John Mayo, left, with son Christopher at Music in the Afternoon première.
Composer Christopher Mayo, whose WMCT commission Twentieth Century Ikon premièred at Music in theAfternoon last May, has made the leap from Hip Hop to Classical. His classical arrangement of Hip Hop superstar Drake’s Know Yourself was performed by members of the TSO at the 2015 Polaris Music Awards Gala in Toronto September 21.
Christopher Mayo’s WMCT commission was premièred by Ensemble Made in Canada, on May 7, 2015. His father John Mayo has for many years written the notes for Music in the Afternoon programs.
Longtime WMCT member and fixture in the Canadian classical music community George Brough died in Toronto, September 15. He was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England, February 25, 1918, and became pianist, organist, harpsichordist, and opera coach. Music was the heart of his life and he and his friend and companion of 43 years, Simone Desilets have been part of the WMCT community for many years.
Canadian composer Zosha Di Castri was pretty busy with commissions – including one for the WMCT – when she was called by the National Arts Centre and offered another.
“But the fact that the result would be Dear Life, the most ambitious commissioned work undertaken by the National Arts Centre Orchestra, was too good to pass up.Di Castri’s 25-minute-long score will have pride of place in the first concert led by AlexanderShelley as NACO’s seventh music director. The piece is based on a short story by Alice Munro.“
The world première of Ms Di Castri’s WMCT commission will be performed at Music in theAfternoon by Dannthology, Steven Dann, viola, and friends and family on April 7, 2016.
2015 Career Development Award laureates Charles Richard Hamelin and Stéphane Tétreault are the featured performers in a video produced by icimusique.ca celebrating the 80th birthday of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.
Russian Pianist Pavel Kolesnikov, who plays Music in the Afternoon on May 5, 2016, is featured in a Globe and Mail story on the Honens Piano Competition which he won in 2012.
“It completely changed my life,” Kolesnikov says of winning the world’s largest piano prize: $100,000 plus a career-development program worth $500,000, awarded every three years to a twentysomething emerging artist.
It was my first time assisting with the “Green Room”, behind the scenes with the performers at a WMCT Music in the Afternoon concert. Evelyn O’Doherty, with years of experience, was in charge, and described the routine. The Pavel Haas Quartet would arrive at the Edward Johnson Building around 10, and have a couple of hours to rehearse in Walter Hall before the Tuning Your Mind lecture.
Pavel Haas Quartet
We waited in the lobby, scanning every entrant with a string instrument and a professional air. No appropriate group had arrived by 10:15, or even 10:30, and by 10:45, anxiety kicked in. A flurry of phone calls, from us to the WMCT office, from the office to Simon Fryer, our Artistic Director, in Regina, between the Czech quartet and Simon, and finally back to us, pinpointed their location – at Hart House!
After a dead run down Philosopher’s Walk, through the side door, and up to the Hart House desk, I breathlessly announced I was looking for a string quartet, actually four people carrying instruments. No help there, but flying out the House front doors, I spotted them, heading tentatively towards Queen’s Park Crescent. They were on the right track then, so we all hustled up to the Faculty of Music entrance, and down the elevator to the Walter Hall lobby. I pointed out the portrait of Arnold Walter, a compatriot of theirs: they had other things on their minds. Evelyn unlocked the Green Room door for them, they had a little time to familiarize themselves with the hall, and their brilliant performance revealed nothing of the earlier little drama.
Protocols for communication between performers and the WMCT volunteers meeting them at Walter
Hall have since been revised.
Behind the scenes stories of “interesting moments” on concert day.
As back stage volunteers we arrive early at Walter Hall. A key for the performers’ lounge, known as the “Green Room” is picked up at Reception and we await the arrival of our artists. Usually they appear a little before 10 a.m.
“We are so thrilled to have you here to perform for the WMCT! How was your flight? Do you need help with parking? The page turner will be arriving at 11:30. Would you like a coffee? Can we pick up a sandwich for you at lunch? We’ll take you to Walter Hall.”
While the musicians rehearse we unlock the Green Room then set out water bottles and snacks before gingerly stepping on stage to hand over the key.
Usually things go very smoothly. Sometimes there are surprises!
U ofT Music staff and students saved the day for trumpeter Jens Lindemann’s concert. He was to perform with a jazz trio. Of course we all know that pianists do not arrive with their own instrument, but did you know that jazz drummers don’t either? We sure didn’t! They bring their sticks and cymbals only. When not in use the Faculty of Music’s very best jazz drum kit is kept chained to the wall inside a locked room. Only two people have both keys! Fortunately the drums were available that day! Doors and padlocks were unlocked, student movers were engaged and the show went on to multiple standing ovations.
To great acclaim, Paul Lewis made his Toronto debut in Music in the Afternoon’s 115th season on Oct. 18, 2012. This summer, he’ll play Stratford Summer Music on July 29 at 2 pm in St. Andrew’s Church, in Stratford.
Measha Brueggergosman has history with the WMCT. She’s both an award winner and performer. In 1995 she received the Joan B. Wilch Award in Voice and she performed in concerts in Walter Hall in 2000 and again in 2004.
In this beautiful YouTube video she and fellow east-coaster David Myles sing “Whole to My Half” celebrating babies, life, friendship and great hair.
