DIFFERENT TRAINS

2018 / 2019 Concert Series

FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Soundstreams audiences are accustomed each written compelling string works: Dorothy to programs that pursue themes: musical, Chang (Vancouver), “Streams” for solo viola; extra-musical and sometimes both. This and Rolf Wallin (Oslo, Norway), “Curiosity program does both, a direct result of a chance Cabinet” and “Swans Kissing,” each for string meeting on the street with violinist and coach quartet. We programmed these three works and par excellence Barry Shiffman. Barry has been invited both composers (and the Rolstons!) to a mentor to the impressive Rolston String be in residence for the ECW, which will Quartet, and mentioned they had rights for conclude tomorrow morning after ten intensive a limited time to a recent video created for days. Rounding out tonight’s program is one of Steve Reich’s iconic “Different Trains.” R. Murray Schafer’s most beloved works, his “String Quartet #2 (Waves)”. While we have programmed a number of Reich’s best known works, often in his presence, never In terms of extra-musical themes, our insightful have we presented “Different Trains,” and the colleague David Jaeger has pointed out in his opportunity to present it with the Rolstons in this program note that several of tonight’s works are special version with video proved irresistible. themed around water. And Reich’s Different So repertoire for strings became the evening’s Trains bears musical witness to the Holocaust, clear musical theme. one of the possible responses to philosopher and composer Theodor Adorno’s assertion that At the same time we made that decision, we “poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric.” were looking for visiting mentors for our annual Emerging Composers Workshop (ECW). Two composers previously featured in our series had

Lawrence Cherney Artistic Director, Soundstreams

Soundstreams would like to acknowledge that this event takes place on traditional territories. These territories include the Wendat, Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nations, and the Métis Nation.

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Program

Rolston String Quartet* Luri Lee, Violin Emily Kruspe, Violin Hezekiah Leung, Viola Jonathan Lo, Cello

Steven Dann, Viola

R. Murray Schafer String Quartet No. 2 “Waves” Rolston String Quartet (b. 1933, Canada)

Rolf Wallin Curiosity Cabinet Rolston String Quartet (b. 1957, Norway) I. Saltarello II. Barcarole I III. 4 x 4 x 4 IV. O Schmerz! V. Corrente VI. Vesper VII. Momentum VIII. À propos IX. Barcarole 2 X. ¡Arriba! XI. Carillon

Dorothy Chang Streams Steven Dann, viola (b. 1970, Canada) I. with fury II. diffused III. Breathless

Rolf Wallin Swans Kissing Rolston String Quartet (b. 1957, Norway)

INTERMISSION

Steve Reich Different Trains Rolston String Quartet (b.1936, United States) I. America—Before the war Video by Beatrix Caravaggio II. Europe—During the war III. After the war

* The Rolston String Quartet appears with generous support Video Different Trains directed and edited by Beatriz Caravaggio from Randall Howard & Judy McMullan. Produced by Fundación BBVA and ArsVideo Producciones

Patrick Lavender, Production Manager Due to the presentation of copyrighted materials, photography Andrei Mazuruc, Associate Production Manager and videography is strictly forbidden. Brandon Wells, Technician

SOUNDSTREAMS.CA 5 SOUNDSTREAMS PRESENTS DIFFERENT TRAINS

By David Jaeger

A composer’s inspiration can come from material of the work is not fixed but is perpetu- anywhere. A quick scan of the titles of the works ally changing, and even though certain motivic in tonight’s program reveals a wide range of figures are used repeatedly, they undergo suggestive images. In fact, all the music on the continual dynamic, rhythmic and tempo variation.” program is laden with deep meaning, derived In 1978 Schafer was awarded the inaugural from non-musical sources. Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music for this now iconic Canadian string quartet. R. Murray Schafer’s “String Quartet No. 2,” subtitled, “Waves”, is constructed from a Vancouver composer Dorothy Chang’s 2005 specific and intricately detailed source. Schafer composition for solo viola, “Streams,” develops revealed, “In the course of the World Sound- in a much different way. She wrote, “The title of scape Project, we recorded and analyzed ocean Streams refers to the stream of consciousness waves on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of approach to its formal structure. Written in three Canada. The recurrent pattern of waves is short movements, the piece features a number always asymmetrical but we have noted that the of musical ideas that reappear in various forms duration from crest to crest usually falls throughout the work. The development of the between six and eleven seconds. It is this wave material is loosely structured, unfolding freely motion that gives the quartet its rhythm and in a flow of musical gestures that alternately structure. The listener will readily hear the connect, leap to other ideas or circle back on dynamic undulations of waves in this piece, and themselves. Small fragments and motives are as the piece develops, several types of wave recycled and reinterpreted, moving from an motion are combined. Aside from this, I have aggressive and declamatory opening movement, sought to give the quartet a liquid quality in ‘with fury’, to a quiet and introspective second which everything is constantly dissolving and movement, ‘diffused’, and closing with a fast, flowing into everything else. That is to say, the light scherzo entitled ‘breathless’.”

6 2018-2019 CONCERT SERIES In the case of Norwegian composer Rolf Wallin’s American composer Steve Reich wrote about string quartets, “Swans Kissing” (2010) and “Different Trains” (1988), for String Quartet and “Curiosity Cabinet” (2009), there are contrasting pre-recorded performance tape, “The idea for sources of inspiration. Swedish artist Hilma af the piece came from my childhood. When I was Klint’s (1862-1944) series of paintings, “The one year old my parents separated. My mother Swan” (1914) is a set of increasingly abstract moved to Los Angeles and my father stayed in variations on a striking figurative picture: one New York. Since they arranged divided custody, white swan flying down from above on a black I travelled back and forth by train frequently background, and one black swan flying up from between New York and Los Angeles from 1939 below on a white background. Their beaks meet to 1942 accompanied by my governess. While “ I DON’T EXPECT THIS COLLECTION OF MUSICAL MINIATURES TO ACHIEVE MIRACLES, BUT I HOPE IT CAN SERVE AS A SMALL CABINET OF MUSICAL CURIOSITY FOR THE CURIOUS LISTENER

ROLF WALLIN

with a kiss in the middle of the picture. Wallin the trips were exciting and romantic at the time says, “Like these paintings, my “Swans Kissing” I now look back and think that, if I had been in is split in two. Two bodies of music mirror each Europe during this period, as a Jew I would have other exactly in some aspects, but differ vastly had to ride very different trains. in character. The first body flows slowly and viscerally upwards, the second pushes downwards “With this in mind I wanted to make a piece that with a relentless pulse. They meet with a “kiss” would accurately reflect the whole situation. halfway through the piece.” In order to prepare the tape I did the following:

On the other hand, Wallin’s earlier quartet, 1. Record my governess Virginia, then in her “Curiosity Cabinet” is a group of eleven miniature seventies, reminiscing about our train trips quartets inspired by the age old practice of together. making curiosity cabinets, a practice, Wallin 2. Record a retired Pullman porter, Lawrence says, “followed by kings, scientists, rich Davis, then in his eighties, who used to ride merchants etc. of collecting remarkable natural lines between New York and Los Angeles, and man made objects: unicorn’s horns, reminiscing about his life. wondrous corals and giant pearls, artificial 3. Collect recordings of Holocaust survivors nightingales, mermaids’ skeletons, breathtaking speaking of their experiences. artifacts, deformed creatures in glass jars. And 4. Collect recorded American and European above it all: a stuffed crocodile appearing to train sounds of the ‘30s and ‘40s. walk upside down under the ceiling. “The strings then literally imitate that speech “I don’t expect this collection of musical melody. ‘Different Trains’ is in three movements. miniatures to achieve miracles, but I hope it can They are: serve as a small cabinet of musical curiosity for the curious listener.” 1. ‘America—Before the war’ 2. ‘Europe—During the war’ 3. ‘After the war.’”

SOUNDSTREAMS.CA 7 STAFF AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF

Lawrence Cherney Artistic Director

Ben Dietschi Executive Director

Emma Fowler Director of Artistic Planning & Outreach

Peter Donato Director of Communications

Cheryl Stone Manager of Advancement & Patron Engagement

Felix Mills Metcalf Foundation Intern Community Engagement Associate

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Daniel Weinzweig President

Lawrence Smith Vice-President

Norman Woo Treasurer

Joseph J. DiStefano Secretary

Daniel Bernhard

Gabe De Roche

Katherine Smalley

8 2018-2019 CONCERT SERIES SOUNDSTREAMS.CA 9 10 2018-2019 CONCERT SERIES ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Rolston String Quartet Steven Dann Viola The 2018 recipient and first On the heels of their Banff international ensemble chosen win, Rolston String Quartet for the prestigious Cleveland immediately embarked upon Upon graduation from university Quartet Award from Chamber the BISQC Winner’s Tour, Steven Dann was named Music America, Canada’s taking them to Germany, Italy, Principal Viola of the National Rolston String Quartet continue Austria, Canada, and United Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, to receive acclamation and States. As “Ludwig van Toronto” Canada, a position he has recognition for their musical states, “they performed with subsequently held with the excellence. In 2016, a a maturity and cohesion Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich, monumental year, they earned rivaling the best string the Royal Concertgebouw First Prize at the 12th Banff quartets in the world.” Orchestra in Amsterdam, the International String Quartet Vancouver Symphony and the Competition (BISQC). In that The Rolston String Quartet Toronto Symphony Orchestra. same year, hey wonAstral’s – Luri Lee (violin), Hezekiah National Auditions and Grand Leung (viola), Jonathan Lo Dann has collaborated as a Prize of the 31st Chamber Music (cello), and new member as soloist with Sir Andrew Davis, Yellow Springs Competition. of spring 2018 Emily Kruspe Rudolph Barshai, Jiri Belohlavek, They were also prize-winners (violin) – was formed in the Sir John Elliott Gardiner, at the 2016 Bordeaux Interna- summer of 2013 at the Banff Jukka-Pekka Saraste and tional String Quartet Competi- Centre for Arts and Creativity’s Vladimir Ashkenazy. tion and the inaugural M-Prize Chamber Music Residency. competition. There is no wonder They take their name from Since 1990 Dann has been a they were named among CBC Canadian violinist Thomas member of the Smithsonian Radio’s “30 Hot Canadian Rolston, founder and long- Chamber Players in Washington Classical Musicians Under time director of the Music D.C. and was a founding 30” in 2016. and Sound Programs at member of the Axelrod String the Banff Centre. Quartet. He is currently violist of both the Zebra Trio (with violinist Ernst Kovacic and cellist Anssi Karttunen) and Toronto’s twice Grammy- nominated ARC Ensemble.

Dann teaches viola and chamber music at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music and is the coordinator of the chamber music program at the Domaine Forget in Quebec.

SOUNDSTREAMS.CA 11 COMPOSER BIOGRAPHIES

Dorothy Chang Steve Riech R.Murray Schafer

Dorothy Chang’s catalog Steve Reich has been called Born in Sarnia, Ontario in 1933, includes over seventy works “America’s greatest living R. Murray Schafer has gained for solo, chamber and large composer” (The Village an international reputation not ensembles as well as collabo- VOICE), “...the most original only for his work as a composer, rations involving theatre, musical thinker of our time” but also as an educator, dance and video. Her interest (The New Yorker), and “... researcher, writer, ecologist, in cross-cultural and among the great composers of and visual artist. interdisciplinary collaboration the century” (New York Times). has led to a variety of projects A highly prolific composer, including; a radio play adaptation His music has been influential Schafer has produced works of Gertrude Stein’s “White Wines” to composers and mainstream in every musical genre, from for four vocalists and speaking musicians all over the world. opera to music theatre, to percussionist, several mixed He is a leading pioneer of chamber and orchestral music, chamber ensemble works Minimalism, having in his by way of pieces for choir and for Chinese and Western youth broken away from the a variety of soloists. His ten instruments, and most “establishment” that was string quartets are among his recently, a collaboration with serialism. His music is known most significant works. choreographer Yukichi Hattori for steady pulse, repetition, and four other composers in and a fascination with canons; The composer’s celebrated the large-scale True North it combines rigorous structures book, “The Tuning of the Symphonic Ballet, which with propulsive rhythms and World” (1977), documents premiered in 2017 by the seductive instrumental color. the results of the World Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. It also embraces harmonies Soundscape Project—research of non-Western and American that brings together the social, Awards and honours that vernacular music (especially scientific, and artistic aspects Chang has received include a jazz). “Different Trains” and of sound and which introduced Charles Ives Scholarship from “Music for 18 Musicians” have the notion of sonic ecology. the American Academy of Arts each earned him GRAMMY and Letters, awards from the awards, and his “documentary Schafer was the first recipient American Society of Composers, video opera” works—“The Cave” of the Glenn Gould Prize, and Authors and Publishers, the and “Three Tales”, done in was also awarded the Molson International Alliance for collaboration with video artist Prize for his contribution to the Women in Music, Mu Phi Beryl Korot—have pushed the arts. Schafer holds six Epsilon, the National Society boundaries of the operatic honourary doctorates from of Arts and Letters, Meet the medium. Over the years his universities in Canada, France, Composer and the Jacob music has significantly grown and Argentina. Druckman Orchestra Prize both in expanded harmonies from the Aspen Music Festival. and instrumentation, resulting in a Pulitzer Prize for his 2007 composition, Double Sextet.

12 2018-2019 CONCERT SERIES

18.19

MOZART IDOMENEO Rolf Wallin with MEASHA BRUEGGERGOSMAN Composer and avant-garde APRIL 4—13, 2019 performance artist Rolf Wallin Ed Mirvish Theatre has established a reputation 244 Victoria Street as one of the leading Scandinavian composers of his generation. Much of Wallin’s music combines an intuitive freedom with a rigorous mathematical approach, such TICKETS FROM $39—BUY NOW! as use of fractal algorithms OPERAATELIER.COM to construct melody and harmony, resulting in a music Season Presenting Sponsor Season Underwriter Season Supported by Photo by that often hints at the influence of Ligeti, Xenakis and Berio. BRUCE ZINGER ´ But far from being abstract, Wallin’s music often connects directly with the world an evening with around him, most notably in works such as “Act” (2004), a celebration of the power of Moritz cooperation, “Concerning King” (2006), based on speech patterns from Martin Luther King, and “Strange News” Ernst (2007), which tells the story Sun. February 17@7 of the rehabilitation of child Gallery 345 | 345 Sorauren soldiers in Africa.

The acclaimed German keyboard virtuoso guides us through an array of contemporary masterpieces. Tickets $100 (2 for $150) include door prizes, gourmet delights and complimentary bar, with proceeds to benefit New Music Concerts. A charitable receipt will be issued for the CRA allowable portion. FOR RESERVATIONS PLEASE CALL 416.961.9594 www.NewMusicConcerts.com

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SOUNDSTREAMS.CA 15 An original evening of sinful songs, served up naughty but nice SEVEN DEADLY SINS 3 NIGHTS ONLY APRIL 9, 10, 11, 2019 - 8PM THE GREAT HALL, 1087 QUEEN STREET WEST Chloe Charles John Kameel Farah Elizabeth Shepherd Analia Lludgar Aviva Chernick Christopher Mayo Robin Dann IT WOULD BE A SIN TO MISS IT! TICKETS START AT $22 SOUNDSTREAMS.CA