Tango: the artistry and ensemble playing of classical music with the rhythmic fire and wild abandon of Latin music. The brilliantly accomplished musicians of the Payadora Ensemble explore the richness of Argentinean music, beyond tango into folk music forms such as the Chacarera and Zamba, as well as tango compositions by Canadian composers Drew Jurecka and Robert Horvath. Not surprisingly, these encompass a huge emotional and technical range.
As Rebekah Wolkstein says: “It’s addictive to perform tango. It’s vibrant music and it’s relatable for audiences. They love it. They want to dance and they understand it on a visceral level. It encompasses every human emotion often several times in one piece alone!”
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Quartetto Gelato is unique in blending virtuosity with irresistible charm. Three decades of multiple awards, breathless accolades, and CD sales of over 200,000 to date have given the group an immense and loyal following. Groundbreaking in its scope and vision, the group continues to pack halls and thrill audiences. Using oboe, accordion, violin, cello, vocals and a musical saw, this group performs virtuosic showpieces and romantic ballads, blazing gypsy tunes and forgotten chestnuts, all brought to life with multi-instrument mastery: this is Quartetto Gelato—a popular and highly unusual classical quartet.
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Buckle up for a musical JoyRide with thrilling highs, spontaneous departures and unexpected turns! JoyRide is the brainchild of Colin Maier and Charles Cozens. They have performed as a duo across Canada and the United States since 2017 having played full recitals, university programs/masterclasses/seminars, fundraisers and children/seniors’ outreach. With Colin on oboe, musical saw, vocals, guitar and the kitchen sink, and with Charles on accordion and piano, this incredibly versatile duo pushes the musical outer limits with fresh sounds, original compositions and arrangements. Their music encompasses many styles from ragtime to tango and klezmer to classical, and their multi-instrumental abilities push conventional boundaries.
Canada’s premiere violin and piano ensemble, Duo Concertante, are partners in music and in life. Known for the passion and brilliance of their performances, critics have praised Nancy Dahn and Timothy Steeves’ “artistry, poetry, and impeccable technique” (La Scena Musicale) and “deeply integrated performances that flow naturally as if the music were being created on the spot” (Gramophone). The Duo’s busy touring schedule across North America, Europe, and China, has led to performances at Wigmore Hall, Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall, Roy Thomson Hall, the National Arts Centre, and the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing.
Erin Cooper Gay is a genre-bending singer, possessed of a voice described as “spellbinding”, with a “seductively lyric quality”. “Black Market” is her remarkable debut CD, featuring bold arrangements of songs by Monteverdi, Dowland, Radiohead and more by Juno-winning and Grammy-nominated producer and jazz violinist, Drew Jurecka. Erin has been called a “double threat”: she is also a french horn player with the orchestras of Toronto, Cleveland, Seattle, and Vancouver. She’s returned to her roots in singing and in 2015, she turned heads and ears, by singing in the Toronto Symphony’s “Proms” as Kate Middleton.
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