Winter 2010 - Canadian Music Centre
Transcription
Winter 2010 - Canadian Music Centre
notations w int e r 1 0 Contents 02 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 03 REGIONAL POSTCARDS 05ONTARIO REGION uPDATE 08NEW COMPOSER 10Technology: friend or foe? 12THE NATIONAL VIEW 14 HEAR THE MUSIC 18 HAIL: Canadian art song 20 INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES 22milestones & Congratulations 26NEW RECORDINGS 29 IN MEMORIAM www.musiccentre.ca Mission Statement The Canadian Music Centre exists to promote the music of its Associate Composers, to encourage the performance and appreciation of Canadian music, and to make this music available throughout Canada and around the world. photo: Andrea Ayotte Letter from the Editor 2009 was an exceptional year for Canadian contemporary classical music. Not only did the Canadian Music Centre celebrate its golden anniversary on a national and international scale, but Tapestry New Opera Works feted 30 years in business and the Canadian Contemporary Music Workshop marked their 25th. Even the St. Lawrence String Quartet celebrated their Canadian roots for their 20th anniversary by commissioning five new Canadian works, which they toured clear across the country. In addition to the announcement of Robert Aitken winning the coveted Walter Carsen Prize, and the National Arts Centre identifying their three new Award Composers, the CMC named its first 50 CMC Ambassadors. Two new awards were launched in memory of pioneering Canadian composers – the Harry Freedman Fund and the Oskar Morawetz Award – and the CBC re-launched its National Composition Prize under the “Evolution” banner. As if this wasn’t enough, in 2009 Canadian composers took the artistic helm of long-running orchestras and were hired as Composers-in-Residence on a larger scale than in recent memory. Recordings of Canadian contemporary classical music gained greater notoriety, making the top ten lists of influential international critics, while new festivals for new music were launched and the number of Canadian music performances seemed to grow at all levels, from regional recitals to international events. You just have to look to our Regional Postcards, International Activities and Hear the Music calendar to see how this is true. And special birthdays keep cropping up. Joining Norman Sherman (85) and Udo Kasemets (90) is Jack Behrens, who will turn 75 this spring. You can read more about his accomplishments and recent achievements in the Milestones section. But, much like any good party, the euphoria eventually gives way to reality: despite all the past year’s gains, we are still met by some serious challenges. The current loss of the Canadian Musical Diversity Program as part of the renewed Canada Music Fund spells uncertainty for the recording and distribution of Canadian composers’ music. Meanwhile, the continuing expansion, adaptation and usage of digital media by the music world is still met with mixed reviews. How do we harness the online environment to build a larger audience while also adequately compensating artists? Michael Purves-Smith looks into this subject for our lead article. Overcoming resistances and working in collaboration will continue to be essential to discovering the solutions we need for a successful future. Doreen Taylor-Claxton’s HAIL project demonstrates how one artist’s initiative can break down the barriers of preconceived notions and renovate a whole musical genre. You can read her story in our centre article. As Ontario Notations continues to grow with the achievements of the composer community, we hope to expand its role as part of the complex, ongoing debate on the state of Canadian music. Adding your voice to the conversation is what allows this publication the gain detail and perspective it needs. Do you have a story you’d like to contribute? An idea or issue you feel must be addressed? Or a milestone event you’d like to share? Call us, e-mail us, text us, drop by the Centre, or join in on a discussion on our Facebook fan page…we’re always keen to hear from you! Until next time, Jason van Eyk, Ontario Regional Director CA N A D I A N M U S I C C E N T R E winter 2010, Vol. 16, No. 1 The Canadian Music Centre, Ontario Region, produces Ontario Notations and distributes it to supporters of Canadian music. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily the opinions of the Canadian Music Centre. FSC LOGO Regional Director: Jason van Eyk Design: Soapbox Design Communications Inc. National Office Chalmers House 20 St. Joseph St. Toronto, ON M4Y 1J9 T 416.961.6601 F 416.961.7198 info@musiccentre.ca Ontario Region Chalmers House 20 St. Joseph St. Toronto, ON M4Y 1J9 T 416.961.6601 ext. 207 F 416.961.7198 ontario@musiccentre.ca COVER photo: Veronika von Volkova w int e r 1 0 Québec Region 416, rue McGill Montréal, QC H2Y 2G1 T 514.866.3477 F 514.866.0456 quebec@centremusique.ca Prairie Region Violet Archer Library 911-2500 University Dr. NW Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 T 403.220.7403 F 403.289.4877 prairie@musiccentre.ca British Columbia Region 837 Davie St. Vancouver, BC V6Z 1B7 T 604.734.4622 F 604.734.4627 bcregion@musiccentre.ca Atlantic Region 134 Main St. Sackville, NB E4L 1A6 T 506.536.4263 atlantic@musiccentre.ca Regional Postcards Ontario Outlook In the previous issue of Ontario Notations I wrote about the importance of creating partnerships, relationships and collaborations. The CMC Regional Councils and the National Board could easily write a manual on this topic! One just has to look to our recent 50th anniversary celebrations to see how this statement is true. What a wonderful time we had in Ottawa on November 9 raising a glass to the CMC’s 50th anniversary. There were national celebrities, there were prizes, there was music, there was food and drink…but best of all, there was birthday cake! The National Arts Centre and its orchestra, the Gryphon Trio and pianist Christina Petrowksa Quilico all joined the CMC to mark this milestone. Fifty outstanding Canadian musicians representing all regions of the country were honoured with the title of CMC Ambassador. Friends from far and wide came to help us celebrate. It was amazing to see a packed house of 2,200 individuals there to share in celebrating Canadian composers and their music. Despite what you may be thinking (“Don’t those Councilors ever do any work?”), the party in Ottawa was flanked by two days of meetings, where we tackled some serious considerations of difficult issues. These same meetings also set the stage for some exciting ideas and initiatives, particularly concerning education and promotion. Watch for more details. Congratulations to all those involved in the planning and execution of another tremendously successful CMC celebration: Executive Director Elisabeth Bihl and the national office staff; Allan Bell, National Board President; the Regional Directors and the regional staff; and all the Regional Councilors. It is a pleasure to be involved with such a skillful, motivated and eclectic group of people. Victoria Warwick Chair, CMC Ontario Regional Council Postcard from Hamilton by David Ogborn Hamilton is becoming a site for new music created by composers from a wide range of backgrounds, as part of a general rejuvenation of the city and its arts sector in particular! The New Year will begin with the Hamilton Philharmonic’s inaugural and ambitious What Next? festival, bringing together composers and performers from across the country, across the border and across the ocean for a series of concerts and discussions. The festival will premiere pieces by John Burge, Kelly-Marie Murphy and Sergio Barroso, and will feature the work of American laptop virtuoso/DJ/composer Jeremy Flower. Full details are available online at www.whatnextfestival.ca. Then, as winter gives way to spring, the newly formed Imaginary Landscapes ensemble will begin to present regular concerts of acousmatic and live electronic music in a variety of venues around the city, including as part of the monthly and highly attended art crawl on James Street North. So come, hear, enjoy! notations Postcard from Kingston by Marjan Mozetich There has never been a lack of performances of Canadian music in the Kingston area. 2009 has been no exception, nor will 2010. The Kingston Symphony, in their permanent home at the Grand Theatre, just performed John Estacio’s Borealis and my Postcards from the Sky this past fall, and will be premiering a new work by Greg Runion on January 31 along with Twilight Fire by Istvan Anhalt in a second performance by popular demand. Other orchestral performances Postcard from LONDON will be given by Sinfonia Toronto, performing A Light Fantastic Round by Juno Award-winning Kingston composer John Burge and my Songline to Heaven & A Dance to Earth at Grant Hall, Queen’s University on March 14 as part of the Faculty Artist Series. Outside the orchestral world, the St. Lawrence Quartet brought their 20th anniversary tour through town on November 19, premiering Rounds by Brian Current and Table at the Bushwakker by Elizabeth Raum. And the Queen’s Wind Ensemble, with clarinet soloist Heather Henderson, premiered The Boundary of Disaster by Christien Ledroit on November 26. In the realm of choral music, the Kingston Chamber Choir just premiered The Dew of Heaven by John Burge this past fall and will perform Larry Nickel’s popular Four Strong Winds on February 28. The award winning Cantabile Choirs will be premiering works by Leonard Enns on March 6 and by Larysa Kuzmenko on April 10. Also in this season Cantabile has and will perform an impressive list of Canadian works by Harry Freedman, Bruce Sled, Donald Patriquin, Keith Hamel, Ruth Watson Henderson and Larry Nickel. Within the Kingston region, the Quinte Symphony in Bellville has just recently performed A Christmas Overture by Clifford Crawley and will be performing John Burge’s Canadian Shield Overture on May 29. by Paul Frehner In early 2010 Londoners will be treated to some exciting and eclectic new music. The Fridays at 12:30 Series in the Faculty of Music at the University of Western Ontario will be featuring a number of concerts highlighting new music throughout the season. On January 8 trumpeter James Thompson, from the Eastman School, brought a recital of contemporary American music. February 26 will see the Attar Project, with their spirited fusion of Western contemporary and Indian classical musics, perform a program including a number of Canadian works. On March 12, the Gryphon Trio will be performing a mixture of Canadian works as well as some trio music from the traditional repertoire. On March 26 we will hear premieres of two new clarinet trios by CMC Associates David Myska and Jack Behrens. The composers will be at the piano in this concert and will be joined by Annette-Barbara Vogel on violin and William Powell on clarinet. UWO students will also be involved in the action as the faculty’s Contemporary Ensemble will be performing works by Rolfe, Nono, Finnissy, Xenakis, Pärt, Eggert, Ligeti, Crumb and Blacher in their January and April concerts. In the downtown core, Orchestra London will perform, under the baton of John Morris Russell, Oskar Morawetz’s early composition Overture to a Fairy Tale for their April 17 concert in Centennial Hall. It promises to be a dynamic start to the New Year for new music in London. w int e r 1 0 Region Updates Ontario Big Year for Norman Burgess Fund The Norman Burgess Memorial Fund has had an extremely active 2009, commissioning, showcasing and celebrating the creation of new music for young musicians. The second edition of Ping! attracted a diverse audience of all ages on October 18 to the beautifully redeveloped and recently re-opened Royal Conservatory of Music. This annual event once again succeeded in its aims to promote new works for young players; to celebrate creativity; and to build community support for the Fund’s vision. Ping! launched two new Fund-commissioned works. Listeners of all ages gathered in Mazzonleni Hall to hear Aris Carastathis’s Encounters for viola and guitar performed by Alex McLeod and guest artist Dimitris Kotronakis. Mr. Kotronakis, who made a special visit to Toronto from Greece for Ping! also treated us to the Canadian premiere of Aris’s Sojourn for solo guitar. The talented young players of the Earl Haig Chamber Strings, under the baton of Alan Torok, gave an energized performance of Kye Marshall’s jazzy Bossa Antiqua. Special guests The Madawaska String Quartet delivered a vibrant interpretation of Linda C. Smith’s Clay and a crowd-pleasing rendition of Jose Evangelista’s Spanish Garland. From the welcoming atmosphere and excellent reception arranged by the RCM to the stunning performances, Ping! was an event that truly celebrated creativity and cooperation. Thanks to additional support from the Arts Education Partnership Initiative, administered by the Ontario Arts Foundation, the Fund had another exceptional year of commissioning, adding four new works to the existing collection. These are: Dance Set for two cellos by James Harley, Schumann Scenes for string orchestra by Chris Paul Harman, Suite for Strings by Jan Jarvlepp and Two for Strings by Christopher Mayo. All of these new works, which range from beginner to advanced levels, are now available for teacher review and will receive their world premiere at future Fund showcases. We are grateful as well to our collaborating educators, who provided invaluable advice to this year’s commissioned composers: Amber Ghent, Jean McRae, Peggy McCombe and Vince Siprell. Alongside commissioning, the Fund has been actively showcasing past commissioned works. In partnership with the Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association (ORMTA), the Fund showcased its four works for solo instruments for a full house during the 2009 ORMTA provincial competitions. This past July 18, Alex McLeod (viola), Emily Rho (piano), Jing Liu (violin) and Daniel Lee (guitar) generated a huge buzz for these new additions to Canadian educational music written by Aris Carastathis, Rose Bolton, Christien Ledroit and Andrew Staniland. And we were very excited by the Fund showcase of string orchestra works by Abigail Richardson and Kye Marshall on November 7 as part of the Ontario Music Educators Association (OMEA) 2009 Con Brio! conference. We extend thanks to Alan Torok and his Earl Haig Chamber Strings, who were our showcase performers for the evening. Together, these showcase performances have brought new Canadian music for young musicians to over 500 private and public school teachers throughout the province. The CMC extends its thanks to all of its generous donors for the occasion to administer this important Fund, building an enduring collection of Canadian music, enriching the education of Canada’s talented young musicians, and providing a lasting legacy to the work of Dr. Norman Burgess. For more information about future Fund events, commissions, and how to get involved, please contact the CMC Ontario office. Rolfe Trumpets Toronto Arts Awards Composer James Rolfe must have been in a celebratory mood for a recent commission from the Toronto Arts Awards Foundation – a trumpet fanfare for the Toronto Arts Awards presentation lunch, which also served as a dedication to Mayor David Miller, a great supporter of the arts. Soundstreams was very proud to have produced the fanfares for performance at the Mayor’s Arts Lunch on October 15, the suggestion for which had come from the Toronto Arts Council’s Executive Director, Claire Hopkinson. On that day, there were three fanfares played from the balconies of the elegant Arcadian Court. Beyond Rolfe’s new creation, a lively intertwining of traditional form and contemporary creation, two other fanfares by Canadian Kelly-Marie Murphy and Norwegian Rolf Wallin were heard, both previous Soundstreams commissions premiered as part of the 2006 Toronto Fanfare Project. Soundstreams believes strongly in fostering emerging talent, and so was pleased to present the fanfares in performances by four musicians from the Glenn Gould School. A video of the performance can be found on the Soundstreams website at www.soundstreams.ca in the “Behind the Scenes” section. notations The CMC’s long-running New Music in New Places series has been attracting even larger audiences this season to unique events created by Canadian composers that get their music out of the concert hall and into the community. In Ontario, the series launched with cave_music, an intriguing multimedia performance installation by composer Erik Ross and the Contemporary Keyboard Society of Montréal, created specifically for the Bonnechere caves near Eganville. Local residents, who rarely have the opportunity to attend contemporary music concerts, let alone one featuring toy pianos and electroacoustics, expressed enthusiasm for what was for them a transformative experience. As Ross observed, “The experiences of the owners and employees, who have spent so much time in the cave, made them see the environment in a completely new light. In the same vein, not a single person I talked to had ever been to a concert with a Canadian composer on the program, so I feel that the aspirations of New Music in New Places were successfully met.” On October 3 the nature theme continued for CMC’s annual contribution to Scotiabank Nuit Blanche – Toronto’s overwhelmingly successful, all-night contemporary art festival. Two environmentally-informed sound installations attracted close to 1,000 visitors over Nuit Blanche’s twelve-hour stretch. Sky Harp Ghost Tree by Kingston-based Kristi Allik and Rob Mulder occupied the CMC’s front garden. The Sky Harp series creates virtual sound environments triggered by movements of trees. Ghost Tree, the series’ final installment, melded together electronic sound and video footage to document the effects of the disastrous 1998 ice storm on one of Sky Harp’s star “performers” – a 90-year old elm. Recorded improvisations by dancer Holly Small overlapped as a simultaneous interpretation of both the wounded tree and the ice storm’s impact. The combination created an eerily mesmerizing, almost nightmarish effect, perfectly themed to Nuit Blanche and appealing to the large crowds who experienced it. Allik and Mulder were clearly pleased with the results: “In many ways, this became one of the most interesting versions of Sky Harp and we are thrilled that it had such impact.” Inside Chalmers House, Juliet Palmer and Josh Lacey’s Miasma sound installation talked about the weather. Overheard conversations reflected the unpredictability of our relationship to the elements and to each other. The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 was depicted on the embroidered tablecloth of a ghostly tea party, its slow pace of creation matching that of the early weather reports that contributed to the storm’s deadliness. Live musical performances, which took place twice throughout the evening, were inspired by German weather houses (wetterhaüschen), small folk art chalets which predict the weather: a male figurine emerges from one doorway with an umbrella when rain is expected and a summery woman appears in the other door when sunshine is A FULL HOUSE GATHERS FOR PING! w int e r 1 0 forecast. Violinist Sarah Fraser-Raff and guitarist Ron MacDonald played their roles of the “man and woman that never meet” with great skill. The diverse crowd was drawn to the unusual image of talking teacups and often stayed for long periods of time, listening to the conversations and to the music – both live and recorded – filling the space. As one visitor said “This one was a little out of the way, but I’m so thankful we got to it – very haunting and beautiful.” Still to come in March 2010 is the LoK8Tr project, inspired by and written directly for performance using internet media and social networking tools. Vocal music, poetry, graphics and video will merge and disperse via the Internet on a set performance date to those who sign up to receive the Twitter, Facebook, email and Skype messages that will make up the piece. The artists for the LoK8Tr project will not be announced until after the conclusion of the performance to emphasize the project themes of identity/self, location, loneliness/facelessness and virtual interconnections that can be amplified or obscured by online relations. New Music in New Places is a nation-wide CMC initiative which provides Associate Composers with the opportunity to take their music out of the concert hall and into communities throughout Canada. New Music in New Places is made possible through the generous support of the SOCAN Foundation and the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canada Music Fund. All New Music in New Places events are free and open to the public. For more details please visit the CMC website. photo: Veronika von Volkova Larger Crowds for New Music in New Places Beckwith on Weinzweig and Anhalt Composer John Beckwith has been busy more with words than music this past while. But his subjects are still firmly Canadian. He is the co-editor with Brian Cherney of A Weinzweig Collection, a volume of essays on the late John Weinzweig’s life and music by fifteen Canadian authors, to be published in 2010 by Wilfrid Laurier University Press. He is also a contributor to Centre and Periphery, Roots and Exile: Interpreting the Music of Istvan Anhalt and photo: andré leduc György Kurtág, the proceedings of a 2008 conference at the University of Calgary (edited by Friedemann Sallis, Robin Elliott, and Kenneth DeLong) and to Music Traditions, Cultures, and Contexts, a set of essays honoring the ethomusicologist Beverley Diamond (edited by Robin Elliott and Gordon E. Smith). Both are also due in 2010. For the first, Beckwith has written a character sketch of Istvan Anhalt, and for the second an account of two music-theatre pieces produced in Montréal during World War II, whose unlikely heroes are two early Canadian composers, Joseph Quesnel and Calixa Lavallée. In addition, the libretto of Beckwith’s 2007 choral documentary Derailed, a “found poem” about the Mississauga train disaster of 1979, appeared in the November 2009 issue of the Literary Review of Canada. photo: giulio muratori Juliet Palmer Makes a First Impression Inspired by Toronto’s successful “Poetry on the Way” project, the Toronto Arts Council and Heritage Toronto have partnered to launch First Impressions – a series of eighteen posters that feature historical and contemporary artists and their impressions of Toronto. Among those who will be profiled is CMC Associate Composer Juliet Palmer. Her poster can be found on Toronto Transit Commission subway cars, streetcars and buses throughout the year. First Impressions celebrates Toronto’s diverse heritage through the arts community, past and present. The project highlights how different waves of immigration have built this city, and reveals the artists’ stories in an engaging and public way. It also recognizes Toronto’s 175th birthday, the Toronto Art Council’s 35th anniversary and the importance of arts and heritage to Toronto. To learn more about the First Impressions project, visit www.torontoartsfoundation.org/First-Impressions. Hamilton Philharmonic Asks “What’s Next?” From January 22-24 the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra presents What Next? Hamilton’s first and only new music festival. The creation of HPO music director James Sommerville, What Next? will feature a dynamic range of innovative performances, lectures and cross-media presentations across three days and three venues. “The HPO is fiercely dedicated to shining a light on living composers,” said Sommerville at the Festival’s launch announcement. What Next? confirms this commitment and offers a dose of new music in a city ready to receive it. The festival opens at the Art Gallery of Hamilton Pavillion with the What Next? lecture series. Composers John Burge and Kelly-Marie Murphy join electronic artist Jeremy Flower and music director James Sommerville for a panel discussion on the risks and rewards of working in the 21st-century artistic environment. The opening concert features a world premiere from John Burge alongside contemporary classics by Kurtag and Schnittke. Day Two focuses on orchestral works, with a world premiere from Murphy and a repeat of Andrew Staniland’s CBC Evolution Prize-winning Devolution, followed by a late-night electroacoustic set by Flower at Pearl Company, which includes works by Steve Reich and Sergio Barroso. The Festival closes at Pearl Company the next day with a discussion about music and the mind with McMaster researcher Laurel Trainor, composer David Ogborn and director James Sommerville. A chamber concert featuring works by Elma Miller, Scott Good and Gary Kulesha closes out the festivities. What Next? festival passes and full event details are available at www.whatnextfestival.com or by phone at 905-526-7756. notations Welcome to our New Ontario Associate Composers Constantine Caravasillis Born in Toronto, Constantine was raised in a musical family in Pythagorion, a culturally vibrant township of Samos Island. At age six, he was presented with a violin and a first lesson as a birthday gift. So began his path towards a musical career. Hailed as one of “the most important Hellenic-descent composers of his generation,” commanding “beyond the ordinary sense of musicality,” Constantine’s music has been defined as “constantly charged with emotion and energy in a profoundly individual style.” He is a laureate of the 4th Volvo International Composition Competition with three gold medals, the highest honour ever awarded by this competition’s jury. Among other achievements, he has served as Composer-in-Residence for the Contemporary Opera Lab (Winnipeg), Cantabile Chamber Singers (Toronto), the Open Strings Festival (Denmark) and The London Song Festival (UK). Constantine’s formal training has involved studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and degrees from the University of Toronto (B.Mus) and the University of Manitoba (M.Mus). He is currently completing doctoral studies at the University of Toronto, where his mentors include composer Christos Hatzis, conductor Raffi Armenian and pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico. Regarded as one of the more prolific young composers in Canada, Constantine’s catalogue contains work in almost every genre, including commissions from soloists, ensembles and organizations around the world. His music has been performed in over fifteen countries and has been broadcast in Canada, Japan, the UK and the USA. His music and arrangements also appear on the Marquis recording label. w int e r 1 0 Brian Harman Brian Harman is a Montréal and Ottawa-based composer, teacher, pianist, conductor and arts promoter. His music, which has received performance across Canada, the USA and Europe, has been described as “effective and chilling,” “three-dimensional, maybe four-dimensional” with “good use of textural contrasts and skillful combinations of instruments.” Brian has written works for numerous genres, both acoustic and electronic, which have been performed by many distinguished ensembles and artists, such as VivaVoce of Montréal, the Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal+, the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, l’Orchestre de la Francophonie Canadienne, violinist Scott St. John and pianist Lydia Wong. He has also written music for film, theatre and modern dance. Brian has received multiple awards and recognitions for his work. In 2004, he was a finalist in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s New Creations competition. In 2007, he was selected to take part in a six-city Canadian tour with the Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal+ as part of its Génération 2008 program. The resulting ECM+ commissioned work for electric guitar and ensemble was later broadcast on CBC Radio 2. In addition, Brian has received a 2007 SOCAN Foundation award, the 2007 Composition Award from the Canadian Universities Music Society and the Glenn Gould Composition Award. Brian’s formal training has included studies at the University of Toronto (B.Mus) and McGill University (M.Mus). Brian is currently completing doctoral studies in Music Composition at McGill University with Denys Bouliane. Advanced studies have included the Rencontres de Nouvelle Musique at Domaine Forget and the National Arts Centre Composers Programme. Beyond creating and teaching music, Brian works for the Latitude 45 Arts agency, where he promotes musicians from Canada and abroad. Erling Patrick Horn Patrick works as a violinist, violist, teacher, composer and arranger. He completed his Bachelor of Music at Rice University studying violin with Camilla Wicks, viola with Csaba Erdelyi and composition with Paul Cooper, Samuel Jones and George Burt. He earned his Master of Music in Viola Performance and Pedagogy under Peter Slowik at Northwestern University. Patrick’s compositions have been performed by The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, California’s Gold Coast Chamber Players, Chicago’s Orion Ensemble, Tango Classico, the Metro String Quartet and the Metropolitan String Quartet. He has received numerous commissions from performers such as Peter Slowik (Oberlin Conservatory), Erin Brophey (Thunder Bay Symphony), Andrea Lysack (Windsor Symphony), Lyle Dockendorff, Dr. Larry Wells (Methodist University), and most recently the Halcyon Trio Oregon. Patrick is a private violin and viola instructor and has taught at several schools in Chicago. He is currently a member of the music faculty at Young Musicians and Artists in Salem, Oregon as well as maintaining a private studio in Thunder Bay, where he plays viola with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. He also performs with the Britt Festival Orchestra in Jacksonville, Oregon. Patrick and his wife E-Chen Hsu currently make their home on the shores of Lake Superior in Thunder Bay. Gordon Williamson The recipient of several awards and prizes, Gordon Williamson was most recently selected as one of five finalists for the 2009 CBC/Radio-Canada Evolution National Young Composers Prize. Previous awards and recognition include an Artist Stipend from the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony (Germany), a Professional Musicians Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, a Susan and Ford Schumann Fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival, and young composer awards from both SOCAN and ASCAP. His work Two Inuit Folk Songs was also recently selected for the 2009 ISCM Festival and performed in Visby, Sweden by the Swedish Radio Choir. Gordon holds degrees from the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover, the Royal Danish Academy of Music, the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (M.Mus) and Dalhousie University (B.Mus). His composition teachers have been Johannes Schöllhorn, Sven-David Sandström, Bent Sørensen, Hans Abrahamsen, Eugene O’Brien, David Dzubay, and Dennis Farrell. He is currently completing doctoral studies at Indiana University. Gordon’s recent activities include performances by Ars Nova Copenhagen and the International Ensemble Modern Academy, commissions by Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal and Trio Alpha, and residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Académie Musicale de Villecroze in France and the Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida. notations by michael purves-smith technology: Friend or Foe of Concert Music? At the beginning of June I attended the Toronto section of “The Changing Landscape of Music: Thriving in a New World,” the 2009 International Association of Music Information Centres conference. I enjoyed interesting presentations supported by excellent handouts, good food and stimulating conversation in an exceptionally friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Thanks to the Internet, I have been able to revisit that day and visit, as a virtual attendee, the other section that was held in Vancouver. As with all CMC-organized events, I was struck by the intelligence of the planning and with how well digital technology was used to package and disseminate information in an easily understandable fashion. For all that, the conference left me somewhat unsatisfied. This is probably because, despite the marked emphasis on digits (not the sort that play a piano), I found that the presenters were either baffled by how to build the audience for concert music in the digital age or were firmly committed to doggedly staying abreast of digital technology without considering its suitability to the circumstances. As a result, one could conclude that the conference was about technology and the music industry; not about the making of music, nor its nature and quality. Consequently, I was reminded once again how wound up we are as a society with technology. Of the presentations that I attended in person, most used the w int e r 1 0 ubiquitous PowerPoint presentation. If they did not, they were diffident about not using either it or some other presentation technology. Interestingly, some of the presenters were confused and distracted by their use of technology. Of the videos I watched, many were interrupted from time to time by a glitch, often resolved by an omnipresent techie who, upon walking up to the podium, had the same effect as someone walking through the midst of a string quartet performance. In the case of Paul Steenhuisen’s presentation, the failings of his technology reduced it to bathos. Since he was representing the artist/composer, I would have very much liked to have heard a note or two of his music, which he had intended to share. As it is, I must be content with imagining his piccolo telephone ringtone, which he assured me is “really pretty.” Some of the keynote speakers, such as Garry Neill, were of course fully in command of their material and presentation technology. It is good to see that Canadian thinking on inte sllectual property policy in a digital environment is being guided by such capable thinkers. Lawrence Cherney’s thoughtful case study presentation was suggestive of much of what I have said and will say, because his great project – Soundstreams – is so thoroughly rooted in the magic of live music, whether it makes good use of Internet resources (which it does) or not. While it might seem surperfluous to dwell on the technological difficulties of conference presenters, there are several reasons to mention them. First, they have become so common that presenters are permitted to act as though these challenges make no difference. Second, ours is a techno-driven civilization and, given that technology such as PowerPoint has been around long enough, it is surprising and possibly significant that we are still having difficulties using it. Perhaps we are dealing with a classic example of the tail (digital technology) wagging the dog (you and me). Maybe we are far less comfortable with the evolution of digital technology than we would like to admit. We have, of course, created a new domain of specialization that holds economic value. However, almost no one (specialized or not) is able to fully keep up with the pace of change. Consequently, the consumers for whom the CMC makes available Canadian concert music constantly move deeper into the virtual world, whether they like it or not. It is hard to disagree with the contention that, in the near future, more and more of our musical needs will be met by the Internet. It will very likely be an absolute for that type of music that fills the empty space in our “mind-time.” By this, I am referring to such moments as running on the treadmill or driving to and from work. I am referring also to all those many spaces where music is background to another foreground activity, such as eating or shopping. However, if it is our intention to persuade a larger audience to pay attention to concert music, then are we perhaps going about it in the wrong way by placing our bets one-sidedly on digital technology? There are four parts to almost any musical equation that gives rise to performance: creators (both composers and performers), learners, listeners and technologists. Apart from using our voices for music-making, technology has played an increasingly important role – from the creation of the first drum to today’s most sophisticated electronic devices. There have always been an abundance of composers, improvisers and performers; an abundance of those who want to learn music; an abundance of builders of lutes and music software; and there will be for a long time to come. What is often missing in abundance is the listener, or a committed audience for concert music. The audience is the Achilles heel of the whole human equation of music making, at least wherever the music might be said to have anything esoteric about it; and the moment we actually listen to music that is new to us there is always something esoteric about it. If we had no need of an audience, or if we had enough of an audience willing to engage with the esoteric side of concert music, I doubt that the IAMIC conference would have taken place. Perhaps the potential audience for concert music has already been fully exploited? Or maybe it will not increase without some dramatic changes that are not likely to come along any time soon. However, if we believe that music has vital, life-enhancing qualities, we should direct our attention away from the passive audiences that are found behind iPods and computer screens, and maybe even away from the seats at a live performance. Many of the presenters at the IAMIC conference spoke of the vast new audiences that are accessible through the Internet; others spoke of how we might capture that audience and of the problems of ensuring creators are compensated for digital dissemination of their music. I would argue that we should be skeptical of the notion of this “vast new audience.” Information technology has made the listening part of the equation effortless. It follows that listening to music has been discounted for the better part of the audience, thus rendering the effort required to listen to a complex piece of music, on a CD for example, a seemingly uneconomical use of time, made even more so when one is required to leave home to hear the music in a concert hall. That which is disseminated on the Internet as music is mostly appreciated as magic, in which the technology is more important than the art. Even when we think of a streamed performance of an entire symphony by the Berlin Philharmonic, it is safe to say that we think first of the magic of the media and only then about the magic of the music. We experience this music through a veil of technology that actually serves to trivialize the listener’s role in the musical equation. This is reception theory writ large. In my mind, it is this degradation of reception that really poses the problem for the presenters, producers and distributors of new concert music. A perfect example of this degradation of reception was supplied by Paul Hoffert, from minute 4:33 to minute 6:53 of his Toronto keynote address. The musically horrible video clip was brought to a merciful end by the failure of the technology. This particular video apparently went “viral” and as of June 6, 2009 it had received something over a million viewings. Why? The answer certainly does not lie with the music, but rather with the “neat” idea – a musical mash up performed at Carnegie Hall by the YouTube Symphony. It turned out that Mr. Hoffert introduced the YouTube example because it provided an opportunity for various symphony orchestras to advertise in the sidebars and banners surrounding the online video player, presumably in hopes of winning an alleged audience for their product. This video demeaned that product for the sake of a specific audience – the early teen demographic. I can only hope that the symphonies didn’t invest too much in that particular bit of advertising. I note that Love Story as of November, 23, 2009 has reached over 19 million viewings on YouTube. That’s going viral. Composers of contemporary concert music, whose work demands intellectual engagement in creation and reception, have about as much relevance to the YouTube audience as calculus in the kindergarten. I am arguing that before we jump on the technology bandwagon we need to take one more look at the traditional audience for contemporary concert music. As we do so, we should keep in mind that music is magic too, and that it provides its devotees with an alternative technology that is valued in part because it helps us to express ourselves creatively away from the technology of contemporary science. I think there is a potentially vast audience that wants to perform contemporary music and perhaps, before we composers pander to the virtual audience, we should give some thought to the needs and wishes of the performing audience. Michael Purves-Smith is an active composer and conductor in the KitchenerWaterloo region. He is currently Associate Professor of Music in the Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University and the Artistic Director of the Wellington Winds in Kitchener Waterloo. n o t a t i o n s The National View 2009 was simply amazing – a landmark year for the Canadian Music Centre, celebrating its 50th anniversary. Over fifty soloists, ensembles, choirs, orchestras, partners and supporters from right across Canada helped mark this important milestone. For example, the renowned St. Lawrence String Quartet commissioned five new works from CMC Associates photo: SUsie yen (also in honour of their own 20th anniversary) and performed them right across the country. Internationally, CMC was proud to host the 2009 IAMIC Conference, which attracted 35 delegates from 22 countries to Canada in June 2009. To crown it all, on November 9 the CMC partnered with the National Arts Centre and its renowned orchestra to celebrate its 50th birthday with plenty of fanfare. The Celebrating Canadian Composers concert was presented to a full house of some 2,200 enthusiastic listeners, a major highlight of which was honouring fifty CMC Ambassadors – performers and conductors who have dedicated their careers to the music of Canada’s composers. With such an impactful year behind us, we now turn our This past December we celebrated the one year anniversary of our CentreStreams archival audio player – it’s growing up so fast! In fact, like all young ones, it’s barely given us any rest over the past year. While we’ve been adding hundreds of new audio tracks to the playlist and attracting hundreds of subscribers, we’ve also been hard at work renovating CentreStream’s look, feel and overall capabilities. This new version, launching in early 2010, will be much sleeker and more aesthetically-pleasing than the last. Not to worry, though; we’re not all flash and no substance! The new version also improves upon the links between the audio player and the metadata about the music. This means that you’ll be able to learn more about the composer who wrote the piece you’re listening to and who’s performing it, read program notes and identify any alternate performances in the archive. You’ll also be able to quickly link to w int e r 1 0 attention back to the future. In 2010, our primary focus will be the marketing and promotion of CMC’s extensive catalogue of close to 20,000 works. To help support this effort are two new team members, Paul Kehayas, Licensing Manger and Anne Marie Page, Repertoire Promotions Consultant. They have the important task of working in partnership with the CMC staff to proactively communicate with ensembles, performers, choirs, orchestras as well as the film, TV and digital music industry to promote Associate Composers’ music. Efforts also need to be expanded in the CMC’s longstanding Distribution Service to ensure our relationships with NAXOS and IODA allow over 200 specialized music labels to sustain their international presence. The funding that has supported this service for the past 26 years was recently cut last August with the loss of Canada Council’s Musical Diversity Program, part of the changes made to a renewed Canada Music Fund. Last, but not least, CMC said farewell in November to B.C. Regional Director Colin Miles after a remarkable 31 years of service. I am very pleased to welcome Bob Baker as our new and energetic B.C. Regional Director. All the best in the New Year and stay tuned for more… Elisabeth Bihl Executive Director items that we have available for purchase by that composer. Altogether, we hope that these renovations greatly improve your CentreStreams experience and open worlds of new music to you. On a more serious note, I would like to reflect upon the recent passing of our dear friend and colleague John Fodi. As a composer and librarian, John came through the CMC fairly regularly. Earlier this year, he sat with me for an afternoon while we updated his catalogue of works in the CMC collections. He had a precise and exacting manner that I admired, and frequently notice among technical librarians. Working along happily, and seemingly tireless, we were able to update and correct each and every one of his works that day. Thank you, John, for your experience and your wisdom. My thoughts and condolences are with the Fodi family. I hope they take comfort in the knowledge that John affected so many people during his time with us. Michelle Arbuckle National Librarian photo: susie yen Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe that I have already completed my first year at the CMC. It has been an eventful one, with the IAMIC Conference and our overwhelmingly successful 50th Anniversary Celebration at the National Arts Centre. Consequently, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many Associate Composers, performers and other supporters, and to learn an enormous amount about what makes the CMC an important organization. As I look forward to the year ahead, my focus changes dramatically; and what stands out are some of the uncertainties facing our community. Most prominent are those caused by the elimination of the Canadian Musical Diversity component of the Canada Music Fund. Not only does this cut threaten performers’ ability to record the music of Canadian composers, but it also challenges the solidity of the CMC’s Distribution Service. While we continue to work with our partners at Canadian Heritage and FACTOR to find a solution that will give the Distribution Service the stability that it needs, these funding priority shifts remind us of the importance that our individual donors and stakeholders play in sustaining the CMC, both now and through its next fifty years. It is only with the support of individual donors and private foundations that we can reduce the impact of these larger funding shifts. As a result, you can count on hearing more from Jason and me over the coming months. I hope that you will give to the CMC so that we can continue to sustain and improve upon the vital services we offer to Canada’s composers, performers, teachers, students and music lovers across Canada and around the world. Angel a Nelson-Heesch, Development & Communications Manager n o t a t i o n s Hear the Music Where to hear the works of Ontario Associate Composers Date ComposerEvent Information January 22, 2010 John BurgeNew Work (premiere) – Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, James Sommerville (conductor) – AGH Pavillion, 8 pm – part of the What Next? Festival Location Hamilton, ON January 22, 2010 Aris Carastathis January 22, 2010 Gary Kulesha “Traces” – Yoko Hirota (piano) – St. Peter’s United Church, 8 pmSudbury, ON “Two Pieces for Piano” – Yoko Hirota (piano) – St. Peter’s United Church, 8 pmSudbury, ON January 22, 2010 Robert Lemay “Tanze vor Angst…hommage à Paul Klee” – Yoko Hirota (piano) – St. Peter’s United Church, 8 pmSudbury, ON January 22, 2010 Harry Somers “North Country” – Sinfonia Toronto, Nurhan Arman (conductor) – Glenn Gould Studio, 8 pmToronto, ON January 22, 2010 John Weinzweig “Can On Stride” – Yoko Hirota (piano) – St. Peter’s United Church, 8 pmSudbury, ON January 23, 2010Kelly-Marie Murphy “Black Sand” (premiere) – Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, James Sommerville (conductor) – Studio Theatre, 8 pm – part of the What Next? Festival Hamilton, ON January 23, 2010 Andrew Staniland “Devolution” – Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, James Sommerville (conductor) – Studio Theatre, 8 pm – part of the What Next? Festival Hamilton, ON January 24, 2010 John Burge “Concerto for Trumpet” (premiere) – Hannaford Street Silver Band, Curtis Metcalf (conductor) Toronto, ON – Jane Mallett Theatre, 3 pm January 24, 2010Elma Miller “La Nuit S’Ouvre” – Players of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra – Pearl Company, 3 pm – part of the What Next? Festival Hamilton, ON January 24, 2010 Gary Kulesha “Horn Trio” Players of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra – Pearl Company, 3 pm – part of the What Next? Festival Hamilton, ON January 29, 2010 R. Murray Schafer “The Falconer’s Trumpet” – Stuart Laughton (trumpet), Esprit Orchestra, Alex Pauk (conductor) Toronto, ON – Koerner Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music, 8 pm January 31, 2010 Istvan Anhalt “Twilight Fire” – Kingston Symphony, Glen Fast (conductor) – Grand Theatre, 2:30 pmKingston, ON February 2, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Tongues of Fire” (arr. Kevin Lau for wind ensemble) – Rod Squance (percussion), The University of Calgary Wind Ensemble, Glenn Price (conductor) – Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre, 8 pm Calgary, AB February 5, 2010 Robert Lemay “On the Road” (premiere) – Windsor Symphony Orchestra, John Morris Russell (conductor) – Assumption University Chapel – part of the Windsor Canadian Music Festival Windsor, ON February 5, 2010 Robert Rival “Elegy for Strings” (premiere) – Windsor Symphony Orchestra, John Morris Russell (conductor) – Assumption University Chapel – part of the Windsor Canadian Music Festival Windsor, ON February 9, 2010 Hamburg, GERMANY Christos Hatzis “Eternity’s Heartbeat”– Dame Evelyn Glennie (piano), Philip Smith (piano) – Venue TBA February 10,11&13, Christos Hatzis “Arabesque” – Angèle Dubeau (violin), La Pièta ensemble – St. Lawrence Centre for the Performing ArtsToronto, Kingston 2010 (February 10), Grand Theatre (February 11), Convocation Hall at McMaster University (February 13) & Hamilton, ON February 11, 2010 Gary Kulesha “Symphony No. 3” – Katherine Chi (piano), Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Scott Speck (conductor) Thunder Bay, ON – Thunder Bay Community Auditorium February 12, 2010 Aris Carastathis “Traces” – Yoko Hirota (piano) – Jean McNulty Recital HallThunder Bay, ON February 12, 2010 Gary Kulesha “Two Pieces for Piano” – Yoko Hirota (piano) – Jean McNulty Recital HallThunder Bay, ON February 12, 2010 Robert Lemay “Tanze vor Angst… homage à Paul Klee” – Yoko Hirota (piano) – Jean McNulty Recital HallThunder Bay, ON February 12, 2010 John Weinzweig “Can On Stride” – Yoko Hirota (piano) – Jean McNulty Recital HallThunder Bay, ON February 14, 2010 Christos Hatzis “In the Fire of Conflict” – Beverley Johnston (marimba) – Betty Oliphant Theatre, 8 pmToronto, ON February 14, 2010 Alice Ping Yee Ho “Dance Concerto” – William Lau (dancer), Robert Aitken (flute), New Music Concerts Ensemble, Toronto, ON Robert Aitken (conductor) – Betty Oliphant Theatre, 8 pm February 14, 2010 Chan Ka Nin “The Consequential Web of Life” (premiere) – Beverley Johnston (percussion), Chan Ka NinToronto, ON (electric guitar & parlour), New Music Concerts Ensemble, Robert Aitken (conductor) – Betty Oliphant Theatre, 8 pm February 23, 2010 Marjan Mozetich “Concerto for Bassoon and String Orchestra with Marimba” – Karine Breton (bassoon), Thunder Bay, ON Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Stéphane Potvin (conductor) – Thunder Bay Community Auditorium February 25, 2010Kelly-Marie Murphy “Through the unknown, unremembered gate” – Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto, ON Miguel Harth-Bedoya (conductor) – Roy Thompson Hall, 8 pm – part of the New Creations Festival w int e r 1 0 2010 Date ComposerEvent Information Location February 27, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Arabesque” – Angèle Dubeau (violin), La Pièta ensemble – Diffusions de la Coulisse, Beloeil, QC Centre Culturel de Beloeil February 28, 2010Scott Good “Music for Oboe, String Quartet, and Double Bass” – Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Saskatoon, SK Earl Stafford (conductor) – Delta Bessborough, 2:30 pm February 28, 2010 James Rolfe A Rolfe Retrospective – Carla Huhtanen (soprano), Angela Rudden (viola), Continuum Ensemble Toronto, ON – Mazzoleni Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music, 8 pm March 3, 2010 Carol Ann Weaver “Paraguay,” “Primeval North of Centre” – Rebecca Campbell (vocals), Carol Ann Weaver (piano) – Conrad Grebel University College Chapel, University of Waterloo, 12:30 pm Waterloo, ON March 6, 2010 Leonard Enns “This Day” – Cantabile Choirs, Bob Chilcott (conductor) – Grand Theatre, 7:30 pmKingston, ON March 6, 2010 Richard Mascall “Manitoulin” – Georgian Bay Symphony Orchestra, John Barnum (conductor) – OSCI Auditorium, 7:30 pmOwen Sound, ON March 13, 2010 John Burge “A Light Fantastic Round” – Sinfonia Toronto, Nurham Arman (conductor) Kingston, ON – Dunning Auditorium, Queen’s University, 2:30 pm March 13, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Dance of the Dictators” – Karen Shinozaki Sor (violin) Gianna Abondolo (cello), Aileen Chanco (piano) – Old Mission San Jose, 7:30 pm Fremont, CA March 13, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Tongues of Fire” (arr. Kevin Lau for wind ensemble) – Mark Grant Adam (percussion), Acadia University Wind Ensemble, Frank L. Battisti (conductor) – West Chester University, part of the College Band Directors National Association Conference West Chester, PA March 13, 2010 Marjan Mozetich “Songline to Heaven & A Dance to Earth” – Sinfonia Toronto, Nurham Arman (conductor) Kingston, ON – Dunning Auditorium Queen’s University, 2:30 pm March 17,18&19, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Fertility Rites” – Peter Prommel (marimba), The Nederlands Blazers Ensemble Groningen & Amsterdam, – De Oosterpoort (March 17), Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ (March 18&19), 8:15 pmTHE NETHERLANDS March 20, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Tongues of Fire” (arr. Kevin Lau for wind ensemble) – Mark Grant Adam (percussion), Acadia University Wind Ensemble, Mark Hopkins (conductor) – Festival Theatre Building Auditorium, Acadia University, 8 pm Wolfville, NS March 23, 2010Brian Current “For the Time Being” – Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Stéphane Potvin (conductor) Thunder Bay, ON – Thunder Bay Community Auditorium March 25&27, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Arabesque” – Angèle Dubeau (violin), La Pièta ensemble – Centre Culturel, Université de SherbrookeSherbrooke & (March 25), Centre Culturel de Drummondville (March 27), 8 pm Drummondville, QC March 26, 2010 David Myska “On the Steps of Mariyinsky Palace” (premiere), “Tricolored Trio” (premiere) – Annette-Barbara Vogel (violin), William E. Powell (clarinet), David Myska (piano) – von Kuster Hall, Music Building, University of Western Ontario, 12:30 pm London, ON March 27, 2010 Robert Lemay “Et une porte d’ombre se referme”(premiere) – Christian Robinson (violin), Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, Sudbury, ON Victor Sawa (conductor) – Glad Tidings Auditorium, 8 pm March 28, 2010 Ruth Watson Henderson “Paths of a Luminous Earth” – Elmer Iseler Singers – Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 7 pm Toronto, ON March 31, 2010Omar Daniel “Violin Concerto” (premiere) – Erika Raum (violin), Esprit Orchestra, Alex Pauk (conductor) Toronto, ON – Jane Mallett Theatre, 8 pm March 31, 2010 R. Murray Schafer “Flute Concerto” – Robert Aitken (flute), Esprit Orchestra, Alex Pauk (conductor) – Jane Mallett Theatre, 8 pmToronto, ON March 31, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Sephulcher of Life” – Hara Kefala (mezzo-soprano), Anna Staicu (soprano), The Camerata Orchestra of Athens, The ERT Choir, Alexander Myrat (conductor) – Megaron Moussikis (Athens Concert Hall) Athens, GREECE April 2, 2010 R. Murray Schafer “The Love That Moves the Universe” – Vancouver Chamber Choir, Vancouver Chamber Orchestra, Jon Washburn (conductor) – The Orpheum, 8 pm Vancouver, BC April 7,8,10&11, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Arabesque” – Angèle Dubeau (violin), La Pièta ensemble – Venue TBA (April 7,8&10), Saltspring Island Matsqui Centennial Auditorium (April 11) & Nanaimo, BC Whitehorse, YT Abbotsford, BC April 10, 2010 Larysa KuzmenkoNew Work (premiere) – Ottawa Regional Youth Choir, Kevin Reeves (director) – Grand Theatre, 7:30 pmKingston, ON April 10, 2010 Harry Somers “Picasso Suite” – Karen Donnelly (trumpet), Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Earl Stafford (conductor) Saskatoon, SK – TCU Place, 7:30 pm n o t a t i o n s Hear the Music 2010 Where to hear the works of Ontario Associate Composers ... continued Date ComposerEvent Information Location April 10&11, 2010Srul Irving Glick “The Hour Has Come” – Elektra Women’s Choir, Chor Leoni Men’s Choir – Ryerson United Church, 7:30 pm (April 10), 3 pm (April 11) Vancouver, BC April 14, 2010 R. Murray Schafer “Train” – Winnipeg Youth Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Scholz (conductor) – Westminster United Church, 7:30 pm Winnipeg, MB April 17, 2010Oskar Morawetz London, ON “Overture to a Fairy Tale” – Orchestra London, John Morris Russell (conductor) – Centennial Hall, 8 pm April 18, 2010 Ronald Royer “Echoes” (premiere) – Kate Royer (clarinet), Brantford Symphony Orchestra, Philip Sarabura (conductor) Brantford, ON – Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts, 7:30 pm April 20, 2010 R. Murray Schafer “The Crown of Ariadne” – The Rubbing Stone Ensemble – Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Rozsa Centre, University of Calgary, 8 pm Calgary, AB April 20, 2010 Linda C. Smith “Gondola (String Quartet No. 4)”, “Among the Tarnished Stars” – François Houle (clarinet), Pamela Reimer (piano), Quatuor Bozzini – Venue TBA, 8 pm Montréal, QC April 22, 2010 Vancouver, BC Peter HatchNew Work (premiere) – Mei Han (zheng), Bich Hoang – Scotiabank Dance Centre, 8 pm April 22, 2010 Abigail Richardson “The Sleeping Giant” – Yegor Dyachkov (cello), Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Thunder Bay, ON Stéphane Potvin (conductor) – Thunder Bay Community Auditorium April 23, 2010 Linda C. Smith “Dirt Road” – François Houle (clarinet), Rick Sacks (percussion), Quatuor Bozzini – Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur, 8 pm Montréal, QC April 30, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Cruel Elegance” – The Atlantic String Quartet – Cook Recital Hall, 8 pmSt. John’s, NL April 30 & May 1, 2010 Juliet Palmer “Stitch” – Neema Bickersteth, Christine Duncan, Patricia O’Callaghan (vocalists) – EDAM Studio Vancouver, BC May 1, 2010 Leonard Enns “Wie sind die Tage schwer” (premiere) – DaCapo Chamber Choir, Leonard Enns (conductor) Kitchener, ON – St. John the Evangelist Church May 1, 2010 Robert Lemay “Structure / paysage – hommage à Eli Bornstein” – Molinari String Quartet Sudbury, ON – St. Peter’s United Church, 8 pm May 1, 2010 R. Murray Schafer “String Quartet No. 11” – Molinari String Quartet – St. Peter’s United Church, 8 pmSudbury, ON May 5 – 9, 2010 Dean Burry “The Secret World of OG” – Canadian Children’s Opera Company – Enwave Theatre, Harbourfront CentreToronto, ON May 7&8, 2010 Dean Burry “The Brothers Grimm” – The Little Opera Company – Salle Martial Caron Theatre May 15, 2010Tony K.T. LeungNew Work (premiere) – Toronto Chinese Orchestra – Markham Theatre Winnipeg, MB Markham, ON May 15, 2010 Ronald Royer “Sinfonia Concertante” – Gryphon Trio, Scarborough Philharmonic, Ronald Royer (conductor) Toronto, ON – Birchmount Park C.I., 8 pm May 16, 2010 An-Lun Huang “Seven Canadian Folksongs in Chinese Style” – Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Earl Stafford (conductor) Saskatoon, SK – Delta Bessborough, 2:30 pm May 16, 2010 R. Murray Schafer “Gitanjali” – Donna Brown (soprano), Esprit Orchestra, Alex Pauk (conductor) – Jane Mallett Theatre, 8 pmToronto, ON May 21, 2010 Juliet PalmerNew Work (premiere) – Wallace Halladay (saxophone), Carla Huhtanen (soprano), RH Thomson (narrator), Toronto, ON Continuum Ensemble – Music Gallery, 8 pm May 22, 2010 Robert Lemay “Metaesquema – hommage à Hélio Oiticica” (premiere) – Ensemble Le Balcon, Maxime Pascal (conductor) – Eglise St. Merry Paris, FRANCE May 22, 2010Erik Ross “Catharsis” – Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Evan Mitchell (conductor) – Roundhouse Community Centre, 8 pm Vancouver, BC May 25, 2010 Peter Hatch “Blunt Music” – The New Art Quartet – Theatre Auditorium, Wilfred Laurier University, 8 pm Waterloo, ON May 26, 2010 Christos Hatzis “Eternity’s Heartbeat”– Dame Evelyn Glennie (percussion), Philip Smith (piano) – Venue TBA Zurich, SWITZERLAND May 28, 2010Brian Current “Faster Still” – New Music Concerts Ensemble, Brian Current (conductor) – Music Gallery, 8 pmToronto, ON May 28, 2010 Richard Mascall “Psalms” – Georgian Bay Concert Choir, Henriette Blom (conductor) – Division Street United ChurchOwen Sound, ON May 29, 2010 John Burge “Canadian Shield Overture” – Quinte Symphony, Gordon Craig (conductor) – 7:30 pm June 2010 Andrew Staniland “Dark Star Requiem” (premiere) – Elmer Iseler Singers, Tapestry New Opera Works – Venue & Dates TBAToronto, ON July 24, 2010 Ronald Royer “In Memoriam Fryderyk Chopin”, “Fantaisie Impromptu” – iPalpiti Orchestral Ensemble of International Laureates, Eduard Schmieder (conductor) – Walt Disney Concert Hall, 8:00 pm w int e r 1 09 Quinte, ON Los Angeles, CA by Doreen Taylor-Claxton SONG: The joint art of words and music, two arts under emotional pressure coalescing in a third. The relation and balance of the two arts is a problem to be resolved anew in every song composed. Encyclopedia Britannica. I Hail: n February 2002, I was preparing a program to pitch to the Ottawa CBC Radio program Artscape. I was looking for Canadian content, not because I was an avid new music specialist; quite the opposite. My experience with new music during my studies had been unsettling. It had been enough of a challenge for me to bring my music literacy up to par while tackling foreign language diction. Besides, music that seemed unmelodic or that used musical ideas that were disconnected from the text did not offer me enough gratification to compensate for their challenges. Rather, my reason for including Canadian content for this program pitch was pragmatic: to improve the chance of having it accepted. As a result, I found myself wading through the CMC’s online catalogue, where it seemed that all the songs I found were based on American or British poetry. While my perception has since changed, that initial impression prompted a series of questions. The first question was “Why aren’t more Canadian composers setting the texts of Canadian poets?” I put this question to the composers in my acquaintance. Some simply had no interest in writing for voice, perceiving it as a decidedly Romantic instrument. One commented, “Well, we can’t out-Schubert Schubert.” Among those who were interested in writing for voice, six of the nine mentioned that their efforts to set Canadian poetry had been thwarted by copyright problems. One composer stated that he steered his students away from contemporary poetry because of the “copyright issue” and encouraged them instead to use their own texts or texts in the public domain. I knew it was similarly difficult for living poets to gain exposure for their work as it was for living composers. My parents had been readers for The Antigonish Review selection committee. Any number of good poems crossed our kitchen table, the majority w int e r 1 0 of which received a written note explaining how the publication’s mandate left limited room for poetry and, therefore, could only include those poems that extended the form. Learning that composers were discouraged from setting new poems seemed to me to add frustration to the creative process on both sides. Consequently, the second question was “What can I do to foster collaborations that will create the songs I’m looking for?” I’m not sure what I expected might happen. However, I knew I was less interested in pushing the edges of form than I was in finding songs that would speak to my audiences. I wanted songs with melodies. I wanted texts in English that created funny or dramatic situations, painted pictures with imagery and metaphor, and played with rhythm and rhyme. I asked poets for copies of their work that I could then bring to composers. I asked composers what they wanted in a song text: “What makes a text ‘sing’ for you?” One of the first collaborations I helped develop formed between Dr. John Armstrong and Dr. Seymour Mayne at the University of Ottawa. Armstrong chose to write a song cycle based on the word sonnets in Mayne’s collection titled Hail. The word sonnet is a variation of the traditional form in which the fourteen lines have been pared down to one word per line and presented as a column of words. The result in Mayne’s writing is a streamlined and graceful text in which each word carries tremendous weight. Armstrong has long had an interest in musical miniatures, so this compact form of poetry appealed to him. He envisioned a series of diads that used every diatonic interval, from minor second through to major seventh, and then used the two notes of each interval as the basis of each setting in the cycle. The result is an appealingly dramatic series of “moments.” Shortly afterwards, composer Fredéric Lacroix showed an interest in the poetry of Effie MacIsaac-Taylor. Lacroix was drawn to the lyricism in her poetry and the opportunities for musical colouration. He was looking for a medium between the ultra-dissonant language of the more ‘intellectual’ composers of the twentieth-century and the romantic harmonies that communicate more effectively to the public. His musical structure used strains of Allistair MacGillivary’s Song for the Mira to unify the cycle. Dr. James Wright set “Quilled Sonnet” and began work on two other poems by Steven Michael Berzensky. When I followed up to see what he liked in the poetry, he responded by saying “I was interested to see Berzensky’s letter describing his combination of “visual and sensual imagery” with what he calls “soundfullness.” overall effect is bleak, and yet not without hope, as Mick intended.” Thus far, the answer to my third question “What makes a text ‘sing’ for a composer?” revealed a preference for lyric poetry. However, I began to realize that the word “lyric” was just as loaded in the world of creative writing as the word “tonal” is in the world of music composition. Ironically, lyric poetry and tonal music have this in common, they are both often considered bankrupt structures in the academic world. More questions arise: “Must everything be difficult before it is considered intelligent?”, “Have we been on another pendulum swing of the continued prima/seconda pratica debate?” Certainly, from a performer’s view, being in one’s head can be a pitfall rather than an aid. We need music that is easily Canadian Art Song – A Marriage of Muses These are precisely the qualities I seek in poetry…some of these qualities that I find in Berzensky’s poetry are less highly valued amongst modernist and postmodernist poets, and therein lies the reason, I think, that so much twentieth-century poetry has resisted musical setting… [It] may have some appeal to me intellectually and aesthetically, but less so musically.” In 2004, Colin Mack set three poems by Sharon Singer. Mack felt an “immediate resonance” with Singer’s poetry. The resulting cycle, The Names of Water, is based on three poems, “Mist,” “Becalmed” and “Destiny,” all of which use imagery of water in its various forms. Musically, the songs are closely linked by a haunting dramatic quality. Mack’s fluid and melodic writing is both a beautiful response to the poetry and gratifying to sing. The harmonies provide a broad range of expressive colour while still providing support to the singer. Meditative, vulnerable, despairing and hopeful, this group performs like a mini-drama. In 2006, Phil McConnell wrote Through the Roof of My Heart it Rains, a song cycle for soprano and chamber orchestra based on the story of a child in a concentration camp. The cycle was premiered at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto during Holocaust Remembrance Week 2008. McConnell felt an immediate connection with Stephen Michael Berzensky’s vivid imagery. “I have visited Auschwitz, so when he recited “Through the Roof of My Heart It Rains” to me, a multitude of memories and emotions gripped me... I had to set the poem to music. A recurring motive referring to the title connects the disturbing images, and is varied in each appearance. However, the variations do not detract from the interminable monotony of a child’s incarceration in that horrific place. The intervening episodes portray daily events and experiences as they are recorded in the child’s young mind. The absorbed into our bodies so we can move on to the work of interpretation. To this end, supportive harmonic structures, rhyme schemes and melody are extremely helpful. Rhythmic structures that follow the natural rhythm of language are not only helpful, they have, in many musical cultures, been a defining characteristic of national style. And why not follow language’s lead, at least for a swing of the pendulum? It might be a fun ride. “Among the creative arts, English-language literature has made a larger impression on the world than anything else Canadians have produced in recent times. Filmmakers, playwrights, musicians and visual artists have had some successes, but nothing to compare with the acclaim that has been given to our most ambitious, imaginative fiction.” – Robert Fulford, National Post, June 6, 2001 The colourful mosaic of Canada’s peoples carries the influences of many cultures, languages and musical genres. The marriage of our language and music may be an important factor in the development of a distinctively Canadian genre of art song. Seeing these collaborations develop has been tremendously rewarding. It has been my privilege to bring these songs to life as both a performer and recording artist. Doreen Taylor-Claxton is an award-winning soprano who makes her home in Ottawa. She has been heard in recital for the French and English s ervices of CBC. As director of In Need of Song Collaborations she promotes collaborations between active Canadian composers and poets leading to the creation of new Canadian art song. She released her debut CD, The Spinning Wheel in 2004 and HAIL, a critically acclaimed recording of new Canadian art song in 2006. HAIL is available through the CMC. n o t a t i o n s International Activities Kee Yong Kam in Singapore Alice Ho in Serbia Alice Ping Yee Ho’s orchestral work Dark Elements was selected and performed in Belgrade, Serbia this past November as part of the 2009 International Review of Composers. The theme of this year’s review was “The Echoes of Space.” Ho’s Dark Elements evokes images of the mythological forces Lumina (light), Undina (water), and Flamma (fire) – three imaginary sprits of nature that exist in both ancient folklore and modern science fiction. Each of the three movements is constructed with a distinct musical subject that carries a unique sound, mood and orchestral colour. Virtuosity and energy are displayed throughout by showcasing solo instruments or instrumental groups. The rich and rapidly changing musical events form a kaleidoscope of audio images, giving rise to a journey into an underworld of magic and fantasy. Dark Elements received its world premiere on January 31, 2009 in Victoria as part of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra’s New Currents Festival of Music. The 2009 International Review of Composers marks the 18th annual edition of this particular festival that brings together Serbian and foreign musicians to perform more than 50 pieces by composers from all over the world. The Review is organized by the Composers’ Association of Serbia, a centre for contemporary music practice that will celebrate its 55th anniversary in 2010. More information can be found online at http://www.serbcompo.org.rs/htm/abouteng.htm. w int e r 1 0 On November 12, 2010 Kee Yong Kam will receive the international premiere of six new orchestral works thanks to a 2009 Cultural Medallion Grant – an award specially designed to enable recipients of Singapore’s highest artistic honour to embark on new major projects. Kee Yong Kam received Singapore’s Cultural Medallion for Music in 1984, which made him eligible for this particular grant competition. The Cultural Medallion Grant, which was established in 2000, has enabled the execution of innovative artistic ideas that have helped elevate the global standing of Singaporean arts, as well as bringing art closer to the Singapore community. The 41 major projects supported through the granting program to date help encourage the growth of the arts by pushing boundaries and raising the bar within Singapore’s artistic heritage. To learn more about Kee Yong Kam and his music visit the CMC website or www.kamkeeyong.com. Canadian Composers Down South Evelyn Stroobach in Central Asia On November 6, the Missouri Southern State University Institute of International Studies and the Department of Music presented the Southern Symphony Orchestra, under direction of Dr. Kexi Liu, in an all-Canadian concert at the Taylor Performing Arts Center. The program included the Fantasy on Scottish Melodies by Sir Ernest MacMillan, Temple Steps by Jim Hiscott and Rhapsody Thessaloniki by Stefanos Karabekos. Rounding out the concert was Allan Gordon Bell’s Concerto for percussion and orchestra, featuring MSSU’s new percussion professor Dr. Greg Haynes as soloist. The program was designed to show the range of cultural influences that find their home in Canada, from Scottish melodies to Greek folk songs, and from Balinese Hinduism to a purely musical celebration of melody, musical colour and excuberance. The concert was offered as part of the Canada Semester at MSSU, designed to explore and illuminate the cultural affinities between these two countries that share the world’s longest border. Evelyn Stroobach’s Aria for Strings recently received its Central Asian premiere. The work was performed in Kazakhstan by the Karaganda State Symphony Orchestra on January 10. Previously, Aria for Strings has been performed in Europe by both the Ukrainian State Symphony Orchestra and the Kharkov Philharmonic Orchestra of the Ukraine. The work has also been performed by the Thirteen Strings of Ottawa under the baton of Winston Webber and broadcast numerous times in North America. Stroobach’s string writing is noted as being some of her most heartfelt. Here, she finds her voice through the use of angular harmony and dissonant counterpoint, two qualities ideally suited to stringed instruments. Her Aria for Strings can be found in the CMC’s collections, and heard on her solo CD Aurora Borealis, available for purchase through the CMC Boutique. Elma Miller in Switzerland Elma Miller recently received a long-awaited world premiere of her French horn quartet Things are not what they appear, which was given by the DaupratHornquartett on September 26 in Basel. The original work, which was revised in part for this premiere performance, was written in England for an Oxford quartet that disbanded before it could be performed. The title is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s books. Miller visited the very same areas from the Looking Glass, including the Old Tea Shop, where she saw the stained glass windows featuring Alice and sat very probably in same seat Carroll did when looking into the garden at Christ Church. Things are not what they appear is a theatrical work in that all four performers do not start on stage at once, but appear one after another in different manners. Each presents a different aspect of horn performance: the heroic, the hunter, the Wagernian announcer and the pastoral. The Quartet was so pleased with the work, as was the audience at its world premiere performance, that it has decided to include it as part of the regular concert repertoire. n o t a t i o n s Milestones & Congratulations Jack Behrens at 75 Teacher and composer Jack Behrens will celebrate his 75th birthday on March 25, 2010. Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1935, Behrens moved to New York City in his youth to pursue studies in music composition at the Juilliard School, where his teachers were William Bergsma, Vincent Persichetti and Peter Mennin. Studies continued at Harvard University with Leon Kirchner and Roger Sessions, from where Behrens graduates with a PhD in 1973. He also received instruction from Darius Milhaud at the Aspen Music Festival in 1962 and from Stefan Wolpe and John Cage at the Emma Lake Composers-Artists Workshop in 1964 and 1965 in Saskatchewan. Behrens taught at the University of Saskatchewan from 1962-66 and was head of the theory department at the affiliated conservatory. He subsequently held positions at Simon Fraser University (196670) and at California State College (1970-76). He joined the Faculty of Music at the University of Western Ontario in 1976, here he was chair of the theory and composition department until 1980, then promoted to dean (1980-86) and named Professor Emeritus in 1998. More recently, he has served as Director of Academic Studies at the Glenn Gould Professional School of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Behrens is currently Dean of Advanced Studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music in his hometown of Lancaster, where he joined the faculty in 2007. As a composer, Behrens’ idiom is thoroughly modern. He is not fettered by any single approach, ranging from serial to indeterminate. Much of his music reflects the individual talents of the particular performer for whom it was composed. He has received commissions from such organizations as the American Dance Festival, the Canada Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and has been awarded residencies at centers such as the Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts, the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Northwood University’s Alden B. Dow Creativity Center, the Banff Centre and the Eduard van Beinum Foundation in Holland. His orchestral work The Sound of Milo won first prize in the New Orleans Symphony contest in 1970 and in the same year he was awarded the Francis Boott Prize at Harvard University for his choral work, How Beautiful is the Night. A friend of the author Margaret Laurence, Behrens composed music to accompany her reading of A Fable – For the Whaling Fleets. Thematic material from this work was used again in his Landmarks, which uses sentences from three of Laurence’s books as guides, or ‘landmarks,’ for the listener. Behrens is represented as composer and/or pianist on several record labels and has had his music broadcast across North America. Current publishers include The Avondale Press, Mayfair Music and the Canadian National Conservatory of Music. Currently, Dr. Karin Di Bella of Brock University is preparing a catalog of his compositions. Happy Birthday, Jack! Best wishes for many more creative years to come. Robert Cram Takes Inaugural Oskar Morawetz Award Flutist, teacher, CMC Ambassador and Voting Member Robert Cram has been named the first recipient of the Ontario Arts Council’s Oskar Morawetz Award for Excellence in Music Performance. The award was publicly presented on October 16 during the opening concert of the University of Ottawa Orchestra’s 2009-10 season, where Cram is on faculty at the School of Music. The selection panel, which included artistic director Lawrence Cherney, broadcaster David Jaeger, historian Elaine Keillor and composer Michael Parker, said of their selection “Robert Cram is a role model for Canadian performers – one whose artistic gifts are balanced by a very true and noble purpose in seeing that the best of Canadian repertoire is kept alive through performance and teaching.” The Oskar Morawetz Award for Excellence in Music, named in honour of the pioneering Canadian composer, recognizes an outstanding Canadian performer, including conductors, in the field of classical music. Nominees must have proven musicianship or conducting skills; contributed to the musical life of Canada; and have demonstrated a commitment to Canadian music and a knowledge of Oskar Morawetz’s contribution to Canadian music. The Award is offered on a biannual basis. For more details, please visit www.arts.on.ca. w int e r 1 0 Robert Aitken Wins Walter Carsen Prize Renowned flutist, conductor and CMC Associate Composer Robert Aitken has won the 2009 Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts. The $50,000 prize, administered and presented by the Canada Council for the Arts, recognizes the highest level of artistic excellence and distinguished career achievement by Canadian artists who have spent the major part of their career in Canada working in the fields of theatre, dance or music. In awarding the prize to Mr. Aitken, the selection committee said, “A masterly force in the world of contemporary Canadian music, Robert Aitken has demonstrated for over half a century a tireless commitment to its development, performance and promotion in every corner of the globe. As a flutist, composer, interpreter and teacher, he is a distinguished innovator and continues to exert a strong influence on upcoming generations.” First presented in 2001, the Walter Carsen Prize was created as a result of the generosity of Toronto businessman and philanthropist Walter Carsen, O.C. The prize is awarded annually on a four year cycle between dance, theatre and music, with dance receiving the award’s attention on a biannual basis. Previous prize winners include a cadre of Canada’s premier artists, including dancer/choreographer Margie Gillis, playwright Judith Thomson, choreographer David Earle, composer R. Murray Schafer and dancer/producer-director Veronica Tennant. This recent announcement adds to Aitken’s already sizable list of honours, which include the Order of Canada and the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France). To learn more about Robert Aitken, please visit his profile page on the CMC website. Tony K.T. Leung Joins Toronto Chinese Orchestra Tony K.T. Leung has been appointed Composer-in-Residence with the Toronto Chinese Orchestra, a full scale orchestra that performs using traditional instruments such as the erhu, pipa and yangqin. The Orchestra is led by Music Director and Chief Conductor Karl Pang. Tony’s first project for the Orchestra will be a piece for percussion ensemble to be premiered on May 15. Besides composing for the orchestra, he will also be involved in the organization’s outreach, development and training. For more information about the Toronto Chinese Orchestra, please visit www.TorontoChineseOrchestra.com Peter Paul Koprowski Named NAC Award Composer Ontario Associate Peter Paul Koprowski joins composers Ana Sokolovic (CMCQuebec) and John Estacio (CMC-Prairies) as recipients of the prestigious NAC Award. The award carries a value of $75,000. Each composer will be commissioned to create three new works for the National Arts Centre Orchestra over the next five years and will take turns teaching music composition students through the NAC’s education programs. This announcement marks the second phase of the NAC’s New Music Program. Estacio, Koprowski and Sokolovic succeed Denys Bouliane, Gary Kulesha and Alexina Louie, who were named the inaugural NAC Award Composers in 2002. It also underscores the National Arts Centre’s ongoing commitment to Canadian composers and their work. Building on the program’s existing groundwork, which is now entering its ninth year, the Award Composers will be given the opportunity to think big and create works of lasting importance to the Canadian orchestral repertoire. They will also support the development of the next generation of Canada’s professional composers by joining the high-calibre faculty of the Summer Music Institute. As Christopher Deacon, Managing Director of the NAC Orchestra stated at the Award’s public announcement on November 30, “In our view, these three composers are brilliant and we’re delighted to be able to support their work.” To learn more about the NAC’s New Music Program, visit the NAC Orchestra website. To learn more about the Award Composers, visit the CMC website. n o t a t i o n s Simple Lines Makes New Yorker Top Ten Burry Baby Opera Becomes CBC Radio Series In a rare project opportunity in today’s media climate, early career composer Dean Burry was asked by CBC Radio Commissions to envision an episodic telling of the story of Baby Kintyre, the mummified infant discovered in 2007 by a construction crew in the attic of a Toronto home. The commission offered Burry the unique prospect of envisioning an opera exactly as he had imagined it – from libretto and score, right down to the cast – presented as clearly as possible without the foibles and follies of live performance. However, what any radio project lacks is the visual power of opera, a challenge that Burry had to surmount through the strength of the work and skillful production. Lucky for him, he had access to an excellent production team, including director Dáirine Ní Mheadhra, repetiteur John Hess, sound effect technician Anton Szabo, radio producer David Jaeger and recording engineer Steve Sweeney. Baby Kintyre, which was aired over five episodes of CBC Radio 2’s Saturday Afternoon at the Opera this past fall, can now be found online at www.cbc.ca/ radiocommissions. New Book for Michael Colgrass Composer Michael Colgrass will release his most recent book, Michael Colgrass: Adventures of an American Composer, with publisher Meredith Music in February 2010. Although the title of the book references Colgrass’s American roots, he has made his home in Canada for many years and has been a long-standing Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre. The book is a delightful collection of anectodes from Colgrass’s career, including his encounters with musical luminaries such as Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein and Dizzy Gillespie. Colourful tales of personal and professional conquests also abound, including how Colgrass completed a Joffrey Ballet score in one night, romanced a Cold War spy, and accepted a gig playing percussion for a stripper in New York City that landed him a job in the pit for the Broadway debut of West Side Story. All said and told, Collgrass’s stories – in turns humorous and profound – bring a unique perspective to a pivotal period in American music history. Michael Colgrass: Adventures of an American Composer is available for pre-order through Amazon. The early days of the New Year always bring a slew of assessments of the year just past, often in the form of Top Ten lists. Alex Ross, arguably today’s most prominent and influential American writer on classical music, offered his own selections in his “Ten Exceptional Recordings” of 2009, to be found on his New Yorker blog. Among the CDs of Mozart, Schubert and Ravel that struck a chord with Ross last year were two lone Canadians – pianist Even Egoyan in a recording of Ann Southam’s Simple Lines of Enquiry for the Centrediscs label. As Ross said “The test of a great recording is whether you find yourself temporarily unable to live without it. For certain periods this year I couldn’t stop listening to…Ann Southam’s immense, mysterious piano piece…” This isn’t the first rave for Southam’s concert-length masterpiece of twelve-tone minimalism. The Toronto Star’s John Teraud wrote glowingly about the disc closer to its 2009 release date; and more recently Paul Wells of Macleans magazine relinquished his reluctance to review Simple Lines of Enquiry, calling it “one of the most prominent Canadian compositions of the last 30 years… I can’t recommend Southam’s piece highly enough.” Simple Lines of Enquiry may be auditioned and purchased through the CMC boutique, Amazon and iTunes. Ron Royer Directs Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra CMC Associate Ronald Royer has been appointed the Music Director of the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra. The 2009-2010 season is his first on the podium, where he will be joined by guest conductors Howard Cable, John Barnum, Geoffrey Butler, Christopher Kitts, Véronique Lacroix and Jerome Summers. Now in its 30th season, the SPO continues to offer affordable and accessible concerts with innovative programming. The five-concert anniversary season is full of new Canadian works by local emerging composers like Alex Eddington and Kevin Lau, as well as repeat performances of music by Michael Conway Baker and Royer’s own Sinfonia Concertante for piano trio and orchestra, featuring the Gryphon Trio. Royer promises that this tradition of regularly programming Canadian contemporary music will continue under his direction. For more information about the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, visit www.spo.ca. To learn more about Ronal Royer, visit the CMC website. w int e r 1 0 Mary Gardiner Wins with Spider’s Story Wayne Strongman Joins Order of Canada Voting Member, past Ontario Regional Councilor and past member of the CMC National Board of Directors, Wayne Strongman was named a Member of the Order of Canada this past December. Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Order of Canada is the centrepiece of Canada’s honours system and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Strongman was named to the Order by Governor General Michaëlle Jean along with 57 other Canadians working in the fields of arts, education, music, politics, public service and health. Other musicians who have joined the Order this past year include pianist Patricia Parr and conductor Raoul Sosa. Only 5,000 Canadians may lay claim to the honour, among them composers Robert Aitken, John Beckwith and Alexina Louie, not to mention several CMC Ambassadors. One of Canada’s most distinguished music directors, Strongman received his membership in the Order thanks to his indefatigable championship of Canadian writers and composers. As Managing Artistic Director of Tapestry New Opera Works, he has commissioned and premiered over 30 new Canadian operas including Iron Road, Facing South, the Dora-Award winning Sanctuary Song and Nigredo Hotel, the latter of which is the most frequently produced opera in Canadian history. As Music Director/Dramaturge of Tapestry’s Composer-Librettist Laboratory, Mr. Strongman has created a truly collaborative environment for an international roster of composers and writers. In 2007, he established the Tapestry New Work Studio Company as a performing resource for the new work creation process, which has become Tapestry’s unique calling. Mr. Strongman is also extremely giving of his time to develop the next generation of musicians and music lovers. His commitment as the choral conductor for the Regent Park School of Music is just one small example of this generosity. Strongman’s investiture into the Order of Canada follows closely on another national honour – being named a CMC Ambassador. On November 9, he became one of only 50 individuals recognized for a commitment to Canadian Music. CMC-Ontario extends its deepest congratulations to Wayne on both of these most deserved honours. Mary Gardiner has been selected as one of four award winners in the inaugural Calgary Canadian Art Song Competition for her Spider’s Story, based on a poem by Janet Windeler Ryan. Other winners of the competition include CMC Associates Martha Hill Duncan and Roberta Stephen, as well as composer Georgina Craig. The awards were presented this past November during the Calgary Contemporary Showcase. The four songs went on to be premiered on December 5 in Calgary, and have since been published by Alberta Keys in a collection titled Canadian Reflections. 2009 marked the inaugural year for the Calgary Canadian Art Song Competition, which is offered by the Calgary chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing in partnership with Alberta Keys Publishing, Contemporary Showcase Calgary, the Alberta Music Education Foundation and the Canadian Music Centre – Prairie Region. The purpose of the award is to celebrate, encourage and increase the amount of Canadian art song repertoire available to young performers. The competition, which was open to Canadian citizens, requested works written within the last five years that used poetry in English or French (Canada’s official languages) and set musically for voice and piano for the earliest grade levels (grades 1- 5 of the Royal Conservatory vocal syllabus.) “We received a wide variety of music, all of which fit our art song category,” said Christine Ernst, one of the award’s organizers. “The judges were most impressed with the songs in which the composers had used contemporary vocal techniques.” And given that they were charged with selecting four equal winning works, they could pick a set of pieces that explored a range of current contemporary music. Congratulations to Mary on her recent accolade! And also to Martha and Roberta on their excellent showing in this inaugural award competition. n o t a t i o n s g NewRecordings New Releases Span the Breadth of Canadian Music 2009 closed out with a slightly slimmer but farther ranging collection of new CD releases showcasing the work of Ontario Associate Composers. With the Centrediscs label ready to release some more exciting projects featuring Ontario Associates, 2010 is off to a good start for Canadian composers’ music on disc and online. All the recordings below are available for audition and sale through the CMC Boutique at www.musiccentre.ca or through your nearest CMC regional office, unless otherwise noted. Beowulf Composer Victor Davies’ 1974 epic setting of this age-old tale (in an adaptation by librettist Betty Jane Wylie) fills this doubleCD independent release. A cast of thirteen, including four different narrators, is supported by the Players of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Davies himself, and the Holiday Festival Singers directed by William Baerg. For the Moment Victor Davies’ original soundtrack to the 1994 John Aaron film supports a powerful romantic drama set in the Prairies during the 1940’s – a time when the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan brought dashing men from nearly a dozen countries to airbases across Canada. The Czech Symphony Orchestra and the Prague Big Band, conducted by Mario Klemens, perform Davies’ score to this film starring Russell Crowe and Christianne Hirt. Images Toronto-based guitarist Rob MacDonald, who is also known as one half of ChromaDuo and a member of the CONTACT Ensemble, partners with the Madawaska String Quartet and double bassist Peter Pavlovsky for this independent release. The disc of world premiere recordings opens with an effective set of solo works from CMC Associate Andrew Staniland, and also contains Omar Daniels’ Nocturne for guitar, viola and cello, which was commissioned by the CBC in 1994 to celebrate British composer Sir Michael Tippet’s birthday. Larger works by USA-based composer Christopher Williams Pierce and Australian Peter Sculthorpe round out the disc. Images is available through robmac92@hotmail.com. w int e r 1 0 Invisible Cities Composer and guitarist William Beauvais presents the listener with an eclectic anthology of his works for guitar. In turns passionate, other-worldly and intensely lyrical, Invisible Cities is a virtuosic journey from jazz-influenced ensemble pieces to more serious works for solo guitar. Beauvais takes us from the stately elegance of ragtime through the spirited rush of atonal moto perpetuos with the confidence of a mature and masterful performer. night Chill Percussionist Catherine Meunier debuts on the Centrediscs label with a collection of new Canadian works for the instrument she regards as the most fascinating: the marimba. Through her collaborations with a range of contrasting composers, from Christien Ledroit to Paul Frehner, a truly contemporary Canadian repertoire for this instrument is given an excellent introduction. Meunier is joined by guest artists Louis-Philippe Marsolais (French horn) and D’Arcy Philip Gray (vibraphone / marimba) in works by Nicolas Gilbert, Frehner and Andrew Paul MacDonald. The disc is completed with a work by Alcides Lanza, for marimba and tape, the only one not written specifically for Ms. Meunier. P*P The often irreverent and always excellent Toca Loca ensemble drops their critically acclaimed debut on the Centrediscs label, finally putting the cutting edge P*P project on disc. P*P examines the fierce and fearsome taxonomy that historically has made some composers soulfully classical, and others just plain popular. The cutting-edge of Canada’s composers , including Andrew Staniland, Juliet Palmer, Bob Stevenson and Erik Ross, write P*P-length, P*P-inspired works. Alongside them are the jazz All-Stars and some of Canada’s most interesting indie-rockers, all flexing their contemporary music muscles. Shadowland Kitchener-Waterloo’s Da Capo Chamber Choir, directed by CMC Associate Leonard Enns, offers up their second solo release. Shadowland features an almost-entirely Canadian repertoire, including Leonard Enns’ beautiful Nocturne, which was commissioned by the Guelph Spring Festival, and his I Saw Eternity, which was commissioned by the Esoterics Chamber Choir of Seattle. Rounding out the disc’s CanCon are Imant Raminsh’s O ignis spiritus and R. Murray Schafer’s The searching sings, the latter of which was commissioned for the Choir by poet Rae Crossman. Shadowland can be purchased online via www.indiepool.com or through the DaCapo Chamber Choir website at www.dacapochamberchoir.ca. Small is Beautiful: Miniature Piano Pieces This Phoenix Records release features pianist Yoko Hirota in a wide variety of contemporary miniature works for solo piano, ranging from Schoenberg, Ligeti and Berio to living Canadian composers like Beckwith, Kulesha and Mather. Based in Sudbury, Hirota shows loyalty to her northern Ontario composers, featuring works by Aris Carastathis and Robert Lemay. Having been praised by the press as “precise and keenly projective” and demonstrating “the highest level of proficiency,” Hirota is considered one of the leading interpreters of contemporary piano music of her generation. She is currently touring this miniatures program and can be heard live in concert on January 22 in Sudbury. For more information, visit www.yokohirota.com. n o t a t i o n s w int e r 1 0 In Memoriam FRC Clarke 1931-2009 FRC Clarke, Composer, performer, music scholar, conductor, teacher, administrator and an integral part of the Kingston music community passed away on November 18. He was 78 years old. Born in Vancouver on August 7, 1931, Frederick Robert Charles Clarke moved to Toronto at age 18 to study at the Royal Conservatory of Music, where he completed Associate diplomas in piano and organ. He then joined the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto, from where he received the Bachelor of Music degree in 1951. Among his teachers in Toronto were Healey Willan (composition) and Eric Rollinson (organ). From there, he quickly progressed. In 1951, he received the Royal Conservatory Gold Medal in Organ; in 1952 he became a fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists; and in 1954 he received the Doctor of Music degree from the University of Toronto. Clarke served as organist/choirmaster for several churches in Toronto and St. Catharines from 1950-1958. While living in St. Catharines from 1954-1958, he pursued a career as a church organist, composer, teacher and conductor of the St. Catharines Symphony (for the 1957-58 season). During this time, he also taught at the Hamilton Conservatory of Music (1956-58). Dr. Clarke moved to Kingston in 1958 to become organist/ choirmaster at Sydenham Street United Church (a post he held for nearly 40 years) and conductor of the Kingston Choral Society. From 1959-1969 he was Lecturer in Church Music at Queen’s Theological College and in 1964 he joined the faculty of the Queen’s University Music Department. He was appointed head of the department (1981-1988) and after it was renamed the School of Music in 1988 he served as director (1988-91). Upon retirement in 1991, he stayed on at the University as Professor Emeritus. Dr. Clarke was chairman of the music committee for the production of the joint Anglican/United Church Hymnbook of 1971, to which he contributed seven of his own tunes and 18 arrangements. In 1983, his book, Healey Willan: Life and Music was published by the U of T Press. His interest in Willan continued with the subsequent completion and orchestration of several of the composer’s unfinished works, notably the Requiem Mass for chorus and orchestra, which was published by Oxford University Press in 1992; and the Introduction and Allegro for string quartet, which was premiered in 1984 by the Vághy String Quartet. Of Clarke’s numerous compositions, hallmarks include Sing a New Song to the Lord (1960), which was composed for the United Church of Canada in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation, and Psalm 145 (1966), which won the CBC Choral Composition Prize in 1967. His Festival Te Deum (1972) and Reginae (1991) were written for the Kingston Symphony Association to celebrate the tercentennial of the founding of Kingston and the sesquicentennial of the founding of Queen’s University respectively. FRC Clarke’s occasionally gruff demeanour belied an intelligent man of a generous and loyal nature. His quiet, thoughtful personality was the hallmark of one who humbly excelled at his life’s work. The Kingston Symphony remembered FRC Clarke by performing two of his works for their 2009 holiday concert and intends to keep his legacy alive by making sure his music continues to be performed with the Symphony. n o t a t i o n s by Marjan Mozetich John Fodi 1944-2009 as their organizer, advisor and artistic director. During this period, he was a prolific composer. John’s music was performed extensively by ensembles across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. Of particular note, his orchestral work Dragon Days received critical acclaim. He was also an inf luential mentor to other young composers. By the 1980s, John Fodi began to devote more time to music librarianship at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music. He started work there in 1974, became supervisor in 1981 and head librarian of the Sniderman Recordings Archive in 1991. In this final role, from which he retired in 2007, he made a significant contribution to the cataloguing and organizing of the vast collection. Throughout this period, John remained privately active as a composer. He did maintain contact with colleagues and particularly an active interest in young composers. Although performances of his works decreased, John continued to write substantial works of intelligence and rigor. In his last years, he regained some recognition with performances of his Time’s Fell Hand Defac’d by the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Little Guy with Duo Ahlert & Schwab in Munich, Germany. John’s presence in the musical community will be sorely missed, but his music remains and waits to be performed again. Clare Mazzoleni Piller The Canadian Music Centre is sad to say goodbye to Clare Mazzoleni Piller. A beautiful memorial at the Royal Conservatory Music on October 27 celebrated her life in images, words and music. Clare was a very warm, positive and compassionate soul who worked diligently and devotedly on behalf of the Arts in Canada. She gave the benefits of her sharp mind, clear thinking and wise counsel to The Canadian Conference of the Arts and the National Ballet School, among others. Her energy, intelligence and generosity benefited all of us at the CMC greatly, not only through her service as an Ontario Regional Councilor, a National Board member and a longstanding Voting Member, but also in her hard work securing the naming of the Ettore Mazzoleni Library, which now houses over 20,000 pieces of Canadian w int e r 1 0 gh John Fodi, composer and music librarian, died suddenly and unexpectedly on Nov 2 in his Toronto home. He was born on March 22, 1944 in Nagyteval, Hungary of German extraction and emigrated to Canada in 1951, making his home first in Hamilton and then Toronto. John started composing on his own at a young age. In 1964-65 he studied theory with composer Lorne Betts and by the time he entered the University of Toronto he had the stamp of a self-made composer with a considerable knowledge of contemporary music. This precociousness and seriousness was ref lected in John’s need to form the Contemporary Music Group within the Faculty of Music in 1967, which had considerable inf luence on future student composers. While at the U of T, John furthered his compositional studies with John Weinzweig and John Beckwith, and in electronic music with Gustav Ciamaga. Upon graduation in 1970, he went on to study with Istvan Anhalt at McGill University, where he formed another ensemble called the New Music Group. While completing his Master’s degree back at the University of Toronto in 1971, John cofounded ARRAY (currently Arraymusic) with Alex Pauk, which has gone on to premiere, perform and record hundreds of Canadian works. John remained active with ARRAY until 1979 composers’ music and serves thousands of patrons around the world every year. Undoubtedly numerous others with whom Clare came in contact, whether through her more recent role as a valued and respected member of the film industry, or through her positions with the MacMillan Foundation and the C.H Ivey Foundation, were as blessed with the same benefits of her self less work and positive demeanour. The results of all these excellent qualities, expressed through such great actions, create an undeniable legacy upon which we all can continue to f lourish. Now, it is our responsibility not only to remember all that was good about Clare, but to carry forward her hopes in all that we do. In this way we can ensure that her life’s work continues to be felt by future generations. ontario regional council Trevor Clark James Harley, CLC Rep. Christien Ledroit Donald Pounsett Micheline Roi, Vice-Chair Ulla Colgrass Alice Ho Brent Lee Andy Radhakant Victoria Warwick, Chair Craig Galbraith Larry Lake, Past Chair Jim Montgomery Darlene Chepil Reid ontario region voting members Lydia Adams Dorith Cooper Dean Jobin-Bevans Gary Mosoff Patricia Shand Robert Aitken CM Robert Cram Kay Kanbayashi Geoffrey Moull Linda C. Smith Bernard W. Andrews Omar Daniel Elaine Keillor Kelly-Marie Murphy Andrew Stanbridge Julian Armour Michael Doleschell Eileen Keown Herb Naylor Robert Stevenson Maya Badian Janne Duncan Keith Kinder David Olds Peter Stoll John Barnum Gwen Ebbett Andrew Kwan Laurence Packer Wayne Strongman CM Rodger Beatty Robin Elliot Larry Lake Juliet Palmer Timothy Sullivan Jack Behrens Chris Foley Christien Ledroit Christina Petrowska Quilico Ann Summers Jeremy Bell Paul Frehner Alexandra Lee Walter Pitman David Visentin Don Bolton Craig Galbraith Brent Lee Trevor Pittman Gerald Vreman Allison Cameron Mary Gardiner Sherry Lee Donald Pounsett Victoria Warwick Aris Carastathis Tony Gomes Robert Lemay Allan Pulker Lee Willingham Lawrence Cherney CM Amy Hamilton Erhei Liang Andy Radhakant Stan Witkin Kevin Chocorlan Susan Haig Alexina Louie OC, O.Ont Darlene Chepil Reid Gayle Young Trevor Clark James Harley Gillian MacKay Micheline Roi David Zafer Austin Clarkson Peter Hatch Cam McKittrick James Rolfe Ulla Colgrass Alice Ho Elma Miller Shauna Rolston Gilles Comeau Glenn Hodgins Jim Montgomery Particia Sauerbrei “The Canadian Music Centre is now the major resource in the country for the promotion and dissemination of concert and staged works by Canadian composers. The CMC offers a full range of services to the music community that must be consolidated and strengthened now more than ever. I became a CMC Voting Member not only to support this vital work on behalf of composers, but to help the CMC to develop strategies that truly reflect the needs and aspirations of the entire community. The CMC’s continued prosperity depends on the active involvement of its Voting Membership. How will you get involved in the future of Canadian composers’ music?” – Lawrence Cherney, Artistic Director, Soundstreams. Donors and Supporters Of the CMC Ontario Region IN GOOD STANDING AS OF December 31, 2009 Composer’s Circle ($5,000 +) Ann Southam SUSTAINERS ($250 – 499) Kristi Allik & Robert Mulder John Beckwith Robert Cram Elaine Keillor Larry Lake Sherry Lee Phil Nimmons OC Christian Perry Clare Mazzoleni Piller CONTRIBUTORS ($100 – 249) John Beckwith CM John Burge Lawrence Cherney CM Daniel Cooper Keith Kinder Michael Doleschell Judy Loman Glenn Mallory Boyd McDonald Carl Morey Mary Morrison Freedman Kate Morris David Mott Herb Naylor David Olds Ezra Schabas CM Gerald Vreman Daniel Weinzweig Stan Witkin Jean Anderson Wuensch FRIENDS (UP TO $99) Julian Armour Gage Averill John Barnum Gwen Beamish Rodger Beatty Jack Behrens Arden Broadhurst Austin Clarkson Ulla Colgrass Sandra A Cooke Gwen Ebbett Kim Echlin Robin Elliott Susan Haig Christine Hansen Ruth Watson Henderson Karen Holmes Caroline Hughey Kay Kanbayashi Stefanos Karabekos Nancy Leavitt Alexandra Lee Joseph Lipson Gillian MacKay Cam McKittrick Daniel McConnachie Colin Mack Edite Mogensen James Montgomery Geoffrey Moull David Ogborn Christina Petrowska Quilico Walter Pitman Eric Robertson Shauna Rolston Doreen Ryan Patricia Sauerbrei Patricia Shand Bill Skolnick Eugene Stasiuk Peter Stoll David Visentin Victoria Warwick NORMAN BURGESS FUND DONORS Founding Patrons Joan & Gordon Barrett Supporter ($250 – 499) Mary Burgess Lawrence Cherney CM Chris Paul Harman DONORS ($100 – 249) John Burge John S Gray David Jaeger Ann Laplante Ezra Schabas CM ARTISTS (up to $99) Bernard W Andrews Susan Beniston Linda Briskin John Brotman Austin Clarkson James Harley Derek Holman Frank Horvat Caroline Hughey Christien Ledroit Alicia Murlender Angela Nelson-Heesch Rick Phillips Andy Radhakant Colin Ripley Micheline Roi Elizabeth Senra Jason van Eyk VOLUNTEERS Joan Barrett Craig Galbraith Earl Haig Chamber Strings Alice Ho Richard Hyung Dimitris Kotronakis Yoon Kwon Peggy Lau The Madawaska String Quartet Kye Marshall Alexander McLeod James Montgomery Juliet Palmer Donald Pounsett Colleen Renihan Abigail Richardson Piera Savage Tetiana Senyshyn Alan Torok