LISTENING TOGETHER
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Dear Friends,
Winter is hitting us full on these days and for some that means feeling the blues, especially if you are home alone looking out at snow, ice, wind etc.
A couple of months ago I mentioned here a new initiative in Montreal that would allow doctors to make prescriptions for hearing the Montreal Symphony as a way to combat social isolation. I believe it is a great idea on virtually every level, and now I see that it has been taken up closer to home. The Windsor Symphony is now making a similar offering, with family physicians now being able to make "social prescriptions" which can be redeemed for tickets to hear the symphony play. Way to go WSO! Here's more info:
If you're in Stratford and want to listen to music together, there are many options at this time of year. One of them is something I'm excited to be returning to on February 10th, with a performance of J.S. Bach's Art of Fugue at the Music and Opera Appreciation Society. This is the final season of Barbara Steed Young's tenure as Artistic Director, and she is to be celebrated for all the years of great gatherings she has put together for the community. As always, a packed house of people will gather and discover things about music they never knew. This time, I'm bringing three young colleagues with me for a discussion and performance of Bach's final masterwork (he died before he could finish the piece!), so please join us - it will be time well spent listening and learning together.
And if you're in the Halifax area this weekend, I'll be giving a recital with renowned pianist Mathieu Gaudet (who recently completed recording Schubert's entire collection of piano works!) for an evening of Beethoven, Enescu, Harman, and a new work Gaudet himself has written for the occasion!
And here's a little music to sign off with today. One of my favourite tunes from Jobim and Moraes - Chega de Saudade, which means…No More Blues!!
Have a great weekend!
Mark and the SSM Team