“First though, a very preliminary view of an intriguing work in progress being co-produced by Soundstreams and Jumblies Theatre. Anishinaabe composer Melody McKiver has been commissioned by these two organizations to compose a work for string quartet and recorded voices. As synchronicity would have it, I was introduced to McKiver in a local restaurant, in… Read More
From the Article: “As artistic director Lawrence Cherney said from the stage on Saturday February 2, the concert we were about to hear was “the hottest ticket in town.” It was going to be another one of those epic Steve Reich nights reminiscent of when Reich’s music was performed at Massey Hall in April 2016…. Read More
Soundstreams is thrilled to be working with multi-genre artist Melody McKiver on our upcoming project “Odaanaabag” in collaboration with Jumblies Theatre. Melody McKiver is an Anishinaabe musician, media artist, traditional powwow dancer and artist, and arts educator of mixed ancestry. Melody is an enrolled member of Obishikokaang Lac Seul First Nation on their mother’s side, and their… Read More
“Since its premiere in 1988 by the Kronos Quartet, Steve Reich’s Different Trains became an instant favourite. Its rhythmic drive and hypnotic movement are immediately relatable, and the spoken fragments and train horns quickly create a vignette of the past. However, as we get comfortable with the tableau of the first movement, we are abruptly… Read More
We are pleased to announce the participating composers for Soundstreams’ seventh annual Emerging Composer Workshop (ECW). Our six, 2019 participants reflect the global reach of the ECW with participants coming from Canada, United States, United Kingdom, China, and Norway. Each year the ECW hosts an international and a local mentor composer, as well as a… Read More
“Soundstreams’ presentation of the Latvian Radio Choir (LRC) with artistic director Sigvards Klava, in concert at Metropolitan United Church on November 17 at 8pm, has significance in a number of ways. Founded in 1940, the 24-voice LRC is one of the few professional choirs that owes its existence to a national public broadcaster. It was… Read More
View the full segment here.
Percussionist Ryan Scott forgot to bring tin cans to Shanghai. When leaving for Shanghai, Scott not only packed this own bag, he also brought a bag full of mallets, gongs and other percussion equipment the master percussionist didn’t think he could get on the other side of the world. The catch was, he only brought… Read More
For a typical classical piano concert, one would imagine a single grand piano with its lid open, its brilliant inside encased in silky, heavy blackness. Sometimes, there are two pianos — there are a handful of orchestral and chamber two-piano favourites that are programmed regularly. But six pianos? Yes, please! On October 12, 2018, 6… Read More
From the article: “To Soundstreams fell the distinction of presenting a program of new music from North America, relatively little of which has been performed at this week-long event over the years – a reflection, its artistic director [Wen Deqing] admits, of his background. His own advanced training as a composer took place mostly in… Read More
Montreal based composer, Nicole Lizée is one of the Canadian artists in Shanghai with Ensemble Soundstreams. Lizée has the honour of being the first Canadian invited to be Composer in Residence for the Shanghai New Music Week, presented by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. As part of her residency, Lizée delivered a lecture on Sunday, September… Read More
Percussionist Felix Mills is extending the reach of our educational programs from the Gladstone Hotel’s Melody Bar, to neighbourhoods across the GTA, and even aiding with touring and travelling productions. We’re very pleased to welcome him to the Soundstreams team, with support from the Metcalf Foundation’s Performing Arts internship program. We’ve pulled him away from… Read More
We’re very pleased to welcome Jordan Snyder, a student in OCAD’s Integrated Media program, who has joined us for the summer. As we take the first steps to bring The Journey back to life, Jordan will be working with us to develop the educational school programs affiliated with the opera. We sat Jordan down to… Read More
From the Article: “The singers were excellent. Soundstreams had recruited four of Canada’s best: soprano Vania Chan, mezzo-soprano Andrea Ludwig, tenor Colin Ainsworth and bass-baritone Stephen Hegedus. Not only did they deftly navigate Lang’s treacherous vocal shoals, they also ably accompanied themselves on various percussion instruments. John Hess conducted from a discreet corner aisle. Susie… Read More
From the article: Canada continues to produce some of the finest composers in the world, but they merit greater recognition at home and abroad. Lawrence Cherney has dedicated an entire career to providing a national and international platform for their talents as a means of creating a lasting legacy for their work. For these efforts,… Read More
From the article: “Musicians in general are prone to adapt new technology. Beethoven was so taken with Johann Nepomuk Maelzel’s new invention, the metronome, that the composer himself came up with a marketing plan to help sell the thing. It was Frederick’s collection of newfangled “forte-pianos” that lured Bach senior to the royal court in… Read More
“The world renowned Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan once said that, as a young singer, she was transported and changed by the “unique soundworld” of the Quebec composer, Claude Vivier. He has been described as the most important Canadian composer in the second half of the twentieth century. From the early 1970s until the early 80s, Vivier’s compositions were… Read More
From the article: “You can’t pin violinist and producer Jesse Zubot to one genre. “I just love all kinds of music and I always have,” he says. Zubot has been playing with Tanya Tagaq for over 10 years. Along with percussionist Jean Martin, Zubot’s musical explorations form a foundation for Tagaq’s throat singing. Fluttering tones… Read More
Jesse Zubot – multi-instrumentalist, producer, record company owner and sideman-in-demand. He produced Tanya Tagaq’s Polaris Prize-winning album, Animism, and has collaborated with a variety of artists, including Steve Reich, Peggy Lee, Hawksley Workman, and Mother Mother. Before any of that, Zubot honed his musician skills in rural Saskatchewan, with a violin found by his instructor…. Read More
“The first thing I let my students know is that there are no limits,” – SlowPitchSound Soundstreams is excited to announce that DJ SlowPitchSound is our 2018 TD SoundMakers Composer in Residence! During his time in this role, he will be working with students from across Toronto as a Composer in the Classroom – rapidly… Read More