We’re up in Guelph again today with Judith Yan and her crew rehearsing for tomorrow’s concert. Watch for a special guest in a red suit! (Who knew Santa played snare drum?! You go, David Knight! ) The Guelph Youth Symphony Orchestra and Guelph Youth Singers are all on board. Soloists, Tchaikovsky, Christmas magic, and a small pack of buglers!
Congrats on a super first concert!! You did it Welsh Ladies!!!
It was a pleasure and a privilege to be on your team for your inaugural concert! A reverent thank you for letting us share this experience with you.
You are a lovely group of people – both on stage and off.
We all had a wonderful time on Sunday, so enjoyed meeting all of you!
Long live your spirit BWLC!
Just getting ready for the Burlington Welsh Ladies… Looking forward to some superb singing and good Christmas fun!! This Sunday – St. Matthews Church, 126 Plains Road East, Burlington!
Thank you to the wonderful people at the Oakville Chamber Orchestra for letting us be a part of their 2 performances! We all had fun and loved the music you made! Rodrigo rocks!
Thank you also to St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Oakville for sharing their Remembrance Day service with us. What a choir! Multi-talented people!! Lovely service.
And especially… Thank you very much to Charles Demuynck, skilled conductor/director, for inviting us!!
Thank you, Charles!!! A most memorable Remembrance Day weekend – spent with great people.
Looking forward to Remembrance Day Ceremonies, and doing our part to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers who sacrificed so that those who came after could walk in freedom.
We will sound the Last Post and send a message of peace, comfort, and gratitude.
Come out to Humber Valley United Church in Etobicoke on Sunday afternoon, February 11th at 2pm, and join us for some musical favourites! We’ll be there performing Vivaldi’s Concerto for 2 Trumpets with the epic Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra! Don’t miss the Mimico Children’s Choir! And EPO’s performance of Saint Saëns Dance Macabre (love that one!) and Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King! (Who could miss that?) Among other musical delicacies…
Maestro Denis Mastromonaco conducts! Great to see you in rehearsal, Denis! Really looking forward to working with you again!
You go, Maestro!!
Can’t wait to play with you, Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra!!!
Spent time with our Baroque coach: Kathleen Kajioka last week! Kathleen is AMAZING!!! And a favourite of ours! Preparing for our upcoming performance of Vivaldi’s Concerto for 2 Trumpets with the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra on Sunday, February 11th. Our friend, Denis Mastromonaco conducts!
Many thanks to Kathleen, who, among too many other things (!) is a super well-versed Baroque music expert. Kathleen can be heard on 96.3 – A Little Night Music (we listen!) and is a vital member of the wonderful, early-music chamber treat called: Ensemble Masques. Masques consists of 5 members: Sophie Gent & Tuomo Suni on violin; Kathleen Kajioka, viola; Mélisande Corriveau, cello; Benoît Vanden Bemden, double bass; and Olivier Fortin, harpsichord. The high-energy, extraordinarily-talented chamber group performs around the world and has numerous recordings worth getting your hands on. Their recent performance in Toronto this past November was a veritable feast for the senses! A program of all Telemann never left us anywhere but on the edge of our seats: exciting, dynamic, playful at moments, and always supremely skilled and virtuosic! Don’t miss them when they next play in Toronto. We will keep you posted! And we will be there. : D
Many thanks to the people of Acton, Ontario for letting us share the magic and warmth of Christmas Eve with them at St. Alban’s. It was a snowy, gnarly night (!!!) and we were so delighted to arrive safely and settle among friends.
Thank you especially to Jennifer Culpeper, St. Alban’s Music Director, and musician at large!! It was so wonderful to see you again, Jennifer and spend some time with you! Making music takes on special meaning when you are nestled among family and friends.
Keep your chin up, Laurence! There is still light.
Also wanted to say that it was a pleasure to meet Reverend Naomi Kabugi. We were honoured to be part of her Christmas Eve service.
On September 22, early in the morning, the trio joined their Orchestra Toronto fellows to walk the 5K to raise money for the orchestra. Who knew that we would all have so much fun?!! The morning was perfect! We watched the sun rise over Toronto and beautiful Lake Ontario, while walking and chatting about all things music and life. Matisse, Aled, Maslin, and their mom, had a fantastic day out walking with Kevin Mallon, our beloved fearless leader and conductor, all the way to the exuberant finish line where we raised our arms in victory! We made it, Kev!
It was a wonderful day out. Now we are friends for life! We love you, Kevin!
Plus, there is a plus… All musician troopers involved in the walk/run kept motoring all the way up to the Toronto Centre for the Arts, where they went on to perform Orchestra Toronto’s season opening concert: Deutsche Musik! Beethoven 5, people! Are they hard-core or what? Yes, they are! …And boy, were we tired at the end of the day! But a good tired.
Thank you to all who made our participation in the Scotiabank Challenge possible. It was the best day out ever!
Concert for Peace a resounding success!! Great audience out to see ICOT, Miriam Khalil, Nai Syrian Children’s Chorus, and the most wonderful Orchestra Toronto! Many newcomers, and sincere appreciation for the efforts made to reach out to the community, to celebrate Canada as a nation of diversity held strong by the common bonds of compassion, fairness, and respect. Go Kevin Mallon!!! Thank you Maestro for a fabulous year! Thank you for your leadership and vision, and also for that effervescent sense of humour! Long may you prosper!
Thank you also to Jennie Worden, who aptly takes over where Samantha Little left off. Bright future, Jennie! So many talents, no ceiling.
Thank you to Samantha Little, formally. You are bedrock on which we are built. You have been so supportive, and such a sublime friend. We thank you forever!!!!!! With massive affection….
Thank you also to our fellow brass at Orchestra Toronto. Great playing with you. Chaps in winds too. Lois, you are the best!! Sending our appreciation out to Tom Fleming, who has been a mentor and sweetie all along. To Dan Manley on tuba – also part of OT’s Brass Quintet. Aaron Good on trombone and John McGregor, trumpet, making up the rest of the team, and always fantastic to play with. Way to go, guys! Been quite a year, and one of many fabulous years!
Not forgetting our friends in strings… Orchestra Toronto has a core of the most committed, competent musicians around. Plus, some of the BEST people we know. Thank you to our dear friends. We have so enjoyed playing with you, spending time with you, sharing our lives with you. We love you OT.
Come out to the Toronto Centre for the Arts tomorrow for an inspirational Concert For Peace, led by Kevin Mallon and his Orchestra Toronto! Many great guests! Don’t miss it!
Join us at the Toronto Centre for the Arts this Sunday, June 18th! Lots of goodies! This is a Concert for Peace, and it is going to be beautiful! Check out ICOT’s new concerto: Recall the Eden – World Premiere, people! The Nai Syrian Children’s Chorus takes to the stage! (Sure to be gorgeous!) Finlandia! ( Hold on to your seats!) Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man! (Brass favourite.) Barber’s Adagio for Strings! (So compelling…) Miriam Khalil singing Traditional Arabic Folk Songs!! Plus, your favourite trio: you guessed it – yours truly, the Blundell sibs playing Telemann’s Concerto for 3 Trumpets in D (54:D4).
Going to be marvellous!!!!!
Hey, thanks for the lesson, Kathleen!! Baroque music comes to life under your wing! The Telemann Concerto for 3 Trumpets is going to be ripper! You are absolutely wonderful to work with! Thank you! : )
May 9th, we were treated to Glenn Gould’s Historical Performances Practices Strings Concert at Mazzoleni Hall led by Kathleen Kajioka! Baroque all the way!! Great playing people! We really enjoyed the music, and were blown away by your skill! Emily Chung, Huachu Huang, Yada Lee, Buon Park, Alexander Volkov, Gloria Yip, Michaela Kleer, James Churchill, Drew Comstock – congrats!
Fabulous meeting you, Kathleen! Trumpets have much to learn from strings! I know we are loud… But we are friendly!
