Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 146

Star Wars Meets Shakespeare in Support of Driftwood Theatre Toronto October 28 2013

From a media release:



On October 28th, 2013
May the Force be With Thee...
R.H. Thompson leads a cast of Canada's best performers
bringing a mash-up of Shakespeare and Star Wars to life
in support of Driftwood Theatre!
at Whistler's Grille



Toronto, ON. A short time from now in a pub very, very nearby…



• Available online, by phone at 416-703-2773, or in person at the T.O.Tix Booth (Yonge/Dundas Square). A service charge will apply to all orders.



Star Wars, one of the world’s most popular films, and William Shakespeare, its most enduring playwright: On October 28 (just in time for Hallowe’en) these two classics will be brought together by some of Canada’s greatest performers for an evening of entertainment and ale not to be missed. Driftwood Theatre presents Play in a Pub: a reading of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars.



William Shakespeare’s Star Wars (Quirk Books) by Ian Doescher imagines what the epic tale of Star Wars would be like if it had been written by William Shakespeare. The book is a crafty and witty re-imagining, using all the tricks up Mr. Doescher’s and Mr. Shakespeare’s sleeves to weave together the epic tale of a young farm boy who embarks on a world-spanning mission to save a galaxy and find his destiny.



A star-studded cast featuring some of Canada and Toronto’s leading performers has been assembled to bring this story to vibrant life, including: RH Thomson (Obi Wan Kenobi), Oliver Dennis (C3P0), Michael Therriault (R2D2), Dion Johnstone (Han Solo), Michael Hanrahan (Darth Vader), Sarah Wilson (Princess Leia), Richard Alan Campbell (The Chorus), Peter van Gestel (Luke Skywalker), Karl Ang (Jabba the Hutt), Steven Gallagher (Governor Tarkin), Lori Nancy Kalamanski (Chewbacca), Helen King (Greedo), Andy Pogson (Wedge Antilles), and Steven Burley (music and sound effects).



The reading is a fundraising event in support of Driftwood Theatre Group, Ontario’s longest-running outdoor, touring theatre company, which celebrates its 20th season of The Bard’s Bus Tour in 2014. Taking place just off the Danforth at Whistler’s Grille (995 Broadview Avenue), Play in a Pub: William Shakespeare’s Star Wars brings this must-see event into the informal setting of the corner pub, where the audience can enjoy the reading over a pint. Audience members will be able to get in on the action through a Live Auction offering three walk-on roles as rebels, imperials or interesting creatures. The event will also feature a Mini Silent Auction (featuring 10 boutique packages handpicked by Driftwood Theatre’s board of directors), a Getaway Raffle (win a trip for two to Montreal for some great food, entertainment and luxurious hotel stay) and Best Costume Prize (come as your favourite Star Wars character and you could win BIG).



Driftwood Theatre presents
Play in a Pub: William Shakespeare’s Star Wars
A reading in support of Driftwood Theatre

Monday October 28, 2013

Whistler’s Grille (995 Broadview Avenue, Toronto)

For dinner reservations call 647-977-6480

8pm start (Silent Auction 6:30pm – 8:00pm)

Tickets $25. Limited seating.

Available online at www.driftwoodtheatre.com/event/playinapub/, by phone at 416-703-2773, or in person at the T.O.Tix Booth (Yonge/Dundas Square). A service charge will apply to all orders.

New York Premiere: Chasing Shakespeare (Danny Glover, Graham Greene) Opens ADIFF November 29 2013

From a media release:



CHASING SHAKESPEARE
To Open ADIFF 2013
Nov 29, 2013 @ 7:30pm
Symphony Space - New York City

NEW YORK CITY - The highly anticipated film CHASING SHAKESPEARE by Norry Niven will open the 21sth edition of the African Diaspora International Film Festival on November 29th, as a New York Premiere at the Symphony Space.



Chasing Shakespeare, starring Danny Glover and Graham Greene, is a "deeply layered, artistic story about love in a world governed by racial and ethnic differences. " ~ Leonardo Santana, SUMMIT DAILY NEWS



Chasing Shakespeare is a beautiful and enchanting love story about a young Native American woman's search for her destiny and her widower husband's attempts to reunite with her after her death. Based on a screenplay by James Bird, Chasing Shakespeare recounts the beginning, end and rebirth of a love affair between William and Venus in rural Arkansas.



USA - 2012 - Narrative (Drama) - 116' - English

With: Danny Glover, Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal, Chelsea Riketts, Mike Wade, Justin Alston, Brina Palencia, Clarence Gilyard Jr.



Opening Night
Q&A after the screening
VIP reception  

Tickets: $25 (screening & Q&A)

VIP Tickets: $45 (screening, Q&A and VIP reception)



• BUY FESTIVAL TICKETS

Tarragon Theatre Toronto Presents The Double - On Stage to November 24 2013

From a media release:



Tarragon Theatre proudly presents
The Double
A TheatreRUN production and adaptation of a Dostoevsky novella
- two actors and one musician with a double bass collide in a schizophrenic feast of site and sound -
Opens October 23 and runs to November 24, 2013 (previews from October 15)


TORONTO - Tarragon Theatre proudly presents TheatreRUN's The Double, an hilarious and innovative adaptation of the Fyodor Dostoevsky novella of the same name, created and performed by TheatreRUN Artistic Director Adam Paolozza (who also directs), Arif Mirabdolbaghi (bass-player and lyricist of the award-winning Canadian progressive metal band, Protest The Hero) and international actor Viktor Lukawski.  A dark comedy about our deepest fears of losing our identity, The Double opens October 23 and runs to November 24 (previews from October 15) in Tarragon's Extraspace.



When are you no longer yourself? The anxious government clerk Golyadkin is plagued by a stranger who looks just like him, but is more daring, romantic and brash. This uncanny triangle between a neurotic, his doppelganger and a stand-up bass transports us to 19th century Russian high society and Golyadkin's labyrinthine search for his identity as he desperately attempts to fit in.



The Double combines Dostoevsky's brilliant prose with physical theatre and original music to create a theatrical Molotov-cocktail filled with laughter and pathos.  An exploration of alienation and paranoia, The Double speaks to our own fragile hold on reality in a time when our identity is as fluid as our facebook and twitter profiles allow.



The Double was nominated in 2012 for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play, with Andre Du Toit winning for Outstanding Lighting Design in the Independent Theatre Division. The full creative team returns for this incarnation which sees the script deepen after further development at Tarragon. The stage manager is Jiv Parasram.



Dostoevsky seems to be a part of the cultural zeitgeist this year as British writer-director Richard Ayoade has also adapted The Double into a feature film of the same name starring Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska that was recently screened at TIFF 2013.



Adam Paolozza, Artistic Director of TheatreRUN and Tarragon's 2012-2013 Kareda Resident, further developed The Double under the mentorship of Tarragon's Artistic Director Richard Rose. He also assistant directed Rose in No Great Mischief on the Tarragon Mainstage last season. Paolozza is a graduate of École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq and Ryerson Theatre School; he has studied Corporeal Mime with the Decroux company Intrepido in Paris. TheatreRUN is recognized as part of the next generation of exciting and physically innovative theatre creators and is co-creator (with Why Not Theatre and Theatre Smith Gilmour) of the internationally acclaimed hit show Spent, nominated for three Dora Mavor Moore Awards, and winning for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role (both Paolozza and Ravi Jain).



Viktor Lukawski is an actor, director and freelance instructor working in Canada, France and Poland. Like Paolozza, he trained at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, France. Lukawski recently toured nationally with Old Trout Puppet Workshops' hit Ignorance and has co-written and/or performed in several productions, including Shostakovich, or 3 Days in Red (TheatreRUN), SplasH20 (Edge of the Woods Theatre / Houppz Théâtre), and the site-specific Much Ado About Nothing at Spadina House (Single Thread Productions). He is also a company member of Wet Picnic in England.



Arif Mirabdolbaghi is an up-and-coming Canadian music star with the progressive-rock outfit Protest The Hero, whose accolades include a #1 album, Juno nomination, certified Canadian gold DVD, several CMW awards and extensive touring  across North America, Europe and Asia.



Tarragon Theatre presents the acclaimed TheatreRun production
The Double

Created by and starring: Adam Paolozza, Arif Mirabdolbaghi and Viktor Lukawski

Directed by Adam Paolozza

Costume Design by Adam Poalozza

Set Design by Ken Mackenzie

Lighting Design by Andre Du Toit

Original Music by Arif Mirabdolbaghi



Opens October 23 and runs to November 24, 2013 (previews from October 15)

Tarragon Theatre's Extraspace, 30 Bridgman Avenue, Toronto

Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30pm starting October 20.



Tickets range from $21-$53 (including discounts for students, seniors and groups)

AND a Pay-What-You-Can on October 15 at 8pm

- $13 Rush Tickets available at the door for Fridays (on sale at 6pm) & Sundays (on sale at 1pm) starting Oct. 25.



Images:
The Double 1 L-R- Arif Mirabdolbaghi ((photo by Lacey Creighton)
The Double 3 L-R- Arif Mirabdolbaghi, Adam Paolozza (photo by Lacey Creighton)
The Double 7072 L-R- Viktor Lukawski, Adam Paolozza (photo by Lacey Creighton)

REEL INDIE FILM FESTIVAL | October 16-20, 2013 | The Royal Cinema - Toronto

From a media release:



WILLIAM F. WHITE
presents
REEL INDIE FILM FESTIVAL | October 16-20, 2013 | The Royal

at the Royal Cinema – 608 College St.
single ticket--$10 | day pass--$20  |general admissions wristband (all screenings)—$50
All details on ticket prices and packages available online



(Toronto, Ont., October 2013) - The Reel Indie Film Festival (RiFF) is excited to announce its full lineup of six features, six shorts and six music videos, for the inaugural music-themed film festival. 



"After all the planning and watching of films submitted to the inaugural year of the REEL INDIE FILM FESTIVAL, I am truly excited about our first line-up of Feature length films, Short Films and Music Videos,” says RiFF Executive Director Avi Federgreen. "There are terrific films including some outstanding  Canadian titles. This is an excellent start to what I know will be many years of great programming for RiFF."



FEATURES:

Los Wild Ones – directed by  Elise Salomon (USA)  (doc) - Opening Night Film (Canadian Premiere) Sponsored by William F. White

Reb Kennedy and the artists on the L.A. based indie label, Wild Records, are chronicled in this honest look at an unconventional yet tight-knit family.



Musicwood – directed by Maxine Trump (USA) (doc) (Toronto Premiere)

An adventure filled journey that is also  a political thriller with music at its heart.



Walking Proof – directed by Matthew Dorman and Marcio Novelli  (Canada) (doc) (Canadian Premiere)

The film follows the 17-day process of making of Marcio Novelli’s debut full length album It's Not An Excuse, It's A Reason. The independent Canadian singer songwriter entered the studio with producer Jim Wirt (Incubus, Fiona Apple) and engineer Nick Blagona (Deep Purple, The Police) without the support of a label.



In Search of Blind Joe Death-The Saga of John Fahey – directed by James Cullingham (Canada) (doc) (Canadian Premiere)

The film chronicles the astounding life and achievements of the guitarist, composer, author and provocateur John Fahey (1939-2001.) Fahey was influenced by music from around the world, including India. In 1959, as a teenager in suburban Washington, D.C., Fahey began playing a sitar!



The Legend of Jimi Lazer – directed by Mann Munoz (Canada) (narrative) (Canadian Premiere)

Imagine a guitar that could make your wildest dreams come true... but Jimi Lazer, wannabe rock-star, isn't counting on the price he has to pay.



Bayou Maharajah – directed by Lily Keber  (USA) (doc) (Toronto Premiere) – Closing Night Film – Sponsored by SIM Digital

Explores the life, times and music of James Booker, the legendary New Orleans performer who Dr. John proclaimed 'the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced.'







SHORTS:

Black Metal – directed by Kat Candler (USA)

A Little Bit Country – directed by Amy Coop  (UK)

Jessie and the Fountain of Youth – directed by Tracey Anarella  (USA)

R. Luke DuBois: Running Out Of Time – directed by H. Paul Moon  (USA)

Purgatorium – directed by Christine Buijs  (Canada)

Necronimica – directed by Kyle Bogart  (USA)



MUSIC VIDEOS:

Will My Lady Love Me – directed by Dave Howard (Canada/Toronto)

Circle – directed by Dominique  Van Olm  (Canada/Toronto)

To The Beat – directed by Marc Atom Borins (Canada/Toronto)

Suiside of Life – directed by Geoff Marshall (Canada/Toronto)

Halo – directed by Dan Davidson (Canada/Edmonton)

Some Sweet Relief – directed by Kat Candler (USA/New York City)



All RiFF screenings will take place at the historic Royal Cinema, in Toronto, 608 College St.
A short film and music video will precede each feature film.



About REEL INDIE FILM FESTIVAL

Reel Indie Film Festival (RiFF) is an independent film festival with a focus on music-related content. Launched in 2013 as part of the 10th anniversary of Indie Week.  RiFF seeks to cover the gamut of musical inspiration, and to support filmmakers’ music-oriented stories, using music as a platform for one’s thoughts and beliefs.  Films that capture the essence of a band or song.

EstroGenius 2013 - Our 14th Year! October 15th thru November 10th, 2013 in New York City

From a media release:

EstroGenius 2013 - Our 14th Year!
October 15th thru November 10th, 2013 

presented by Manhattan Theatre Source



• You can see the full calendar of events and get your tickets here.

NEW YORK CITY - A funny thing happened as we were planning this year's Estro...

We set out to make this year's festival smaller and more intimate and figured the way to do that was to partner with some of our favorite people & production companies. Estro has always been about building relationships and we really wanted that to be the focus this year.

So we reached out to our Estro alums and asked them to come play in the Estro sandbox. And they came in droves. In fact, our co-producing model turned out to be so successful that we accidentally, somehow, we're-still-not-sure-exactly-what-happened, MADE THE FESTIVAL BIGGER. Oops.

We have short plays, full-lengths (!), readings, dance, one-woman shows, visual art, Girl Be Heard, a film screening, a very special Spontaneous Combustion and 2 full days of networking, panel discussions and workshops - 45 events in all!

(In fact, we were too big to fit in a single venue and so will have events at both Theaterlab & Stage Left Studio.)

There's so much going on that to tell you all about it in one post is essentially an impossible task, so we're hoping this little teaser is enticing enough to get you to check out our website. There are lots of juicy details there and we'll be blogging away in the coming weeks about the festival in excruciating exhilarating detail.

Can't wait to show you what we made!

Images:
• Inside Orion by Mary Catherine Donnelly
• Jaz Z & Me: A talking memoir by Jane Elias

The Dance Gallery Festival 2013 Friday, October 11, 2013 through Sunday, October 13, 2013 in New York City

From a media release:



VON USSAR danceworks, LTD Presents
The Dance Gallery Festival 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013 through Sunday, October 13, 2013 in New York City

A international festival of modern and contemporary dance

NEW YORK CITY - VON USSAR danceworks presents the 7th Annual Dance Gallery Festival, featuring original works from emerging and renowned choreographers from around the country in three performance programs on October 11, 12, and 13, 2013 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W. 55th Street, NYC (at Ninth Avenue). The Dance Gallery Festival will perform onFriday, October 11 at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 13 at 3pm. The Dance Gallery UP Close will perform on Saturday, October 12 at 7:30pm. Level UP will perform on Sunday, October 13 at 7pm. Tickets are $20 ($15 for students with valid ID and seniors) and are available at www.smarttix.com or by phone at 212-868-4444.



The Dance Gallery Festival is the central event and will feature 9 choreographers. As part of Dance Gallery Festival's continued mission to find up-and-coming choreographic talent at the national level, the festival continues, Level UP, which serves as a performance showcase for three talented dance companies/choreographers that are ready to advance to the next level in the development and promotion of their work. Each company will receive 25 minutes of performance time at the prestigious Ailey Citigroup Theater and a small stipend. Dance Gallery UP Close is our newest addition to the festival. It is a evening of intimate works and will feature 12 choreographers.



The Dance Gallery Festival
Friday, October 11 at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 13 at 3pm

NobleMotion Dance (Texas)

Erin Cardinal (Florida)

David Justin (Texas)

Dante Brown (New York)

Philippe Dury (France)

danceTactics performance group by Keith A. Thompson (New Jersey)

Jiwon Lee (New York)

Mallory Lynn + Brendan Duggan/ LoudHoundMovement (New York)

Bryan Arias (New York)







The Dance Gallery UP Close
Saturday, October 12 at 7:30pm

NobleMotion Dance (Texas)

Kate Bishop (New York)

Jacqueline Stewart (New York)

Tori Duhaime (Colorado)

Alenka Cizmesija (New York)

Jamal Jackson Dance Company (New York)

Laura Harrell (Texas)

Alia Kache (New York)

BodyStories: Teresa Fellion Dance (New York)

Dorcas Roman Dance Theatre (California)

Mallory Lynn + Brendan Duggan/ LoudHoundMovement (New York)

Omar Roman De Jesus (New York)



This year's Level UP performance on Sunday, October 13 at 7pm will include Marcus Jarrell Willis (New York), LAUREN EDSON (Idaho), and ENZO CELLI - CELLI CONTEMPORARY BALLET (Italy).

Level UP
Sunday, October 13 at 7pm

MARCUS JARRELL WILLIS (New York)

LAUREN EDSON (Idaho)

ENZO CELLI – CELLI CONTEMPORARY BALLET (Italy).



Length: 2 hrs 00 mins

Intermission: Yes

Seating: General Admission

You choose your seats when you get to the theater.



NOTE: $15 Student tickets ONLY available at the door!

DANCENOW Joe's Pub Festival October 9-12, 2013 in New York City

From a media release:

DANCENOW Joe's Pub Festival
October 9-12, 2013*

*Price: $15 in Advance; $20 at Door
*Note the October 9 show is sold out

NEW YORK CITY - After a decade of successfully presenting dance on NYC’s ‘best tiny stage’, DANCENOW is honored to be a part of the 15th Anniversary celebration of Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, which will kick off with the 2013 DANCENOW Joe’s Pub Festival.

Noted for its adventurous short takes format, the annual DANCENOW festival features some of the most exciting and innovative dance makers in a multi-artist cabaret style showcase each fall. The 2013 Festival lineup includes 40 artists/companies over four evenings, Wednesday, October 9 to Saturday, October 12. The festival’s encore performance will be presented on Saturday, October 19. All performances are at 7:00pm.

This season, all festival participants will take the DANCENOW Challenge, which asks artists to create a clear and complete artistic statement in five minutes or less for the specifics of Joe’s Pub. Each evening audience members will be asked to vote for the work that best meets this challenge. The winners, four in total, will receive a weeklong creative residency at DANCENOW Silo on Kirkland Farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Additionally, the top ten works selected over the four shows will be presented at the encore performance on October 19. At the completion of the festival DANCENOW’s producers and advisors will select one artist whose work overall best meets the DANCENOW challenge. The winner will receive a $1,500 development stipend and a weeklong creative residency at DANCENOW Silo on Kirkland Farm in Pennsylvania.

2013 Festival lineup:
Wednesday, October 9
binbinFactory/Satoshi Haga & Rie Fukuzawa
Mark Dendy
Jennifer Edwards, JenEd Productions
Shannon Gillen + Guests
The Good to Go Girls
Jamal Jackson Dance Company
Heidi Latsky Dance,
John-Mark Owen Presents …
Claire Porter / PORTABLES
RG Dance Projects - Ruben Graciani

Thursday, October 10
b&company|dance/Bryan Stimpel
BIGMANARTS/ Lawrence Goldhuber
Clare Cook Dance Theater
danceTactics performance group
Harlem Dance Club
Sara Joel
Deborah Lohse
TAKE Dance
Tze Chun Dance Company
WKcollective

Friday, October 11
10 Hairy Legs
277DanceProject
Jane Comfort and Company
Aaron Draper
Cori Marquis + the Nines [IX]
Magdalene San Millan
Maura Nguyen Donohue/inmixedcompany
Donnell Oakley
The Raving Jaynes
Steeledance

Saturday, October 12
The Bang Group
Tricia Brouk
Ensemble Dance/Pilar Castro Kiltz
Junichi Fukuda
Mettin Movement
Pengelly: Projects
Amber Sloan
Megan Williams
Yin Yue
Marni and Ellis Wood

Images:
• Tricia Brouk
• Junichi Fukuda (C) Jennifer Jones
• janecomfort 3 by christopher.duggan

CD Release: Çiğdem Aslan Touches History with Mortissa (Asphalt Tango, October 08, 2013)

From a media release:

CD Release: Çiğdem Aslan touches history with Mortissa
Asphalt Tango, October 08, 2013

A century or more ago, in cities like Smyra, Thessaloniki, and Istanbul, Greeks and Turks lived peacefully side by side during the waning years of the Ottoman Empire. People laughed and loved and sang together. In the bars and the hash houses, they played the music that was the root of what came to be called rebetiko, songs about poor people like themselves, the criminals and lovers, the musicians, the beauties and the strong women known as mortissas. Çiğdem Aslan (her name is pronounced Cheedem) reaches back to that earlier age on her debut solo recording, Mortissa (Asphalt Tango, Oct. 08, 2013).

“Most of the songs are in Greek,” Aslan explains,” and I didn’t know the meaning when I first heard them. It was the music I could relate to, I felt close to them even if I didn’t understand a word. Once I learned what they were about it was even better. Most of them are love songs. They’re familiar to me in the way they express things. The way a woman tells off her lover is similar to what I heard in Turkey.”

Rebetiko has always been the music of society’s outsiders, and Aslan can understand that very well indeed. Although born and raised in Istanbul, her parents are Kurdish and she grew up near Gezi Park, the scene of riots earlier this year, recalling that, “My neighbourhood was full of leftist groups. There were always police there. It was a ghetto, it wasn’t even considered Istanbul. So I’m an 'other,' too; I come from a minority background and that usually makes you more open and understanding towards others. My luck was that I encountered many 'others' to expand my vision.”

Music was always around and “culturally part of our daily life. When I went to secondary school it was in a Greek and Armenian area, so I heard their music. One of the songs on Mortissa is the second or third rebetiko song I learned, years ago.”

After completing a degree in English literature and singing as part of “a project exploring different minorities in Turkey,” Aslan moved to London, intending to do her Master’s. “But,” she explains simply, “I changed my mind and started to make music.” She became a member of Dunav, a band playing Balkan music, and began singing with the She’koyokh Klezmer Ensemble, who provide the music for three tracks on Mortissa.

“I’m the addendum,” she laughs. “They’re mostly instrumental. I saw one of their gigs and wished I could be part of it. That was three years before I joined. Some of them came to jam sessions with the SAOS Rebetiko band and then asked me to perform with them.”

The musicians who form the core for much of the album are mostly from the North London Greek and Turkish communities, although Nikolaos Baimpas, the wonderful kanun (plucked dulcimer) player and musical director whose playing on the album is stunning, often performs with prominent musicians back in Greece.

What brings them all together is rebetiko. Often described as the Aegean blues, it’s the music of the underclass, the people with nothing except love and life. Today, in this new age of austerity, there are plenty of people who can understand songs like “Çakici,” which celebrates the legendary Mehmet Efe, a thief who gave to the poor, or “Pane Gia To Preso,” an ode to leek – the slang word for marijuana. And, of course, there are the songs of the mortissas, the independent women who don’t behave as society expects and who give the album its name. Part of rebetiko is smyrneika, songs from the Aegean port city of Smyrna, which absorbed the influence of travellers from across the Middle East into its music.

“The thing about the Smyrna school of rebetiko,” Aslan notes, “is that females were more dominant as singers, unlike Athens.”

But while Aslan might evoke the past with her voice, she has no desire to make it a museum piece. Her rebetiko and smyrneika are living things, full of tears and laughter that speak loudly and emotionally to today’s audiences.

“Otherwise there’d be no point,” she insists. “They’ve been recorded, they need changes for a contemporary audience. What I’m doing is adding details and highlighting the similarities between the cultures. Even something like a double bass in there makes it more modern. It’s adding your personality. What I’m doing is putting my feelings into the songs, trying to reflect what they make me feel.”

With Mortissa, Çiğdem Aslan crosses time, making rebetiko startlingly alive and relevant in the 21st century. As she says, “it shows there are no cultural boundaries in music.”

Classical Music in Toronto: Mooredale Concerts Celebrates 25th Season October 6 2013 to April 27 2014

From a media release:



MOOREDALE CONCERTS CELEBRATES ITS 25TH SEASON
October 6, 2013-April 27, 2014



Two Great Quartets: The Cecilia and Afiara perform Mendelssohn's Octet
Two superb string ensembles: Il Giardino d'Amore and Parcival Strings Project
Two internationally acclaimed soloists: Matt Haimovitz, cello; and

Guillermo Gonzalez, piano
Mahler and Bloch at Koerner Hall with the Ontario Philharmonic
The world renowned Canadian Brass



TORONTO - The Canadian Brass, the debuts of an acclaimed Spanish pianist and a European baroque band, extraordinary cellist Matt Haimovitz in a concerto performance with the Ontario Philharmonic, and a joint performance by two prize-winning young Canadian string quartets.  All and more are featured in the 25th season of Toronto’s Mooredale Concerts.



The Cecilia String Quartet, first prize winner in the 2010 Banff International String Quartet Competition, opens the 2013-14 season Sunday, October 6, 3:15 p.m. at Walter Hall in the Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park Crescent (south of the Royal Ontario Museum).  The program features quartets by Haydn and Tchaikovsky, and the Mendelssohn Octet in E flat, described by critic Conrad Wilson as “one of the miracles of nineteenth-century music.”  Joining the Cecilia Quartet in the octet is the Afiara String Quartet, second prize winner in the 2010 Banff Competition.



Under the artistic direction of Anton Kuerti, Mooredale Concerts has been bringing Toronto a selection of high quality, wide-ranging classical performances not featured anywhere else, at truly affordable prices.  This year’s six concerts can be enjoyed on subscription for only $130; seniors $120; and for patrons under 30, only $80.



Details may be obtained and subscriptions ordered online at www.mooredaleconcerts.com.  Orders may also be sent to Mooredale Concerts, 146 Crescent Road, Toronto M4W 1V2, or phoned in to 416-922-3714 ext. 103.  Queries may be e-mailed to marketing@mooredaleconcerts.com. As an added bonus, orders will not be processed until September 1 – allowing subscribers to keep their money until then.



Mooredale Concerts’ 2013-14 season features the following:

Sunday, October 6, 2013, 3:15 p.m. – The Cecilia and Afiara String Quartets:   Two of Canada’s international musical gems join forces in the Mendelssohn Octet.   This concert marks the Afiara’s fourth Mooredale Concerts appearance.  The Cecilia Quartet also plays Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 20 No. 4 in D and Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No.1 in D.







Sunday, October 20, 2013, 3:15 p.m. – Il Giardino d'Amore, Baroque Band – Canadian debut of a European orchestra ensemble of young and passionate musicians from Poland, Italy and Spain. Focusing on 17th and 18th century Italian baroque music, they perform both vocal and instrumental works that include the great Italian masters.  The band is led by noted violinist Stefan Plewniak and joined by young rising opera star, soprano Natalia Kawalek. 



***Tuesday, November 5, 8 p.m. at Koerner Hall*** – Cellist  Matt Haimovitz and the Ontario Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marco Parisotto perform Schelomo (Hebraic Rhapsody) by Ernest Bloch.  The orchestra also plays Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. This is the fourth joint presentation between Mooredale Concerts and the Ontario Philharmonic (www.ontariophil.ca), and part of the orchestra’s “Great Soloists” series at Koerner Hall. 



Sunday, February 23, 2014, 3:15 p.m. – The Parcival Strings Project – Founded in 2011 in Montreal by violinist Emmanuel Vukovich, this international chamber music collective (www.emmanuelvukovich.ca/parcival) strives for excellence in music making, united by a spirit of collaboration and guided by a search for artistic quality through performances of the inherited and evolving musical tradition. Vukovich returns to Mooredale Concerts with select members of this elite group.  



Sunday, March 16, 2014, 3:15 p.m. – Canadian debut of celebrated Spanish pianist Guillermo Gonzalez – The internationally acclaimed Spanish music specialist has performed in Europe, England the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and China, in solo recitals and with orchestra, and in some of the most prestigious houses.  His new edition of Albéniz’s Iberia (Schott Music), is now considered the definitive source for the performance of this work.  His Mooredale Concerts program will include the complete Iberia, a singularly demanding virtuosic feat. 



Sunday, April 27, 2014, 3:15 p.m. – The Canadian Brass ***MacMillan Theatre*** – The vivacious and virtuosic Canadian Brass, the world’s most famous brass ensemble, gives its first Mooredale Concerts performance, playing an all-classical music program of Bach, Ewald and others.  The players’ spontaneity, humour and brilliant performances have captivated audiences throughout the world. Their discography of more than 100 albums has sold over two million worldwide – with the recent Stars & Stripes: Canadian Brass Salute America spending eight weeks in Billboard Classical Chart‘s Top 25 in 2010, peaking at #2. 



Five of the six concerts will take place in the Edward Johnson Building – four in Walter Hall, and a fifth, featuring the perennially popular Canadian Brass, in the grand MacMillan Theatre, upstairs on the main floor.  Start time for these concerts is 3:15 p.m.



For Matt Haimovitz and the Ontario Philharmonic Orchestra, the venue is Koerner Hall, Tuesday, November 5 at 8 p.m.



Subscriptions include complimentary tickets to three Mooredale Youth Orchestras concerts, showcasing the future generation of musicians in orchestral repertoire.  Performances take place at Laidlaw Hall, Upper Canada College.



MUSIC & TRUFFLES – Artists featured in the five concerts at the Edward Johnson Building will also perform a one-hour interactive concert for young people 6-15 at Music & Truffles.  Adults wishing to learn more about music and music-making are welcome.  Subscriptions are only $50, and include a chocolate truffle at the end of each concert.  Performances begin 1:15 p.m. the same day as the main concert.

New Orleans Jazz Legend Allen Toussaint CD Release October 6 2013 at Joe's Pub New York City

From a release:



ALLEN TOUSSAINT: CD RELEASE
October 6, 2013 at Noon - $30
Joe's Pub - New York City



• Buy the CD Songbook


NEW YORK CITY - New Orleans musicians laid the cornerstone for a large swath of American music, and Allen Toussaint is among the city’s most gifted players.



As a composer, arranger, producer, pianist and singer, Allen has created an enduring body of work that includes local hits by Irma Thomas and Lee Dorsey; songs covered by Glen Campbell, the Rolling Stones and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss; national hits by Ernie K-Doe and LaBelle; and collaborations with Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello, all in addition to his own recording career. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama in July, 2013.



Songbook presents Allen Toussaint as many of his fans have longed to hear him, in an intimate solo setting, performing many of his best-loved songs. His piano playing is a marvel, with its orchestral conception and effortless New Orleans syncopation. But what comes across most strongly is the warmth of Allen’s performance. The gentle Creole lilt in his voice brings a resonance and a smile to his songs, rivaling the versions he produced for others. Recorded live at Joe’s Pub in New York, the deluxe edition of Songbook includes a DVD.