Vivian Fung was this season’s Commissioned Canadian Composer. Listen to and read more about her Horn Trio Bounce, which was performed by James Sommerville, Scott St. John, and Peter Longworth on Nov. 24. Previous WMCT commissions are listed here.
Enjoy Vivian Fung’s Horn Trio Bounce Read More »
WMCT Meets WMCW, December, 2016
By Diane Martello
Kathryn Young, Past President of the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg (WMCW) is an intelligent, articulate and astute classical music lover and volunteer with the WMCT’s sister organization in Manitoba. Recently Kathryn and I compared notes while enjoying lunch at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in downtown Winnipeg.
Founded in 1894, and with a current membership of about 90, the Winnipeg club punches well above its weight in supporting classical music. It does this In four ways:
> it produces concerts featuring emerging artists
> it provides annual scholarships for university level music students
> it manages The WMC McLellan Competition for Solo Performance with first prize both cash and a performance with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
> it coordinates and cooperates with other classical music presenters as part of Winnipeg’s “Musinet”.
Kathryn explained that the club provides a stage for young artists, “three of our four concerts are held on Sunday afternoons at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. By selling individual tickets we manage to come close to filling the 300 seat auditorium. Our fourth concert is held on a Thursday evening and showcases the five winners of our university-level scholarships.” For more information about the wonderful work of the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg, “…where tradition embraces the future” please visit the website.
“To witness such a high calibre of performance was one thing. But then to follow that with a world première of a new and challenging piece you commissioned by a composer who was also present was breathtaking. Thank you again!
Sean Howard, concert guest
Sommerville concert photos Read More »
Bounce world première – “full of suspense and mystery”.
Penelope Cookson, WMCT Artist Selection Committee member shares her views of Sommerville concert.
James Sommerville presented an outstanding concert in Walter Hall for Music in the Afternoon Nov. 24. The French horn is not often featured in recital, and this was a marvellous opportunity to hear the instrument masterfully played in an intimate setting. Sommerville was accompanied by Peter Longworth, piano, and violinist Scott St. John joined them for two of the works.
From the moment Somerville played his first notes, we knew we were in for a wonderful afternoon.
The concert opened with Villanelle by Paul Dukas, which was designed as an examination piece for the Paris Conservatory. The horn is often considered one of the hardest instruments to play, but in this first piece we were introduced to what the instrument sounds like in the hands of a master. The Villanelle was followed by three of Charles Gounod’s Six Mélodies: Larghetto, Andantino, and Andante sostenuto. Longworth and Sommerville collaborated magnificently in both these opening works.
The French horn evolved over time from the hunting horn, and has a haunting quality, often used in repertoire to suggest the hunt or to call attention in melancholic way. The third work, commissioned by the WMCT was the World Première of Bounce created by Canadian composer Vivian Fung.
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“Outstanding concert”… James Sommerville Read More »
Three recent WMCT award winners received “spectacular” praise following performances in Generation Next concert at Koerner Hall Thursday Nov. 10.
Pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin, winner of the $20,000 Career Development Award in May 2015; cellist Stéphane Tétreault, second prize winner of $10,000 in the same competition and mezzo soprano Emily D’Angelo who won the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto Centennial Scholarship in 2015-16 are praised as “exceptional young Canadians on the verge of major international careers” by Joseph So in Musical Toronto.
Award winners “spectacular” in Generation Next concert Read More »
Meet the composer: Vivian Fung will attend the world première.
Vivian Fung World Première – Nov. 24 Read More »
Issachah Savage interviewed by Joseph So
“We had a fabulous time, thank you so much for the generous gift. The kids were buzzing.”
Jeffrey Newberry, Performing Arts, Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts
Issachah Savage interview and photos Read More »
Frances Henry, president of the Toronto Wagner Society interviewed Issachah Savage at a special meeting of the group Tuesday. “It was a wonderful session. TWS members loved the warm and humble personality of Mr. Savage”, said Joseph So who attended. Many had heard Mr. Savage in the two performances of Siegmund he sang at the COC Walkure.
Toronto Wagner Society Interviews Issachah Savage Read More »
“The moment Savage started to sing, our collective jaw dropped. It was clear that this was a major voice.”
Read Joseph So’s interview with Issachah Savage.
“In the world of opera, good tenors are always in short supply. Unlike the baritone voice which is in the range of the typical male speaking voice, the tenor voice is like a high-wire act, singing up to a high C and beyond. Anytime a promising tenor emerges on the operatic firmament it is cause for celebration. In February 2015, American Issachah Savage stepped in to sing Siegmund in the Canadian Opera Company’s Die Walkure when the scheduled tenor fell ill. I had the great good fortune to be in the audience that evening. The moment Savage started to sing, our collective jaw dropped. It was clear that this was a major voice. At the final curtain, the ovation for him from the capacity audience was among the most impressive I’ve experienced in my 45 years of attending COC performances.” (Read On)
Joseph So interviews Issachah Savage Read More »
