MULTI-LAYERED MUSICIANS
Dear Friends,
This week, while listening to one of my favourite podcasts (Hidden Brain, for those interested), a neuroscientist/researcher being interviewed about how the brain works used a phrase that I rather liked. The phrase was, "Once we assign a label, it invites bias." How true that statement is. In the music world I immediately started thinking of the countless musicians I know that have multiple talents, many of which remain hidden due to that part of ourselves that likes to understand things quickly and then pack that information away in order to get on to the next thing. So I thought today I'd reveal some things about musicians that you may not have known... first up: Stewart Goodyear!
Stewart Goodyear is not only one of the most in-demand pianists in the world today (and rightly so in my opinion) but also a first-rate composer, writing an ever-increasing list of pieces for as small as one person (solo violin) to full orchestra. In fact, this week at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, his work Callaloo - Suite for Piano and Orchestra is being performed by the Toronto Symphony with Goodyear as soloist. Another recent work was for a piano and string quartet entitled "Homage" which he premiered at Koerner Hall last year with the Penderecki String Quartet.
Here's a link to enjoy:
The American composer Charles Ives was a bit of an outlier. Back in the 1990s, the New Yorker magazine asked readers to submit a list of their top 10 favourite and least favourite classical composers. The only name to reach the top ten in both categories was Charles Ives! I can see why, but I would make the argument that he was and remains a revolutionary. What many people don't realize about him is that he was also an insurance executive and actuary, most notably creating unique ways for people's life insurance policies to pay forward, laying the foundation for what we now call estate planning. Here's Ives playing piano and singing his anti-war song "They Are There!".
Turn up the volume enough so you can hear the piano part well - it will make a big difference to your listening experience!
Music and food/drink has always gone together, whether 500+ years ago or today. I have several musician friends who are terrific chefs, some mixologists, and a few devoted organic gardeners. But I only know one musician who is a licensed sushi chef(!). The wonderful violist Rémi Pelletier, currently serving as Principal Viola of the Toronto Symphony, went to Japan during the COVID lockdowns and went through rigorous training at the Tokyo Sushi Academy. His dream (when he retires) is to open a sushi/jazz/classical club. There are a lot of us who will want to be first in line for that when it happens!
Here's a little video clip with Rémi discussing his musical path... including sushi!
And speaking of food... yesterday in Stratford we were at revel coffee to launch this season's Plugged In coffee bean. Again this year, the taste of this coffee is fantastic!
Thank you revel and Las Chicas del Café for being supporters of SSM again this season!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Mark and the SSM Team
Supporter Highlight
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Jeremy and Carrie Wreford of Bradshaws for their generous support of this year’s festival. Their ongoing commitment to our community and the arts makes such a meaningful difference.
As one of Stratford’s most beloved and longstanding retail destinations, Bradshaws is more than just a store—it's a cornerstone of the community. Their dedication to quality, craftsmanship, and exceptional service has made Bradshaws a destination for both locals and visitors alike.
Their support helps us bring exceptional music and memorable experiences to Stratford each summer, enriching the cultural fabric of our town. We deeply appreciate their dedication and the spirit of collaboration that they bring to everything they do. Thank you Jeremy and Carrie for your support—we look forward to many more seasons of music, celebration, and community together.
