Coming up at Koerner are a host of exciting concerts, beginning with Chineke! Orchestra on March 18. Founded in 2015 by British double bass player Chi-chi Nwanoku, Chineke!’s mission statement is “to provide career opportunities for Black and ethnically diverse classical musicians in the UK and Europe”. Their upcoming concert, with special guest pianist Stewart Goodyear, promises a showcase of diverse talent both on stage and in the musical scores. The March 18th program includes African-American composer Florence Price’s Symphony No. 1 in E minor (1932), Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Othello Suite (1909), and Toronto-born Goodyear’s Callaloo – Caribbean Suite for Piano and Orchestra. Conductor Andrew Grams, music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, will take the baton.

Following the Chineke! concert, Koerner will host a string of chamber music and solo performances, of the type which have earned the Hall a reputation as a welcoming space for smaller, ensemble work.

Highlights of the chamber series include:

March 23, at 8pm, the Takács Quartet with pianist Jeremy Denk will perform a program of Haydn, Fanny Mendelssohn, and Robert Schumann.

March 31, at 8pm, the Benedetti Elschenbroich Grynyuk Trio will perform two “monumental” trios from Schubert and Tchaikovsky.

April 18, at 8pm, Italian pianist Beatrice Rana brings her “poetic” (New York Times) talents to a hot-ticket recital of Bach, Debussy, and Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” sonata.

April 21, at 8pm, award-winning musicians Blake Pouliot (violin) and Henry Kramer (piano) will partner up on an eclectic selection featuring Miklós Rózsa, Kaija Saariaho, Ernest Chausson, and others, including a Canadian premiere.

Finally, we can’t resist the sheer novelty of Koerner’s Tribute to Jacques Brel, from the same minds which brought us Piaf! The Show and Formidable! Charles Aznavour. Have your pipes and Belgian witbiers ready.

***
For more on the RCM season and tickets to Koerner Hall performances, click here.

The post Royal Conservatory of Music Spring 2023 Season Features Chamber Favourites and Belgian Pop Icons appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Jazz remains an ever-present draw at the RCM, with acclaimed performers like Ravi Coltrane, Kellylee Evans, and many more all dropping by Koerner Hall this year. Notable upcoming performances include “diva of divas” Meow Meow (November 4, 8:00 pm) and Thelonious Monk International Jazz-award winner Jazzmeia Horn (November 5, 8:00 pm). Tickets for the jazz series can be found here.

Classical remains the RCM’s bread-and-butter, of course. The Royal Conservatory Orchestra is widely recognized as one of the best student orchestras in North America, giving undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to work with a diverse array of conductors. RCO concerts this year include Tania Miller conducting Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 (November 25, 8:00 pm) and Canada’s own Earl Lee with Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 (February 10, 8:00 pm). The RCO concert series can be found here.

There’s a lot more to get excited about in the classical sphere this year, including appearances from Grammy-winning pianist Daniil Trifonov (December 2, 8:00 pm), the brilliant cellist Alisa Weilerstein (January 28, 7:00 pm), and the world-renowned Takács Quartet with guest pianist Jeremy Denk, in a programme that includes Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E flat Major (March 23, 8:00 pm). Having taken in the fantastic Emerson String Quartet “Farewell” concert earlier this month, we’re happy to see that smaller-scale chamber music remains a central feature of the RCM season. Probably the most exciting event on our radar is the hotly-anticipated appearance of Bach Collegium Japan (February 5, 3:00 pm), making a rare Canadian appearance under the baton of founder and artistic director Masaaki Suzuki. Classical concerts are all listed here.

Looking ahead, the annual 21C Music Festival takes over Koerner Hall and other venues this winter for performances of new music with performers including pianist Stewart Goodyear, flautist Susan Hoeppner, and the Grammy- and Polaris-winning Kronos Quartet (series runs December 6, 2022 through January 29, 2023). You can find out more about 21C here.

Speaking of Koerner, the beloved concert hall, which opened in 2009, continues to wow Toronto concertgoers with its award-winning acoustics and beautiful all-wood aesthetic. For newbies and veterans alike, it’s worth taking in an RCM concert just for the “Koerner experience”. With dozens of options from the classical, roots, world, jazz worlds available, you’re sure to find something you’ll love.

*

Tickets for the Royal Conservatory of Music’s 2022-2023 season can be purchased here.

The post Royal Conservatory of Music Season Preview: 2022-2023 Showcase For the Best, Brightest, and Up and Coming appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

This week, May 11th, features a jazz/classical crossover, with the Marcus Roberts band performing improvisations on well-known works from Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata through Bernstein’s West Side Story, itself one of the most famous jazz-infused classical compositions. Roberts is a former bandmate of crossover artist Wynton Marsalis, and the show is sure to be a delight. Other upcoming jazz showcases include the May 14th performance of Brazilian jazz legend Ivan Lins, teaming up with Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista and Toronto guitarist Kevin Breit for an evening of “weird, funny” jazz.

Koerner will also be hosting some of the biggest classical events of this late season, beginning, on May 15th, with a recital from noted mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter. The Grammy-winning singer has graced the world’s most important stages, from the Metropolitan Opera House to Covent Garden to L’Opéra National de Paris. Her Koerner Hall performance promises to be a more intimate affair, with a program of lieder (songs) from composers including Mozart, Schubert, and Swedish song master Lindblad.

May 24th sees one of the most famous names in the classical world arriving at Koerner, with Joshua Bell joined by long-time accompanist Peter Dugan for a violin recital featuring Ravel, Schubert, Beethoven, and more. Bell is one of the preeminent string musicians in the world, second only, perhaps, to Yo-Yo Ma in terms of popular appeal. The performance of Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 7 will be worth the price of admission alone.

Other events this summer season include a joint performance (May 13th) from L.A.-based Las Cafeteras and Canada’s own Patricia Cano. Las Cafateras will be showcasing their unique blend of contemporary jazz and hip hop, with singer-songwriter Cano performing selections from her singer-songwriter repertoire.

June and August feature two of the more unusual or atypical RCM performances. The Maple Blues Awards (June 20th) will celebrate everything in Canadian blues with an all-star showcase hosted by Angelique Francis. In August, Gould’s Wall (August 4-12) is a brand-new opera which reimagines the life of the famed pianist while also promising – yes, you read this right – “adventurous singers performing suspended from The Royal Conservatory’s atrium.” This world premiere, from composer Brian Current and librettist Liza Balkan, is sure to be the talk of the 21C Music Festival in August.

***

For tickets to the RCM Summer Season, see below:

Marcus Roberts with the Modern Jazz Generation (Music Mix): Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 8pm; Koerner Hall; $45-$95

Las Cafeteras and Patricia Cano (World Music): Friday, May 13, 2022 at 8pm; Koerner Hall; $40-$85

Ivan Lins Quintet and Supergenerous featuring Cyro Baptista and Kevin Breit (Jazz From Around the World): Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 8pm; Koerner Hall; $50-$100

Anne Sofie von Otter with Christoph Berner (Power Corporation of Canada Vocal Concerts): Sunday, May 15, 2022 at 3pm; Koerner Hall; $45-$100

Joshua Bell with Peter Dugan (String Concerts): Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 8pm; Koerner Hall; $65-$135

Maple Blues Awards (Music Mix): Monday, June 20, 2022 at 7pm; Koerner Hall; $35-$80

Gould’s Wall (21C Music Festival): August 4, 5, 9, 10, and 12, 2022 at 8pm; Atrium; $21-$85

The post Royal Conservatory of Music Summer Preview 2022 appeared first on Toronto Guardian.