Culture Days is one of those attention-capturing weekends that seems like a great idea for a small town, but creates an overwhelming range of options in a big city like Toronto. So it might be easy to overlook these free musical and operatic treats:
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
SATURDAY
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is hosting an open rehearsal at 10 a.m., including access via the stage entrance off the Wellington St surface parking lot. Peter Oundjian conducts violin soloist Ray Chen. Check out the details here. The event is officially full, but, if you happen to be at the stage door early enough, and have a persuasive smile, who knows …
The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir hosts one of its regular singalongs (they call them Singsation Choral Workshops) at 10:30 a.m. at their new home at 720 Bathurst St. The choral favourites on the programme include Lux Aurumque by Eric Whitacre and Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria. Associate conductor Matthew Otto leads the singing. Details here.
Atelier Grigorian‘s stalwart owner Harmik Grigorian is the lone good-old-fashioned new record store in downtown Toronto where a knowledgeable staff person, or even the proprietor himself, is available to make smart recommendations. The goods in Toronto as well as at the Oakville store are on sale. There are all sorts of concert tickets being given away over the course of the day. Best of all, there are 30-minute live performances at the 70 Yorkville Ave. store in the afternoon:
-Tafelmusik wind trio from 1 p.m.
-Talisker Players string duo from 2 p.m.
-Toronto Consort nyckelharpa player Katherine Hill at 3 p.m.
-Classical guitarist Michael Kolk at 4 p.m.
You can find more detail here.
World music organized by the Small World Music Festival gets centre stage in Dundas Square from 1 to 11 p.m.
Arraymusic has crammed its studio (at 155 Walnut Ave.) full of every conceivable percussion instrument to allow visitors to experiment in an open workshop that starts at 1 p.m. Details here.
The Canadian Music Centre at Chalmers House (on St Joseph St just west of Yonge St) offers an open rehearsal by the youthful JunctQin Trio at 2 p.m. Details here.
The Amadeus Choir has a little something in the west end, with an open rehearsal of Mozart’s Coronation Mass at stately All Saints Anglican Church (2850 Bloor St W., a 5 minute walk east from the Royal York Subway) starting at 2 p.m. They’re having a meet-and-greet that starts an hour before. Details here.
Pianist Adam Sherkin hosts a preview party for his solo concert season at the Jane Mallett Theatre, starting at 7 p.m. He promises some substantial musicmaking at 8 p.m. Check out the details here.
SUNDAY
The Canadian Opera Company is offering six, 90-minute tours of the Four Seasons Centre on the half hour between 10:30 and 1 p.m. There’s a 25-person maximum per group, and tickets will be handed out to the first people in line in the morning. Details here.
The ARC Ensemble presents a full concert programme at Koerner Hall (273 Bloor St W.) that could, in fact, be one of the finest chamber music concerts of the fall. Period. The theme is Italian, and includes operatic baritone Peter Barrett. Check out the details here.
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You’ll find the messy Culture Days website here, where you can rummage through the full spectrum of options, from learning how to make tapestry to dance classes to working with fondant icing.
John Terauds
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
