Toronto Early Music Players Organization

TEMPO Programme 2006 – 2007

This should be an exciting season for TEMPO! Besides our old friends from Toronto, Montreal and New York, we welcome three new workshop leaders: Kevin Komisaruk and Dominic Teresi, both based here at home, and special guest, Israel's Drora Bruck. We've also asked Avery Maclean to experiment with a new "orchestra" format. Please note: there is no all-day Saturday workshop this fall.

Sunday, 10 September, 2006 1:30 - 4:00 Drora Bruck recorder TEMPO's opening workshop will be led by recorder player Drora Bruck with cellist Orit Messer, both members of the Tel Aviv Baroque Trio. Drora has given concert tours in England, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, USA and Australia and has made several recordings. She also teaches recorder and chamber music as head of the early music department in the Israeli Conservatory of Music in Tel Aviv. Drora and the Trio will be featured guests at this fall's Montreal Recorder Festival, Sept. 14-17.

Back to top

Sunday, 1 October, 2006 1:30 - 4:00 Femke Bergsma recorder Two years ago, Montreal's Femke Bergsma instituted a successful tradition of combining her workshop with a session of "care and repair" for recorders. On Saturday, September 30, you can bring your beloved but battered instruments to her for a tune-up. Then on Sunday, Femke will present music from the court of Maximilian of Austria, including Isaac, Senfl and others. And to improve our recorder technique, she proposes to teach us how to use alternative fingerings. A wonderful package!

Back to top

Sunday, 5 November, 2006 1:30 - 4:00 Michael Franklin recorder & percussion Michael is a specialist in medieval repertoire, so we're delighted that he plans to present Italian medieval music at his workshop. As he has done so ably before, Michael will offer percussion suggestions to accompany the music. So bring your buzzies and your drums as well as viols and recorders and enjoy a festive afternoon.

Back to top

Sunday, 10 December, 2006 1:30 - 4:00 Note: date may change to Dec 3 Kevin Komisaruk recorder & voice Kevin Komisaruk wears many hats - professor of organ at U. of T.'s Faculty of Music, founder of the Studio of Early Music Toronto, and director of the very fine choir, Studio Sixteen. For his TEMPO workshop, Kevin plans to share his enthusiasm for Renaissance English consort music and composers such as John Dowland and Thomas Simpson. In his words: This will be "a totally practical workshop... on how to bring the music off the page and empower the amateur musician."

Back to top

Sunday, 7 January, 2007 1:30 - 4:00 Matthias Maute recorder For TEMPO, Matthias plans a workshop entitled "Tempo: Slow and fast in early and contemporary music." It's guaranteed to be both fun and educational. Organizer of the Montreal Recorder Festival, a brilliant composer, and a recorder player of international renown, Matthias Maute is featured at early music festivals around the world. In addition, he's a professor at McGill University, author of a book on improvisation, and a frequently recorded virtuoso. Come, learn and enjoy.

Back to top

Sunday, 28 January, 2007 1:30 - 4:00 Rachel Begley recorder Our February workshop has been moved to January 28th, and will be led by special guest presenter Rachel Begley. Rachel will be visiting Toronto for a concert with Scaramella the evening before our workshop. She is a popular recorder teacher in the USA, and we are very lucky to have the opportunity for a workshop with her. For more information on Rachel please visit her website.

Back to top

Sunday, 4 March, 2007 1:30 - 4:00 Dominic Teresi recorder & winds Dominic Teresi is an active performer on both modern and period bassoons, and has been playing for five years as Principal Bassoon with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. He records and performs as well with Apollo's Fire, Toronto Consort, Spiritus Collective and other chamber groups in Europe, the U.S. and Canada. We're excited to welcome him as he leads his first workshop for TEMPO. Bring any wind instrument you like to play.

Back to top

Spring Weekend workshop Saturday, 31 March, 2007 Sunday, 1 April, 2007 Note: extra fee charged Valerie Horst recorder Known across North America for her work as a teacher and director of Amherst Early Music Festival, Valerie Horst is always the perfect choice for TEMPO's intensive weekend workshop. You can be sure you'll encounter a wide range of music, from medieval to modern, and play it better than you thought possible. In addition, we nearly always struggle to read early notation - and, lo and behold, it works. Mark your calendars now - you mustn't miss this date!

Back to top

Sunday, 6 May, 2007 1:30 - 4:00 Betsy MacMillan viols & voices Another TEMPO old friend, Betsy is a professional viol player who frequently performs in Toronto. She is also a very experienced workshop leader who improves our skills while making sure we have lots of fun. On this afternoon she plans to present a variety of Renaissance music. We look forward to welcoming lots of viol players - and, as always, a full complement of recorder players.

Back to top

Sunday, 3 June, 2006 1:30 - 4:00 Avery Maclean recorder Back to top Avery is a well-known teacher and performer in Toronto. So it was a natural thing to approach her with a new idea for workshop - a recorder orchestra. The plan is to hand out parts to participants ahead of time so you can start learning the music before the date of the workshop. We'll have more details for you closer to the time. The advantage, as Avery says, is to make the session "a true coaching experience." If the idea flies, we plan to expand on it next year.

Back to top

June 2006 [date TBA] Fundraising Tea and Silent Auction

Back to top

Christine McClymont, Program Director