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Archive for the ‘music-esque’ Category

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Writing Scenes to be Seen

In music-esque on January 28, 2012 at 9:57 pm

(I have been writing, just not for this blog. While those draft posts percolate some more, here’s something I’ve written recently.)

The Toy Piano Composers’ “Opera Scenesters” was a refreshing take on the magical combination of music, voice, props and human drama that can only be found in the operatic form. Over the course of the evening, six operatic miniatures composed by Elisha Denburg, Chirstiain Floisand, Monica Pearce, Glenn James, Fiona Ryan and Chris Thornborrow were performed by Maureen Batt (Soprano), Marta Herman (Soprano) and Jeremy Ludwig (Baritone), accompanied by Wesley Shen on the piano. Erik Thor’s stage direction and props completed the illusion of turning the Heliconian Hall into an opera house. The result was an engaging program that would delight those new to opera and those that “loved opera before it was hip to love opera”.

Co-founded in 2008 by Monica Pearce (also know as Monica Clorey until recently) and Chris Thornborrow, the group gives new composers a whimsical and dynamic space in which to present their work. In particular, Pearce looks up to the way groups such as Tapestry New Opera, Sound Streams, and Sneak Peek Orchestra have taken a more imaginative approach to programming and concert presentations.

“Chris and I had been to a lot of new music concerts, not only now but also while we were studying at the University of Toronto. We both felt that the way new music was being presented could be changed in a way to be more interesting and engaging.”

Read more about the concert and this new music collective.

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SPO: Up Close and Personal

In music-esque on November 8, 2011 at 10:17 pm


At Sneak Peek Orchestra’s most recent concert, we tried out a different format. Instead of doing a full orchestra program, we wanted a way to bring the audience closer to the music, and the musicians behind the music. As such, we put together out first chamber concert, and it was a great success. It was a smaller production in terms of rehearsals and program, but we devoted out efforts elsewhere. Sandwiches and baked treats during reception, an original arrangement for 4 hands to mark the occasion, audio and visual documentation, and marketing the event.

We had a packed Heliconian Hall, and received overwhelmingly positive response for this format. It showcased all the best that the Sneak Peek Orchestra strives to be in an intimate setting: great musicianship, great music by the masters and our contemporaries, and charming MCs, all of which translate to great fun for our audience.

Below is a video of Kevin and Victor premiering Kevin’s arrange of themes from Harry Potter for 4 hands. A well deserved standing ovation guys, now let’s start prepping for our next orchestral concert on February 4th!

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Where did January go?

In Misc., music-esque on January 27, 2011 at 8:41 am

This month, I went and did a bit of travels to visit an old friend in Beijing. This was the first time I had been in that city since I was about 5, so this really felt like a whole new experience. To be honest I was a bit anxious about the trip in some ways. I haven’t travelled to China by myself before, and despite knowing how to read complex chinese and how to speak Cantonese, Mandarin and simplified chinese is a whole different ball game. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how I did manage to communicate pretty well, and how quickly I felt like I was a resident of the city while I was staying at my friend’s home. Coming back, I already miss the fried pancakes made fresh on the streets, and the fresh fruits that were in season that did not have to be frozen during their transportation from southern China.

The highlight of my experience was exploring the history of Peking Opera and seeing a live performance of one. Like so many things, seeing a live performance allows you to appreciate much more than what can be conveyed in a video recording. I was surprised to learn that the art form is only about 200 years old, barely a dent in China’s almost 4000 years of history as a civilization. It was also a thrill every time I bumped into a chinese music instrument store, or walked in on a rehearsal of some kind of performance and watching it for a while (no one kicked me out!), and sometimes even overhearing an ensemble practicing inside a building. A visit to the Heaven Temple also lead to the discovery of a “Ministry of Music” that dedicated its work to support the Emperor’s ritualistic offerings to the Heavens, with instruments that I could play with to boot. Did I mention that I saw maybe 5 other people in that exhibit while I was there? I guess tourists don’t like the cold nor do they like to walk!

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