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Al Jarreau

Industry News: April 2017

By Olivier Gentil on 1 April 2017 Arts Industry, Classical Music, La Scena Spotlight

Concert halls La Seine Musicale, a new concert hall located in Boulogne-Billancourt, west of Paris, will be inaugurated from the 18th to the 21st of April. Designed by Japanese architect Shrigeru Ban and Frenchman Jean de Gastines, this 170 million euro auditorium has a concert hall dedicated to classical music that can accommodate 1,150 people, as well as a large concert hall space called the “Grande Seine”, which is modular and can accommodate up to 6,000 people for shows of all kinds. For the event, none other than Bob Dylan will be present for a concert on April 21. The…

Two Fallen Musicians Marking 2016: Classical Music Lives On!

By Pierre Chénier on 1 February 2017 Classical Music, La Scena Spotlight

Two key figures in the music world departed within the space of two months in 2016: Pierre Boulez passed away on January 5, and Nikolaus Harnoncourt on March 5. Both were universally known as two of the greatest conductors of the past 50 years. Their work was far from restricted to conducting, though. Boulez began his career as a composer; he also founded many music institutions and was an outspoken advocate of contemporary music. Harnoncourt went back to the roots of period instruments, especially in Baroque music performance. In addition, he wrote several books about music. Both musicians became conductors…

Glenn Gould: The Russian Journey

By Robert Kilborn on 1 February 2017 La Scena Spotlight, Piano

A pianist from Canada had arrived. Simply a miracle! —Mstislav Rostropovich Not long ago, while perusing YouTube, I rediscovered Glenn Gould: The Russian Journey, an award-winning documentary about Gould’s two-week visit to the Soviet Union in 1957, where he gave eight concerts, four each in Moscow and Leningrad. Gould was the first Canadian musician, and the first pianist from North America, to appear in Russia after the Second World War. It was the zenith of the Cold War, when the state controlled every physical and mental aspect of Russian society, and imposed a blackout or coma in cultural matters. Stalin,…

Jacques Clément, Hommage Opus award-winner

By Jeanne Hourez on 1 February 2017 Arts Industry, La Scena Spotlight

Jacques Clément, former artistic director of the Orchestre symphonique du Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and former director of the Conservatoire du Saguenay, is to be honoured with the 2016 Hommage Opus award. “The aim of the Hommage award is to highlight the energy and vitality of orchestral concert music through the outstanding achievements of one person,” explains Dominic Trudel, general manager of the CQM. “We’d like to recognize a person’s entire career, although the award could also go to a remarkable event. We try to vary the message year by year. Jacques Clément has worked tirelessly for Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and is a striking example…

Elbphilharmonie, Photo: Maxim Schulz

Industry News: February 2017

By Kiersten van Vliet on 1 February 2017 Arts Industry, Classical Music, La Scena Spotlight

Industry Moves In mid-December, nine members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Board of Directors abruptly resigned from their positions, highlighting possible trouble behind the scenes. The resignations, which happened in two waves, included Chair Richard Phillips and Vice-Chair Blake Goldring, as well as Renette Berman, Diane Francis, Peter Levitt, William Morris, John Novak, William Thomas, and Sonia Baxendale. Even with the remarkable turnaround outlined in their annual 2015–16 fiscal report, which cited a surplus of over $800,000 after an alleged $4 to 6-million deficit, the orchestra has been rocked by a number of sudden changes since the controversial resignation of…

R. K. Basdeo, Photo: Kylie Rose

mySCENA.org Contest Winner

By Kiersten van Vliet on 1 December 2016 Canadian Music, Classical, La Scena Spotlight, Piano

In celebration of La Scena Musicale’s new online platform mySCENA.org and maSCENA.org, we launched an online raffle for Glenn Gould’s Complete Columbia Discography on 78 CDs. Congratulations to longtime volunteer R. K. Basdeo for winning the box set, valued at over $200! Keep your eyes peeled for other opportunities to win prizes, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or sign up for our electronic newsletter by visiting mySCENA.org!

Simone McIntosh

Wirth Vocal Prize 2016–17

By Kiersten van Vliet on 1 December 2016 Art Song, Arts Industry, La Scena Spotlight, Opera, Vocal

The second annual Wirth Vocal Prize at McGill’s Schulich School of Music culminated in an evening of superior music-making by the three finalists: bass-baritone Jean-Philippe McClish, mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh, and baritone Igor Mostovoi. Made up of past and present McGill graduates, the jury of Michael McMahon (pianist), Joan Patenaude-Yarnell (soprano), Patrick Corrigan (Director General of the Opéra de Montréal), and chair Stéphane Lemelin (pianist and head of the Department of Performance) selected McIntosh for the top prize, which includes $25,000, artistic mentorship, and several performance opportunities, including a recital with the COC. McIntosh, also the recent winner of the COC’s…

Pauline Oliveros

Industry News: December 2016

By Kiersten van Vliet on 1 December 2016 Arts Industry, Classical Music, Education, La Scena Spotlight, Popular Music, Strings, Vocal

Awards and Honours In November, the Schwarz-Bournaki Duo won first prize at the annual Boulder International Chamber Music Competition’s “Art of the Duo” in Boulder, Colorado. The competition celebrates the duo with piano, an intimate chamber genre that is often overshadowed by the string quartet and piano trio. This year, the competition received over 150 applications from 25 countries, with 22 ensembles making the semi-finals. The Schwarz-Bournaki Duo is American cellist Julian Schwarz and Canadian pianist – and native Montrealer – Marika Bournaki, who made her professional debut at age 11 with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 under Yannick Nézet-Séguin. The…

James Ehnes, Photo: Ben Ealovega

Canadians Abroad: November 2016

By Kiersten van Vliet on 1 November 2016 Canadian Music, La Scena Spotlight, Quebec Music

By popular demand, La Scena Musicale is happy to bring back the Canadians Abroad feature section, where we will keep tabs on your favourite Canucks as they make their mark around the world. If you have any leads about Canadians abroad or wish for us to include a particular artist or ensemble in an upcoming issue, please send an email to [email protected]. Yannick Nézet-Séguin Montreal-born maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin begins the month in Munich guest conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in a program of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2, Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 “Italian,” and Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with…

20th Anniversary: Messages of Congratulations

By La Scena Musicale Team on 1 November 2016 Arts Industry, Classical Music, La Scena Spotlight

It is with great pleasure that I extend my warmest greetings to the readers of the magazine La Scena Musicale on its 20th anniversary. La Scena Musicale is a Canadian classical music and arts reference that promotes culture admirably in both official languages. This publication looks at musical and artistic current affairs through an expert lens, presenting quality articles and analyses for its audience’s reading pleasure. I would like to congratulate all those associated with La Scena Musicale for their remarkable work. With wisdom and precision, you communicate your passion for classical music in all its diversity, thereby contributing to…