December 9–11, 2016

2016-2017 Season Sponsor

Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. West With sincere appreciation and gratitude salutes Al and Jane Forest for their leadership and generous support of this production

Be a part of our next CD Recording!

The Consort will be heading into the studio to record The Italian Queen of France For your generous support, you will receive the following benefits:

Amount You will receive

$10 – $124 advance access to purchase the new CD when it is released in the Fall of 2017

$125 – $499 a copy of the new CD

$500 or more two copies of the new CD

All project donors will receive a tax receipt and will be listed in the house programs for our 2017-18 season Join us in the gymnasium to offer your support today! Magi videntes stellam for the Feast of the Epiphany Nova stella apparita Florence Laudario, ca 1325 Salutiam divotamente Cortona Laudario, ca 1260

Ave regina caelorum Walter Frye (d. 1474) Gabriel fram hevene-King , late mid-14th century Gabriel fram hevene-King arr. Toronto Consort

Veni veni Emanuel France, ca 1300 O frondens virga Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) Nicolaus pontifex Paris, ca 1250 Nicolai sollempnia Das Glogauer Liederbuch, ca 1480

Wynter Tours, 14th century Deh tristo mi topinello northern , ca 1400 Farwel Advent Selden MS, England, ca 1450

INTERMISSION Please join us for refreshments and the CD Boutique in the Gymnasium.

Hodie aperuit nobis Hildegard von Bingen Nowel! Owt of your slepe aryse and wake Selden MS In dulci jubilo Liederbuch Anna van Coeln, ca 1500

Gloria Micinella Antonio Zacara da (ca 1350 - ca 1413) Verbum caro factum est Tuscany, ca 1400

Lullay lullay England, mid-14th century Ther is no rose Cambridge, ca 1400 Puer natus in Bethlehem Liederbuch Anna van Coeln

Miri it is while sumer ilast Rawlinson MS, England, ca 1225 La vida de Culin Cancionero de Montecassino, ca 1480

Gloria in cielo Cortona Laudario Hodie Christus natus est Chant for Christmas Day TONIGHT’S PERFORMERS ARE: STAFF & ADMINISTRATION David Fallis, Artistic Director Michele DeBoer, voice Michelle Knight, Managing Director Adam Thomas Smith, David Fallis, voice, percussion Marketing Director Nellie Austin, Bookkeeper Ben Grossman, hurdy-gurdy, Kiran Hacker, Graphic Designer Yara Jakymiw, percussion, laouto Season Brochure Graphic Designer Martin Reis, Derek Haukenfreres Katherine Hill, voice, nyckelharpa, fiddle & Ruth Denton, Box Office Peter Smurlick, Database Consultant Paul Jenkins, voice, Gordon Baker, Stage Manager Cecilia Booth, Front of House Alison Melville, , recorder, voice & Volunteer Coordinator Gordon Peck, Technical Director John Pepper, voice Sam Elliott, Intermissions & Receptions Margaret Matian, CD Sales and Event Assistant WITH Heather Engli, Touring Kirk Elliott, harp, , fiddle, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jessica Wright, voice Heather Turnbull, President Ann Posen, Past President Laura Warren, Presentation Designer John Ison, Treasurer & Projectionist Kim Condon, Secretary Harry Deeg Trini Mitra Sara Morgan Tiffany Grace Tobias

Under 35? FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK! Do you love music? Are you 16-35 or 427 Bloor Street West Toronto ON M5S 1X7 a full-time student? Box Office 416-964-6337 Admin 416-966-1045 Join Club Consort and pay only [email protected] $15 for the best available seats. Sign up online, then call or visit the box office! TORONTOCONSORT.ORG ABOUT US

Top Row: David Fallis, Alison Melville, Michele DeBoer, John Pepper, Paul Jenkins Bottom Row: Katherine Hill, Terry McKenna, Laura Pudwell, Ben Grossman Photo Credit: Paul Orenstein

Since its founding in 1972, The Toronto The Toronto Consort has made recordings for Consort has become internationally recognized the CBC Collection, Berandol, SRI, Dorian, for its excellence in the performance of and currently Marquis Classics, with 10 CDs to medieval, and early baroque music. its credit, two of which have been nominated Led by Artistic Director David Fallis, nine of for Juno awards. The most recent recording Canada’s leading specialists have (Navidad) was released in 2012; in 2014, come together to form The Toronto Consort, the group re-released its popular Christmas whose members include both singers and recording The Little Barley-Corne. instrumentalists (, recorder, guitar, flute, early keyboards and percussion). Recently, the ensemble has been called upon to produce music for historical-drama TV series, Each year The Toronto Consort offers a including The Tudors, The Borgias and The subscription series in Toronto, presented in the Vikings, all produced by the cable network, beautiful acoustic of the recently-renovated 700- Showtime. The Toronto Consort recorded the seat Jeanne Lamon Hall, at the Trinity-St. Paul’s soundtrack for Atom Egoyan’s award-winning Centre in downtown Toronto. The ensemble filmThe Sweet Hereafter. also tours regularly, having been to Europe and Great Britain four times, and frequently across Canada and into the US. PROGRAM NOTES

Medieval Music of the Annunciation, a feast taking place for Midwinter and Christmas on March 25th (i.e., nine months before by Katherine Hill, Guest Artistic Director Christmas Day), but re-told at Christmas time, featuring Gabriel fram hevene-King As winter weather and decreasing daylight (also known as Angelus ad Virginem), hours are setting in, we know that we are a still sung in carol services in the experiencing the approach of midwinter just present day. The popularity of this melody as the people of western Europe did in the in 14th-century England means we have the : we lament the early setting of luxury of mixing and matching from among the sun, we look forward to the brightness several extant versions of this enduringly of a holiday celebration, and we bundle up appealing song. against the cold. The rest of the music in the first half The passage of time and the turning of the of the programme traces the season of seasons in the middle ages would have been Advent itself, the four weeks leading up to viewed through overlapping lenses, related Christmas. While we experience the month to the natural world (the agricultural cycle, of December now as a time of concert- weather, daylight hours), vestiges of the going, parties and get-togethers (and time- pre-Christian year (most notably the winter sensitive shopping!), in the middle ages solstice, or the shortest day of the year), these weeks formed a penitential season that and the church calendar (tracing events in required strict fasting. The last two pieces in the life of Christ, as well as the sequence of the first half of the programme, the 14th- saints’ feast days). This evening’s programme century Italian Deh tristo mi topinello (Ah, draws together texts, music and images from sad little mouse that I am) and the English western Europe that reflect just a few of the Farwel Advent, highlight the sad state of artistic, recreational and ritual responses affairs at the dinner table during this season. of medieval people to the approach of We will also acknowledge the feast day of midwinter and Christmas. St Nicholas (also known as Sinterklaas and Santa Claus) on December 6th by including We begin with the star in the east, the two pieces in his honour: one solemn supernatural sign foretelling the birth of melody from 13th-century Paris, featuring Christ. The lauda (praise song) Nova stella the hurdy-gurdy, and a jaunty three-part apparita from 14th-century Florence tells setting from the Glogau Songbook, a the story of the Magi, reflecting a virtuosic German manuscript compiled in Głogów, and “pop” style of singing from the time. Poland, around the year 1480. We will also hear music relating to the story No collection of Advent music would be (ca 1350 - ca 1413). The English Nowel! complete without referencing the mystical Owt of your slepe aryse and wake describes “O ”, sung at Vespers for the the same moment; the glorious and seven days leading up to Christmas. Each tuneful English carol repertoire is further piece invokes a longed-for aspect of Christ, represented by another beloved Christmas missing from the world but soon to appear. piece, Ther is no rose of swych vertu. Many of these attributes are listed in the Although we cannot understand every word familiar carol Veni veni Emanuel (O come, of middle English at first hearing, these O come, Emmanuel), sung here in a 13th- texts (and their music) allow us, a little more century setting for two voices. The Advent directly, to find that human connection mood of expectation is also expressed in with the people who first created and 12th-century abbess ’s enjoyed them. O frondens virga, which describes Mary as the leafy branch bearing the flower The latest source for this programme is the of Christ, bending down to offer help and songbook of Beguine nun Anna of Cologne, comfort to a fallen world. compiled around the year 1500. The Beguines lived in communities within urban While a significant majority of extant centres, and many of the from Anna’s was generated and pocket-sized book display this contact with recorded by the church, secular material the secular world in their popular character, for midwinter has survived to our time, including a charming refrain-song Puer sometimes hidden away in sacred musical natus in Bethlehem (A Child is born in works. One such example is the lively Bethlehem) and an early, two-part setting English dance “Wynter”, surviving as of In dulci jubilo (In sweet rejoicing). one line of a 13th-century three-voice sacred French from Tours. From the We end our programme with another Aragonese court of Alfonso V at Naples, Italian lauda, Gloria in cielo, echoing the the 15th-century song La vida de Culin Angels’ cry of “peace on earth, and good describes a trip to the tavern for a warming will towards men”, as well as a mesmerizing drink, complete with nonsensical syllables chant for Christmas Day, as we return to and a “pop” refrain, the text of which is the image of single star in a winter night simply “O, o, o, o”; easy enough to join in sky. Thank you for joining us to experience on, even after a wee dram… or two. the sounds and sights gifted to us by people of the past, who like us were enduring the Far from the tavern, the midnight birth of darkness of December, but hopefully also Christ is marked by the song of the angelic enjoying the delights of good company and host to the shepherds in the field,Gloria in the brightness of holiday cheer. excelsis deo (Glory be to God on high), here a sumptuous four-part setting by northern- Italian composer Antonio Zacara da Teramo NOTES ON THE IMAGES

The images that accompany and illuminate “A Medieval Christmas” have been selected from a number of different sources. We wanted to display some of the many facets of , and so have ensured that there are examples of paintings, illuminated manuscripts (including music manuscripts), stained glass, carving (in wood, ivory and stone), tapestry, and mosaics. Scenes naturally group themselves around the episodes of the Christmas story which were most important for Medieval artists and their patrons: the Annunciation by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary; the appearance of the Christmas angels to the shepherds; scenes at the manger, with either the shepherds or the three magi; the journey of the three magi.

For the stained glass and some of the carvings, we do not know who the artists were, but many of the paintings come from famous medieval painters, including Robert Campin, Bartolo di Fredi, Sassetta, Giotto, Marcellus Coffermans and Gerard David. As a nod to one of our upcoming concerts, we have included a wonderful Adoration of the Magi by Hieronymus Bosch. The famous book illuminators the Limbourg brothers are represented, as is the 12th-century sculptor Ghislebertus, and the mosaic artist Pietro Cavallini. During the singing of music by Hildegard of Bingen, we have included some of the magnificent illustrations from the manuscripts containing her music, illustrations which Hildegard herself oversaw.

We have also included secular scenes, depicting feasting and drinking, the hardships of winter, and the joys of winter (like snowball fights). Indeed one of the great pleasures of Medieval art is the combination of a deep and serene timelessness with details and features of everyday life. We hope that the two art forms present in “A Medieval Christmas” will complement each other, so that the listener/viewer will appreciate this combination in a way which perhaps each medium on its own would not achieve. – David Fallis

PRESENTATION DESIGNER & PROJECTIONIST

Laura Warren

Laura is a Saskatchewan-raised, Toronto-based projection, lighting and set designer. Select credits include: Projection Design: Secrets of a Black Boy (PLAYINGwithCRAYONS/Theatre Passe Muraille), No Strings (Attached) (Pink Pluto/Eventual Ashes/Buddies in Bad Times), Love’s Labour’s Lost, Guys and Dolls (Nightwood Theatre); Lighting & Projection Design: Situational Anarchy (Pressgang Theatre/Pandemic Theatre); Assistant Projection Design: Alice in Wonderland (Shaw Festival), Niagara: A Pan-American Story (Panamania/Propeller Arts Projects); Tricks, Hocus Pocus (Magicana/Soulpepper), Squawk and Sidewalk Chalk (Geordie Theatre); Collaborator/Designer: Mars One (Ghost River Theatre’s Devised Production Intensive). Laura is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s production program. GUEST ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & ENSEMBLE MEMBER

Katherine Hill

Singer Katherine Hill first developed a love for old European text and music here in her native Toronto. With support from the Canada Council for the Arts she moved to the Netherlands in 2000, studying, appearing in concerts, radio broadcasts and at festivals throughout Europe over many years. Her particular interest in music from medieval women’s communities has led to her developing and directing her own projects in Amsterdam, Toronto and Calgary, and she currently directs a women’s group, Vinea (The Vineyard). In 2010, she completed an M.A. in Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto’s world-renowned Centre for Medieval Studies, and in 2012, with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Katherine received a diploma from the Eric Sahlström Institute in Sweden, where she studied the nyckelharpa (a Swedish keyed fiddle with origins in the middle ages). Katherine is the Director of Music at St Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, an Anglo-Catholic parish in Regent Park, Toronto. She performs and records frequently with early, traditional and new music groups here in Toronto and abroad.

GUEST PERFORMERS

Kirk Elliott

Kirk Elliott is a musician, arranger and composer from Toronto. He has travelled throughout Canada and the United States for over 25 years performing with family entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram, appearing at such venues as Carnegie Hall and the Palace Theatre on Broadway. He works in his recording studio with over 60 musical instruments, and has created scores for CBC, CTV, YTV, the National Film Board, the National Ballet, Toronto Dance Theatre, and Oscar-winning animated film director Chris Landreth. Kirk performs frequently with Ensemble Polaris, for whom he composes and plays fiddle, bass, mandolin, bouzouki, , accordion, balalaika and an assortment of bagpipes. On his latest CD, Solstice Spirit, the Musical Visions of Sister Gildaherd the Benign, Kirk plays over 25 instruments, offering “wonderful entertainment … Peter Schickele’s PDQ Bach has a long-lost brother in arms” (The WholeNote).

Jessica Wright

Based in Toronto, Jessica Wright is an alto with a vested interest in the performance and study of early music and historical performance practices. Jessica has been fortunate to have performed with many early music ensembles as both a chorister and a soloist, including Tafelmusik, the Theatre of Early Music, Toronto Masque Theatre, and Opera Atelier. She has sung as a soloist in performances of Bach cantatas with the Theatre of Early Music, the Toronto Chamber Choir and the Talisker Players, as well as in performances of major concert works including Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, the Vivaldi Gloria, and the DurufléRequiem . THANK YOU

The Toronto Consort gratefully acknowledges the generous ongoing support of Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, our sponsor and foundation partners, our long-time government funders and our many wonderful dedicated volunteers.

CORPORATE & COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS

FOUNDATION SUPPORTERS

The J.P. Bickell Foundation, The Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation, The McLean Foundation, The Keith Foundation at the Strategic Charitable Giving Foundation, The F.K. Morrow Foundation, The Catherine & Maxwell Meighen Foundation, The Ed Mirvish Family Foundation, Audrey S. Hellyer Charitable Foundation, The Mary Margaret Webb Foundation

SPECIAL THANKS

Many thanks to Peter Drobac; Walter Hannam; Sarah Benson; Sebastian Moreno; the staff of the library at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto; Alice Degan and Johanna Pak; Grieg Dunn and Anne-Louise Lanteigne. 2016–17 DONORS

GOLD RENAISSANCE IN MEMORY BENEFACTOR Susanne Palmer CIRCLE OF URSULA & Wayne Drewry & FRED FRANKLIN ($200 – $499) Valdis Petersons ($5,000 and above) Ruth Pincoe & David Peebles Alison Burford-Mason Lewis W. Abbott Margaret Proctor Ann H. Atkinson Givins Shaw Public School Donald E. Altman David Ptolemy Tom Bogart & Kathy Tamaki Eva Lindberg Ellen Anderson Georgia Quartaro Greig Dunn Avery MacLean James & Penny Arthur Brenda Rolfe & Robert Maclennan Mary Newberry Edward & Jocelyn Badovinac Dorothy & Robert Ross Jane & Al Forest Scott Paterson David & Anne Bailey Erik Schryer Estate of Patricia Hosack Ruth Pincoe Helen G. & Harry Bowler Judy Skinner John & Maire Percy Suzanne Rumsey Marcus Butler Donald Smith Vivian E. Pilar & Michael Shapcott Michael Clase Lee Smith & Lyle Burton Joan E. Robinson Takaya Shimoda Michael & Honor de Pencier B. Stalbecker-Pountney Avivah Wargon Annette DeBoer Paul & Lynne Stott & Elliott Chapin Neil Dobbs & Susan Girard Karen Teasdale ($2,500 – $4,999) Carol Dorman Martha Ter Kuile RENAISSANCE Richard Earls Edward J. Thompson Estate of CIRCLE Katalin Gallyas Patricia & Alasdair Urquhart Norman John Cornack Dr. Hartley Garfield Ilze Valdmanis Fred & Ursula Franklin ($500 – $999) Joan Mary & David Gilbert Gisela Van Steen Tiit Kodar, Carol & Peter Gould & the late Mark Van Steen in memory of Jean Kodar Margaret Ackerman John & Jane Grant Catherine & Gary Vivian Monica Armour Ian & Joan Guenther Laurie White Nellie Austin Lawrence Herman Morden Yolles ($1,000 – $2,499) Sara Blake Pauline S. Hill Shaunie & Brian Young J. Douglas Bodley Jerry Hogan Anonymous (1) C. Bergeron Marion Breukelman Miret Anya Humphrey Marie Campbell Kim Condon William Karner PATRON Jane Couchman & Bill Found & Jonathan Barrentine George & Kathryn Kawasaki Jean Edwards Stephen & Linda Cook Lisa Marie Krause ($100 – $199) David Fallis Jayne & Ted Dawson Lois Kunkel & John Olthuis Kevin Finora Michael Disney Michael Lerner Dr. Philip Anisman Chester & Camilla Gryski Jean Edwards Dr. Theresa Liem Cheri & Gregory Barnett A. L. Guthrie Dinah Hoyle & Earl Rosen Hallett & Karen Llewellyn Guyszi S. Berki Glen Hutzul Eva & Doug Green Margaret Magee Chris Brownhill John Ison George Hathaway Christina Mahler Frances Campbell William & Hiroko Keith Jill Humphries & Jeanne Lamon Sheila Campbell Gerhard & Louise Klaassen D. Kee Pat & Howard Malone Philippa Campsie Oleg Kuzin, Grace & Henry Klaassen Alina Matus & Norman Ball in memory of Betty Kuzin Robert & Michelle Knight Kathleen McMorrow Connie Catalfamo Marion Lane & Bill Irvine Eric A. Lipka Trini Mitra Priscilla Chong Dr. Margaret Ann Mackay Mary Ella Magill Alec & Joyce Monro Rose Marie Cira Ann F. Posen Bonnie & Timothy McGee Margaret & Reid Morden Colleen Clark Ted Sharp Lynda Newmarch Sara Morgan Thomas & Elizabeth Cohen Heather Turnbull Prof. E.M. Orsten & Daniel Philpott Nancy Conn Guy Upjohn Carol Percy Elizabeth Mowat Douglas Crowe Jane Witherspoon Paul & Elaine Pudwell Stephen J. Munro David & Liz Currie & Brian Stewart Barbara Tangney Ed & Cynthia Nowina S. Davidson Berta Zaccardi Janet Walker Toby & Martine O’Brien Helen Davies & Craig Robertson Heather Walsh Selma Odom Stephanie de Bruijn Janet Wood Christopher Palin Beatrice de Montmollin Colin Dobell Gary McIntosh Sharon Walker Ronald Leprohon Judy Dora in honour of Ross Tilley Jeffrey White Gillian Meecham Lee Emerson Sean Miller Paula Wilson Ellen Mole Carol Farkas Paul Muther & Ulla Dagert Andrea Whitehead Sheila O’Connor Joyce Ford Darryl Nakamoto Angie Wong Grace Olds Frank & Donna Lynne Fraser Paul Nash Anne Wong Katherine V. Paterson David & Helena Garlin Derry Neufeld Peter & Sharon Wong Manfred & Sylvia Petz Brydon Gombay Lorna Novosel Beverley Wybrow Marion José Gotera, in memory of G.D. Olds Sharon Zimmerman Marilyn Richards Consuelo Gotera Barbara Obrai Judith Zoltai Cathy Richardson Ulla Habekost Christopher Palin Anonymous (3) Molly Robbins Sylvia Hamilton Katherine V. Paterson Erik Schryer Terrie-Lee Hamilton R.M.H. Pinkerton FRIEND Marion Scott Richard & Marie Hands Jean Poldosky Roberta Smith Derek & Susan Hayes Anne-Marie Prendiville ($50 – $99) Janet Stern Gerry & George Helleiner & John Gillies Marilyn Isaac Stewart Avril N. Hill Tim Reid Sandra Alston Keith Strand Deborah Holdsworth Jason Roberts Ruth Baillie Mrs. Penelope Sullivan Gail Houston David Robertson Anton Bakalic Jackie Taschereau Cheryl L. Huber & Eva MacDonald Leonie Bedford Kaspers Tuters Marguerite Hunt Elaine Rolfe Stephen Bishop Catherine Ukas Susanna Jacob Joan Rosenfield Geraldine Campbell Lorna Van Bergen Nancy Jacobi Bruce Ross Ann Carson Mary Jane Warner J. & J. Jimenez Joanne & Walter Ross Amy Colson Carol B. Watson Elisabeth Jocz Janet Rubinoff Ruth Comfort Brenda Watts Ludwig W. Kalchauser David Saunders Nancy Conn John & June Wevers Ann Karner Cathy Schell Sue Cousland Nora Wilson David Keenleyside C. Schuh & M. Horn John Crozier Susan Q. Wilson Marianne Khurana Bill Schultz Hans De Groot Perry Wong John & Betty Jean Klassen Charlotte Sharkey Brenda Ellenwood Bob Zarichansky Natalie Kuzmich Jill Shefrin Angela Emmett Anonymous (1) Anne-Louise Lanteigne Elizabeth Stewart George & Kittie Fells Claire Lavigna Richard Sumner Margaret Furneaux Ken Lawday Brian Taylor Constance Gardner Kenneth & Mary Lund Ella Taylor-Walsh Barbara Habib Norma Lundberg Dana Tenny Christopher Harris Edward & Margaret Lyons Mary Thomas Nagel & Mary Shenstone Duncan MacKenzie Ross Tilley Elke Heidemann & Elsa Miller B. Lesley Mann Roger Townshend Gail Houston Listing includes donations Gloria Marsh William Toye Marie Howes-Clark received up to Hugh & Lou Mason Carol Vine Moira Hutchinson November 30, 2016. Lynne Massey Mary Vise Prof. Alexandra F. Johnston Please let us know if we have Anne McConnell Elaine Waddington Andrea Kinch missed you or made an error. & Ross Hirning Imogene Walker Tiiu Klein Call 416-966-1045.

We are are looking out for your safety! St. John Ambulance York Region (Division #0548 York Central) is working together with The Toronto Consort to provide you with superior first aid coverage, delivered with care and class. To become a volunteer, to register for first aid/CPR courses, or to purchase first aid kits and supplies, please call 905-773-3394, or visit us at www.sja-yorkregion.org IN CONVERSATION with Paul Jenkins

TC: When did you get TC: When did you join The Toronto Consort? into music? PJ: I joined the group in 1990. Hard to believe it’s PJ: It must have been quite been a quarter-century plus. early in life. My mother tells me I would sing with her on TC: Do you have a memorable performance long car trips as a toddler and or moment? be able to hold the tune while PJ: There have been many memorable times with she harmonized. It was a fairly the Consort on and off stage; I would scarcely know musical home with my parents where to begin. Memories to recover... a haunted involved in choral and musical theatre productions. theatre in Fort McLeod, Alberta, a haunted church We had a piano and a huge, old pump organ. I don’t sacristy on Isle d’Orleans where I had hiccups before remember whether it was I or my sister who coloured the show. They didn’t cease until the minute we in the white stop knobs with bright colours. I walked on stage. Maybe it’s the time of year that remember being carried away in transports of brings to mind ghosts. delight by great music making. Once the legendary French organist Pierre Cochereau appeared in my TC: What do you like to do before a show to home town on tour and after a challenging recital get ready? After a show? programme improvised a symphony on themes given PJ: Before a performance it’s not uncommon that I to him by audience members. That was quite an will lie down in a corner and nap. Usually I’m up in ear-opener. good time for the backstage huddle but sometimes the words “Where’s Paul?” have been uttered in my TC: How about early music? absence, I’m told. Afterwards I’ll meet and greet, PJ: I was always drawn to the early composers in attend a reception, or unwind with a frosty beverage. church choir—Tallis, Byrd, Gibbons, Purcell. Later If it’s an early start the next day after an evening at university I got acquainted with a wider variety show, I like to retire before the witching hour. of periods and styles. My first summer course and lessons with Colin Tilney were very TC: Where can we find you next, outside of enjoyable and illuminating. Through him I met The Consort? the late Christopher Hogwood whose breadth of PJ: Next Sunday before 5:00 p.m. I’m playing at St. knowledge was truly encyclopedic. I visited him in Michael’s Cathedral on the new Casavant organ. It’s Cambridge and greatly appreciated the advice he quite a thrill. gave to a young musician. He told me it is essential to be able to improvise in whatever style of music one is performing and to be ready for anything on stage, always in the moment.

TC: What was your first “professional” performance? Love this section? PJ: I was briefly interim organist and choir master Have a question you’d like at age 18 although I’m not sure how much of a us to ask in it? Email us at performance that was. Honestly I don’t remember [email protected] the first time I was paid to perform. It was probably a wedding. The Toronto Consort Thank You is a Proud Member of Harbord Bakery

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COMING UP NEXT IN 2017

February 3 & 4 at 8pm With special guests, native performers Marilyn George, Shirley Hay, Jeremy Dutcher and Wendat Traditional Knowledge Keeper Georges Sioui

March 3 & 4 at 8pm Canadian debut of world-renowned Belgian vocal ensemble Cappella Pratensis

OPERA IN CONCERT

May 12 & 13 at 8pm, 14 at 3:30pm

Box Office: 416-964-6337 Online: TorontoConsort.org Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W.