One thing about October in Niagara: there is no shortage of musical events to keep you indoors and occupied on those cool autumn evenings. But we also get a chance every now and again to be outdoors for a musical event, even in October. Such was the case last Friday evening as The St. Catharines & Area Arts Council held their annual James Street Night of Art in downtown St. Catharines. The event was well attended again this year, and the weather even co-operated as well! The free event is held on the street itself, between King and St. Paul Streets, which is blocked off to vehicular traffic for the event from 7 to 9 pm. Performers also use many of the stores and cafes along both sides of the street for intimate performances throughout the evening.
While I was there, the tabla duo performing at The Fine Grind Cafe was especially interesting, as was the young lady painting inside the window of Gifted Presence. There was something for everyone, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the evening. I would like to see this repeated in the spring as well, so it becomes a twice-yearly event, but only time will tell.
Tomorrow night, October 22nd, a Gala Organ Concert takes place at St. Thomas' Church on Ontario Street in downtown St. Catharines featuring the organist and choir director of Westminster Cathedral in London, England, James O'Donnell. He'll be performing music by J.S. Bach, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Mozart, Messiaen, Mendelssohn, Couperin, and Louis Vierne. It promises to be a wonderful concert, and I know there are lots of organ lovers in the city and region who will want to attend. If you want tickets, they are $ 20.00 in advance and $ 25.00 at the door; the concert begins at 7:30. Advance tickets are available at Henderson's Pharmacy in Thorold, and at the church office at 99 Ontario Street. The church is wheelchair accessible, by the way; I would suggest you get there early since there will be no assigned seating. By the way, I will be there with a good selection of cds featuring O'Donnell as organist and conductor of the Westminister Cathedral Choir, so be sure to visit my table and say hello. A Web of Fine Music is a proud supporter of the arts in St. Catharines!
Last but by no means least, the first Pops concert of the Niagara Symphony's new season gets underway this weekend at the Sean O'Sullivan Theatre of Brock University. The symphony, under the baton of guest conductor Gregory Burton, will present a tribute to Arthur Fiedler, the long-time conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Featured soloist is clarinetist Zoltan Kalman. The program will be a typical Boston Pops type of concert, with Broadway and show tunes, movie music, and of course The Stars and Stripes Forever. Oh, and let's not forget Leroy Anderson's Chicken Reel! It promises to be a fun concert, and there are two performances this weekend: Saturday night at 8 pm and Sunday afternoon at 2:30 pm. Tickets are still available through the Brock Centre for the Arts Box Office, by calling (905) 688-5550, ext. 3257. Oh, and I will be there as well, with my customary table set up in the lobby before, after and during intermission of both concerts. If you are a subscriber to the new Fine Music Newsletter from A Web of Fine Music, don't forget to email your answer to this month's trivia question to be eligible to win a pair of tickets to the Saturday evening performance. If you have not received the newsletter yet, you're welcome to subscribe by just sending your request with name and email address to music@vaxxine.com. Please title the request Newsletter Subscription Request.
That's just one week's worth of events this fall in Niagara. We'll keep you updated on all the events coming up on the Arts Calendar page on the A Web of Fine Music website, at www.finemusic.ca. And if you have an event coming up you'd like publicized, please send me the information at least two weeks in advance at music@vaxxine.com.
That's it for this week; see you Wednesday night and this weekend for some wonderful music making in Niagara!
October 21st, 2008.
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