There is no doubt that more than ever, we have reason to voice support of the arts in Canada. It’s inspiring to see so many come together to share their appreciation and love of the arts in Toronto and we are fortunate to have so many opportunities to do so. We’re a city heaping with talent and creativity and collaboration and we’re honoured to be a home to some of what Toronto offers, as host and as a gathering place for people to share, discover, and enjoy cultural events.
Culture Days, now in its 2nd year, is a national initiative featuring numerous free, interactive activities that bring the public “behind the scenes,” to discover the world of artists and creators (+ more), at work in our community.
Tomorrow (Saturday), we are thrilled to co-host, along with the great Toronto Symphony Orchestra, a unique opportunity for the whole family to come to Roy Thomson Hall, curl up under the glow of our lobby windows and hear from the TSO’s Woodwind Quintet as they introduce the sounds and individual instruments of the woodwind family and perform music by some of the most beloved classical composers in this intimate setting.
To paraphrase the words of musical ambassador Bobby McFerrin, music is an international language that allows us all to speak and understand each other. Culture Days is a way for all Canadians to experience and participate in cultural activities together and we are thrilled to be a part of it.
Happy Tuesday everyone! We thought we’d share this song from Doug Paisley, featuring Feist, right off the top of the Buzz this week. Lucky for us, Doug Paisley plays the Rivoli on Saturday, June 4 – we’re pretty excited about it. If you like what you hear, more info about the show is available here on the Massey Hall event page or on Facebook, here.
AUDIO FILE
From the bureau of musicology – NPR Music recently reported that the Library of Congress has launched a “National Jukebox.” The project about which “makes historical sound recordings available to the public free of charge” (via streaming) contains over 10,000 files for your listening pleasure. Also very cool: The interactive Victrola Book of the Opera which seems to be a 436-page Coles’ Notes on a variety of operas (spoiler alert!) with links to pertinent audio files in the Jukebox proper.
An Evening With Anthony Bourdain (Wednesday): No-nonsense Bourdain comes to Massey Hall this week in support of his latest book, Medium Raw, descriptively subtitled “A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook.” NOW Magazine recently interviewed the man himself – you can check out the chef-author’s wise responses here and here. VIP tickets are available which include not only premiere seating but an exclusive meet and greet session and lots of other good stuff. Check out the event page for all the details. Still deciding? Here are the Top 10 signs that you’re a Bourdain fanatic.
Lang Lang (Monday): Toronto favourite, Lang Lang, returns to Roy Thomson Hall for a performance with the Toronto Symphony Orchestraas they kick off their new season. Lang Lang in performance is quite something to witness – his love of music and performing shines through with complete clarity. Plus, he’s perfectly charming at all times – even when (or perhaps especially when) he performs his encore on an iPad.
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!
On the surface, the two shows presented in our halls this Saturday couldn’t seem more opposite. At Massey Hall, Classic Albums Live perform Pink Floyd’s The Wall and at Roy Thomson Hall, TSO continue their week-long festival, a tribute to iconic composer Jean Sibelius. Perhaps the two have more in common than one might think.
A fiercely poetic and passionate composer, Jean Sibelius (1865 – 1957) has been described as a monumental figure in shaping the Finnish national identity. Revered for works such as Finlandia, his artistic output, which famously includes seven symphonies, were virtually all composed prior to 1926. A composer during the tale end of the Romantic Movement, his compositions echoed the natural beauty, fragility and allure of his homeland. Often describing the sounds of his music by the sights and smells of the seasons, his was a dark and meticulous effort, which to this day remains as important to the culture of the Finnish people as it does to the treasured works of the genre. CONTINUE READING >
PERFORMANCES
Royal Wood (Thursday and next Saturday): What better way to start the long weekend and the month of April than with the delightful sounds of folkster Royal Wood, who performs at Glenn Gould Studio this Thursday, April 1. If you can’t make it this week, not to worry: Royal Wood plays a second show at the Gould on Saturday, April 10. A week and a half ago, we posted a blog entry written by Royal Wood where he concluded “Life is indeed what we make it.” Carpe diem friends: make yours a life filled with music. CONTINUE READING >
In the lower level of Massey Hall you’ll find ‘Centuries,’ a fully-stocked bar you can visit pre-show and at intermission of most performances. The room is filled with artefacts illustrating the admirable history of Massey Hall, perhaps most notably the “Decade Panels” that line the entrance corridor to ‘Centuries.’ Starting with 1894-1904, a panel is present for each decade since Massey Hall opened. The panels feature news articles, photographs, programmes and other paraphernalia that aim to give a slice of life at Massey Hall from that period in history. In this column, we look at each decade and highlight some of the items included in these panels. Of course, for a more in-depth look, next time you’re at Massey for a show, head on over to ‘Centuries’ and check them out. This week, we take a look at 1954 – 1963, the seventh in a series of eleven tributes to Massey Hall’s glorious history.
Massey Hall 1954 – 1963
It would appear, from this decade panel, that there was quite a variety of musical genres to choose from at Massey Hall during the late 50s and early 60s. Classical music still had its home at Massey Hall: The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir continued to perform here as did the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, for whom a free Sunday concert is advertised with guests The Buffalo Bills Barbershop Quartet.
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Roy Thomson Hall
A fiercely poetic and passionate composer, 
In the lower level of Massey Hall you’ll find ‘Centuries,’ a fully-stocked bar you can visit pre-show and at intermission of most performances. The room is filled with artefacts illustrating the admirable history of Massey Hall, perhaps most notably the “Decade Panels” that line the entrance corridor to ‘Centuries.’ Starting with 1894-1904, a panel is present for each decade since Massey Hall opened. The panels feature news articles, photographs, programmes and other paraphernalia that aim to give a slice of life at Massey Hall from that period in history. In this column, we look at each decade and highlight some of the items included in these panels. Of course, for a more in-depth look, next time you’re at Massey for a show, head on over to ‘Centuries’ and check them out. This week, we take a look at 1954 – 1963, the seventh in a series of eleven tributes to Massey Hall’s glorious history.
