CRITIC’S PICKS | Classical Music Occasions You Completely Want To See This Week: April 14 – 20

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L-R (clockwise): Pianist Yuja Wang (Photograph courtesy of the artist); Puerto Rican-American soprano Sophia Burgos (Photograph: Kate Lemmon); Klezmer ensemble Schmaltz & Pepper (Photograph courtesy of the artists)

This can be a record of concert events we’re attending, wishing we might attend, or desirous about attending between April 14 and 20, 2025. For extra of what’s taking place round Toronto, go to our calendar right here.

St. Thomas’s Anglican Church: Baroque Music by Candlelight

Monday, April 14, 8 p.m.
383 Huron St., Toronto, Pay-what-you-wish

As we head into Ardour Week, the musicians of St. Thomas have ready Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, probably the most stunning settings of the ‘sorrowful mom, standing.’ This hour-long neighborhood occasion with St. Thomas’s Choristers, youngsters’s choir, and visitor musicians (chamber ensemble with soloists Rebecca Genge and Rebecca Claborne) can be a very good, solemn solution to replicate on the drama that has captivated a giant a part of Western historical past. Savvy music administrators Larry Beckwith and Manuel Piazza are decided to foster this beautiful church, hidden from the bustle of Bloor road, into an actual communal music hub; it’s a worthy trigger to help, particularly when extra choices from Handel, Bach, and Telemann are promised. It’s tough to narrate to our bodily communities, as we rely so closely on intangible communities — and the act of being there, the core of neighborhood constructing, the place we sit and share time and house with others, merely can’t be changed with know-how. Come and expertise this quick and tidy program, and see the actual roots of music making — in our communities, with our neighbours, and with our youngsters. Information right here.

Canadian Opera Firm: Completely Klezmerizing

Tuesday, April 15, 5:30 p.m.
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Free

Schmaltz & Pepper, our personal native virtuosic klezmer group, brings a lot pleasure as a Tuesday workday attracts to an finish. This has been a very laborious spring — not solely there are turmoils within the psychological world, the snow and sleet that retains returning has been an actual drag. If you’re fortunate sufficient to benefit from the quick work week as we head into Easter, why not rejoice it with a free live performance, the place vibrant, deep human feelings are explored with a wholesome dose of humour within the stunning Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre? And, if you’re dealing with work whereas others play this weekend — nicely, extra causes to take a little bit break, and be reminded that there’s time for pleasure and sweetness, even on a Tuesday night. Information right here.

Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Yuja Wang Performs Tchaikovsky

Wednesday, April 16, 8 p.m., Thursday, April 17, 8 p.m., Saturday, April 19, 8 p.m.
Roy Thomson Corridor, $30+

It was a brilliant let down earlier this 12 months when Wang needed to decline from performing in Toronto with Víkingur Ólafsson for a two-piano program at Koerner. Regardless of a lot jealousy and chauvinistic booing from some actually neanderthal classical music ‘followers’ busy speaking down her wonderful stage presence, inconceivable technical facility, and musical perception, Wang has gained over the hearts of worldwide audiences ever since her pre-teen days: she wants no introduction — a family identify, reaching past the small pool of classical followers. Wang is enjoying Tchaikosky, and extra orchestral choices embrace Janáček Sinfonietta — an actual banger, the place Janáček captures all the enjoyment that bubbled up on the long-awaited declaration of independence for Czechs (with moments of presumably probably the most loud, fullest acoustic symphonic writing) — and Morlock’s My Title is Amanda Todd, a piece reflecting on tragic, quick lifetime of younger Amanda Todd who grew to become a pointy focus on cyberbullying. This can be a nice program, and the gross sales replicate that there are not any simple advance tickets left. However all concert events have final minute tickets out there, as some will inevitably cancel — just like the airways, the place they are going to oversell, relying on some individuals not making the flight. So get the symphony field workplace in your velocity dial, and name in. This live performance is well worth the hype. Information right here.

Esprit Orchestra. Fringe of Your Seat Worldwide Competition #5: Cosmic Heartbeats

Thursday, April 17, 8 p.m.
Koerner Corridor, $20+

EO has been tremendous busy with the Fringe of Your Seat Worldwide Competition in the previous few weeks, and we at the moment are at its closing live performance: Cosmic Heartbeats. Together with two nice hits: Vivier’s Lonely Little one — a mirrored image on the concept of solitude for orchestra and voice, sung by Puerto Rican-American soprano Sophia Burgos — and Anna Meredith’s Nautilus, a juggernaut with an unbelievable beating coronary heart, comes… thriller! Model new commissions by Nicholas Ma, and James O’Callaghan, and the Canadian premiere of Unsuk Chin’s Alaraph ‘Ritus des Herschlagz’, presents an ideal likelihood to listen to recent works stay. Chin is likely one of the most carried out and celebrated up to date composers of our time, and although her works spare no musicians (they are often fiendishly tough), the music speaks and evokes — she has an enormous musicians’ fanbase, and a big devoted viewers base. When you haven’t heard her music, this is able to be a improbable likelihood to expertise it. Make the most of the Good Friday vacation, and are available out! Pre-concert chat will begin at 7:15 p.m. Information right here.

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