HEARING WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR
Dear Friends,
Earlier this week, I was walking down the street when a beautiful black Labrador Retriever caught my eye. It was wearing a collar that hadn't been removed since St. Patrick's Day—green, decorated with several cartoon leprechauns.
Suddenly, two fire trucks came screaming around the corner and blared past everyone on the block. I covered my ears quickly (musicians' reflex!) and noticed that the dog's owner quickly bent down to cover the ears of her beloved pooch, sacrificing her own hearing. I was very moved by the gesture.
Yes, I'm the sort of person that would love it if noise by-laws were stricter. For me that would include things like the beeps we hear when tapping our debit cards on machines, clearance pings at the airport when using boarding cards, and yes, those folks who ride their bicycle with what used to be called a ghetto-blaster attached to either their body or bike. Not everyone wants to hear it!
Meanwhile, in London, England, a fundraising campaign for the world-famous Wigmore Hall has just concluded so successfully that its programming can now be as adventurous (or not) as those in charge desire. Wigmore Hall will no longer be subject to the programming restrictions that often come with accepting public funding, as they have voluntarily chosen to forgo Arts Council England grants. In short, they now have the freedom to hear what they want to hear.
And “here’s” an article about it:
Something I always wanted to hear was music written by the Inuk composer/soprano Deantha Edmunds. I commissioned her to write a cycle of songs about our relationship to the earth for the opening gala concert of our 2023 season here in Stratford. The works are stunningly beautiful. Creating the arrangements for strings were four different individuals - Bill Brennan, Andrew Downing, Jeff Johnston and Robert Carli. The end results were better than I could have imagined and happily, with the help of the Canada Council, I managed to create a recording of the works, conducting an ensemble in my hometown St. John's - the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra Sinfonia. Through our recording, that cycle of songs just won best composition of the year last week at the Junos in Vancouver!
Here's a link with more info.
From Stratford to the Junos...I like that path!
I'll leave you with a piece of music that I enjoy listening to, because sharing what we like to hear can be one way of drowning out the constant stream of noises we don't want to hear.
This is an arrangement by Gerard Schwarz of a famous slow string work composed by Anton Webern. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because his son, Julian Schwarz, performed a deeply memorable cello and piano recital with his wife, Marika Bournaki, at Stratford Summer Music in 2023. Rest assured, we’ll be welcoming them back in the future!
For now, this music is for you. It's a YouTube link, but there is no real video element.
I know at least one dog who loves this one. When I was a student in the UK, a golden retriever named Kasha lived in the house I was in for a couple of years. She would regularly come scratch at my door whenever I was playing slow, romantic music. She’d lie at my feet until I started anything too upbeat, at which point she’d leave.
Have a good weekend, all!
Mark and the Stratford Summer Music Team
Supporter Highlight
WK Financial
MusicBarge Series Sponsor
Growing up in a small rural town, I wasn’t exposed to the arts in a meaningful way. That changed when I moved to Stratford to start my business and met my wife, Keltie. She introduced me to a world of music and theatre that I had never experienced before.
When our children were born, Keltie enrolled them in Music for Young Children with the incredible Wendy Ewert. Wendy nurtured their love for music, introducing them to playing instruments, singing, and even acting. As they grew, they participated in various music festivals, including the Stratford Kiwanis Music Festival, and performed in professional theatre productions with the Stratford Festival, Drayton Entertainment, and others.
Their passion for music and the arts became an integral part of our family. They pursued drama, arts, and music into University and College. Their enthusiasm for the arts was infectious—it continues to bring us together to this day.
I’m proud to support Stratford Summer Music because organizations like this bring joy, inspire deep emotions, and challenge us to think. Sometimes, they simply entertain us—and that’s more important now than ever. The world can feel overwhelming, but music is a universal language that connects us all, no matter where we live.
Stratford Summer Music extends our heartfelt thanks to WK Financial for their generous support of our MusicBarge series. Your commitment to the arts helps bring live music to our community in such a unique and memorable way. We are truly grateful for your partnership in making these special performances possible!
