Today marks 60 years since “the greatest jazz concert ever” and the event and resulting live album, which has many legendary layers, that saw Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, Max Roach in their one and only live collaboration.
Without any rehearsals or even a sound check, this is the first blast of music where the quintet performed – “Perdido:”
And then listen to Charlie Parker as he explains:
“At this time we would like to play a tune that was composed by my worthy constituent Mr. Dizzy Gillespie in the year of 1942. We sincerely hope that you do enjoy CONTINUE READING >
10-year-old Hannah Alper writes about things that matter to her. Specifically, she writes on her blog callmehannah.ca about the environment and about people who inspire her. When we saw a post she wrote a few months back about Severn Cullis-Suzuki, one of the people featured as part of this seasons Unique Lives & Experiences lecture series at Roy Thomson Hall, we thought it would be a good idea to check in with Hannah and have her share her story with us here on Soundboard.
In August 2012 my mother showed me a video she saw on Facebook that she thought I would like. I had started my blog only a month before that where I wanted to explore and share my passion for the environment. That short video inspired me to write a post that night called “Tonight I Found My Role Model.” The video was from the Dove campaign showing real role models for girls – this one featured Severn Cullis-Suzuki. CONTINUE READING >
Each year around January 25, most people of Scottish descent can tell you, they are often asked the same 3 questions:
Who is Robbie Burns? What exactly is haggis /why on earth would you eat it? (yes, that’s a two-part question)
and why do you like bagpipes so much?
I thought I’d take a moment to provide some insight here, incase you too have been wondering.
Firstly, let’s address the bagpipes. When it comes to pop culture, is there an instrument more misunderstood? Whether it’s because I often listened to pipe music growing up or perhaps it’s just something in the Celtic blood, I love the bagpipes and the emotional connection they awaken. Even when I hear them being played from blocks away (as one might), I’m drawn to them. The laments break your heart and battle songs stir you to action, especially when paired with the drums. Listen to The Black Watchand the Band of the Scots Guardhere and tell me you CONTINUE READING >
As a matter of course, while working on the Ravi & Anoushka Shankar show at Roy Thomson Hall back in 2007, I had the distinct honour and privilege of dog sitting – yes you read correctly – for the small, furry sidekick belonging to Mr. Shankar and his wife. Both their assistants had rushed home to California to tend to the forest fire disaster there which left no one to mind Suki the maltipoo backstage during the second set, when Ravi would appear onstage. Being a dog lover (and having seen the show before), I volunteered.
I was instructed to go spend some time with Mr. Shankar and Suki during the last bit of the first set to get her comfortable with me and though I’ve met a fair amount of very talented and venerable artists throughout my career, I knew this was a special opportunity. He was soft and friendly and typical of certain old-time musicians asked me if I played an instrument (I did – flute, in high school). We chatted and then at the intermission Mrs. Shankar suggested I bring Suki to the side stage at the end of the show: if she wanted to run out to Papa she would and it would charm the crowd. Anoushka told me not to listen to her mom (nice position to be in – conflicting orders from the Shankars) and then they all left me alone with Suki for the second half.
We hung out – she was fairly well-behaved and didn’t bark. I was uneasy about it, but at Mrs. Shankar’s urging (and I believe I’d already given my notice at the halls, so I couldn’t get fired), I brought Suki to the wings of the stage at the end of the show. Indeed she scampered out to Papa to the great amusement of the audience (pretty sure my colleagues and new boyfriend who was sitting for the show were thinking I was in deep for letting the dog escape). But it was all laughs and hugs after the show – the Shankars are a warm and gregarious bunch.
Just another day at the office. Ravi Shankar was a true icon and I am grateful to have this simple, goofy memory.
Guest contributor Hannah Wise, is a friend of The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall and previously worked at the Halls in the Programming Department.
With his Winter Garden Theatre concert coming up in just over a week, we thought it’d be timely to ask Danny Michel to give us the inside scoop on this song, his band, their fashion choices, and whatever else he noticed throughout. Learn all about it in this newly (Pop Up Video style) captioned edition of “What Colour Are You?”
We love Whitehorse, the musical and real life married duo of Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet. We are proud to present them in their Massey Hall debut on March 2, 2013 and pleased to have the opportunity to send two lucky Massey Hall ticket holders to an exclusive album release concert being held at The Dakota Tavern (249 Ossington Ave.) on the evening that their new album The Fate of the World Depends on this Kissis released, this Tuesday, August 28, 2012.
Two winners will each recieve passes (2) by random draw on Monday, August 27, 2012 at noon and contacted directly via email. Those who have already purchased a ticket will be automatically entered. If you have purchased a ticket and CONTINUE READING >
Yesterday at The 2012 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards at The Mayor’s Arts Awards Lunch, conductor, pianist, composer, producer, and arranger, Lydia Adams, accepted the Roy Thomson Hall Award of Recognition. Dr. Adams received a $10,000 cash prize, her name on the base of the Dora de Pedery Hunt sculpture (located in the lobby of Roy Thomson Hall) and seat endowment in her name.
I would like to thank Honens International Piano Competition for the most intensive, sensible and accurate support I could ever have over the last couple of years. Being a Honens winner, I received the whole package of different engagements, projects and interesting collaborations. This kind of support gave me real source for development, for creative growing, for finding myself, my artistic and human personality.
With Honens I got another beautiful possibility that I appreciate a lot – the possibility of traveling, exploring new places, new people and new cultures. For example, just a few months after Honens 2009 I took part in quite an intensive 10 city tour in Germany: I performed almost every day and always in new places, new cities and it was a very interesting and cognitive experience. Considering the fact that now I live in Berlin I would say that this concert tour helped me, not only in a way of studying how the musical world works generally but also CONTINUE READING >
This week Massey Hall was in the headlines with the exciting news of the revitalization of the Theatre Block, the block on Yonge Street, north of Queen that includes Massey Hall and the Elgin Winter Garden Theatre. Toronto developer MOD Developments Inc.announced on Monday the purchase of 197-201 Yonge Street, a 20,000 square foot parcel of land that includes the historically designated CIBC bank building. The land, which has been owned by Parasuco Jeans of Montreal since the early nineties, extends to Victoria Street and MOD Developments will be generously donating to Massey Hall the portion directly south of Massey, from the backstage area to the back of the Elgin Winter Garden Theatre.
What this gift of additional land permits us to do is now expand Massey Hall, a project we have been working on for years. Numerous studies have been done: planning, architectural, heritage, mechanical — all with the objective of improving operational efficiencies, patron and artists amenities. But until now we were unable to proceed due to the limitations of our existing property.
The “Grand Old Lady of Shuter Street” was built in 1894, a time when the current day’s uses could not have been foreseen. The concert hall, which hosts over 100 public events each year in its 2,753 seat auditorium, has been renovated on several occasions throughout its history. Extensive alterations last took place in 1933 reducing the number of seats from 3500 to 2,753. In 1948, several operational renovations were undertaken rebuilding the stage and adding an annex to the backstage. In the last 60 years, there have been no significant architectural improvements.
With the addition of property behind the Hall, we are now looking forward to addressing the modern day needs of Massey Hall, while protecting the Hall’s concert intimacy so beloved by artists and patrons. We will be sharing news with you about the project as our planning unfolds. Stay tuned!
Heather Clark is Director of Marketing and Development at Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall
Soundboard is the official community of musicians, music fans, and friends of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, Canada. It’s your behind-the-scenes source for related music news, recommendations, and rewards.
