1 Reading Reviews 6. 3 Reading, September CAMMAC RPS 8. 5 Playing Opportunities, Concert Notices 5 Regional Management Committee

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1 TORONTO REGION NEWSLETTER September 2014 In this issue: West Cork Chamber Music Festival The CAMMAC Band Experience : Lake MacDonald, Early Music, Week 2 In the Spotlight: The Singing Out Choir Schedule of Readings, Schedule of Workshops Reading Reviews 6 3 Reading, September CAMMAC RPS 8 5 Playing Opportunities, Concert Notices 5 Regional Management Committee West Cork Chamber Music Festival Submitted by Lynda Moon This summer I was very pleased to attend the West Cork Chamber Music Festival. Each year visitors from far-flung parts of the globe make the pilgrimage to Bantry, a tiny village in a remote part of southwest Ireland. They are drawn by beauty of the location and the outstanding quality and variety of the music. Over the course of the annual nine-day festival, over 75 international musicians perform in beautiful Bantry House and in St. Brendan's Church. I attended 13 concerts, a master class, some lectures and interviews, as well as taking in local excursions. On opening night June 27, three quartets performed - the Danish String Quartet, Doric String Quartet and the Vanbrugh Quartet. I was particularly impressed by the young Danes, who also gave a recital of Haydn and Nielsen quartets in St. Brendan's Church and a late-night performance of Beethoven's Opus 132. In another concert in Bantry House they collaborated with the French pianist Philippe Cassard in an interesting piano quintet by the 19th century Polish composer Zarebski. The "Viking Invaders" performing at the festival also included the superb Baroque ensemble Concerto Copenhagen. The Zemlinski Quartet from Prague, whom I had heard at the Banff International String Quartet Competition, received a standing ovation for their Dvorak performance. 1

2 Among the singers featured at Bantry was the Canadian bass baritone Philippe Sly. A winner of the Montreal International Competition and Metropolitan Opera national auditions, Sly performed song cycles by Mahler and Schumann with Julius Drake at the piano. For me, the festival highlight was a performance by candlelight of Schubert's piano trio no. 2 with the wonderful young French pianist Cédric Tiberghien. Another festival option was the opportunity to attend master classes and recitals by three student quartets who were coached by the professional ensembles. I also heard interviews with featured artists - the German violinist Carolin Widmann and British clarinetist Julian Bliss (who has been playing the clarinet for 20 years even though he is now only 25!). Performers mingled with audience members at buffet breakfasts and informal receptions and even participated in impromptu fiddling in a local pub. For visitors who wished to extend their stay in the Bantry area, the Chamber Music Festival was followed by a Literary Festival. For further information check out the website: It includes clips of recordings from previous festivals. Bantry Bay, Ireland (courtesy Lynda Moon) 2

3 THE CAMMAC BAND EXPERIENCE Week 2, Early Music, July 6-13, 2014 at Lake MacDonald Submitted by Barbara Moore Being a relative newcomer to CAMMAC, I was hesitant to join Matthias Maute s large ensemble orchestra which plays with the massed choir in the final concert. This year, however, I ratcheted up my courage and joined the so-called Band ; this is not to be confused with Betsy MacMillan s Renaissance Big Band which is more raucous and rowdy but still of the Renaissance: drinking songs, achy-breakyheart songs, rounds of all sorts...great fun and silliness...more the music of the great unwashed than that of the elite. The gods would have smiled upon his embellishments (sent down from the gods, to Matthias, to us :-) For example, all week, we rehearsed a saltarello, with his special, surprising and delightfully outrageous ending. Every time (EVERY time!) we laughed and laughed with glee! It was truly a week of beautiful music, good company and great fun. We were treated to concerts every evening by renowned musicians and attended classes led by these very same professionals. Truly a treat. We are fortunate to have this opportunity so close to home, and for me, the new experience of the Band was an adventure well worth the risk! The assembling mishmash The above photo shows the large ensemble setting up for the concert. We see accomplished musicians, amateurs, and everything in between. Everyone and all instruments were welcome. Matthias amazing (and hilarious) direction made the music come alive. He added special twists and surprises making the music lovely, dynamic, interesting, sparkly. Matthias Maute and the Band Final Concert, Saturday, July 12, 2014 Intermezzi della Pellegrina by Caccini, Cavalieri, Marenzio and Malvezzi 3

4 IN THE SPOTLIGHT The Singing Out Choir, photo from website. THE SINGING OUT CHOIR OF TORONTO Submitted by Gerald Martindale Singing Out, a mixed-choir, non-auditioned LGBTQ chorus, was founded in 1992 by John Shrag. I have been singing tenor with the choir for the past 11 years. We sing in a variety of styles: pop, show tunes, classical, folk, and jazz. A few selections are performed with choreography. We mainly sing in English, but often sing a few selections in other languages. All music is performed from memory. Singers do not need to be able to read music. Audio rehearsal tracks are provided to help members learn the words and music. Singing Out presents two concerts per year, in December and May or June, and a cabaret in February or March. We sing at the Jane Mallet and Glenn Gould Theatres. Rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings at the Riverdale Presbyterian Church near Pape and Danforth Avenues. Singing Out has grown tremendously in the past few years. Six years ago there were 35 participants. Now there are over 100. The increase in the number of singers is largely due to our fabulous Artistic Director, Jody Malone. She teaches choral music at the Cawthra Park School for the Arts in Mississauga. Her rehearsal techniques are excellent and very efficient. Under her direction, our choir has participated in several LGBTQ choir festivals in Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Denver. We have also performed for many community events in Toronto. Editor s Note: In the Spotlight features a musical group from Toronto or around Toronto. This year we will be focusing on choirs. If you are a CAMMAC member and would like your group to be featured, please contact the newsletter editor (see last page for address). Please contribute to your newletter. 4

5 SCHEDULE OF READINGS Once a month, CAMMAC singers and instrumentalists read through a work for choir and orchestra under the direction of a professional choir director or conductor. Occasionally, readings feature pieces for singers only. Readings are not intended as rehearsals and we do not perform for an audience, although listeners are welcome. All readings are in Elliott Hall, Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge Street, Toronto, on Sunday afternoons from 2 pm to 4:30 pm. Admission is $6 for CAMMAC members and $10 for non-members. Please arrive 15 minutes early to set up so the reading can begin on time. Further details on the information below will be available in future newsletters. September 21 - J.S. Bach, Mass in B minor with Mitchell Pady (coordinators: Barbara Adams, Lynda Moon) October 19 - Vaughan Williams, A Sea Symphony with Simon Capet (coordinator: Marion Wilk) November 23 - Schubert, Mass in A flat with Stephane Potvin (coordinators: Lauren Cooke, Peter Solomon) January 25 -Various Composers, High Renaissance Polyphony with Dallas Bergen (coordinators: Tim Moody, Peter Solomon) February 22 - Mozart, Solemn Vespers with Mervin Fick (coordinator: Barbara Adams) March 22 - Parry, Judith, with Stephanie Martin (coordinator: Tim Moody) April 26 - Haydn, The Creation with David Weaver (coordinator: Gerald Martindale) May 31 - Duruflé, Requiem with John Kraus (coordinator: Sheila M. MacRae) TORONTO REGION WORKSHOPS SEASON Come and learn something new or hone your skills in a relaxed, supportive environment. Both Workshops are held at the Northern District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd. (one block north of Eglinton Ave., on the west side of Yonge St.) on Saturday from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm. $25 each workshop for CAMMAC Members, $30 for non-members. November 1 - Cello Workshop, with Sybil Shanahan (see below for additional information, as well as the October November Newsletter). February 7 - Sight Singing with Art Levine (More information in future newsletters). 5

6 CELLO WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 1 Sybil Shanahan will be presenting an Orchestral Cello Workshop focusing on three main excerpts from the orchestral repertoire, including sections of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, the introduction from the 2nd movement of Brahms' Symphony No. 2, and the opening of Smetana's Bartered Bride. The relevant passages can be found at: The Sybil Shanahan has asked that participants practice excerpts beforehand, and know them as well as possible by November 1. For further information about the Workshop, see our next CAMMAC newsletter. Contact Marion Wilk: marion.wilk@gmail.com. READING REVIEWS Proud Music of the Storm (March 23, 2014) Submitted by Lori Morgan What a delightful afternoon we all had on March 23, as we came together to enjoy the music of Stephen Chatman, one of Canada s most celebrated composers! The reading, Proud Music of the Storm, was led by the very talented and well-known conductor Lydia Adams. Under her outstanding leadership, we were prompted to find repeating patterns, to listen and produce exciting crunching harmonies, and to have fun learning the quick rhythms that moved the music along in a flurry! By working together from beginning to end, we were able to experience the colourful sounds of contemporary music which ultimately enriched our lives as musicians. Thank you, Lydia, for sharing your expertise with us! Lux Aeterna (Fauré and Lauridsen) (May 25, 2014) Submitted by Lynne Salt A small group of instrumentalists and singers gathered on the first warm sunny Sunday in May to look at two interpretations of Lux Aeterna. Guest conductor David Ambrose (teacher at Etobicoke School of the Arts, Director of Music at Runnymede United Church, Artistic Director of Mississauga Festival Singers) led us through the Lux Aeterna section from Fauré s Requiem, then fast-forwarded a century to contemporary American-Danish composer Morten Lauridsen. The haunting harmonies of the five movements of Lauridsen s Lux Aeterna presented some vocal and instrumental challenges, but David led us through the difficult parts and teased out a respectable first reading of this beautiful work. MUSICAL CHAIRS Are you looking for a music-mate, someone with whom to make music? We keep a list of others who are also looking. Please contact our Musical Chairs Group:

7 CAMMAC (Canadian Amateur Musicians /Musiciens Amateurs du Canada) Toronto Region Event. Please copy and post. CAMMAC READING J.S. BACH B MINOR MASS Date SUNDAY, September 21, 2014 Time 2 PM to 4:30 PM (Please arrive 15 minutes early to set up.) Conductor Mitchell Pady Biography Mitchell is a graduate of the Faculty of Music at the University of Western Ontario. During his time in London, he pursued his passion for orchestral conducting through private study and work with community and youth orchestras. Upon returning to Toronto, he pursued his singing career while working with inner-city children. He has adjudicated many music festivals and is in great demand as a choral clinician. Since 2004, he has been the choral director for the Inter-provincial Music Camp. He holds the position of Artistic Director for both the Cellar Singers and the Oriana Women s Choir. Currently, Mitchell sings professionally with the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Aradia Ensemble, and Choir 21. He has been featured as a pops soloist under the baton of Howard Cable and as a jazz singer. Mitchell has recorded for Naxos, Perimeter Records, and Centrediscs. Music notes Mass in B minor was one of Bach s last, completed in 1749, the year before his death in Much of the Mass consisted of music that Bach had composed earlier. The Mass was most probably never performed in totality during Bach s lifetime and the work largely disappeared in the 18 th century. Several performances in the early 19 th century sparked a revival both of the piece and the larger rediscovery of Bach s music. Today, it is widely hailed as a monumental work of the late Baroque. Place Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. (2 blocks north of St. Clair Avenue) in Elliott Hall (enter from Heath St.) Singers Singers: Chorus, SATB (Note: Singers do not need to pre-register) Instrumentation Instrumentation: flutes 1&2; oboes1&2; oboe d amore 1&2; bassoons 1&2; trumpets1,2&3; horn in D 1; timpani; strings Information For more information: Barbara Adams, Cost CAMMAC members $6; non-members $10; students free. Refreshments Refreshments will be available for $1 during the break. Instrumentalists: please pre-register with Barbara Adams, , brbr.adams@gmail.com Instrumentalists please bring your own music stand. 7

8 CAMMAC RECORDER PLAYERS SOCIETY The CAMMAC RPS meets every three weeks from September to May at Mount Pleasant Road Baptist Church, 527 Mount Pleasant Road (two blocks north of Davisville Avenue, entrance off Belsize Drive). We play from 7:30 until 10:00, with a short break (refreshments included). CAMMAC members may purchase an annual RPS membership* ($80 for 12 meetings). Non-members pay $15 per meeting (your first visit is free). Coached meetings (of which there are three) cost an additional $5. *To take advantage of the annual RPS membership fee, please ensure that your CAMMAC membership is up to date ( and bring your card with you when you sign up. Meetings are held on Friday evenings, from 7:30 to 10. The dates for are as follows: Sept 12; Oct 3; Oct 24 (coach, Scott Paterson); Nov 14; Dec 5 (coach, Janos Ungvary); Jan 2; Jan 23; Feb 13 (coach, TBA); Mar 6; Mar 20; May 8; May 22. Please bring a music stand. RPS Spring Workshop: Saturday, April 18 from 1:30 to 5 (coach, TBA). Members: $25 Non-members: $30 For further information: or Anne-Marie Prendiville MEMBER NEWS Submitted by Peter Solomon Congratulations IRIS KRIZMANIC! IRIS KRIZMANIC, who for years has sung soprano solos at our readings (and played cello and horn), is about to start playing principal horn in the Windsor Symphony. PLAYING OPPORTUNITIES T.E.M.P.0. Toronto Early Music Players Organization Early music workshop for woodwinds and strings, coached by Valerie Sylvester Sunday September 7, 2014, 1:30 pm to 4 pm Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON, south of Wilson Avenue, $20. Information:

9 T.E.M.P.0. Toronto Early Music Players Organization Early music workshop for woodwinds and strings, coached by Robert Rivers. Sunday October 5, 2014, 1:30 pm to 4 pm Armour Heights Community Centre, 2140 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON, south of Wilson Ave. $20. Information: The Wychwood Clarinet Choir Our Clarinet Choir, which rehearses in the Wychwood & St. Clair West neighbourhood of Toronto, is looking to recruit new playing members. Please contact Clare Hillier Gonzales at clarehg@gmail.com CONCERT NOTICES Great Choral Sounds Eric Whitacre s When David Heard ; Healey Willan s great multiple choir anthem An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts ; the Te Deum of Eleanor Daley and the John Rutter Requiem. Sunday, October 19, 4:00 pm at Eglinton St. George s United Church. For more information, please phone Sweetwater Music Festival: Sept 19-21: Owen Sound Concerts, Instrument Maker Displays, Lectures featuring the St Lawrence String Quartet and many others. Play with the St Lawrence: Saturday at noon. The instrumentation, details of registration, and music will be available at There is no cost for this session. Join us! WHAT DO I GET FOR MY CAMMAC MEMBERSHIP? By taking out membership in CAMMAC, you support the work of Canada s foremost charitable organization devoted to meeting the needs of amateur musicians. Members pay reduced admission to attend CAMMAC readings and workshops and have borrowing privileges from our extensive sheet music library. Membership is a requirement for taking part in our summer music camp at Lake MacDonald. Whenever your contact information changes, please remember to notify CAMMAC headquarters. The Toronto Committee receives our mailing lists from them, so keep us current by keeping the organization informed! Toll free: or national@cammac.ca. If you do not want your name and personal information known to other CAMMAC members, please make sure that when you renew your membership, you mark the appropriate box at the bottom of the application form. NEWSLETTER DEADLINES The deadline for content for the October-November issue is September 15; For the December-January issue, it is November 15. 9

10 ADVERTISING RATES Full page $90 Half page $50 (max. 7 ½ W x 4 5/8 H) Quarter page $30 (max. 3 ½ W x 4 5/8 H) Advertising is subject to space availability. Neither publication nor positioning is guaranteed CAMMAC TORONTO REGION MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE President: Tim Moody tim@timmoody.com Past President: Gerald Martindale bellman@rogers.com Treasurer: Marion Wilk marion.wilk@gmail.com Secretary: Lynda Moon ptriovc@gmail.com Newsletter Editor: Sheila M. MacRae smmoboe@gmail.com Publicity Coordinator: Barbara Adams brbr.adams@gmail.com National Rep.*: Volunteer Coordinator: Gerald Martindale bellman@rogers.com Soloist Coordinator: Peter Solomon peter.solomon@utoronto.ca Member-at- Large: Barbara Myers bmyers@planningalliance.ca OTHER CONTACTS Webmaster: Barbara Adams brbr.adams@gmail.com RPS: Anne-M. Prendiville acacia@sympatico.ca CAMMAC membership Toll Free national@cammac.ca CAMMAC website *Toronto Region Representative to the CAMMAC Board of Directors 10