Author Archives: barczablog

Chatting with Bruce McGillivray about the German bow, music and rehabilitation

Posted on February 28, 2022 by barczablog

After a short stay in Mt Sinai after collapsing in early September, my mother went to Bridgepoint Hospital for rehab, gradually seeking to re-cover her mobility with the help of physical therapy. The beautiful view through the window lifts patients’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Health and Nutrition, Interviews, Music and musicology, My mother, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Toddler masterclass with Brian Cox

Posted on February 21, 2022 by barczablog

I’ve just finished reading Brian Cox’s delightful memoir, subtitled Putting the Rabbit in the Hat. Cox is an actor currently famous for his role as the powerful father Logan Roy, in the tv series Succession, although you might know him … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Psychology and perception | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sky Gilbert talks about Pat and Skee, a dark new comedy about his parents

Posted on February 14, 2022 by barczablog

Pat and Skee opens February 25 at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton, a darkly comic memoir of a challenging childhood. Sky Gilbert is a ‘child of divorce.’ Pat and Skee is an homage to Sky’s parents—who did their best to raise … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Gimeno, Schumann’s Spring, Pal’s Scylla at the TSO

Posted on February 6, 2022 by barczablog

What an unusual night for the Toronto Symphony. It’s 11:20 pm as I begin to write this, recalling the headline on CP24 (a picture I snapped at 4:33 pm) about Toronto’s downtown, that says “BREAKING: Traffic is gridlocked in much … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Music of Our Time: John Williams at 90

Posted on February 4, 2022 by barczablog

It can be awe-inspiring to look at a composer’s lifetime of work. We know that JS Bach composed over 1,000 pieces in his 65 years, while Mozart, who lived only 35 years, composed perhaps 600 pieces. Yet we only care … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Music and musicology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2021 False starts and #BellLetsTalk

Posted on January 26, 2022 by barczablog

That may be the goofiest headline I’ve ever written. I waited to post my review of 2021 until today for a couple of reasons, although the main one is simple. 2021 was not a normal year, not one where I … Continue reading →

Posted in My mother, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception | Leave a comment

Being There revisited, with a little help from Mahler

Posted on January 16, 2022 by barczablog

I could use any old film I watched on television for the point I’m about to make. Last night Erika and I watched Being There (1979). Hal Ashby’s film is based on a best-selling novel from 1970 by Jerzy Kosiński … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Music and musicology, Popular music & culture, Psychology and perception | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Things we do for love

Posted on January 15, 2022 by barczablog

This is a brief tale of tail, concerning two things that really happened to me recently. Event #1 was on Thursday when I was at my mom’s giving her lunch and dinner, as I will do a few times per … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, My mother, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Missing church

Posted on January 1, 2022 by barczablog

The last thing I posted had the word “missing” in the title. A few days ago I wrote a rambly thing as I thought about a canceled show and one of its canceled performers, pushed off the stage by contagious … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, My mother, Personal ruminations & essays, Spirituality & Religion, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Missing Greg

Posted on December 26, 2021 by barczablog

In the final week of 2021 I ponder the year that’s passed and contemplate the one that lies ahead. We all may have something we miss doing, something or someone that we wish we could see or hear. Re-reading Dickens’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Spirituality & Religion, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments