Celebrate the Season

As the year draws to a close, we gather with our friends - and yours! - Guy Bannerman and the musicians of Glissandi to share the joys of the season with our community. Glissandi’s much anticipated annual concert offers an evocative programme of festive carols combined with classics, both musical and written, from the rich Celtic bardic tradition.  Featuring a new composition from Niagara composer Gail Poulsen, and intriguing combinations of harp, violin, multiple flutes, and percussion, as well as charming anecdotes, this is an ideal time to unite with family and friends and celebrate. Why not join us and kick off the holidays!

Virtue and Vice: Roman oratorio and Venetian extravagance!

LIVE & VIRTUAL - Marking our fourth co-production with Capella Intima we present Giuseppe, an oratorio from 1650, discovered in the Vatican Library and attributed to Luigi Rossi. Based on the biblical story of the coat of many colours, this 40-minute, energetic work is scored for five voices, strings, theorbo, and organ. In the second half we feature secular Venetian vocal and instrumental works by Monteverdi, Sances, and their contemporaries lots more 17th century fireworks incorporating the same themes encountered in Giuseppe: Envy, Injustice, Faith and Charity.

Directed by Bud Roach.

Eybler Quartet

ADAPTIVE - Adaptive Performances are presented in partnership with the Thorold Public Library & the Thorold Senior Citizen’s Centre.  They are family-friendly, accessible, and inclusive, perfect for music lovers from the neurodiverse and disability communities, or anyone simply wanting a more relaxed concert experience. This concert features the Eybler Quartet, offering a mix of baroque and classical favourites.

Bach on Turtle’s Back Year 3 - Rebirth

Birth, death and rebirth resonate as universal topics of human expression. Combining the C major Violin Sonata and E major Partita of J. S. Bach, the choreography of Brian Solomon, and selected Bach arias, “Rebirth” explores and reconciles these profoundly human concerns within a uniquely Canadian context. In this, the third and final concert of our Bach on Turtle’s Back project, we are proud to premiere a new commission from Cree composer Andrew Balfour scored for period string quartet and baritone (performed by Jonathon Adams & the Eybler Quartet). Join us for the culmination of this multi-layered, multi-discipline project, a true feast for the senses.

Directed & Choreographed by Brian Solomon.

Joy, Sorrow, and the Spaces in Between

LIVE & VIRTUAL - Joy and Sorrow are polar opposite emotions, inescapable elements of our existence, both profoundly felt. In a nod to Charlie Chaplin’s films, Canadian composer Dinuk Wijeratne’s The Disappearance of Lisa Gherardini takes us through the hilarious stages of an infamous heist of the Mona Lisa. How often are we encouraged to laugh in a concert hall? By stark contrast String Quartet No. 2: The Gathering by another leading Canadian, Christos Hatzis invites us to look at our human history beleaguered by war. The composer draws us in to explore the sounds of ordinary life in contrast to the shadows of conflict. Maurice Ravel’s incredible String Quartet in F Major, itself a icrocosm of disparate emotions, draws together the divergent strands of the two newer works.

Movie Night               The Cameraman

This hilarious silent film features beloved comic master Buster Keaton! Your cinematic experience will be animated by a fully improvised live score created by our Movie Night trio of inventive musicians. The evening begins with an introduction to the film and its historical significance by local film critic Joan Nicks. Then, enjoy the antics of an extraordinary comedian as Buster tries to master the intricacies of a movie camera to impress his lady love all unfolding to an engaging soundtrack created just for you.

Music from Earth and Beyond!                        Tom Allen & Friends

LIVE & VIRTUAL - Tom Allen, CBC host and storyteller, brings us an otherworldly cycle of music both earthbound and celestial, exploring the rhythm of the seasons, the nature of time, and the mysteries of the skies. Fans of Tom Allen’s “About Time” radio show will expect equal parts scholarship and anecdotes as he puts thoughtfully chosen music in context, and brings it to life. This concert explores music by the visionary Quebec composer Caroline Lizotte, Astor Piazzolla, Arvo Pärt, and others!

Declassified

ADAPTIVE - Adaptive Performances are presented in partnership with the Thorold Public Library & the Thorold Senior Citizen’s Centre.  They are family-friendly, accessible, and inclusive, perfect for music lovers from the neurodiverse and disability communities, or anyone simply wanting a more relaxed concert experience. Declassified is 4 Niagara musicians who bridge the gap between past and present, performing timeless melodies and beloved pop tunes, with the enchanting sounds of classical instruments.