I made a mistake in the last Announcements. Thank you to the members who pointed that out. In Part IV of the May 23 Announcements, when describing the new Directors’ Scholarship, I attributed the CCO’s existing scholarship (the model on which the Directors’ Scholarship is based) to the wrong donor. The Bill McQueen Scholarship was created by Addison Tallman, founding a scholarship of $1,200 for 10 years; it is to be awarded annually to a worthy student studying music at the tertiary level, with the expectation that the recipient gains orchestral experience by playing with the CCO. The first recipient played the double bass with us until COVID restrictions intervened; the second recipient is Jaedon Daly, who has played the viola with us this season. I had improperly attributed the scholarship to Paul Willis. In fact, Mr. Willis bequeathed $60K to the CCO. His gift was (and has been) invested with the interest earned annually used to fund part of the Concert Master’s honorarium.
Counterpoint relies on the financial generosity of its donors, and both bequests have made a significant, positive difference in our ability to share the joy of music. I’ll keep them straight!
I. CONCERT WEEK COMING UP
(i) Last rehearsal of the season at St. Barnabas Church, this Monday, June 5, at 7:30 pm.
(ii) Dress Rehearsal, Church of St. Peter and St. Simon the Apostle on Friday, June 9, 7:00 pm.
(iii) Concert, Church of St. Peter and St. Simon the Apostle on Saturday, June 10, 7:30 pm.
(iv) Concert dress: all black, or black pants/skirt and white shirt/blouse.
(v) Masks are recommended and will be available in the Green Room. Volunteers will have masks available for audience members who chose to wear one.
(vi) If you have pre-paid tickets to be picked up, please put them in a clearly marked envelope, showing your name and the name of the ticket recipient, and return them to Helen Li at the rehearsal or to the volunteers at the ticket desk on concert night.
(vii) Poster attached for those last-minute invitations you want to send.
(viii) If you have not already done so, please sign a Media Consent form at the next rehearsal.
(viii) At Monday’s rehearsal, Ron Mitchell will canvas support for a post-concert get-together:
"Before COVID it was the tradition of the Orchestra members and friends to meet for drinks and refreshments at the Blake House at 449 Jarvis Street to celebrate a concert. There is indoor seating and an outdoor patio. The owner/manager Jim will keep the kitchen open if enough people wish to attend. Blake House is across the street from the National Ballet School. I will do a count on Monday.
Thanks, Ron" The last trip to the Blake House was years ago. It would be fun to resurrect this tradition!
(ix) Last week’s group photo (you can also see it in the concert’s on-line programme):
II. PROGRAMME NOTES FOR KUPALA NIGHT
Elizabeth Raum has provided programme notes for KUPALA NIGHT, which explain the piece in a fun, interesting way. Here’s a sneak preview of our on-line programme:
Kupala Night is an ancient pagan fertility festival that takes place once a year in June
21. The music is meant to conjure the feeling of the forest at night with young couples
carrying out the ancient customs meant to induce fertility and love. Michael Fedyshyn,
for whom the concerto was written, has Ukrainian background which inspired the
subject of this concerto.
The first movement is The Dance of the Young Men, full of vigour, trying to attract young women.
The second movement, Floating Wreaths, depicts the girls floating wreaths of candle-lit flowers on the river in hopes that the direction the wreaths take will foretell their future loves. The music opens with three currents from the river, each carrying a group of wreaths. The men try to capture the wreaths to impress the girls. The movement starts with three themes flowing into each other joined by the trumpet representing the young men. The triplet motif of the first movement is repeated in the second. The calm of the initial floating of the wreaths is interrupted by a group of young men showing off to the
girls with their dancing.
The third movement is Searching for the Flowering Fern, which flowers only on Kupala Night has the young couples going through the forest seeking the elusive Flowering Fern, which, if they can find it, will bring them good fortune. The movement is mainly written in Lydian mode, with the raised fourth. Many ancient cultures felt the modes had an influence on the mood of the listener with the Lydian mode evoking youth and mystery. Close to the end, when the mist is again rising, themes from previous movements are heard in the muted trumpet, like spirits. III. JULY 20 EVENING CONCERT IN ALLAN GARDENS It was a pleasure last Monday to count the number of musicians who committed to perform in the “Counterpoint and Friends” concert on Thursday, July 20, outside in Allan Gardens Park. Tetsuya Kobayashi has created a Google form to gather information on who can play which instruments: https://forms.gle/M9pMozLpPuasQbVH7 The form also asks for your availability on four potential rehearsal dates: Sunday afternoons July 9 and 16, and Monday evenings, July 10 and 17. Please commit as soon as possible so that an appropriate programme can be developed and a schedule for rehearsals set. Iv. PLAYING IN THE PARK: JULY 9 TO AUGUST 13 INCLUSIVE Where: Allan Gardens, on Jarvis south of Carlton, in the shade beside the children’s play area When: Sundays, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, July 9 until August 13, 2023, with a picnic on the last day What: A one-hour rehearsal, or sight reading session, followed by a mini one-hour concert Who: All musicians. The concert normally features a small ensemble, as well as a larger group playing the music just rehearsed or other familiar music. If you play with a small group and would like to perform some Sunday, there is still room to be a featured performer.
Everyone is welcome to join when they can. No need to commit to all 6 afternoons. However, the programme committee (Daniel, Andrew and Gemma) should know what instruments are attending so that appropriate music can be chosen. Please come spontaneously if you can’t plan ahead, and be prepared to “wing it” with music, for instance, a clarinet or flute playing with the violins. The point is to have fun making music together. Here is the sign-up form to submit so that appropriate music can be brought: https://forms.gle/pZaRoZ8X3sw8Aom6A IV. THE CCO’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY: VOLUNTEERS AND MEMORABILIA Although the Anniversary Concert is not until June of 2024, there is lots to do before then, including fundraising, applying for grants, collecting history and figuring out how to communicate it, advertising and promotion, community outreach, etc. If you have skills in these areas and can get involved. please email the Co-Chairs, David Brownstone or Trish Tervit, trishtervit12@gmail.com or davidbrownstone66@gmail.com. HELP WITH HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS? Anniversary celebrations are all about history. The Committee is gathering documents and photographs relating to the CCO’s history. We have a pretty good collection going back to 1997 through member Ron Mitchell and almost nothing prior to that. Do you have anything historical to share? Do you keep in touch with an “old timer” who used to play with the CCO and may have some memorabilia? If so, please email the Co-Chairs, or emitchell1727@gmail.com, or share your information with them as soon as possible when you see them at a CCO event V. IMPORTANT CCO DATES Monday, June 5 - last rehearsal at St. Barnabas Church (Chester subway), 7:30 pm. Friday, June 9 7:00 pm - Dress Rehearsal. Church of St. Peter and St. Simon the Apostle, 525 Bloor St. W. (Sherbourne subway) Saturday, June 10 7:30 pm - CCO’s final concert of the 39th season. St. Peter and St. Simon the Apostle Church, “New Music, New World, Inspiration from Tradition”. Monday, June 26, 7:30 pm - next CCO Board meeting. Emphasis on fundraising. If you would like to attend, please email emitchell1727@gmail.com Sundays July 9, 16, 23, 30 and August 13, 2:00 pm - Playing in the Park summer series of 6 outdoor concerts, Allan Gardens Park. The picnic finale is on August 13. Thursday, July 20, 2023 - Counterpoint and Friends perform an evening concert in Allan Gardens Park as part of a TMU performance series Monday, September 11, 2023 - Rehearsals resume at The 519, 7:30 to 9:30 pm.
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