Media

January 31, 2014

TMC successfully wraps up fourth Choral Conductors’ Symposium

2013-14 Season

On Jan. 31, 2014, five conductors from all over North America wrapped a weeklong symposium at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, having intensely studied for five days under Noel Edison, conductor of the Elora Festival Singers and Toronto Mendelssohn choir.

When it came time to choosing the five conductors, Edison looked at their videos very closely and watched for signs of what he called “conducting DNA.”

“I think the first thing is that all gesturing is very natural. It’s not awkward, it’s not looking like a robot, it’s not school teacher-ish ( pantomimes conducting in 4/4 on every beat)—it’s like a ballet dancer. And if the expression, the physical expression, and the whole inner musical thinking is connected with the body, then the physical arm and hand gesturing will be very natural.

“Choirs or orchestras sing or play what they see.”

January 16, 2014

Toronto’s flagship Mendelssohn Choir continues to diversify with community singing, webcasts

2013-14 Season

This week the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir has quietly released the results of its latest annual general meeting. But the rest of what the city’s oldest choral society does is not so quiet.

The last few years have not been the easiest for the organization, founded in 1894. It shared space and many concerts for three-quarters of a century with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra — first at Massey Hall, then at Roy Thomson Hall.

The Mendelssohnians sang in Carnegie Hall in 1907 — well before there even was a permanent Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

January 14, 2014

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Conductors’ Symposium gearing up to big start

2013-14 Season

For the past three years, one of Toronto’s- nay, one of Canada’s-largest choral organizations has put on a weeklong symposium to find and nurture the next generation of conductors because, in their own words, “At the head of every successful choral organization is a skilled conductor.”

This year, in their fourth annual TMC Choral Conductors’ Symposium, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is set to embark on an intensive series of workshops and masterclasses from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1 where five conductors have been selected to study under the tutelage of Noel Edison.

December 19, 2013

Battle of the Messiahs: Toronto Symphony wins this round

2013-14 Season

Will the 10,000 people who go hear the show at Roy Thomson Hall get the better or worse experience than the 6,800 at Koerner and Massey halls? It’s long been a seesaw battle.

Based on the Toronto Symphony’s first Messiah performance on Tuesday night and Tafelmusik’s on Wednesday, it’s the former that has a slight edge in 2013.

First-time visiting conductor Christopher Warren-Green did a remarkable job of teasing out impressive details from Handel’s music — using less than three-dozen members of the TSO set against the 140 members of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.

December 18, 2013

Concert review: This could be the Toronto Symphony’s best Messiah so far this century

2013-14 Season

Tuesday’s first performance of the Toronto Symphony’s five-concert run of Handel’s oratorio Messiah at Roy Thomson Hall was that rare beast: a triumph from brisk Overture to rousing Amen.

This interpretation has it all: great soloists, a lean, expressive orchestra, superb choir and a cohesive performance approach from a veteran British conductor making his Toronto Symphony début.

December 13, 2013

Messing with Messiah

2013-14 Season

Noel Edison, artistic director of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir says he has no problem with unconventional approaches to The Messiah but, when he leads his singers on their five days with the TSO’s program, he is strictly on the side of tradition.

“I’m too conservative,” Edison admits. Besides, he says, it doesn’t need embellishment. Handel “has so intimately, honestly and elegantly placed the text with the music, that it comes alive.”

December 5, 2013

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir announces five conductors selected to participate in the 4th Annual Choral Conductors’ Symposium in January 2014

2013-14 Season

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir’s annual Choral Conductors’ Symposium brings together five emerging conductors for a week of intense master classes and workshops with acclaimed conductor Noel Edison. During the week of January 28 – February 1, 2014 the conductors, selected through a juried application process, have the rare opportunity to conduct both the chamber-sized Elora Festival Singers and the large-scale Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. The Symposium concludes with a free public concert on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 3 pm at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in Toronto.

November 20, 2013

Britten at 100 Program Notes

2013-14 Season

Program notes for Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Nov 20, 2013 concert – Britten at 100 – at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Notes written by music broadcaster Rick Phillips.

November 19, 2013

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and guests make magic of Benjamin Britten cantatas

2013-14 Season

Here’s a suggestion: If you go to one choral concert other than Messiah this season, make it the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir’s brilliant tribute to Benjamin Britten on Wednesday evening.

Tuesday night’s dress rehearsal at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church revealed not only a compelling, deeply affecting programme, but wonderful performances from the Mendelssohn Choir, the Toronto Children’s Chorus, orchestra, pianists, organist and, last but far from least, soloists tenor Colin Ainsworth and soprano Leslie Bouza.

Mendelssohn Choir music director Noel Edison chose two cantatas to showcase the composer’s genius for writing potent music drama for all ages and abilities: The Company of Heaven, created for BBC Radio in 1937, and Saint Nicolas, commissioned for the centennial of Lancing College but premiered at Aldeburgh in 1948.