Toronto is such a fantastic city to grow into your own as an artist and the Glenn Gould Studio for me has always represented this feeling I have about Toronto – that it is a gracious host to a vast and complex community of artists. For a venue to do this it must be adaptable, there must be wisdom in the architecture and most importantly the room must be warm. There’s an electric quality to the energy around this show for us – the knowledge that we’ll be on stage in front of our largest Toronto audience yet – housed within the CBC building which only seems fitting – it’s a great pleasure to look forward to.
Watch Alejandra perform “Cielito lindo” at Belle et Bum
PERFORMANCES
Brian Skerry, Ocean Soul: Photographing the Underwater World for National Geographic (Tonight-Tuesday): National Geographic Live returns to Roy Thomson Hall for the second in this series of four speaker events. Canadian photographer Brian Skerry, has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater learning and photo-documenting this mysterious world. Like the last presentation at Roy Thomson Hall from National Geographic (by photographer and filmmaker, Mattias Klum), the evening features prepared remarks and a showcase of the speaker’s work as well a Question and Answer session. Just last month, Boston Magazine had the opportunity to ask some questions and get some answers in this interview – check it out.
Bon Iver (Tonight-Tuesday & Wednesday): Bon Iver, who was just nominated for no less than four Grammy Awards (see Accolades, below) returns to town this week with two shows at Massey Hall. Lianne La Havas also performs on these nights – if you’re one of those do your homework in advance types, check out her website for a snapshot of her lovely music. We’re very much looking forward to a proper introduction (i.e. from the stage of Massey Hall) tonight and tomorrow.
Tori Amos (Thursday): Tori Amos performs at Massey Hall this week and we’re excited to see and hear what she’s been up to with her latest recording, Night of Hunters. You can read all about the project, a bit of a departure from the pop world and into the classical, in this weekend’s Globe and Mail. Rolling Stone has a CONTINUE READING >
In anticipation of our 2010|11 Season at Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, we created a video (with the help of Stephen Chung of Still Moving Images and Brent Kitagawa) as an introduction to the year ahead at our Halls. We hope you enjoy and please feel free to share it!
Bruce Cockburn with Music Director Colin Linden (on guitar), rehearsing for Canadian Songbook
PERFORMANCES
The Canadian Songbook: 40 Years of Bruce Cockburn (Wednesday): Can we just talk about how awesome the line-up is for this event? Not only will Bruce Cockburn himself perform, we’ll also hear from Amelia Curran, Barenaked Ladies, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Buck 65, Hawksley Workman, Jason Fowler, Michael Occhipinti, Sylvia Tyson, and The Wailin’ Jennys. Oh, and as if that wasn’t enough, Jian Ghomeshi hosts. Check out this article from the Toronto Star to get the inside scoop on how Cockburn feels about the fete.
TSO Goes Late Night (Saturday): This week, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performs Beethoven Symphony No. 9 and to mix it up, they are featuring one very special late night performance of the symphony on Saturday starting at 11pm. PLUS: stick around after the concert for a fantastic party in the Lobby!
When listeners ask about my next gig in TO and I mention the Glenn Gould Studio, the response is one of reverence for the hall’s fine acoustics, as well as its intimacy. This is something I truly look forward to, as I sit here contemplating the set list for the show on May 1. I have always felt that the venue plays an important part in the overall mood of a concert. Never having performed or attended a concert at the Glenn Gould studio, I have tried to visualize the performance space based on listener accounts and then pick my songs for the night accordingly.
It has been awhile since I played in a venue that was built with music in mind. Given the intimate nature of the space, audience members can expect to hear songs that include subtle nuances that otherwise might get overlooked in a venue with lesser acoustics. The soiree on May 1 will include the very fine accompaniment of Don Thompson and Reg Schwager – two musicians of the highest calibre that thrive on subtlety of expression. Don likes to select his chords based on the emotional quality of a song. In his capable hands, a sad song can be transformed into a devastating lament. Reg is the backbone of the trio – his accompaniment is a combination of melody and rhythm. With the utmost restraint, he nonetheless makes our trio sound like a whole orchestra. Listeners tell me this is the perfect setting for this trio and I look forward to a special performance here.
There are many hundreds of languages spoken throughout the world, and of all those hundreds, none has the ability to break down barriers and communicate like the language of music. One does not need words in order to share the experience of music with others. Music is indeed a universal language. Many parents from all cultures are anxious that their children have at least some music education in their background. They understand that music enhances learning and also helps children increase self–esteem and confidence.
These days are all seeming like a blur. People and places whizzing past as I jet around this crazy world of ours. And it’s a beautiful thing. I’m finding myself a bit out of whack today. It doesn’t seem real, but the weather in Austin is amazing. This is the best of a Prince Edward Island summer, but I’m in Texas and it’s March. My body hasn’t quite adjusted yet to the change, and the buzz of all the music and crowds around me keeps me in a bit of a daze. I’ve been very fortunate lately, winning a bunch of awards (Canadian Folk Music Award for Solo Performer of the Year, East Coast Music Awards for Folk Recording and Female Performer…), being on stage with some of my heroes (Gordon Lightfoot, Gord Downie…) and also finding time to create, write, and be a mom. CONTINUE READING >
It’s just over a week since we got back from Japan – what a fantastic trip. It was our third time over there, and I have to say: we never actually get to see much of Tokyo given how busy the schedule is, but… we did manage to eat the freshest sashimi ever (over 7 courses in total), paired with a beautiful vintage Sake from a rice field 400 km north of Tokyo (yes, I’m a foodie). But back to the shows – we played 6 sold-out nights at the Cotton Club, joined by DJ Shacho of Soil and Pimp Sessions who spun some fantastic Soul-Jazz vinyl from the 60s and 70s to feed our ears in between sets. We did a live in-studio session and interview with the lovely and charming Andy – host of J-Wave’s International Music Show, Modaista (J-Wave is Japan’s national radio station). J-Wave has always been good to us, and this time was no exception; J-Wave listeners voted my first single, Seven Bucks, onto the “Tokyo Hot 100″ pop chart. Last time I checked it had climbed up to #38 and was in the company of some pretty big names. CONTINUE READING >
Backstage at The Today Show with Jo Lawry, Lisa Fischer and Liali BIali, Sting Promo Tour in 2009
After two years of intermittently touring with New York based artists Paula Cole and Suzanne Vega, I figured an official move to NYC was imminent. In 2008, I was issued a study grant by the Canada Council for the Arts that finally brought me here, leading to what I now like to call my own “Tale of Two Cities” – Toronto and NYC.
After about a year of toughing it out in the Big City, I figured it might be time to resume full-time life and work back in Toronto. Then Sting called. Well, okay, it wasn’t actually Sting who called, it was one of his singers, Lisa Fischer, and later his producer, Robert Sadin. With a day’s notice, I was asked to show up at the famous midtown Clinton Studios, (where Ol’ Blue Eyes (Sinatra) once recorded many moons ago), to audition for a spot on Sting’s next DVD release, “A Winter’s Night: Live from Durham Cathedral.” After a few sessions with various other hopeful crooners, I got the email:
The first line read, “Sting would like to invite you to participate…” I didn’t even finish reading the first line before literally leaping off my stool and dancing around my tiny Brooklyn apartment, screaming with delight and near hysteria. Clichés aside, this was a dream come true.
Here at the Halls we pride ourselves on having an ear for talent. Now that we have started presenting shows at the Glenn Gould Studio (capacity: approximately 300) as well as our larger venues, we are able to introduce even more up and coming Canadian and international artists to Toronto audiences, nurturing them earlier in their careers. We love to be the ones bringing you your next favourite artist; here are some that we think will make it big in 2010:
Royal Wood 2009 brought the self-taught multi-instrumentalist to a huge number of venues across Canada with his unique breed of melodic pop. This spring he’ll be coming to the Glenn Gould Studio, and follow it up with a jaunt to Europe to promote his newest release, the acclaimed Lost and Found EP. Be sure to check him out in an intimate setting while you can!
Brooklyn Rider This Brooklyn-based, genre-defying string quartet is creating quite a stir. With members who perform as part of Yo-Yo Ma’s CONTINUE READING >
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.
