsohappens to be Kwagiulth and Salish from British Columbia. Newman hasalready sung leading roles, from Cherubino to Rosina to Carmen. With herFirst Nations heritage, she brings a unique perspective to Noodin-Kwe.
TMS: You are one of the very few native artists in opera. What draws you tothis art form?MN: Well, I’ve thought about this a lot. My aboriginal culture involves a pot-latch ceremony that’s real theatre, with drumming, singing and acting. Weuse our voices to tell a story, which is what opera is! Music and storytellingare universal—it’s not that far a stretch for me.
Is this the first native-themed classical work you’ve done?MN: No, I did a Magic Flute in Vancouver with native West Coast themes thatspoke so much of my home. There were moments when I was choked upseeing it on stage. It was very meaningful for me to see the opera present-ed this way.
What are your thoughts on Noodin-Kwe? MN: This character makes me think of my paternal grandmother. She livedthrough a lot of changes, and had to learn new ways in order to fit in withthe white culture that took over. She always kept her traditional beliefs. Shewould tell us stories about the incredibly hard things she went through, andyet still managed to laugh. Noodin-Kwe is going through the experiences ofmeeting the settlers, who are making new rules and forcing her people tolive according to new laws. She is watching many of her people die of star-vation and yet she manages to stay strong and keep fighting for her rights.We are still working through act one, but I’m feeling Noodin-Kwe’s strengthalready. I am not trying to play her as a 150-year-old, but rather just as a com-passionate, passionate, smart, perceptive, practical human being.
As a native artist, do you feel a certain responsibility in representing yourpeople and your culture?MN: Of course I do! I feel responsibility to First Nations people, to representus well. I’m not Nishnawbe—I’m from the West Coast. I want to make sureI don’t have gestures that don’t fit, or mispronounce the words. I certainlyfeel the responsibility of telling a story that many of my relatives have beenthrough, losing their homes, land and children. My father, for example, wastaken to a residential school from five until 16, when he escaped. My respon-sibility is to carry on these stories, to let our cultures be seen in a light thatinvokes discussion among people.
MARION NEWMANFIRST NATIONS MEZZO
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EDITORIAL
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8 Spring 2010
L.H. Tiffany Hsieh
Perhaps what best describes Yuja Wangat the moment is the title of her soon-to-be-released second album:Transformation. On the cover, she iswearing a red, flowing, V-cut dress.
Seated upright, with her hair down, she looksslightly demure, with a cast-down glance to theside. This womanly image departs from that ofher debut album a year ago, which portrays amore playful look with a black halter-top, bluestockings and funky hair styling.
“I’m a woman—a girl,”Wang laughed from herNew York apartment, audibly packing suitcasesfor her concerts in Germany.
The 23-year-old Beijing-born piano virtuosowith a Canadian connection is a maturing youngwoman on her way to becoming something of amusical marvel. She is a bit of a tomboy, totallyfresh and fearless. At least that’s howWang’s recording label, DeutscheGrammophon, has packaged her sincesigning her on last January, joining theranks of Lang Lang and Yundi (formerlyknown as Yundi Li). “It’s nice to be inthe same class with them since we areall Chinese, but I’m five years youngerand I’m a woman—girl—so it’s very,very different,” said Wang.
Wang is just beginning to get ataste of the stardom her fellowChinese pianists have enjoyed under DG han-dling, which recently resulted in the notoriousyellow label dismissing Yundi, who got picked upby EMI, and Lang Lang ditching DG for SonyClassical for $3 million.
Although her playing is not as poetic as Yundi’sand is generally less persuasive than that of LangLang’s, Wang succeeds tremendously in herrefined sound and phrasing. Whether it’s live con-certs or a video clip on YouTube, whether it’s solopiano, concerto or chamber music, she exudes arare spark that speaks of boundless potential.That is what makes her such a jewel.
Born an only child to a dancer mother and a per-cussionist father, Wang began playing the piano atthe age of six. Looking back, she said her uniquechildhood home environment played an importantrole in shaping who she has become today.
“It really helped me with my own artistry in anunconscious way,” she said. “My parents have agreat outlook and they are not pushy. They neversaid to me that I had to become a concert pianistwhen I grew up and they don’t tell me what todo—not anymore. I think that’s why I have noaversion to the piano.”
Like Lang Lang, Wang began her formal musi-cal training at Beijing’s Central Conservatory ofMusic with Ling Yuan and Zhou Guangren. As ateenager, she honed her skills at the CurtisInstitute of Music in Philadelphia with GaryGraffman, who also taught Lang Lang. However,
the two pianists never crossed paths. “I’d see himall the time at concerts or at our teacher’s office,but I never spoke to him,” she said of him.
Similarly, when she and Yundi won in theirrespective class at the same piano competition inChina, no words were exchanged. At the time, shewas seven and he 11 years old.
By the time she was 11, Wang successfully audi-tioned for the month-long Morningside MusicBridge summer program at Calgary’s Mount RoyalCollege. She participated in this artistic and cultur-al exchange program between Canada and Chinafor three years before taking up full-time residencyin Calgary, where she learned English and studiedwith Hung Kuan Chen and Tema Blackstone at theMount Royal College Conservatory.
“I guess I spent most of my teenage years alone,but I wanted to get away from home at that ageanyway, so it was perfect,”Wang said, giggling.
In the foreign land that was Calgary, shemoved in with a local family. “They will always bemy guardian family,” she said. “Canada is like mysecond home. I go there on my vacations.Canadians are so nice.”
Things progressed in presto for Wang after hertransition to the Great White North. The follow-ing year, still just a scrawny 15-year-old, she wonthe Aspen Music Festival’s concerto competition.Later that year, she packed her bags again and
headed south of the border towork with Graffman at Curtis.
“When I came to NorthAmerica to study music, I hadto make sure I knew what I wasdoing,” Wang said, recallingthe learning curve. “In China, Iput all my trust in my teacher.”
Wasting no time in trustingherself, she made herEuropean debut in 2003, play-ing Beethoven’s Piano ConcertoNo. 4 with David Zinman andthe Tonhalle Orchester Zürichin Switzerland.
In 2005, replacing a sickRadu Lupu at a day’s notice,she made her North Americandebut with Ottawa’s NationalArts Centre Orchestra, per-forming the same Beethovenconcerto under the baton ofPinchas Zukerman. Critic Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer in LeDroit proclaimed, “a star isborn”, propelling Wang intothe spotlight. She went on tosub for Martha Argerich in2007 with Charles Dutoit andthe Boston SymphonyOrchestra in Tchaikovsky’sPiano Concerto No. 1, and forMurray Perahia in 2008 withthe touring Academy of St.
Martin in the Fields.The year 2009 turned out to be a benchmark for
Wang’s career. First, she signed an exclusive record-ing contract with DG for five albums, with supportfrom one of her idols and Facebook friends, Italianconductor Claudio Abbado, who chose her to openhis Lucerne Festival last summer in Prokofiev’sPiano Concerto No. 3. The concert was broadcastand telecast live in a Swiss program.
“I’m really lucky that I was chosen…there arealways lots of young talented pianists in China,”Wang said. “People like Charles Dutoit and ClaudioAbbado have made a difference in my life.”
Of course, there was also the worldwide buzz ofbeing asked by Michael Tilson Thomas to performat his YouTube Symphony Orchestra event atCarnegie Hall. The much-hyped concert coincidedwith her DG-released debut recording, Sonata &Etudes, which consists of the second piano sonatasof Chopin and Scriabin, the B-minor sonata by Liszt,and etudes by Ligeti—a repertoire Wang choseover encore pieces as a way to make a statement.
And she did just that. Sonata & Etudes show-cases her flawless technique and her ability toprogram and pull off pieces that might seem tobe beyond her maturity. The album went on togarner a Grammy nomination for best instru-mental soloist performance, and Wang’s status asone of the brightest classical music stars to have
YUJA WANG» FEMALE CHINESE PIANIST ON THE RISE
WANG RELEASES TRANSFORMATION,HER SOPHOMORE ALBUM, THISAPRIL.
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Spring 2010 9
Crystal Chan
LUMINATO FESTIVAL CELEBRATES FOURTH YEARThe fourth edition of the Luminato Festival willtake place June 11 to 20. The annual event cele-brates “arts and creativity” with performancesand events from the fields of theatre, music, visu-al art, literature, dance, food, cinema and muchmore. A majority of the events are free or low-cost. Last year’s festival drew 1.5 million people.
The big event of this year’s festival is the NorthAmerican premiere of Prima Donna, an operacomposed by Rufus Wainwright which tells thestory of an aging soprano trying to rejuvenate hercareer in the 1970s. To coincide with the premiere,Wainwright will be in town for a concert to pro-mote his upcoming album, All Days are Nights:Songs for Lulu. www.luminato.com
COMPOSER MARY GARDINER PASSES AWAY AT AGE 77Composer and educator Mary Gardiner passedaway at age 77 on February 1. Recently, Gardinerwas awarded the inaugural Calgary Art Song Prize,and on October 23, 2009, a sold-out tribute concertof her works took place in Toronto. As a “builder ofbridges between composers and teachers and stu-dents,” she was awarded the 2003 Friends ofCanadian Music Award—a national honour thathas been bestowed on only a small handful ofmusicians.
A champion of new Canadian music, Gardinerworked at the Canadian Music Centre and theAlliance for Canadian New Music Projects. Shefounded and chaired for many years theAssociation of Canadian Women Composers andalso held an extended tenure as President of theAlliance for Canadian New Music Projects. Duringthat time she helped establish a number ofContemporary Showcase centres that, to this day,promote the performance and enjoyment ofCanadian music by young musicians.
LA SCENA MUSICALE LAUNCHES DAILY INTERNETMUSIC VIDEO PICK BLOGMusic lovers can now head towww.scena.org/blog/video for videos guaran-
teed to inspire, entertain and educate.The Today’s Video blog (started onJanuary 1, 2010) handpicks from thevast number of videos posted on theInternet by La Scena Musicale/The
Music Scene / La SCENA(LSM)’s team of seasonedmusic journalists and professionals. Videos willloosely be featured in the following themes:Singers, opera, and vocal; Orchestra; Chambermusic and solo instrumental; New music; Musicand talk; Readers’ suggestions; and Funny videos.
Each post will include an accompanyingreview or commentary. Visitors can then join thediscussion themselves. Visitors are invited to sub-mit their favourite video by emailing it [email protected]. One of these videoswill be chosen for publication each week.
The Today’s Video site is LSM’s fourth blog.Its partner blog, www.scena.org/blog, wasrecently honoured as one of the “Top 100 Sites forLiterati” in November 2009.
NOTES
GOVERNOR GENERAL’S PERFORMING ARTS AWARDSLifetime Achievement Award Winners:» Bryan Adams, Françoise Faucher, WalterHomburger, Edouard Lock, Robin Phillips, BuffySainte-MarieRamon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarismin the Performing Arts Winners:» Mohammed and Yulanda FarisNational Arts Centre Award Winner:» Yannick Nézet-Séguin
UPCOMING AUDITIONXVIIe AUDITION NATIONALE DES JEUNESAMBASSADEURS LYRIQUES» Toronto: April 8 and 9 » Vancouver: April10 Information: (514)[email protected]
NEW DEAN» The University of Toronto has named DonMcLean as Dean of their Faculty of Music, tostart January 1, 2011
emerged from China was secured.Last November, she toured with the Shanghai
Symphony Orchestra, stopping by Toronto’s RoyThomson Hall. On May 1, she will return solo toKoerner Hall for her first Toronto recital, playingSchumann’s Symphonic Etudes, Schubert’s ThreeLieder (Liszt transcription), a selection of Scriabin’spoems and etudes, and Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 6.
Unlike her contemporaries, Wang is active insocial media. She describes herself on Facebook as“an egocentric, shameless prima donna” who has“the possibility of turning into a geisha” and open-ly states she is in a relationship with Matt Muckey,associate principal trumpeter with the New YorkPhilharmonic. (Yundi’s Facebook status is singleand Lang Lang’s is unlisted.) On Twitter, instead ofpromoting her itineraries the way many concertiz-ing artists do, Wang tweets a lot about food.What’s with the gourmet fascination? “My motheris a great cook. I don’t cook, but I love food. I wouldsay it’s my second passion,”Wang said.
Wang’s second CD, Transformation, is due outin April. The recording, a kind of a sequel toSonata & Etudes, takes listeners on an excursionwith Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Paganini,Ravel’s La Valse, Scarlatti’s sonatas, andStravinsky’s Petrouchka.
“It’s a concept very similar to my first CD, whichis a solo album as well. It’s very technically demand-ing, but I’ve been playing these pieces in concertsthis season and I feel very comfortable with them.They are definitely in my fingers,”Wang said.
Also very much in her fingers areRachmaninoff’s second piano concerto and hisRhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, both of whichshe will record over two live concerts in Ferrara,Italy, with Abbado conducting the MahlerChamber Orchestra on April 11 and 13.
“That’s how Claudio loves it. He doesn’t like torecord things when it’s not live,”Wang said.“I haveworked with him several times before, but not thispiano concerto. I guess we’ll see what happens.”
Asked if she’s feeling a bit nervous about it,“It’s a good thing when I get nervous. I feel likesomething good is going to happen,” she said.
“Because I play so many concerts these days(about 100 a year), I want to feel that I’m readyand it’s fresh every time. Sometimes I’ll tellmyself that this is the last time I’m going to playthis piece, or that it’s the first time I’m playing it,because no matter how many times I’ve playedit, it’s the first time for the audience.” �
Yuja Wang in Concert:»April 6. Montreal, Salle Wilfrid Pelletier with the MontrealSymphony Orchestra conducted by Ludvoic Morlot»May 1. Toronto, Koerner Recital Hall»May 13. Vancouver, Orpheum Theatre
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F or someone who can’t play—or evenread—music, Walter Homburgerhas certainly made a profound markon it. His achievements wererecently recognized with a Governor
General’s Award for Lifetime Achievement for his50-plus-year career managing the TorontoSymphony Orchestra (TSO) and musicians such aspianist Glenn Gould and violinist James Ehnes.
Born in 1924 in Karlsruhe, Germany, WalterHomburger was exposed early to music.“My fatherused to play recordings of Enrico Caruso,”Homburger reminisced. Homburger left Germanybefore the outbreak of the Second World War, arriv-ing in Toronto in 1940, after a brief stop in England.“There wasn’t that much music going on,”Homburger recalls. “There was the TSO with a 24-or 26-week season, a Women’s Music Club whichgave about five concerts, and that was that.”
Despite his lack of formal musical education,Homburger dove into reviving Toronto’s (andCanada’s) classical music landscape. After spend-ing a few years adjusting to his new home and lis-tening to a great deal of music, he founded theInternational Artists’ Concert series in 1947.
Then unknown in the classical music business,Homburger nonchalantly described his process ofselecting artists,“I used to listen to a lot of recordingsand go to record stores and ask them who was sell-ing these days and occasionally I brought the artist.”
His first concert was a performance of liederby the celebrated German soprano LotteLehmann who came up from New York.Homburger remembers audience members leav-ing the recital because of their unfamiliarity withthe material, a testament to Toronto’s isolationfrom the rest of the classical music world.Although internationally renowned (Lehmannhad appeared on the cover of Time Magazine in1935), few Torontonians had heard of her. “It’salways problematic to bring someone unknown,since the audience doesn’t have reasons yet to gohear them,” Homburger said.
In 1947, Homburger discovered Gould at aKiwanis Competition in Toronto. “I used to go tothe Kiwanis Music Festival and one day I heardthis 13-year-old pianist come out. I was veryimpressed and I told his parents and I wanted tomanage him,’’ he said. Despite early uncertainty,Homburger soon found success. By the 1950s, the17-year-old Gould was performing on live radio forthe CBC, and Homburger’s concert series was fea-turing musicians like Vladimir Horowitz and IsaacStern, as well as branching out to include non-classical players, such as Louis Armstrong.
In 1957, when the Cold War was at its height
and relations between the USSR and the Westwere at their lowest point, Homburger arrangedsomething out of the ordinary. Gould, then still ayoung up-and-coming Canadian pianist, went toRussia in May. “We started in Leningrad. The firstconcert was half-full, but by the time it was fin-ished it was jammed,” he recalled. “The intermis-sion was long; people went and phoned theirfriends and told them to come!”
The two decades following the war was a timeof transformation for classical music in Canada.According to Homburger, the changes were inlarge part due “to the influx of immigrants in the30s and 40s from places where classical musicwas written with a capital K.” He explained thatbefore they could form a viable audience for clas-sical music, “they had to establish themselveseconomically. … They now had enough money totravel back to Europe.”
Coupled with increased radio coverage andgovernment support, classical music was poisedto expand exponentially. “The COC [CanadianOpera Company] and the National Ballet wereboth founded at that time, and the three levels ofgovernment were very supportive of the arts,”Homburger explained.
Appointed as managing director of the TSO in1962, Homburger arrived at an organization with“a 28-week season, no pension plan and a 4,000-person subscription base,” and left 25 years later
in 1992 “with full employment, a 50-odd weekseason and 36,000 subscribers.”
Homburger’s success is in many ways a testa-ment not only to the effectiveness of hard work butalso to instinctive judgment and good luck.Speakingabout how he discovered new talent, he simply stat-ed, “I guess it’s inborn, you either like something oryou don’t.” This sense of intuition is highlighted bythe fact that he is not musical himself.
Now 86 years old and finally retired for good—after emerging from retirement in 1993 to manageJames Ehnes—Homburger spoke about his recentrecognition through the Governor General’s Awardfor Lifetime Achievement: “I’m very honoured; Idon’t know if I deserve it, but it’s wonderful.”
He was also quick to talk about the future of clas-sical music, stressing the role of education in guar-anteeing its viability. “None of the schools teachmusic anymore… you have to have outreach pro-grams for the younger generations, make sure theyget the type of music that is not too difficult forthem to understand,” he said, underlining theimportance of flexibility.“In the old days it used to beclassical, but right now it could be modern music.”�
Homburger will be awarded at the Governor General’sPerforming Arts Awards Gala on May 1, 2010 at Southam Hallof the National Arts Centre, Ottawa at 8 p.m. Tickets areavailable at www.nac.cna.ca
10 Spring 2010
Emilio Comay del Junco MANAGER EXTRAORDINAIRE
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SOUTHERN ONTARIO
VOCAL PREVIEW
Joseph K. So
Spring in Southern Ontario brings not just longerdays and warmer temperatures, but a delectablearray of operatic offerings, with no less than sixstaged productions. The Canadian OperaCompany’s spring season opens with a revival ofits controversial The Flying Dutchman in 8 per-formances, without intermission, from Apr. 24 toMay 20. Russian Evgeny Nikitin sings the title roleand Mats A lmgren, last seen as Hagen in the RingCycle, returns as Daland. Julie Makerov, last sea-son’s Rusalka, sings Senta, and Robert Kunzli, lastseen in From the House of the Dead, sings Erik.Johannes Debus leads his first opera sinceappointed COC’s music director. Next up is thefirst-ever staged production of Donizettii’s MariaStuarda in Toronto, with Italian soprano SerenaFarnocchia, last seen as a gleaming-voiced LuisaMiller in the title role. The exciting BulgarianAlexandrina Pendatchanska makes her COC
debut as Elisabetta, and American tenor EricCutler sings Roberto. Antony Walker conducts.The production comes from Dallas Opera (8 per-formances from May 1 to 30). Idomeneo closes theCOC spring season with 8 performances fromMay 9 to 29. Mozart tenor Paul Groves makes hiscompany debut in the title role. Others in the castinclude mezzo Krisztina Szabo as Idamante,soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian as Ilia, sopranoTamara Wilson as Elettra, and tenor MichaelColvin as Arbace. A departure from previous yearsis the new initiative of a special performance onMay 19 showcasing members of the COCEnsemble Studio. Colvin, a former Ensemblemember who has recently been singing in the UK,takes on the title role in this performance.www.coc.ca. Opera Atelier presents a new Englishlanguage production of The Marriage of Figaro,with a largely Canadian cast. Baritone OlivierLaquerre sings his first Figaro, with baritonePhillip Addis reprising his Count. COC Ensemblemember mezzo Wallis Giunta sings Cherubino,
and soprano Carla Huhtanen is Susanna.American soprano Peggy Kriha Dye, last fall’sIphigenie, returns as the Countess. David Fallisconducts. There will be the usual six performanc-es in eight days at the Elgin Theatre (Apr. 24 toMay 1). www.operaatelier.com. Fifty minutesdown the QEW, Opera Hamilton presents theperennial Puccini favourite La Bohème, with ayouthful all-Canadian cast of Miriam Khalil(Mimi), Roger Honeywell (Rodolfo), VirginiaHatfield (Musetta) and Peter Barrett (Marcello).Conductor Cal Steward Kellogg leads theHamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and the OperaHamilton Chorus in two performances at theGreat Hall in Hamilton Place (April 22 and 24).www.operahamilton.ca. Finally, our cover storyfeatures Giiwedin produced by the Native EarthPerforming Centre.
In addition to the above six, the Glenn Gould
School of the Royal Conservatory of Music pres-ents four performances of Massenet’s comicopera Cendrillon at Koerner Hall (Mar. 20, 21, 23,25). All principal roles are double-cast with youngvoices from the GGS. Uri Mayer conducts.www.rcmusic.ca
Finally, Opera in Concert presents a single per-formance of Bellini’s I Puritani on March 28 at 2:30pm at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.
Soloists are Edgar Ernesto Ramirez, JustinWelsh, Bruce Kelly, and Kristin Mueller-Heaslip. Yes, it is with piano accompani-ment, but given that this opera is unlikelyto be staged in Toronto in the near future,this is your chance to hear it.www.operainconcert.com
Canadian baritone Gerald Finley makesa highly anticipated return to Toronto, in a“Mother’s Day Matinee” at Koerner Hall,Royal Conservatory of Music, on SundayMay 9, 3:00 pm. One of the greatest recital-ists you’re ever going to hear, Finley singsSchumann’s Heine Songs, Grieg’s 5 Songsfrom op. 48, and Ravel’s Histoires Naturelles.His long-time concert partner Julius Drake
is at the piano. www.rcmusic.ca.On April 28 at 7:30 pm at Koerner Hall, the
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir presents A Night atthe Opera, with soprano Joni Henson, mezzoLauren Segal and baritone Doug MacNaughton,under the baton of Noel Edison. Rick Phillips ishost. No tenor has been announced at press time,although Richard Margison will appear as theguest! www.tmchoir.org. On Sunday May 2,Aldeburgh Connection presents an unusual pro-gram called City of Villages. Billed as a “villagewalkabout in song”, it features music reflectingthe diversity of the various communities thatmake up Toronto. The program includes past com-missions by Aldeburgh Connection. Soloists aresoprano Lucia Cesaroni, mezzo Allyson McHardy,tenor Lawrence Wiliford, and baritone BenjaminCovey. As usual, they serve tea at intermission!www.aldeburghconnection.org.
Spring 2010 11
Two of the four concerts of theRoy Thomson Hall Vocal Seriesfall in the spring months, withCanadian soprano AlexandraDeshorties (Apr. 25) making
her local debut. A very young Maltesetenor Joseph Calleja sang Rodolfo for theCOC La Bohème ten years ago. He wenton to become a huge star on the operastage. Some of you might have seen hisHoffmann last fall at the Met in HDseries. He returns to Toronto for the firsttime in recital on May 28, a show thatwas originally scheduled for lastNovember. It is not to be missed.www.roythomson.com.
CANADIAN BARITONE GERALD FINDLEYMALTESE TENORJOSEPH CALLEJA
CANADIAN SOPRANOMIRIAM KHALIL
TORONTO MENDELSSOHN CHOIR
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PREVIEWS
12 Spring 2010
INSTRUMENTALCONCERT PREVIEW
FROM HADELICH TO LANG, A MUSICALSMORGASBORD
L.H. Tiffany Hsieh
One of the brightest rising stars in classical musicis coming to Port Hope’s Cameco Capitol ArtsCentre (March 28) for an intimate recital.
Augustin Hadelich, the 25-year-old Italian-bornGerman violinist, is the winner of the 2009 AveryFisher Grant. His recent success—Carnegie Halland Hollywood Bowl debuts to just name a cou-ple—is all the more remarkable since he wasforced to stop playing the violin in 1999, when afire on his family’s farm severely burned his bowarm, face, and upper body. He picked up the bowagain in 2001.
Hadelich will bring the 1683 ex-GingoldStradivarius on loan to him as the gold medalistof the 2006 International Violin Competition ofIndianapolis. He will team up with Canadianpianist Ian Parker, cousin of pianists Jon Kimuraand Jamie Parker, in a program that includesworks by Stravinsky, Beethoven, and Schumann.www.porthopefriendsofmusic.ca
Led by conductor Alex Pauk, the Toronto-basedEsprit Orchestra is never short of programmingideas. In an all-Canadian concert at the St.Lawrence Centre for the Arts’ Jane Mallett Theatre(March 31), violinist Erika Raum will give the worldpremiere of her husband Omar Daniel’s ViolinConcerto, a piece composed specially for her usingancient Estonian Runo-songs as source material.
Other highlights from this concert will include R.Murray Schafer’s Flute Concerto (with Robert Aitkenas soloist), José Evangelista’s Concerto con brio forstring quartet and string orchestra, and DenisGougeon’s À l’aventure! www.espritorchestra.com
The Royal Conservatory of Music’s new KoernerHall has so far proven itself a valuable addition forToronto, especially when it comes to recitals.Perhaps for sentimental reasons, the Russian-Israeli pianist Yefim Bronfman (April 1) will gracethe hall in a program that includes Beethoven’s 32Variations, Schumann’s Faschingschwank ausWien, Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 2, and Tchaikovsky’sGrand Sonata in G, Op. 37.
Bronfman made his international debut in 1975with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under thebaton of Zubin Mehta, father of Mervon Mehta,executive director of RCM Performing Arts.
The Berlin-based Canadian pianist Louis Lortie(April 11) will also drop by Koerner Hall to cele-brate Chopin’s 200-year birthday anniversary. Inan all-Chopin program, Lortie will perform severalNocturnes, all four Ballades, the Berceuse Op. 57 inD-flat major, and the Barcarolle Op. 60 in F-sharpmajor. www.rcmusic.ca
As part of the University of Toronto Faculty ofMusic’s chamber music series, the Juno-winningGryphon Trio, which makes its Wigmore Halldebut on March 28, returns to Walter Hall (April5). Violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, cellistRoman Borys, and pianist Jamie Parker will tackleChopin’s Piano Trio and Brahms’ Piano Quartet inA major, Op. 26 (with violist Steven Dann).www.music.utoronto.ca
The Chinese piano phenom Lang Lang, who turns28 in June, is no stranger to audiences around the
world. However, the band he’s presently on tourwith is making its North American debut.
The Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra,founded by Leonard Bernstein, consists of someof the world’s finest young musicians under theage of 27, each handpicked through a rigorousauditioning process. Led by conductor-pianistChristoph Eschenbach, who gave Lang Lang hisnow-legendary debut at the Ravinia Festival in1999, the whole gang will be at Roy Thomson Hall(April 6) for a one-night-only concert featuringLang Lang in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 in GMajor, K. 453. Also programmed are Prokofiev’sSymphony No. 1 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.www.tso.ca
Tafelmusik has been a force of nature in Canadawhen it comes to anything and everythingBaroque. To celebrate the 40th anniversary ofEarth Day worldwide, music director JeanneLamon will lead and present a program, aptlytitled Forces of Nature, at their home base ofToronto’s Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre (April 7-11). Theconcert will be backlit with photographic visualsand the program includes excerpts from Rameau,Vivaldi, Geminiani, Haydn, Telemann, andBuonamente. www.tafelmusik.org
The versatile Amici Chamber Ensemble—clar-inetist Joaquin Valdepeñas, cellist DavidHetherington, and pianist Serouj Kradjian—invitesCanadian baritone Russell Braun on stage for itslast concert of the season at the Glenn GouldStudio (May 2). The program will feature songs ofJewish-Czech composer Viktor Ullmann, Ukrainiancomposer Kyrylo Stetsenko, and Armenian compos-er Father Gomidas, as well as chamber works byGideon Klein and Erwin Schulhoff. All composersfeatured in this concert were victims of genocide.www.glenngouldstudio.cbc.ca
ESPRIT ORCHESTRA CONDUCTORALEX PAUK
CANADIAN PIANISTLOUIS LORTIE
ISRAELI PIANIST YEFIMBRONFMAN
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2010INTERNATIONALOPERA FESTIVAL
PREVIEWJoseph K. So
Canadian opera companies usuallytake a summer hiatus, so seriouslyaddicted opera fans often travelabroad for their fix. For them, opera-heaven would be to festival-hopfrom April to October, starting withthe Salzburger Osterfestspiele(April), moving on to Prague SpringFestival s Festival in St. Petersburg,or to the Holland Festival for theircontemporary music and danceofferings. Things really heat up inJuly and August, with multiple ven-ues large and small vying for yourentertainment dollars—Munich,Glyndebourne, Bregenz, Salzburg,Santa Fe, Glimmerglass, Bayreuth,Savonlinna, Verona, Torre del Lago,Orange, Macerata and Pesaro, just toname a few. By September, if you’renot yet totally exhausted, catch thelast weeks of the Proms in London.For a late-season fix of rare operas,there’s always Wexford in Ireland(Oct.). My own choices for 2010
include Munich and Santa Fe, butmaybe also Savonlinna, Salzburg,and Glimmerglass. With the newstrength of the Canadian dollaragainst other currencies, opera hop-ping just got a lot easier. This briefpreview, reflecting my personaltastes, is not meant to be exhaustive.
Among European festivals, myfavourite is the Munich OperaFestival in July. Among the high-lights: the great Finnish sopranoSoile Isokoski sings Mme. Lidoine inLes Dialogues des Carmélites, and thewonderful Rolando Villazon, in hiscomeback year, is scheduled for twoperformances of L’elisir d’amore.Jonas Kaufmann and Karita Mattilasing in Tosca in the Luc Bondy pro-duction already seen at the Met.Robert Dean Smith takes overLohengrin from Kaufmann. RamonVargas is Don Carlos, and MariuszKwiecien is Don Giovanni. The revivalof Tannhäuser with the husband-wife team of Peter Seiffert and PetraMaria Schnitzer will be conductedby Kent Nagano. There is also a newproduction of Strauss’s rarity, Dieschweigsame Frau with DianaDamrau.www.bayerische.staatsoper.de
Equalling in musical excellenceand richness is the Salzburg Festival.Seven operas are on offer this year,with a revival of Roméo et Juliette,with Anna Netrebko but sadly noRolando Villazon – Romeo will besung by Polish tenor Piotr Beczalaand American Stephen Costello.Amazingly, the evergreen sopranoEdita Gruberova, now in her 60s, issinging Norma with Joyce DiDonatoas Adalgisa. There are new produc-tions of Orfeo, Lulu – with PatriciaPetibon, and Elektra, with WaltraudMeier singing her first Klytemnestra.www.salzburgfestival.at
Wagnerites make the annual pil-grimage to Bayreuth Festival (July25-Aug. 28), which this year presentsperformances of Lohengrin, Parsifal,
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, plusthe Ring Cycle. A highlight is sure tobe German tenor sensation JonasKaufmann’s Lohengrin, althoughwith Hans Neuengels as Regie, beready for some outrageous mise-en-scene. Well-known singers thisyear include Jonas Kaufmann, JohanBotha, Annette Dasch, EvelynHerlitzius, Lucio Gallo, ChristopherVentris, Klaus Florian Vogt, andCanadian Lance Ryan as Siegfried.Tickets to the Festival remains thehardest and the most prized of all—routinely, applicants wait an aver-age of seven seasons, unless theyare members of a Wagner Society!www.bayreuther-festspiele.de
Another interesting opera festival,near the Arctic Circle, 320 km northof Helsinki, is Savonlinna OperaFestival (July 2-31). Opera perform-ances take place in the dramaticOlavinlinna Castle. On the programare Carmen, Madama Butterfly, Le
nozze di Figaro, Elektra, and Lucia diLammermoor, this last opera starringCuban soprano Eglise Gutierrez, whosang it in Montreal last year. The con-ductor is Italian Paolo Olmi who justconducted Otello at the COC.www.operafestival.fi
If you love the English country-side, be sure to go to theGlyndebourne Festival. The festivalwill be presenting Billy Budd, Così fantutte, Macbeth, Don Giovanni, Hanselund Gretel, and The Rake’s Progress.Several Canadians will sing therethis year, including the fabulousGerald Finley as Don Giovanni. BassPhillip Ens sings in Billy Budd andRobert Gleadow in Così fan tutte.www.glyndebourne.com
On this side of the pond, I can rec-ommend Glimmerglass Opera( w w w. g l i m m e r g l a s s . o r g ) ,Tanglewood (www.tanglewood.org),Ravinia Festival, Spoleto USA(www.spoletousa.org), and Santa FeOpera (www.santafeopera.org). Myfavourite is Santa Fe Opera Festival(June 27-Aug. 23. The magnificentoutdoor theatre with its superbacoustics and the spectacular NewMexican desert landscape beckonvisitors from the world over. The fiveoperas this summer are MadamaButterfly, Die Zauberflöte, Les contesd’Hoffmann, Albert Herring, and theworld premiere of Life is a Dream.Among the Canadians in the Festivalare soprano Erin Wall singing thethree heroines in Hoffmann, bari-tone James Westman as Sharpless,baritone Joshua Hopkins repeatinghis Papageno, and Roger Honeywellas the tenor lead in Life is a Dream.
FRANCES GINZER AS SENTA (ABOVE), AND SUSAN SHAFER AS MARY (BELOW), IN THE CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY'S PRODUCTION OF THE FLYING DUTCHMAN, 2000. PH
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14 Spring 2010
USAJUNEAU JAZZ & CLASSICS
Juneau, AK, from May 21 to 30907-463-3378 • www.jazzandclassics.org
SITKA SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVALSitka, AK, from June 4 to 25
907-277-4852 • www.sitkamusicfestival.org
MAINLY MOZART FESTIVALSan Diego, CA, from June 8 to 19
619-239-0100 • www.mainlymozart.org
MUSIC ACADEMY OF THE WESTSUMMER FESTIVAL
Santa Barbara, CA, from June 21 to August 14805-969-4726 • www.musicacademy.org
NAPA VALLEY CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Napa, CA, from August 4 to 22707-258-5559 • www.napavalleymusic.org
NAPA VALLEY FESTIVAL DEL SOLENapa Valley, CA, from July 16 to 25888-337-6272 • www.fdsnapa.org
SUMMERFEST LA JOLLASan Diego, CA, from August 6 to 27
858-459-3728 • www.ljms.org
ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL ANDSCHOOL
Aspen, CO, from July 1 to August 22970-925-9042 • www.aspenmusicfestival.com
BRAVO VAIL VALLEY MUSICFESTIVAL
Vail, CO, from June 25 to August 3877-812-5700 • www.vailmusicfestival.org
CENTRAL CITY OPERADenver, CO, from June 26 to August 8
303-292-6500 • www.centralcityopera.org
COLORADO MUSIC FESTIVALBoulder, CO, from June 26 to August 6
303-449-1397 • www.coloradomusicfest.org
CRESTED BUTTE MUSIC FESTIVALCrested Butte, CO, from July 3 to August 5
970-349-0619www.crestedbuttemusicfestival.com
NORFOLK CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Norfolk, CT, from July 9 to August 21860-542-3000 • www.yale.edu/norfolk
SARASOTA MUSIC FESTIVALSarasota, FL, from May 31 to June 19
866-508-0611 • www.sarasotaorchestra.org
MUSIC BY THE LAKEWilliams Bay, IL, from June 26 to August 1
262-245-8501 • www.aurora.edu/mbtl
RAVINIA FESTIVALRavinia, IL, from June 20 to August 15
847-266-5100 • www.ravinia.org
ASTON MAGNA FESTIVALGreat Barrington, MA, from June 17 to July 17
413-528-3595, 800-875-7156www.astonmagna.org
BANG ON A CAN SUMMER MUSICFESTIVAL
North Adams, MA, from July 12 to August 1718-852-7755 • bangonacan.org
BERKSHIRE CHORAL FESTIVALSheffield, MA, from July 17 to August 7
413-229-8526 • www.chorus.org
CAPE COD CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
North Chatham, MA, from August 2 to 20508-247-9400 • capecodchambermusic.org
MOHAWK TRAIL CONCERTS’SUMMER FESTIVAL
Charlemont, MA, from July 2 to 31413-625-9511 • www.mohawktrailconcerts.org
ROCKPORT CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Rockport, MA, from June 10 to July 18978-546-7391 • www.rcmf.org
TANGLEWOOD FESTIVALBoston, MA, from June 26 to August 29
617-266-1492 • www.bso.org
CHESAPEAKE CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Eastern, MD, from May 30 to June 20410-819-0380
www.chesapeakechambermusic.com/festival
BOWDOIN INTERNATIONAL MUSICFESTIVAL
Brunswick, ME, from June 26 to August 7207-373-1400 • www.summermusic.org
INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL ARTSINSTITUTE/FESTIVAL
Fryeburg, ME, from July 8 to 31617-965-4745
www.home.earthlink.net/~imaifryeburg
KNEISEL HALL CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Blue Hill, ME, from June 25 to August 29207-374-2811 • www.kneisel.org
PORTLAND CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Portland, ME, from August 12 to 21800-320-0257 • www.pcmf.org
PORTOPERAPortland, ME, from July 29 to 31
207-879-7678 • www.portopera.org
SALT BAY CHAMBERFESTDamariscotta, ME, from August 10 to 20
207-522-3749 • www.saltbaychamberfest.org
GILMORE KEYBOARD FESTIVALKalamazoo, MI, from April 17 to May 8
269-342-1166 • www.thegilmoreiscoming.com
SUMMERFEST CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
Kansas City, MO, from July 10 to August 1816-510-0978 • www.summerfestkc.org
BREVARD MUSIC CENTERSUMMER INSTITUTE & FESTIVAL
Brevard, NC, from June 25 to August 8828-862-2100 • www.brevardmusic.org
HIGHLANDS-CASHIERS CHAMBERMUSIC FESTIVAL
Highlands, NC, from July 9 to August 15828-526-9060 • www.h-cmusicfestival.org
MEADOWLARK MUSIC FESTIVALLincoln, NE, from June 13 to 19, 402-477-2522
www.meadowlarkmusicfestival.com
WATERVILLE VALLEY MUSIC CENTER SUMMER
CAMP CONCERTSWaterville Valley, NH, from July 25 to August 7
603-236-8688 • www.wvmusiccenter.org
CAPE MAY MUSIC FESTIVALCape May, NJ, from May 20 to June 10609-884-5404 • www.capemaymac.org
MUSIC FROM ANGEL FIREAngel Fire, NM, from August 20 to September 5575-377-3233 • www.musicfromangelfire.org
SANTA FE CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Santa Fe, NM, from July 18 to August 23505-983-2075, 505-982-1890
www.santafechambermusic.com
SANTA FE OPERASanta Fe, NM, from July 2 to August 28
505-986-5900, 800-280-4654www.santafeopera.org
TAOS SCHOOL OF CHAMBERMUSIC PROGRAM
Taos, NM, from June 20 to August 8575-776-2388 • www.taosschoolofmusic.com
BARD MUSIC FESTIVALAnnandale-on-Hudson, NY,
from August 13 to 22845-758-7900
www.fishercenter.bard.edu/bmf/
BRIDGEHAMPTON CHAMBERMUSIC FESTIVAL
Bridgehampton, NY, from July 28 to August 22212-741-9073, 631-537-6368 • www.bcmf.org
CARAMOOR INTERNATIONALMUSIC FESTIVAL
Caramoor, NY, from June 26 to August 11914-232-5035 • caramoor.org
GLIMMERGLASS OPERACooperstown, NY, from July 9 to August 24
607-547-2255 • www.glimmerglass.org
JUNE IN BUFFALOBuffalo, NY, from May 31 to June 6
716-645-0624www.music.buffalo.edu/juneinbuffalo
LUZERNE CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Lake Luzerne, NY, from July 5 to August 23518-696-2771 • www.luzernemusic.org
MAVERICK CONCERTS FESTIVALWoodstock, NY, from June 27 to August 29
845-679-8348 • www.MaverickConcerts.org
MUSIC FROM SALEMCambridge, NY, from July 10 to August 15518-677-2495 • www.musicfromsalem.org
NEW DIRECTIONS CELLOFESTIVAL
Ithaca, NY, from June 11 to 13607-277-1686 • www.newdirectionscello.com
SKANEATELES FESTIVALSkaneateles, NY, from August 11 to
September 4315-685-7418 • www.skanfest.org
OREGON BACH FESTIVALEugene, OR, from June 25 to July 11
541-346-5666 • oregonbachfestival.com
MUSIC AT GRETNAMt. Gretna, PA, from August 1 to September 6
717-361-1508 • www.gretnamusic.org
KINGSTON CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Kingston, RI, from July 21 to August 1401-789-0665
www.kingstonchambermusic.org
SPOLETO FESTIVAL USACharleston, SC, from May 28 to June 13
843-579-3100 • www.spoletousa.org
AMERICAN FESTIVAL FOR THEARTS
Houston, TX, from June 14 to July 14713-522-9699 • www.afatexas.net
AUSTIN CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL & WORKSHOP
Austin, TX, from July 9 to 31512-454-0026
www.austinchambermusic.org
MIMIR CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Fort Worth, TX, from July 5 to 16817-257-5443 • www.mimirfestival.org
ROUND TOP FESTIVAL-INSTITUTE Round Top, TX, from June 6 to July 18979-249-3129 • www.festivalhill.org
VICTORIA BACH FESTIVALVictoria, TX, from June 8 to 12
361-570-5788 • www.victoriabachfestival.org
MOAB MUSIC FESTIVALMoab, UT, from September 2 to 13
435-259-7003 • www.moabmusicfest.org
UTAH FESTIVAL OPERALogan, UT, from July 7 to August 7
800-262-0074 • www.ufoc.org
INTERNATIONALFESTIVALS 2010
Visit festivals.scena.org for our Canadian summer festivals guide
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GREEN MOUNTAIN OPERA FESTIVAL
Waitsfield, VT, from May 30 to June 20802-496-7722
www.greenmountainoperafestival.com
KILLINGTON MUSIC FESTIVALRutland, VT, from June 20 to July 30
802-773-4003www.killingtonmusicfestival.org
MANCHESTER MUSIC FESTIVALCONCERT SERIES
Manchester, VT, from July 8 to August 19802-362-1956 • www.mmfvt.org
MARLBORO MUSIC FESTIVALMarlboro, VT, from July 17 to August 15
215-569-4690 • www.marlboromusic.org
VERMONT FESTIVAL OF THE ARTSMad River Valley, VT,
from August 1 to September 5802-496-6682 • www.vermontartfest.com
VERMONT MOZART FESTIVALBurlington, VT, from July 18 to August 8
802-862-7352 • www.vtmozart.com
YELLOW BARN MUSIC SCHOOL AND FESTIVAL
Putney, VT, from June 16 to August 7802-387-6637 • www.yellowbarn.org
SEATTLE CHAMBER MUSICFESTIVAL
Seattle, WA, from July 5 to August 13206-283-8808
www.seattlechambermusic.org
BACH DANCING & DYNAMITESOCIETY CHAMBER FESTIVAL
Madison, WI, from June 11 to 27608-255-9866
www.bachdancinganddynamite.org
GREEN LAKE FESTIVAL OF MUSICGreen Lake, WI, from June 11 to July 25
920-748-9398 • www.greenlakefestival.org
MIDWEST YOUNG ARTISTSSUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL
Kenosha, WI, from June 13 to July 25847-926-9898 • www.mya.org/summer/
AUSTRALIABRISBANE FESTIVAL
Brisbane, from September 4 to 2561-7-3833-5400
www.brisbanefestival.com.au
AUSTRIAAMERICAN INSTITUTE OF
MUSICAL STUDIES IN GRAZGraz, from July 5 to August 15
816-268-3657 • www.aimsgraz.com
BREGENZER FESTIVALBregenz, from July 21 to August 22
43-5574-4076 •www.bregenzerfestspiele.com
INNSBRUCK FESTIVAL OF EARLYMUSIC
Innsbruck, from August 8 to 2943-512-571-032 • www.altemusik.at
SALZBURG FESTIVALSalzburg, from May 21 to 24
43-662-804-5500 • www.salzburgfestival.com
WIENER FESTWOCHENVienna, from May 14 to June 20
43-1-589-2222 • www.festwochen.at
CROATIADUBROVNIK SUMMER FESTIVAL
Dubrovnik, from July 10 to August 25385-20-326-100, 385-20-326-107
www.dubrovnik-festival.hr
CZECH REPUBLICPRAGUE SPRING INTERNATIONAL
MUSIC FESTIVALPrague, from May 12 to June 6
420-2-5731-2547 • www.festival.cz
DENMARKCARL NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL
MUSIC COMPETITION AND FESTIVAL
Odense, from May 30 to June 945-6375-0055 • cncomp.odensesymfoni.dk
FINLANDHELSINKI FESTIVAL
Helsinki, from August 20 to September 5358-9-6126-5100 • www.helsinkifestival.fi
ORIVESI SUMMER FESTIVALSOrivesi, from June 5 to August 14
358-3-334-3549 • www.orivedensuvi.fi
SAVONLINNA OPERA FESTIVALSavonlinna, from July 2 to 31
358 15 476 750 • www.operafestival.fi/
SYSMA SUMMER SOUNDSSysma, from July 3 to 10
www.sysmansuvisoitto.com
FRANCEACADÉMIE-FESTIVAL DES ARCS
Les Arcs, from July 18 to August 633-14-007-1148 • www.festivaldesarcs.com
CHORÉGIES D’ORANGEOrange Cedux, from July 15 to August 7
33-49-034-2424 • choregies.com
FESTIVAL D’AIX-EN-PROVENCEAix-en-Provence, from June 4 to July 2133-43-408-0217 • www.festival-aix.com
FESTIVAL D’AUVERS-SUR-OISEAuvers-sur-Oise, from May 27 to July 12
33-13-036-7777 • www.festival-auvers.com
FESTIVAL DE MUSIQUE DESTRASBOURG
Strasbourg, from June 3 to 2533-38-815-4466 • www.festival-
strasbourg.com
FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DECOLMAR
Colmar, from July 2 to 1333-38-920-6897 • www.festival-colmar.com
FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DEMUSIQUE DE BESANÇON
FRANCHE-COMTÉBesançon, from September 16 to 26
33-38-182-0872 • www.festival-besancon.com
FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DEPIANO LA ROQUE D’ANTHÉRON
La Roque d’Anthéron, from July 23 to August 2133-44-250-5115 • www.festival-piano.com
FESTIVAL MILLE ET UNE NOTESLimousin, from July 20 to August 14
33-55-525-2101 •www.festival1001notes.com/
LES FLORAISONS MUSICALESBollène , from June 26 to October 17
33-49-030-3600 • www.floraisonsmusi-cales.com/
LES NUITS PIANISTIQUESLignane Puyricard, from August 2 to 28
33-61-677-6089 •www.lesnuitspianistiques.com
GERMANYBAYREUTHER FESTSPIELEBayreuth, from July 25 to August 28
49-921-78780 • bayreuther-festspiele.de/
BEETHOVENFEST BONNBonn, from September 10 to October 9
49-228-201-0345 • www.beethovenfest.de
DRESDEN MUSIC FESTIVALDresden, from May 19 to June 6
49-351-486-6666 • www.musikfestspiele.com
EUROPEAN MEDIA ART FESTIVALOsnabrück, from April 12 to 2549-541-21658 • www.emaf.de
GÖTTINGEN INTERNATIONALHANDEL FESTIVAL
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, from May 14 to 2549-551-384-8130
www.haendel-festspiele.de
MUNICH OPERA FESTIVALMunich, from June 24 to July 31
49-89-218501 • www.staatsoper.de
MUSIKFEST BERLINBerlin, from September 2 to 21
49-30-2548-9244 • www.berlinerfestspiele.de
SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN MUSIKFESTIVAL
Schleswig-Holstein, from July 10 to August 2949-451-389570 • www.shmf.de
GREECEINTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF
THE AEGEANHermoupolis, Syros, from July 14 to 25
30-2281-085192 •www.festivaloftheaegean.com/
IRELANDWEST CORK CHAMBER MUSIC
FESTIVALBantry, from June 25 to July 3
353-27-52789 • www.westcorkmusic.ie/
ISRAELFELICJA BLUMENTAL
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVALTel Aviv, from May 10 to 15
972-3-607-7070 • blumentalfestival.com
ITALYFESTIVAL DEI 2 MONDISpoleto, from June 18 to July 4
39-0743-221689 • www.festivaldispoleto.com
FESTIVAL PUCCINITorre del Lago, from July 16 to August 2239-0584-350567 • www.puccinifestival.it
MAGGIO MUSICALE FESTIVALFlorence, from April 29 to June 22
39-055-2779350 • www.maggiofiorentino.com
RAVENNA FESTIVALRavenna, from June 9 to July 13
39-0544-249244 • www.ravennafestival.org
ROSSINI OPERA FESTIVALPesaro, from August 9 to 22
39-072-138001 • www.rossinioperafestival.it
JAPANPACIFIC MUSIC FESTIVAL
SAPPOROSapporo, from July 8 to August 4
81-11-242-2211 •www.pmf.or.jp/index_en.html
NETHERLANDSHOLLAND FESTIVAL
Amsterdam, from June 1 to 2331-20-788-2100 • www.hollandfestival.nl
NORWAYBERGEN INTERNATIONAL
FESTIVALBergen, from May 26 to June 9
47-5-521-0630 • www.fib.no
RUSSIAN FED.STARS OF THE WHITE NIGHTS
FESTIVALSt Petersburg, from May 21 to July 19
7-812-326-4141 • www.mariinsky.ru/en/
SLOVENIALJUBLJANA FESTIVAL
Ljubljana, from July 6 to August 26386-1241-6000 • www.ljubljanafestival.si
SWITZERLANDLUCERNE FESTIVAL IN SUMMERLucerne, from August 12 to September 1841-41-226-4400 • www.lucernefestival.ch/
VERBIER FESTIVALVerbier, from July 16 to August 1
41-848-771-882 •www.verbierfestival.com/index.php?page=ho
me_en
ZURICH FESTIVALZurich, from June 19 to July 12
41-44-269-9090 • www.zuercher-festspiele.ch
TURKEY38TH INTERNATIONAL ISTANBUL
MUSIC FESTIVALIstanbul, from June 3 to 30
90-212-334-0734 • www.iksv.org
UKALDEBURGH FESTIVAL
Snape, from June 11 to 2744-1728-687110 • www.aldeburgh.co.uk
BATH INTERNATIONAL MUSICFEST
Bath, from May 26 to June 644-1225-463362 • www.bathmusicfest.org.uk
BBC PROMSLondon, from July 16 to September 11
44-20-7589-8212 • www.bbc.co.uk/proms
BRIGHTON FESTIVALBrighton, from May 1 to 23
44-1273-709709 • www.brightonfestival.org
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONALFESTIVAL
Edinburgh, from August 13 to September 544-131-473-2099 • www.eif.co.uk
GLYNDEBOURNE FESTIVALOPERA
East Sussex, from May 25 to August 2944-1273-815000 • www.glyndebourne.com
HENLEY FESTIVALHenley-on-Thames, from July 7 to 11
44-1491-843400 • www.henley-festival.co.uk
LAKE DISTRICT SUMMER MUSICINTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
Kendal, from July 30 to August 1544-8456-442144 • www.ldsm.org.uk
LLANGOLLEN INTERNATIONALMUSICAL EISTEDDFODLlangollen, from July 5 to 11
44-1978-862001 www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk
LUFTHANSA FESTIVAL OFBAROQUE MUSIC
London, from May 13 to 2244-20-7222-1061
www.lufthansafestival.org.uk
OPERA HOLLAND PARKLondon, from June 1 to August 14
44-20-7361-3570www.operahollandpark.com
ST. MAGNUS FESTIVALKirkwall, Orkney Islands, from June 18 to 23
44-1856-871445 • www.stmagnusfestival.com
THREE CHOIRS FESTIVALGloucester, from August 7 to 15
44-1452-529819 • www.3choirs.org
WELSH PROMSCardiff, from July 11 to 24
44-29-2087-8444 • www.welshproms.co.uk
YORK EARLY MUSIC FESTIVALYork, from July 9 to 17
44-1904-632220 •www.ncem.co.uk/yemf.shtml
music scene Spring 2010 15
www.festivals.scena.org
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16 Spring 2010
SUMMER CAMPS GUIDE
D E A RCOMPOSERMichael Colgrass
Michael Colgrass is a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer andeducator.
I RECEIVE MANY LETTERS FROM CHILDREN. Here isone such letter from a teenager at Laurel Valley HighSchool in New Florence, Pennsylvania, one of severalwho were encouraged by their high school banddirector, Jim Colonna, to write to a composer. I have acontinuing correspondence with the students. Theirletters are a ray of hope that the arts and livingartists have meaning for young people. Mr. Colonnais an example of what one teacher can accomplishby stimulating the minds of his students.
LETTER FROM:
» Jaclyn Kuzminsky, » Age 13 » Bolivar, Pennsylvania
Dear Mr. Colgrass,
I wrote a report about your music. I know youdon’t want to read about yourself, but you mightget a different perspective on your music. Most ofthe people who wrote about you were probablyolder and have formed an opinion of how theythink music should sound. Since you’re a “moderncomposer,” I think modern minds should give theiropinion because their minds are more open, butcan still give their opinion with feeling. I find itreally exhilarating when music totally changesyour emotions, then it stops and you’re so con-fused you don’t know whether to cry, laugh, or yellat them for making you feel like that.
Now I have a question: How do you focus yourattention when you want to create?
DEAR JACLYN,
You’re asking a question that has puzzled someof the best minds in music. Let me offer twoideas on this subject:
1) Creativity is a habit. Think of the habits youhave right now and how you developed them.For example, do you have a time when youstudy? Perhaps between five and six, just beforesupper? (I assume you do your homework!)Recall how you developed that habit and how itfeels to have it. Have you noticed that if you doyour homework at the same time every day youtend to concentrate more easily? The idea is todo the same with creating. To create with easeand comfort, you need a place physically setapart from your other activities, because creat-ing is an act set apart from other things.
2) Establish a set location for creating only. Layout your materials on your “creating” desk—music paper, notes to yourself, lists of ideas, etc. -and don’t ever do anything else on that desk.That way when you return the next day every-thing will be just as you left it and your mind can“pick up where it left off.” This helps you organ-ize your ideas. Whenever you have an idea youcan write it down and place it in your own cre-ative spot, even if you have no time to work on itat that moment. This way you accumulate ideasand have a “home” for them—they will be wait-ing for you when you get back to that creativelocation. Also, your unconscious mind will workon an idea for you in the meantime since youhave clearly identified the idea and your mindhas a place to locate it physically. I call this tech-nique “anchoring a location.” Your brain learnsthat when you sit down at that spot creativeideas come to you, because that’s all you do inthat spot—create. �
www.USherbrooke.ca/vers/chantchoral1 800 267-UdeS EXT 63120
DETAILS AND ENROLMENT :
SUMMER CHORAL SCHOOLJUNE 26 TO JULY 3, 2010
10th Anniversary
Robert INGARI, artistic directorPRINCIPAL WORK : Mozart Mass in c minor, KV 427 (K417a) for chorus, soloists and orchestra
• Vocal masterclasses
• Voice recitals
• Choral conducting (intermediate and advanced) with lab choir
• Lectures
• Gala concert with orchestra
SingThis Summer! SingThis Summer!
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Spring 2010 17
L.H. Tiffany Hsieh
Although the 66-year-old con-ductor Boris Brott began givingpublic concerts playing the vio-lin at a young age, his fondestearly musical memories are theprivate performances that tookplace at home.“My mother lined
up teddy bears and put bow ties on them, and Ihad to give concerts to them every Saturday fromthe time I was two years old,” Brott recalled.
Brott, conductor and music director of the NewWest Symphony in Los Angeles and the McGillChamber Orchestra in Montreal, is revered for hismultimedia educational concerts for young people.He may have lost his teddy bears long ago, but thebig kid at heart has written hundreds of scriptedconcerts such as There’s an Animal in My Orchestraand Trick or Treat to a Wicked Beat for students.
Looking back, Brott said the seminal pointwhen his interest in music education “all of a sud-den reawakened” was between 1968-1970, whenhe served as assistant conductor to LeonardBernstein at the New York Philharmonic.
“He is, to me,” Brott said,” the consummateteacher. He has the ability to make the most com-plex issues simple. His young people’s concertswere just magical.Today, they are still a very impor-tant tool for educating children. They reawakened
for me the vital nature of educating and demysti-fying classical music to young people.”
So in 1988, Brott established the Brott MusicFestival in Hamilton and, a year later, founded theNational Academy Orchestra of Canada to pro-vide training for young professional graduates of
post-secondary education.“The mission is not so much to teach anyone
anything specific, but rather to create anambiance where it’s first and foremost an experi-ence that is pleasant, enjoyable, and communica-tive, and not boring,” said Brott, who has also con-ducted student matinees and young people’sconcerts for the National Arts Centre Orchestrafor over 20 years and was named its principalyouth and family conductor in 2004.
“People come with preconceived ideas, certain-ly kids do. The constant wallpaper of music thatcomes at us has dumbed down our whole senseof listening. You can’t escape it, so it’s no wonderthat for young people the idea of actually sittingand listening quietly to music is a foreign thing.You have to get over that first.”
One of the first things in creating a successfulchildren’s concert is interactivity. Brott said, “Theymust actually do something and it has to be the-atrical.” For example, the orchestra builds up astorm, dividing the audience into four parts andusing various parts of their body to depict rain,hail and lightning. The concert, projected on bigvideos, becomes a dialogue between the orches-tra, the conductor, and the audience.
“If one could communicate the wonder of dis-covery in young people, that would be a missionfor me,” Brott said. “I think it’s the most wonder-ful calling that you could have.” �
Crystal Chan
Summer camp has a long-lastingimpact on children. Arts and musiccamps offer the time and opportu-nities to learn new skills, start last-ing friendships and bring your
child in contact with leading arts teachers. Topick the best arts camp for your child, consid-er the following.
LEARNING TO CREATEInvestigate the camp’s philosophy. Differentpersonalities and goals need different envi-ronments. A more challenging environmentcould suit one child, while the same would sti-fle another who would do better at anexploratory camp that emphasizes trying dif-ferent arts rather than improving on oneinstrument or artistic discipline. Look over asample schedule from previous years withyour child.
Performing arts camps can require an audi-tion. Make sure to check out audition guide-
lines early and help your child prepare with aprivate teacher if necessary.
A big treat is when a camp concludes with ashow for other students and even better, forfamily as well. This gives children a chance toshowcase proudly what they’ve learned.
PLAY IT SAFEIdeally, the camp director should have a solidbackground in education, camp administra-tion, and the art the camp specializes in. Askthe director how they vet and train monitorsas well as how many return each year. Thenumber of monitors should be proportionallyhigher for younger children but the monitor-to-child ratio should be no more than 10. Themajority of the camp monitors should be over18 and have childcare experience. Securitymeasures and medically trained personnelshould be clearly organized and in place.
Choosing the right type of environment willalso help your child enjoy a carefree experi-ence. Specifically, consider whether your childis ready for a sleep away camp. A healthy camp
experience also depends on bathroom facili-ties and food. Is your child fussy about foodand sharing quarters?
Also, consider the makeup of the other chil-dren: is it for campers with several artistic dis-ciplines, or only for those with a very focus sim-ilar to your child’s (example: a camp forwoodwind players only)? Is it a co-ed camp?What is the age range of enrolled campers?
MAKING IT EASY FOR YOUCost is an important criterion. Remember thatsome camps offer financial assistance. Otherfactors to consider: if it is a day camp, does itwork well with everyone else’s schedules?What about summer family vacations?
Separation can be hard for both you andyour child. Ask about the policy with packages,letters, email, phone calls, and visits.
The most important step is to sit downwith your child and go through these con-cerns together. Ultimately, it is their summerexperience and they need to be involved inmaking the decisions. �
CHOOSING THE RIGHT ARTS CAMP
BORIS BROTT» MUSIC EDUCATION AS THE “MOST WONDERFUL CALLING”
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SUMMER CAMP GUIDE
18 Spring 2010
418-393-2592
CENTRE MUSICAL DU LAC MACDONALD
1-888-622-8755
DOMAINE FORGETwww.domaineforget.com
SOA SAITO CONDUCTINGWORKSHOP WITH WAYNE TOEWS
306-373-6408
KINCARDINE SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL
1-866-453-9716
Fax: 416-766-7655
CENTAURI SUMMER ARTS CAMP » Telephone: 416-766-7124
» Dates of the Camp Sessions: July 4th to August 25th (in 4 sessions)» Application Deadline: None » Scholarships: Available, see website for additional information
Instruments, ensembles and courses offered: Voice, A cappella, Guitar, Percussion, Musical Theatre, Dance Jazz, Blues, Rock
Exciting sleep over arts camp in the beautiful Niagara Region of Ontario. Over 40 arts programs available includingMusic, Theatre, Dance, Fine Art, Writing and Film. For boys and girls ages 9 to 18. Music programs include Voice, A cap-pella, Guitar, Jazz, Blues, Rock and Musical Theatre.
Language of Instruction: English
»
CENTAURI SUMMER ARTS [email protected]
416-766-7124
MUSIC AT PORT MILFORDwww.mpmcamp.org
SHERBROOKE UNIVERSITYSUMMER CHORAL SCHOOL
www.usherbrooke.ca/vers/chantchoral1-800-267-UdeS, extension 63120
PRESENTS 2010THE
ANN
UAL
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SUMMER CAMP GUIDE
Spring 2010 19
MUSIC & ARTS CAMP GUIDE
• Fundraising• Distribution• Public relations
• Project coordination• Writing and editing• Website
514-948-2520 [email protected]
IS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR:
Compiled by Laura Bates
Along with the usual items thatinclude sleeping bags and toiletries,musicians have much more to con-sider when packing for their timeaway at camp. Whether it is yourfirst time or you’re a seasonedmusic-camper, here is a list ofequipment to get you started.
INSTRUMENT SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT:
» An extra, complete set of strings» Rosin» Mutes (string & brass players)» Swabs» Cloth» Reeds» Cork grease
» Pad papers» Mouthpiece» Valve oil» Slide oil» Nail clippers» Lip balm (with SPF is a bonus)
FOR EVERY MUSICIAN:
» Folding music stand» Music to practice» Music to play for fun (includingchamber music)» Pencils» Erasers» Metronome» Tuner» Concert attire» Music folder
MUSIC CAMP PACKING LIST
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Norman Lebrecht
The richest headhunt everseen in classical musichas ended with theworld’s most covetedpianist switching teams
at a critical moment for the industry.The Chinese musician Lang Lang,
27, has signed for Sony Classical for$3 million, an executive familiar withthe move at his old label DeutscheGrammophon told me. A Sonyspokeswoman in London said thatthe company would not comment.
Lang Lang is credited with anexplosion of music teaching in hisown country, where more than 40million children are said to be takingprivate piano lessons. A tinkling ofRavel can be heard from high-risesin boomtown Tianjin.
He has been a star in the Westand an Elvis-like figure back homeever since he sold out CarnegieHall, performing the Grieg concerto
at the age of 19, in 2001. That year hewas mobbed on his first return toBeijing with the PhiladelphiaOrchestra. The pianist signed arecord contract with DeutscheGrammophon, part of Vivendi SA’sUniversal Music Group.
He released his first disc in 2003,featuring concertos by Tchaikovsky
and Mendelssohn, with theChicago Symphony Orchestra con-ducted by Daniel Barenboim.
Since then, Lang Lang has regu-larly topped the classical charts and,on occasion, achieved sales of popmusic dimensions. In a specialistgenre where releases sell in a fewhundreds, Lang Lang sells in thehundreds of thousands.
BIGGER THAN PAVAROTTIOpening the Beijing Olympics in July2008 on a snow-white piano, he waswatched by more than five billionviewers and achieved bigger world-wide recognition than any classicalhero since Luciano Pavarotti. Apiano manufacturer created theLang Lang Steinway. The Prince ofWales asked him to premiere a con-certo he had commissioned in mem-ory of his grandmother, the QueenMother. Lang Lang had the world athis feet and was accustomed togetting his own way.
At the rarified DeutscheGrammophon, which shelters suchmedia-averse pianists as MarthaArgerich, Maurizio Pollini andKrystian Zimerman, Lang Lang’s noisypopulism was never an easy fit. Whenhe demanded the dismissal of YundiLi, the first Chinese winner of theInternational Fryderyk Chopin PianoCompetition, the label acquiescedimmediately, according to a dissentingproducer. (Yundi Li has put a softer spinon his departure). Lang Lang was theone artist no label could afford to lose.
So when Sony rebooted its classi-cal wing last April after a long dor-mancy, the new chief, BogdanRoscic, was given an open check-book and told: “Get Lang Lang.”
MIDEM FESTIVALLast week, at the Midem Festival inCannes, France, the industry wasabuzz with leaks and executiverumors that Sony Classical had signedLang Lang for $3 million—peanuts fora footballer but so huge for a classicalartist that the Sony Corp. providedfunds from outside the classical budg-et. The U.K. magazine Gramophonereported the move on Jan. 26, withoutgiving a figure.
Although Sony has refused to com-ment on either the signing or the suminvolved, an executive at DeutscheGrammophon confirmed both thesigning and the fee in an e-mail to me.
Lang Lang wasn’t immediatelyavailable for comment. He was playingin the national auditorium in Madridat the weekend. He is also involved inraising funds for Haiti as a UNICEFambassador. His responsiveness toworld affairs is another source of valueto the music industry. He signed athree-year sponsorship agreementwith Sony in April 2008 to promote itshardware products globally.
CLASSICAL CLOISTERSThe implications of his transferextend far beyond the cloisters ofclassical music. Sony has scored ablow against the market leader whileUniversal has been caught in transi-tion, with its chairman Doug Morrisdue to step down this summer.
At stake is the last frontier forwestern classical music—the bur-geoning middle-classes of the EastAsia economies. In China, recordedmusic is routinely pirated and con-sumers are unused to paying fortheir stars. Only an artist of LangLang’s compelling attraction canchange those habits—and all labelsare aware of that.
EMI has just signed Yundi Li on therebound, while DeutscheGrammophon has Yuja Wang in theoffing—with support from conductorClaudio Abbado, who chose her toopen his Lucerne Festival last summer.
Still, the capture of Lang Langgives Sony a decisive advantage. �
Lang Lang will perform Mozart’s PianoConcerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453 on April 6,2010 with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra(Roy Thomson Hall, 8 p.m.)
20 Spring 2010
LEBRECHT REPORT
SONY PAYS $3 MILLIONTO WIN PIANIST LANG LANG
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Native Earth Performing Arts &
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Giiwedin A First Nations Opera
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Spring 2010 21
VOCAL MUSICCOLORaturaSDiana Damrau, soprano; MünchnerRundfunkorchester/Dan EttingerVirgin Classics 5099951931322 (73 min 59 s)������ $$$
German soprano DianaDamrau is arguably thebest coloratura sopranoof the new generation,combining a lovely voicewith stunning technicalease along the lines of ayoung Natalie Dessay,and an alluring stagepresence.This new disc shows off her sparkling voicebeautifully in such selections as Juliette’s Waltz inRoméo et Juliette and Zerbinetta’s showpiece inAriadne auf Naxos, which incidentally I saw her singmagnificently in Munich three years ago. Her ‘Caronome’ here is note-perfect, as is ‘Glitter and be gay’from Bernstein’s Candide, although without quitethe scintillating dramatic acuity of Natalie Dessay ina live 1997 recording. Israeli Dan Ettinger is the everresponsive and supportive maestro, bringing out
lovely sounds from the Munich Radio Orchestra.Perhaps as a former baritone, Ettinger is particularlyattuned to the needs and wants of the singer! Ifthere is a flaw, it would be Damrau’s less than per-fect diction in some of the songs – she has a tenden-cy to suppress the consonants and her French is par-ticularly indistinct. The voice is happiest in thehighest reaches, so a low-lying piece like ‘O mio bab-bino caro’ finds her pushing her weak chest register.Sometimes when she presses the voice at the top, itcan turn a little edgy, but these are minor quibbles.The booklet contains a 100-word mini-essay byDamrau herself plus a more substantial piece on thearias by Andrew Huth; texts in three languages, butno artist bios. Highly recommended. JKS
The Mozart AlbumDanielle de Niese, soprano; Orchestra of the Age ofEnlightenment/Sir Charles MckerrasDecca 478 1511 (65 min 51 s)������ $$$
Born in Australia of SriLankan parents andraised in the U.S.,Danielle de Niese is anopera company manag-er’s dream – a beautifulvoice, inherent musicali-ty, solid training, superbthespian skills, alluringstage presence, all packaged in the face and bodyof a super-model. In a few short years, she has shotto the top of the lyric soprano heap, complete witha recording contract with Decca. This is her secondsolo album, after a very successful debut disc ofHandel arias. Having seen her live a number oftimes – as Nanetta as early as 2000 in Santa Fewhen she was only 21, then as Rodelinda at theCOC, and more recently as Eurydice and Poppea – Ido feel she is best appreciated live in the theatre.The voice is a fine one though not as great as herfame would indicate – the top can be a little shrilland brittle, as in the high C of Alleluja, and her scaleisn’t always perfectly even. But in the theatre, thepower of her personality is such that she comesacross as nothing less than sensational. On thisdisc she sings arias of Ilia, Despina, Susanna,Zerlina, all in the lyric-soubrette fach, with the soleexception of Donna Elvira. There is also the ubiqui-tous Exsultate, jubilate and Laudate Dominum. Shesings all the selections beautifully if without a par-
ticularly wide palette of expression. The booklethas an essay by Brian Dickie, head of Chicago OperaTheatre and once the head of the COC. De Nieseherself pens a “thank you note” to practically every-one – her parents, Sir Charles, the orchestra, theDecca team, Kiri Te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel, her agent,even Mozart himself! This is a charming disc foranyone interested in this young soprano. JKS
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Beethoven: Piano Concertos 1-5Evgeny Kissin, piano; London SymphonyOrchestra/Sir Colin DavisEMI Classics (2 68173 2: 71 min 05 s; 2 68184 2: 66min 11 s; 2 68186 2: 41 min 48 s)������ $$
The Beethoven pianoconcertos are a record-ing milestone in everykeyboard virtuoso’scareer. Evgeny Kissintested the waters in1997 with performancesof the Second and Fifthwith the PhilharmoniaOrchestra conducted by James Levine. That discwas well received by critics. Kissin returned to thesame recording venue at Abbey Road Studios in2008 to lay down an entire cycle. These issues willattract the interest of the pianist’s masses of fans...But, but, but, wouldn’t these fans have alreadygone for the original 3-CD bargain box released inOctober 2008 (and apparently still available)?
EMI’s marketing foibles aside, these are rathergood performances with excellent recorded soundquality. There is no faulting the soloist’s grasp ortechnique. Yet in a crowded field Kissin cannotconjure up a distinctive character to enhance ourunderstanding and appreciation of this vitalmusic. There is none of the subtle rhetoric ofRichard Goode (Nonesuch) or the fizzing unpre-dictability of Mikhail Pletnev (DG), nor the quickwit and retort of Olli Mustonen directing theTapiola Sinfonietta from the keyboard (Ondine).
This series offers a distinction in the accompa-niment of the LSO. In his Beethoven symphonycycle (Philips), Sir Colin Davis revealed a tradition-alist approach that placed him slightly to the rightof Otto Klemperer. Davis showcases the orches-
REVIEW POLICY: While we review all the bestCDs we get, we don’t always receive every newrelease available.Therefore, if a new recording isnot covered in the print version of LSM, it doesnot necessarily imply that it is inferior. Manymore CD reviews can be viewed on our Web siteat www.scena.org.
������ A MUST $ < 10 $
������ EXCELLENT $$ 11–20 $
������ VERY GOOD $$$ 21–30 $
������GOOD $$$$ 31-40 $
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22 Spring 2010
tra’s strings and winds to memorable effect. WSH
Brahms: Violin SonatasAnne-Sophie Mutter, violin; Lambert Orkis, pianoDeutsche Grammophon 477 8767 9 (67 min 46 s)������ $$$$
Just when you thinkAnne-Sophie Mutterhas nothing more tooffer beyond the ice-queen brand, she comesup with a performanceof the Brahms sonatasthat is humbling in itsquietude. Sample theAdagio of the G-major sonata for a lesson in matureself-exploration. Mutter is almost inside herselfwith concentration and Lambert Orkis plays porce-lain accompaniment in a reading of fragile trans-parency, irresistible throughout. NL
Liszt Students Play Liszt: Rare Original PianoRecordings 1905-1926Eugene d’Albert, Arthur Friedheim, Emil Sauer,Alexander Siloti, Frederic Lamond, etc., pianoPierian CD 0039/40 (122 min 46 s)������ $$$
Franz Liszt wasundoubtedly one of thegreatest of all piano vir-tuosi. Like so many otherlegendary figures, he didnot live long enough tobe able to make record-ings. Fortunately, someof his students did andthis new CD set brings together many of theirrecordings, with the best sound quality we haveever had.This album will almost certainly become avaluable reference tool for any pianist looking forguidance on how to play the music of Liszt.
All of the students represented on this discattended master classes with Liszt in Weimarbetween 1882 and 1886. They were admitted onlyafter demanding auditions and most of themwent on to have major careers. But we need tobear in mind that while their work with Liszt musthave been invaluable, they made their recordingsmore than twenty years later. We also need tounderstand that these recordings were originallyproduced as piano rolls. Such recordings are bytheir very nature still controversial as to their reli-ability as accurate reproductions of the way anygiven artist played. The recordings on this CD setwere made under the direction of KennethCaswell in Austin, Texas, using a restored 1923Feurich Welte piano, and sound very convincing.
For study purposes it would have been helpfulto have the same Liszt works played by several dif-ferent pianists. There is only one such example:the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 played by BernardStavenhagen and Arthur Friedheim respectively.While both men studied with Liszt, their approachto this piece could not be more different.Stavenhagen treats it in an improvisatory fashion,as if intent on bringing out the gypsy flavor.Friedheim, on the other hand, is almost severely‘classical.’ This comparison reminds us that stu-
dents are seldom carbon copies of their teachers,no matter how illustrious the teachers. PER
Mahler: Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’Yvonne Kenny, soprano; Jard van Nes, mezzo-sopra-no; London Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir/KlausTennstedtLPO 0044 (93 min 57 s)������ $$$
Longer than any per-formance on recordexcept Otto Klemperer’slast gasp, this live RoyalFestival Hall recordingfrom February 1989 is alegend to the 3,000 of uswho were there and evenmore so to many whoweren’t. Klaus Tennstedt, the most sensitive andimpulsive of conductors,opened the Resurrection ata tempo of such stubborn deliberation that itseemed the second coming would never come.
But instead of causing impatience, the inter-pretation exerts an irresistible tension for 94eventful minutes. There is nothing vain or wilfulin Tennstedt’s approach. By stretching textures,he allows us to hear inner voices, to hold ourbreaths as a double-bass plucks a solo pizzicato,to marvel at the interwoven conversations of thevast symphonic mass. The opening movementends in dark dread, the second in mute helpless-ness. Then Mahler hits the big drums and theworks rise out of the known world into realmswhere the devil has the best tunes.
Mezzo-soprano Jard van Nes offers tranquilityin the Urlicht song, but Judgement Day followswith chorus and soprano Yvonne Kenny and theoutcome remains uncertain until the conductordrops his arms and, in the frozen hush, we discov-er, half-amazed, that we are still alive. The experi-ence on record, engineered with maximum dis-cretion by Tony Faulkner, is hardly less shatteringthan in the hall that night in February 1989. Thisis one of the elite Mahler recordings that, indis-pensable and unforgettable, yields a new under-standing of a mighty work. NL
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Orchestral SuitesRussian National Orchestra/Mikhail PletnevPentaTone PTC 5186 362 Hybrid SACD(60 min 32 s)������ $$$
For two decades thestandard recommendedrecording of this musichas been that of theRoyal Scottish NationalOrchestra conducted byNeeme Järvi (Chandos).The MalaysianPhilharmonic underKees Bakels also turned in fine Rimsky-Korsakov per-formances in recent years for BIS but the selectionof orchestral suites from stage works was far fromcomplete. Now Mikhail Pletnev and his thorough-bred Russian National Orchestra offer three superbRimsky suites in what can be considered definitiveaccounts. The recordings were made in Hilversum,Netherlands in January of last year. The audio qual-
ity is demonstration quality and it is a special treatto be able to use the surround sound option to beimmersed in the sensuality and boldness ofRimsky’s orchestration. Pletnev exploits everynuance of these confections and makes us realizeafresh what a unique gifted tune-smith this com-poser was. While collectors await more outstand-ing Rimsky-Korsakov from this source, note that theRNO and Pletnev are also recording for Ondine. Aravishing performance on 2 CDs of the completescore for Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake (ODE 1167-2D) wasreleased by the Finnish label concurrently with thedisc reviewed here. WSH
W.A. Mozart, J. B. Wendling: Flute ConcertosBernhard Krabastch, flute; SalzburgMozarteum/Ivor BoltonOehms OC 747 (75 min 48 s)������ $$$
Reverting to an ego-free, pre-James Galwaystyle, BernhardKrabastch plays thetwo concertos on a sim-ple wooden flute withthe SalzburgMozarteum, sympa-thetically conducted by Ivor Bolton. The differenceis just so refreshing. This Mozart feels organic,fair-trade and eco-friendly. It is rounded off by apretty C-major concerto by Johann BaptistWendling (1723-1797). Mr Krabatsch has flair with-out swagger, a nice touch. NL
BLU-RAYRichard Wagner: Der Ring Des NibelungenJuha Uusitalo (Wotan), John Daszak (Loge), Franz-Josef Kapellmann (Alberich), Gerhard Siegel (Mime),Matti Salminen (Fasolt), Stephen Milling (Fafner),Anna Larsson (Fricka), Sabina von Walther (Freia),Lilya Bannik (Donner), Germán Villar (Froh), SylviaVázquez (Woglinde), Ann-Katrin Naidu (Wellgunde),Hannah Esther Minutillo (Floßhilde); Orquestra dela Comunitat Valenciana/Zubin MehtaStaged by La Fura dels Baus; Stage Director: CarlusPadrissaVideo Director: Tiziano ManciniC Major Blu-ray (700604: 194 min; 700804: 245min; 701004: 256 min; 701204: 309 min)������ $$$$$
Dedicated Wagnerianswith inquiring mindshave a tough decisionto make. Are they torush out and purchasethe individual issues ofthe latest video Ringcycle or gamble on sav-ing a few bucks on thefall release of completeboxed sets (Blu-ray or conventional DVD)? TheseValencia productions are terrific and certainly fineenough to justify acting in haste.
La Fura dels Baus is a versatile (and acrobatic)Catalan theatre company. Zubin Mehta caughtthem in performance at the Salzburg Festival and
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suggested their participation in staging theValencia Ring. In this, and his stipulation that thenew opera house recruit a world class Wagnerorchestra (“Because a Wagner orchestra can playanything.”), house intendant Helga Schmidt ful-filled his wishes and also assembled a remarkablesinging cast. La Fura’s stated intention was to show“the suicidal degradation of nature by technologicalman.” To achieve this goal, a great deal of high tech-nology and gadgetry is employed. Stage scenerywas largely replaced by giant screen 3-D animationdesigned and operated by Franc Aleu.The costumesby Chu Uroz make the gods look godly and evokethe development of primitive man to the deca-dence of the Gibichungs. Carlus Padrissa binds all ofthis together to produce something that reflectsWagner’s original (and until now impossible to real-ize) stage directions. There is a single, but psycho-logically apt, self-indulgence and scarcely an awk-ward pause in the entire marathon. Above all,Padrissa succeeds on the level of pure storytelling.
Maestro Mehta’s direction of the score can standcomparison with the best. A musician who has pon-dered the scores for a half-century gives us the per-formance of a lifetime. Mehta makes the music intoa major protagonist in the drama. At the final cur-tain, he leads the entire orchestra onto the stage totake a well-deserved bow. The vocal cast is out-standing in the quality of singing and the ability toportray the characters. Juha Uusitalo(Wotan/Wanderer), John Daszak (Loge), Franz-JosefKapellmann (Alberich) Gerhard Siegel (Mime), PeterSeiffert (Siegmund) and Petra Maria Schnitzer(Sieglinde) render landmark performances. Thesteadfast Wagner veteran, Matti Salminen, takes on
the roles of Fasolt, Hunding and Hagen with greatdistinction. But perhaps the greatest discovery ofcycle is the pairing of Jennifer Wilson and LanceRyan as Brünnhilde and Siegfried. A perfect match-up in these roles has been hard to achieve in recentyears. Hopefully the Wilson/Ryan combination willcontinue to grace opera stages for the foreseeablefuture. There is not one weak link in the cast.
Collectors who insist on traditional staging of theRing are probably best served by the MetropolitanOpera production conducted by James Levine (DG).For those who remain mesmerized by the Bayreuthproductions of Boulez/Chereau (DG) andBarenboim/Kupfer (Warner), this Valencia Ring isvery much in the same league. It surpasses by a vastmargin last year’s award-winning Copenhagen Ring(Decca). WSH
BOOKBravO! The History of Opera in BritishColumbiaBy Rosemary Cunningham / Vancouver: HarbourPublishing, 2009 (208 p.) ISBN: 978-1-55017-486-1
This volume is published to coincide with theupcoming 50th anniversary of the Vancouver Operaand the 30th anniversary of the Pacific Opera Victoriain 2010. In 208 nicely printed and lavishly illustratedpages that also include full performance histories,detailed notes, bibliographies and an index, authorRosemary Cunningham has penned the first andonly volume on opera in BC.Cunningham divides the
book into Prologue,Overture, Interlude, threeActs and a Finale. Historybuffs will like thePrologue that providesan outline of earliestoperatic performances inBC, and the Overture thatgives a glimpse of thesocial history that gaveimpetus to the establish-ment of the opera com-panies. It is said that BChas the highest per capita opera audience inCanada. A retired librarian, Cunningham counts her-self as a fan. She writes reverentially of IrvingGuttman, “the father of opera in Western Canada”and conductor Richard Bonynge and his wife, sopra-no Joan Sutherland. It was their presence that putVOA on the map in the early years. Vancouveritesheard Dame Joan long before she came to the COCin the 80’s, when her voice was past its prime.To thisday, the only opera company in Canada where thegreat Placido Domingo has sung remains the VOA.Big name stars meant deficits that subsequentlyplagued the tenure of both Brian McMaster andRobert Hallam. Cunningham writes about this peri-od in a detached way, with no mudslinging. Shegives brief mentions of other operatic initiativessuch as the university music programs, summer fes-tivals, new professional and semi-professional com-panies that have sprung up in recent years. Her toneis upbeat,concluding the book with an expression ofconfidence in the future. This volume is a must-readfor anyone interested in opera in BC. JKS
Spring 2010 23
MAI / MAYÉdition nationale (Guide des festivals de jazz, de musique du monde et de musique folklorique)National issue (Guide to Summer Jazz, World and Folk Festivals)En collaboration avec / with The Music SceneDistribution: 50,000 copies à travers le Canada (le double du tirage habituel) /
across Canada (double the usual distribution)Date de tombée publicité / Ad deadline: 2010-04-23Matériel graphique / Artwork: 2010-04-26
JUIN / JUNEÉdition nationale (Guide des festivals de musique classique - 11e Édition)National issue (11th Annual Guide to Summer Classical Music Festivals)En collaboration avec / with The Music SceneDistribution: 50,000 copies à travers le Canada (le double du tirage habituel) /
across Canada (double the usual distribution)Date de tombée publicité / Ad deadline: 2010-05-24Maquettes / Artwork: 2007-05-25
JUILLET-AOÛT / JULY -AUGUSTThème: lectures d'été / Summer ReadingDistribution: 25,000 copiesDate de tombée publicité / Ad deadline: 2010-06-23Maquettes / Artwork: 2010-06-25
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