It's been a busy summer! Alison was in Japan in June 2000 as a member of the orchestra for Opera Atelier's touring production of Mozart's 'Don Giovanni,' under the musical direction of Andrew Parrott and David Fallis. The tour involved twelve performances in eight or nine cities, including Tokyo, Sendai, Niigata, Ina, Shizuoka, Fukui and others. It was a wonderful musical experience, and a great time was had, eating sushi and noodles, exploring eighth-century temples, riding bullet trains, and experiencing three weeks in this fascinating country.

Three weeks later Alison headed back across the Pacific with the Aradia Ensemble (directed by Kevin Mallon), who were the Ensemble-in-Residence for the International Chamber Music Festival of New Zealand. The ensemble gave ten performances in Auckland, Hamilton and Napier, four of which were recorded for Radio New Zealand. The orchestral programs included Bach's Second Brandenburg Concerto and Magnificat, two masses by Vanhal (which were recorded for release later this year by Naxos), Sinfonias Concertante by Haydn and Pleyel, a Mozart violin concerto, symphonies by Vanhal and J.C. Bach, and a suite of music by Lully to accompany Baroque dancers Marie-Natalie Lacoursiere and Edgar Tumak. It was a great opportunity to meet and play with some wonderful people in this very far-away country, well worth the 32 hours it took to get there!

The new teaching term has begun at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, with a fun group of students and colleagues. This year will include a small recital of 16th- and 17th-century music for recorder and organ, performed with organist David Boe.

The new season begins for Baroque Music Beside the Grange on October 15 (see the BMBG page), with violist Patrick Jordan's arrangements of two Haydn 'Paris' symphonies for flute, string quartet and harpsichord.

It's another season for the Toronto Consort as well, with a program of Monteverdi at the end of September (see the TC page). The Consort will also have a new CD out on the Dorian label this fall, an offering of medieval music on the theme of travel entitled 'The Way of the Pilgrim.'

Also on the agenda this fall are several performances of Lully's 'Persée,' a co-production of Opera Atelier and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, directed by Hervé Niquet; and rehearsals for a project of medieval and medieval-based new music called Post Medieval Syndrome (PMS for short). This project, the brainchild of Ben Grossman and also involving Catherine Keenan, Barry Prophet, Paul Jenkins and AM, will be presented for the Music Umbrella series on February 10, 2001.

 

news updated September 13, 2000