AGO Art Matters

Sunday Concert: Tenor Michael Ciufo

March 5th, 2010

The AGO is partnering with the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) to host Sunday afternoon concerts in Walker Court. Talented RCM students present weekly performances right through spring 2010.

This week's concert features tenor Michael Ciufo, with pianist David Eliakis.

Canadian tenor Michael Ciufo is quickly becoming known for his stage presence, charisma, and gorgeous voice. His opera experience includes Mozart’s "The Marriage of Figaro", the Canadian premiere of Respighi’s "The Sleeping Beauty", and Handel’s "Joshua" with the Orpheus Choir of Toronto, and much more. Michael is a third year Sidgwick Scholar with the Orpheus Choir of Toronto, and is currently enrolled in the Artist Diploma Program at the Glenn Gould School studying voice.

Sunday concerts are held in Walker Court from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission.

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Sunday Concert: Mezzo Soprano and Pianist Cassandra Warner

February 12th, 2010

(Photo courtesy RCM)

The AGO and the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) continue to host Sunday afternoon concerts by talented RCM students through spring 2010. Concerts are held in the AGO’s Walker Court from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission.

This Sunday’s concert, February 14, features mezzo soprano and pianist Cassandra Warner.

Hailed as "an enchanting Cherubino" by Ken Winters of the Globe and Mail, a "powerful mezzo" and "sensory epiphany" by Opera Canada, Warner kicks off her 2010/2011 season playing the role of Cendrillon, Cendrillon by Massenet this March at the new Koerner Hall in Toronto.

Cassandra is a recent finalist in the 2010 RCO Concerto Competition at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She made her principal debut at Opera Atelier as First Priestess, Iphigenie en Tauride. An accomplished concert artist, she has been featured on CBC television & radio, and Toronto’s Classical 96.3FM. In 2007 she toured China with The Divas, a vocal trio presenting a program that was broadcast nationwide on Chinese television and radio.

Ms. Warner is the recipient of the Glenn Gould School’s highest scholarship in Voice, the Lily Kertes Rolin International Prize in Vocal Studies, and holds a Performance Diploma from the Glenn Gould School. This summer Warner has been invited to join Joan Dornemann’s International Vocal Arts Institute, and later in the year she will be joining the Calgary Opera Ensemble.

Don’t miss the next RCM concert:

• Sunday, February 28 – Claudia Chan, piano, and Melissa Wilmot, violin

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Sunday Concert: Pianist Connie Kim-Sheng

February 5th, 2010

(Photo courtesy Royal Conservatory of Music)

The AGO and the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) continue to host Sunday afternoon concerts by talented RCM students through spring 2010. Concerts are held in the AGO’s Walker Court from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission.

This Sunday’s concert, February 7, features pianist Connie Kim-Sheng. She began piano lessons at the age of three, and was involved in numerous chamber groups since the age of 12, receiving awards and performing for radio broadcasts.

Connie has performed as a soloist with the Rio Hondo Symphony, Verde Valley Sinfonietta, Cal State Northridge Orchestra, and the YMF Debut Orchestra. Her awards include first places in the Young Musicians Foundation National Debut Concerto Competition, Rio Hondo Young Artist Concerto Competition, Los Angeles Liszt International Competition, the Bronislaw Kaper Awards for Young Artists held by the LA Philharmonic and 2009 California MusicFest.  Most recently, she was named a 2009 Davidson Fellow and placed third in New Orleans International Competition for Young Artists. She is currently studying at the Glenn Gould School.

Stay tuned for information on upcoming concerts.

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Sunday Concert: Soprano Vocalist and Pianist Taylor Strande

January 29th, 2010

(Photo courtesy Royal Conservatory of Music)

The AGO and the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) continue to host Sunday afternoon concerts by talented RCM students through spring 2010. Concerts are held in the AGO’s Walker Court from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission.

This Sunday’s concert, January 31, features soprano vocalist and pianist Taylor Strande, who has been hailed as "the best on stage with natural acting ability and a clear arcing lyric soprano" by Classical 96.3.

Most recently, Strande has been seen as Josephine in Comedy on the Bridge and Despina in Cos fan tutte with The Glenn Gould School, and has also performed with the New Music Ensemble in Pierre Michaud’s Constat dune metamorphose among many other roles. She completed her Bachelor of Music from the U of T, and is pursuing an artist diploma from the Glenn Gould School.

Next Sunday’s concert – Connie Kim-Sheng on piano.

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Concert January 24: Violin duo Shannon Bowles and Hanna Matthijsse

January 21st, 2010

The AGO and the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) continue to host Sunday afternoon concerts by talented RCM students through spring 2010. Concerts are held in the AGO’s Walker Court from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission.

This Sunday’s concert, January 24, features violin duo Shannon Bowles and Hanna Matthijsse.

Matthijsse has been featured as soloist with the Glenn Gould School Sinfonia, was a finalist in the 2009 Glenn Gould School Concerto Competition. She has performed as a chamber musician on CBC Radio, the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, and with the Via Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, and is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Glenn Gould School.　　

Bowles has performed as concertmaster of the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, associate concertmaster of the Symphony of the Kootenays, and as a member of the Calgary Youth Orchestra and Nelson Songfest Orchestra, among others.　She has recently completed her undergraduate studies at the Glenn Gould School.

Don’t miss these upcoming concerts:

• January 31 – Taylor Strande, vocal and piano
• February 07 – Connie Kim-Sheng, piano

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RCM Concert Series Gears Up for 2010

January 15th, 2010

The AGO and the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) continue to host Sunday afternoon concerts by talented RCM students through spring 2010. Concerts are held in the AGO’s Walker Court from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission.

(Image courtesy Royal Conservatory of Music) 

This year’s first concert on January 17 will feature the Meiden Quinet, with piano and strings.

Violinist Hanna Matthijsse has been featured as soloist with the Glenn Gould School Sinfonia, was a finalist in the 2009 Glenn Gould School Concerto Competition. She has performed as a chamber musician on CBC Radio, the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, and with the Via Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, and is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Glenn Gould School.　　

Violinist Shannon Bowles has performed as concertmaster of the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, associate concertmaster of the Symphony of the Kootenays, and as a member of the Calgary Youth Orchestra and Nelson Songfest Orchestra, among others.　She has recently completed her undergraduate studies at the Glenn Gould School.

Canadian violist Ronelle Schaufele recently performed at the Euro Festival in Leipzig, Germany and completed an Artist in Residency program at the Banff Centre of the Arts. Her performances with various orchestras include the Okanogan Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Currently principle violist in the Urban Village Chamber Orchestra, she is completing an Artist Diploma Program at the Glenn Gould School.

Hannah Wolkstein is a cellist currently studying at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto.　Hannah has attended the Meadowmount School of Music, Encore School for Strings, Henry Mancini Institute, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Innsbrook Institute, Quartet Program and the Pablo Casals Festival in Prades, France. While attending Interlochen, she was a member of the World Youth Symphony and performed with Itzhak Perlman.

Pianist Markéta Ornova has performed as a chamber musician throughout Italy, the Czech Republic and Austria, and at numerous summer performance festivals, including the Orford Arts Center in Quebec, the Toronto Summer Music Festival and Academy, the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival in Maine, the Adriatic Chamber Music Festival and Orvieto Musica in Italy. Having recently completed the four-year Performance Diploma at the Glenn Gould School, she is now pursuing the post-graduate Artist Diploma there.　

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Sunday Concert: GGS Bassoons

November 20th, 2009

Talented RCM students present Sunday afternoon performances in the AGO’s Walker Court. The AGO has partnered with the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) to host these concerts, which will continue through spring 2010.

This Sunday’s concert, November 22, features the The GGS Bassoons. This quartet of bassoonists is a collection of musicians from The Glenn Gould School (GGS) of The Royal Conservatory. Ranging in age from 20-27, they represent the full range of programs offered at the school.

• Newfoundlander, Neil Bishop, is currently in his second year of study at GGS. He began playing bassoon four years ago, and can be heard in Toronto playing as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral bassoonist.
• Susan Durnin is in her second year of her Artist Diploma at GGS. She moved to Toronto from Winnipeg two years ago, and has since played in numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles.
• Ondrej Golias has performed locally in various chamber ensembles and as a member of the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. Best known for his arrangements of chamber music, visually aesthetic manuscripts and his great Contrabassoon playing, Ondrej is in his final year at GGS.
• Kevin Harris began playing bassoon at age 17 in his hometown of Edmonton. In his first year at GGS, he has played in his local youth orchestra and wind ensemble, as well as other ensembles and chamber groups.

Concerts at the AGO are held in Walker Court Sundays from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission. Watch for these upcoming Sunday concerts:

• November 29: Members of the Murnival String Quartet
• December 6: Grace Kim, pianist

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This Sunday: Sam Darhma on piano

November 12th, 2009

Talented RCM students continue to present Sunday afternoon performances in the AGO’s Walker Court. The AGO has partnered with the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) to host these concerts, which will continue through spring 2010.

This Sunday’s concert, November 15, features .

Samuel Dharma was born in Jakarta, Indonesia and migrated to Australia in 1999. He earned his Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Arts degree as a scholarship student at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. Samuel has won numerous prizes in many Australian piano competitions, most recently including first prize at the 2009 Laurence Godfrey-Smith/Rex Hobcroft Piano Competition. He was named finalist in the 2007 and 2009 City of Sydney John Allison Piano Scholarship, as well as state finalist in the 2007 Symphony Australia Young Performer Award. Aside from competitions, Samuel has performed throughout Sydney as a soloist and chamber musician, and is currently furthering his musical studies in Toronto at the Glenn Gould School, RCM.

Concerts at the AGO are held in Walker Court Sundays from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission. Watch for these upcoming Sunday concerts:

• November 22: Woodwind Quintet
• November 29: Members of the Murnival String Quartet
• December 6: Grace Kim, pianist

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This Sunday: Emilie Lom on harp, Casey Granofsky on flute

November 6th, 2009

Emilie Lom on harp

Talented RCM students continue to present Sunday afternoon performances in the AGO’s Walker Court. The AGO has partnered with the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) to host these concerts, which will continue through spring 2010.

This Sunday’s concert, November 8, features Emilie Lom on harp, and Casey Granofsky on flute.

Emilie Lom began harp lessons at age 13 in her hometown of Barrie, Ontario. She has recently competed in the final round of the American Harp Society National Competition.　 In addition, she has been invited to participate in the Banff Summer Arts Festival 2009, and was selected member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada the previous summer. She is currently in her fourth year of the undergraduate program at the Glenn Gould School of the RCM where she studies with world-renowned harpist Judy Loman.

Casey Granofsky started playing the flute at age nine, studying in her hometown of Ottawa, where she played with the Ottawa Youth Orchestra. She competed in many competitions in her teens, winning dozens of first place prizes in the Kiwanis Music Festival and a first place prize in the 2006 Ottawa Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition. She has just completed her third year at the Glenn Gould School of the RCM, studying with Kathleen Rudolph, playing flute, piccolo, and alto flute in numerous ensembles.

Concerts at the AGO are held in Walker Court Sundays from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission.

Watch for these upcoming Sunday concerts:

• November 15: Sam Darhma, piano
• November 22: Woodwind Quintet
• November 29: Members of the Murnival String Quartet
• December 6: Grace Kim, pianist

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This Sunday’s RCM Concert at the AGO – Nicholas King on piano

October 27th, 2009

Talented RCM students continue to present Sunday afternoon performances in the AGO’s Walker Court. The AGO has partnered with the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) to host these concerts, which will continue through spring 2010.

This Sunday’s concert, November 1, features pianist Nicholas King.

Nicholas King, a 19-year-old pianist from Los Angeles, attends The Glenn Gould School at The Royal Conservatory under a musical scholarship, and is in the process of obtaining his Bachelor of Music degree and Performance Artist Diploma. He was recently awarded the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Award through the From the Top organization – along with a $10,000 scholarship, he gave a performance on NPR for over 750,000 listeners.

King has won several distinguished competitions, including the Glenn Gould School’s Concerto Competition, the Young Musicians Foundation Scholarship Competition, the Music Teachers Association of California Scholarship Competition, and the Young Musicians Foundation Chamber Music Competition, which resulted in his performance of the Brahms Trio No. 2 in a Los Angeles citywide concert series. He will be making his debut in the Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Southeast Symphony Orchestra in the summer of 2010.

Concerts at the AGO are held in Walker Court Sundays from 1:30 to 2:15 pm, and are free with admission.

Watch for these upcoming November concerts:

• Sunday November 8: Emilie Lom, harp & Casey Granofsky, flute
• Sunday November 15: Taylor Strande, voice-soprano
• Sunday November 22: Sonya Nanos, cello & Todd Yaniw, piano

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