Category Archives: Music and musicology

Singsational Bach workshop with Jean-Sébastien Vallée

Posted on March 7, 2026 by barczablog

I know Jean-Sébastien Vallée as the artistic director of Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, which sometimes means he’s preparing the TMC for their work with another conductor, sometimes he’s the one leading the big ensemble, as he did for the Brahms German … Continue reading →

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Diapente Presents Time’s Eldest Son Celebrating 400 Years of John Dowland

Posted on March 1, 2026 by barczablog

Yes it’s a humongous headline but it’s a perfect description of the concert I witnessed Saturday night at the Heliconian Hall, and the first time I’ve seen a performance by Diapente Renaissance Vocal Quintet. Felix Deak joined Diapente for the … Continue reading →

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Norman Lebrecht vs Yuja Wang using Lebrecht’s own quote against him

Posted on February 27, 2026 by barczablog

Here I am posting something that at first glance will look like gossip. Norman Lebrecht thrives on gossip in Slipped Disc but karma seems to be slapping him right in his lumbar region. Speaking of which I have a bone … Continue reading →

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TSO are back for Gimeno’s Mahler 9 proposition

Posted on February 20, 2026 by barczablog

I’ve had a wonderful experience tonight at Roy Thomson Hall watching and listening to Gustavo Gimeno leading the Toronto Symphony in Mahler’s 9th Symphony. The orchestra has just returned from their European tour. You can read more about the tour … Continue reading →

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Three Romantic Violin Sonatas from Duo Concertante

Posted on February 12, 2026 by barczablog

Add Nancy Dahn’s violin to the pianism of Timothy Steeves and you get Duo Concertante. I’m a fan who enjoyed their previous outings playing Beethoven and the edgier pieces on their Ecology of Being recording from 3 years ago. Their … Continue reading →

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A last visit for Alexander Shelley with the NACO

Posted on February 8, 2026 by barczablog

Saturday night the National Arts Centre Orchestra played their annual Toronto concert to an enthusiastic Roy Thomson Hall audience. As 2025-26 is the final season as music director for Alexander Shelley, this was his last visit at the helm of … Continue reading →

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Jonathan Stuchbery: Diapente’s concert Time’s Eldest Son on the 400th Anniversary of John Dowland’s passing

Posted on February 7, 2026 by barczablog

On February 20th, 1626 English lutenist and composer John Dowland died in London, leaving behind a legacy that brought him fame across Europe, and left him as one of the most recognizable names in renaissance music to this day. Jonathan … Continue reading →

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Tafelmusik Brandenburgs

Posted on January 30, 2026 by barczablog

I saw & heard an astonishing concert last night at Jeanne Lamon Hall from Tafelmusik playing a program of well-known music by Johann Sebastian Bach. I heard four of the six Brandenburg concertos and a version of his majestic E-flat … Continue reading →

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Musing on Mandle Cheung’s orchestral adventures: an interview

Posted on January 30, 2026 by barczablog

I can’t stop thinking about Mandle Cheung, the successful tech entrepreneur who paid the Toronto Symphony for the privilege of conducting Mahler’s 2nd Symphony last summer. I wrote a review of the concert for the Globe & Mail, and couldn’t … Continue reading →

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Lawrence Wiliford shaping art song’s future

Posted on January 13, 2026 by barczablog

Tenor Lawrence Wiliford joined with pianist Steven Philcox and together founded the Canadian Art Song Project (CASP) in 2011. Someday I hope to interview pianist Steven Philcox, who has partnered Lawrence on his CASP journey. A few years ago Lawrence … Continue reading →

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