Bruce Meyer brings out readers and writers

THUNDER BAY, ON ----   March 7, 2010 -----  What makes great literature? Bruce Meyer addressed this topic in his lecture at Lakehead University on Friday night. Bruce travelled to Thunder Bay at the request of Bookends, a small reading group that has been reading and discussing literature in the city for the past 20 years.

The book club has been debating who might be the great authors of the 20th century, yet the question remained, what makes literature great? Through personal connections Joan Skelton (author of The Survivor of the Edmund Fitzgerald) knew of Bruce Meyer, professor of literature at Georgian College.

Meyer’s life has been passionately immersed in literature from the time of his childhood. His enthusiasm for literature has made him a compelling speaker and he is amongst TV Ontario’s top 10 short list for the Top Lecturer Award.  read more....>

Master-classes Nurture Students

THUNDER BAY, ON,  ---  March 7, 2010 ----  Last week Andrei Streliaev, organist extraordinaire arrived in Thunder Bay for a weekend of entertainment, master-classes and a recital. Born in Riga Latvia, Andrei holds a Master of Music Degree in Organ Performance from the University of Toronto where he studied with John Tuttle. He is an associate member of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. As a musician Andrei has performed in Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Sweden and France, participated in festivals and competitions including B. Dvarionas International Competition for Young Pianists in Vilnius, Lithuania (Diploma) and Concours International de Piano Maryse Cheilan in Hyeres, France (First Award). Dean Jobin-Bevans of Lakehead University jumped at the opportunity to bring Andrei to Thunder Bay for the benefit of the music department’s organ students.   read more...>

Of Interest to Readers, Writers, and Teachers

THUNDER BAY, ON - February 26, 2010 - Joan Skelton - Of interest to reader, writers, and teachers are two talks by noted author, broadcaster, professor and electric speaker, Dr. Bruce Meyer. He will answer the often asked question What Makes Great Literature? Friday, March 5, Lakehead University, ATAC Building, Room 1001, at 7 p.m. read more...>

 TBSO Piano Inspiration

THUNDER BAY, ON  ----   February 16, 2010  -----    Last Thursday the TBSO played another brilliant masterworks concert. This year it seems each masterworks concert has brought us a different conductor, and this season was deliberately designed to bring out the strengths and weaknesses of all the candidate conductors for our very own Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra.  The program was set by our last maestro, Geoffrey Moull and the three works on the program, Symphony #3 by Gary Kulesha, the piano concerto #2 op. 22 by Camille Saint Saëns, and the Brahms Serenade for Orchestra are all works that would challenge a candidate conductor. Two of the pieces are part of mainstream classics especially in Europe, but in North America the Brahms and Saint Saëns are less heard. Certainly American born Scott Speck would not likely have conducted a symphony by Canadian composer Gary Kulesha before.  read more......>

 A Great Weekend For Music

THUNDER BAY, ON -----  February 15, 2010 ---  What a great Family Day Weekend, at least if you like concerts. Counting the Masterworks Concert by the TBSO the weekend rang loud with the sounds of the Pembina Trails Voices at St. Paul’s United Church, Thunder Bay, on Friday night, and then the last concert of the season of the Consortium Aurora Borealis with the spotlessly clean playing of the Penderecki String Quartet. Shown to the left is the Consortium’s music director Elizabeth Ganiatsos with the members of the quartet, Christine Vlajk viola, Jacob Braun cello, Jeremy Bell and Jerzy Kaplanek violins.   read more......>

 Hyer Announces Community Arts & Heritage Funding

TERRACE BAY, ON - February 11, 2010 – From the North Shore leg of a regional Town Hall tour, Bruce Hyer, MP for Thunder Bay–Superior North, announced that the application period for Building Communities Through Arts & Heritage funding is now open, and encouraged local unincorporated community groups, Band Councils and incorporated non-profits to apply. read more...>

¨Urban Infill-Art in the Core¨ GALA OPENING RECEPTION

THUNDER BAY, ON - February 4, 2010 - FEATURING: 
·       “UP, UP, AND AWAY!”-Jennifer Davis-Paintings-International Artist/Minneapolis, USA;
·       "DIARIES FROM METROPOLIS"-Allison Moore & Arthur Desmarteaux-Printmaking-National Artists-Montreal, Quebec;
·       "DRAWN & STAINED"-12 Northwestern Ontario Artists-Drawing, Painting & Printmaking;
·       Also:  OPENING MUSIC BY BRAD SENNE-One of the Top 10 Indie Minneapolis Singer/Songwriters-[two 30 minute sets, starting at 7pm & at 8pm; www.myspace.com/bradsenne], Visiting Artist Talks [starting at 7:30pm], refreshments, artists-in-attendance~all ages/by donation. 
·       EXHIBITIONS RUN UNTIL MAR. 6 [Tues-Sat/12-6pm; all ages/by donation].  read more...>

Revenge of the Dead White Writer

THUNDER BAY, ON - February 1, 2010 - The current production at Magnus at first is a bit of an enigma, but yes I get it. Drew Hayden Taylor is a “blue eyed” Indian from the Ojibway First Nation of Curve Lake in Ontario. He is an accomplished playwright with many works to his name. Some such as “THE REZ SISTERS”, and “IN A WORLD CREATED BY A DRUNKEN GOD”, are memorable, original works which portray the world from an aboriginal perspective. read more...>

RCCO’s Jan Overduin to play in Thunder Bay

THUNDER BAY, ON   -----   January 23, 2010  ---    JAN OVERDUIN retired as Chair of the Organ and Church Music Department at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo in 2003 but that does not mean he has retired from playing the pipe organ. This year he is one of the travelling clinicians for the RCCO (Royal Canadian College of Organists). It takes many years of dedicated effort to master the organ, an like many organists playing the instrument just becomes a part of your life. This coming Friday, January 29th Jan’s duties with the RCCO will take him to Thunder Bay, where he will perform in recital on the magnificent Casavant Organ at St. Paul’s United Church. The Friday night recital will start at 8:00 p.m. and admission is a very affordable $10.00 at the door.   read more.....>

Alastair Willis meets the Test
 
THUNDER BAY, ON - January 21, 2010 - I always look forward to the TBSO masterwork concerts, they are such a joy. Last Thursday I was introduced to some music that was new to me, Dvorak’s Symphonic Variations Op. 78. Writing variations is perhaps the oldest form of composition. It is like writing a song, change the words and you have a second verse and so on until you tell your story. Doing this instrumentally presents a challenge for any composer, partly because orchestra’s don’t sing words, so the story has to be aided by your imagination, and the different tones and colours that the orchestra is able to produce. Antonin Dvorak was able to create 27 variations from his long and beautiful Slavic melody, and I was keenly listening to each variation as the piece rolled along one after another the joy of Dvorak’s creative mind being re-crafted by the musicians on stage that night. read more...> 

Baroque and Beyond

THUNDER BAY, ON - December 8, 2009 - Tuesday night and the TBSO plays a Classical Plus concert at Hilldale Lutheran Church. This concert presented a number of firsts. For me it was the world premier of Steven Baric’s Chamber Symphony. It was also a first introduction of William Intrilligator to Thunder Bay audiences and many who attend the symphony take a deep interest in all the conductor candidates that step onto the orchestra’s podium. Except for the Chamber Symphony by Baric the rest of the concert program featured works by Baroque composers. A Sinfonia by Pergolesi, Telemann’s famous trumpet concerto and the first Brandenburg concerto by J.S. Bach completed the program. read more...>

Prelude to Christmas

THUNDER BAY, ON - December 8, 2009 - The Fort William Male Choir has traditionally brought the city an early taste of Christmas on the first weekend of December. It is a coveted spot on the community auditorium calendar, and many other groups (mostly from out of town) would love to have this weekend. The reason is simple; it is a great time to have a Christmas concert. One reason the Male Choir can keep this spot is they are one of the few groups and who can run the same show two days in succession at the Community Auditorium and still make money. read more...>

Consortium presents an all Brass Concert

THUNDER BAY, ON - December 7, 2009 - Saturday night’s Consortium Aurora Borealis concert presented brass lovers a special treat. Not since the last performance in this same venue by the Canadian brass has there been such a quality recital by professional brass players. For some reason the classic chamber ensemble for brass players contains five instruments. While there are string quintets we often think of string quartets as the norm. Perhaps one of the reasons for this is the effective range of the brass instruments is smaller, so the extra instrument is needed to give a full range of pitch. read more...>

Dicken's Classic Christmas Carol

THUNDER BAY, ON - December 7, 2009 - Rev. Deborah Kraft gets excited about Charles Dickens’ Classic Christmas Carol. It is a human tale as true as in Dickens’ coal smudged England as it is in the streets of Thunder Bay. The story is about a man who after a loss becomes completely isolated from the world around him, except for the world of commerce. As the anniversary of his old friend’s death approaches, he undergoes a series of transformations that gradually reconnect him with his family, employees, neighbours and so on. In the end he learns how to live once again.  read more...>

Comfort and Joy, a Dulcisono Christmas

THUNDER BAY, ON - December 7, 2009 - From the opening selection, “Magnificat” by Christine Donkin, Dulcisono women’s choir began delivery of one of the most refined choral programs the city has seen in years, certainly by a local group. The choir has many capable voices, and in this instance Nancy Berglund performed the solo. read more...>

LU Vocal Ensemble and Chamber Choir Christmas Concert

THUNDER BAY, ON -----   December 5, 2009  ---   If you love choral music, then Christmas came early this Thursday night.  Lakehead University’s Music department presented their Vocal Ensemble and Chamber choir in a concert of seasonal music. Choral Ensembles is a core part of a music education at Lakehead. All music students must participate in the department’s choir in all four years of their undergraduate program in music.   read more......>

BOOK ABOUT CANADIAN MUSIC ICON DON MESSER HAS THUNDER BAY LINKS

THUNDER BAY, ON - December 1, 2009 - A new book recently launched about Canadian music icon and trailblazer Don Messer has some interesting connections to Thunder Bay. For starters, the book -- Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music – was written by best-selling author Johanna Bertin, who is married to former Fort William resident Barry Pendrel. They now live in New Brunswick. In the book, Bertin includes an interesting tidbit about Fort William (now Thunder Bay)   during a key event in Messer’s life. read more...> 

Magnus; A Great Night Out!

THUNDER BAY, ON - December 1, 2009 - I am a couple of days late with this review, but it is for a good reason. A couple of times a season I will review an event and the performance is so extraordinary that there simply isn’t much left to say that would do it justice. Usually these are music performances, but in this case I am talking about Magnus Theatre’s current production Robert More/Tom Doyle musical Dads 2: The Toddler’s Revenge. read more...> 

ART ZOOM 2009!

THUNDER BAY, ON - November 30, 2009 - 3rd time’s the charm! This installment of Art Zoom in the North Core, sponsored by “The
Heart of the Harbour BIA” has 24 businesses, including galleries, supporting more than
50 artists/musicians/writers of Thunder Bay. read more...>

LAKEHEAD ROTARY CLUB - DECEMBER DREAMS

THUNDER BAY, ON - NOVEMBER 25, 2009 - DECEMBER DREAMS –an amazing arts and crafts show featuring more than 60 local and regional artists and artisans returns this weekend. The show, produced by the Lakehead Rotary Club, will be held at the CLE Coliseum on Saturday and Sunday and offers for sale thousands of one-of-a-kind hand-crafted creations by artists living in Thunder Bay and rural communities as well as from Northwest communities including Kenora, Dryden, Fort Frances, Upsala, Nipigon, Terrace Bay, and Marathon. read more...>

TBSO A Great Season

THUNDER BAY, ON -------   November 21, 2009  ------  Another masterworks program, another great concert! Our Thunder Bay,  is blessed with a very capable fully professional symphony orchestra and is perhaps one of the best kept secrets in Northern Ontario. Gisèle Ben-Dor, guest conductor knows a good orchestra when she hears one. A good orchestra does not need a conductor to beat time or make the important cues for the players. The musicians come to the first practice with their music learned. The conductor’s job is to get the musicians to play together so that they all play with the same musical concept, and with intensity.   read more.....>

 C.A.B. Concert feature Purcell, and Astronomy?

THUNDER BAY,  ON   --------  November 21, 2009  ----  Consortium Aurora Borealis, Thunder Bay,  a vibrant local chamber music organization now in its 31st season,  is commemorating two significant historical events this weekend with a special concert. It joins the rest of the world in celebrating the International Year of Astronomy, marking 400 years since Galileo first turned his telescope heavenwards. At the same time it commemorates the 350th birthday of the illustrious English composer Henry Purcell, who died in 1695 at the age of 36, on November 21 (the date of our concert), on the Eve of St. Cecilia’s Day, the feast day of the patron saint of music,   read more....>

Fort William Historical Park “A Christmas Carol”

 THUNDER BAY ------   November  5, 2009  ----  For December, Rogue Productions returns with their popular theatrical presentation of “A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens’ classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. The production is happening December 11th to13th and 17th to 20th in the Great Hall at Thunder Bay's  Fort William Historical Park.    read more.......>

Jordana Divinorum open for Misfits

THUNDER BAY  ---- November 4, 2009  ----   Jordana Divinorum will be opening for The Misfits on November 5th at Roxy’s, Thunder Bay. The Misfits, who’ve gone through numerous line-up changes of their own (including at one point, Marky Ramone), have been around since 1977, since then bringing the horror punk sub-genre into mainstream with past hits like “Night of the Living Dead” and “Astro Zombies”.    read more.....>

Said the Whale, “Islands Disappear”

THUNDER BAY, ON - October 31, 2009 - What happens when Said the Whale goes on a road-trip of Canada? Well, they have problems, get some inspiration, and make an album, of course. “Islands Disappear”, the band’s latest CD, has already made its way onto the Top 50 Alternative Albums in Canada, and for good reason; “Islands Disappear” is an awesome album. read more...>

Nanabozhoo’s Teaching Lodge

THUNDER BAY, ON - October 31, 2009 - A brightly coloured tee pee and wigwam, birch bark, drums and other Aboriginal cultural artefacts great the visitor to the Thunder Bay Art Gallery in a colourful depiction of Nanabozhoo’s Teaching Lodge.

The Art Gallery is pleased to continue its long standing relationship with the Aboriginal community with the presentation of Nanabozhoo’s Teaching Lodge – an exhibition of learning and discovery as portrayed by students. read more...> 

New book by Thunder Bay-born best-selling author Ron Chepesiuk

THUNDER BAY, ON - October 31, 2009 - Thunder Bay-born Ron Chepesiuk, an award-winning investigative journalist,  has been described as "the master of high octane journalism." He is the author of Gangsters of Harlem and Black Gangsters of Chicago, Drug Lords, a Fulbright Scholar, an adjunct professor in the journalism department of UCLA's Extension Division and a consultant to the History Channel's Gangland documentary series. He has also been interviewed by the Biography Channel, Discovery, the History Channel, Black Entertainment Television, and NBC's Dateline.  Ron's latest book -- Gangsters of Miami -- will be launched next week and looks to be another best-seller. read more...>

From Russia with Music

THUNDER BAY, ON - October 28, 2009 - Sometimes the best surprises are where you least expect to find them. New Music North opened its Thunder Bay Concert season with an astounding performance by violinist Elena Densisova, and her pianist partner Alexei Kornienko. It seems to me a little unusual that a couple born raised and educated in Russia, living in Vienna, would come to Thunder Bay to give a concert of modern music for piano and violin as well as solo violin. What the audience witnessed on Tuesday night was an astounding demonstration of the Russian school of violin performance. For it seems the world can now be divided into three schools of thought when it comes to concertizing on the violin, and the Russian School is one of them. read more...>

The Fly Fisher’s Companion

THUNDER BAY  -----   October 25,  2009  ---  The second play of the season is now playing at Magnus Theatre. As usual Friday night’s gala performance was completely sold out. For me a gala performance is all about a performing society’s very best effort, and Magnus Theatre has pulled out all the stops to make this show a success. As with all Magnus Plays Mario Crudo likes to create an atmosphere of anticipation before the audience even goes into the theatre. With this performance he used the art work of Ray Swaluk, Peter Humeniuk of Lake Superior Art Gallery and William E Burn. These local artists specialize in the out of doors landscapes of our region and I know at least one, Ray Swaluk is an avid fisherman and sportsman.  read more....>

A New CD from Päivi Salokari

THUNDER BAY  ----  October 20, 2009  ---  Päivi Salokari is the daughter of musical parents and grew up in Finland in a home filled with music. With her mother’s encouragement she and her two siblings learned at an early age to perform in choirs and Church Christmass Concerts.

 At age 7 Päivi began violin lessons, something which she continued for the next ten years. Also at age seven she participated in a children’s recording, “I’d Rather be Little”. Because of her apparent musicality she was accepted into special music classes from grade three to grade nine and from there to the Sibelius Music High School in Helsinki where she graduated in 1987   read more....>

Händel Organ Concerto a Rare Treat 

THUNDER BAY,  ON  ---  October 18, 2009  ---  The Classical Music scene is in full swing. This Saturday city residents had their second opportunity to come and hear a Consortium Aurora Borealis Concert at St. Paul’s United Church.

Elizabeth Ganiatsos the group’s music director was on hand for the evening festivities celebrating the music of Georg Händel, and Franz Joseph Haydn. The musicians of the ensemble all drawn from the ranks of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra   read more......>

 It’s Time for Music

THUNDER BAY, ON   ---   October 17, 2009   ----  Tania has been in the city for a week guest conducting the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra.

When she accepted the invitation to open the TBSO’s season with its first Masterworks Concert a number of doubts must of run through her mind. What kind of orchestra is this? These are masterworks for orchestra, will one week be sufficient time to prepare the concert? She need not have worried. Tania opened the concert with the statement of how wonderful our orchestra is to work with, and she is impressed with the professionalism and warmth of the musicians.

Our orchestra has always responded well to guest musicians, and they make an effort to welcome them and give them a good musical experience. The obviously liked Tania’s approach to music because you could “feel every note” she conducted. Feel every note” is the slogan on this year’s website for the Victoria Symphony where she is full time conductor and music director. My favourite piece of the night was Mozart’s Prague Symphony (#38). Mozart one of history’s most gifted composers wrote extremely well for strings. He intrinsically knew what strings can do and how string players like to play. Our orchestra is essentially a Mozart sized ensemble so his music is a perfect match for our players. This is a feel good piece when played by the gifted musicians of the symphony, and true to her Logo Tania Miller delivered on every note.   read more.....>

Piano Extraordinaire!

THUNDER BAY, ON - September 30, 2009 - I have been thinking about the season’s opening concert of the Consortium Aurora Borealis. A lot has been cooking on the kitchen stove since last season. For one thing it is the first time in 31 seasons that music director Elizabeth Ganiatsos has not been present for an opening concert. read more...>

Due to tremendous popular demand!

THUNDER BAY, ON - September 24, 2009 - Magnus Theatre is excited to announce that HANK WILLIAMS: THE SHOW HE NEVER GAVE by Maynard Collins, has been extended to Saturday October 3, 2009. “Hank Williams is a phenomenal success for Magnus! Many of the 20 performances, during the initial two and a half week run, are sold out. To accomodate the scores of people who would still love the opportunity to see a performance, we have decided to hold the show over for one additional week.” says Artistic Director Mario Crudo. read more...> 

Season Opener A Winner

THUNDER BAY, ON ----   September 12, 2009   ---  Mario Crudo has worked long and hard to choose a season opener for Magnus Theatre. He wanted a show that will appeal to as many people as possible. In choosing Maynard Collin’s Hank Williams – The Show He Never Gave, Magnus presents a great story through song, and a touch of multimedia. The tragic story of this great country and western singer begs to be told on stage. After all the singers lifelong career was on a stage of one form or another.   read more.....>