Category Archives: Music and musicology

Mendelssohn Choir — Brahms German Requiem

Posted on November 9, 2025 by barczablog

Friday night Toronto Mendelssohn Choir & Musicians of Kitchener – Waterloo Symphony presented Brahms German Requiem in a sold out Koerner Hall to rapturous applause. I had been initially concerned that this massive work employing a big choir & orchestra … Continue reading →

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Talking to Sarah Mole about singing and Toronto Summer Music

Posted on October 25, 2025 by barczablog

It’s now mid October, and the worst of our July heat is a memory, but I remember Sarah Mole dashing about doing a million things at the Toronto Summer Music Festival in her role as Communications & Public Relations Manager. … Continue reading →

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Scarborough Philharmonic Voyages

Posted on October 4, 2025 by barczablog

For a little while I was able to go far away from the world, as Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra helped me & the enthusiastic audience escape at their Friday October 3rd season opener, a concert titled “Voyages”. Escapism works for me, … Continue reading →

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Rethinking Mozart 40 & Schubert 5 with Rachel Podger and Tafelmusik

Posted on September 27, 2025 by barczablog

Friday night was an exciting beginning to the Tafelmusik concert season led by their charismatic Principal Guest Director Rachel Podger featuring works of Mozart & Schubert, a concert to be repeated Saturday & Sunday at Koerner Hall. The spectacular performances … Continue reading →

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O Fortuna bless Toronto Symphony to start the season

Posted on September 19, 2025 by barczablog

Forgive me that my headline sounds like a prayer to the Goddess Fortuna. But so far she seems to be smiling upon our fair city and our Toronto Symphony. I feel lucky to live in this city. Toronto Symphony started … Continue reading →

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Talking to Karina Bray about the first complete recording of Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Songs of Travel by a female artist

Posted on August 28, 2025 by barczablog

Karina Bray is an award-winning mezzo-soprano. Karina’s new recording of Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Songs of Travel most definitely travels somewhere new, given that the song cycle is normally sung by a man. Her new recording is the world premiere of … Continue reading →

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Toronto Vocal Showcase 2.0

Posted on August 28, 2025 by barczablog

Today I enjoyed the second Toronto Vocal Showcase. The first one was held almost exactly two years ago in late August 2023, the brainchild of Ryan Hofman. In 2023 he said “Today…I hope I changed the game going forward.“ The … Continue reading →

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Dramatic New Orford String Quartet Concert

Posted on July 31, 2025 by barczablog

The New Orford String Quartet appearance July 30th at Walter Hall was not as expected. Yes our Toronto Summer Music program was already a departure from normal expectations, putting Brahms’ F minor piano quintet before rather than after Beethoven’s Op … Continue reading →

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Affairs of the Heart at TSM

Posted on July 26, 2025 by barczablog

Friday night’s Toronto Summer Music concert at Walter Hall titled “Affairs of the Heart” lived up to its name. Three chamber works in a diverse assortment of styles brought the sold out audience to its feet each time. We started … Continue reading →

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Missing comes east to Toronto

Posted on July 25, 2025 by barczablog

Toronto Summer Music presented a single concert performance of the opera Missing, from a libretto by Marie Clements and a score by Brian Current, to a full Koerner Hall. This was its first appearance in Eastern Canada after having been … Continue reading →

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