A particularly exciting aspect of Baroque Mentors is the establishment of a series of Guest Artist Masterclasses, linked with our Toronto series concerts. During the earliest years of Tafelmusik, having guest artists teach masterclasses was fundamental to creating the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir. In revisiting the guest masterclass format of Tafelmusik's early years, we are closing a circle – offering the type of international training that was essential in creating a world-class orchestra and choir to the next generation of instrumentalists and singers. Because the classes will take place during Tafelmusik performance weeks, participants will also have a chance to hear Tafelmusik and the visiting guest artists perform. By opening the classes to auditors, we offer the broader Toronto community the opportunity to see future period performers work with our remarkable guests.
Tafelmusik launched a series of public masterclasses for advanced students and professionals with our visiting guest artists last season, and we are delighted to continue the series this year. Visiting teachers include violinists Stefano Montanari (Italy) and Rachel Podger (England), oboist Alfredo Bernardini (Italy), recorder virtuoso Marion Verbruggen (Holland) and tenor Rufus Müller (England/US). Participants spend the day at Tafelmusik's home at Trinity‐St. Paul's Centre in the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto: performing at the masterclass in the afternoon, and attending a Tafelmusik performance in the evening.
The Guest Artist Masterclasses are open to the public – join us at Trinity-St. Paul’s to observe our guest artists work with emerging artists. It offers new insight into the musicians behind the music-making, and the process of preparing music for performance. Tickets are only $10 and are available at the door. For more information, contact mentors@tafelmusik.org.
2:00‐4:30 |
Masterclass: Bach recitatives and arias |
This masterclass is not linked to a Tafelmusik concert, but we are delighted to be able to offer participants the opportunity to hear British tenor Charles Daniels in a recital of lute songs the evening prior to the class: Saturday, January 28 at 8:00 pm. The concert is presented by Toronto Consort, and features Charles singing French and English Renaissance lute songs, with lutenist David Miller (visit www.torontoconsort.org for details).
Tenor Rufus Müller has established a distinguished reputation for opera and oratorio throughout Europe, Scandinavia, Japan and North America. He has given recitals in the Wigmore and Barbican Concert Halls in London as well as on BBC Radio, in Munich, Tokyo, Barcelona, Madrid, Utrecht, Paris, Salzburg and New York. Operatic performances include Garsington Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Opera Atelier in Toronto, Opera Zuid in The Netherlands, Opéra de Normandie, and Halle. He has also sung in Paris, Lisbon, Siena, Athens, Florence, and London. Rufus Müller is much in demand for his interpretation of the Evangelist in Bach’s Passions, and performances include Lucerne, Munich, Toronto, Calgary, New York, London, Birmingham, Göteborg, Dortmund and in Ireland. His many performances of Messiah include several in Carnegie Hall New York, a televised tour in Spain, as well as performancesin the USA, Canada, Denmark, Norway, andwith the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester. Rufus is a regular guest soloist with Tafelmusik, most recently in Handel's Messiah in December 2011, and has been a member of the voice faculty at the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute.
| 1:00‐3:30 | Masterclass on baroque German repertoire | ||
8:00 |
Concert: Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
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Over the last two decades, Rachel Podger has established herself as a leading interpreter of the music of the baroque and classical periods, and holds numerous recordings to her name ranging from early 17th century music to Mozart. After beginnings with The Palladian Ensemble and Florilegium, she was leader of The English Concert from 1997 to 2002. In 2004 Rachel began a guest directorship with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, touring Europe and the USA. Over the years Rachel has enjoyed numerous collaborations as guest director and soloist with orchestras all over the world; projects special to her have been those with Arte dei Suonatori (Poland), Musica Angelica and Santa Fe Pro Musica (USA), The Academy of Ancient Music, The European Union Baroque Orchestra, Holland Baroque Society and the Handel and Haydn Society (USA). In 2006 Rachel became artistic director of her own annual festival, the Brecon Baroque Festival in Brecon, Wales.
Teaching is a significant part of Rachel's musical life. She teaches at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, is Visiting Professor of Baroque Violin and Fellow of The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and is Visiting Professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen. In September 2008 she took up the newly-founded Michaela Comberti Chair for Baroque Violin at the Royal Academy of Music in London where she is also an Honorary Member.
This weeks' concerts mark Rachel's debut with Tafelmusik, and we're delighted to welcome her to Toronto.
All masterclasses are held at Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, 427 Bloor S. W., Toronto, ON.
These Guest Artist Masterclasses are part of the Tafelmusik Baroque Mentors programme, generously supported by the RBC Foundation.
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