Jens Lindemann

WMCT Artists Get JUNO Nominations

JUNO Awards / / , , ,

WMCT Performers Nominated for 2016 Juno Awards
The nominees for the 2016 Juno Awards have been announced, and, once again, the lists are packed with artists who have performed for Music in the Afternoon. In the category of Instrumental Album of the Year, two of the five nominees are WMCT alumni.

Jens Lindemann and Tommy Banks are nominated for “Legacy Live” – Jens played for Music in the Afternoon March 12, 2015. Also nominated is the Afiara Quartet, with Skratch Bastid, for the album “Spin Cycle” – the Afiara Quartet along with Caroline Léonardelli opened the 118th season last October.
Three of the five nominees for Classical Album of the Year have played for the WMCT. Frequent performer and WMCT Career Development Award Winner (1991) James Ehnes is nominated for his album “Franck & Strauss: Violin Sonatas”. James has performed for the WMCT four times – on November 19, 1992; at the Centennial Celebration Concert on May 24, 1998; on December 6, 2007; and at the 115th Anniversary performance at Koerner Hall on May 2, 2013.

Nominated for a recording of “Liszt: Piano Sonatas & Sonnets” is Angela Hewitt who appeared on the WMCT stage first on December 5, 1985, and again at the WMCT Centennial Celebration Concert on May 24, 1998. Also nominated in this category is the Cecilia String Quartet, for their album “Mendelssohn, Op. 44, Nos. 1 & 2”. That group played for the WMCT on March 29, 2012, after winning the Banff International String Quartet Competition.

Carolyn Maule, Russell Braun, James Ehnes 115th Anniversary Concert
Carolyn Maule, Russell Braun, James Ehnes
115th Anniversary Concert

In the category of Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble, two of the five nominees have played for the WMCT. James Ehnes is nominated for the album “Vivaldi: Four Seasons” which he recorded with the Sydney Symphony. In addition, Stewart Goodyear is nominated for the album “Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 2 & 3” which he recorded with the Czech National Symphony. Stewart appeared on the WMCT stage with James Ehnes on December 6, 2007.

Finally, in the category of Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral Performance, Suzie Leblanc is among the performers on the nominated album “Peter-Anthony Togni: Responsio” recorded with Jeff Reilly, Andrea Ludwig, Charles Daniels and John Potter. Suzie sang for Music in the Afternoon on November 21, 2013 with Les Voix Humaines consort of viols.
You can listen to their award-winning albums – but you can hear them live, first, on the WMCT stage – still, chamber music at its finest.

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Back Stage Basics – “What drums?”

118th Season, Stories / /

 Back Stage Basics – “What drums?”

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.

Diane Martello

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Jens Lindemann Triumph

117th Season, Outreach / / , ,

Jens Lindemann Triumph

Jens Lindemann Makes History at the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto
Read Review in Musical Toronto

jenslindemann_sPresident Annette Sanger discusses
the Jens Lindemann concert

Although I am President of the WMCT, I assure you that the following is written from the bottom of my heart and not simply to promote the WMCT. I feel strongly that we should have a record of this unusual and quite marvellous concert in the 117th season of Music in the Afternoon.

In all honesty, I hadn’t really known exactly what to expect, though Simon Fryer, our superb Artistic Director, assured us that it would be a wonderful event, if a little different from the usual WMCT concert fare. However, with a concert not just on trumpet but accompanied by drum set and even electric guitar, we certainly seemed to be testing the waters, to put it mildly. Moreover, when I learned of the musical program I didn’t see a lot of tried-and-true “classical” composers in the mix – other than two very short pieces by J.S. Bach and Debussy.

It turned out to be absolutely mesmerizing from start to finish! Not only a brilliant musician, Jens is a consummate performer who draws in his audience from the moment he walks onto the stage. He was warm and very funny in his introductions (for example, noting that this was the first time in 117 years a drum set had graced the WMCT concert stage). His pacing and timing – in music and speech – was just perfect, not to mention his landing into the splits on the climactic last note of the piece before intermission, Suite Hellenique by Pedro Iturralde, with Jens arrangements.

In fact, this concert was full of surprises: his initial entry from the back of the hall as he played La fille aux cheveux de lin; positioning the Earl Haig Secondary School students around the hall as additional “sound” with long, brightly coloured whirly tubes in Gilliland’s piece; and the very touching final piece Prayer by Kristian Alexandrov that segued into Louis Armstrong’s signature song What a Wonderful World, which I know brought tears to the eyes of a few WMCT members.

Most importantly, this concert was a resounding success for its superb musicianship and delightful choice of repertoire. Jens’s collaborators were first class, and all worked together as a tightly-knit team smoothly transitioning in and out of composed and improvised musical zones. In particular, I was impressed by the young (41 seems young to me!) pianist/composer/percussionist Kristian Alexandrov who was featured in nearly every piece.

All in all it was a musically joyous occasion led by the stunning musicianship and personality of Jens Lindemann. The title of the concert, Brassfire, was certainly no exaggeration!

Annette Sanger, WMCT President

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