Archives - Music News and Announcements

October 2000

The National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa, Canada) with its Director, Pinchas Zukerman, begins its overseas tour (October 3 - 26) in Israel and Jordan then continuing on to Italy, Germany, France, England & Scotland. The extensive NAC tour web site is worth a visit. The site includes tour details, interviews, videos, a teacher resource kit and interactive materials. Unfortunately, the live video broadcast link planned for high school students in Ottawa, Israel and the Palestinian Authority in addition to the performance in Jordan had to be postponed because of disturbances in the area.
Congratulations to the Beckett School (Waterloo, Ontario) on their 20th anniversary year and Mount Royal College Conservatory (Calgary, Alberta) on their 90th anniversary.
Note that open houses regarding programs for fall 2001 begin this month at private schools, special arts schools, colleges and universities. For example, Saturday October 14, 2000 10am-3pm is Discovery Day at the University of Toronto for programs including Music, the National University and College Student Fair is October 16 and 17, and the International University Fairs is October 29 - 31. We have prepared a page with more complete schedule of open houses in the Toronto area.
Opera Canada magazine presents its first Ruby awards at the Granite Club (Toronto) Wednesday October 11 to Maureen Forrester (contralto), Stuart Hamilton (opera broadcaster/educator) and John Cook (COC board member/donor) presented by Jon Vickers (tenor). Forrester will also be featured in the CBC Life and Times series on Tuesday October 17 at 7 pm.
Operatic soprano Teresa Stratas will be receiving the Governor-General's Performing Arts Award in Ottawa November 3.
The Ontario Region of the Canadian Music Centre is spearheading the Cheapseats project in which, for $10, highschool and university students receive a pass which allows them to purchase tickets to any concerts on the Cheapseats listing (16 presenters in the Toronto area) at a special flat rate of $5. Passes are now available. Call (416) 961-6601 or email ontario@musiccentre.ca
Canadian pianist Naida Cole made her Carnegie Hall debut on October 20 as guest soloist with violinist Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica string orchestra in Alfred Schnittke's Concerto Gross No. 6 for violin, piano and strings (1993).

November 2000

November 3 is the deadline for entry into the 14th CBC National Competition for Young Composers.
November is piano month in Calgary as the Esther Honens International Competition interacts with every musical component of the community from November 9 to 23. Top prize is $22,500 (US) with three years of concerts and promotional support.
- 10 semifinalists (from 8 countries) have been chosen including Katherine Chi from Canada.
- The 5 finalists are Roger Wright (USA), Özgür Aydin (USA), Alessandra Maria Ammara (Italy), Marco Martin (Estonia), Katherine Chi (Canada).
- CBC Radio Two will be featuring highlights from the competition and live broadcasts of the finals on In Performance nightly from November 20 to 27.
- Katherine Chi wins first place, $22,500(US) and 3 years of artistic and career development. Marko Martin was 2nd and Alessandra Maria Ammara was 3rd.
The Massey Hall New Music Festival 2000 features 7 concerts of Canadian and international contemporary music from November 5 - 11 in Toronto. http://www.newmusicatmassey.com

David McIntyre takes up a new position as composer-in-residence with the Regina Symphony for the 2000-2001 season. On June 1, 2000, John Estacio commenced a two-year term as composer-in-residence for Calgary Opera and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He is currently completing a similar position with the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra.
Composer Michael Colgrass has released a new book, My Lessons with Kumi, in which he shares his methods and philosophies for enhancing performance, creativity and life skills. Colgrass is internationally known for his workshops which draw on NLP and theater training techniques combined with 45 years of professional performing experience.
The Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music has been awarded to young composer André Ristic.
The Toronto Symphony has announced the appointment of Edward Smith, manager of the Birmingham Symphony (UK), as their new executive director.
This month the New Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, becomes available in 29 volumes and in an on-line version.
26-year-old Montreal cellist, Yegor Dyachkov, is the first winner of the new Career Development Award sponsored by the Women's Club of Toronto and CBC. Dyachkov also won the Young Canadian Musicians Award earlier this year, made his New York debut at Lincoln Centre in October, has been invited by Yo-Yo Ma to perform with him on his international Silk Road project, and has just released a CD of cello sonatas by Shostakovitch, Schnittke and Prokofiev (Diaques Pelléas).
Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto has announced a $20 million interior renovation to improve the acoustics. The hall will will be closed from March to September in 2002.
Mount Royal College in Calgary has announced a major expansion to its facilities thanks to a $94 million grant from the government of Alberta. Included in the first phase (2000-2003) of the building plan is new quarters for the Theatre and Music Conservatory.
The National Youth Orchestra of Canada has announced its application deadline of December 15 for its Summer 2001 program. An August 2001 tour of Atlantic Canada and the North-Eastern United States is planned with conductor, Simon Streatfeild.
Closing date for Canadian Music Competitions is Wednesday November 22.
A new major section added to this site: Choosing a Music School (listings for Canada, USA, Great Britain)
The Canadian Association of Independent Schools is holding their School Fair on Tuesday December 5 from 6-9pm at the Westin Prince in Toronto.
Cheryl Hickman, soprano from St. John's currently with the Canadian Opera Company, won the William Matheus Sullivan Musical Foundation award of $7,500 US including money for coaching.

December 2000

(1) A new major section added to this site: Choosing a Music School (listings for Canada, USA, Great Britain)
(1) The Canadian Association of Independent Schools is holding their School Fair on Tuesday December 5 from 6-9pm at the Westin Prince in Toronto.
(1) The National Youth Orchestra of Canada application deadline is December 15 for its Summer 2001 program. An August 2001 tour of Atlantic Canada and the North-Eastern United States is planned with conductor, Simon Streatfeild.
(1) The Canadian Opera Company has received a multi-million dollar donation which will enable its first production of Richard Wagner's epic, The Ring of The Nibelung. The COC is planning Das Rheingold for the spring of 2002, Die Walküre in 2004, Siegfried and Die Götterdämmerung in the 2004-5 season. In the summer of 2005, the entire four-part Ring cycle will be performed three times.
(3) The Canada Council for the Arts hosted more than 300 delegates from over 50 countries in a World Summit on the Arts and Culture from November 30 to December 3. For more information see the Canada Council site.
(3) Donna Scott is leaving her position as head of the Ontario Arts Council in Spring expressing deep frustration with the provincial government cutbacks to the arts.
(3) Pierre Boulez has been been chosen to win the 2001 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition based on his work Sur Incises for 3 pianos, 3 harps and 3 percussionists. The $200,000 award is considered the top prize in international music composition.
(5) A history of the first 50 years of the Canadian Opera Company is featured in a recently released book, Opera Viva, written by Ezra Schabas and Carl Morey.
(7) Newfoundland musician, Kelly Russell, has transcribed 254 traditional Newfoundland fiddle tunes into a book, Kelly Russell's Collection: The Fiddle Music of Newfoundland and Labrador, Vol 1. The book contains the instrumental music of two well-known fiddlers, Rufus Guinchard and Emile Benoit.
(12) A number of Olympics-related events and initiatives are being planned for the next seven years by the Toronto bid's arts and culture committee co-chaired by soprano, Mary Lou Fallis. The Expect The World festival is to be staged from May 23 to June 23, 2001 to showcase the scope, diversity and excellence of Toronto's arts community recognizing the importance of the arts to its Olympic bid.
(13) The Toronto Centre for the Arts (formerly North York Centre for the Arts) has received an anonymous private donation which will enable it to reinstate a 25-concert season next year in the George Weston Recital Hall.
(15) The Canadian Music Centre announced a $5,000 award for a young or emerging Toronto composer. The deadline for submission is February 15, 2001. Details.
(19) An autobiography of Canadian violinist Steven Staryk and co-authored by Thane Lewis, Fiddling With Life (Mosaic Press), has be recently released.
(26) Victor Borge, musical humorist, pianist and conductor, died at age 91 on December 23.

January 2001

(3) Toronto station CJRT FM91.1 has announced it is abandoning its classical music programs and remaking the station into a 24 hour Jazz broadcaster.
(8) Canadian baritone and international opera star Victor Braun died Saturday in Germany at age 66.
(18) The Winnipeg New Music Festival is on from January 19-27, 2001. CBC Radio Two features a special 2 New Hours live-to-air broadcast on Jan. 21 (Sunday). Also check out the festival website at http://radio.cbc.ca/programs/newmusicfest/new/ which containts many interactive features, a forum for live online chats with composers and performers, and will have webcasts and live audio and video streams
(21) Aline Chrétien, wife of Canada's prime minister, was awarded an honorary diploma by the Royal Conservatory of Music at its convocation January 21 for advocacy for arts in education. Leon Fleisher and Edith Lantos also received honorary fellowships.
(27) The Newfoundland government announced its plan to cut class time for art and music in primary and elementary schools to give more time to language arts.
(29) Canadian composer André Prévost died at his home in Montréal after a long illness at age 67.

February 2001

(1) CBC Television begins its new commercial-free performing arts series on Thrusday evenings, Opening Night, at 8:00 this evening. This week features dancer Rex Harrington, the National Ballet of Canada and the National Arts Centre Orchestra performing Vivaldi's Four Seasons. The second segment is a documentary on the career of Betty Oliphant. More details at the Opening Night website.

(1) Finalists for the CBC National Competition for Young Composers have been announced: Brian Current, Pierre Michaud, Paul Frehner, Craig Galbraith, Martin Marier, Mathieu Marcoux, Alain Beauchesne, and André Ristic. The finals will be in Vancouver in March.

(5) Romanian-born French composer, architect, and mathematician Yannis Xenakis died February 4 in Paris at age 78. Xenakis pioneered composing techniques using computers and mathematical probability.

(12) In early January, Polish violinist and teacher Tadeusz Wronski died. In addition to his work at the Chopin Academy in Warsaw, Wronski was professor of violin at Indiana University from 1967-81.

(16) Appointments to the Order of Canada include: Officers - Boris Berlin (Toronto), Richard Margison (Toronto/Victoria), Ben Heppner (Toronto/Vancouver), Georges Codling (Sorel, Quebec); Members - Ezra Schabas (Toronto)

(26) Guidelines for the 2002 ASTA with NSOA String Solo Competition have been announced. Canadian entrants see Guidelines for Canadian entries.

(27) The Canadian Music Centre launched a new recording series of the works of composer Harry Somers, A Window on Somers, in Toronto on February 26. The launch features the first three cds showcasing his vocal and choral music. See details.

March 2001

(March 1) Canadian composer Milton Barnes died of a heart attack February 25 at the age of 69 in Toronto.
(1) Guidelines for the 2002 ASTA with NSOA String Solo Competition have been announced. Canadian entrants see Guidelines for Canadian entries.
(1) March 6 is the deadline for applications for RCM Examinations spring session.
(5) From the Diary of Anne Frank by Oskar Morawetz received the best classical composition award at the Junos. The award for best classical album for solo or chamber ensemble went to violinist James Ehnes Bach: The Six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra won best classical album for large ensemble for Lemminkainen Suite: Night Ride and Sunrise by Sibelius. Karina Gauvin, Russell Braun and Les Violins du Roy won the best classical album for vocal or choral performance for G.F. Handel's Apollo e Dafne Silete Venti.
(26) Boris Berlin, renowned piano teacher at the Royal Conservatory of Music for over 70 years and composer of numerous pedagogical works, died on March 24 in Toronto.
(27) Robert Wannamaker has been chosen recipient of the Toronto Emerging Composer Award. The award provides $5,000 funding for his artistic proposal is to compose, perform, and document an original composition for string quartet and electronics.
(29) Canadian jazz musician Moe Koffman died on March 28 at the age of 72 from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

May 2001

(02) The 8th Edition of Music Directory Canada has been released by Norris-Whitney Communications.
(18) Winners of the 31st CBC Radio National Competition for Young Performers: $15,000 first prizes in strings to cellist Kaori Yamagami (Maple, ON) and pianist Ian Parker (Vancouver). First prize also includes recital performances across Canada and a demo CD and a radio recording. Second prize winners are pianist Jean-Philippe Sylvestre (also winner of People's Choice award) and cellist Stephanie Meyer, both of Montréal.
(27) Heritage minister Sheila Copps announced that, of the new $500 million in arts and culture funding, $75 million will be added to Canada Council and $13 million for training developing artists.

June 2001

(02) Composer Nikolai Korndorf died May 30 in Burnaby, BC at the age of 54.

(06) Maxim Philippov, the 1996 winner of the Esther Honens, competition is a finalist in the Van Cliburn competition.

(08) Podium changes: Andrey Boreyko has been appointed as new conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony succeeding Bramwell Tovey who now leads the Vancouver Symphony. Orhestras seeking conductors include Toronto Symphony, Boston Symphony and Calgary Philharmonic. Hans Graf leaves the Calgary orchestra for Houston where Cristoph Eschenbach is leaving to lead the Philadelphia orchestra. Seijo Ozawa is leaving Boston for the Vienna State Opera.

(19) Canadian composer, Brian Current, won the ROSTRUM International award for composers under 30.

(26) Canadian Tenor, Richard Margison, was presented with the insignia of Officer of the Order of Canada by Governeor-General Adrienne Clarkson on June 25.

July 2001

(02) Indiana University professor Mimi Zweig has launched a new string pedagogy site including principles and ideas of Paul Rolland, Shinichi Suzuki, Josef Gingold and Janos Starker. see www.stringpedagogy.com

(20) The National Youth Orchesta of Canada begins its concert tour of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland July 24 through August 19. See www.nyoc.org for program and schedule details.

August 2001

(1) The National Youth Orchesta of Canada continues its concert tour of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland July 24 through August 19. See www.nyoc.org for program and schedule details.

(23) The following have been appointed Members of the Order of Canada: Barbara Clark (Ottawa), Jon Washburn (Vancouver), and Donald J. A. Wright (Toronto).

September 2001

(4) The Daedalus Quartet (New York) won first place in the seventh Banff International String Quartet Competition which wound up on September 2. 30 quartets competed. Highlights of the competition are being broadcast on CBC Radio II In Performance 8:00 p.m. Sept 4 - 6.
(15) Rosemary Thomson was appointed Resident Conductor of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra for the next three seasons.
The ChildTrauma Academy has produced a set of materials for children and parents dealing with the September 11 World Trade Centre terrorist acts.
(22) Violinist Isaac Stern died on September 22 from heart failure in New York City at age 81.
(25) Conductor Mario Bernardi is amongst the winners of this year's Governor General's Performing Arts Awards for lifetime artistic achievement. Bernardi is honoured for his 40-year career as musician and conductor of orchestral and opera music in posts including the National Arts Centre, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and the CBC Vancouver Orchestra. Awards also went to dancer Evelyn Hart, choreographer Edouard Lock, actor Christopher Plummer, broadcaster Max Ferguson and filmaker Anee Claire Poirier. The winners will be honoured at a ceremony at Rideau Hall on November 2 and at a November 3 televised gala.

October 2001

(7) Violinist Zoltan Szekely, former leader of the Hungarian String Quartet died on October 5 in Banff, Alberta at the age of 97.
(10) Two Canadian orchestras are in serious crisis. Last month the Toronto Symphony announced that new Managing Director, Ed Smith, resigned and that the organization is in severe financial straits. This past weekend the Calgary Philharmonic locked out the musicians after failure to reach a new contract.
The following University Fairs are available for high school students exploring post-secondary options: Performing and Visual Arts College Fair in Toronto October 22; 2001 International University Fairs in Toronto October 14-16. The websites provide more information including other locations and dates in Canada.
Upcoming entry deadlines: Contemporary Showcase October 15; Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival October 22; ASTA Solo competition November 2; RCM Examinations November 8.
After 136 years in business, the Baldwin Piano Company is in bankruptcy protection. Official pianos at many major artist facilities are being liquidated at clearance prices.

January 2002

Brain Gym course offered by Excel-ability Learning in January / February 2002.

(10) Québec-born pianist David Jalbert has won this year's Sylvia Gelber Prize presented by the Canada Council to a promising musician under the age of 30.

Conductor Grzegorz Nowak has announced plans for a newly created Edmonton Philharmonica orchestra. The day before this announcement, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra announced that it would not be renewing Nowak's contract. The ESO musicians have been working without a contract since September.

(14) Composer and teacher Sam Dolin, died on January 13 from lung cancer. He was 84.

February 2002

(2) Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony has announced its new conductor: Martin Fischer-Dieskau (son of Dietrich).
(8) Former Head of Music for CBC Radio, Karen Kieser, died February 8 in Toronto after a 5 year battle with cancer at age 53.
The winner of the International Glenn Gould Prize Laureate Prize is French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez.
(16) Andrew Shaw is the new chief executive officer of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Shaw has been president and CEO of the Frederick Harris Music Co. Ltd for the last 14 years and since 1994 has also served as the executive director of RCM Examinations.

March 2002

World-renowned violin teacher Dorothy DeLay died on March 24 in Upper Nyack, NY from cancer.

May 2002

Winner of the Toronto Emerging Composer Award for 2002 is Rose Bolton.

Canadian composer and former CBC producer Srul Irving Glick died April 17 in Toronto

(6) Murray Adaskin, another Canadian composer and music legend in Canada, died May 6 in Victoria at age 96..

December 2003

Winner of the Toronto Emerging Composer Award for 2003 is Daria Dbrochna Kwiatkowska.

Éric Morin wins 2003 Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music.

Toronto-based composer and educator Mary Gardiner is the recipient of the 2003 Friends of Canadian Music award (Canadian League of Composers (CLC) and the Canadian Music Centre (CMC)), recognizing those who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to Canadian concert music composers and their works.