Newsletter for the Toronto Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists March 2016 Maurice Clerc at St. Basil s Church: Friday, April 22 On Friday, April 22 nd, Maurice Clerc, organist of the cathedral in Dijon, France, will play a recital of French organ music at St. Basil s Church. His power-packed programme includes works by Franck, Vierne, Langlais, Cochereau, Tournemire, and others don t miss it! MAURICE CLERC joins in the continuity of the big French tradition while drawing his energy from the dynamism of our time. He gave 1200 recitals in sometwenty countries among which 28 tours in North America (U.S.A and Canada). Traveling four continents for forty years, from Germany to New Zealand or South Africa, there is in places so prestigious as Notre-Dame de Paris, the cathedral Saint Patrick of New York, the Dom de Lübeck, the basilica Saint Marc de Venise, an Oratory Saint Joseph of Montreal, the cathedral Saint- Paul of Melbourne, the auditorium of the N.H.K. of Tokyo or Culturel Center of Hong-Kong. In I987, it is invited to give two of the concerts of inauguration of the big organ Flentrop of the new auditorium of Taipeï. In 1999, he goes to Seoul for the convention of the organists. In 2003, he was again in Hong-Kong, from China and in Mexico, then from South Africa. This international career leads him to occur in leading festivals such Bruges, Ravenna, Madrid, Morelia, Saint Eustache in Paris, Milstatt, Frankfurt, Budapest, Warsaw, Buenos-Aires and Montevideo. Born in Lyon in I946, Maurice Clerc is awarded a diploma at the Ecole Normale of Music in Paris where he receives the teaching of Suzanne Chaisemartin, then to the Higher National Conservatory for Music of Paris where he obtains, in I975, a First prize of organ in the class of Rolande Falcinelli. He pursues this course during several years with Gaston Litaize with whom he deepens the interpretation of the repertory of the 18th century in our days. Finally, from 1972, he is has the opportunity to frequent the courses of improvisation which gave Pierre Cochereau to the International Academy of Nice. He wins the Prize of Improvisation in the international competition of Lyon in I977. Maurice Clerc is Titular organist of the cathedral in Dijon for more than 40 years, because appointed officially to this post with Christmas I972. He was also a professor to the Conservatory of Dijon and lecturer at the University. Maurice Clerc recorded a dozen CD among which Bach and German baroque masters. But having built up itself a reputation in the romantic and modern repertory and considered one of the specialists of the French music, he became attached to the promotion of the major works of Franck, Vierne, Dupré, Fleury, Langlais. His most recent recordings led him to present Cochereau and French transcriptions. FIND OUT HOW TO GET FREE ADMISSION TO MAURICE CLERC S RECITAL IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE BULLETIN! Maurice Clerc is Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. In this issue: Page 2: Happy Birthday Bach Walk Page 3 Recitals and Concerts
The Bulletin March 2016 2
Recitals & Concerts Sunday, March 13 4:00 pm Ian Sadler, organist St. James Cathedral Tuesday, March 15 1:00 pm Thomas Fitches, organist St. James Cathedral Thursday, March 17 12:15 pm Emily Chiang, pianist Metropolitan United Church Sunday, March 20 4:00 pm Tuesday, March 22 1:00 pm Good Friday: March 25 7:30 pm Music at Metropolitan presents REQUIEM: In a Time of Sorrow Metropolitan Festival Choir and Orchestra Cantata #78 (Jesus, By Thy Cross and Passion) by J.S. Bach Alto Rhapsody by Johannes Brahms Laura Pudwell, soloist Requiem by Johannes Brahms Tickets: metunited.org or 416-363-0331 ext. 26 Metropolitan United Church Admission: $30/$10 for ages 18 and under Sunday, March 27 4:00 pm Tuesday, March 29 1:00 pm Thursday, March 31 12:15 pm Sarah Svendsen, organist Metropolitan United Church Sunday, April 3 4:00 pm Ian Sadler, organist St. James Cathedral Thursday, April 7 12:15 pm Joshua Ehlebracht, organist Metropolitan United Church Sunday, April 10 4:00 pm Thursday, April 14 12:15 pm Ellen McAteer, soprano Metropolitan United Church Sunday, April 17 4:30 pm Rachel Laurin, organist St. Thomas Anglican Church, Belleville 201 Church Street, Belleville ON The Space Between Notes, Matthew Whitfield s new solo recording featuring John Cage s As Slow As Possible (ASLSP2) and Ted Dawson s Six Preludes is now available! Recorded at Metropolitan United Church on Canada s largest pipe organ, these pieces harness the power of the pipe organ in a striking and modern way. 3 The Space Between Notes is available on itunes, Google Play, and through Matthew s website: www.orguenouveau.com.
Holy Trinity Church, Thornhill, Diocese of Toronto www.holytrinity-thornhill.ca Organist/Director of Music Ministry Holy Trinity Church, Thornhill, in the Diocese of Toronto is seeking a part-time Director of Music to continue and further develop a program facilitating a balance of vibrant traditional and contemporary Anglican worship. The ideal candidate is an excellent musician with experience and knowledge of liturgical, traditional, gospel, and contemporary music, ability to play organ and piano, and skills in leading and teaching choral music and other forms of Christian music. A Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance, ARCCO or Master of Sacred Music, organist qualifications and experience are preferred. The position requires approximately 10 hours weekly. Remuneration will be commensurate with experience and qualifications as described in the RCCO Salary Guidelines. Membership Matters Jaime Barrow has joined the RCCO as a Student member of the Toronto Centre. Email: j.barrow353@gmail.com Degrees: Grade 10 RCM Li Yi-Ling has joined the RCCO as a Student member of the Toronto Centre. Email: yiling.li@ryerson.ca Degrees: BA 1996 The Instruments available are a 3 manual Artisan-Classic electronic with full 2-1/2 octave pedal board (custom made for the church in 1996) and three upright pianos. The application deadline is March 31, 2016. Résumé and covering letter should be forwarded to the Selection Committee Chairperson, Holy Trinity Church, Thornhill, 140 Brooke Street, Thornhill, ON L4J 1Y9 or search@holytrinity-thornhill.ca. Questions may also be sent to search@holytrinity-thornhill.ca. More information about this position and the church may be found at www.holytrinity-thornhill.ca. 4
Organs of Toronto Would you like to know more about any of the organs mentioned in this issue of the Bulletin? If so, consider purchasing Organs of Toronto, a comprehensive guide to Toronto s pipe organs. The Organs of Toronto CD, an accompaniment to Alan Jackson & James Bailey s book Organs of Toronto, is a compilation of fourteen instruments contained within the book. The book is available for $40, and the CD for $10. Buy your copy at: Opus II music store, Kitchener Remenyi House of Music, Toronto Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto. Bulletin Information The Editor of the Bulletin is Matthew Whitfield, Organist & Director of Music at St. John the Baptist, Norway Anglican Church. The submission deadline for the March issue of the Bulletin is: Friday, March 4th. To make a submission, please email the editor at: mwhitfi3@gmail.com Or contact him through his website: www.orguenouveau.com For more information and to see upcoming events, please visit the RCCO Toronto website, www.rccotoronto.ca Top Ten Reasons for Being a Soprano 10) The rest of the choir exists just to make you look good. 09) You can entertain your friends by breaking their wine glasses. 08) Can you name an opera where an Alto got the man? 07) When sopranos want to sing in the shower, they know the tune. 06) It's not like you are ever going to sing the Alto part by accident. 05) Great costumes like the hat with the horns on it. 04) How many world famous Altos can you name? 03) When the fat lady sings, she's usually singing Soprano. 02) When you get tired of singing the tune, you can sing the descant. 01) You can sing along with Michael Jackson. 5 (Next month Top Ten Reasons for Being an Alto!