We're fast approaching the time of year when there are almost too many concerts and theatrical events to handle, but with some careful planning you can catch a number of worthy musical events in the coming weeks, many of which will put you in the mood for the holidays.
This weekend for example, the Niagara Symphony Masterworks 2 concert takes place Sunday afternoon at 2:30 at the Sean O'Sullivan Theatre, Brock University. Now, the concert itself isn't holiday themed, per se, but the off-stage attractions certainly are. This is the annual Silent Auction event, held every year to help raise funds for the Niagara Symphony and hopefully strike a few names off your gift list. Last year I successfully bid on a couple of winery group tour events that just were not gathering many bids, so both I acquired at ridiculously low prices. But that is the magic of the event. You never know what you'll find, and what you will successfully bid on, until the end of the concert.
Along with original art, gift items, cultural events and attractions, winery tasting tours and more, there is the annual opportunity to successfully bid to conduct the Niagara Symphony and be a "Maestro for a Moment." I toyed with bidding on this last year, and this year just might. But I don't know if I would have the nerve to actually get up and conduct the orchestra, given the fact I have no prior experience doing so. Oh sure, they provide you with a lesson and a baton, but the rest is up to you and I don't know if I could withstand the jitters to be successful.
All that aside, there is also a concert to enjoy onstage tomorrow as well, leading off with the sublime Symphony No. 35 by Mozart, the one known as "Haffner." The concert ends with Mendelssohn's wonderfully evocative Symphony No. 4 in A Major, known of course as the "Italian." In between is the Canadian premiere of "Shadows" by Pulitzer-Prize-winning composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, a globally-commissioned piano concerto featuring the pianist who performed the world premiere of the concerto recently, Jeffrey Biegel. Jeffrey gained some sort of notoriety in recent years for recording for Naxos the Piano Concerto by Leroy Anderson, performed by the Niagara Symphony just last season. I have the concerto in my personal library, and the Naxos recording is readily available through my website at any time, by going to www.finemusic.ca and sending a request on the supplied order form.
Tickets should still be available for the concert either through the box office in advance or at the door. In advance, call the box office at 905-688-5550, ext. 3257. Normally I would be set up in the lobby with lots of music for you to purchase from A Web of Fine Music, but with the Silent Auction taking up so much space in the lobby before the concert and at intermission, I will simply be there as a listener and prospective bidder, so I will hopefully see you there!
Also on this weekend in the Hamilton area is the critically-acclaimed John Laing Singers, who perform a concert Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon titled ""Sumptuous, Satisfying, Sublime and Simple." The Saturday concert is all but done as I write this, of course, but if you are in the Hamilton-Burlington area tomorrow afternoon you can catch the performance at 3:30 at St. Matthew-on-the-Plains Anglican Church on Plains Road in Burlington. I have never been inside the church but have had an opportunity to see it from the outside and it looks impressive.
The concert will feature Christmas music from a wide diversity of sources, from Bach to Poulenc, Vaughan Williams and Sandstrom, as well as carol settings from Poland and Peru. Guest artists joining the John Laing Singers will be soprano Charlene Pauls and organist Paul Grimwood. This is the first Christmas concert designed by their new artistic director, Dr. Roger Bergs, who takes over from the retiring John Laing himself.
Tickets are available in advance by calling 905-628-5238 or going online to www.johnlaingsingers.com, or picking them up at the door prior to the concert.
Incidentally, the John Laing Singers have a wonderful Christmas disc out titled "Merrily Sing We" that I love to listen to throughout the holiday season. I have copies available through A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca) or email me directly at music@vaxxine.com.
Enjoy the weekend!
November 26th, 2011.
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